26.- The precursor

The main chamber was calm that morning, sunlight filtering through the crack in the ceiling and caressing the vines that climbed the walls. The sweet scent of wildflowers filled the air, mingled with the constant hum of the red orb, a heartbeat that seemed deeper today, as if something were waiting. Aurora sat in front of the hologram, her green eyes glowing with a serene intensity as she observed the icons. The skeleton remained motionless at the entrance, the spider lurked in its crevice, and the winged lizard fluttered nearby, landing on her shoulder with a quiet hum. Sebastian rested on the grass beside her, a tranquil smile on his face, watching without much interest. "Just another day," he thought, accustomed to the oddities that no longer surprised him.

Aurora tilted her head, her gaze fixed on the hologram with a mixture of curiosity and command. Friends, she thought, remembering the skeleton as a loyal guard, the spider as a living weapon. But a deeper echo resonated within her, a pull she couldn't ignore. She pointed at the hologram with a firm gesture, her hand steady. More? Sebastian smiled at her, placing a hand on her back affectionately. "Looking for something new today?" he said, his voice soft and relaxed.

She touched the "Monsters" tab with precision, evaluating the images that appeared – skeletons, spiders, bats – with a cold, approving look. But then, a voice resonated in her mind, clear and cold as a blade: [Suggestion]. Aurora frowned, her head tilting slightly. Suggestion?

[Skill], the system's voice continued. She considered it, her eyes flashing with an ancient gleam. Skill?

[Demon King], the voice said. Aurora blinked, a silent roar growing in her chest. Me?

[Yes. Epic of Destruction], it replied, and she felt a dark warmth awaken, a power she knew without naming. Epic...?

[Blood. Monster. New], the voice explained. New?, she thought, her breath quickening with a contained excitement.

[Throne. General], the system stated. The word "Throne" struck her mind like a drum, strange yet resonant, an echo of something vast and hers. Throne? She concentrated, listening with a fierce intensity.

[A Throne is a special monster, very powerful. It will help you protect the dungeon], the voice said. Protect?, she thought, her expression hardening.

[Yes. From enemies], it continued. Enemies?, a primal instinct tensed her muscles.

[Yes. They will come to attack you], it affirmed. Attack me?

[Yes. They will want to destroy the dungeon], the voice insisted. Destroy?, a dark fire burned within her.

[Yes. Kill your friends], it said. No!, her mind roared, her hands clenching into fists. I won't let them be killed!

[Thrones will help you defend them], the voice assured. Defend them?, she thought, nodding with an iron will.

[Yes. They are strong. Very strong. Like generals of an army], it explained. Generals?, her gaze became sharp, imagining pure power.

[Yes. They lead other monsters. They guide them in battle], the voice said. Battle?, an imposing glow grew in her eyes.

[Yes. Enemies will come to fight. Thrones will fight for you], it affirmed. Fight?, she felt an echo of blood and chaos, a desire that roared in her essence.

[Yes. They are very powerful. They can use magic. They can break the laws of the world], it continued. Magic? Break the laws?, she thought, her breath becoming heavy.

[Yes. They are special. Like you], the system said. Like me?, a deep recognition ran through her, a power that throbbed in her blood.

[Yes. They have your potential. Your blood], it explained. My blood?, she looked at her hand, feeling her pulse.

[Yes. To create a Throne, you need to give a drop of your blood], it affirmed. A drop?, her mind cleared, determined.

[Yes. The system will mix it with that of a special monster], it said. Special monster?, she thought.

[Yes. One compatible with you], it explained. Compatible?, her gaze became fierce, an absolute command.

[Yes. So that the Throne will be strong. So that it will have your abilities], the voice affirmed. My abilities?, she felt the abyss within her.

[Yes. The ones you have as a Demon King], it said. Demon King?, an echo of broken worlds resonated within her.

[Yes. You are a Demon King. A powerful being. But your level is still growing], the voice explained. Strong?, she thought, her will hardening like steel.

[Yes. Like the Thrones. Like a Demon King], it affirmed. How many?, she demanded silently.

[5. You are special], the system replied. 5?, her eyes gleamed with a cold and serene ambition.

Aurora touched the hologram with a firm movement, her inner voice resonating like a command: Summon. A thick, icy darkness enveloped her, a suffocating cloak that pulsed with a life of its own. There was no fear – only a fierce excitement, an ancient hunger awakening –. I am powerful, she thought, her figure disappearing into the shadows. Sebastian, oblivious to the silent conversation, straightened up, curious. "What are you doing now?" he murmured, relaxed but intrigued.

The space in front of Aurora fractured like broken glass, a tear that revealed an infinite abyss – bloody nebulas, red eyes blinking in the nothingness –. A black needle emerged from the darkness, sharp and pulsating, and rose in front of her finger. With a quick prick, a drop of black blood welled up, thick as tar, shining with an energy that tore the air – an ancestral power that whispered of chaos and ruin –. The needle absorbed it, and the tear exploded in a deafening roar, a chorus of thousands of voices screaming in forgotten tongues.

The dungeon trembled violently, the ground cracking in a radial pattern, fragments of stone and vines floating as if gravity had died. The red orb sparked, its light oscillating wildly, and living shadows poured from the tear, writhing like tentacles before collapsing in a blinding flash. Sebastian staggered, grabbing onto a root as the roar struck him, a sound that seemed to tear the breath from him. "This is... a lot!" he yelled, covering his eyes with one hand, but his tone was more surprised than frightened.

The outside world convulsed. The earth split open in deep fissures, the oceans roared with waves that devoured coastlines, and the sky turned a bloody red, crisscrossed by black cracks. The stars flickered as if they were about to go out, and an echo of laughter – cold, cruel, primordial – cut through the silence, resonating in the hearts of mortals and shaking the thrones of the gods. Ancient dragons roared from forgotten caverns, their wings darkening mountains. Crystal spheres shattered in distant towers, showing visions of unstoppable chaos.

Inside the dungeon, the tear grew, the white light mixing with serpentine shadows that ripped through the walls. The ceiling cracked, raining debris, and the ground rippled like water under an impact. The roar reached a crescendo, tearing at the fabric of reality, until an absolute silence fell like a guillotine.

The dust settled, the cracks closed with a crunch, and in the center, a figure stood before Aurora.

Kaili.

Tall and slender, her purple skin glowed with an inner light, golden, silver, and red runes pulsing like veins of power through her body. Sharp horns like those of a gazelle curved from her forehead, adorned with glittering gems that flashed with every movement. Her eyes, dark pools with fiery sparks – golden, then red – opened, and a cruel and seductive smile curved her lips. Six membranous wings unfolded from her back, cutting the air with a whoosh, their tones changing – black, purple, scarlet – in a breathtaking spectacle. Her black armor formed from the residual chaos, fitting her voluptuous figure, leaving her arms and abdomen bare, the runes glowing with an intensity that defied the light of the orb.

Aurora looked at her with an imposing calm, evaluating her with a gaze that took in every detail – the wings, the horns, the raw power –. She tilted her head slightly, approving of her in silence, and Kaili knelt with a fluid reverence, her voice resonating deep and sharp: "My Queen." The ground trembled beneath her weight, an echo of her presence.

Then, Kaili raised her eyes, and her gaze fell on Sebastian, still clinging to the root among the rubble, dust settling in his hair. Her smile twisted, a mixture of arrogance and genuine curiosity. "And what is this, my Queen?" she said, rising with an elegant step, her wings fluttering once as she studied him. "A weak mortal as a pet? What value does something so fragile have in your greatness?" Her tone was cutting, but she took another step closer, tilting her head as if trying to decipher an enigma, her runes pulsing with an intrigued glow.

Sebastian straightened, dusting himself off with one hand and smiling crookedly. "I'm just here, I guess," he said, his voice calm, unfazed by her presence. Aurora walked towards him, brushing her hand against his in a warm gesture, and Kaili laughed – a cold sound that vibrated in the walls –. "Interesting," she murmured, crossing her arms as her eyes ran over Sebastian one more time, a playful spark peeking through her disdain.

Aurora sat on the grass next to Sebastian, her expression serene but firm, and he put an arm around her shoulders, relaxed as always. "Nice team you have now," he said, looking at Kaili with a calmness that did not question her power. She watched him in silence, her wings slowly folding, and then she looked away at Aurora, awaiting orders with an absolute loyalty that needed no words. The dungeon hummed once more, a deep echo that settled into the cracks, and for today, they were together – Aurora, Sebastian, and their new guardian – a fragile balance in a world that did not yet know its destiny.