Chapter 71: Woltuk Koldor the Dark Mage

23 Years Ago

Woltuk Koldor was once recognized as a young prodigy in the kingdom of Ednia.

Charismatic and always ready to help, he had built a reputation as a benevolent man.

He dedicated his free time to supporting the kingdom's hospitals and assisting the peasants of the Izulte forests, where he built shelters for the needy.

However, all of this was merely a façade.

An investigations were underway to locate missing villagers whose disappearances remained a mystery.

One fateful night, knights patrolling near his residence at Amiria heard terrifying screams. Intrigued they entered his home in his absence.

What they discovered left them petrified bodies of villagers killed and Highbeasts littered the floor victims of horrific experiments.

The evidence of his macabre acts was quickly reported to the crown.

Hunted across all of Ednia, Woltuk Koldort escape to flee to the continent of Alderia where he found refuge within the Katakiel Empire.

Wanted for his abominable crimes and sentenced to death in absentia, his name became synonymous with full hatred.

Many believed he had disappeared... but that was only for a periode of time.

Back to the Present 

Under a darkened sky, Woltuk Koldor marched at the head of a battalion of fifty demons at the entrance of Azulferia.

His black hair streaked with gray, framed a cruel face and he wore a long white coat that contrasted with his ominous aura.

A black scepter, embedded with crimson gemstones, gleamed in his hand emanating a sinister energy.

Beside him Ilyud an imposing demon, advanced with a massive spear in hand.

 "For a human, you are truly impressive," declared Ilyud, observing the monstrous beasts surrounding them. "Thanks to your mind control magic, we have subdued these creatures of Nymenor. Now I understand why they call you the Dark Mage.Even the most feared ones tremble before you."

Woltuk responded with a sinister smile.

 "Hahaha! Of course. Ednia was far too small to contain my ambitions. There, I was merely a caged bird. Here, I am free to explore my true talent."

He paused, letting out an exaggerated sigh.

  " However, its unfortunate that this organization Ouroboros was destroyed. They provided me with humans for my experiments."

Ilyud slightly unsettled by these words, raised an eyebrow beneath his helmet.

 "Honestly," he said with a soft chuckle "you resemble a demon more than a human with such ideas."

Woltuk burst into a malevolent laugh.

 "Hahaha! Perhaps I am the perfect intermediary between the two races. With my help, Prince Niolz will seize Ednia."

His gaze turned to Ilyud, his tone growing more serious.

 "Tell me, Ilyud, how do you feel in this new body? Does it suit you?"

Ilyud, formerly an ordinary demon, had been transformed by one of Woltuk's spells. Now standing at over 2.4 meters tall, his muscular torso resembled that of a massive bear his head was that of a turtle adorned with three horns, and six powerful arms sprouted from his body.

Ilyud grinned, revealing sharp fangs.

 "I thank you, Woltuk. With this new body, I feel invincible."

Woltuk's smile widened, but he was interrupted by an unexpected event.

The golden barrier protecting the kingdom of Azulferia a masterpiece of elven magical technique suddenly collapsed in a deafening crash.

Woltuk, his eyes gleaming with excitement, murmured:

 "Good. It seems our victory is near. Now that the barrier has fallen, we can move toward Iselhein."

Ilyud, watching the barrier's disappearance with a calm expression, nodded.

 "Let's finish this quickly. Once Azulferia is conquered, I want to return to Ednia's island to take revenge for the humiliation those humans inflicted upon me."

Suddenly, a demon clad in black armor, wielding a lance, and bearing the head of a griffon, knelt before them.

 "Lord Woltuk, Lord Ilyud" he said in a raspy voice "our scouts have spotted a human army heading straight for us."

Ilyud's eyes lit up with pleasure.

 "A human army, you say? Perfect. I was growing bored of these weak goblins and dwarves. Perhaps among them, there will be a general worthy of facing me."

Woltuk crossed his arms, his expression unreadable.

 "Do not underestimate the humans, Ilyud. They have the ability to surprise... but it does not matter. I have prepared surprises that will render their resistance futile."

The demons around them roared, galvanized by the promise of a bloody battle. Woltuk, gripping his scepter tightly, raised a hand to summon a series of red runes that floated into the air.

 "When this night ends, history will remember our triumph. The kingdom of Azulferia will fall, and it will only be the prelude to Ednia's downfall."

Ilyud, clutching his lance, roared with wild enthusiasm.

"Then let's go. The hunt begins now."

The war drums echoed through the forest, mingling with the guttural cries of the demons.

The army of Ednia approached, determined to protect its allies and crush this growing threat once and for all.

The battle was about to begin, and the fate of nations would be decided under the ominous glow of the moon.