---
The demon armies were preparing for war, but Chirag knew that strength alone wouldn't be enough to change the world. He needed to change hearts too. And to do that, he had to return to the world that once rejected him—the world of humans.
Siya didn't stop him when he told her his plan. She only looked into his eyes and nodded. "If this is what you believe in, I'll stand behind you. But be careful, Chirag. Humans fear what they don't understand."
"I know," Chirag said. "But not all of them are evil. Some of them… just need hope."
So Chirag, cloaked and disguised, left the demon realm for the human capital—Velmor, a vast and glittering city ruled by the Royal House of Erandar. There, a young prince named Lioren was making quiet moves against the rising influence of the Rulers. Lioren was not like the others. He believed that humans, demons, and even the gods could live in balance—if only the hatred could end.
Chirag reached Velmor after days of secret travel, avoiding patrols and magical borders. He stood at the city gates, cloaked in shadows, watching the tall towers and golden spires of the palace far beyond. He wasn't sure how, but he needed to meet Prince Lioren.
Fate made the first move.
A group of royal guards rode past him on the road, escorting a carriage. Suddenly, a blast of red magic tore through the sky—a group of rogue spellcasters ambushed the guards, hoping to kidnap whoever was inside the carriage.
Chirag acted without thinking.
He leapt into action, fire bursting from his fists. In a flash, he burned through the attackers' barriers and disarmed them with clean, non-lethal strikes. When the dust settled, the carriage door opened, and out stepped a boy barely a year younger than Chirag—tall, calm, with golden eyes full of curiosity.
"You saved my life," the boy said. "Who are you?"
Chirag hesitated. "A traveler. I don't seek thanks."
"But you'll get it anyway," the prince said with a grin. "I'm Lioren of Erandar. And I think you're someone I've been looking for."
---
Inside the palace, Chirag met Lioren in secret. Lioren had sensed magic in him—ancient and powerful, far beyond human limits. But he didn't question it. He simply asked, "What are you trying to do?"
Chirag told him everything. Not just about the demon realm, or the Gathering of the gods, but about Siya, the rulers who tried to take her, and his mission to change the world.
Lioren listened, stunned but not afraid.
"You're… the one they call the Flame Demon?" he asked quietly.
Chirag looked away. "I'm just someone who was left alone. Someone who found strength through love."
Lioren leaned forward. "Then maybe… we can help each other."
---
Lioren introduced Chirag to his secret group—humans who believed in peace, not war. They were scholars, warriors, and former mages who had turned away from the gods' control. Together, they planned to spread truth through the human kingdoms—truth about Chirag, about the lies told by the Rulers, and about a better way.
But the palace wasn't safe for long.
News spread quickly that the Prince was protecting a mysterious fire-wielding stranger. A spy informed the High Ruler of the east, and within a day, an elite squad of magical enforcers were sent to arrest Lioren and his "demonic guest."
Chirag could have run.
But he didn't.
When the enforcers burst into the palace halls with glowing weapons and blinding spells, Chirag stood between them and Lioren.
"You can leave now," he said calmly. "Or you can be burned."
They laughed.
So he showed them.
His fire didn't burn like theirs. It didn't crackle or scream. It moved like a living force—fast, precise, and unstoppable. Within minutes, the enforcers were on their knees, their spells broken, their pride shattered.
Lioren stood behind him, amazed. "You didn't kill them."
"No," Chirag said. "They were only doing what they were told. That doesn't make them evil."
---
By the next morning, Chirag's identity was no longer a secret.
Across Velmor, posters called him the Demon's Weapon. Some called for his death, others called him a savior. The people were divided. But something had changed—people were asking questions. Wondering if the stories they were told about demons were lies.
Lioren addressed the kingdom from the palace balcony with Chirag standing beside him.
"This man," the prince said to the people, "saved my life, saved this city, and never once lifted his hand in hate. He is not our enemy. He is the beginning of a new age."
Some cheered. Some jeered. But the message had been sent.
---
Back in the demon lands, Siya stood by a glowing crystal mirror, watching everything through ancient magic. She smiled as she saw Chirag standing proudly beside a human prince.
"You're changing the world, my love," she whispered. "And I will protect your path."
She turned away from the mirror and summoned her blade. The Gathering was coming closer. And while Chirag worked to change hearts, she would prepare to defend his life.
Because the gods would not wait much longer.
And soon… the war would begin.
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