"I want this entire floor sealed off," Valtair said as an onslaught of guards rushed to push the vault open. "Nobody goes in or out without me saying so."

"As you wish, you grace," Sir Clayton replied.

As I stood there, mesmerized, three guards clad in armor and robes began chanting an ancient incantation. Their voices rose and fell in perfect unison, echoing off the walls of the dimly lit chamber. Meanwhile, the rest of the guards strained against the massive door of the vault, their muscles bulging as they exerted all their strength.

Even to my untrained eye, it was clear that this was no ordinary vault. Powerful arcane magic protected it, and the door was made of the toughest alloys in all of Azurax; vyrillium, and droganite. To make even matters more daunting, the vault was buried a staggering fifty feet beneath the palace.

I couldn't help but feel a shiver of excitement run down my spine. There was only one way in and one way out of this impenetrable fortress.

"Has anyone ever tried breaking in?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Clayton shook his head and chuckled. "Your Highness, only a fool would dare to attempt such an impossible task."

"What if the vault was attacked by a nuclear missile?"

"Nuclear missile?" Clayton repeated the words, looking confused. "I'm afraid I don't know what that is..."

Valtair chuckled and gave Clayton a pat on the back. "Nuclear weapons are humanity's greatest weapon of destruction. They created it to overcome their shortcomings and weak nature."

Who are you calling weak, maggot?!

"Thank you for the explanation, your grace," Clayton bowed before turning to me. "I've never seen the power of a nuclear weapon, so I'm afraid I wouldn't know."

"The answer is yes," Valtair replied. "This vault would easily survive a nuclear attack."

"I see..."

At first glance, the vault appeared to be nothing more than a simple underground bunker. But as I gazed upon its thick, imposing walls, my mind couldn't help but wander to more devious thoughts. The inner nerd in me began to conjure up all manner of scenarios in which to test the vault's mettle, wondering just how indestructible it truly was.

"Tell me, son," Valtair asked, reeling my attention back to the present. "How do you know about nuclear bombs?"

Shit!

"I read about it in a book."

"I didn't know there were books in the library that mentioned nuclear weapons?"

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, one of the guards rushed to my father. "The vault is open, your grace."

Thank the Gods!

"Well done," Valtair said, before turning to me. "Let's get this over with."

Nodding in agreement, I followed him into the vault.

The inside of the vault was dimly lit and smelled of old parchment and dust. Rows upon rows of shelves lined the walls, filled with ancient tomes, scrolls, and artifacts. My eyes widened in wonder as I scanned the room, taking it all in. This was the largest collection of magical knowledge in the entire kingdom, and I was standing right in the middle of it.

"Don't be too impressed, son," Valtair said, noticing my awestruck expression. "These are just old books and trinkets. Nothing to get excited about."

Despite his words, there was something about the vault that called to me, something that made my heart race with excitement. I wanted to explore every inch of the room, read every ancient text, and examine every artifact.

As we made our way deeper into the vault, I noticed that some of the shelves were empty, their contents missing. "What happened to the books that used to be here?"

"I've made use of countless treasures as bargaining chips over the years. So many, in fact, that I've lost count of the exact number. Books and artifacts alike have all passed through my hands at one point or another. Most were either traded away or used in a shrewd negotiation. But make no mistake, I would never give away anything of true value or significance. The items I give away are mere trinkets, easily dispensable and of little consequence to me."

Interesting...

With each step, we ventured deeper into the cavernous vault. My gaze lingered on the menacing weapons that adorned the walls, each one a testament to the power of the demonic forces that had once threatened humanity's very existence.

I couldn’t help but shudder as I recognized some of the weapons that had been used against me in my old life. On the left, hanging on the wall, was the twisted sword that had nearly ended my life during the first invasion. Next to it, I recognized the golden lance of a renowned demon knight, Gustaf. If the rumors I'd heard were true, Gustaf had been the youngest demon ever to reach the rank of Baron. Even though Gustaf had been close to killing me on a number of occasions, I was able to defeat him in the end.

As my gaze wandered further, I began to notice something strange. Amongst the demonic armaments, I began to spot weapons that were not of this world.

My gaze settled upon a pair of ornate silver blades, and I immediately recognized them as the iconic weaponry of the Knights of the Radiant Cross. The Knights of the Cross were a group of strong and skilled mages who had given their lives in order to keep the demons at bay during the battle of Paris.

The surprises didn't end there. As I ventured further into the maze of tunnels, I stumbled upon a set of intricately carved bows that bore the unmistakable hallmarks of the Spider Guild of Japan. These bows played a pivotal role in the battle of the Alps, where the Spider Guild had fought against overwhelming odds to defend their continent from invasion.

This bastard has kept the weapons of my fallen comrades as souvenirs...

Memories flooded my mind as I traced my fingers over the cool metal of the weapons that lay on display. It was clear that this place held more than just demonic relics, but artifacts from all across the universe.

"T-That's not what I think it is?" I asked, barely able to contain my anxiety.

Valtair nodded. "Yes, that's the one. The Orb of Shadows."

I stared at the orb, mesmerized by its pulsing energy. From what I'd read, the orb had been created by the Primarchs, millions of years ago. It was said that whoever wielded the orb would be granted dominance over the shadow world. With it, they could command the shadows at their whim, slip through the shadows like ghosts, and even summon forth creatures from the Shadow Realm.

Valtair's voice echoed through the chamber, interrupting my thoughts. "Do you want to become the wielder of the Orb?" 

His question hung in the air, tempting me with the allure of power. I was about to say yes when something caught my eye.

In the far corner of the vault, lay a sword, forgotten and covered in dust. It may have seemed ordinary to anyone else, but the tulip crest on its hilt was unmistakable. I felt my body tense as my blood ran cold.

How is this possible!? What is Blood Reaper doing here?

My instincts took over, and I moved away from the Shadow Orb, walking towards the sword. It called to me, yearning to be wielded once more. As my fingers closed around the cool metal, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.

"Don't tell me you're considering picking this old sword over the one and only Orb of Shadows?"

I felt a surge of anger rise up in my throat, but I swallowed it down. I couldn't risk blowing my cover. Not yet.

Drawing in a deep breath, I slowly unsheathed the blade, gripping it tightly as I stood up to face Valtair. "Father, where did you find this weapon?"

Valtair scratched his head thoughtfully. "I can't say I remember," he replied, eyeing the blade with interest. "Let me see it."

I tossed him the sword, my disgust growing as he examined it with careless hands.

"Even though it's old, the craftsmanship is beautiful," he remarked absentmindedly. "Unfortunately, I still can't recall where-"

Valtair's voice trailed off abruptly, his eyes widening in shock.

"Father?"

He stared at the sword, seemingly lost in thought. It was as though the blade had jogged something in his memory, something he had long forgotten.

"I can't believe it's still here, after so many years," he murmured finally, his gaze distant as he spoke. "I had completely forgotten that I stored this here."

So, he's not as dumb as he looks. He remembers something...

"I'm not following what you're saying?"

"This blade belonged to a human. It belonged to a man that caused the deaths of thousands of our brethren."

I didn't murder your brothers. Your so-called brothers attacked my people. They attacked my home. I wasn't going to stand there and do nothing while my home was being destroyed...

"Father, are you saying a human was capable of killing thousands of demons?"

"This man was different," Valtair admitted. "Humanity has always been a foul race, filled with weak-minded individuals. This man was unlike any human I'd ever met, he had an unshakable will. He was a force of nature that none of us saw coming. For the first time ever, a human person spread fear into the hearts of our people."

At least he's being honest...

"I can't believe a human with such strength existed."

"He wasn't that strong," Valtair said, passing the sword back to me.

"He wasn't!?" I asked, keeping the anger from mixing into my voice.

"Well, for a human he was. But it was his vast experience and his wit that made him so hard to kill. He was a brilliant strategist who won many battles. He even went as far as to slay one of the Grand Dukes at the time."

"How did you manage to defeat him?"

Valtair's expression darkened, a shadow passing over his face as he shook his head with a sigh. "Of all the foes I've faced and defeated, this one still haunts me to this day. No matter how hard I tried, he always managed to slip through my fingers. So, in a moment of desperation, I resorted to tactics that I wasn't proud of. I lured one of his allies with an offer he couldn't refuse. It was a dirty move, but it allowed me to set up the perfect ambush and finally defeat the human who had caused me so much trouble."

That's right, you dishonorable pig! You beat me by getting my best friend to betray me...

"What was his name?"

"His name was Victor. Victor Drake."

For a few moments, we stood in silence, lost in our own thoughts as we remembered the past. Despite the anger that still simmered within me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that he remembered who I was. But I knew that memories could be fickle, and I made a vow to remind him of my name if he ever dared to forget.

"Are you sure you want the sword?"

I looked at the Shadow Orb, before looking back at the blade. Even though the orb could grant powers one could only dream of, the sword was an invaluable relic. A reminder of my old life. A reminder of what I had lost and what I needed to do. With Blood Reaper by my side, I'd never stray far from my goal.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Very well."

As we climbed our way up to the palace, the weight of our memories hung heavily in the air between us. Valtair walked with his head down, lost in thought, while I trailed behind him, my mind racing with a mix of emotions.

The palace was quiet when we arrived, the only sound was the soft rustling of robes as we passed by the occasional servant or guard. Valtair led me to a small study tucked away in one of the far corners of the palace, gesturing for me to take a seat at a small table while he poured himself a glass of wine.

"You leave tomorrow morning." Valtair leaned back in his seat, bringing the glass up to his mouth. "Make sure you have everything you need."

"I have a request."

"What is it?"

"I don't want mother to know that I'm one of the marked."

Valtair clenched his fist and sighed. "I'm not going to lie to your mother."

"It's for her own good. You know very well how kind she is. She's way too trusting of people."

"You have a point... Still, with your abrupt departure, we'll need a solid cover story."

"I agree."

"Any ideas?"

I took a deep breath, thinking over my next words carefully. "I think it would be best if she believes I'm going away to train. You can say that I'm going to learn from the best warriors in the demon realm. That way, she won't worry about me and she won't ask too many questions."

Valtair nodded, taking another sip of his wine. "It's a good plan. And it's not entirely untrue either. You will be training, in a way. Learning how to control and harness the power you've been marked with."

I nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. It wasn't the perfect plan, but it was better than nothing. At least my mother wouldn't be worried sick about me.

"Before I forget, I wanted to ask; how will I be traveling?"

Valtair clapped his hands and winked. "You'll be going to a place that is unreachable using ordinary means of transport... Lucky for you, I have a portal that'll lead you right in front of my master's doorstep."

"Perfect."

The two of us finished ironing out the small details, and before I knew it I was on my way back to my room.

Just as I instructed, Lady Clair had packed my belongings and arranged them neatly outside my door.

As I entered my room, my eyes fell upon a small, leather-bound notebook that I had brought along for the journey. It was blank, with its pristine pages begging to be filled with the details of my adventures.

Without hesitation, I grabbed a pen and began to jot down every question and topic that came to mind. My fingers flew across the page, capturing my thoughts and observations in ink. I knew that memories could be fleeting, and I didn't want to rely solely on my memory for important details that could one day become useful.

Realizing it would be a smart idea, I dedicated a number of pages, close to the back of the notebook, to all the possible dangers in this universe and ways to deal with them.

Or avoid them...

As I gazed down at my meticulously crafted notes, I was taken aback by the sheer amount of knowledge I'd acquired in the last couple of years. It seemed spending all that time in the library hadn't gone to waste. 

Feeling satisfied with my notes, I set aside my notebook, deciding it was time to get some rest. I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment as I slid into my bed and surrendered myself to a peaceful slumber. I was eager to see what tomorrow's adventure would bring.