The world was burning.
Screens flickered inside the Council chamber in Geneva, each one broadcasting a different nightmare. Dallas in flames. Seoul trembling beneath glaciers of ice. Moscow shaken to its foundations. And this was only the beginning.
Leaders and commanders shouted over one another, their voices clashing like weapons.
"We can't divide our forces further!"
"If Moscow falls, Europe is next!"
"What about Seoul? We've lost communication—"
At the center of the storm, Arashi, the Council's leader, stood silent. His sharp eyes scanned every screen, every report. He didn't need to speak to know the truth: this wasn't random. It was coordinated.
"The demons are testing us," he said at last, his calm voice cutting through the noise. "Five low, five mid. Spread across the world, striking all at once. Their goal isn't destruction—it's awakening something."
The chamber fell silent at those words. Only the hum of the screens remained.
---
Cairo – The Sandstorm Rises
Far from Geneva, the desert night was shattered.
The Great Pyramid loomed under the moonlight when a rift split the sky above Giza. Black fire rained down as demons clawed their way into the world. Sand shifted violently, dunes collapsing as monstrous figures emerged.
The first was Kalreth, the Dune Eater (Low-Rank).
A hulking demon with a serpentine body, scales glowing with heat.
Skill: Sand Maw Devour — opening a pit of quicksand that swallowed anything into darkness.
The second, Osira, the Vulture Queen (Low-Rank).
A shrieking, winged monstrosity, feathers of bone and steel.
Skill: Carrion Gale — a whirlwind of razor feathers.
And leading them, Neroth, the Scorched Colossus (Mid-Rank).
A giant demon wreathed in fire, molten cracks glowing across his hide.
Skill: Inferno Cataclysm — igniting entire dunes into pillars of flame.
The people of Cairo screamed as the ground shook, sandstorms tearing through the streets.
And then came a voice, calm and resolute.
"Sand belongs to Egypt. And I am its master."
Zahir Al-Fahim walked forward, his aura flowing around him like shifting dunes. Every grain of sand seemed to move at his command. His eyes gleamed like desert fire as he raised his hand.
"Your kind will return to the dust you crawled from."
The dunes themselves rose, forming a barrier of swirling sand between the demons and the city.
---
Elsewhere – Glimpses of Battle
Far across Europe, in Berlin, Klaus Weber stood at the edge of a skyscraper. His coat fluttered though no wind touched it. Below, shadows writhed in the streets, demons advancing through the city's heart.
He closed his eyes, whispering to the storm.
"…Blow them away."
Wind howled to life, spiraling upward as he leapt into battle.
In London, Sophia Carter prayed quietly as she walked through burning streets. Her aura glowed faintly, illuminating rubble and fallen civilians. When a shadow lunged from the corner, she raised her palm.
"Radiant Judgment!"
A lance of light pierced the demon, scattering it to ash.
Meanwhile in Paris, Ishita and Rehan watched the chaos unfold from afar, their orders clear: remain in reserve until the Council called. Yet Ishita's fists clenched as screams echoed through every broadcast.
"People are dying," she whispered.
Rehan's hand rested firmly on her shoulder.
"And they will keep dying, if you lose control. Wait. Learn. Then fight."
But Ishita's scarlet aura flickered faintly at her fingertips. She wasn't sure how long she could wait.
---
Council's Realization
Back in Geneva, Arashi's voice dropped lower, his gaze locked on the pulsating rift above Cairo.
"This isn't war."
The Council turned to him.
"It's a ritual. They're feeding something. Every kill, every soul consumed—it's building toward an awakening."
One of the elders paled.
"You mean… the Upper Demons?"
Arashi did not answer. His silence was worse than confirmation.
---
Cairo – Clash of Fire and Sand
Zahir's sandstorm clashed against Kalreth's maw, dunes collapsing into pits of quicksand. With a single gesture, Zahir hardened the ground into stone, sealing the trap before it could consume the city.
Osira screeched, unleashing a storm of razor feathers. The sand rose like a shield, absorbing the storm in waves.
Then Neroth stepped forward. His molten aura ignited the desert, firestorms erupting as he roared.
"Inferno Cataclysm!"
Pillars of flame burst from the dunes, lighting the night sky like a second sun. The city shook under the heat.
Zahir narrowed his eyes, lifting both arms. His aura exploded outward, every grain of sand answering his call.
"Eternal Dunes… Devour them."
The desert surged like a tidal wave, swallowing the battlefield in golden storm.
---
The war was spreading, faster than anyone had imagined.
And somewhere, deep within the darkness of the rift, something ancient stirred.
The Upper Demons were waking.