The Broken Halo

Korran took two steps toward the door before Simon’s voice stopped him.

"There is something I want to know."

The Iron Examiner paused.

One of the Black Horn officials glanced at Simon with an impatient expression, but Korran turned around calmly.

"What is it?"

Simon remained seated, his fingers resting against the arm of his chair.

His head moved, then he rested it on his fist.

"The rebels."

Korran’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"What about them?"

"You keep calling them rebels, but that tells me nothing. I know nothing about them." Simon looked directly at him. "What are they called? What are they rebelling against? How did they begin, and how powerful are they?"

Sonya shifted on the edge of the bed. Akaza also stopped reaching for the medicine box he placed on the table.

The atmosphere inside the room changed.

The negotiation was over, but Simon’s questions were not meaningless curiosity. Korran could tell from his calm expression that he wanted information for a reason.

However, the rebels had already entered their path.

One of them joined the recruitment, while another cell almost destroyed an important convoy. If Simon, Sonya, and Akaza were going to enter Earth beneath Velmora’s banner, knowing more about the enemy within the Darkness Kingdom was not unreasonable.

And if Simon was asking in order to join them, then he would find out why the rebels usually live in fear when in the Darkness Kingdom.

Korran turned away from the door.

"Many citizens of the kingdom usually call them Darkness Kingdom rebels," he said. "Among themselves, they use the name Black Banner."

"Black Banner?" Simon raised a brow.

"It started more than two hundred years ago," Korran continued. "Several commanders returned from a major campaign with large amounts of resources, conquered territory, and thousands of prisoners. The royals and nobles took most of it."

Akaza raised a brow.

"That was enough to start a rebellion?"

"It was the spark, not the cause."

Korran walked toward the window and stopped beside it. The distant alarm bells continued ringing across Velmora as he stared at the streets below.

"For generations, the Two-Horned Winged Demons have controlled the throne, the strongest armies, the richest territories, and most of the important positions in the kingdom."

His voice remained calm, as though he were only stating something obvious.

"The other races in the kingdom are allowed to rise, but there is always a limit to how high most of them can go unless they submit completely to one of the ruling clans in the kingdom."

Sonya leaned back slightly and raised a brow.

"So the rebels want equality?"

A cold smile appeared on Korran’s lips.

"No."

His answer came without hesitation.

"They speak about ending the control of the winged clans in the kingdom because those words attract demons who are angry, poor, exiled, or ambitious. But their leaders do not care about equality."

Korran’s gaze became colder.

"They want the throne, territories, resources, and authority for themselves. If Black Banner wins, the weak will still remain beneath the strong. Only the demons standing above them will change."

Sonya nodded with an understanding expression.

"That makes more sense."

Demons who were leaders do not start wars because they wanted strangers to live better lives.

They fought for power.

Some wanted revenge. Others wanted territory, resources, status, or the right to kill without answering to someone stronger.

The suffering of weaker demons was only a useful excuse.

"What happened to the commanders who first rebelled?" Simon asked.

"Most of them died within the first twenty years," Korran replied. "The royal army destroyed their open strongholds and killed several of their leaders."

Simon’s lips curled up slightly.

"Yet the rebellion survived."

Akaza nodded.

"Yes. They realized that they couldn’t keep on fighting the kindgom the way they used to. They stopped fighting like an army."

Korran turned slightly and looked at Simon.

"They divided themselves into cells. Some entered cities as merchants, guards, workers, and officials. Others hid in abandoned mines, mountain settlements, underground ruins, and territories the kingdom rarely monitors."

The ruined safehouse beneath the bathhouse was only one example.

"They began raiding supply routes, killing officials, stealing resources, and attacking weaker settlements that were loyal to the throne. Whenever the royal army moved against them, most cells disappeared before they arrived."

"Informants," Simon said immediately.

"Yes."

Korran’s expression darkened slightly.

"They have demons inside cities, noble houses, military units, and trading groups. Some serve them because they believe in their cause. Most do it for hell stones, protection, or personal gain."

Simon thought about the forged uniforms, city tokens, and information concerning the convoy.

The rebel cell knew the route, the contents, and the number of guards protecting it.

That information did not come from an ordinary thief.

"How many are there?" Simon asked.

Korran remained silent for a moment before answering.

"No one knows the exact number."

"An estimate."

"We have confirmed more than eighteen thousand active members across the Darkness Kingdom."

Akaza’s expression became more serious.

"Eighteen thousand?"

"That number only includes demons connected to known cells, records of rebels that have been captured, and survivor reports of confirmed attacks," Korran said. "If we include hidden supporters, informants, temporary fighters, and settlements that secretly provide them with supplies, the true number could be above thirty thousand."

The Darkness Kingdom was the strongest kingdom in the demon realm. A rebellion with only a few thousand weak demons would not have survived for more than two centuries.

Black Banner survived because its members were numerous, scattered, and patient.

"Who leads them?" Simon asked.

"A demon called Damar."

Korran’s tone became heavier when he spoke the name.

"He is a Prime Demon Lord."

Simon’s fingers stopped moving against the chair.

Korran continued.

"There are two other Demon Lords beneath him. One is a Minor Demon Lord, while the other is believed to be on the verge of becoming a Prime Demon Lord. Beneath those three are several Greater Demons who command the larger cells."

"And Damar’s race?"

Korran’s gaze sharpened slightly.

"A Two-Horned Demon."

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