Ilyas Efraim

Years ago...

"ARGH!"

A demon groaned when a sword enveloped with black mana pierced through his chest. Black blood spurted when the sword was abruptly pulled. The body of the demon twitched then exploded, spilling innards as well as black blood everywhere.

The clashing of different weapons and magic shook the entire land. Roars and groans disturbed the mind of any species around. A pool of black and scarlet blood seeped through the dirty ground beneath their feet.

On top of the pile of corpses stood the majestic, yet frightening being with long dark hair, red-slit eyes and black demon stripes across his flesh. The malevolent being was known to everyone as the ruthless King of Umbra.

On his back stood another powerful demon with hair and eyes as dark as the cold night, healthy tanned skin and a mischievous grin on his full lips. His name was Ilyas Efraim, the brave and brilliant prince of Umbra's vassal state.

These two unbridled demons were known in the history of Trium Regum as The Dark Demon Twins due to their vicious massacre throughout the realms that lasted for 30 days and 30 nights for the sake of conquering and uniting the world.

"Hey, your stupid Majesty, you better pick up your pace. I have a wedding to attend." Ilyas exclaimed as he impaled an undead being with his claws on the chest.

"Who's?" Adis asked coldly, unwilling to take orders from anyone.

"My wedding!" He rambunctiously announced.

Adis furrowed his brows as he continued his slaughter. "You did not send me an invite. I'm not going."

"What?!" Ilyas suddenly turned to face him but his right hand continuously slashed the three monsters behind him with his sword. "What are you, a child? As if an invitation is even needed between us. H-hey, you cold bastard, where the hell are you going? Don't leave me behind, idiot!" Ilyas called out when he saw Adis was already walking away from him, leaving a long trail of corpses beneath his feet.

Ilyas persisted when he reached Adis and even wrapped his sweaty muscled arms around his comrade's shoulders. "Come on, brat! You know my wedding is always filled with corrupt elders and crappy nobles. If my only friend won't be there, I'm going to cry!" He dramatically exclaimed.

Adis unceremoniously elbowed Ilyas' chest with unrestrained strength.

"Ugh!" Ilyas rolled on the ground from the pain. "Ah, you evil creature, you didn't even mask your strength. Are you trying to bury me together with these corpses?" When Adis did not deter from his dramatic act, he continued lying on the ground and looked up to the sky. "I swear, if you don't show up at my wedding, I am not going to appear at your wedding, too!"

Adis suddenly stopped in his track which earned a triumphant smile from Ilyas. He then glanced over his shoulder with his usual apathetic face. "Suit yourself. It's not like I am ever going to marry, anyway."

Ilyas' jaw dropped when Adis continued walking away after leaving him with biting words. "You cold-hearted son of a bitch! I don't fuckin' care what lazy reasons you will spout again. You better be there or I will kidnap your brothers and feed them to Charon!"

When Adis was finally gone, Ilyas raised his two hands and looked again into the sky. His dark eyes flickered with complicated emotion. "Well, Ilyas, cheers to another long and crappy marriage."

******************************

Ilyas' cheekbones were starting to numb due to hours of smiling in front of his pretentious and scheming guests. His desert palace was crowded with nobles and elders from different realms and he was starting to get bored already. His wedding ceremony came and gone without him even seeing his new bride again. Although he already met her yesterday when he came back from war, for some reason, he was thrilled to see her again.

He walked in the middle of the crowd while nodding and waving his hands endlessly. He abruptly halted when he felt someone assaulted him from the front and squeezed his waist tight. He blinked for a moment before he looked down and saw a little devil with unruly golden hair, familiar red demon eyes, and a toothy grin.

"Big brother, congratulations on being shackled again." The little devil blatantly made fun of him.

"Ah, Zen, don't be rude to big brother. You will make him cry again." A teenage boy with azure hair and calm smile softly chided.

Ilyas' eyebrows creased as he wondered why Aquarius' words sounded even more ridiculous to his ears. He tsked then roughly ruffled the brats' hair. "You rascals, you're behaving more like your stupid cold big brother. I told you to be more charming and gentle like me!"

"Who the hell are you calling stupid and cold? Should I throw away the gifts I brought for you?"

Ilyas' body stiffened upon hearing a menacing aura from his back. He rigidly turned around and his eyes grew wide in shock. "Woah, Adis? Hahaha, you came!"

He was honestly stupefied to see his friend at the moment. He never came to his other weddings before, no matter how hard he persuaded or dragged him. He unconsciously sobbed, "Waah, I want to cry! Everyone, my dear idiot friend is here to witness my wedding. I am so moved... even though he is so damn late!"

Zen and Aquarius laughed out loud while Adis just shook his head helplessly in his shameless drama.

"Stop messing around Ilyas. I only came because I'm sick and tired of your endless complaints every after your wedding day." Adis retorted with his cold face.

"Tsk, still a cold bastard, are we, huh?" Ilyas quipped with his thick accent.

Ilyas Efraim, a jovial and flamboyant prince of Eremus, a small desert kingdom that became one of Umbra's allied countries. He was the Royal Adviser to the Dark King as well as his good friend. A pure-blooded demon that belonged to a clan only second to the Delacroix when it comes to power and strength.

The citizens of all the realms admired him with so much respect for his genius mind and righteous laws. He was also a famous player who loved to collect many concubines and create numerous scandals to attract the public's attention. He was like the bright, warm sun while Adis was the gloomy, cold moon.

But only the King of Umbra knew the devious monster behind Ilyas' fake smile.

"So this is your what... 20th concubine? Damn, do you still even have seed to shoot with that many women?" Adis mocked the grinning prince beside him. They were now standing at the corner of the enormous palace garden, away from the boisterous crowd.

In Trium Regum, it's normal for the nobles and elders to have one main wife and 30 concubines, while the royal family could have one queen, two official princesses, and endless concubines.

Ilyas winced at his blatant words. "Hey, hey, watch your shameless tongue, you stupid Majesty. Your subjects might hear from you. Besides, it's not 20th, it's... 24th? Or was it 25th concubine? Ah, I lost count already." He scratched his head as though he was caught goofing around but he didn't give a single damn about it.

"Congratulations on your 26th wedding, Prince Ilyas," Fang suddenly appeared from the shadow and discreetly reminded him of the truth.

"Ah, Fang, what would I do without you? You never fail to remind me of my stupid mistakes," Ilyas sarcastically stated. "Well, you know that among those women, I am only touching my first wife. The rest of the witches are busy having fun fucking gods-only-know-who inside the palace harem."

"You know it yet you still pretend that there's nothing wrong? Why are you letting those scheming geezers and nobles dictate your life? Why are you not refusing their despicable tribute?" Adis' scowl deepened at his friend's stupidity.

"Woah, so rude! In case you haven't noticed, I am saving you royal ass here, as well as your brothers' asses. If I don't let them ravish this prince's attractive body, then they will shove those witches to the three of you. And chaos will ensue and blood will spill. Ehh? Now that I think about it, it seems that it's their asses that I'm saving from your murderous self. Hahaha!" He just laughed like a fool that he truly was.

Adis shook his head and decided to walk away from the crazy prince.

"H-hey, where are you going? Come back, you haven't met my new wife yet." Ilyas chased after his friend and dragged him towards his new wife's chamber.

The crowd was watching them with astonishment while they were making a ruckus. Only the exuberant Prince Ilyas could drag and curse the almighty King of Umbra and still live to see the next day. Many have tried to be close to the King and their heads rolled off the next minute. It was still a mystery up to this day, how a prince from a vassal state could be genuinely close to the Demon King.

"What's new? You haven't introduced any of your concubines before, except for your first princess." Adis finally conceded and allowed Ilyas to take him to his new wife.

"This one's different," Ilyas exclaimed as he turned around to face him with inexplicable liveliness in his eyes. "Adis... I think I'm in love!"

Adis' skin crawled and he wanted to retch at his friend's stupid declaration. "Fuck off! Love is a delusional excuse created by humans and fools like you just to screw someone else."

Ilyas looked aghast at his twisted opinion. "It's because of hopeless maniac like you who thought love and lust are the same that this world has turned into hell. You remember this, you stupid King, one day you will fall in love. And once that happens, you will come crying to this handsome prince while I deride you from my high seat."

"Are you cursing me?" Adis narrowed his eyes at Ilyas' serious declaration.

"That's correct!" Ilyas shamelessly admitted. "If I am doomed because of lovesickness, as my friend, you should accompany me to hell. Hahaha!"

"Your highness, Prince Ilyas!" An alluring half-demon and half *Sphinx called, interrupting their worthless banter.

Her hips gently swayed as she walked elegantly towards them. She had black short hair, beguiling eyes, and bloody-red pouty lips. Her curves were to die for and her honey-colored skin glowed smoothly. "I've been looking for you. It's time for you to go to your new wife's bedchamber to accompany her for the night."

"Ah, Hannah, I'm glad you're here. Come closer and meet His Majesty, King Adis." Ilyas happily greeted his first princess.