The Demon Among The Knights-Chapter 52 - 49 – “Feast of Victory”

Chapter 40 – "Feast of Victory"

The grand hall of the Knights’ Kingdom was alive with celebration. Golden chandeliers hung from the high-vaulted ceilings, casting warm glows over polished marble floors and long feasting tables stacked with roasted meats, fruits, bread, and overflowing goblets of wine. Banners bearing each knight’s house crest fluttered gently in the breeze sneaking in from the stained glass windows.

The male knights stood proud in sharp, decorated formal armor—silver-plated with sapphire accents, their capes pressed and embroidered with symbols of valor and victory. Each of them wore sashes representing their rank, glinting medals pinned neatly on their chests.

The female knights were dressed equally impressively—some in glimmering white-gold armor pieces over tailored gowns, others in ceremonial robes lined with blue silk, their hair braided in styles denoting their family or region. Light armor shimmered over their shoulders and forearms, more decorative than combative.

At the front of the hall stood Christian, wearing a sleek obsidian-black suit with crimson lining. His plated boots reflected the light, and a diamond-encrusted sword hung at his hip purely for style. His dread-plated black hair was tied back into a loose tail, his yellow eyes scanning the room like a fashion-forward hawk.

He raised his goblet.

"What better way to celebrate the Knight’s Feast... than after a war well-fought!" he said, his voice cutting through the air with charm and flair.

He grinned wide. "Sure, I wasn’t there—but hey, I still get to do the fun part. And I’ve been winning this award every year, but I figured... this time, we name it after someone who actually did something during the war."

He pulled out a scroll and unrolled it with a dramatic sweep.

"This year’s Order of the Iron Flame goes to... the one who stood alone in front of death, shackled yet unbroken, the one who saved our lives when hope was lost—Luci!"

The crowd murmured, and all heads turned to the back table. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

There sat Luci, hunched over a large tray of roasted chicken, tearing it apart with both hands. His coat, the red-and-black one Christian had given him, was now dusted with crumbs.

Daniel, now with a silver trim on his armor, slid in beside him. "Hey, Master Luci," he grinned.

Luci looked up, cheeks stuffed. "Oh, Daniel."

Daniel chuckled. "Yeah, call me that again. ’Master’ has a nice ring to it."

Luci rolled his eyes. "My name’s Luci. Don’t push it."

Brian joined them, setting down his plate with a proud smile. "Well, obviously you deserve the title. You saved our butts, and you made a deal with the kingdom. Respect must be given."

He took a sip of wine. "Also, I’ve been promoted—Gold Rank 4. And guess who else moved up?"

Brianna appeared behind him, her golden armor newly polished, her long cloak sweeping behind her. "May I join you two?" she asked, smiling.

"Sure," Luci said, nodding and scooting over.

In his mind, Luci glanced at the happy chatter around him, the warmth of the food, the clinking of glasses.

"I don’t know what they’re murmuring about... but man, I’m just glad I’m stuffing myself with roasted chicken."

—

Meanwhile, in the King’s chambers...

The king stood before a dark altar, lit only by a single flickering candle. Before him was a goblet of thick red liquid—demon’s blood, swirling unnaturally as if alive.

He raised the goblet, voice low and filled with hunger.

"Today... I drink the demon’s blood."

His lips curled into a smile that knew only ambition.

To be continued...

Chapter 40 – "Feast of Victory"

The grand hall of the Knights’ Kingdom was alive with celebration. Golden chandeliers hung from the high-vaulted ceilings, casting warm glows over polished marble floors and long feasting tables stacked with roasted meats, fruits, bread, and overflowing goblets of wine. Banners bearing each knight’s house crest fluttered gently in the breeze sneaking in from the stained glass windows.

The male knights stood proud in sharp, decorated formal armor—silver-plated with sapphire accents, their capes pressed and embroidered with symbols of valor and victory. Each of them wore sashes representing their rank, glinting medals pinned neatly on their chests.

The female knights were dressed equally impressively—some in glimmering white-gold armor pieces over tailored gowns, others in ceremonial robes lined with blue silk, their hair braided in styles denoting their family or region. Light armor shimmered over their shoulders and forearms, more decorative than combative.

At the front of the hall stood Christian, wearing a sleek obsidian-black suit with crimson lining. His plated boots reflected the light, and a diamond-encrusted sword hung at his hip purely for style. His dread-plated black hair was tied back into a loose tail, his yellow eyes scanning the room like a fashion-forward hawk.

He raised his goblet.

"What better way to celebrate the Knight’s Feast... than after a war well-fought!" he said, his voice cutting through the air with charm and flair.

He grinned wide. "Sure, I wasn’t there—but hey, I still get to do the fun part. And I’ve been winning this award every year, but I figured... this time, we name it after someone who actually did something during the war."

He pulled out a scroll and unrolled it with a dramatic sweep.

"This year’s Order of the Iron Flame goes to... the one who stood alone in front of death, shackled yet unbroken, the one who saved our lives when hope was lost—Luci!"

The crowd murmured, and all heads turned to the back table.

There sat Luci, hunched over a large tray of roasted chicken, tearing it apart with both hands. His coat, the red-and-black one Christian had given him, was now dusted with crumbs.

Daniel, now with a silver trim on his armor, slid in beside him. "Hey, Master Luci," he grinned.

Luci looked up, cheeks stuffed. "Oh, Daniel."

Daniel chuckled. "Yeah, call me that again. ’Master’ has a nice ring to it."

Luci rolled his eyes. "My name’s Luci. Don’t push it."

Brian joined them, setting down his plate with a proud smile. "Well, obviously you deserve the title. You saved our butts, and you made a deal with the kingdom. Respect must be given."

He took a sip of wine. "Also, I’ve been promoted—Gold Rank 4. And guess who else moved up?"

Brianna appeared behind him, her golden armor newly polished, her long cloak sweeping behind her. "May I join you two?" she asked, smiling.

"Sure," Luci said, nodding and scooting over.

In his mind, Luci glanced at the happy chatter around him, the warmth of the food, the clinking of glasses.

"I don’t know what they’re murmuring about... but man, I’m just glad I’m stuffing myself with roasted chicken."

—

Meanwhile, in the King’s chambers...

The king stood before a dark altar, lit only by a single flickering candle. Before him was a goblet of thick red liquid—demon’s blood, swirling unnaturally as if alive.

He raised the goblet, voice low and filled with hunger.

"Today... I drink the demon’s blood."

His lips curled into a smile that knew only ambition.

To be continued...

Chapter 40Chapter 40 – "Feast of Victory"

The grand hall of the Knights’ Kingdom was alive with celebration. Golden chandeliers hung from the high-vaulted ceilings, casting warm glows over polished marble floors and long feasting tables stacked with roasted meats, fruits, bread, and overflowing goblets of wine. Banners bearing each knight’s house crest fluttered gently in the breeze sneaking in from the stained glass windows.

The male knights stood proud in sharp, decorated formal armor—silver-plated with sapphire accents, their capes pressed and embroidered with symbols of valor and victory. Each of them wore sashes representing their rank, glinting medals pinned neatly on their chests.

The female knights were dressed equally impressively—some in glimmering white-gold armor pieces over tailored gowns, others in ceremonial robes lined with blue silk, their hair braided in styles denoting their family or region. Light armor shimmered over their shoulders and forearms, more decorative than combative.

At the front of the hall stood Christian, wearing a sleek obsidian-black suit with crimson lining. His plated boots reflected the light, and a diamond-encrusted sword hung at his hip purely for style. His dread-plated black hair was tied back into a loose tail, his yellow eyes scanning the room like a fashion-forward hawk.

He raised his goblet.

"What better way to celebrate the Knight’s Feast... than after a war well-fought!" he said, his voice cutting through the air with charm and flair.

He grinned wide. "Sure, I wasn’t there—but hey, I still get to do the fun part. And I’ve been winning this award every year, but I figured... this time, we name it after someone who actually did something during the war."

He pulled out a scroll and unrolled it with a dramatic sweep.

"This year’s Order of the Iron Flame goes to... the one who stood alone in front of death, shackled yet unbroken, the one who saved our lives when hope was lost—Luci!"

The crowd murmured, and all heads turned to the back table.

There sat Luci, hunched over a large tray of roasted chicken, tearing it apart with both hands. His coat, the red-and-black one Christian had given him, was now dusted with crumbs.

Daniel, now with a silver trim on his armor, slid in beside him. "Hey, Master Luci," he grinned.

Luci looked up, cheeks stuffed. "Oh, Daniel."

Daniel chuckled. "Yeah, call me that again. ’Master’ has a nice ring to it."

Luci rolled his eyes. "My name’s Luci. Don’t push it."

Brian joined them, setting down his plate with a proud smile. "Well, obviously you deserve the title. You saved our butts, and you made a deal with the kingdom. Respect must be given."

He took a sip of wine. "Also, I’ve been promoted—Gold Rank 4. And guess who else moved up?"

Brianna appeared behind him, her golden armor newly polished, her long cloak sweeping behind her. "May I join you two?" she asked, smiling.

"Sure," Luci said, nodding and scooting over.

In his mind, Luci glanced at the happy chatter around him, the warmth of the food, the clinking of glasses.

"I don’t know what they’re murmuring about... but man, I’m just glad I’m stuffing myself with roasted chicken."

—

Meanwhile, in the King’s chambers...

The king stood before a dark altar, lit only by a single flickering candle. Before him was a goblet of thick red liquid—demon’s blood, swirling unnaturally as if alive.

He raised the goblet, voice low and filled with hunger.

"Today... I drink the demon’s blood."

His lips curled into a smile that knew only ambition.

To be continued...

"