Evolution begins with an ant colony

Delikan extended his hand towards Yandol, uttering an incantation, "Forced Call, Greater Heal." A purple magic circle materialized just before his fingertips, facing Yandol. His wife harbored doubts about Delikan's true intentions, yet a glimmer of hope led her to take a chance.

In that moment, Yandol's body, afflicted by severe frostbite and the loss of a limb and other serious injuries, experienced a miraculous revival. The ice encasing his chest didn't melt but, rather, began to evaporate. The severed hand, covered in icy residue, also evaporated, revealing the gradual regrowth of Yandol's arm.

The hole in his chest and lungs closed, and vitality returned to him with each passing second. The room witnessed a miraculous healing, shrouded in the glow of the fading magic circle.

Upon experiencing the miraculous healing, life surged back into Yandol's eyes, and his gaze intensified. In a split second, he sat up, seized his wife, Amillia, and leaped to the opposite side of the bed. His movements were so swift they blurred.

Despite the mysterious display of kindness from the Demon King, Yandol couldn't forget the atrocities committed by the same man who had unleashed demons to slaughter his people. Swiftly ensuring the safety of his pregnant wife, the sole precious thing he had left, became an instinctive priority.

Yandol narrowed his gaze, casting an intense glare at the Demon King as he questioned, "What do you want, Demon King?"

"You should learn some manners, lad. Is that any way to talk to the man who just saved your life?" Delikan's reply carried a cold and serious tone. The intensity in his red eyes sent chills down Yandol's spine, and the sheer presence of the Demon King left him paralyzed with fear.

Delikan then asked, "With the situation you find yourself in, do you think you are in any position to be asking questions?" His voice cut through the tension in the room, leaving Yandol with a overwhelming sense of vulnerability.

While gazing at Delikan, Yandol mused, "I'm glad I was able to swiftly secure Amillia and leap to the opposite side of the bed. Part of the reason that was possible was because my senses just recovered from being so dull. Now that my senses have recovered, I can properly observe this monster standing before me." Beads of sweat formed on his face, slowly streaming down.

Yandol added, "He's just standing there, yet the air in the room suddenly became harder to breathe. My body is involuntarily trembling, even though I'm fully healed. I feel like if I were to take another step, my life could be forfeit."

Yandol mused further, "It's like all of my senses and instincts are screaming for me to run away from this man. His very presence gives off this overwhelming aura. If not for having my wife to protect, I would have bowed my head to him, and pleeded that he'd spare my life."

Yandol mused further, "It's like all of my senses and instincts are screaming for me to run away from this man. His very presence gives off this overwhelming aura. If not for having my wife to protect, I would have bowed my head to him and pleaded that he spare my life."

Suddenly, Delikan let out a small chuckle, sending a chill down Yandol's spine. He then said, "Come now, no need to be so tense. If I wanted you dead, you would have met your end by my son back in your territory. So, you should relax, I won't be ending your life." Delikan paused and added in a slightly more serious note, "As long as you don't get on my nerves, then nothing will happen to you.

You have my word on that."

Delikan then calms down and adds in a measured tone, "Now, onto the reason I had you spared in the first place and brought here." Delikan extended his right hand forward slightly in a welcoming gesture as he said, "I want you to join me. Your skills and draconic bloodline are something I must have on my side if I am going to realize my goals."

Upon hearing Delikan's proposal, Yandol froze up with confusion. He mumbled, "What?" Suddenly, in that moment, Yandol mused inwardly as his eyes shook, "Is this man, the demon king, the one who ordered the slaughter of my people, the man mostly responsible for me being in that seriously wounded state earlier?

The man whose son made me betray the trust of my people, making my wife watch such a bloody scene, is now asking me to suddenly become his subordinate? After all he has caused me to lose?" Yandol gritted his teeth as he mused further, "Does he just think because he has so much power he can do whatever he wants?"

Yandol was about to voice his thoughts, gritting his teeth, slowly opening his mouth, and ready to speak his mind. Suddenly, the demon king interrupted him in a cold, commanding tone, "I will not take 'no' for an answer." His words sent a chill down Yandol's spine, instantly silencing him in fear.@@novelbin@@

Delikan then added, "Unlike my son, I will not try in any way to persuade you. The moment you disagree, I'll end your useless life then and there.

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I don't take kindly to things that waste my time and prefer to completely obliterate them." His red eyes seemed to glow slightly as he continued, "So I would simply advise you to think this through properly before you let your emotions get the better of you and end up saying something that will seal your fate along with your wife's and precious unborn child."

Upon hearing the demon king's words, Yandol gritted his teeth. Inwardly, he mused, "I should think about it. You are basically telling me I have no choice other than to serve under the very man who subjected my life to such a state in the first place. What about my principles, my values? Am I just going to throw them away again?"

Suddenly, Amillia, Yandol's pregnant wife, spoke up with a trembling voice, her words directed at Yandol, "D-darling, I'm scared." She slowly placed her right hand on his cheek, Yandol could feel her as she trembled in his arms, she then added, "You won't let him separate us, right? Our lives haven't really even started yet, and it's coming to an end? I know I'm being selfish, but...

please, I don't want to die." Tears streamed down her cheeks. She slowly used her left hand to wipe her tears.

Her words shook Yandol to his core. He had never seen his wife so terrified. Seeing her in such a state was as if a massive weight had been placed on his heart—one he felt he needed to do something about, something to save the last precious thing he had to hold on to.

After a brief moment of silence, Yandol had made up his mind. He then replied to the demon king, "I'll join you."

Delikan smiled slightly, but then Yandol added, "But under one condition." Delikan narrowed his gaze. With his thousands of years of experience, he could already tell what Yandol was about to request. He chose not to interrupt, deciding to let Yandol state his condition, as it would further increase the overall control he would have over him in the end.

Yandol took a deep breath before revealing his condition, "I'll join you, but you must guarantee the safety of my wife and unborn child. They will not be harmed under any circumstances. If any harm befalls them, my loyalty to you will crumble."

Delikan observed Yandol for a moment, his expression unreadable. After a pause, he finally spoke, "Very well. I accept your condition. Your wife and child will be under my protection. Betray me, and the consequences will be severe."

Yandol nodded, a mixture of seriousness and uncertainty in his eyes. He had taken a significant risk, aligning himself with the demon king, but the safety of his family was important. As Delikan accepted the condition, Yandol couldn't shake the feeling that this decision would shape the destiny of both himself and those he held dear.

Delikan's crimson eyes bore into Yandol as he spoke, "Since we've come to an agreement, why don't you lay your wife on the bed and join me over here."

Yandol, with a mix of fear and seriousness, gently placed Amillia on the bed. Each step felt weighted, as if the gravity of his decision manifested in the heaviness of his movements. Slowly, he circled the bed until he stood before the imposing figure of the demon king, ready to embark on a path that promised power but also demanded absolute loyalty.

Delikan, convinced of Yandol's perceived weakness, then added, "However, know this – your strength will be a reflection of my power. I shall grant you the strength you need, not out of kindness, but out of necessity. You will carry out the tasks I assign to you, and in return, I will empower you to fulfill your role effectively."

Yandol, acknowledged the terms with a nod. He couldn't ignore what it meant align himself with Delikan, but he had to if he didn't want to loose what he held dear, even if it meant being subjected to the whims of a tyrant. The pact was sealed, and Yandol braced himself for the impending infusion of dark power that would transform him into a powerful pawn in Delikan's schemes.