She tapped the earliest marker on the timeline. "Year zero. The Cataclysm. The arrival of the demons that created the reality we know today."
The professor's ancient eyes swept the classroom, ensuring she had everyone's attention.
"Our world was that of prosperity when the demons arrived. They filled the land with corruption, killing hundreds of millions of humans in the first wave alone."
Arthur felt a jolt of shock run through him. He had always thought demons were native to this world—dark creatures born of its natural magic. The revelation that they were invaders, foreign entities that had broken through from elsewhere, changed everything.
His throat tightened as the implications sank in. If demons could breach the barriers between worlds and enter Caldera...what would stop them from entering his world?
The thought made his heart race. Not fear, exactly—Arthur was beyond simple fear.
