"Everything you possess shall be offered to me."
The deep, commanding words sent thick ripples across the Magma Lake.
Lava lapped at the shore. With his head bowed, Annan said stiffly, "It would be my honor."
"Your life, your treasures, and your soul."
"My life, my trea...sures, and my soul." A flicker of resistance crossed Annan's eyes, but he repeated the words.
Certain Annan was under its control, the Demon Lord commanded, "Take your Floating City east. Kill its minion, whatever the cost!"
Annan suddenly began trembling violently. A glimmer of clarity returned to his vacant eyes. "No... I won't throw an egg against a rock..."
"You must..."
"No... my lord... Demon Lord, you won't control me in my own dream!"
Annan tore free of the Demon Lord's control and cast the only spell he could still use: his Innate Spell.
An arcane chant rippled across the shore of the Lava Lake. A brilliant golden pillar, utterly unlike this burning Hell, pierced the apocalyptic red Clouds and poured down as though a god were descending.
As the pillar grew more solid, an angel wielding a greatsword slowly emerged from the Clouds.
"The Divine Realm? No! How do you possess such power..."
The Demon Lord's Flame Phantom looked up at the sight. Its fury whipped the Lava Lake into towering waves.
Then the descending angel began to fade.
Annan stopped chanting and said solemnly, "I have no wish to be your enemy, great Demon Lord... We once watched Magic Films together and shared many happy hours. I don't think we should be enemies..."
The Demon Lord studied Annan in silence. After a moment, the pressure bearing down on his soul vanished.
The Demon Lord was finally taking Annan a little more seriously.
"You cannot refuse... not if you still want the