[“Race: Amass Imp. R.
Affinities: Fire, Nature.
Blessings: The Guardian's knowledge.
Titles: Rhodney]
The Chieftain looked puzzled.
Nature.
He’d never heard of that affinity before. Granted, there was a lot he had not seen. He was quite young for a demon’s standards.
But, nature…
Nature of the mind? Nature like the forest? Your own nature? A similar thing had happened when The Chieftain had heard Todo sit down and present her own profile for the first time.
They were still discovering things about Truth. He had intuitively known that being a sage let him know every magic, but it seemed that a lot of the more outlandish one’s would be revealed later.
“Is that even good?” Shoji asked the question that they were all thinking. Rarity didn’t always equal value. Having a wood affinity was possible. And in a camp full of fire demon’s that wasn’t exactly a valuable resource.
Yes, the boy would probably be exceptional. One of Todo’s patrons seemed to even recognize and put some stock into him. But should The Chieftain…
He looked down at the boy’s rising and falling chest. Looking at the child's deep sleep.
It definitely wasn’t as reliable as earth, fire or even mana. But two affinities were two affinities. The Chieftain hoped he’d at least make a fine retainer for his tiny horned peer. The Guardian seemed to take some interest.
So The Chief would too.
“It doesn't have to be good,” He told Shoji. “What matters is it's new. With this giant tree in the way… He could probably be useful in understanding its fenomena, regardless of what nature means.”
When Todo had first used her truth magic and revealed her abilities, everyone had immediately seen its value. That and the mythos of her evolution made it easy, along with her being a very powerful member of the community.
The boy was just that, a boy.
He would need time to show them all that he had.
The Chieftain smiled.
What an interesting bunch.
“Let’s move on.”
They walked around the pair and made their way over to the other three. The Chieftain could immediately tell the three were pretty unremarkable. Just three lesser imps. They sat against the wall. The three shrunk down and tried to make themselves smaller. They seemed to lack the courage the other two displayed, one in his nonchalance, and the other staring fear in the face.
The child in the middle of the two puffed out a pitiful plume of smoke in protest. This display in the cradle was… sad.
Especially with all the ambient mana in the air.
He motioned Todo over, and she practically gilded across the floor. Each step silent as she made her way close. She rattled off their status’ and The Chieftain saw his guards face scrunch like he’d sucked on a lemon.
[“Race: Amass Imp. R.
Affinities: Fire.
Blessings:
Titiles:]
[“Race: Amass Imp. R.
Affinities: Wind.
Blessings:
Titles:”]
[“Race: Amass Imp. C.
Affinities:
Blessings:
Titles:”]
The one without any blessings or affinities shook the hardest. She stared at the glowing Dodomeki and tears started to well up in her eyes. The little imp broke into a cry that hurt The Chieftain's ears, and had promptly snapped Todo out of her trance.
“Wait, no no no no, I’m sorry,” The child was inconsolable. Todo tried her best, but she was not good at it. The presence of the Demon standing over her speaking her robotic words had caused a terrible fit. The Chieftain clutched his staff and looked over to the oni. The oni’s pupils had almost become slits. Like he’d smelled blood.
“Sir.” Shoji said, his voice hollow.
“I’m trying to understand the lessons, and you bringing me here has proved on some level that you were right. A Lot of them could bring value to the base. I hate to admit it, but that sitting boy had affinities far better than mine starting out,” The Chieftain was surprised.
He’d never heard his friend speak out this much before. Each word was spoken without much pauses, Shoji spoke with a purpose. And a slight resentment in his voice. The Chieftain waited for his companion to say the problem with grace. And it came.
“But, lesser duds?” Shoji grabbed the bridge of his nose and gave a deep exhale. “There is a difference, a huge difference, between curiosity, and class.”
He pointed down at her, the child jumping at his sudden movement. “She doesn't even have a warrior's heart! Look at her! Grabbing onto one of the other lessers, she shouldn’t have the luxury.” Each word spit had a hatred that The Chief didn’t recognize in his friend, Todo and him looked on in shock at their friend's words. Because they knew where it was leading.
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And they didn’t like it. But…
“Shoji… what are you saying?” The Chieftain said, clenching his staff tight. the dilemma starting to brew in his mind.
When he told his father that he wanted to be chief,
He wanted to be better.
He didn’t want to just repeat the sins of their ancestors.
He didn’t want to–
“It’s not about what you want, It’s about keeping the tribe strong.” It was Shoji's turn to read The Chieftains mind. “We have a chance to rebuild the clan stronger than ever. Do you want to lay the foundation with wood, or concrete?”
The Chieftain grit his teeth looking up at his friend.
Wood, Huh? That’s what he thought of lessers? He looked over at the shaking children, the one puffing out smoke and the two holding onto him.
Was he doing this because he was curious? Or because of his bias?
He didn’t know.
They say the decisions we make dictate what kind of men we are. As Todo started to yell at Shoji, telling him how barbaric he was being, The Chief remembered.
He remembered that night.
…
The smell of smoke was thick in the air. The thumping of drums, and excitement smelled wonderfully in the air. Todo had just reached her evolution and The Chieftain had thrown a gigantic party for her. And the man’s experience rang true. Beautiful decorations hung from the buildings. Three hundred demons mingled and enjoyed the party in the center. It was a joyous occasion. Fine wine that had cobwebs from their long sits in the cellars were poured.
People ate with reckless abandon. Dancing around that beautiful red and yellow bonfire.
Dancing the night away.
Not caring for tomorrow.
Laughing.
He still remembered his father.
He had a huge belly. Massive pecs that told you that told you that he wasn’t a weak man, just a big one. No shirt, white tribal paint along his chest. Just, massive horns that made Darcage wonder how he held his head up. Dark red skin and a body that was over eight feet tall.
“Hahaha! Yes, dance my people! For we have gotten a monster only told in stories!” Arcone, sat next to his father, heavy makeup on his body and long sleeve shirt and pants worn like he usually had.
Shoji sat next to them, with awesome traditional white oni paint on his face. He hadn’t touched the bottle. And Todo, of course, was there. Sitting on her giant red pillow. She was a little bit shorter but still towered over the Imp.
Yes, towered.
He hadn’t evolved yet. He sat there happy for his friend, but in that way when you were holding back that slight jealousy.
He sat there with his elbow on his thigh, and hand holding his bored head.
“C'mon boy! Drink! The gods have blessed us today!”
The imp shook his head.
He wasn’t one for drinking.
“Father,” The future chief asked.
“Hm?”
“Do you think… I’ll evolve soon.” His mind was so childlike back then. Evolution changes a monster. He still had his stoic face and monotone voice. But there was this sense of insecurity that was much louder back then.
“...Hmm,” The Chieftain took a big swig of his bottle. It was almost the size of The Chieftains head. Held in The Chieftains callused huge paws. “Well, you will or you wont take my spot!” The Chieftain looked down and saw that his words had done the opposite. He paused, then took a huge belly laugh which spooked the Imp. Burping and them smiling wide. “You’re my kin. No matter what anyone says. You’ll evolve soon, don’t you worry.”
“Truly great people are early bloomers.”
…
He thought of his fathers words.
They had made him happy at the time, even if Darcage’s version of a smile was just a slight tilt of his lips.
But, truly, they had made him happy.
His fathers head was on a spike before the sun was up.
Only fools listen to the advice of the dead.
His father hadn’t gotten him through the night.
Shoji did.
The Chieftain would trust his companion.
Hoping for every lesser imp to be something special was a fool's errand…
Not everyone could be the exception.
He held up his hand and stopped Todo and Shoji’s argument. “Shoji… you’re right.”
Shoji was surprised.
“Chief, you can’t mean…” Todo’s heart sank as she heard him side with the option she deemed immoral. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
“Just… let me be the one to do it.”
The guard thought for a second. Then nodded in understanding. Todo stood by the child for a second longer, being pulled between two choices.
But as she looked into his eyes she relented. Being chief didn’t just mean having a special title that allowed you to boss around your subordinates.
Being better didn’t equate to letting friends do your dirty work.
He was going to do this.
He had to do this.
He stepped toward the child, each step feeling heavier and heavier. As if the weight of the world got heavier as he approached the quivering toddler.
Tap. Tap. Tap. His cane hit the floor and he silently thanked it. Not knowing if he could’ve kept his head up. He moved, listening to the ambient noise of The Cradle. Then made it close.
He reached his hand down. And outstretched his hand.
Then, The Chieftain heard a gasp as someone ran under his legs.
The child’s hands burned with bright burning blue fire. He held an Amateur brawler's stance while staring up at The Chieftain. He had a possessiveness in his eyes. “Grrr.” The child with the tiny horns and the mana blessing growled at The Chieftain .
Wait, Blue?
He hadn’t seen blue fire in…
He moved his hands closer to the small horned child. The boy growled like, ‘You keep moving, I will hurt you.’ But The Chief ignored the message. The Chieftain gave into his own morbid curiosity. He wanted to see what the little demon would do if he kept pushed. Were the lesser imps threats empty?
Only one way to find out–
The boy pulled back his tiny fist back and punched The Chieftain’s hand with all the force it could. Which wasn’t much however, but the thought was appreciated. The Chieftain chuckled slowly as the tiny blue candle flame singed his hand. Then broke into a gigantic uncharacteristic smile like his father’s.
The boy had spunk!
And his blue flames were something spectacular!
“Would you like to be chief one day?” The Chief asked.
The little boy said nothing, just keeping his fist against The Chieftain's palm.
“Sir, are you alright–”
SHHH. The Chieftain shushed Shoji and thought. So this was the mana blessing. What an incredible ability.
“Alright, I’ve decided, I will not take your friend away,” He said to the lesser imp. The imp sighed and sat down, apparently tired from expelling all that magic. It was hard enough using something like blue fire below tier one but also as a baby.The Chieftain shuddered.
Knowledge blessings were incredible.
“But, inexchange,” The Chieftain said to the boy, “You show me more of that magic when you get older, alright?” The little guy tapped his chin in thought, then nodded.
The Chieftain turned around and began walking away. He passed the feeder and gave him a nod. Passing the feeder and hearing his friends slightly jog when they realized he was leaving.
He left excited to see what else the new children would show him. And excited to be a part of whatever ruckus they would create.
He had a feeling things were going to get very busy around here.
Man…
It’s good being the king.