Dai was in no illusion that eliminating these 16 demons would result in him just disappearing. Instead, more questions would be raised. If they were familial demons, which was even more likely, the questions would be unending.

That's why he'd had the drude call in the castle demons right away and slaughtered them in the imp's office. He took his dagger and placed it in the drude's hands. They're pale skin was looking paler but nobody was innocent in god's hell.

"You killed them, that'll intimidate any ambitious or loyalist demons for the moment but someone will rise and challenge your power. This will just give you a brief window as to grow in some strength."

The drude nodded. Dai still didn't know what they're name was. "What is your name?"

"Somnus." She was named after the strongest drude in history. It was a name reserved for females.

Dai went outside and dragged in the head-guard. He'd beat him to a pulp. "Obey her." He pointed at the drude. "Now, everybody that I encountered, I need you to bring them here. Lie, cajole, threaten those 7 men and bring them here."

Dai got down on his kness. "If you run or one of them runs, I'll skin you alive but if you do your task, I will be fair. You won't be punished. You can have a better role under their administration."

The cow-head scurried off like the wind and Dai sat in the chair. He was starting to feel a little out of breath. The poison had dyed his chest in a green spider-web of cross-crossing veins. Dai started reading through a manual.

There was a difference between being able to recall everything and understanding it. The manuals meant for nurturing certain insects were useless -for his current predicament- but there were copious notes in the margins. He would re-visit them later.

The guards were brought in about an hour later. He took care of them in a swift manner. He left the last one for the drude. He grabbed a sword and handed it to the drude, went to sit back down and relaxed.

"If you can beat him, you'll be free to go. Whoever, kills the other one wins." Dai interlaced his fingers and started flicking through his manuals.

The bulbous head-guard hung his head down in shame. He'd tricked them and said, that the imp had bested that upstart of a demon. She'd been impressed by their valour and would bestow rewards. Any logical assessment of his statements would've result in the fact that he was lying but their greed clouded their judgment.

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The guard had a wiry, frail figure with a set of rotting teeth. Too much booze and women. His name was Rip. That high demon had chosen the weakest one out of all of his subordinates for this new lord but there was one caveat. He was not a good-guard by any means but he'd never seen Rip lose a one-on-one duel, perhaps, the high-demon would seize the seal afterwards.

The head-guard only had one thought going through his mind, that he wouldn't be next. He didn't want to die, it overpowered every other thought in his mind.

Rip attacked with an awful tenacity and brutality. He started with an awful strike down but Somnus stepped out of range, there was a glint of metal and a sharp stiletto flew past Somnus' eyes. Her silver-blue eyes widened with surprise.

Rip stepped in and kept on attacking. Every now and then, when the drude was too focused on dodging, his stiletto would flash out and try to pierce her gullet.

Another stiletto was launched by Rip and it pierced Somnus' shoulder. She started bleeding out, Dai glanced up from his manuals for a quick second and went back to them.

The pain was burrowing into her shoulder. Her blood pooled on the ground with all those other guards when all of a sudden, Rip's foot slipped on it. He tried to move back and re-gain his balance but Somnus was faster. She pushed forward and used her sword a carve a wide-arc through his chest.

Rip screamed with pain and fire burst out of his nostrils. It was too late however, Somnus carved a slash across his knee and it resulted in him buckling. Rip fell down to the ground.

She looked to the former demon-lord but it was a grave miscalculation. Rip grabbed her foot and pulled her down to the ground. He stabbed her with his stiletto in her abdomen. It devolved into a vicious pit-fight.

Somnus scrambled for her sword but Rip had her right where he wanted, panicking. He raised his stiletto and moved down to stab her in the throat.

Dai was about to move in and stop them when he saw it. A glaring silver radiance burst out of Somnus' eyes, she stared into Rip and he relaxed. Somnus grabbed the stiletto and stabbed it in sideways. She pulled out his Adam's apple. A warm geyser of blood burst out of Rip and bathed her.

Dai smiled at that, she had more potential then he'd given her credit for. [Dreaming Slumber] would be put to good use in her hands.

"Cow-head, put the stiletto's on the table and clear the room." The chunky head-guard scrambled to do so and left in a heartbeat. He tried very hard to not smile, he was spared.

Somnus was trembling and shaking like a leaf. Dai picked up Rip's body and threw it away. Somnus stared him in the eyes, with naked fear.

Dai helped her up to her feet and deposited her in a chair. "Calm yourself and get your equilibrium back. Don't trust that cow-head, get rid of him as soon as you can."

Dai grabbed a pitcher of water and washed Somnus' face. The cold water woke her up and her eyes sharpened into focus, the adrenaline should be wearing off.

Dai had a set of bandages. He washed the stiletto wounds and bound them up as well. Proper hygiene practices were non-existent down here.

There was a knock on the door and the head-guard stepped in, the entire ground was bathed in blood. The room was a sweltering cooking pot.

"The hunters are here." Dai recalled, the imp had been out on a hunting party.

"I can't solve everything for you. The hunters are yours to deal with. I'll contact you." Dai stepped to the window and jumped out of it.