“I should be the Demon Lord.”
The thoughts echoed through Viv’s head. It was like a parasite, infecting his every thought. Even the massacre right now wasn’t as satisfying as it was in the past. Viv licked the blood off his claws, looking in pride at the scene before him.
The streets ran with rivers of blood, every wall painted red. Faces full of despair looked at him sideways, their guts and innards metres away from them. He had lost count after ten thousand and only realised once he heard the screams stop.
“Why?” The city’s archmage asked him, still alive without half of his body.
“Hahahahahahaha. You of all people are asking me this,” Viv knelt, picking up the human’s body by his hair.
Viv’s eyes met the human’s, who looked away in despair. For the brief moment their eyes met, the archmage saw pitch-black eyes swirling with madness and anger.
“You disgust me. You preach your fake morals, pretending to be someone else, hiding away your sins. The only difference between us is that I don’t hide my true feelings.” Viv dragged his body, swinging it from side to side.
“You dare to label demons as monsters while committing the same sins. The gods must be happy to have you finally resemble them after all this time.”
“Say hello to them, provided you don’t go straight to hell,” Viv said, smashing his body against the stone.
The body exploded in a mist of blood as stone shattered, leaving a crater behind. Viv shoved his hand in his own throat, pulling out a saliva-covered bronze mirror. It was ancient - the engravings on the bronze showed creatures long extinct, the ancient beasts.
The mirror flashed dark green, a vortex forming inside of it. Not even the souls of the dead were spared from Viv as they twisted in agony, joining the monstrosity in the mirror. It was his only magic item, the rest would only hinder him.
Snapping his fingers, shadows coalesced into a phantom steed - Loan. It has been with him since he was five, though back then it was still alive. Hopping on, the horse departed, never fully touching the ground with its hooves.
The journey from Livia to Nex was a long one, passing through two kingdoms - Shevra and Ilisia. They were spared from the worst of it as Viv only targeted things in his path.
When he finally set foot on Nex, he was greeted by a barren desert littered with bones. Compared to Illisia, the place was eerily quiet, with not a single bird or insect in the area. When Viv thought about Nex, he expected demons to be swarming him as soon as he entered, wretched beings sacrificing themselves just to bring him down. Instead, it was empty.
The further he travelled, the more disappointed he was. Looking at strings of magic, traces of human magic were present in every corner, not to mention the more obvious signs of human trash. He spent half a day travelling in silence before seeing the first demon.
“SO. HUNGRY. You are so far in, it should be fine to eat you, right? The lord will never know.”
It was a lesser demon, most likely created from the corpse of Azamarionet. It lacked any human features, its body made completely out of bone. It crawled on all fours, its tail consisting of a hundred separate pieces, its claws digging deep into the sand. Sharp spikes rose from its back, ready to be launched at any time.
“You can speak, excellent. Lead me to the Demon Lord.” Viv said as he dismounted.
In theory, all lesser demons must obey greater demons. In practice, the demon was extremely hungry.
“You look weak, like a human. Let me have a little bite,” it said, grinding its teeth. Viv sighed.
He mounted his horse again, carefully examining the demon’s head as he rode away, rotating it in his hands. The demons he saw to the east were all flesh abominations from human experimentation, so it was interesting to see a genuine lesser demon created from the dragon’s corpse. Eventually, he grew tired of it, tossing it back to its collapsed body.
As he rode day and night, he made a simple conclusion. Nex had rotted under the Demon Lord’s rule. The demons close to the border starved or were killed by human expeditions, and the ones closer were cowardly, running as soon as they saw him.
Sand changed to earth as more human-like terrain appeared. Lush forests and bountiful plains were aplenty even if no animals lived there. There were no rivers of blood in sight nor trees made of flesh. Greater demons congregated in villages, partaking in human ceremonies. Viv almost massacred the entire village, barely holding himself back. They were going to be his subjects after all.
The worst offence was close to the castle. He saw a human in a demon city, conversing peacefully with others. He wasn’t being tortured nor under any spell, his mind wasn’t influenced nor was he being forced.
“You must be surprised. I was shocked when he first came here, but upon getting to know him, I think the stories are exaggerated. Humans aren’t that bad after all.”
At this point, more people were paying attention to the exotic newcomer with white hair and bloodstained clothes. He was standing still, his hand slightly trembling.
“Ah, I get it now. You must be the descendants of the people that once lived here. I forgot that some of the greater demons were cowards and decided to make a nice little family instead.”
At this point, the human must have seen him since he started desperately running. Perhaps he recognized who Viv was. The others lived in peace, their battle instincts weren’t that keen. Of course, even if they had started running earlier, it wouldn’t have saved them.
He spared those that had even a little fight left in them. The rest he slaughtered like the livestock that they were. They had all forgotten who their ancestors were and how demons were created, how Viv became like this. He would have to make serious changes once he became the Demon Lord.
As he headed closer and closer to the castle, he saw himself get wrapped up by strings of fate. He smiled, and then he laughed - not one string of death was on him. He followed fate until he finally arrived at the castle.
The Demon Lord’s castle was the only thing that matched his expectations. It was built from black stone thousands of years ago, towering over any human castle ever built. On the base of the walls were etched twisted runes that would make one insane. The black towers rose like pillars, spewing out hellfire, lighting the sky red.
The castle was said to be impenetrable from anywhere other than the front gates. Vicious beasts were carved from black stone, accompanying the various towers, their eyes following Viv’s every step.
The only flaw of the castle was the gates. They crackled with electricity, sending anyone who would touch them to an early grave. Unfortunately, the gates were open and could never be closed again. One of the previous Demon Lords had done it, but the history books didn’t mention why.
“Stop! What’s your business with the Demon Lord?” Two knight-like figures stood at the open gates, brandishing their spears.
They were greater demons, but both of them had red chitin for skin, resembling insects more than demons. A single antenna hung over their faces, and that’s where the transformation ended.
“Step out of the way and never appear here ever again. Only then will I spare you for trying to imitate humans,” Viv said, squinting at them with disgust.
Everything here was making him angry. They were supposed to be demons - they should be enraged for insulting them, their eyes turning red with anger. They should be doing what their instincts told them to. Instead, they were pretending, hiding their base feelings. They held still, repeating what they said again.
Viv laughed. Then, he looked straight at them, seeing into a world of a million strings.
He pulled the black string as the demons rushed to attack. Their bodies collapsed, cut into a thousand different pieces.
He entered the castle, walking through a majestic hallway. The books said that the entrance was supposed to be heavily trapped, the hallway similar to hell from all the blood, gore and torture that happened. Instead, it was empty, the flames lazily licking the walls as they burned.
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One after another, Viv passed through empty rooms, recalling what they were once supposed to be. It was built to never be intruded by humans, to serve as a reminder of what the demons had suffered, but instead, it was an empty shell of its past glory.
At the very least, the throne room didn’t disappoint. Flanked by blazing pillars, murals of past Demon Lords adorned them. The floor was stained red with a thick blood red, each step towards the throne becoming a shade deeper. The throne was made from obsidian, a thing to seat even the biggest of greater demons. Bones of fallen enemies adorned it as souls constantly shouted in silent agony, appearing on the throne.
The majestic scene was ruined by a huge refectory table, enough to seat hundreds of demons. There was the Demon Lord, merrily feasting with others close by his side, laughing and spilling alcohol everywhere. Children were running around, causing mischief with their still-growing tails.
Viv observed the scene, judging every demon present. They weren’t indulging in their gluttony. Instead, it looked more like a scene from when he was still a kid, when he had a “family”.
The Demon Lord looked more human than demon. His two red wings and his black tail were hidden away in his regal red clothes, his two sharp horns obscured by a pitch-black crown. His golden hair flowed behind him, reaching the ground and then some, making him more androgynous than he already was.
By his side rested a majestic staff, twisting like a snake. It held in its jaws several jewels, adding to the sparkle of the Demon Lord’s several rings. On his palms were eight snake tattoos, appearing entirely real and moving on their own.
It didn’t take a long time for demons to realise something was wrong. Perhaps it was the scowl of the foreign demon, the burning hatred in his eyes, or simply the fact that he was stained in blood. Those closest to him began to retreat, and those further away pointed in his direction, muttering to each other.
“It looks like we have a visitor. Welcome! The castle is open to every demon that wishes to stay.” The Demon Lord rose, spreading out his arm to gesture at the castle.
“Vurnir, surely you’re not that incompetent. Don’t you know what has happened outside the castle?” Viv asked in disbelief.
“I’ve not received any message, though it’s not time for court yet.”
“Court?” Viv’s laughter echoed through the now silent castle, continuing for some time.
“Tell me something. Why are the demons on the borders starving? Why do you do these foolish human customs? Why was there a human freely walking around in one of your cities?” Viv wiped away his tears, suddenly scowling at Vurnir once again.
“Well, why do we need to hate humans? The more we fight, the more demons will die. Why not make peace instead.” He gripped his staff, feeling the mood change.
Viv’s body stiffened, his claws growing longer. He spread out his wings, taking to the air. With each flap of his wings, the wind would howl through the castle, knocking things off the table.
“It looks like you’ve also forgotten. Let me remind you. When humans get driven to the very edge, when their humanity becomes dim and black due to the others’ sins, demons emerge. You know what every greater demon experiences, you know the absolute hatred. They create demons just for fun to find a cure for their “weakness”. ”
“So, tell me, have you given up? Are you so weak that your vengeance has been crushed?”
Vurnir stood there for a moment before slowly speaking. “I once was full of vengeance as well. I thought I could make a change as a Demon Lord, but once I received the lord’s inheritance, I found out how futile my efforts were.”
“I can’t tell you why, but it doesn’t matter how many humans you kill, the outcome will always be the same. Thus, I decided to end the war, to let those demons who don’t know hatred live in peace.”
“Look around you. I know how our kin suffers, but there’s nothing we can do about it.” He motioned to the scared crowd of demons holding their children. Once again, Viv began to laugh.
“I heard a coward giving excuses, a weakling who gave up at the first sight of difficulty. The demons under you are pawns you should use as fit.”
“I’ve heard enough.”
His hand reached out in front of him, grabbing the Demon Lord’s string. With his other hand, he slashed down on it, completely severing it. The next moment, Vurnir collapsed, blood spilling out from his body.
Seconds passed in silence before Vurnir stood up as if nothing had happened. Except, there was one major difference, one of the snake tattoos on his fingers was gone. The Demon Lord raised his hand, examining it in disbelief.
Despite the surprise, Vurnir wasn’t a pushover. His staff began to pulse with a black light as one of his rings lit up. In Viv’s vision, all of Vurnir’s strings began to merge, his soul expanding to cover his entire body.
Before Vurnir could do anything else, Viv’s body stiffened like a marionette. His legs bent more than they should, his wings twisting unnaturally. One moment he was flying in the air, the next he was standing behind the Demon Lord, his hands stained with blood. Viv held Vurnir’s head up high, it dissipating the next moment.
Vurnir touched his neck, another tattoo gone from his finger. There was no confusion about his ability anymore. The staff in his hands pulsed for the last time, conjuring a whirling vortex of crackling lightning. At the same time, the ring on his index finger flashed in red.
“Kneel,” he said, every demon in the room instantly falling to their knees.
Viv’s leg twitched, but he remained standing, controlling himself like a puppet. Still, it caused a delay in Viv’s reaction, letting the Demon Lord’s attack launch. A red lightning bolt the size of a tree emerged from the vortex, but before it could even reach Viv, it stopped dead in its tracks.
Slowly, despite Vurnir’s best efforts, the vortex stopped spinning. He felt the mana simply vanish from the area, his spell fizzling no matter what technique he used. All the while, Viv’s fingers were twitching as he intensely stared at the vortex. When he was done, he launched himself through the air, moving so fast it looked to others like he was teleporting.
Barrier after barrier shattered as Vurnir desperately cast spells. Each attack would be countered, and his defences were like paper. Even when he would summon a barrier strong enough to withstand an attack, it would be dispelled the moment after.
“You’re so weak,” Viv cackled as he clawed the air, creating a net of black threads in the air.
They passed through the Demon Lord’s barrier with ease, cutting him into fine cubes. Another tattoo vanished as the scene faded like an illusion, Vurnir’s face becoming more concerned by the minute.
“My lor-!” The others tried to help, only to be killed as soon as they approached. None of them knew how to protect their souls, snapping their strings was easy.
Vurnir slammed down his staff, the ruby lighting up. The flames from the nearby pillars were drawn in like moths to light. With the ring in his middle finger illuminating the air, the drinks from the table coalesced into liquid serpents. Pressing down on them with his finger, their eyes were inscribed with the same strange tattoo on his palm.
Viv tore through string after string, but there were more serpents constantly being created as the old ones reanimated, swarming around him. Black thread materialised in his hands as he ran his hand through the creatures. One after another, he sewed the serpents together, creating an amalgamation of snakes.
He lifted his head to look at the Demon Lord, only to see an inferno blazing above him. The demons were nowhere to be seen as the fire flared through the entire room, a mix of black, red and purple. Vurnir learned from his past mistakes, the spell’s strings were tied closely together.
“Hellfire Inferno.” Vurnir looked down, pity in his eyes.
The inferno tore through the room, charring the entire room. The pillars bathed in the flames, the murals dancing in joy. Amid the chaos, the throne stood still, untouched by the fire. The rest was consumed.
The fire ravaged the throne room for a minute. The Demon Lord expected to see only ashes left, but when Viv emerged unscathed, Vurnir’s eyes were a mixture of confusion, anger, and despair. Viv was engulfed in a rotating green sphere that moaned in agony, thousands of faces flashing every second.
“You just killed a thousand people. A spineless coward becomes a cold-hearted murderer.” Viv roared with laughter, swallowing back the mirror of souls. Vurnir continued to cast spells, though Viv simply stood there.
“Just as I guessed, you’re weak. Let me show you what a true Demon Lord should look like.”
Viv took a deep breath, closing his eyes. From his feet began to seep out darkness, infecting the floor like a plague. Looking closer, the darkness was nothing but a million tiny threads weaved together. Vurnir tried to escape while the domain wasn’t finished, but his feet disappeared with every step. He took five steps before his body reappeared, another tattoo vanishing.
The ground wove itself upwards, closing in on both of them. The last of the light vanished as they were plunged into total darkness. The Demon Lord held perfectly still, casting spell after spell, creating a barrier around himself. The staff was shaking along with his hands, and, despite appearing so mighty moments ago, the shaking spread to the rest of his body.
“What happened to the grand display of peace from earlier? Die like a true Demon Lord, you coward.” Viv circled him, scraping the barriers with his claws.
“Just kill me. The world is going to be plunged into chaos soon and millions will lose their lives. Is that what you want?” Vurnir said, calming the tremors.
“Yes. Let the whole world burn, I don’t care. I’ll take everyone down with me if it means I can eradicate humanity.” Viv once again cackled, thrashing his tail in joy. He looked past Vurnir to a scene of devastation.
“Your time is up. In your next life, reincarnate as something with a proper spine.” Viv waved at Vurnir as the first string wrapped around his barrier.
String after string shot out from the walls, cutting through air, magic, and everything in between. Nothing in the world was sharper than the string of death. His magic offered precious seconds of struggling, but the domain was like a spider weaving its net. He was caught in a cocoon.
Despite having five more lives remaining, he died in mere moments. Not even reviving could save him from the fate of instant death. When the cocoon unwrapped itself, there was nothing left of his body, not even a single drop of blood. Instead, a crown dropped to the ground, seemingly untouched.
The domain faded as Viv cracked his knuckles, whistling a song from his childhood. It was too easy to feel any pride from victory, but he was ecstatic nonetheless. He put on his rightful crown and ascended the stairs of the castle. Each step had thousands of years of history behind it, having seen thousands of deaths.
He seated himself as the new Demon Lord to the audience of no one. He would have to hunt down the useless demons and teach them how to properly kill. He would make sure they never forgot their anger and rage again. Most importantly, this was the first step toward eradicating humanity.
That day, Viv became the Demon Lord of Nex. Days later the kingdom of Illisia fell, the kingdom of Shevra following soon after.