Twilight fell across camp, but the party was resting soundly. An hour or two had already passed, thus all was quiet and rather uneventful.

For his part, the Prince of Demons sat alone on a rocky ridge, peering out across the valley beyond the foothills. While Terminus idled in standby mode next to him, Orcus stared into the landscape below, dappled with gray beneath the moonlight, and blue between deep pockets of shadow.

He wasn’t a being that was moved easily by scenery, but he did have an eye for vantage points. Orcus imagined a very fine watchtower sitting there along that ridge, staring out into the lands beyond with steeled vision. He supposed the mortals could do with a few more garrisons, given how easily threats appeared to assail them. Then again, if what the mayor of Endsmeet said was true, and that the Princess of the Mistlecross region left them to fend for themselves, then perhaps it wasn't so much a logistical problem as it was a political one.

In any case, Orcus’s own idling was perhaps an excuse to take his mind off other things.

Troubling enough, he couldn’t say for certain where is opinion settled regarding the spined devils that they’d faced earlier that day. A few days ago, he would have chalked it up to wayward ambition; to fiends doing whatever they pleased in the mortal world, amidst a sheer lack of oversight from his subordinates. He still didn't have a clue as to what the other Demons Lords were up to, regardless of the fact that he'd only been in the mortal lands now for less than a week. That didn't change the fact that he was eager to know what they were doing, and he likely wouldn't until he reached a much larger population center. At any rate, he had other things to focus on right now, and he still very curious about the spined devils.

Were they really sent after those dead adventurers? Only to find that the deed had already been done? And if so, was it truly possible that Garimor boasted not just mortals in his ranks, but fiends as well? Orcus surmised as much, but did he believe it?

It certainly wasn’t unheard of for mortal summoners to bind lesser fiends to them, but did the landscape of the demonic invasion affect that in any capacity? If Garimor truly worked on behalf of the Kingsnake, who in turn had dealings with Vediovis, as Orcus suspected, then the entire suspicion collapsed right there and then. Vediovis was crafty, but he did not retain the services of devils whatsoever. If that were the case, then just who or what kind of power had this Garimor fool tied himself to?

Regardless, one thing was clear to Orcus, those devils were not his old spymaster’s work. There was something more going on here than the Prince of Demons could discern at the moment, and he intended to get to the bottom of it.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Orcus channeled magical energy toward him and twisted it into spiraling tendrils of necrotic force. From there, he set to the slow work of recasting the Animate spell. He wasn’t sure whether his undead servants would disobey him if he let them off their leash, but he wasn’t willing to test that theory just yet. He would have use of other minions down the road, but that was something he could deal with another time. With any luck, the skeletal crows of his design were out in the wide world, taking perch in the vast bastions of humanity; waiting, watching, and listening.

The Prince of Demons could not deny that he envied their travels, regardless of their status as his minions.

Life as an adventurer was proving to be slow and meandering. Even though they’d gotten up to plenty of trouble in a short matter of time, his party was severely limited in its capacity to do many things at a time. If simple spined devils could give them cause to suffer, how would they fair against greater threats? The Demons Lords, for example, would obliterate them without even batting an eye. It certainly put things into perspective for Orcus, if nothing else.

Glancing across the land and into the distant recesses of the night sky, Orcus pondered all that could have been his… a rightful conquest, stolen. Perhaps it didn’t matter if his journey took a few more days or a several centuries, the Prince of Demons was going to fulfill his revenge, no matter the cost or the risk. And if his party wished to join him in that endeavor, then they would need to improve their tactics drastically.

“Hello, mister Orcus.” Seku said anxiously, approaching him from behind, “I… hope I’m not disturbing you?”

“Seku… no, you are not.” Orcus shook his head, but raised his brow, “You should be asleep, gathering your strength for the day ahead of us. You’re of no use to me half-awake, and we are close to the delve.”

“I can’t…” She sighed, sitting down and crossing her legs on a nearby rock. Staring out into the distant landscape, she murmured, “I keep thinking about those dead adventurers.”

“Why?” Orcus scoffed, “They’re dead now. You can’t save them anymore than they could save themselves. You have better things to worry about.”

“Even still…” She replied softly, “What if they really did try to make an escape? They came so close to getting back to safety, only to die for nothing. It makes me... so frustrated. I wish I could do more. At least, I wish I could have back then.”

“You're wrong, they did not die for nothing.” Orcus insisted softly, “If their death has given you further reason to push on, then it will have achieved something.”

“They must have been in a great amount of pain, in the end. Don't you think? How the priestess described it?”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Orcus opened his mouth to say how foolish a thought that was, but groaned for a moment, saying instead, “Do not fret over the dead. You should focus on yourself. For instance, when I tell you to do something, you would be wise to do it. Am I not your party leader?”

“I—yes, you are.” Seku agreed, but pondered aloud, “It’s just… I’m better with my blades in hand. Maybe it’s because of the way I was trained, but the bow just doesn’t feel the same.”

Orcus grumbled, “It’s not about you. A soldier is but one piece of many on the field of battle. Fall out of line, and you risk the integrity of the entire outfit. You want to fulfill your goals? Then you’d better start learning what it means to fulfill your role as a member of this party. Even the Prince of Demons cannot achieve victory alone. Not this time around. So, what makes you think a lone mortal like yourself could do it?”

“I, mmm…” Seku hesitated, but fell silent.

Orcus was pleased by her discomfort momentarily, for it meant he struck a nerve.

If Seku was the persistent and determined soul that he presumed she was, then she would overcome this shortcoming without fail. If she learned from it, then she would not repeat the same mistake again. Otherwise, he would be rid of her. Orcus was many things, but he was first and foremost a Prince. Conquering was his dream, but ruling was his right. But rightful sovereign or not in these lands, he needed agents that he could trust, and Seku had a long way to go before he could rely on her. She’d proved that today.

Though, she was trying.

“Save your pity, I’m sure if their souls were pure, your dead adventurers would have passed beyond the gates of heaven.” Orcus said nonchalantly, changing the subject altogether, “As I said, do not fret over them. All souls go to where they’re intended. The Gods Above may be spineless cowards, but their heavenly realm takes care of those it deems worthy of entry. That is irrefutable.”

Seku raised her brow peculiarly, “You can’t go there… can you, mister Orcus? Heaven, I mean? You’re a Demon Lord, after all…”

“Heaven?” Orcus addressed, but laughed, “I suppose I could, if the Court of Angels ever found it in their hearts to invite me. For all his virtues, I would not say Lord Jupiter is a merciful being, not that I've met him. Though it matters not, I care little for the heavenly principles. They mean nothing to me.”

“Hm…” Seku nodded quietly, “Well, I can’t help but feel sad about them, you know. I didn’t get to know many of the adventurers in Endsmeet before they all left, but the one’s I did were very nice to me. I… want to repay their kindness.”

Orcus raised his brow in her direction.

“Why did you come to these lands, Seku? That man who took you under his charge, he helped you with your class, but… I fail to understand why you came to be in these lands at all. Don’t you feel obligated to help your own people?”

Seku frowned, glancing out into the night sky, “This is how I can help them. By growing stronger, and…” She looked at Orcus embarrassedly, “By finding other strong people too. I want to show this world that my people aren’t monsters, that we’re—well… that we’re just like them.”

Orcus shook his head, “That is absurd. You do not need the strength of others to guide you. If you are strong, you will be strong for them. Just as I demand your strength for this party, because I recognize its worth to my cause, regardless of your impulse. The weak will always fall by the wayside, Seku, and you will fall too if you let them drag you down. You must stand above them all.”

“Maybe that’s true for a Demon Lord.” Seku replied, “But for us living in this world, our strength is greater with each other, than without.”

“Hmph” Orcus grunted, not convinced by the idea at all.

Of course, it made sense. Mortals were weak, generally speaking. The were stronger together, but only because their combined cowardice formed a protective shell around them. But what happened when the first crack formed in that armor? One had only to look at the fate of Endsmeet and its people, to find the answer to that question.

“These lands are full of dangers, even more so now.” Seku added, “I don’t want my people to be seen as one of them. So that’s why I’m here. If I can show the people of this land that the Ishu aren’t cruel, then maybe they won’t be so afraid. If I have to kill a hundred monsters—a thousand or more, just to show them that, then I’ll do it. But one thing is for certain, I’ll kill the Kingsnake with my own two daggers, if it’s the last thing I do.”

Orcus smirked. That was the deliberate, predatory impulse he had come to know in her, thus said, “You really are a natural-born killer, aren’t you?”

“Oh—” Seku flushed momentarily, “All Ssatho are. It’s—in our blood. It’s who we’re destined to be.”

“You are destined to be whomever you please.” Orcus shook his hands in protest. Closing his eyes and folding his arms, he thought aloud, “This world can be yours for the taking, if only you’d stop thinking about others for a moment, and start thinking about yourself. Though, you’d best take it while you can, for there will always be others trying to take it from you. That is a piece of divine wisdom for you, so see that you apply it well.”

“Mister Orcus…” Seku murmured, but said with a slight bow, “Thank you for letting me accompany you. I hope to learn much more from you in the future. From all of you. Good night!”

“What, where are you—” Orcus stammered. But before he could finish his sentence, Seku was off to the confines of her tent.

The Prince of Demons simply rolled his eyes.

Mortals were far too sentimental for his liking. They were clumsy, reckless, full of foolishness in very possible way. But… they were determined. Their will to live was admirable, and their hearts were filled with loftier goals. It was a pleasant change from the unambitious dead that swelled the ranks of the underworld. Who knew if mortals would ever grow on him? Nonetheless, it was a good start.

Orcus could only wonder if the other Gods knew how amusing the mortals really were? If not, they were missing the fanfare of a lifetime.

“What…” Terminus groaned, groggily if that was possible, “What time is it, Your Highness?”

“Late.” Orcus stated matter-of-factly, “But not yet time for my watch to end. Rest easy, bird.”

Terminus cocked his head to the side, as if despondent “Ugh… I’ll never get you to use my name even once, will I?”

“Be careful what you wish for.” Orcus replied with a slight grin, glancing down into the stone magpie’s white-gray eyes, “If you bind your name to my service, I will keep it for all eternity. That is a God's promise.”

“Ehhh,” Terminus tarried, offering something akin to a shrug, “As long as you stay within my ethics parameters, Your Highness, you won’t be getting rid of me anytime soon. Besides, you need me just as much as I need you. Our mission simply cannot be complete without each other.”

Orcus grunted amusedly, looking back out into the night sky, “Our mission? Yes, very well…”

Tomorrow, they would reach the Glimmering Caves. But for tonight, the Prince of Demons watched the twinkling of stars, content with his continued mockery of the Gods Above. Let them cast their light down upon him most brilliantly, it would only serve to brighten his path forward.