Vezbek had succeeded his father when the latter perished during the course of the fourth war against the human race. Although his old man was a pacifist by nature and tried his level best to prevent the conflict from claiming the lives of lacs, Vezbek was tired of being at the receiving end of the stick. The demons were always treated with disrespect, which greatly upset him. For generations, his family had undergone a lot of hardships, and racism had grown incessantly with the passage of time. Thus, when Vezbek ascended the throne after the regent (his uncle) knew he was mature enough to lead, people thought that change would finally come to the planet of Scalon.
For over a decade, Vezbek concentrated his effort on strengthening diplomatic ties with nations that were sympathetic to their cause. In particular, he had high hopes and was successful in establishing trade relations with the Elves and the town of Avaron wherein a syncretic society stayed together. But the Kingdoms of Horan, Frosthen, and Jacques remained enemies because of discriminatory and nefarious practices prevailing in the nations. Yet, King Vezbek knew that the times were changing and the equation of power would gradually tilt in favor of the demons.
He was aided in his efforts by two Class 0 Adventurers who were his most prominent soldiers in the DKAF (Demon King Armed Forces). Amongst them, a half-elf named Faust was the wittiest; despite being a half-breed and having the opportunity of becoming a citizen of the Elven nation, Faust opted to serve Vezbek solely because he felt a stronger connect with his demonic self. A master in the art of guerrilla warfare, he had played an instrumental role in many small skirmishes the demons were obliged to deal with from time to time. Faust was also an excellent swordsman and a fair metallurgist.
The other bloke was a man who had a peculiar ability. With a musical instrument that resembled a flute, he could sway the hearts and minds of any individual, or creature; even inanimate objects are forced to pay heed and succumb to the flawlessness of his tunes. Vezbek had never seen his face, even though he had asked the man to unmask himself on countless occasions. Nevertheless, the Demon King chooses to respect the sentiments of the sinister Adventurer whose only identity was the nickname, Artist. One thing Vezbek was sure of; both these males would always remain loyal no matter what transpired in the foreseeable future.
A day before he was planning to set out to meet the rumored dragon slayer in Avaron, Vezbek called a meeting that involved all Class 0 and Class 1 Adventurers. At his Court, the 7 had reached ahead of the set schedule. They did not wish to sadden the King before his journey to the West. Vezbek entered the Court once he was done with his breakfast. The vulture curry was impeccably well-done, so he had spent a while complimenting the head chef in the kitchen.
Demon King Vezbek: Hello, my dear Adventurers. As you all know, tomorrow is the day I will set out for Avaron. I am hoping that the expedition will not be a complete waste of time. However, I wanted to see you all before I leave.
Artist: Sir, considering the fact that you are our indispensable leader without an heir we cannot let you venture out without a suitable companion. As such, after a great deal of deliberation, I have decided to tag along. Faust will look after the Kingdom in your absence, I’m not good for those kinds of activities.
Faust nodded vigorously whilst chewing on a chicken leg, proving he was on board with the initiative presented.
Demon King Vezbek: I was hoping you’d say that. If the man we are going to encounter is indeed a Prime Dragon Slayer, then we have to approach him mindfully. Only the Heavens know what will happen if we fail…
”You should not be disheartened from the very beginning. This pessimistic attitude is not good Sir. We must always look at the bright side of affairs if our race is to keep flouring amidst significant resistance from human scum.”
The one who spoke was said to be one of the last remaining dwarves on Scalon. She was tiny but terrifying in battle. Orion’s sister Lori never faltered even when outnumbered. Her cheerful spirit is what binds them all together in times of trouble. She is still looking for her niece who went missing after the war.
“Your doubts are justified, My Liege. What if this is a trap set by King Cris of Horan? A few of my spies have reported that an invasion against Avaron shall be launched soon. It won’t be too long till a small town of peacemakers falls…”, Kang the Croc had raised a valid point. Skilled at knives and ambushing, he was a force to be reckoned with in the unit led by Faust.
Demon King Vezbek: Of course, there is a slight chance that we might be walking straight toward our death. But that is a risk I am willing to take. Do y'all know why? The Demons need an Ace in the hole. I shall not surrender and disappear quietly into the night. For the sake of our nation’s future, we must strike now and discover as much information as possible about this enigmatic icon. Getting him to defect remains the main goal, of course.
The twins stayed silent. Groucho and MaGroucho were hideous to look at, as they shared a single body and were abandoned by their birth parents. Raised alongside Vezbek by the tender-hearted Rezmek, the trio bonded inseparably from a young age. However, they never wasted much time talking as they did crushing opponents. As Giants, they were easily the beefiest ten feet tall Class 1 Adventurers amongst the entire bunch. Groucho had been snoring prior to the start of the meeting, while MaGroucho offered to join Artist as part of the Elite Guard for the upcoming trip. A thumbs up from his brother filled Vezbek with renewed confidence.
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Demon King Vezbek: We shall now conclude the meeting so that Groucho can continue sleeping. He has to stay awake hereafter. Artist, come with me, I wish to take up some more of your time.
Artist: Certainly sir.
The Court was adjourned.
______
Outside, the two sat side by side in the Garden of Venus Flytraps. The carnivorous plants are a rarity, but they are especially kind towards the insects that ensure the pollination process stays uninterrupted. The flowers tower over treacherous leaves, thus sparing those who deserve them. The Flytraps can grow amidst the harshest of circumstances imaginable, with exceedingly poor soil. This is precisely why Vezbek chose to have a garden filled with this ingenious species that had evolved over thousands of years.
Demon King Vezbek: Tell me Artist, what kind of insect do you think we shall run into. A pollinator or a prey?
Artist: It may very well be a predator to Sir.
Vezbek: Do you think of me as weak?
Artist: If you were indeed powerless, we wouldn’t be serving you today. As demons, we have always been a proud race incapable of compromising on our values.
Demon King Vezbek: I guess you have no reason to lie. But how come this bloke popped up randomly in Avaron of all places? I wonder what his story is…
The Artist began playing his instrument as Vezbek shoved in his earplugs. Once his auditory canal was blocked, he noticed small lizards, bats, bees, and many other organisms flock toward the masked lad. A few willingly fell out of the sky, straight into the pink mouth of the yawning Flytrap. The leaves closed shut, yet they didn’t struggle. When the digestion process was completed, he stopped playing.
Artist: We are indeed brutes. No matter what destiny awaits us, our souls shall remain immortal for all eternity. Your father dwells inside you, whether you like it or not. I know you think of him as a delicate demon, but he was perhaps the strongest of us all. Even whilst being swallowed by an avalanche of hate, he never gave in to it. Love conquers all, even the most wicked. For those who are scorned have forgotten what it is like to be gentle. That is why Rezmek shall forever be the Wisest One for me. I owe him a debt, which I must pay endlessly.
Demon King Vezbek: I never understood the equation between my father and you. Fret not, I am not one to pry. The lights are still dancing amongst the clouds.
Artist: They shall stay rejuvenated for now. Sooner or later, they’ll stop. But we can’t sir. Not until our future is secure.
Demon King Vezbek: I know what we need to do mate. It is just that sometimes, I feel so tired of it all. With every passing day, my responsibilities grow. My people look up to me, so I must always present myself as a fierce and unblemished King. But sometimes I end up asking myself, what would life have felt like if I was an ordinary human?
The Artist bowed his head low.
“You would not have turned out any different. Pondering over what-ifs is a waste of time. If Cris of Horan was here in your place we could have chosen to be more heartless. But only viewing the citizens as pawns to be sacrificed for one's selfish goals is wrong. We are better off with you. The Vezbek I know will stumble and fall countless times, but will continue on undeterred. So keep persevering like you always do, My Lord. That’s all I have to say. Now it is time for me to leave. Dinner is getting stone-cold, and the head chef will scream at me just like he always does.”
The Demon King hurriedly wiped off tears streaming down my face.
Demon King Vezbek: In another life, you could have been a poet.
Artist: I already am. Sleep well. Rest and prepare for the day that’s about to arrive shortly.
______
Indrajit had paid a visit to Horan to spy on the measures undertaken by the infamous King. On the way, he paid a visit to the forest frequented by Giant Salamanders. The illusionist slipped away after rescuing two buffoons who were almost killed because of their dumb actions. The skins should prove to be quite useful for the soldiers of Avaron. The tough hide was almost impenetrable when it came to physical and some magic attacks.
A Soul Copy of his reached Horan as IJ flew towards Avaron. The transparent SC hid in plain sight while scaling the walls of the Palace. All of a sudden, a spear flew toward the SC and miss it by a few inches.
Lazybones: I can’t see you, but I can hear you. Come out, come out wherever you are.
When the veil was lifted, the Class 0 Adventurer put his hands together with a gleeful expression on his face.
Lazybones: Let us have a good fight! The other soldiers won’t bother you, or I will kill them.
The SC noticed the King watching the conflict unfold from a safe distance on the balcony. He seemed interested that an infiltrator had managed to creep past security even amidst the rapid mobilization of troops.
King Cris: I need him alive Lazybones. Don’t kill the prick.
Lazybones grimaced. “As you wish, Your Highness.”
The Adventurer then turned back to face the stranger.
Lazybones: You know what sets a spear apart from other weapons? Its reach. It can go further and draw more blood than any other useless tool.
His voice then dropped. “If you bore me now, I will pulverize you. I don’t mind being sentenced to the dungeon because that shall give me more time to work out. Raise your weapon Adventurer and state your name.”
The Soul Copy is a fairly powerful enemy, but cannot speak. So the shadow said nothing. This greatly offended Lazybones and his veins started popping across his forehead.
”Now you’ve done it!”
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Glossary:
Soul Copy- SC - Explained in previous chapters