AN: This chapter will mark the story with 100k words. Well, technically its 100,864 words, but you get the idea, right? Anyways, it's the meet and greet with the Demon Lord, then we'll get to him travelling back to the city of New Wair, and finally the epilogue.
As always, folks, thank you for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please let me know either down below, or in my PM box.
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"Ah, but before we gift you to their 'All mother', human," one of my lower clawed hands gripped and lifted the general's body, who became desperate in his struggle to hold onto even a cup full of his puddle-son. "<
From it, I simply desired its memories and leadership skills. The extra skills would allow my person an extra edge in commanding my present horde, as well as all others in the future. Whereas the memories I desired were of the present, as well as up to the point of him receiving the messages my Undying was sent to give. Once the spell was complete, and the silvered orb entered my mind, I confirmed what the enthralled priest at New Wair had told us. The humans' main gods desired my end, and the only way to do so was to end the "Demon Lord". Thus, allowing them to take back the city without much worry.
Unfortunately for them, I had succeeded in my goals, and would not allow them to remove my person from the planet. For the time being, however, I simply watched as my horde, and the dragon-men, begin cleaning up the armies of the humans. This would take some time, but because I desired none of it, I simply left them to their work, and began my slow walk towards the canyon that housed the "demons".
After taking no more than a few steps, however, my body stopped once I became aware of the squirming general in my grasp. "Wha-," it began, frantically trying to assess the situation, "What the hell is going on?" Its voice was loud, commanding, and very annoying.
"Silence, human. We are going to gift you to the dragon-men's 'All Mother'," my voice rumbled low, which caused the general's eyes to widen in fright, and its body struggled even more so. "You will cease your incessant struggles, human; you have already lost."
The human was raised high to view the battle being fought around us, and gasped as dragon-men and monsters tore through the flimsy ranks of broken humans. Within many pockets of mangled flesh and bone were humans still alive, though mentally broken. These humans' eyes simply stared at everything with widened eyes devoid of any life, and seemed to find relief once a sword, spear, axe, or claw stilled their hearts for all time.
"No," wailed the disbelieving general, "How could this be? Where are the heroes the priests promised me? Where are the gods that would come down to save us in our time of need?"
"Your heroes are dead, human, and your gods have fled." It was here the pathetic human realised just who was speaking, and turned towards my voice with eyes wide and filled with far more emotions than I thought possible for a human. Rage and sorrow were prevalent within his features, but a hint of pity was seen within his eyes. To this, however, I simply shrugged, and continued our short trip to the canyon's entrance.
For a human, or something of their height, the trip would have taken a day, possibly two, but for my person it simply took a decca-turn. The canyon's entrance, however, was blocked off by a wall of iron that spanned twice as long as I was wide, and three times my body's height. It was also being guarded by around thirty wingless dragon-men who stood in three rows of ten, and armed with large shields and long spears. Above them, and now circling around my own head, was around fifty winged dragon-men. These also had spears and shields, but their shields were naught, but bucklers, and a few even had javelins strapped to their backsides.
"Halt," came the chorus of nearly eighty voices, as all weapons were raised towards my person. Those that flew about had even dawned their javelins, and aimed them towards my skull. To this I simply sighed, whilst one of my primary claws rubbed the top of my skull.
"I hold a gift for your 'All Mother'," my voice released with a rumbling sigh, as many came to stare at what was in my clawed hand.
"It's a human," shouted one, and a few javelins flew towards it, only to be blocked by a small slab of stone. Of which caused the stone to break and crumble after intercepting several thrown objects.
"This is the 'Grand General' of the humans' armies," I growled, whilst the air about us crackled and thundered from my magicks. A few bolts of lightning erupted from my shoulders, striking the ground with enough force, dirtied glass shards flew into the air.
"Enough," drifted a soft, commanding and feminine voice, "Allow this one to approach and enter."
"But," began one, who was instantly struck from behind by another's clawed hand. They each began to part afterwards, and opened the gate to allow I and my "gift" to enter. Once inside, however, I became astonished by the craftsmanship these dragon-men held. For upon every centimetre of stone were depictions of scenes that had occurred throughout their lives, even upon the ground I walked upon was covered in a myriad of their history.
From the gate, and stretching forth, deeper into the canyon, was a single white stoned road. Upon its surface was the depiction of the beginnings of the world, and how their race came to be. From what I gathered, after the world began, dragons seemed to appear all over the world called Terra. Next came the humans, elves, dwarves, and finally, the beasts.
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From here, the depictions began to spread upon the walls nearest the gate, branching itself to a transparent ceiling, then back onto the floor. it was here, that I spied, and would later learn, that the dragons loved each race. Going so far as to copulate with them, and produced the first Dragon-men, of which began to breed amongst themselves. These dragon-men, each, had a trait from the other races, which were the craftsmanship of the dwarves, magicks of the elves, the gift of strategy and war from the humans, and an increase in racial instincts from the beasts.
Each of these traits were given to their offspring, so that they may have all the qualities from each race, as opposed to each group only having one gift. However, "However, once the world called Terra learned of this, they began to shun our people," spoke a feminine voice, of which came from a dragon-woman draped in a transparent robe about her person. However, instead of ogling at her figure, all others simply knelt, bowed, or prostrated themselves before her.
The female's body was of dark crimson scales, as were the colour of her eyes circling around the slitted pupils therein. She only came up to the middle of my femur once she came near, and touched a portion of the wall that depicted the first of many battles in which her people died from. Sadness ensued from her being, which turned to pity as she stared upon the human general, "These humans called us an abomination of their gods, all because we had more than they, and desired to teach all races great and small."
"Lies," hissed the general, as he continued to try and struggle out of my grip, "Your kind desired to enslave us all."
"Regardless of what happened," my voice shook the canyon, causing many to squawk in fear from the small quake, whilst the female before us simply stood still. Yes, even her entire body did not shake as the rest of the world around us did so. "the past will remain in the past, and you humans have lost your future."
The human shook after my words were absorbed by his brain, and began to struggle more fiercely, but only managed to twitch his shoulders a bit more. "Cease your insufferable struggling, human. As you will never escape my grasp unless I will it so." However, my words only seemed to increase his fervor to escape, to which an idea came to mind, and released the human.
The general fell to the ground, and stared about his person for a time, breathing in great gulps of air, before pushing himself to his feet. However, just as he was about to rush the female, his body was hoisted into the air once more. One of my primary clawed hands gripped his body, whilst the thumb claw of my hand was poised to strike in front of his face. "Do not try that again, human, or you will become a puddle of flesh; the same as your son."
"What happened to his son?" Asked the dragon-woman, whose eyes were filled with curiosity, as her head was cocked to the side whilst staring at the still struggling human.
"There is a great poison within my bones, one that, if injected into something, or someone, will reduce their entire being into a puddle. A former associate of mine, a dwarf, created a diluted concoction of this poison, and called it 'The Devil's Kiss'. Perhaps you've heard of it?" I was not surprised when she nodded, as when the humans' armies found out about such a poison, they began to use it on the dragon-men for a time. This became a great demand, for the assassin guilds across the continent became greatly interested in the poison as well, but there was only a limited supply, and only one mysterious dwarf knew of where to obtain it.
None knew where to find this dwarf, who did its best to hide its presence from the world. However, all became frantic once the supply suddenly stopped, wondering what happened to it all. It was around this time that I had employed the dwarf as the new torturer, then subsequently killed him off for being a "rabid dog". You may be wondering how I know of this. Well, the general was a great help in filling the gaps when the dragon-woman could not.
"What will you do now?" She asks, staring up into my eyes, as I stared down into hers.
"Your war with the humans is over, and I've accomplished what I had set out to do. The humans' king is dead, their generals replace, or about to die," my clawed hand shook the general as I said this, causing him to cease his struggle for a time, "So, I guess, return to the city, for I miss my children."
"What of the elf you've gifted us?"
"Silvanna?" My head tilts upwards to stare upon the transparent ceiling, as I contemplated her being for a time. "Your 'Second Son' seems enamoured by her presence, so why not make the most of it, and have the pair betrothed? It could be seen as a symbol of an alliance between I and you, my lady Demon Lord." My own mental lips stretched into a feral grin, as the dragon-woman's form stretched and grew into a great dragon. However, something about the area around us seemed different.
"The canyon has grown larger," I muttered with amazement, watching as it stretched and elongated to accommodate the dragon's form. "Truly amazing, my lady," and bowed with a chuckle, to which I noticed her preening at the praise.