“What am I going to do with you?” sighed the giant as Little Mother squeaked softly whilst she was crawling all over his face, “I mean, I get that you're hungry all the time, but you don't have a brood, let alone a swarm, just yet. So just where are you packing that extra food?”
He spoke of what happened after the slip of a girl ran off, leaving him with a dilemma and a hungry little Demon. One who escaped her nest of hair and fluttered around the bodies whilst eyeing them with hunger. “Make it quick,” was what he had told her, resulting in a happy squeak as it dove into the the first body and consumed the organs therein.
Azazel, on the other hand, watched with grim bemusement as the little white bat ate everything placed before her. She had witnessed it eat mice, squirrels, insects, and even a snake that was three times its total body mass, but not something like this. For it was... interesting to her mind. On the one hand, she believed such a little creature could be handy when “cleaning up” a mess. Whilst on the other... She watched as the creature popped out of the fallen's left eye socket, eating the liquid filled orb and its bloodied string before flying over to the other body and wiggling her little hind end as she disappeared into the ear.
“[Is she...]” Her voice trailed off as the little Demon squeaked as it reemerged from a nostril, covered in cranial fluids and snot before vanishing down the same body's mouth.
“Their favourite foods are brains, hearts, and the cores within. Though they will eat just about anything to survive, even the offal, they prefer those the most,” came a neutral tone from the pale giant nearby, “And yes, it is always this loud, though seeing it first hand is rather... disturbing.”
It was at this time that a door to a nearby hut cracked open with a small candle alighting the way forward appeared off towards his left. As the pair turned towards who it might be, they noted a small object of white darting towards the wielder of the flame. Of whom released a gurgling scream as the body fell forward and onto the ground.
With his Energy Sight still active, he watched without empathy as the being perished from blood loss as his soul bound minion ate her way through their neck and into the chest cavity where the heart resided. Which led him to sigh and advance on the body so that he may extract his dear pet, but halted as his eyes came upon a family within the hut the other had come from. For within were three pairs of terrified eyes which stared at both the scene and himself.
“[No witnesses,]” came the soft voice of Azazel, one which was tinged with apathy wrapped in disgust.
“No witnesses,” he replied with a nod, and sent Little Mother to devour these poor souls who did nothing beyond look upon his person.
*
“Am I an enabler for your glutonous ways?” A squeak from the little white bat was Karastak's only response, as Azazel just sat next to him on a crumbled stump of a tree. Looking over in her direction, he asked, “Penny for your thoughts, Azazel?”
“[Wha-?]” she snapped out of whatever haze had claimed her, and rubbed her eyes before allowing them to drift towards his position. Or more specifically, towards the little Demon which had flopped down upon his forehead with a soft squeak as he was lying upon a small clearing of grass and dirt.
“I said, 'penny for your thoughts'.”
“[Oh... um... Just thinking about things, I guess.]” Her two forefingers tapped one another as she looked anywhere, but at the duo across the way, but her eyes always trailed back towards the bat.
“Uh-huh. Let me tell you something about Little Mother's species as a whole,” he felt her gaze upon himself and knew he had spoken the correct words, “Devourer Demons are extremely territorial, but also the most cowardly. They won't even deign to share their space with another Mother, and will actively drive out others when they are only a few days old. Which, most likely, is how you found this one,” his forefinger lightly brushed his pet's back, who responded with a content squeak.
“So bringing a bunch together would be very dangerous, as you would be left with only one or none due to them running away and hiding somewhere as they begin to create a brood or swarm.”
“[What's the difference between a brood and a swarm?]” her eyes were firmly locked upon himself, whereas his own stared up at the night's sky with a smile. For there were stars high above, but the constellations were far too alien for his mind to comprehend where he might be.
“A Brood of Demons is just a few dozen of them. It's enough to hunt and scavenge food to feed them all. Whereas a Swarm consists of hundreds, if not thousands, of hungry Devourer Demons.” She stared agape at this, and from a single glance in the girl's direction, he believed she was imagining the devastation a swarm could cause.
“Think of one hundred Little Mothers,” he continued, bringing Azazel back to the present and reality, “but with a head full of teeth, an adorable squeak, and an appetite which is never satiated. Now, think of this forest, and how large it is, or that little farming community outside of it. If a swarm of these little Demons were released, then there would be nothing left. It is the same as considering them to be a locust horde which has come to claim a farmer's crop for their own. Nothing would be left afterwards, and it is the same with them.
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“Therefore, if there was ever a Swarm of these Demons released upon the world, I'm afraid nothing, but barren desert would be left. Not even a deity would survive their onslaught.”
*****
A barrier had been erected around the scene of the crime, causing many of the soldiers to advise those with curious eyes to return to their beds for their own sake. Which some followed the advise, but most ignored this suggestion. Therefore, the barrier in question became opaque, much to the dismay of the curious and concerned.
“Go. To. Bed,” came the stern voice of the Captain, “You'll be informed of this later.” Turning away from those without, she stormed towards the Diviners a short walk away. Here, she watched as this group, containing three males and five females, worked their magicks in concert as they formed a glowing orb of milk-white in the centre of them all. Of which slowly replayed what had occurred first backwards, then forwards until everything was still.
“Play it again,” she growled, and watched as a dark shape full of mist caused first Jeffery, then Donovan to fall away dead from hitting them with something solid on the backs of their necks. After such an occurrence, Gwen dashed away and a small something flew down towards the bodies lying in the dirt. Whereupon the mass... she felt it watch this small unknown as it tore through the body, then shoot out towards a curious Orin who dared to poke his head outside with a lit candle.
Her fist was balled as she growled out to play it once more, and they complied, but with great fear. For their captain's body had doubled in size and turned a bright shade of red as it did so. They knew of her skill,
After Orin had fallen forward, the door to his home opened up to reveal three more people within. Each huddled against one another as they stared at the black mass, then scattered as a small something launched itself from the body. Thus, causing the end of their lives to occur.
With the end of this family, the small mass of something darted towards the larger before the pair walked off towards the forest. Thus ending the recording.
“GOD DAMNED BASTARD!!!” howled the enraged captain, who then gave into her skill and launched herself towards the forest. However, she did not get very far, as the combined might of the farming community's guards piled onto her, doing their best to force her to the ground as they were pummeled and thrown away from her.
Of course, she calmed down in the end, but not before incapacitating a good half of her men and women.
*****
“[Muu,]” groaned Azazel as she watched one of her chances of getting back at her sister fly out the proverbial window. Whereas her new form of entertainment, named Karastak, played with his little Demon bat with gentle hands. Of whom squeaked happily as it fluttered around and dove down to strike out against the digits. Although she wasn't particularly seeking to harm himself, there were a few scratches and bites slowly healing. “[Muu,]” she repeated, turning towards another screen which detailed his status, and noted that he had gained a new skill and his first passive.
The first skill was called
As for the passive, it was one that was reserved for casters and Mages who had earned their tenth level. One called
“I understand your desire for strength, Azazel,” he spoke whilst giving Little Mother a gentle scratching session, “but I do not wish to be a monster just yet. Perhaps in a month's time, but not right now.”
She sighed and dismissed the memory, returning to the present and towards the clearing where he lay. Here, she noted Little Mother was lying atop his head with her wings spread out to either side. If there was any string or ribbon attached to the little claws and spines at the ends of her wings, it'd appear as though he was wearing a bonnet.
Smirking at the image, Azazel moved closer to the pale giant, and found that he had taken up the lotus position and was meditating with his eyes fully closed. Her smirk became a frown as she leaned forward, asking, “[What're you doing?]”
To which the other took a deep breath, keeping his eyes closed, then releasing said breath which caused a small burst of wind to push everything loose away from himself and his pet. Even she, inside her Void Sphere, felt a brief pressure within. It was brief, yes, but it caused her to shiver as her head looked around for an intruder. So engrossed in this task, she almost missed him slowly opening his eyes and the white light which spilled out of it.
This light was also as brief as the pressure she felt, but it illuminated the clearing and trees as though it were midday. Quite strange, to be sure, but she did catch the last of it in time. However, once his eyes were fully open, the light vanished from sight immediately, and he took in another breath of air before before releasing it in a slow and steady stream.
“I was meditating,” came his slow reply, his eyes, devoid of emotion and desire, fell upon herself, “Is there something you need?”
“[Um,]” she was clearly taken aback by his neutral tone and response, but noted that as he continued to stare at her, his eyes became full of vibrant life. Thus, confusing her immensely, “[Um... Just thought I'd go over your skills with you.]”
“Oh?” he became intrigued, and she swore a pair of fox-like ears sprouted atop his head, but knew it was impossible, “And what sort of skills do I have?”