The throne room burns. Magnificent banners tumble to the ground as the raging inferno dances through the rafters. The bulk of the castle groans under its own mass, load bearing pillars cracking with loud pops. At any moment, the entire structure might come crashing down upon itself. Within the chaos, two are locked in mortal combat in spite of the environmental dangers.
Arcane magic cracks through the air, arcing from one sword and to another. A human male before a massive, bearded demon with fiery wings. The human barely dodges to one side, an enormous claymore cleaving into where he just was.
[https://i.imgur.com/LJIQfDy.png]
The demonic figure growls out, his voice deep. “Oh Hero, Rolland, you grace me with your presence. Your people are all the same. You choose to slaughter innocents rather than fight honorably. Is the blood of the city now not enough? You come for my daughter now, too?”
“Lord Helvair Rall, your reign ends with your demise. Your people terrorized the kingdoms for generations with your mere existence. Despite your claims now, these people have a blood price to pay for their ancestor’s actions,” Rolland scoffs.
“Terrorized with our existence? We have done naught but what your fellows do. Diplomacy, trade, and proper warfare. The Western People’s Alliance wholesale slaughters the innocents of my realm for something that happened hundreds of years ago! How is this just? How is this right? If I must die to atone for my ancestors, so be it. Yet keep that blade away from my people and family!”
Rolland pauses for a moment as his body tenses. “All of your kind are supposedly monsters. They tell me if you talk that you are merely biding your time to strike.” The hero steps forward with a sudden thrust of his arming sword. Helvair shifts and redirects the momentum with the flat of his claymore. “Despite that,” Rolland continues, “I am a kindred spirit of your people. So, plead now, tell me why I should not fight? What do you have to offer me?”
Helvair warily speaks. “I would beg that you let live the survivors of my people. Even if it is as an exiled colony, they would be free. Despite what your masters claim, innocents need not suffer further. We’re fighting only because greater powers tell us to do so.”
“Your people slaughtered plenty of civilians, you know? I’ve personally seen the aftermath.”
“If a murderer kills, do you sentence the village? A single criminal shouldn’t bring judgement to all.”
Rolland smiles warmly, “Truly a fair point, wise king. However, you have to –“
A spell bolts out from a hallway, slamming into Helvair’s face and nearly knocking him down. People rush into the room, at the head of them a woman with green hair and ice-cold eyes. “Do not listen to its lies Rolland, the monster must die! It is only trying to confuse you with a curse that I just intercepted!”
[https://i.imgur.com/erGcUNp.png]
A smirk plays out across the hero’s lips, “Thanks Linette, go and stop the transfer of power. I’ll finish the old man off.”
“Rolland, you idiot, we can find his daughter after we beat him! She would still be unconscious!”
“This is the Demon King, Saint Linette. Do you remember that? It is my holy duty to fight him in one-on-one combat. You’ve repeated that mantra to me for months now. Do not help me further! Strike down his daughter. Go!”
Saint Linette frowns and then moves swiftly towards another door. Her escort of party members keeping pace with her along the way. Soon she disappears beyond the threshold, further into the castle. Helvair lunges towards the door with the energy of an angry father.
“Where were we, old man?” Rolland suddenly shoulders him off to the side with a full body slam. He raises his shield and bashes it forward before bringing his arming sword in for a strike.
Helvair’s human like appearance burns away as his claymore bursts into flames, the metal dripping away from the intense heat. “Rolland. Out. Of. My. Way,” the demon stomps forward once more but Rolland simply steps between it and the exit.
“There we go, the true form of an end boss. Monstrous. Let us see who is more of a beast, Helvair. Will I be victorious or you?”
/////////////////////////////////////
Saint Linette’s Point of View
I rush down the hallway, flanked by my companions. In the distance, I can hear the fight between my dear Rolland and the monstrous king. “Oh Rolland,” I sighed, “He must be kicking so much ass.” With a glance to my side, I spot the blue and yellow Oro standing out against the dense smoke. Ah! Smoke, yes, almost forgot!
> Magic Activation: Purify IX
I protect our lungs from damage while Oro so ungratefully comments. “Oh please, Linny, you the Princess totally has her eyes on him.” He notches an arrow before aiming at something in the smoke. “Who dresses a skeleton in a maid outfit,” he huffs as another arrow gets notched.
I could murder him with my glare. I will murder him. Rolland is to love me, not that royal whore! “Like hell I’ll let that bi – I mean, it is unlikely I shall let the Princess have her way with his fate.” I hike my hem of my white skirt up while racing upstairs towards the target. “Yet, Oro, I do believe I’ve seen you flirt with everyone but Rolland. That’s suspicious, I’m sure you have designs on him!” Rolland! You will be mine! I'm going to make sure of it!
He grins at me, “I won’t lie that I haven’t studied his beautiful body when we bathed. He’d make a good lay, but please, I have no designs to betray him! He is practically my brother. He’s one of the few who treats me like the man I am!” Another arrow is loosed down the hallway at something.
“My gods would you two shut the hell up,” growls Viece, “I can smell the lust from here.” The blond lancer jabs his lance into a big pig-man wearing a chef’s outfit. It squeals in pain as he thrusts back and forward a few times before dispatching it to the side of the hall.
“Fine, fine,” I sigh in frustration, “All business and no chit-chat. According to Feya, the ritual is not complete. She’s there but needs out help stopping the transference.” My jaw tightens a bit as I prepare for the encounter to come. “Red door, ahead, that’s our target.” The fire burning throughout the castle is working its way next to the door.
“You sure we’re fine? Just us four, counting Feya? Moe is outside cleaning up and Warnana is… wherever Warnana is. Likely where the most monsters are burning.” Oro chimes in, always concerned about our ability to function without Rolland. As usual.
We slow our movement while approaching the door. Before I can talk, Feya steps out of the shadows while keeping her green eyes locked on the door. “Yes, I am confident we can. With Moe and Rolland keeping the stronger demons at bay, this should not be much of a challenge.” Despite the fullness of her body, she moves with the grace of a deer. I’m envious of that wood elf bitch!
[https://i.imgur.com/EhPlZxp.png]
“What are we dealing with?”
“One mage. The child unconscious. Already dispatched guards outside.”
I simply nod to her and raise my staff. Everyone takes well-rehearsed positions around the doorway, like we have done oh so many times since meeting Rolland. Everyone nods in affirmative. “Breach and clear,” I breath out.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
The door is blown open with by Viece; wood splinters fly alongside his lance. As soon as I can see inside, I cast two spells.
> Magic Activation: Light of Sette IX
>
> Magic Activation: Greater Illusion VI
The room is flooded with holy light while Oro effortlessly times his shot to my casting. Feya had already vanished into the room with her eyes closed. The next moment I can see, she has buried a dagger into the mage’s back just as Oro’s arrow hits his chest. Viece’s lance is in the foe’s gut, twisting once before withdrawing.
“Clear,” Viece yells out as the mage drops to the ground. Feya wipes her blade clean on nearby bed curtains while Oro recovers the arrow. I on the other hand, have moved to the demon king’s daughter. She lays in her bed with a magic circle hovering above her body.
“It is the Princess, I can confirm,” Feya says as she walks to my side.
I study the child’s face. “Pity she lived such a lie, being told she was a demon,” I tell the others. Not entirely true, she is a demon but I have need for her. “She is still part human, so we could –”
Viece simply stabs his spear right down her belly, straight into her chest. A loud shriek of pain escapes the briefly conscious princess, her face contorting with pain. I turn in anger once the her lungs empty of air. Viece smiles while commenting: “Problem solved. Corrupted human girl killed. Let’s leave.”
“I was not done talking Viece. I could have at least performed funeral rites before you butchered her!”
“Rites? It’s a monster. The real child died long ago. Either way, we stopped the ritual. The demon king’s lineage is ended.” Viece spat on the girl’s bed.
“Assuming Rolland succeeded,” Oro adds, “we should burn the remains.”
“Oro, no need as the castle will do that for us. Let's quit this place before we join her pyre,” I say with an emotionless stare, "Feya has already left."
“Fine, fine,” Viece whines while Oro follows us out into the smoking hallway. Feya steps out of the shadows in the room and simply looks directly at the real me. My illusion continues following the other two while I finally step into the room for the first time.
“[No, you cannot have the girl,]” I say to Feya in her own tongue. Really now, that’d be a nightmare for all of us.
Feya shrugs and then makes her way out of the room to follow the others, “[She’d taste bad anyways, I suppose.]”
I lean over the dead body of the princess and whisper into her ear, “I’m not ignorant, I know you can hear me. You’ve survived as you have before. There’s not much time, so listen to me you brat."
///////////////
Helvair Rall’s Point of View
The hero approaches me with a sneer etched onto his face. Rolland, you idiot, you’re about to fall to my trap. “Dark Lord, Demon King, Bringer of Silence, Heir of Damnation. Helvair Rall, those are impressive titles, don’t you know? Do you have any words to leave for Historians?”
The hero doesn’t know the one title I covet the most: father. My one good eye glares up at my opponent as I angrily shout. “Are you seriously wanting to hear me out now? After so many innocents slain?!”
Rolland kneels down next to me, with a hint of a cruel smile. “The Goddess Seven? She told me it was my fate to be defeated by the Demon King. Yet here I am, victorious and free to do as I want.”
“You are a bastard, Rolland.” The Goddess won’t let him escape that easily. Especially if Loria gets my title. I can already feel my magic fading from me and transferring to her.
“Oh, am I? I mean, we are killing your daughter. Shame it isn’t me doing it, though.”
I hiss out in anger, “I’ll kill you, you bastard!”
“You wish you could, Helvair.” He looks up and then nods towards his companions returning to the room. “They’re just in time to witness my victory,” he whispers to me with a smirk.
“Bitch won’t ascend, you’re good to go!” A blond man shouts whilst holding up a bloodied spear. My gut bottoms out as dread fills my very being. Loria is dead.
“Good-bye Helvair,” he says to me. I feel the heroes blade hack into my neck, the cold air stinging my flesh as the room tumbles around me. I’m sorry Savella, dearest, for not saving our Loria.
> System: Title Demon King Transferred to Loria Ultima Rall
///////////////
Rolland Aldera’s Point of View
Well then, the old man is finally dead. Over the next few hours, we escape the burning castle and make our way to the Alliance’s camp outside. Many a cheers and celebrations begin over a war I never really cared about.
Silently, I slip off into the dark of the night for some ‘me time.’ Let’s see if I can find something to vent my frustrations on.
> Skill Activation: Hunter XIX
“This world has been a disappointment so far,” I mumble as I follow footprints in the loamy ground of the pinewoods. Where’s the fun in this? They barely acted like demons! They’re no different from the humans or elves, as a whole at least.
“Really now? Disappointed in your own success? Free from Seven’s fate of defeat. So, to celebrate you whine about how unfair life is?”
“Sari, the entire point of all this,” I gesture to the distant burning castle as it falls further into a heap of rubble. “Was for me to have fun. I’m bored out of my mind half the time.”
“Well, you’re free to do as you please; much to my advantage. Now tell me, what new direction will you take this world, Rolland? What do you plan to do to cause the chaos I so desire?”
“As a famed man once said: sex, drugs, and rock and roll. I want money, fame, and power. I could give two shits about anything else. Isn’t that why Adventurers do their job? It is only fair I get a slice of that pie. When that bores me, I’ll become the new demon king. Then I’ll show them the real meaning of that title! Build a monster-girl harem in a dungeon. Hire dangerous maids and terrifying monsters. I’ll burn this world to the ground while having fun doing it.”
“I’m surprised no one has noticed your… tendencies. I am highly amused in ways you will never understand over the fact that two of the most famous women want to marry you.”
“No one cares, I’m the Holy Hero. As long as I do what the Church and Alliance wants me to do, they turn a blind eye to missing persons. Nothing too big for them to care about. Now though, I’m free to act as I want.” Come to think of it, I’ve gotten away with so much I’m shocked the Saint hasn’t stepped in.
“Please do be modest with murderous rise to power. You do want something left to conquer, don’t you?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll try not to destroy the atmosphere or something like that,” I grimly laugh.
“Alright! As temporary administrator for Seven’s system: I declare you free from the duties of a hero. Your fate is your own as long as the demon king is dead. Congratulations, Oh ‘Hero.’ For you have led your people to victory. Now… I have something else to attend to back here. Have fun sweety~!”
God of luck my ass; more like god of monologues. Suddenly, my skill highlights some footprints leading away from the burning capital. Bird feet, so it’s likely a harpy. Deep claw marks mean it’s probably walking exhausted. The harpy likely has a broken wing. Oh, how I love to hunt!
Quietly, I follow the path out into the woods.
////////////////
Somewhere Else
A white rabbit sits at a table in a bar, surrounded by gambling and alcohol. Its top hat sits crooked on one head as it flicks through cards from plastic packaging. “Flick, flick… flick… flick… ah, that’s a good one!”
[https://i.imgur.com/98HtXLz.png]
A large, gray shoe-bill stork struts up to the table. “Sari, what are –“
“Ah! Good timing, Emel my good friend. Latest joke on my mind: A stork and a rabbit walk into a casino… no wait, it was a bar… and the stork says, hey dork! Then the rabbit turns with a glare, hey, I’m a god! Then the stork gives up all his money and leaves.”
“Please, Sari, you are the God of Gambling, and lately other assigned duties. Not the God of Jokes, thank the Superiors,” Emel says with a shake of his head. He perches right next to Sari and looks into a scrying mirror near the cards. A human is straddling a bird woman as she silently screams. “Heavens, you watch dreary sights.”
“Not YET the God of Jokes, Palvor hasn’t answered my calls for a friendly game of cards,” Sari says with a whine. “Oh, come now, Rolland is doing a fine job.”
“Not every god has a gambling problem. I still cannot believe you convinced Seven you were actually a god from her world. For a Superior, she is remarkably gullible.” The bird clears its throat and continues, “I had come to ask how Rolland was doing, but I suppose I have my answer.”
“Just killed Helvair Rall and he’s already going for survivors. My heavens! I suppose right about now, Seven has to be so confused! Rolland lives and Helvair can’t even be found inside her system anymore. Oops!”
“So, you’re succeeding?”
“Absolutely! The game is only just beginning. Seven now knows something is going on. I suspect she really is regretting gambling with me. She also likely just noticed the other reincarnates.”
“Other…reincarnates?” Emel tilts his head, “I recall only Rolland. What have you been up to?”
“Seven lost more games with me and temporarily gave me control over reincarnation. I broke her rule of one-hero at a time, and instead of making more babies, I brought about new heroes!” Sari pulls out a laptop from thin air and points at a screen of illegible symbols.
“… just how much gambling did Superior Seven do with you?”
“Enough for me to win plenty of her assets,” Sari chimed as their rabbit ears flick with delight. “I’m sure she’ll try to get control back soon. As soon as she notices the other heroes she’ll probably try to bless them and undo the damage Rolland has caused.”
“Why did you even bring in potential threats?!”
“My game, my rules! I do not need to explain myself to you! Though given how many people died when Four fouled up? I now have so many souls to call upon!” Sari pulled a small orb from nowhere. Inside it is a small group of several human souls. “Want one? They’re salary workers. Sour, slight kick, plenty of salt.”
…
Elsewhere in the multiverse, a red-haired businesswoman stands up screaming. Just how did her wonderful fantasy world get so broken?!
[https://i.imgur.com/4yJRD8u.jpg]
End Prologue