144 A Demon in the dark

In a blink of an eye, a few days had passed and peace had returned to Massalia. The spatial magic executed by the Archmage had successfully trapped three of the Dark Gods, preventing them from rampaging inside the country. But, after the one that had the form of a small child managed to escape, the state of the Archmage took a worse turn. He was constantly hot, feeling a strange fever in his body. Those symptoms were also felt by all the magus that helped him accomplishing that exploit.

Because of this, and while the only surviving Hero of the Age of Darkness assured them that his spell couldn't fail, many were doubtful of that claim. After all, wasn't that dark spirit the proof that it was a possibility. However, even in his weakened state, the Archmage said that before five years, at worst, those monsters won't be able to even move their little finger. Therefore, they had the time to prepare everything they needed in that period.

However, behind his back, Lord Darkwater and the bearer of the Black Gauntlet were not fooled by such words. After so many centuries, it was logical that some information was lost, but it would not affect someone that had lived at that time. And unlike the records of the different human nations, the Organization always kept its secrets hidden. In the tent of the old general, the two men were surrounded by countless magic protections, allowing them to discuss without being spied.

"So, will you proceed to march towards Archet?" The giant was appreciating the fine wine from the Grey Lands. Not that he didn't personally have a huge collection of those, but it was pleasure he would never get rid off. "With what army? Our last magus are plagued by that thing this girl left. Even the Archmage suffer from this. As for the elves, they were quick to return to their forests. But, I wonder about one thing, did you not call Sharpeye for this?"

After this name was pronounced, the tall human couldn't help but shake his head. "We call him. And even one of the last mana bullets from IronSkull did not inflict any damage. Even worst, she attacked him in retaliation. Maybe you didn't see it, but even from hundreds of meters, she almost hit him. And in a blink of an eye. And now, he is even harder to negotiate with and want some additional compensations."

Chuckling about the grumpy dwarf, they both knew that his failure meant that she was not something normal humans could deal with. Maybe the name of Sharpeye was not well known, but his other identity, as the deadliest assassin in the entire world, could fill with terror even the magus. Only because he was so expensive did they were still alive. Also, Sharpeye was not really his name, just his title, as the one best sharpshooter of the dwarven kingdom. And the only one worthy to possess the artifact left by one of the dwarf Heroes.

"No, we will just hope that those demons will just stay peacefully in Archet and not cause any problem. After all, they did not attack us in the first place." Raising his cup, the old general drunk at this foolish hope. "Wouldn't it be funny, if they could help you resolve that thing in the Lake?" Both men silently drunk at this idea, one worrying about the fact that his people had the most intense conflict with those Dark Gods while the other was remembering about his earlier years.

Of course, that sudden change in their attitude toward the demons that invaded their planet did not go particularly well for the men of Avenio. After all, it was now them that had a pressing issue with those monsters. However, as much as they wanted to keep fighting, they couldn't even manage to obtain the help of the Synnada Empire. Just by looking at the losses of everyone, it could cause nightmares to more than one human.

In the last offensive, the undead had managed to massacre dozens of thousands of soldiers, maybe even more than one hundred thousands humans. Without any mages to counter the liches, the latter had free reign over the sky, and if not for the arrival of the Archmage and some of his disciples, it could have been even worse. Also, if the Hero Ferrod was completely trapped under the foot of that terrifying creature, that unknown thing was free to trample anyone else in its path.

Not even a fourth of the original force was still alive if some counted the lost men of the general Avirus. Making an assault on Archet highly unlikely. After all, they had maybe managed to trap three of those demons, but three were still out there. That lich, the red giant and the small parody of a child. Also, the gods had been extremely quiet the last days, and while there was the news of another Hero being born, he was just a child. It would take years for him to be truly useful.

Far from those considerations, an Akûl was currently carrying a body above a pond filled with blood. Nearby, three unconscious humans were guarded by some liches and on the other side, five bodies were laying on the ground, the blood in their bodies completely gone. Using his massive hands, Ymir was trying to squeeze everything out of the body he had in his grip. "C'mon, work, damn it." Trying to pierce the red liquid with his eyes, to see if there were any changes, he could not notice anything unusual.

When Malakov had first arrived, he was just a skull and an arm floating above the ground. His only words before he could no longer talk was to put him into a pool of fresh blood. Not particularly happy by the fact that he was still completely in the dark concerning what happened to the rest of them, the giant demon still searched for appropriate preys. After all, Meridiana had specified that he should never, ever, attack one of his citizens if they were innocent. Fortunately, some people were not very smart.

With those new rules, if the majority accepted them, a few tried to break them. Currently, in the new jail that was near his castle, nine young men and women had been condemned by their peers. Their actions had been, extremely stupid. For some reasons, they blamed Gwendoline for this and tried to attack her in her home. Of course, since she was someone the succubus cared about, Ymir had some of his skeletons protecting her.

With that, the overwhelming evidence that by entering with weapons inside her home, they were looking to kill her, they were found guilty unanimously. Even as now, the still Mayor of Archet had huge popularity amongst the population. It was caused by the fact that she had managed to conserve the jobs of the guards, allowing them to control the undead and prevent many arrests. And with the still intact support of the nobles, besides some extreme reactions, she was considered as good while Ymir was bad. Not that the Akûl cared if some said behind his back that type of stuff.

"The last of them. Malakov, you hear me? HEY!" Trying to communicate with what was inside the blood pond, he could only see a bone appearing slowly. The finger was still riddled with fissures, as well as the hand that was attached to it. Without a sound, two liches that were nearby began to approach it and levitate the undead body. Half of the rib cage had been restored, but it was obvious just those few humans were not enough.

"Failure. All. Trapped. Empress. Escaped. Soul." The faint voice of the lich could only form a few words, but they shocked Ymir deeply. Especially when he heard that they were trapped and not killed. How was it possible? "What do you mean by that? Malakov? Malakov, are you here?" Approaching his hands to shake the body, he stopped at the last second. It would be useless and would only worsen the condition of the lich.

All alone, besides the undead that were not really talkative, he stared at the pile of human bodies. With nothing else to do for the moment, he picked one up and began to eat it. Trying to forget the very sour taste of a body without any blood, he thought about the future. The problem was that it was not what an Akûl was supposed to do, think. Such a demon, especially Ymir, was more focused on killing and eating than anything else.

"If only Leilade could be here. She would tell me, go kill all those humans, and I would be like, yes, more food. But now, I am stuck at hearing that never-ending stream of complaints by that tiny thing. Why did Meridiana choose someone that talks so much like that?" Complaining loudly in the cold room, he finished his meal extremely quickly. Picking up the last femur, he climbed the stairs to return to his chamber.

"Miss Gwendoline is asking for you." Raising his eyes in the sky after hearing that name, Ymir still murmured some dark kinds of stuff about the way a certain person should just die and let him be alone. Starring at the two humans that constantly visited him, he did not notice their widened eyes. "What?" Sitting leisurely on the majestic chair, he had nothing of a sovereign.

"Cough cough, Demon Emperor, may I ask you to who this bone belongs to?" The two humans were quite a bit embarrassed when they saw the one they were trying hard to be accepted by the inhabitants of Archet acting like that. Especially since there was still a chunk of flesh on the bone. "Huh? This? One of those that tried to kill you." Not knowing if she should feel relieved after learning the truth, the Mayor tried to explain slowly the problem.

"Demon Emperor, can you not show in public with your ... meal like that?" Lifting the almost finished bone and switching his gaze between that and the two humans, Ymir just shrugged it off. "Fine, but why are you here? You couldn't know that I was eating."

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"Of course, the ones that you were waiting for have arrived. After hearing that a large group of trolls and undead had shown up at the eastern gate, I immediately rushed here to report the news." Nodding his head, the large Akûl swallowed the last remains of the former prisoner and began to stride forward. Only to pause right before passing the giant door.

"Why am I informed only after you two? Shouldn't I be the first to know this?" Feeling the intense stare of the demon, the two humans felt their knees getting weaker. In truth, it was not their fault that no human guards would come directly to the castle. In fact, besides Andre and Gwendoline, no one had ever set foot in it. She tried one time to convince some nobles like the elder Eltritch, but they had adamantly refused.

"My apologies, your Highness. We thought that the undead would have reported the news. We only came because you were not showing up." Scratching his head, the Akûl was now embarrassed. He couldn't just say that he couldn't truly control those undead. Or say that the one that did control the undead was in such a bad state that he could hardly speak. Murmuring something in the demonic tone, he left the two without answering.

Walking in the street, he could see the terrified eyes of the bystanders that quickly ran away as soon as they spotted him. Only a few were gritting their teeth and kept walking. At least, it was better than the first day where the streets were completely empty. As for when he finally arrived at the ramparts, the human guards were once more nowhere to be found. Noticing one of the officers that was less tiny than the rest, he marched toward him.

"Glup ...Demon Emperor. This ... They ... Trolls!" Looking at the burly man that was as rigid as a tree, he waved his hand as the succubus told him to. Hearing the relieved sigh behind him, he focused more on the horde of trolls that were carrying a vast amount of fruits and vegetables. Nearby, many animals that were designed to be raised and eaten had been accompanied by many skeletons and liches.

Wondering how he was supposed to find a place for all of them, he began to open widely his arms and greet them in troll. And, for the first time since he arrived here, someone cheered for him as the trolls rushed to encircle the red giant, talking about how the weather was nice, the food was delicious and if the humans were here to be eaten. Before he could stop smiling and answer them, he noticed a dark cloud coming his way. But when he saw someone inside, completely black, excepting her eyes and her hair, he understood that something was wrong. "Not good."