Chapter 96 - Meanwhile...

Meanwhile back at the demon lord's castle. Maximus entered the throne room with a woman in a ripped-up dress and an elder lion man. He tossed them both on the floor at the feet of the demon lord.

"Welcome to my palace, honored guests." The demon king said smugly. "You were quite difficult to track down, but we did in fact find you. You mother of heroes. How does it feel to have a daughter that is a vicious queen that is killing her own kingdom or a son that is off trying to save the world?"

Elenore just looked up at him with a defiant look on her face. Leon was unconscious on the floor, still laying where Maximus threw him.

"So, you don't want to talk to me." The demon lord said. "That's fine, you don't have to talk. You just need to be here, as a bargaining chip for your son. I doubt he will do anything that will cause his mother pain."

Elenore just continued her defiant stare.

"Well, your silence will not last forever." The demon lord said. "You will either talk or scream, but you will make noise. I love watching as humans break. After all the horrid deeds they did to my people and the other races of this world it is the least of what they deserve. To suffer and to die. I want them to experience what it is to lose all hope.

You know I was born outside the great demon kingdom, I had two normal demon parents. They loved me and treated me with kindness. They told me that not all humans were bad, they just didn't understand that we all had to share the world together. We lived deep in the woods, but not far enough away from one of your villages. A group of knights found us one day.

They called us monsters and abominations. I watched as they murdered my father and then tortured and killed my mother. I watched as all the light left her eyes. She never screamed, she just cried. I was hiding. She made me hide as soon as the humans got to the house. I just sat there, powerless watching as they did unspeakable things to my mother before finally ending her life. I was only three! My family and I did not deserve that!

When god placed me on their planet with the mission to slay the human population, I had my doubts. I did not think I could do it. But after that, I knew that humanity not only needed to die, but they also needed to suffer. With my skills I have surpassed anyone who has ever lived. I am now level one million. I could wipe out the entirety of humanity with a single flick of the wrist.

However, that would not be good enough. Their deaths would still be too quick, and they would not know my pain. I have been watching your daughter and her rise as a hero and a queen. I plan to kill her in a very public manner, so that humanity knows its hero was nothing and that they themselves are nothing. They are less than the dirt beneath my boot.

Your son is a different matter altogether. I worry he may be strong enough to oppose me and stop my plans. So, before he is able to get too strong, I have caught you. You will be the thing that secures my victory. He will trade your life to stand down. Allowing me to end the human threat once and for all."

Elenore listened to all that the demon lord said and was saddened by his tale. "I am sorry." She said softly. "No one, not human nor nonhuman deserves to have their family taken from them. Especially in such a brutal and horrible manner. Your parents are right though. Not all humans are bad, my son only seeks peace. He wants humans and nonhumans to live together in harmony. His heart is not filled with hate, even after everything that has happened to him. He is the best part of me, a gift sent to me from the gods. You won't be able to stop him, after meeting him you will not even want to."

"I have watched him and seen his deeds." The demon lord said. "Still, he is a human and I know his type. In my old world there were such tales called anime and manga. He falls in line with other main characters of those stories. He is going to be blinded by his quest for good and not give two thoughts about wiping me out. Even now he is off gaining unimaginable power to destroy me and my kind."

"He isn't like that." Elenore said. "He could have been someone who took his pain and lashed out. He could have killed everyone that ever wronged him and became a ruler that the world feared and worshiped, much like you want to become. But he is trying to rise above that and bring peace to all of us. I know my son, and whatever power he is attaining will be an instrument he uses to create peace throughout the lands."

"We will see." The demon lord said. "First I need to decide your fate while we wait for your son to get here. Maximus you did leave an obvious trail back here from the beast village, didn't you? I want him to know it was us."

"Yes, my lord." Maximus said bowing. "I wrote everything in blood upon the walls of the village. He will know for sure it was us."

"Excellent." The demon lord said smiling. "So, what to do with you…"

"We could see what kind of offspring she produces from a demon." Maximus said. "She is after all the mother of heroes. What kind of baby would she have if bred with a superior being?"

"No." The demon lord said. "That is a terrible thing to suggest. You know my policy on such matters."

"Yes, sir I am sorry." Maximus said.

"We will never stoop down to the same level as the human filth we wish to destroy." The demon lord said. "Give her a fresh set of clothes and put her in a comfortable room. We will take care of her with the utmost care. I do not want her son going into a rage at the sight of her. No deal will be able to be struck if so."

"Yes, my lord." Maximus said. "I will have the maids attend to her at once."

"Thank you, my loyal Maximus." The demon lord said.

"Can you tell me your name?" Elenore asked. "If you are going to be keeping me here, I would like to at least know the name of my captor."

"My name is Yrag.." He replied.