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I watched over the proposed army that the demon king from Upid offered me. He was an ugly thing and far from human looking. So were his warriors. I looked over them from the edge of my city within the Underworld. The true city of Shabeah. The land was vacant of grass and gritted with a hot rock. They fought against one another in display for my attention. What I liked about these particular warriors was that they enjoyed killing even their own kind. Blue blood splayed everywhere from the brown demons that were solidified like rock and a horn in the center.
Most of them had installed blades down their arms as back up weapons, completely developing themselves as a weapon the moment they were born. What I took special interest in was their women and the electricity that they emit and could release at their fingertips. I let them pray on those who were imprisoned here. Those who went to the human world and defied my orders. The ones I had my Guardians drag back here. This was their consequence. I loved watching them try to fight and scream as one of the women jumped on him and pierced her delicate fingers into his eye sockets. His entire body trembled as he bled out of his face and nails while convulsing.
“Does my army please you?” Crad asked me from behind. I continued watching his army before I spoke to him. Crad was to die within the next few months. I had already planned it. Before then, I would take control of his army.
“Much,” I said. I wanted to kill him myself, his imprudence and manner of thought, thinking that we were on par offended me greatly. He stood by my side, ever daring to stand as my equal. I patted over my suit jacket sleeve bidding patience. I could kill him now. Very easily and could even kill his entire army right now if they turned on me in his defense but I had other plans to execute instead.
His piercing black eyes watched over his army arrogantly and the sharp features of his rocky face was a ploy for what they could really do. And I was wondering how daring he was, how much he thought we could be allies and trusted me.
“Will you not show me the truth to your army,” I said. It was a request. To deny me was requesting to be killed. I was wondering how cheeky Crad thought he could be. He seemed hesitant. Like most when I asked for their secrets on a platter. But it wasn’t my first time having seen his demons operate. Especially considering this handful of warriors were the remains of his army because I had killed the rest. Those fifty years ago he had learned that I didn’t appreciate being denied. I then took his wife for myself that night after I killed his army that would protect them both to remind him that everything was and would be owned by me. He killed his wife shortly after unable to look at her since I enjoyed my time with her. And it was consensual, like any demon, everyone was drawn to power.
Crad hesitantly whistled. As soon as he did, mists of dust blew through the hollowed canal. His warriors went invisible. There was a silence in the room until the remainder of the prisoners I had in there choked with slit throats and dropped to the ground. I pressed a smile. The perfect assassins. The reason why I kept a watch on Crad’s army was because they were inclined toward virgins of all sorts. Now that would raise a lot of questions with the treaty when they let loose.
When Crad decided on his residence it was shortly after that Gabe claimed the city closest for him to rule. Crad stayed there but his army wasn’t to step out of place, so often they ventured elsewhere to defuse their frustration. One day when I ruled over the humans and discarded of this treaty I would let them walk freely. Because by then they would be my silent army.
“They now belong to me,” I said to Crad.
“They still rule under me but they will–“ Crad’s leg twisted and he dropped to his knee in a sharp burst of pain. I also forced his neck to twist up to look at me. I didn’t even have to touch him to make him my puppet. His army remained silent and I could feel the presence of them surround us. What would they do, I wondered. Turn on me or turn on him? Here was their so called King whimpering because of a few broken bones. Bowing in front of me. Would they defend him? Did they think that their invisibility worked on me? One tried. He stepped forward only once and with little effort he became visible to me. I uncloaked him and looked at him with a stare that would kill. Literally. I wrapped my darkness around his tiny soft heart and squashed it into oblivion. I silenced his screams as I let my darkness creep into him and have its way with him, denying him of a proper death and tearing him apart from the inside. No one stepped forward after that.
“My lord?” one of my servants stepped forward having come from the closest tower. I had her there to report to me when the mission I had orchestrated was complete. I let go of my hold on Crad and walked away. Nothing else had to be said. His invisible army still surrounded me but no one so much as moved as I walked through them and towards my fawn eyed demon. She didn’t say anything, only leading me to the remains of one lone survivor.
“I had sent out twenty,” I said coolly. To the best I knew how. The silent demon in front of me dipped his head.
“And a witch if I recalled. Tell me, what remains of Gabe?” My dark tentacles already reached for him. I could smell fear and understood failure in any man’s eyes.
“Your highness,” he said dropping to his knees. “We had him captured and easy for the taking but your Guardian intervened. She jumped in his stead and was injured.”
My nose flared and a million thoughts dashed through my mind in rage.
“When she fled we attacked him but not in time. Your Guardian had savaged the witch and his containment was broken. We-”
My darkness sliced his throat as he gargled to speak. I watched him drown in his own blood, infuriated as he gargled to try and justify his failure. The beautiful servant beside me did nothing and said nothing. I teleported out to find Vivian.
