Chapter 59: The News
Chapter 59: The News
At the Demon King Castle, in an undisclosed location.
The Demon King sat on his throne peacefully until he felt a sudden disturbance. His eyes snapped open, and a dark aura flared around him.
The room around him was draped in shadows, the only light coming from the flickering torches lining the stone walls. His throne, a massive structure carved from obsidian, seemed to pulse with malevolent energy. The Demon King's crimson eyes glowed brighter as he concentrated, sensing the life forces of his generals scattered across the battlefield.
A sharp pain shot through his mind as he focused on Ursa. He felt Ursa's life force flickering, weakening at an alarming rate. A snarl escaped his lips as he realized what was happening. Ursa, the mighty Minotaur, was being overpowered.
"No," the Demon King growled. his voice echoing through the vast chamber. He slammed his fist down on the armrest of his throne, cracking the obsidian.
He closed his eyes, delving deeper into his connection with Ursa. He could feel the intense battle raging, the relentless assault of the human forces. The sound of cannons, the rapid-fire of machine guns, and the cries of soldiers filled his mind. He could sense Ursa's desperate attempts to fight back, the dark energy he had bestowed upon his general struggling to keep him alive.
But then, he felt it - the moment Ursa's life force finally flickered out. The connection severed abruptly, leaving a void where the once mighty general's presence had been. The Demon King's eyes snapped open, and he roared in fury, the walls of the chamber trembling from his power.
"Ursa...so you too have failed me," the Demon King muttered, his voice cold and devoid of any trace of empathy. The loss of his general was insignificant in the grand scheme of his plans. Ursa was a tool, a powerful one, but a tool nonetheless. What truly irked him was the manner of his defeat.
Humans. Ordinary, mundane humans, devoid of any magical prowess, had managed to kill one of his most formidable generals. It was an insult, a blight on his reign that could not be ignored.
The Demon King leaned back in his throne, his crimson eyes narrowing in contemplation. The humans' use of technology, albeit new, was still, nonetheless, a human technology. There is no magical prowess in their actions, just sheer ingenuity and determination. This, in itself, was a greater insult. It signified that his dark magic, his overwhelming power, could be thwarted by the very creatures he deemed inferior.
"It is simply absurd," he mused, tapping his fingers on the cracked armrest. "To think that such primitive creatures could pose a threat."
He stood up, his imposing figure casting long shadows across the chamber. The torches flickered violently, responding to the surge of dark energy emanating from him. He walked to the large window overlooking his kingdom.
"I underestimated them," he admitted to himself, his voice a low growl. "But that will not happen again."
The Demon King turned to the shadows lurking at the edges of the room. "Summon my generals!"
The shadows in the room seemed to shift and ripple at his command. From the darkness, figures began to emerge-each one exuding an aura of malevolence and power. These were his remaining generals, loyal and powerful, each commanding their own legions of the dark army.
The first to step forward was Valeria, a sorceress with flowing dark robes and eyes that glowed with an eerie blue light. Next was Garruk, a hulking figure covered in thick, black armor, his eyes burning with a fierce red intensity. Following him was Thalor, a lithe and agile assassin. There was also Morgath, a necromancer draped in tattered robes, his skeletal hands crackling with dark energy. Lastly, there was Telus, a bloodmancer whose crimson robes seemed to pulse with a life of their own.
"My liege," Valeria spoke first, her voice smooth and commanding. "We came as soon as you summoned us. What is your command?"
"I summoned you all here not because I have a command. I summoned you here because I have news," the Demon King announced, his voice echoing through the chamber.
The generals exchanged glances. Valeria stepped forward slightly, her eyes never leaving the Demon King.
"What news, my liege?"
"Ursa is dead," the Demon King stated bluntly, his gaze sweeping across his gathered generals. "He was defeated by the humans."
There was not much of a reaction from that news.
"Ursa...so the people that drove off Telus managed to kill Ursa. Now I think it is time we take these humans more seriously," Valeria spoke.
Garruk's growl resonated through the chamber. "These humans will pay for their insolence. Give the order, my liege, and I will crush them underfoot."
"That was fairly similar to what Ursa said when he heard of Telus's defeat," the Demon King remarked, his tone icy. He shifted his gaze to Garruk, who lowered his head in
acknowledgment.
"My liege, I will not fail you," Garruk said.
"No, I don't want to lose another general over those humans because we underestimated them again," the Demon King continued, his voice echoing with finality. "What I want is to observe, gather intelligence about their power and capabilities. Once we know everything about them, we will strike. For now, our focus will shift to another theater."
The generals exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of understanding and determination. The Demon King's words made it clear that their approach needed to change. "My liege," Morgath spoke up, his skeletal hands crackling with dark energy. "Where shall we redirect our efforts?"
The Demon King turned to the large map spread across a table nearby. He waved his hand, and the map illuminated, highlighting different regions under his control and those yet to be
conquered.
"We will focus on the southern front," the Demon King declared. "The Empire of Ishalgen. They are the ones who are taking us seriously, they are investigating all the rifts that are happening throughout the continent."
"Empire of Ishalgen huh?" Morgath muttered. "I'll take the job, my liege.'
"And I will be the one who will investigate those humans who killed Ursa."