The clash of two Evils Part 3

We walked for a few days, hunting what we could on the way since the provisions we obtained in [Oidao] were running out. But finally, after spending several days in the forest, the dense trees gradually thinned out.

"Look! A path!" Sunshine exclaimed, pointing to a narrow dirt road up ahead.

"Finally, we're getting somewhere," I sighed.

We spent two more days following the path until, suddenly, a farm came into view in the distance. At first glance, it looked exactly like a human farm. The notable thing was that it appeared to be the harvesting season, as no crops were planted in the extensive fields.

"It would be a good idea to stop at the farm," Usofra spoke, "We could ask them for directions, and maybe they could also sell us something to eat."

"Sunshine, you should probably enter the medallion," I suggested, "We don't want to draw any unwanted attention."

"Ugh, fine," She grumbled, diving into the medallion with a flash of light.

Likewise, I put on my hood, trying to hide my red eyes. As we approached the farm, still walking the path, I was surprised to see how similar it was to a human farm, except the workers were Demons instead of Humans. Some big and furry horned laborers were carrying heavy sacks of grain, demons with bat-like wings hovering above the fields to keep watch, and even some smaller demons with wings rooming around that I had never seen.

"Wow, I didn't expect to find demons working on a farm like this," I muttered, watching them work, "And what are those?" I asked, looking at the smaller demons with wings.

"Who else did you think would tend to the crops?" Namy said sarcastically.

"Those little demons are called imps. They are one of several kinds of Demons." Usofra answered my question.

As we reached the farm entrance, we saw many soldiers on the farm putting boxes into several wagons.

"Something's not right," Sunshine said from the medallion, studying the scene.

"Let's watch from here," I suggested, stopping at the farm gate, looking at what was happening inside.

The farmers were arguing with the soldiers, their voices raised in protest. They demanded that their crops be returned to them, clearly distressed by the situation.

"Assholes, those are our livelihoods! You can't just take them away like this!" One farmer shouted, desperation evident in his voice.

A soldier, seemingly their leader, replied coldly, "Duke Vanth has ordered your cooperation in the war effort. In exchange for your contribution, when we win the war, you will be granted more fertile lands in the South."

"But without these crops, we'll have nothing left!" Another farmer argued, his face growing red with anger.

"Orders are orders," The soldier said dismissively, gesturing for his men to continue loading the wagons.

I glanced at Namy and Usofra, who didn't seem surprised by what was happening. I imagine that since Namy and Usofra used to work for the Demon King, it is something they had already seen previously.

"Without these crops, we will be ruined!" A farmer shouted, desperation lacing his voice. Some of the farmers tried to struggle with the soldiers, attempting to take back what was being stolen from them. The gruesome scene unfolded before us as the demon soldiers easily defeated the farmers, their faces twisted in pain and frustration.

"Enough!" The leader of the soldiers barked, grabbing one of the more aggressive farmers by his collar, "If you don't calm down, we will kill you or cut off your horns!"

The threat was clear and chilling, causing the remaining farmers to hesitate, fear filling their eyes. Ultimately, the soldiers loaded all the boxes into the wagons and prepared to leave. As they finished and were preparing to go, the leader of the soldiers noticed our group and approached us, suspicion narrowing his gaze. The soldier was a very tall and muscular demon with fur on many parts of his body. And not only that. When I looked at him more closely, I noticed that his teeth looked more like those of a beast, as they were sharp with two long fangs. He scanned us all, stopping at me and making a disgusted expression before speaking.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"Ah, we're just travelers passing through," Namy said with a charming smile. She and Usofra stepped forward, trying to defuse the tension.

"Travelers?" The soldier's leader raised an eyebrow, his suspicion not entirely abated, "Why would there be travelers in a place like this where there is nothing."

"True," Usofra interjected, her voice calm and controlled, "But we have our reasons for being here. We mean no harm or interference."

I could sense the anger and helplessness among the farmers as they watched our exchange.

"Fine," The soldier's leader finally said gruffly, "Be on your way, then." With that, he turned away from us, barking orders at his men to finish loading the wagons and leave.

As the soldiers left, we entered the farm, approaching the farmers. The tension in the air slowly dissipated, but the despair remained evident on the faces of those who had just lost their livelihoods.

"Those bastards think they can take everything from us!" A farmer spat, "Duke Vanth will leave us in ruin!"

"Without our harvest, we don't know what we'll do," Another farmer added, his face lined with worry, "Resources were already scarce during the Civil War, but now, with a full war, things are going from bad to worse."

"It was inevitable," Namy said in an indifferent tone, "When Duke Vanth, The Monster Layer, decided to betray the Demon Queen Zaine, who kept everything in peace, no one said anything, and in the Civil War the Demons in this Miktlan area seemed to support the new Demon King and Duke Vanth so don't complain now."

Upon hearing Namy's words, several farmers looked indignant and upset but didn't respond since it seemed that Namy's words touched a nerve.

"That Queen would have led us to ruin with her lack of action, allowing the situation to get worse little by little due to the lack of resources." One of the farmers responded.

"Well, now you have what you want. The lack of action is over, so don't complain." Namy continued looking more upset with every second that passed, requiring Usofra to put her hand on Namy's back to calm her down.

"Enough!" An older villager interjected, silencing the heated exchange. His eyes were weary, and his voice held a note of resignation, "Arguing amongst ourselves won't change our situation."

"True," Another farmer chimed in, "If we manage to hold out, we only hope that Duke Vanth keeps his word and gives us fertile lands in the South when they finish off the humans."

"Let's just focus on surviving for now," Another farmer suggested.

Enraged, Namy turned around and walked to the farm's exit, "I don't want to be here anymore! I'm leaving!"

Usofra also seemed upset but was doing a good job controlling her emotions. We continued talking with the farmers for a while longer. It soon became apparent that because I appeared to be a hornless demon, they didn't take what I asked or said into account, a stark contrast to the kindness they showed toward Usofra. Eventually, Usofra asked them for directions to the nearest village, where we could rest and gather supplies. They pointed us to a town about two days' travel to the east and wished Usofra luck on our journey.

We leave the farm and meet Namy outside. With that, our group set off down the road, leaving the farm behind.

Sunshine floated alongside me, her expression pensive, "Darx," She murmured, "What do you think will happen to those farmers?"

"Who knows..." I replied.

In other circumstances, perhaps I would feel empathy for them, but knowing that they supported the coup against Zaine and hope that the Demons will destroy the humans to occupy their lands makes me not care what happens to them.

"They are fools for trusting the Demon King and even more foolish for believing that Duke Vanth will keep his promise of giving them lands, " Namy chimed in, her voice tense, "He may promise them fertile lands in the South, but he's just using them now. Once Duke Vanth has what he wants, he'll probably cast them aside."

"Maybe," Usofra agreed, her eyes distant, "But we have our own problems to deal with. What Duke Vanth does with his people is unimportant to us now."

"I know, it's just... Aren't you upset? Namy asked Usofra exalted, "You also looked at the reports, and you should know that Duke Vanth was one of the main people responsible for organizing everything to overthrow Zaine."

"Of course, I'm upset, but right now, our focus is Zaine, so let's not waste time thinking about other things," Usofra responded by raising her voice, which surprised me a little since Usofra had never raised her voice at Namy.

I understand both sides. I know Usofra is right in saying that we should focus on saving Zaine, but a part of me also wants to know more about this Duke Vanth. After all, now I know that it was he who, with his power, caused thousands of monsters to attack human villages, including mine, where several people dear to me died. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want the chance to find him and exact ****.

Two days later, we arrived at a large village bustling with Demons and businesses. The atmosphere was both chaotic and thrilling. Demons of all shapes and sizes went about their daily routines, giving the town a sense of life.

"Finally! A place where we can rest!" Namy exclaimed.

"First thing's first, we need to find an inn and figure out how to make some money," Usofra said, scanning the village, "Human currency won't be of much use here, and the Nethercoins we have will barely be enough for us to rent an Inn room for two or three nights."

"Nethercoins?" I asked.

"It's the currency we demons use," Usofra answered me, "We need to stock up on supplies and gather information on the current state of the Demon territories."

"Alright, let's rent a room and split up," Namy suggested, "We can cover more ground that way."

"Will you be okay on your own, Darx?" Usofra asked, seeming worried about me, "If you want, we both could go together."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry," I responded with a smile.

We found an Inn with available rooms and agreed to meet there later. As we went our separate ways, I knew I had to find a way to get Nethercoins or any helpful information about the state of the war or what routes were safe to pass through. However, I couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency to learn more about Duke Vanth. My desire to find him and make him pay was greater than I expected.

"Time to gather some intel," I murmured to myself as I wandered through the bustling village streets.

As I walked through the town, feeling out of place surrounded by Demons, I listened to the conversations around me, hoping to pick up valuable information.

"Did you hear about the latest skirmish between Duke Vanth's forces and the human armies?" One demon said to another.

"Vanth is ruthless," The other replied, "Knowing the rumors about him, I'm sure he'll stop at nothing to win this war."

"True! Surely soon, his zoo will also have humans." The first demon shuddered, "Ugh, I don't even want to imagine what Duke Vanth and Ruha will create with those humans."

Zoo? What does that even mean? I thought to myself, puzzled by the mention of such a thing. I continued listening for a while longer but left after they changed the subject.

As I continued exploring the village, trying to piece together the information I had gathered so far, my thoughts were interrupted by a group of five demons who approached me with sneers on their faces. Their muscular bodies and sharp claws made them an imposing sight.

"Hey, look at this pathetic Hornless Demon," One of them taunted, his voice dripping with disdain as he looked me up and down.

"Probably lost and scared, huh?" Another demon jeered, his laughter grating my nerves, "Where is your owner?"

So, demons also have individuals like these. What a bummer.

I remained calm, knowing that this garbage was not worth drawing attention to, "I'm just passing through," I replied, taking a step and trying to leave, but my path was instantly blocked by two of them.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" A third demon mocked, clearly unimpressed with my response, "Trying to act all tough when he's really nothing but a weakling."

"How about you entertain us for a while?" Another member of the group said, trying to push me, but he couldn't move me even a step back.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" An unexpected voice cut through the air. A female Demon stood between me and the group, her curvy figure and confident demeanor demanding attention. Her horns curved gracefully from her forehead, and her eyes blazed with defiance.

"Mind your own business, sweetheart," One of the demons spat, reaching out to grope her. She slapped his hand away with a snarl.

"Touch me again, and you'll lose that hand," She warned, her voice cold and daring. The demons looked angry, glancing at one another.

"Your bitch!"

It seemed that the group of demons wanted to get violent, but they stopped when they saw a group of soldiers passing by who appeared to be doing patrol. The demons grumbled and retreated, leaving me and the female demon alone. She turned to me, her expression softening slightly.

"Are you alright?" She asked, genuine concern in her eyes.

"Thanks to you, I am," I replied gratefully, relieved to have escaped the confrontation without causing a scene.

"Try not to let them get under your skin," The female demon advised, "Bullies like them aren't worth your time or energy."

"S-Sure..." I said, raising my face, which must have accidentally revealed my eyes, which were covered by my hood, for a second as I looked at her. She seemed taken aback, but she quickly recovered her composure.

"Even without horns, you shouldn't be treated like that," She asserted, her voice firm yet kind. The encounter with a seemingly good-hearted demon surprised me, shattering my preconceived notions of their race.

"Your kindness is unexpected but appreciated," I admitted.

We exchanged a few more words before parting ways.

Later that night, Namy, Usofra, Sunshine, and I reconvened in our room at the Inn. We sat around a small table, discussing the day's events and our findings.

"It seems that the path I had planned will not work," Namy stated, her eyes narrowing in contemplation, "They are using that route to transport merchandise to be taken to the border, which will **** us to pass through the city of Miktlan."

"You say it like it's a bad thing," I said, "What's the reason?"

"Vanth, The Monster Layer, lives there in addition to being the base of his legion. Passing through there puts us at risk of being discovered." Usofra answered me.

"Another problem is that it will be a longer path, so we will need more Nethercoins," Namy said, "Has anyone found a quick way to get money?" She asked, but a silence continued, indicating that no one had figured out how.

Namy sighed and then stood up from the table while grabbing Usofra's hand, "Well, it looks like we'll have to take matters into our own hands," She declared, a determined glint in her eyes.

"Where are you two going?" I asked, curious about their sudden departure.

"To get some Nethercoins," Namy replied cryptically, her lips curling into a sly grin as she glanced over her shoulder at us.

"How?" Sunshine inquired, fluttering her wings with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"That's a secret," Namy winked before making her way toward the door, Usofra trailing close behind. The door closed behind them, leaving Sunshine and me alone in the room.

It took a moment for the realization to sink in, but when it did, Sunshine's eyes widened, "That whore!" She exclaimed, her tiny face red.

We sat in silence for a while, lost in our thoughts. Eventually, I decided I couldn't stay cooped up in the room any longer, "I'm going out for a bit," I announced, standing up from my chair.

"Really?" Sunshine's face lit up, her earlier anger forgotten, "Can I come with you?"

"Sure," I agreed. Seconds later, Sunshine got into the medallion, knowing it was the only way she could leave the room.

Even at this late hour, the village was alive with activity, the twilight sky casting a surreal glow on the bustling streets. Demons of various shapes and sizes went about their business, engaging in commerce and conversation. Despite the obvious differences in its inhabitants, it felt strangely reminiscent of a human town.

"Isn't it weird how this place is so similar to a human town?" Sunshine exclaimed, "I thought the demon territory would be different... I don't know. Scary and ugly."

"Indeed," I agreed, taking in the vibrant atmosphere of the village. "Demons and humans may be more alike than we initially thought."

As we continued walking, I couldn't help but be amazed by the vast differences in the appearances of the Demons. Additionally, there were numerous street fights, but instead of scaring the surrounding Demons, these fights seemed to entertain them. They watched with glee, often getting drunk while enjoying the show. I guess it makes sense, considering Namy told me that Demons place a lot of importance on who is stronger. I stayed momentarily watching one of those street fights until Sunshine called me.

"Darx!" Sunshine whispered urgently, "Look over there!"

Looking around, I spotted the female demon who had helped me earlier in the day. She appeared troubled, her eyes darting around nervously as she was being harassed by the same group of five demons that had tried to bully me before.

"Those bastards are at it again," Sunshine spat angrily, "We should do something."

"I know," I replied quietly.

I decided to follow the group of five demons and the demon woman from a safe distance, careful not to draw attention to myself. They **** her to go with them into an alley, and I could see their intentions were far from noble. I approached the alley, and what I saw was what I had expected would happen. The group of demons were stripping the demon woman.

I removed my hood as I entered the alley. My red eyes glowed eerily in the darkness. Stepping out from the shadows, I drew the attention of the group of demons, who recognized me immediately.

"Look who's here," One of them sneered, "The hornless freak is coming for a beating."

"Please, go get help," The demon woman pleaded desperately, fear etched across her face.

I ignored her plea, standing silently in the dimly lit alley. The demons continued mocking me, unaware of what I was about to do to them.

"Let her go," I commanded coldly, my eyes fixated on them, "Or you'll regret it."

"Ha! Are you crazy?" One of the demons laughed, "You really think a useless hornless demon like you can save her?"

"Last chance," I warned, my voice low and menacing.

The demons only jeered in response. Clearly, they had no intention of letting the woman go. They really are trash.

"I got this!" One of the demons said, smiling confidently.

He lunged at me, claws outstretched, eager to tear into my flesh. But before he could even touch me, my sword was in my hand, and with a swift, precise strike, I cut off his head. His lifeless body collapsed on the ground, blood pooling around it. The remaining demons stared in disbelief.

"Still want to mock me?" I asked, my voice dripping with disdain.

Three of the demons tried to attack me at the same time, but they couldn't move from their places. Confused, they looked at the ground to see what was stopping them and realized that their bodies were being frozen from the bottom up.

"What that fuck is this!" One of them screamed.

They tried to attack the ice that was slowly rising up their bodies, which I was intentionally making advance slowly to cause them more pain without achieving anything. Its claws weren't strong enough to break my ice.

"You! Let us go!" One shouted menacingly, but the fear in his eyes was evident.

"You... who that heck are you?" Another scream at me.

I remained silent, watching how the ice was already above their waists and how their screams of despair were not heard by all the scandal outside. Meanwhile, the other demon and the demon woman were in shock at seeing what was happening. Little by little, their screams weakened until they finally fell silent when the ice covered their entire bodies, turning them into ice statues.

As I took down the last of her tormentors, the demon woman seized the opportunity to escape. She ran from the alley, not looking back, her grateful eyes never leaving mine.

"Thank you," She whispered before disappearing into the night.

I nodded briefly, then turned my attention back to the last demon.

"Please, don't kill me!" The fifth demon screamed and then tried to escape, so I had to cut off one of his legs to make him stop.

The injured fifth demon cried as I approached him, his severed leg lying on the ground a few feet away. His voice cracked with fear and desperation, "How... how can a hornless demon like you have so much power?"

"Your kind doesn't know everything," I responded coldly, my red eyes locked onto his terror-filled gaze, "Now, if you want even a chance at surviving, you'll give me the information I seek."

"Wh-what do you want to know?" The demon stammered, tears streaming down his face.

"Duke Vanth," I asked, "What do you know about him? And be quick about it."

"Duke Vanth? He-e's a powerful and ruthless Duke who serves the Demon King," The demon replied, trembling with fear, "He can control an army of monsters. It is said that he can also modify the appearance of monsters, making them similar to demons—some of whom he has on display at his zoo and others who he transforms into women he has in brothels. Or at least that's the rumor. I-I promise I'm telling the truth."

"Go on," I urged, my voice laced with impatience.

"T-Thats all I know... Please forgive me! I ALREADY ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS, SO LET ME GO." He yelled.

"Pathetic," I muttered, raising my sword. The blade glinted menacingly in the dim light of the alley as I prepared to strike. The demon closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable end.

"Wait! Please, spare me!" He sobbed, tears streaming down his face.

"Your fate was sealed the moment you chose to mess with me," I said coldly before swiftly ending his life with a single slash of my sword.

"They were weaker than I expected," Sunshine's voice echoed softly within the medallion, "I was already getting ready to beat them up."

"Maybe next time," I replied, wiping the blood from my sword, "We should leave before anyone discovers what's happened here."

"Agreed," Sunshine said.

I removed the ice from the four demons that were frozen and already dead, and then I bent down and rifled through the fallen demons' belongings, taking their money pouches and any other valuables that might prove useful. It wasn't something I was particularly proud of, but we needed all the resources we could get our hands on if we were going to survive in this world.

Once I had gathered everything I could, I quickly left the alley, melting back into the shadows of the bustling village. As I walked, my thoughts turned to Duke Vanth and the information the demon had given me. If even half of what he said was true, then Duke Vanth was a truly sick person.

When Namy and Usofra returned to the Inn, the sun had barely begun to rise. Their faces were flushed, and their eyes were shining with a mixture of excitement and exhaustion. They held out their hands, each revealing a small pouch filled with demon currency.

"Darx, look! We've managed to get some money for our journey," Namy said, her voice soft but proud.

"I see," I said as I reached into my pocket, pulling out the money pouches I had taken from the fallen demons, which was more than what they had gotten, "I managed to find a way to acquire some funds as well."

Their eyes widened in surprise, and they exchanged glances before looking back at me, "How did you manage to do that?" Namy asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Let's just say I stumbled upon an opportunity," I replied evasively.

Namy's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, searching my face for any hint of what had truly happened. But I kept my expression neutral, giving away nothing.

"Hey! Tell me!" Namy said, completely confused, "How did you get more than me? Don't tell me that you, too..."

"OF COURSE NOT!" I screamed at her insinuation.