Villains

Asmodeus p.o.v.

Damn human forests, fucking green everywhere. How can these humans live in a place like this? What do they eat here? Grass. Of all the places Olden has brought me, I hate the forests the most. I don’t know why. Maybe because it is the exact opposite of my homeland. I remember the mountains of lava where I was born and the golden sands of the moving desert. That is a place worth living, not in the middle of the trees with tiny insects swirling around you, just waiting to attack. I felt the urge to throw fireballs at those damn trees that seem to look at me funny.

“Remember, stick to the plan. Once we arrive there, you let me do the talking. Understood? Olden disturbs my chain of hatred.

“Boss, yes, boss,” I say to him. This coward seems nervous. He knows he’s in big trouble if he doesn’t gather some gold soon. He borrowed money to buy potions and other stuff.

"And don't try anything funny. You know I can hurt you, even if you're far away."

“Sure, boss, don’t worry. Where would I go? First, we see what we are dealing with and then make a plan. “I need to tranquilize this bastard before he screws this up.

“We also need to stall for time, so even if you have an idea, you say you need time. Weaggh the fuck “ I hear him yelling while stopping and looking startled at a human girl. She appeared out of nowhere and stands in the middle of the road.

She seems a warrior by her standing and is looking at me. She can't see me, right? I am concealed; even that paladin can't detect me, not to mention a little girl.

“You fellows lost or something, “I hear her say while she is playing with an arrow.

"Little girl, you scared the crap out of me. Didn't your parents teach you it's not nice to sneak up on people?" I hear Olden acting all tough. This stupid shit doesn't realize that this bitch is dangerous. I always watch the hands of so-called people; hers are scratched with big calluses and battered skin. Hands don’t lie. Her arms and neck also have little scars, and her eyes don't blink like normal people. On top of all that, she's still looking at me.

“Little girl, huh? You don’t seem to be from around here, so I will explain to you. Do you see this tunic that I am wearing? It means that I am an appointed ranger, and since you entered this forest, it’s my job to sneak up on you.

“OH, I didn’t know I was breaking any law just by walking in the forests,” Olden says.

“Why do you say I when there are clearly two of you? What is that, some kind of flying monkey? “Olden froze in place.

“WEE HEE, this here is just my pet, hahaha. How the hell can she see you?” he whispers and laughs.

Flying monkey and now a pet, how low this servant of the chaos lord has fallen.

"Pet, huh? I wish I could have a talking pet that needs to stall for time when I tell him. Can he do other tricks?" the girl has a sinister smile.

This bitch is making me lose my nerve. Flying monkey, pet, and now tricks. She knows I understand and is clearly taunting me.

"Here, boy, I got biscuit for yea. C'mon and play with it. "She again says.

"You stupid bitch” I finally lose it," I am not your fucking dog. I am Asmodeus the dread. I killed hundreds like you. I stepped on their skulls like ants. Riped the AAAA." An electricity current leaves Olden's hand and hits me directly in the head, making me go blind for a second as I fall to the ground.

"That’s funny, ha-ha. He’s a wild one, "the girl laughs.” Okay, either you two tell me what you're doing here, or this arrow will fly away right between your butt cheeks.” She immediately stops her fake laugh and looks at us coldly.

“We are looking for Arya Firestorm to provide assistance from the guild." Olden manages to say.

“AA soo is like that. “She seems to think of something and then says, “Okay, okay, follow this road until you reach the house. Knock on the door when you arrive. See you later, Asdondeus”. And she winks at me, then jumps behind a nearby bush. She disappears as quickly and silently as she has appeared.

"It's Asmodeus," I yell at her. "That was weird," I then tell Olden.” That bitch is dangerous. I hope we don't see her again. She might screw up our plan."

"You stupid shit, shut up. She might still be listening. For now on, we speak only when it's safe." he looks left and right like a weasel and goes near the bush to check.

We take the road, and finally, we see a small house right between the trees.

Arya‘s p.o.v.

“I am glad you two decided to stay two more days,” Sonya says to me from across the table.

“ Yes, Tristan and I deserve a vacation after what we have been through, “ I tell Sonya.

We both are sipping tea in the living room.!

“ You know Selena has convinced Tristan to tell us the story of how you ended up here. I hope you are not going to hold it against him.

“ No, it is not a big secret; I just get tired of explaining why or how I made this decision in my life. I tell her.

“Okay, I respect your dec …..” A loud knock on the door interrupts Sonya, who gets up from the chair and opens it. I hear a man's voice.

“I am from the New Rock guiId here to see Arya Firestorm, “ and Sonya steps aside, opening the door and inviting him in.

A young dark elf mage enters the room, holding what seems like a lighting staff. He also has our guild badge. I am sure I have seen him somewhere before, but I can’t remember where. “

“A pleasure to see Arya doda again after so many years, he says in elvish,“ he smiles at me.” I am sorry to come unannounced.” He says doda, meaning big sister, but I don’t remember him.

“Please to meet you as well, “I play along as I don’t want to offend him.

"Wendy has sent me regarding the curse, "he tells me, and Sonya comes next to me when she hears about it.

"Please tell us young men without reserve," Sonya tells him in elvish. Like I was, he seemed confused when he heard Sonya speak her perfect elvish. And as I look at him, I finally remember him from the academy long ago.

"Well, to put it bluntly, I might know someone who can help Arya doda with her predicament." He says again, smiling.

"I remember you from the academy. You're from the Thunderil matriarchy. Olden, right?" I say to him. Back then, he made quite an impression on the academy's students because he couldn't store mana. And now he is a mage. This is most intriguing.

"Yes, I am Olden Thunderil, son of matriarch Silesia Thunderil, "he says proudly.

"But you couldn't store mana. How come you're a mage?" I immediately ask, "And your family magic expertise is wind and water."

“Well, it is all connected to the person that can help Arya doda.” He smiles mysteriously

A person? He’s speaking in riddles and is beginning to annoy me.

"Please tell us more about this person, "Sonya asks. “Where is he? Do you have proof that he knows about chaos magic. You understand that we are **** to follow you without any evidence ". Sonya then adds.

“Okay, right. I myself don’t really know anything about chaos magic, but he does, and before I reveal him, you must promise me that you won’t be startled. Furthermore, we must be civil and not start fighting and insulting each other”. He says while adopting a severe tone.

“We promise. And whatever help this friend of yours can provide. You and he will be rewarded.” Sonya says.

“That’s what I wanted to hear. Okay, show yourself, imp.” he looks at the empty space on the left and moves his eyebrows up and down like he’s signaling someone.

A moment of silence as I look at Sonya, and I see she is looking at me, and we both are confused; he doesn’t seem crazy or possessed; furthermore, he shouldn’t have come all this way for anything. But on his left, nothing appears.

“Imp, don’t play games, “he again says with a menacing tone and looks to his left while, on his hand, a ball of lighting appears.

"Okay, okay," we hear a sinister, high-pitched voice while a form begins to materialize in thin air. This form is grey at first, but then it becomes red. I see two bat-like wings that flap on his back and a tail that giggles around behind him.

I hold my staff tight as soon as I realize what he is. Depictions of them are countless in academic books. They were the demon's kind lowest soldiers. Hunters described them also as red, ugly with the ability to conceal themselves.

They also seem to bite and throw fireballs at hunters. I see Sonya adopting a defensive stance while she raises her mace. She also realizes what that thing is, and old habits die hard.

"Okay, okay, hold on a sec. I come in peace, "he says and raises his hands in a surrendering stance, and then he smiles like a little kid.

"From what parts of hell did you find this despicable creature? Please explain yourself, young man, "Sonya demands with an authoritarian tone.

“Well, you see, he was brought by my family from the demon lands, and after a long story, we began being friends; he is harmless, and this biding chain keeps him from running away. You don’t need to worry. He is intelligent and understands both common and elfish. “Olden tells us.

I see Sonya relaxing and getting closer to the imp.

“You certainly have a strange taste in the company that you keep. But so be it, creature. Do you have a name? Sonya is asking while studying the imp up close.

“I am Asmodeus, you ugly old woman. That tattoo on your arm means you are a servant of that cheating bitch. He says, making a disgusted face and then spitting on the floor.

“So, you’ve met clerics before. I hope they at least hit you with a miasma spell.” Sonya retorts.” You better have something that you can help my son with or not. With my last breath, I will wipe your ugly smile from the face of this world.”

“So much for keeping a civil tone, “Olden says. “Imp, behave yourself, Arya doda; you don’t need to respond to his provocations. He is entirely under my control. Furthermore, whatever questions you need to ask him, please do so. He and I are entirely at your disposal. “Olden looks at me, ignoring Asmodeus and Sonya, who seem to be locked in a **** stare, studying each other and circling around each other like they are in an invisible fighting ring.

Then, as he turns, I see his tattoos, and blood rushes to my head. This can’t be a coincidence. Those runes are precisely like that behemoth. That fear and helplessness comes back to me. But with time, I have learned to transform that fear into rage.

“Agnisa Salda,” I call forward my fire shield.” Sonya moves away from him,” I yell, and she retreats, startled, next to the wall.

“Arya doda, what are you doing? “ I hear Olden scream, but I don’t care about him. He can burn alongside this thing.

“Your next answers will determine your life and ****, imp, so you better think very well what you say.” I raise my voice and head toward Asmodeus, who looks at me with fear but still defiant.

“What is going on, Arya .”I hear Sonya say.

“Tell me, imp, that tattoo of yours is common among your kind,” I ask as I still walk toward him, and he begins to fly backward.

“Let’s say I was born with it. What’s that got to do with anything? “. He answers, puzzled.

"I am warning you, imp. You better tell me who did that tattoo to you. You are steps away from being turned into ash." I remind him, and he realizes he's hitting the wall behind him.

"Okay, okay, I myself don't know. It was a battle with some adventures, and I lost consciousness. The next thing I knew, I had this thing on me when I woke up. That’s all I remember.”

“Arya doda, please calm yourself, “I hear Olden plead.

“Next question, imp, where were you 20 years ago? “.

“It’s about the time this friend of mine, and I became acquainted, so I was at his home dark elf territory. “

“Okay, last question, can you transform yourself into a behemoth? Or the other way. Can a behemoth transform into an imp?”

"HA-HA, what nonsense is this? If I were a behemoth, the 3 of you would already be dead. No, you dumb blonde imps evolve into little devils, then devils, and then the behemoth stage comes after. And, No, we can't devolve back. Well, unless we die and reincarnate. What's this, Olden? I didn't know I had to teach a lesson about demon-kind biology". He says, and I calm myself and extinguish my fire shield.

His words confirm what I had studied in the academy archive: demons evolve into stages by consuming another demon's core. A wretched existence that is based on fighting against each other.

"I'm glad we got that out of the way, Arya. Can you explain what this is all about? Sonya asks.

“Tristan has told you why I became a guild member about the incident on the Elven Academy expedition grounds. That behemoth that killed all my classmates had a tattoo precisely like this one over here. “I tell Sonya, who looks at Asmodeus immediately and then Olden.

“Young man, can you tell us more about how your family captured this thing?” Sonya asks Olden, who seems confused.

"To be honest, he was already imprisoned in our castle dungeon from a long time ago. I released him because I took pity on him. So what Arya doda is saying is impossible. He was imprisoned in our dungeons for hundreds of years". Olden tells us.

"Didn't you tell us your family brought him from the demon lands?” Sonya asks Olden again.

"Yes, he was, but by the older generation. I wasn't born yet. Probably even my mother wasn't. "

"You're saying he may have been imprisoned for thousands of years. "What is he eating? "I ask.

"Yes, that's why I took pity on him, normal food, but he has an appetite for demon land artifacts,” Olden tells us.

"I better hide my collection of demon bones needles then." Sonya manages to joke around even in a situation like this.