The demons for one were not idol at all. The events that had been taking place as a result of their actions had not been random either, everyone could tell that there was a considerable level of planning that went into it all.
In sight of that, the demon castle was not as stale at the mont. The air inside the demon throne room was suffocating, heavy, thick with an unnatural stillness. The silence was such that demanded obedience.
The Throne room was vast, clearly too much for its purpose, constructed from dark obsidian-like stone, its towering pillars stretching high into the fog of darkness above that represented the ceiling.
At the center, upon a throne carved from the sa black stone, but this ti mixed with a pure white stone, sat the Demon Lord, his hulking form showing the stature of a battle hardened soul.
His crimson eyes burned like dying embers, his skin dark as charred earth, lined with runes of power that pulsed faintly with eerie, violet energy. Clad in deep black armor that looked as though it had been forged in the fires of the abyss itself, he exuded a presence so monstrous that even the two demons kneeling before him, his own "children", dared not raise their heads.
They were bound to him by blood, yet they were nothing more than pawns in his grand ga. At least, that was how it appeared to anyone, even they themselves. There was no certainty that it was otherwise.
"Speak." The Demon Lord said, his voice a low, reverberating growl, devoid of warmth.
The male demon lifted his head just enough to show respect without defiance. His ashen skin looked even paler under the dim violet light of the throne room. His horns curved backward, and his golden, slit-pupil eyes glead with careful calculation.
"Father," he began, his tone asured, submissive. "The war has begun in full. We have lost thousands to the coalition of humans, elves, and dwarves. Their strategy is clear, they seek to push through the fodder and reach you directly." He spoke, straight to the point.
He paused, awaiting a reaction, but the Demon Lord remained silent. His expression did not change, nor did he flinch. He was unmoved.
The male demon swallowed lightly and continued. "If they manage to bypass the swarm, they may reach our stronghold sooner than expected."
Even then, there was still, no response.
The air around the Demon Lord grew heavier, pressing down upon the two kneeling demons as though the very room itself resented their presence.
The female demon took this as her cue, afraid of whatever could co next than anything else.
She was a striking figure, her slender fra did nothing to diminish the lethal aura she carried, though it seed like a flicker of ash compared to the demon lord's. Her tail flicked behind her lazily, but her eyes, violet and sharp as daggers, watched the Demon Lord carefully.
"Father," she spoke, though there was no warmth in the word. "Rather than wait for them to co to us, we should strike first. There are paths left unguarded. We can move through the outer edges of their territory, attack the nearest human kingdoms, and from there, push towards the elves and dwarves."
A beat of silence followed, then a chuckle, low… Amused… But cold.
The Demon Lord leaned forward, his crimson eyes gleaming as he regarded his "children".
"You fear their approach?" he said, his voice smooth now, but dripping with mockery.
The male demon flinched but quickly lowered his head further. "No, father. Only anticipating their movents."
The female demon held her composure better, remaining silent.
The Demon Lord leaned back, resting his clawed fingers against the armrest of his throne. His expression remained unreadable. Unbothered.
"So they co to kill ," he mused. "How bold… and yet, how predictable."
Neither of the two demons dared respond.
He finally stood, his towering fra casting a shadow over them. The very floor even seed to tremble beneath his presence.
"Let them co." He said, his voice absolute, but then, his eyes flicked toward the female demon, a glimr of interest crossing his features.
"Your suggestion is not without rit," he admitted.
"My brother imparts ." She said quickly, slipping it in before the demon lord continued, though, he did not respond to it.
"Go forth. Burn their cities. Slaughter their people. Spread terror until their lands drown in blood and despair."
The female demon bowed her head slightly after listening to him.
The male demon also remained composed, though inwardly, he understood the deeper ssage. This was not strategy to the demon lord, it was simply cruelty… not that he cared, in the end. The Demon Lord did not appear to fear the loss of his armies. He did not care for their numbers. He would sacrifice every single one of them without bathing an eye, and in the end, their deaths would serve his will.
…
The demons enacted their plans, ready to take an unprepared world by storm. Following their plans, more demons had been sent out in many groups, targeting passage routes that were unprotected. One of those routes just happened to be the path where the goblin settlent was located, and the direction where the other monster races settled.
At that mont, even though the crimson glow of the setting sun painted the sky in deep shades of orange and purple, casting long shadows over the dense forest in a beautiful way, the beauty of twilight was lost upon those who stood upon the soon to be battlefield.
Atop a raised mound near the fortified goblin village, the leaders of the Monster Coalition stood grimly, their eyes locked on the treeline ahead. The distant thunder of marching footsteps echoed through the wilderness, accompanied by the unnatural growls and shrieks of approaching demonic beasts.
A lean beastkin scout rushed forward, panting heavily as she delivered the news, "they're close! Thousands of them! They'll be here within minutes!" She reported.
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