Chapter 215: Forced Out of the Castle
Chapter 215: Forced Out of the Castle
The Demon Lord's throne room was shrouded in darkness, lit only by the faint, flickering glow of torches mounted along the stone walls. Shadows stretched across the cavernous hall, amplifying the menacing aura that filled the air. The Demon Lord, a towering figure of raw power, sat upon a throne carved from the bones of his enemies. His crimson eyes burned with a cold, relentless fire, surveying the desolate expanse of his chamber.
A demon lieutenant, trembling with fear, approached the throne and dropped to his knees, his head bowed so low it nearly touched the floor.
"Speak," the Demon Lord commanded, his voice rumbling through the room like distant thunder.
"Your Majesty," the lieutenant stammered, barely able to steady his voice. "There has been an... incident on the eastern front. Three of our main encampments were... destroyed."
The Demon Lord's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening. "Destroyed?" His tone carried a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Explain, lieutenant."
The lieutenant's breathing grew ragged as he fought to find the words. "It... it seems our outposts were systematically attacked. Our supply lines, command posts, and barracks-all reduced to ashes. No survivors were reported from any of the camps."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
A heavy silence fell over the room. The Demon Lord's grip tightened on the armrest of his throne, his claws digging into the bone structure. He leaned forward, his imposing frame casting an even darker shadow across the trembling demon before him.
"How could this happen?" he demanded, his voice echoing through the stone walls. "Who would dare to launch an assault on my forces?"
"We... we are uncertain, Your Majesty," the lieutenant whispered. "But the nature of the attacks suggests it might be the humans."
The Demon Lord's eyes blazed with fury. He had spent years establishing his control over these lands, crushing any opposition with merciless precision. For his forces to be struck so decisively was a slap in the face-a direct challenge to his authority.
"Humans..." he hissed, a seething rage building within him. "Those weak, pathetic creatures. They should have been eradicated ages ago."
The lieutenant swallowed, sensing the fury radiating from his lord. "It was no ordinary human assault, my lord," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "The reports indicate weapons we have not encountered before-devices that struck from above, unseen until the very moment of impact. There were explosions that leveled our fortifications in seconds."
The Demon Lord rose from his throne, his immense stature casting an imposing shadow across the room. His eyes, sharp and furious, bore down on the lieutenant, who could hardly contain his terror.
"You dare suggest that these humans possess the power to challenge me?" the Demon Lord sneered, his voice laced with contempt. "After I disposed of those useless Demon King Generals, thinking my forces were in better hands, they let this happen?"
He let out a roar of rage that shook the very foundations of the throne room. "Those generals failed me repeatedly, and I had to purge them myself. And now my so-called elite lieutenants are telling me they cannot even hold a simple outpost?"
The Demon Lord's fury was uncontainable. He stormed down from his throne, his massive footsteps echoing through the chamber as he approached the kneeling lieutenant, who now looked up with wide, fearful eyes.
"These humans think they can simply sweep through my lands unchecked?" he snarled, his voice a low growl. "They dare to test me?"
The lieutenant barely managed to nod, his body trembling with terror. "W-We are preparing a response, my lord. We will mobilize our forces and-"
"Silence!" the Demon Lord bellowed, cutting him off. "I don't need excuses. I need results. I want these humans brought to their knees, their cities reduced to rubble, their people broken and begging for mercy."
He turned away from the lieutenant, pacing furiously. Each step was filled with barely restrained rage as he considered his options. "If they have the audacity to strike at me," he continued, his voice laced with venom, "then they will learn what it means to provoke the true ruler of this land."
The lieutenant kept his head low, daring not to move or speak, aware that any misstep could result in his immediate execution.
The Demon Lord paused, his eyes narrowing as a dark plan took shape in his mind. "Summon the Legion Generals," he ordered, his tone deadly serious. "I want every able-bodied demon prepared for war. We will launch an offensive so devastating that the humans will be left trembling in fear."
The lieutenant nodded hurriedly. "Yes, Your Majesty. I will relay your orders at once." "Good," the Demon Lord growled. "And ensure that no mercy is shown. I want every last human eliminated."
As the lieutenant scurried from the room, the Demon Lord turned his gaze toward the flickering shadows on the walls. His anger simmered, controlled yet fierce, a silent promise of the devastation he intended to unleash upon those who dared to challenge him.
"They think they can push back against me," he muttered to himself, his voice a deadly whisper. "They will soon realize the price of defiance."
The Demon Lord stood in the dim, torch-lit chamber, his fury barely contained as he turned to face the massive iron doors at the entrance of his throne room. The decision had settled in his mind like a stone, and there would be no turning back.
Enough was enough. If his underlings could not bring him the humans who dared defy him, he would go and crush this rebellion himself. He had grown weary of reports of ambushed camps and disrupted supply lines, of the humans hiding behind unseen weapons that struck with such precision and force. To him, it was a coward's method a way for weaker beings to inflict harm without facing the consequences. But he would ensure they faced those consequences soon enough.
"Prepare my armor," he commanded, his voice low but resonant, filling the vast hall. "I will confront these pests personally."
The guards stationed at the far end of the chamber exchanged uneasy glances. The Demon Lord had not left his castle in years, preferring to rule from the shadows and send his generals to carry out his will. The order sent a ripple of tension through them, but none dared hesitate. With hurried steps, they left to fetch the armor, each one aware that the Demon Lord's patience was razor-thin.
A few moments later, a group of demon attendants entered, carrying pieces of his dark, enchanted armor, each piece forged from obsidian and tempered in the fires of the underworld. They worked quickly and silently, fastening the heavy armor onto his massive frame. The armor's edges glinted in the torchlight, as if eager to taste the blood of those who had defied him.
As they adjusted the final piece, the Demon Lord reached for his weapon-a massive, jagged sword that few others could even lift. He gripped it with ease, feeling its weight and power radiating through him.
With a cold smirk, he turned to the lieutenant, who was still kneeling, trembling on the floor. "You will inform the Legion Generals that I am leaving the castle," he said, his tone dripping with menace. "They are to fortify my domains and await further orders. If the humans continue their attacks, they are to destroy everything in their path."
The lieutenant's voice was barely a whisper as he replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. It will be done."
The Demon Lord swept past him, the weight of his armor making his footsteps reverberate through the chamber like thunder. He moved with purpose and wrath, the flames in his eyes unwavering. As he strode through the halls of the castle, demons scattered from his path, casting fearful glances in his direction. The mere sight of him was enough to send a chill through even the most hardened of his subjects.
Exiting the castle, he stepped onto a ledge overlooking the desolate landscape that stretched out before him. A twisted, barren land of jagged rocks and dark skies, a fitting domain for one who ruled through fear and force.
He raised his sword toward the distant horizon, his voice booming as he declared, "Let it be known: the humans have summoned their own end. I will bring ruin to them myself."
In that moment, he channeled his energy, sending a wave of dark power pulsing through the air. The sky seemed to darken further, clouds swirling as if responding to his rage. His power rippled outward, a signal to his followers-a warning to all who dared oppose him. With one last glance back at his fortress, the Demon Lord leaped from the ledge, landing with a resounding impact that shook the ground. His massive form strode forward, leaving his castle behind, his mind set on destruction.
"This is the first time in millenia where I am forced to come out to my castle," he muttered under his breath. Usually, he'd order his Demon King General to do his bidding but seeing that everything is ineffective, he realized that it was time for him to do the work.