V3 C9 - A Child of Eris

Thanks to the war Mímir created between the Federation and Kingdom, the north-east should be mine before the heroes arrive. David stared down at the large map of the world, littered with banners and blocks of woods to symbolise everything from armies to cities. The main problem is the west.

The Kingdom of Rhodes, the Yun Shogunate, the Dwarven States and the Woodland Republic.

I don’t think I’ll be able to bring them down from the inside like we’ve done in the east, so it’ll be either a frontal assault or finding a way of making them turn on one another. I doubt the latter will be possible.

I imagine they’ll all ally together, especially if Eris has anything to do with it.

“I have to do something before the heroes arrive.”

“That’s going to be impossible,” Eris whispered in his ear as the world turned grey.

David dug his hands into the table. “What do you want?”

Eris floated around to face him. “I had come to congratulate you on a job well done but, before that, I have to make a slight rule change.”

He ground his teeth together. “Which is?”

“You’re not allowed to make a move against the west until the heroes arrive.”

“What?! You can’t do-!”

Eris flicked her wrist and David flew across the room, hitting an invisible barrier so hard he felt his shoulder pop out of its joint. He collapsed onto the ground and howled in pain before Eris snapped her fingers, forcefully slotting his shoulder back in. David groaned and got back up.

“This isn’t up for debate, David Athelward. I’m telling you what’s going to happen and that’s final.

“You cannot make any schemes or plans to interfere with what’s happening in the west until the heroes have been summoned and, when the heroes do arrive, we’ll be drawing up a brand-new agreement.”

“Is that all, Eris?”

“For now.” Her usual cruel smile returned and she clapped happily. “Congratulations, David Athelward, you have officially become the Demon Emperor within a year. Now, all you have to do to avoid your terrible fate is kill the summoned heroes and conquer the west, and I’ll allow you to live the rest of your days in this world as the Demon Emperor in the empire you’ve built.

“However, remember, if you die within the first year of the heroes being summoned, you and your family will die and face eternal torture. If you die at any point after that, it’ll be just you who dies and suffers for eternity.”

“I remember.”

“Good. Oh, I meant to ask, how did it feel David? To deceive Kella like that, to watch as the soldiers who fought their hardest die after giving them hope that they’d survived? You seemed pretty pleased with yourself to me.”

“Pleased with myself?!”

“You were laughing so happily as the city burned around you.”

“I was disgusted with myself! I’ve never been so horrified in my life. Everything I’ve done this year can’t compare to what I did that day and I hated it! I hated that I had to act like this was what I hoped would happen, I hated that I could hear people dying, and I hated the fact that I ordered it! Everything! Everything that I’ve done is to appease you and I hated every minute of it!”

“Liar.”

“Huh?”

Eris didn’t get angry, or upset, or visibly frustrated.

She just spoke softly to him.

“You’re a liar, David Athelward.”

“What do you-?”

“If you truly hated everything that you’d done, especially that day, then let me ask you this: why aren’t you curled up in a corner crying? Why aren’t you apologising over and over? Why aren’t you begging for forgiveness? Tell me, David, what matters more to you: finding someone you could call a friend in this world or finding a way to minimise the number of people you killed?”

“O-of course I cared more about the-!”

“Do you remember the destruction of Black Port? I know it’s just one of many atrocities you’ve committed, but I remember it.” She smiled seductively. “I remember it very well. I remember a man who tried to think of tens of thousands of civilians as NPCs in a game and how happy that man was when a woman asked him to save a few hundred people’s lives.”

“T-that was…”

“That was what, David?” Eris flew closer to him and gazed into his eyes. David tried to look away from her but an invisible force held his head in place. “Tell me, David. What was it?”

“…That’s not how it went.”

“Liar.”

David turned away, bemusing Eris greatly.

“Tell me, David.” Eris floated around to his back and embraced him gently. “On the day Themis fell, did you really feel like throwing up? Did you really hate it all or was there some part of you that enjoyed it?”

“There wasn’t!”

“Really?”

“…I didn’t.”

“You didn’t feel any pride or sense of accomplishment about the fact that your plan worked perfectly? You didn’t feel like your hard work and effort had been rewarded? You didn’t, even for a moment, congratulate yourself for doing the impossible?”

“…I…”.

His emotions had already started to get out of control after Eris arrived.

Now, she was trying to lead his mind down a path he didn’t want it to go.

Don’t let her trick you!

“Never.”

“Never?” Eris repeated, her breath tickling his ear.

“…Never.”

Eris giggled. “Liar.”

“It’s not a-!”

David stopped himself before he said another word; he went pale as he felt something snap inside him.

His senses dulled and his mind went blank.

It’s…a lie…it has to be…

I-I…I’m not…like that.

He went numb and slowly slipped onto his knees.

Why didn’t I throw up?

Why didn’t I try to run away from it all?

Why didn’t I try to forget everything?

It must be because of the stress, right? And how busy I’ve been…that has to be it!

It…It…

David started to whimper.

“David,” Eris purred, nuzzling against his neck. “Can I ask you one more thing?”

…Don’t, please.

He was too scared to hear whatever she was about to say.

He tried to shake his head but couldn’t.

He was too scared to listen and too scared to defy her.

Please, don’t say anything else!

“When was the last time you truly thought about your family?

“Did you only remember them when you told Kella the truth?

“Did you ever really think about them, or is that just a story that you told Kella?

“David Athelward, when did you realise who you were really doing this for?”

Tears formed in David’s eyes as he sobbed.

“…You’re…wrong. You’re wrong. I’ve…always thought of them…always.”

Eris flew around to face David, moved her lips close to his and whispered, “Liar.”

With that single word, David felt his soul break in two.

He screamed loudly and fell onto his knees, crying uncontrollably.

He slammed his head hard against the ground again and again.

“You’re wrong!” He tried to yell through his tears, but his voice was hoarse. “You’re wrong…I did this…for...for…”

“I’m sure you did,” Eris whispered as she struggled to hold in her laughter. “I’m sure you were thinking of your loving parents and dear sister as you heard thousands of people suffering. I’m sure Kara, Hailey and everyone else back home would be so proud of you.

“Actually.” Eris put her finger to her lips. “I don’t think I’ve seen you that happy since the day you got your exam results. That, David Athelward, is what tells me that everything you felt the day Themis fell was real; it wasn’t an act.”

She forced his gaze to meet hers.

“Congratulations, my Demon Emperor.”

David couldn’t say anything back to her and continued to cry.

Satisfied, Eris’s body began to turn into feathers.

“I look forward to what else you’ll show me. Remember, your life is in my hands. One way or another, you’ll find a new way to entertain me.”

Then, she vanished.

Once she was gone, David struggled to get up.

His hands naturally curled into fists and his eyes were filled with hatred.

However, they weren’t just directed at Eris.

The thing that frustrated David the most was that she had been right.

I was happy that day, I did this for myself and…He bit his lip so hard he drew blood. I had forgotten about my family. He forced himself onto his feet. I’m done pretending.

Even if I’m a monster, even if I’m going to do worse things, I’m still going to do this, to save my life and my family’s.

Eris, you might have thought this would break me for good, but you’re wrong!

I’ll stop lying to myself.

I won’t let you mess with many anymore!

I am the Demon Emperor and I will conquer the world.

I will do whatever I have to do.

Then, once I’ve won your game, to spite you, I’ll live the best possible life in this world and be happy. I have Lilith, my generals and my council.

Watch and see, Eris!

***

Fear gripped Aangapea as stories of the tyrannical Demon Emperor began to spread.

Bards, criers and messengers told stories of the horror that occurred when the Holy Empire fell.

Of the massacre of Themis and of the maniacal laughter that was ‘heard around the world.’

The destruction of Black Port and Teriscant.

And the brutal invasion into the war-torn north-east.

Soon, there wasn’t a single soul who didn’t know of the Demon Emperor.

In the west, the four great nations met at an emergency meeting to decide their next move. After a lengthy discussion, they formed the Free People’s Alliance and immediately started making preparations to repel any advances made by the Demon Empire.

Then, the night after the alliance was formed, the court mage of the Kingdom of Rhodes received a divine message from Themis herself.

She told him the tragedy that befell her land and people, and that her power was too weak to stop the Demon Emperor. Themis proclaimed that she would use what remaining strength she had to summon great heroes from another world, virtuous and brave people who would stand with them against the evil in the east.

While Aangapea faced its darkest hour and many people suffered under the Demon Emperor’s tyranny, the world was given a bright glimmer of hope.

It had taken David Athelward two-hundred and thirty-nine days to forge his Demon Empire.

In one hundred and twenty-six days, Eris would summon the heroes who would stand against him.