1: Demon

A “demon lord”. That is who I am.

I control lands, I control men, I control everything your little eyes can see. When my forces appear, women and children weep and flee as men shake in terror at the advance of my army.

“Fools.”

Without mercy, we enslave them all. Perhaps you have an idea of what “slavery” looks like in your head. I prefer to take a more civilized approach to it.

“A tribute? Just so we can stay in our own homes?!”

When we enslave the lowly plebeians across the land, we do not put them in chains and deny them food. We provide them with everything they could ever need, with a “promise” at the end. We keep them comfortable.

“At least we aren’t being sent somewhere.”

Comfortable enough. For you see, there is no better way to enslave people than to give them false hope. What is “hope”, other than a bitter lie they tell themselves to keep their sanities from breaking? This “hope” they yearn for has become nothing more than a tool at my disposal. Another tool in my quest to control… everything.

The most delicious part about this is that none of these pathetic fools even realize that they’re my slaves at all. None alive, at least.

Fire engulfed the city square of the Holy City of Sol. What was once the pinnacle of the world’s civilizations was now up in flames. Against the coming legions of Baron Vincent IV, this was to be the last bastion of resistance. Now, it was functionally identical to a fireplace.

“Bring her to her knees! Our lord approaches!”

“Careful now! This one’s a hero! Ahahaha!”

Under the city’s “Arc of Triumph” was the final stand of the world’s premier fighting force, utterly defeated. Had the architect of such a structure known that his masterpiece would be used to commemorate the final victory of the demon lord, he would have demolished it himself.

“Quiet! Our lord approaches!”

The burning fires at the city square began to dance and shift until they formed a tunnel of flames that acted as the burning red carpet to the one responsible for the fall of Sol. As he calmly approached the scene under the Arc, his cape flowed deviously against the flames, as if not threatened by its devastating hunger. His focus was squarely set on the humiliated heroine on her knees ahead of him, his sharp gaze trying to size up the sheer audacity of one who would dare to defy him so directly.

His minions stood firmly at attention along the sides, creating a straight approach between himself and the defeated heroine. They did their best to not stand out of line, fear filling them, for they knew that angering their lord meant immediate death.

“Cordelia Fairwood… the savior of the land,” said the demon, “Tell me. What exactly did you hope to accomplish here?”

Slowly, the woman raised her head up and stared back at Vincent with pure eyes. “I seek to expose the truth. I know who you truly are.”

The baron stared back at Cordelia. None but she could see the look in his eyes at that moment. None but she could even begin to describe it. None but she knew what she was referring to, for even the demon lord himself worried that he’d been caught.

They locked eyes with each other for what felt like an eternity. Desperately, Vincent searched for answers within the woman’s eyes.

“Is she bluffing?”

She had to be bluffing, right? There is no possible way she could know. Nobody should know. Nobody could know. So she must be bluffing.

“But what if she isn’t?”

I must know. I must know what she’s talking about. This woman… I must control her. I must conquer her.

“Is that so?” uttered Vincent. “Well, we shall see about that.”

“Master,” a female voice purred.

Vincent lifted his gaze from Cordelia and looked towards his general, a succubus. “Speak, Theresa.”

“Her little party has fled the city,” winked the succubus. “And with that… your control can be considered absolute! With the Holy City under your control, all will soon kneel before your absolute control!”

“And yet, I do not feel victorious,” Vincent glared. “It is clear to me that there are still those who would defy my will.”

Theresa sized up Cordelia, whose attention was still fixated on Vincent. “As heroes do. How noble~!”

“Take her in.”

“What? But master–”

“I said to take her in. I must make an example out of her. This ‘final stand’ of hers was a distraction for her allies to escape. So long as this ‘hope’ exists, my power will be under threat.”

Cordelia gasped. “H-how did you–”

“An obvious tactic,” replied the demon. “I must admit, an intelligent one, but child’s play nonetheless.”

“If I may, master”, interjected Theresa. “What do you plan to do with her?”

Vincent turned and looked down at Cordelia. “I will break the hero’s will, for all the world to see. Once all witness their precious hero submitting to me, true ‘hope’ shall vanish, solidifying my power.”

“Are you sure you can do that?” Cordelia replied. “I’ve resolved to save everyone… and that is what I will do.”

“Save everyone?” Vincent snapped. “You can’t even save yourself.” He knelt down at Cordelia’s level and grabbed her chin. “Just who do you think you are, standing up to me like this? Just what is it that grants you this bravery to stand against my power?”

“Perhaps you’ll find out,” Cordelia replied calmly.

The demon took pause at her words, and searched within her eyes for the answer he sought, only to find that he was completely lost, unable to find his prize. Finally, he let go of her. “Get her out of my sight.”

Vincent continued into the keep of the city as he gave orders to his minions, leaving Theresa with Cordelia. The succubus smirked at the defeated heroine.

“I don’t quite understand what he sees in you, but I look forward to seeing him break you,” Theresa said.

Cordelia looked back at Theresa. “We will see which one of us ends up ‘breaking’.”

“Aha! I can’t wait to see you eat your words as you beg for mercy. Now, get up and move!”

As the defeated heroine was escorted away, the demon lord’s forces began to occupy the Holy City of Sol. All major roads were soon under their control, preventing traffic from going in and out of the city.

However, as with any city, there are paths that only a local could tell you about that could get you to wherever you need to go. In one such path lurked a hooded woman who went unnoticed by the demon army.

“Cordelia lives… I must inform the others!”

A “demon lord”. That is who I am.

There is nothing that I can not control. There is nothing that I do not control. Be it lands, be it people… all are but trophies to me. This woman, Cordelia… she is but another trophy for me to obtain.

I will control her too.

I will make her mine.