She hated them.
They took away everything from her.
Her parents were killed in front of her eyes.
Her friends were captured and sold.
Her home had been destroyed.
She could still remember their smile as they watched everything burn. They had watched on as Her world had crumbled around her and how everything had been taken away from her.
She wanted to more than just killing them. She wanted their world to crumble like hers had once.
She escaped and hid in the borderlands. Death and fortune were too sides of the same coin here.
She would rise and nothing could stop her. She eyed her first target. A snake-beastman. How fitting, she thought! My first prey will also be my natural nemesis. He would be her first stepping stone. Then she would conquer the borderlands and reign as queen. Then all would beg her for mercy.
Trapped in her delusions, she quickly attacked.
"Surrender or DIE!"
Yes! Tremble before this queen! I will make you all pay!
----
It's not that Vincent couldn't see the appeal of death threats. In the previous world he too had made his fair share of them. Trapping multiple people in a building and threatening to blow everyone to kingdom come were some of his most enjoyable experiences. The Fear, the terror and pure reigning chaos were something he thrived on.
It's just that the people of this world...
..had no class.
Low-level thugs that are more bark than bite. They thought that threatening his life would scare him. Of course not! It was just too damn annoying, they couldn't even give him any thrill!
He immediately used his fire to free himself from the ice. He slowly turned around and with a gaze full of genuine sympathy said "Now why did you have to go and say that. We might have become good friends you know. At least try to find out more about a person before you try to kill them. Such a pit-"
Vincent suddenly paused because the one who had just threatened him was a small girl of the mongoose clan.
Now, just in case you didn't know, mongooses and snakes have been nemeses since time immemorial.
She was pointing a spear made of ice that seemed to be on fire at the same time. Icy flames? Was this a divine flame? Nah! Just a combo move.
"Cat got your tongue? Hand over everything if you want to live." she smiled savagely and her eyes seemed to reveal insanity.
'It's just a little kid.' He immediately scatterd makeshift bombs all around the area just to be sure . Then he created heated iron chains and used them to restrain her.
"Metal and fire! Tsk!"
She tried to freeze the chains to turn them brittle but all she could achieve was preventing herself from being burnt.
"Let me go!"
Vincent looked on, a tad amused. She was one of the better skilled robbers he had encountered on the journey. The only good thing about encountering robbers was the fun of robbing them back!
"How old are you girl? Little girls like you shouldn't be out here in the borderlands." Vincent remarked kindly.
"I am Fourteen. I am no little girl. Let! Me! Go! I will spare your life and even let you keep your stuff!"
Of course, age was just a number to the anarchists. Lucas had started off the first chapter of the anarchists at the age of 13. When he died, Vincent himself was only 19, so was his current body. (Martin was 21 and Lucas was 20).
"Why should I? You just tried to kill me. I need some compensation no?"
The girl gritted her teeth and looked at him hatefully.
She took out a dagger from her clothes and threw it over.
"Here that's all I have, now let me go!"
Desperation, unwillingness and hate. The girl seemed to have recently gone through a lot. She seemed to be just on the brink of insanity. Vincent's eyes slowly narrowed. She reminded Vincent of himself when he was younger.
"That's all? Don't fool me."
"..."
"Don't tell me I was your first target."
"..."
"You have never ever killed someone before have you?"
"There's always a first time for everything!"
Vincent smirked. This girl.
She was a perfect recruit for the Anarchists. She was young full of negative emotions and energy. She just needed a way to shape them. If Vincent had never met the Anarchists, he probably would have become some small time suicide bomber, wasting away his life with almost no impact. He wouldn't have become the universally feared Infernal.
"You seem to know an awful lot about first times huh."
"..."
"Ok bad joke! Keep the dagger. I am no longer interested in killing you."
Vincent released her, throwing the dagger back at her, he turned and walked away.
Of course not! There's no way he could let such a promising recruit go.
After a few steps he suddenly turned around and smiled warmly.
"Though I must admit you really make me curious. With your magic powers you could easily get accepted into a mercenary squad. What are you doing robbing people in the borderlands."
The girl's face suddenly froze over.
"You think I don't know that! They killed everyone! I need to have my revenge. I don't care about the war or the fame!"
"Who, is it that you want dead?"
"The slavers."
"They come in all shapes and sizes- demons, humans and other beastmen themselves. I am going to kill every last one of them."
"You are too weak now. Also one should never let vengeance dictate one's life."
"Why do you care! Just piss off"
Vincent smiled, now here was his chance. He was reminded of the time when Lucas had recruited Martin.
Vincent knelt and looked into the eyes of the girl
"What if I tell you that I can help you claim that vengeance. I can help you see them burn. Not just the slavers themselves. I could help remove the very thought of such crimes from the hearts of all men!"
The girl's eyes widened in wonder, then she scoffed in disdain. "You really talk big for a snake. Get the point. Why the hell would you help me achieve anything."
Vincent smiles, this was the moment "Because I can see that you are special. You have the fire in your eyes and once determined nothing will ever stand in your way. All you need is a little direction. Follow me and join the Anarchists. You could be a part of our rise as we sweep across the world."
"How do I know that you even have the ability to achieve that."
Vincent smiled triumphantly. Hook, line and Sinker.
" I was hoping that you would ask that."
Vincent suddenly snapped his finger and-
The bombs that he had scattered all over blew up one by one in the most deadly and beautiful of explosions.
It seems that Vincent was more excited in showing off his new toys rather than recruiting the girl. The only reason he wasn't cackling madly in glee was the influence of his new body.
"I can teach you how to do that."
"Yes! I will follow you! You can call me Kate."
"Welcome to the Anarchists. My name is Vincent"
And so the a very odd situation of Snake and Mongoose shaking hands could be seen , both grinning widely with eyes full of insanity.
...
"So, how many people does our organization have?"
"Currently only the two of us. Three if Martin is still alive, but in this world, It's just you and me."
"..."
"What?"
"I feel that I have just been scammed big time."
"It's just your imagination. Now come on and help me carry the bags."
"So..what is my rank?"
"Errand girl"
"What!"
"I will upgrade you to my protege if you are good enough"
"Scammer!"
Thus the two of them walked off into the distance.
What would happen when a snake and Mongoose teamed up against the world?
Only time would tell.