Arlo wasn't usually a sulky person, but he decided to make an exception for now. This was terrible. He had to find out how to become stronger fast so he didn't have to run from every monster he saw.
On the bright side he had finally reached the village place. Thank the trees and the ground cause he sure didn't feel like thanking the gods. He felt his whole body relax as he stepped across the border of the town's entrance. Safe!
Where to go first.... wait why were so many of the demons here staring at him like he was some foreign fruit. He gulped again. He had been doing that a lot since coming here and it didn't seem like the trend was going to stop anytime soon.
He tried to move inconspicuously toward one of the huts. All the eyes followed him. He looked up to see a large man no demon exit the hut. He looked down at Arlo.
"Green eyes….." he muttered. Okay so what? Thought Arlo unmoving. He wasn't definitely not interested in fighting this guy. "What are you? You don't smell human." He growled.
"Relax Dreg" called a different demon across the way, "Green is a rare sub type for demons. Humans only get blue, brown, gold, and occasionally pink."
Dreg didn't seem all that smart "His eyes aren't purple silver or red though." Finally understanding seemed to cross his face. "Rare huh….mine!" with that he launched himself at Arlo and pinned him to the ground on his stomach.
"Oye get off!" growled Arlo thrashing around.
"What you acting like you've never been claimed for." Growled the demon Dreg with a laugh. "You belong to me now." With that he pulled up Arlo's shirt and started licking his back.
Arlo thrashed around trying to shake him off, he was super strong though. Well Arlo was also just insanely weak.
At a table where a few demon's were sitting several were laughing. One finally spat out "I bet his parent tried to always hide him because of those eyes. The way he's acting I don't think he has ever been claimed! Not to mention they never trained him he's completely pathetic!"
Arlo finally just lay on the ground shaking as the demon continued licking his back. Going back to the forest full of monsters might be a better choice.
A burning feeling suddenly ripped through Arlo's body and he convulsed involuntarily. Dreg laughed and got off him. Shuttering Arlo rose to his knees. His chest felt like it was on fire but slowly going away.
[You've been claimed by the demon Dreg Skullbitter, rank: Average, status: servant]
"Let me teach you a thing or two weakling!" shouted Dreg who seemed to be in charge. "This is what it means to be claimed! Go fetch me some water from the river by the gate." He tossed a bucket at Arlo.
Arlo wondered if he could just run away or if some kind of police would come arrest the demon. Suddenly his chest started burning again. He pulled away his t-shirt slightly to look. A large black ring with several patterns that might have been demon letters was displayed there. The burning increased and he let out a gasp.
"Better get going unless you feel like dying!" laughed Dreg. He turned to one of the other demons, "Keep an eye on him for me once he gets back." Then he looked at Arlo "You are not to run away, this is an order." He stated then laughed again.
By now the burning feeling was starting to consume Arlo's whole body. One of the demons at the tabled got up and grabbed him dragging him to his feet. "Go already." He growled. As Arlo took a step toward the river the pain suddenly vanished. He realized with a shudder what had happened. He had somehow become this demon's slave.
He quickly fetched the pail of water. He paused thinking of running, nothing happened then he took one step and the fire was back making him clench his chest. He picked up the pail and headed back to the demon camp.
Is this what the first demon I saw meant when he said owner. Just when Arlo though things couldn't somehow get worse.
That night he catered to everything the demons asked. He also noticed only males were here.
"Are there no females in this town?" He asked. The demons all stared at him like he was crazy.
"Females?" said the demon "Only humans have those." He looked toward Dreg "I think he might not be quite right in the head."
Dreg laughed "Even if he isn't those eyes will fetch a nice price."
"Price?" Arlo gulped yet again.
"What did you think you were going to stay here?" laughed Dreg. "Oh no little demon, we plan to sell you for a pretty coin or two in Scalcia."
"Scalcia?" Arlo asked. Was this another town? The demons continued laughing at his ignorance all night.
"Scalcia is the capital of the eastern district."
"Where are we now?"
"Here?" hahaha "This place is too small to be on any map, it's just a scout town close to the human border."
If it wasn't for that stupidly large wall Arlo would have headed straight there. But it seemed his dream life was headed in the opposite direction of him.
"What about classes?" Arlo asked. Wondering if this could solve one of his many problems.
"Ignore the stupid weakling. You have work to do!" barked Dreg. "and you be quiet." He glared at Arlo. The other demons immediately got back to packing up the small camp area. Arlo noticed similar claim crests on them. It seemed like these claims might make up a lot of the demon hierarchy.
Arlo also noticed that as soon as he tried to open his mouth his chest would start burning. This was really going to become a problem. He was literally being forced to sit quietly waiting to be taken to some a large city to be sold. Sold into what was the largest question. He doubted that demons had any kind of morals. It also seemed that green eyes were rare and it wasn't a good thing.
A cold sweat crept up Arlo's back as he was forced to nicely get into a wagon. It was more like they were traveling friends than looking like a hostage. The other demons immediately followed their boss. Once they were all in it started off down the road.
Arlo got a close look at their claim crests but they looked different than his. Sadly he still couldn't utter a word without his chest screaming in protest. They traveled for five days like that. Arlo was a prisoner in his own body. He couldn't eat or even sleep without being told to.
One of the nights they forgot all about him and woke to him half asleep on his feet. That got quite the laugh from them. Alro quietly spent the whole night plotting his revenge no matter how long it took along with 50 different ways to potentially kill them.
The fifth day was when it happened. His crest vanished. He tested it briefly during lunch. He wasn't forced into obeying them. Of course he did to maintain his cover. He waited until they all got very drunk that night. He also was a leading cause in their drunkenness.
"Care for another beer sir?" or "Would you like some spiked cake?"
It was easy enough to get the alcoholics drunk after spending that long with them.
Arlo quietly checked to make sure each one was thoroughly out of it then he grabbed a few things from their wagon tossing them in a bag and tying it to his shoulder.
Next he used some ash and charcoal from the fire to design his own quick claim mark. He mimicked one on the sleeping man nearest to him. He hoped it would do. Next he tore apart the entire cart until he found some sunglasses. He was honestly surprised to find any.
He let out a small whoop of victory and then destroyed the cart's left wheel. Then he started jogging along the road. He debated taking the forest but they had mentioned a good monster in the area. He didn't know what that meant exactly but it had to be bad for him.
And thus his journey continued. He just hoped he could get far enough away by the time they woke up. He also took their horse from the wagon. Well if you could call it that anyway. It had ram horns on its head and its feet weren't hooves but some type of talon. He focused on its hoof for a second trying to figure it out. When the notifications helped him for once.
[Demon Steed, Level 11 Average]
[HP: 900/1100]
Huh didn't look like they took great care of it. "Hey beautiful" Arlo whispered. "Think you could give me a ride?"