Annabelle returned Sora safely to the castle. The ride had been uneventful and she found herself questioning why the Demon Lord would choose to spare Sora's life and go through all this extra trouble.
She knew that Dah was already quite powerful despite only currently being able to cast rank two spells but she still worried for his safety although she understood why he had to do this alone.
Prior to every Demon Lord assuming power they would need to demonstrate at least one great act of violence for which they hold full responsibility for. Because of these rules they had prolonged him meeting his army and generals for fear of him being challenged as an immature demon unfit to lead. This also explained why he was only given a crash course in training on his way out to the village.
Annabelle blushed she had likely given him more information and instructions than she was permitted to. Per Raphael's instructions training in the Demon Lord's spells were not permitted unless they had officially become the demon lord. If every demon knew the special spells that the Demon Lord could wield then it would be nigh impossible for the Demon Lords Domain to stay unified as some would become drunk with power.
'Perhaps it's because I want to watch him succeed'
That didn't seem quite like the reason but unable to come up with a better one she decided that must be it.
Sora lay asleep for most of the ride back only waking intermittently. Indeed it could not have been comfortable for her as she was forced to ride across Annabelle's lap while they rode her Strivico. Luckily for her though its gait was very even and usually quite smooth just one more advantage they had over other mounted animals.
Drifting in and out of consciousness Sora barely had time to realize that Dah was not with them and in his place was a female demon with long black hair and piercing eyes.
'She is quite beautiful' Sora thought although she felt a pang of loneliness when she realized Dah's intimidating presence was missing.
Upon arrival at the castle Annabelle carried Sora into a guest bedroom and laid her on the bed. Ordering a nearby servant to assist her with all her daily needs a voice spoke up.
"Wait"
The voice came from Sora as she struggled to sit up.
"What do you need?" queried Annabelle not quite coldly but neither was it friendly. "Any needs you have our servants will be more then able to see through"
Sora took a moment to deliberate.
"What does Dah need is the more important question.. why did he save me?"
Annabelle didn't hesitate, "He needs you to become more powerful. Why he saved you I could never fathom."
With conviction Sora said with a determined smile, "More powerful. For Dah I can do that."
'I might be able to fathom why he would save you after all' Annabelle admitted to herself as she left the room.
…
The spell [Shield] was indeed troublesome. It was a rank two spell that protected against both magic and physical attacks. Since the priest was human it seemed that he indeed was favored by the Gods as few humans could control this rank of spell. This priest would likely have been able to stand his own in most fights.
'I wonder what he is doing out here in the middle of nowhere'
Dah refused to be the demon from the game alone, weak, and hunted. That wasn't power. That wasn't a demon. He was a demon and he would obtain power and if this priest defied him. If this priest's Gods defied him then he would make them powerless against him. He would not be satisfied until his world and the heavenly realm were under his control and everyone answered to him.
'First things first'
Kill the priest.
"Gods help us" cried the priest with a quick prayer.
Faking pain Dah cried out in agony. The priest with a look of surprise observed as the powerful demon in front of him morphed into a human.
"Father?" Dah said as he started walking toward the priest in human form.
The priest though stunned still announced loudly, "Look at the Gods miracle!"
"Father." Dah said in a voice that made the word seem more like a statement this time as he continued walking closer with slow calculated steps.
The priest turned from Dah facing the frightened villagers. "The Gods have answered our prayers! Rejoice!"
The villagers, who up until this point had worn masks of fear, began to feel their first ray ofhope. Seeing the priest exalting the Gods they also began to cry out in joy that their lives had been spared from this terrible monster.
Dah amusedly thought 'this hope is now ripe for the picking.'
"Father" Dah stated calmly for the last time, "forgive me for I have sinned" as he plunged his hand into the priests back through his rib cage. While his hand was passing through he had grabbed the priest's still beating heart and forcefully shoved it out through the priests front.
The villagers screams ripped through the air as their hero's heart, which up until mere moments ago had been where it should, was held in the hand of this demon.
Crushing the heart, while his arm was still through the body of the priest, in a show of force blood sprayed the villagers.
Dah didn't necessarily want to torture the villagers. They had done nothing wrong. However he had realized something.
'I enjoy their fear'
In fact their fear filled him with an excitement he had never felt before. It confirmed in him his power and might. This wasn't just a display of force he wanted to feel their terror, hear their grieving, and enjoy their acceptance of the fact that regardless of what they did none would survive.
"Mercy" cried one of the villagers. But alas. There was none to be found.
Within moments Dah had created crimson pools that then turned into streams.
Men.
Women.
Children.
Of all races, of all stages. All of their hopes, dreams, and very souls taken.
It was over in a moment for Dah. Even to the stricken villagers when time slowed down they could do naught but utter a final word.
"Please"
"No"
"Run!"
One particularly defiant villager cried out to the Gods for them to avenge them.
Abruptly the final villagers body hit the ground.
"The Gods can't stop me. I won't let them.", Dah declared in a triumphant tone.
Not forgetting the promise he had made to himself he went and grabbed one of the few remaining burning torches. Most of the torches had been extinguished in the pools of villager blood.
Holding the torch aloft he roared a challenge to the heavens, "You can't stop me. You summoned me! Their deaths are on your heads, but my power is my own."
Throwing the torch into the wooden church he paused and watched as it burned. Symbolic perhaps. The church has been burned down by the hands of the Demon Lord. the village that loved the Gods so much that they would have a rank two priest were slaughtered by none other than by the hands of one who was allowed to be summoned to this world by them.
'One world and one heavenly realm to go'
…