Landing by a small stream, one which flowed from the southwest and moved in a bit through the mountains before it veered off again back to the west, I observed myself.
Two horns were on either side of my forehead growing up and forming a large U shape. My eyes were a strange blend of red and purple with each being a ring that rotated around the other. Three symbols rotated as well within the two rings.
Pointed Elven ears that grew longer than normal met my sight, a sharp nose, and thin lips. Tiny fangs grew from my mouth while black claws were in place of fingers.
My skin was alabaster white a deep contrast with the black and red wings that grew from my back. I looked like someone took their time interbreeding an angel with a demon.
"Hybrid of some sort? Hmmh". As I stared down at the flowing water a tickle that I had been ignoring in my mind returned.
'Something is coming. Turning to face the plains from the base of the stream where a mountain towered over I focused on finding the approaching individual.
The plains were a wide stretch of open land so anyone could have seen my flight from anywhere. The fact I resembled a mix of two species while being none would be alarming.
A burst of wind blew over me doing nothing but carrying dust over me as a figure halted right in front of me. My eyes locked with crimson pupils and I sighed.
'This guy again. What was he even doing in the castle? Probably felt drawn to whatever I was drawn to". I turned about to fly off when the most amazing thing happened.
" My Lord" The red-eyed fella knelt on one knee head bowed. To say I was stumped would be understating the moment.
'Wait. Is he.. ah.'
" You're the Butler? The one who fr..woke me? " best not to make it seem like he was imprisoned or something. Something told him people had weird ways of interpreting stuff.
" Yes my Lord." The male refused to look up for a while making me uncomfortable as I didn't know what to do now.
" So.. Uhm.. anything I can help you with". I asked.
" Huh... "
" Huh . ".
" I'm supposed to assist you with your... Uhm ... interests.". The man spoke again. My brows rose at his word.
'Interests?. I have interests.'Confused I sighed for a bit before looking at the guy.
" Stand and explain yourself. What do you mean by my interests?" The guy at first looked at me confused before he rose and then began to talk. He told me a lot and by the time he was done I had a bit of a grasp of whatever happened.
Somehow, that voice that kept talking to me got him too and made him become my butler, for fragments. I had those too. Something told me that the voice was up to something but I didn't understand what.
'Since he's my butler I can use him to learn as much as I can about everything. I just have to be careful about how or what I ask'.I reasoned.
"Where is this place?." His look made me think I should have the answer so I added quickly.
"I've been away for a while. Things don't look too familiar anyone." With that, he began thinking that I must have been there from long ago.
"You've been like that since the war right my lord?" His question made my mind go straight to the corpses around me when I lay on the ground. Those that I stepped on as I dragged myself to the castle.
My silence and look must have answered the question as he nodded a bit before talking.
"The Old War was over a thousand years ago. " His first words had my head snapping to look at him. Yet my lips remained sealed the only thing that gave out my shock was the wideness of my eyes.
"Yes. No one knows what happened within the castle for a fact. All we know is the Dark Faction lost. The Demon King was slain. And the rest of the cohorts scattered into the four winds to hide while the light faction has been hunting them for thousands of years.
The Deadlands got its name since no one buried the dead that fell within it. Whether from the light faction or dark faction. All were considered cursed and touched by evil. It's been this way for a thousand years. The winds have blown sand over those scattered outside in the plains. But those who lie within the city remain forever unearthed.".
" And the light faction. What do they do now? ".
" The keep watch. Nothing else is big enough to threaten them. The human kingdom of Menalri is the closest thing to us. Their borders are just behind the black mountains. They also keep watch on the castle for some reason and take resources from the land.
For some reason that last line annoyed me. Yet it didn't stop my thoughts. Even while listening to him I have been thinking about one thing he said.
'The Demon king? But I'm certain those runes said it was Devil, not the demon. Wait. Is this why everything was kept hush-hush.' I was a bit confused and also skeptical.
"My lord, forgive my forwardness but are you by any chance, the new Demon King? "
The question had me pausing in my mind. My head turned very slowly to glance at this man my eyes flashing with the two colors and runes.
'Thinking of it like that, it makes sense trapping me in that hole just to wake up this strong. Is this what that voice wanted? Trying to make me a new Demon King?' While thinking I kept staring at the man who while his palms shivered noticeably stood his ground.
'This whole thing feels dangerous. That fella was a Devil but still died. And I'm sure devils are stronger than Demons. This is madness. What does that voice even think I can do? "
" I am ... " My words were cut short by the next thing that appeared in my vision. There was no voice just a string of runes that I could understand like before. It wasn't a text or a notification. A blatant warning. One that chilled my heart.
- Denouncing your position shall be met with Severe repercussions. The best of them being death -
Still, as shocked and frightened by this as I was I pondered how different it could be. I would die if those light faction dudes came. A devil king fell to them so what could I possibly do?
Like an answer to my question, a new string appeared in my vision. This one lesser in words.
- You are no Demon King -
Before I could think or comment another showed up.
- You are no Devil -
Then the last string much slower appeared like the typer on the other side was unsure of the message. Yet it completed showing only three words and this time with it came the voice. But there was no excitement in its tone like before just a dull somber sound that expressed a graveness in its words.
- You are more -