The moonlight bathed the plains, where a demon tirelessly tread, his gaze fixed on the grass. In reality, this was the demon with horns tinted in the colors of the cosmos. He no longer growled, yet his fists remained clenched, his face a canvas of hatred and vengeance.
"You'll get what's coming, Lost Ones! I will return stronger than ever! And one of you will meet their end by my hand!" he vowed, letting out a hint of his mana in the form of a faint purple aura.
As he continued his erratic trek, the demon felt the presence of a stranger. His instincts told him that he had been stalked for quite some time. The rustling of the bushes from the gentle breeze unsettled him further. His confident steps gradually slowed, until he halted, peering distantly, eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.
"I don't know who you are! But you've been tailing me for way too long, and I don't like it!"
With a swift motion, he turned, hoping to catch his pursuer off-guard. But all he found was the reflection of his shadow and some animals scurrying about.
"I was sure I felt someone following me..."
He carefully inspected the bushes, trees, and tall grasses. Again and again. Yet, nobody seemed to be there. Perhaps the presence he had sensed was just the innocent creatures scuttling away.
"This isn't right..."
"Let me give you a hint, my friend. Look up," came a shadowy voice, dripping with charisma.
Lifting his gaze, the demon was astounded to find a figure floating above him all this while. The floating man, of mixed descent, had his hands in his pockets and donned a stylish green and black outfit. But his most striking feature was his eyes: one green, the other blue, both set against a backdrop of profound darkness.
"What the...? Who are you?!"
"If I reveal my identity, you have to promise one thing: to join our mission."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Before we proceed, remind me of your name..."
"My name is Garmeda."
"Garmeda... Intriguing. Well, let me introduce myself."
As his grin widened, the hovering stranger released a burst of green mana, which expanded across the sky, almost engulfing the entire horizon. Its overpowering force caused all the animals behind Garmeda to collapse, unconscious. The foreboding aura weighed heavily in the air, signaling bad tidings for the demon. Drops of sheer terror slid down Garmeda's face as he confronted the stranger's overwhelming might. His instincts screamed at him to flee, but his demonic pride urged him to maintain his composure.
"What... What kind of power is this?!"
"I am Riui, the Archdemon of Fear and Loathing."
Recognizing the name, Garmeda's terror surged, flooding his being with waves of raw dread at the sight of Riui, the very Archdemon of Fear and Loathing.
I can't believe it! An Archdemon of emotions before me?!
"Garmeda, we are aware of your unique ability: The Individual Dimensionality. That's what we've termed it. It allows you to craft a dimension mirroring our world, where you nearly control all its laws. Quite handy for ensnaring your victims."
"What do you want from me?!" he exclaimed.
"I want you on our side. We need lone demons like you."
"Um... Well... I don't know."
"Come now, young demon, what do you have to lose?"
"Alright, but... are you planning to dominate the world like eight hundred years ago?!"
"How clichéd! No, we have a much grander and more reasonable scheme in mind!"
"What is it?"
"To find out, you'll need to follow me."
Garmeda felt an intense dread hearing Riui's insistence. His hands wrung as he mulled over the Archdemon's proposal.
"Fine, I'll come..."
I hope I don't regret this... The Archdemons of emotions are famed for their cruelty... In short, I'm risking my life by following this "Riui."
*
After a few minutes of walking through the dark and foreboding forest, Riui led the young demon, who still trembled like a leaf, onward. They eventually reached the entrance of a cave where the endless darkness seemed to swallow light as if it were a black hole.
Riui halted in his tracks, noticing Garmeda's evident terror at the thought of entering the cryptic cavern.
"Come on, don't be afraid and step inside. You are one of us after all!"
"Mr. Riui... I must be honest... Ever since I arrived in this world, many have told me how cruel you can be, even towards fellow demons..."
Riui chuckled softly upon hearing Garmeda's surprising words, memories from eight centuries ago flooding back.
"Haha! Those are ancient tales. Yes, we were once cruel to both demons and humans, but our perspectives and actions have evolved over time. We're not the same beings from eight centuries ago. So, ease your mind; we won't harm you... At least..."
As he uttered these words, Riui paused, his gaze dropping to the rocky ground of the cave. The sight of the archdemon of fear standing still in the pitch-black darkness made Garmeda freeze, anticipating his imminent demise. Deep down, he feared that Riui's next words would be the last he'd hear before being sent back to Hell.
"...Not unless you force our hand, Garmeda. If it turns out you're a traitor, serving another, or if you don't fully comply with our commands... We won't hesitate to send you to Hell indefinitely. Understood, young demon?"
"Y-yes! I swear I would never do such a thing! Never!"
"Good. Follow me now; I'll introduce you to the others."
The two of them ventured deeper into the cave, which now dimly glowed from a faint light at its end. As they neared this light amidst the engulfing darkness, it turned out to be the reflection off an opaque glass-paneled wooden door.
"We're here. Are you ready?"
Summoning all his courage and swallowing his fear of the Archdemons of Emotion, Garmeda replied, "Yes..."
With utmost care, Riui opened the door, granting Garmeda entry into the illuminated rocky chamber. As his footstep echoed, a deep and resonant voice spoke just as the door closed behind him:
"Is this the new recruit?!"
"Yes, indeed! Garmeda, meet Yorgor, the Archdemon of anger and rage."
Yorgor had the build of a strong, powerful man. His title as the archdemon of anger suited him perfectly. His imposing muscles complimented his frame as he sat on a boulder, his blood-red eyes intensely fixed on Garmeda. Long brown hair flowed down his back and shoulders. He wore only a simple beige short, with an iron chain wrapped around his torso.
"You better not let us down, kid..."
"Yes!"
"The little girl over there with blue hair and eyes is Keria, the Archdemoness of sadness and despair," he pointed out.
The cute little girl had an adorable face, completely at odds with her demonic origin. Her short blue hair looked smooth and silky, just like her gentle eyes. Around her neck, she wore a scarlet scarf, accentuating her childlike appearance. She was dressed in a dark blue sweater and pants, reinforcing an air of deceptive innocence. Fluffy animal fur adorned her beige slippers.
"Pleased to meet you, Garmeda," she greeted in an innocent voice.
"And lastly, meet Amaria, the Archdemoness of love and desire."
Amaria stood as the epitome of feminine elegance, her long, jet-black hair cascading past her shoulders. Dazzling pink eyes adorned her face, revealing an unfathomable beauty. She wore a short, black lace-adorned dress that accentuated her seductive silhouette and ample bust, complemented by sheer fabrics that further highlighted her refined and sensual physique. High-heeled shoes graced her feet, emphasizing her femininity even more.
"Pleased to meet you. Young demon..."
"Before we delve into our plans, do you know of the Lost Ones?"
"Yes, but not much. There's Alora, the pink-haired girl; Yanis, I think; the new one, Gwendoline. As for the other two, I'm not sure."
"Let me introduce you to the Inversed Ones. Any idea who they might be?"
"Enemies of the Lost from their home planet, perhaps?"
"Exactly! The Inverses are the Lost Ones' adversaries, one way or another, from their home planet; Earth. They are tied to us by the major emotions teenagers feel."
A man, looking to be in his forties, emerged from a nearby room. With short white hair and a cigarette hanging from his lips, his pensive and weary eyes seemed to penetrate anyone's identity with ease. He wore a green coat over a white t-shirt, black boots, and blue jeans. A slightly worn-out watch encircled his right wrist as he took a drag from his cigarette.
"Meet Jayden Bolton, Rogue's stepfather, and his Inversed."
"Why would his stepfather be his enemy?"
"Rogue is far from trustworthy... He ruins other people's private lives and should be in prison for his crimes," Jayden stated.
"To put it simply, Jayden was an exceptional investigator on his home planet."
"But I'm struggling to understand... Why would he ruin others' private lives?"
"Forget it, kid... You wouldn't get it."
Garmeda was taken aback by the sudden introduction of the Inverses. He came here to assist the fearsome Archdemons of Emotion in achieving their desires, not to acquaint himself with mere humans. However, as he tried to regain his composure following Jayden's bland introduction, Keria, the Archdemon of Sadness, returned with a calm 20-year-old young man. His posture suggested a lack of emotion, with shining blond hair framing his face and blue eyes marred by dark circles, indicative of many sleepless nights. He wore a simple white and blue sweatshirt and gray pants.
"This is Elvis Porter, Jacob's Inversed."
"Hi..."
"Elvis speaks another language from his planet called English."
"That bastard ruined my life, I lost everything because of him! My money, my fame, my friends, and my life..."
"Elvis is saying Jacob ruined his life... It's truly sad what he experienced... That's why he's with me."
When Elvis's introduction concluded, Yorgor summoned a tall young man, full of confidence and seemingly ready for a fight at any moment. His short hair was highlighted by lines on its fade. He donned a stunning black leather jacket, contrasted by a pure white shirt and ripped black jeans.
"No need for questions. I'm Tony Magreki, and all I want is to tear Yanis apart and make him pay," he declared.
"Tony craves battle and bloodshed," Yorgor continued. "He's even willing to harm pregnant women and children to fulfill his needs. He's a real monster, more than all of us combined."
"Wait! Are you serious?! A regular human can be as cruel as mighty archdemons?!"
With immense strength, Tony grabbed Garmeda by the throat, exerting so much pressure that the demon couldn't resist.
"Listen up, twerp! The next time you talk like that, I'll beat you so bad your mom will have to bear my child to ever see her son again. Got it?!"
Yorgor wasn't lying! This kid really is ready to fight anyone.
"That's not what I meant!"
Tony violently threw Garmeda onto a rock in the room. As he pushed himself up, he noticed the last Inverse, hidden in the room's shadows. She stood motionless behind Amaria, gazing at Garmeda with a disdainful and accusing eye. All he could discern was her sadistically self-centered smile, glowing with a red hue, exuding unprecedented cruelty.
What am I doing here?!
It was with this realization that Garmeda understood that the dreadful Archdemons of Emotion would soon return, likely ushering in a new era of anarchy and chaos.