In an attempt to mimic it, he inquired, "Why must you kneel before me?"
The assembly surrounding me, their head pressed to the ground, betrayed evident bewilderment at Fero's inquiry, maintaining a tense silence.
With a puzzled expression, Fero absently rubbed his ear before nonchalantly remarking, "Meh, whatever."
Departing from the village, Fero's departure was intercepted by the elderly man, who hastily rose and seized Fero's hand, "I deeply regret any offense, but I implore you to hear me out before you leave."
Fero briskly withdrew his arm from the old man's grasp, his visage contorted in disgust as he delivered a forceful uppercut to the old man's chin, "Don't touch me, dirty fuck!" Fero bellowed, sending the old man flying backward, executing an unintentional backflip before collapsing onto the earth.
Observing the extent of the old man's recoil, Fero looked at his own fist with a mixture of surprise and satisfaction, "Sheeshhh I'm strong as fuck." he muttered, a smug grin playing across his lips.
As the onlookers kneeled themselves further in fear, the old man regained his consciousness, regarding me with a combination of dread and perplexity. "But why, my lord?" he questioned, blood trickling from his nose, several teeth now absent from his mouth as he laid on his back on the dirty earth.
"Cuz I felt like it," Fero retorted dismissively, pivoting away and resuming his departure from the run down village.
Just as Fero began his stride forward, the elderly man's desperate cry halted him in his tracks again. "Wait!" the old man pleaded.
Fero's expression twisted into one of rage as he wheeled around and advanced toward the prone figure of the old man, "I spared you one time, and you stopped me again? You're fucked."
As Fero's foot hovered menacingly above the old man's face, the latter shielded himself with trembling hands, beseeching, "Please, save our village!"
Fero's impending kick was arrested by the old man's audacious plea. Stepping back in astonishment, Fero burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! Are you really asking me for help? Me?" he questioned incredulously, a peculiar smile adorning his face.
"Y-Yes!" the old man cried, tears streaking his weathered cheeks.
The villagers, still kneeling in trepidation, trembled at the unfolding scene, none daring to intervene.
"Hmmmm..." Fero paused, elegantly stroking his nonexistent mustache reminiscent of an old-fashioned businessman. "I wonder, does this African ass village have magicians?"
"Magicians? I beg your pardon, my lord, but I am unfamiliar with such terminology," the old man replied, shifting from his lying position to kneel before Fero, blood still dripping from his nose and mouth.
Fero regarded the old man with a mixture of disbelief and impatience. "Seriously? You know, the people that shoot fireballs out their hands and all that shit."
The old man raised his head and glanced at Fero with a brow raised, "Lord, your vernacular is truly unique! How fascinating!" he exclaimed.
"Answer my fucking question!" Fero interjected sharply, faking a kick toward the old man.
Startled, the old man recoiled, exclaiming, "Oh my!"
"The beings you are describing are Dens... If you don't mind my asking, how can you be unaware of such knowledge?" the old man inquired tentatively.
"Did I ask for your questions?" Fero retorted, grabbing the old men's hair with one hand and lifting him to his feet. "Take me to your house or whatever the fuck you call it, and let's talk."
"As you wish, my lord," the old man acquiesced, bowing slightly before leading Fero to his hut.
Once Fero was out of sight, the villagers, released from their enforced prostration, hastily rose and fled to their homes, trembling with fear.
Entering the hut, which lacked proper doors, only a hanging carpet serving as a makeshift barrier, Fero surveyed the humble abode.
It was a single-room structure with minimal furnishings—a central bonfire providing the sole source of illumination. There was no sign of conventional furniture, only a soft material laid out on the floor, presumably serving as a bed.
"Holy shit, what kind of fucked up environment are y'all living in?" Fero exclaimed, his gaze sweeping the dingy interior. "Bring me two chairs so we can talk like proper businessmen." he ordered, gripping the old man by the neck and pushing him from his own house.
The old man returned, head bowed, and confessed, "Lord, we don't possess chairs."
Exhaling deeply in exasperation, Fero facepalmed. "Figures... Well, then bring me a woman, the best you've got!"
"As you command," the old man acquiesced, scurrying off to fulfill Fero's request.
Moments later, he returned with a woman in tow.
Fero's expression twisted into one of disbelief as he took in the woman's disgusting appearance. "What the hell?" he muttered, unbelievingly. She was visibly ugly, with decaying teeth, cockroaches nesting in her hair, and her skin marred by unsightly patches.
"Is this your idea of the best?" Fero demanded, glaring at the old man. "Are you mocking me?!"
"N-No, my lord! Due to the harsh conditions here, beauty is not a priority," the old man stammered.
With a sigh of resignation, Fero motioned for the woman to approach. As she drew near, he delivered a ruthless punch to her stomach, causing her to collapse to her knees.
As she tried to take a breath, Fero seated himself atop her back, issuing a chilling threat. "If you move even a millimeter, I'll cut your tits off," he warned.
The woman, with no other choice, stayed in her dog position, tears streaming down her dirt-streaked face and struggling to catch her breath.
Meanwhile, the old man, having fetched some leaves to staunch the blood from his battered face, knelt before Fero.
Seated comfortably, Fero continued his interrogation. "So, about those magicians—or Dens, was it?"
"My lord, I'm surprised you're unaware, but Dens are exceedingly rare in our world. It's highly improbable for a village such as ours to harbor such beings," the old man explained matter-of-factly.
"Is that so?" Fero remarked, rising to his feet.
As Fero began to depart, the old man seized the opportunity to make a startling revelation. "Lord, we have an ancestor who was a Den hidden within our village! If you assist us, we'll grant you access to him!"
Fero halted in his tracks, a predatory gleam in his eyes. Grabbing the old man by the collar, he lifted him off the ground, his voice dripping with malice. "Oh? And what if I decide to slaughter everyone here, one by one, right before your eyes? How many deaths would it take before you start talking?" Fero taunted, relishing the fear evident in the old man's expression....