It's not always fun to be a demon. For all the time she could remember, she felt alone. Not that she was per se, as she was surrounded by many of her peers for a long time. Yet, she never felt anything else other than loneliness.
Humans and demons are mostly the same. Although… To her, humans were far more fickle and undisciplined. Easy to sway, depending on their desires. Yet, hard to tame as they sought freedom more than anything else.
It was that same freedom that demons sought to hold one day. One that pushed the Liberator to take action. For long, long years, the demons were confined to the Ark, a rude and arid place where little life could flourish. It was truly an unsightly land, filled with monstrosities and nothing but ash. However, they had no other choice but to live here.
Succubi might prey on humans, but the risk was as great as the reward. She knew that more than anyone, and yet… She took a great risk, a risk for her freedom—or perhaps another prison, she wasn't sure.
Suffice it to say, her vision of humans didn't change but her respect grew. They were not so different, she thought.
And here, in the Sominium Vale, everything was done so that humans couldn't rebel. A haven for succubi, who were persecuted and couldn't live normally outside of the Ark.
Still, it was no utopia, far from it. As she gazed down from a balcony, anger boiling inside her, she sighed in annoyance.
Humans and demons weren't so different. But demons could never become humans.
As they would always be prisoners of their own nature.
"Hey, you, human!"
"Hm?"
"Yeah, you with the jacket. Where is your owner?"
"Oh, at home. I'm just doing an errand."
"Wanna switch owners? I'll take good care of you."
"Sorry but no. I can't do that."
"Ah, bummer. Then go fast."
It was one of the many conversations Luka had during his little walk around the city, and while it was common, he still couldn't get used to it. Night was coming and he had already done a good chunk of the city on foot, gazing at the display of goods the shops had to offer.
He adjusted his jacket, keeping his head low as he passed another group of succubi lounging outside a café. Their sharp eyes tracked him briefly before losing interest. It was truly odd to be watched carefully by everyone around, like a piece of meat in the middle of a lion's cage.
Still, he couldn't help but take this situation with a grain of salt. He had already found an ingredient thanks to a human slave pointing him toward a certain shop in the slums. Who could've known someone had Opium there?
In the meantime, he also found out what kind of material they used to build their houses. As he thought, those were built with magic and were not meant to last, as he saw a building vanish before his own very eyes, with no one caring about it like it was a normal occurrence. Only the roofs were made of real wood, floating slightly thanks to some kind of levitating crystals disposed about everywhere.
After lingering in the fresher, less oppressive air of the upper districts, Luka made his way back to the slums. The sights there never failed to weigh on him. Despite knowing they were demons, he couldn't stop the knot tightening in his stomach. The Dreamweavers here were gaunt, their eyes hollow, their steps slow and listless. Meanwhile, the Nightlords uptown basked in opulence, with more than enough "food" to provide for everyone.
"I swear… It's as if they didn't care about this part of the city."
He glanced up at the sky, where the purple veil shimmered faintly. This contradiction gnawed at him. If these Dreamweavers were so neglected, so unwanted, why did the veil extend to shield them as well? It didn't add up.
His thoughts were interrupted by a small tug on his sleeve. Luka turned to see a young succubus—no older than a child by human standards—with wide, hollow eyes staring up at him. Her frail frame trembled as she struggled to remain upright, her legs clearly too weak to hold her.
She clearly couldn't stand anymore as she desperately tried to push her legs but no strength came out of them. Luka hesitated, his eyes darting from all directions before taking her hand away and putting her in a more comfortable position.
She tried to use some kind of magic on him, and he felt a slight jolt the moment she grabbed him, but nothing happened. She was just too weak.
He left her there without saying a single word and continued his walk towards the shack of…
Now that he thought about it, he didn't ask her name. She had given him a talisman and he was helping her, yet he didn't know a single thing about her. And she was so different from the others, just like Saki, in a way.
The streets darkened as night fully claimed the Vale. With two very faint knocks on the door, he pushed it open and entered inside, his footsteps creaking on the rotten wood.
"Hey there, got one ingredient," he said, holding up a small cloth bag with some flowers inside.
Saki was the first one to greet him with a pout. "It's already night, where were you all this time?" she asked, her arms crossed.
"I could ask you the same. What were you doing in the city for so long? I didn't even see you the whole day."
Her confidence faltered for a moment, and she glanced away nervously. "I was…" She hesitated, clearly searching for a suitable excuse. "Checking up on the city. Seeing if we could find a better place to stay or maybe… allies."
"And?"
She let out a heavy sigh, dropping her arms. "Found nothing. I swear, everyone here is a glutton. All they care about is themselves."
The other succubus tried to stifle a chuckle. "She's not wrong."
Luka set the bag on the table and leaned against it, crossing his arms. "You don't even know the amount of time one of them asked me to follow them. I swear, they aren't even subtle about it."
"It's because they don't know how to hunt anymore," the other succubus remarked, her tone dripping with wry humor. "They're all so used to living here without any real challenges, other than deciding what the next trend in clothing or perfume will be, or squabbling over trivial nonsense."
"It seems you don't like them," Saki noted.
She shrugged, her glasses glinting in the dim light. "I simply do not care. Most of them wouldn't last a week outside the Vale. They're just prisoners of their own nature."
"Prisoners of their own nature?" Luka echoed, intrigued. "What do you mean by that?"
She tilted her head as she examined a small vial. "Demons are creatures of instinct, Luka. Succubi in particular are prisoners of their instinct to feed on humans. Other demons aren't so different. Goblins are driven to procreate and multiply endlessly. Dragons hoard treasure and guard their territories obsessively. Dragonkin dedicate their lives to achieving some ideal of warrior perfection, never questioning if there's anything more to strive for."
"You already realized it, didn't you?" she continued, her eyes glancing toward him. "This city is poorly advanced for its age. We've been here since the beginning of the continent, and yet we are only able to mimic human technology and customs."
"I noticed that it was a simple mimicry but… I didn't think you were that stagnant."
"Well now you know," she ended, putting down her vial and flipping through the page of her book, showing multiple sketches. "Succubi aren't drawn towards innovation. They simply indulge in hedonism and get whatever they can."
"And what makes you different?" Saki interjected, her tone surprisingly cold.
"I think it's obvious," she answered with a faint smile while looking at Saki. "Just like it's obvious you aren't like us."
Saki recoiled a little, her gaze dropping low.
"It's fine," the succubus sighed. "You're not annoying at least."
Although she was right. In truth, she wasn't that different from the others. It was just a simple trick she found at the expense of her own health that helped her keep her sanity in check.
Succubi like her had no other choice but to indulge in their desires, especially if they were starving. But, at a certain point, at the edge of starvation and sustenance, their thoughts become clearer, and it is at that very moment that they are able to use their whole thought capacity.
And now that this strange succubus accompanying this human was standing before her, most of her doubts were clear.
"You should go and rest now," she continued. "I will need you tomorrow morning. And this time, don't wake up too late."
Luka yawned, stretching as the weight of the day settled into his limbs. "Right, I'm feeling a bit sleepy too," he said with a grin. "See you tomorrow!"
Saki gave a curt nod, her gaze still fixed downward, her thoughts distant.
The succubus watched them leave, her thoughts swirling. A faint smile tugged her lips as she opened the bag Luka brought, a nice poppy plant tucked inside. However, her heart began to ache once more and the feeling in her limbs began to disappear again.
"Hey sister, they left?" a voice rang out from the door.
"Yes, they did. You can come in now."
The figure entered the shack and sat on the bed. "Hey, hey, are these your new friends?"
She chuckled as she opened the drawer from her desk. "Hardly. He is just of use to me, so I'm being polite."
The succubus looked at the young figure, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she placed the poppy bag back down on the table. Her fingers lightly traced the edges of the delicate petals, the pain in her chest beginning to stir once more. She didn't answer right away, her eyes distant, lost in thought.
"I've been alone for so long," she finally said, her voice quieter than before. "It doesn't matter."
"Aww…" the young figure pouted. "It's no good you know? If you stay so closed off, you will end up all alone."
The younger succubus tilted her head, a teasing grin playing at the corner of her lips. "But you do care, don't you? Just a little bit?"
"Care? I suppose I do…" she chuckled again. "It's the first time in ages that I've talked to a human. I had forgotten how interesting they were."
She rubbed the back of her neck, feeling a chilling cold press down on her. With her gaze cast on the flower, she picked up the small box from the drawer.
The younger succubus giggled, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward. "Hey, do you think your plan will work?"
"Maybe," her voice softened. "Maybe not. I don't know."
"If you do, no one will ever be hungry again. Isn't that wonderful?" the young figure giggled happily as she leaned on the bed, thrashing her legs around.
"It would be truly wonderful, yes…"
"Although, do you think he would hate you for it?"
She stopped. Her heart began to beat like a drum and a cold sweat began to pour down the back of her neck.
"He is just human, I don't care if he gets mad. I'm working to save my race," she continued.
"Really?" the young succubus continued. "I mean it's great and all but… Do you prefer us over them?"
No. I hate you.
"Emotions have no place here," the older succubus repeated firmly, her gaze hardening as she set the box down, her hands trembling slightly despite her efforts to appear composed.
The younger succubus tilted her head slightly, watching her closely, the teasing grin still on her lips.
"He reminds you of him, doesn't he?"
"No, hardly."
Stop talking.
"Just… go away. I will play with you later," she shot back, her hand opening the small box containing the four remaining pills. With a single move of her hand, she shoved it inside her mouth and swallowed it.
"Okay! See ya later then sis!" the young succubus jumped off the bed and ran outside, leaving her alone.
The older succubus remained seated, her breath coming in shallow, steady intervals as she let the sharp sting of the pills take effect. The warmth spread through her body like a slow, controlled fire, quieting the tremors in her hands, the pressure building in her chest. The discomfort began to fade into something familiar, almost comforting, though she knew well the cost of this temporary peace.
She sat still for a few moments, staring at the empty space where the younger succubus had been. A faint laugh echoed in her mind, and she felt her jaw tighten.
He reminds you of him, doesn't he?
No, he didn't at all. Otherwise, every human would remind her of her father. He was just…
She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.
"Why is he so understanding?" she sighed. She hated it. It would have been much simpler if a demon hunter had come instead.
No, it had to be a human willing to look past nature itself.
Emotions have no place here, she lied to herself. After all, she was doing all of this for her sisters in the first place.
In the hope of a better future for the succubi of this world.
"Please, don't move."
"Huh?" she turned around just in time to see a certain Nightlord grinning ear to ear, and next to her a human servant as tall as a giant, holding a mace. She had long brown hair like that of a flamboyant Lion's mane and eyes that could pierce and charm even the coldest of hearts. Wearing a red cape and a velvet robe, she was holding a whip in her hand, the weapon of choice for her race and clan.
"Don't move," the Nightlord's voice was low, mocking, dripping with cruel amusement. "You're coming with us, Dreamweaver. If you even think about screaming or trying to fight back, you won't live to regret it."
She said nothing, her lips pressing into a thin line as she took in the two figures before her. The Nightlord's familiar presence was suffocating, her aura pressing down on her like a heavy weight.
"Mother…" the sound escaped her lips but was soon interrupted by a slap on her face.
"Don't call me that you mistake," Valeria replied, her hand shaking from the stinging pain of the slap she gave her. "Braïus, take her. I don't want to stay in this disgusting place any longer."
The giant, Braïus, obeyed without a word, his enormous hands wrapping around her slender arm with unnatural force. He pulled her to her feet, the pressure in his grasp nearly too much to bear. She was completely at their mercy, unable to defend herself.
As soon as she met the air of the slums, she saw another group of succubi running toward them, holding a bag. "We captured the young man, as per your instructions, mistress Valeria," she reported, lowering the bag before her.
Valeria's eyes gleamed with malice as she turned her gaze to the bag. A dark, twisted smile curled on her lips. "Good. We will show this fool exactly what it means to wander into the Vale. He'll make a fine gift for Laura."
The words hit like a punch to the gut. She knew who Laura was, and that succubus was a psychopath even amongst her peers. The thought of what would happen to him made her stomach turn.
"No!" she screamed, her voice rising in panic as her mind raced. She struggled against Braïus's unyielding grip, desperate to break free. "Please, don't take him! He doesn't deserve this!"
"I told you not to scream!" the whip of Valeria came down, hitting her in the face.
But Valeria was unmoved. "I told you to be quiet," she hissed, her voice cold as ice.
Before the succubus could react, the sting of a whip cut across her face, the sharp crack reverberating through the air. Her head snapped to the side with the force of the strike, the pain blinding, but she did not cry out even as blood trickled down the wound.
Braïus dragged her forward, his strength making escape impossible. As they walked, the group of succubi with the bag moved toward Valeria's side, waiting for her orders.
"Wait!" A voice erupted from the other end of the alley. Saki was running at full speed, her side dripping with blood from what seemed like a stab wound. Gritting her teeth, she used both her flight and legs to speed herself up.
"How is she still moving?" one of Valeria's servants gasped, eyes wide with disbelief. "We stabbed her multiple times!"
Valeria clicked her tongue in annoyance and stepped forward. "What a disgrace, letting a target live like that." With a snap of her finger, a blade of wind was created and flew forward.
With a snap of her fingers, a blade of wind materialized in the air, sharp and deadly, hurtling toward Saki with blinding speed.
Saki saw the attack coming, but the wound in her side had sapped her strength and she took the full blow. A large cut appeared on her abdomen, breaking through the skin and flesh as warm blood seeped out of it. With one final step in shock, she staggered forward and fell down on the hard ground.
"There," Valeria shook her hand with a smirk. "That's how you do it. Now, let's go home."
Without another word, the group left the slums and headed to the other side of the city.
The dreadfully known place of the Velvet palace, home of the third faction willing to rule the Sominium Vale.