Life As An Overpowered Dark Elf

Gift 2: Rod of Hephaestus

As my feet touched the ground, the man turned to show an old face and grey hair.

His face lay blank for a moment before he saw her in my arms. "My queen!" He rushed towards me and grabbed her from my arms. I said nothing.

"Thank you boy...what is your name?" He turned back and watched me carefully as if he was trying to read my mind. "Itami...sir"

He bowed his head and closed his eyes. "I thank you...we must return now, the Empress is waiting..." the man began to walk and I followed.

"What tribe do you belong to?" The man looked back. "Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet... I am Ether. One of the Empress' royal servants..."

"I see...so you're like a count?" The man turned his face in confusion. "That's what the humans do...we demons do not serve the same system as them..."

"My parents died when I was young...I didn't get taught much and I spent most of my time meditating..." The man smiled and a sigh found its way up from my chest. He bought it...

"It explains the peculiar aura around you..."
"Wha-" he smiled and paused. "I can see the malevolence around you...and how much effort you place to suppress It..." He bent his knees a little and jumped onto a branch. "I can hear the sirens calling. We're late. "

He disappeared into the undergrowth and I followed. I bent my knees and felt a gust of wind pick my body up from the ground and shot me towards the branches. As I landed, I gained my bearings smirked. "I could get used to this..."

I jumped forward again and soon the man was back in sight. I jumped alongside him and he looked at me. "A talented boy..." He sped up and I had no effort catching up again.

He jumped down to another clearing to catch his breath. "I must have pushed myself... I don't know of any boy who can keep up with me..." out of the trees came a loud blood-wrenching cry, an animal hurtling closer as the ground shook.

"A beast is heading this way..." I spoke without measure and dashed before the man, holding out my hand.

"A divine guardian approaches...we have no chance of beating it. Go." He held the girl out in his arms and panted. "Take her to the Empress. I shall give you time."

Smirking, I turned back and saw the pure aura around the trees. "You underestimate me old man..." I felt my hand heat up and grasp around a long black rod. "What's This?" I held it up and looked at in confusion.

[Rod Of Hephaestus equipped]

"It forms itself to its Master's needs and desires...try it out..."

Holding it beside me, I sighed and looked back at the man. "Step back..."

As the man complied and dashed back, he knelt and focused on the rod. "Demon Lord?..."

I couldn't help but laugh, holding the rod up and watching it mould into a scythe. "Perfect..." I leaned down, my leg bent and knee against my stomach and rested the large weapon on my back. Placing my hand on the ground for stability, I felt my body loosen up.

The trees before me fell as a large, white lion crashed through. Its eyes were a burning orange and had teeth Which shined with the power of divinity.

"Run boy!" I heard the man shout from behind and sensed his soul leap out as if he was trying to pull me back. "Was my intention all along old man..."

Pushing my body forward I smiled and jumped past a fallen log. The Lion scraped its claws forward in an attempt to hit me. Sliding under, I twisted my body around and held the scythe, pulling it around with my body and feeling my power flow to the blade and out.

The blade hit the ground and splintered the earth with a dark mist. The beast froze and fell to the ground, its head split horizontally in two.

I smiled and stood up straight, feeling the presence of another, less powerful being close by. "Run away if you don't want to end up like your familiar here..."

The being disappeared and I turned to the man who was now shaking with shock. "I'm- impossible..." He walked forward and bowed, closing his eyes. "My Lord...you have returned to us..."

"You've created a monster Loki..."

"I have created a new Demon King is all..."

"Let go Ether..." the rod disappeared in my hand. As I opened my palm, a small, obsidian  ring lay inside. I slipped it on my index finger on my right hand after taking a glove off.

I expected the stats from the gloves to half but they didn't. It felt the same.

"Of course Milord..." He stood up but walked with his head down. I ignored it and jumped back up into the trees.

I looked back to see Ether sweating, whispering something to himself. He looked up and reached out. "Milord look out!"

I looked forward to seeing a blade barely an inch away from my face.

Bending my head back I watched the blade cut past me. I turned my body and landed on the trunk of a tree. I watched a robed being turn and pant as they held a sword. Judging by the hands tightly gripped around the hilt of the sword, it was obviously a human.

I watched Ether run past and stop a few trees ahead. Looking back at the now identifiable cloaked man, I held out my hand. "Obey me!" The man froze and his sword dropped down to the ground below. His body shook as his knee hit the branch and his hands grasped the bark. Grunting, he attempted to get up, only able to raise his head.

Walking towards him, I summoned the scythe and held it above his head. " speak without reason and I execute you."

He bowed his head down and called his hands into fists against the pressure. "I will not disobey the divine Priest you-" before he could finish, I pushed the curved edge of the scythe down.

Watching his head fall to the ground followed by his body. "I told you not a word." Finding a peculiar calmness to myself, I pulled my glove on my hand and smiled.

"Merciless... I like it..."

I jumped to the branch Ether was knelt on and yawned. "Let's go." We began our voyage again, reaching a final clearing where the city of the Dark Elves resided.