Dark Path to Heaven [Demon Romance]

Chapter 46

Chapter Music: "Luna" by Ken Arai

Just as I had begun acclimatizing to the situation, Astaroth's voice took me slightly aback:

"Axel," he addressed the human with obvious contempt, "is there anything you wish to say about your life back when you were free?"

"I don't regret a thing! I didn't hurt anybody!" snapped the man.

Astaroth seemed overly pleased with his response. "Mmm. Well done. I presume it was fun spreading false rumors about that girl who confessed to you? What was it again that made you run your little mouth?" The last sentence was spoken noticeably louder.

"I don't know, man! She was all geeky and stuff."

Orias snickered along with his friend as if they had just shared a private joke. He seemed to know exactly what was going on inside the King's mind.

"You hear this, everyone?" Astaroth announced, grinning ominously. "This worthless piece of meat doesn't really know why he ended up destroying her reputation!"

His words only made the demons more restless.  One could even say that they would readily jump at any chance to attack.

"Pluck his damned eyes out!" I heard someone shout.

"Break his brainless head already!" said another one.

Before the human could defend himself, the whip had already ended up on his knee, effortlessly splitting the leg in two. Unable to believe his eyes and stunned by the overwhelming pain, the man crushed to the floor, staring at his mutilated member. He looked up at his tormentor in terror.

I too was impressed by the effect of that hit but did he actually expect any less from the King of demons?

"You're sick!" he yelled, clearly unaware of the danger he was in. "What's wrong with appreciating other girls' beauty? Is that why your girlfriend is so frickin' repulsive?!"

After that, everything happened in mere seconds. Astaroth instantly dropped the whip and pounced on him like a wild animal. The remaining humans –already cornered– flinched in fear.

"You love beauty, dickhead?!" he growled, no longer caring to put up a show. "Enjoy your death as a monster!"

Right then, Orias grabbed me and the old man by the arm and quickly pulled us further away from the scene of violence. Thankfully, though, I was still close enough to observe everything, entranced.

The young man screamed as Astaroth sank his claws into his face and torn it right off.

"The rest of you, marvel his beauty!" he bellowed, tossing the front half of the head before the humans.

From that point on, death's melody was the only thing echoing throughout the vast chamber. There were breaking sounds; tearing sounds; and Astaroth's growls while he lacerated the corpse with his bare hands. Bloody pieces of flesh and bones were thrown everywhere, painting red any bright thing that dared to lie close to the Demon King.

I even caught myself laughing merrily. I noticed then that I wasn't the only one enjoying the sight. Everyone's eyes were apparently taking everything in, wide and joyful. Orias seemed to be trying to stifle yet another snicker –probably out of respect for his friend's actions.

Suddenly, I got a peculiar sense of belonging; one that my loving family had tirelessly strived to stifle.

"Long live the King!" someone yelled abruptly, triggering an uproar among the demons.