Demonheim

chapter 3

Roy fidgeted slightly as he stood next to Odiana. Before him Warrick standing as their representative because he had recruited them. There were two other representatives who were the same rank as Warrick judging by their armour and five other obviously new demons. Roy wondered if he looked as much of a novice as they did. They stared at everything wide eyed and naively. Roy was forced to question his own sanity considering how easy it had been for him to accept his existence as a demon compared to everyone else.
As newly spawned demons they were officially being introduced to their new master the demon lord of the Capital of Demonheim. They were dressed smartly in strange yet comfortable outfits. Roy had chosen an attire Dera called 'a three-piece suit'. It was black with a light blue inner shirt. It hug his frame snugly and showed off his new demon sculpted body nicely. Although it was made up of light material Dera claimed it had defensive capabilities far exceeding anything ever made on Berrion, Roy wanted to believe that.
Odiana wore dark coloured leather scale armour, it somehow struck a balance between being practical yet showing off her curves. Her gauntlet was made of steel unlike her armour and strapped to her waist was a giant claymore that Warrick promised could actually cut him unlike her last sword back on Berrion. She looked quite like a dignified holy warrior except for her having crimson skin and large horns and being almost seven feet tall.
Though it had taken her sometime, the princess seemed to be gradually accepting her new existence as a demon. It also helped when she discovered that all her former spells as a human still worked even better now as she had more Mana to spare and didn't need to chant. Her gaze was serene and blank, she didn't seem at all uncomfortable.
Roy tried not to show too much of his own discomfort while standing in a hall filled with demons of all shapes and sizes, colours and species. His tail flicked around, giving away his nervousness, Roy swore at it internally, 'the stupid thing has a mind of its own'. As if in revenge, it twirled around and smacked Odiana's butt with an an audible crack. The large demon jumped in shock, her eyes widened incredulously before she glared at him in manner that conveyed a very clear message, it said 'I'll kill you! You little piece of shit!'.
Roy looked away, unperturbed, she wouldn't try that out here in the middle of so many people..... uh demons, wait are demons people?
He studied the other demons in the hall. He was surprised at how beautiful they all were, demons were supposed to be ugly or so he had been told but none of them looked as ugly as the baker's daughter and boy was she ugly! What with the warts and the pox and the awkward shape of her legs. He shuddered.
Roy had learnt that the creatures they fought back in Berrion weren't actual demons but mere minions, mindless creatures created to be controlled and used as grunts. The only real demon there was Warrick.
The great hall they were in was the grandest place he had ever seen or heard of. It stood atop the tallest spire in the Hellheim capital. The walls shone with elaborate paintings of monstrosities and demons painted intricately in gold. The columns were thick and massive supporting the vaulted ceilings so far up he couldn't make out any of the details. The windows were tall and covered in stained glass that cast some magnificent light upon the hall. And the throne, yes it was the most magnificent and imposing thing in the hall. It stood regally on a raised dais, higher than anything in the hall so whoever sat on it could gaze down on their subject condescendingly. The throne was made from some obsidian material that seemed to drain the light around it and give off a dark ambience. The backrest was huge and it looked like the flat sides of many gigantic swords jutting out of the ground and fanning out from the base of the throne while each tapered off to a sharp triangular point. They were arranged to overlap each other, three in front and then behind were four and then six. The backrest grew larger and taller with each row.
The seat itself was so humongous it could dwalf the largest demon in the hall. Some cushions were placed on it for comfort. Roy was happy to know that even demons got butt cramps.
"Pft!" He tried to restrain a snicker but was partly unsuccessful.
'Shit!' he thought as glowing golden eyes latched on to him. The throne wasn't vacant, on it sat a creature that looked humanoid, actually it looked like an unusually tall prepubescent girl or boy, Roy honestly couldn't tell. It had an androgynous stature with no curves to speak of which was unusual considering all he had seen so far. It's face was pretty but Roy couldn't say confidently that it was male or female. It had white ridged horns that curled around it's head like a crown. It's outfit was some loose milky coloured robes that was so bright it almost hurt the eyes and it had a plunging V neckline that reveal flawless pale white skin but Roy didn't spot any sign of a cleavage. It's hair was white as well, it was tied up and held in an elegant cone-like golden headdress perhaps denoting royalty.
Roy had learnt a few things from Dera about Demon Hierarchy. It was relatively simple. At the top of the Demon empire, or the Demonarchy, was the Chaos Lord who was an all-powerful dictator who ruled over all demons everywhere. The position is not hereditary, none of the Chaos Lords were born into it, it was open to only the strongest and the best of the best.
Serving under the Chaos Lord were his eight generals, who are considered second only to the chaos Lord in terms of power. Under the generals were their respective soldiers of various ranks.
The Demon Lord rules the capital  and was more of a vasal lord answering to the Chaos Lord and his generals. So technically, the demon lord was not the top dog in the demon empire but that didn't mean he or she was weak as Roy quickly discovered that merely the demon's gaze upon him from atop the throne was enough to make him feel like the world was on his shoulders. The weight pressed on him, demanding that he dropped on his knees. Roy wondered how something so lean could emit that kind of thick aura by simply focusing on him but as a demon lord perhaps that was to be expected.
Roy blinked and everything went dark for a moment and the next thing he knew he was standing before the dais, all eyes were turned on him. He looked up at the throne in alarm. 'What the hell?!' he exclaimed internally in panic. 'How did I...' he paused, it dawned on him, the demon had taken control of his mind, Roy had gotten that same ability to invade minds when he was reborn as a demon, normally he would have to say a few words to enthrall his victim like hypnosis but this demon didn't even move an inch. Roy shuddered at the power.
The demon lord stared at him in a bored manner, reclining on the throne.
"You dare to mock me?" The demon lord's voice was also androgynous, it was neither male nor female and it seriously grated on Roy's nerves.
'No don't do anything stupid!' he told himself, this thing might accidentally sneeze and they'd be scrapping his remains off the floor.
"Uuhh.." 'eloquent Roy! Real smooth'. He had nothing to say.
"I wasn't mocking you...your majesty" Roy managed an awkward bow.
The demon lord's glowing eyes narrowed. Piercing him.
"Okay" he started nervously but words tumbled out on their own, "are you male or a female? Cause I can't tell and that seriously bothers me". 'Damn, who's in control here?!' he thought angrily, first the tail and then his tongue! Now it's going to get him killed!
The hall that was filled with hundreds of demons was so quiet  one could have heard a pin drop. Then as the initial shock faded a low growl spread amongst the demons followed by the rasp of steel as various demons drew their weapons ready to kill him in a variety of gruesome manners.
A huge green demon nearly ten feet with curling ram horns stepped forward like it was his honour and right to kill Roy. He was brandishing a wickedly curved large blade that looked like a scimitar.
He had been standing close to the raised dais, beside the demon lord while he glowered at the other demons like they were beneath him. Roy assumed he was a high ranking demon. He looked very pissed and he spoke with a growl as he came closer "you dare..."
The demon lord waved in an offhanded bored manner and reality rippled for an instant. Roy only saw rows and rows of hundreds of giant serrated teeth each the size of his entire arm. It chomped once, taking the green demon whole and disappeared so fast Roy would've thought he imagined it if it weren't for his large sword that clattered on the floor and the severed hand still attached to it.
"When in my presence, you never speak out of turn!" The demon lord hissed and sent a glare around the hall, silencing all the advancing mob at once.
Roy nearly wet himself. His legs shook in fear and for once his tail was still, a testament to how dire their situation was. Roy still wasn't sure what just happened but he was certain green guy was no more.
The weight of the demon lord's gaze settled on him once more. He couldn't look away.
"I am female"
Roy's eyes widened 'why would she answer that?!' his mind screamed. 'Does it even matter anymore?'.
"Oh..uh.. that's great" he stammered.
"Indeed" she stared. "Pick up the sword, you will undergo The Trial of The Black Flame"
Roy's eyes nearly popped out of the socket.
"What? Why?" He asked, then added quickly "your majesty"
She raised any eyebrow, "I cannot have a weakling consort so you must be tempered by the black flames if you will stand beside me" she glanced down at where the former green demon had stood then back at Roy.
She smiled, baring sharp canines.
"And I like your colour".
Roy swallowed as he felt a cold feeling creep up his spine, this was not going to end well for him.