A Story of Evil

Chapter 111: An Encounter

Herald floated in the sky. With his wings carrying him as the big muscular figure crossed his four arms, gazing down on the vast chaos below. It was something that he loved more than anything else. 

As a person who got out of monsterification at a young age, he learned to appreciate chaos. No. It was even higher than that. He venerated it. Worshiped it. As if chaos itself was his religion. And because of this, he couldn't allow a few puny humans to do as they pleased.

That's why he acted swiftly. With his attendants flying back to him at that moment to deliver the news.

"Where did the winds bring you?"

"Far my lord. We saw gigantic walls blocking whatever lies beyond it." Mathilda answered.

"Walls?" 

"Yes my lord. The second generation seems to be amassing even more land as we speak. We saw the open part being cleared of all debris and, there was something weird with it." The other aide, Nathaniel said in reply.

"Well? Out with it then, don't keep me waiting." Herald commanded, with the aide bowing as he continued speaking.

"It seems like they have a way of returning the lands back to normal."

Herald released an intense amount of mana. His fingers dug on to his skin even more. His face being filled by nothing but a rage as his brows almost met in the middle. He then diffused this just as quick, easing up the heavy pressure which his trusted attendants felt.

"You see? Aren't the others even worried about that? They're taking back our precious lands and turning it into something as horrendous as that!"

Herald thought back on Damian. How he was ridiculed during the meeting. How his justified suggestion was not heard out.

"I won't allow it! I can't have them desecrating all of this chaos land!" The attendants allowed a few seconds of silence to pass by first before speaking again. Knowing that Herald would not spare them if they interrupted him.

"There's something else my lord." Mathilda said.

"What is it? What did you see?"

"There were soldiers taking out the monsters east from here. We didn't get near but, judging by the presence we felt alone, the monsters seem to be on the losing end."

"Those vandalizers! They come into our land and disrespect it like this? I will not have any of that!" Herald's voice was full of conviction. With his mind finally clearing on a single thought.

"That settles it then, they'd be our first targets."

"Who would be your first targets exactly?" Another voice said. Freezing the three in place. They knew exactly who it was. With Mathilda and Nathaniel bowing their heads as Damian teleported to their location. Floating just above Herald.

"Damian, what brings you here?" Herald was doing his best to hide the nervousness in his voice. Yet it was to no avail as Damian clearly herd it shake.

"I wanted to catch up to you and apologize for what I did in the meeting Al." He said, descending down and meeting Herald eye to eye. With a malevolent smile curved on his lips.

"There's really no need to. I know that I was wrong."

"Is that so?" He said, patting Herald on the shoulder as he moved his head close to the muscular man's ear as he whispered.

"Then why are you still opposing me?"

Beads of cold sweat formed on Herald's forehead. His eyes didn't know where to look anymore and, involuntarily stared down. His heart thumped even stronger and, all the anger and frustration he was building up suddenly disappeared. Washed away by fear as Damian released his aura.

"I have eyes everywhere Herald, you cannot fool me." Herald pushed him away, creating enough gap to strike. But even before he could, Damian increased gravity. Sending Herald and his attendants crashing down at high speed. Creating an earthquake which shook down the ruined buildings nearby.

"WHY DO YOU NOT SEE THAT I AM RIGHT! WHY ARE YOU OPPOSED TO PROTECTING OUR LAND!" Herald screamed as Damian descended low enough to hear all of this. 

"You think you're better than me? You only showed up a couple of years ago! You don't have as much love and respect for these lands as I do!"

"You're right."

"What?"

"I don't love the lands as much as you do. In fact, I probably have the least amount of love for these lands among the five of us. But does that matter?"

Damian increased gravity once again. To a point that, no matter how much strength Herald placed into breaking out, there was just no escaping it. Damian had him completely outclassed ever without breaking a sweat.

"To us emperors, power is everything. I couldn't give less of a fuck about that love for the land you so devoutly cling to. You can continue that illogical zealousness all you want. But it doesn't change the fact that you are weaker than me."

Damian finally landed on the ground, walking slowly towards Herald. The big man could not do anything in the face of his superior's gravity magic. Binding him down and giving no chances of escape.

"If you will not listen to my words then, I'll make you listen." Damian walked at the back of Herald, holding on to the big man's wings which made him nervous.

"Damianwhat are you planning?" 

"Why are you so nervous? I'm just admiring your wings." Both Herald and his attendants froze into place. Damian was simply stroking his wings but, Herald knew that something bad was about to happen.

"Damian, I'm begging you don't do it."

"Don't do what exactly Herald?"

"Don't" 

"What's that? I can't quite hear you."

"Don't mess with my wings."

"Oh. Okay." In an instant one of Herald's wings was torn off. The majestic crimson wings of Herald which he loved and adored was plucked out of his back.

This made him scream from the top of his lungs. Dropping to the ground in agonizing pain. With Damian not even needing to maintain the gravity magic anymore as he observed the object on his left hand.

"They say that having your wings taken off feels like your own head being taken off. But since you'd basically die from the latter, you'd never feel the sensation right?" Damian said, plucking out another. With blood gushing out from Herald's back as the big man continued screaming in pain. His voice echoing within the crater.

With this, the victorious Damian stepped on his head. Holding the wings with one in each hand. The blood still dripping out of the part where it was torn.

"With two of your wings taken out, you'd be exponentially weaker than before. Of course these will grow back but, you'd need at least a month to do that." Damian said, throwing the wings away as Herald's attendants picked them up.

"For now, just reflect on your actions and heal. I won't repeat myself again Herald. We wait for my command to strike. Go against this one more time and I won't be as merciful." Damian grabbed the man's head through the hair, raising it up with Herald finally ceasing his screams.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes Damian." The big man said in a faint voice. With Damian finally being satisfied and letting go.

"Good." Damian said, smiling as he finally stood up. Covering himself in runes as he teleported right away. Leaving Herald and his attendants devastated.

One would think that Herald would be demotivated. That he would be too frightened to oppose Damian again. But his mind was made. There was one goal for him and, he didn't plan on canceling it out. 

"Get up you two. We have a change of plans."

"What is it my lord?" The two said, forcing back the fear that their bodies still felt as they matched their master's resolve.

"We won't let Damian trample us down. Our plan continues." 

"Should we ready the troops then?"

"No. He'd figure us out and stop us."

"So what do we do?" Mathilda asked.

"We'll attack them. Just the three of us. We're more than enough to do that." 

"Understood my lord. When do we leave." Nathaniel said. With Herald extending his remaining wings. With blood still spurting out as he said:

"Now."