Evidentially it didn't take the demonic group very long to arrive at the border into the land of beast-kin's.
Sadly there wasn't very much to see due to a certain arrogant asshole duke unleashing their uncontrolled wrath on the poor people meant to be there.
What should have been a well manned fort was a glorified collection of rubble. Its mighty outerwall had matching holes on either side - the fortress in the center being no better as a massive hole had been carved out of it. The final result being that it had collapsed in on itself with the occasional blood stain under the large stone bricks that had been thrown aside.
No doubt this was all a result of the wyrm literally just charging through the stronghold without the warriors being able to do anything to stop it. Dragon scales did have strong magic resistance while your average arrow also wouldn't be able to puncture. As such the four could only silently walk in through the hole.
The nameless human girl letting her gaze linger on everything far longer than Necro or Victory who did not seem to be taken aback at all.
Though she did notice that the archdemon of childish lies, Chokin-Bako, looking around with a faint frown.
Shaking her head from such thoughts.
It was hardly her place to question a being of such immense powers; in fact some may consider it disrespectful that she was even trying to understand or rationalise their behaviour. How can she apply her feeble comprehension to them? Especially when they've lived for far longer than anyone else she knows.
Still that expression was one she simply couldn't get rid off no matter how long she thought. At least until they reached the actual fort itself, blood seeped out of practically every stone, a lot of it still fresh which showed how little her supposed father cared about life. Being able to end so many then just… Leave.
"Que patética para las guerreras."
The divine demon mumbled something under her breath, clicking her tough, which helped to break the nameless girl out of her funk.
Not that she understood what the divine demoness actually said.
"There is nothing to see here…" < >
"Finally something I can agree with; clearly there is no one guarding the border now."
Snorting as he didn't so much as react when he stepped over a dismembered limb which was so badly crushed that the demonic human couldn't even tell which it was supposed to be. None of them fancied sticking around, though. It was true that they had nothing to do.
Not that they were particularly waiting around in the first place.
Continuing at the same pace; soon the group of four found themselves outside the fort and officially within the nation of beasts. A bit further they even came upon their first settlement within the nation. Sadly it was hardly in the best condition - revealing that duke Strauss did not merely stop at attacking the fortress.
"How… Could he be so cruel?" < >
A question she asked without any intention of receiving an answer, even if she wanted one, due to it simply slipping out before she could think of not asking it. In front of her was a blazing inferno which once seemed to have been a village. Everything from the buildings to the farms were being consumed by flame.
Thick black pillars rose into the air while the heat was so viscous that she could feel it despite still being quite far away. Sadly the smell of smoke wasn't all she could smell. The scent of cooked meat drifted out from the fumes of the fire.
Clearly he didn't bother waiting for the civilians to escape.
"Many pathetic weaklings target those who can't defend themselves."
She said before snorting at the scene in front of her; not too bothered by the scene in front of her but also not exactly pleased about it. Just seeming mildly disgusted at the whole thing. Turning towards her loyal little hamster before giving a faint, almost unperceivable, nod which got a silent nod back.
Leaving the girl watching on in confusion as the gerbil seemed quite happy at receiving an actual order from his all important monarch. A smile gracing his usually grumpy pretty boy face. Lifting his arms over his head as the eyes of the skull on his staff began to glow an ominously eerie green that the girl had grown to associate with Necrohamster's magic.
What was more surprising was that energy was beginning to rise from the fire, almost looking as if it was consuming the inferno in the distance, before the entire flame became that same green.
A groaning echoed from the distance as demonic energy suddenly burst out from the village - causing the nameless girl to nearly be flung back. Only stopped due to Chokin-Bako moving a hand to rest on the shoulders of the girl. That archdemon turned her gaze towards her partner.
"Leave the children out of your magic."
Spoken softly (more akin to a whisper) yet for some reason the demonic-human could feel a certain edge to their usually gentle companion.
Making that request more like a threat.
"Tsk of course; I don't want that cat on my ass…"
Shivering as he mentioned "that cat" which caused the nameless girl to let out a faint chuckle at the image of a monstrous demonic hamster still being scared of a cat.
"It is time to rise and get revenge on the kingdom who doomed your history to a footnote in a war that has no end in sight. I have answered your voiceless cries for power. So turn my gift on those who think you lesser than the grass they stamp under their cruel metal boot!"
His voice erupted across the border as the groaning got louder. Within the eerie green flame, a skull formed, cackling as the demonic human could faintly make out some figures rising from within. It quickly became apparent that these weren't living survivors as they shuffled out the fire.
Stepping out the fire with their gait becoming more balanced as they adjusted to their new forms which were now revealed to the world.
They were all reanimated undeads.
Green flames still flickered in their eye cavities that had become hollow on account of the violent flames which had purged their bodies of any fluids and much of their soft flesh. Few even retrained any particularly defining as even their beast aspects had been destroyed for the most part. Though what hadn't been destroyed was their bones - if a bit melted - which often showed through charred muscle.
Under the flesh their beastly aspects sometimes appeared more distinct. Whether on account of predator-kin having particularly vicious fangs in addition to sharpened digits still intact or the crushing maws of herbivores gnashing angrily. Of course there were some particularly big undead.
Each and everyone of them quickly adjusted to their empowered undead bodies which in turn allowed them to pick up speed.
Some even dropped down to all fours to charge forward.
Demons merely watched as that small army of undead charged past without so much as glancing at them.
"W-Why did you do this?" < >
Turning towards the Archdemon of Crooked Rebirth as he lowered his arm; looking toward the girl with a faint head tilt that perfectly expressed his confusion.
"Because I was ordered to?"
"Sigh."
Their insect companion simply shook their head while cupping their forehead.
Fortunately the one truly responsible decided to speak up; the Divine Demon slowly walked towards the mascred village with her arms crossed behind her back.
"To grant the wish of the weak."
Divine Demon seemingly vanishing from beside them - only a flash of purple flame at her feet showed there was more too it - as she appeared in front of the ruined village.
Raising one hand as she walked into the fire, appearing completely unaffected as she didn't even grant them a single reaction, with a toothy grin forming on her face. It was then that a strange energy began to swirl around her palm. That whirlpool is dragging more energy towards itself.
Pinching her fingers together just as a gem formed between them - that unknown energy seeping out of every surface within that village.
"There is nothing someone, who loses everything, wants more than to take everything from those who took everything from them. Even if they regained everything they lost they wouldn't care. That is what it means to possess the sin of wrath; as demons it is improper to not help them."
That nameless girl blinked blankly as she shouldn't really be able to hear what the Divine Demon said under the roaring of the flames along with the distance between them. However, not only could they hear her voice, somehow that demoness seemed more enthusiastic than usual. Though one could have guessed as much from that toothy savage grin that stretched across her face.
Eventually that shard grew into a full blown crystal between her fingers - reaching approximately the size of a finger. Soon enough the demoness appeared content with her catch as she calmly swatted her free hand to one side. The force of that simple move not only extinguishing the flame but leveling what little was left of the village; mostly being brick work such as the church or village chief's residence.
Once again the human was just left baffled yet her companions didn't seem to be nearly as caught off guard by the scene.
"We should get a move on after leaving some kind of monument to these people."
"Why bother when the local council, or whatever they call themselves, can deal with it."
Both of them walking past the nameless girl who looked between them in bafflement.
"C-Council?" < >
"Indeed; they are the governing body of this nation although there are smaller ones in charge of every local community to receive more tailored decisions."
They patiently explained with a faint smile that did little to stop her confusion.
"What about the king?" < >
Blinking wildly with the archdemon actually doing the same back.
"This nation doesn't follow monarchical principles, were you not aware?"
"Eh~!" < >