Return of the Demon Sovereign (Book 1) [MxM]

8. Hunting Devils (2)

The Devil's realm, Undanfold, had little distinction between day and night. A sun and moon consistently hung in the sky, reflecting a red sky. Night time was signaled by the red sky turning dark, blood red. The dark shadows elongated during the bloody nights, making the world look more menacing and malevolent.

Erebus' favorite time to hunt was during the night; his bloody path matched the ominous skies.

The Devils' camp was small, so there were few sentries to be concerned about. They also were not at a high level, so he could quickly strike them down. He stayed outside the Devils' senses and watched their camp settle in for the night.

The camp had one large fire in the center, and the Devils gathered around it. Tents were set up along the perimeter, while a horse stall was at the camp's outer edge. He could hear the horses stirring and snorting over the chatter of the Devils. 

There was one tent that was larger than the rest. The Devils entered and exited it with trepidation, making it evident that a leader resided in there—a captain of some sort. 

He closed his eyes and focused on the enemies in front of him. His mana control was without compare, so he was able to break down the cultivation level of the several dozen Devils in the campsite. Most were low levels like the sentries, but a few would be challenging. He had stepped into the 3rd level of the Foundation Realm and felt his breath hitch when he discovered that the captain was at least 5th or 6th level. Before, he could take him down with a flick of his finger, but now, he needed to utilize every skill in his arsenal. It would be difficult but not impossible.

While spreading his consciousness over the site, he cursed inwardly. He wanted to create a little mayhem, but this changed when he noticed five weak lifeforms in a cage behind the captain's tent. These bastards had prisoners.

He could leave them and find the human and dark elf forces he had read about in the reports, but it would take time to find their location. Time was a luxury he couldn't afford, especially after killing the sentries. 

If he carelessly left, the Devils would rather cut their losses and kill the prisoners. He had promised young Eri he would create a kinder world, so how could he start his new life by forsaking the innocent?

He cursed quietly. He had to play this smart and handle it quickly. The best plan was to dwindle their forces and kill as many low-level Devils as possible while avoiding the captain's detection.

He silently observed the Devils' movements. Most retreated to their tents while a small amount lingered around the campfire, drinking ale and smoking. He watched the captain peek his head out of his tent to bark orders at the Devils and disappear back inside his tent with an officer. 

Erebus took a deep breath and solidified his resolve. The captain retiring for the night was his cue to begin. He entered the first tent and found a Devil sleeping in a cot. He could smell the ale wafting from his body. Clinging to the shadows, he soundlessly approached the sleeping figure and sliced his throat. The Devil's eyes opened wide, and he tried to scream, but the cut was deep and sliced his vocal cords. Erebus only heard the gurgles from the blood filling his mouth and throat. The Devil's eyes searched for his killer moments before his death, but there was only darkness.

Erebus moved to the next tent and found two more Devils sleeping in the cots. Based on their scent, he knew which one drank more, which made him sleep heavier than the other. He moved towards the latter and split his throat before stepping next to the other, ending his life.

Like the Devil before them, they couldn't yell or alert the others. They could only stare into the darkness with fear and unwillingness in their eyes. They never saw the perpetrator.