Nyx: The Worst Hero is the Best Demon

Our New Map

It took us longer to set out from town the next day than I would have liked, but I was glad to be on our way all the same. Apparently The Warring States were not named that ironically, and we had to plot a winding path out of the area for our own good.

Edric Didn't have a clear understanding of the comings and goings here, but he had a broad enough working knowledge of things that he was able to draw us a path to avoid the most problematic states and regions.

According to the prince, this whole area is constantly changing. The boarders are never clear and one day a town my be under the rule of one war-lord, clan leader, or bandit boss, one day, and taken over by another the next. Some were more 'welcoming' than others, while some would straight up kill a demon for passing into their borders.

Needless to say, I was a little worried over this first, real, leg of my life above ground. This world seemed hectic and volatile to say the least. In my opinion, this world had bigger issues to address than taking down the nearly extinct race of beings that was demon kind. So far, even the monsters appeared to be less of an issue than humanity it self.

Edric aside, I couldn't even say that I had come across a truly decent human since arriving here. And I couldn't even say for sure that the enslaved prince was a good person either, given I hardly knew him. Not that I had any right to disparage anyone. I was a pretty crap person myself. But, I wasn't human anymore either.

I guess I upgraded from a shit human being, to a trashy demon. But hey, I was the queen, so everyone could just bite me. Facts!

But, that aside, this snaking path we now had to take meant that it would take us all the more time to get out of here. It wasn't ideal, but it also wasn't like we could do anything about it.

Pride had suggested that he could just kill our way through the country if we needed. I thought about, to be honest... But decided that I didn't want to tarnish the demon name any more than baseless rumors and ancient lore already had us painted. It would hardly be a great way to start me regency. Not that I was particularly comfortable with being any sort of leader, much less what amounted to the second coming of the demon god!

But no one could claim that I didn't take responsibility for my choices. The second I agreed to save my own life, I traded my freedom for the weight of a crown. Though, I was pretty sure that it would be Pride and the other demons who would likely regret that in the end.

Currently we were slogging our way down a relatively well trodden path from one town toward the village of Kardem, passing into a southern state between two others known to be particularly aggressive right now. Though, from what I have been able to get out of Edric, 'aggressive' was about the general rule of thumb for the entirety of the Warring States.

"Why, exactly, is this place so hectic." I asked during yet another awkward lull in conversation. When It had just been Pride and I, the silence felt companionable, but somehow, with Edric, it just felt weird. Not that Pride and I have been together much longer than the prince in either case.

"Back in my day the land was divided much differently." Stated Pride. He was walking ahead, I was in the middle, and Edric was bringing up the rear, hand on the hilt of his sword and looking on edge. "Looking at your new map, much of what is called the Warring States was once part of the Stella Empire. And there was no such thing as the Vespertine Kingdom at all."

"Yes." Voiced Edric at my back. "Several centuries ago, the Stellarian Empire was the single, greatest human kingdom there ever was. They had played a key role in handling the monster problem, were the driving force behind removing the demons, and had exclusive access to the Eastern Sea on top of it all."