Infernum

Chapter 1

"Oi, you," he halted his horse, as the remaining enemy troops slowly backed into the sole formation they had been taught. He addressed his second in command, pointing his sword at the sky. "Finish this quick, we need to march towards Eden next."

"Captain Ayato," the third in command shouted, her cape fluttering in the wind. "But we need to contact Prince Reiji first!"

The captain raised his head, slowly landing his gaze upon the soldier. He could hear her armour tremble as she shuddered under his glare. Nobody questioned him. Those who did, had a dark fate in front of them.

Sakamaki Ayato was never forgave those who went against him.

He skewered the third in command, her armour doing little to block his hardened steel from penetrating her chest.

And he always acted on his own command.

Whistling against the wind, he looked at the battlefield, blood and bodies scattered around his army, every remaining enemy now either on their knees or disembowelled, or perhaps being a victim of manslaughter, getting their limbs torn apart by furious warriors who were just way too hyped on the battle to leave any survivors. Ayato liked it this way. He'd won the numerous battles in his past just because the rivals were scared out of their wits to face him head on in the battlefield. He was known to be ruthless. Laws of War for him were merely kill or get killed. No amount of surrendering, bargaining or praying for mercy would save his rivals from an imminent death. He licked the warm blood that landed upon his forearm, relishing the taste for a moment. The people of Eden were delicious.

Now only if he could march to the castle soon enough. The sky reddened with the forthcoming dusk, as people started to lug the bodies out. Some undead were splitting open the warriors of Eden and drinking from them while on the battlefield. Some female warriors were spared, though. Ayato allowed his men to treat them as spoils of war. He smiled sadistically as he raised his face shield, his green eyes intimidating his soldiers at the very first glance he spared them. He knew that he evoked only fear from them, not respect. And he liked it that way. Some men and women that were unfortunately human had known his hunger for blood first-hand. Just as he wished. There was no use garnering respect from such dimwits when they were already plotting to take away his power and position. The undead and the mortals were similar in that respect at least.

His motto to maintain order in an army full of vampires and humans was simple. If the undead hurt the humans, he would kill them without hesitation. Ayato was a pure-blood, meaning his heightened senses could detect from a crowd of thousands who had been in the vicinity of which human. Some humans had even started rumours that he could predict future events. He wasn't going to negate anything said about him though. Whatever was circulating about him, good or bad, was essential to maintain fear amongst his people.

It was his mission to corrupt people.

"At midnight we march for the castle of Eden!" he raised his sword high into the air. "Take plenty of rest while you can. We will tear down the walls of that eyesore at dawn!"

Cheers resounded throughout the battlefield. The dwellers of Makai, the demon world, hated Eden with all their heart. The campaign Reiji had started against the clergy of Eden was instilling feelings of distrust towards the Holy See of the Eden. The greatest issue at the centre of the debate was about the castle's tall walls, and why so few of the Outsiders were allowed in. The demons felt discriminated against. They were used to being in power outside of Eden, but with the technological advancements inside the walls and the rumours of supposedly "pure" human beings dwelling there were raising eyebrows. Not to mention, most of the vampire hunters his brother Laito's guild had spied on had some relations with the castle of Eden in one way or the other.