Author's Note:
I've been receiving some wonderful fanart of the Hero vs Villain characters and I just wanted to share them with you guys before the start of some of the new chapters! This is an amazing picture of Vandel done by @ellenwennberg.se on Instagram! I love Vandel's outfit in it so much! They even included the infamous chicken!
If you have any art of the Hero vs Villain characters I'd love to see it! Send it my way via my Instagram @captaincleanfreak
Percival
Upon arriving at the gates of the demon kingdom and informing the guards there that I had been summoned by their royalty, a guard had escorted me into the palace. He was currently leading me deeper and deeper through the maze of hallways and rooms.
In a desperate effort to calm my nerves I found myself attempting to speak with him. "What's your name?"
The demon cast me a little glare. "What's it to you?"
"I'm just curious," I said with a shrug.
"Listen buddy, I'm trying to do my job here. I'd like to just do that and engage with you as little as possible please and thank you."
"It's just your name."
The demon's glare increased. "And there is literally no fucking reason for me to tell you. If I wanted everyone I met to know my name I might as well have made myself a little name tag that said 'hi my name is George on it' so that every annoying human I meet can address me as such...SHIT." He slammed his hand against his forehead in a facepalm that practically echoed at his realization that he had accidentally told me his name.
Despite being the only two in the hallway I could hear whispers and footsteps all around me.
"Hey, I have a question?" I said softly.
"What the hell is it now?" George snapped.
"It sounds like there's other people here...but it's just us...why is that?"
"Mister human sir, you do realize that I'm just here to take you to the demon queen, not act as your personal tutor in demon culture."
"I'm sorry, I was just curious. I mean, I WAS sent by the demon royalty who YOU work for to come here so-"
The demon rolled his eyes. "It's all multidimensional logistics. All demons live in one location but in multiple planes. Think of it as a beehive, and dimensions as layers of the hive. What you're hearing is the demons in this hallway one plane over." He let out a little huff. "Now will you please stop talking until we arrive at the-"
"What's the demon queen like?"
"OH FOR GODS SAKE! YOU'RE LITERALLY ABOUT TO MEET HER! CAN'T YOU JUST WAIT FIVE GODDAMN MINUTES!" George was breathing heavily when he finished yelling. Finally he straightened, collecting himself. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have screamed at you. I forgot you're a human which means you were clearly raised without basic manners."
"Manners?!? I'm a knight!"
"Well then, I suppose that means the human requirements for their most elite guard are ridiculously low."
Finally we made it to a large golden door, two guards were stationed beside it. They gave George a little nod of recognition as he approached, now eyeing me suspiciously.
"This is the human the queen has been waiting for?" One asked, arching a brow.
"What other human would there be?" George said with a huff.
The guard's gaze flickered to the ground. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were in such a bad mood George."
"Of course I'm in a bad mood! I've had to be around this dipshit of a human all day! YOU BEEN AROUND A DIPSHIT OF A HUMAN ALL DAY STEVE?!?!"
"George buddy," the second demon guard said softly. "I thought you said you were finally seeing an anger management counselor."
"And I thought you were going to start minding your own GODDAMN BUSINESS TERRY!"
Okay...so maybe in person the demons were less scary than I had initially believed.
Suddenly the golden doors flew open.
"Let him in," a voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard hissed from inside. "And for the love of Gods if you don't stop shouting I'm going to rip each of your spines out and grind them to dust with my teeth." The second they heard the voice from within all three of the demons immediately froze, going completely frigid. The atmosphere around me had become incredibly tense and I could feel a cold sense of fear curling from within my gut. I immediately retracted my statement about demons not being scary.
Cautiously I made my way into the room and was met by a long table made of marble. At one end sat a hooded figure who gestured for me to sit at the other end. Nervously I did as it asked.
"Human," the voice I had heard from outside said. Then, as if it were manifesting directly from the air, a woman appeared in the seat beside the hooded figure. Her resemblance to Vandel was striking. She was beautiful with long black hair done up on her head with strings of rubies and pearls braided through. She wore a dress made entirely of raven feathers that glistened an almost purple color in the room despite the fact that there was no clear source of light.
I swallowed hard, presenting her with a little bow. "Hello your majesty. My name is Percival-"
"I know who you are," the demon queen said, cutting me off. "You think I would invite just any human into my chambers?"
"No madame-"
"Then don't ask pointless questions." She laced her long fingers together now. "Due to the fact that you're here I'm sure my son Vandel made our offer clear. You'll help inform us on the going ons within the castle and in return once we take the human kingdom you'll be worshipped as a hero by the demons. Do you agree to these terms?"
For a moment something in me still wanted to hesitate but then I started thinking of...it...again. Of seeing Ridley stealing Annette away from me just like everything else.
I took a deep breath. "Yes, of course."
The demon queen smiled thinly, pushing a small golden ring across the table. "Then take this. This ring is designed for you and you alone. Once you put it on you'll be able to immediately transport yourself between the human and demon kingdom. It will work for you alone so I trust you'll use it wisely."
"Of course your majesty."
My gaze drifted to the hooded figure beside her now. The queen smirked ever so slightly. "You want to know who he is? Don't you?"
"N-No your majesty-"
"Don't lie to me Percival. I can see into your mind. I know your thoughts."
My stomach twisted to knots and I immediately bowed my head. "I'm sorry. Uh...y-yes...I'm curious to who he is."
The queen smiled thinly. "He's my...associate. Don't worry yourself about him."
The hooded figure simply nodded in return. "Now," the demon queen continued, "do you have anything of use to tell us?"
I spent the next hour with the demon queen, writing down almost everything I could tell her about the kingdom's military from the training regime to the number of weapons, knights and horses at our disposal. I explained the layout of the castle, the major upcoming events and holidays, I even showed her where the servants entrances were.
When I had finished she nodded, that same small smile still at her lips. "Thank you Percival," she said. "You've been quite helpful. You are dismissed."
I clamored to my feet, giving her a small nod. "When should I return your highness?"
"When you have something new to tell me," she said. "Oh and Percival..." she said, "don't feel guilty about this. You're absolutely right, you deserve everything Ridley has. You deserve to be the hero and if you continue to help us I promise...you're going to be."
A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "I won't disappoint you your highness." And with that I made my way out the door.
Victoria
The second the door closed I began to cackle, almost hysterically. I turned to my hooded associate, almost in tears at how hard I was laughing. "Did you see that," I stammered between laughs, "he thinks he's so bloody important! Pfft, it never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to manipulate humans! All you have to do is break their heart a little, proceed to stroke their ego and BAM he's ready to betray his whole country. Humans are just so...SOOOOOOO stupid!" I glanced over to the hooded figure. "No offense."
Stefan shook his head, lowering his hood. "None taken. I quite agree." He looked to me now, arching a dark brow. "I am curious though...why are you pretending you need him to spy for you? You already have me, shouldn't that be enough?"
I chuckled under my breath. "Oh no...you see I just needed to give Percival a task, something to keep him close to us so he'd come to our side."
"But why," Stefan said with a snort, "he's just a shitty, second rate knight. If you want one of them on your side Ridley is the one you should be trying to recruit."
I smirked. "That's the thing. I have some theories about Ridley but I need Percival to...help me confirm them. He's the closest one to Ridley so he's the obvious choice."
Stefan blinked, confusion filling his gaze. "What are you talking about?"
I shook my head, waving my hand absentmindedly. "It doesn't matter, consider it just a little side project I'm working on."
"So our plan still remains the same?"
"Of course."
"Wonderful!" He looked to me now. "Have you told Vandel yet?"
I shook my head. "No, he doesn't know you're here."
"Well...how do you think he's going to react when he finds out?"
"Finds out what?"
Stefan laughed, lacing his fingers together. "That he's going to marry me, what else?"
God...humans were so fucking stupid.
I smiled thinly at him. "Oh...I'm sure he's going to be thrilled."