Upon endless sprawling plains, masked by massive trees, which are not too far from willow trees, hid a village. This village was responsible for housing most of the demon clan within the world of Azeria. A giant magical barrier had covered this secret village for some time, only allowing demi-humans into this area.

  “Sir! There is only enough food for half the village to last this week. Unfortunately the ones responsible for keeping the meat cold was not able to complete his job.” A stern looking woman with horns informed her superior.

  “That is very tough indeed. If you’d be so kind, form a strike team. Take them to the woods between here and the trial. Just don’t get too close to that place. You know how crazy those men are. I don’t want to see another Cheetu incident happen, now that we are fully aware of the consequences.” The village chief looked forward, but the lady could tell that his gaze was completely hollow.

  “I understand chief Minel. We will leave at dawn!” The lady walked away, passion and fire in her eyes. An unwavering sense of confidence radiated from her like nobody else within the village.

  “That Estrel certainly is something. I don’t know what I would do with myself if she wasn’t around.” The chief started to walk back into his chambers, slow, decrepit. His golden years have been long gone for some time

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  Two young boys are sitting under a tree, around the age of 16. One of them with his head in the other's lap, lounging in the sun.

  “You know Charlotte, I haven’t seen a rainy day in months. I could just bask in the sunlight all day long.” Charlotte is focused on the other boy, looking down at his long curly hair, as he played with it in his lap.

  “I’ve been thinking about that for months Mel! It all seems a little too perfect. Are we demon royalty? Why don’t we have to train with the rest of them?” Charlotte’s remark hangs in the air a little longer than meant to.

  “We couldn’t be demon royalty. We have different families. I think we can sum it up to luck. Nobody wants to admit it, but life is unfair sometimes, and we are the living proof of that!”

  Out on the horizon Mel, and Charlotte could see all the other children of the village practicing their fighting stances, while Estrel stands in front of them leading, like an organized unit.

  “They really are a spectacle. I wonder which one will be the strongest!” Charlotte remarked as if they would ever get to figure out which one it is.

  “When they leave the sanctuary, then I’m sure we will learn by word of mouth. It’s going to be my business if I plan to succeed my father after all, and it’s not like you’re going anywhere. You’re exempt from fighting too!” Charlotte reflected on that last statement. “You’re not going anywhere”

  “But a version of me who went and fought battles, and a version of me who actually helped everyone in the village would be infinitely more helpful to a village chief!” Charlotte sputtered, not understanding why Mel even cared about him. It was maddening.

  “Not only did you lose your horn when we were kids, but my dad checked your magic readings. You can’t fight like the others. Those people are going to be warriors one day. You just don’t have that potential I’m afraid.” Mel’s eyes teared up before Charlotte pulled his sleeve to his palm before wiping Mel’s eyes.

  “You better keep that promise. We will be together no matter what!” The two boys laughed a little bit before moving onto more mundane conversations.

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  “Reiho! It’s time!” Estrella yells across the village.

  “Yeah yeah! I know. You don’t have to remind me, you overbearing hag. Let’s get this over with.” Reiho emerges from his chamber, the place an absolute mess.

  “Reiho! Is your dwelling still a pigsty? I swear all you do is drink wine that you steal from the humans, and sleep! Don’t you have any other ambitions?” Estrella sharpens her gaze up to the strongest man in the village.

  “Get off me! What’s the point? There isn’t shit to do around here, and as long as the demon race is still considered a threat to the world we might as well just live with self preservation in mind. Even bringing me along for this quest is especially dangerous. Do you know how much magical presence I give off? Anyways I’m ready. Just don’t expect too much help. I have some things I need from the land myself. I’ll just kill something if its too much for you.” The sentiment always appreciated by Estrella does not land on deaf ears, but she stays silent regardless.

  Upon reaching the magical barrier that blocks the sanctuary from the outside world, the giant tree's shade starts to falter. Not too far from the barrier, perhaps 100 feet or so, stand an immensely powerful boar. Estrella approaches it slowly, but Reiho stops her.

  “That isn’t no ordinary boar, and in fact as far as magical beasts go… Well, I doubt you can handle this one. Let me take care of it.” Estrella snaps her head over to Reiho, not brimming with anger, or frustration. She is livid.

  “You son of a bitch! You think you can just tell me not to fight the first thing we see? How weak do you think I am-” Reiho cuts Estrella off, sternly yet politely.

  “It isn’t about any lack of strength at all. You are very capable. Honestly I don’t even know if I can take this thing! It’s unequivocally the strongest thing we’ve seen around these parts for a very long time.” Estrella started to calm down after this explanation. “What I’m saying is, that we need a plan of attack that involves both of our strength if we have any hope of defeating this monster, and besides if we do then that will mean all the meat we can eat. This thing is easily two thousand pounds of pure protein.”

  The sheer size of this beast was one thing, but the magical essence radiating from it is on a completely different level. They both summon their weapons. One a magical staff, and the other a set of Tonfas that ignited in purple flames upon equipping.

  “You’re right Reiho. Let’s take down our prey together!” Estrella smiles more confidently than ever, fighting side by side with the strongest demon in the clan.

  Reiho jumps up, and propels himself off a rock and goes flying into this beast completely lodging his tonfa into it’s chest, damaging it’s heart. Meanwhile Estrella pulls all the water out of one of the rivers nearby, and starts sending it down into the boar's face, freezing it into sharp icicles before impact. They both jump back waiting for a counter attack, but such a thing never came.

  “Hey Strella! I have an ominous feeling about this boar. It’s acting more like an idle summon than a magical beast!” Reiho charged up another attack, but winced when he realized how dire this situation actually might be.

  “If that’s the case then we’re spending all this energy on a task that won’t even get us any meat!” Estrella got angry at the thought of a pointless task with no reward, how utterly inefficient it may be.

  “Fuck the meat! Think about this. If it’s an idol summon then whoever has it must be really strong! Our main worry is figuring out where the user is! The fact that it was right outside the sanctuary spells disaster if the user has ill intent.” Estrella’s eyes widened as she realized the severity of the situation.

  “Oh no! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck! If the sanctuary gets destroyed it’s all going to be my fault. We were raising those kids to prevent exactly this. We just needed more time! Damn it all!” Estrella falls to her knees. A person walks out from behind a distant tree, locking eyes with Reiho and Estrella.

  “Well team, I’ve pinpointed the demon clan’s home! That’s all the business I have here!” A deranged looking man is speaking into some metal device with a glass piece, hanging from his jacket. The forest goes completely silent.

  “What. Who are you?” Reiho barely manages to spit out before despair enters his heart at the sight of somebody learning of their existence.

  “Ah! You wish to know my name. That is blasphemy in my eyes!” The man hit Reiho so hard he flew into the trees, though it is unclear what he was even hit with.

  “My name is Samedi Dandin Gilas and I am representing the commandment of Sabbath within the demon king Cabal! At your service! Not that you deserve to know my name, but you will die soon anyways, so there is no fuss!” Reiho’s eyes widened.

  “Am I actually face to face with a commandment?” Reiho thought to himself. “Think Reiho! Think! This is exactly the type of dangerous activity I was trying to prevent. There has to be a way out of this.” He ponders and ponders.

  “Estrella! Retreat now! Warn the village! Get everyone out alive! We must leave now! I will hold him off!” In that moment Reiho and Estrella are held up in the air, their bodies twisting and contorting limbs breaking off.

  “Didn’t you two smooth brained mongoloids hear what I said? I am a commandment in the Demon King Cabal! We are the most powerful organization in the Orouskuri Kingdom! The two of you thinking you can beat me is so utterly shameful, it lacks intellect, it shows just how weak and irrelevant two demons are. Even full fledged you can’t take even one of the Commandments on in a fair fight?” Samedi procures an unfathomably creepy smile. “Two demons couldn’t even beat me during times of sabbath. What a shame. Your people will perish tomorrow.” Samedi walked back the way he came, laughing this bewildering maniacal laugh of a crazed lunatic.