After this one, there will probably be two more specials. I apologize for not being able to write more for this series, if I get any new ideas, I will surely post them. And also, as I said before, I am more than likely going to create another series, so if you liked Demon Lord, you will probably enjoy the next one. Thank you.

When Dark Mist awoke, he was filled with rage. The memories of the past resurfaced in his mind after a few moments of confusion. “That damned demon!” Dark Mist roared, throwing the covers off of his body and standing up straight.

“You’re awake,” a female said causing Dark Mist to look over at the door. A beautiful bunny-eared woman stood there with a face made of stone, her strange eyes pierced right into Dark Mist. “I will tell Lord Erebus, follow me and wait outside of the doors when I tell you to.”

When she turned to leave, Dark Mist yelled, “Wait!” When she turned to look at him, Dark asked, “Who are you? Where am I?

“My name is Lilian, I am a subordinate of Lord Erebus. You are in his castle, please do not display such a disgusting look in front of him when you meet him.”

Dark Mist wanted to snap at her for calling him disgusting but resisted the urge seeing as she seemed willing to tell him things. “So, why was I brought here?”

“As far as I am aware, you are something Tear needs in order to fulfill the promise she has with her mother. But, you must swear your loyalty to our Lord Erebus. That is the condition I gave Tear for allowing you to stay here.”

Swear my what to who? Dark Mist looked exasperated. That being said, even though he was mentally complaining, he followed Lilian throughout the empty halls.

“Does no one else live here?” Dark finally asked after the question had been gnawing at his mind. They hadn’t seen another living soul this entire time.

“There’s many more who live here, most of the time they stay hidden away. Mostly because they’re afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

“Us.”

Dark tilted his head. The term “us” was vague, so his question wasn’t really answered. He was about to press for more, but a very familiar person was walking towards them.

“Ah, it’s Lilian and Obscure Fog,” Vyne said in greeting with a kind smile that didn’t fit him at all.

Dark Mist tightened his fist if Vyne was going to say his name wrong, at least say something remotely close! “It’s Dark Mist.”

“Obscure Fog,” Vyne spoke in a tone as if he was correcting himself.

“Stop acting childish, Vyne,” Lilian cut in when Dark Mist started to look very angry. “I’m taking to him to meet Lord Erebus.”

Vyne laughed. “Sorry, sorry, I just felt like teasing Dark Mist. After you’re done with him, send him down to the dungeons. I could use an extra hand with my experiments,” Vyne said with another laugh and walked off.

“Experiments? Experiments with what?” Dark Mist asked Lilian.

She cleared her throat, a slight discomfort betraying her blank face. “Something you will see for yourself later on.”

Dark Mist looked incredibly confused, but he didn’t ask any more on the subject. The walk continued on in silence, Dark Mist was slightly in awe of Lilian’s ability to traverse through the nearly identical hallways with absolutely no difficulty.

“Wait here,” Lilian said when they stopped in front of a set of double doors. “I will open the door when it is time for you to come in.”

“Ah... okay,” Dark Mist said while scratching his head. Before he had intentions of running away, but he had no idea how to get out, and he would probably end up getting caught before he made any actual progress.

Dark Mist looked around, there was seriously no one here. He didn’t even pick up any presences of others. No guards stood at the doors even though someone very important was supposed to be sitting inside.

Strange... this place was strange.

Minutes ticked by of Dark Mist just standing there, this was taking way too long!

Finally, the doors opened and Lilian stood there. “Come in.”

Dark Mist walked inside, not sure what to expect.

“Hello!” a voice cried out joyfully. Dark blinked his eyes and a set of crimson eyes were staring straight at him.

So close!

“Are you strong? How strong? I want to know, tell me.”

“I-I think I have a substantial amount of strength.”

“Do you think you’re stronger than Tear?” the effeminate man asked with a voice full of childish glee.

“I don’t know how strong Tear of the Moon Goddess is,” Dark Mist answered honestly. “Um, who exactly are you?”

The man jumped back and walked to the throne before sitting down with a goofy grin.

“This is Lord Erebus,” Lilian explained from next to Dark Mist. “He is in an incredibly good mood after gaining another play toy, I mean, another subordinate.”

“No, I totally just heard you refer to me as a playtoy.”

“It was a mistake? You know, sometimes people get tongue-tied. Tehe.” Lilian tapped her forehead with her knuckles, even though she ended her statement with something “cute” her voice remained flat and her expression didn’t change at all.

In other words, it was not at all effective.

“Anyway, I never agreed to be his servant,” Dark said bitterly.

“You will,” Erebus answered.

“And why is that?”

“I’ll kill you.”

Dark swallowed. “Eh? What?”

“If you don’t agree, I’ll kill you.” The happiness stayed on Erebus’ face as if he was inviting his crush on a date instead of saying such threatening things.

Dark looked at Lilian nervously, her strange eyes slid over to him, there seemed to be a bit of a mocking gleam in them.

“Swear your eternal loyalty to Lord Erebus.” Lilian’s eyes narrowed. “Or you’ll die.”

I don’t have a choice in the matter at all? It isn’t like I want to die. Dark wanted to cry, they looked serious about killing him, and despite Erebus’ weak appearance, Dark felt as if he shouldn’t underestimate the man.

What was with these people and forcing others to do things against their will? Slavery. This was slavery. Involuntary servitude!

Erebus’ gaze was growing colder and colder.

“Hah, okay, um, I Dark Mist of the Mist tribe swear my eternal loyalty to Lord Erebus?”

Was that a question? He sounded so uncertain.

“Good, good, I’ll test you later. Lilian said something about Vyne wanting your assistance in his work.”

Dark Mist cleared his throat. Was that it? He seriously just had to say that? There was no ritual or anything... was this a prank?

“I will be guiding him to Vyne’s location,” Lilian said and bowed deeply at the waist. Dark Mist mimicked her actions and followed her out.

The moment the door shut, boisterous laughter could be heard, but since Lilian was wearing a face that said “I heard nothing” Dark Mist decided that was the best course of actions and copied her on that too.

Someone else was starting to become a victim of the Look to Lilian for Your Problems disease.

Once again, they went through the confusing hallways. At one point in time, they came across two burly looking demons who called themselves Magnus and Stone, sadly, since they were in a hurry, Lilian completely brushed her co-workers off.

Dark Mist wondered if that was okay, she swatted them aside like they were flies. Well, the two didn’t really seem to mind it at all.

“You have almost met everyone important in the castle,” Lilian suddenly said as they walked down the steps leading to the dungeon. “There is one more, but he should be in class with Vyne... Oh, is that why he wanted you to come?” She had a revelation.

They stopped in front a measly looking wooden door.

“I will be leaving you here, please just go straight down the hallway, also, ignore anyone in the cells. Vyne should be in the last one.”

Lilian slightly bowed her head before leaving without letting Dark Mist give her any conformation.

Actually, no matter how he looked it, he was completely forced into all of this. Dark Mist gave a pitiful sigh before following Lilian’s instructions. Though, curiosity had taken the better of him and he glanced inside of one of the cells.

And proceeded to see something that shouldn’t be alive any longer.

Dark Mist’s pace quickened.

At the end of the hallway, there was another shoddy door that Dark opened with care as it looked ready to fall off the hinges. His nose was assaulted by the metallic scent of blood and the sickening one of death.

“Ugh...” Dark pinched his nose.

In front of him, a body was laid out on the slab. He was still alive, his chest barely rising and falling, but the injuries on his body stated that he should be dead. On the wall were tools that looked as if they had been used recently, judging from the wet blood on the blades. There were containers of things that very closely resembled human body parts.

“Ah! Perfect timing, it’s the ex-pharmacist,” Vyne said in a peppy tone that didn’t match the gruesome surroundings.

“Who?” another voice questioned, Dark Mist lowered his sight a little to see a small child who definitely didn’t match the surroundings. “Oh, you told me about him before. Hello, Obscure Fog, my name is Weryn.” The adorable child bowed at Dark.

“My name is Dark Mist.”

Weryn’s pure eyes widened with shock. “Apologies.”

“Do you need my help healing this man?”

“I’m giving Weryn a class on how to use magic to regenerate limbs.“This is test subject No. 39, the rest died too quickly, but he’s a good one!” Vyne said with the proudness of a father to his son.

Dark Mist instantly wanted to leave.

“Watch!” Vyne grabbed a sword and walked back over to No. 39. “Hold him tight, Weryn, he squirms too much. I need to make a clean cut.”

“Okay!” Weryn said with an innocent smile that juxtaposed with the blood smears on his face. When the man started to make a guttural noise similar to screaming and fought against his restraints, Weryn’s hands clamped down on the man with such strength is fingers pierced through the skin and caused blood to well up. Still, the man stopped moving.

Vyne raised the sword and removed the man’s hand with a single swing. Without any remorse, he tossed the hand into the container filled with many more. Their natural attitude as they basically tortured the man made Dark Mist grow sick to the stomach.

He was going to puke.

“Now we have to-- Wait, where are you going?”

Dark Mist did not want to see anymore of this, and promptly ran out of the door and in search of Lilian.