So sorry for the late update, I was dealing with some issues. Without further ado, here's the newest chapter to The Demon Lord is Bored!

Water, blood, and dirt mixed and pooled in depressions on the road. Fate curled inwards and shivered violently as she felt cold for the first time as the icy rain drops stabbed at her exposed flesh.

The corpses that surrounded her were etched into her mind, creating a gruesome memory that would never fade.

Tears streaked her cheeks and she desperately tried to wipe them away but the flood was unstoppable. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she cried quietly, repeating the words over and over as if they’d bring back the souls of the lost.

Before her stood a monster. A monster that made her kill, he made her do something that she had sworn against. She couldn’t take a life. She would never take a life. That’s what she told herself all those years she sat guard, alone.

A part of her had grown to envy the others that she was able to watch using her magic, it was the only way she knew about the outside world. It must be nice, she had thought, to be free.

Fate wasn’t sure if she hated her job. Her purpose for living was to sit in front of stone for eons. She loathed the ones who didn’t have to deal with the burdensome task like she did; however, at the same time, she couldn’t help but love them.

Maybe love wasn’t the right word. Her jealousy had morphed into an obsession with them, with the ones who were able to look out at the world and see it all for themselves. She wanted to be like them.

Carefree. Naive.

Somewhere along the line, she began to believe that was one of them.

But now that dream was crumbling, it fell to pieces the moment she took their lives. Because of him because of the one who didn’t see the light that the others had radiated!

Fate choked on her tears, she dry heaved in a desperate attempt to rid her body of the sickening feeling. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she continued. Maybe she could bring them back, she could... it was in her powers. But even she couldn’t simply ignore the world’s law: balance. If she saved their lives, they would still die shortly. Or someone else would.

Maybe she would, would her life count for all of theirs? Was she being arrogant? How could she think that her life was greater than theirs?

“Sorry,” she sobbed.

The monster wore a smug smirk and his eye was lit with a carnal ferocity. He knew exactly what she was thinking even without hearing her thoughts.“Why are you apologizing? It’s not like they can hear you,” he taunted Fate. “They’re gone.”

“Shut up!” she yelled, blocking her ears so she didn’t have to hear his voice. “Shut up, shut up! This is all your fault!”

“Well, I won’t deny the fact that I pushed you to do it... but the decision was yours in the end, wasn’t it? Don’t blame me because you’re weak.”

Fate jerked her head up, fury blazing in her eyes. In blinding anger, she charged at Erebus and began to claw at his face. Her sharp nails did nothing against his tough skin, they only created small scratches that were gone within milliseconds. She pulled back her arm and snapped it forward, her fist meeting Erebus’ nose. “Screw you!” she roared.

Erebus laughed lightly. “Where did your holier-than-thou attitude go? Are you telling me that you want to fight?” His demeanor changed. “I’ll be glad to entertain you.”

She flinched, her senses coming back as quickly as she had lost them. Fate was ninety-nine point nine percent sure that Erebus wouldn’t kill her, but she didn’t want to test out the point zero one percent that he would.

“What? You don’t want to... how boring.” Erebus clicked his tongue in irritation. “I was hoping that you’d go crazy and try to fight me.”

Fate sniffed indignantly. “You aren’t worth the time.”

“Neither are they, I suppose. For you to save, that is.” Erebus gestured loosely to the bodies that surrounded them. Fate flinched. “Now then, let’s go. This town has given us all that it has to offer.”

Fate leaped away from him, her beautiful face contorting with anger. “You expect me to go somewhere with you?”

“Eh? You don’t want to do that either? I thought that there were more places that you wanted to show me.”

She glared at him and spat out the words, “Not anymore.”

“I see... what a tragedy,” Erebus responded, not sounding at all saddened by this prospect. “Well, good-bye. I’ll go explore by myself then.”

Fate watched as he started to walk away, stepping over bodies like he would trash on the street. “Wait!” she called out to his retreating figure. Erebus stopped. “You’re staying on this continent?”

“Is there a reason for me not to? It’s not like I was doing anything in the first place. I can pass time by exploring the world and it should prove to be mildly entertaining.”

She swallowed. Fate didn’t trust him at all. Not one bit, actually. She could only imagine the horrors that he would commit on his own. But it wasn’t like she wanted to go with him in the first place. But if she didn’t, who would?

He had taken her dream away from her. Fate ground her teeth together, she would get her revenge on this man. She would avenge the dead and all the others he had hurt just for his silly little games.

“I’m coming with you,” Fate shouted, pressing her heels into the earth as if it could provide her with more stability.

“Pass, my offer has already expired,” Erebus told her nonchalantly and began to walk away again. He then paused once more, remembering the suspicious gem on her chest. It wouldn’t hurt to observe it for a little longer. If it didn’t seem harmful, Erebus would leave Fate behind but if it was... he would have to terminate her and find out about a replacement Guardian. And also, it would be boring if he didn’t have a toy with him.“All right, you can come.”

Fate’s mouth dried. “O--”

“On one condition, though, I don’t want to hear your mouth. Every time you say something that pisses me off, I’ll kill someone, okay?”

“O-okay,” Fate murmured.

Erebus smiled at her, the jovialness of it did not fit in with the surroundings in the slightest. Honestly, it made her feel sick. “Let’s go, Fate.”

...

Erebus entered the tower where Fate was locked, his memories from the past still swirled in his mind. They had all resurfaced like the weight holding them down had vanished and allowed them to break through the depths of his subconsciousness.

He traversed down the sparsely lit spiral staircase along with Azure (who was uncharacteristically silent, which, frankly, made him uncomfortable). His hand lightly trailed along the railing before tightening.

How disgusting, he thought.

Fate’s aura was beginning to leak through and Erebus could see the mana being corrupted by her already. Fate’s mana had gone haywire, creating something that didn’t belong in this world that tainted the previously existing mana. If the corruption spread... it certainly wouldn’t bode well for the future of their world.

Why had they called him so late? Erebus sighed inwardly. Frankly, Fate was far too much of a hassle than she was actually worth. To him, they were just prolonging the inevitable--her death. He voiced this aloud,“I don’t see why Rolut and Ayirn want to keep this beast alive.”

“It’s because...” Azure glanced at Erebus through the corner of her eyes. She closed her mouth then opened it, she didn’t want to be the one to disclose the reason why. Erebus wouldn’t... he wouldn’t receive it too well. She took in a deep breath, deciding that it was easier to just get it over with. “It’s because you loved her once. Like a lot.”

Erebus stopped walking, his back rigid. He turned to Azure, quiet fury burning in his eyes. “That was then and this is now,” Erebus snapped at her coldly. “She’s a dangerous entity and needs to be exterminated before she causes--even more--harm.”

Azure wrung her hands, not wanting to be in the presence of Erebus’ bad humor. She came across the lovely decision to bring up a happier subject. “I remember when you told me about it. And I told you that I felt sorry for her,” Azure laughed. “But I was surprised that you were... capable of, you know.” She sighed. “Those were good days, weren’t they?”

“Since when were you the type to reminisce?” Erebus’ tone was light but it came off as menacing.

She flinched and clenched her hands tighter, wishing that she hadn’t been the one sent along with Erebus. She was (normally) uninvolved with his life which was why the two always had an amicable relationship because Azure never bothered him and he did the same to her.

Ah... I really messed up, Azure lamented internally. I should have just stayed quiet. She pouted her lips and slumped her shoulders, Erebus--surprisingly--could hold onto grudges for a long time. It wasn’t as if she had done anything wrong other than, well, bring up the past! She laughed to herself.

The two rounded the staircase when they reached the end and continued down a long, though brighter, hallway.

Azure cringed and slowed her pace. “Erebus, you’ll be fine without me, right?” She rubbed her arm furiously as if it could rid the feeling of the completely corrupted mana. It was possible for her to continue forward without being affected to the point of no return, it was more of an issue of her not wanting to go.

“I’ll be fine,” Erebus responded. “I’ll leave immediately and come back if I’m close to becoming compromised.”

She nodded her and lightly patted Erebus on the back. “Get it over with quickly.”

“I will,” Erebus answered pointedly. It wasn’t like he wanted to be here either, it wasn’t as if he was immune to the effects of the corrupted mana. It would be over soon, though.

Azure nodded, turned, and waved before sprinting back up the stairs. Erebus was left only with the sound of her receding footsteps.

He sighed heavily, his shoulders slackening. Erebus combed hand through his hair, muttering softly to himself, “Seriously... all of them are annoying.” Erebus lifted his head back up, staring at the path before him. It would lead him to the source of all of this trouble.

Erebus stepped forward, then his feet began to move on their own. They carried him to his destination and Erebus was just a passenger in his own body as he glided through the hallways.

And then he was there.

He pushed open the heavy door to her cell and prepared himself to face a demon he longed to forget.