His brows furrowed as he glared at the present group. They wore bitter, apologetic smiles, but Andrew could not remove himself from the chair.

"Don't bother," laughed Yuol, "I personally set up the seal. You trapped me so it's only fair."

Andrew glared at the demon who strutted through the room proudly.

"Still silent? Well, how about this? Shadow word: Pain."

He felt a sharp pain course through his body, but he refused to utter a cry for the man's amusement. Instead, he returned the gesture.

'Pain, pain, pain,' thought Andrew venomously.

"Huh? ARGHHH!" Roared Yuol. He heaved deeply and seethed, "I'm going to make... you regret that... you... you bastard."

"Enough," sighed a pudgy looking man.

His complexion was pale and his entire body seemed to radiate weakness. However, there was a glint in his eye that even Andrew fell back from.

"We need to get answers. You, where are from? Do you work for Thurn?"

Andrew scoffed loudly and glared at Yuol. However, the demon laughed coldly, "shadow word: fear. Shadow word: anguish. Shadow word: suffering."

The boy's mind withered underneath the sudden curses.

Inside the hall were hundred of men, women, and children of his clan being slaughtered as if the humans were threshing wheat. Hundreds fell in the first hour and soon the waves advanced past any form of retaliation the clan could offer. All subjects were riled up to stand - to fight.

Yet, the moment Andrew looked upon the screens by his bed-side, he felt a burning pain tear through his chest and a muffled laugh in his ear. Hundreds more fell before he could turn his head.

"It's only fair," chuckled a callous girl. "Just give me a second and I'll put you out of your mise-"

Andrew's eyes flared and the necklace wrapped around his neck was ripped off. With the press of a single button, the room erupted in streaks of lightning. Even as the bullet pierced his skull, he still stared vacantly as the girl withered under the blow. Then the lightning danced from monitor to monitor before jumping to each invader.

"Pretty bad dream, huh?"

Seeing the gloating smirk on Yuol as his sight returned, Andrew glowered at the man.

He looked at the table and caused the four daggers to impale it.

'What do you want?' Wrote Andrew, knowing full well direct attacks would be meaningless.

"Ah, learned in letters but not words. No matter. Where are you from. Two horned demons do not live in Vinas - normally. Even in Thurn, they are rare, though more accepted due to the Lord's heritage. However... to think I get to kill one of you traitorous bastards. It is an honour, my Lord," chuckled Yuol condescendingly.

'What do you want,' repeated Andrew as the steel letters floated in the air.

"From where do you hail," spoke Lord Huren. "Who do you work for? What is the purpose of you coming here?"

'I do not work for anyone,' replied Andrew in writing. 'You should know where I'm from, shouldn't you?'

Andrew wrote that and glared at Yuol. The single-horned demon looked at him for a long while before he turned away. "I don't care. I just want the opportunity to watch you burn."

Lord Huren growled, "don't you dare. Not yet. I will repeat this once more: from where do you hail?"

'East. The Great Desert. What did my ancestors do to madden the likes of this pathetic excuse for a demon?' Wrote Andrew.

"What?! Me - pathetic?! I'll ki-"

"Quiet. You are a guest. This is not Vinas so you'll behave under my orders. Naturally, you'll have the right to deal with this one when the time comes. Admittedly, we'll have to hunt down the other, but still."

The Lord heaved a small sigh before continuing. "Your people once led the war against humans. It was they who brought ruin and despair to both races. In the end, few remained. However, to the survivors, they were the ones responsible. You'll find ignorance here, but in most other Kingdoms, they won't allow you passage without taking your head on principle. That or your freedom.

"It was for that reason we assumed you wore the mask. However, be that as it may, who do you work for?"

Andrew took a deep exhale and looked around. "Ah, the jig is up, isn't it," chuckled Andrew loudly. Seeing their blank eyes, he smirked inwardly, "you should know I'm not that idiotic. Why is it you brought a little... hell, weak minion of that empire? You ought to be aware of the limitations of..."

He snickered as he looked at the broken, bleeding single horn. "... Ah, impotence. Truely impotent."

"Shadow word: pa-"

"Silence," spoke Andrew scathingly.

The demon's eyes grew wide.

"Well, aren't you full of tricks too," spoke Lord Huren calmly. "No matter, I have five mages in the room ready to kill you at a moments notice. You won't escape."

"You sure? Anyways, please tell me why you are so dead-set on killing me. I don't recall doing anything besides swindling - ahem, selling a few items here and there."

"Sha-"

"Silence," spoke Andew and the Lord in unison.

Seeing the man's mouth clamp shut at a frightening speed, Andrew nodded at the Lord Huren. "Good technique. Are you a dark magic user as well?"

"Naturally, my boy. Now, who do you work for? Even orphaned, two-horned demons always know of the dangers they face when they leave. Well, some have hidden away and earned repentance through years of compliance and lineage checks, but your being here is suspicious at the very least."

'Ditch the mask and carriage,' projected Andrew. 'I'll be there in a bit.'

"Truly is the case. I've recently come into contact with two-horned demons as well," sighed Andrew. "Now, if only they were alive to tell the tale. Nevertheless, you are determined to kill me, right?"

"Ye-"

"Not necessarily," spoke the man with a glare pointed towards Yuol. "There is a chance you can stave off execution. However, it will require you to give up your clan's location such that the Reijin may appear to judge them."

Andrew looked at Yuol before he barked a shallow laugh. "The Lord is a better emissary than you'll ever be, impotent demon. Do you feel self-conscious about your lack of horns now when you face someone with real horns?"

A bolt of fire rippled through the air and shot towards Andrew. Before the boy had time to react, the table, a third of Andrew's body, and a servant, were reduced to ash.

"Now that's not very nice," frowned Andrew.

"Wha... a doppelganger?!" Cried Yuol.

"Yep, I'm getting pretty good at it now, hey? Right now I'm basically with a buddy of mine. Anyways," spoke Andrew with a mock bow. He removed both hood and mask. "Just a 'guise. Not a true blooded demon so try not to pester my business, okay? Just a small town boy looking to make a bit of coin."

Andrew's shadow self-reformed atop the table now that the seal was destroyed alongside with his lower body. His body reverted back into a human form with indistinct features. Naturally, he was still a fair bit taller than what he really was.

"This is me. I will have you know I have full intention of roaming freely, but the fact remains that I do have to thank you for the information. Lord Huren, Emissary Yuol, I bid you ado."

"Wait! Are you a demon or not?!" Cried Yuol indignantly.

Lord Huren puffed out his chest a frowned. "Boy, do not ever come into my city - ever again."

Andrew pushed out his tongue and stretched dramatically.

"Old Broken-Horn, I think you might need a potion or some... pills. Anyways, till next time. Oh, keep the mask. I'll make a new one soon enough... Yuol... Yuol the Impotent, that'll be my new name for you," spoke Andrew thoughtfully as he abandoned his shadow clone.

When the last vestige of shadow fell loosely, Yuol growled furiously, "I'm going to kill him. Call the Reijin. Hunt him down. There will be no mistakes - any and all forces converge on the city."

"Oh, hey!" Shouted Andrew as he reappeared next to Yuol suddenly. "I left a little bit of a presence. Anyways, what's the easiest way to get demonic magic?"

"What in the actu- die!"

Andrew flickered into the man's shadow before silencing the man.

"Awe, tell me," pouted Andrew. "I want to learn how to demon... ize myself. Preferably with two horns. Old man, you mind telling m-"

--

Back at the camp, Andrew was stomping on the ground irritably.

"You believe that? The old man just decided to kill my shadow - no questions asked. Decrepit bastard. Well, Terra, my great minion of earth, we will soon need to evade capture! Onward my steed!"

Terra looked at Andrew anxiously, but the boy was not intimidated in the least. His horse was going at no more than a trot as he started on a new project.

"Wait, are we running or what?"

Andrew quirked his head, "why'd we need to do that? Just have to make new demon masks."

"No, listen here," groaned Terra before he relayed a new plan.

After listening for a few minutes, Andrew scowled and shook his head firmly. "I will not do that. I refuse to dress up as a girl."

"Hey, kid, who would think you're a boy anyways? Look at all that hair. Hell, you are wearing it in a ponytail right now."

Andrew paled and looked at Terra in shock. His shock turned to agitation as he pointed back at the young man. "Hey! You're one to talk! Look at all that hair! You dress up as the girl!"

"No! I at least have some self-respect."

"What are you saying about me then?!"

"You swindled an entire province," scoffed Terra. "Like you have any semblance of that."

"Pfft, you were there too. Coin is coin no matter where you go."

"How about you dress up as a squire? I'll be the Great, illustrious, Knight, Greg!"

"No, your name is Terra, idiot minion," grunted Andrew. "How about you be the squire and I'll make a... huh, let's try that."

"Ha-ha," laughed Terra triumphantly, "I'll be a great knight, little squire."

Andrew snorted and drove his horse into a nearby forest. It did not take long, but soon the two were dressed in plate armour.

Rather, it simply looked like plate armour. It, in reality, was only a millimetre thick - very much liable to break with a fair jostle - but Andrew did not care about its practical use. Instead, he just bolted it to their extra clothes and made it look extremely intimidating. The full effect was obvious, but the colour coordination was completely off.

"Why are you dressed up as a black knight - furthermore, when did you learn to modify steel like that?"

Andrew snickered, "it's technically modifying iron so I just played around with it a bit. Nevertheless, it is weaker, but looks so much cooler than silly white knight armour... actually, why the hell did you force me to use gold?! That's valuable!"

Terra snorted, "it's all about the effect! And it's my gold anyways, you brat."

"Bah, ignorant fellow. Just wait until someone tries to steal your armour because it's so shiny."

"Not under my watch," spoke Terra pridefully. "And you can just make more anyways. What's the big deal with using a few gold to make it look more dazzling?"

"Dazzling...? Did you... ah, I don't even know why I picked you as the official minion. I revoke minion rights and privileges right now! You are now a free minion - now give me my armour back."

"No! They are my clothes, you pervert!"

"Huh? You're disgusting. Why would I even? That's disgusting. Minion rights doubly revoked. Now shoo, shoo, I need to find a new minion to grant my amazing powers."

Seeing Andrew dismissively wave him off, Terra snorted and turned to mount his horse. However, the moment he grabbed the reigns, the horse's head exploded.

"Charge!"

Multiple cries were heard all around them, but the two of them looked around coldly. Andrew's eyes glinted and a deep black mist erupted all around them. It covered the immediate vicinity so the cries of alarm were immediately heard.

"Terra, on the ground - now!"

Andrew launched several rock bullets at the blinded ambushers and waited several moments as he used his doppelganger to survey the outside area. He noticed seven were stationed at a distance, but his doppelganger was shot down before he could deal with even one.

"Stop," cried Andrew. "I have six hostages and I will - I will - make them feel unimaginable pain unless you leave."

"You don't have the guts," called out one of the wounded.

He was the first to shriek and then two more. They were still alive, but the act had the opposite effect as he wished.

"Destroy it all - the hostages are as good as dead!"

Andrew bolted towards Terra and grabbed hold of his waist. Naturally he was unbelievable large compared to Andrew. However, the boy guided him along using the armour as he burrowed a hole into the earth.

An ice lance shattered against his showy armour before sundering the armour itself. Fire danced in the shadows, but the two were being lowered into the earth as a steel shield formed above them.

"Minion rights granted! Scattershot those bastards before we fall," cried Andrew as he opened part of the shield and lessened the shadows.

"Fall?! What-"

"Do it!"

Terra's earth bullets peppered the trees' canopies in all directions. Occasionally cries of pain could be heard, but it was impossible to tell whether it was Terra or the others inflicting damage on their own troop. After a hole six feet in the ground was formed, Andrew collapsed the scaffold they were standing on and the two fell.

And fell. Time seemed to drag on as they rushed down into a curtain of darkness. Then they felt the solid ground on their feet - rather, on Andrew's feet.

They grunted out in pain, but the top most section caved in as steel covered it all. Andrew was exhausted from the use of magic and told Terra to start to dig. After all, Terra was the one who nearly crushed the poor child underneath the weight of faux armour.

Andrew focused on the screen above and the defence of the growing tunnel as he hastily tried to mend his body.. However, his body also soon appeared from far above.

"God damn it all! When did I piss you all off?! Stupid, ignorant savages! You give demons a bad name!"

His doppelganger pulled the shadow mist away from the ground and formed two cracking whips. Only the tips were physically present, but the ten foot long whips gave the attacking demons a start.

"Kill his clone! Don-"

"Pain, pain, pain!"

Of the seven, three were attacked with the wriggling whips and another three were inflicted with the hex. However, his doppelganger was destroyed with a lightning bolt from the last man.

Andrew returned his fading consciousness to his true body and crawled through the dark tunnel. He forced himself to remain consciousness and the two formed several different tunnels to throw off the pursuers before delving deep into the ground.