356. Interlude - Belzu's Bane

It had been a single night since the battle of Westshield. A single night since that terrible battle. It was still fresh in Alix’s mind. The flames. The screaming. All the death and destruction. It had been seared into her memories, promising never to leave.

She shuddered at the thought of being responsible for killing all the innocent lives in the city. It wasn’t even something she’d done personally. Belzu had sent her alongside his army. She’d hesitated even when faced with the city’s guards, let alone their populace. And it wouldn’t have made much of a difference if she’d been present or not.

Yet, she blamed herself for what happened. The only solace she found was the fact that Belzu had been defeated there. His army of monsters was a fraction of what they’d been before Westshield. They battled against a coalition of adventurers, led by the Remembered Order Company. The Champion of the Human Lands, Mori Gladius, had been there.

Alix watched the fighting. She saw how Mori had nearly defeated the Primeval Demon. He would’ve killed Belzu. If not for the third party’s appearance. The interloper. Another Primeval Demon. It had dwarfed Belzu in size, making him look like a mere insect in comparison. This Primeval Demon, Levithus, impaled both Mori Gladius and Belzu.

It killed Mori Gladius in that single blow.

The Champion of the Human Lands, the leader of the Remembered Order Company, and one of the highest-leveled [Warriors] in the world was slayed there and then.

Levithus proceeded to decimate Belzu’s army, laughing maniacally as he culled the Mindreapers and the undead. Belzu could only flee and accept his defeat.

He’d retreated away from Shedos. He’d pulled back with whatever forces he had to the Motharis Mountain Range. And Alix was forced to follow. She was, after all, still his captive. Along with the other gladiators and slaves he’d gathered in the Inoria Empire.

They didn’t question Belzu. They just obeyed him. Even though there were thousands of them, they were afraid of the Primeval Demon. But they… hoped that he’d treat them better than their former ‘masters’.

And when they arrived at the Motharis Mountain Range, Belzu… proved them wrong.

“Do not stop.”

His words echoed for all to hear. Alix blinked as she leaned against a rock. Quinn, one of her cell neighbors, was bandaging up an injury he’d sustained to the leg. They thought they were going to make camp and rest, but Belzu commanded them forward.

“The Humans will find us if we stop here. Levithus is surely following our trail. Continue. March on. We will not fall here.”

Quinn gaped.

“Is it being serious?”

“I… think so.”

Alix watched as Belzu flew ahead of them. The undead and monsters dragged themselves forward while the Humans just waited stupidly. Shaking her head, Alix ushered Quinn up to his feet.

“Come on. We’ve got to keep going.”

“That’s fucking stupid. We’ve just escaped a huge battle, and we’re supposed to keep on marching because that thing is paranoid?”

Quinn groaned, and Alix nodded apprehensively.

“But Lord Belzu will kill us all if we don’t listen. We don’t have much of a choice.”

“I know, I know. Can’t a man just complain a bit? I mean, it’s not like we’re allowed to do anything else…”

Alix paused. She looked at Quinn as he walked past her. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment before following.

It’s fine, she told herself. The Primeval Demon can’t force us to march forever.

—--

Alix came to a halt as a figure dropped just behind her. She turned around, looking at a woman as she collapsed to the dirt ground. The woman was older than Alix with brown hair fading to a gray-white. Her name was Winsley, and she wasn’t a slave of Roguehollow. She’d been picked up by Belzu along with hundreds of other slaves in Aysgarth.

And while Alix hardly knew her, she knew that Winsley hadn’t been a gladiator. Winsley had been a slave working the fields. Originally of the Elutra Kingdom, before the country had been conquered by Inoria. So it only made sense that after three days, fatigue would catch up with the older woman.

“Someone get her a healing potion!”

Alix rushed to Winsley’s side. A man produced a vial of yellow liquid, but the former gladiator dismissed it quickly.

“Not a stamina potion. She’s had too much of those. They’ll only poison her and kill her from the inside. We need to treat her injuries and her injuries alone.”

Winsley groaned, lying there as Alix was quick to replace the older woman’s bandaged feet. The same man from before returned with a red vial this time, speaking dourly.

“We don’t have much left. Our stocks of potions are running low.”

“Then we’ll just have to conserve it.”

Alix drenched a cloth with water before dabbing it with the healing potion. The cloth was dyed a light red, and she applied it on the older woman’s wounds.

“Here. You’ll be fine. Just relax.”

The pain on Winsley’s face eased, and Alix helped her up by the shoulder.

“Do you think you can walk?”

“M-maybe…”

Winsley whispered. Alix’s eyes darted to Belzu who was still moving, even as his continent of former Human slaves slowed. Perhaps they could just come to a halt completely, and the Primeval Demon wouldn’t notice. But, deep down, Alix knew that he would just slaughter them if they didn’t follow him.

“Just take it easy. I’ll help you.”

Alix grunted as she aided Winsley, supporting the older woman as they marched on.

“I’m sure we’ll be getting some rest soon.”

The former gladiator lied to herself, and the third day came to a close.

—--

“We’re out of potions…”

Alix cursed as the news reached her. A susurration ran through slaves. They were in a colder part of the Motharis Mountain Range now. At a higher altitude. It only heightened their sense of encroaching dread and fear. Panic that they might not make it. It had been six days of marching, now. And it didn’t look like they were going to stop any time soon.

The most exhausted and injured of them were being carried by the higher-leveled ones via makeshift wagons or magic as they simply followed this long march.

“It’s almost been a week.”

Alix whispered. Quinn sighed as he overheard her words. He gestured at the mountainous terrain around them, no end of the undulating shapes in sight.

“And we’re not going to be stopping anytime soon. We’re fucked, Alix. We’re all going to die.”

“That’s…”

Not going to happen, right? Alix hoped, but Belzu continued his march.

—--

It was now the tenth day. A week had gone by, and they didn’t rest. Not for more than mere minutes. Now, they ran into a different problem. As they exited the colder parts of Motharis back to warmer land, they were faced with… monsters.

“We’re under attack!.”

“[Vurats]! Keep them back!”

Alix shouted as the flock of small winged creatures rained down from the sky. They didn’t target the large monsters, staying far away from the few [Gatho Mammoths] that remained. Instead, they targeted the undead or the wounded. Those who lay, carried by others and unable to move.

The [Vurats] would’ve been easy enough to deal with if they’d been at full energy. But they were weak and tired. One caught Quinn off guard, striking him from behind and sinking its teeth into his neck.

“Quinn!”

Alix ran hurriedly to his side, slicing the [Vurat] in half. Around her, she watched as the [Vurats] were driven off. The undead and the monsters actually working with them to fend off those incessant pests.

But many were injured. Quinn was on his knees, clutching at the wound he suffered at the hands of the [Vurat]. Alix tried to help him up.

“Are you alright?”

“Just fantastic, Alix. The weather is delightful. It’s such a wonderful day to be out and slowly dying from attrition. What about you?”

He groaned as she supported him by the shoulder. Alix pursed her lips. She looked behind her— at the other gladiators succumbing to their injuries and exhaustion. Even the monsters that were following were tired. A few of the brittle-looking undead actually broke and fell into a crawl. Her eyes flickered to the figure moving ahead of them, leading them callously forward despite the brief skirmish with the [Vurats].

They’d been traveling for too long. Through harsh terrain, without any pause. Over a week. And that was after what happened at Westshield. Alix knew that even the highest-leveled [Warriors] would falter if they were pushed to their limits like this.

“We can’t go on like this.”

Alix spoke as she settled Quinn down next to the healers. She balled her fist and sheathed her blade.

“We’ll die if we don’t get some rest. If we don’t get our injuries treated. If we don’t have food or drink.”

With that, she resolved herself and marched straight for Belzu. The Primeval Demon buzzed forward, not even turning one of his bulbous eyes in her direction. Alix spoke out as she trudged beneath him.

“Lord Belzu!”

Her voice echoed in the mountain range. But the Primeval Demon didn’t slow. He continued flying as she struggled to keep up.

“Lord Belzu, please. We need to rest. We can’t keep this up.”

He didn’t waver. Alix came to a halt. She bit her lower lip, watching as he went on. Quinn dragged himself up to behind her as a bandage covered his neck, sighing.

“Just give it up. He doesn’t care about us. I’m sure if we die, he’ll just use his [Crypt Lords] to bring us back as undeads anyway. He’d definitely prefer those silent undead than us noisy Humans.”

Alix glanced back at him. Despite Quinn’s annoying tone, she knew he was right. And yet, she acted. Perhaps it was her weary mind that moved her. Or maybe it was because the stakes were gone— she’d die from this trekk anyway, even if he killed her for speaking out.

“Lord Belzu!”

She called out to him one last time. The Primeval Demon didn’t even slow. But she wasn’t finished. She continued, and this time, Belzu actually paused.

“Did you not say you were going to free us from our bondage? Were you not granting us our emancipation? What is this but slavery? What is this but bondage in ”

Alix gestured at Quinn and the other exhausted gladiators. Belzu slowly turned to face her. Quinn hurriedly backed up, stumbling behind a rock.

“I’m just gonna… sit this one out.”

She didn’t pay him any mind. The Primeval Demon descended, landing right before Alix. The former adventurer wasn’t fazed in the slightest. She met his gaze as he spoke in a booming voice.

“What did you say to me, Human? Do you dare challenge me?”

Alix flinched. It must’ve some kind of magic— his illusion. It caused her to stagger, as if she’d been punched across the face by just Belzu’s voice. But she took a deep breath and didn’t back down.

“I am challenging your words, Lord of Lies. You offered us freedom for our strength. We have lent you our power. We have fought our own kind on your behalf. We have kept up our end of the deal. However, you have not given us any autonomy. You have not given us protection. You have treated us like we are but mere cattle.”

Belzu quirked his head slightly, and she clenched a fist. Taking a step forward, she faced down the Primeval Demon. The one who’d razed so many cities to the ground. Who’d killed so many other Humans. And she was not afraid.

“We are tired and weary. We need rest. Even your monsters need to rest. If you aren’t going to uphold your promise, then…”

She trailed off, looking at Quinn then back at Belzu. The former slave chuckled maniacally.

“I guess I was a fool for believing someone who goes by the Title ‘Lord of Lies’.”

Belzu’s eyes flashed. He was in front of her in an instant. With one of his insect-like claws, he grabbed her

“Do not use that Title lightly, Human. Not if you know not the history behind it.”

“Then enlighten me.”

Alix snarled.

“If you wish to lead us, don’t just bark your orders and expect us to follow. Tell us what we’re doing. Let us rest. Treat us like people, please.”

She wasn’t even sure why she was being polite with a literal Demon. But she was tired. Oh, so tired. Even if her protests would fall on deaf’s ear, she needed to get it out. Things hadn’t been any different ever since she was freed from the gladiator arena. She was still a slave, fighting against her will.

And she was completely tired of it. Alix looked up at Belzu and raised her blade.

“Either that, or you can kill me right this instant. I no longer wish to live in a world where I am forever chained.”

“You—”

Belzu started in anger. Then he paused. The Primeval Demon actually remained quiet, taking in her words with an eerie silence. He studied the former gladiator’s expression like a predator. Alix braced herself. She expected him to lash out at any moment.

He opened his mandibles— and he spoke slowly.

“I see.”

Alix blinked a few times, feeling her shoulders going slack.

“You… get it?”

“I understand. You are right, Human. It seems I have made an error in judgement.”

She didn’t believe what she was hearing. Was it an illusion? Was he just tricking her before he killed her? Alix’s mind raced as Belzu floated up. He surveyed his army and harrumphed. Then he spoke out for all to hear.

“Today, we shall rest. Recoup. For we have suffered a great loss at the hands of the Demon King.”

The former adventurer wasn’t the only one who was visibly confused. The other slaves looked at each other deliriously. As if they’d all fallen under the effects of a very strong psychedelic at the same time. Quin climbed out from behind his rock, staring with wide eyes.

“Is it being for real?”

“I… think so.”

Alix spoke quietly. She hadn’t expected that to work. Yet, Belzu flew back down to Alix. He held her gaze as Quin flinched.

“I have listened to your pleas, Human. I have answered them.”

She was at a loss for words. She struggled to work her jaw, but Belzu spoke over her.

“But know this: do not mistake my kindness for weakness. I grant you mercy because I am not like Regnorex. You are not my slaves. And once I have defeated the Demon King, you shall have your freedom.”

Then his bulbous eyes shimmered. Literally. It showed images on it. Like Alix was staring into a pool of reflective black water. And she saw herself. On her knees. Crying. Weeping. Bleeding. A shadow loomed over her as Belzu continued.

“However, if you ever mock me again, Human— if you mock my Title without knowing its meaning— know that I will not show you any mercy or kindness. You will die.”

Alix closed her eyes as blood splattered on the ground. The illusion in Belzu’s eyes ended, and the real Alix stared on in horror. Beads of sweat crawled down her neck as a prickle ran down her spine.

“I…”

She straightened as Belzu tilted his head.

“Yes, Lord Belzu.”

“Good.”

The Primeval Demon flew back up to the sky, but he didn’t force them to march. He didn’t continue forward. Instead, he perched atop a nearby mountain, on his own, as the Humans were finally given the reprieve they had long sought.