The Night of Reckoning
The night before Edwin and Sophie awaken to their new life, Lord of Greed sat by a roaring bonfire, surrounded by his legion. The demons were quiet, not asleep, not restless. Just focused. The sun had set. Their bellies were full.
Now it was time.
Lord of Greed stared into the flames, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Face," he said.
His advisor looked up, still chewing the last of his meal. "Yes, my Lord."
"It's time."
Face didn't ask for clarification. He stood and roared:
"Legion assemble!"
Thousands of demons rose in perfect unison. No fear. No joy. Just purpose.
Lord of Greed stepped down from his throne and began to walk leading the march himself. The legion followed in silence, like predators stalking prey. Hundreds of thousands moved as one, quiet as mice, deadly as plague.
He raised his hand.
The march halted.
Face approached. "My Lord"
"We're here," Lord of Greed whispered, pointing forward.
The gates of Compassion City loomed ahead. A sign read: Welcome to Compassion City. Population: 5,450,230.
Lord of Greed sneered.
"Numbers are meaningless. One demon can slaughter a hundred mortals."
Face nodded.
"Send the aerial unit."
Face signaled a horned demon, each horn representing a specialized battalion. The demon raised his instrument and blew.
The sound was monstrous. It echoed through the woods, through the bones of the earth. It was a sound that would haunt dreams.
Thousands of winged demons took flight.
They descended on the city like shadows with claws snatching civilians from the streets, lifting them into the sky, and dropping them to their deaths. Screams filled the air. Alarms blared.
"Send in the ground-and-pound unit," Lord of Greed commanded.
Another horn blast.
From the treeline, monstrous beasts charged dead rhinos clad in bone armor. They smashed through the gates with ease, trampling everything in their path. In three minutes, hundreds lay dead.
"Battalion move forward!" The Lord of Greed roared.
He led the charge himself, staff in hand, Face at his side. He didn't underestimate mortals but he didn't fear them either. The demon prince sees police officers cutting them off and setting up road blocks. But it was no good the prince and his demons were not affected by the hundreds of
shots from the police. The humans had no chance the demon prince reached the police lines and blitzed in, killing any officer and civilian they could get their hands on.
The city was chaotic. Half asleep, half screaming. Demons tore through homes, streets, and shelters. Not even stray animals were spared.
Lord of Greed moved block to block, striking down every mortal he saw. His staff, crafted from human bones, shattered bodies with ease. The cries for help echoed from every corner.
In six minutes, thousands were dead.
Then he saw a man dart into an alley, desperate to escape. The man dove into a dumpster, trembling.
Lord of Greed opened it slowly.
"Where do you think you're going, mortal?"
The man couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe.
Lord of Greed raised his staff.
"Last words?"
The man whispered, "Save me… Light."
Lord of Greed's face twisted in disgust.
"Pity. You'll die a fool."
He struck once. Silence.