Kyle stood a respectful distance from the edge of the small village, his arms crossed behind his back in a posture of quiet command. To his right stood Gabriela, her form largely concealed by the deep shadows of her hooded cloak. Behind them, a silent assembly of twenty-four soldiers waited, their presence a tangible weight in the evening air. Fourteen were archers, their quivers full and bows strung, while ten were foot soldiers, their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons.
The wind, carrying the scent of dry grass and distant woodsmoke, whispered across their faces, a subtle movement in the otherwise still landscape. The ground beneath their feet remained stubbornly unmoved.
"Why did you decide we should attack at sunset?" Gabriela finally asked, her voice a low murmur, tinged with genuine confusion. The dim light did little to hide the question etched on her face.
Kyle did not turn. His gaze remained fixed on the cluster of mud-brick houses that constituted the village. "Our mission is clear, Gabriela. We are to conquer these villages, eliminate the demon guards, and, most importantly, gain the trust of the people." His voice was flat, devoid of inflection.
Gabriela shifted, turning her body slightly to face him, though her head remained tilted upwards towards the village. "Why gain their trust?" The question held a note of skepticism.
Kyle broke his rigid stance, lowering himself into a squat. His eyes, when they met hers briefly, held a chilling intensity. "We have to give the Human Emperor and the Demon King a warning. A clear message."
His gaze then returned to the village, hardening. "Celestia is here to rule."
The words were delivered with the finality of a death sentence, his tone as sharp and unforgiving as shattered ice.
A flicker of unease crossed Gabriela's face. 'Did I really make a mistake telling him about Juliet? What is he planning on doing?' The thought was a cold knot in her stomach. She turned her own gaze towards the seemingly peaceful village, a growing sense of foreboding settling over her.
Whoosh!
Kyle's head snapped to the side, his attention instantly drawn to the last archer, who landed at his side – The fifteenth archer, and the one on whom he had used the ruby.
"What did you find?" His voice was low, demanding.
The archer stepped forward slightly, his posture respectful. "My King, our reconnaissance reveals a total of one hundred and one villagers. Forty-five are female, twenty are children, and forty-one are male. The demon presence numbers fifty in total, all of Rank 10, with the strongest identified as a Rank 15 Hunter."
Kyle nodded slowly, his gaze unwavering. He opened his hand, palm upwards. As if conjured from the very air, two small vials materialized on his skin, their contents shimmering faintly in the fading light.
"Give this to the demons," he commanded, his voice regaining its flat tone. "All of them. Ensure the leader consumes it."
Without question, the archer stepped forward and took one of the vials. A foot soldier, standing ready, accepted the second.
"You have five minutes," Kyle added, his eyes still fixed on the village. "It's time for their dinner."
In the depths of his mind, a storm of dark satisfaction brewed. 'With the rare herbs acquired from my raid, I have manufactured a potent concoction, strong enough to kill even a Rank 20 Hunter. These ignorant fools extinguished Juliet's life. I will ensure the entire continent pays the price. They are all complicit in this tragedy, and they will face my wrath together. This village… this is merely the beginning.'
An almost palpable wave of killing intent radiated from his body, a cold, invisible pressure that caused Gabriela and the assembled soldiers to instinctively take a step back. The air around him crackled with barely suppressed violence.
___
[Five Minutes Later.]
[8:30 PM.]
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The archer and the foot soldier returned with swift, silent movements, landing lightly on the ground before Kyle. They immediately dropped to one knee, their heads bowed.
"It is done, my King!"
The archer reported, his voice low and respectful.
"We waited until they had consumed it."
The foot soldier added, confirming the success of their mission.
Kyle, standing; folded his arms across his chest, his gaze still locked on the now darkening silhouette of the village. The last vestiges of sunset had bled from the sky, replaced by the deeper hues of twilight.
"In ten minutes," he announced, his voice carrying a chilling certainty, "attack from all directions."
He then turned and began to walk towards the village gate, his movements deliberate and purposeful. Gabriela followed silently, her cloak swirling around her ankles.
The twenty-five soldiers exchanged brief, knowing glances. With a synchronized movement, they leaped into the air, their dark figures melting into the growing shadows. Their black outfits provided perfect camouflage, allowing them to stealthily approach the unsuspecting village guards.
__
[Village Gate.]
The village was a humble collection of mud houses, huddled together within the meager protection of a roughly constructed wooden fence, barely a meter in height.
The full moon, a silver disc in the inky sky, cast its pale light on the two demon guards who stood languidly before the wooden gate. Each held a long, crudely fashioned spear, their postures suggesting boredom rather than vigilance.
"What are we even doing here?!" one of the guards grumbled, shifting his weight. "Shouldn't we be inside, enjoying the food, or at least having some fun with those human bitches?"
"Yeah!" the other agreed, stifling a yawn. "Some of the others are probably already stuffing themselves and… You know… While we're stuck out here guarding… what exactly?" He gestured vaguely around the open field beyond the village, his expression one of profound dissatisfaction.
"Exactly!"
The first guard exclaimed, his voice rising slightly. "This village is practically at the edge of the Neville Empire. I bet the King don't even know if we took over the whole place for ourselves."
"Yeah,"
The second guard echoed, his gaze sweeping across the barren land surrounding them. "Just barren land and a few weak humans..."
Suddenly, the first guard froze, his head snapping upwards. He stared intently at the sky for a moment, his brow furrowed.
"What happened?"
The second guard asked, a hint of confusion in his voice as he followed his companion's gaze.
"I thought I saw something move up there… Forget it. Probably just a bird." The first guard dismissed his unease with a shrug. He then grinned, a predatory glint in his eyes. "Say, what do you think? Let's sneak inside for a bit. Grab a couple of those human… companions. At least they can keep us company out here. We could even have some… fun."
The second demon guard nodded eagerly, a knowing smile spreading across his face. "Wow! You're actually being smart for once! Come on…"
Whoosh!
The second guard's smile vanished, replaced by an expression of utter shock. His eyes widened as he watched the head of his colleague detach from his body and fall to the dusty ground with a sickening thud. A geyser of dark blood erupted from the severed neck, and the headless body slumped to the earth.
"This…?"