Chapter 34: Revolution (2)

"We need to go, right now!"

A king demon said in a panicked voice as he grabs her daughter and pulled his wife out of the royal palace. Making both of them look at him in confusion.

"Daddy, what's going on?"

The little girl said but earned no response from her father as he pushed the wall in his bedroom to the side. Revealing a secret pathway that leads outside the kingdom.

"Capture them before they escape!!!"

A voice of a demon citizen angrily shouted as they heard something destroy the gate of their mansion open before several footsteps echoed below them. Making the King panic as he pushed both his wife and daughter inside the pathway.

"I'll meet you later so go ahead and escape first"

"SEARCH ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THIS MANSION!! iT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO LEAVE THE PALACE THAT QUICKLY!"

The voice shouted as he heard several footsteps climb the tower towards the second floor, causing the King to bite his lips before quickly pushing the entrance of the secret pathway close. Making his wife look at him in shock.

"Dear!? What are you-"

"I'm sorry"

The King said as he completely closed the entrance before hearing the door of his bedroom was suddenly force open. Revealing 10 demon civilians holding a bloodied sword in their hands, causing the king to frown as he brandished his claws. Preparing to hold them off with everything he got.

"WE FOUND HIM!! SEARCH FOR THE KING AND THE PRINCESS!! BRING THEM TO THE GUILLOTINE FOR EXECUTION!!"

One of the demon citizens shouted, causing many of the citizens that barged inside the royal mansion to come towards the bedroom. Holding their weapons in their hands with a bloodthirsty expression on their faces.

"I'LL KILL YOU ALL WITH ME IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!!"

The king shouted as he got ready to attack, causing the citizens to loudly laugh in response.

"Us? We're not here to fight you... We're just here so that we can sure that you don't escape"

They said causing the king to frown, looking at them with a confused expression on his face.

"...What do you mean by-"

He said but was interrupted as a hand suddenly covered his mouth. Pointing a dagger towards the soft flesh of his chin.

"Keep quiet and come with us... or else I'll let you die in a more painful death"

One of the few tiger ranked assassins that were left behind by Riku to aid the revolutionary army warned, causing the king to frown before slashing his claws towards the man behind him. Making the assassin smile before quickly repositioning his grip on his dagger and slicing his hand off in one quick motion.

"It's futile to struggle... even if I'm weaker than you, I'm already used in hunting you pieces of shits for the last 3 years"

He said before quickly letting go of the king and slicing his other limbs off his body in quick succession. Making the demon scream in pain as several black marks appeared on his limbs. Inhibiting his ability to regenerate his wounds.

"Bring him out and prepare his execution"

He said as he grabbed the king by his collar and threw him towards the crowd. Making the King turn pale as he felt multiple murderous eyes land on top of his body.

"... There are two more escaping rats. I'll open the pathway and rely on you all to capture them"

He said, causing the king to pale as he quickly looked at the assassin in a panic.

"P-Please spare my wife and daughter!!! You can just kill me!! T-They did nothing wrong!!"

He shouted, struggling to break free from the demon citizen's hold as he watched the assassin punch the wall covering the secret pathway with his bare hands. Breaking it to pieces and revealing a dark pathway.

"We didn't plan to involve the innocent in this war but... after what you demons did. All sympathy and consideration from our army were completely wiped out. If you want to fight the war like that... then we'll gladly comply"

The assassin said as the demon citizens started to run inside the pathway to catch up to the Queen and Princess that are trying to escape. Making the king close his eyes and look down in grief. Regret written in his eyes since he never imagined that the day that he will watch his wife and daughter die in front of his eyes.

The same happened to many kingdoms across the empire since the revolutionary army wanted to bring down the emperor's influence and power. They had to bring down the kingdoms that supported the emperor. Especially now when most of the imperial army was busy dealing with the undead in the imperial city. Leaving the palace and the royal families vulnerable to the rampage of the citizens.

"P-Please, I-I don't also support the emperor so please spare m-"

A king demon pleaded before being beheaded by the sharp blades of the guillotine, causing his head to fall down on the basket before a demon citizen stabbed his third eye with a pencil. Ending his life.

"Bring that spear to me!!"

The dem citizen ordered. Lifting the severed head of the royalty before stabbing it on the blade of the spear. Raising it in the air like a flag, causing the citizens to all cheer in response.

"To the imperial palace!"

He shouted while carrying the spear, with the main purpose of showing their victory and progress to the emperor, and to make the guards and army lose their morale after seeing the progress of the citizen's revolt.

-In the Imperial palace-

"EMPEROR! PLEASE COME OUT!"

"WE DON'T NEED TO CONTINUE THIS WAR!! OUR PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING!! WE MUST WITHDRAW!!"

The demons that wanted to peacefully file a petition to the emperor to withdraw from the war, all pleaded while creating a large crowd in front of the royal palace. 

"EMPEROR!! PLEASE GRANT US AN AUDIENCE!!!"

The crowd pleaded while imperial guards and soldiers blocked them from the gates. Denying them from entry into the imperial palace.

"General Morkomis... what should we do?"

An imperial soldier asked while trying to hold off the civilians that are pushing the shields that they were holding. Pleading the emperor to grant them an audience and settle the problem with the war. Making the general shake his head to the side, looking at the citizens with a difficult expression on his face.

"... Wait for the Emperor's decision... but I do hope that the Emperor would consider since... what they're fighting for is for the sake of the empire and its people"

The general said, clenching his fist as a frown surfaced on his face. He was a few of the nobility that opposed the decisions of the emperor and wanted to tell him about the problems faced by the empire. But couldn't as the emperor was a tyrant, a person that ruled his people by fear and power. Creating a difficult situation between the prime ministers and the emperor himself.

The main problem in ruling in fear is that it creates incompetent advisors and a bunch of yes man that agrees on whatever the emperor says. This causes major problems because those advisors only tell the emperor what he wants to hear, and not those that he needs to hear. He is being fed with coaxing lies, giving him no vision of what is truly wrong with the empire. He receives no valuable feedback that can help him reform the empire. This is the main reason why the empires, kingdoms, and groups that tyrants have rules and raised don't last long. As soon as the ruler, the person that forces everything to stay together disappears is when it completely collapses. 

To truly create a kingdom or an empire that lasts for generations to come, they need the support of the people. Since the people will be the ones to keep the kingdom or empire together once his gone. What the empire needs are the loyalty of the people. If they are governed by fear then that loyalty is only driven by fear. If that fear burst into anger or disappears, then the people would not hesitate to betray or desert the emperor or the army. 

Something that Lucias has done to the members of his faction that weren't bound by the contract dagger. He gave them various beneficiaries, a home, and freedom. That's why those people became loyal and attached to the faction. Their only "tax" is in the form of doing missions and jobs for the Faction, and for them to grow stronger so that they can better serve the faction in the future. He often listened to the complaints and inputs from his citizens and officers and made an action in accordance with the information that they provided. He wasn't a wise ruler, but his decisions are mostly aligned with the interest of the faction and its members.

He declared war with Xaosis not because he was angry, but because it will threaten the safety of his loved ones and his members. And seeing Xaosis' actions and nature, he was sure that Xaosis would definitely make the members of his faction suffer if he did comply with her demands since everything under his command will also be given to her. 

"General Morkomis"

One of the officers from the imperial palace called. Making the general kneel down on the ground as he faced the officer, causing the officer to scoff before showing an arrogant smile on his face.

"Under the orders of the emperor, these demons are now declared as traitors of the empires. That's why General Morkomis, the emperor has ordered you to execute all of the traitors at once"

The officer exclaimed in an extremely loud voice, causing the citizens protesting outside of the imperial palace to pause. Looking at the officer with a look of bewilderment and shock in their expression.

"W-What did he say?"

"The emperor has ordered for our execution!?"

The crowd started to chatter as fear in their hearts grew, making the general look at the officer with a large frown on his face.

"The emperor has abandoned us!!!"

"H-How could the emperor..."

They muttered while many of the imperial soldiers in the army all had a complicated expression on their faces as they heard the emperor's verdict. The majority of the imperial army came from the middle and lower-class citizens, so hearing how the emperor once to massacre their own people. They felt conflicted.

"B-But this people are the-"

The general said but was cut off as the officer glared in his direction.

"Are you trying to defy the emperor's verdict, General Morkomis?"

The officer asked in a deep voice. causing the general to look at him with a conflicted expression on his face. Biting his lips in frustration while many of the imperial soldiers from the middle and lower-class all looked at him with eyes that were begging him to do something. Even though they joined the army, the general has educated them to serve the empire, not the emperor. That's why what they're doing is defying the very belief that they lived with. 

"... Soldiers... you heard the officer"

He said, causing many of the imperial soldiers to frown. Clenching the grip of their sword with all of their strength before facing the citizens in front of them.

"Tch, if you're going to do it. Just do it don't waste our time any longer than this. The emperor is currently busy"

He said in annoyance but was ignored by the general and imperial soldiers that were dealing with the complicated wave of emotions that they felt. Watching as the citizens slowly stepped back in fear.

"No... the general wouldn't"

"... I can't... accept this"

They whispered to themselves as the general stood behind them with a resolute expression on his face. Making the citizens and soldiers alike gulp in, waiting for the general to make his decision.

"As per orders of the emperor... Kill all of the traitors of the empire!"

He shouted before unsheathing his sword and beheading the officer beside him. Shocking the imperial soldiers and the citizens.

"THE EMPEROR HAS BETRAYED THE EMPIRE!!! GATHER YOUR FORCES AND OVERTHROW THE MONARCH!!! HE IS NOT FIT TO RULE THE EMPIRE!!!"

He shouted while raising his weapon in the air. Overturning the fear and conflict that the citizens and the soldiers felt. Turning it into anger towards the imperial family, since it was clear to them that the emperor doesn't want to listen to their pleas. An event that would force all demons that wanted to settle it peacefully to reveal their hands and fight for the empire. Together with the imperial army that now opposed the current emperor.