First Duel and First Encounter

'That was quite informative,' I thought as I returned the last of the books to their places on the shelves. Standing up, I retrieved my sword from the table and exited the library. The two hellhounds were still guarding the door, sleeping soundly.

I clapped my hands, rousing them from their slumber. They stretched lazily as I passed by, but quickly snapped to attention and followed me, growling softly.

Back in the throne room, everyone straightened in my presence.

"We'll depart immediately for the eastern mine. Do any of you know the guardians of the mine and its surroundings?" I inquired, addressing the assembled demons.

The Maniac sprang to his feet. "AAHA, of course, my Lord ahaa! The Mines are guarded by ahah, my ancient clan, aahaha! The patriarch is a ahahha a Demented with a dozen Maniacs like me ahahaa!" he exclaimed, punctuating his words with maniacal laughter.

'Bloody insane,' I thought to myself as I listened to the demon speak.

"Good," I nodded at him as my little army and I departed from the throne room toward the eastern mine. It was the nearest source of obsidian stone, essential for rebuilding the entire castle. Additionally, I hoped to recruit more demons to bolster my ranks.

Our journey was punctuated by encounters with stray demons, some hostile and others seeking to join our cause. The latter were welcomed, and I marked them with the symbol of the Legion to ensure their loyalty. The former met a swift end, either becoming snacks for my hellhounds or meeting my blade.

The Succubi proved to be formidable allies, demonstrating their strength by incinerating a stray imp with a single fireball. Their physical prowess, combined with their deadly whips, made them valuable assets in my army as they were the only ranged soldiers that I had.

The other ranged units I knew from the demon army were Breeders, spawn of the Overlord of Proliferation, disgusting monstrosities that spewed out their spawn to attack others.

After around three hours of walking, we neared the mines. I was surprised by the distance; on the map, it seemed much closer. It dawned on me that Sheogh was far grander than I had anticipated.

As we approached, I observed a small encampment near the mines, teeming with Imps and Maniacs. The Imps appeared to be enslaved by the Maniacs, who drove them to work tirelessly.

Frowning, I descended toward the encampment with my hounds, the Maniac, and the two Succubi.

"Ahahaha! Who dares to intrude into Malar's territory?" echoed the mad laughter of the leader of the demons. The Demented stood taller than the Maniacs, his head ablaze and his skin a fiery red compared to the brown of his comrades.

"I am Val-Beleth, leader of the Legion of Knowledge," I declared, my voice carrying a refined edge amidst the madness. "I come here to offer you an opportunity, Malar. Pledge your fealty to me, and you and your clan will rise stronger than ever before."

"AHAHAHAH!" The uproarious laughter of the Maniacs echoed for miles around, some of them even rolling on the ground in fits of hysteria. I frowned, observing them as Malar gradually calmed his mad cackles.

"I will join you only if you are stronger than me," Malar declared, surprising me with his sudden seriousness. "After all, as Kha-Beleth said, Might Makes Right."

Despite his earlier display, Malar now exuded an unnerving calmness that belied his usual demeanor. Dementeds were not known for such composure, yet this one appeared more collected than even my Succubi. My delegation regarded him with a mixture of fear and trepidation.

I returned his gaze, noting the ominous energy emanating from his two arm-whips.

"It has been so long since I've heard of the Legion of Knowledge," Malar continued, his tone laced with disdain. "I thought you disappeared in the burning rivers of Sheogh, but it seems you are merely clinging to existence, a fledgling demon lord attempting to recruit me, Malar, ancient commander of the Sixth army of the Legion of Madness."

'Okay, that's not good,' I thought to myself, assessing the situation. Commanders like Malar ranked second only to the Marshals, just beneath the Legion Leader. However, there was something that reassured me—he was not a heroic class like me, merely a Demented. But that didn't mean I would underestimate him.

Gripping my sword tightly, I narrowed my eyes at Malar. The other demons formed a circle around us, creating an impromptu arena. Malar's laughter echoed around us, adding an eerie ambiance to the confrontation.

Suddenly, the sound of whipping filled the air. I reacted swiftly, dodging the incoming strike. The force of the attack was so intense that it left a trail of destruction in its wake, kicking up a cloud of dust and sending red stones flying.

Gritting my teeth, I charged at him. Once again, Malar attempted to strike me, but I managed to evade the attack. However, his second whip came at me with incredible speed. I raised my sword to parry, but the sheer force behind it caused me to recoil slightly.

'I will never win at this rate,"'I thought, frustration gnawing at me. I extended my hand towards Malar, unleashing two streaks of fire. He effortlessly parried them with his whips, but it gave me the opening I needed to close the distance between us.

As I approached him, Malar executed a move I never anticipated. With a swift backflip, his claw-like feet aimed directly at my jugular. I narrowly avoided the deadly strike and seized his foot, hurling him away. But before I could press my advantage, he retaliated, using his whips like serpents, striking at me with lightning speed.

'Checkmate,' I thought, a smile creeping across my face, as Malar fell to the ground. Suddenly, the ground erupted into a column of flame.

"AHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!" Malar's laughter echoed around us as the fiery pillar dissipated, leaving him panting on the ground. Slowly, he rose to his feet, his eyes fixed on mine, a smile playing on his lips.

"I and my clan pledge our servitude to you, my lord," he declared amidst the cacophony of mad laughter from the surrounding Maniacs.

I regarded Malar with a nod. "I accept your surrender, commander. Welcome to the Legion of Knowledge."

"My Lord, I could assist in recruiting nearby demons to your legion. I have quite the reputation in the region," Malar offered, his demeanor shifting with surprising agility as if his wounds had never existed.

"Then I will expect to hear from you in three days at the remains of the fortress," I replied, preparing to depart from the mines.

"Be cautious, my Lord. The Legion of Voracity and Legion of Pain are once again at war, and nearby settlements have been ransacked. Take care on your way out of here; I wouldn't want my new liege to fall victim to these Succubi," Malar warned with genuine concern.

I nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to leave, the echoing laughter of the Maniacs trailing behind me.

"Your chieftain is quite the character," I remarked to the Maniac accompanying me, noticing his amusement.

"Haha, indeed, my Lord," the Maniac replied with a grin.

The journey back was mostly silent as I remained vigilant, dealing with any stray demons that dared to cross our path. Upon our return to the fortress, I made my way back to the library to study the map of the surroundings. With the most eastern mine now under our control, the potential for expansion was clear. If Malar proved trustworthy, he could be instrumental in securing the nearby mines and settlements to strengthen our foothold in the region.

I opened the map and furrowed my brow in surprise. The region was now marked with two enormous dots to the west, one purple and the other red. Intrigued, I clicked on the purple dot and a window appeared.

[Fourth army of the Legion of Voracity]

[14,874 demons]

[Commander: Tor-Kalai]

Curious, I clicked on the red dot next.

[First Army of the Legion of Pain]

[54,154 demons]

[Commander: Demon Prince Tor-Berith, Leader of the Legion of Pain]

'So, this map can act as a surveillance tool?' I mused with a smile, realizing the potential of this unexpected feature. As I watched, the Legion of Voracity army icon blinked and vanished from the map, indicating its destruction in real time.

'Tor-Berith is still alive? I thought he perished against Kiril during the first mission of the Inferno Campaign,' I thought, surprised by the revelation as I watched the names on the map.

'As long as they remain far from here, and this part of the territory remains barren, it's to our advantage,' I concluded, relieved by the fortuitous circumstances.

'The west is perilous, and the east is under our control. The north holds promising resources, but the south remains shrouded in mystery,' I mused, contemplating the map's details.

Deciding to postpone further exploration of Sheogh due to the ongoing conflict near the fortress, I resolved to resume my journey towards the Badlands. While initially, I had intended to focus on Sheogh, the immediate threat of war at my doorstep compelled me to prioritize survival in Azeroth. After all, death in Azeroth would only lead to my return in Sheogh upon reincarnation, unlike the finality of death in Sheogh itself.

I swiftly teleported out of the library, reappearing in the familiar darkness of the cave. Nothing had changed except for the passage of time; the night had fallen, and the soft glow of the moons filtered through the opening I had created earlier.

Standing up, I delivered a forceful kick to the boulders, causing them to tumble down the mountainside. As I scanned the surroundings, there were no visible enemies, yet a sense of unease lingered. My demon instincts were alerting me to something unsettling in the vicinity, something I abhorred.

Gripping my sword tightly with one hand, I pressed on towards the Badlands, but the unease persisted. With every step, it intensified until I detected sudden spikes of arcane energy.

'Damn it!' I cursed inwardly as I scanned ahead. To my dismay, I spotted a dozen mages unleashing barrages of arcane magic at a cloaked figure. The figure effortlessly deflected their attacks and then, with a clap of her hands, the mages vanished into thin air. The cloaked figure dropped to her knees, panting heavily. It was a woman, as I could discern from her silhouette.

I looked at her as she turned to look at me, I could discern blond locks of hair despite the distance and I sensed someone touching my psyche.

Observing her from a distance, I could make out strands of blond hair framing her face. Sensing a presence probing my psyche, I braced myself, but it quickly withdrew upon making eye contact with her. She didn't appear hostile, merely observing me with a curious gaze.

Drawing nearer, I continued to assess her cautiously. "You're quite the enigma," she remarked, her voice carrying a melodic quality "A demon not at the service of the Burning Legion"

"I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. You can call me Aegwynn," she said with a disarming smile.

"Hello, Lady Aegwynn. I am Val-Beleth," I replied, trying to conceal my unease as I remembered her formidable reputation.

"Well, little demon, would you care to explain why you're here in Azeroth, despite the fact that the world is still protected by barriers? Are you perhaps connected to the ongoing invasion?" Aegwynn's question sent a shiver of fear down my spine.

'I'm fucked, aren't I?' I thought, suddenly feeling small and vulnerable. 'Why did I have to cross paths with an ancient Guardian of Azeroth?' I questioned myself, my gaze momentarily fixated on the mark etched into my hand.

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I'll let you on this cliffhanger