Nateaser: Reborn As My Love Interest

Dio - Chapter Six

"Multiple fishermen reported, that a tornado split from the Sea of Storms. They last spotted it heading towards the mountains. I advise..." An abrupt bang on the gates silenced the frail elderly kobold.

His long ears trembled as the wrinkled head turned towards the throne room's entrance. I rushed there and felt the Demon Lord's gaze burn my back. A disheveled goblin messenger, way older than me requested entry out of breath, but he held the Shaman's Seal.

"The Princess left Nordhaben, my Lord!" He reported on his knees. He bowed to the massive throne and as customary, averted his gaze from the majestic creature. He struggled to talk and must have rushed all this way to bring the news. "She set out on foot two days ago... Only two guards of the Inquisitorias... They travel lightly... Now about a day's walk from the Cyreneian pass..."

"She's en route to the old capital. The fools... But this means a great opportunity for Us." The deep laughter of the Demon Lord filled the throne room; even the pillars trembled. "Did the informant contact you directly? Any other details about them?"

"Yes, my Lord, but this is all we know so far..." The messenger bowed his head again. "I still wait for our spies to confirm the information..."

"There is no time for that, news travels slowly over such distances and We must act now!" He announced, and without missing a beat, gave me the order. "Dioneras! Ride with the Twelve Champions, and intercept them! If they throw away their only hand against Us, it would be impolite not to thank them. Capture the Princess, and bring her back alive! The rest is up to you. We don't care about the other two..."

"Yes, my Lord!" I kneeled too. The creatures that filled the huge throne room started to get noisy. From goblins and kobolds to giants and ogres, all representatives of the Lesser Races gathered here. They also felt that something big happened. With mixed feelings to be a part of it, pride and fear made my heart race.

"Once the royal blood of Cranta is in Our hands, the whole continent will be at Our mercy. This will certainly paralyze the Inquisitorias." The Demon Lord claimed, his words met with cheers. "It might be even time, that We became a True God! They won't be able to oppose Us anymore!"

He monologued while his twelve-foot-tall stature easily overshadowed even the largest creature. Like us, mere mortals under his guidance, not even the torchlight could reach his face, shrouded in darkness. Only his eyes glowed crimson, his feet sharply driven into the ground. His brute strength shook the whole throne room.

"We will be the Lesser Races no more!" He yelled theatrically and all the shamans chanted the same in unison. The rest erupted into a crazed cheer.

The Twelve Champions swiftly emerged from the crowd to line up behind me. They all brandished a murderous arsenal of weapons and armor but dropped to their knees. Orcs, beastman, hobgoblins, and ogres... Even some undead abominations in their ranks. To be their captain as a mere goblin meant the greatest honor I received. People considered them the best of the best and they itched for action. The orc witch with a wide grin kneeled closest to me.

The current team consisted mostly of fighters, but they remained undefeated. They rarely fought, since large-scale troop movements exceeded what the continent's current leaders afforded. They protected our people, even if someone just uttered their names. I felt pride as their Captain, owning part in their great achievements. Not a fighter myself, but still referred to as the Thirteenth Champion, I became part of the elite of the New Order.

I marched them out in a tight formation with a single motion of the Demon Lord's hand. The crowd followed us into the narrow streets with cheers, all the way to the beast's stables. The stablemasters prepared our wyverns for us, who instilled fear even in the other monsters, and the people quickly thinned out. I gave out my orders to the Champions.