"What is next, mi'lord?" Raum Si'vesj asks me.

His efficiency does him proud as usual. Arrayed on the square below are many of my finest demons from the guard. Seventy-Five warriors milling around, sitting and being sociable in a meal. Their last supper, I suppose.

"Is my brother...?" I start.

"I am here..." Hestos says.

He is a truly massive demon. He is even half a klecksel bigger than me. His grey face is crisscrossed with battle scars, and his bulging muscles ripple, barely contained by several leather straps that secure two pole-axes to his huge back. Though I'm no slouch in melee, due to my extra arms, I'm still not confident I could beat him soundly without the Void's assistance. He is truly one of the greatest demon warriors.

"Your plans are insane as usual, little brother." He grins.

"What can I say. Great need brings great madness." I nod.

"Are you certain you wish to use all of the crystals?" He asks, rubbing his chin.

"Could we use them more effectively than this?" I reply.

He ponders for a second.

"Perhaps not. The troops are doing well. A morale crush of the enemy is indeed a good idea. I like it. It is just... it is unlike you to choose such a brazen plan."

"Furfur's incompetence in underestimating Jeraldine has cost us time and again. The other human nations are now cowering behind them. Tessalatoria is broken. Francazesky lost many of their regulars to the Skull Beast." I cross my arms.

"It is true enough. Jeraldine's morale is only still high due to the aftereffects of that accursed genius princess strategist. The only human with a brain left is the Duke of Carnage." He says.

"Huh... so you've actually started calling him that as well?" I grin.

Hestos shrugs.

"Human or no... I still recognise a fine warrior."

"I suppose that is something we've never seen eye to eye on. I cannot respect any humans." I reply.

He snorts and shrugs.

"Given your position, I wouldn't expect any less. I honestly don't envy you, Flauros."

I sigh.

"You know that it is Cultivator, now, brother. But... indeed. Why the void chose me, I will never know."

"Because you... Cultivator, were the only one willing to take action to save our world. To cultivate a future for us. You are a hero."

I snort in return.

"I will only be remembered as a tyrant, though. The massacres I have wrought..."

"...sacrifice the few to save the many, did you not say?"

I sigh again.

I did not expect the few to be quite literally the few I cared about, though. Vine, Oriel, Kerkyon, Barbatos... and now I am quite likely even sending my brother Hestos to his death.

A king's burden is a lonesome one.

"Do not look so morose. I am aware that it is a one-way trip. We shall give them fire and blood before we walk back here with fresh scars. I promise that much." He grins, flexing dramatically.

I nod.

"Very well. We did promise, long ago, didn't we?"

He snorts affirmative and bangs me on the shoulder. We share a brief glance, and then he looks away, going to join his troops.

I start the preparations, nodding to Marchosias S'lein. He adjusts his large glasses on his snout, raises his staff, and starts to draw glowing purple lines in the ground as he walks.

Despite the hell I am putting demon-kind through, my popularity remains high. I suppose a successful war will do that. The demons were all tired at the moderate policies of the previous demon lords. Year after year, it was always concessions. The fields were grey. More and more Void spirits choked the land, beyond control. I grew up in a city so full of poverty you would have thought it was already suffering from war.

But no. It was the humans.

Their unchecked consumption of spiritual power is ruining the world. They are draining the land dry, the seas. They are too many. They are murdering the spirits in swathes.

And they don't care. They have forgotten the lessons of the original dragon, Rah'lyah. Their own lands have not yet felt it like the demon lands have. They don't look at the narrowing leylines and wonder what might have caused that. They merely lament the loss of quick travel it used to afford. If they even remember that... as they die so quickly and only the powerful, like the Sages, can still use that ability.

The war has served one purpose, at least. It has given us time. Prana has flowed here from other worlds due to humans summoning. Even small amounts are something. This year has been the first in many where the harvest has been plentiful. Strange.

Marchosias S'lein nods as he completes the circles exterior. I feel the void spirits show interest.

I take the small treasure chest that Raum is holding

I go to the podium overlooking the assembled troops, and place the chest down.

"You seventy-five!" I shout, raising my arms. "Are the greatest fighters of demon kind!"

There is a roar of approval.

This lot is truly an eclectic bunch. Male and female demons alike. All sorts of weapons. Even rare mages that use Fire, Water, and Wood spirits. All strangely enthusiastic volunteers.

The foundation is complete, so in just a few hours, I shall tear the void with the remaining Crystals of Despis, and shunt these troops all straight to Jeraldine, ignoring the ley-lines, as I previously did with two of the three Skull-Beasts.

There must be a culling. We will destroy their capital and end this resistance, once and for all.