‘Based on Dungeons & Looting, I should have met humans, dwarves, elves, demonoids, and celestials. Aside from the bastards who tried to kill me, there’s no signs of elves, let alone other races.’ He thought.
Derek was sorely disappointed by humans looking very human, people being mostly average-looking, and women being dressed in a very demure style appropriate to the Middle Ages instead of the stripper-cosplayer clothes he had seen in fantasy media.
‘The good news is that if I’m the only one with powers, I’m basically a god. The bad news is that if I’m the only one with powers, people will pester me for favors and try to exploit me.’
Such thoughts went out of the window as he approached Zeska and saw mages flying in and out of the city walls. Only regular citizens needed to walk through the gates. Even more astonishing, many people had a holographic interface of their own.
‘Fuck me sideways, I’m not the only one with a system. What if they have something better than this poor excuse of a-‘ It didn’t take him long to realize that he was making no sense.
‘If they have a system, why are they walking? Also, how can I see their status window?’ As he approached, his enhanced senses could take a good look at the Tablets Lith had crafted and distributed as a part of his legacy.
‘What the heck? News? Photos? Video calls? That’s not a system, just some kind of high-tech smartphone! How can they have such a complex machine on such a primitive planet?’
His questions found no answer and multiplied as he approached the line of commoners. At his sight, they all screamed at the top of their lungs. Some ran away in panic while others wet themselves.
Only a few fainted and even less screamed, wetted themselves, and then fainted.
Those who retained their consciousness kneeled with their hands and forehead on the ground, not daring to meet his gaze. The citizens of Zeska were terrified of Lith ever since he had stormed the city during the War of the Griffons.
Now he was there in his Abomination form and, according to the Royal Edict, he was also amnesiac. It wasn’t clear how much Lith remembered so the citizens of Zeska assumed the worst.
‘Verhen came here thinking we are still at war! He has come to finish the job.’ Most of those kneeling thought, using each small variations on the theme.
“Well, this is nice.” It had taken Lith a long time to get used to people bowing to him and paying him respect but for Derek, it was the first time.
On Earth, he had been an unremarkable man, and out of the blue now everyone treated Derek like he was one of the most influential and powerful people in the Kingdom. Which, of course, he was.
The Void grinned seeing commoners, merchants, and a few mercenaries cowering at his sight. He enjoyed the whimpers they desperately tried to muffle with their hands.
“Still, you guards are doing a shitty job here.” He walked toward the soldiers who fell on their right knees while slamming their fists on their chests in salute. “There’s a monster threatening the people you’ve sworn to protect and yet you do nothing?”
“You are not a monster, sir.” It took the captain of the city guards every ounce of his willpower and the discipline garnered in his years in the army to not make his voice squeaky. “You are Lith Verhen, a hero to the Griffon Kingdom.”
Even in his human form, Lith exuded such a powerful aura and killing intent that if not for years of training and Solus’ help, most people would have frozen in fear the moment he approached them.
Now he was in his Abomination form, something that every living being instinctively recognized like a predator. The Void’s presence made the citizens of Zeska feel like mice trapped in a sealed room with a cat.
To make matters worse, the cat had no idea how to control himself and there was no Solus to reel in his violent impulses.
“I am?” Derek tapped on his fangs, intrigued by the stellar reputation of the evil overlord Lith Verhen.
“Sir, yes, sir!” All officials had been instructed to address Lith politely, reminding him of his contributions to the prosperity of the Kingdom, and to not make any sudden movement. “You are our Supreme Magus and you’ve sworn to protect every one of us.”
“Why would I ever do something so stupid?” Derek was flabbergasted. “I mean, of course. At ease, sergeants.”
The two soldiers stood up and gave him the salute, holding it until he crossed the gate that they kept open for him. Neither of them was a sergeant. Derek had mistaken the insignia of the local militia for army rank and spouted the first thing that came to his mind.
Neither of them felt the need to correct him.
“Damn, I must be pretty important if those suckers let me in even though I look like this.” He said. “Also, I must be careful. I keep thinking out loud.”
No one felt the need to point out that he was still doing it. Soldiers and civilians just waited in silence until Derek’s ramblings were no longer audible.
“Did someone report Magus Verhen’s arrival?” The customs officers on the left, the soldier who had remained silent, said while his captain bled from his mouth.
He had bitten his cheeks so hard in order to overcome his fear that he had inflicted himself with nasty wounds.
Everyone raised their Tablet in reply, their legs still too weak to stand up. The holographic interfaces showed the emergency button at the bottom of the Royal Edict. It was connected to a tip line to report sightings or interactions with the missing Supreme Magus.
“Your call is very important to us. All the Constables are currently busy. Stay on the line to not lose priority. Thank you.” An automated voice said as the nearest military base was flooded with hundreds of calls at the same time.
“May the gods help us.” The soldiers pressed the emergency rune on their service amulets.
It opened a direct line with their commanding officer who sounded the alarm and warned the local garrison that death had returned to Zeska.
As the city gates closed behind Derek, he could still hear the desperate whimpers of the people in the line and the frenzied beats of their hearts against their chests. He could taste their terror on his tongue.
He could smell the pungent cold sweat drenching them and the ammonia of their spilled urine. And he loved it all.
He simply pretended not to notice so that those stupid people would believe they had a chance against him. They would do whatever they wanted and he would judge them based on their actions.
He was in no rush to kill them.
‘The first message I received after regaining my senses was to establish friendly relationships with the people of this planet. Maybe it’s just an attempt to manipulate me but maybe it’s actually useful advice.’ The Void thought after finally managing to shut his mouth.
