Aefia slammed the last body into the pile of all the bodies combined. "Fifty-four today. Twenty more than yesterday." She said it out loud, making sure her voice was loud and clear.
"That's a large number compared to others days. They really fall for the bait everytime. But I don't think they will fall for it the next time. You know the story about the boy crying wolf?" Helio answered.
He was in charge of healing each one of them while Aefia gathered a group. "I do know that. I think I have enough demons necessary to defeat the Torture Cell. And if I am right, tomorrow is the long awaited mission that we are supposed to be prepared for. I think this number will be enough."
"How many species exactly do you need in your team?"
"I need at least one chimera dragon. That's how far. The Torture Cell is a huge organization which seems to run under strong showcasing of fear from powerful Kings and Queens. And if you remember the Kings and Queens are the most powerful third only to Deity.
"If I am right. The person who leads the Torture Cell group is probably a lot of powerful species combined to make an abnormally over-powered species. And although I don't know or have no clue on who would do such a thing, I assure you that we need to have the Torture Cell taken down in order to achieve the main goal of this competition. That is the only way to return back to Earth."
Helio thought for a while. "But then why didn't they actually choose powerful people from other dimensions and worlds to complete this so-called goal to destroy the Torture Cell? It's not like we are any different from them."
"I think that's something even I am trying to figure out." Aefia used a piece of cloth to wipe the blood off the blade. "Also, what is your opinion on being forced to fight and murder even when you stand completely against it."
"Hmm...I would find it unfair to the point where I might as well start a protest on it. Isn't that the same thing as slavery?" Helio asked. He continued to heal the demons one by one while waiting for each of them to wake.
"I don't know. Because back on Earth, I used to kill and same goes to here. But somehow I feel like in this dimension, it is completely not right. I know that I am dealing with demons here, but during my research, I have found that they can be turned back to humans, only after you kill them."
"But why do you not want to kill them?" Helio asked with a questionable expression.
"Because imagine they become a human and they go on to do the same thing they had done in their previous life. And if they turn into a human right now, I can't fulfil the thing I need it to be done." Aefia answered while shealding her small knife.
"If you say it like that. I think what you are currently doing is the right thing to do. You are giving them a few conditions in order to pardon them a life. If they are loyal and behave during their time listening to your order, then you can kill them. But if you think they are a burden, well, they are demons." Helio shrugged.
"That sounds like something my parents would say. But how do I know they won't snitch about my secret organizations? I think it was better not to pursue with the growth of this organization." Aefia walked over to the pile of bodies.
"And it's still early. I think cancelling the plan would be much better than to pull the burden of actually being a ruler. If I am strong enough and expand this team of eight people for inter-dimensional missions, that should be enough right?"
"Then I demand a damarage." Helio stood up. "If you are cancelling this plan last minute while the work is under progress, than I just wasted my magic on some useless project! And my power is very exhausting to handle."
Aefia stared with a black face. "...I think you are not getting it. What I really meant was that body would be the last you are going to heal and I will just let the others die. And can you name any elemental magic or just any sort of magic that isn't exhausting? If so, I would have switched very long ago."
"So this is the last one?" Helio sat back down and continued with his work. "Don't you feel pity for those bodies? They may have a family or something."
"Like I said, once they are killed, they are transformed back into a human. By killing them, I am doing them a favour. They will automatically go back to their hometown in their human form." Aefia answered while stabbing their hearts individually.
In the distance, she could see that the other demons were slowly waking up. They all stared at horror as Aefia slammed her dagger into the souls of their fellow demons. They tried to run, but Helio was already in charge of guarding them. If they broke out in a run, he killed them in Aefia's place.
Once she was done, she wiped the blood off her hands and cheek before turning towards the pack of demons in the form of wolves. She didn't bother herself to clean the crimson liquid off the dagger as she planned to use it as a source of fear to scare the demons into loyalty.
"Well as you can see, a few of your friends weren't lucky enough to survive. A few of you who have actually managed to survive, were because of the determination you had shown earlier." Aefia noticed Helio making weird faces at her. Which later, Aefia read and it sounded like this, "Are you seriously going to lie about that?"
Aefia not being able to reply, nodded in return as a response. But what she really meant was, "I have no choice."
"Anyway, the actual reason why I have kept a few of you alive was because I need a few things done in return for me. If you are willing to show me your loyalty, I believe it will benefit in both sides..."
"We will not give you our loyalty!" A demon shouted.
"Did I ask for your opinion? Nor did I say it was an option. I don't care whether you feel like this is a mistake and you rather die than be a slave for some sort of tyrant like me. But that isn't your decision to make. From now, I will order you to die. As long as you don't feel brave enough to break the orders, I will not be forced to kill you like the other demons you see are laying dead on the ground."
The group of demons started whispering among themselves as soon as theh heard the word 'ground'. "I want utter silence! I didn't give anyone permission to speak just yet." Aefia slammed her sword hard on the ground next to her, piercing through the rock.
They all looked at Aefia and bowed down. They rest on one knee and place both their hands in the ground with their heads hang low. "What exactly are we doing?"
As more and more kneeled down, Aefia gave a thumbs up to Helio, as a sign to indicate success in action. Aefia turned around to take a look at the now dead bodies.
"Well to tell you the truth. This fellow demons aren't actually dead." Aefia finally spoke up. "If you can still think through your memories, has there ever been, by chance, a memory of yours where you are were taken in by a bunch of scientist who conducted some sort of experiment?" The demons looked up with a shocked face all at once.
"To make it more clear for you. There should be a memory where each one of you were lined up and from the inside of the laboratory, you could see humans being electrocuted and suddenly, they grow horns and their skin colour turn a pale colour?" Aefia asked with a more softer tone.
"Yes. I remember the time they dragged me from my workplace and shot me multiple times." A demon spoke up.
"Helio. Slaughter that one." Aefia pointed to the one who spoke.
"But why? I remember that time!" He screamed as he was dragged away from his crowd.
"No one can be electrocuted and turned into a demon. That was just a made-up event I used to find out which one of you are just obeying me in fear." Aefia said as the demon was slaughtered.
"The real way a demon is formed, is when they start believing in ritualistic magic or is turned into such a being when someone conducts a ritual to turn the person into a demon. That is also why, anyone who believes in ritualistic magic, is considered evil. The demon king or whoever you all are working under, also worships ritualistic magic.
"I know that all of you were once taken as hostage and turned into a demon, but what I need to know is who that person was. If you need to know why I plan on doing so, the main reason is because that will help to prevent more misfortune in the future.
"The few demons I have killed today are not really dead, their soul will soon be sent back to their world." Aefia explained.
"How is that possible?" The demons asked.
"Stabbing the heart of a demon in a specific place."
"But why and how do you know where?"
"To start with, a ritualistic magic needs something that can be enmagicked with a wicked approach in order to turn the person into a demon. That something needs to be touched, grazed, eaten or drunk to be able to work.
"The magic is then transferred from the skin and into the blood vessels where it is transported to the heart. There, it forms a blood clot because the wicked magic is actually absorbed into the blood cells, which caused it to swell a bit. Imagine an overloaded pocket being fed a few extra items.
"The blood clot stays in a vessel connected to the heart and unless it is removed, the person stays like that for as long as until their death." Aefia explained.
"And what about when it is ingested?" A female demon asked.
"Well in that case, the enmagicked food or drink contains a part of the ground they walk in. For example, some may have ingested grinded roots, some may have ingested dirt or soil including compost, some may have ingested waste materials like stool, some ingested the dirty shoe sole of the person who wants them enmagicked and others may have ingested rotting blood from a predatory dead animal."
Hearing that, each one for the demons started wiping their tongue with their bare hands. Some of them were getting the urge to puke.
"Uh..for those who are scrubbing their tongues with their bare hands, that's even more disgusting." Aefia felt the urge to puke too. Helio in the distance was already covering this face with her sleeves.
"Anyway, the ingested material settles in the stomach and gets attached to the stomach lining and it grows there. It is mostly used if they want the person to stay in that state forever and keep getting worse." Aefia finished the topic off.
"And what about the food itself being used?" Another demon asked. All the demons formed a fist and locked eyes with that demon. A few planted a punch onto his side and left him hurting on the ground. "So how did you figure out how they were enmagicked?" They asked when they were done.
"My elemental magic allows me to see through organs. You may say that my magic allows me to help detect what type of enmagicked they were. Most were enmagicked with materials like comb or shoes. The few who were enmagicked by food items, they were slaughtered. They have no way to turn back." She explained.
The demons looked with a sorry face at the ones who were slaughtered. One of them were bursting with rage. "I want to defeat the person who did this type of things!" A demon shouted. "Me too!" Shouted all other demons at the same time. One by one, everyone wanted to hunt down the demon king and kill the ritualistic magic user.
"Yes I know. We both also want to hunt down a kill the entities who have done this sort of stuff. For that, I had to convince you all to join me and build a small force. I can't take down such a powerful entity by myself." Aefia explained. "That is why I need you guys to spy and gather as much information as you hear from the higher-ups. If you feel like you are being watched, inform the other human the next day or whenever he comes." The demons nodded but Helio crossed his arms.
"Anyway. Once the demons have fully gained their consciousness and turned back into a human, tell them to run straight in any direction and keep their eyes closed while keeping concentrating on the thing they miss most about their hometown. That should open a portal for their way home."
She grabbed hold of her sword's hilt and pulled it out. "You are all dismissed. And one thing. If any of you successfully fulfil my mission, I will turn you back to humans as a reward." Then she continued to walking towards the 'orb'.