The morning mist clung to the forest floor as Zarvon and Lysara walked deeper into the woods. The old chapel had disappeared behind them, swallowed by the thick trees. Lysara kept glancing back every few steps, as if expecting the building to chase her.
"You can stop looking," Zarvon said. "It's not going anywhere."
"I know." She pulled the gray robe tighter around herself. "It's just… I lived there for three years. Feels strange to leave it like that."
"You'll get used to it." He pushed a low-hanging branch out of her way. "Trust me. I left an entire life behind. A boring one, but still."
Lysara gave him a curious look. "What did you do? Before you became a demon king?"
"I sat in a cubicle and pushed papers around. Sometimes I got coffee for my boss." He shrugged. "Thrilling stuff."
She laughed, the sound bright against the quiet forest. "That's the most un‑demonic thing I've ever heard."
"Demons have office jobs too in my world." He paused, then grinned. "Okay, no they don't. I was just a regular guy."
They walked in silence for a while. The forest grew denser, the canopy blocking out most of the morning light. Zarvon's system pinged occasionally with notifications he ignored—something about terrain and nearby creatures. He'd figure that out later.
A sound stopped him. A low whimper, like an animal in pain, coming from behind a cluster of ferns.
Lysara grabbed his arm. "What was that?"
"Stay behind me." He moved forward slowly, pushing the ferns aside.
Three small figures huddled against a fallen log. Goblins—barely three feet tall, with green skin and oversized ears. Two of them were wounded, one clutching a gash on his arm, the other holding his side. The third stood in front of them with a sharpened stick, trying to look threatening despite his trembling legs.
"Back off!" the goblin with the stick squeaked. "We have… diseases! Many diseases!"
Zarvon stared at them. They looked pathetic. Starving. Scared. Exactly the kind of creatures no one in this world would give a second thought.
"You're hurt," he said, keeping his voice low.
The goblin with the stick blinked. "Yes. That's… that's what happens when humans chase you with swords." He lowered the stick slightly. "Are you going to kill us?"
"No." Zarvon knelt down, ignoring Lysara's sharp intake of breath behind him. "Let me see your friend's arm."
"Why would a demon help us?" the wounded goblin muttered, his voice weak. "We're nothing. Less than nothing."
"Because right now, I don't have anyone else." Zarvon gestured for Lysara to come closer. "She's a healer. Let her help."
Lysara hesitated, then stepped forward. Her hands glowed faintly as she knelt beside the wounded goblin. "This might sting," she warned.
The goblin yelped as the light touched his wound, but then his expression shifted to surprise. "It's… closing. The bleeding stopped."
The system chimed.
[Side Quest: Protect the Goblin Trio]
[Objective: Ensure their survival until they reach your base camp.]
[Reward: Goblin Workers (x3), +50 PP, +1 Goblin Reputation]
Zarvon stood up, watching Lysara work on the second goblin. The third one—the one with the stick—stared at him with wide, unblinking eyes.
"What's your name?" Zarvon asked.
"Grik," the goblin said. "That's Mogg and Vinn." He pointed to the wounded ones. "We were with a bigger group. Hunters came last night. Killed everyone else. We ran."
"You want to keep running?" Zarvon asked. "Or you want somewhere to stay?"
Grik's ears perked up. "Stay? For real?"
"For real. I'm building something. A place where demons don't get hunted for breathing." He glanced at Lysara, who had finished healing the second wound. "It's a small start, but it's a start."
Grik looked at his companions. Mogg nodded weakly. Vinn just stared at the ground.
"We don't have anywhere else," Grik said. "So… yeah. We'll stay."
[Side Quest Complete: Protect the Goblin Trio]
[+50 PP. Goblin Workers added to Kingdom Interface. Goblin Reputation: Neutral → Friendly.]
Zarvon smiled. "Good. Now let's get back to the chapel. We need a base camp before we head to the capital."
"Back?" Lysara frowned. "We just left."
"We left without supplies. Without a plan." He helped Mogg to his feet. The goblin was light, barely weighing anything. "Besides, the chapel's defensible. Good location. We'll hole up there for a few days, figure out our next move."
Lysara sighed but didn't argue. "Fine. But I'm not sleeping on that altar again."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
---
They made it back to the chapel by midday. The goblins immediately started scavenging, finding old crates and barrels in the storage shed behind the building. Within an hour, they'd set up a makeshift camp in the clearing, using branches and torn cloth to create a small shelter.
Zarvon sat on the chapel steps, watching them work. Lysara sat beside him, a cup of water in her hands.
"You actually care about them," she said quietly.
"They're my first subjects." He leaned back on his hands. "You have to start somewhere."
"That's not what I mean." She turned to look at him. "Most demons would have killed them or ignored them. You stopped. You helped."
Zarvon was quiet for a moment. "In my old life, no one helped anyone. You sat in your cubicle, you went home, you did it again. No one looked at you. No one cared if you lived or died." He watched Grik trying to lift a barrel twice his size. "I'm not doing that again."
Lysara reached over and took his hand. "I'm glad you're not."
The system pinged again.
[Kingdom Interface Unlocked]
[Current Territory: Abandoned Chapel & Surrounding Forest (0.2 square miles)]
[Population: 5 (Zarvon, Lysara, Grik, Mogg, Vinn)]
[Buildings: None]
[Resources: 12 gold (found in chapel storage), 3 days of food]
[Military: None]
[Morale: Low]
Zarvon read the numbers and let out a short laugh. "Five people. No buildings. Three days of food. We're really building an empire here."
Lysara peered at the screen. "You see that too?"
"It's the system. Shows me our progress." He waved a hand. "Right now, it's showing me how screwed we are."
"We'll figure it out," Lysara said. Her grip on his hand tightened. "We have to."
A shout from the clearing made them both look up. Grik was pointing toward the tree line, his stick raised. Two figures emerged from the shadows—humans, dressed in leather armor, swords at their hips.
"Demon hunters," Lysara whispered.
Zarvon stood, pushing her behind him. "Get the goblins inside the chapel. Now."
She didn't argue. She ran down the steps, grabbing Mogg and Vinn, herding them toward the chapel doors. Grik hesitated, looking at Zarvon.
"Go," Zarvon said. "I'll handle this."
Grik ran.
The two hunters stopped at the edge of the clearing. One was tall, with a scar running down his cheek. The other was shorter, stockier, his hand already on his sword.
"Well, well," the scarred one said. "A demon playing house with a priestess and some goblins. That's a new one."
"What do you want?" Zarvon kept his voice calm, even though his heart was hammering.
"The bounty on your head is decent. Demon king, they say." The hunter laughed. "You look more like a stray dog to me."
Zarvon glanced at the system. No combat skills yet except the passive Aroma of Seduction. Not exactly useful against two armed men. His hands curled into fists.
"You sure you want to do this?" he asked, stepping forward. "I've had a really long night. I'm not in the mood."
The stocky hunter drew his sword. "Then this'll be quick."
He charged.
Zarvon's body moved on instinct. He ducked under the first swing, the blade whistling past his ear. His fist connected with the hunter's stomach, and he felt something crack. The man doubled over, gasping.
The scarred hunter came next, faster. His sword slashed across Zarvon's arm, opening a line of fire. Zarvon hissed, stumbling back.
"You're not so tough," the hunter sneered.
Zarvon looked at the blood dripping from his arm, then at the hunter. The emptiness inside him, the thirst he'd felt since waking up, surged forward. His vision sharpened. His horns seemed to pulse with heat.
He didn't think. He moved.
His hand caught the hunter's sword arm, twisting until bone snapped. The man screamed. Zarvon's other hand grabbed his throat, lifting him off the ground. The hunter's face turned red, then purple.
"Stop!"
Lysara's voice cut through the haze. Zarvon blinked, looked down. The hunter was choking in his grip. The other one lay on the ground, clutching his stomach, not moving.
He let go. The scarred hunter collapsed, gasping for air.
"Run," Zarvon said, his voice rough. "If I see either of you again, I won't let go."
The two hunters scrambled to their feet and fled into the forest, leaving their sword behind.
Zarvon stood there for a moment, breathing hard. His arm burned where the blade had cut him, but the wound was already closing—slowly, but closing.
Lysara ran to him, grabbing his arm. "You're hurt."
"It's fine." He let her fuss over him, pulling cloth from her robe to wrap the wound. "I didn't mean to… I just saw red."
"You protected us," she said quietly. "That's what matters."
Grik peeked out from the chapel door. "They're gone?"
"They're gone." Zarvon sat down on the steps, suddenly exhausted. "But more will come. That was just the beginning."
Lysara finished wrapping his arm and sat beside him. "Then we need to be ready."
The system pinged one last time.
[Combat Encounter: Victory]
[+50 XP. Level Up: Demon King Rank: Low → Demon King Rank: Low+]
[New Quest: Reach the Capital and Find Lady Nyxara]
[Reward: Spy Network Level 1, 300 PP]
Zarvon stared at the message. The capital. Noble daughter. Another target. Another person he'd have to…
"We'll go to the capital tomorrow," he said. "Tonight, we rest."
Lysara nodded. "And the goblins?"
"They come with us. They're part of this now."
She smiled. "Our little kingdom."
"Five people and a chapel," Zarvon said, leaning his head against hers. "It's a start."
The sun began to set, painting the clearing in shades of orange and red. Inside the chapel, the goblins built a small fire. Outside, Zarvon sat with Lysara, watching the light fade, wondering what waited for them beyond the forest.
[Nymphaearoot the Author]: Hope you enjoy reading! If you like it, please add it to your library and let me know your favorite moments in the comments