Candice's heart felt like it would explode from beating too fast. Her cold sweat started flowing even though it was winter now. She peeked from an alley, watching Vorn in the distance.
The demon lord was lifting the prophet's body using both hands.
Is Velvet dead? Candice can't stand that. It was only a while ago that the two of them had spoken.
And now she can't see her best friend anymore? If things ended like this, why did they have to fight in the first place?
Vorn suddenly turned his head to Candice. The woman winced violently, quickly pulled herself up, and ran.
"I'm sorry, Vel." That woman hissed. Her tears couldn't be stopped anymore.
She couldn't imagine what she should say to Velvet's mother. And also, she doesn't know what she should do without Velvet.
Now, the prophet is no longer there.
***
[Vorn's POV]
A healing shapeshifter moved my injured left wing, and I winced in pain. Then, she cast healing magic on that part, sending warmth to me.
"You may use the undead wyvern I brought with me, my lord." Another shapeshifter made a suggestion. "It seems you are not in good condition to fly yet."
Even when I flew briefly from the city's outskirts to this village, I felt extreme torment.
"I want to have a tremendous impact on the troops of the kingdom of Durcia." I sneered. "So, I have to fly to them myself."
By doing that, I will be seen as an invincible demon lord.
"I can take you to the location near the troop…."
"No." I cut off the speech. "I also want the people of this city to witness my victory."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtI glanced at Velvet, whose face was covered in bruises, and her lips were dripping blood. We also deliberately didn't clean the stains on the prophet's armor so she would look completely defeated.
"I can only do this much, my lord." The shapeshifter who took care of me said. "Are you sure you don't want to take painkillers?"
"I must stay alert, though I believe they hardly have any dangerous threats." I stood up, not wearing my armor anymore but a black cloak. After the fight with the crimson dragon and Velvet, I realized I had become many times stronger. I had thought that the battles would be more intense. My victory was also influenced by Velvet's mental state, though. "This is the time. Turn off this barrier. You guys go first, spread out and gather near those Durcian soldiers, but keep your distance."
I then pointed at a magic-using shapeshifter who had offered me a ride on the wyvern. "Except you, you come with me."
"Very well, my lord." My subordinates bowed.
One of them knocked on the floor in the room we were in. Part of the floor immediately opened like a door.
"We don't need barrier magic anymore."
Several shapeshifter mages came out of the secret door. Yes, they were in charge of making the barrier by hiding in the basement.
One by one, they left the building. I approached Ritor, who was already prepared.
"Can you do it, big guy?"
"I'm feeling much better already." He replied in a much more relaxed tone than before.
"Good." I had a fist bump with the minotaur general, and he walked out with the others.
Then, I knelt beside the prophet. She won't wake up any time soon because one of my subordinates has fed her sleeping drugs.
"Poor you. You will see painful truths." I whispered while running my fingers through his hair. "But you need it."
I lifted her body like a prince carrying his princess and nodded to the magic-using shapeshifter. Then, we walked towards the exit.
***
After a few moments of flying over the vacant area, I glanced at the shapeshifter riding the wyvern beside me. He nodded and got ahead of me, then made the wyvern he controlled let out deafening roars.
I flew low and slowly over them.
People came out of their houses and gasped at me and the wyvern. Some even went back out of fear.
"Is that Vorn!?"
"No mistake! Look at the horns and wings!"
"That... The woman he is carrying... I've seen that woman's armor! She's the prophet!"
"Lord Vorn! Give us your blessings!"
The people continued to comment. Some of them knelt down and cried at the sight of their lost prophet. However, some others applauded me.
I kept my face straight, even though the pain in my wing was excruciating.
Some idiot who was about to attack me with arrows or magic received a burst of cold from the undead wyvern. They freeze instantly.
I took the time to fly around the city. Those who saw me might be adventurers, merchants, or have other professions that required them to go to various places. They will tell others about this historic moment.
And everyone will know that I defeated the prophet, the woman who served God, the savior, the hope of the people.
People will think no one can beat me.
Arriving at the outskirts of town, I flew next to the wyvern rider. "That's enough. Join the others."
"Alright, my lord." That male shapeshifter turned the wyvern he was riding in a different direction.
It was getting dark. I flew higher, ignoring the increasingly stinging and cold pain.
And finally, I saw the tents. While continuing to fly forward, I contacted the two shapeshifters already on guard nearby. "In a moment, do that."
As soon as I got near the camp, two balls of orange light flew quickly from the opposite direction, then shone brightly above me.
The soldiers were already preparing to attack, but they froze, probably seeing who was in my hands.
Shouts arose from all directions, and soldiers rushed out of their tents.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Hold on!!!" A commander gave an order. I could tell he was afraid that I would kill the prophet. So, he hesitated to command his troops to attack me.
I slowly descended, giving them a cold stare while the prophet remained motionless.
"Th-that's miss prophet!!!"
"She lost!!??"
"We can't win without the prophet!!!"
"We're doomed!!!"
"Evil has won!!!"
"We better run away!!!"
The atmosphere turned chaotic. Those soldiers fled in panic, and their leaders had difficulty stopping them.
In reality, those who screamed were not soldiers. They are shapeshifters in disguise to wreak this havoc.
However, some soldiers remained, although they were still hesitant to attack.
So, it was Ritor and the magic-using shapeshifters who attacked them first. Because they were unprepared, my subordinates easily slaughtered them.
"Their army will come and slaughter us all!!!" One of my shapeshifters screamed again to increase the panic.
The soldiers from the Durcia kingdom kept running aimlessly, as well as the horses they brought, and some of my subordinates started burning their tents.
This is one of my most brilliant strategies. There was one hiccup due to the crimson dragon, but luckily I could handle it.
With just a few tricks, I've been able to destroy an army this size with my very few subordinates.
When my feet finally hit the snowy ground, the soldiers were already very far away, several corpses lay in the snow, and the flames were spreading.
I smiled seeing that, then looked at Velvet, who hadn't woken up yet.
This is a big win.