BXBX NOVEL Chapter 481 480: Demon Clans (1)
The Demon Wolf was always prowling around during the workouts, intentionally increasing weights or making you do more reps based on how well she viewed you performance, forcing us all to strive to do better so that we wouldn't be the ones doing an extra 100 pushups.
She really was doing us good with how she operated - I could already feel some changes happening with my strength and techniques, and this was just at a base level against stronger opponents - but even so, in the moment?
We all hated this training deep inside our bones, and Lady Fenryas' words of 'encouragement' never helped...
But, we pushed through each day and made our way towards the kitchens, where we would eat before stumbling towards our rooms, plopping onto the sheets and passing out - sometimes with a round of extracurricular training mixed in, to keep ourselves sane.
One of those nights though, Mom and Belian remained seated at the table, the two Demons gesturing for me to remain with them - Anput, Leone and Kat as well, since they would hear this anyway.
Nirinia and Sker remained back as well, while the rest of the Knights nodded and saluted Mom before leaving, giving us the kitchen for ourselves.
"Well, we said we'd eventually go ahead and tell you about the Demon Clans, so... why not now, whilst I'm still remembering? Because once Ria and Julie are here, I don't think I want to do much besides 'relax'."
Belian smiled wryly beside her, nodding as he added "When Tabitha makes her way here from the Beliali Lands to the west, I don't think I'll want to talk either..."
"So, here it is, starting from the beginning. There were three clans of Demons - the Asmodeucian Clan, Beliali Clan, and the Cimeriesa Clan. Before the Empress united the lands surrounding Sanctus Ignacia under her banner, the three clans ruled the east. Each had a specific role, and we were 'united' in the loosest sense of the word.
The Asmodeucian's were the warriors and soldiers, specializing in martial prowess and anything related to war. We used to forge some of the strongest blades and armor in the entire Northern Continent, but that was lost to time...
The Beliali's were the negotiators and spokesman of the three clans; they went out to strike treaties and deals with any of the other influential tribes or clans around this area, as well as smoothing out any disputes that arouse. They sold their silver tongues for a premium, and many other people hired them to hammer out negotiations, which led to them becoming adept at espionage.
Finally, the Cimeriesa's were reclusive, even back then. Entirely focused on magic and alchemy, they bolstered the strength of the other clans with enchanted gear and potions, relying on the Asmodeucian's and Beliali's to protect them and supply them.
There was a balance between us all, a balance and harmony that remained standing for millennia. We weren't the only Demons either, as Lilith wasn't related to any of our clans, nor were the ancestors of Lady Fenryas. We just were the largest gathering of one of the strongest races to ever exist... ever. No other place on this continent had a gathering of Demons to that degree, which was also why we were so adamant to remain together.
There's strength in numbers, especially when we had such great harmony together. But, everything comes to an end, and that 'end' wasn't as drastic as many hoped.
After the Beliali's agreed to bend the knee to the Empress, the Asmodeucian's and Cimeriesa's followed swiftly, finding promise in the words of someone stronger. We acted as the Empress' arm, mouthpiece, and mind, putting our talents to use and doing whatever we could to help her reach her goal - a united Empire where all were welcome, so long as you respected the laws she put into place.
Our history as the Empress' blade continued for centuries, and she put us to use wherever she could; waging wars against the then Sultanate and it's far harsher ruler, the Western Kingdoms when they were occupied by the Orc Tribes, and many more. We served her as we could, when we could.
The fall of our clan was a simple one. The Labyrinthian was where we 'fell', as a giant outbreak towards the east - the lands that we occupy today - required our attention. As was our duty, we made haste towards the outbreak and did what we could to stymie the flow of monsters, but the horde wasn't a normal one.
At the time, there was a rising warrior amongst the Asmodeucian's; Durukti, the founder of the Asmodia's. She participated in the battle, and she was the one to realize that the Labyrinthian monsters were being led and corralled by a Fiend. An Arch Fiend, to be exact."
Belian sighed, leaning on his hand as he looked towards me, adding "Unlike today, the Fiends were always a threat back then, and the Asmodeucian's were specialists in dealing with them. The average warrior back then was the same strenght as Chordeva, making them one of the deadliest groups of soldiers... I would argue ever. Outfitted in armor that could rival the softer scales of a Dragon, wielding weapons that were sharper than anything made today, the Asmodeucian's were... unstoppable."
Mom scoffed, her ruby eyes dark as she said "Against most things, yes, but against War incarnate? Bloodshed and murder given form? They were torn to pieces, and the Asmodeucian Clan was killed off, left with a handful of members. Durukti barely managed to beat Ka'Hondi, but because she was forced to deal with them, the rest of the Asmodeucian's needed to fend off the waves of monsters pouring endlessly from the Labyrinthian. Monsters far stronger than the Drakes and other monsters that Lady Fenryas abducted from Zhu'Rong.
With that battle over, and less than a dozen of our people left, Durukti settled them down near that border of the Labyrinthian, which had been torn down and destroyed by Ka'Hondi. She moved the home of the Asmodeucian's to the east, away from the other Demon Clans. And at a time where harmony would have helped us grow again, well..."
Belian smiled sadly, spreading his hands as he took over.
"The west also got hit by an Arch Fiend. Drawn to us by the incredible knowledge housed inside the Cimeriesa's libraries, Tza'Yul made its way into our lands and began to raze it to the ground, attempting to steal away with the knowledge gathered over millennia. We weren't the strongest Demon Clans, but we were still Demons. We tried to put up a fight, using our speed and the Cimeriesa's magics to combat the Arch Fiend, but we weren't a match. Thankfully the Empress and Lady Theresa managed to come to our aid, and they bound the Arch Fiend to themselves, but... the damage had been done.
Many of the Beliali were dead, while the Cimeriesa's who combated the Arch Fiend head on lost their minds, leaving behind husks incapable of anything - they too were 'dead'. All three clans took a loss, but the Asmodeucian's were hit the hardest, and when the other two clans learned of that battle to the east, they were shocked. However, the Asmodeucian's decided to move and occupy that land, to protect the Empire from another outbreak, and..."
Smiling wryly, he spread his hand and glanced at Mom, who wore a neutral expression.
"Well, the Beliali and Cimeriesa's weren't happy about that decision. The then heads of the Demon Clans - Durukti, Belian, and Ahri - clashed together about the Asmodeucian's decision to move away, and the then Belian and Ahri put down an ultimatum - come back or drop the Asmodeucian name. The thing was, they didn't know Durukti, nor did they truly understand that the Asmodeucian's weren't proud of their name - like the other two clans were - but instead proud of themselves. Proud of who they were as individuals. So, Durukti struck the name from any documents and instead said that she and her people would be the Asmodia's..."
"That was many centuries ago still, and since then, well..."