It had been a long day in the countryside. The insects and vespers were retreating into their homes, as something was stirring in the distance.

"Another one of those things," said the man with the hat

"Another one of those things" replied the other, extracting an axe from a horned demon

"This is the third this week"

"Fourth" corrected the other

Upon the horizon, a beast of untamable strength boosted his three-horned head to them "I am Zypher, first of the great dynasty of the Lupmenians. And you are now my preys!" said the beast to them

The two-man barely looked at each other nearly laughing, "we know oh great Zipper.... of what dynasty are you again?"

The demon was enraged by this insult. It lashed out with ferocious strength upon the duo.

 

The beast died in a few seconds.

 

"Quite the challenge," one of them said "not so much, the last one was worse"

Do you believe it?"

"He paused, "yes, I believed it. We had been doing this since we were little boys."

"Very little boys...." the other lamented with an air of sadness.

"Do you remember when we stabbed little imps with snake teeth to watch them die of poison?"

"Good times"

"Good days" the other replied

There were the duo of the axe, Thanx and Fhanx, they slew demons since they were little demon children. Little did they know that with fame came nuisances, a lot of them.

 

"I am Zheper, the first demon of the three great snakes, of the great dynasty of the Lupervinis! Prepare to die!" The demon was cut to pieces and its flesh dispersed upon the four winds.

"There is something wrong?"

"No, nothing...they just keep coming..."

"That is the price to pay for being powerful"

"This is the price to pay for being stupid and keeping a high profile. At this rate we will ascend next millennium!" a phrase only half meant as a joke.

The next day, the scene repeated itself again. Demons came, they slew them. And they lamented their lives.

 

One cold night, when the moon was up in the sky, they paused to look at the lone knight wandering through the planes. The sky became gray, the temperature rose to a furnace, their vision blurred.

"Are you the axes' duo?" the knight asked

"Yes, "they replied

"Forgive me to come at such a late hour. I am Kyros and I wish to fight you."

"Both of us?"

"Yes"

"Are you sure oh Kos of what lineage?"

"My own lineage."

"Oh" their faces changed expression as the realization grew that they had to face a progenitor. They charged,

hoping that speed and strength would save them.

 

The two demons were torn asunder. Their weapons eaten, their bodies burned to the pyre as a sign of respect. This was how the world of demons was. A wild world where everything was both hunter and prey. Where everyone hunted as they were hunted. There was always a bigger fish. Always. And demons forgot this, only to be eaten.