{We use you as a bridge between our plane and yours, you are our doorway,} explained the voice.

Great, now his body was being used as a doorway for anti-life demons. What started off as a quest for fun, was now becoming more and more complicated. Gray couldn’t help but feel that he was slowly becoming involved in things bigger than he could’ve ever imagined.

{So what do you want from me?} asked Gray as the wind rushed past his face. Though they were still in forest terrain, there was a path that cut through the trees, allowing the horses to gallop as fast as they wanted without the risk of bumping into anything.

{We want what you want. To soak in the blood of the livin-}

{Don’t give me that bullshit. Tell me the truth, I don’t need your help to soak in blood, I’ve done it well enough alone thus far,} interrupted Gray, not buying that the voice merely wanted the same things as him.

{I see, it seems you are not as simple as I thought. However, what I said before wasn't entirely false. We seek what you seek, though we have other, more complex goals in mind as well.}

{Speak clearly, if you waste any more of my time I'll shut you off. I've had practice shutting out the screams of your kind,} snapped Gray, the confusion of this all angering him even more.

{Very well then, to be frank, what we seek is a world of our own. A world where all my brethren can live, without fear of being extinguished from existence on a demon’s whim.}

{What do you mean a demon’s whim?} If there was something Gray was lacking right now, it was information. And even though he had no plans of helping this voice, he still wanted to know as much as he could about this world.

{Amaymon did not create us intentionally. He was researching the content of souls, and stripped the soul of its substance, leaving a hollow and creating the first specter. After performing countless experiments on us, he deemed us abominations to the inhabitants of this plane, and sent us to the deepest depths of his kingdom to rot and be forgotten in darkness. Though it seems he hadn’t counted on the fact that we fed on souls, hence multiplying. For centuries he was unable to find a place to store us, though now it seems he finally found a way … you. I am uncertain how it is possible that your soul has not collapsed, but here we are.}

{Interesting story you have there, though that has nothing to do with me. If you’re so upset about it, take it up with Amaymon yourself. You said something about taking over a body, why don’t you just try it again?} replied Gray, opening the map as his horse galloped in front of Tesse’s.

{For me to try that again, I require someone who has submitted their soul to you, I need a being who has given themselves up to you entirely,} explained the voice.

That explained why the specter had only appeared after he had done the deed with Layla. Perhaps at that moment, she had given herself up to Gray, and right then the specter had made its move.

{Well, guess you’re trapped here. No offense, but this sounds like too much work. World domination never turns out well, trust me, I’ve watched enough to know,} replied Gray as he recharted his course, opting to pass by a small village on his way. He wasn’t going to give those specters the chance to scream in his head again, and besides, he was getting a little bored.

{You seek revenge against Amaymon, do you not? But you lack the power to do so. Just think about it, we are an army, willing to work under you and all you need to do is make others submit. World domination does not need to be an immediate goal, we can spread pain, and paint the world crimson before we do that, either way, our will shall be done, your will shall be done. With us, you will become a deity, a god incarnate. Not even Amaymon will be able to stand in front of our army,} whispered the voice and sweet whispers they were.

Images of an immortal army slaughtering masses played within his mind, the scene aroused him, and try as he may, he couldn’t suppress the excitement that coursed within his veins. Above all, the prospect of seeing Amaymon's corpse lying bloody and lifeless beneath his feet struck a chord that resonated with his very being. To terrorize the terror, a concept so twisted, that Gray couldn't help but partake.

{It seems you understand. So, how shall we begin?}

***

Gray spoke with the voice for several more hours before stopping at a small village a few hours away from Axiel. They planned to make the people of this village submit or perish as a test run for how they would deal with those followers of Amaymon willing to serve a new lord.

They had left the forest area and were now in the grasslands. The village houses were made primarily of wood, and had thatch rooves. They were arranged in a sort of circle all facing the center of the village where a well had been built. The land directly after the village houses had been cultivated, it would seem the villagers were farmers.

“Who are they?” whispered a few of the villagers as Gray and Tesse stopped their horses next to the well.

“Greetings good people of Elden. I bring to you a wonderous offer, submit to me, or die a beautiful red death,” smiled Gray from underneath his hood, holding his arms out like some sort of preacher.

“I offer to you power beyond your comprehension if you offer yourself to me, or a bath in the blood of those you hold dear, either choice is will end in joy,” he continued, his excitement audible as he tried his best to sound like some sort of heretic.

{This is fun,} he thought to himself as he watched the faces of the villagers twist in confusion and horror.

{Progenitor, perhaps you are coming off a little too-}

“I-I-It’s a demon cultist. R-Run!” Before the specter could finish warning Gray, the villagers began scattering.

{You should be more subtle,} the voice tried warning, though Gray knew very well that this plan wouldn’t have worked in the first place. To begin with, only a certain type of person would give themselves over to another being, and those types of people could not be found in a village full of farmers.

{Well, just means more for me to hunt,} smiled Gray, before whipping the reins of his horse, and commanding it to run towards a small group of villagers who were running away. The villagers didn’t stand a chance against the horse's speed, as its enormous hooves trampled upon them, the crackling of their spines breaking played a sweet tune to Gray’s ears. Those who had survived the initial trampling had their heads chopped off by a swing of Gray's longsword.

“Make sure none of them escape. Cut off their legs if you have to,” ordered Gray with a hysterical smile on his face. Tesse nodded in response before putting the cub on the ground, and chasing after those villagers who had run outside the confines of the village.

“It’s been so long since I’ve felt this warmth,” whispered Gray as he planted his fist in the corpse of one of the villagers that had been trampled and absorbed all the blood out of its body, leaving it a shriveled up bag of skin and bone.

“Run! Run! Run!” laughed Gray, before licking the blood off his blade. He had acquired a new taste for blood, an unquenchable desire.

====================================

[System Information]

[Elden Agriculture]

Elden's main agricultural export is a special type of barely known as Garza, used in the creation of elven beer. It is especially popular in dwarven-controlled states, though they are smuggled in large quantities to human-controlled areas as well.

Garza can only grow in certain areas at close proximities to the forest, so farmers have built their settlements close to these areas. Recently, beastmen tribes have been raiding these villages, and harvesting all their Garza for sale on the human black market.

=====================================

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lordofkaizen

Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/V64Xmqr2gh