Super fearful souls

Present day

Alex materialised in the village he had recently destroyed, expecting to find a grim mountain of corpses, but to his bewilderment, there was nothing but empty space. The sight left him puzzled, and he found himself seated on the ground.

He rose with a perplexed expression, only for it to morph into a sinister grin as he noticed the surrounding knights diligently placing the corpses into wagons, preparing to remove them.

However, as he observed this scene, one of the knights approached him with the intention of questioning him. The knight's initial arrogance crumbled into sheer terror as he locked eyes with a figure so malevolent it seemed to defy the very laws of existence. It was a face from the darkest recesses of one's nightmares, a visage so sinister that its mere presence was considered blasphemy.

The knight struggled to utter a scream but finally managed to release a blood-curdling shriek.

"AHHHHHH!"

With that, he turned on his heels and sprinted away at full speed, capturing the attention of his fellow knights. Their expressions, too, shifted from arrogance to grim dread.

Unfazed by their panic, Alex decided to change his approach this time. He aimed to instil the belief in hell throughout the kingdom, using these knights as his instruments

His hoarse voice reverberated through the air.

"Do not run. If any of you flee, you shall find only a place in hell awaiting you."

His words acted as an anchor, stopping the knights in their tracks. Their fear of the terrifying creature before them overcame their instinct to escape, as they hoped that cooperation would grant them mercy.

"Greetings, mortals... I am Scythe, the Lord of Hell. I have selected you for a crucial task. If you complete it to my satisfaction, I shall grant you reprieve from the kingdom's impending destiny."

After a moment of silence a timid female voice piped up.

"W-what is our mission? O-oh great Scythe, Lord of Hell."

Alex's intense gaze shifted to the young girl who had a weird look in her eyes.

"Excellent question," he remarked. Then, his chilling eyes surveyed the other knights.

"Your mission is simple," he began, his voice dripping with malevolence. "You shall be the harbingers of my message. Proclaim far and wide that Hell exists, and this entire kingdom has been chosen to enter my domain for all eternity."

As he spoke, his grin widened, relishing the sinister role he was about to play. What surprised him, however, was the reaction of the young girl. Unlike the other knights, who bore expressions of sheer terror, she wore a twisted smile, a sinister glint in her youthful eyes.

The girl who looked at Scythe strangely, known as Aria, was a striking figure. With her ebony hair cascading down her back like a river of shadows and emerald eyes that glinted with an unusual determination, she possessed an undeniable allure. Her presence was a stark contrast to the grim situation at hand.

Aria's status in the kingdom was that of a rising star among the Royal Knights. She had recently been inducted into the order, having shown exceptional skill and promise. Her potential was evident to all who witnessed her capabilities on the battlefield. Many whispered that she might one day ascend to become the future Captain of the Royal Knights, a position of great honour and responsibility. 

Despite her youth, Aria had already earned a reputation for her unwavering resolve and fearlessness in the face of danger. She was known to be the first to charge into battle, her actions often inspiring her comrades to follow suit. 

However in this moment, her strange smile in response to Scythe's chilling presence hinted at an unusual quality within her. Her true nature now being revealed

'What the fuck is she insane or something?!'

Alex was slightly disturbed by the girls face, a contrast to his outside appearance that would give anyone severe trauma for the rest of their lives

He then recalled his quest

"However…10 of the 43 of you shall be sacrificed to me, i do not care who, just make it quick"

The scene was a macabre display of desperation and cruelty. As the knights bickered and fought amongst themselves, their humanity seemed to diminish before Scythe's malevolent presence.

After 5 minutes 10 of the weakest were chosen

Betrayal and regret filled the eyes of those chosen knights, who screamed and begged for mercy, their pleas falling on deaf ears.

Scythe, his visage as horrifying as a creature from the darkest of nightmares, merely manipulated hellfire to form a ghastly ring around the sacrificial lambs. Their wails of anguish echoed through the accursed circle as they writhed and suffered.

His expression then turned sour as he turned to look at the remaining dumbfounded knights 

"GO"

Alex commanded

The knights instantly turned and ran, only Aria bowing slightly and smiling before following the rest of the knights, creeping Alex out

Despite the gruesome spectacle, Scythe quickly shifted his attention away from the disturbing smile Aria had displayed. His focus was firmly fixed on the pitiful souls before him, as a period of unimaginable fear and torment began for the 10 unfortunate knights who had been chosen as sacrificial lambs in this twisted tableau of darkness.

….

2 hours later

"Ah, finally done!"

After 2 hours of intimidating and torturing these souls, and some snack breaks, they finally gave in

[10 super fearful souls obtained

Quest completed, Reward: Small demon lord castle

Hidden quest completed, spread your influence, after the knights left, they have already begun to sow belief in hell into many people's hearts, Reward: expansion of hell, your hell is now the size of a small city]

'Oh? Two quests! I guess I'm just a pro at this game! Haha'

'I'm tired, those 2 hours were quite boring, i guess i'll come off'

For the first time, Alex willingly exited the game

Disconnecting

Alex's vision was blurry as he removed the headset, he rubbed his eyes and checked the time on his phone

'5:23?! Emma should be home soon!'

He instantly hid his vr and started to cook food, he was a simple man and ordered food from the nearest restaurant

After 10 minutes of waiting the food had finally came, Alex thanked the delivery guy at the door and quickly took the food out, presenting it on plates and placing them on the table, he then grabbed the takeaway boxes and bag and chucked them out the window

Not even 5 minutes later, Emma came home

"Alex, are you playing vr again?!" 

Her voice instantly stopped as she smelt a sweet aroma, her eyes followed her nose to the source of the smell, her face becoming stunned as she saw Alex sat at the other side of the simple table, delicious dishes placed on the table along with two candles

"I thought i'd treat you" 

A warm smile settled upon Emma's face as she heard these words