I was in my rom daydreaming and though up an interesting scenario I thought would be fun to present to everyone. Keep in mind: try to approach this as a person, not as anything more. Yourself.
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The Demon Lord's Settlement
In a world where magic and miasma exist as opposing forces, demons are born from the accumulation of corruptive energy in the environment. They are intelligent, predatory beings driven by an instinct to consume humans in order to grow stronger. Demons feel no emotion — no love, no hatred, no guilt — but they are rational and capable of long-term planning.
They often consume a human and shapeshift into that person to infiltrate settlements. There is no known cure for demonhood. When slain, a demon dissolves back into miasma.
Human mages wield magic — the natural counterforce to miasma — and have warred against demonkind since the beginning of history.
Deep within demon-infested lands lies a fortified human settlement, surrounded on all sides by demons.
It is ruled by a single demon.
Years ago, this demon rescued scattered humans from certain death at the hands of other demons. Instead of consuming them, he established a city and allowed them to live under his protection.
He has never eaten anyone from the settlement.
Not once.
The humans are not imprisoned. They are free to leave at any time. They remain because outside the walls is near-certain death.
The surrounding demons believe he is herding humans like livestock for eventual consumption.
Yet he has never fed.
Even when zealots among the humans have offered themselves willingly, he refused without explanation.
He governs with indifference. He expresses no attachment. When asked his intentions, he answers without emotion. He once asked his guards whether they would allow him to eat them. They said yes. He did nothing.
There is no magical tampering.
No mind control.
No coercion.
This is verified with absolute certainty.
If he were to consume the entire settlement — and any mage stationed there — he would gain a surge of power significant enough to shift the balance of power in the surrounding region of the war.
If mages attempt to kill him and fail, retaliation could mean the destruction of the entire settlement.
If they succeed, evacuating the population through demon-infested lands would likely result in massive casualties.
The mages who discover this city are battle-hardened warriors with human consciences. They have no standing order regarding this anomaly.
Should the mages kill him?