Chapter two: 72 seats of power
Jaune walked through the council chamber halls as he stifle a yawn, yesterday was a flurry of activity.
Midas went on and on about good governance and statecraft now that he's Duke, Beor was hard at work making him a new set of armour taking his measurements while being subjected to his jokes and boasts, Ara made him do chores around the palace, which was dreadful and wrestled Zao to the ground.
The head chef upon seeing the Goliaths had the face that says 'I wonder how that taste like?' It took Him, Gunther, some Minatours and a squad of palace guards to prevent him from eating, no, correction, inhaling an entire herd of Goliaths, riders and cannons all.
Needless to say he didn't get much sleep and aside the shenanigans, Solomon's cryptic answer still bugs him, did he or did he not orchestrated the satyr wars behind the scenes? Was he indirectly responsible? Salem was part of it that's for sure but what do they have to gain? Should he face him?
No, that simply won't do. Solomon have a reason, one he can't possible comprehend this point in time, he's not ready or willing to betray and bite the one feeding him, he's up to something and whatever it is he'll find out sooner or later.
He was interrupted from his train of thoughts by a tap on his shoulder "is there something wrong my lord?" Gunther said beside him.
He shook his head "I'm fine, just tired".
The coucil chambers where the seventy-two demon lords meet is located just a level below the palace, gleaming marble walls and refelcting polished floors, glass balls full of Lum dust lights the building making it all looked radiant.
Looking around the many guards stood in attention along the hall, he noticed that their stance looked more rigid and full of alarm when he's in sight, they slump down and relax when he pass.
Was he really that intimidating? He wonders, he's in his formal clothes leather sleeved doublet and pants, his sigil displayed on the flap of his jacket and a white mantle draped on his left shoulder, he's also wearing his signet ring on his left hand ring finger and have his hands behind his back, chest up, back straight and eyes forward and behind him a company of his Knights and Gunther in his wake.
He may look like a certain militant he thinks, but the biggest factor might be his position. Duke of Albania the south in his command, warchief of the southern satyr tribes, He's a Tacticus one of seven most brilliant and gifted military minds in Remnant alive, Grimm knight of Arcadia and a mybrid of names and titles running in the rumor mill.
There's even one rumor going around that he's some kind of God or Demi-God that came from heaven to bring back the glory of old Arcadia.
He's a human and the Grimm respected, admired, and feared him, very odd indeed.
A guard asked Gunther and the rest of his Knights to wait outside as they opened the doors for Jaune to step in the main coucil chamber, there he found someone familiar.
It's obviously a Grimm, but one of the most strangest Grimm one can encounter, it's a large black owl with its chest puffed out and covered in white bone plates, it has very long legs standing ten feet, big disk shaped red eyes, a golden crown on its head and a sash of white across his person.
Jaune bowed "Lord Stolas, it's good to see you".
The owl Grimm demon lord hoowed "you as well Lord Arc, you're holding up well I imagine" he said in an affluent tone.
Another Demon Lord joined the conversation, he's wearing full plate armour but with a white sash from his left shoulder across his torso and on his right pauldron a sigil depicting a winged horse.
"Thank Monty your here Arc, the council could use another knight, I feel I'm the only one doing the work here" the armoured lord said.
"I have you know Sir Abigor that I'm doing plenty as you" Stolas said then hoowed like an owl.
"Who else is already here?" Jaune asked.
"Aside from us there's lord Botis and lord Briffons as well as lord Shax and lord Paimon, the rest haven't arrive yet, lord Forneus is in Solitas but would attend via Seer as well as Sir Furcas who is in Sanus and we all know lady Asmodai would be fashionably late as always" the owl demon-lord said.
"When you mention Sir Furcas in Sanus you mean in Eden?" Jaune clarified.
Abigor answered "with the recent troubles in Eden and the beast getting more vigorous getting through the border Sir Furcas went off to help the Edenites".
Stolas flap his wings and hoowed "once a knight always a knight, off to fight beasts more like" he commented.
"Do tell me more about it" he said.
"Well, aside from skirmishes on the border getting more common as of late, what's troubling Eden now are the influx of pilgrims coming in" the owl said.
"Pilgrims?" Jaune questioned.
Abigor nodded "many are flocking the city before the lunar cycle when the moon rotates to the side that it looks whole".
"The Luna event" Jaune was familiar with the occasion, the satyrs worshipping the moon every night. It was said that the Grimm are intimately connected with the moon, some claimed they get stronger the brighter the moon is or how whole it is.
The Grimm affectionately called the moon Luna and was worshipped alongside Monty and Gaia, many Grimm even sleeps in the day and wakes up at night so that their 'God' can see them and grant them his blessings.
A human named Miles claimed that Luna represents the very best of an individual, that even when broken it still shines to give light even in the darkest of nights, a front of contemplation, learning, serenity and tenacity of surging onwards even the most darkest of times.
The movement become so popular it quickly become the second major religion in the kingdoms, majority of the adherents are Grimm but there were human worshippers too.
Then the Fall happened leavng Jaune the only human adherent of the faith.
"My lords" a guard approached them and bowed "Lord Bael wanted to start the hearing".
"And the other demon lords?" Stolas tilted his head.
"More than half of the council is present" the guard informed.
"Let's get to it then" Jaune said to the two demon-lords with him "I feel embarrassed that this hearing was on hold for a year because I'm still bounded to the legion to attend, I bet Lord Botis would be crossed with me".
"That's one way to put it" Abigor said offhandedly.
"One year! We waited one year because your still in the legion! Waiting for you!" Botis yelled through the chamber, Jaune cringed on how loud he's shouting.
Botis is a scary looking Grimm, humanoid but his body looks like one piece of black iron with a cylindrical shape, his arms are strapped to his chest with a white straightjacket, his mouth is covered with a white rebreather mask and on top of his head are a pair of yellow horns.
But the one thing that made Jaune scared of the demon-lord was his piercing red eyes, locked firmly on his blue ones, eyebrows furrow and pernamently glaring in the depths of his soul, an uncompromising and uncouth Grimm, very serious, violent, a supporter of heavy handed policies and a tad bit unstable.
"You must think your special do you!?" Botis said struggling vigorously in his restraints
"I understand lord Bo-"
"Demon Lord Botis of the seventy-two Demon Lords of Arcadia!" Botis shouted on top of his lungs.
"Demon Lord Botis of the seventy-two Demon Lords of Arcadia!" Jaune repeated/corrected
The council is the oddest gathering of Grimm, made up of seventy-two Grimm from different walks of life they hold tremendous power, wealth, and rule over Arcadia, where the Arcadian High Command controls the kingdoms military and the Royal court of Solomon serve as a figure head that unites the kingdom and deal with foreigners the council actively govern the kingdom itself.
The reason the hearing was pushed for another year simply because he was still under mandatory service thus under High Commands jurisdiction, and High Command don't simply hand over their soldiers while under a state of 'war'.
High Command, The Royal Court and The Council are seperate facets of the government as a whole each having their own sphere of influence in Arcadia and duties working together towards a collective goal.
There are the three pillars that keeps Arcadia prop up.
Each also limits the power of each other, the military needs council direction to do something, the council needs Solomon's approval for everything and the Royal Court can't do anything without military backing, and each tried not to step on each other.
The Knight Orders operates outside this and are very autonomous, free from the three branches, which makes them an oddity in the grand scheme of things but their military power is unquestionable.
It's an endless loop of politicking and enough red tape to stop a Goliath on a charge but one that kept Arcadia and in extension the rest of Remnant going.
"Lord Arc" the owl Grimm Stolas cut in "we are all here to discuss your move of governing Albania during your mandatory service with the legion".
Jaune is standing behind a podium facing all seventy-two demon lords that govern Arcadia, the lords are standing behind an arched balcony looking down on him, there are two levels each have thirty-six lords but regardless if their positioned on the lower or upper balcony their ranks are the same.
There were a few spots vacant but slowly being filled out.
"Though the legitimacy of your rulership of the territory are genuine, there are concerns that needs to be address" he continued.
"And what concerns the council?" Jaune asked innocently.
"Your rapid expansion southwards is what concerning!" Botis yelled renewing his struggles to break free.
"As Lord Botis said-" Abigor began before being cut off by a yelling demon lord.
"Demon Lord Botis of the seventy-two Demon Lords of Arcadia! Get it right!"
"-the reinstatement of Albania back into a legitimate Grimm kingdom, not to mention by a knight of Arcadia poses problems for the integrity of Remnant as a whole" Abigor continued ignoring the constant shouting and complaining from Botis in the background.
"In light of your policies Albania does not only return to its former power but greatly expanding it well beyond what Albania was before the fall".
"Albania was the only source of order that unites the many tribes that roam south, after the war many more chieftains are contesting to fill the power vacuum when the Longhorns were defeated, I do not see why bringing tribes back to the fold a cause of alarm" Jaune defended.
"Unacceptable!" Botis yelled his displeasure and slammed his head on the railing of the balcony making the hapless knight flinch.
"I concur" Jaune looked up to see who said it.
On the upper balcony was a demon lord wearing golden robes lined with white fur, a Grimm with drooping red eyes and a long face and on his head a golden crown, the demon lord looks like a king, speaking in an old pompoues voice and could possibly be an actual king in not in name then in practice.
This is Lord Bael the head of the council.
"I will get to the point lord Arc this hearing is a year due" Jaune laughed meekly "with you as Duke of Albion and Albania steadily increase its power and exert influence south, the future of the kingdom is how you want it to be".
"In short" Botis his chin resting on the railing become more serious in a rare moment of sanity "with a kingdom for yourself, we are to determine whether or not you are fit to rule the territory or endanger the balance of power in Remnant".
'Where does your loyalty lies' is what Jaune thinks what their trying to say to him, if it was any lesser man in his position all that power is something that can be very dangerous and a cause for war.
With the Grimm kingdoms in a constant state of war the coucil policies are based on paranoya to prevent furthur problems arising, like an upstart Grimm kingdom.
"Satyr warlords in the east, marauding beast south, rouge kingdoms west and ancient Grimm north, there are many things that endangers Remnant Sir Arc and with our military spread too thin we do not want to have a neighbor that is unpredictable" Bael finished.
"How do you expect us to protect the human kingdoms if another kingdom can potentially attack us! Monty, Miles, and Kerry we can't work like this!" Botis again going back to his bout of insanity slams his head on the railing again.
"I have no intentions of betraying Arcadia or become a threat to Remnant!" Jaune reasoned.
"That's what he said" Jaune whipped his head to the far left of the lower deck.
It was a Grimm wearing a white gown and a veil covering the head, and it's hands wearing gloves are balled together praying, pulling the veil back to reveal a very feminine face and speaks in a very lady like tone.
"Lady Orbia" Jaune identified the white clad demon lord, a priestess of the church and known to use divination.
"That's what the Traitor said before he brought Arcadia low" her voice was haunting as if warning him.
"I'm not Him" Jaune said angrily when referring to the 'Traitor'.
"I know your not" she answered "I hope your not" she pulled her hands closer to her chest still together and dip her head "I pray your not, you have a gentle heart but so too are you easy to corrupt".
"Lord Arc" Bael interrupted "seizure of power for your own without the support from a governing body is an act of treason and of course death" he said making Jaune gulped "the knight orders being an independent military power to the kingdoms I'm afraid Salem can't vouch for you with how though formidable, limited power to the state".
"This is also during your time with the legion!" Botis pointed out "You may have privileges but since you are still serving for the state with how you acted during the war, didn't you think your making yourself look like a power induced warlord!".
"But Salem-!"
"That witch couldn't stop meddling in court affairs!" Botis complains.
"Your cooperation with Supreme Grand Master of Knights Salem of the Order of the Eye is on your own accord" Bael said "the fact that you not a formal member not even a half-brother of the order makes the arrangement between you two null and voided without proper judicial examination, and the royal court King Solomon too have no such power beyond the palace".
"These laws was set up to prevent individuals from garnering personal power, laws that King Solomon made after the Fall, Salem could not bestow lands to someone outside her order, nor can a knight own land whilst in the legion" Stolas informed.
Abigor spoke up "With the Order pulling out of Albania, the territory in effect are Arcadian land in the hands of the legion, thus ours. Legion commanders pick one of their own to govern the territory but since theirs a tacticus…"
"Your the preferred one to govern the territory, Salem simply played along or set it up in a way there's no better choice but you" Lady Orbia said "but your a knight of the legion thus subjected to the law all the same".
"She's just showing her favor to you boy!" Botis send the reality of the situation crash down on him, as he again crash his own head on the railing.
Jaune is stuck between a rock and a hard place grinding down on him to dust, no one can fault him on taking the initiative and many can claim he did a great job with Albion but he didn't consider the long lasting effect.
He could see where their coming from, giving someone unproven unrivaled power can spring up all kinds of ideas, with how badly things are going for the rest of Remnant another superpower on the rise is a cause of panic. This hearing is more than questioning the future of Albania, it's about whether or not if He is going to be a threat to the status quo, something that could potentially ruin the peace they cultured for years.
The one thing that really bit him hard was himself, all he did way based in his initiative and desire to end the war, ever since he got separated from his unit due to the Garuda incident he went rouge not in intent but practice in the eyes of the council, He should have seen it coming, he was played all along.
"It may have been unintentional, possibly an oversight of the commanders" Orbia continued "they did the right choice of appointing you governor while the south was being pacified, instead of sending out an order for your death were having a hearing instead".
Jaune instantly sighed in relief and thank Monty for deliverance.
"Laws are laws Lord Arc" Bael about to give the verdict "I commend you of your ability and leadership but unless you convince us of your dedication and execution of your duties, we'll brand you a traitor".
'Traitor' that must be the most offensive insult ever thrown at him, without Solomon or Salem backing him up whetever he'll say are just empty words.
It's at this time that he's truly alone.
Jaune wipes the sweat from his forehead, thinking how to save himself but coming up blank, his heart beats like a drum in his ears.
He's genuinely scared, it was like that time from the ruins, surrounded by Grimm, surrounded by death.
Now seventy-one Lords await for his defense, but he couldn't fight, not like this, Solomon said something regarding this, be 'vocal'? He couldn't even find his voice in all of this.
Silently he prayed to Monty that somehow, someway he'll save him from this predicament, it's all he could do now.
Then the doors of the chamber flung open, he dared to hope.
Everyone including him turn to see who barged into the room, Jaune prayed for a savior, what he get was a snake.
Sashayed her way to the chamber was none other than Lady Asmodai, Demon Lord of Arcadia.
She swayed her hips as she slither forward, her lower body is that of a snake, a perfect curvy figure of bone white skin and black ebony straight hair reaching the floor and beside her are always a pair of King Taijitsu that slither along their mistress.
Clothe in deep red corset under a coat lined with furs that failed to conceal her voluptuous chest, and a bloody red lips that promise sinful delights, delicate fingers run across her bare chest and crimson eyes under a masquerade.
Powerful and deadly beautiful, no man could resist her, driven mad by pleasure and lust the bliss that she promise from her movement alone.
"Your late" Bael reminded.
She waved her dainty hand indifferently instead locked her sights on the young knight and slithered to him.
"My Love" she whispered seductively in his ears making the hair on the back of his neck perk up, her hands which is surprisingly warm got under his clothes to feel his chest, nails running through his bare skin sends electricity through his body.
"I miss you" she breathes heavily down his neck as her hands gets dangerously lower.
One of the many of the Weavers friends she relays information and secrets to Ara keeping the Royal Court informed of the many political shenanigans the Coulcil was playing.
Of course she would ask for 'compensation' for her work, and that involves a lot of touching that would violate many laws on all four human kingdoms on a certain knight.
He would have resisted from being molested but learning from the last time this is a better alternative than raped. It didn't get there thankfully, well almost.
"My beloved couldn't possibly endanger Remnant, we're all just wasting our time" she said to the other Lords as she forcibly pull him towards the exit possibly somewhere cold, dark, damp, well away from the light of the sun and potentially scar him for life.
This is one way to get out of the situation but he finds himself in an even more dangerous position, with her tail coiling around his legs he can't escape!
"We're not finish!" Botis came to his rescue, which was ironic a while ago "he needs to answer for his actios!"
"Your going to reward the one who ended the war and save Arcadia with death?" She countered.
"Lady Asmodai" Bael called "Lord Arc is charged with suspicion of treason, such would disrupt the order of things and brings nothing but chaos".
Jaune opened his mouth but a hand covered it and stop him.
The Snake giggled "order? Was there ever order in Remnant when Arcadia fell?" She challenged.
The Lords trade nervous glances to each other "we're trying" Abigor said "we don't need something that could jeopardized all our work".
Asmodai scoffed "Work? We've been 'working' for a thousand years now, humanity is still divided, the Faunus isolated and beast roam the world liberally, how could any of you call that order?"
"We're getting out-of-topic!" Botis exclaimed "Just what are you getting at?"
She smirked and loosened her hold allowing Jaune a chance to breathe but still in her grasp.
"Chaos is rife in the world fellow Lords, and who better to bring order on a lawless world but an order?" She nudged at Jaune to countinue.
"Your not possibly suggesting…" Botis said, a sneaking suspicion.
Jaune gulp down a lump in his throat and steady his beating heart "now is your chance my love" she whispered "claim what is your right".
Mustering every ounce of courage he have left he address them "My Lords, I'm but a human, my people scattered, the legacy of my ansestors lies in ruins forgotten, the time of Arcadia is no more"
"It is destiny that I'm here in front of you all, you took me as your own and here I am now with me the dream of my kind for Remnant" he breathes in deeply, confidence in his core "Duke I may be I'm still a knight of Arcadia, my wish to bring the light back to this dark world. I intent a founding" he declared.
The council burst in an uproar, reactions were mixed among the Council. It was a bold declaration, a leader of Grimm and Duke of a kingdom, a knight of Arcadia intent to find his own knight order, very bold indeed.
"Order! Order! Order darn you!" Botis slams his head repeatedly calling for order like a judge at court.
"A founding? That's your aim Lord Arc?" Bael questioned.
"You said so yourself Lord Bael, Remnant is under siege, gone was the time of peace and unity only strife reign supreme, the light forgotten in tales and myth, darkness is the fact of life, ever since Arcadia fell Remnant is in decline, thousand of years picking up the pieces isn't good enough my Lord. It demands action".
"And what would you'll do Arc!?" Botis challenged "In case you forgotten humanity were the reason Arcadia fell in the first place!"
"I'm Human!" Jaune reasoned "one way or another I will make them see things my way!" He bellowed across the chamber "are we going to wait for another apocalypse to happen? Remnant is already damaged as is, if pushing Humanity in the brink of extinction is needed for them to see reason and unite then I will wipe them out myself!" He declared.
"Careful Lord Arc" Bael warned "Humanity was given the gift of choice between good and evil, take this gift away then their no better then animals and beasts".
Jaune shook his head "It is because this gift that Humanity are nothing more then animals and beasts, they choose to be".
There was a tense silence, formulating the next words to say until Lady Orbia clap her hands "very well".
"Orbia!" Botis called.
"Make no mistake my Lords, I dislike violence but storm clouds are coming and none of us are ready" she then looked at Jaune "Remnant is not ready, therefor as vile as it is if violence is needed then violence it shall be".
A moment of deliberation passed between the lords until Stolas spoke "we have been lenient all this years and yielded no concrete results" he hoowed "if the lad said he will then alright then" he agreed.
Abigor grabbed the balcony edge and looked down at Jaune with a glare "swear on your honor" he demanded.
Asmodai released Jaune from her bindings for him to draw his sword and kneels "by my honor as a knight or Arcadia, Tacticus of Remnant, to Monty the Lord, in my family name of my father and my fathers father and their fathers before them I swear as my name is Jaune Miles Arc, as the Demon Lords of Arcadia and Monty above as my witness I swear".
Satisfied Abigor released his hold and leaned back "very well".
Botis shifted uncomfortably "I suppose, we never really have power over the human kingdoms...until now".
"So be it" Bael said seeing that the lords are in agreement "As head of the infernal powers let there be a founding" he declared "The Gates of Hell will open, Demons will walk the earth, may Monty have mercy on the enemies of Remnant".
The most feared ultimatum was said, the earth will tremble under the footfalls of millions, the heavens will fall as they lash sinners and crimson rivers will flow, for today an Order of Knights been founded and no enemy of peace will be safe from the fires of Hell nor the wrath of Heaven.
"That was an impressive performance Jauney, things are getting very interesting but are things going a bit too fast?"
"Live fast and die young to get things done, then sit back and get old that does nothing".
"A bit too young to talk such things?"
"Shut up Val" Jaune said drinking his tea.
He was sitting near the balcony overlooking the city of Arcadia, across the table is a small boy that looks like eight years old or even younger, body as black as void as all Grimm and a head of white curly hair that hides his bone mask and red eyes, on his back are a pair of white feathery wings and wearing a simple white toga.
To common people he looks like a strange little boy but Jaune knows better, he's Valac a demon lord of Arcadia.
Jaune found an easy friendship with the little lord, he's age is undisclosed but he's easily thousands of years old but still acts childish, looks like a child too, perhaps because both of them looks young that made them friends.
"With the council agreeing with your founding and unsurprising Solomon would be too, what you need now is to get it running" Valac explained "but that won't be a problem especially you".
"Materials are easy, what I need are bodies to fill the ranks and I can't just fill my order with just satyrs and such" Jaune said.
Valac shrugs "your the tacticus not me, you can go through the regular channels, but something tells me that's not your style".
"Nope" Jaune popped the 'p' "I have my way of doing things, more faster if a little unorthodox" he confessed.
The demon boy waved a hand "it's your order"
Now Jaune should have been kidnapped by a seductive snake but she's being chastised by the council for her tardiness again, a respite he's taking advantage and left the area immediately.
Valac jumps out of his seat "duty calls, keeping Remnant together is tough but atleast not boring, and pretty soon much more exciting".
"I'm not going to cause trouble...much" he grins.
Valac grins back "oh please, do as much as you can".
Jaune waved goodbye as the demon lord left leaving him alone at the balcony.
He was left alone overlooking the vast cityscape of Arcadia until someone took the seat across him.
"How long were you planning this?" Abigor asked.
Jaune leaned in his chair and cross his arms "I entertain the idea back in Albania, I wasn't sure what to do after my service but after ruling for a year, i decided" he answered.
Abigor prop himself on the table "you swore"
"That I did" he nods "so what?"
"Believe me if I tell you Jaune, mankind isn't ready" Abigor said.
Jaune scoffed offended "and do what, nothing? Let chaos run free in Remnant? A century ago they almost wipe each other out because they don't approve someone else point of view and another time because of bigotry and race, I'm not going to wait for another mistake to happen that would be the end".
"There not going to celebrate an army of demons in their streets Jaune, mankind is ignorant, petty and selfish creatures. Their animals backed in a corner and if you try to put a leash around their necks it'll bite your hand" he reasoned.
"I know the risks better than anyone" he barked sharply "I know because their my kind, My people. We've been killing each other for too long for no good reason but spite" he calmed himself before continuing "we're ripping ourselves apart, won't be long until we stumble in our drunken stupor over the edge, something is coming Abigor and before that happens I want my people to be ready".
"Your paranoid"
"All of us are paranoid" Jaune said "we don't know what would happen in the future but after everything that happen, we're not taking chances".
Abigor slumped down "tread carefully Jaune, this road is full of dangers" he advised.
Jaune looked away "if my ansestors were careful, there should have been no danger in the first place".
With a bow Abigor left, again Jaune was left alone at the balcony, he mused another demon lord perhaps Stolas would come around but it seems he's in the clear.
He sips his still warm tea and sighed deeply, what happened to him all this years? Since when did the started to curse humanity?
Jaune runs a hand through his hair in frustration, his aspiration of heroism wasn't gone but drastically changed, it felt like yesterday when he first came to Arcadia but now eight years later the fifthteen year old changed so much he couden't even believe it his own reflection when he looks at the mirror.
Jaune Arc, the boy who wanted to be a hero is dead a long time ago. Now, he isn't sure.
Perhaps they were right, that everything is going too fast for him to assess, but there's no point doubting now, that way of thinking is death.
He can still be the hero he wanted to be, not the hero he wanted but the hero he must be, the four human kingdoms the last bastions of humanity is crumbling and only he is capable of saving them from themselves.
He will make mankind kneel, or they will suffer his lash.
Standing up Jaune called for his lieutenant Gunther.
"Your will...Supreme Grand Master?" He teased.
"Ready a Seer in ten minutes, Grand Master" he teased back "we have an Order to fill".
From the blasted hellscape where the sun refuse to shine Salem sits at the head of the table playing with a chessboard and pieces while watching five Seers showing different scenes other than the fifth one showing nothing.
The doors opened and a messenger came delivering a sealed letter to his mistress.
Taking the letter she opened on read the contents, a smile dancing in her face.
"From the council, there has been a founding" the messenger informed.
Salem returned the letter "a new order of Knights, and this time led and founded by a human no less, surely your proud of your squire Han?"
Hannibal grumble something to himself "young and eager to impress, he still have much to learn".
Salem hummed in agreement "Tell me, why do you prefer to be called Han instead of your name?"
"Hannibal makes me sound like a barbarian mistress" he answered.
He glanced at the Seers on the table to see what their showing. One of them were showing a large gruff man traveling, another showing two men in lab coats arguing, another shows a man with a long braid grinning like a mad man in acts of murder, and the last one showing a young woman of raven black hair and fiery eyes in rags scrubbing the floor as an older woman beats her.
The last Seer made his anger boil watching the older woman abuse the girl.
"What are these mistress?" He questioned.
"These?" She laughed "Solomon have a human aid, why not I, or perhaps four or five?"
Hannibal glanced at the Seers again "and what are your requirements for such aid, I do not see reason to take in these lot".
"It's about their capabilities, their loyalty comes easy if you promise them what they want and more" she said "or show them what fear is like" she laughed at that "your squire have the right idea, sitting back and wait will do us no good, the time to act is now".
"As you say mistress" he bowed, looking at the helpless girl one last time before leaving.
"Oh and Han? Send the new Order a small gift, something he would remember" Hannibal confirmed and left the room.
"Things are going quite nicely, don't you agree?" She laughed.
"Agree" the four Seers left the table leaving the fifth Seer, it began to cloud and from the other line was Solomon.
"Soon everything will be in place, try not to forget your end of the bargain" Salem sets up the chessboard and placed it between her and the Seer.
The Seer using its tendrils grasp a pawn piece for Solomon to inspect it "try not to forget yours" Solomon said putting the piece back.
Salem covered her laughter with the back of her hand "I always wonder, if you wanted to kill me then why haven't you?"
"Please, killing you is easy but boring, instead let us treat killing each other a game" Solomon said from the Seer "you like game don't you?"
"Our game would have been interesting if He makes his move already" Salem voiced her displeasure "busy sulking alone, giving powers to maidens and turning people to birds like a children's magic show, I fear the endless cycle of death and rebirth put a strain in his head".
"Regardless" Solomon waved his hand "The first mistake is more greater than the mistake of every man, woman and child combined. A fool will always be a fool and that he is".
"Then let us make the fool an even bigger fool of himself than he is already" she smiled "nothing can get through his head with all the coffee he drowns himself in".
"Well then" the Seer grabbed a knight piece and move it forward "let the best Grimm wins"