Chapter 34: The Last Supper
With Albedo gone to oversee preparations for dinner (how that woman continued to carry on as if she wasn't pregnant was a mystery), Lucifer had taken it upon himself to visit the guests Neuronist had locked up in her waiting room. That is, if by waiting room you mean where the people who aren't currently being tortured get locked up until it's time for their session. Torturing people efficiently means having a busy schedule. The musty room was just outside Neuronist's torture chamber who, judging by the noises coming from within, was hard at work. The members of Ijaniya that Mare had captured were all naked, chained up, and suspended from the ceiling. Most of them started shivering and whimpering the moment he stepped into the room. Except for the one at the end of the row. She had her eyes locked on the Immortal Emperor and kept her expression impassive.
"Lady Tian," Lucifer drawled as he flashed Ijaniya's top assassin a pleasant smile. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Tian didn't say a word and simply changed her expression from impassive to subtle glare. "I can see you are going to uncooperative. Very well, I'll come back later. I have many important guests to attend to anyway. Guests from across the land! Including the lovely ladies of Blue Rose." That got Tian's attention. "Oh yes, I know about your sisters. Then again, anyone who sees you can figure it out, you are identical triplets after all."
"What do you want?" Tian growled.
"Everything," Lucifer smirked. "But what I want from your specifically is your organization. I want the infamous assassins of Ijaniya to serve me."
"You could've just sent us a contract."
"You misunderstand," Lucifer smirked. "I don't want you to kill someone. I already have assassins who are far superior to your own. You would be more useful as a network of informants but what I really want pertains to your location instead of your occupation."
"What do you mean?"
"You are based in the Karnassus City-State Alliance, more specifically, the capital city of Gellara. Not only have the authorities failed to find your base of operations despite the many years they have spent searching for it, but you and your agents have been able to enter and exit the city without anyone noticing. I want to know how."
"You are asking for us to divulge information that each and every member of Ijaniya has sworn to protect. We would rather die than betray the family," Tian declared.
"Yeah!"
"You tell him, mistress!"
"Ijaniya will still be here long after you've turned to dust!"
"This family will survive!"
"You messed with the wrong people, vampire!"
"You are all prepared to die for one another?" Lucifer inquired with an eyebrow raised, somewhat surprised by the devotion shown by what he previously thought to be nothing but a bunch of killers for hire.
"Yes. You have nothing to threaten us with you bastard," Tian smirked.
"Oh, that's where you're wrong," Lucifer smirked back. "Neuronist!"
"Yes, my lord!" a girlish voice called out from the torture room as the screams of agony abruptly died down.
"Would you be so kind as to take these fools to the Black Capsule? Keep their leader outside the capsule, I want her to listen as her so-called "family" suffers," Lucifer commanded.
"Okay! I'll be with them in a minute!" and with that the screams started back up again.
"Relish in your courage while you can Ms. Tian," Lucifer drawled as turned around and left the room. "You will be broken by the time dinner is over."
"What do you think is up with all those other people who are here?" Brain asked as he laid down on the single most comfortable mattress he had ever experienced.
"I imagine they too are here to speak with the Immortal Emperor," Sebas replied as he examined the small apartment-like room he and Brain had been given to spend the night. "He does seem to be an extremely busy individual."
"It's strange, I always imagined him as a sort of lazy and greedy ruler who left everything up to his subordinates." Brain muttered, causing Sebas to furrow his eyebrows. "But now I'm starting to get the feeling that he's a more "hands on ruler" than any other leader I've ever met."
"Indeed," Sebas drawled as his facial features relaxed.
"By the gods," Brain yawned. "If I lay on this thing any longer I'm definitely gonna pass out. Wake me up when it's time for dinner, will ya gramps?"
"I'm not that old," Sebas muttered. "Very well, Brain."
"Thanks, old man," Brain managed to mumble before he started snoring. Upon ensuring he was truly asleep, Sebas quietly exited the room and went off in search of a certain human maid cough cough Tsuare.
"Jessamine, wake up. Wake up. Wake up!" Corvo shouted in annoyance as he shook the unconscious woman until she finally awoke.
"Corvo?" she mumbled drowsily. "Who put a chandelier on the floor?"
"That's the ceiling," Corvo said exasperatedly.
"Oh, right," Jessamine mumbled as she rubbed her eyes before looking around at the unfamiliar, albeit cushy, surroundings. "Where are we anyway?"
"Nazarick. The Royal Palace of the Immortal Emperor," Corvo replied bluntly. Jessamine's eyes widened as her memories of the events prior to her fainting flooded back to her.
"S-So that employer that you and N-Nigun mentioned," she stuttered. "Th-That was the Immortal Emperor?"
"Correct."
"H-He isn't going to eat me or anything is he?"
"Of course not," Corvo sighed as he sat down next to her and took her hand in his. "Look, do you trust me Jessamine?"
"Y-Yes," the now blushing female responded.
"Then know that for as long as you stand by me, neither Lord Dracul or I will allow any harm to come to you."
"O-Okay," Jessamine replied as she rested her head on his shoulder, prompting Corvo to stiffen slightly before relaxing into their current position. "By the way, are you even human?"
"Don't ruin the moment."
"Are you?"
"….No."
"Is this really necessary Lakyus?" Evileye deadpanned as she watched her leader crawl all over the room they had been given looking in every nook and cranny for any indication that Lucifer might be spying on them while Gargan, Tina, and Tia stood outside the room watching the hallway and blocking their teammates from view whenever a Death Squad (8 Death Knights and a Skull Knight) happened to pass by on patrol.
"Absolutely. That vampire is ridiculously intelligent and we have no idea what he hopes to gain by bringing us all here," Lakyus replied from under a bed. "We have to be especially vigilant now that all the most powerful members of the National Liberation Party are here. If something were to happen to us while we were here the rebellion would be crippled."
"And you think you're going to find spy magic casted by the most powerful sorcerer in history by looking under your bed?" Evileye asked sarcastically. "Even if he was spying on us, do you really think we would be able to do anything about it?"
"Fine, fair point," Lakyus groaned as pulled herself out from under the bed.
"Hey, I hear something," Gargan whispered hastily. Evileye poked her head out to hear someone down the hall singing something in an unfamiliar language. "Do you think it could be some sort of ritual?"
"Dunno. I'll take a look," Evileye announced as she slipped by the hulking warrior and trotted down the hallway. Stopping at a corner, she could hear make out the words that were being used, even if she had no fucking clue what they were.
"Die stumpfe Klinge gut und recht, Ich blute stark und mir ist schlecht; Muss ich auch mit der Ohnmacht kämpfen, Ich esse weiter unter Krämpfen! Ist doch so gut gewürzt und so schön flambiert," the voice continued to sing as it came closer and closer until a tall faceless creature wearing a yellow trench coat rounded the corner and bumped into her. "Scheisse!" Evileye could only stare at the bizarre being she had just encountered having never seen anything like it before in her life, or unlife, while said being, for some odd reason she couldn't quite figure out, was staring at her as if her presence here was utterly bewildering.
"I don't mean to be rude or anything here, but what the hell are you?" Evileye inquired bluntly.
I don't know why but there is something familiar about him.
"Guten abend fräulein!" he exclaimed with an over-the-top bow followed by exaggeratedly dramatic movements. "This one is known as Pandora's Actor! I serve the Unsterblicher Kaiser, the Immortal Emperor, as the head of his intelligence network!"
"That's not what I asked," Evileye scoffed. "I asked WHAT you are, not WHO you are."
"Gott verdammt," Pandora's Actor muttered before turning back to the petite vampire. "Apologies fräulein, but I must be off! Praise the Supreme One!"
"Wait! What was that weird language?" Evileye called out just as Pandora's Actor sped down the hallway without another word.
"Danke dem herrn, that's over with," he sighed once he put an adequate amount of distance between him and Evileye. "Unless I'm acting as Momon, I really don't know how to act in front of that kleiner vampir."
Lucifer entered his office closely followed by Albedo, both feeling refreshed after having a relaxing soak, and doing a few other things, in Nazarick's spa. Demiurge and Jigsaw were both already awaiting them within the room standing on either side of his desk. Oh yeah, there was also the corpse of a certain royal Valkyrie sprawled out on the floor. In life she was known as Hope Paradis Pious, Valkyrie Queen of the former Holy Kingdom of Roble.
"I'm glad to see you finally found her, Jigsaw," Lucifer said as he stepped over the corpse and walked around his desk.
"My apologies for the delay milord. She got mixed in with the human carcasses by mistake so there were an awful lot to sort through," Jigsaw responded with a bow.
"See to it that she is restrained before we begin," Lucifer commanded before taking a seat, followed by Albedo hopping into his lap, and turning his attention to Demiurge as Jigsaw motioned for two Death Knights to grab the deceased angelic being by the arms and hoist her up. "Demiurge, have we found any more information pertaining to the land overseas that the Holy Kingdom has been trading with?"
"An adequate amount my lord," Demiurge smirked. "We have found a number of maps, shipping manifestos, a few more documents, and some of their currency. I believe they call them "Septims." I'm uncertain why they don't simply call these coins gold, but it matters very little."
"So, we have an accurate location as to where this continent is?" Lucifer inquired.
"The location isn't exact, but I believe I can direct our scouts to this "Tamriel" with only a minor amount of difficulty," Demiurge reported proudly.
"I don't want us to waste too much manpower on this for the time being Demiurge. Send a few Skeleton Dragons and Stygi. You can send over a maximum of 50 Bone Vultures. Additionally, I want to send any low-level Wraiths that aren't currently assigned to anything to be sent into space."
"Space, my lor - dear?" Albedo grinned as she recalled that Lucifer had finally allowed himself to be referred to as such.
"I would like to start gathering information about our solar system sooner rather than later, especially other worlds with life on them. Should the Wraiths find anything they are to [Message] us any information they are able to retrieve."
"You do realize that it will take several years, decades, or even centuries for them to report back to us on any other planets in our solar system, correct?" Albedo inquired.
"Time is something I have in abundance," Lucifer smirked. "Besides, just think about it. Future conquests for our children." That got Albedo thinking, and as she thought, her face split into a creepy grin and she began giggling psychotically as the Albedoisms began once again.
I'm getting good at this whole husband thing! All I gotta do is say something somewhat loving to Albedo and she starts acting like a psycho bitch in heat! There's something wrong with me if I really think that's a good thing.
"I see. Very well my lord, I will endeavor to find worlds that our worthy of your heirs' attention," Demiurge declared with a bow and a grin, envisioning how he would assist his master's offspring by offering strategic advice and teaching them the art of war.
"Good. Furthermore, I would like you to have a few Elder Liches attempt to learn Wild Magic" Lucifer continued. "Perhaps Mortis or the other dragons such as Hejinmal will enlighten us to its nature and how it used."
And maybe I can learn it and start gaining abilities that weren't available in Yggdrasil!
"Ah, I see," Demiurge drawled with his usual sinister grin. "Knowledge is power after all. I'll see to it my lord."
"Excellent. Now onto the former queen," Lucifer smirked as he summoned the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown to his hand and pointed it at the corpse. "[Create Fallen Angel]." The corpse began to pulsate with a dark purple aura. The withered wings began to regain their vitality as black feathers began to grow, her faded blonde hair turned paper white, her clothes turned black as night, and her once blue eyes became a light purple. Seconds after the transformation was complete, Jigsaw leaned in close to get a good look at the reborn being.
This is a wonderful opportunity to understand how the legions of undead and other creatures I've created think of me. Are they loyal to me simply because I'm their creator or is there more to it? To what extent are they loyal to me? Will I ever have to worry about them turning against me? If not, could I make enough powerful creatures capable of restraining the Guardians, or even Rubedo, should they ever turn against me?
"Ah! Looks like the lass is coming to!" he said as he jumped to the side to stay out of his master's way as Lucifer stepped in front of the former Queen Hope.
"Wha…." the newly created Fallen Angel muttered as she lifted her head groggily. "Where am I? What's going on?"
"I promise to answer your questions only if you can answer mine," Lucifer interrupted, effectively shutting up the babbling woman. "Do you know who you are?"
"Of course, I'm-" she began before she started hyperventilating. She thought she knew. She knew so much, so why didn't she know her own damn name!? As she continued to freak the fuck out, Lucifer put a hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of it.
"Calm yourself," he said soothingly, masking his annoyance. "I will explain your lack of memory soon. Now, do you know who I am?"
"You're-" she trailed off as she stared into Lucifer's eyes. She could feel him and hear him in her mind, as if he was gently grasping her mind and soul. She felt like her only desire was to earn his praise and do whatever he willed of her. She could sense the immense power he held unlike anything she had ever felt before and something about those eyes seemed to promise her everything she would ever desire and more. In that moment, she knew that he could only be one thing. "You're my god," she gasped as she attempted to prostrate herself before him only to be halted by the Death Knights that still maintained their grip on her.
"Release her," Lucifer commanded. "She is of no threat to us." The Death Knights obeyed and allowed the Fallen Angel to bow to him with her head so close to the floor she could lick it. "[Discern Enemy]," he whispered so quietly he was almost silent.
Level 85, not bad. She's stronger than Jigsaw, but still isn't a match for a Floor Guardian. Fallen Angel, Tainted Valkyrie, adept at wielding both holy and unholy magic, blablablablablablabla. Not bad. Not bad at all.
"M-My lord," the still bowing Fallen Angel stuttered. "May I r-raise my head?"
"Of course," Lucifer replied with a regal wave of his hand, prompting her to raise he head. "You say you remember nothing?"
"Nothing, Supreme One," she reiterated.
Hmm…. Gazef remembered who he was after I turned him into a vampire, why can't she remember? Maybe it's because I used the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown? Or maybe it has something to do with the extremity of the transformation? Gazef remained relatively unchanged, but Hope has changed drastically. Or perhaps maybe it has something to do with the fact I just caused an angel to "fall" in the biblical sense. This requires further experimentation. Either way, how could I NOT take advantage of this opportunity?
"Your name is Servus Torquemada," Lucifer lied, drawing the attention of Demiurge who raise an eyebrow and Albedo who simply trusted whatever her beloved was doing. "I am the Immortal Emperor Lucifer Dracul, also known as the God of Life and Death as well as Father Blood. There is an obvious reason why you have no memory: You did not exist until a few minutes ago."
"I didn't exist?" Servus parroted, thoroughly confused.
"As your base instincts allowed you to work out on your own, I am a god. As a god, I have the power to create and you happen to be my latest creation," Lucifer bullshitted.
"If you are my god, then you must've made me with a purpose," Servus murmured as her eyes began to sparkle and a smile worked its way onto her features. "What is my purpose lord? What is the meaning of life?"
Oh, shit! Big questions! Think, think, think, ah ha!
"Allow me to make this clear Servus, there is no such thing as omnipotence. Many gods lie and claim to have all the answers, but that is all they are: lies," Lucifer declared. "I have the answers to the questions you asked, but do not expect me to have an answer for every single question in existence."
"I see," she replied, still staring at Lucifer expectantly.
"You were created because while my religion is beginning to spread, there are still those who cling to the old ways and worship false gods," Lucifer drawled as he folded his arms behind the small of his back. "I intend to put together an inquisition to hunt down those who worship the false gods and "reeducate" them. I intend to put you in charge of this Imperial Inquisition as my Grand Inquisitor." Servus's eyes widened. Not only did her god have a plan for her, but he had something very specific in mind. With that position came a sense of trust and responsibility.
"I will not let you down, my lord," she declared as she lowered her head once again, allowing Lucifer to let an evil grin slip onto his face while she wasn't looking. The sound of someone abruptly knocking on the door caused Servus's to jerk her head up in surprise, causing Lucifer to force his features back into the cold smile and soulless eyes before turning his attention to the door.
"Enter," he commanded. With permission granted, the door opened revealing Sebas. "Sebas, it's good to have you back here in Nazarick."
"Thank you, my lord," Sebas said with a bow before entering the room. "I've come to give my report regarding the events in the Re-Estize Kingdom. Additionally, I was asked to inform Lady Albedo that her sisters Rubedo and Nigredo wish to see her." Albedo perked up immediately upon hearing this and looked over to Lucifer, her eyes wordlessly asking for permission to leave.
"Go ahead," Lucifer grinned, half amused by Albedo's antics half proud of himself for being able to understand what she wanted just by reading her body language. After all, other than Demiurge, Albedo was the most difficult of his subordinates to get a read on. She gave him a heartwarming smile and flew out the door.
That's weird, for a moment there I thought I had a heart. Moving on.
"Servus, leave us. A Dark Paladin will lead you to Arche's church where she can teach you our ways. If she's not there, then she's probably still in lock up and you should arrange for her release. The Death Knight will give you the authority you need," Lucifer stated, prompting the Fallen Angel to leave the room. "Now Sebas, I have read your reports about the rebellion, but it is this incident involving Renner that has me concerned. What do we know?"
"According to Princess Renner, a man in silver armor attacked her and Sir Climb while we were taking E-Pespel and took Razor Edge," Sebas reported before furrowing his eyebrows. "She would not let Climb speak when he tried to tell me what happened."
"She's playing this one close to the chest," Demiurge mused. "She doesn't want anyone to know what she's up to. Still, she must've known that we would learn of her involvement. It appears our precious little puppet has begun overestimating her worth. What do you think my lord?"
This silver armored motherfucker again! He's been moving unnoticed in the background this whole damn time doing who knows what!? It's just like what I did before I established the Eternal Empire. Could he be a player? It doesn't matter who or what he is, if that prophecy bullshit is even the SLIGHTEST bit accurate, he's going to come for me and now he has a sword that let a NOOB like Lurk take on what was essentially a level 90 boss. The fact that he took such a direct approach in this incident suggests that he must be on the verge of completing his preparations. If this continues to escalate, then I will bring the full might of Nazarick down upon him.
"We will deal with Renner at a later date," Lucifer sneered. "For now, our focus should be this silver armored man. I believe that I am his primary target." Demiurge, Jigsaw, and Sebas were shocked and angered at the prospect of some lower lifeform so much as DARING to strike at their master.
"We will not allow this," Sebas growled.
"For once I found myself in agreement with you, Sebas. This man needs to die," Demiurge snarled.
"Silver-pricked gobshite! I'll tear out his eyes and swap them with his testicles!" Jigsaw exclaimed.
"Enough," Lucifer snapped as he began to walk around to the other side of his desk again. "We won't get anything done threatening someone who isn't even here. It is unlikely that he will attack us here in Nazarick , so we will prepare for his inevitable attack and end him when he does. I want the three of you to head to dinner, I will be with you shortly after I gather a few things."
"We all know why we've gathered, so let's get on with it," the Cardinal of Darkness began, completely skipping over the usual formalities. "Our chance to eliminate the Antichrist is almost upon us. Our benefactor, Ainz, has gone to retrieve the Valkyrie Knight, Angela Pious, from the Holy Kingdom for our attack."
"We've taken great care in our preparations," the Cardinal of Wind spoke up. "Beyond those of us in this room, no one else in the Theocracy knows what exactly we're planning."
"As it should be," the Cardinal of Light added. "The duty of our subordinates is to do as they're told without question." The Cardinal of Darkness furrowed his eyebrows at this statement but held his tongue, deciding that it was best to wrap this meeting up as quickly as possible.
"I've already dispatched a messenger to relay our orders to Zesshi," the Cardinal of Water stated. "He took a sleipnir so he should manage to rendezvous with Zesshi before the end of the day."
"Good. Now I believe it's time I laid out our plan of attack. This discussion should only be heard by the Cardinals and myself," Maximus declared before turning to the guards. "Guards, leave us." The guards glanced at each other with concern. Not once in the history of the Theocracy had the guards who had been charged with protecting the inner sanctum ever been ordered to leave their posts. After all, their job wasn't just to guard the inner sanctum but also the Theocracy's leadership. In the end however, they did as they were told, albeit reluctantly.
"Now, what exactly is it must we be so secretive about?" the Cardinal of Fire asked as she raised an eyebrow. Maximus's response was to snap his fingers, signaling as 3 men in white robes to step out of the shadows each carrying a small, ornately decorated chest. The Cardinals cringed when they got a better look at the men. They had blank, lifeless eyes and the symbol of the Six Gods branded onto their foreheads. They were completely silent as they gently laid the chests on the desk before the Archbishop.
"Thank you, gentlemen. You may go now," Maximus ordered as, prompting the white robed figures to bow before leaving the room as silently as they had appeared.
"Your Holiness, who were they?" the Cardinal of Earth asked warily.
"Former heretics," Maximus replied offhandedly as he started fiddling with the locks on the chests. "In light of recent events with the Rat Plague, Jaldabaoth's massacres, and the rise of the Antichrist, many have begun to lose faith in the Six. Because of that, some of our people have had to go through "reeducation" to solidify their faith. They no longer have names or identities and they have given everything up for the Six Great Gods. The ones you just saw are known as Number 5, Number 12, and Number 3."
"Do we really have the resources to spare to use on something like that?" the Cardinal of Darkness asked as he pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.
"With the decline of the Rat Plague here in Humanika, yes," Maximus shrugged as he opened the 2nd chest.
"But what about the other cities and villages of the Theocracy?" the Cardinal of Wind inquired. "They still suffer from the plague. Shouldn't we dispatch relief units in order to reassert our stability?"
"They will have to take care of themselves for the time being," Maximus replied with an uncaring expression on his face as he opened the 3rd chest. "We must focus our efforts on the Immortal Emperor right now. We may not ever have another chance such as this to destroy him. Now if you're done worrying about the common rabble, we may now get on with explaining the plan." The Cardinals' reactions varied from gasps to wide eyed staring when they saw the objects Maximus removed from the chests.
"They're beautiful," the Cardinal of Fire breathed as she gazed upon the Holy Relics.
"So, we're really going to use them," the Cardinal of Darkness muttered.
"As I've said before, it is my belief that the Six Great Gods, in their wisdom and benevolence, left these artifacts behind so that we may overcome the Antichrist and his armies of darkness," Maximus said solemnly. "If there was ever a time to use them, it is now."
"What is our plan?" the Cardinal of Light asked with a mad glint in his eyes.
"The Black Scripture will go to the ambush point and rendezvous with Ainz and his allies. When the battle starts, Kaire will attempt to use Downfall of Castle and Country against Dracul or one of his followers. I have no doubt that Dracul will be among allies when we attack, so it will be our job to draw the attention of the Antichrist's subordinates while Ainz engages that monster. As all of you know, the servants of the Eternal Empire are quite powerful and despite Ainz's abilities, he may still be unable to defeat the Antichrist," Maximus paused as he sent a quick glance to each of the Cardinals. "Which why we will be keeping Wrath of God and Ahura Mazda here in Humanika in case we need to enact Plan B."
"What exactly is Plan B?" the Cardinal of Water inquired shakily.
"We will use the Wrath of God to summon an army of angels to hold off the legions of the Eternal Empire while I activate Ahura Mazda," Maximus replied. The Cardinals stared at him in shock for a few moments before the Cardinal of Earth spoke up.
"Your Holiness, please don't joke about such things!" he exclaimed. "Ahura Mazda is intended as failsafe! A last resort should the worst ever happen and the Theocracy was destroyed!"
"And what do you think will happen if Dracul defeats Sir Ainz?" Maximus growled. "He will no doubt know of our involvement in the attack and will have a perfect reason to declare war on our country. He will attempt to destroy us and Ahura Mazda will be the only thing that purge his evil existence."
"You realize what you are saying, right?" the Cardinal of Darkness growled. "The damage that item will inflict upon the world will take centuries to recover from. True, it may destroy Lucifer, but it is likely that it will also wipe out countless human lives. Ahura Mazda has never been used for that very reason: we don't know what is seen as good or evil by that thing. We may very well be wiping out the entire human race by using it!"
"An empty world is better than one ruled by that abomination!" Maximus roared. "I will not allow it! If push comes to shove, I will use Ahura Mazda myself and destroy the Antichrist!"
"And what of the countless innocents who will be wiped out?" the Cardinal of Darkness pressed with narrowed eyes.
"A clean slate. The world will start over and humanity will rise from the ashes of the old world," Maximus responded coldly. "It is our destiny surpass all other creatures after all." The Cardinal of Darkness sighed as he slumped back into his seat.
"But your holiness-"
"Enough Maximilian!" Maximus bellowed. "This discussion is over! Questioning me is tantamount to heresy! Is that what you want? To be branded a heretic?"
"Very well, we will do as you say you Holiness," the Cardinal of Darkness said begrudgingly as he continued to glare at Maximus. The Cardinal of Light smirked at the Cardinal of Darkness while the other Cardinals attempted to mask their unease.
"Good answer," Maximus huffed before turning his attention to the rest of the Cardinals. "Now I need at least two Cardinals to accompany the Black Scripture on this assignment. Are there any volunteers?"
"As I have prior military experience, I think it would be prudent if I were to-" the Cardinal of Darkness began.
"No! You will remain here in Humanika where I can keep an eye on you," Maximus interrupted. "Your dealings with the Antichrist and questioning of my judgement has brought your loyalty under scrutiny."
"Very well," the Cardinal of Darkness grumbled.
"I shall go and witness the end of the Antichrist!" the Cardinal of Light proclaimed.
"I will see to it that our forces are prepared appropriately and will help strategize with our allies," the Cardinal of Earth said as he gave the Cardinal of Darkness a look that said "Don't worry, I'll keep him from doing anything crazy," to which he received a look of gratitude.
"Very well," Maximus murmured. "The remainder of the Cardinals will assist me in strengthening Humanika's defenses. Although I don't expect them to keep Lucifer out, they may at least delay him should Ainz fail."
After taking some time to rest in the accommodations that they had been provided with by the maids, the guests of the Immortal Emperor were all gathered around a large table in Nazarick's grand dining room after about an hour of relaxing, except for Neia and Samuel. Neia had joined Servus to learn of Father Blood's teachings and Samuel was being escorted to the Deadhouse where he was to draw up blueprints of the new Imperial Navy for Jigsaw's approval. Gathered around the seat reserved for the Immortal Emperor were Demiurge, Cocytus, Shalltear, and Jigsaw. The maids had laid out a banquet fit for a king but had forbidden the guests from actually eating anything as they claimed it would be rude to begin without their host. They were still allowed to drink though. It would be just rude otherwise. After passing the time chatting with one another for about 30 minutes, their host finally entered the room and took a seat.
"Good evening everyone, it's good to see so many familiar faces gathered in one place," Lucifer began as he took sip his Goblet of the Vampire King. "Please don't wait on my behalf. Go ahead and enjoy your meal." As the guests began to eat and resume chatting with each other, except for Nemu who practically slammed her face into her food, Lucifer stared vacantly in front of him, occasionally taking small sips of blood from his goblet. To anyone else, he looked like was zoning out. To the denizens of Nazarick who had become familiar with his behavior, they knew he was thinking of something they probably couldn't even fathom in that ingenious mind of his.
So, what are vampire-demon babies supposed to look like anyway? Will they have devil horns and bat wings? What if I had ended up with a daughter? That would be a nightmare, Cocytus and Demiurge would obsess over her and her succubus nature would make my task of keeping boys away from her nearly impossible. Bah! Stop thinking about these pointless things! The world isn't going to conquer itself!
Like I said, probably.
"Lupusregina," he called, prompting a certain werewolf maid to walk swiftly over to him.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Would you go retrieve Momon? I think it would be best if he were here for this meeting," Lucifer requested/commanded, causing several heads to perk up at the mentioning of Momon's name.
"As you wish!" Lupusregina cheered as she trotted off. With her gone, Lucifer finally turned his attention to his guests and set his goblet down.
"I believe it's about time we got started," Lucifer declared. "While I see many familiar faces here, I am sure that many of you are unfamiliar with each other. Would you kindly introduce yourselves?"
"Me! Me!" Nemu exclaimed. "My name Is Nemu and Lucy-fer is my bestest friend in the whooole world!" Several of the guests became tense, concerned what the Immortal Emperor's reaction would be to this little girl, but relaxed when he let out a good-natured chuckle.
Annoying brat, you're only here because your sister brought you. Now stop interrupting ya little shit!
"Nemu, be polite!" Enri whispered harshly before giving the rest of the table an awkward smile. "Hi, I'm Enri Bareare. Nemu is my little sister and Nfirea is my husband. I'm not entirely sure why I'm even here to be perfectly honest, I kinda feel like I'm intruding."
"Not at all, Enri," Lucifer interrupted. "I have a very specific reason for brining you here regarding the future of Carne Village."
"I am Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra, leader of the adamantite adventurer team, Blue Rose," Lakyus (no shit Sherlock) announced as she stood up from her seat and gestured to her teamates. "These are my companions: Gargan, Tina, Tia, and Evileye."
"I must confess, I was surprised to see your team here," Lucifer said. "Why have you come?"
"My apologies Lord Dracul, I invited them as my guests," Ainzach cut in. "I hope I haven't overstepped my bounds or offended you by bringing them here."
"It's quite alright Ainzach, but I would appreciate it if you would inform me if you would inform me that you are brining guests the next time we meet like this," Lucifer replied with a good-natured chuckle, masking his slight annoyance.
"My name is Gondo Firebeard, director of the Dwarven Foundry in Carne Village," Gondo spoke up, standing on his chair so that those who were present could seem him more clearly. "Allow me to say that I, as well as the rest of the Dwarf Kingdom, are proud to be able to count ourselves among the Eternal Empire's allies and look forward to our continued cooperation, your majesty. Thank you for inviting to your home."
"It's a pleasure to have you here, my friend," Lucifer replied pleasantly, causing Gondo to swell with a strange mix of pride and gratitude. "I look forward to seeing the progress you make at the foundry."
"I won't let you down boss – I mean – your majesty!" Gondo exclaimed with a fist clenched over his heart and a determined grin plastered on his face. Lakyus's eyes narrowed slightly at the dwarf. She had heard rumors of the Eternal Empire's alliance with the Dwarf Kingdom, but that was just it: rumors. Why would the Eternal Empire, who crushed all who dared to raise a fist against it, ally with the greatly weakened dwarves rather than outright conquering them? There was probably a reason, but Lakyus, as well as most other people for that matter, was not privy to the specifics of their arrangements. Her train of thought was interrupted as a lizardman cleared his throat.
"My name is Zaryusu Shasha. I am here as a representative on behalf of my wif- I mean - Senator Crusch Lulu of the Great Lake villages, although they are more like human towns than villages now. I have been told to deliver a report pertaining to the advancement of our people."
"Has the transition from living in huts gone well?" Lucifer asked.
"There were a few elders who preferred living in huts, but the geezers have found living in the new homes you had your undead workers build for us more comfortable and offers more protection from the weather. Additionally, my Fish Hatcheries have been implemented and have been a great success, thank you again for listening to me when I presented the idea."
"Of course," Lucifer replied with a regal wave of his hand. "Now that your people have adapted to this new lifestyle, I'm planning to have my workers begin building roads to connect with the road to E-Rantel and begin sending refugees from the Holy Kingdom your way."
"Are you sure that is wise, your majesty?" Zaryusu asked with a concerned expression twisted onto his face as he thought of his son having to grow up around a bunch of people he knew nothing about.
"This is an important step in uplifting you as a species as well as teaching the humans from the Holy Kingdom some common sense," Lucifer explained. "Your people have always been wary of outside influence, hence is why your village elders dismissed your opinions as a Traveler. The humans of the Holy Kingdom have always seen demihumans as monsters, but after Jalbadaoth's invasion and subsequent defeat, they have seen the true face of evil and many of them have already come to dismiss such primitive ideas."
Honestly, having the demons turn on the demihumans while continuing to slaughter the humans was a stroke of genius. Not only did it provide us with more corpses for our army, but it forced the survivors to cooperate with each other regardless of their species in order to stay alive, forming bonds between species and weakening the influence of prejudice on both sides. Stupid mortals, when will they learn that they're all equally inferior?
"By having your people join with theirs, we will teach the lizardmen to interact with those who are not of their species while teaching the humans to cooperate with nonhumans in order to make a living," Lucifer continued. "I've always found that the best way to teach mortals to get along is to make it mutually beneficial for both parties." Demiurge smirked at being reminded, once again, of just how intelligent their master was and how far he had to go to truly prove himself worthy. Shalltear smiled as the Father of all Vampires once again proved his superiority. Cocytus didn't have physical reaction but felt nothing but pride in the fact that he was chosen by this master of masters to command his forces. Jigsaw wasn't really paying attention and had adjusted his mask just enough so that he could pick his nose while still covering his face.
"I see," Zaryusu mused, still uncomfortable with idea, but confident that the Immortal Emperor knew what he was doing. "I will inform the Senator of your decision, your majesty."
"Excellent, now I don't think we've finished introduction yet," Lucifer said as turned back the other guests at the table. "I apologize for getting carried away. Please continue."
"I am Corvo Attano. I am not permitted to disclose why I am here or my position at this time," Corvo introduced himself gruffly, earning an awkward laugh from Jessamine.
"Weren't you with the Slane Theocracy's Black Scripture?" Gargan spoke up, causing pretty much everyone who wasn't human as well as several humans to glare at Corvo. Corvo's response was to silently glare back at everyone, refusing to say another word.
"I'm Jessamine Kaldwin," Jessamine cut in before things could escalate. "I'm an elven rights activist in the Slane Theocracy and Corvo's lover!" Several people sweatdropped at that announcement while Lucifer turned to his personal assassin and gave him a look that said: 'We'll discuss this later.'
"Damn that takes some guts," Brain chuckled. "Oh, right. I'm Brain Unglaus, one of the leaders of the National Liberation Party in Re-Estize."
"And I am Sebas Tian, founder of said rebellion," Sebas declared with a polite bow.
"I assume you two have left your comrades and come to me for a reason?" Lucifer drawled.
"Yes, your majesty," Sebas replied. "The rebellion has reached a critical stage that will determine the fate of the Re-Estize Kingdom. We are preparing to take the capital and request that you spare some of your forces to aid us in the final push."
"Very well, I did promise to support your cause after all," Lucifer shrugged as if it was a trifling concern, when on the inside he was giddy with anticipation.
Finally! After all this time Re-Estize will be mine! But I won't be able to use Renner as a puppet anymore. I'll have to kill her, but Laykus will use her magic to revive her or she may try to force me to do it and threaten my reputation. She needs to be "removed."
"Thank you, your majesty," Sebas bowed before sitting back down.
"Nfirea, I believe you're here to report on the progress you've made?" Lucifer stated more than asked as he turned towards the young man.
"Yes, my lord. I…." Nfirea stopped as the doors to the room opened and several individuals of note entered the room. The first was Lupusregina closely followed by the twins Aura and Mare. Behind them were three impressive figures. The first was the former Dark Elf King, now a member of the Imperial Senate, Vega Connard, who had traded in his old warrior's armor for regal black and white robes he had been given upon his appointment to senator. He still kept the World Savior on his back at all times and his war axes at his sides, not to mention he had armor hidden under the robes. Old habits die hard. He kept his eyes trained on Aura and Mare, vigilant to an almost obsessive degree in case someone or something tried to threaten them. The next one to enter was the famous war troll Go Gin, the former champion of the Imperial Arena. As usual, the hulking figure was decked out in battle armor and upon seeing his master, he gave Lucifer a nod of respect, not the kind of respect one shows their commander but the kind one gives to a fellow warrior. Finally, there was the instantly recognizable form of the Dark Knight Momon, his helmet tucked under his arm revealing his face once again. It also showed how he his gaze had clearly lingered on Evileye as he surveyed the occupants of the room, eliciting a blush from the petite vampire.
"Welcome gentlemen," Lucifer greeted before addressing those already gathered around the table. "Allow me to introduce Go Gin, Senator Vega Connard, and Momon. Loyal servants of the Eternal Empire as well as my trusted advisors."
"You honor us, my lord," Vega said with a bow which Momon mimicked while Go Gin simply nodded again.
"Please, have a seat," Lucifer requested/ordered as he gestured towards a few empty chairs at the table. After they took their seats, Lucifer turned his attention back to Nfirea.
"I'll cut to the chase. Nfirea, how has your experimentation with potions progressed?" Lucifer inquired, deciding to completely skip over the few who hadn't introduced themselves.
"It's been going great my lord!" Nfirea exclaimed excitedly. "A few months ago, I managed to create a never-before-seen potion (the purple potion he makes in canon) using the methods you described to me in order to create the, um, you-know-what potions (Blood of God)!"
"Well done, Nfirea," Lucifer praised, causing Nfirea to become embarrassed but most people didn't notice because of his hair. "I would like you to work with Gondo in order to prepare for mass production of your potion. How long do you think it would take to begin public distribution Gondo?"
"Between gathering materials, production, and finishing up a few works-in-progress back at the Foundry, I'd wager about 4 weeks your majesty," Gondo replied, proud to be of service.
"Good. Return to me once you have completed this task," Lucifer ordered. "I will have a new project for you to work on."
"As you command, my lord."
"Thank you again Nfirea, and congratulations on your marriage, which reminds me: Enri, I have a proposal regarding the future of Carne," Lucifer stated.
"My lord?" Enri spoke up.
"As you are aware, I have been building a massive city around Nazarick to serve as the capital of the Eternal Empire. I intend to make it the single largest city in the world," Lucifer explained. "I intend to expand it so that Carne Village will become a part of the capital but this might involve tearing down the homes you currently occupy and replacing them with the standard marble homes we've been constructing. You and the other villagers would be provided with temporary housing during the transition, of course. Is this arrangement acceptable to you?"
"Um, of course," Enri replied nervously. As the village chief, she had gotten used to making decisions like this, but she had essentially just given someone permission to tear down the village. Still, this was coming from the Immortal Emperor himself, their savior. She trusted him, plain and simple.
"Excellent, thank you for your cooperation, Enri. Now, onto more pressing matters-," Lucifer began as he leaned forward and fold his hands in front of him.
"Uh, um, e-excuse me?" Myriah spoke up, her elven ears twitching nervously as several of Lucifer's servants sent glares at the lower life form that DARED to interrupt their master. Vega, on the other hand, simply stared at her curiously.
"You are the elf I was told about," Lucifer mused, prompting the NPCs to stop glaring and turn their attention back to him. "You are from the Elf Country, correct?"
"Y-yes," she stammered as she felt those soulless red eyes look through her skin and into her very being.
"I see. I suppose this makes you your people's unofficial ambassador as this is a first contact scenario," Lucifer drawled, his usual cold smile widening ever so slightly upon seeing the elf begin to sputter nervously. "As you are clearly not an appointed representative, I will keep these proceedings relatively informal so that we don't cause you any discomfort. I would be a poor host to expect you to understand the political and diplomatic intricacies of a position I have selfishly forced upon you."
That and I just want to get this over with.
"Um…. okay," Myriah responded with a confused look on her face, not entirely certain of what the vampire had just said to her. "Wh-what do you need from me?"
"I would like you to tell me about your country, particularly about the current state of affairs regarding your country's government, military, society, and leadership," Lucifer stated before gesturing to the full grown Dark Elf seated at the table. "Senator Vega here tells me that your country is ruled by an apathetic king who doesn't lift a finger in the defense of his people and regularly abuses the power he holds over his subjects." Myriah turned hesitantly towards Vega and became stiff upon gazing into his heterochromatic eyes.
"You have his eyes," she gasped. "You're one of his children."
"That monster doesn't deserve to be ANYONE'S father!" Vega spat, prompting Myriah to cower and raise her arms as if she was expecting someone to hit her. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to frighten you. Judging from your reaction, can I assume you've met the bastard?"
"I s-served in the palace as one of King Connard's maids," she stuttered as she slowly lowered her arms causing Vega to wince, fully aware of what it meant to be a maid in the Elf King's palace (abuse, rape, beatings, and more rape). The conditions there certainly explained Myriah's timid nature. Lucifer, on the other hand, was masking his glee with a stern expression.
Not only have I gotten my hands on one of their people, but an inside source who was stationed at the palace itself!
"What can you tell me about the palace?" Lucifer inquired. "Does it have any structural weaknesses or back entrances? What is the interior like?"
"W-well, the palace isn't an actual building," Myriah explained. "There's a large cliff overlooking the capitol city of Crescent Lake with a waterfall cascading down it. The king's palace was carved out within the cliff itself behind the waterfall. The city itself is made up of massive houses built into the giant trees that grow out of the lake itself."
"I have heard plenty of things regarding your king from Vega, but I wish to hear from you, a citizen who has lived under his rule," Lucifer said. "What do the people of the Elf Country think of their home and its ruler?"
"Nobody is happy. Our options are limited to abandon our homes and seek a new life in the neighboring countries, which are usually not kind to our people, or attempt to defend ourselves while not gaining the king's attention," Myriah replied bitterly.
"What of your military?"
"We have no military. The villages are told to fend for themselves in order to prove that they are worthy of being under the king's rule."
What the fuck? What kind of setup is that?
"Your economy?"
"The king takes everything of any real value claiming that if we were strong enough to deserve it then we would be able to stop him from taking it in the first place. Most survive by gathering our own food and trading what we need." Lucifer sighed and rubbed his eyes as he mulled over Myriah's description the pitiful state of the Elf Country.
So, he's less of a king and more of a thug who uses his strength to just do whatever he wants. Did he used to care and just decided to stop giving a fuck or did he never care and just saw ruling the elves as a chance to just take whatever he wants and live out some juvenile sex fantasy?
"Tell me Myriah, how would people react if their king was to be removed and a new government that was actually functional was implemented?" Lucifer asked as his usual smirk returned prompting Lakyus to narrow her eyes at him.
"Wh-what!?" Myriah squeaked.
"I'll simplify matters for you: Do you want that sad excuse for a king gone or should I leave your people to your suffering?" Lucifer said as he fixed his gaze on the elf girl. "I cannot help you if you do not ask. Decide. Now." The panicked elf looked around at the others as if looking for an answer before opting to frantically nod her head.
"Y-yes! P-please help us!" she stammered, understandably worried given the fact that she had just made a massive decision of behalf of her people.
"Excellent," Lucifer grinned before turning to Vega. "Well Vega, it appears that the time has come for us to confront your father. Are you prepared to uphold your end of our agreement?"
"Of course," Vega growled as a feral grin worked its way onto his face, or at least the part of his face that hadn't been mutilated. "I've been looking forward to this for decades."
"Allow my forces to escort you to the Great Forest of Evasha and I will meet you there."
"Apologies my lord, but I'm afraid I will have to return to Roble before joining you," Vega interjected. "The Theocracy is assaulting Evasha at this very moment and thousands will jump at the chance to push them out of elven territory. All I would have to say is that we are returning to the homelands and I will have assembled an army."
"Very well. I will arrange for Omega to create a [Gate] to make your transporting your forces easier," Lucifer nodded. "I will give you two days to assemble your forces. Keep in mind that if the Theocracy is already there then we are going to have to rush to reach the capital before they do. Once we regroup, Myriah will serve as our guide, since there is no reliable map of the area, and lead us to Crescent Lake where we will face the Elf King. Afterwards, you will assume control of the Elf Country during its transition in joining the Eternal Empire. My subordinates Aura and Mare will join you in ruling the elves to ensure my will is enforced."
"As you wish, my lord," Vega replied with a nod. "I'm sure Angela will be able to manage things in Roble while I am away."
"Good. Ainzach, I believe the adventurers are itching for action. Seeing as there are no maps of the Elf County, I believe this will be a perfect opportunity for our new adventurers to gain some experience. Care to join us?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Ainzach grinned. "We'll be ready by noon tomorrow. It's time we find out just how much all those hours spent sparring with Death Knights has improved us."
"Hold on just a second!" Lakyus interrupted, turning every head in the room towards her. "Are we seriously okay with him doing this again?"
"What do you mean?" Momon spoke up.
"Momon, you see what's going on here, right?" Lakyus continued. "He's expending his territory….. again! You may hide behind excuses and just causes, but in the end, you just want to conquer! When is it going end? How much territory do you need to take to be satisfied? Will you EVER be satisfied?"
Probably not, no. She's got guts accusing me like this here, even more evidence that I'm going to have to get rid of her.
"Let me ask you this, Lakyus," Lucifer asked, seemingly annoyed as if there answers to her questions were of the "duh" variety. "Should I have allowed Jalbadaoth to do as he wished in the Holy Kingdom?"
"Of course not! I'm only saying…."
"Should I allow the suffering in the Elf Country to continue?"
"No, but…"
"If not me, then who?" Lucifer demanded. "The Kingdom? Your too busy fighting yourselves. The Theocracy? They're part of the problem. The City State Alliance? They're occupied by the Troll Kingdom. The Agrand Council Alliance? They could never get so close to the Slane Theocracy without triggering a war. As it stands, I am their only option."
"But you're going to rule over them once you've deposed the king, right?"
"Of course. I'm not a charity and someone will have to maintain order during such a transition," Lucifer drawled in an annoyed manner. "Do you think I will abuse my authority or take control through contemptable means?"
"You don't exactly come across as benevolent," Tina said in her usual deadpan expression.
"Then how about this," Lucifer drawled, seemingly sick of this conversation. "If you are so concerned about my actions, why doesn't Blue Rose accompany us in our liberation of the elven people?"
"Are you serious?" Gargan growled. "You expect us to do your dirty work?"
"Of course not. I will have you grouped with the adventurers who I have no doubt you'll have more common ground with than my undead legions," Lucifer smirked before turning to the Dark Knight. "Momon, I want your team, Ainzach, and Blue Rose in charge of the adventurers. In addition to exploring the forest, I also want you to maintain order and provide aid to any civilians who may get caught up in the fighting."
"As you decree, my lord," Momon responded with a bow before turning to the members of Blue Rose. "I look forward to working with you again."
"M-me too," Evileye mumbled shyly while her teammates just looked at her with worried expressions.
"Good," Lucifer drawled, fighting to suppress an evil grin.
Zesshi sighed as she continued to sharpen her scythe, still listening to the sounds of rain that continued to fall outside. She hadn't been bothered by it, but the little bitch soldiers that were supposed to be accompanying her claimed that the weather conditions would make it easier for the enemy to ambush them if they continued to move through the forest. And so here she was, holed up in what in one of the tents the soldiers had set up, while the troops either got some shut eye in their tents or stood guard outside keeping an eye out for trouble.
"Lady Zesshi," a voice from outside the tent called. "A messenger from Humanika has arrived. He would like to speak with you."
"Enter," Zesshi grunted, prompting a drenched soldier to step into her tent. "Well? What so you want?"
"Milady, I've brought orders from the Cardinals and the Archbishop himself," the messenger informed her. "They claim that the Immortal Emperor will be making a move on the elven capital soon. You and your men are to be on standby until after Dracul has defeated the Elf King so that we may strike at him when he is at his weakest."
"Are you telling me, that after all this time, those idiots are going to keep me from my revenge just because they're too cowardly to let me face that vampire in a straight up fight?" Zesshi inquired in a dangerously low voice.
"Lady Zesshi please, we must follow orders," the messenger sighed. "The coalition that will be gathering here will be our best chance to defeat the Antichrist and after he is weakened from the fight t will be the perfect time to strike. This operation requires perfect execution and for everyone to do their part. I myself had to race here on a sleipnir to ensure I informed you in time."
"You arrived by sleipnir?" Zesshi asked with a strange amount of curiosity.
"Yes, it was the only way to ensure I reached you in time. Good thing this weather slowed you down, who knows how long it would've taken otherwi-" the man was cut off by a single punch to the face, instantly knocking him unconscious. With the messenger down, Zesshi a hooded cloak on to protect herself from the rain and peaked out of her tent to see the sleipnir tied to a tree on the other side of the camp.
Perfect. This might just be exactly what I need to reach Connard before Dracul arrives!
And with that thought, Zesshi quietly slipped out of her tent and made her made her way over to the beast, managing to remain unseen by sticking to the trees and sneaking behind other tents. After a few minutes of half-hearted stealth, Zesshi made it to the creature and deciding that she had run out of fucks to give, she simply sliced the rope that kept the sleipnir tethered, jumped on its back, and rode the fuck out of there as quickly as she could.
"Lady Zesshi, what are you doing!?" one of the soldiers on lookout cried as she raced past him. "Don't follow me and stay out of my way!" Zesshi shouted as she galloped off deeper into the forest in the direction of Crescent Lake.
No one's taking that bastard out but me! Augustus Connard, Lucifer Dracul, both at the same time, I don't care! I'll take them both down! There's nobody left to slow me down, no one left to stop me from taking my revenge!
Lucifer and Demiurge smirked down at Tian, whose body was shaking from fear, but her eyes still retained the slightest glimmer of defiance despite the sounds of screams that were emanating from the black capsule. She wanted to lash out at the incarnations of evil that stood before her. But the Dark Paladin that stood behind would no doubt strike her down before she got within a foot of either of them.
"Now, Ms. Tian, now that you've had some time to think, would you kindly inform me how you and your little assassin friends have been getting in and out of Gellara," Lucifer inquired. "There is no point in resisting. I will get what I want one way or another."
"W-we…" Tian stammered hesitantly, her resolve continuing to crumble as more and more tortured screams filled the air.
"Don't tell him mistress! Don't tell-," whoever had managed to shout that in spite of their pain fell back into fitful screams before he could finish that statement.
"R-right! I will not betray the trust of my subordinates!" Tian declared, glaring at the Immortal Emperor. Lucifer expression changed from gloating smirk to an annoyed expression.
"Filthy worm," Demiurge growled as his claws lengthened.
"Enough. You have tested for tested my patience for the last time," Lucifer growled in his true voice as he activated [Demon Eyes of Domination], a more powerful version of [Demon Eyes of Attraction], causing his eyes, as well as Tian's own eyes, to glow a bright red. "You will answer my questions, mortal."
"Yes, your majesty," Tian responded in a monotone voice.
"How does Ijaniya manage to sneak in and out of Gellara undetected?"
"There are hidden passageways under the city that were built during the rampage of the Evil Deities. The passages have long since been forgotten and sprawl throughout a little less than half of the entirety of the City State Alliance."
"How large are these tunnels and where do they enter into Gellara?"
"They were built in case the evacuation of the city became necessary so one could theoretically move a small army through them given you don't use any of the collapsed tunnels. There are several points where the tunnels connect inside Gellara, mostly in the sewers, a few in temples dedicated to the Six Great Gods, and one under the statue of the Dark Knight of the Thirteen Heroes, Isake Narbor, in the center of the city."
Impressive and exactly what I was hoping for.
"What did the Izaniya, the member of the Thirteen Heroes that your group is named after, leave behind? Weapons? Items? Descendants? Tell me everything."
"She left us with a training manual for assassins titled The Way of the Shadow that was given to her by her mentor, who she referred to as Master Lurk, that apparently came from a faraway land known as Yggdrasil. Additionally, my sisters and I are direct descendants from her bloodline."
So that's why I've only ever seen the twins use abilities from Yggdrasil instead of this world's martial arts. They learned from one of Yggdrasil's tomes!
"[Releasing control]," Lucifer drawled, ending the spell as his eyes stopped glowing and Tian's eyes returned to normal. "Thank you for your cooperation Ms. Tian."
"Wha-what just happened?" Tian mumbled in a daze before glaring daggers at Lucifer, who remained unaffected by her while Demiurge let out an evil chuckle. "You bastard! What did you do to me!? Answer me!"
"Lock her away. She may still be of use to us a hostage if here sisters try anything," Lucifer commanded, indifferent to the human's shouting. "Once you are done, have the Nazarick Old Guarders execute the rest of the assassins we captured. They are of more use to us dead than alive."
"Yes, my lord!" the Dark Paladin boomed as he grabbed the enraged woman and dragged her off to the Frozen Prison of the 5th Floor.
"It seems that we have everything we need to finish our business with the City State Alliance," Demiurge mused.
"Indeed. Demiurge, inform Gral of our plans and take Go Gin with you. We will take over the Troll Kingdom and the City State Alliance in a single stroke," Lucifer commanded as he exited the room. "Inform me when the trolls begin to move, I'm going to go have a chat with Corvo and his new human pet."
The former capital of the Holy Kingdom was barely recognizable. Although reconstruction efforts were underway, it would take years to undo the damage that had been done during the final battle against the Demon King Jalbadaoth. But aside from the destruction that had been wrought, the blood red banners of the Eternal Empire were almost everywhere to be seen now. On building, on posts, on street corners, military checkpoints, and, of course, the Zuranon cultists who paraded through the streets waving those accursed flags around as if they were the heralds of a new age. Death Knights patrolled every street, putting down trouble before it ever really started and making it impossible for people to subvert the Immortal Emperor's authority, not that many had been willing to try in the first place. The also made it impossible for any scuffles to occur between the humans and the new nonhuman residents, forcing them to find new ways of settling their differences like diplomacy and business dealings. Everyone was so busy dealing with these changes that they barely noticed that the temples of the Six Great Gods had been torn down and the priests had been arrested for "sedition and conspiracy against the Immortal Emperor and his subjects." There were no trials, no evidence was offered, and the priests simply disappeared with the Liches from the Eternal Empire taking their place as healers while Zuranon cultists preached Dracul's gospel to the people.
Angela hated the current state of affairs. These creatures had attacked the Holy Kingdom and killed her sister, so where was their punishment? Answer: There wasn't going to be any punishment. Nobody mourned Hope's passing but her, in fact, some had celebrated the collapse of the Holy Kingdom's regime saying that it was the dawning of a new age.
No doubt that vampire planned all of this.
Angela just watched bitterly as her people were metaphorically dragged into the Eternal Empire by being forced to obey their new laws and, in extreme cases, being sent to "reeducation." She herself had been selected for this which was why she was out on the streets, her armor hidden by a heavy cloak, and sticking to the alleys and backstreets in order to avoid detection. These alleys were empty for the most part, which was why she was considerably surprised when someone put their hand around her mouth to keep her from shouting and even more surprised by the fact that she hadn't sensed him sneaking up on her.
"I'm not going to hurt you," the man whispered harshly. "But you need to be quiet. If anyone who serves the Immortal Emperor knows what we are doing, the world is doomed." Angela went stiff for a moment before nodding silently to show she understood prompting whoever this guy was to release her. Angela warily observed her…ally? He was a tall man in impressive silver-colored adamantite armor with a red cloak. His weapons were extremely impressive as well: an elegant sword from which power radiated and a shield that, while it wasn't as impressive as sword, looked like it could've block a swing from Jalbadaoth's claws. While Angela wasn't the smartest person on the planet, her warrior's instincts instantly told her that this man was skilled, perhaps even a better warrior than Momon.
He might even be a match for the Antichrist.
"Who are you?" she inquired warily.
"My name is Ainz Ooal Gown," Ainz introduced himself with a polite bow. "I understand you lost your sister, Queen Hope, in Jalbadaoth's initial onslaught. You have my condolences, as well as my apologies."
"Thank you, but why are you apologizing?" Angela inquired.
"Jalbadaoth was in fact a subordinate of the Immortal Emperor. He created the situation so that he could take advantage of it and portray himself as not only a benevolent savior, but a being of unrivaled power while simultaneously destroying the Holy Kingdom's government so that he would have an excuse to take over," Ainz informed her. Angela's expression continually shifted throughout the conversation from suspicious, shocked, horrified, to BLOODFUCKING FURIOUS.
"Why are you telling me this?" she demanded as she attempted to keep her rage in check. It wasn't working, she was twitching like a psycho killer.
"I am part of a group that intends to put an end to Mom- Lucifer's aspirations of world domination and I want you to help me," Ainz declared as he held out his hand. "I will face him in one on one combat, but I will need all the help I can get. My allies and I are preparing to ambush him at Crescent Lake. This will be our best chance to put an end to this madness."
"Are you going to kill him?" Angela asked, killing-intent coming off her in waves.
"N-, Yes. He will not leave that forest alive."
"Then what are we still doing here?"
"Follow me," Ainz beckoned as he started down an alleyway. "My sleipnir is on the outskirts of the city. We must hurry if we are to make it to the rendezvous in time."
Jessamine wasn't scared. She was beyond scared, beyond terrified. It helped that Corvo was next her, kneeling just like she was, but the individual who they were bowing to was beyond her comprehension. Death made flesh sat upon his throne, staring down at them with those awful soulless eyes and that cold, mirthless smile. Raw power radiated from him in such a way that she had difficulty breathing and she felt like she was being crushed.
"Corvo," Lucifer drawled. "Would you care to explain why you've brought this human with you?"
"Of course, my lord," Corvo replied, not moving from his kneeling position. "This is Jessamine Kaldwin, the human woman with whom I've spent this past year. She wishes to ask for your aid in freeing the enslaved elves from the Theocracy's grasp."
"I see," Lucifer mused as he leaned forward in his throne. "And does she know what you are?"
"No, sir."
"Show her." With that single statement, Jessamine was snapped out of her terrified trance and Corvo stiffened. "Show who what you really are. I am not a fool and I know how she feels about you. I am curious to see if that will change once she sees your true form."
"Is that really neces-," Corvo started.
"Do it." Corvo grimaced as he and Jessamine stood up and faced each other. To most, it would appear that Corvo was agitated by the fact he had to do this in the first place. But to Jessamine, who had lived with him for about a year, he looked worried that she may reject him and, since he was unable to maintain his usual stern gaze in these circumstances, had unconsciously twisted his features to make it harder for others to discern his thoughts. Jessamine let out a small "eep" when Corvo's head suddenly erupted into purple flames, leaving nothing of his features except for a black skull where his face had been, revealing his true form as a Vengeful Spirit. The two of them just stood there, staring at each other, for several minutes.
Oh, c'mon. Hurry the fuck up you two!
"Well?" Corvo finally asked, hesitation obvious in his tone. Jessamine's response was to glomp onto him, although she still continued to tremble.
"Well, I suppose that answers that question," Lucifer chuckled, somewhat amused. "I like this one Corvo. Take care of her."
"Yes, my lord," Corvo replied with a bow after prying Jessamine off of him, glad that his face was all flames and bones right now so that nobody could see his blush, although he suspected that his unfathomably intelligent master knew nonetheless.
"Now, Ms. Kaldwin, if you would like our assistance in freeing the elves during our inevitable war against the Theocracy, then we will need any available information you have on the slave pens," Lucifer stated. "Although we intend to free the elves regardless of your assistance, the battle for Humanika will no doubt result in substantial civilian casualties. With your assistance, however, we will be able to plan our attack more accurately and efficiently, saving more lives and ending the war quicker. Now, would assist us, Ms. Kaldwin?"
"Y-yes. If it helps the elves then I'll be happy to assist you Mr. Dracul," Jessamine stuttered.
"Could you repeat that last part?" Lucifer demanded/asked in a dangerously low growl.
"I-I mean, your majesty!"
"That's better," Lucifer smirked as he stood up from his throne. "Corvo, you and Ms. Kaldwin should return to Humanika, with the events that are about to occur in the Elf Country I suspect the Theocracy will be making their move soon. Ms. Kaldwin, give your reports on the elf slave pens and markets to one of my subordinates before you leave. Have Omega open up a [Gate] for you, once you're done here."
Homestretch motherfucker! By the end of this month the entire will be mine! The Karnassus City State Alliance and the Troll Kingdom will surrender to me and then I'll move on to the Elf Country. It will be a perfect opportunity to remove Lakyus!
"One last thing" please tell Albedo I'll be home a little late," Lucifer said as he lifted his hand as if he was about to use [Grasp Heart]. "[Gate]!"
"Did - did that go well?" Jessamine stammered, as Lucifer disappeared into the swirling darkness that had been created by his spell.
"About as well as I expected," Corvo replied as his face reformed into its usual human form. "Lord Dracul despises being kept out of the loop and I did sort of spring this meeting on him without any warning. But enough about that, you did much better than most mortals when they meet my master for the first time."
"Really? I was terrified!"
"I'd be concerned if you hadn't been."
"Do I get a reward when we get home," Jessamine asked slyly.
"What kind of reward?" Corvo asked hesitantly. Jessamine's response was to lean forward and whisper things in his ear that left both of them blushing. "I see, I believe I can arrange that."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! FUCKNG FINALLY! This chapter is soooo late! Why you might ask? Work, my friend got engaged and made me the best man (TERRIBLE DECISION), writer's block, computer trouble, classes, and I got distracted and watched Code Geass for the first time (All Hail Lelouch). Overlord season 3 comes out tomorrow and I'm getting a boner from just thinking about! So, as always...….
HAIL AND KILL!