The seven Khans of Urdak. A rather formal and somewhat prestigious way of referring to the Heavenly realm's rulers, but it was the best way to do so until the Wretch gave each of them a name. Although, in all fairness, each of the Khans, while unique in personality and other such details, were very composed. Rarely did any of them react in any particular way that was unusual or surprising; it'd take a lot to cause their practiced demeanor to falter.
Samur, who had been each of the Khans' loyal Seraph, knew this better than anyone. He'd seen all seven of them show at one point or another what could have them lower their guard and be more expressive than usual. So imagine his surprise that as of now, after Sir Pentious and Vox returned from Slayer Studios in Pentagram City, their inventions were responsible for having the Khans behave in this way.
"These are remarkably adorable." One of the Khans commented as she held a Spick and Span Spider in her hand, "Such well put together designs. Yet they're so approachable and non- threatening." She continued.
"Well, we had to make them marketable." Sir Pentious replied with a proud smirk and folded arms.
"I'm particular to these." A second said as she looked over the Murder Mantis, "An elegant balance of form and function. It's fierce yet also pleasing to the eye." She stated.
"Do you have more inventions like this?" A third inquired, looking at the two demonic inventors as she did.
"No. These were spur-of-the-moment devices," Vox responded.
"You should make more. Both of you have a talent for things like this." A fourth complimented.
"Oh! They could make figures! Mortals have a fascination with creating small toy-like objects of things. A perfect example would be one of the Slayer!" A fifth suggested.
"Ahem." Samur sounded as he cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention, "I apologize for interrupting. But could we save this discussion for when creation isn't at stake?" He requested.
"Right, forgive us, Samur." The current Khan apologized, she and the other six getting back on track, "But before we proceed. Where are the Wretch and the Slayer's ancestor?" She asked.
"After sharing the information, Valentino provided. They returned to join the others for lunch so that they could inform them as well." He answered.
"Wait, those two were here?" Sir Pentious questioned.
"Yes. In the hours, the two of you were away at your abode." He said, "Which, I assume was spent reprogramming all of the devices laid out in front of us?" He asked.
"We also made a few more." Vox revealed as he took a step forward, "We didn't know the full extent of what you would need, so we decided it was better to be overly prepared than short- changed." He explained.
"A sensible assumption. The task at hand will require as many of these devices that you can spare. And from what I can see, that is quite a lot." Samur stated.
"Thank you." Sir Pentious responded while gesturing to the machines, "We've completely removed their original programming for starters. Then we added manual control should that be necessary.
And lastly, we made it so if operators are not needed; they can be programmed to carry out any actions that are possible given their physical specifications." He informed.
"Manual control will be required if we want to succeed," Samur replied as he picked one of them up to look over, "Not that I don't have faith in your programming abilities, mind you. But having someone such as myself or the Khans controlling these units will ensure unexpected errors when deployed." He explained.
"Of course. That makes perfect sense." Vox agreed, "But out of curiosity, Samur, what is the plan? You still haven't told it to either of us." He asked.
"I must confess. My plan wasn't entirely complete when we first arrived, hence why I sent you both to fetch your devices and make the needed alterations so I could see if any useful information had been extracted from Valentino." Samur began as he put his arms behind his back, "Thankfully, the wasted soul managed to do one decent thing in his life, finally. He provided us with valuable insight into how the demons, specifically the Marauders, are conducting their routines. Because of this, we will be able to enter and sabotage three Gore Nests at once safely. Then after a brief period, do the same to the remaining five. As for the sabotage itself, that is a rather simple matter." He continued, now looking to the Khans, "Including myself with the Khans, there will be eight operators handling two devices each. Although, given my unique new state of being, I can do much more. The two of your will oversee our progress separately, provide tactical support and inform us of the demons' movements and any alarming changes to the environment. Then, if all goes smoothly or even with a few complications, we will be able to find the hearts of each Gore Nest, which is where our work will begin. We can't destroy or alter the hearts too severely before the Slayer, and the rest are ready to attack. Next, we will wear away a few layers of the organ's flesh, making it easier to rupture and bleed. After that is done, we move onto the multitude of vessels it possesses, responsible for carrying blood to certain areas for demon production. As before, we cannot destroy them or cause too much damage. Our goal here is to slow down their production within a reasonable range to where while impactful, it won't raise suspicion. Once this has been finished, we will then implant the devices in key locations within each Gore Nest, leaving them there in a dormant state to be re-activated later so that we can provide additional aid to our allies when the final battle is upon us." He concluded, "Any questions?" He asked.
"I do." Sir Pentious answered as he raised his hand in front of him, "Is this all we're supposed to do? And, to be more precise, what I'm asking is whether or not this is all Vox and I are meant to contribute. If so, then what was the point of our training? We could've knocked this out the moment we got involved." He asked.
"It seems you're mistaken, Pentious. This is merely an addition to your contribution." Samur clarified.
"Then, what are we supposed to do?" Vox inquired.
"Whatever you want. The purpose of your training with the forge master was to ensure you'd be of use on the battlefield. But regarding what you bring to the conflict that your companions do not, it is your intelligence. You're meant to provide support through machines and devices. To be blunter, battle mechs, and dispensaries to keep your allies healed and well supplied. However, if you want to put your flair on it and get creative, you may. What you have endured was only to prove to the forge master that you wouldn't freeze up or falter under the pressures of war." He told them.
"So...we can build ANYTHING we want then?...Like...anything at all?..." Sir Pentious asked
slowly with squinted eyes.
"Although your tone is concerning, yes." He confirmed.
"Hmm...good to know..." Sir Pentious muttered, the gears in his head beginning to turn.
"But before that, we need to carry out our work with the Gore Nests. Which, less you have somewhere else to be, should be done now while both of you are here." He said.
"As far as I know, our schedule's cleared," Vox responded. "Yup. We're all yours, robot angel." Sir Pentious said.
"Very good. Then, let us get to work." He replied, receiving nods from the two demons and the seven Khans.
Meanwhile, On The Sentinel Homeworld...
"Holy shit, you actually gave everyone a suit." Husk said with widened eyes as he and those that were with him entered the arena.
Even with Blitzo having landed right in front of them dressed head to toe in a high-tech Sentinel- made suit of armor, the others didn't think that the rest would be unique or designed for the individual. But as it turned out, the Slayer not only made suits for them but had each customized to fit the person who wore it, with the only ones being slightly uniform were the Imps, which made sense. But, of course, this didn't help to improve Verosika's mood at all.
"It wouldn't make sense to give them standard suits...they each needed something that worked with their unique skills, powers, and so forth..." The Slayer replied, his "girlfriend" tightly hugging his arm.
"That's not fair, William!" She exclaimed with a pout, looking at him with big eyes, "Why don't I get a suit custom-made for me?" She asked.
"Pfft, you're fucking with us, right?" Angel Dust questioned; he and the others who were training with the Slayer all stepping out of their suits for lunch, "The reason we're getting these is that we're fighting with Will. If we didn't have them, we'd be turned to paste in a matter of seconds." He said.
"Yeah, and the last time I checked, you're more suited to singing than ass-kicking. So this kind of toy would be too much for you~" Cherri teased.
"They're not toys..." The Slayer corrected.
"If you didn't want me to call them toys, you shouldn't have given me so many wonderful guns." She countered.
"Hey! I can kick ass! I'll have you know I've taken a few self-defense classes." Verosika told her.
"HA!" Blitzo laughed as he walked over to her, "Wait, sorry, I can do better." He said before clearing his throat, "Ahem...ahem...ah...ah...okay. HA!" He laughed again, though this time much louder and in her face.
In response, Verosika quickly reared her left leg back and kicked him in the family tree, forcing every bit of air out of his lungs, his eyes nearly exploding out of their sockets, and his body falling
lifelessly onto the floor.
"The first lesson, if your attacker is a guy, hit him where the sun doesn't shine." She said while looking down at him.
"You could've gouged out both of my eyes, and I still would've seen that coming," Moxxie commented, both he and Millie also looking down at Blitzo.
"W...W...Why...are so many...women...kicking me lately?..." He barely managed to ask as he was stuck in a state of perpetual silent screaming.
"You've got a face and body that are perfect for it," Katie responded, unable to stop herself from enjoying his suffering as she was still bitter about his comment yesterday regarding her.
"Could I be allowed to kick him?" Stella asked while pointing to him, "So far, everyone else is getting a turn. Meanwhile, I, the woman whose home life he destroyed, have yet to have a go." She said.
"DON'T...SHE...HAS...FUCKING...CLAWS...ON HER TOES..." Blitzo wheezed.
"Talons..." The Slayer corrected before he moved his gaze from the Imp to Stella, "And no...Blitzo's had enough..." He told her.
"But if he should make an unpleasant remark again?" She inquired, DESPERATE to kick him.
"...I can only do so much..." He replied with a shrug, which surprisingly enough was him telling her, yes, if Blitzo says or does anything foolish, I'm not going to stop you, which she understood.
"Thank you." She said with an appreciative smile.
"Your eagerness to harm him is...greatly concerning. Holding onto that anger isn't healthy." Gabriel said.
"Uh, no offense there, Gabe. But isn't the whole reason we're here training to fight monsters in badass suits is that you and your brother hated each other so damn much you started a fucking war?" Angel Dust questioned.
"Don't." Azrael interjected to keep her brother from saying anything, "I do not care what or if anything was about to leave your mouth. For regardless of what it was, you KNOW he is right." She told him.
"...That...was far more complicated..." He muttered, though he decided to leave it at that.
"Excuse me!" Nifty exclaimed, regaining the group's attention, "Unless everyone wants to eat cold food, then I suggest you help me set everything up before we keep talking!" She instructed as she held up her baskets.
"Don't have to tell me twice," Vagatha responded as she came over. Her training, in particular, left her stomach reasonably empty.
"Why're you acting like you're starving? All you did was hover in place half a centimeter off the ground." Cherri asked, also lending a hand with getting the lunch set up.
"One, I have never in my life fucking flown before. Two, as Will said earlier, it's all about maintaining one's balance and control over the thrusters, which takes A METRIC FUCK TON of
effort. And three, it was AT LEAST five inches." She countered. A tad offended by how little Cherri saw her progress.
"Oh my fucking god, if I had a dollar for every time a guy has said that to me..." Angel Dust said with widened eyes.
"Same. Although with me, it always ended in laughter." Katie chimed in.
"Could we please refrain from discussing such things while we eat? I may not feel hunger anymore, but I do want to enjoy miss Nifty's cooking again." Gabriel requested, offering himself as a third pair of hands to have this go by faster.
"You really can't stand shit like that, can you?" Husk asked with a raised brow.
"It's not that I find it abhorrent. But shouldn't those topics be talked about in private? Yet most of you are so lax about them." He responded.
"It's just how it is in our circle. Sex, drugs, murder, and so on have always been talked about as commonly as the weather." Millie informed with a shrug, both she and Moxxie now helping Blitzo get to his feet.
"In case you've forgotten, Gabriel. We're demons and sinners who live in Hell." Loona reminded before she pointed at him, "Also, can we talk about your vocabulary?" She asked.
"What's wrong with how I speak?" He questioned.
"That. Right there. You sound like a thesaurus dude." She said.
"I beg your pardon?" He replied.
"Not helping your case there, Gabe." Angel Dust told him with a smirk.
"Everything you say is so...stuffy. It's almost like you're tense as shit and can't relax." She explained.
"Oh. Well...I'm sorry that it's been a bother." He apologized, assuming he was annoying them.
"No, that's not...shit..." She cursed beneath her breath as she let out a sigh, "I'm not saying you're a dick; it just comes off as you're not comfortable around us. So you feel the need to be proper and crap all the time." She clarified before pointing to Octavia and Stella, "Take those two, for example. You're super close with them, and yet you keep calling them Miss Octavia or Miss Stella instead of just referring to them by their names alone most of the time. Like, you're non-stop formal twenty-four-seven." She told him.
"Yeah, I've noticed that too," Octavia said.
"Hmm...you do make a valid point...but it has always been in my nature to be respectful towards others. As the archangel of justice, the judge for all creation. I need to try to see from other people's perspectives so that way in a trial, I have no bias. And before ANYONE says anything, yes, I KNOW there have been moments where I've been anything but. However, those are a few isolated incidents in my immortal life. If you were to ask anyone in Heaven regarding my track record, they'd say it was spotless. Right, Azrael?" He asked while looking at his sister.
"Although you and I have been butting heads lately in personal matters, yes, I can attest that in your role as the judge of justice, you've carried it out without fail. It's genuinely impressive, brother." She answered, more than willing to compliment him when he deserved it.
"Well, while it's good to know you're not a dick when it comes to your job. That doesn't mean you need to be so proper when around us. You can drop some of that etiquette of yours and be more...chill." Loona said.
"I like the way he speaks and acts already." Stella spoke up, "I think it's refreshing to have someone with such manners and a refined tongue in this group of assorted lunatics." She shared.
"I bet you do..." Husk muttered, though as quietly as he could to avoid having his tail yanked again.
"I have to agree with Stella!" Nifty exclaimed with a huff as they finally finished getting lunch ready, "You're a gentleman, Gabriel. So polite and considerate all the time. It's a nice change of pace from the people in Hell who say fuck, shit, goddamn, screw you; I'll fucking murder your family, etc. So I say you don't change a thing." She said.
"Eh, he could do with some improvement." Angel Dust commented as he folded his arms, "As it stands, ya sound like ya got a stick up your ass." He told him.
"You know what a person with such an affliction sounds like?" Gabriel asked, surprised he'd have such knowledge.
"Uh...no. It's an expression." He answered.
"Eh, I don't blame him for being confused. After all, given your history, there were probably plenty of people with things up their butts." Cherri said with a cheeky grin.
"His history?" Gabriel inquired, getting more confused by the second.
"Alright..." The Slayer interjected, for he wasn't sure if Gabriel was ready to learn about Angel Dust's colorful past, "Let's put a pin in that for later and eat..." He suggested.
"I still think this picnic idea's pretty stupid." Husk admitted as everyone gathered around, causing Nifty to gasp.
"Husk! That's so mean!" She exclaimed.
"If we had just stayed in the dining hall, we'd be sitting at an actual fucking table. But here we are, sitting on the ground like a bunch of dumbasses." He replied.
"We could move to the stands?" Moxxie proposed.
"No way. We've got everything ready right here, and I am hungry as shit. We're eating." Cherri rejected before glaring at Husk, "So suck it up pussy." She told him.
"Hahaha. Pussy. Cause I'm a cat. HOW FUCKING ORIGINAL." He retorted. "Children, please," Katie said, managing to insult both of them in one go. "Hey!" Both shouted back at her.
"You still think having few people will make this meal any less insane?" Octavia asked her mother
with an amused smile.
"Neither your father nor the radio demon is present. So yes." Stella answered.
Elsewhere, In The Dining Hall...
"Hm. I don't think the others are joining us. Unfortunate." Alastor said, he and the others of their ensemble sat at their usual table in the dining hall.
Similar to ducks falling in line, first it was the trio of sorcerers who arrived, followed by God and his granddaughter, and not long after came a buddy cop duo straight out of an 80s B-Movie.
Initially, everyone assumed the Slayer, those who were training with him, and the rest of their companions were finishing up whatever it was they were doing and would soon arrive for lunch. But as the minute count reached five, went to ten, and was now approaching fifteen, it was clear something else was going on. As for the absence of Sir Pentious and Vox, they were informed by the Wretch who had spoken to the forge master that they were back in the circle assisting Samur and the Khans.
"Unfortunate indeed. We're going to have to repeat ourselves when we see them again." The Wretch said before taking a sip of wine.
"You could've waited, ya know." Velvet pointed out as she leaned forward, propping her elbows on top of the table as well, "Isn't that how these big dramatic moments are supposed to go? We huddle around a table; there's a single light for some reason hanging from the ceiling, we stare down at a map with either plastic toy versions of ourselves or junk on it, then we go over the plan as a series of montage shots play." She described.
"...Velvet...this isn't a movie," Stolas told her, a bit surprised by what she said. "Yeah, you're right. It's a story." She replied.
"Are you feeling okay?" BJ asked, also finding her behavior strange.
"Don't mind her. Eggs are a bit scrambled." Alastor answered in her place while pointing to her head, "We were practicing the formation of familiars known as Lost Souls. Velvet managed to make one appear briefly in front of her before she lost concentration, and then it exploded." He explained.
"Ah, shell shock. Gotcha." BJ said.
"Hey! Just because I took a concentrated form of magic exploding in my face like a champ doesn't mean any of my screws are looser than they normally are!" She exclaimed defensively.
"Mhm. So what was it you were saying about this being a story?" He inquired with a sly smile, wanting to hear more solely because it was funny to him.
As the doll demon began to ramble and rant about how that explosion allowed her to see through realities and other such nonsense, everyone except Alastor ignored her and continued their conversation.
"So, how do you think things are going with the sabotage?" Stolas asked, speaking to BJ, the Wretch, and Vega all at once.
"I have faith there won't be any issues," Vega answered. "Faith? Not certainty?" He questioned.
"As I explained to most of you six months ago. My ability to see future events isn't concrete. Destiny, fate, whatever name you wish to give, the proceedings of creation are entirely random. I can only discern all the possible outcomes with the information I have in the present. If even one detail of importance is changed or removed, then the possible outcomes change as well. Despite that, there are typically three outcomes whenever I do this." Vega informed.
"What are they now, grandpa?" Charlie asked, a noticeable concern present in both her voice and face.
"Fittingly, there are only two right now." He answered, "The first is the one we want. The sabotage is carried out without any hiccups. Samur and the others accomplish all they need to, and we still have a few days, three at most two at the least for training. If this should be what happens, we'll be as prepared as we want for the final battle. The second, while not the most beneficial to us, is also not that damaging. If the operation should be stopped before it can properly begin or at any other point during, then the Dark One and his Marauders know we're coming. At which point we'll lose that third day of training." He told them.
"...That's it?" BJ asked. "Yes." He answered.
"So...the worst thing that can happen is we lose one extra day to prepare? What about the battle itself?" BJ inquired.
"Oh, I cannot begin to know how that will end. There are still far too many unknowns. But, again, as I said, I can only see what may be based on what I can know concretely. At this point, all I could offer would be carefully calculated assumptions." He said.
"Okay, so what do those look like?" Stolas asked.
"We win." He answered, much to their surprise, "And I'm not saying that just to boost morale. As it stands, there is NOTHING our enemies can do. We have them trapped, the Dark One is without his power, and we have the Slayer, the Sentinels, the Authorities, the Blood Maykrs, Bj, the Wretch, all of you, and several immensely devastating weapons, so while there may very well be some injuries, possibly a few deaths that won't result in capture by our enemies, I can safely say without any error that we're going to win this fight." He explained.
"That's...amazing news!" Charlie exclaimed with an ear-to-ear smile.
"Charlie. I just said these weren't possible outcomes. Merely assumptions based on probabilities." He reminded, not wanting her to get too excited.
"I know. But you're the most intelligent person in...well...everywhere, grandpa! So if you say we're likely to win, it carries a LOT of weight!" She replied.
"She makes a valid point, creator." The Wretch agreed as he felt the same, "Although much could happen between now and the battle itself. Hearing you say that brings relief to my weary soul." He admitted.
"That makes me happy to hear, Wretch," Vega said.
"Pardon the topic switch, but you mentioned the Blood Maykrs. How're they coming along?" BJ asked.
"I'm glad you asked about them, BJ. The Maykrs themselves are finished. All that's left is for their armor and weapons to be finished and fitted, then we bring them to life. And when that's done, we charge into the fight." He answered.
"How does that work? Creating life the way you do? I think it's safe to assume no strange sex is involved." Stolas inquired.
"No, I'm afraid nothing as colorful or interesting as that." He responded before explaining, "In truth, I only created Samur and the first of Maykr kind, including the first Khan. How more are made is from a pool of collected energy that each Khan contributed to." He said as he placed his hands on the table, "Think of it like this. The pool of energy I'm referring to is made entirely of divine power. Meaning that we're not cloning the Khans over and over again. For us, all this does is give us an endless supply of purity to ensure each Maykr soul is precisely that, pure. Each Khan has contributed some from their soul because each of their powers is unique. Although starting as an evolution of their predecessor, they make it their own throughout their life. Their values, knowledge, and sensibilities are instilled into the new Maykrs and are bestowed upon those already made when they undergo reincarnation. This process is how the Maykr race has become the apex breed of angels within Heaven. An unrivaled species of holy beings that no other could surpass." He stated.
A few seconds of silence passed afterward. As everyone was shocked that Vega considered this information uninteresting.
"Vega, we may need to reevaluate what you consider is interesting and what isn't," Stolas said, being the first to speak again.
"Oh. I apologize. When you've known something like that for as long as I have, it loses any flair it may have had before." He replied.
"That makes me wonder what other wonderous things you know that you've yet to share because you consider them mundane." The Wretch shared.
"Likewise!" Charlie chimed in.
"Hm, then once this mess is finally behind us, why don't I reveal more?" He offered.
"Yes, please!" Charlie requested eagerly, while the Wretch less enthusiastically responded with a simple nod.