"The body is purposeless without the soul. It desires direction. That is what we give it. Purpose. Now try again, child. Raise it up. Grant it direction." the spindly old woman said as she prodded the young boy forward.
The boy looked down at the body before him with trepidation, but, banishing his hesitation and doubts, he reached out and began channeling mana the way the old woman had taught him.
"Good." the crone said, her eyes lighting up as she saw the boy's magic taking shape. "More. Do not stop, boy!"
The boy's arms were shaking. He'd never used so much mana at once and it was taking a toll on his physical body. Even still, he continued feeding the needs of the spell.
"Almost there! Just a little more." the crone said encouragingly.
The siphon eating at the boy's mana suddenly cut and he bent over his knees to huff and puff.
"Well done!" the old woman said in praise. "You've done it!"
The boy looked up from the ground to see the formerly dead man standing before him. The boy knew the man would not act without his command, and that it would eagerly carry out any task set before it; even if that task was its own destruction.
"Never forget this power. Never fail to use this gift. It will do anything you wish. What use are weak allies when such power rests at your fingertips?" the crone said as the boy inspected his creation. "It is yours. See to it that you use it." The crone hobbled away without another word.
The boy stayed with his first creation for nearly an hour before leaving the crypt with it at his heels, reveling in the powerful feeling such control granted him. He wanted more.
X
Everything will be fine, he said. I'll be right there, he said. No, you won't become enemy number one of one of the single most powerful races of the supernatural in existence, he'd said.
As I'd learned, Azazel was a liar.
Sitting across from said Governor of the Fallen and myself on a velvet sofa were two extremely pissed off individuals. A man with long red hair framed his entire body and a man with short cut green hair and calculating eyes.
Of course, while they were most certainly pissed, outwardly they appeared the picture of decorum, but I could feel the sheer rage radiating off them. And given either one of them had the power and skill to blink me out of existence - while I didn't remember all that much about them from my first life, I'd made it a point to extensively research the higher ups of every major faction so I had a good idea of what these two could do - I was very thankful I had the foresight to weave an illusion over myself; otherwise the sweat pouring down my face would be visible.
"Tea?" Azazel said, holding up a steaming pot, his wide grin showing just how much fun he was having with this nightmare scenario.
"Thank you, but no." Sirzechs Lucifer politely declined. "If it is amicable, I would prefer to get to the purpose for this meeting."
"As would I." Lucifer's companion, Ajuka Beelzebub, said as he straightened his back, turning his attention from me, something for which I was extremely grateful, to Azazel. "May I ask why you are parading around the corpses of both the heirs to the Oriax clan?" the devil said without his voice shifting tone in the slightest.
The corpses in question were standing directly behind Azazel and I. He had the brilliant idea to bring my new zombies to a political meeting to show exactly what he was capable of should the devils continue to screw with his stuff.
For some reason I failed to remember, I had agreed to go along with this insane plan and was currently regretting every life decision that had led me to this moment.
"You mean the zombies?" Azazel said with mock confusion. "I didn't realize they were anyone important." he blatantly lied. He knew exactly who he was parading around, and we all knew it. "The only information I had was that they were responsible for the deaths of sixty-seven of my subordinates when they attacked a non-combat focused research lab full of baseline humans who were incapable of defending themselves against a single devil peerage; let alone two. Using them to make up some of that number just seemed like the right thing to do." he finished with a lazy shrug, as if the problem wasn't a problem at all.
"Azazel, you have our sincerest apologies for the lab." Lucifer said. And he must be an incredible actor, because he actually sounded remorseful. "The Satans ordered all assaults on the Fallen to cease. This attack was against our orders and-"
"Then you shouldn't have a problem with my newest underlings." Azazel cut him off, folding his arms behind his head as he laid back into the sofa. "They were a rogue element after all. Would you have a problem with me making anyone in the Old Satan faction a zombie? No? Didn't think so."
"That is clearly not the point." Beelzebub said, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You have corrupted and enslaved two pillar heirs and are displaying them for all the world to see. They wronged you, thus their lives were yours to take. The debt was paid when their bodies fell. The fact that they walk again will cause problems for all of us."
"It will?" Azazel asked with a tilted head. "I don't see how this will hurt me. It'll show just what happens to rogue elements" the stress on his words highlighted how little he believed them to be true. "That attack the Grigori. It won't just keep the devils away. It will keep everyone away. If I can turn people's loved ones against them, they won't screw with me."
"But it is not you who wields this power, is it, Azazel?" Beelzebub said, a challenging light in his eyes. Then, to my immense surprise, the devil's gaze shifted to me.
"Xarion, is it? Whatever Azazel has offered you to work for him, I will present you with tenfold more. If money is what you desire, you will be richer than any king in history. If you covet power, my personal library will be open to you and a position in my peerage would be yours to claim if you so choose. If your wish is to learn to craft more of the bracer on your arm, I will personally school you in everything I know. Name your price, Illusive Necrosage, and I will pay it." As he finished, all eyes in the room fell on me.
This was a joke, right?
I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Azazel and was surprised to see him frozen. There was a forceful calm to his features as if he was hiding blind panic behind an indifferent mask. Azazel was legitimately worried. That more than anything told me everything I needed to know.
Azazel didn't trust me to stick by him. He saw me as an asset that was under his control. Whether I took Beelzebub's deal or not, Azazel would only ever see me as an asset from this point forward.
Though I didn't show it - while my training in controlling my emotions was nowhere near as extensive as the Satan's or Azazel's, it was far from wanting - a small part of me broke as I realized I'd allowed myself to actually grow to like Azazel. He was the leader of his people, that he would put them above an orphan was not only expected, but right. I was an avenue to make sure the fallen angels survived and thrived, not a friend, and I would not allow myself to forget it again.
Be that as it may, there was only one answer I could give Beelzebub.
"No." I said, causing the devils to narrow their eyes at me, and Azazel to exhale the slightest amount, just enough for me to confirm that he thought I would take the offer. If I had, he probably would have killed me on the spot to prevent me from falling into enemy hands, but that was not the reason I declined.
"You see me as a threat. One you want to remove as quickly as possible. If I had accepted, the moment we left this room you would have ended my life. I cannot-"
"I swear on my position as Satan Beelzebub that my offer is genuine." the Satan cut me off, and once more I noticed Azazel frozen next to me. "No harm shall befall you while in my service Name. Your. Price."
Holding the Satan's gaze, I said, "There is a saying in this world; 'Better the devil you know than the devil you don't'. I do not know you. I do not know how you operate. There are certainly things I dislike about working for Azazel," There really weren't, but now that I was reminded of our relationship, I saw an opportunity to squeeze some more concessions out of the Fallen. If he was worried I was dissatisfied, he would throw everything he could at me to keep me 'happy'. "But overall I enjoy working for him. I do not know you, nor what your underlings suffer. I will stick with the devil I know."
"A pity." Beelzebub said, sounding truly remorseful. It would take a true idiot to think he wasn't now making plans to eliminate me as soon as possible.
"Well!" Azazel said, clapping as he did to draw attention back to himself. "This has been fun, but I believe we've covered everything." He stood from the sofa, and both the Satans and myself followed him to our feet.
Facing the devils, Azazel said, "You will stop all attacks now. Any more rogue elements will become property of the Grigori. Xarion? Let's go."
A teleportation circle spread out beneath Azazel's feet to encompass me.
I gave a quick mental order as the teleportation spell powered itself. Feeling my order accepted, I refocused my attention on the Satans.
"Xarion," Beelzebub said as Azazel's spell was being cast. "If you change your mind, reach out to me. I will accept you regardless of any transgressions against myself or the devils. This I swear on my position as Satan Beelzebub." His eyes bore into mine, conveying the truth of his words.
Obviously not liking Beelzebub's parting remark, Azazel sped up the end of his casting. The two of us and my two zombies disappeared with a flash of light, reappearing in Azazel's lab.
"If that's everything then I'm going to get to work on my sword." I said, already walking to the door.
"Xarion." Azazel's voice stopped me.
Taking a short breath, I turned around to face Azazel. The Fallen had dropped the mask he'd put up in front of the devils and looked exhausted.
"Why didn't you take his offer?" he said, sounding as if he didn't want to know the answer.
"Because I'm happy here." I said, being truthful while still concealing the greater reason I declined. A grin split across my face as I said, "Besides, I don't want to go to hell."
Azazel chuckled, seemingly more relaxed than he was a moment ago. "Well I'm glad you're still here, kid. If you need anything from me, just ask."
"Will do." I said with a nod as I turned and left the lab, the zombies following in my wake.
Shutting myself into my lab, I threw myself into my work on the sword, letting my thoughts fade to the background as I worked.
X
Azazel
When I felt Xarion was far enough away not to feel it, I collapsed into a nearby chair.
That….that could have gone so much worse.
When I'd initially concocted this plan, I'd just thought I'd go rub the devils' faces in what I'd done to their underlings after they went 'rogue' and killed my people. I didn't expect for Ajuka of all people to offer Xarion a place in his peerage and for him to actually mean it.
That was the moment I lost control of the meeting. If Xarion had accepted, I would have been forced to do something drastic. I liked the kid, a lot, but I couldn't afford to let power like his fall into anyone else's hands. Fighting against anyone with him in their ranks would be a war of attrition where attrition favored the enemy. That was why I was so eager to show him off; I thought the devils would be pissed about their zombified heirs, but Ajuka looked at everything infuriatingly logically, which, in hindsight, I should have expected.
Pulling open my hidden stash of ambrosia, I popped the cork and downed the entire bottle in one go.
I was going to sit here and process for an hour or so, then I was going to get off my ass and give Xarion whatever he asked for as a thank you for sticking by me. With him and Vali, the Grigori had a bright future. I just needed to hold everything together with super glue, paper clips and duct tape until they were ready.
X
Beelzebub
Sirzechs collapsed into the chair behind his desk with a heavy sigh. He leaned forward on his elbows and began massaging his forehead. "What are we supposed to do about this mess?" he asked, presumably rhetorically, but I answered him anyway.
"We declare that the Oriax heirs went against our express orders and paid the price, warning that any who follow their example will end up similarly."
"We might lose Lord Oriax because of this mess." Sirzechs said in warning.
Doing some quick calculation in my mind, I said, "We've already lost him. If he hasn't vacated his estate already, he will before the day is out. The silver lining is that Clan Oriax was dying out anyway. Or'ath is now the last of his name, and he is not powerful enough to cause us problems. We need to focus on ensuring no more of our people antagonize the necromancer."
Sirzechs' mood somehow soured even further. "Where did Azazel even find him? I've never heard of a necromancer who was able to resurrect a devil." Sighing, he said, "We'll have to put plans in place to eliminate him. From what I sensed, he was not insurmountably powerful. I could send Beowulf to-"
"No." I said, drawing a curious look from Sirzechs. "The necromancer is not loyal to Azazel; he is loyal to himself. If we give him an appealing enough reason to join us instead, he will."
Sirzechs' eyes widened. "You were serious about offering him a place in your peerage."
"Yes." I said with a nod. "I have only resurrected Falak; all of my other pieces remain. Xarion will have an ample selection available to him when he leaves Azazel."
"'When'?" Sirzechs said, a note of excitement in his voice. "Have you seen something with your calculations?"
"Yes. Xarion will leave Azazel's service within the year. He is too constricted by the Fallen. When he does, I will ensure I am the most appealing alternative."
Looking far more relaxed than he was a moment ago, Sirzechs said, "I'll get in touch with Serafall and Falbium to let them know how it went. I'll leave the necromancer's recruitment to you." The current Lucifer stood up from his desk and a teleportation circle spread out from him. With a flash of light, he was gone.
Shortly after I teleported myself, arriving in my own office. I had plans to make.
Xarion was unique and not just because he was able to raise devils as zombies. When I subtly used my calculations to observe the boy, I felt something that neither Sirzechs or Azazel seem to have found. Xarion had something within him; something that felt more powerful than anything else I have ever beheld. Something that did not come from 'this world'. I was not sure if the slip was intentional or not, but Xarion was from elsewhere and possessed power that had never been seen.
I wanted that power.
When Xarion became my bishop, his strength would be mine to direct and together, we would reshape the world into one not on the brink of eternal war. A peaceful world, just like Sirzechs and Serafall desire.
With Xarion's help, I would be able to grant my friends' dreams.