The Asmodean
By
Neztro
Chapter 39: Empress unmasked.
Authors note:
I see you have come back for another chapter of the harem anime owl house… thank you and I am sorry for the cringe. Hello everyone I hope you are enjoying the chapter and I want to say thank you for sticking with me to this point. Let me know what you think of my story on the reviews… please don't be a creep.
Chaos… the castle was in chaos. The witch army took on the emperor's coven in a mass battle of magical warfare.
Both lilith and edalyn ran at the vanguard of the invading force followed by minerva and juno. Four emperor's coven guards stand in front of the two witches and raise their fingers to cast their spells.
"Get out of my way!" Lilith screamed using a cone version of the sonic scream pushing the guards into the castle wall. Making four body shaped indents in the stone.
"Nice one lilly! Let me try." Eda used a spell circle to summon her owl avatar to smash ten guards already focused on other witches knocking them down.
"i'm surprised they're this disorganized." Lilith commented placing her back to her sister's as the guards began to crowd around her.
"I mean… it's been awhile since they've dealt with open rebellion… they're rusty." Eda used a spell circle and in addition with her sister to summon a pair of lightning rings which shot out and shocked the guards making the convulse as they lay on the ground twitching.
"still got it…" Eda commented blowing smoke off her fingers.
"Not so fast rebel scum!" A voice called down from above them. Flying down in an armor with wings on it… erza landed a few feet away from the witches.
"Erza, I've been meaning to pay you back for what you did to luca's mother." Lilith said raising her fingers.
"pretty brave for a coward like you to fight the four of us alone."
"did you think I'd come alone?" erza asked tilting her head.
Out of the shadows came three swarms of bats which converged to become the sisters of morena, striga, and Carmilla.
"I have a promise to keep to Luca, so I'm afraid I'll have to tear your throat out Lilith." Carmilla commented.
"come try it!" Lilith growled. The four witches charged forward to meet the champions.
The champions roared their battle cries and ran toward the witches.
––––––––––––––––
Both luca and lenore ran through the castle corridors. Both the witch and the vampire were going through the secret exit chamber built by the emperor belos.
"thing are going crazy up there… aren't they?" Luca asked, trying to keep pace with the fast vampire as she sped forward.
"yeah, I guess the witches rebellions is in full swing." she said noticing that luca was struggling to keep up with her. "are you okay? I can carry you."
"no need, just gonna catch my breath." Luca said kneeling over.
The sound of footsteps interrupted the two's rest.
"what was that?" Luca asked mentally preparing for a fight.
"I recognize at least one pair of those footsteps… it's odalia… the other one is small and quick… maybe a guard coming with her… let's get ready." Lenore raised her fists ready to protect Luca.
Out of a corner was odalia who noticed Lenore in front of her. She raised her fingers to cast a spell at her. She glared at Lenore and growled.
Lenore did the same bearing her fangs.
Luca prepared to fire at Odalia until Luz followed behind her. She bent over and took in severel breaths.
"Lulu?" Luca asked, he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Luca?" Luz looked up at her brother and immediately adopted a grin.
The two ran to each other screaming in joy. Luca held his sister close with a hug.
"I thought I'd never see you again." he said with tears in his eyes.
"I was so worried about the empress and what she was doing to you. She said that you wanted to stay and not need me."
"what? I would never stay with her… she killed our mother…" Luca released luz and looked her in the eye.
"ahem, this reunion is great and all but, what are you doing with her?" Odalia asked her hands still raised and her teeth still gritted
"yeah, isn't lenore one of the bad guys?"
"I could say the name for odalia." Luca pointed to the witch.
"Hey! I helped you escape!" both the witch and vampire said… making them both freeze as they glared at each other.
"Looks like we have two new allies… come on we have to get to the bridge so we can escape." Luz stated grabbing her brothers hand.
"Lenore, odalia no time to argue follow us and who is that?" Luca asked pointing to the small creature slithering toward luz.
"Oh that is vee… she's a friend." Luz chuckled her cheeks red.
Luca nodded his head and thought how he was glad luz found someone to have a crush on. The five ran down the hall and turned a corner as they were under the bridge.
"Now we just need to fly across and we're home free." Odalia said looking from side to side.
"Luca you first." Lenore said reaching up to grab him.
"No you first." Voice echoed in all their heads… the empress.
Behind vee a figre appeared behind her and a blast of magic blinded all in attendence.
When their sight returned their stood the empress behind the stone statue of vee.
"s-she petrified her… without the emperor's maidens of stone!" Odalia exclaimed taking a couple steps, her feet at the edge of the cliff.
"a benefit of my research into undoing the process… I am very disappointed in you Odalia. Didn't I teach you and lenore better then this… that luca was your only salvation… well if you don't want to be saved then you will be culled." she said raising her finger to cast a spell.
"You evil witch! You killed my husband and turned my children to stone!" odalia charged forward flying toward the witch with magic.
"this is for hector!" Lenore exclaimed flying toward the witch as a swarm of bats.
The empress surged past Lenore and aimed her head to hit odalia in the stomach.
Odalia lurched back as she felt nauseated… she began to hack and cough as she was fighting not to lose her lunch.
The empress effortlessly used her leg to kick odalia's feet out from under her causing the witch to fall to the ground on her side… she tried to get up but the empress kicked her making her jump after the hit.
"Get away from her!" Luca and Luz screamed using their magic to summon a gout of flame.
The empress raised her arm and opened her hand catching the flame absorbing it. She used her magic to convert it to her magic and then threw a first ball at lenore who was trying to sneak behind her.
It hit with a collision which cuased the vampiress to fall on the ground beside odalia.
"I apologize Luca… I thought these two would be good companions… but they are too weak to be your true loves… I will remedy my mistakes." another flash of bright light and pair of statues took the place of the two women.
"No! You monster! This is for Vee!" Luz roared and then turned into eclipse. She jumped toward the empress. The girl turned her hand to a sawblade and tried strike the empress.
The witch teleported behind eclipse and took flew backward.
Eclipse turned her head and screamed jumping upward to scratch at the empress.
The witch dodged gracefully and slammed her elbow into the eclipse's chest causing the creature to fall back. "Oh please, do you really think I'd take something into my vault of treasures without knowing how to defeat it… stupid girl." the empress used a magic then a loud cry causing the witch girl to fall down and writh.
Eclipse recind back into luz's body as she tried to cover her ear ad rolled on the ground.
The empress took cold, calculated steps toward the human girl.
"stay away from her!" Luca began launching every spell he knew at her. Fire, frost, lightning, acid, and whatever else he could. The sheer force of magic made a dust cloud where the empress was.
But to no avail as the empress continued toward Luz unhindered. She used her spell circle and another bright flash of light engulfed the area as luz was turned to stone.
"No! Lulu!?" Luca fell to his knees upon seeing his sister meet the same fate as their mother.
"i'm sorry luca… but maybe now you see why I told you that this was for the best… because when you defy me… people get hurt."
"Change them back…" Luca said under his breath, his body trembling.
"What was that?"
"Change them back!" He screamed rising from his position and charged the witch attempting to throw a punch at her only managing to hit her mask not even denting it.
"Luca… I'm afraid I can't do that… I'll get you new slaves… better slaves." She said holding his hand and gently pressing it to her face. "you'll see this is a new start for us."
Luca pulled his hand from her and then looked toward the cliffside and at each of the statues of the people who were hurt by this empress.
Luca took a gulp and went to the edge of the cliff.
"what are you doing?" The empress asked her tone clearly tone.
Luca did not answer he simply stared at the empress. "change them back…. Or else."
"you're bluffing!" She growled.
Luca looked down at the ravine full of spikes. "am I?" he looked back at her with a tone that brokered no argument.
"It doesn't matter if you are or not… I'll stop you… now come here." she demanded stamping her foot.
"yes you will stop me… this time. But eventually I'll succeed and my death will stick. So I say again… change. Them. Back!"
The empress looked to the statues of her defeated foes and the at luca. She growled as she used the same bead of light to undo her spell.
"there, now come off the edge before you get hu–" A inky tendril slashed the empresses mask.
Eclipse was aiming for the empresses head but the witch dodged too quickly.
The mask split into two and fell on the ground making the empress screech as she covered her face. "Mi mascara, tu hija de puta!" the empress yelled in spanish her voice changing from the magic enhanced serpent tone to a more mundane one… a more human tone.
Luca recognized the tone immediately. Though it was older and more mature he knew who this was. "Lulu?"
The empress removed her hand from her face as her hate filled eyes softened. Her face was wrinkled and old. She looked… tired. The hopeful optimism that was characterised with her was worn away by the vagaries of time.
"How can this be? How!" Luz exclaimed running up to the empress and raising a hand to punch her.
The empress grabbed luzs hand and glared at her. "How!? You dare ask that question!? You ignorant, simple minded, worm!" The empress kicked Luz in the gut sending her flying.
"Lulu, stop this!" Luca ordered and the empress turned to him.
"after so long… I had thought I'd forgotten this feeling… being called a nickname by my own brother… it feels nice."
"what happened to you? Why are you doing this?"
"Because… I lost you… due to my ignorance… I watched you die before me and there was nothing I could do… so I planned, I worked, and eventually I had enough power to make it work. I turned back the clock and found my way back to you… now we can be together forever… brother and sister against the word… like before." the empress reached out for Luca's hand.
"no… no! You can't be luz… she'd never do what you did! You're a murderer! A monster! You enslaved women and killed my… our mother!"
"Luca… I did it all for you… I want to save you."
"well I don't want to be saved! Not if it means other people get hurt." Luca screamed at the empress.
The empress lowered her head and for the first time allowed herself to cry in public.
"My empress the rebels have broken our castle… what are your orders?' Esdeath asked jumping down in front of the empress.
"full retreat… we'll pull back and reclaim luca at a later day." the empress looked up tears shrinking down her face. "Luca… you will see someday… that what I do is for the best, until… enjoy your small victory."
the empress waved her hand as she teleported away taking her champions with her.
"It's over? We won? We won!? Lenore scream flying up and charging luca and hugging him.
Odalia cheered as she gave him a hug too and they held each other.
Luz and vee embraced then vee gave Luz a little peck on the cheek making them both blush.
Lenore flew vee up while the rest used magic to reach the bridge.
The victorious army was celebrating and luca ran into looking for one witch in particular. He ran and saw standing by herself was his first love… "Lilith!" he cried.
The witch turned around to see luca and smiled with a tear in her eyes. "Luca!" she ran into his arms as they held each other and began making up for lost time… kissing each other more passionately then before.
Eda walked up and cleared her throat. Luca looked at eda and noticed she was scared.
"I'm sorry for turning you in… I know you hate me… and I'll understand if you don't want to live with m–" Eda felt luca press his lips to hers holding her close. The witch let the boy dip her down and felt her leg go up behind her like in a movie.
Once they seperated "I forgive you eda… luz told me why and I promise you'll see your mom again… I love you."
Eda smiled warmly. "I love you too."
Just then two voices cleared their throat. It was minerva and juno. "are we going to get our reward now?"
"what did you promise them eda?" Lilith asked not liking how the two were looking at luca.
"Oh, it seems after saving their daugthers from the farm… those two have become smitten with luca… so I promised they could join in and date him."
"Edalyn! You can't just promise that!" Lilith exclaimed making luca chuckle.
While the two witches sqaubbled over who was right, one of the towns folk tapped Luca's shoulders.
"Excuse the disturbance milord. But I must ask what you plan to do with the captured champions?" he pointed to lenore and odalia, surrounded by the angry townsfolk.
Luca clapped his hands together.
Crash!
The sound caught the attention of the townsfolk, turning their gaze toward the boy expectantly.
"People of the boiling isles! I have hereby given these two my pardon… they were instrumental in the defeat of the empress and thus will be under my care. If any object to this then let their concerns be heard."
No one dared refute the word of luca. The boy did just save all their daugthers a couple months ago and now they expected him to lead them.
"Good… then I hereby decree that I shall not be a king of the boiling Isles."
The disgruntled mummers of the people deafened the poor boy.
Crash!
Another crack of thunder silenced the towns folk.
"I will be a man of the people. If you have complaints they will be heard, if you're life is threatened I will protect, and if there ever comes a time where I am unfit for my position then I will step down… hail the boiling isles!" Luca raised his fist to the sky.
The people cheered and proceeded to raise their fists to the sky.
"Hail King Luca, Hail The titanson!"