Chapter 26: Cast Down Your Kings (Part 1)
"Serafall, I trust you can see the benefits to an arrangement such as this?"
Doing her utmost not to appear resigned or frustrated with the latest bit of political maneuvering her family had dragged her into the violet-eyed Devil dutifully accepted the missive her mother handed to her, trying not to think about the fact that even her life at home was beginning to resemble a battlefield, albeit one of a more domestic flavor. Less blood, magic and screaming which was instead replaced with ink, magic and flowers.
…Perhaps a little bit of screaming involved here and there. She would freely admit to having been something of a loud and mouthy child when she was younger, sharing and espousing her opinions without a care for what or who heard them.
She'd had that habit beaten out of her by both military training and the simple reality of her station in the Sitri household. While she may hold potential and strength magnitudes greater than her parents had at their age she was still on the cusp of reaching her sixtieth year, still coming into her own strength and not able to match those centuries her senior.
While her parents had been dispassionate and casual about aforementioned lessons the path to becoming warriors of their species wasn't nearly so kind. She distinctly remembered both her, Sirzechs and a few others in their training cadre thinking they knew better than their instructors, being beaten down for the presumptuousness and then being tied naked in the middle of the wasteland they called training grounds, strapped over wooden beams and made the personal playthings of whoever wished to make use of their bodies for two entire days, no food or water to be had.
She resisted the urge to shudder, remembering those forty-eight hours with near perfect clarity. While they hadn't had to fear for their virginities - being the heirs of prestigious Pillar families had benefits - and most other recruits hadn't the courage to take advantage of them and risk reprisal further down the road others hadn't been so kind.
The instructors were fairly impartial and distant about the whole ordeal, mostly just berating their previous performances or occasionally striking them as their mood dictated…enemies or rivals of their family hadn't been so kind.
Easily one of queasiest moments she could remember in her relatively short life was being untied from the ropes, sent to the baths to clean off…and feeling the copious amount of seed sloshing around her insides, repulsed at the way it caked and cracked on her skin yet remained gooey on the inside, kept warm by her body temperature as her hair had been glued into a solid, flaky mess. She hadn't even been able to walk with any dignity, ass so sore and bruised it hurt to merely move, a state shared by her fellows.
Never before had she actually been envious of Ajuka and Falbium's more docile and reserved natures. They had never been disciplined like she and Sirzechs had.
But it was a lesson both learned and taken to heart. Boasting or grandstanding - the freedom to act as one wished - was dangerous and pointless if the strength to allow it was absent.
"Talk of further alliances and cooperation between Lucifer and Leviathan in the wake of the Christian King's death seem to be on the rise, this holds promise for the Sitri clan to both broaden our influence and further our standing in Lucifer's eyes, an initiative taken that speaks well to our loyalty and willingness to act."
Serafall had to hold back her instinctive and sharp response that pointed out their four glorious leaders spent just as much time plotting against each other as they did the enemy, that any alliance would be temporary at best and actively detrimental at worst. Her parents already knew that - practically everyone with any intelligence whatsoever knew that - and the question she really wanted to ask was why they were even bothering to do this in the first place. An alliance with a family aligned to a different faction would only create more problems when faction lines were inevitably drawn yet again.
Instead she perused the missive more thoroughly, thoughts immediately turning dark as she realized what was happening right away. The Leraje were an up and coming Marquis aligned to Leviathan, currently tasked with corrupting and bringing the territory known as Lombardy under the Satan's rule and doing a fairly good job of it. A territory that the Sitri - who had been struggling to maintain their hold of Sardinia for many decades - could use as a second foothold on the mainland, an avenue into further territories that had once been claimed by the Christian King.
What made the act even more twistedly brilliant was that the Leraje were a family that ruled with a far more even hand than most, not lacking in discipline but perfectly willing to spend a greater amount of time and effort on making sure the people they ruled were productive and understanding of the hierarchy instead of taking the easy way out and ruling through base cruelty, like so many of their kind seemed to delight in doing.
"Charlemagne's son, Louis, is struggling to weave Heaven's lands together in a cohesive whole while the man's other spawn all search for their own fiefdoms to hold dominion over. I see no reason why we should not follow their example."
"You want to approach the Leraje under the guise of a union, have me wed their son and then slip a knife in their backs the minute Lucifer renews his vendetta against Leviathan."
"Of course not. There was never any such conversation held within these halls and there was certainly no records either."
Serafall had to clench her jaw for a moment, regaining her composure before neutrally asking, "Two questions. First of all, the Leraje's heir is only fourteen years of age and - if rumors are to be believed - doesn't care much for the more lustful branch of sin, preferring to study and train. The Leraje aren't foolish, they'll suspect we're doing precisely what we intend to do and will be on guard against such an attempt."
"A non-issue. Their son is, as you said, young and thus malleable. If he doesn't veer towards the pleasures of the flesh then you need merely introduce him to them until all he craves is your body."
Serafall stiffly nodded.
"And what of the Devils attached to the Leraje family? Are they to just fall in line, no compunctions or issues to be found?"
Her mother offered a placating smile that held no shortage of potential malice.
"If they do not wish to meet their ends as the Leraje have, yes. And those ends can be quick or eternal, depending on the message needed to be sent."
Staring into the reptilian gazes of Halachia and Gardazon Sitri Serafall was keenly reminded of why she was such a prodigy with ice manipulation and creation. How could she not be, when her family was just so cold?
But she couldn't challenge them on this. She likely couldn't challenge them for another fifty years. So, as always, she merely bowed her head in acquiescence, replying, "Am I to begin courtship immediately?"
"No. We still need to open up a line of dialogue with the Leraje and you are on leave. Enjoy the next few months of your vacation, daughter. Your performance in the Charlemagne campaign was a source of great pride to the Sitri."
The younger Devil honestly couldn't decide what was worse. If her family was just cold and calculating all the time or if they occasionally displayed little moments like these, where there was just the slightest hints of something approximating real compassion and love.
"You're dismissed."
"Understood, mother, father."
Leaving the family sitting room without a backwards glance the Devil strode through the family halls, quiet swish of her dress and gentle patter of her flats echoing through the empty halls, only the occasional servant or guard breaking the monotony.
It wasn't until she was outside on the grounds, free from any observers or prying eyes did she allow herself to collapse underneath the shade of a nearby tree, rubbing her eyes and releasing a tired sigh.
She understood all too well what the end result of her parent's latest plot was going to be. Assuming every facet of their established plan went according to design - and she wasn't about to hold her breath in that regard - then they were still going to be surrounded by enemies, locked in a grinding battle for control over the territory. Lombardy was on the border of Heaven's controlled lands while Leviathan's forces wouldn't take kindly to the Sitri - aligned with Lucifer as they were - snatching up one of their newly acquired prizes.
It was going to be a three way battle, one she would very likely end up on the front lines of given her allegiance to the Sitri. And if the Charlemagne campaign was any indicator the battle was going to be bitter, bloody and full of unwanted surprises. Never mind the casualties that would encompass every living being that resided within the place.
She had worked alongside Humans during the series of battles that had taken place in their realm and, in the sanctity of her own mind, could freely admit that if you set aside issues of longevity and intrinsic magic there was depressingly little difference between Devils and Humans. Both driven by wants and needs, some good, most basic and some bad. And this latest series of conflicts was just going to make things even worse.
Once again the Charlemagne campaign rose up within her mind as the prime example of the reality of the war they were going to end up engaged in. If it hadn't been a slow, frustrating grind that yielded little success then it was the pure, unadulterated chaos Harris Xavier had brought forth that almost left her and Sirzechs dead if it wasn't for his abrupt and sudden aid. And what came after?
That had caused her more disillusionment than anything else possibly could have. Years of slow, on and off engagements and terror tactics as they tried to either subsume or corrupt the once loyal Human populations to their side, meeting with varied levels of success as the violet-eyed Devil came face-to-face with the more inglorious aspects of their conflict.
Their own kin and and fellows, captured and tortured to death in acts that were clearly not swift in nature as the zealous Humans factions of Heaven took out their anger and righteous indignation on their bodies, their Angel overseers and prophets able to remain far and above such heretical acts as they simply turned the other way.
Serafall remembered the anger and fury she had felt upon seeing such acts, wishing to visit it upon those that practiced such things…and promptly had her face shoved in yet another ugly reality that had stripped her of her ire faster than any well-meaning lecture possibly could have.
The legion she had been a part of had sent a scouting troop deep into Heaven's territory, under orders to discover troop formations and cause dissent or chaos if at all possible before falling back if they came under attack. Risky, but not particularly dangerous or exciting if they were careful. Indeed, the most exciting thing she had been a part of when traveling with them was chancing across an isolated and old convent staffed by a small group of holy women, her commanding officer making it clear to the Humans that if they stayed put and didn't attempt to flee they would be spared any harm or harassment.
…Sometimes Serafall wondered if she had just been willfully ignorant of what she knew was going to happen. Herself and a few others their leader - with the benefit of hindsight - knew to be in possession of some level of morality had been sent out for a few days and gone on the assignment without complaint, returning as scheduled only to find the women, as she should have expected, either dead or on the cusp of it, brutalized, violated and tortured to the point of no return.
The youngest of whom couldn't have been more than a young girl just barely into the cusp of young adulthood by Human standards. Stomach swollen, flesh carved with the various family iconography of those that had ruined her, milky skin stained with blood and semen…tied to a pew in an image Serafall couldn't help but relate to her own disciplining, except she'd had the luxury of family status and a time limit as well as overseers to make sure things didn't go too far.
What had those Humans had? Nothing. Nothing except bad luck and a war they had absolutely no part in.
Heaving out a breath of agitation and furiously rubbing her eyes in a vain attempt to do away with the memories the Devil turned on her heel, angrily stalking towards the family training grounds as her teeth ground in directionless anger.
Where was the glory their oh so wonderful Satans spoke of? Where was the grand destiny that their species was meant to seize, the dominion and rightful inheritance of both Heaven and Hell that had been denied them by Yahweh and his Angels? Where was the promised worship and revelry as Devilkind assumed their rightful place in the world?
Because all Serafall had seen and experienced was rampant and seemingly pointless bloodshed, confusing and stressful campaigns and a gradual degrading of her composure and sanctity of mind.
More than a few nightmares and unspoken terrors had whispered of what would happen to her or her friends if they were captured, offered to the tender mercies of those that had been wounded and ravaged by her people and would seek to repay the favor in kind.
"DAMMIT!"
Angrily lashing out with her arm the moment she entered the secured and protected grounds a glacier sprang to life beneath a boulder the size of a small mansion, shearing the stone in two with a deafening crack as the Devil began aimlessly causing destruction, caring less about precision and careful expenditure of power and more about the cathartic burn of energy and movement that, for the moment, pushed her worries aside.
Not that it ever lasted, though. In less than an hour she was panting for breath, laying flat on her back and drenched with sweat despite the freezing air around her, surrounded on all sides by jagged ice sculptures ranging from blunt clubs to razor-keen blades, all of them haphazardly strewn about the area in childish fits of anger, the warded landscape struggling to account for all of the damage as Serafall let her eyes drift closed in bitter resignation.
"Why do we have to fight in a war that's going to see us almost certainly dead when we didn't even start it? Dead if we're lucky, captured and paraded around as symbols of crucifixion and penance if we're unlucky, then dead. Eventually."
Throwing an arm across her face and heaving out a tired, exhausted sigh Serafall found herself wishing that she had her three friends at her side.
Ajuka would probably have some kind of logical answer to her worries - something about how the odds weren't that bad as long as they avoided certain theaters of combat - Falbium would suggest a nap and ways their forces could avoid costly engagements for them to implement and Sirzechs would just offer the reassuring presence their unofficial leader always did. And then she would do something silly or goofy that would raise their spirits and things would be back to normal for awhile.
But they weren't here right now. Falbium and Ajuka were still engaged in far off campaigns while Sirzechs was busy with family matters while his mother and father were away. It was just and her thoughts for now and she doubted that was going to change anytime soon.
"Well, I might as well begin plotting the seduction and then death of a young child. Because that's what Devils are, according to all the smart people."
Speaking the bitter words aloud Serafall sucked in a quiet and despondent breath, eyes drifting closed as she allowed the frigid air to lull her to sleep-
"Damn. Not interrupting anything, are we?"
-and bolted upright in a blur of motion, eyes wide as she stared at the four figures standing no more than a dozen paces from where she lay, somehow having slipped past both the estate's wards and the training ground's protective fields.
"Who are you? How did you get in…here…"
The Devil trailed off, eyes widening as she recognized the man staring her down, even if he looked a fair bit different than before. Taller, broader and sporting more facial hair but still undeniably the face of Harris Xavier.
Standing well within her family's protective measures as if it was the most easy, casual and expected thing in the world.
Merlin glanced around the frozen wastes, ice being melted and reformed by the overworked magics as she pensively hummed, "If I were a betting woman I would state that this is the sign of a repressed bevy of emotions finally being expended."
Playful, glowing eyes focused on Serafall as the Devil instinctively tensed, preparing herself for any potential attacks or trickery.
"Or am I far off the mark? Either way it's wonderful to meet you again, Serafall~! Our previous meeting ended on a bit of a sour mark, I admit."
Relaxing ever so slightly - although she kept her body slack and ready for movement of any kind - the black-haired woman idly commented, "That seems to be put a bit lightly. After all, your supposed plan ended with most of our forces locked in a titanic battle that almost killed Sirzechs and myself."
Shrugging with a clear lack of concern - as if the near death experience was completely and totally justified - Harris explained, "It got you what you wanted, right? And it's not like I left you all out to dry, you're still here alive and well."
Serafall was tempted to point out that a fair few others hadn't left 'alive and well' but decided not to push the issue, instead clenching her jaw and gazing at the two new members of the man's contingent.
One was clearly draconic in nature, sporting a waving tail and horns that appeared more than slightly demonic, a sharp contrast to the woman's polite and outgoing temperament as she offered a small smile of greeting to the Devil. Her clothing was also an interesting mix, consisting of traveling boots, hardy pants and shirt while a large and well worn cloak that hung off her frame billowed slightly whenever there was a breeze.
While she wasn't willing to tell a Dragon how they were supposed to dress she never would have expected one to willingly appear so…modest.
The newest arrival was admittedly adorable, perfectly combining beautiful and cute into one ethereal package. Also sporting pale hair her placid expression was merely accentuated by the finely spun robe native to the Shinto pantheon that hugged her slim body, leggings of a fine and glossy material covering her lower half as her head tilted minutely in response to the Devil's attention.
"You've expanded your roster."
"Indeed I have. This lovely little lady was actually part of the reason we were able to get in so close."
Placing a hand that nearly engulfed the small girl's head atop of it in an affectionate gesture - the beauty obviously enjoying the motion if the way she nuzzled into the touch was any indication - Serafall arched an eyebrow, dryly asking, "And the reason you couldn't merely knock politely?"
Merlin huffed out a breath, pouting as she said, "And subject ourselves to all sorts of arrogant scrutiny? Where's the fun and grandeur in that? Just be glad I wasn't allowed to go with my idea, I wanted to collapse your estate's protections in order to make a statement but they told me no."
The draconic woman rolled her eyes, dryly remarking, "I'm sure that would have endeared them to our presence splendidly, Merlin. Destroy security centuries if not millennia old just to say hello."
"I occasionally engaged in such mischief before and it always set the mood to my purposes."
"Didn't it also get you imprisoned in Avalon?"
The famous magician stuck out her tongue, shamelessly responding, "I will freely admit that was my libido."
"Knew she was a pervert."
The soft, gentle words from the smaller girl had Merlin unrepentantly smiling as Serafall tried to remind herself of the fact that this comedy troupe was actually quite clever and dangerous, Harris clearing his throat before stating, "That aside I don't think I've introduced everyone yet. Serafall? The lady with the dragon features is Robin and the pint-sized is Terminus Est."
The newly named Terminus Est merely nodded while Robin gave a friendly wave, the Devil cautiously nodding before replying in kind with, "Serafall Sitri. A pleasure."
She forced herself to take a calming breath, trying not to focus on the offhanded way Merlin had mentioned breaching and ruining her home's defenses, a claim the ravenette believed she could perform easily. No matter the idiot routine they had put on for her she was now wiser to the feats they could perform.
"Then may I ask what brings you to this corner of the Underworld? I'm not entirely sure why you would have bothered, the Gremory and Phenex families were the ones who were willing to parlay and bargain with you."
"Well we kinda didn't know how to open up a gateway to the Underworld."
Serafall paused, blinking. Then blinked again.
"You…didn't know how to teleport here?"
Robin shrugged, asking, "How would we? We're not familiar with your particular brand of magics. We had to wander around for a bit until a group of your kin tried to waylay us."
Merlin smirked, twirling her staff before smugly stating, "A few summary kicks to the jaw and other unmentionables and they were happy to provide the basics of travel to other realms. Not that it was necessary, I would have gotten something workable sooner or later!"
Robin's tone was as dry as the desert.
"I don't think any of us were comfortable with the idea of trial and error when trying to explore other realms, Merlin."
Quickly putting an end to the brewing debate Harris intervened with, "Long story short we showed up randomly near here - probably because the people we beat up are from your clan - and recognized your family crest. On that topic, I'd like to ask for a favor."
Serafall felt a chill crawl down her spin like a shard of ice rammed into her back, the man's grin alarmingly similar to the one he'd worn before Charlemagne had been killed.
"Could you arrange an audience with Lucifer? I think he and I would have a lot to chat about."
Chapter got a little delayed from it's usual two week update due to some weekend work projects...as well as the more time consuming prospect of watching the final two episodes of 86, experiencing the void and then talking about it with a couple of my friends.
Seriously, the show - despite it's constant production issues and delays - is something I haven't seen in anime in a LONG time. It's actually kinda crazy. The older you get you don't ever stop enjoying things but the more events you live through and the more media you experience things tend to lose some of that initial wow factor.
You can't lose your v-card again, you can't top the first time you broke a bone, you can't watch the sheer eye candy that is Pacific Rim or Avatar and you can't be blown away by films like Seven or the Prestige as their finales leave you on the edge of your seat. So when something like 86 comes out of literal nowhere and clubs you across the face with its novelty you can't help but be intrigued.
Then you watch the show and realize it's a truly rare blend of incredible directing, writing and music/sound that has a message and theme to impart that performs the magnificent task of not being blatant or obvious about it, or taking the easy route and presenting things in overly simple terms of black and white.
It truly is one of the greatest shows - not just anime - I've had the pleasure of viewing over the past years and the final two episodes have one of the most satisfying and earned endings I've witnessed in a LONG damn time, 23 episodes of buildup culminating in an incredible conclusion that left me feeling 'the void'.
If anyone feels compelled to view after that little rant then all I ask is that you don't spoil yourself and start from the beginning. You'll know by the end of episode 4 if it's not a show for you and the payoff for making your way through the entire series episode by episode is worth it.
Fuckin' glory to the Spearhead Squadron!