Queen's note: Not as long but something needed for the story. Post rage Slayer in the next chapter
Garnets
Chapter Thirty:
Soulless
The reborn hell being that watched, stayed quiet and still as she watched the fire down in the town of Crescent City spread to a second building but that was it. Not daring to breathe much, and even then it was slow and steady. Until the Unchanged Predator was well and truly gone from the area. When the sun on this world started to rise she barely stirred her coils. Peering at the two humans she had long since picked out as aids, and insulated them from turning into anything other than the soft cute things they were.
Smaller than those of other invaded worlds and enslaved races, the humans on a whole never struck Soulless Calling as a good fighting creature. Good workers and aids on the other hand? Very much so. She had already hand picked several to be sent to Immora as offerings to her allied clans before this disaster.
There was a soft movement in her coils, making the priestess shift to ever so gently to set a large hand on the girl. Rubbing her back and humming until the shivers faded, while the priestess bleeding over some of the warmth of her power.
As if that was the sign needed she heard the sounds of another human group making their way to her hiding place. Frowning under her mask as Soulless Calling had left strict orders for no one to come find her, just in case the Hellwalker followed as she was in a weakened state in this world.
The muffled ritual had just barely worked to let her come through before the Hell Priests' arrival…and then he came. Not just ending most of her marked humans but freed or took the others she would send to Immora.
The lead man in the new group staggered into the park clearing, looking at where the other group stayed still and quiet around her coils in the gazebo-like building.
"You were told not to come here." Soulless Calling noted as she started to sit up, her semi blank silver mask turned to the human leader. The long forearms stretched forward over her coil, the black gloves coving each three digit hand up to her forearms, hiding the scales under the silk.
"I'm sorry…my lord…" The man, Clarence, said as he dared to come closer, dropping on his knees. Watching how the demon priestess almost lovingly rubbed the back of a young teen boy. Feeling a flare of jealousy as he grasped at his chest where the mark was on his chest. "I had to get away from the ARC. They're appearing in the area."
Why did those wretches get the favor of Soulless Calling, when he had done so much to build her human followers. He looked up to see the naga like god sit up and stretch, scanning around, for a moment showing glimpses of the glossy red scales under the golden armor and silver silks that made the dress like shirt on her form. The red and black hair was braided back down her back as Soulless Calling made sure it was safe.
"You could have led The Beast here, and ruined everything." The demon said front behind the mask that hid her face. Fitting perfectly to her face it hinted at the refined features under the silver mask, unlike some of her sister whiplash demons. Between that and her having a much longer lower body it helped distinguish the Priestess from them and other demons.
"Please forgive me my lord." Clarence said as he bowed, and then reached behind to roughly pull one of the partly marked followers he had found on the way up here. Pushing the young woman forward and down in front of the Blood priestess. "I brought you some offerings to make up for it."
There was an odd humming sound from somewhere behind the new group as a flare of light came to light up the park. There was the impression of massive wings closing and a sliver and white form glided into view as eyes just as golden as Soulless Calling. "I am not sure what kind of offering you think you're making human, but do you think a mer three souls will sate a Blood Priest of Hell?"
Clarence stared up in awe at this giant of an angle formed and moved to them. It almost looked like she was in a flowing robes of flexible metal. With a blazing gold gem in her chest, whereas Soulless Calling had a ruby on her own under the silk. They were as different as some things were alike. Like the size between them, this angle able to flow in the air instead of having a long serpent body. But oddly their hands were alike.
The Priestess chuckled as she picked up the offered girl, smoothing the scared tears away with the pads of her thumbs, and settled her in between the long red coils. "I am not as hard to please as your thirst Sister."
The Khan Maykr made a face at that, as the noble demon leaned forward and lashed out to grab and pull the former cult leader closer. Shifting to lift the mask only enough to let her jaw widen to bite down on the human's neck and head. The fangs extend to end the moment of struggle. "Please, Soulless, have some manners."
Soulless Calling rolled her eyes under the silver mask as she finished draining the blood from the human man. Swallowing his heart last before dropping the body. The priestess had been polite to lean forward and not get blood all over her robes. Not that there was much blood waisted by spilling as Soulless Calling sat up and back on her coils while petting the new human. "I was, Sister, what brought you to this world so early?"
The Khan Maykr huffed at the term again, "You have blood on your mask."
"And the blood on you is well hidden, but smells so sweet." Soulless Calls purred back, "Have you run out of our sisters' souls to feed the Icon? Be careful the drones don't have much of their own souls without the sisters. Don't look so surprised Sister, Immora as well as all of Hell can feel the Icon growing on Urdak."
The silver giant frowned, not liking this bit of information. She would have to lay a few more plans for her own safety. And that of Urdak. The Khan Maykr took a deep breath and lifted her head, yet also studied the first humans she had seen in person that was not the Slayer. "I had heard whispers of you coming back out of Hell, and wished to see how you made it."
"Your lies are as sweet as the Argenta blood clinging to you." Soulless Calling complimented with a fond smile, and then flicked her gloved hands over the humans with a warning sound. "Now, now, don't get greedy Sister. You have all but the whole of this race killed off and sent to Hell for your Argent Energy. These small ones are destined to live in my temple in Immorra. The Unwilling are not fit for the city."
"Your tail seems to have gotten longer, almost gorgon-like." The Khan Maykr noted, ignoring the first statement. Watching as the other being sliding out of her shelter, moving into the moonlight, not all sharp angles, the naga like being kept some of the streamlined looks of her first life back on Urdak. It was an impressively smooth motion that did not really disturb the still sleeping humans around her, but Soulless Calling was able to lean forward out of the building and still be almost eye level, even as a lump moved lower in long serpent body.
"Thank you, it's a great advantage that came with becoming the new Soulless Calling. But the new gorgon will not be ready to be reasoned with for some time. She just hatched after all, and is rather ravenous." The angled golden eyes in the mask glowed bright as the Khan Maykr paused, using her body more to express herself. "Oh, did you not know Sister? Shame. I would have seen if you knew where to find a mortal soul needed."
"This new Gorgon was human?" The Khan Maykr asked, then frowned as she gave the slightly smaller being a calculating look. There was a pause before she tilted her head. "This is very valuable information… sister… So why would you share this with me?"
Soulless Calling leaned back, adjusting her lower section as she shrugged. "Perhaps it's a layover when I trusted you. Perhaps it would do both my standing in the Blood Priests, and with the Immora clans to find the mortal daughter of the new Gorgon."
"...one of the humans is a Gorgon?" Khan Maykr frowned, and glanced around at the mostly empty world around them, then eyed the humans kept asleep now by the priestess. "Is that why you came here? It is as likely that her soul is in hell already, no?"
"If something has a Gorgon soul, it will be reborn and hatch in the Howling Canyons regardless of what stage their heart is changed in the mortal life." Soulless calling settled back on her serpent body, the gold armor clicking as she leaned on the building in the part. "The one that hatched in hell… was a mother. And as you know, mothers always give apart of their souls to their children."
The Blood Priest tilted her head and motioned to the other, and then her own ruby stone. When there was a silence, Soulless Calling seemed to almost roll her eyes under the mask.
"By the gods Great Khan, do you know no nothing of the demons you deal with? Think about it, other than this child being the mortal daughter of the new ruling Gorgon. Something to actually negotiate with the predator- who is doing a wonderful job of population control. This child will have a pure gorgon heart." Soulless Calling spread her hands palms up and wide to either side. "Gorgon hearts are highly sought after to make…crucibles."
The Khan Mayker arched an eyeridge at that as she shifted in the air. "Oh really?"
"This child was exposed to a Gorgon, and has her blood." Soulless Calling motioned her hands smoothly, unable to hold as still as she once was back on Erdak the Kahn Maykr noted. "Even if it is slowed, once exposed to the gorgon the mortal will still change. We do not know what happened to the Gorgon's mate. But it's likely he will not be far from the child."
"And what makes a Gorgon-made crucible so special compared to the others made from Titans?" The Khan Maykr asked, mulling over what was said.
"Ones that are reborn in hell? Not much," Soulless Calling shrugged. And then smirked under her mask, the golden eyes taking a copper tint on it. "A pure gorgon heart though? Well….you could kill the unkillable. Like your Icon of Sin… or perhaps, The Unchained One."
The Khan Maykr held very, very still. Her eyes scanned around before gliding closer as her wings loosened from their hidden place. Spreading a pool of golden light around them to insulate their words from anyone not in the light. Offering her hands to the other with a pulsing glow of refined Argent Energy. "Tell me more, my Sister."
Soulless smiled under her mask, sitting up from her near lounge. Her true expression was hidden much like the one before her. Yet she exempted the peace offering for temporary truce.
Red Viy: Oh dear, I hope you got some rest sweetie! Food for the survivors is a good point and something I've already thought of! lol There's going to be a LOT of resources still avalible in the more unharmed areas of the world, given the sudden drop of the population in the first apocalyptic event/hell invasion
