"…Wait, Hades? As in our brother Hades? That's the Hades you're talking about?" Poseidon asked with a surprised look, Zeus frowning in confusion as he nodded.
"Yes, what other Hades do you think I was talking about."
"I know it's not the being I thought you were going to say." Azazel chimed in with a raised eyebrow and Zeus just looked at the others to see they're all just as surprised as his brother & Azazel was.
"Wait, who did everyone think I was going to say?"
"To be honest, Lord Zeus, I assume we all thought you were going to say Ares or Dionysus or perhaps even Hermes?" Yeshua asked as he looked around the table, the others giving hesitant nods as Odin snorted.
"Dionysus would love the chaos, but he's too lazy to try and help terrorists destroy the world. However, I did expect Ares or Apollo since you've been complaining about them a lot these past few months. Hades, on the other hand, was one I expected you to side with given how much you adore him."
"Lord Zeus adores Hades?" Sirzechs asked with a confused & amused look, Zeus glaring at Odin for the remark as Hera was the one who answered.
"Both he and Poseidon. Since Hades is lord of the Underworld and has to deal with thousands of souls from those of our faith, they both look up to him as a role model for his calm demeanour in doing his work."
"Oi, I thought we were making fun of Zeus." Poseidon said with a frown, a slight blush on his face as Hera just gave him an amused smirk before Zeus awkwardly cleared his throat.
"B-Back to the matter at hand, if we could. Apollo & Hermes would never betray me and yes, I do have my suspicions of Ares as well, but Hades…surely, you all have noticed how reclusive he's been over the past few months?"
"Well, yes, but I believe that's mostly because we never actually visit him in the Netherworld like he visits us in Olympus and Atlantis." Poseidon answered with a smirk, Zeus just rolling his eyes before continuing.
"Fine, yes, we should visit him more, but my point still stands. He doesn't attend our monthly meetings and whenever we do see each other, he's always muttering about how his plans are still in progress."
"Well, that is…concerning to hear. Mayhaps it would be best if you, Lord Poseidon and Lady Hera perhaps speak to him, Lord Zeus?" Serafall asked with a frown, Zeus letting out a sigh as he nodded.
"Yes, we should. Now then, who else do we believe are currently spies?" Zeus asked and Odin cleared his throat as he answered.
"Loki, Fenrir and Hel for starters, but I guess those are already decided. Hmm, Surtr & his Fire Giants are also options, but I don't believe that the old fool would go so far as to destroy the world simply for shits & giggles. I know that Midgardsormr is not apart of this seeing as he's still deep asleep and neither is Fafnir, since he's with you." Odin said with a nod at Azazel, to which the others glanced at him in confirmation and he sighed & nodded
"However, the Dökkálfar and the Jotnar have been silent these past few months seeing as I haven't had a single report of either of them laying assault to an Asgardian stronghold so we might have to look out for them. Other than that, I don't believe there's anyone else."
"That is more than enough, Lord Odin. Azazel, anything you want to add?" Sirzechs asked as he glanced at the Grigori leader, who groaned as he took his feet off the table before speaking.
"Fine, I suppose it's my turn. Unlike the rest of you, I probably have the most potential spies, but there were three that I was wary of. Kokabiel was one of them, but with his death, he's been removed from the list. The second was one of my closest confidants, the Cadre Satanael."
"Wait, was he not killed by the Longinus user of Canis Lykaon on your orders?" Falbium asked with a lazy raised eyebrow and Azazel grimaced as he shook his head.
"Unfortunately, Satanael escaped with a sliver of his life and despite how Tobio said that he would have less than a year to live four years ago, I believe Satanael is using some kind of Soul Magic to tie what little of his soul he has left to the mortal plane."
"You believe or you know?" Zeus asked and Azazel just frowned as he answered.
"My beliefs are why the Grigori was able to keep up with Heaven and the Devils in the Great War all those years ago, so I trust my beliefs more than I trust any type of knowledge that is given to me."
"We understand, Azazel, and while you are good in trusting your…beliefs, we shall have to do further investigation on him. Now, you mentioned a third one?" Ajuka intervened before a battle could break out, Azazel giving a silent stare at Zeus before continuing.
"The last person is one that I'm not very certain of, but I've already put Penemue & Shemhazai to keep track of them and have Baraqiel create a unit to capture them if needed. This person…is Tamiel, the Grigori's Head of Business Department."
"So, we have one 10-winged Fallen Angel that might betray us with another that might or might not be alive. Hah, anyone else?"
"I'd say about half of the Grigori's fighting force and another fifth or more of our researchers might also be spies and double agents."
"Hah, I suppose that is to be expected, especially given that half of our fighting force left the Underworld to join the Old Satans Faction." Sirzechs muttered with a sigh, the other Satans nodding before Yeshua hummed as he answered.
"Well, given that if an angel that even thinks of betraying Heaven will be cast out without remorse, the only ones I'm remotely concerned about is the Church."
"A few rogue exorcists?" Azazel asked and Yeshua sighed as he shook his head.
"I believe that Vasco Strada and Ewald Cristaldi along with the exorcists under their command might be enemies of the Church."
"…Okay, that is something we definitely need to pay attention for." Azazel spoke with wide eyes as he processed that information, the others just as shocked as the Greek divines just looked confused.
"Forgive us as we Greek gods do not intervene on mortal matters at all, but is there something incredible about this Vasco Strada and this Ewald Cristaldi?"
"Cristaldi is a human that is able to wield three Excalibur fragments at the same time and use them to the best of their capabilities."
"That is quite impressive. And what of Strada?"
"Vasco Strada is the strongest exorcist and human in the history of humanity. At the start of World War 2 when he was just 19 years old, he nearly killed Kokabiel and then went on to kill Azrael, the Angel of Death."
"Near the end of the Gulf War, half of our Satan-Class devils and their peerages tried to attack the Vatican while most of their exorcists were busy protecting the borders from the vampires that tried to take advantage of the war to get more thralls. They made it seven steps into Vatican City before all of them bar one were brutally killed and the one alive was sent back with a message that all devils will stay away from Italy or be eradicated by the Violence of Heaven. To all devils, Vasco Strada is our boogeyman." Sirzechs added to Azazel's words, the Greek gods looking shocked as Yeshua sighed.
"There is also one last thing I left out. Our alchemists have been trying to replicate the holy swords in our care."
"Please tell me you're not about to say what I think you're about to say?" Azazel asked with a pleading gaze, groaning as Yeshua just gave a smile.
"Unfortunately, brother, we have given Vasco Strada a duplicate of Durandal called Durandal Mk. 2. It is most definitely not as strong as the original in young Xenovia's care, but with Vasco, it might as well be."
"Okay, so humanity's devil has been given a weak version of his original weapon that might as well be as strong as his first. Hah, why is it when I'm the leader that all of this happens?" Falbium groaned as he bumped his head on the table, the others just looking amused as Odin just sighed.
"Well, now that we have at least a rough list of the possible spies, let us discuss this alliance further. What is this going to be exactly?" The god asked as he looked towards the Christianic Faction, who all looked at each other before Ajuka was the one who answered.
"Truthfully, we're still struggling to figure out a chain of command. Most of us wish for Lord Yeshua to be the commander, but he believes that Sirzechs or I would be a better pick."
"Before you ask and/ or mock me, they did ask me and I denied the offer seeing as I'm not the leader type." Azazel chimed in with a shrug, the gods nodding as Odin looked between the three nominated before surprising everyone as he pointed his cane at Falbium.
"That one. He's a far better pick in my opinion."
"Hwah, can I ask why?" Falbium drawled from where he was still banging his head on the table, to which Odin chuckled before answering.
"It's simply because ever since we all sat down, I can see the absurd amount of energy coursing through your head. At first, I was a bit cautious as I thought you were charging up some kind of attack, but then I was surprised as I looked deeper and saw that it was all entirely focused on your ears and brain. More specifically, the frontal lobe. You've been making battle plans while also adding to the meeting when you need to, haven't you?"
"Huh, not bad." Falbium spoke with a lazy thumbs up before he groaned as he sat upright, droopy eyes scanning the table before he spoke.
"Anybody disagree with him?"
"Not at all. I don't have to do as much paperwork now." Sirzechs spoke with a smirk, an amused Yeshua and Ajuka nodding in agreement as Falbium's eyes widened slightly before he groaned and went back to banging his head on the table.
"That is entirely on you."
"I know. Should have just gone back to sleeping." Falbium groaned and the others just smirked before Frigg turned to the devils.
"Actually, before we start, I have a question."
"What is it, Lady Frigg?"
"Are we divines the only ones you reached out to for an alliance?" She asked and the other gods frowned as the Christian Faction winced slightly.
"No, we have reached out to other factions, but let's just say they weren't…happy to be in an alliance with beings that stole some of their believers."
"Meaning?" Hera asked and Serafall sighed as she answered.
"The Jade Emperor told us that he wouldn't do it even if Wukong came back to eat his peaches. Lord Shiva informed us that he along with Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu will only intervene if the situation becomes dire. Most of the other gods said the exact same thing and Lord Indra…well, he told us in his specific words to go fornicate with Lord Shiva's sacred bull Nandi and hope that it gives us a child strong enough to help us."
"…Oh, why am I not surprised?" Odin muttered as he palmed his face, Zeus mirroring it as Poseidon frowned in thought.
"What of the Egyptians?"
"Um, we do not have the best reputation with the Egyptians or should I say, me specifically. Therefore, we thought that it would be best to leave that powder keg unlit." Yeshua said with a slight sheepish smile, the devils and Azazel nodding in agreement as Poseidon hummed before turning to Zeus.
"Be that as it may, Ra would be good help against them, especially with his army."
"Yes, but have you forgotten how petty that old bastard is? Last time I took a sip of his wine without asking, the fucker lit up Mount Vesuvius and burned Pompeii off the map." Zeus spoke with a roll of his eyes, everyone just giving the lightning god a deadpan stare as Poseidon shook his head.
"However, that is not a bad idea. Poseidon, you go and talk to the old man and you can take a guard if you need it."
"Sure, brother. Whatever you say. What forces can you spare for this mission?" Poseidon asked as he turned to Falbium, who was tracing a finger on the table while answering.
"There are a few young men that I know would fit perfectly for this mission. While they are doing that, I believe I have another group of people that would not be opposed to an alliance with us."
"Oh? And who would that be?" Azazel asked with a raised eyebrow before his eyes widened slightly along with that of everyone else as Falbium gave a lazy smirk.
"The Golden Dawn."
A/N: Another short chapter, but this is because I wanted this to be purely focused on the meeting before we move on with the story.
Next arc, however, is going to be long so get ready for that.
As always, read, enjoy, review and until then...
Ba-Bye~!
