Chapter 2

Disclaimer. Keira is from a mobile game called Hero Wars. I don't own her.

9/14: Slight Update to better fit Mordekaiser's character.

Mary Ann

Mitna Rachnun

Mary Ann sighed as she looked upon her pregnant belly with anxiety. Soon the day, when she would deliver her baby, would be upon her and she wasn't sure if she should be thrilled with it or dread it. Not only because she was giving birth to a bastard child, but also because of the deal that she made with Mordekaiser, the person she contacted to help and then forced her to become his servant in exchange for his help.

Since coming to Mitna Rachnun, the name of the death realm where she now lives, she learned a lot about it and the world of the living. To say she was shocked was an understatement.

First off, the world that the humans inhabit is not called Earth, but a world called Runeterra. Not only that but there is no religion or mention of God or Christianity here. Instead, there are multiple deities, some of which used to be human before ascending into powerful beings that rival the most powerful of angels in strength and power.

Next, there are actually multiple races. Minotaurs. Dragons. Even giant fish that can swallow entire ships with ease. It was all a lot to take in for Mary Ann and she wondered how the hell she get dragged into all this. To make matters even more complicated, she was now a thrall of the very first revenant, a type of undead, who desires to rule both the dead and the living for himself and he wishes to dominate her realm as well.

While she wasn't sure if he had the power to do so, she had no idea just how powerful Lucifer actually was along with the rest of the ruling class in Hell, he was determined to do so and she was sure as well that he was making plans to do so. Hell, he already did so by making her and her unborn child be spies for him when she's forced back to Hell and work for him. She wasn't sure what he expected from her by spying for him. She was an Imp so her importance in Hell was minimal at best. But she didn't bring that up to him in fear of him simply disposing of her.

Speaking of Mordekaiser, he had been a surprisingly good host to her. When she first made her home here, he had his servants construct her home within his fortress and it wasn't just some substandard living space with only adequate living conditions and furniture. Rather, it was a space with more than sufficient space for her and a baby. Comfortable furniture and conditions made Mary Ann ask Mordekaiser why he was being generous. When asked, he bluntly stated that it was to ensure her loyalty. Giving her substandard living conditions will only hamper that, thus the above-average living conditions. He claimed that it was also a way to make people join him willingly. After all, why fight people when you can make them join them by providing something better than their current rulers?

After hearing all that, Mary Ann had to admit, Mordekaiser was smart. Not only was he strong, but he also had brains as well. And he was straightforward and honest too. That all put him above the ruler of Wrath in her eyes along with most other leaders in Hell, even Lucifer. Heck since coming here, she learned a lot about Mordekaiser's style of ruling and found it much better than what she was used to in Hell.

Now granted, from what she's seen, his subjects were mostly warriors, soldiers, monsters, and various ghosts and ghouls that only howl and moan as they floated past her, meaning they most likely don't need as much as demons, but they seem to be living far better than Imps. Mordekaiser's rule seemed fair if firm. He never made unreasonable demands of his people and he always seemed to look out for their well-being. At least, from what she's seen while she saw him govern his people. Regardless, even if he wasn't as benevolent as she thinks he was, she was pretty confident that, if an invasion occurred in his realm, he'll do his darndest to fight it off, unlike Lucifer, who allowed the Exterminations to occur. Because he was the type of person to fight than run. To protect his people rather than to let them suffer from invaders. That, in her mind, put him above Lucifer alone. Now if only he wasn't making her become his spy along with her child.

As she was thinking about all this, she suddenly felt a spasm of pain and thus knelt on the ground in pain. Realizing what it was, Mary Ann quickly as she possibly could to the bell that Mordekaiser gave her should she need assistance and rung it. Soon a bunch of armored warriors with t-shaped visors appeared before her. Mordekaiser's standard warriors and with them was a bunch of medical equipment as they knew what was wrong with her. Her water broke, meaning the baby was ready to come out.

Mordekaiser

"Milord, why do we care for that Imp?" Asked a ghostly figure as it floated towards Mordekaiser on his throne, bearing an expression of pure aloofness on its face. Looking towards the figure, Mordekaiser acknowledged one of his chosen. An Ionian who died in Noxus by the name of Keira.

Knowing little about the land known as Ionia beyond that it was a land that the current leadership of Noxus was considering launching an invasion on, Mordekaiser was eager to acquire the souls of Ionians to learn much about this mysterious land. Unfortunately for him, if only slightly given current Noxian expansion policies, he could only acquire souls that come from lands that Noxus claims as its own. A slight inconvenience, but one that's rapidly becoming irrelevant given how fast Noxus is claiming territory for itself, thus enlarging his influence further. Granted, he still had to compete with the other afterlives for the souls slain in Noxus, but such a fact mattered little with how many are slain daily in Noxus. From simple slaves to the countless soldiers, both Noxian and otherwise, that die in Noxus' expansion campaigns. Chuckling as he felt a steady increase of souls arriving in his realm, Mordekaiser then focused on the matter with Keira.

It was a stroke of luck, really. Keira had been captured, along with several other Ionians, by Noxian raiders and taken back to Noxus as slaves. For what, Keira refused to speak of it, but Mordekaiser had a suspicion it was for lecherous reasons, given her age at the time, which was just entering adulthood.

What earned his attention, however, was when she killed her master on the second month she was in his service. She went above and beyond that, though, she killed his entire immediate family as well. After acquiring their souls and learning how she did it, Mordekaiser instantly knew that he had to have her in his possession. Thus, when she died when she was cornered by Noxian soldiers he claimed her instantly and made her one of his Deathsworn.

In Mitna Rachnun, there were unfortunate souls that lost their identity upon arrival. Such things were, unfortunately, common for a wide variety of reasons. Whether it be from trauma because of their death, the magics of Mitna Rachnun, the mental frailty of their minds upon realizing they entered an afterlife they don't believe in, or being inflicted as a punishment by Mordekaiser himself, many of his people are without their minds. They became little more than mindless servants that require constant commands to function properly. If they weren't so useful as cannon fodder along with their abundance, Mordekaiser would have turned them all into building material for his realm like he did for most of the weak that entered his realm. Initially, he did, but eventually, he decided to turn most of them into disposable, but powerful warriors. Molding these unfortunate souls into powerful beasts of various designs, Mordekaiser created a force of millions that only continues to grow as more souls come to his realm. But they weren't the only ones that came to his realm. No, there were souls that were stronger and kept their minds intact. Those were the ones that Keira belonged to.

While most souls that enter his realm nowadays had their minds broken, there was a good chunk of his warriors that kept their minds intact upon their entry to his realm. Keira was one of them and he was pleased to see that she was. He would hate for the such potential to go to waste.

But going back to her question, Mordekaiser spoke to her about why he tended to the needs of the Imp.

"She provides us an opportunity, Keira." Said Mordekaiser as he looked at her attire. Dark red robes with a hood that were torn on the bottom, revealing her to be legless, forcing her to float via magic. Behind her were various metal shards that were her weapons. "An opportunity to garner more power for us without drawing the attention of our enemies. And while we already do so with the number of people that die in Noxus, possessing more means to do so is not unwelcome. Yes?"

"I suppose." Said Keira, her voice apathetic. "But to waste resources on this Imp seems pointless. Why not just make it your thrall? You have the power to do so."

"Because, Keira, there are many ways to gain the allegiance of a people other than beating them or forcing them to swear allegiance." Said Mordekaiser. "Sometimes it's better to acquire their loyalty by making them see that we're a better alternative than their current rulers and lords. When wielded properly, the carrot can be the most powerful weapon one can wield. This is what I will use with this Imp. For to do so will not only ensure her loyalty to me, but also make others to see that I'm a better lord than this Lucifer, who allows his domain to be invaded." Keira bowed down to her lord's wishes before speaking again.

"And if she fails?" Asked Keira. Mordekaiser simply brought out his clawed hand and made a fist.

"Then she will suffer." Said Mordekaiser. "Her child as well if they fail as well." Keira, once again bowed at that.

"Then I will assist you with anything you deem as crucial to our continued existence, milord." Said Keira before departing, floating away from Mordekaiser. Just before she could escape his gaze, one of Mordekaiser's warriors appeared with a bundle of cloth in its hands. From the cloth came the crying of a newborn. Curious at this, Mordekaiser demanded the warrior to speak.

"Milord, the Imp gave birth to her child, but there is a complication." Said the warrior as he approached Mordekaiser. Once he was close, he presented the child to him. "She died while giving birth to it." Mordekaiser hummed at that. That was unfortunate but ultimately irrelevant. The child will simply have to do more than their mother as a result.

Humming to himself, Mordekaiser began to think of how to best adjust his plans. As he thought about it, he began to think that, perhaps in some ways, this was actually a boon in disguise. He can now do whatever he pleased with the child without the worry of their mother getting in his way. He'll still have it be a spy for him, but he could have them become so much more. A hidden bomb that he could detonate. A martyr for his people. A prophet that spread his greatness in this supposed Hell. Perhaps even be a thief for him. Whatever he thought of, he could do it without worry.

Chuckling to himself, Mordekaiser held out a hand so he can hold the child. When the warrior gave him the child, Mordekaiser can see what gender it was. It was a boy based on his genitals. It held white hair and the weakest of bodies that Mordekaiser had ever seen. Seeing it crying in his clawed hand, Mordekaiser can see that it was trying to grasp something for comfort. Scoffing at this, Mordekaiser simply held the child before silencing it with a simple gag he made from his magic. No protest was made by his warrior or Keira about this, neither caring much of the child to do so.

Looking at the child, Mordekaiser asked the warrior if Mary Ann named him.

"She did." Said the warrior. "Before we helped her give birth to the child, she named it…Moxxie." Humming at that, Mordekaiser looked at the child and chuckled as he began to think of the myriad of ways that he can use him to his own advantage.