I gently nod my head at the idiot while pretending to listen to whatever he thinks is important while I think about things that really matter. Ral’Tir should come by the tower shortly to give me his report about his encounter with Reagan. That he didn’t manage to get the work done is… surprising. I hate to admit it but he probably holds more power than I do. Not as much influence however, at least publicly.
I mean I’m Lucious master of the black tower, but I’m not stupid enough to think I could have made it this far without him and he knows I owe him. As the head of the clergy he actually cannot be at the head of the Black Tower at the same time. It makes sense for him to put someone here that he can use himself. I am wary of the old man though, despite how good he has been to me. Should I fall out of favor with the old fart I’m not sure… how it would play out.
It is not an ideal situation but it is a temporary one. Or was supposed to be. That Reagan stole the demon I was supposed to get, really hampers my plans. It would have put me on par with the old fart in terms of power. I am actually surprised old Ral went and confronted that man. Even more that Reagan got away. I know the old fart has at least two demons captured which should be enough power to beat almost anyone. Most mithril ranks would have trouble with him.
“Sir, the report you asked for.” An assistant tells me as he hands me some papers I take from his hands as I walk up the stairs back to my office at the top. My assistant is already gone but someone else sneers my way.
“Lucius, I would have thought you wouldn’t dare to show your face after your recent failures.” I turn to look at the offender and see Patricia looking at me with her hawkish eyes and nose.
“Still ugly I see. Fix that horrid nose of yours so I don’t have to hear you wheeze the next time please.” I respond calmly as I dismiss her. From the corner of my eyes I spot her face turning angry and I inwardly laugh at how easy she is to handle. It’s the least I can do after a comment like that to my face. How dare she? She’s been in the tower longer than I and still isn’t close to the top. A failure destined to be flushed out of this tower at one point or another. Maybe it’s finally time I make it happen… forcefully.
Sadly I do not currently have that kind of time on my hands. The debacle with the mines and slaves is already annoying to deal with. That a band of crazy half-beasts, former slaves, somehow grew balls and escaped is beyond me even if they had help. And now they are hitting the other mines to free their brethren. Of course the mines shutting down is putting the whole economy in jeopardy and someone needs to fix it ASAP. Sadly the emperor seems to think this is somehow my responsibility. The idiot.
I mean it’s his country for Kathar’s sake. He is the one that made it like it is today, reliant on slaves and weak to a revolt. Is it my fault he couldn’t see the pitfalls of such an economy reliant on free labor? No. If only it was just the slaves that revolted somehow. It just had to be Reagan, again, spitting in my face. It’s like that rabid man is after me somehow, trying to throw wrenches in my plans. Does he even understand how much trouble he has put me in? No, I don’t believe he even understands what he is doing, that power stealing moron.
I open the doors to my office and raise an annoyed eyebrow as I spot someone sitting in my chair. The person is turned the other way so I’m not sure who it is but I spot a red robe that isn’t hidden by the chair. I soften my angry face as I guess only one person would dare to do this against me. The chair slowly turns around and I see old man Ral turn to greet me with a huge smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Ral’Tir, a pleasure to see you again so soon.” I tell him in a curt way.
“I’m glad you could make it on such short notice.” I add and the man actually gets up from my chair. It seems he isn’t that angry with me then, but merely annoyed. He still sees the value in having me at the top of the tower it seems. Good.
“Sorry for taking your seat my friend, these old bones do get tired from standing up so much you see.” He tells me and I know he is obviously lying. That old bag of bones is stronger than me and most gold-ranks in terms of raw strength. It’s a show of strength and a message, something we both know.
“I heard your meeting with Reagan didn’t go so well?” I ask him to take him down a peg. You also failed, old man, so don’t come and lecture me now.
“If you already know what happened, why did you ask me for a report then?” He asks in a clipped voice. I’m not fooled, that is a clear attack on my statement, and one which I sadly cannot contest right now.
“I only understand the outcome, but I’m sure there is a lot more to tell. But you did end up running for your life, no?” I attack back with a polite smile as I look at him. He doesn’t look happy as he is thinking about a rebuttal. Too slow however as I continue.
“It is good to see you managed to make it out however. I was rather surprised to learn you ran into him and that you were the one who had to run away.” I tell him as I finally sit down and turn my chair to regard him while putting my hands under my chin. He regards me as he sits down in an uncomfortable chair opposite me but stays silent.
“I hold your strength in high regard after all.” I tell him and see him relax ever so slightly. Face is to be given to some degree even if I felt like I needed to take him down a peg. Of course I cannot push him too far.
“You always were one to thread on the edge of danger.” He tells me with a twinkle in his eyes. Slowly he takes out a hand from beneath his robes and it’s skinny. The bones of his hand are visible beneath his thin skin and it gives it an impression of weakness. I know better than that as I see the tip of his finger glow reddish while energy gathers.
“Maybe a reminder is in order?” He asks me with a smile that is anything but gentle. I hold his gaze and call his bluff while sweat starts drippin on my back at the situation. I’m not sure I can survive more than one hit, but we are in my office. My tower. He would do well not to underestimate me here in my abode.
“The edge indeed.” He laughs as he stops channeling power in his finger and hides his horrible hand back under his robes. He takes a breath and sighs.
“It is true I ran away. I’m old Lucius, I didn’t want to needlessly risk everything then and there. Maybe I could have come out on top, maybe not. It’s hard to tell.” He tells me with surprising honesty. I’m almost taken aback as he stops playing games and speaks earnestly with me
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“What happened?” I ask truly curious now.
“What can I say except he wielded more power than I.” I always call him the old man to diminish his strength in my mind, but for the first time he truly looks old and tired as he sags a bit in front of me. Why is he showing me weakness? Why now?
“But how is that possible? You control at least two…” I let the last word out as there is no need to speak it between us and he grimaces at me.
“While that is true, they are unwilling participants, which was not the case for Reagan.” He tells me and I understand. Reagan is not in control then? But then why is he behaving like he does? Why wouldn’t he slaughter everyone he came across if the demon is in control. Wouldn’t that benefit him more than looking human? Confusion must be plain on my face as Ral’Tir picks up on it easily.
“I understand your confusion, but it seems it is not as clear cut as we originally thought.” He looks at me and I see a sharpness in his gaze. Old he might be, the old priest is far from stupid.
“Who is in control then? Reagan or … ?” I know it might not be a good idea to invoke his name, so I let it hang. The old man obviously picks up on my meaning and thinks for a moment.
“None? Both? The truth is I am not sure. I suspect something but it is unheard of.” He tells me and I cannot help but scoff.
“You might as well tell.” I tell him honestly. Of course that was probably his intention from the start but I’m too curious. It is useful information for me.
“I believe that instead of destroying each other they are… fusing together.” He tells me and I can’t help but open my mouth slightly as he drops the verbal bomb. That can’t be right. Demons do not cohabit a host or a body. They are eaters of souls and emotions.
“You don’t think it’s possible… it is playing with its food?” I ask him unsure. The ramifications if what he is saying is true are unheard of. Which also means he is far more unpredictable than I would like. If that is the case.
“It is possible.” He nods at my suggestion which calms me down a bit. Sadly he does add something else.
“But not something I would count on. As you said, he has nothing to gain from playing around.” I can’t help but try and imagine what might happen. Demons aren’t exactly well understood except a few key parts. The fact that they can fuse at all is worrisome.
“Have you told anyone else of this yet?” I ask him. It is not like we can use that information right now, but it might change a lot of things in the long run. I especially do not want the emperor to know about it too soon. I need an edge to go against him and this just might be it.
“No, as you clearly understand, this is critical knowledge.” He nods and I sigh in relief.
“I wouldn’t have expected anything less of you, wise as you are.” I compliment him as my mind is spinning at the possibilities.
“I’ll take my leave then, unless you wanted to know anything else?” He raises from the chair that is deliberately uncomfortable and looks at me.
“No, thank you Ral’Tir.” I tell him with a deep nod of my head as a show of respect. I know he hasn’t forgotten our earlier verbal spar and this will at least lessen the blow. He nods back and leaves, leaving me alone, thinking about everything that this could mean.
Maybe I’ve not been looking at this the right way since the start. I pull a lever under my table and a bookcase slides to reveal a passageway leading down. I take the stairs as my mind spins, just like the staircase down. I know Ral’Tir controls demons he has imprisoned and somehow forces them to do his bidding for him, to a certain degree. I also know they loath to help but are ‘forced too’, somehow.
That demon was originally supposed to be mine to do the same. It raises a number of important questions now however and I’m not sure how I missed them. First of all, why would Ral’Tir want me to have access to that kind of power? He understands my ambitions more than most. It must mean it is simply too hard, or impossible for him to use it himself.
A limit to the amount of demons under one's command? Possible. Maybe that particular demon was supposed to be dangerous or hard to control and he wanted me to try it out first for him? Also possible. But now a whole new avenue has presented itself to me. Controlling another to have it do your bidding has never been easy. And I know it is extremely taxing to do it with demons.
I remember when Ral’Tir first succeeded. His whole body changed drastically and it looked like he had aged significantly, which perhaps he had at the time. Or maybe there was simply a trade made between them. A pact, or an agreement met. It doesn’t matter now.
Because now I know something he didn’t back then. What if instead of controlling one, you could simply absorb it. If they can fuse with us, why not take it one step further. The idea seems brilliant and I cannot wait to do some tests. I finally find the end of the stairs and I look into a dark room. The walls are made of rough stone jutting and poking out here and there. Imperfect. It doesn’t matter.
I walk along the corridor and I pass by many cells where prisoners back away from the torch I stole from the wall. The light is too much for them but I hold no pity for these fools who dared to cross me. Maybe I should kill a few of them who has suffered enough, but I hate having a good torturing idea I want to try on someone particular only to remember I killed them last week.
A small flaw of mine.
I continue past the prison and come upon a heavy door. It looks tough and is enchanted with enough magic it could probably melt most of the tower. I don’t think anyone could disarm it without spending a lot of time on it. Luckily I don’t have to and I bring out a key that shines ever so slightly in the rather dark hallway I stand in. The torch is flickering wildly as I’m so close to powerful magic.
The key smoothly goes into the hole and I turn it once, twice and thrice before I hear all of the clicks I’m supposed to.
“Marunda Olera Plaritio” I whisper to the door before I swing it open. A small safeguard if anyone manages to snatch the key from me. A last click and a whole lot of traps de-arm themselves as I wait a beat to make sure everything worked correctly before opening the door. I wouldn’t want to die to my own traps.
I open the door and start by closing the door behind me. Ah, finally safe. This is the only place where I can truly relax nowadays. A small table with my most intimate research is in one corner. A table large enough to strap a human on is in the middle and still a bit bloody. I can’t have anyone else clean the room and it just feels pointless to clean the table if I’m just going to use it in a few days.
But the real thing I turn to is against the wall opposite my desk. A rather big lockbox sits on a small table and I walk over to it. The lockbox is a bait, obviously, just in case. The real thing is underneath the table and hidden in the wall. I touch a hidden rune and inject a bit of mana. The illusion falls away to reveal another lockbox. Using yet another key and another passphrase I open it to look at something no one else knows about.
There sitting in the darkness of the lockbox is a small round object. An orb made of something akin to glass, only a lot stronger. Inside, something strange is swirling around. Something that I know is not truly from this world. A parasite of sorts, only it holds a lot of power.
A captured demon squirms in my hands as I take out the orb with the swirling red thing screaming its hatred towards me and I smile in glee at what I have in store for the both of us now.