Rain hit softly upon the windows, shining their own slice of moonlight into the grand library halls. The dusty relics of past knowledge lined the walls of the large room, books stacked neatly into their respective shelves. Three small yellow chandeliers hung quietly in the air above him, as if silently watching his every move from above. The golden eyes of Aberlain illuminated his immediate surroundings, like a living torch. It hadn't been too long of a drive to the meeting place, but something of it felt new and fresh to him. Perhaps inhabiting the body of Ryan had caused a new sensation to develop within the Rootlord, a more human sense of time. Every time he was to travel to the library on Earth in his demonic body, it felt to be more of a tedious task he must endure for a short period. Now that he found himself within a human himself, however, that outlook had shifted ever so slightly.
As he looked down at the golden watch wrapped around his wrist, he thought of just how fleeting and nearly nonexistent human life was. For a demon, life was simply the playground of destruction and torment. Life was something you were forced to endure, waiting for that inevitable day the Abyss swallowed you whole. For angels, it was quite the contrary. The entire race of angels were ambition incarnate, every single one of them had the drive and motivation to see their goals through. Their lives were most often spent in the pursuit of noble goals and the betterment of all, no matter how self righteous and conceited those goals may devolve into.
On one hand, the demons of Hell feel nothing but contempt for the world looking down upon them. On the other, lay the angels of Heaven content to watch from afar with the safety of their egotistical morality. For quite some time, Aberlain remembered the feelings of his childhood. He hung on every bark and shout thrown his way, festering with the lashing of his ego. The hands of both angels and demons alike were responsible for the way of this world, with humanity stuck in between. He still wasn't entirely sure where humanity stood within the contest of Yggdrasil, but nevertheless, his plan to shed light upon the situation would prevail. If humanity was no longer burdened by ignorance of reality, perhaps the tides of war would change. At this point, Aberlain wasn't even sure who the rightful victor of this war was. It had been so long since he felt any empathy towards the inhabitants of his world, for they had killed off any kindness within him before ever giving him a chance to let it out.
"Aberlain, it's been quite some time. It's a pleasure seeing you again, my friend." A voice echoed upon the dark walls of the library, and the Rootlord looked up to see who'd arrived.
A dark silhouette of a woman revealed herself from behind a bookshelf in the corner, with a large dusty leatherback book clutched in her right hand. Without looking up from the open pages of her book, she stepped into the light of the chandelier overhead. She wore a long and tight red dress with a cut revealing her left leg, which was smooth and dark with the pigment of melanin. Aberlain looked up towards her face, noticing how astonishing this woman portrayed herself to be. She wore dark red lipstick and had applied a beautifully faded orange eyeshadow. Her long afro reached down to the tips of her slender shoulders, swaying softly with every step towards him. As he watched her approach him quietly, she closed the book softly and placed it down upon the table standing nearby. A single dim lamp shone feebly from the wooden table, as if overcast by not just the light the Rootlord possessed within his eyes, but the woman in red as well.
Her eyes no longer being preoccupied by the book, she stared straight ahead at the human vessel of Aberlain with her soft orange eyes. It was as if the eyes of Aberlain were staring back at himself, but something was just slightly amiss. These eyes were not those of Aberlain the Rootlord, but another individual entirely.
"I appreciate you meeting me out here like this, Layani, and you look quite lovely this evening if I may add." Aberlain spoke quite loudly, as if proving to both himself and Layani that she were to fall beneath him.
"Of course, and you look rather... devilish, in fact. Why dress your vessel in such a manner? Are you trying to impress me?" She sneered, not hiding the fact she was displeased with the attire Aberlain wore.
"Not a fan of the red suit I presume? Well... not everyone needs to be perfect." Aberlain said as he scoffed, looking down upon the woman in front of him as he fixed the small gold cufflinks upon his sleeves.
As he held a finger to his lips and walked over to the table nearby, he leaned against it in a very nonchalant manner. It was as if Aberlain commanded complete and total order from his surroundings, his confidence overwhelming all who reside within his presence.
"When will the others be arriving? Donacia and Beleruva? It can't be just you, can it?" He asked with a puzzled expression plastered to his face.
"Oh they'll be here, eventually. For now it's just me, that isn't a problem, is it?" Layani asked playfully, searching for any hint of weakness from the Rootlord.
"On the contrary, my dear compatriot, it simply gives us more time to refine this plan of ours. Would you care to take a seat?" He asked, pointing to the wooden chair on his right as he leaned against the table.
Layani took her time walking to the chair, as if to draw out the Rootlord's command. Neither one of the people in the room seemed to trust each other much, and had resorted to playing mind games with one another as if searching for a hint of weakness and disobedience. Their cause was an important one, and to sense a weak link amidst the ground floor of their visions was to sense weakness throughout them all. To change the world one must take it by storm, wrapping your fingers around reality as you clutch it in the palm of your hand. Their task was no small endeavor, but a serious conquest of all to exist. The universe as they know it, in the palm of their hands. The residents of Yggdrasil would be nothing more than putty to them, capable of being molded into whichever direction they found most amusing.
Layani finally sat down upon the chair and folded her hands neatly in her lap as she sat powerfully against the Rootlord upon the table. She had heard his rambling a million times, and had taken just a small liking to him for how similar his visions were to her own. Ending the war and blowing away the ashes, they would build a new and better world upon the destruction of the present.
"As you know, your own territory in Hell has always caused quite the uproar. Ever since you'd been placed as the new Rootlord of your section, however, they seemed to... simmer down. Why is that?" He asked, curious as to why the other Rootlord in the room seemed to have such a firm grasp upon her people.
"I'm glad you asked, Aberlain, but I believe you already know the answer. Strength, and the power to enforce it, are the only things necessary for an intelligent ruler to prevail against an army of... well... the masses of bumbling idiots." She said, sounding disgusted with the very demons in Hell in which she ruled over.
"Yes, but that wasn't exactly my question. Let me rephrase... why have they only just now been behaving themselves since you have been put in charge?" He asked once more, pointing directly at her with his outstretched arm, invading her personal space ever so slightly.
"I see what you mean. It's because the last Rootlord of my section was just like the rest of those bumbling idiots. Never capable of thinking about the bigger picture. It takes intelligence and influence to better a community, something most of our leadership in Hell is lacking." She said with a spitefulness filling her voice, hanging on every word as if she detested even saying them aloud.
"Exactly right! You are absolutely correct madam!" Aberlain shouted as he swiftly stood up straight and began pacing around the table like a wolf circling its prey.
"There are no greater powers in this world than that of intelligence and influence. You and I can at least see eye to eye on that... and that's precisely why you're here! You possess the functioning mind of a youthful scholar, Layani, and I do believe that this plan we've created will undoubtedly prevail with you by my side. The others as well, all three of you have been utterly integral to the future I hold within my mind." Aberlain said, holding his arms up to his side as if basking in his own overwhelming ego. He felt absolutely unstoppable, as if there were no one left to defeat him anymore.
Layani said nothing as she squinted at Aberlain, wondering just what kind of future he truly wanted for the world. The rest of the inner circle seemed to be trustworthy enough to share their true thoughts with the group, but for some reason, Layani always questioned Aberlain's intentions. He says he wants a better world for all, but the road towards that future was long and unforgiving. To celebrate every minor victory was to do nothing but grow the ego, and Layani knew better than to celebrate until the work was done.
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"Y'know... Layani. There was once a time in my life where I harbored so much contempt for this world of ours." Aberlain spoke softly, looking down at the ground beneath his feet and noticing just how dusty his clothing had become ever since entering the library.
"Is that so? I suppose one must first hate the world in order to love it." She responded, not sure what else to say to this sudden glimpse into his psyche.
"Allow me to tell you a story as we wait for our two guests?" He suddenly asked, looking back at her as she sat upon her chair.
Nodding slowly, Layani wondered what Aberlain could possibly be trying to say to her.
"When I was just twelve years old, still a mere boy, I killed my own parents." He said quickly, staring blankly at the other Rootlord in his midst as if gauging her reaction. She didn't seem to be fazed much, judging from the slow tilt of her head as if she were confused as to where this story was going.
"I killed them because they were weak. Those bumbling idiots you mentioned? They were just the same as all the rest. Their eyes held no life within, just the flow of tasks one must do in order to stay alive. They were slaves to the cruelness of reality, and I freed them from that servitude. It was me who killed my own parents. The first real choice I had ever made... was to abandon my own heart, for the world did not hold only them in its grasp, but myself as well." He said with a monotonous tone, as if he wasn't truly present in the room with Layani. His eyes wandered into the distance, staring past the physicality of the world and into the surrounding void.
"Aberlain... what's the point of this story? What are you trying to say?" Layani asked, trying to get to the bottom of whatever he was trying to teach her. The most powerful and feared Rootlord was no one to trifle with, but it was still him who held the knowledge to save this world from the corruption of true evil. Layani knew that for all of Aberlain's shortcomings, his hatred towards the ignorant and ambitionless were second to none.
"I'm saying, Layani, that not having the insight to see the world for what it truly is, means a swift yet cruel death. The disease of ignorance will spread no longer under my rule. With your help, and the help of the others, I can control this world. I can make them listen to me, by force if need be. I will become a necessary evil for all to cower from, uniting all of Yggdrasil under the great King of Hell!" Aberlain shouted with glee, looking up to the ceiling of the library.
The towering bookcases loomed above him like how the forest trees look down upon a passing deer. The moonlight shining through the windows lining the room shone upon the books with a gentleness, as if the sky were reaching into the building to get a glimpse of the pages these books held within. Aberlain felt a peacefulness wash over him as he envisioned the future he longed for, a world without chaos and ignorance. With the power the other Rootlords held now firmly in his grasp, he finally knew that his dream was finally achievable.
As Layani turned her head from Aberlain, she noticed the stench of sulfur fill the air. It was only a small amount drifting in with the wind, but it was unmistakable. Even Aberlain had smelled it and had turned to face the direction it seemed to be coming from. Walking out from a dimly lit corridor in the back of the library were two tall figures, each with their own pair of glowing orange eyes.
"Sorry we're late... or are you two just early?" A raspy and quiet voice called out to both Aberlain and Layani from the corridor, and the two figures stepped into the light.
On the right was a towering giant of a demon, built for strength and power. His confident demeanor shone out through the library as if he commanded the respect of all within. The brute strength this demon carried was quite obvious from its physical appearance. From head to toe the faceless dark demon wore a long green robe with shimmering gold chains wrapped neatly around his arms and torso. His long brown hair reached to the center of his back, neatly braided into tight dreadlocks.
The man to the left was just as tall as the demon but was quite clearly weaker in stature. The scrawny body of the human vessel this demon possessed wore large round glasses and a scholarly brown vest. Underneath was a slightly wrinkled and torn white undershirt, with a pair of brown trousers. A short and tidy dark beard sprouted from the chin of the man, with a few strands of gray making an appearance. His hair seemed to be the same, with large patches of gray hair on each side of his head. At first glance, this man was nothing more than a bookworm with no strength to his name, but Aberlain knew better.
"Donacia! Beleruva! Pleasure to see you once more! Before we begin, however, I must ask... where is your vessel, Donacia? I thought I made it clear to everyone that we must now only meet in human form?" Aberlain asked, his tone of voice growing kinder with every second.
The large demon in the green robe stepped forward towards Aberlain, getting in his face a bit to look down upon his yellow eyes.
"So? It's not like we don't know what we all really look like. What's the point? I don't wanna have to possess a smelly meatbag just to talk about the smelly meatbags. Y'know what? On that note, let's skip the pleasantries, shall we? Why the hell are we not amassing an army right now? What's the point of being all sneaky and discussing shit all the time? Can't we just-" Donacia was suddenly cut off from speaking as Aberlain raised his finger to his lips, shushing him loudly.
Smiling brightly at the towering beast of a demon, Aberlain beckoned for Donacia's hand. As the confused demon brought his hand up to Aberlain, he felt a sudden bolt of pain spiral throughout his entire body. It was as if someone had stuck his hand in a woodchipper once Aberlain had grabbed hold of it.
Bellowing out in pain, the demon dropped to his knees as the yellow eyed man looked disgusting down at his companion. Within his grasp was the now mangled and bloody crushed hand of Donacia, resembling a hand no more.
"That is why, Donacia. It isn't for the sake of our identities, nor to annoy you with... smelly meatbags. It is to become one with the people we are about to free. If you can't understand that much, then perhaps your brain power would be better spent... elsewhere?" Aberlain said, kneeling down to eye level with the demon in front of him.
As he put a hand upon Donacia's shoulder, he stared deep into the dull orange eyes looking back at him. The stupidity in this demon was ripe, Aberlain was sure of that much, but he was still an important piece to his plan. Without Donacia's expertise in fear mongering, the plan would take far too long. For however chaotic and headstrong this Rootlord seemed to be, the fact of his reign was no joke. He ruled over multitudes of Hell, his territory was the largest of all the current Rootlords. A whopping ten roots was under the command of this hard headed fool, but with Aberlain on his side, the nuances of leadership were to one day infest his mind. To learn from the best one must surround themselves with the best, and that was all Donacia could hope for.
As Aberlain stood up slowly, he whipped out a red handkerchief from his right breast pocket. Patting the dark blood of the demon away from his hands, he began walking back over to Layani who sat calmly from her chair as she watched the spectacle unfold. Pulling the chair across from her over to the side of the table, he sat down upon it and gestured towards the other two seats.
"Well then... how about we get to business, Beleruva? While we wait for our friend to recuperate, that is." Aberlain said, beckoning for the other tall possessed man to make his way to the table.
"Certainly. I've written up some of the speech you wanted, perhaps we can start with that?" Beleruva asked, pulling out a small pocketbook from the back of his trousers.
As he sat down and handed the notebook to Aberlain, he watched as the yellow eyes of the Rootlord scanned each page of the book with an excited smile settling into his face. Once he finished reading, he closed the book and passed it slowly across the table for Layani to read as well.
"You've outdone yourself Beleruva! Marvelous job! It's only a matter of time now until we put this plan into action, and with you on our side, it's sure to become a reality." Aberlain said, hoping to gain the trust of this Rootlord.
Beleruva and Layani alike only had two roots to their name, as opposed to Aberlain's three and Donacia's ten. While Layani and Aberlain ran their territories quite similarly, Donacia and Beleruva did not. The demon beast Rootlord's section of Hell was just as wild and chaotic as the other unclaimed roots of Hell. Hundreds of thousands of roots laid in wait, ripe for the taking. The masses of ungoverned demons needed a ruler, but would never admit to themselves this fact. Donacia made it his priority to rule with fear, running his territory like a benevolent dictator.
Beleruva, on the other hand, was the most peaceful of the bunch. Sharing Aberlain's ambitions for a peaceful and quiet world, he had decided to run his own territory with an iron fist. Order and cleanliness stood above all, they were the two most important things in his eyes for a functioning society to thrive. Even with the hatred running rampant within every demon the four of them ruled, Beleruva was the only one to achieve even a small sense of peace.
His intelligence was unmatched, but his ambitions were obscured. Just as the strength and power they all held within had been corrupted by the evils the world carried. All four of them were mere products of rage, thrown into the lost and found section of Hell to be forgotten for eternity. The four demons in the library all shared the same lofty ambition, to unite the world under the threat of violence. Nothing else seemed to get through to the inhabitants of Hell, nor the inhabitants of Yggdrasil as a whole.
With Aberlain's ambition, Layani's strength, Donacia's power, and Beleruvas's cunning, the four of them had become an unstoppable force for change. They would stop at nothing until all of Yggdrasil had been pressed firmly beneath their heels.