Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat.
MALCOLM S. FORBES, Wisdom Through the Ages
Fate and victory shift ... now this way, now that way -- like a line of unarmored men under a hail of enemy arrows.
DAN SIMMONS, Ilium
Sir Judah Kefir blocked Nanina’s sword slash and kicked her in the stomach, pushing her back and giving him some much-needed breathing room. Then, he flapped his wings and spun away from a dark bolt shot by Lydia. Judah quickly looked over to see the progress of Olana and Eldest’s battle. He was not pleased to see the Demon Lord laid low before the Devil Queen, and he was even more dismayed to see the former demon lord Asmodeus with hundreds of demons at his back. Damn you Eldest. Lord Romanto commanded you to eliminate Asmodeus after taking his mantle of power. The mere fact that Asmodeus is here shows that you disobeyed.
Judah had no more time to curse Eldest for a fool, because Nanina came after him with her bastard sword aiming for his head. Judah twisted his own sword, showing the flat of his blade to the Cambion and uttered one word out loud. The flat surface of his sword glowed white with bright light and erupted to life like a supernova. Nanina saw what was coming and closed her eyes, but she was not able to close them all the way before the light of the sword partially blind her. She quickly moved back away from Judah, using her other senses to track the angel. She was surprised when Judah went after Lydia instead of her. Lydia was an obvious choice; she was a magic user. Most magic users are weak at close quarters combat, but Lydia was not most magic users.
Lydia braced herself as the angel knight charged. When she was within range, Judah swung his sword with both hands, aiming for the Cambion’s head. Expecting her to dodge or cast a defensive spell. He was surprised when the Cambion blocked his sword with the haft of her black rod. His surprise grew even more when the half she-devil kicked him in the chest. In quick succession, Lydia moved him and struck Judah in the head once and then twice. With his helmet on it took most of the blows, but his head was still ringing when he countered with a thrust. On the ground, Lydia was quick on her feet. In the air, she was the wind. She spun out of the way of the sword, and in one move she thrust the crimson jeweled ruby in Judah’s face.
Judah expected a blast of energy to the face or something equally painfull. Instead, black smoke shot out of the jewel. Instinctively, Judah held his breath, but it did not matter. The smoke was controlled by Lydia, and she ordered the gas to enter the angel through his nostrils. In moments, the smoke was all the way inside his lungs, and the effects were immediate. Demons and angels cannot be poison by normal means. However, with magical means you can paralyze them. Judah felt his strength waning. Without conscious thought, his sword fell from his hand. As Judah was about to cast a cure spell, Lydia spun forward and delivered an overhead ax kick right on the top of his helmeted head. She dented the top of the angel’s helmet and sent him crashing to the ground. Turning over on his back, Judah tried to get up. But Nanina put an end to that by pinning the angel to the ground with her sword. She ran him through the stomach right through the spin. Sir Judah Kefir let out a shout of pain before cursing the Cambion.
“You bitch! I’ll rip out your entrails with my bare hands!”
Judah tried to remove the sword from his guts, but every time his gloved hands tried to touch the weapon. They seem to fall away as if strength was seeping out of his arms. It was then he knew, the smoke, it’s sapping my strength. Soon, Judah was unable to move. Paralyzed and weakened, he was at the mercy of his enemies. Suddenly, his helmet was ripped off and he could see Lydia standing over him. Both twins stared at the downed angel knight with determined eyes. One pair gold, the other silver.
“You have not won.”
Judah said defiantly.
“Lord Romanto killed Olana once before, and he will do it again. The Devil Queen can never stand up to a god. She may have defeated an Arch demon, but Romanto is the god of light, of order and justice. His victory is already assured, and there is nothing you or Olana can do about it.”
Both twins just looked at the pinned angel for a moment, and then laughed. There laughter was mocking, and Judah gritted his teeth in anger. He wanted to hurt them so much, to make them fear him and his god. When the twins finally stopped laughing Nanina moved in close saying.
“It amazes me how little your god tells his servants.”
When she did not elaborate, Judah demanded.
“What does that supposed to mean?”
Nanina smirked.
“It means that Olana is far more than a mere Devil Queen. It means that she may live here, but she was never born in the Nether Realm.”
Sir Judah Kefir took a while to understand the implications of Nanina’s words. When he did, his eyes grew wide with total disbelief.
“You lie!”
He snapped.
“I will not believe it. It cannot be. Romanto would have—”
“Said nothing to you, his lackey.”
Lydia cut in.
“Romanto uses people for his own gains, he never gives them all the relative information. Because he knows that if you knew the full truth, your faith in him would faulter. You would doubt Romanto’s true intentions. My mother calls him the God of Deceit and Treachery for a reason.”
Lydia saw the struggle in Judah’s eyes, trying to come to terms with the realization of Olana’s origins. She almost pitied him…almost. Lydia stretched for her rod, the tip of the red jeweled ruby inches away from the hilt of Nanina’s sword.
“I’ll tell you another thing about Olana, she doesn’t hide from her people. We know everything about her, her deepest darkest secrets are known to us. We know her greatest shame and failures, and that is why we love her. That is why we follow her, and that is why we would willingly kill and die for her. Not because we have faith in her, it’s because she has faith in us. And for over three thousand years, you kept us from finding our mother. The one being in the multiverse who does not judge us, who love us. And your god killed her. Not to save anyone, but for his own selfish reasons.
Then, Lydia touched the hilt of Nanina’s sword with the tip of her red jeweled ruby. Long ago, Olana forged Lydia’s rod and Nanina’s bastard sword and in fused them with her and her daughters’ magical particles. The weapons work splendidly apart, but when they work together. The results are nothing but spectacular. The magic of Lydia’s rod combined with the magic of Nanina’s sword went straight into the very core of Judah. He felt the magic take effect too, and he realized what the twins had done. The twins saw the look of realization in the eyes of Sir Judah Kefir.
“You shouldn’t have come here Romantian angel, you shouldn’t of have challenged the Great Crystal Pyramid of the Nether Realm.”
Nanina declared as Judah’s body began to turn into ash. Whatever combination spell the Cambion twins used has caused the final death for him. Judah tried to speak, but even if he could talk, what would he say? He was halfway turned to ash already, this spell works fast. That was the last thought Sir Judah Kefir had before Lydia sent him off with these final words.
“Before, Lady Olana was content to keep out of Romanto’s way. She did not care about his business, so long as it did not affect her and her people. That all ended when he killed her by way of treachery. Now, the Devil Queen will rain down vengeance and destruction upon Romanto and his allies and all those who serve them.”
With that, Sir Judah Kefir, the Holy Knight of Romanto crumbled to ashes. His ashes were scattered by the nether winds, and so endth the angel knight.
“Good ridden.”
Nanina said.
………………………………..
Eldest saw from his prone position the end of Sir Judah Kefir and felt satisfied. It was good that he got to see that smug angel’s downfall before his own. But Eldest did not want to die, he may still have a chance.
“Tombs, I am thy master. You serve me, stop them and defend your lord.”
Tombs did not move to comply, he just stared at Eldest impassively.
“I have only one true master, and he is Lord Asmodeus, the true Demon Lord of Lust.”
Eldest hissed at Tombs who did not even flinch.
“Traitor! Backstabbing bastard! I’ll have your guts for boot lace, I’ll roast your head over an open fire, I’ll…”
Eldest went on cursing and threatening Tombs, but the greater demon seems to ignore the soon to be dead Demon Lord. Eldest’s tirade was cut off when Asmodeus placed a clawed foot on his chest. Asmodeus leaned closer to Eldest, their faces a foot apart.
“How I’ve dreamt of this moment, the moment where I take back what is rightfully mine. Eldest, you are unworthy of the mantle of the Demon Lord of Lust. You are no master of desire, you have no subtlety or charisma, and you treat the incubi and sccubi as slaves.”
Asmodeus shook his head as if this last statement was the greatest of Eldest’s offenses.
“I could have understood if you had taken the mantle from me with your own power, strength, and cunning. But you didn’t do that, did you. Instead, you became the puppet of a god who would see the Nether Realm either under his thumb or destroyed.”
With one quick power jab of his right claw, Asmodeus punched through Eldest’s chest and gripped his heart. Eldest sucked in a breath in shock, it took a split second for the pain to register. But before Eldest could scream out in pain, Asmodeus ripped out his heart. A demon’s heart is not like a human or elf or dwarf. It is rock hard and looks like a black rock with gray veins, and it was twice the size of a human heart. Eldest was an Archdemon who stood at 20-feet in height, if he still had his legs. His heart was quadruple the size of a typical demon. Whatever that is? Asmodeus held his heart in one hand, it dripped black ichor and pulsed with power. Its aura could be felt from meters around, and Asmodeus smiled with pleasure.
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“And now, I take back what is mine.”
Tabitha watched as Asmodeus opened his mouth impossibly wide and bit off one quarter of the black heart. Asmodeus chewed three times and swallowed, and then he bit the heart once again. This time, half the heart was gone. When Asmodeus bit the heart one more time, he ate the whole thing. When the deed was done, power surged through Asmodeus and a crown of flame appeared over his head. Like a halo it crowned him as the new or in this case, the returning Demon Lord of Lust. Asmodeus’s eyes burned with red hot fire as he gazed at Eldest, who looked very scared now.
“I am Asmodeus, the true Demon Lord of Lust!”
He declared, then looked at Olana.
“Lady Olana, allow me to take out the trash.”
Tabitha did not hesitate, she nodded once and that was all Asmodeus needed. But before the new Demon Lord could dispose of the old Demon Lord. Eldest pleaded.
“I spared you Asmodeus! I spared you! I could have destroyed you anytime I wanted, but I showed you mercy.”
“You really do think I’m a fool Eldest. I knew from the beginning that the cell you left me in was designed to drain my magic and transfer it over to you. Even after you took my mantle, you still wanted to take more from me. Well, I will not only retake my mantle back. I will take everything from you.”
Before Eldest could protest, Asmodeus moved in quickly and placed both hands on either side of the demon’s head. Red light flared in his hands, and since Eldest’s head was between them. Eldest’s eyes widen, and his mouth opened in a silent scream of agony. He could not move, not even to defend himself. Asmodeus’s power was immediate, his red skin turned dark gray and then black. Cracks appeared over the surface, it started at his chest and then travelled all over his body. Eldest, the former Demon Lord of Lust and puppet of Romanto crumbled into dust and ashes. Once again, the nether wind claimed the ashes of another immortal being in the Nether Realm.
Asmodeus rubbed his hands together, getting rid of the ashes of his now vanquished enemy. He gave Olana a pleasant smile.
“Thank you for that Lady Olana, allying with you has gain me my throne. Shall we take care of the rest of Eldest’s lackeys?”
Tabitha did not reply, instead, she dropped her rod of might. Before the rod fell past her knee, a silver chain appeared and connected her rod with the golden belt around her waist. The rod settled nicely at her right hip, and Tabitha returned Asmodeus’s smile.
“No need Lord Asmodeus, my Harkuns have already taken care of those who served Eldest.”
She was right, the Harkuns had decimated the enemy demons. It was easy after Olana had unleashed that storm, the enemy was demoralized. When Olana and her Harkuns attacked, the enemy demons simply lost the will to fight. Most tried to get away, a few fought back, but all surrendered in the end. Now, 24,000 demons almost all injured or missing body parts were surrounded by 5,700 Harkuns. The majority of the demons were lessers, with some minors and major, and a few greater demons in the mix. But they all were beaten and subdued. Waiting for death to take them. When they saw Olana and Asmodeus approached them side by side, they knew that Eldest was gone. The Harkuns made way for their Queen. Tabitha stood before the defeated demons, all of them were different. No two demons looked the same, some might be similar in appearance. But every demon had his or her unique trait, something that Tabitha was noticing.
“What shall you do with them Lady Olana? You are the victor, and they are the defeated. By right of conquest, you could have them all put to death.”
Asmodeus had a point, but to put 24,000 demons to death permanently would take up too much time and effort. Tabitha had a better idea.
“I am Olana!”
Her voice was magically magnified so that all could hear her words.
“I am the Mistress of the Great Pyramid of the Nether Realm! And you are on my lands, uninvited! You came here with the intentions of killing my people and taking my home! You came here to destroy, rape, and plunder! By all rights, I should slay every single one of you here and now! Kill all of you permanently! But I will not do that! Instead, I will give you three choices!”
The defeated demons stirred at her words, wondering what kind of choices the Devil Queen will permit them to choose.
“Choice number one, a portal will be opened to another part of the Nether Realm. The Badlands to be precise, from there you can choose to return to the Courts or make a run for it in the wilds of the Nether Realm. Eldest is dead, and those of you who do not wish to return to Davindor. Can make a new life for themselves.”
From the looks on some of the demons, they liked the idea of getting out of here in one piece back to the Courts or making a break for it on their own. The rest of them looked skeptical, and Tabitha could not blame them. Most Nether Lords are not known for their…mercy.
“Choice number 2, you can choose to serve me or Asmodeus. Your oath to Eldest is no longer valid, and those of you who serve Davindor consider this. Your master sent you here to die, knowing the full might of the Crystal Pyramid. You can choose to break away from your master and serve me or Asmodeus.”
All the demons were shocked at this offer, and many of them contemplated if serving Olana or Asmodeus would benefit them in the end.
“Choice number 3, you can choose not to choose any of the other choices and my Harkuns can kill you here right now…permanently.”
Once again, all the demons looked nervous. Tabitha waved her hand and a circle of fire ripped open the fabric of reality. Through the portal, the Badlands could be seen.
“Now here’s your chance to go.”
Tabitha motioned to the portal and waited. For a long time, no one moved, the demons still not trusting Tabitha to be true to her words. Then one demon, a fiend, a lesser demon stepped forward towards the portal. He looked at Tabitha and her Harkuns, cautious and wondering when someone would stop him. As he got closer to the portal, he stopped a foot in front of him and looked back. When no one moved to stop him, he shrugged and jumped through the portal. Beyond the portal, the little demon was flying away as fast as he could. Just in case this was all a trap, but no one shot him in the back. That single demon leaving unmolested broke the damn. Another demon moved and when through the portal, then two more, and then more.
Soon, a couple of demons turned into dozens and dozens turned into hundreds. By the time the last demon had gone through the portal, Tabitha estimated a total of 1,433 demons had chosen to leave. Which meant that almost three percent of 24,000 demons had left. Either to return to their master or make a break for it in the wilderness of the Nether Realm. Which surprised Tabitha, she was expecting a larger number of demons to choose option one. Still, she waited to see if any other demons would go through the portal. When it became clear that no one else would choose option one after a certain amount of time. Tabitha closed the portal.
“Since all of you have chosen to stay, I will assume you are choosing option two.”
She chuckled and a little before saying.
“Because there is no way in hell anyone in their right mind would choose option three.”
Tabitha glared at the demons, and some of them could not look her in the eyes. Then, Tabitha smiled and said.
“Alright, I’ll make it really simple for you. All those who wish to serve Asmodeus, move to my left your right. All those who wish to swear loyalty to me, move to my right your left.”
The demons looked at Tabitha as if she was speaking another language. When no one made a move to obey her instructions, Tabitha sighed and clapped her hands twice.
“Chop, chop! Get a move on!”
Her voice was like the crack of a whip. All the demons who were still moved instantly at Tabitha’s command. There was shuffling and jostling, shoves and pushes, but eventually, the demons made their choices. A few minutes later, Tabitha had thousands of new recruits to add to her growing forces. A total of 20,000 demons chose to swear their loyalty to the reborn Devil Queen Olana. 2,567 demons chose to serve Asmodeus which was not a bad thing for the returning Demon Lord of Lust.
“That’s a surprise?”
Tabitha said to herself.
“I thought Asmodeus would get the majority of demons.”
Asmodeus heard Tabitha’s comment and replied.
“Most of the demons Eldest brought with him were forced conscripts. Those who have chosen to serve me are demons who have serve me before Eldest. The rest…I do not recognize. New demons, probably those who are tired of the games the Courts play with them caught in the middle.”
Asmodeus’s explanation made sense, and Tabitha did not worry about it anymore. She had twenty thousand new bodies for the Crystal Pyramid, this will increase the pyramid’s magical particle production by fifty percent. Which will increase Tabitha’s power greatly, and for her that is a very good thing. She faced Asmodeus and said in a stern voice.
“You have reclaimed your mantle of power Lord Asmodeus, with this the conditions of our alliance have ended. Would you agree?”
Asmodeus nodded and bowed at the same time.
“I would agree Lady Olana.”
“Since, you are no longer an ally but not an enemy. You are free to take your forces and leave my territory in peace.”
Tabitha’s tone was friendly, but it broke no argument. Yet, Asmodeus said.
“If I may make a suggestion?”
Tabitha narrowed her eyes in suspicion, and the corner of Asmodeus’s lips twitched slightly. When she nodded her permission for him to continue, Asmodeus did not hesitate.
“Davindor, Flex, and Thull are demon princes and members on the Council of the Nether Lords. The demons you just let go I have no doubt most of them will make their way through the wilderness. But others will return to Davindor. He will learn of what has happened here today in only a few days. No doubt, he will activate any contingencies he has in place for moments like these.”
Tabitha had to admit, Asmodeus had a point. She had not foreseen this possibility, a mistake on her part and one she will not make again.
“What do you propose?”
“I can summon all the Nether Lords to an emergency meeting. Such meetings are mandatory. Every demon and devil lord, prince, princess, king, and queen will attend. They will have no choice, they will come if only to learn what the emergency is all about. This will give the Nether Lords three days to gather at the center of the Courts. More than enough time to consolidate our gains and it would prevent Davindor from learning what has occur this day. The moment they get the summons, they will travel to the center of the Courts. There, you can confront them and deal with them at your pleasure my Lady.”
Tabitha thought that Asmodeus’s suggestion was a very good idea, but there was just one question to ask.
“And what payment to you demand for your…assistance?”
Asmodeus gave her a wicked smile.
“Oh, Lady Olana it is nothing like that. I do not seek to take power from you. I owe you. Thanks to you, I have reclaimed my rightful place among the Nether Lords. All I desire, all I ask is a more permanent alliance. Let the Palace of Lust and the Great Crystal Pyramid of the Nether Realm be joined in holy…partnership.”
Tabitha raised an eyebrow.
“Why would you want a more permanent alliance with me?”
Asmodeus shrugged as if to say, ‘isn’t it obvious.’ “It has been proven by you my Lady that Romanto seeks to destroy the Nether Lords and place his puppet demons as rulers of the Nether Realm in his name. I was the second, you were the first, and I have no doubt that the rest would have followed. If Romanto remains, he will be a constant threat to the Nether Realm. Only you Lady Olana have the power to challenge Romanhall, and I would be a fool to think that Romanto would leave me alone even if his pet was disposed of. I know you have or soon will have spies and informants in the Courts. But I can provide you information at the very heart of the leadership of the Courts. An advantage you did not have five thousand years before, if I’m not mistaken.”
Tabitha quickly checked her old memories of Olana to confirm that the Nether Lords knew nothing about her Greater Shadow Harkuns. These Harkuns use the shadows to spy and if necessary, assassinate threats to the Crystal Pyramid. The best thing about the Shadow Harkuns is that they look like regular Harkuns, until they use the shadows to shadow travel anywhere throughout the multiverse. And Tabitha was not going to inform Asmodeus of such knowledge. She would ally with him and accept his aid. But she would never give him all her secrets. So, that is why she said.
“You make a good argument Lord Asmodeus. An alliance would be beneficial to both the Palace of Lust and the Great Crystal Pyramid of the Nether Realm. Let us forge this new alliance, and deal with the puppet demons of Romanto.”
Asmodeus smiled and bowed to Tabitha, this was what he had hoped for. Olana was back and if this battle was any indication, she was more powerful than before. With Romanto proven to be a serious threat, Asmodeus would be a fool not to ally himself with the most powerful she-devil in the Nether Realm.