Inside the Duchy throne-room.

Lucifer leaned back in the solid gold throne and kicked his legs up onto a small end table. This end table was made of some type of crystal that Lucifer couldn’t identify and was found in an obvious place of importance in the kings chambers, however, it was the perfect size for a foot rest here so it was now unceremoniously used as a footrest.

The idea of siting in a throne sparked Lucifer's interest, but that interest quickly died down when he realized how uncomfortable it was, perhaps in different cultures the king could be seen lounging around, but apparently in this one the king had to sit as strait as if someone had stuck a stick up his backside.

With how many stairs the throne was raised the king probably had to yell every time he spoke and the thought gave Lucifer a headache.

Just as he was about stand Arthus walked through the shattered remains of the previously grand double doors, he glanced towards a curiously large axe that was more of a war-hammer on his way towards the throne and almost tripped when he recognized what Lucifer's feet rested on.

“comfortable” Arthus projected sending echoes throughout the empty room.

‘ah’ Lucifer thought, ‘that's how the King would be heard’ before mimicking Arthus and replying, “If your throne is as unconformable as this one then I understand why you act as if there is something stuck up your ass”

…

Arthus said, “so what plans do you intend to make without me this time”

“none at the moment, I’ve won you the battle, but it’s your armies job to win the war, although if your interested in my opinion, I think you should cleanse the entire duchy where those religious nut jobs came from”

“and by cleanse. You mean What exactly” questioned Arthus.

“move from one side of the duchy to the other and kill everything in-between” Lucifer answered disinterestedly.

…

Arthus shook his head, “and you call them the nut jobs”

“in my experience ‘religion’ is a memetic virus, it spreads from one host to another causing insanity in any that touch it, so before it becomes a problem I think you should just eliminate it”

Arthus argued, “you do realize by ‘it’ you are referring to at least hundreds of thousands of people if not close to a million, do you have no humanity”

“no I’m a dungeon” Lucifer laughed.

…

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Lucifer stood up and started leaving the room, “well that’s your decision to make, I’m going back to my dungeon”

Shortly after the battle and subsequent capture of the duchy.

Swadian forces marched towards the duchy borders en mass to reinforce the captured city, the duchies sent spies and scouts to understand the situation, what they found was very bad news for them. The duchy connecting all the duchies to Swadia had been taken and cut off travel from half of the duchies from the other half.

They soon found out that all the messengers who went into deep-mist Forrest to establish communications with the other duchies had died. There was no way all of them could been found let alone killed in such a thick Forrest, unless the elves were involved.

Messengers carrying threats were quickly sent to the elves, the first with scrolls that said any impediment of royalty would result in the removal of laws protecting the Forrest, although these laws were largely ignored anyway, there was a difference between people skirting the law and there being none.

However, once again their messengers didn’t return. New messengers were sent, this time with threats of war.

The duchies spies had already given them information about extensive troop movements from Swadia, it was only a matter of time before taking the connecting duchy back would be impossible, and without establishing free movement through the Forrest they could be easily and slowly strangled to death.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere the duchy famous for the sapper warfare declared allegiance to Swadia. They announced this during a strategy meeting with their neighboring duchy, using a surprise attack from underground to show their sincerity.

Moments after the attack began an explosion rocked the city, Priests and paladins in the middle of battle felt their souls violently shake, they looked towards the center of the city and to their horror saw the crater that remained of their holy cathedral.

Immediately afterwards their holy magics lost most of their strength without a conduit to relay them to their so called god.

All over the earth opened up and swallowed buildings and men alike, some exploded open while others let loose a flood of angry miners thirsty for blood.

The previously ‘enchanted’ city of golden light now stood dark and still, the only light that remained was an ominous orange glow from spreading fires which spewed black smoke across the city.

The attack only lasted an hour and the damage was considerably light for the garrison, most of their army was still standing and ready to fight to the death with righteous fury, however, grain stores were burned down, wells were poisoned, and fires were spreading around the residential districts with few practiced in water magics to stop them. But worst of all, their connection to their deity was severed with the destruction of their cathedral.

Now they would have to cast their light spells without its blessings and that would mean that most priests would revert to mere deacons in power.

With this new enemy they were surrounded, with a Swadian controlled duchy to the west and a new enemy to the east their futures looked bleak, but their leaders didn’t have long to dwell on that fact because several days after the ambush an undead army appeared on the horizon.

They were once again caught by surprise, how did this undead army get here without a single warning. What they didn’t know was that there wasn’t anyone left to warn them.

A few days earlier.

Arthus could feel something constricting his stomach and it only got worse the closer came to his destination. He paused briefly before opening the final door to reveal Lucifer sitting in the most lavish chair he had ever seen with an infuriating grin plastered on his lips.

“what brings the ‘good’ king to my little room, excuse the mess” chuckled Lucifer as he sat in a bare room with only him and a chair inside.

…

Arthus didn’t speak for a while before saying, “you do it”

“what made you change your mind o ‘kind’ king”

Arthus snapped back, “you were right, they are dangerous and I refuse to allow my kingdom to shatter again when I’m so close to making it whole again”

“it sounds its not the first time those religious nuts have showed up” Lucifer inquired.

Arthus replied, “it has, unlike records of the first dungeon which are sparse, written records of wars after the sudden emergence of a ‘new god’ are more than plentiful in the royal library”

“interesting” said Lucifer, “new gods just ‘pop up every now and then”

“new ‘gods’ no, most of the records indicate that whatever they were they weren’t ‘gods’, some describe some sort of demon others a devil, even more still are described as a powerful elemental gone rogue, there was even one with a simple spirit”

Lucifer said, “a simple spirit that managed to convince people it was a god”

Arthus nodded, “yes, but like most of these false gods it was found out to be an impostor and lost its influence”

“so you want me to wipe out an entire duchy on the slim chance the populace don’t figure it out, why don’t you just help their understanding along” Lucifer asked with slight curiosity.

“it can take years for the common people to give up their ‘god’ especially when they have obviously received benefits from it, allowing them to live will give the impostor a chance to influence my other territory's, and we don’t have the time or the resources to waste on such a thing with the Magedom looming over our heads”

“that sounds like an excuse to me, or at least not something you would say” Lucifer replied after some thought, “whats your real reason”

…

Lucifer chuckled and stood up to prepare, “fine don’t tell me’ then left the mute Arthus behind.