Chapter VII: The Heirs' Meeting.

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As Venelana watched her younger sister pace back and forth with a grim expression written on her face, she released a sigh.

"You know, pacing back and forth isn't going to make time go faster, Vanessa." she started with a hint of indifference and boredom in her voice. "If anything, it's going to make it feel like time is traveling slower."

"I know," Vanessa claimed as she continued to tread back and forth. She didn't break her stride at all.

"If you know, then why are you still doing it?" Venelana questioned with only a tiny trace of curiosity in her voice. 

"Because it's just something I do when I'm waiting," Vanessa answered as she continued to walk back and forth. "Plus, it helps me think." 

"Uh-huh," Was Venelana's response with the smallest of frowns while nodding her head slowly. She had never really seen her sister do this before, but after giving it some thought, Venelana was also unable to recall her sister ever waiting on somebody or something. 

"Anyways, what are you thinking about?" Venelana inquired, curiosity latched to her voice.  

"How I'm going to make that man pay for the humiliation I suffered," Vanessa revealed without breaking her pacing.  

"Really? That's it?" Venelana skeptically asked with an eyebrow raised. 

At this, Vanessa finally ceased her walking and looked at her older sister. "Yes." She affirmed with a nod of her head, and a grave look in her eyes. 

"Hmph," Venelana huffed as a smirk manifested on her face. "Sorry if that upset you, I just had a hard time believing that is it." 

Curious as to why she was, Vanessa said. "And why's that?" 

"Reasons," Venelana shared as she stretched her arms out above her head before putting them behind it. 

Vanessa began to glare at her sister after this revelation. She didn't like it when people kept information away from her, but what annoyed her more was when her siblings would do it, especially Venelana.  

She admired her sister, but there were a handful of things she didn't like about her, and this was one of them. 

"... What kind of reasons?" She asked after a few seconds of glaring. 

"Ones that aren't worth mentioning," Venelana declared with an amused look that was similar to a cat's when it plays with its food. 

Doubting her sister's honesty, Vanessa said in a stern tone. "Venelana..." 

"What?" Venelana questioned with only a hint of seriousness in her voice as she continued to look entertained. 

Vanessa opened her mouth to respond, and had planned on telling her she didn't like it when she did these things with her, but as soon as she opened her mouth did the doors to the room open and Venelana's Elite Knight come marching in. 

He wasn't alone, and accompanying him were a dozen and half Black Knights as well as what a stranger could only assume to be their siblings. 

"Vanessa, Venelana, it's so great to see you both; I have missed you two terribly!" The largest of the five that were being escorted declared as he picked up his pace somewhat significantly.

He stood at a staggering height of six feet and nine inches and wore a bulky suit of armor that was black as the night. He also wore a cape like the knights surrounding him except his was a regalia purple, and on his back was a great hammer, a weapon very similar to that of a warhammer, but with a head twice the size of one. 

He had horns identical to that of a bull, and multiple scars on his face; his eyes were slitted like his siblings with his irises being red, and his hair was white as snow. 

He was, the Incarnation of Wrath, and the fourth oldest out of the seven, Azog Lustfall. 

Upon hearing those words, Venelana smiled and said as she moved towards him. "Azog, it's good to see you as well. I have also missed you a great deal."

After that was stated, the two siblings embraced one another with a hug, and as they did so, Vanessa stared at the only other woman in the room besides herself, and her sister Venelana. 

She was an impeccable beauty, who had long lustrous black hair and a face that rivaled Vanessa's. Her eyes were yellow and vertically split, and on the left and right side of her temple were two thick horns protruding crookedly. 

She, like the majority of her siblings, was wearing a full suit of plated black armor, and in her left hand was a black helmet designed specifically for her. She had a pair of angel wings on her back that had been armored, and resting against her thighs were double-bladed axes.   

As for who she was, she was none other than Vanessa's twin, Valerie Lustfall the Incarnation of Envy, and the third in line to inherit the throne. 

Vanessa's looking didn't go unnoticed by Valerie, for not long after she started staring, did Valerie's gaze shift from the two embracing siblings to Vanessa. 

"Vanessa." Valerie greeted as she lowered her head in acknowledgment while a smirk manifested on her face. 

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Valerie." Vanessa greeted back with a nod of her own. 

"I was told on my way here you lost Bagon; is this true?" Valerie questioned, her voice filled with curiosity and amusement. 

"... It is." Vanessa confessed after several seconds of silently staring at her sister, which caused Valerie's smirk to widen. 

"Hmph, unfortunate, but then again, you never did deserve him." Valerie stated in a egotistical manner while maintaining her smile. 

Vanessa clenched her fists at this, and was going to retaliate, but before she could her youngest brother, Azha Lustfall, the Incarnation of Sloth, spoke. 

"Can you two please not do this?" He requested in a tired voice with a somewhat annoyed expression. "It hasn't even been a minute since we've reunited, and I didn't come here to hear your squabbling and bickering." 

He was a man that slightly towered his sisters, but was shorter than his brother Azog by several inches. His irises were amethyst and like his siblings were split vertically. He also had two somewhat small horns on top of his head like the majority of his siblings, but unlike them, both of his horns were encased in metal. 

As for his hair, it was short and more along the lines of grey and ash than silver. 

His nearly identical twin brother, Azah Lustfall, the Incarnation of Greed, disagreed with his request, and said with a chuckle. "Oh come now, Azha. Surely you have come to miss our older sisters squabbling?" 

"I haven't," Azha answered in the same tired like manner. "In fact, I have been dreading this little reunion, for I know the peaceful days I have found are now at an end."

At this, both Azah and their older brother Azod, the Incarnation of Gluttony, laughed heartily.

Azod was the Demon King's second son and fifth spawn, and was a few inches shorter than his older brother, Azog. He was also a little bit wider than him, and didn't wear any sort of armor to protect his arms like he did. Instead, he left them exposed which allowed people to see the scars and markings.  

He had a single horn on top of his head, and had somewhat long hair that was braided and black. On his back were two very wide greatswords that had engravings going down the blades.

Seeing her brothers laugh at her, Vanessa turned her gaze towards them and said with a stern look in her eyes. "Are our problems with one another really that amusing to the two of you?" 

"Yes," Azah answered vigorously, which earned an amused snort from the oldest of the brothers, who had ceased hugging Venelana, and a chuckle from Azod. 

Meanwhile, both Vanessa and Valerie scowled. 

"This is why you'll never be Father's successor." Valerie proclaimed in a slightly vexed tone. 

"Okay?" Azah questioned with uncertainty in his voice and a puzzled expression. "I fail to see how me finding your bickering to be amusing makes me unable to be Father's successor, but whatever."

"Enough,"  Venelana ordered in a stern tone that gained all of her siblings' attention. She didn't say anything after that for a couple seconds and instead allowed some silence to fill the room. 

Once several seconds of silence and staring at them passed, she spoke. "I did not call you all here to watch petty arguments and whatnot; if I wanted that, then I would go back to the kingdom and listen to the nobles. However, in the end, I didn't, so stop being petty with one another." 

None of her siblings retaliated, rather than doing that, the majority of them, the ones who were fighting with one another, chose to avoid eye contact with their oldest sibling and look at the ground.  

 After that statement was said, Venelana paused for a quick second to allow that information to sink in before resuming. "Now, as for why I had my familiars go and get you all, it's because our sister Vanessa has located the Goddess' Champions. Unfortunately though, she underestimated them and in the end lost her mount, Bagon like Valerie said."

At this, Azog spoke and in his voice was anger and rage. "They'll pay for that. I will make sure they pay dearly for killing Bagon." 

Vanessa smiled a little upon hearing her brother's words, and said as she grabbed ahold of one of his trembling hands. "Thank you, Azog. It brings me comfort knowing you cared about him as much as I do."  

"Yes, we are all very sad to hear about your loss." Valerie declared with a yawn as well as a roll of her eyes before turning her gaze back towards her older sister. 

"We are." Venelana claimed before anyone else could say something. "Bagon may not have been the strongest of his kind, but he was the fastest and loyal." 

Valerie said nothing at this, instead, she just crossed out her arms and let out a huff of air. Meanwhile, Vanessa smiled and mouthed the words, 'Thank you.' to her older sister. 

Acknowledging her thanks with a smile, Venelana continued talking. "Back to what I was saying, the heroes fought Vanessa at the Town of Wintervale; I doubt they are there now, so we will go to the closest city and wait for them there." 

"All of us?" Azha questioned with a bit of surprise in his voice. 

"Yes, all of us." Venelana affirmed with a serious glint in her eyes.

"Is that necessary?" Azah asked as his lips curved downwards into that of a frown. "I mean, you're right now in the middle of a campaign, so is it truly wise for you to come?"

"My campaign is practically over," Venelana assured with a smile. "All that is left are things that can be done by my commanders." 

"I see..." Azah proclaimed hesitantly. 

Noticing his hesitance, Venelana spoke with a tinge of curiosity in her voice. "Why? Do you think I am not needed?"

"Well, not exactly..." Azah started with great reluctance as all eyes fell on him. "It's hard to explain, but what I'm trying to say is that I feel it's a little unnecessary for all of us to go and do this." 

"I see, so are you telling me it was unnecessary for our Father to send you out and find them as well?" Venelana asked with an inquisitive expression. 

"... Yes." Azah declared after what felt like seven long and heavy seconds of silence. 

"Alright," Venelana started with a nod of her head before looking at her siblings and saying to them. "Does anyone else feel this way?"

"A little," Azha confessed almost immediately as he held up his left hand. "I'm not against doing this, but if we're speaking honestly here, then I'd prefer doing something else than going to a human city and waiting for five heroes who aren't even really heroes yet." 

"I understand," Venelana stated with another nod of her head. "Anybody else?"

"Ehhh," Azod groaned as he did an iffy hand gesture. "I'm with Azha; I have no problems going, but if we are indeed being truthful, then I'd rather be back home doing work there." 

"Alright, assuming you three are the only ones who feel this way, then you all are allowed to leave." Venelana revealed after waiting a few more seconds to see if anyone else was going to speak their thoughts. "I will not force you guys to help in exterminating the heroes, but neither will I protect you if Father gets angry with you all, for you chose this, remember that."  

"Do you truly think Father will be blaming us if you four failed in killing the heroes?" Azah questioned with furrowed brows and a frown. 

"If I spun the tale a certain way, then yes, undoubtedly." Venelana answered with what looked more like a vicious grin than a friendly smile. 

Not liking what she was implying in the slightest, Azod opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly stopped by his older sister who had her hand up with a raised finger. "But, I will not be doing that, for there is no way they're going to escape us, and because I know you three will support me when it's time for me to ascend the throne, right?" 

"Of course," Azah answered with a grin. "You are the oldest and deserve it more than any of us." 

At this, Venelana said nothing, and simply smiled. 

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To Be Continued.