We had been walking through the halls for about twenty minutes when everything changed. A wave of…something passed over us, and as it did, the ground changed, black grass sprouting below us as light from a crimson moon spilled over our forms.
“It's over.” Sighed my mother in relief. We all turned, and sure enough, Tricorn was gone. The whole central location had vanished consumed by the colossal domain of the universe's most terrible monster.
In its place, a terrifying castle of black rusted iron loomed over us, backlit by the red moon.
On each of the parapets I saw a figure standing proud and tall. One was easily recognizable as my grandpa, one a tall man with dark skin and long hair in a series of braids, and the one at the front, the familiar form of Morgan Lark.
“Greetings.” Said Lark in a sepulchral voice. He didn't yell, he didn't need to. Everyone in his Domain could hear him perfectly.
His crimson eyes blazed as they burned down at his dark kingdom. “As you may all be aware, we have suffered an attack. The enemy sent their monsters out among us to sow terror and hopelessness, to teach us our place under their boot.”
He snapped his fingers and two dozen plus red torches lit up along the battlements of the castle, illuminating a terrifying scene.
Heads. Thirty heads of thirty S-rankers mounted on spikes around the perimeter of the castle walls. Morgan’s ghoulish smile was visible from every inch of the Domain, somehow the central focus, pulling our eyes to his bared fangs. “They were wrong.”
Reaching down, he lifted the headless body of Roald as if he was a child brandishing a toy. “These so called vanished gods are fools. Arrogant little toads frivolously spending the lives of their cherished soldiers by fruitlessly hurling them at us to break against our walls. Screaming impotently into the void of our power with their mewling little voices.”
“As of this moment.” Rang my grandfather’s voice as the Vampire stopped talking. “The five faction alliance, the independent faction, and the Wish Curse Palace are jointly at war with the forces of Hatescream and his cohorts. They’ve fired a shot across our bow and failed spectacularly. They think that age and accumulation will cow us, that their stockpiled fodder can overcome us. They are mistaken.”
Morgan’s eyes glowed even brighter, seeming to spear all of us individually as he glared down from his lofty perch. “Those of you who are spies, bear witness. Look upon the fate of our enemies, and carry it back to your masters. And may your gods have mercy on your souls. Because ours certainly will not.”
Then all three of them vanished, leaving the heads on spikes lit by red moonlight that had cast them only in shadows before, and the dancing bloody light of crimson flame.
“Show-off.” Said my dad sourly. “Well, we’d better get back then. Clearly everything is over. I wonder if we lost anyone. I’m surprised my prince wasn’t up there with them.”
I raised a brow at him, saying in a flat tone. “Oh right, a devil I talked to said that you were a general for the Demon Prince Adramalech. He came with you?” I didn’t know much about where he’d gone, but I was a bit torn on how to treat him. I mean, he’d just saved Zeke’s soul, but he was also a huge dick.
“Of course.” He said with a chuckle. “The devils are part of the hierarchy of the Fairieland. They answer to the Queen just like the Princes and Princesses of the fae. The Tricorn is partly owned by us, so we’d naturally come to support when they asked for backup.”
I frowned. “Was this whole thing just one big trap?” I asked bluntly. “So many things about the conclave scream setup from the outside looking in. Were we just bait?”
“Above my paygrade.” He said nonchalantly. “But I doubt it. Now let’s get back. I suspect everyone will be congregating at the foot of that castle. Otherwise what would be the point of making it such an obvious central location.”
I nodded, and we turned around, heading back. I wanted to try to find someone who could heal, because Zeke was seriously messed up. Even with the serum dad gave him, his condition wasn’t good, even if it was stable. Maybe a Life Nova could help, but I’d see if there were any A or S-rankers present who might be able to patch him up better.
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We made good time getting back, and sure enough, when we found everyone, they were crowded around the base of the castle.
“Well look what we have here.” Sneered Craygen. “The golden boy candidate is getting help from his daddy. Maybe I should tell Aiden exactly how little you think of the Wish Curse Palace, you fucking traitor.”
My dad glanced at him dully. “I’m sorry…who are you? I don’t mean to offend, but I meet so many insignificant nobodies day to day that I lose track of names and faces. You’re…I want to say Jeffrey? Is that right? I remember you were one of the lickspittles my cousin used to tote around, but you all look the same to me.”
“You arrogant scum!” Roared Craygen. “You and your spawn both, you think you can afford to ignore someone like me? Just wait until he reaches D-rank and loses that protection. I’ll make sure his final screams are an apology for taking away my daughter!”
I expected a screaming or snarky retort, but my dad just stared at him for a moment. “You know…I believe you.” He tapped his cane once, and a mercury flash shot out through the grass, it wound up Craygen’s ankle too fast for us to even see, wrapped around his neck, and then tightened like a garotte, slicing through his throat.
Craygen’s eyes were wide and shocked as they stared in confusion at my father, still locked onto his face as Craygen’s head tumbled slowly off his shoulders, thumping onto the grass as the man’s body dropped to his knees.
I watched in shock as the mercury snake down into the hole in Craygen’s neck, dragging out a long wisp of mercury and choking it down quickly. With a flash it retreated to my dad’s side, darting up the cane to vanish into the eyehole of the mirrored skull.
Everyone went silent. That had been…not what he’d done to Tartarus. But I realized why as a massive weight of horrible pressure crashed down over us, driving me and everyone below A-rank to our knees. “Elijah.” Boomed Harrison’s enraged voice. “How dare you! Do you think nothing of the Palace?”
As soon as the pressure arrived, it vanished, and a gigantic man with purple swirled skin and horns emerged from behind my father, baring bright white teeth. “Calm down Harrison, no need to make a fuss.”
“ADRAMALECH!” Howled the enraged representative. “Remove yourself from my business. Elijah killed one of my cohort. That debt must be paid.”
My dad just sneered at him. “Oh stuff it Harrison. Everyone knows you’re the weakest S-ranker in the Palace. The only thing you ever did right was have a freak for a son. He threatened my boy to my face. As far as I’m concerned, he committed suicide by stupidity. So keep your gaping face closed and go find someone else to pester.”
The big Demon Prince laughed. “Well said Eli. Suicide by stupidity indeed. Of course, if you demand satisfaction I’d be happy to oblige Harrison. What do you say? Want to dance with the devil?”
“There will be no dancing here.” Cut in a cold and familiar voice. “Mostly because I’ve seen you dance Dram, and nobody needs to witness that a second time.” Morgan emerged from the crowd, looking amused. “What’s all this about now. We just won a great victory. And with hardly any casualties.”
At the term hardly any I glanced around, trying to find out who had died. I noticed to my surprise that the Deathwish Pope was gone. Glancing at my grandfather, I caught a slight look of smugness on his face that made me suspect it might not have been entirely in the line of fire.
“This…mongrel.” Spat Harrison. “Murdered my lieutenant in cold blood.”
My dad cleared his throat. “That is a lie, sir. I assure you the blood of everyone involved was quite warm. A hundred degrees or so. It should still be steaming on the grass a bit.”
Morgan nodded solemnly. “It’s true, that’s what temperature blood is. Do you not know that?”
“He threatened Eli’s son.” Said Adramalech casually. “So he deserved what he got. I offered satisfaction. I can fight him if he wants revenge.”
The Vampire nodded. “I’ll allow it.” He said after a minute.
“What?” Squawked Harrison. “This is an outrage. How dare you ignore this? My son will hear about-”
Morgan pinned him with a glare, eyes glowing red. “Because you ANNOY me.” He said sharply. “Your lieutenant annoyed me. And your son annoys me. If you feel the need to seek vengeance on ME, you can go ahead and attempt to rouse your great grandfather from his retirement to come get it, but since I doubt he remembers your NAME, I wouldn’t bother.”
I had to choke down a laugh at that, but I forced myself not to make a noise. “Now.” Continued Morgan. “If you’re done taking a flamethrower to the thin ice you were already on, perhaps we might turn our attention to dealing with the traitor in our midst.”
He snapped his fingers, and a pitch black coffin in the rough shape of a person erupted from the grass, falling open to expose the perforated but mostly intact body of Pretseltsen Birchus, who stared glassily around, whining slightly under his breath. Harrison’s face grew stormy. “You!” He said, his anger at my dad momentarily forgotten.
“Caught the little bastard trying to slip out after he realized the people he betrayed us for might not be as nice as he expected.” Morgan said with a nasty smile. “I thought maybe the WCP would be willing to pay for the privilege of…questioning him.”
Harrison’s face adopted that same grim, unforgiving smile. “You know. I do believe we may be able to work something out.” Morgan snapped, and the coffin clanged shut, then he headed over to hoist it onto one shoulder and the two of them walked off in another direction, several other S-rankers following.
My grandfather checked in on us, but once he knew we were alright, he was whisked away by my mother to find a healer for Zeke, while my dad went with Adramalech to sit in on negotiations.
Once they were gone, I stared after them. Chelsea came up to stand next to me. “That was…a lot.” She said numbly.
I nodded. “It really was. I have no idea what the hell is going on, or what’s GOING to go on after this. I guess the war is officially beginning.” I couldn’t think of many ways this could have gone better for us, and that made me pretty damned suspicious.
“Where does that leave the rest of us?” She said worriedly. “Are we supposed to go join in right away? We did train for it.”
I snorted. “Fuck that.” I said bluntly. “This nonsense is over, and my ass is getting on a ship back to Callus to have my damned wedding. You can come of course, but I understand if you would rather head to the front lines.”
This time she snorted. “Ridiculous. I wouldn’t miss your wedding for anything. Plus Callie already asked me to be a bridesmaid. You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”
I smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder, and stared off after the S-rankers. As we watched, the Domain closed, leaving us all standing in that same ballroom as before, looking that much the worse for wear. Guess the party wasn’t over.