by SlyOkami
“W-We can offer aid a-against the Pact! A-Against Azkel!” Eoka pleaded, shivering worse than any of them.
Erik’s annoyance grew, “I need not your help with that, which leaves you, with what exactly?”
Silence, silence filled them now, as there was nothing else they could offer.
“Indeed, you have nothing more.” Erik mused, lowering his staff and pressuring energy then, “You have nothing you think you can offer me, while I hold all the cards. Now, you understand, just where we each stand.”
Tentatively they rose back to standing, gathering behind Xavrydar who’s wings had long closed up from fright.
Erik smirked as he looked upon them, “Lesson one, any other Dragon would have killed you all before any of you had even the chance of speaking a single word of reason to them. Luckily, I am not just any Dragon, am I?”
Confusion now filled their expressions as they glanced at their leader, Xavrydar too seeming unable to follow Erik’s sudden change in tone.
“I do, have one use of you all.” Erik then mused.
“W-We can compromise th-” Xavrydar then tried to say, but was cut off as the pressure suddenly returned.
“Well, at least I thought I had made the field clear.” Erik hissed, shutting him up entirely. “I give you one, unchangeable offer. As it stands, you have your untrained selves and a crumbling kingdom. I, a trained Dragon empowered by this unorthodox revival, also have an entire empire behind me. I am the Lion, and you are simply the rats who’s den I wandered over. Now you have two choices…”
The pressure upon them increased, each of them now falling to their knees. “Either, I wipe out Sinbeni’s very existence from Faetera and make new sets of equipment for my soldiers out of your cold corpses…” His words sending a child crawling up each of their spines, “Or, Sinbeni and you, become a vassal to my Dragon Empire, as Druvia has.”
“So…nothing will change then?…” Xavrydar mused bitterly, “We’ll once again be nothing more than retainers to another…First Delirio, and now you?”
Erik chuckled, “If you wish to serve, you will serve. But I was more thinking along the lines of students.” He said with a smirk, each of their gazes then rising to meet his amused eyes. “I will teach you hatchlings what it means not to just be a Dragon, but a strong one.”
“You…offer to become our teacher?” Tevrerth asked in confusion.
“And is there a problem with that?~” Grylrag edged his comrade aside, “Y-Yes we’d be honoured!” He exclaimed, shivering with the rest where they lay.
“But…” Xavrydar then mumbled out, “Is that wise?” He asked.
“I assume you speak of the gap in power it will create.” Erik then mused.
“Gap?” Makaela questioned, still utterly astounded by the entirety of this.
“Our surrender…Zrosa will see it as a weakness, they will invade Sinbeni’s borders.” Vemmaninth explained.
“No, far worse.” Erik said with a sigh, releasing his pressure upon them once again. “With Druvia and Sinbeni under our toe, The Dragon Empire will now be much vaster than the other four large powers of Faetera. Seeri, New Druv, S’sern and Pepputia. War will still come, be it a combination of any of those.”
“T-Then you’re ready, you’re r-ready for another G-Great War!?” Eoka stuttered in amazement.
“Hah,” Erik’s smirk returned, “Ready, we shall be. If they decide to attack, we’ll retaliate of course. And Sinroz, will be the staging grounds for this coming Great War. The staging grounds for our Empire’s rise to total power. So, what do you say, Black Order?” He asked, then forwarding his free hand to Xavrydar as he rose back to his feet.
“Will Sinbeni be a stepping stone in my way, or…” Erik’s smirk grew into a wicked smile, “Will you join us in world domination?”
Xavrydar stared down at Erik’s outheld hand, for several moments he stared with wide eyes. “You’re insane, Elder Brother.”
Erik chuckled, as Xavrydar shook his hand. “Insanity is simply misunderstood genius, young one.”
B2; Chaos - Ch 57; The Great War - Part 5; Diplomacy?…
Erik’s clawed finger tapped rhythmically at the table’s surface, as he sat at one end of the long ornate table, the rest of his body lying frozen as he stared. Gazing at the opposite end of the table, where no chair was placed but instead a mass of flesh lay, beating alongside his rhythm.
To either side of him sat his companions, Nerick, Kayle and Ivyieth along the left, then Makaela and her officers to his right. All but Pyra were present, as along the rest of the table others sat.
The Black Order, Dragonkin one and all, they sat along the left, just a few seats away from Ivyieth who’s eyes shone as she ogled each of them childishly.
They lay waiting, silently they awaited others, all but Erik who’s impatient tapping was slowly creeping up the nerves of everybody else.
“Finally.” He then mused, as the hall’s large doors then opened, Pyra coming through first and leading the way for the procession of figures behind her. “Truly, the journey from Druvia to here isn’t that far.” Erik grumbled as he eyed the new arrivals.
With young Sol at the lead, many others walked up behind their king. Drew the Arch-Duke, alongside the other Dukes and Bishop Kalashnikova. Then General Henry, alongside several of his own officers. And lastly came Alan, with Findri, Kai and Elena following up closely behind him. Each of Druvia’s leaders stepped into the room, eyes wide and expressions aghast at what they had seen on the way in.
“Welcome.” Erik said, standing from his seat then. “I’m sure young Solarion has explained some, but let me reiterate. I, am Erikathyr, Dragon to the White Clan. Destroyer, as you might know me. Yet also, now Emperor to this newly formed Dragon Empire.” He gestured at the rest who sat along the table, Henry eyeing Kayle in further confusion as she simply smiled back in amusement.
Drew cleared his throat, “We…Know of your standing, yet…We do not understand how it is possible. You say you…freed the entirety of the enslaved Xilfir race, and that…Sinbeni has announced its surrender to you?”
Erik chuckled, “Surrender? No, Sinbeni as we speak is announcing to its people that they as a kingdom are now part of the Empire. As, unofficially, you have been for the past months.”
“Unofficially, as you say.” Drew quickly added, “And we accepted your rather…forceful, invitation. To keep peaceful relations with your so called…Empire. We are grateful, for the aid you sent our way in our time of due need but…”
“Please, sit.” Erik then said, cutting the Arch-Duke off as the chairs before them suddenly rushed out from under the table. He watched them, eyes ablaze with golden light, Erik stared coldly at them as they took their seats facing the Black Order.
As they eyed each individual in the room, most of their gazes fell upon the beating mound of greyish violet flesh.
“As you point out, our alliance with Druvia has been rather unofficial thus far.” Erik continued to speak then, regaining their attention. “As such I invited you all here, to make it official.”
“Druvia has no qualms with joining the Empire.” Sol then suddenly spoke up, gaining many a surprised gaze from his side of the table.
“But sire we sh-” Drew whispered with urgency.
“No Drew, things are far more complicated than you know…” Sol whispered back, cutting him off. “The Empire has not only saved our kingdom from Azruxan the barbarian, but also stopped the Orcin invasion short. We owe them far more than we can offer.” Sol then announced.
“Well,” The bishop then tried to stand back up, yet finding that his seat wouldn’t move, he remained sitting as he spoke. “Ahem…I find it quite unpleasant that we as a nation would, without vote nor prior explanation to the populace…Ally, with His sor-”
His words frozen short then, as Erik’s resounding growl filled the entire hall.
“I would choose your next words very carefully, servant of Gods.” Erik hissed out in draconic, causing the bishop�
��s entire complexion to turn paper white.
“While…” Sol then stepped back in, trying to calm the situation. “While you speak true that there was no warning from my part, I take full responsibility of such, but the conversation here is of another point yet to be made…” He glanced at Erik, dreading what was to come.
As a wide smile then grew over Erik’s face, his eyes setting upon Sol’s group. “The point…The point is, that I offer Druvia the chance to willingly join the Empire. Should you decline, as I’m sure many of you are…pondering, on doing. I offer you the next solution.” Erik explained, raising his right hand up then, he snapped his fingers.
And as he did, reality behind him seemed to shudder as a wall of dim light formed from one end of the room to the other.
Within the light then formed another place, showing scenes from elsewhere.
“What you see before you, is Abu Katra, and out come every single slave and Xilfir who was kept within.” Erik said, as behind him was shown such. “Thousands over thousands have come out, released of their masters. They are now citizens, family and friends under my Empire.”
“Now that is kind and all but-” The Bishop tried to speak, but Erik’s clawed finger closing his lips as he suddenly appeared standing next to him, shut the man up entirely.
“Now, how many times was it?” Erik asked, glancing then at Zentha who rose to standing.
Politely she bowed, “Twenty four thousand, six hundred and eighty nine breaches of your word, sire.” She announced, the number meaning very little to one side of the table, but everything to the other.
As Erik’s gaze then befell the Black Order, “As agreed then, I shall be tolling the price.” He said, snapping his fingers once more as the scene suddenly expanded outwards.
Showing now the Dark Citadel hovering in place, barely over the capital of Sinbeni.
They watched, as tendrils grew out of the black cloud which kept it adrift.
Serpents of dark storms formed, snarling and growling, dozens of them took shape. Twisting and swirling about one another, the storm loomed over the capital…
“This, is my point. Ladies and gentlemen. I wish to you be…spectators, to enforcement of my rules.” Erik explained, as he turned then to the scene. “Voltru…” He growled in chant, as the serpents’ eyes shone a bright gold in response to his voice, as his voice itself echoed out a thousand times louder…
Rumbling down upon Abu Katra, like thunder.
“For every chain, every scratch…For every new scar or injury witnessed. I am a Dragon of my word.” Erikathyr announced, “Twenty four thousand, six hundred and eighty nine. Those, are your sins to bear. And for each sin, my wrath shall strike down. Voltru.”
Lightning crackled through each serpentine cloud, a surge of energy slowly rising within each tendril…
A silence fell upon the city, and the room.
Filled then by the rumbling of thunder as the sparks of light dimmed back into the clouds.
As they all watched, the barriers which once protected the city…dissipate.
Before suddenly dozens flashes of light struck down upon the city below, hitting buildings, walls, statues…Structures collapsed, caught fire or simply exploded as lightning rained throughout the capital. Villas were disintegrated, entire streets torn asunder as men, women and children ran for their lives…
Yet still, many died.
Gone unseen by the blinding befalling light, their deaths were.
Their cries of fear and agony gone muted out by the rage of thunder following every single zap of golden electricity.
Erik briefly stared at the alit city, his gaze wandering over then between the faces of the Black Order which lay cold and empty.
To the Druvians, who stared aghast, horrified and disgusted by the slaughter.
They watched, a cold chill crawling up their spines with every flash of light and roar of thunder.
“Now, we would be here all week.” He then mused, his draconic voice rumbling over even the thunder.
As the strikes of lightning suddenly stopped.
“So I’ll just say that is enough.” He said, turning to now look at what remained of Abu Katra.
Where once stood a proud flourishing river city, now lay ruins of smoke and flame.
“You…You’ve not changed…” The Bishop mused as he rose from his seat, turning to stand facing Erik then. Eyes wide and expression pale, the plump man trembled before the Dragon yet somehow kept some sort of calm. “What was that supposed to prove? A senseless massacre, just like back in your day. What are hundreds of corpses worth to you?”
Erik though smirked as his eyes met the man’s shaken gaze, “Oh, but senseless it wasn’t. It proves that I do not make idle threats, I only give choices.” Stepping forwards then as the chair behind the bishop also moved back, and so did the bishop as Erik approached, instinctually stepping away from him.
Falling back onto his ass and into sitting, he lay staring up at Erik in frozen terror.
“So, I hand you the choice, servant of the Gods…And I suggest you do what you do best.” Erik said, as his wings suddenly spread wide open. “Preach my word, otherwise, shut up and serve.”
“Or…what?” Kai then hissed as he also stood up.
Smiling still, Erik turned to the adventurer’s guildmaster, glancing over Alan’s glare and Findri’s frantic eyes. “We have taken over Sinbeni, yet we shall not stop here. We have two choices of expansion. As we speak, Zrosa marches upon what once was Sinbeni land. So either, we march against them and show those beasts what true strength is…Or, we abandon these lands for the Zrosians to take and march west.”
Erik stepped around the bishop, coming to stand facing Kai. “Take over the Lost World, annihilate the Orcin remains and then officially take over Druvia.”
“We’d fight.” Kai added.
“You’d die.” Makaela corrected, “Hopelessly struggling for life, crawling in the blood of your families, you’d disappear. Never to be heard of within the writings of history, nothing more than a stepping stone for our rise.” She stated simply, taking a sip out of her cup then.
“Fine…” Alan said with a sigh, as his cold gaze met Erik’s. “I’ll admit, Druvia as it stands, we’d be trampled over. Yet, to what point though? What’s the point of this military expansion? Why are you insisting on building a super power so forcefully?” He asked, his eyes then glancing over at the well of disturbing energy in the room.
The miasmic-violet beating heart.
“To prepare, for what is to come.” Then spoke a sinister voice through the corrupt organ.
As Azkel’s form appeared hovering above it, causing great distress on Druvia’s side of the table.
“Good lord, what is this creature doing here!?” The bishop exclaimed, signing out protection with his hands as a silent prayer went whispered beneath his trembling breath. Much to the Deviless’s amusement.
“This creature, is Azkel, and soon to be under the protection of my Empire.” Erik said, moving past Kai to come to standing next to the bulging mound of flesh. “Her organization, lost and destroyed by my Xilfir. This Devil, is left with no choice but to accept a deal I’ve proposed. In return for giving me the information I want, in return for continual assistance, the Dragon Empire will shield this Devil. In simple terms, she is switching sides.” Erik explained as he then laid his left hand onto the pulsating heart.
“Tear open, make the connection clear.” He began to chant, as a dark fog of shuddering energy then began to ooze out of the heart. “Bring forth, from the other side. Bring forth, from elsewhere.”
The room fell quiet, a nervous silence befalling them as the strange smoke formed a shell around the heart. Erik’s arm almost entirely sinking within, the illusion of Azkel above him disappearing too.
“Spatial School; Eight Tier Summoning!” Erik exclaimed, feeling the collected energy within the heart burning up as a resource for his spell, yet still barely a drop from the mass of spirit which lay wi
thin it.
Stepping back then as the smoke dissipated, a figure, stepped out from behind the heart. Dark red scaly skin with violet flames rushing through the indentions, short crimson hair with strands of braided violet.
Her hand held within Erik’s, Azkel now physically stood before them all. Opening her eyes a deep crimson shone out, sending a shuddering chill through each Druvian as her melting gaze met theirs.
“Erikathyr…what…is this?” Findri asked as she too stood up, confused and appalled by the Devil’s appearance.
“This, is the state of things.” Erik replied, turning to fully face Azkel then, as the Deviless kneeled down. “Sinbeni, the Black Order, this Devil…and Druvia. All, serve me now.” His gaze turned to Sol’s, as the young king stood up from his seat.
Walking about the table, as Erik let go of Azkel’s hand, he too turned to face Sol.
“Sire what…” Drew asked as he suddenly rose up, trying to stop his charge from approaching the hellish creature.
Sol though ignored him, pulling away from Drew he continued to approach.
Coming to stand before Erik, he too then kneeled.
Erik’s hand then waved across, suddenly sending the table flying up into the ceiling. His eyes, gazing coldly at the Black Order then as briefly they faltered.
Yet also stood up, in unison they walked up to Erik…
And kneeled.
“We, as dark lords of Sinbeni, pledge our immortal servitude.” Xavrydar announced, as suddenly each of their draconic features appeared.
Bitterly Azkel then spoke, “I…Daughter of Kurzan, abandon my post as princess and second to my sister Ekzen…And I pledge, my servitude…”
“This is madness!” The bishop exclaimed, “The people will not stand for this sire!” He said, gesturing then at the dukes who lay frozen in bafflement. “Surely the duchies won’t!?”
“Samael,” Sol then spoke, glancing back at the bishop as he kneeled.
“S-Sire?” Sol’s eyes cold and glaring as he met Samael’s.