Chapter 15

On the outskirts of an ocean were millions of soldiers training for battle. This place was the Lord of Despair’s nation. A place once renowned for its dangerous waters. Some of the warriors trained by trying what the locals did to make a living. The locals would ride on massive fishing boats and fish for cursed souls that lurked in the depths. It was a dangerous way to make a living, and the majority of the people who partook in this event ended up as cursed souls themselves. The locals would then sell the cursed soul for cash. This place was extremely wealthy, yet it was known that no one wanted to live there permanently, as it was far too dangerous. Usually people moved to other places in the Underworld after they had sold a few cursed souls. 

In the middle of a gulf was a gigantic palace. This palace had waterfalls running in and out of the walls, and many lush plants were placed in specific spots in order to bring life to the palace. Though, despite its luxurious appearance, the overall aura the palace gave off was one of dread. Inside the palace, in the banquet hall, were the Lord of Longing, Jayin and the Lord of Pride, Tutku. Tutku was the ruler of the gigantic mountain range that surrounded the Underworld’s continent. Despite the company of Jayin, Tutku was only occupied with staring at his reflection in his goblet.

Tutku asked his assistant, “Noir, do you think this armour I’m wearing is suited enough to meet with the Lord of Despair?” 

Noir looked him up and down. 

“I think it looks quite befitting of this occasion, my lord.”

Tutku’s face grew grim, and he slammed his fists on the table, causing Jayin’s cup of wine to spill. 

“Well, I feel this armour doesn't quite fit the Lord of Despair’s essence! You must prepare my onyx armour at once. You will not make this mistake again, letting me leave my quarters in such an imprudent way!”

The assistant quickly left, and Tutku was left with Jayin. The wine spillage was already being taken care of, and the tablecloth was replaced with another. Still, Jayin didn’t waste his breath on Tutku, he knew better not to. Then the grand door of the banquet hall was opened by Lord Despair’s servants. Lord Despair flew into the hall, never once placing her feet on the ground. The Lord of Despair’s name was Amaris, and she was only a child around the age of seven. Her wings were quite small, but still, they were beautiful. She wore a mask that tightly held her lips together to prevent any noise from exiting them. Her periwinkle eyes shed constant tears that never stopped rolling down her face. Her body had become so used to crying that her face no longer became flushed. 

              She sat herself on her grand chair, and an assistant stood next to her. The assistant was shuffling through a pile of paper that had direct instructions created by Amaris. Tutku was fixing his short, spiky hair, not paying Amaris any mind. Jayin, on the other hand, was aware of everything and sat patiently in his seat. Amaris waved her hand, signalling for the assistant to start. The assistant cleared their throat and began, “Welcome to the Land of Despair. We hope that your travels were uninterrupted. We have accepted the war invitations that were delivered by messengers, and thus we have sent our army to begin training alongside yours. We have called you here to discuss our next moves. Lord Longing, would you mind telling us what you have planned?”

Jayin placed his hands together, interlocking his fingers. He stared at Amaris with confidence swimming in his eyes. 

“We will take over all of the realms. Starting with the Overworld.”

Both Amaris and Tutku already knew this information, but still, the thought of taking over such territory made them shiver with anticipation.

“First, we must recruit the other lords that I could not send messengers to. Then we go to the forgotten gate and barge through.”

The explanation was brief, but it was still easily understood. They knew that Jayin must have been hiding other information, but they did not question him. Or at least Amaris did not question.

Tutku asked, “So what does the emperor think of all of this?”

Jayin smirked. 

“It’s not like he has any choice. If all of the lords are against him, what can such an emperor do? He will be overpowered if he dares to disagree.”

Both lords stayed quiet, expecting more, yet nothing else escaped Jayin’s mouth. They both felt excitement run through their veins. Finally, they had something else to do with their lives. Tutku slammed his hands on the table once more and rose to his feet.

“Finally! We can fight again! Just like the First War!”

The fire in Tutku’s eyes grew more powerful, and his hands closed into fists. Amaris summoned an assistant with a quill and paper over to her. She wrote something down very speedily yet gracefully. Tears dropped onto the paper, yet the paper absorbed them, leaving no imprint of rain. She handed the paper to the assistant next to her and they read, “Lord Longing, we have understood that the whole reason we are beginning this war is because you have gained new strength. We hope that this doesn’t mean that you believe you are stronger than us.”

Amaris and Tutku stared at Jayin like vultures. Jayin simply thought, “Of course I do.” Yet he knew better than to speak this out loud. 

He knew that if he wanted to recruit the lords he must comply with their feelings as well. At least out loud, internally was another story. 

Jayin provoked, “Of course I do not. Yet you must not think that you are stronger than me as well. That is something we will have to prove on the battlefield. Unless, will you not be fighting?” 

Both the lord's felt fire rage in their veins.

Tutku eagerly enthused. “Of course I will fight Jayin! Just you wait, I have been perfecting my skills for hundreds of years, waiting for an occasion such as this!” 

Jayin smiled with nefarious intentions, and then the banquet began. Servants brought in plenty of dishes, and before the lords could blink it was the next day. Jayin stood next to Audrey as they watched as millions of soldiers perfected their abilities.

“General Audrey, what was Vita’s state yesterday?”

Audrey gulped as flashes of memories passed through her brain. She kept her composure still, in fear that Jayin would see her weakness, if he hadn’t known already.

“Vita was awake and stable. I left the twin general’s to guard him.”

Jayin nodded his head in concurrence. Then Audrey caught sight of something in the distant forest.

“My lord, I must be off. I just saw someone sneak into that forest.”

Jayin asked, “Will you be alright by yourself?”

Audrey smirked at Jayin.

“They don’t call me the owl for nothing.”

Audrey rushed into the trees and saw a woman standing before a small pond. The woman’s black hair fluttered in the wind, and she stood with the posture of a scholar. Her black and purple dress split at the hip, revealing a leg adorned with hanging jewels. She brushed her hair from her eyes as she turned towards Audrey. Her face uplifted, and a beautiful smile graced her lips.

“Hello, love.”

Audrey was so taken aback that her face grew red.

“Fate? What are you doing here?”

Fate brushed the rose quartz that hung from a necklace with her fingers.

“I’m worried.”

Audrey stepped over to Fate. She stood quite taller than Fate, so she could see her whole body clearly. She began to braid a small portion of Fate’s hair.

Audrey asked, “Why are you worried?”

“A war against the Overworld is dangerous. Many people are going to die.”

Audrey smiled, then admitted, “I think you are the only god who believes that we demons deserve the title of people.”

Audrey finished the tiny braid and admired it thoroughly. Fate clasped Audrey’s hands.

“Please be careful, my dear! Some things defy fate, and I’m glad that you managed to. So please take care of the things you care about, not the things that you stand beside! Promise me.” 

Audrey looked into Fates light hazel eyes. They were pure and made of glass. Audrey felt the soft familiar feeling press against her lips, and then the two stayed for a bit. For their future was unclear to Audrey, and at any moment she could never see her beloved again. Fate pushed off and looked towards the demon filled sky. 

“I must return.”

Audrey felt her heart burst, and she wrapped her arms around Fate and squeezed gently. Fate ran her fingers through Audrey’s amber hair and admired her emerald eyes.

“Soon, my love. Soon all will storm, and then there will be light again.”

Then Audrey fell forward, tripping in her step. Fate was gone, and Audrey was left with only her reflection in the pond. She caught the glimpse of the symbol of an eye adorned on the shoulder of her armour. Her heart squirmed. She hugged her broad shoulders and whispered, “What am I doing?”

Audrey returned to her place beside Jayin. Jayin looked her up and down, then he asked, “Was there nothing there?”

Audrey had never once thought of the reason why Jayin had not seen Fate. Everyone in the Underworld knew that Jayin watched everything, yet never once had he said anything about Fate. Audrey had just noticed this was strange, yet she assumed that maybe a god's powers exceeded Jayin’s, or in better words, escaped my curse. Audrey had always known my importance to Jayin, she was the first to know. The only one to know besides her lord. She was trusted due to the fact that she grew up on the battlefield. Jayin was a saviour to her, and Jayin used this as an advantage. That is why he trusted her with such secrets, because he knew that she could never betray him.

Audrey replied,“No. I must have seen the shadow of a cursed soul.”

Jayin smiled. “Is that so?”

Then, when the sun rose higher into the sky, the lords stood before a gigantic army made of all of their own soldiers.

Tutku rejoiced, “It is time! We will now head to the Forest of Fire, the Land of Rage!”

Then the lords hopped onto their horses and led their army onward. The army travelled past the marshes into a large grassland.

Tutku asked, “So, when is the Lord of Waste joining us? He’s quite late.”

As Tutku finished his sentence, an able-bodied man dropped from the sky and landed in front of the lords. His landing caused the ground to crack. The horses stood unfazed despite this grand entrance. Then a horde of green armour wearing demons flew down to the ground.

Jayin spoke up, “I see you still only have type two’s working for you, Azmaveth.”

Azmaveth stretched his arms and looked towards the lords.

“You already know where I stand, Jayin. Sorry for being imprudent, your majesty.” Azmaveth provoked. “But what is the purpose of a demon army that cannot carry me around?”

Then, at the flick of a finger, a demon from Azmaveth’s army rushed over and let him ride on their back. The demon’s wings were placed under their arms, unlike the usual placement of demon wings. 

Tutku raised his voice, “Oh! You sick fella, you moved their wings!”  

Azmaveth signalled for his army to move in with the other soldiers. 

“Sinners deserve no sympathy. No one does.”

Then night fell on the Underworld, and the army arrived at a wall of a large forest. Every tree was on fire, yet the leaves on them remained. No entrance could be seen, and the fire was too strong to travel through.

“Five hundred go forth.” Azmaveth ordered.

A demon with a face full of fear stepped forward towards the trees. The fire was so strong that it made them choke on the spot.

Azmaveth barked, “What are you waiting for? Go!”

The demon hesitantly stepped into the trees and disappeared. 

Tutku asked, “Where did they go?”

Then the familiar green armour was thrown out, not even a bone in sight.

Azmaveth scoffed, and Amaris flew off of her horse. She took off her mask, and the lords covered their ears. The demons in the army followed the Lord of Despair’s soldiers in covering their ears as well. An extremely loud wail escaped Amaris’s mouth. This caused thousands of fire covered trees to topple over. 

She screamed, “Wake up, Rage!” 

Then a path appeared that spread the remaining trees outward. A figure walked down it. He was burning, not with flames, but with wrath.

He yelled, “What is this? You dare destroy my property?!”

Tutku, Jayin, and Azmaveth stood beside Amaris. The Lord of Rage stood across from them. His eyebrows were knitted together eternally, and his muscles and veins flexed with suppressed anger.

Jayin said, “We are here to recruit you, Ignatius. Join us in taking over all the upper worlds.”

Ignatius didn’t let Jayin say another word and bluntly said, “No.”

The lords were agape, all except Jayin.

Jayin sighed with discontent. “I thought so. You really are the most disappointing lord. You still cannot kill another after you killed your wife, huh?”

In a flash, Ignatius punched Jayin across the face. Jayin only smiled in response. His smile shed no joy, only poison.

“I know what happened, your elders of your tribe told me themselves before you imprisoned them.”

Ignatius screamed, “Shut up!”

Jayin smirked in response. Then he began telling Ignatius’s past, he began shedding light into the darkness.