CHAPTER 96: CHAPTER 95: NEW RECRUITS AND SPREADING NEWS

Whilst Klaire and Kyubi were chatting on Archyon, Nergal and Lillim had moved to Tiamat’s prime world, the same one where Carl had built the hot springs.

"Elementaria looks different from my last visit." Nergal stated flatly as he exited the portal, taking in the sights of the large multi-levelled and almost fully-packed baths.

"That Nergal, is because I have not invited you in some time." Tiamat’s voice boomed as her five heads lowered to him.

"Tia, stop it. Carl sends his apologies for your eyes." Lillim said, not entirely true, but only because he was so short-sighted he wouldn’t have realised his allies all suffered that injury.

"How does he fare? The last thing I saw was his mother losing her arm, I was about to join the fray and then my eyes turned to mist. I assumed it was Dracula’s doing at first."

"He is now the most powerful being in existence, potentially. He has mastered three laws, Divinity, Creation and Change and before you start, they are the laws from which all others are born. Klaire has mastered four having stolen Life and Death from Dracula alongside mastering Soul and birthing a new law called Devotion."

"Fine, I get the idea..." Tiamat’s heads rose to tower over everything. "Hear me my children, from here on in I swear myself to the human Carl and challenge any who are displeased!" Tiamat’s voice echoed across her domain and penetrated the minds of all of her kin.

Within minutes, every dragon of her lineage was present and bowing to her.

"I’m ashamed, I thought at least a few of you would actually revolt... Cowards... Well Lillim, it seems my kin are at his disposal."

"Good, then would you like to accompany us to visit your brother?" Lillim asked with a small grin as she produced a contract and held it out for her.

"Oh, you spoil me, bringing that stubborn fool to heel is the perfect reason to end my bath. As for the contract, I will sign the one my new master places before, not his scheming grandmother."

Lillim sulked as she told her to fall in line and opened a portal over to Bahamut’s realm.

Bahamut’s realm was vastly different, an endless range of mountains veined in precious metals and gemstones.

"If Carl ends up marrying that lecherous fox too, then I’ll send him here for ring materials just to spite the lizard." Lillim huffed.

"I still can’t believe she fell for a human after all those centuries hating them." Tiamat said like a gossipy teenager.

"When did it even happen? I never really saw them together when I peeked in." Nergal asked, genuinely curious.

"When he tried to accept her rage I think, either then or when he made the more adorable fox. I tried to nip it in the bud, but those foxes are as stubborn as lizards with their feelings and desires."

"It might be good he spreads his genes a little." Tiamat teased until a very dangerous aura aimed at her. "Just kidding dear, I have no sexual or romantic interest in such a small creature."

"She may not have any control over her powers yet, but I would trust her to notice such intrusions without fail, I also don’t see her forgiving it more than once."

"Yet she tolerates Kyubi?"

"More like she respects her and the fact she truly appreciates Carl beyond what he can do. I received quite a scolding for contracting the fox to secrecy behind her back."

As they walked through the mountain range, along a path which may have well been a path leading to the throne room in a castle, many dragons plated in metallic and gem-like scales eyed them cautiously and some even flew away to report their presence to the "king".

When one landed in front of them however Nergal didn’t so much as slow his stride before throwing it into a mountain side like a toy.

"Enough! King of the black city, what fouls your mood so gravely?" Bahamut’s voice boomed and echoed through the mountains.

"A worm thinking itself a wall." Nergal’s quiet fury contrasted against Bahamut’s roaring curiosity with calculated effectiveness. "Now why not come and meet us before I take some home for the cats to play with?"

Bahamut appeared as soon as he was able, landing heavily before shrinking down to human form.

"First of all, Carl has me on an apology tour, so sorry if your eyes were destroyed. He became a devoted conduit to the the origin law of Divinity, seeing my daughter harmed gravely robbed him of his mercy."

"Law of Divinity? One of the unknown laws?"

"No, the law from which those two laws originated, though he mastered Change and Creation as well. Klaire has mastered four laws, one of which is newly born and called law of Devotion."

"I assume you are here to seek my fealty." Bahamut said as his eyes narrowed.

"No, actually. I came here to request your assistance healing my daughter, Dracula ripped her arm off and I fear for us all if there are permanent side-effects."

"The mother of demons admitting to something like fear?"

"When monsters like I are pushed too far we burn realms to ash. When good men like Carl are pushed too far, they redefine the word monster."

"There is wisdom in those words... I will come to heal her. Why bring Nergal here?"

"I have come to order you to swear fealty to Carl. If you don’t I’ll kill you and save you the worry of dying when he needs your healing and can’t reach you in time."

Bahamut growled, but what would normally be a dire threat, was little more than the grunt of defiant child to Nergal. "Why would I do as you order? Your betrayal is ancient, but far from forgotten, King of Kin-slayers."

"It’s not my fault they got in my way." Nergal shrugged. "Death is my domain and they tried to trespass against me."

"Will you kill Carl when he "tresspasses" against you?"

Nergal laughed, it was borderline hysterical and saw him double-over in side-splitting mirth. "Kill Carl? If I thought it was possible I would have already. Now his wife has absorbed Dracula’s power and holds power over Soul as well as Devotion which makes her an extension of his power, I think we need to focus on preserving their youthful innocence."

"What do you mean?"

"Stupid lizard..." Nergal muttered as he shook his head. "What I mean, is humans are prone to trauma and personality changes, do you want to see what they do when they become quick-tempered or lashing out full-force from a simple nightmare?"

"I see your point, you think loss would trigger such a thing."

"Of course. Unlike us, they aren’t born immortals. Their innate fear of death will expose vulnerabilities that some will be stupid enough to try exploiting."

"You make a good case and for what it’s worth, I do find the young man agreeable enough, even if he has learned his grandmother’s tricks a bit well."

"Aww, look at the petty little boy sulk about playing himself for a fool. Carl never once tricked either of us, he was sincere and honest from the second he met us, hiding the true value of something is negotiation lesson one."

"Why are you so taken with the boy Tiamat? is it because we share our creator with him?"

"No, it is because I sense in him the hope of a long held wish being fulfilled; An end to the unnatural chaos of the realms."

Bahamut looked into his sister’s arms and huffed. "I hereby swear my fealty to the boy, if only to see his "innocence" preserved."

"Will you sign my contract or will you insist on Carl presenting one to you as well?" Lillim asked, annoyed at feeling like an extra in her own story. A feeling that was magnified by his decision to follow Tiamat’s lead.

"Anyway, I feel this is where I should leave you all..." Nergal said finally. "...I seem to agitate Carl still and I don’t wish to antagonise him at this time. Lillim, might I suggest you send Bahamut to your daughter’s aid immediately, even his healing power has limits."

Lillim nodded as Nergal left, then opened a portal to Haven and led him through to bring Lydia and Alisha up to speed and then she returned to Tiamat so they could head to meet with Gaia.

What they found waiting in the place where the misty village once stood was a home formed from the earth itself, a small child that seemed to be made from earth and a woman of similar appearance at her wit’s end.

The child was throwing a tantrum of legendary proportions, demanding to go see his creator.

"Lillim!? Tiamat!? Please tell me you know what happened! I have been trying to go and see Carl since Rhea sensed something was wrong, looking for him made my eyes explode and that only made Rhea more worked up, I can see the world and the destruction at the place Carl told me about, but no matter how hard I try I can’t open a portal to it."

Lillim moved over to Rhea and knelt down, assuming her motherly demeanour. "Hush little one, your creator is fine and so are all of his people now Bahamut has gone to heal his mother."

Exhausted from the prolonged tantrum, Rhea sank into her and began to doze off in her comforting embrace.

"Thank you Lillim, now what happened?"

Lillim explained the situation, including the apology for her eyes and the impending induction of the twin dragons. "I would invite you to join too, but for now you should maintain your role as a neutral party."

"Agreed, please pass on my best to everyone. I will send some medicinal supplies and also some more of the coffee they enjoy as a reward for humbling that parasite and a condolence package."

"The young ones will greatly appreciate that dirt drink, though the reason eludes me. The faction will greatly appreciate the supplies all round."

Lillim and Tiamat then returned to Haven...