Devourer

Chapter 178: Crowfather

“So when will you leave friend?” Cecilia asked as she waved her hand and cast the spell that would unlock the spell that locked our room.

“After we finish speaking to our new acquaintance on the other side of that door.” I said, and Cecilia paused as she turned to look at me. 

The door creaked open and revealed none other than Mahaila standing there in her true form. Her Draconian body was on full display, muscular limbs as thick as tree trunks, large and powerful wings, jaws that could tear most things to pieces and razor-sharp talons on her feet that also looked like they could rend mithril.

To her right sat a figure that was covered in black feathers. Its entire body was covered with beautiful ebony feathers. Its head was that of a raven with four eyes rather than two. The beak was long and curved, similar to birds of prey. From its back, a pair of large black feathered wings was folded neatly. It wore a set of oversized robes made of ornate black silk. There was no mistake that this was a Ravenborn, and the only Ravenborn that was alive was none other than the Crowfather, Phizaros.

He was kneeling in front of Lily, who was seated with a cup of tea in her hands. Judging by how she was laughing before we opened the door, I would expect they were having some pleasant conversation.

Now that we were here Lily immediately stood up and ran over to Cecilia like the little docile puppy she was. Cecilia just gestured for her to leave and she obediently did so leaving us along with a pair of living legends.

The Crowfather, for his part, just continued sitting there as he turned his head to look at us. All four blood-red eyes seemed to cut into the pair of us with the intensity of his gaze. He calmly stood up as he drew a sword, then he stabbed into the floor before it caught alight. Turning into a simple crackling fire, albeit with a sword in the middle.

“No blood by the hearth.” the Crowfather said as he knelt beside the flame, sitting down with his legs tucked underneath him. In a weird, he vaguely reminded me of how a chicken sits on their eggs.

Cecilia took one look at him before approaching and sitting on the floor alongside him. It was a strange sight for an Empress and a pair of living legends sitting on the floor. Well, I sure as hell wasn’t going to sit on the floor, my cushion was right there. I snapped my fingers and the cushion appeared next to the flame, and I plopped myself down onto it.

I saw Mahaila give me a look, and I just shrugged.

“I want to be comfortable.” I replied as I reclined into the cushion.

“Well, that was more humanoid than I could have hoped.” the Crowfather said as he nodded.

“So what do you want to discuss?” I asked as I stared down at the Crowfather.

“I trust you have something of interest for us.” Cecilia stated plainly.

“That I do… your safety,” Crowfather said pointedly.

“The Empire is shaping up to be one of the superpowers in Terra. If they decapitate the head, the empire may fall into infighting giving the Seraphim an advantage. With the Great Beast off on his excursion in the Searing Hells the Seraphim may decide to take advantage. 

Frankly from what I observed, I would not like to see what will happen if you lose your pretty little head.” the Crowfather said as he gave Cecilia a pointed stare.

“I would actually like some bits of Heaven to remain standing when all of this is over so I offer you a bit of security.” the Crowfather said.

“So you are volunteering to be my bodyguard?” Cecilia asked.

“What’s in it for you?” I asked as I stared down the Crowfather, so far there have been no lies on his part.

“Nothing, the Seraphim for all their faults and blind stupidity do not deserve extinction. Which is exactly what will happen if you get assassinated. I act for the greater good, not for any personal benefit.” the Crowfather replied calmly. 

Again no lies…

What’s his game? Greater good? Don’t make me laugh, no one acts like that. If he was that foolish he wouldn’t have lasted this long…

“Difficult to believe isn’t it? Especially for a Firstborn.” the Crowfather said as he narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah no shit.” I replied with a laugh.

“Alright, the real reason is that working for the greater good pleases me. That is all.” the Crowfather said as he switched his gaze to Cecilia.

“Just like how you keep her around when she has long outlived her usefulness. You could have lobotomised her and turned her into a slave. It would make her far more useful to you yet you didn’t. It would certainly be what all the past Firstborn would have done. The king stands alone, that is the rule.” the Crowfather said as he gazed Cecilia as if he was staring at an anomaly.

Hmm, well he was right about one thing. I do keep Cecilia and many other humans around because it pleases me.

“So it’s just a matter of self-gratification?” I asked with a tilt of my head.

“Yes, we are social creatures, evolutionarily incentivised to help each other. The strength of the greater whole grants security to the individual. Just as you are predisposed to devour and consume, we are predisposed to care about each other. I just have a wider definition.”  the Crowfather replied calmly.

“Hmmm, that is something I understand.” I said as I leaned down and stared at him.

“Your terms?” I asked and he nodded in understanding.

“We take care of what we both value most. Your companion will stay safe and secure under my watchful eye. While you will spare what you can of the Angels, for all their faults they do not deserve extinction.” the Crowfather replied simply.

“A peculiar situation, wouldn’t you say? A creature born of darkness fighting for the light.” Cecilia stated calmly.

“No more peculiar than your current situation.” Crowfather stated as he gestured to the pair of us.

“Fair enough.” Cecilia accepted with a nod.

The Crowfather let out a small and weary sigh just like how an old man would. All at once I was reminded that the Crowfather was probably the oldest living humanoid alive today. He has outlived his own species and some of the species that came after. He was older than the Seraphim so he must have watched them rise and now he must watch them fall.

“We Ravenborn were born to nothing, we live lives of asceticism. With my kin gone and most of my closest friends dead or lost on their own twisted paths. I have truly come to appreciate all that exists. Shadow and darkness are merely the absence of light and I who have nothing, wish to preserve what faint light flickers within this world.” the Crowfather said simply as he crossed his arms, his long flowing sleeves billowing as he did so.

“A fanatic then, perhaps an ideologue.” I said bluntly.

“Yes, I hope you can forgive an old man who is stuck in his ways. But most likely this will not be my last crusade, and there is ever more to be done.” the Crowfather said with one more small sigh before looking right at me.

“So what will it be Great Beast? Will you accept my help? You have few other options.” the Crowfather asked as he stared me down. 

I could sense no fear in him, I probably couldn’t take him, but if I sic my entire hive on both of them, I could probably take them out. Malegaros is just waiting for a chance to be cut loose, the chance to fight the Crowfather and Mahaila was not something he would pass up.

He must know this is the case, Mahaila was all too clear on the current status quo after fighting the Briars. Inevitably, my hive will be able to produce creatures powerful enough to kill these two. The Firstborn fell to armies and millennia of preparation. No matter how powerful these two were they were at the end of the day, only two.

“You aren’t afraid of death, nor do you fear pain and suffering.” I stated as I leaned down to examine this peculiar individual. He is unlike anything I have ever come across. The stories do not give him justice. He is truly a specimen unlike any other.

“Death is an old friend, as for pain and suffering we are well acquainted.” the Crowfather said simply and very serenely.

“Alright, then last question, what makes you think you can protect her.” I asked, I knew what Mahaila could do and from what she has said about him, he certainly comes highly recommended.

Still, I wasn’t going to put Cecilia’s safety on the line based on nothing but hearsay.

“A prudent question.” the Crowfather said as he stood up. 

At first, I felt nothing, then I felt searing blood lust that cut through the room. There was a flash of white, and I saw the Adjutant standing guard next to him get cut clean in two. The other three around him moved to pounce sensing possible hostility. He drew a short dagger and thrust it right into the heart of the Adjutant attacking from his right with a surgeon’s precision. As for the two behind him, his wings flared outwards and impaled the pair. His wings crackled with purple energy as his wings carved a meter-long hole through the two Adjutants.

The two Briars next to Cecilia were about to jump in, but I ordered them to stop with a quick mental command. Mahaila for her part was still sitting calmly on the floor even as the body of the Adjutants thudded to the ground next to her.

“Hmm slower than Mahaila.” I stated as I examined his sword which was this long curved blade made of white porcelain of all things.

“My old bones do not work as they used to.” the Crowfather said as he flexed his shoulder as if he were nursing a sore joint.

“Impressive, I see you overcome a lack of physical ability and raw talent with experience and skill.” I said calmly as the Crowfather retracted his wings and the two very dead Adjutants collapsed onto the floor.

“Never was top of my class.” the Crowfather said as he sat back down.

“What happened to no blood by the hearth?” Cecilia asked with a calm tilt of her head.

“I am traditional but not stupid. This was the fastest way to make a point. Those things could probably give Silver Maidens a good fight.” the Crowfather replied.

“Besides, would you have obeyed my ancient laws if it got in the way of what you needed to do?” the Crowfather asked as he gave me a pointed look.

“Of course not.” I replied with a grin.

“Exactly, such laws only have meaning when you follow it. As far you are concerned this is just a cultural peculiarity.” the Crowfather said.

“No, I just felt the sword was kind of cool.” I said as I stared down at the crackling flame surrounding the sword.

This gave the Crowfather pause, and I spotted that all too familiar migraine expression on Mahaila’s face.

“Cool?” the Crowfather asked his tone clearly betraying his confusion.

“Just… drop it.” Mahaila said as she pinched the bridge of her nose and waved her hand as if trying to swat away this conversation topic.

“I see…” the Crowfather said with a tentative nod.

“Alright you have a deal if you are fine with it Cecilia.” I replied, if it wasn’t for Mahaila’s recommendation I wouldn’t have even considered it. But seeing as he helped me with the Vampires I suppose a little trust was in order and besides, we both knew what was at stake. If I lose Cecilia, this world loses… 

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“But just to be clear, if anything happens to her…” I said as I let just a little of my bloodlust leak out. It was something I kept buried, at the end of the day everything knows when something is about to kill them. I instinctively bared my teeth as I felt fire charge inside of my mouth, my claws flexed as if I was about to carve everything in my immediate vicinity to pieces and blue ether bolts of energy crackled along my body.

This was the same feeling I channeled when I really wanted something dead. Judging by how the Crowfather’s hand twitched as if he was reaching for his weapon he got the message loud and clear.

“I would be downright miffed.” I said simply as my bloodlusts in an instant like I just pulled some twisted magic trick.

The Crowfather paused as his sword arm relaxed and went back to his lap.

“I see, I would like to avoid that.” the Crowfather said very honestly. At least he seemed honest judging by his vitals.

“Good, at least we have an understanding.” I said with a nod.

“So are we agreed? I preserve one life and you pledge to preserve as many Seraphim and Cherubim lives as possible.” the Crowfather said.

“You know you preserve one life and I have to take care of what? A few hundred thousand?” I asked wryly.

“About two million according to my estimates.” the Crowfather replied calmly.

“Right and how is this a fair trade exactly?” I asked.

At those words the Crowfather gave me a very knowing smile. It was amazing how ubiquitous that expression was across humanoids, especially given how the Crowfather has a beak for a mouth.

“When I woke up this morning, I was not expecting to run into a Firstborn who implies that all lives are equal.” the Crowfather said and I couldn’t help but let out a loud booming laugh.

“So? Are all lives equal?” the Crowfather asked.

In response I just let out a wide fanged smile, flashing each and every one of my sharp serrated teeth.

Don’t be ridiculous…

Lives are cheap until I deem otherwise…

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