Devourer

Chapter 196: Autumn of Peace

I dove into the lake and immediately felt the water trying to repel me. It was like a force pushing against me. Honestly, I didn’t want to be here either. This place was similar to the Primordial Font. Both the font and the Firstborn hated each other. 

I have always suspected that both Heaven and Hell must have some ties to the Primordial Font. All the ether veins I have found lead to the Primordial Font. It was the way of things as far as I can tell. All power in the world comes from the font, and even when you tear out a piece of the world and stick it in its own private dimension, the font still exerts influence. 

Logically speaking, you can’t keep a world shackled to another using rope, hopes, dreams, and prayers. Since Hell wasn’t a shrivelled-up raisin of the world and the land still had power, the font was still fueling it.

So that brings me to this lake. I highly doubt this was the only link to the Primordial Font in Hell. I sensed traces of that familiar revulsion as I travelled across the various rings. It also lent some context as to why the Rings differed in hierarchy and power. 

This lake was weak, astoundingly so. This place was closer to a lake of pure water than the Primordial Font. However, that didn’t make it any more pleasant. For an equivalent, a human would feel this if swimming through a lake of urine. As for the Primordial Font, it would be like swimming through a lake of rancid, rotting, sour diarrhea that has been left in the sun for a few weeks. 

Yet somehow this lake seemed drained, like something was here and had managed to sap its powers. As for the link there was something at the bottom of this lake and if my suspicions were correct…

There it is…

I approached the strange structure at the bottom of the lake. It was a winding, twisting structure made of the same black metal that formed Mahaila’s strange axe and sword. This metal was no simple thing. Its name was lost to time, and no one knew how to make more, even around the time the Blade was alive and kicking. 

Mahaila told me both her axe and the Blade’s prized sword were made from ancient debris dug out of the base of the world. It was all they could do to reforge the scraps of metal into weapons. Mahaila also told me that this metal was so old that no one other than the ancients knew about its origins. 

This strange winding structure was made of the same metal, confirming that Hell and Heaven were both usurped worlds. Chances are neither the Angels nor Demons managed to sever off their private dimension. They just usurped the world from a dying race and put their own little spin on it.

As I looked at the strange construct I could feel this nagging feeling at the back of my mind. I raised a hand and cast a simple detection spell. I scanned the ether circuits that held this artifact together and I must say I am impressed.

It's unbelievably complex, the smaller runes form other runes, magic circles form other magic circles. The circular winding shape of the artifact itself helps to stabilise the ether circuit. Honestly, it reminds me partly of my own body. The Firstborn essence allows all this rapid adaptation because it can somehow spontaneously reorganise all the ether circuits into a giant cohesive system. When I switch out my arms for claws it doesn’t just change my arms, it actually changes my entire body’s wiring. That was how even when I use an adaptation for the first time it feels like I have been using it for years. Instant muscle memory can be created just by having a highly efficient ether circuit system.

I did a quick archive of the system and put it into the Hive Mind for safe keeping. Instantly the various queens now in Hell all began to examine the blueprint. Judging by the wave of awed confusion emanating from the higher-ups within the Hive I could guess that they were having no luck with it.

It wasn’t really their fault, the sheer amount of information stored within this circuit would be enough to fry the minds of your average human. But that was not the most impressive part, the most remarkable thing was that the circuit wasn’t complete.

This circuit was connected to at least two other points. Most likely one was in Terra to anchor it and the other was to Heaven. From what I can gather from this cursory examination a world cannot be split off alone, it needs another half to be split off to create a type of balance. If the balance ever fails both worlds will come crashing back to Terra in a rather dramatic fashion. 

Which of course opened up some rather interesting possibilities, but who knows what a pair of world crashing back into the home world would do. It could end up cracking Terra open like an egg. At the very least I would expect both Heaven and Hell to be heavily damaged.

It could be an interesting mutually assured destruction deterrent as far as Heaven was concerned. I don’t actually want to destroy Heaven, they can rot in their own little pocket dimension for all I care. What I do care about is my stuff on Terra. So if I can use this to my advantage to make sure the Seraphim stay the fuck away then it could work quite nicely.

I reached out toward the artifact, and instantly, the danger sense in my mind went off like an alarm bell. Well, that wasn’t completely unexpected. It was a world anchor, after all, but there was something I wanted to confirm. If I’m right, this might be the way to find out. 

I decided to spend more time analysing the artifact so that I would better know what I’m stepping into before I proceed.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Fortune favours the bold…

◦◦,`°.✽✦✽.♚.✽✦✽.°`,◦◦

Cecilia got off the bed as she moved a stray sweaty strand of hair from her forehead. She glanced at the bed at the dummy body that Legiana had created for her. It was a soulless body that was controlled by the hive mind and it was built specifically to her tastes. She still used Lily and Balder but sometimes she just wanted some simple quiet simple stress relief. 

Cecilia sighed as she casted a simple healing spell to remove the soreness she was feeling and she headed for her bath. She plopped herself into the water as she enjoyed the steaming hot waters. 

Things were troublesome of late, her friend's absence has limited her ability to manoeuvre. Using false bravado was tempting fate. Plus Cecilia and fate had a rather tenuous relationship.

On the topic of tenuous relationships, the Inquisitors were causing alot of friction. Far more friction than she had hoped. At this point, it was only a matter of time before things boiled over. Cecilia had no idea if this was part of a broader strategy or just typical Seraphim incompetence.

Maybe it was both, the Inquisitors were obviously there to put pressure on the Empire and restrict movements and policies. However, they might be going a little too far. That idiot Uriel still hasn’t figured out she was cultivating a powder keg.

The people were growing more disillusioned with the Church of Order with each passing day. The initial plan was for them to grow indifferent to the Church of Order and for it to fall into obscurity. But now there wasn’t indifference, there was resentment and thinly veiled hostility. 

Meeting after meeting with Mother Justina lent very little results. She was aware of the problem, and she was trying to alleviate it, but it just wasn’t enough. Just last week there was a tavern brawl where some adherents of the Church of Order and the Faith of Unity clashed. All those who instigated the incident were arrested, but she knew punishing either side or both would breed more resentment. So they were all let off with a warning since no one was seriously hurt.

The Serpahim were slowly turning into tyrants in the eyes of the people. As for the ruling elite the Seraphim were becoming out right threats. Sacred Order Churches were monitored more closely, military training now blatantly had an anti air focus. None of these things have gone unoticed by the Seraphim and naturally they were becoming more hostile too.

Even the tavern bards were composing songs that had a rather clear anti Seraphim. 

Speaking of that…

Cecilia brought up an interface built into the bath and up popped up an display showing her military training grounds for her Royal Guard. They were currently looking to expand the amount of elite troops to combat potential “threats”.

Right now they were doing marching drills to train discipline. Elysian martial tradition often included marching songs to help maintain morale. Only problem was that the contents of the song was changing, this was of course due to the bards singing in the taverns that the soldiers liked to frequent.

The songs were vaguely inflammatory to say the least, people were angry and as much as it was gratifying to see the fighting spirit, the angels were taking notice.

Cecilia sighed as she reclined back into the water, her mind racing. It was bloody everywhere, it was too soon, if something happened before her dear friend took Hell then they would lose a significant amount of soldiers.

In a fit of petty rage she slammed her fist into the water splashing water all over herself. 

“What are you thinking about Uriel…” Cecilia seethed.

Cecilia’s hands were tied, she couldn’t back down without looking weak. She couldn’t ask the Syndicate to intensify assault in the north that would only make the Seraphim desperate. She couldn’t ask them to lighten the load either that would give the Seraphim room to manoeuvre.

What’s more the plans for intervention in the east were coming along nicely. If war broke out too early then they would lose a crucial staging ground to advance towards Divonia. The hive was a burrowing hive, a BURROWING hive. She needed them entrenched in eastern Voleria to threaten Divonia.

Everything was progressing too quickly on the Seraphim’s end. That damned negligent idiot Uriel was probably still sipping wine as her people tipped closer and closer to a war…

“Do your fucking job Uriel.” Cecilia seethed as she closed the projection in frustration.

“What is going on in your empty head?” Cecilia hissed. Then she heard a knock on the door. No one was supposed to disturb her unless it was urgent. That was made very clear in the schedule. If they were knocking it means it was someone who worked for her. Which means it probably was urgent.

Cecilia got out from the bath with a sigh as she started casting spells. Her body instantly dried and her clothes flew out of her wardrobe before fixing themselves around her frame. In just a few minutes she was fully dressed, her hair was even done up neatly.

When she opened the door the first thing she noticed was the powerful ether signature emanating from the shadow. Cecilia glanced up and saw Sarana clutching that tainted hand of hers. The angel blood carved into her hand was glowing like a sun.

“My Empress…” Sarana began.

“Come in.” Cecilia said coldly as she turned around without another word. 

Cecilia heard Sarana enter the room and she paused as she watched her enter. The door closed on it’s own behind her. Sarana visibly jumped from the door closing and immediately the twelve Briars guarding her materialised around the room. All of them had their claws out and were staring at Sarana with slavering mouths as they oozed killing intent. 

“Now, are you going to step out of your pet’s shadow?” Cecilia asked. Sure enough, Sarana’s shadow shifted, and a black-robed figure rose out of the shadow.

“Nemesis.” Cecilia said calmly and the white masked figure seemed to smile under her mask.

“How long did you know about my pet I wonder?” Nemesis asked with a light laugh that sounded a little bit unhinged.

“For quite awhile, consider it a gift. But now that you are here I think I will take my spy master back.” Cecilia said as she snapped her fingers and Serana screamed as magic tore the offending hand right off.

Then with another snap of her fingers the hand regrew. This wouldn’t normally work but Cecilia knew spells that could sever ether circutis. So as far as Sarana was concerned she was free of the curse. Cecilia glared at Sarana for a moment before speaking again.

“Get out.” Cecilia said and Sarana whimpered as she ran out of the room. 

“Hmm, I was enjoying having her around.” Nemesis replied casually, she was completely unconcerned by being surrouned by a dozen powerful monsters that would be considered legendary nation destroyers just a few years ago.

“Well you had your fun, what do you want?” Cecilia asked bluntly.

“The Inquisitors. I want them dead.” Nemesis said and Cecilia just raised her brow at those words.

“You couldn’t just send a messenger for that?” Cecilia asked as she stared at Nemesis.

“In fact I would be able to guess even without the message.” Cecilia deadpanned.

Cecilia narrowed her eyes at Nemesis. She wasn’t in the mood for coy riddles.

“Out with it, you have a proposition.” Cecilia stated.

“Direct I see. Well then I shall cut to the chase. How do you feel about having a Syndicate insurgency in your empire?” Nemesis said and Cecilia paused at those words.

“I assume you will be targeting angels and the church?” Cecilia asked and Nemesis nodded. 

“Mostly the Seraphim but yes we will attack the church occasionally.” Nemesis said with a laugh.

It honestly was a good plan. The plan’s merits were obvious even without an explanation. If the Syndicate started doing acts of terrorism then the Empire would by simple necesity be forced to defend those that they attack. Which in this scenario means that they would have to defend the angels and the church.

As far as an outsider was concerned, it would look like the Syndicate and the Averlonian Empire were at odds. This was exactly what Cecilia needed right now. It would solve the other problems, and hopefully, the Seraphim would go easy on her population, lowering the chance of incidents. 

“So can I interest you in a terrorist movement?” Nemesis asked slyly.

Cecilia just sighed as she glanced up at Nemesis. She was going to owe the Syndicate a favour for this. In the Old World favours were powerful things, and it looks like she as going to owe them one. But given the circumstances it was a good deal, she just didn’t like it when people sprung things on her.

At the very least it would torture Uriel… which is a plus…

Cecilia nodded as she looked back up at Nemesis.

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