While the Goddess of Iron Maidens put her hopes in Vel'Asha, that same Vel stood in a colorful flower garden, watching a cluster of Lunar Butterflies in flight. The soft blue rays firing from their wings brightened the Queen Regent's face, making her smile even as she received business news.
"The Knight of Ahriman was defeated and captured by Arminius' Abomination, taken captive by the Co-Regent's forces while Zagan escaped back to the Angra Theocracy. Though on the surface the Seafaring Nations still follow the Angra, they're for all intents and purposes vassals of Astalon," a Yakshini noble gave the Queen Regent the recent news.
Needless to say, Vel could only spy on that event because Mithras didn't mind leaking her the news, a fact she understood all too well.
"Nice. This Co-Regent of mine is…so very nice," recalling how she lobbied Mithras to not fan the flames of war with Akamana, Vel'Asha couldn't help but shake her head, wondering when her dream day of a peaceful 24 hours would become reality.
Ah…youths and clusterfucks.
"Nice? Belphegor di Angra was defeated by just one of his subordinates! How is this nice? Your Majesty…you should be terrified!" But as the Queen's thoughts drifted, Lyssandra, who sat at her left, couldn't contain the mix of shock and terror sweeping through her soul.
Mithras di Astalon was terrifying enough. But if even his subordinates can neutralize the Knight of Ahriman in a one vs. one…who can stop him?
"It's not particularly surprising. The Five Kings were originally top-30 powerhouses of the Mortal Plane. Abominations are much stronger than the Blood Nobles they originate from. The lower the generation number, the bigger the gap. Knowing that, what power level do you think the Five Kings' Abominations possess?
But the Mithras of several days ago could subdue them all singlehandedly. That…is the true terror. Compared to that feat and the ones to come, Belphegor's ending…is nothing special," Vel'Asha replied in a calm and leisurely tone, standing up the moment next. Lyssandra and the nearby Yakshini followed without a word, like docile servants following their queen's lead.
"Talking about Belphegor, his life is rather unfortunate. Naifems being the closest things to perfection, the Weaver always assumed that the day his nemesis returned, it would be as a Naifem. So, that cantankerous old dog went the extra mile to suppress us, cursing and monitoring our race across eons.
Belphegor is unfortunate to be the most gifted male Naifem in the history of our kind, making the Weaver suspect he was the Sun in hiding…the rest is history," Vel'Asha revealed facts that few in the world were privileged to know, making her attendants blink in stupor.
The scenery changed here, with Vel teleporting her entire crew to the sealed laboratory where she conducted her various experiments. For indeed, though Vel is renowned in the Higher Planes as the most gifted Sage in recorded history, it is in the world of genetic experiments that she found her vocation—a vocation she mastered and transcended to produce mind-bending results.
The finest creation to date emerged from the ground: a dark crystal spire that shimmered with astronomical reserves of divine power.
The moment their eyes landed on that spire, the Yakshini dropped to their knees, prostrating themselves in awe and horror.
Then they realized they'd mistaken one of their mistress' creations for something far more sinister, and their racing heartbeats quieted a little. All turned to the Queen Regent, seeking answers for this…abomination.
"Scared? Don't be. I have always been a rational and methodical ruler and wouldn't do something as stupid as trying to rob the Heart of Malice. This is just a copy crafted by making 6,000 Demon Nobles, 33 Antigods, and a couple Archfiends go through atavisms…and fusing their hearts together.
To that, you add the DNA of the Fylkirs, freely available on the Springtime battlefield, and you got yourself the ingredients for the perfect Naifem booster.
All awfully evil sacrifices, I assure you. No good man was abused in the making of this little treasure," Vel said, her words failing to calm her attendants, who looked at her as if it wasn't their beloved queen facing them, but a complete stranger.
Yes, Vel was an established geneticist with creations that earned her fame from Gods and Antigods. But since when did their queen engage in human experimentation? She even used Antigods and Archfiends for those experiments?
How was this any different…from Grand Priestess Akamana?
Vel didn't see things this way. Science cannot progress without a hotbed of sacrifices. So what is so wrong with using the wicked, the vile and crooked, to further scientific growth? Nothing! There was nothing wrong with this approach! If someone has to bleed for our salvation, it might as well be the wicked!
When Vel'Asha's thoughts reached this point, a blinding flash of golden light erupted from her eyes, firing into the heart-shaped spire, and causing corrupt waves of divine power to flood the Queen Regent.
"So many across the world suffer because of the Weaver's fears. His obsessions rule us all, able to turn our lives into nightmares overnight for nothing but petty insecurities! I am sick of him. He and his chosen all need to die, and if no one else can get it done, I will handle it myself—rid the world of those scourges and regain…my peace.
On the name of Vel'Asha, Blood of Ba'al Agan…and with Bhaira as my witness, I swear not to rest. To put my joy, happiness, and everything aside to dedicate myself to the Weaver's annihilation!
Till the Weaver's chosen have been purged from this world, and that wrinkled troublemaker's head crushed for good, I will not rest! May the Goddess of Iron Maidens become my witness…and bind my soul to these words…in a bond of steel and iron!" Vel'Asha exclaimed, the weight of her words leaving her attendants paralyzed by fear.
Throughout the Higher Planes, it was no secret that Vel'Asha was Bhaira's most favored, so adored by the Goddess of Iron Maidens that she didn't even have to make the Iron Vow to have her name on the List. This enabled Vel to enjoy all the perks of being an Iron Maiden without ever needing to make the pledge.
On this day, however, Vel'Asha made the pledge, tying herself to Bhaira in a bond the Wrathful Goddess would never allow anyone to break.
Why go to such extremes? Because Vel was afraid. Afraid that a certain youth's charms would eventually break her defenses and make her forget herself.
The Spiritual World is just a step. From the moment I mastered my first Divine Secret, my goals have not changed. My destiny to achieve the unthinkable, obtain the Highest Wisdom…and destroy the Weaver! The attempt at love has failed. It is not my destiny...and I accept that fate!
The Queen Regent's resolve returned with unprecedented vigor, and she clenched her fists, conjuring a blast of formless energies that ripped through the crystal spire…shattering it in one rumbling blast!
Blazing tongues of fire coiled up the Queen Regent's form, lighting her eyes ablaze as tyrannical waves of dark and divine energies lit up her body and soul!
"Hadubrangr, the price for letting down a Demon Queen…is always death. I will start with you…and continue my quest…on the corpses of the Weaver's beloved.
That he too may learn to appreciate…the grief and suffering he has caused so many…for his hateful and petty games." Vel's words trailed off, and the broken shards fired into her heart, fusing with her organs as her lifeform state…evolved before her attendants' very eyes.
Meanwhile, Mithras had finally gotten a grip, pulling away from his succubus of a professor, and sending her home! At first, she refused to leave…then Mithras pledged to hold her naked like a princess while he took her back to Mainyu…and Akamana realized she'd be better off, leaving without disgrace.
And so leave she did, pouting as she strutted out of Mithras' estate, and teleported out of Springtime City.
The Second Secret kicked in here, and with a burst of Quantum Tunneling, Akamana landed before an ancient ebony palace, with spiked crystal towers that reflected the sanguine demonic faces floating in the sky.
Akamana headed straight to the throne room, and as the Grand Priestess was returning home, Mithras noticed two little items missing from his spatial ring!
Akamana's lips curled into an impish smirk, her pharaonic dress shifting to Mithras' Royal Shadow robe as she waltzed into her throne room.
"Ahhh...I am...so happy!" The Grand Priestess twirled a little, spinning as she threw herself into her dark-gold seat, and swooned like a spoiled brat before a pile of candy bars.
"Hohoho! A bit too much, I'd say. Didn't expect that becoming a woman would have such an impact on you," a shrill voice boomed within the throne room, followed by a twister of darkness that marked the arrival of Akamana's new top general:
The Undead King...Zagan!