To her credit, Grayfia was as prim and proper as she usually was, and considering Euclid was present, Rizevan would not be bringing up her voyeurism. The Knights of Hell would keep his secrets and hers, but there is a certain level of disrespect in bringing it up in company like this. His end goal with Grayfia was to have her fall for him. Exposing her like that to Euclid would not accommodate that goal.
''Lord Rizevan, I've just been informed by Lady Leviathan that a meeting of the heirs has been called. Lord Rizevim has deferred to you on whether or not the Great Clan of Lucifer will attend.'' Euclid said after a serving bent down to whisper in his ear.
''Hmm.'' He hummed concomitantly. Letting the matter hang in for the moment. ''So be it. Euclid, please have the Knights of Hell ready to leave. Call upon Raziel, Zaziel, Urthemis, Duma, and Andor. Roygun and Mephisto will remain on hand if we need them.'' He instructed as Euclid stood swiftly and bowed.
''I'll see to it, my lord.'' Says Euclid, departing quickly with a communication circle already in his ear.
Once Euclid had left, he placed a hand on Grayfia's. The way she stilled but did not recoil was telling.
''I wasn't going to say anything in front of Euclid, but I'll say this much. If you're content watching in the shadows that's fine, but you are more than welcome to get a closer view of the action.'' He said with amusement, before his smile turned serious. ''Wear something nice, not quite formal, but nice. Might as well show off.'' He said standing up to get changed himself.
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As soon as Rizevan entered the city of Lilith, he knew something was very, very wrong. But not because the streets were deserted, not because of the visible sense of tension present in the city.
No, the reason he knew something was wrong was because for love of his grandmother's loose cunt the fucking Royal Court was on fucking fire! What the fuck have they done now?
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Rizevan walked through the doors. Not through open doors. He just walked into them and what hadn't been burnt already just exploded.
''Why the fuck is this place on Fire!? What have you done?'' His voice thundered like a dragon's roar. The whole underworld shook.
''Calm down, all we did was what was necessary. Dealt with some treasonous rats.'' Rizevan spared the Beelzebub descendant a glance, raised his hand and disintegrated him where he stood.
''One…last….time.'' He gave the three words the necessary gravity before speaking again. ''What have you done?''
''We are at war, the Pillars have turned on us.'' It was Lord Rofocale who spoke.
Rizevan glowered at his fellow descendants as the small quake became much more violent.
''You Idiots! Do you have any idea what you've done? You've essentially united the entire military we have to use against Heaven and the Grigori against us.'' He spat before shaking his head.
''I will have no part in this, nor my father, nor my brother. This is your fucking mess, so you clean it up. But if I learn any of the Extra Demon Clan's not in the Six Houses has suddenly been extinguished I will kill every last one of you motherfuckers right down to the baby myself and hand the Underworld to the Rebels on silver fucking platter. You will not condemn our entire race to extinction for the actions of a few like you did the Pillars.'' He warned, before turning to Lord Lucifuge. ''Lord Rofocale you have the command. You will lead the Six Houses and Euclid will lead the Knights of Hell, Grayfia will serve as my voice and only she will have the authority to give my Knights any orders. Try to limit the destruction, as we'll need every one we can get against our enemies post-war.'' He said, turning to his Knights.
''Knights of Hell you have your orders, for the Duration of The War I will handle my own protection. Katerea Leviathan with me.'' Katerea quickly stood beside him as he used a teleportation circle and left.
He was not expecting this shit so soon.
Which meant it was time to recall Mordred and send her and Roygun to Zekram.
What a fucking joke…
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Zekram Bael had had an eventful day to be sure. Declared traitor, sentenced to death, survived, rose in Rebellion, uniting the Pillar houses in the process, and now Roygun Belphegor and Mordred Lucifer showed up bearing a message from Lord Rizevan.
He could not support them publicly, but Roygun and Mordred would help them win the war. When the idiots who triggered the war died or went too far, the Lucifer and Leviathan Clans would join them, bringing the Six Houses of Lucifer and Extra Demons with them.
That was reassuring. Lady Mordred said that her father was staying out of the War with his father and brother. But he didn't know much about Lady Mordred's talents beyond the fact that she was an extraordinarily skilled swordswoman who killed Arthur Pendragon after her father slew Lancelot du Luc. Lord Rizevan had kept her in seclusion for the most part.
The real question was how to frame her presence. He could use the fact a Knight of Hell had sided with them as a Rallying cry. But Mordred had been publicly recognised as Lord Rizevan's daughter. He'd have to shovel mountains of shit down people's throats and have her debut happen seemingly as a surprise.
If not for the absurdity of it all and the migraines he'd might've considered praying that this was but a hellish dream.
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Rizevan told his father and predictably he announced he was going on vacation. Razevan of course didn't have a spine and followed him. Leaving Rizevan more or less alone.
Yet as he stood at his balcony, with Katerea having fallen asleep in another room, Rizevan knew that things were close to beginning the rebirth of the Underworld and a brighter future for the Devil Race.
''She deserted, she fucking deserted!'' He ignored Euclid as he stepped in ranting.
''No, she didn't. Roygun was following orders. As was Mordred.'' Rizevan said without turning.
''My Lord? I don't understand.'' The anger left Euclid, replaced by confusion.
''I haven't told you everything, Euclid, and for that I am sorry. But in the fires of this war a new era and a new regime will be ushered in. One without the baggage that is Asmodeus and Beelzebub. You will not speak of this to anyone, because all you need to know is that when the time's right you, the Knights, the Extra Demons, and the Six Houses will leave the fight at my order. You will join the Rebels. Avoid engaging Roygun where possible, and do not inform anyone about Mordred until she reveals herself. Even then, you must act surprised, and you must not engage her seriously. She is still my daughter.'' He said, finally turning to face Euclid.
Rizevan closed the distance, and placed his hand on Euclid's shoulder.
''Come with me Euclid, it's time for you to see the truth.'' Rizevan says, preparing to open Euclid's eyes. He'd take Euclid on a trip.
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Grayfia Lucifuge watched her younger brother as he sat - well sagged was the more appropriate term - into the Chair.
''He told you.'' She surmised.
Euclid looked at her accusingly.
''This is treason.'' Euclid whispered.
''Don't be so dramatic, Euclid. We are from the House of Lucifuge. We are part of the Lucifer Six. We are devils of the first and only Clan spawned by Lilith with a fraction of the Morning Stars true power. Treason is whatever Lord Rizevan says it to be.'' She lectured him, but not harshly.
''You believe him?'' Euclid asks.
''I believe in him.'' She clarified. ''Rizevan is unlike any Devil I've ever met. He is secretive, but he'll tell me the truth if I ask. The fact that he trusted you enough to bring you in on this shows he trusts you.'' Says Grayfia.
''I don't know what to do, Sister.'' Euclid said.
''I know. But Rizevan entrusted his order to you. He entrusted his vision to you. He entrusted his plans to you. You know our words. Lucifuge, Always Faithful. Our Clan has served Lucifer as first amongst the Six Houses for centuries. And like father always says, Lucifuge must stand beside Lucifer always. Our bond is eternal, our loyalty without question.'' She reminded him, and to his credit, the helplessness left Euclid, as he found his resolve.
''Lucifuge, Always Faithful.'' He said.
''Lucifuge, Always Faithful.'' She affirmed.
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Rizevan was in his Forge hammering away as he Forged armor. He had furnished Roygun and Mephisto with sets shortly before the Civil War broke out, and he'd forged seats for the other Knights already. But now, he was forging a new set of armor for himself.
He was preparing.
This armor would help him against the Fly Chimaera. Which was what he was waiting for, it would be the pivotal moment in which the Lucifer and Leviathan Clans would break faith with Asmodeus and Beelzebub. Rizevan might have atomised that one Beelzebub descendant, but he'd been taking samples of DNA from Beelzebub and Asmodeus for years. He was determined to ensure that the King of Flies and Starsend Moment wouldn't die out. And he'd also plundered other timelines, acquiring Asmodeus and Beelzebub descendants in stasis. With luck, Ajuka could clone them in the future and they would then be returned to their times, while the Clones would allow them to pass on the Starsend Moment and King of Flies down the generations.
Until that time, he had a set of armor to finish, though the Sword on his wall was a small irritation. The reality was, that he would never reforge it. The Sword represented the death of one of his first loves. Its former owner, he'd killed in the blackest rage. There was also the other sword he held onto, there'd come a time when that blade would end up in the hands of a legend. Until the appointed time, the blade would remain in the hands of Lucifer…
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(Author's Note:)
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And with that, Chapter 4's complete. One of the biggest issues is that as far as I know there's not a great deal of knowledge about the timeline following Sirzechs saving the life of the Orix Heir and the Devil Civil War.
Anyways, I've got a few things to work on, in the interim I might get one or two long forgotten chapters done, we'll see. We'll either end up doing a small bit of filler with Rizevan traveling to various worlds acquiring knowledge across a handful of Chapters with parts of the Civil snuck in. Or we might just skip to the fun stuff. We'll see. Regardless, I'll see you guys next chapter.
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Very special thanks to Mitchell Howard, David Martinez, ROGUE505 Saver, Mathew T Linderman, Luck George, Kyle Diano, Julien, Morgan Sinn, Tom A, Nicholas Berenguer, Arimar26, Robin Kristiansen, Dragon emperor87, Daniel Setchell, James Fleming, Zero 12995, Rowdy_Rich, Beastmode2003, Birhaledin, Blood For The Blood God, Dymarkus Tillman, Lorra Thorsdottir, Parker Kessinger, Ryan, Jacob Hixson, Kazim Zaidi, Luci Alarra, and Robert Hernandez for their enduring support on P-atreon.
And also a big thank you to Cody, TJ Cruz, Kunta, Availon90, Gavin Barclay, Dragonslayer29, Jacarya Robinson, Nathan Just, Francisco J Guzman, Axlii, Reece Hutton, Ken Harris, Zeldris Wrath, Duy, lonelynib _, Austin, D3EATH707, Cutler1812, Aleksander_402, Lewis Wilson, Profound Magician, Arzard, HxC 740 VxD, Attila Kovács, Ruby Uzumaki, Mudit Chadha, Maciek, Joao Goncalves, Dwhateverprof, Jibreel Kamal, Luis, Luis, Zeca, Bent, Jason, Solus 1994, Evil King, Manuel, Benoit Valtin, Craig Butler, Joseph Brann, Cristobal Ahumada, Nathaniel Lessord, GGbeejee, Trey-Way, FisherKing711, Calvin Ellis, adrian szydlowski, James Lloyd, Ryan, Meet Parikh, Kyle Santora, Toros Silver, Vlone_Icy, reikon aijin, weird song, Cameron Krueger, Nattapat Attachat, Natalie McCowen, and Spencer Davidson for their past support on Patreon.
The next Chapter is currently available on my relaunched and rebuilt P-atreon, to access simply search the following link, but without the dash between the P and A, Two tiers with the same benefits but different contexts. The chapters on P-atreon will be published when the chapters following them are done and dusted and ready to publish over here on this site.
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