38 The Dark State of the Capital

*Warning! Somewhat a dark chapter

The capital of Thesur was a large city that captured a vast land, on its center was the mighty castle that sat still, unperturbed to any weather or to the flow of time.

The entire city was divided in three stoned walls, as one goes deeper the buildings rose in height and beauty. The structures in the inner ring displayed affluence and grace, marbled walls layered with a luxurious paints, well-furnished three storied buildings lined up beside the streets. While the middle ring was filled with decent structures, from casually designed homes hewn from dried clay and bricks, to wooden houses mixed with stones creating a nice, simple home. The outer ring was what everyone would expect, the streets were dingy, stench wafted on the air, one huff would cause a noble man a feeling of sickness. The houses' placement were in disarray as though their houses were piled one after another, basically it was the slums.

To everyone's memories that was the capital, but after the Closure, it all ended.

Few days earlier...

The Thesur's capital have fallen into sadness, a flock of harsh crows circled around the grey castle, its tall steeple pierced through the gloomy sky portrait. Miniature demonic dragons roam free upon the open dark skies. The crows yipped hoarsely blotting the skies, their presence contributes to the ever growing dread the land was immersed upon.

The fallen city became a playground for the demons, they wrecked expensive houses like they were toys, destroying properties for fun. They grumbled as they trot across the streets, dragging severed human bodies as they head to the castle. Red blood were smeared across the stone slabbed roads, what used to be houses were now a pile of rubbles.

Several wheeled cages drifted through the stony path, they were being hauled by demons heading to a certain direction, obviously to the main castle. Inside the cages were mages in shackles, their eyelids were sullen, their hope lost and their throat dry. The only thing they could do was to pray for the Goddess to save their souls.

Inside the castle, under a dark chamber was an old man, his eyes were burning in malice, his gruffy black beard reached his chest, his long hair curtained the sides of his head, reaching his shoulders. The old man stood on a clear, see-through glass, underneath the glass was a wide cavern as wide as the room itself. It was a bowl shaped cavern occupied by fresh red blood, taking up space as large as a swimming pool. The old man's name was Sangurn, he was the fourth Pillar of the kingdom.

The remnants of sunlight that hits the pools of blood, reflects to the room, illuminating the place in sharp, threatening crimson.

Sangurn frowned, his eyes laid upon the blood beneath him. "How many bodies of mages are these?" He snarled.

The masked demon entered the doorway, he cleared his throat before he spoke. "Five hundred Sixty Eight to be exact, Lord Sangurn."

Sangurn seems displeased, his sneer says it all. The pools of blood beneath them hasn't even reached half way yet, to complete Zalgan's revival the entire basin should be filled, until it reached the glass where he stood.

Sangurn then sighed. "Then a thousand mages won't be enough, huh? Whatever, we still have time."

In the middle of the room was a hollow, cylindrical, glass tube that connects from the floor to the ceiling. A faint shriek echoed through out the air, afterwards, from above, blood came pouring through the tube, trickling downwards and mixed into the pools of blood below them. The sea of blood below barely moved a height.

Their progress irked Sangurn a bit. "How's the hunting of the demons thus far?"

"Actually, on one town we've heard that five elites, one middle class and one of our army were decimated." The masked demon answered.

Sangurn growled. "How could this happen?"

"The guy I told you about, and that Light Mage was on that town." Said the masked demon.

Sangurn smacked his raging lips. "Celina huh? That wench is still alive? Didn't I told Gamiz to take care of her, well, whatever, and as for that immortal, we will send the Page Nine to deal with him." Sangurn smirked, he then turned to the masked demon. "Tell his highness we need to summon another round of demons."

The demon paused as he processed his words. "We don't have much blood for that?"

"What about the blood vats next room?" Sangurn added.

"They're for the upper class demon, we can't touch that, they're scheduled to be completely filled five months from now." The demon replied.

Sangurn strokes his long beard, he sunk his eye and stared at the pools of blood beneath him. "Whatever, let's just reschedule, we'll allocate some of this blood to a new demon army and maybe even delay our progress on Zalgan's sacricial blood."

The demon emmitted a dubious snort. "Are you sure about this? The Pages won't be happy when they hear this."

"Tsk, who they think they are? They're so impatient that they want to prioritize Zalgan even though his revival date is already fixed. "

The demon's voice turned heavy, and threatening. "Lord Sangurn, I'm sure you're fully aware of our contract? And that is, you will be given a strong demon army in exchange, Lord Zalgan's revival will be prioritized first. If you won't respect our contract, we'll eliminate you even if you're an assistant of the Ferzillion owner." He spat.

Sangurn glared back to the demon. "Tough talk for a fodder."

The masked demon guffawed scoffingly, his noise echoed throughout the chambers. "Even the strongest of you won't stand a chance against demons my level, you better behave or I'll throw you to the blood pool beneath us." His voice fell into a piercing whisper. "Right, Lord Sangurn?"

Sangurn sneered, his eyes stern and boiling in rage. "You wanna return to Xerdigs, prick?" He clapped back.

The masked demon laughed lightly as though his words earlier were but a jest. "Calm down, of course we still have a contract so we can't help but obey you."

Sangurn gasped exasperatedly, he strutted across the room. "Then, bring that wench here, immediately."

The masked demon nodded and left the room.

The demon crossed the corridor, it was dim as though light has forsaken the area, when he passed by, he often notice several chiseled marble statues on the sides who held might poses, they were from the heroes of the kingdom. There was one statue he recognized, it was larger than the rest and had a taller podium, unfortunately for the hero, he got slain, by their own hands, he remembered it clearly since it happened at the same time when he got humiliated by that blue fire wielder.

The banners hanged upon the walls were already tattered, some even fell upon the floor. The dead halls screamed in silence, only the sound of his clattering steps were left being echoed.

***

Inside a cell, behind the steel bars, was a young woman in her teens, she sprawled limply across the stone cold floor, her face shriveled, her limbs weak and body wilted. Her grape violet hair covered in dirt, her cheeks were smeared in grimy stains and eyes were worn out and half open, desperate for the light of freedom. Her robe and clothes were dirty and ragged, looking like she hasn't changed for days. Her name was Serah, she was the fifth Pillar, after Dersim and Sangurn knew of her ability she was abused harshly for about a week now.

It was inside a dungeon, then the gate swung open, allowing a brief moments of light to enter. Noises of footsteps approached her, then over the steel bars the masked demon came into view.

"Hey, you're needed now." The masked demon said.

Serah crawled, her face written in desperation. She hugged the cold steel bars, reaching out her arm to the demon. "Please I need food."

The masked demon scratched his head, acting clueless. "Ugh, I'll return here momentarily." He sighed then left.

When the demon returned, he hurled a severed human arm and it came rolling infront of her. Her eyes turned hollow and her face hardened from shock, "what is this?" She said with a raspy voice.

"It's your food, eat that quickly and follow me after." The demon said.

Serah gulped, her stomach rumbled loud and instincts kicked in, her arms shuddered as she grab hold of it, then she slowly placed it upon her mouth, she began tearing it apart with her teeth. Tears flowed from her eyes as she chew in disgust.

After a few bites, her stomache swirled in uneasiness, she began to barf upon the floor, and cough breathlessly, after she recovered herself she started biting again.

When she was done, she was guided through the corridor with chains on her arms. The end of the long chains was being held by the demon, she was like a dog with a leash. After turning a corner she entered a room lit up in eerie red, staring below her were a sea of blood that seemed like dark lava.

Sangurn turned around to face her, "Oh, Serah you're here."

Serah's face were stern. Glum and ferocity were written all over her eyes, her lips were blotted with human blood, yet she didn't even care to wipe it away, if not for the shackles she would have charged wildly like an unrestrained beast.

But Sangurn's face only replied a jeering smile, "Nice to see the fifth Pillar once again." He spat.

"Fourth! You and Dersim will pay." Serah growled heavy.

Seeing Serah bursted in rage, it pleased Sangurn a bit. "Well, just wait for his highness, he had the contract."

Foot steps clattered through the narrow hallway, then out came a man who entered the room, his crown distinctly glimmered upon the crimson light. "What is going on here Sangurn?" The man spoke majestically with a trace of displeasure.

Sangurn smirked, he bowed gently, revering Dersim's presence. "Your highness, I recommend we should summon another army."

Dersim revealed himself upon the red pale light of the room, on his right was a messy girl he could recognize, when he eyed her he became disgruntled. "Sangurn, I suggest you should be humane on how you hold her in captive. She's all messed up and close to bite the dust, I can't believe you didn't take good care of the summoner."

Sangurn shuddered his shoulders, sniggering. "Of course, you're highness. It was an error on my part, I was busy with many things."

"Tsk, the most important thing is left ignored." Dersim strutted across the room, his long royal robe draped over his back, its hems sliding across the glassy floor. "So, why do you need to summon another round of demons?"

"To take care of the crusaders, they are quite a nuisance on the western territory." Sangurn spoke.

Dersim rubbed his thin beard, he spaced out, thinking. "I refuse, we have no need to summon another. We are setting our goals to directly summon the upper demons, even if it will take us more time, and besides as I said the remaining middle classes will handle them."

Serah gasping on the corner took their attention. "So Celina is alive? Thank goodness." She said with a slight feeling of relief.

Sangurn snorted scoffingly. "You should worry more about yourself." He then directed his face to Dersim. "So you're highness, what do you say?"

Dersim sighed. "No."

"Your highness, the crusaders will continue to dwindle our numbers, if we won't handle them in one fell swoop, we would continue to lose our forces."

Dersim gulped, he gazed at his palm, then grunted. "Whatever."

The masked demon guided Serah via chains across the room, with a sudden tug she was forced to drop on the crystal floor.

They removed the sealing iron rings on her arms, it was used to stop her from using her magic.

"Cast your magic, wench." Sangurn spat and hurled a cherry colored, round candy infront of her, it richocheted on her cheeks and fell on the glass floor.

It was a drug to temporarily boost her ability, letting her summon massive amounts of demons. It was recently banned due to the fact it will ruin the mages' bodies, sometimes even emotionally. Right now however, she was forced to use it again, the masked demon went close to her, headlocked her then forced her jaws open. Sangurn took the candy, tossed it into her maw, forcing her to swallow it.

Serah's eyes widened, she sneered, power engulfed her muscles, her veins popped up and mana were surging inside her.

She had no choice but to obey, a thought of killing herself often bubbles into her mind. But it would be in vain, since there were demons who could steal her magic once she bits the dust. If the demons were to acquire her ability, it would be unpredictable how her magic would be utilized, at least if she was alive she still had some chance of escaping so that they won't be able to use her ability.

Luckily the demons couldn't afford to let her die either, even if they could steal her ability they wouldn't be able to cast it efficiently as she could in a short amount of time. It took her time to polish it after all. Thus she must hold on before the drug could completely destroy her.

When she dies the demons would resort to steal her skill, and then they'll polish the spell themselves.

She rose her palms then rambled some encantations "Forbidden nature spell, Deep Call!", then Dersim walked and positioned himself close to the center of the room.

Dark and rough vines were conjured from her palms, it crawled like a snake, and went through an opening to the floor, heading to the pools of blood underneath. The vines then fanned out and consumed the blood, causing the sea of blood to slightly decrease in height. Then the mystical vines returned to their floor, it transformed itself into a door way, with a black swirling smoke on its center. Then out came a swarm of demons, marching across the room.

Dersim rose his arm and displayed an insignia on his palms, the insignia radiated bright, compelling the demons to revere in his presence.

The demons fell on their knees upon the insignia's glow. "Tsk, you are the Ferzillion holder, huh? Damn you." Said one demon.

Sangurn trotted to the demons' front. "Well then, we have a business for you." He smirked menacingly.