Algor La Persei
In the middle of the ballroom inside a space covered by artifacts [Obice] was a dark magic circle drawn on the ground around it shone candles that were lit by black flames. It was filled with mysterious symbols that radiated ominous light.
6 people were kneeling around the magic circle with their hands tied by a black rope made of magic. Few of them were crying with expressions of terror on their faces. They knew their fate since they were chosen as sacrifices for this ritual.
Richard Dolion stood in the middle of the magic circle reciting incantations from the dark grimoire. An unholy item that was bestowed upon him by Archbishop himself.
Other mages with black robes were behind people that were chosen as sacrifices, repeating after him silently.
"Te invoco a profundus inferni..."
(From the deepest hell I summon thee...)
"Accipe munera ab indigno servo"
(Please accept gifts from this unworthy servant)
"Honora nos praesentia tua....."
..........
After he read the last sentence written in the book, the circle started reacting and the symbols inside were shaking like hungry beasts that want to devour everything in their way.
Dolion showed a satisfied smile and took out one item after another. Each of the items was incredibly rare and one could even build land and a decent mansion if he sold even the cheapest one of them.
"Horn of Bicorn, the blood of forest fairy, one-eyed rose, trolls testicles, the scale of cursed dragon, a leaf from plague forest,..."
He was throwing one after another and the magic circle devoured it all as if it had no limits. Even after he threw the last item inside, the magic circle showed no change or sign of satisfaction.
"It's their turn to fulfill their purpose.."
At his order mage took out black knives and put them on their necks.
"P-please marquess Dolion I-I will give y-you everything ...so please spare me...You don´t h-have wife d-do you??!! I will let you do anything with my body!!!" The woman, viscount tom's wife, desperately screamed, tore her dress, and exposed her naked body. There was no sign of her former self, a dignified prideful woman that was called a hunter in a noble society by other wives, due to her "hobbies" that involved young innocent boys and commoners that were promptly disposed of by her when she got bored was now kneeling like a pig waiting for slaughter.
Dolion obviously knew about this rumor just like everyone else and chose her and others because of this, tainted souls like hers are most delicious for demons.
He ignored her pleas for help and gave the signal to the black mage to start, they simultaneously slit their throats and threw their corpses inside a magic circle, their blood started filling the lines of the magic circle and their bodies were mercilessly devoured, with the final sacrifice symbols calmed down and magic circle started changing..New symbols were added and lines in the center were bloody red.
"Only last step remains, we need to fill it with adequate mana...our dream is closer than ever" Dolion whispered silently,
He shifted his attention to his right where he felt that someone was trying to enter the space protected by a magic artifact that is directly connected to him. After confirming it was only Bonnet whose role was to take care of knights and everyone that tried to resist they created the doors for him and black mages following him.
"You excellency, I report that we subdued all the soldiers and nobles that were trying to escape including servants," Bonnet said as he fell on one knee and bowed his head
Dolin raised his eyebrow in surprise.
"That easily? Even though most of the soldiers were stationed outside the mansion there were still some strong knights that remained...I expected it would take more time"
"That is..." Bonnet paused for a second and added " Most of the knights surrendered on the order of master knight Antony that is here to protect the daughter of Count Hemlock.."
Dolson's eyes sharpened when he heard it. He couldn´t believe that knights would give up simply because of an order given by 4-star knights. They were indeed impressive and respected but not enough to make knights break the code that they are so proud of.
"Did you notice anything suspicious in their behavior or the way that knight surrendered?"
Bonnet was for a while silent as if he was trying to remember anything but in the end, shook his head.
"No your excellency there was nothing I could remember"
"Mmm if they are properly restricted by mages we can turn the artifact off...I should preserve mana to complete the ritual."Dolion walked near the magic circle where was a small cube made from black material floating above the ground, there was dense energy around it that prevented anyone other than its master from touching it and deactivating it. He touched the cube in the center which made it slowly fall to his hand revealing their presence to everyone because the barrier that made them invisible and prevented anyone unwanted from entering fell.
He walked over to the nobles that were all grouped inside the circle created by black mages. Most of them had their hands tied with black ropes. The knights and everyone that had some combat ability were in a different circle that had more mages around it.
When they saw Marquess Dolion small ray of hope shone in their hearts but that ray dissipated when they noticed his attire. He wore a similar black robe to other black mages with one difference, his robe was more extravagant with a golden lining.
His cold gaze was scanning the room, his gaze stopped on the man that was dressed in a butter suit. Like him, it was dirty and torn in some places as a result of battles.
He was glaring at him and releasing his killing intent to the fullest obviously without any fear of consequences that could follow.
"Why did you betray your kingdom? Your people? Place where you were born,..where your daughter was born.."The butler asked angrily
"And died..."Dolion added
He walked closer to the man, but only the circle created by his subordinate was separating them.
"I saved this place, help build this kingdom... just to be thrown out like a rusty sword that has no longer use..." Dolion angrily said
His old face was full of wrinkles that were like scars left by time distorted with anger.
"If the kingdom never abandoned me, none of this would happen now maybe it would happen it was inevitable...now it's too late to regret...and I found new purpose....new path"
Nobles that were listening to them really lost all hope, deep in their hearts they hoped that the marquess would reveal that everything was only a joke and they would all drink and eat to the morning laughing at this, but that was only their escape from reality Seeing his face made them all woke up to cruel truth.
"Killing innocent people won´t solve anything!!!It's not a way...you who lost people precious to you should know better than anybody here! " only one that had not given up yet shouted.
Cleo and Antony were surprised to see Eric screaming. From what they saw he was always acting like a true gentleman, always wearing a natural gentle smile and remaining calm amid the massacre that was happening.
Seeing veins showing on his forehead with a red face tainted by anger they could say every word he say was honest from his heart.
He is truly trying to save the man that betrayed his own kingdom,his gods, and even killed his own people for selfish reasons.
"Mohohohhohoho" Dolion´s unique laught echoed through the silent hall.
He was holding his belly and wiped small tears from his laught
It was a laught aimed at Eric, a laught that mocked his words
"I nor any of my people didn´t kill a single human today!"
Everyone except attackers in black robes was looking at Dolion as if he lost his mind
At that moment everyone had the same question in their mind
'Did you really say that while standing in a puddle of blood? '
He was literally standing in a puddle of blood. Behind him was a pile of corpses that made him look even more ridiculous.
Seeing the confusion in their eyes Dalion smiled a little and spoke.
"How can I call trash like them even a human? They are not worthy of being called human...I can sense it even though you act like a mere butler, you are strong..weaker than me but stronger than anyone in this room, and that is not everything you are same like me....commoner"Dolion was directly speaking to Eric who was just silently listening his words
Eric realized while was Dolion so talkative....he noticed they are the same.
"I grew up in streets of our royal capital Malphas...surviving by stealing or begging on the street, it was harsh but I had friends who were same like me...abandoned by their parents due to poverty. We supported each other we were family to each other and there was also girl I loved...wanted to marry"
They could sense deep melancholy in his voice.
"We all had dreams to become mercenaries or adventures when we grew up.....And so we met one nobleman..he came aften and gave us some food..after some time he even decided to took few of my sibling ..offered the job, and he promised to them he will help them become strong adventures after some time of working for him...we were just dumb kids blinded by food, they left with him among them was the girl I loved "
He sat down ignoring puddle of blood and looked into Eric eyes. His expression didn´t bore any emotion but his eyes did. Sadness,Anger,Dissapointment, Frustration,Regret
" Two weeks passed like that...she or anyone other returned from that place...So I decided to visit them on my own...it took some time But I managed to find his mansion. Of course, guards ignored me...no matter how much I begged..in the end, they beat me up and threw me in a dark alley.....when I woke up...I finally met my siblings...or what was left of their bodies...they were used you can imagine how.....and thrown away like some sort of trash.."
His deep voice echoed trought empy hall. Few nobles were covering their mouth in digust but most of them... were surprised as if they didn´t understand what was wrong about that.Because they never saw them like humans. They believed and grew up with the mindset that they are disposable beings same as cattle.
"I killed him with my own hands...Became even stronger...I ended up a noble myself..high-ranking one...I thought I could change them, this kingdom the system itself. So I helped people and taught young nobles that everyone even commoners can become someone great one day...."
"That was only a dream of the fool. After I served my purpose they abandoned me and I realized that to change anything you need more strength"
"Strenght that is far beyond human´s understanding"
Eric who was the whole time silent opened his mouth. He didn´t change his opinion on demon summoning. But he understood man before him more. He was man that lived for others, man with big heart,man that don´t belong to the noble society.
"Demons won´t listen to you...their only joy is to spread destruction and death and they only see humans as food..in their eyes you won´t be any different. Please stop before you step into the path of no return.."
Dolion stood up from the sticky ground.He turned around and walked toward the magic circle. To finish what he started.
"I was walking on that path path for a long time..." with last whisper Dalion gathered all the mana in his staff and send all of it to the magic circle, other followed suit.
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After 30 minutes Dolion and other were still supliyng their mana to the magic circle. Few of his followers passed out due to mana exhaustion, even he felt his hand that was holding staff trembling,his forehead was sweating and he could feel mana leaving his body at incredible fast pace. He will probably pass out after a few minutes but that doesn´t matter to him.
"It here gate to hell is opening!!" he shouted emotionally
"AHHHHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" scream from behind woke him up from celebrating
Behind him were knights that were previously trapped by a magic circle killing his followers one by one clearing the way for only one man....the butler holding daggers wa his him killing everyone in his way...his goal was clear...killing Dolion.
'They didn´t surrender..they were aiming for the moment when we will be exhausted from ritual...' Dolion immediately realized what was happening.
He was forcing his brain to work far beyond its capacity..yet he couldn´t find his way out of this unpredictable situation.
'20 seconds no 15...in 15 seconds he will kill everyone in 15 seconds and I will die too... it's impossible to defeat him in my current state...is this really it? Is this my end?' Fear and feeling of helplessness filled his heart
If he only had a bit more mana....no if he only listened to his instinct and killed that butler sooner...he would have succeeded..
"Dorion...may mercy of goddess Dalia reach you in heaven" the man with the dagger uttered
Dolion closed his eyes.
Prepared to face his fate.
"Teacher please....save this world"
Voice behind him uttered. He looked over his shoulder, where his disciple Bonnet looked straight into his eyes, smiled, and jumped into a magic circle.
Boom!!!
The magic circle devoured the young man, and a pillar of black light rose from the place where the magic circle was piercing a ceiling and the sky.
Due to sudden outburst of energy everyone whatever they were knights or demonic followers were tossed against the wall far away from the center of the ballroom.
Dolion opened his eyes, his vision was blurred and he bled from the head.
Everyone was laying on the ground writhing in pain.
Piilar od dark ominous energy was still there.
It looked almost infinite..wild and uncontrollable.
What kind of monster will come out of it?
He asked himself.
He was trying to focus his vision on the pillar to see...the moment that will be the beginning of the new world.
Light..white light flashed before his eyes and entered the pillar at incomprehensible something he barely saw....
'Huh? what was that? Result of injury?'
Dolion couldn´t finish his thoughts....because the pillar disappeared and instead of a pillar in the middle of the ballroom stood man.
Two smooth black obsidian horns jutting out from the sides of his head.
3 pairs of black wings sprouting from his back
The man no..the demon spoke
"My, my who would think I will return to earth only after thousand years.." he spoke in an aetheric voice
He looked over the whole ballroom seeing corpses and all people present either unconscious or writhing in pain from the impact
Demon's lips curved into a deep smile which revealed his sharp teeth.
"Well, well where are my manners? I should properly introduce myself~" the demon who was probably not bothered by the fact that everyone in the ballroom was laying on the ground said and bowed in an extravagant manner with one hand behind his back
"Under the rule of Demon Lord of Lust Asmodeus...."
"One of only seven dukes of hell"
"Algor La Persei...pleasere to meet you~"
One of seven Beasts of Apocalypse made its entrance.
[Trivia-Because to old custom every member of the Astrape family is named after stars or constellations.]