The Red Courtyard

Clamor and perturbation scattered all across the Red Courtyard. The members of the Asperities no longer want to leave their dens, and are too fearful of the fate they might meet once they leave and encounter their arch-nemesis, the Leader of the Superior Manor. The name itself has become a taboo, a warning of the punishment that the heavens will bestow upon them. Although for years they have fought the Cardinal Manors since their creeping resurgence, the moment they lost the prince after he was taken away by the leader, the executioner seems to have become more sickening, killing tens to hundreds of members of the Asperity Palace every day.

A gathering was called forth by the highest ranking Asperity, and all members stood before the doors of a large ominous red palace. Above them were nothing but darkness and bedrock. The lights they had were the red torches attached to the pillars of the palace and the houses surrounding it. The members of the palace couldn't help but feel uneasy, many of their subordinates died within a span of just a week, and gatherings were happening everyday to announce the deaths of the members who fought against the Cardinal Manors. Though this time, the high and highest ranking Asperities finally joined.

"DISENGAGE!" The armored knight shouted at the top of his lungs.

After a few moments of silence, the doors to the palace opened laggardly with it's movements causing tremor. The crowd moved forward and entered while the man leading on the front silently walked. His thoughts was a blank as his expression.

The throne hall was slowly being filled by hordes of demons. As the crowd grew larger and larger, the heralds standing tall on the choir lofts right and left started orating in unison:

Octavus Dominus mortuus est. Causa mortis: Fulmine ictus.

Nonus Dominus mortuus est. Causa mortis: Fulmine ictus.

Decimus Dominus mortuus est. Causa mortis: Fulmine ictus.

Undecimus Dominus mortuus est. Causa mortis: Fulmine ictus.

Duodecimus Dominus mortuus est. Causa mortis: Fulmine ictus.

Tertius Decimus Dominus mortuus est. Causa mortis: Fulmine ictus.

Mors fulmine icta.

Mors fulmine icta.

Mors fulmine icta.

Mors fulmine icta.

Mors fulmine icta.

Mors fulmine icta.

Mors fulmine icta.

The final oration was finally said, and the doors to the throne hall closed. The loud slam echoed throughout the throne room, signalling disquietude.

"Lorelei of the 13th Domain is dead." the man who led the crowd, Lord Vorax the Gluttony, spoke expressionlessly.

"So far, out of the 666 representatives of each domain, currently there are only 219 surviving representatives, all those who died were killed by the Cardinal Manors or the Superior Leader themselves." a woman spoke, walking forward to stand beside Gluttony. "Lord Lucius. I, Envious Ruby, and my fellow Asperities, would like to ask your permission to be at war with the Cardinal Manors. Lead us to victory so we may end the lives of the resurrected Cardinal Leaders."

Cloaked in black and red, a man of prestige and high status carefully tread the platform before the crowd. He then stood before them with his hands behind his back, staring at his subordinates nonchalantly. "I will not."

Angered by his apathetic response, one of the members shouted loudly as she struts through the mob. "Lucius, this is a crisis!" She screams as she reaches him. "Everyday, we are losing our allies to the Cardinal Manors, how will you solve this problem? We must not let it reach the queen's ears! We are going to be killed if we keep on ignoring that bastard!"

"How dare you talk to my brother that way!" barked the lady who had been following Lucius behind him.

"How dare you all not pay attention to our situation right now, we are losing against the Cardinal Manors and all you're doing are idling, drinking, and doing absolutely nothing to fix this-" before the complaining woman could finish, obsidian, razor-edged tendrils materialized abruptly, impaling her body and extinguishing her existence in an instant.

"218 left!" says the lady as she summons the entities back to her side, leaving the corpse falling flat to the ground.

"Pride!" the large agitated brute standing beside Gluttony yelled.

"Oops! Sorry not sorry!" Pride replies playfully.

The crowd became even more silent than ever. They were drenched in their own sweat and could almost bite their tongue off their mouths just so a word can never be uttered again. The room was filled with anxiety, and none of the members would dare to interrupt the silence.

"Anybody who talks shit about my brother, raise your hand so I can kill you already." Pride continued to jest. "Nobody? Aww, okay then."

At long last, Lucius finally asserted himself. "Conduct yourselves with discipline. The Queen has sent me a message."

The members all raised their heads towards Lucius, cautiously listening.

"She has already acknowledged the threat of the Cardinal Manors, her cries of help have already reached her ears and is eager to return to the palace, but she has something else in mind. To test our strength and loyalty to the Queen, we must rise once more like the olden days of infiltration. Those who are able to bring her the heads of all the leaders of the Cardinal Manors, will be given a kingdom to rule over."

Following the revelation, the crowd regained life and started discussing with one another. And while the vigor was slowly returning, Lucius continues to speak. "With her return, she will conquer this domain and make it her empire, all the kingdoms under her command will then be given to those who follows her request of eradicating the Cardinal Manors. All members of the Asperity Palace are qualified to be the future rulers of the kingdoms, therefore, it is time for you to act against the Cardinal Manors."

With the ever growing vigor, Lucius' voice became louder to completely pull the crowds' ears towards him. "The clock is ticking, let the race to the thrones of the kingdoms, BEGIN!"

The throng exulted with malevolent fervor, unleashing resounding roars and demonic howls.

"The Superior bastard is mine!"

"Dragonfly's head goes to me!"

"I'll have that Magus bitch!"

"The head of the marksman is mine to bring to the queen!"

"That assassin brat will die in my hands!"

Amidst the cacophony of screams, five individuals stepped forward, striding up the platform's stairs. They all stood before Lucius. "It is nigh time to awaken the calamity, the more sacrifices there are, the more powerful the outcome." Lucius said.

"But Lord Lucius, the prince has been taken away. We cannot commence the awakening without him." Envy replied.

"Triumvirate Fiend will handle that." the stoic man standing beside Envy with his arms crossed inserted. "She is capable of such a simple task."

"As expected from you, Sloth." Pride frivoled.

"But if she cannot bring him back on time, I'm afraid I'll have to talk to him myself." Laced with sinister intent, Lucius spoke, foreshadowing imminent violence. "The full-blood moon is about to arrive, we must not waste time. To reach the Firmament Gate, eradicate the existence of the Divine and command all of the domains in Prima Lux, Warden Blossom awaits us. And I'll be the one to make sure to fill this domain with beautiful bloodshed."