The world rumbled as a purifying sword of light crashed down, but it futilely swept through the air.
'Hmm? Someone who could penetrate my ability to lock spacetime… Is that a legendary wizard or sorcerer?" Rafiniya turned very serious, looking at the uninvited guest.
"Priestess of the God of Massacre, Barbara, greets the Lady of Hope. This person is a follower of our master, so please hold back…" A native maiden wearing the robes of a priest appeared in front of Rafiniya, the holy light from a legendary priest exceptionally obvious as it emanated from her.
Beside her was a devil hunter with thick chains wound around his arms. The man with a dark aura had already caught Anya's arm; he was the one who'd saved her from Rafiniya.
"You… you're from the Giant Serpent Church…" Anya immediately realised the identity of the person who had saved her, a look of hope rising on her face.
"A person who makes use of the evil power of devils…" Rafiniya gazed at the devil hunter next to Barbara. He had numerous little plaits in his hair, and his tan, yellowish skin identified him as a native.
More important was that she couldn't ascertain the strength of his aura. It seemed like she was actually looking at hell when she looked at him!
'A legend! A legendary devil hunter!' Rafiniya realised the identity of this person in an instant. Only someone of such strength could cause her to feel such fear.
Legendary strength, especially with devil hunters, was a qualitative increase in power. Devil hunters needed to seal legendary devils to reach that level of power! This person had legendary power himself, and on top of that he was supplemented by equivalent magic ability! Just having ascended he was equivalent to centuries-old high-ranked legendaries!
Such devil hunters were new to Leylin's armies, having appeared after he took over three of the Nine Hells. Leylin had grabbed a bunch of devils who'd opposed him, using them to have a large number of devil hunters on the verge advance. The only issue was that there were few devil hunters qualified to reach such strength right now.
The person in Rafiniya's way now was someone with such strength, and he was accompanied by a legendary priestess.
"Giant Serpent Church… Do you wish to help evil and go against justice?" Rafiniya looked serious as holy silver light appeared on the surface of her armour. She made a few secret hand signs to the paladins behind her.
"Don't even try to contact New Silverymoon… Did you think we wouldn't prepare for that?" Barbara spoke the language used in the mainland in a very articulate manner. Knowledge of all languages was an essential ability for priests.
"I've already altered the space here. Forget signals for help, even the power of faith will be slowed down…" The paladins' expressions quickly changed, as if to accentuate her words. One of them pulled Rafiniya aside, whispering something to her that caused this legendary paladin to turn grim.
Hellfire! Claws of Confinement!
Large numbers of dark figures emerged from the surrounding forest, terrifying devil spells being launched from them. Even the celestial horses didn't dare to touch the blazing hellfire, and the paladins who'd originally had the upper hand were now constantly being forced away.
"So many high-ranked professionals!" Rafiniya's expression was very dark as she brought up a great screen of light that prevented many devil hunters from attacking.
She knew full well that the only reason she could persist to this point was that the other party didn't want to take things too far. If not for that, she wouldn't last long against that legendary devil hunter.
"Are you declaring war on our church?" Rafiniya questioned loudly.
"Hehe… An accusation like that is rather terrifying…" Barbara sneered, not the least bit afraid.
"Rafiniya… I remember you!" The priestess suddenly gazed at Rafiniya's face, "You were the knight who once followed our master in the north. While his sacred and holy being has cut off all connections with his mortal self, you did serve him at one point. For that reason, you may leave…"
"Hmm?" Barbara's words surprised Rafiniya greatly, especially when she mentioned letting them off.
"Damn it… are you insulting us?" A young blonde paladin's face flushed red, and his neck seemed to bulge as he grabbed the hilt of his sword in preparations for a charge.
"Wait!" Rafiniya easily knocked this young and impulsive kid unconscious, and had an older paladin nearby grab him.
"This was a mistake in my plans. There's no need for more pointless casualties… I brought you out of the city, and I shall bring you back." Rafiniya took a deep breath, "Let us go!"
Even the most zealous of paladins had learnt to compromise. That was a price Tyr had to learn to pay in the mortal world.
"I won't see you off!" Barbara saluted her with a gentle smile, while the devil hunter nearby sneered.
...
"Why didn't you keep them here?" Anya half-reclined on the devil hunter as the paladins left, her eyes on their backs.
The devil hunter completely disregarded Anya's flattering behaviour, causing her expression to stiffen and become awkward.
"We could take them out with our strength, but it would have caused immense casualties." Barbara answered in his stead, saving the situation.
"You're being too presumptuous, Anya!" a stern voice sounded, causing Anya to turn back in surprise.
She saw a white-haired middle-aged man slowly emerge from the shadows, bowing towards Barbara and the legendary devil hunter, "My lords, please forgive my daughter for her ignorance…"
"Father… why are you here?" Anya asked, stunned. This was her father, the master of the Bane Family and manager of the Neon Merchant Group.
"Isn't it all to take care of this mess? Quick, apologise to the two lords!" Fagus glared at his daughter. These were two legendaries, who had a true god church backing them!
He understood very well how terrifying such strength could be. Much more importantly, if the Giant Serpent Church were to be offended, the Bane Family would probably have no place to go in the north or even the entire prime material plane.
"Our Bane Family and the Neon Merchant Group have completely sworn loyalty to the Giant Serpent Church. From hereon, they are our benefactor…" Fagus reminded Anya.
"My apologies, my lords… I… I…" A blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Forget it! Even our master would forgive the mistakes committed by the youth…" Barbara laughed as she waved her hands, "Besides… the reason I did not keep them here is not primarily because she and the master are acquaintances. She is a legendary being after all, and the God of Justice will surely pay much attention to her. Since we've tampered with this space, there's a rather large chance of Silverymoon and the God of Justice's Church finding out the moment a battle breaks out… The other side has already gathered Elminster and a huge batch of high-ranked legendaries. With our current strength, we still can't go head to head with them…"
"That's why we need to leave as quickly as possible!" The devil hunter in command, The devil hunter commander, who had looked expressionless all this time, now spoke up.
"We shall do as the lords suggest." Fagus smiled flatteringly, as if fawning on them. It caused Anya to feel resentful and relieved at the same time. At the very least, the serious responsibilities had been taken over by the Giant Serpent Church and wouldn't be her problem anymore.
"What are you still standing there in a daze for? Pack up, we leave immediately!" Fagus yelled at the servants who had yet to move. Only now did they comprehend what had gone on, a look of disbelief in their eyes as they watched their master.
The events today were too damaging to their mental states. First was the paladins, and just when they thought they were in a pinch that was impossible to escape from their master had brought an even more powerful group that sent the paladins running. The Neon Merchant Group was only a middling business!
In that moment, they began to revere their master. The servants moved quickly, thankfully packing up all the fallen items. Fagus moved forward, taking all the blood essence made of flesh and soul and giving it to the devil hunters.
"The blood essence here is very pure, and its characteristics make it incompatible with spatial items. If it isn't stored in dimensional pouches or other such storage items, it will soon lose its effects. It needs to be stored using blood-traced wood… If not for all that we wouldn't have such problems…" Fagus sighed as he spoke.
"Mm. Let's go!" After everything was collected, Barbara turned to leave, with the father-daughter pair of Fagus and Anya close behind.
The rest of the merchants followed the original route and hastened towards the next town. Whatever it was, they now had no taboo items on them, and would no longer be afraid of any checks.
In the eyes of Fagus and other higher-ups, they had to make the best of the situation. As long as the other merchants could take the attention off them even slightly, that would be good. What happened to all these people was not their problem.
...
Currently, within Leylin's divine kingdom in Baator, the God of Massacre saw an avatar of Umberlee once more. The Goddess of the Ocean had an even denser aura than before, evidently growing more imposing after consuming the divinity of the Sharkmen.
-x-X-x-
"You want to attack Malar?" Umberlee's gaze showed that she was pondering the idea, "We're of the same alignment…"
"But not of the same alliance," Leylin countered quickly, "The two of us work in the same domain, we'll never see eye to eye. He sent his avatar to attack me during my ascension…"
"Hehe…" The Goddess of the Ocean smiled, radiating a crazed aura. She'd always been temperamental, "Good! Since I owe you one, I'll help you."
"No, I think you misunderstand me. I don't want you to help me based on the contract. I just hope that, as my ally, you can stall the orc gods in my stead…"
"The orcs?" Umberlee now felt like it was impossible to make sense of this new god.
"Mm! The enemy of an enemy, after all. Don't you feel like I'm a better ally than Malar?" Leylin blinked.
"Haha… Interesting! How interesting…" Umberlee burst into laughter, the terrifying phantom waves sweeping behind her in the dark showing her power. The blue waves formed a passageway, and Leylin and Umberlee slowly faded away.
...
In the north, within a hidden underground room.
Numerous distorted runes were carved into every corner of the wall. If one took a close look, they could sense the power of blasphemous incantations on it. It was here that Fagus and Anya Bane sat together, discussing matters at ease.
"Father… I just don't understand what we're doing. We might be asking them for help, but we're letting them handle everything that has to do with our family…" Anya's face was slightly flushed. She'd watched her father hand over the business and the secret connections that she herself had laboured over for years, and she could not help but feel her heart bleeding.
In her mind, all of that belonged to her! Now, the Giant Serpent Church and taken everything away without any effort. WIth just one thought, they could easily destroy the Neon Merchant Group and the Bane Family!
"You need to see the facts, Anya. The church would only help us after we handed everything over…" Fagus seemed calm, something glimmering in his eyes, "Besides… attempting to hoodwink a true god's church is an extremely foolish idea. We aren't one of the huge business groups, we don't have the right to be so haughty…"
Fagus' experiences had let him know the terror of a true god's church. Gods never died of age, and very few deities had been killed in the World of Gods, basically not one in thousands of years.
This let the churches live comfortably in the prime material plane. Even if they were exterminated, they could still make a comeback. Compared to the Giant Serpent Church, the Neon Merchant Group was just an ant.
Fagus found his daughter's worries hilarious. The Giant Serpent Church needed his channels and connections in the north, but the wealth gathered by the Bane Family? It probably couldn't even measure up to a palace in the divine kingdom, right?
Besides, the Neon Merchant Group wasn't powerful, they were the party asking for help. Who would dare bargain with the Giant Serpent Church?
"I'm sorry, Father… I was too rash…" Anya now seemed to realise her mistakes. She had acted too conspicuously in front of her father, and ducked her head in shame.
"Mm… it's best if you understand this…" Fagus looked at his most outstanding daughter, feeling that he still needed to guide her along.
The World of Gods was mostly a patriarchy, and the girl child could not compare. However, Anya had just been far too outstanding. If she could find a husband within the family and remain, it would be very helpful for the development of their business.
Fagus hence began to speak, his voice low, "A newly ascended god has vast future prospects. Those who follow a church during its birth will naturally gain great benefits at the end. Look at the top businesses of the mainland, which one of them isn't backed by a true god? It all comes down to the merits they gained when the church was established…"
'Father seems to think highly of this god,' Anya thought. But then she laughed at herself in mockery; which true god wasn't worth the Neon Merchant Group investing their everything?
"The God of Massacre… What kind of god is this Kukulkan?" Anya muttered under her breath, a trace of admiration in her voice. She still revered and worshipped the highest existences of the the World of Gods.
"Be careful with what you say! Even with the protection of the demonic words you shouldn't utter a true god's name without caution. They'll sense it unless you're in a divine kingdom or near other gods…" Fagus immediately looked solemn.
"I understand. My apologies…" Anya covered her red lips as she looked around her, as if afraid that the God of Massacre would suddenly jump out.
"Hehe… A mighty existence like that has millions of tasks to settle everyday. There's a very slim chance of you being noticed… as long as you don't have the worst luck…" Fagus saw how his daughter was acting, and it drew a rare chuckle from him. He finally relaxed, not having noticed the sly look within Anya's eyes.
"I actually do know a little about this existence…" Fagus told Anya, "Do you remember the youngest legendary wizard in the world?"
"Of course!" Anya nodded, "I know all about his achievements… There's also the wealth of the Faulen Family, and the great business opportunity in the southern seas being such hot news. I remembered it all died down suddenly…"
There were too many figurative halos on Leylin's head. Up till this point, he was still the idol and ideal lover of many noble ladies who did not know the inside details.
"He's the current master of the Giant Serpent Church. Leylin Faulen is the God of Massacre!" Fagus stated coldly.
"What?" Anya was now truly shocked.
"He seems to have abandoned his old name when he advanced, coming up with a new one. While this isn't common, it has happened before… The other churches, especially those of the God of Justice and the Goddess of the Weave have sealed up all information regarding him for some reason. That's why many on the continent still can't associate the two…" Fagus chuckled as he revealed an open secret.
"This… this… what great aptitude. Without the remnants from gods of previous generations, he became a god…" Anya now had no schemes in her mind. She felt ridiculously base compared to Leylin.
"The native empire on Debanks Island became a part of the mighty god's divine kingdom, which is why the southern sea fell in trade. It impacted quite a few coastal kingdoms…" Fagus narrated. Even though he was giving her a rough idea, Anya was already shaken to the core.
"The reason I'm telling you all this is to inform you that an existence so mighty and with such talent definitely will have a farsighted goal. Hence, don't try anything and serve him with sincerity. Only then will you gain approval from him!" Fagus finished off.
"Is that why Father handed over all control?" Anya looked like she had understood something.
"Mm. I will also send a few of your younger brothers to the church to study priesthood and learn the ways of the devil hunters…" With a hasty understanding of Leylin's rise, Fagus completely gave up any other thoughts. He knew that any being who could ascend themselves in such a cruel environment was extremely terrifying.
Not only was he more powerful than the others, but his shrewdness was also impeccable! Trying anything with an existence like this was akin to seeking death! Hence, he decided to swear his loyalty. The decision to send hostages basically meant putting everything on the Giant Serpent Church.
Even if their plans failed, the Giant Serpent Church would remain completely safe. At most, they would lose a few external powers. However, the Bane Family would be wiped out completely. On the other hand, the profits coming from success would definitely surpass Fagus' own imagination!
"What should I do, Father" Anya looked at her father, feeling that she still had much to learn. This was especially so in terms of making decisions with the big picture in mind, something impossible for the current her who still worried over the most minor matters.
"Have faith in the God of Massacre and serve him with sincerity!" Fagus answered sternly. "Of course, you'll need some help. I've used my connections to have you stay by a saintess. You'll have to perform well.."
"Saintess… would that be Barbara?" Anya's eyes flashed.
"Yes! She's a saintess that the God of Massacre himself chose, and has a very high position in the Giant Serpent Sect. It's even said that she's more powerful than the other saintesses, and is second only to the pope…" Fagus glanced at Anya, implying something.
"You mean… I have to do anything, regardless of the cost, to gain her favour?" Anya nodded, expressing her understanding of the situation as well as her determination to follow through.
-x-X-x-
The next time Anya saw Barbara, the saintess was casting a heal on an old servant.
They were in a hidden stronghold in the north that belonged to the Bane Family. There were a few powers here who provided servants and slaves to their master, Fagus Bane, and this old man was obviously one of those servants. His back was humped with all the work he'd been subject to, and his clothes tattered.
There was a disgusting stench coming from him, one that almost caused Anya to crinkle her brows and escape. She could swear that even sewage smelled better than him, and on top of that the old man had a few disgusting lacerations on his pus-filled hands that almost caused her to vomit.
The World of Gods wasn't very advanced medically, and most priests only cast divine spells on nobles or high-ranked Professionals. Commoners had to power through sickness, while the wealthy looked for potioneers. But even the potioneers could only brew some useless anaesthetics, or they just used some bat shit mixed with canvas ash to cheat others.
With this old man's lowly status, it'd normally be impossible for him to be healed. He was looking at Barbara with imploring eyes.
"This is from half a month ago. I accidentally cut myself with a stone knife while working, and it turned out this way…"
"Don't worry, the Lord loves us mortals… He won't let you suffer this torture for eternity…" Barbara maintained her kindly smile even while facing such a person, not seeming at all bothered by the smell. Bright divine light was emanating from her hands as a healing spell caressed the wound. The swelling disappeared quickly, and much of the pus was cleaned up before bright red flesh began to emerge.
"All done! However, you still have to keep this arm clean. Don't do anything too vigorous the next few days," Barbara cautioned him.
"Oh… So kind… Thank you, kind-hearted priestess. May I know which god you serve?" the old man asked somewhat incoherently.
"The Lord is the master of massacres and healing. He is the God of Massacre, with feet in both life and death, Kukulkan!" Barbara answered seriously, turning solemn at the very mention of Leylin.
"God of Massacre, Kukulkan?" The old man was slightly confused, obviously not having heard of this name before. However, he soon regained his senses, "Only a very benevolent god would have a priestess like you. Please allow me to donate to him…"
The old man trembled as he took a few coppers from his pocket. However, the coins fell to the ground the moment he spotted Anya from the corner of his eyes, and he trembled slightly.
"Revered Mistress Anya!" The old man did not care for the rolling coppers on the ground, kneeling down immediately.
"Mm," Anya answered reservedly. When it came to a servant who could only spend their whole life in this stronghold and serve her family, even a slight answer was a great favour. However, she quickly caught herself and looked at Barbara.
"My apologies, Saintess…"
"The attitude of nobles towards servants is just…" Barbara shook her head, crouching down to pick up the fallen coppers.
"The Lord sees your offerings," she said as she stowed the insignificant wealth away. She held the old man's hands, "The faith coming from the bottom of our hearts is what the Lord wishes for. Wealth means nothing, all beings are equal in terms of soul…"
"I will arrange for him to be given easier and safer jobs, Saintess…" Anya said immediately after the old man left. At the same time, her thoughts began to run free, 'A kind and benevolent saintess? Good, it's better to deal with people like her than orcs or savages…'
"I'll be grateful, but it won't be very effective…" Barbara shook her head, eyes glimmering with wisdom. It caused Anya to feel like this saintess in front of her wasn't as simple as she seemed.
"We can only do what we can to save the person in front of us today. However, there are far too many people like this where our eyes cannot see, too many. As individuals, we cannot help them all…"
Barbara's eyes glinted, "Of course, it's great that he can get such kind treatment from you. Our Lord often tells us that success is brought about by the accumulation of small things…"
Barbara gazed at Anya with a half-smile, her wise eyes seemingly seeing through everything. "I was notified by chief Fagus that you shall be my communications official here. I will be troubling you from now…"
"No, no… It is my honour to be able to serve the Saintess!"
"Good!" Barbara used a finger to raise Anya's chin. However, she actually seemed a little excited!
"I don't want to stroll around yet, and I'm a little tired now. How about a bath?" Barbara suggested.
While it was strange to have a bath in the day, Anya did not question it. Although she felt slightly uneasy, she brought Barbara to a huge bathing area.
There was a marble statue here, that of a servant crouched respectfully with a vase in hand. Water was streaming out of the vase, large amounts of steam covering the huge, spotless-white jade-like pool.
Barbara's body that was full of youthfulness and vigour disappeared into the pool, before she waved at Anya.
"Come here…"
"Hmm? Me?" Anya felt dizzy at this, but her body still moved forward involuntarily…
...
Having finished the bath, Anya was dressed in a long, loose gown with a few droplets of water on her silky hair. She looked more beautiful than ever, but there was a look of perplexity on her face.
In contrast, Barbara was full of life as she pulled Anya to another area of the plaza.
"Sister Barbara!" "Sister Barbara!" A few little boys who were in the middle of training immediately ran over. At this point, Barbara's aura changed once more, and she was now like a gentle big sister living nearby as she greeted them kindly.
The huge difference caused Anya to feel like she was still in a dream, leaving her slightly confused.
"These are…" she inquired robotically.
"Lost sheep that the Lord's warriors found along the way…" Barbara caressed the head of a little boy, looking towards a devil hunter who was guiding them, "How is their homework?"
"They're doing rather well. These kids can take hardships. Vegeta, in particular, is the most outstanding in terms of his understanding of battle techniques and learning how to read…" Upon hearing this, a trace of pride appeared on the face of the boy who Barbara was caressing.
"You did well!" Barbara's smile grew even more tender.
"But…" The instructor seemed hesitant to speak.
"What is it? Go on." Barbara frowned, but it did not seem to mar her beauty. It instead seemed to compliment her, making her seem more delicate. However, the instructor trembled, as if afraid of something.
"There's a child… who doesn't understand the lessons at all… and has a poor physique…"
Anya understood the situation from the side. The Giant Serpent Church was taking in orphans, nurturing them into manpower in various areas. A child without any real talent would probably be useless in the future.
"What's his name?" Barbara followed the instructor's gaze, and found a petite figure crouched in a corner. It seemed like he hoped to disappear into the shadows.
"Lonce… I think? That should be his name…" The instructor answered uncertainly.
"How can you treat someone you're so unsatisfied with this way?" Barbara glanced at the instructor, "Have Amik come over, your position is being changed."
The instructor didn't dare resist the enraged saintess. He bowed and left without another word.
"Lonce! That's your name, isn't it?" Barbara asked as she walked towards the little boy.
"Y–yes, my Lady!" When Lonce looked up, it was like he saw a being of light. The holy rays emanating from her made her appear elegant and warm.
"I believe you have exceptional talent! Don't mourn for a moment's failure…" Barbara kindly patted Lonce's cheeks, causing the flush on his face to extend to his neck.
"But…" Lonce sounded ready to cry.
"If you still can't handle this, then pray. The Lord will give you courage…"
Lonce gritted his teeth hard. Only by doing so could he stop the tears of shame that were about to surge out of his eyes.
To Anya and the rest, it seemed like Barbara was the perfect saintess. She reached out to Lonce with a glowing hand of redemption, pulling him out of the shadows. The self-abasing boy seemed to grow brighter, with the courage to take on the entire world.
'So strange.. Why do I suddenly think that way?'Anya wiped at her cheeks, suddenly coming to a realisation, 'This power of influence… You've given me an extremely terrifying and difficult task, Father…'
-x-X-x-
Walking on a cobblestone path, Barbara suddenly turned back to look at Anya.
"What's wrong, Saintess?" Anya, who was still astonished at Barbara's display, suddenly felt her heart drop as if she had been seen through.
"Do you know… who those children are?" Barbara's black eyes carried the traits of the natives, but that didn't matter. It actually left Anya wanting to get closer to her.
"They should be the refugees and fleeing slaves from the north, right? It's become common in the past few decades. Saintess Barbara taking them in is an act of kindness!" Anya naturally knew where these children had come from. Refugees and fleeing slaves who couldn't stand the orcs' harsh treatment were everywhere ever since chaos erupted in the north.
Unfortunately, even here they would not be guaranteed a better life. Freezing or starving to death was so common that there were mountains of skeletons at the sides of every road and in the plains.
With the situation being so bad for adults, children were even worse for the wear. If not for Barbara's help, those little imps would probably die from the hunger or cold in the near future. There was nothing wrong with calling her actions kind.
"Yes, an act of kindness!" Anya reiterated.
"Anya… Did you know that the Lord took in a batch of refugees and children from the north when the unrest began? He nurtured them, making priests and scholars out of those orphans… Now, as the grandchildren of these priests return to the mainland, they find their homes still ravaged by war. Things seem even worse than before…"
"Larger families, merchants, and churches would take in a certain number of children before, but now… The market is full. Lonce and the rest have nowhere else to go, and they can only starve to death…" While this was but a simple statement, Anya could see the glint in the saintess' eyes brighten.
"Anya!" Barbara suddenly yelled.
"Yes!" Anya went forward apprehensively.
"Are you willing to change the north with me?"
'She wants to break away from the chaos of war and help the commoners recover?' Anya was shocked, not expecting these desires from the saintess. But another thought occurred to her right after, leaving her shocked. 'Wait… with her status, it could very well be an order from the Lord.
'Maybe… Is a divine battle more terrifying than that of the mortal realm about to descend upon us?' Anya's heart filled with fear in that moment, but she still managed a stiff nod.
"Good! I believe in the loyalty of the Bane Family, as well as your faith in the Lord." Barbara nodded in satisfaction.
"Umm… Saintess, may I know how the church intends to end this war?" Anya asked cautiously.
"First we focus on the trade of sacrifice blood between your family and the Blackblood Tribe. That batch of blood essence will be dealt with…" Barbara glanced over at Anya.
"Does the church know everything already?" Anya's voice showed her uneasiness. After all, not all churches could tolerate such things.
"Massacring commoners, buying slaves to be killed, and pandering to evil gods of other races…" Barbara counted with her fingers as large beads of cold sweat fell from Anya's face, "Any one of those sins is enough for your family to be consigned to eternal damnation. However… thankfully, the Bane Family is still of some use to our master…" The threat in her voice was obvious.
"Yes!" Anya guaranteed, "The family will adhere to the church's instructions!"
"Good!" Barbara smiled slightly, though Anya had no right to resist, "Continue the trade with the Blackblood Tribe. I just need our people to take over…"
"It shall be as you say… But…" There was a rare hint of hesitance in Anya's voice.
"Speak. Is there any issue?" The smile on Barbara's face did not lessen, but Anya could sense the atmosphere chilling in an instant.
"Well… Our family is only in charge of the collection and processing of the blood essence. The main power still lies with a large business. They're also in charge of helping us contact the Blackblood Tribe, and take profits from us in exchange for being the middlemen…"
Anya's words implied that the smuggling into the orc empire had flourished in the darkness of the north. It was such a joke that even the higher-ups of the Silverymoon Alliance were in on the action, rumours abound that Old Mage Elminster had shares in the operation and priests of wealth were acting as guarantors.
"All trade with the Moonwood is controlled by the Blackmoon Merchant Group. We're only wandering merchants…" Anya's lips curved in a wry smile.
"Blackmoon Merchant Group? It doesn't seem to be all that powerful in the north, though?" Confusion shone in Barbara's eyes.
"It's a large business group set up in secret, formed in the black market by offshoots of the other large-scale businesses. It controls over 60% of the trade in the north." Anya's eyes reflected an obvious mockery.
"How gutsy… The queen of Silverymoon really is quite pitiful…" Barbara shook her head. Although she hadn't met such situations in her life on Debanks Island, she still had enough experience to understand a great deal.
"Then… who exactly is it that stands in our way?" Barbara asked.
Anya took a deep breath before spitting out the name, "The master of the Blackmoon Merchant Group, Shadow Hound Gloff!"
"Shadow Hound? What an interesting nickname…" Barbara began to laugh.
"He's always hidden in the shadows, like a hungry wolf not letting go of even rotten meat. Even the savages fear his greed and violence…" Anya's shoulders trembled, as if she had thought up something terrifying.
"How interesting!" the smile on Barbara's face grew, "Help me make an appointment with him…"
Dark businesses like the Neon Merchant Group and the Blackmoon Merchant Group had channels to transmit information in secret despite the surface ban on the Bane Family. It didn't take long for Anya to receive news that Gloff had agreed to meet.
The venue for the meeting was an underground bar. The owner was an intelligent person, and they'd avoided using a place where paladins could find them here. The smell of cheap wine permeated the place, mixing with tobacco and cheap perfume to cause Anya to cringe.
Once they saw Gloff's true appearance, however, even Barbara looked slightly surprised. Anya just cried out in shock.
The Shadow Hound just looked far too powerful. Canines protruded from his mount, and he had a spotted black nose that complimented red, bestial eyes. His skin was bunched together and wrinkly, full of fat and flesh.
'A mixed-blood with a Shar Pei? It's a rare combination too…' Anya thought to herself. Such beings were normally exterminated at birth, and those who even survived were rare, let alone someone growing to such heights of power. There was perhaps less than one in ten thousand who could do so.
"Please sit, beauties!" The rumbling voice coming from Gloff's throat made it seem like he was speaking with his tongue stuck out. Anya needed to spend a great amount of effort to understand what he was saying.
"Many thanks!" she said as she bowed sincerely, but as she sat down she soon felt a disgusting gaze scanning across her. The feeling of greed and lust immediately caused goosebumps to rise on her skin. 'Shadow Hound, the king of rotting meat… This nickname really was created aptly…'
"What is it, ladies? You don't seem quite satisfied with how I'm attending to you…" Gloff gulped down a fried quail stuffed with little mushrooms and spices, the sickly crimson-yellow tongue that was wagging out causing Anya to feel nauseous.
"It's about communication with the Moonwood…" She went straight to the point, forcing down the discomfort.
"So it's about that…" Gloff was still stuffing food into his mouth, and a servant took a large black notebook and began to flip through it in front of him.
"We don't really have any needs in this area now, so the noble merchants will have to wait a while…"
"Are there no other ways? Do you think we could discuss the allocation of profits here?" Anya asked, sounding him out.
"It's not about profits." Gloff seemed rather resolute. He had already finished off all the food in front of him, and a few female fox servants were using white serviettes to wipe his mouth for him.
"But… If Miss Anya insists, we could continue this conversation in private… haha…" The red glint in Gloff's eyes brightened.
...
"Damn it… That stupid hound, swine…" Anya began to complain once they reached the street.
"I do find him rather intelligent…" Barbara pushed at her black cloak, revealing her charming face.
"Saintess, do you mean I should…" Anya immediately felt bitter, but she nodded with difficulty, "If it's for the church, I'm willing to do it…"
-x-X-x-
"Hehe… where has your mind gone to, my little Anya... " Barbara lifted Anya's chin, "The church isn't doing so badly that you'll have to make sacrifices for it yet…"
Anya heaved a sigh of relief after hearing those words. Although she didn't mind such things, it also depended on who the other party was.
"What does the Saintess mean?"
"Though I didn't state my position, doesn't the fact that he didn't seem to care enough to ask say something?" Barbara gazed at Anya with a half-smile, "News of the Bane Family siding with the Giant Serpent Church surely must have spread throughout the north, and he must be unwilling to enter such muddy waters… Besides, their thought process is far more complicated than you'd think. I even suspect that…"
Anya immediately turned solemn. Only now did she realise that, even in terms of the refined war of business, Barbara was no less competent than her.
...
Within the hidden meeting room in the underground bar, the Shadow Hound stood up respectfully to bow to a figure in the shadows.
"Things are as you instructed, my lord, I've let them know it isn't possible and had them leave."
"Mm," a young noble walked out of the darkness. He was dressed in tailcoat and tie, with not even a strand of fiber out of place. He had silver hair and dark green pupils, the arrogance, reservation, and slyness that only nobles possessed shining forth from his eyes.
"You did well. Even if it isn't enough to fool them, we've clarified our stance…" Every movement of the youth was filled with grace, as if he was hosting an important wine reception.
"They have dealings with a church… It's not quite appropriate for us to get involved in this…" Gloff began, but an explosive sound rang out as a cane hit Gloff's forehead. The man began to bleed profusely.
"What a disgrace!" The youth's expression had changed. The smile was gone, replaced by a brewing storm.
"I was wrong, Master! Please forgive me!" How was Gloff anything like the Shadow Hound he was said to be? All he could do was shake his tail and look pitiful while kneeling in front of his master.
"Do not forget your position… you're just a lowly mixed-blood slave. How would you have the right to suggest something to me, the noble Eric?" The youth's expression was full of malice, but he quickly concealed it. Still, Gloff could only crawl in front of him in fear, his body trembling.
"Just remember. Your power, your status; your everything… it all comes from me. I gave you the world, but I can also destroy everything in an instant…" Eric patted Gloff's head in reminder, a noble smile surfacing on his face.
"I will remember it well, Master! You are my everything…" The only thing Gloff wasn't doing to express his loyalty was wagging a tail.
"The Neon Merchant Group is far from enough to fill my appetite. However, what do you think about that saintess? She isn't too bad…" The young man's eyes flashed wildly, and he burst into laughter. His shadow in the wall swayed around, like a demon dancing freely.
...
After following Barbara back to the residence, Anya perked up.
"Here's the information you wanted, Saintess!" She saw the legendary devil hunter that had left such a deep impression on her arrive. He stood respectfully at the side, hellfire sparking atop the surface of the chains in his hands to give him a unique, blazing aura.
"Mm," Barbara nodded as she took a gold crystal from him. Her brows suddenly wrinkled, "You had to attack someone just now?"
"A few high-ranked shadow thieves who were fearless enough to spy on us. So foolish…" The devil hunter sneered, and a few translucent faces showed themselves amidst the distorted hellfire.
'He's profaning souls! That's something only devils and demons do!' Anya's pupils shrank as she shrieked in her mind, but she managed to hide her expression well.
However, Barbara seemed to have sensed her uneasiness. "He's imprisoned them for now. These people will be sent to the Lord for punishment," she consoled, though her words were suspicious.
The devil hunter shot an indifferent glance at Anya, that gaze that deemed her a little bug causing her soul to tremble in fear. She understood well that this was the imposing aura that came from legendary might. If he wished to destroy her, it wouldn't be much different to stomping an ant to death.
Only now did Anya realise how amazing Barbara's kindness was.
"Take note of your own actions. You've frightened my communications officer!" Barbara frowned.
"My apologies, Saintess. I'll be on my way then." Space rippled, and the devil hunter's figure disappeared. He'd served the purpose of demonstrating his strength, making it fully clear to Anya that her family was just paper in front of legendary might.
"If this place was found out and there's people watching us, should we…" Anya cautiously asked Barbara.
"There's no need to move… After all, finding another stronghold will be difficult. With him around, everything will be taken care of." Barbara's tone displayed her absolute confidence. All too casually, she passed the information she'd received to Anya.
"This is… information on the Blackmoon Merchant Group!" Anya's pupils shrunk, feeling like the papers in her hands suddenly weighed a ton.
It implied that the Giant Serpent Church had a huge information network. Uneasiness rose in Anya's heart, fear that her family would lose its use. If that happened, there wouldn't be much time left before they were destroyed.
"Take a look…" the saintess commanded, and Anya read through everything. Her shock only grew as she read on.
'The person in control of the Blackmoon Merchant Group is Earl Eric? He's the grandson of the consul that Queen Alustriel trusts the most?' The news left Anya speechless. Although she knew that the nobility was dirty, the content of this report still exceeded her expectations.
"Such is the nobility. They can betray their own ilk for profit…" Barbara smiled in mockery, "That's not all. He seems rather interested in taking over the Neon Merchant Group… And me."
Although Barbara maintained a smile as she spoke, Anya still felt a chill down her spine. She recalled the shadow thieves the devil hunter had just eliminated, 'He's the one who sent them?'
"Hehe… Foolish mortal, my body, soul, and everything belong to the Supreme God, Kukulkan. Those who dare covet his belongings will definitely be punished, their souls crying…" A sick flush appeared on Barbara's face, causing Anya to shudder.
All of a sudden, Barbara pointed at Anya, "Come, accompany me in a bath."
"Al– alright!" Anya stammered as she agreed, the trepidation rising in her heart mixed with a tinge of anticipation.
...
New Silverymoon, Church of Tyr.
"Captain Rafiniya!" The large, dusty doors of the church opened up, revealing the face of an old priest. He spoke slowly, "Your wisdom allowed you to protect numerous budding paladins. The Lord does not blame you…"
The dim light revealed that Rafiniya's clothing was lined with spikes, and she was kneeling to atone for her sins. She seemed to be punishing herself.
"I have not forgiven myself… I let evil escape my grasp, and the innocent commoners will suffer for it. I have sinned!" Rafiniya looked extremely pale, her eyes sunken with dark lines. The torture had to have been for quite a while.
"The Lord needs you now. New Silverymoon needs you, and the commoners of the north need you more!" The old priest naturally knew what to do to affect her. "The war is about to begin, and the city is in turmoil. The innocent are still suffering, so what are you waiting for? Look at the city, it needs you!
"Besides, shouldn't you correct your mistakes?" The old priest opened the doors, producing a barely audible sound that gave rise to a sense of urgency.
"I've never denied that!" Rafiniya picked up her longsword, and her aura surged with power. Even in the garb of sinners, the captain of the paladins had returned! "I'll uproot the Neon Merchant Group, and the Bane Family… The Giant Serpent Church as well! They'll pay the price, I swear on it!" Rafiniya solemnly guaranteed.
"Very good!" The old priest left in satisfaction, not noticing a dark lustre becoming more distinct at Rafiniya's back...
Meanwhile, in a certain grand residence in New Silverymoon.
"The captain of the paladins is coming out? Haha… good, good! Leak the location of the Bane Family's stronghold to them…" Eric began to laugh crazily, "They dare take the shadow thieves I nurture with so much effort? They must pay the price!"
-x-X-x-
"Young master, this will harm our reputation…" An old butler spoke, his words staggered.
"We're a mighty noble family, our glory eternal. All this filthy business is the work of those under us. Got it?" Eric looked towards the butler with a gaze full of meaning. The man understood what he meant, backing down respectfully as the young noble continued to swirl the wine in his glass. It seemed like he could see those two captivating faces within the blood red wine.
"You shall all become mine! Just you wait…" he muttered pervertedly, and his cheeks flushed.
The news leaks from the Blackmoon merchant Group caused a lot of pressure to fall on the Neon Merchant Group. Under Rafiniya's lead, the paladins went all out to completely decimate a few hidden strongholds. They even managed to find an encampment close to Barbara's current position.
With her church supporting her, Rafiniya had grown more sly and cautious in dealing with the Giant Serpent Church. High-ranked priests accompanied practically every team, and a squad of legendary paladins were ready to reinforce them at any moment. History would not repeat itself in the next encounter.
With the millennia it had spent amassing power, the Church of Justice was just more powerful than the Giant Serpent Church. Tyr being a greater god wasn't the only thing they had.
Anya's face flushed red as she sent an emissary from the Blackmoon Merchant Group away. "It's a show of power! A brazen show of power!" she complained to Barbara, "I'm sure they were the ones who led the paladins here!"
Anya paced around uneasily in the drawing room, "Our location being leaked was just a warning. If we don't agree to their requests, they'll definitely hit us with something more powerful…"
"Hehe… what foolish and ignorant people. They're walking further and further along the path to death…" Barbara put the letter in her hand down, smiling with confidence. "They want to take over the Neon Merchant Group and work together with our church, and they want you to go personally as a show of sincerity? Will I have to go in the future as well?"
"Saintess…" Anya looked hesitant, feeling apprehensive.
"Of course we'll fight back, and we'll fight back strong!" Barbara sounded resolute.
"That's right! Any sinners who have the guts to go against our Saintess must be punished with hellfire!" The legendary devil hunter entered the drawing room, accompanied by Fagus.
"But the Blackmoon Merchant Guild has complicated relationships underground, and Earl Eric is someone of high status. His family can be ranked amongst the top three of the Silverymoon Alliance…" A trace of fear appeared in Anya's eyes.
The Bane Family as it was right now did not have the means to duke it out even with the Blackmoon Merchant Group, leave alone the duke backing it. Without the Giant Serpent Church assisting them in their fight, they would be like little ants.
"That's not all. Eric's father, the duke in office, is a high-ranked legendary," Fagus mumbled seriously. He turned towards the devil hunter, "How confident are you in your chances, my lord?"
It was apparent that Fagus was good at public relations. Even this prideful devil hunter pondered over this seriously, before answering stiffly in the mainland's language, "I'm confident I can kill him, but only if there's no interference. That's pretty much impossible in New Silverymoon…"
"Exactly," Fagus sighed. "Queen Alustriel and Old Mage Elminster are present there, both peak legendary beings with the power of divinity…"
Silverymoon was known to be the place with the most advanced spells in the continent, a sacred land for all wizards. Countless high-ranked spells had been created there, and even many legends had improved their craft. It even included the likes of Leylin! In the minds of many normal beings, the ascension of the young wizard was largely thanks to the great accumulations of Silverymoon.
The power the wizards had accumulated over time caused the Silverymoon Alliance to grow into a terrifying existence. Its numerous high-ranked and legendary wizards allowed it to stand the test of time, being able to hold on in the wars against the orc empire.
Most of New Silverymoon was filled with high-ranked wizards, their combined strength letting them contend even with the avatars of gods. In this light, planning an ambush or assassination was a poor decision.
"Besides, there's no use killing Eric and the duke. Their family is huge, and has organisations all over the continent. It'll only give us more enemies…" Fagus sighed once more.
The duke's family was truly enormous, with numerous hidden branches and powerful beings in their ranks. They were scattered all over the prime material plane. Even if their chief and his successor were killed, they would never give up. Unless they could eliminate the entire family at once, trying to take it on would only result in an endless amount of trouble.
The duke's family was leagues beyond the scope of the Bane Family. But that was only to be expected; after all, the Banes wouldn't be so troubled by the Church of Justice if they had such power in the first place. They would have instead been higher up the ladder in Silverymoon, able to live comfortably.
"You don't need to worry about this issue at all." Barbara stood up, solemn and dignified. A hazy layer of divine light descended upon her, and a mighty existence's conscient began to converse with the saintess. A golden lustre flashed in her eyes, and she turned certain.
She delivered a decree with complete seriousness, "The Blackmoon Merchant Group and the family of that Eric are marching to their deaths. The Lord will completely exterminate them."
The very moment Barbara stood up, the devil hunter had knelt down to pray like a devout follower.
Anya and Fagus were crouched on the ground, their bodies still trembling. They'd been frightened silly by that imposing aura that even dragons couldn't hold a candle to. Just the conscient could cause an ordinary being to bow their head.
After that powerful conscient disappeared, Fagus regained his senses and asked fearfully, "What? Is… Is the God of Massacre descending?"
"That's right! The Lord has already informed me that Eric and his family will be wiped out!" Barbara spoke with conviction. From her point of view, since even the god she believed in had made a prophecy, the family would definitely be wiped out.
'Is this the aura of a god? Even if it's a large family like that in the prime material plane with many connections and legendary beings in charge, with limitless powers hidden in the shadows, wiping them out is an easy task… Right, how could I forget? No matter how generous and gentle the servants of this existence are, he's a powerful God of Massacre…'
An absent look flashed in Fagus' eyes, and Anya's own filled with heat. This was what she truly pursued, power over millions of lifeforms!
...
Outside, Leylin's avatar descended towards the north.
"A land filled with the stench of war, a greater god watching over it at all times…" Leylin's eyes flashed as he understood everything, and he snickered before entering the prime material plane. As a true god, he basically had nothing to fear anymore. He naturally didn't have to keep a low profile.
He spread his senses slightly, and large numbers of golden thread sprang into view. They consisted of strong emotions, the souls of his worshippers forming multiple scenes before him. 'The threads of faith are being managed quite well here. It must be from the impression I left behind at the beginning, and Barbara's hard work…'
Leylin tapped a random strand, and it took him to the children inside the stronghold. A weak little boy was praying to his statue within.
"Mighty Lord of Massacre, I beg you… Give me the courage and strength to protect Sister Barbara!" Lonce's gaze was extremely resolute and filled with determination, "Please, I'm willing to give up everything!"
'Such great awareness… His faith is bordering zealotry already…' Such people were the best of seedlings for a god, ones that had to be nurtured properly. With the emphasis deities placed on faith and piety, every zealot was a treasure.
'Let's see…' Leylin sent his conscient down, scanning through the boy's memories without him even noticing. 'Hmm? So he's related to Blackmoon as well. Eric rendered him a homeless orphan, and now he's a refugee?'
Seeing these dark memories, Leylin poured a trace of his conscient into the golden thread. Lonce, who'd been praying all this while, suddenly felt himself being flooded with energy.
"I am the God of Massacre, the Ruler of Devils and Setter of Laws, Kukulkan! Speak, pious child, what do you need of me?"
The dignity and intimacy in the voice let Lonce affirm that this was the god he worshipped. Realising that a prayer from even the lowly him had been gifted an instantaneous response, hot tears filled the rims of his eyes.
"I see the future. Eric shall wail in the fires of hell in the future, while you will obtain strength to protect hope…"
-x-X-x-
The gods possessed the strength to turn the heavens and the earth upside down. Leylin's divine ability, Warp Reality, made a joke of things such as innate talent or aptitude.
Even as the boy was stupefied, some changes manifested on Lonce's body. Before the youth even had the time to express his gratitude, Leylin's prophetic words ended and he fainted immediately.
The incident caused a stir all around them. The priests saw the imprint Leylin left behind on the boy, and knew what to do next.
'I'll most likely get another zealot once news of Eric's end reaches his ears…' Leylin stroked his chin.
Gods had a myriad of complex tasks to accomplish everyday, and from one point of view Leylin's actions just now were a net loss. However, his worshippers needed a boost in morale from time to time. Since Eric and his family were being destroyed anyway, he chose to reveal his divine presence.
"Let's use their demise to announce my arrival." A freezing radiance was emitted from Leylin's eyes.
Umberlee had put him in contact with the orc gods, and their greater god Gruumsh welcomed his arrival. Though, that being said, the orcs wouldn't reject anyone who wanted to team up with them to fight two greater gods.
However, things were different when Malar was brought up. Gruumsh had an ambiguous attitude at best, expressing helplessness in Leylin's conflict with the God of the Hunt. The most he could do was remain neutral.
However, his reactions made Leylin feel like Malar's relationship with the orc gods was closer than his.
However, that was quite easy to understand. The orc and beast gods were of the same faction, and there was an intrinsic foundation for their cooperation. Malar had been a longtime ally, and he would be more reliable than a stranger like Leylin. However, these gods had misunderstood Leylin's thoughts. Malar didn't qualify to be Leylin's enemy. He was mere prey, and not something he paid any mind to.
Leylin's gaze instead pierced through space, entering New Silverymoon, 'Ignorant plebeian, you dare eye my property!'
The body and soul of a saintess were the personal property of the deity they served, and this was true across all alignments and churches. Eric daring to harbour thoughts of defiling Barbara was blasphemy!
Leylin hadn't found a suitable opportunity to establish his presence and dignity before, but Eric had now come knocking on his door. Wasn't it akin to committing suicide? Even with all its legendaries and hidden branches, the dukedom was just a bunch of ants in the eyes of a god.
"Well, it's about time to let my main body through, so I'll need some test subjects as well…" Leylin smiled, as if seeing the fall of Eric's house.
.
...
Earl Eric had no idea of this star of death shining brightly over his house, and his high spirits hadn't been dampened in the least. His malicious schemes and plans had led Rafiniya and the paladins under her to clamp down on the Neon Merchant Group, and they'd obtained fantastic results. His rage had calmed down.
'I won't have to wait much longer before Anya comes knocking on my door, do I?' Eric stroked his chin, anticipation in his eyes. He'd been longing for the rose of the Bane Family for a while now.
'That saintess won't be long either… I haven't tasted a saintess yet…' Suddenly, Eric's body seemed to blaze with passion, and a small stream of heat flowed to his lower abdomen.
"My lord!" a voice interrupted just as Eric was about to get some maids to vent his lust. It was his old butler.
"What is it?" he asked with impatience, "Speak!" If the old butler had nothing of import, he would be taught an unforgettable lesson.
"The master is back. He's waiting for you in the study." However, the butler only took a sentence to calm Eric down immediately. It was like cold water was poured down on the boy.
Eric's grandfather was a duke of the Silverymoon Alliance, a legendary wizard who managed the city's consulate. He was on the same level as Old Mage Elminster, the two having studied together in the past. Put bluntly, he was the pillar of support for the entire family.
Eric seemed very powerful as he flaunted his authority, but he was nothing before his grandfather. Just a word from the man would strip him of all authority.
"I… I'm on my way!" Eric straightened out his clothes in a hurry; the duke never liked his descendants being tardy or messy. At the same time, the burning desire in his eyes was replaced by a fawning gaze.
It didn't take long for Eric to stand before his grandfather in the study. The duke had a goosefeather quill in hand, and was continuously scribbling away at a pile of documents.
"Eric…" It took over a dozen minutes for Eric to hear his grandfather's voice, his knees on the verge of buckling. It wasn't loud, but it carried a strange power that caused the young noble to straighten his back immediately.
"I hear you've been quite happy recently, forging close ties with the paladins of the God of Justice. Especially Rafiniya, you've allowed her to gain many contributions!" A hint of mockery appeared in the corner of the Duke's eyes.
"Forgive me, Lord Grandfather. I'm only doing this for the sake of work…" Eric replied feebly.
"Let me make this clear first: the Lady of Hope holds power equivalent to mine, she isn't someone you can covet. Now moving on… Have you been clamping down on the Neon Merchant Group as of late?"
Eric's body trembled as he tried to reply, his back being drenched in cold sweat, "You know, Grandfather… They're fugitives from New Silverymoon, I'm only performing my duty—"
"No matter what it is, stop now!" the duke interjected.
"But why?" Eric felt somewhat repressed. Although he had his own plans when dealing with the Neon Merchant Group, he'd also kept the expansion of the family in mind.
"The Neon Merchant Family is backed by the Giant Serpent Church. One should always show respect when dealing with a god!" Had the old duke known of Eric's lust for Barbara, his words would not have been this calm. Right now, he only felt extreme weariness. His work in the consulate took up too much of his time, and he'd remained stagnant without advancing.
"I've expanded the family enough. We don't need to grow further, we should focus on stabilising ourselves." The duke rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Think carefully about what I said… Do not try to provoke a faction that has the backing of a god! The results will not be pretty…"
"Yes, Lord Grandfather." Eric bowed and retreated from the study room…
The youth only started howling after he'd returned to his own room. "WHY?" he roared like a beast, "When I'm just about to succeed…"
"My Lord!" the maidservant Eric doted on the most ran in, her face filled with worry, "What happened?"
"Who let you in?"
It was then that the maid saw a pair of bestial eyes staring at her, icy and filled with murderous intent. An ear-piercing scream sounded out, but it quickly faded as everything returned to normal...
A hidden passage opened up some time later, and the Shadow Hound Gloff walked out.
"Master…" The owner of the Blackmoon Merchant Group took off his black robes, revealing animal hide and a body laced with fat as he greeted Eric with respect. The corpse on the floor did not faze him at all.
"Hurry and dispose of it, do not let it taint my room any further…" Eric kicked the maid's corpse away, her once soft and supple body already growing brittle.
"As you wish, Master!' Gloff moved to obey. However, he stopped for a moment in hesitation, "Also, Master, do we continue suppressing the Neon Merchant Group?"
"Hmm?" Eric frowned, before throwing a flower vase at Gloff's head. A loud shattering noise sounded, and blood spilled to the floor. "So you got the news too. Well, aren't you quite loyal? Don't forget who it is that reared a dog like you!"
Fear entered Gloff's expression as Eric bellowed in rage. However, the halfblood was instead feeling more misery than fear in his heart. No matter how powerful he seemed in the darkness, Gloff knew he was only a lackey that Eric could dispose of anytime. If Eric grew annoyed with him, he'd end up like the maid in a matter of seconds.
"Of course not, Master, how could I have the guts?! You're the greatest power in my eyes!" Gloff bowed his head and put on a fawning expression. He was almost licking Eric's boots.
"Listen up…" Eric's breathing resumed a regular pace. He viewed Gloff with a higher importance than the maidservant earlier.
"Our plans must go on… Only now, it should be kept secret from the others. Continue with our actions until the Neon Merchant Group yields. Is that understood?" There was no way Gloff did not understand Eric's intentions. However, if he did not obey he would die. The Shadow Hound valued his own life over the duke's commands, so he immediately agreed.
"I understand!"
-x-X-x-
If that legendary duke working in Silverymoon's consulate found out what his grandson was up to, he would probably jail and hang the youth as soon as possible. He might even have blasted him to smithereens with a disjunction spell. Unfortunately, he'd been swamped with work as they prepared for battle, leaving such a huge disaster to go unnoticed.
That was until that day, that is. Warm sunlight was shining down on the north, and a few pure white clouds dotted the azure sky to make it look like velvet that was changing patterns.
Eric was in a very good mood that morning. The pressure he'd consistently put on the Neon Merchant Group had let those fools know to compromise. They'd sent him an envelope through hidden channels, which indicated their resolve was weakening.
He believed the letter would be full of flattering words, leaving a small request at the end and an indication that they were willing to offer something in exchange. Compromises between nobles always went along these lines. Thus, at the headquarters of the Blackmoon Merchant Group, he was reclining on his couch with his eyes closed, full of the pride of a victor.
Gloff was stood at his side like a humble servant, and there was another black-robed person in front of him, "All checks have been performed, there's no problem," he said as he handed the envelope over.
Naturally, Eric wasn't a careless person. The black letter had undergone countless tests before it entered his grasp. This man in front was his most trusted subordinate.
The man had a pair of arms so shrivelled one could see pale bone underneath the skin. His eyes had sunk deep, and there seemed to be no muscle on his face. It was like his entire body had been formed of skin and bone, and he stank so badly of decay that even Gloff seemed slightly disgusted. The man's robes were huge for his build, and a necklace of bone and black pearl flickered with a dull glow as the aura of death and evil spirits emanated from it. This man was obviously a necromancer.
Necromancers liked to play around with bodies and souls, being rejected by the remaining wizards on the continent. Alustriel, in particular, had set numerous bans on them in Silverymoon, making her rule the most severe in history.
"Since Mentor Adas has spoken, it must be true!" Eric said. With everyone else eager to beat them down, it was enormously difficult for any necromancer to develop. Still, as a result, every single high-ranked necromancer was earth-shatteringly powerful. Even if Adas wasn't a skeleton lich yet, he was almost at the legendary realm and his proficiency in curses and spirits left no fear of threat behind.
Eric chuckled as he took the envelope from his mentor, tearing it open. This was the moment he was waiting for; the pleas of the defeated always gave him immeasurable delight.
"This…" However, his expression soon changed. The paper inside the envelope was completely blank, with nothing on it. Eric turned it over a few times to confirm, and a feeling of humiliation surged up within him that caused his face to flush red.
"This isn't even a prank… It's a challenge! A despicable and weak family like that dares challenge me, the grandson of a legendary wizard and the star of Silverymoon? They will pay in blood!" Eric yelled, and viciously slammed the paper onto the table.
"Ma- Master!" At this moment, Gloff suddenly found something strange. A dark green flame had erupted the moment Eric touched the paper, greedily devouring everything around it.
"Hm? This…" Adas quickly made his move, many magic items on his hands flickering as the spells he'd prepared were launched.
Detect Curse, Holy Defence, Armour of Thorns! Numerous layers of light shrouded Eric, and a teleportation light quickly swallowed the mentor and pupil. The spatial transfer took them straight to their residence at the core of Silverymoon.
"We got the right coordinates. Even legendary beings wouldn't dare charge into Silverymoon without caution…" Adas glanced at Eric, "Not discovering this new type of curse was my fault.."
"Please don't say that, Mentor Adas…" Eric was still lenient in front of those with real might. "Without you here, who knows what kind of trouble I would be in now."
At that point, Eric's expression changed, "The damned Neon Merchant Group… They actually dare to use such underhanded means. I won't let them off!"
"I'm actually rather interested in that new curse," Adas caressed his necklace, "It could actually escape my detections… I hope to return and observe the reactions…"
"That's not a problem at all. Isn't Gloff there? He's the best test subject you could have. With how close he was, he must have been affected by the curse as well…" Eric answered without any hesitation, the only emotion in his eyes exasperation, not pity.
"That stupid dog, I'll need to find someone to replace it." Eric waved his arm, and a bit of green light flashed in his eyes.
"Oh! NO!" Only when Adas exclaimed did Eric realise that the green flames had appeared once again, sticking to his fingers like maggots. Thin black lines appeared on his skin, wriggling like they were absorbing his blood.
"How can there be a curse like this? It doesn't make sense…" Adas felt like everything he knew was coming apart.
Eric's yells continued to grow louder and louder, until the green flames were done absorbing his blood and swallowed up the dark lines. They continued to blaze in mid-air, the enchanting fires forming a small portal.
It was a sound that nobody could describe, one that did not exist in the world and was impossible to recreate. It sounded like a roar that possessed all the resentment and hate of the world, like a low mumble from hell that was more evil than the devils and demons combined. It spread out in all directions.
"What- what's happening to me…" Eric grew dizzy, feeling like there was a fire in his throat. His voice grew incredibly hoarse, and he sounded worse than an old bellow.
"You…" All of a sudden, Eric pointed at Adas in fear. The necromancer now had huge tumours growing on his face one after the other, and was becoming obese. Terrifying pus spilled out of the sarcomas, and great corrosive strength began to swallow up his body.
"No...NOOO! I…" Eric looked at his own hands, where abscess the size of gold coins appeared continuously, emitting pus that smelt of decay as they began to explode and corrode his skin. The great pain overwhelmed his senses.
He then lay on the ground, watching Adas who had already turned into bone and could no longer speak. He had once been someone with immeasurable strength, basically a king in the north. Now, however, he couldn't even cry for help, much less decide life or death. Eric could only watch his body be corroded in total despair, his head swelling into a huge tumour. It went out in a loud explosion, thus ending his life of sin.
Meanwhile, everyone in the prime material plane that was related to Eric by blood was startled to find their bodies filling up with terrifying tumours that ate away at them in but a moment.
Within New Silverymoon's castle, Queen Alustriel was gazing at the legendary duke as he made a report.
"These are the logistics of the Nojo defensive line, my Queen…" There were other legendary figures in the hall beside the two, including Old Mage Elminster. They were evidently discussing something extremely important.
The duke looked poised and was about to say something, when his expression changed. His skin turned a terrifying green as a tumour began to grow underneath. It was like a little mouse running around as it scurried around his body.
"Curse!" Elminster was the first to stand up and throw a dispel out. The wizards present here were amongst the best and most powerful in the world, and there were even legendary priests present. Everyone cast spell after spell, as even the duke himself tried all methods to save his life.
However, nothing worked. The rest could only watch as the duke collapsed, crying out in misery.
"A very terrifying curse!" Elminster wrinkled his forehead, using a layer to separate the legendary duke from them. He then turned to look at the duke through the barrier, or perhaps he was looking at the obsidian protection runes on the ground.
"Those are legendary substitutes that can take out any attacks, poisons, or curses in his stead. However, they've lost all effect…" he said to Alustriel. A trace of fear appeared in his eyes, "Looking at the current situation, even a clone wouldn't work…"
-x-X-x-
*Bang!* Under the eyes of numerous helpless onlookers, desperation surfaced in the duke's eyes. However, their legendary might was all for naught as his body suddenly exploded, flesh and blood scattering as the corrosive pus covering the barrier almost caused Alustriel and the rest to puke.
"To kill a duke right in front of us… This is a serious provocation!" A solemn look surfaced on Elminster's face. He was disappointed that he hadn't been able to identify the enemy from the duke's eyes, and soon that solemnity was replaced by infinite fear. The duke was a legendary wizard himself, and he was killed so easily. What about everyone in the hall right now?
"Report!" a high-ranked wizard staggered in, the panic noticeable on his face.
"What's wrong?" Elminster asked with a frown, overstepping Alustriel's authority.
"Earl Eric, Chekov, Viscount Agar, and even Dorwick and Lady Merida… We just received news that they're all dead!" The hall grew completely silent in an instant, and everyone stared blankly at the spot where the legendary duke had exploded.
'That is to say… everyone in Silverymoon carrying his bloodline was eliminated in an instant?' Elminster felt a sudden chill in the air, invading his very soul.
...
"It seems like the bloodline curses from the Magus World work quite well…" Leylin withdrew his gaze. Even those with legendary might could not withstand his rage, and despite numerous powerful existences surrounding him the duke had died. This was the terror of the Magus World! With the extinction of all of the duke's blood, Leylin had announced to the influences and gods with the north that he'd arrived.
...
"This is clearly provoking us!" Seeing the unending stream of death reports from the frenetic city, an unperturbed look appeared on Rafiniya's face. However, this was obviously the calm before the storm.
Everyone related by blood to the legendary duke had perished without reason, and the terrifying sights of their deaths had astonished all of New Silverymoon. Adding up the clones and true bodies as well as the descendants of the legendary duke and his family, there were hundreds within Silverymoon. Furthermore, numerous family members had perished in the sight of the general public.
The disturbance caused by event allowed other villains and adventurers with ulterior motives to take advantage of the situation, causing the chaos to intensify. To Rafiniya, who'd been entrusted with maintaining public order, this was an insult to her job, a shame that could never be removed!
"Dispatch the paladins to assist the garrison in stabilising the situation!" Numerous solemn paladins rushed out of the church, causing all wild schemes to fall apart in an instant. However, the vague moans of lament within the gradually recovering city caused Rafiniya's expression to grow even more heavy.
'A curse with hundreds of victims… If we can't capture the culprit, I won't be able to account to the Queen and other citizens who trusted me…' Rafiniya swiftly started to speculate about the true mastermind. 'Was the culprit an enemy of the duke? A wizard trying to collect souls, or an evil god trying to spread fear?'
Rafiniya knew fully well that if this incident was related to a god it would become an extremely huge problem. However, the ideal of justice in her heart would not allow her to back down.
"Rafiniya!" A cardinal said as he walked towards her, his face drooping with gloom. "We just received word that another family at the Ironsword Castle met its end, the symptoms the exact same as the duke's family…"
"Could it be…" Rafiniya's brows twitched.
"Yes. It's a branch of the duke's family that separated a hundred years ago and settled down at Ironsword Castle. Even the branches passed away when the duke died, and the old and young weren't spared even if they were in a church at that moment…"
A faint trace of foreboding emerged within the cardinal's eyes, "The Church gave us the same news. The branch in the central kingdoms perished as well…"
"A curse that can affect the entire continent…" Rafiniya muttered.
"Mm. Not just that, there were a few cases of other aristocrats in Silverymoon, and even a few stable lads and gardeners. There's a lot of panic thinking it's spreading, but we know why they died…" the cardinal continued.
'Those licentious idiots, having numerous illegitimate children and causing a huge problem now…' Rafiniya was secretly elated. She'd been irked by the luxurious and messy lifestyles of the higher nobility.
"The main problem is even the descendants that we weren't aware of were killed off… This is the power of a god! An evil god has declared his arrival! The cardinal said with all seriousness.
Rafiniya nodded her head in acknowledgement. Only a true god could release such a large-scaled curse upon the mainland. Even peak legendary wizards couldn't wield such terrifying power.
"Those evil gods are the greatest threat to our cause!" Rafiniya clenched her fists, missing the cardinal's bitter smile.
'There aren't many evil gods capable of killing off descendants a thousand miles away, and they're all terrifying existences…' the cardinal sighed in secret. With his understanding of gods, he naturally knew the terror of the one behind this event. Still, his expression returned to normal soon enough, "Paladin Rafiniya. Your mission is to assist Queen Alustriel in maintaining peace and stability within New Silverymoon City… Do you intend to shirk your duties?"
...
Rafiniya's face instantly blackened after the cardinal left, and she draw her longsword to a terrifying keen. She'd noticed a clear hint of warning within the cardinal's words, asking her to accept a compromise. It was like the church didn't plan to take actions against that cruel god!
Even though Rafiniya knew that one needed to compromise and back down sometimes for the sake of justice, this incident had exceeded her bottom line. "Don't tell me even the Lord's Church has started to be corrupted by darkness…"
Even though she knew she shouldn't think that way, a trace of darkness enveloped Rafiniya's thoughts. Her expression warped within the shadows, and that trace of dark red grew even more bright.
...
"Oh Lord… Please pardon my sins, do not afflict me with such a terrifying curse…"
"No matter who it is, Lord… Please protect me, Coco, and Laffrey…"
"Dear Lord… I pray for you to swiftly end this disaster…"
"Oh Lord, whoever you are, wherever you come from… Thank you for exterminating Earl Eric and avenging my family…"
The amount of golden faith in the void had increased severalfold, and numerous prayers that matched Leylin's expectations were transmitted to him. The horrifying death of a family protected by legendary beings had caused mass panic within New Silverymoon, and only the gods had the ability to protect and comfort these civilians.
Those of faith had increased substantially within New Silverymoon, and the strength of the faith already present had grown as well. Aristocrats and businessmen grew more generous in their donations to the churches, as if such actions would prevent the misfortune from falling upon them.
All gods had raked in a great harvest, and inevitably some of this scattered faith had been devoured by Leylin. After all, spreading terror and power could also grow faith. It was simply normal for people to pray to the harbinger of this disaster out of fear. The Goddess of Plagues and Umberlee both adopted similar methods to grow their following.
'Although this line of faith isn't stable, it could be considered great replenishment…' Emotions of fear and gratitude followed the faith to Leylin. Every action of a true god would affect the entire prime material plane, and this one from Leylin could be considered a different type of miracle.
His godfire and divine domain were strengthened by the massive faith, accumulating with Leylin's true body. However, Leylin seemed apathetic, seemingly not affected by the fanaticism of the mortal world.
"Now that the Blackmoon Merchant Group and their backers have been sorted out, there should be no more obstacles to the plan. The transaction with the Blackblood Tribe should speed up as well…" Leylin simply couldn't care about a possible counterattack from the good gods. Someone had blasphemed his divinity, so how could he tolerate it? No action taken in punishment would be considered too much.
What's more, he was also an evil god! If he didn't leave a trail of terror wherever he went, would he be worthy of his reputation?