The Red Hand

Chapter 491 – Tales Unwritten.

After concluding her personal investigation of Labrys' personal library and collection, Akagi left the Ninja to direct the next phase of the Cult's operations. Tanya and Valuru disclosed the extent of their extensive network of connections and collaborators, some of whom were willing and others less so, which could be leveraged to further Akagi's plan of undermining the Gods' grip on the populace. Naturally, Akagi did not trust the Cult or its members, and a semi-permanent detachment of Ninja would be left to monitor them and ensure their compliance going forward. Naturally, they understood the implied threat should they displease the Demon.

With the Cult's mess sorted Akagi returned to base and brought several items for further inspection as well as documents she'd pulled from Labrys' library. Of these the most important was the Power Reactor itself. The Demon had plans for the shard of Vikes left within and was eager to experiment with it once time permitted. Though such a thing was liable to be done after the Enorian Gods were handled rather than before.

"I cannot believe they were right under our noses for so long, and yet we couldn't find them." Elariel clicked her tongue in irritation as Akagi dropped the Power Reactor in the center of the base, allowing Clan members to spirit it away for storage. "It infuriates me to no end that we were so close and yet could never find them."

{I suppose that having members infiltrate the Clergy and other organizations did not help matters either.} (Elariel)

"That's how this kind of stuff always goes. Evil organizations tend to keep themselves hidden either in plain sight or in a place you'd never go looking." Akagi said as her subordinates carefully began inspecting the Reactor for transport. She'd originally wanted to place it within her shadow for safekeeping, but quickly realized that doing so could destabilize the shard of Vikes' soul within. The Demon had no idea what would happen upon being disassembled by the mechanics of her shadow and wasn't keen on finding out at the moment. Thus she decided that storing it using a more mundane method was for the best. "Much like how socks tend to go missing in the dryer only to turn up halfway across the house for some unknown reason."

{And somehow even with all the power I have, I still can't figure out THAT mystery.} (Akagi)

"Well, if it's socks, a certain kitty is probably responsible." Yumi snickered.

"What are you even going to do with this thing anyway?" Elariel asked as she watched Penelope nervously approaching in the distance. "Power Reactors are, as you can probably tell, dangerous. The soul fragments within are highly volatile, and the detonation of even a single one would have catastrophic consequences for global stability. There is a reason we didn't want anyone messing with them."

"I haven't gotten that far yet." Akagi shrugged, which annoyed the Goddess. "And it's entirely possible that I won't have a use for it. At the end of the day, this thing is a power source, one that will do a bit more than powering my gaming rig and a couple of light bulbs." She laughed.

"I think it's best that you find a way to destroy it." Elariel shook her head, ignoring her comments. "We've already discussed the reasons why the Gods do not approve of this thing's existence. Keeping it around is a risk, and I'd imagine you could dispose of it in a 'safe' manner."

"I may very well do that when the time comes, but it would behoove me to properly investigate it first. One never knows what kind of insight I could gain from examining even a piece of another Demon Lord." Akagi figured that having Imp inspect it would be extremely valuable, and worst case scenario it was basically unusable and could be ejected into deep space. "This is especially true given that I am not the only Demon Lord in existence. Having the ability to examine this shard might help me in case I need to fight another one of my kind." She knew that, logically, other Demon Lords existed throughout the near infinite realities of creation. Whether or not they were sentient or an immediate threat was another question entirely, but Akagi did not want to be caught off guard when, not if, such a conflict finally arose. "But as I said, for now, this thing is going on the back burner. I'll leave it on Enoris until my conflict with the pantheon of idiots is over, and then I'll transport it back to be examined by Imp and Imperial. It will likely be centuries before we crack all its secrets."

{Though, rather than destroy it, I'd actually be inclined to try consuming it. There is a very good chance that using consumption on another Demon Lord is both possible and beneficial. I can scarcely imagine what I might gain from such a thing.} (Akagi)

"I suppose it doesn't matter in the end." Elariel sighed. "After all, we're still without an alternative to my plan. Labrys is still missing, and it does not appear that you've found a method of breaching into the Heavens. I implore you not to wait any longer. Gale is a cunning man, and whatever he's plotting could well prove a disaster for both this world and Earth."

"And as I've told you before, it's fine." Akagi shook her head as she whistled to get Halifax's attention. "After all, I have my own machinations at work, and if that fool does what I believe he will, then that will suit one of my overall designs well." She smirked. "Do not presume that I am only interested in destroying the Gods. Not when there is a far grander prize on the table, Goddess."

"Wait, what are you-" Elariel wanted to follow up, but was interrupted by Halifax.

"Something wrong?" Halifax asked as she jogged over. "You've got a look in your eye like you want to say something."

"I don't, but a certain Demi-God seems to want to." Akagi said, lazily pointing to Penelope, who averted her eyes as Halifax turned to her.

"And?" Halifax replied with a raised brow. "I have no interest in talking to that idiot. She's not my problem, and I'm not exactly inclined to listen to her prattle."

"She's been stalking you like a lost puppy every time we've come back to the base." Akagi said. "And listen, while I don't really care about your relationship or issues with her, perhaps you should at least hear her out. Otherwise, she's going to keep getting underfoot and become a nuisance."

"She has been pestering the base staff about you." Yumi noted that she'd been shooed away plenty of times for being annoying. "All she keeps saying is that she has things to tell you, and that she needs to talk to you. It's getting rather irritating hearing all the complaints."

"Can't she just bother the worthless Goddess we've got hanging around base?" Akagi said, fully knowing that said Goddess was right behind her, and that she didn't appreciate the comment. "I mean, she eats our food and basically does nothing. The least she could do is entertain our prisoner/guest/pain in the ass."

"I'd retort if I didn't know full well that you were intentionally being an asshole just to get a rise out of me." Elariel rolled her eyes, having learned when it was best to let things lone. "But on that topic, Penelope won't talk to me. I've tried to approach her a few times since we spoke in prison, but she always turns away from me. Arcus told me that she's disgusted by the Gods, so she has no interest in listening to one."

"If only she'd taken that stance a few hundred years prior, then things would've gone sooooo much better." Halifax muttered under her breath. "Whatever. I suppose I'll humor her for no other reason than to get her to stop being a bother. But I don't expect much to come from any conversation with her, and I've got no patience left at this point." She said as she turned and headed off toward Penelope, who became visibly nervous.

{Insert joke about a field of fucks and the current soil quality.} (Akagi)

"And to think they were so close at one point." Elariel said as Halifax walked away, sadness tinging her words. "Penelope used to look up to Halifax as an older sister, and I'd hoped their relationship would thrive."

"And then she became a raving, racist, asshat." Akagi said with a dramatic shrug. "What being raised by Gods will do to a motherfucker."

"It was less our interactions with her that caused the problem and more the attitudes of the other Demi-Gods." Elariel corrected her. "They ended up rubbing off on her and creating the current problem."

"And ultimately the Gods are the ones who raised the Demi-Gods, so you're still responsible at the end of the day." Akagi clapped back. "Their actions are merely a reflection of you at the end of the day. As the old saying goes, shit rolls downhill.'"

"I suppose you are right." Elariel thought for a moment before nodding. "I just... I can't even recall when it happened. When we changed. Believe it or not there was a time when the Gods acted as part of this world rather than its rulers. Sure, we lorded over it to some extent and believed ourselves to be its masters, but..." She shook her head. "We should've never allowed ourselves to believe that the mortals who lived in Enoris were somehow lesser existences that had no other purpose than to do our bidding. That was when we truly lost the plot."

{It wasn't an immediate switch, more a gradual change over the eons. In the distant past, we used to work alongside the mortals, but for some reason, we began to view them as a nuisance. Even those of us who kept amicable relations with the denizens of this world, like Cheofla and myself, still held that snobbish and elitist view of the Gods' position atop the natural order. Perhaps that's just what happens when one lives for as long as we have. It becomes hard to stay attached to an ever changing world.} (Elariel)

"It is only natural that higher beings begin to separate themselves from others." Akagi replied, seemingly reading her thoughts. "Especially when you've been alive for millions of years. Your mistake was not that the Gods began to view themselves as above the mortals of Enoris; it was that you forgot your purpose. Gods are to shepherd a world and guide it and its residents. Once you deviated from that path and allowed your own greed and ego to steer your decision-making, your downfall became inevitable."

"And you? Have you not fallen off the path you were created for?" Elariel asked, not with snark but merely observing the similarity. “Are you not a being who has rejected its very reason for being?”

"I have." Akagi nodded as her gaze turned skyward. "And we shall see what the future has in store for something like me."