The Devil's Crown

LIV Is He The Actual Lord Of Hell?!

“What the hell is taking them so long?”

“They should have been here by now!”

General Toptenov was growing tired of the same comments said over and over. He was curious as well. The men that moved out knew the layout by heart, they knew where exactly the Rebels would be. So, what was taking them so long?!

“The last thing that was transmitted was the word monster,” interrupted General Akimov. “That’s what I have lately received.”

“What do you think that meant?” General Toptenov already knew the answer but denied the truth.

“Oh, we both know what it means, Generals,” said Akimov.

The way that he said addressing the whole made Toptenov furious. He was making sure to not let the matter of the death of the Marquis slid. The others have clearly taken note of that seeing how the gossip started. But there was no time to stop gossips now. He had to do something to cease the further tarnishing of his name.

“It means exactly what it said, My Lords,” Toptenov added. “Either the men really did see a monster down there or they encountered something similar. You know our men are trained to say nothing but the truth.”

“The time of witchcraft and elves have ceased to exist, need I remind you?” Akimov narrowed his eyes. “I want nothing but facts here in this tent.”

“If you have those facts then please enlighten us, we are all ears, My Lord,” General Toptenov spat out taking it in no longer.

“This isn’t the time to quarrel among ourselves!” a voice rose and it was soon joined with others.

“We need to know if our men are safe!”

“If they were alive don’t you think that they would’ve sent a word by now?” General Toptenov pointed out, further accelerating the quarrel and conflict among them to the max. Some agreed and some didn’t and each wanted to make sure that their voice was heard.

General Akimov slammed his hand on the table silencing everyone hating to accept the childish acts of grown men. “We are going to hear what has happened sooner or later!” he firmly stated. “They can’t stay in there forever anyway.”

For now, that did the trick of keeping the men at the table quiet, but he didn’t know if that was going to carry on for long. Well, there was no need for wonder as an answer came soon…

A soldier appeared through the entrance and out of breath, his face was horrified as if he has seen a ghost.

 “LORDS! YOU SHOULD COME AND SEE THIS!”

~~~~

“Samael,” Elfric spoke. “Call me Samael.”

“Is he really going to be called that?” Scarlet questioned watching the others get ready to go out there again. She was already back into her dress and would head back there, she just couldn’t help the curiosity. The Banquet hall was like a cage, there was no way to know what was happening outside.

She felt that it wasn’t her right to complain since she has also been part of the plan. She saw West pull up his mask and readying his rifle. If she hadn’t been with West for all this time there was no way she would’ve realized that he was avoiding her. Well, she hasn’t been following anything that he said, she threw a tantrum more than once.

At this point, it was understandable that he can no longer handle her. 

“Is there is something unusual about the name?” Julian frowned in ignorance while reloading his gun.

Allen raised his head from getting ready to look at Julain with wonder. “Are you seriously ignorant or are you playing dumb?” he puzzled. “Please say that it’s the latter.”

Julian blinked as he looked back and forth between them. “What the hell guys you are giving me the creeps!” he exclaimed taking a step back. “Is he someone we know!”

Scarlet couldn’t hold in the laugh any longer. She burst out at the dumbfounded Julian who still had no idea what was going on.

“Samael is the name of the Devil before he fell out of heaven,” West answered, catching them all by surprise.

‘So you are paying attention’ Scarlet thought as she wiped the tear that escaped her eyes from laughing her ass off.

“Wait the Devil?” Julian quoted. “Like the actual lord of hell? Lucifer?!”

Allen sighed but nodded anyway.

“Woah…this man gives me the creeps,” said Julian, straightening his posture crossing his arms over his chest looking out in the distance at the man dressed in black.

“But if you think about it isn’t it mean?” Allen shifted his attention to Samael standing out of earshot.

“He could have chosen Lucifer but instead he took the name before he turned dark,” Allen elaborated. “It’s as if he is picturing the Devil in his former days. Doing the good to others.”

“Or he chooses the Devil as the way to seek redemption to this world,” West barely opened his mouth. “This world doesn’t need an angel to save. It needs a devil to punish those responsible.”

The words showed the dark way that West viewed the world. He always put himself in front of the sad truth so he never loses his way. To never lose focus of his goal.

‘Maybe that was why’…she shuddered before completing the thought.

Their attention shifted to the Elfric…no Samael now as he approached them.

“Are you all ready?” said he, sounding too optimistic but they nodded anyway.

“Weapon?” Julian offered.

Samael smirked traces seen from underneath his mask. “I like to take matters into my own hands, Thank you.”

West flinched for a second overhearing the conversation. ‘He is going to do it with his bare hands?’ He almost said out loud. It was too late to object about anything, this whole thing was a mess. West completely lost control over the situation like never before. However, when he glances over at Samael and the hope that radiated off his golden eye he felt almost at ease.

Something was telling him that Samael knows what he was doing. They are going to find out soon anyway.

“Let’s go,” Samael said.

He led the way into the terrace, the fake blood on the floor was now dried. His sensation was sparked with the intense awareness of his surroundings. They weren’t even halfway out into the terrace before all eyes were on them.

The rifles at the ready but under firm orders not to shoot. The place almost turned upside down at the appearance of a new face. Samael smirked.

‘Yes look at me!’ Elfric chuckled lowly as he dragged the limp body of the soldier. His groaning made it even more dramatic. Even from this distance, the exclaims were heard.

Samael glanced down and saw the row of Generals. The screens did a splendid job in showing their dilated eyes and horrored faces.

“People of Lauxdale!” Samael yelled out. “As you can see here the authorities did not care about the safety of the hostages and sent their forces in. I believe we have already stated that we aren’t going to hold down from harming the hostages if our wishes are not complied with.”

Samael shifted his attention to the man he held up for the world to see.

“We did no such thing!”

Samael snorted and looked at General Akimov. He was abandoning his own men in the field.

“See that?” Samael whispered to the soldier in his hand away from the ears of others. “You are going to rot in hell with the last memory of this world is your General giving up on you.”

He felt the struggle but there was only so much his ruined body could do.

“And now you are denying?!” Samael shifted his attention back to the crowd. “My dear General I believe that you don’t take me seriously.”

West flinched at the unfazed stance of Samael. He was going to do it now, he thought. He tightened his fist over his rifle in anticipation.

“I believe that this man’s blood will be on your hands!” Samael snapped out. His voice was almost…sad at what he is about to do and yet he never wavered.

His grip on the man’s head tightened to the point of pain. The screams and cries coated the air with agony. Samael never wavered, never stopped until he felt the skull break in his own hands. The sound was too loud that even the others behind him heard the c***k.

The blood splattered all over Samael, joining the already dried blood on his clothes. As he felt a drop of blood flow down from his brow to his golden eye, he let go of the man causing his dead body to dangle on the handrail that saved him from the flight down. Not that it mattered anymore.

“This is the cause of your arrogance!” Samael said in genuine fury. “This man died because of you! There are others like him, his comrades inside. If you failed to do what we do again you will lose another man, General Akimov.”