The plan continues

Himari watched them approaching with her search magic. There were fifteen of them seven were archdukes and archduchesses. The other five were dukes. They had also brought 3 mages with them. They had been teleported to the boarder of Vitriolio and Achumakman and were now having to backtrack to the fort. The wait for their arrival seemed to drag on forever and at the same time felt like it happened in a moment. Viper and Duke of Whitedale were in position sitting in chairs near the broadcasting stone as if nothing was going on. Himari, Duncan, Cedric, and Joan were in position invisible with a magic spell. Everybody held baited breathes as the Archdukes, archduchesses, the dukes, and mages entered the fort. None of these people found it strange that the fort was practically empty, probably because they were too worried about their own problem’s to notice. They all headed straight to Viper and started making demands of where they wanted to be taken and some were making demands on how they wanted to look since his acquaintances could alter their appearance. Listening to their ridiculous request had Himari fighting back laughter. Viper listened and asked questions getting them to let their guards down before asking conversationally “I have to say the idea to use rain to kill the Demon Lords crop was brilliant. I wonder who would be able to come up with such a great idea.” One of the archduchesses beamed as she explained her idea and about how many mages she had to hire to complete the job. As if in competition with each other each one of the archdukes, archduchesses, dukes, and even the three mages started boasting about what they had done and what they were planning to do. Too easy, like getting candy from a baby Himari thought. Viper listened to them all as if he were truly interested and asked them clarifying questions that each seemed boastful about when answering. Finally Viper asked “What was the goal? What were you all trying to accomplish with these elaborate tactics? Do you all hate the Demon Lord or something?” One of the archdukes they were calling the Archduke of Umbra snorted and said haughtily “We are above hating monsters. Those creatures don’t have two brain cells to rub together among the entire nation. They are animals incapable of thinking. They would be better suited to be slaves than having their own country. “The Archduke of Umbra paused as the other archdukes, archduchesses, dukes, and mages mumbled their agreement. Himari’s blood was boiling and Duncan and Joan had grabbed her to prevent her from going after the archduke to throttle him as it was written all over her face that is what she wanted to do when she went to walk towards him. Monsters! Himari was beginning to hate that word with a passion. The demon people were more intelligent than these racist people who seemed to have nothing better to do than make up lies about people they knew nothing about. Duncan was one of the most intelligent, kind, hilarious, amazing and so much more and here these people were talking as if they were somehow better than Demons. Himari hated that kind of ignorant thinking. Would people say these things about Iris and any future kids her and Duncan had? Woah, where did that last thought come from? Before she could dwell on it to much the archduke spoke again “Those demons are sitting on resources and are too dumb to utilize it. The demons land would be better suited for us more intelligent people who would utilize the land and its resources.” The Archduke of Umbra continued “Of course I am not saying to kick the poor creatures off the land. I am saying us more intelligent beings should take over and let the poor creatures work for us. We will of course give them a bone to naw on once in a while and they will be much happier than they are under that Demon Lord. We will give them work from sun up till sun down and we all know that creatures like them love to work so doing this for them is really us doing them a favor really. We all know that demons would find more purpose and happiness working for intelligent people like ourselves.” Another one spoke up and explained the resources they hoped to get from the Demon Lords kingdom and the money they planned to make especially since the labor would be free since they intended to enslave the Demons. Himari could tell she wasn’t the only one angered by their words. Joan, Duncan, and Cedric’s faces had all darkened in anger, but they all stayed quiet like they planned even though it was extremely difficult when such cruel untrue words were being spewed. Himari hared that people she cared deeply about were thought of in such a way and she hated that the people she cared about the most had to hear people talk about them so cruelly. She placed her hand comfortingly on Duncan’s arm, who turned and gave her a warm appreciative smile. The plan was going as planned. They wanted these people to pay for their crimes and to do that they had to let them talk, even when what they were saying was downright deplorable. The archdukes, archduchess, and dukes talked about everything. The Archduchess of Maladale admitted it was her and her husband’s idea to kill the bisonalce and make it look like neighboring towns in the bordering nations were doing it. The Archduchess of Maladale said “It was a brilliant plan. The demons would think the neighboring nations were doing it and attack the towns that lay near their border. The other nations would be clueless and think the demons were just attacking and view them as monsters and be willing to go to war with them and we would come along and take over their land and resources. We would then take the remaining bisonalce and sell all the material they produce for a profit. We were also making a killing off the profits from the antlers and skins we were selling. It is too bad we killed them all. Oh well, I am sure there are other animals they have that we can kill and sell for profits.” She paused and said “We were planning to catch every food source available in that ocean of theirs but rumor has it that it doesn’t have a single fish in it. I mean there are the demons themselves I am sure we can sell them as slaves so there is still a profit to be made.” Archduchess of Maladale said excitedly “I just had the most brilliant idea. Why don’t you place my husband and me in the Demon nation? I am sure in a day or two the people would see how much superior my husband and I are and make us their leader. This will ensure our plan goes through and maybe even speed the process up. I am just too brilliant” Himari wanted to snort. She couldn’t believe these were the masterminds. The Archduke of Maladale sighed and said “We need to concentrate on not getting caught. If we show up and take over a nation that is going to bring questions and attention. As public figures people will look closer into our background and we don’t want that. We need to lay low and not bring attention to ourselves. Taking over a country requires funds and ours needs to be stretched not squandered away.” Okay so there are some slightly intelligent people in this bunch Himari thought. A duke who hadn’t said much said “I bet they have obsidian on their land and we can mine it and sell it. If only someone hadn’t leaked our information we would be rich soon and move forward with our plans of taking over each nation.” Viper who had just been listening finally asked the question; Himari, Duncan, and Cedric had been waiting for in anticipation. They hadn’t been able to link the king in anyway but that didn’t mean anything. Viper asked “What does your King think of all this? Did he ask you to do all this? Did his advisors ask you to do this to the Demon Lord and his kingdom?” The Archduke of Umbra snorted contemptuously and said “My father is an advisor for the king and when I came to him and tried to have him talk to the king about taking over the Demon Lords nation he lost his mind and said he had better never hear me talk such foolishness. He also said the king would not tolerate my nonsense. I then had to listen to him praise the Demon Lord and talk about how much the king likes him. The king and my father are fools. They are incapable of seeing how much better off we would be by taking that nation over from that foolish Demon Lord. I thought my father would like my brilliance and love knowing I had plans to increase our families wealth and bring us into higher standing with the other nations and nobles, but my father chose that Demon Lord over me. He said I was a disappointment to him by talking about another race of people as I did the Demons. My father and the King are under the impression that no one deserves to be slaves and were even talking of demolishing the law in Vitriolio that allowed people to own slaves. This was my chance to prove to my father and the king that some races were born to be slaves. I would prove that I am brilliant and both would come crawling back to me begging me for money and advice. Now all my plans are ruined and it is not fair.” The Archduke of Umbra stomped his foot, making Himari compare him to a pouting toddler that didn’t get a toy he wanted. She shared a look with Cedric, Duncan, and Joan. They had the information they needed and now it was time for the final phase of this part of her plan. Himari removed their invisibility and made sure all the exits were sealed. It took a while for the complaining Archdukes, archduchesses, duke s and mages to notice Cedric, Duncan and Joan’s approach. Himari was still invisible in the corner of the room. When their approach was noticed the look of terror and rage on all of their faces was exactly what they predicted. One of the Dukes turned to Viper and started screaming at him “You set us up! You will not be getting any money from us at all.” The same duke turned to the Duke of Whitedale and starting screaming at him “This is your fault. If you hadn’t of gotten caught being disrespectful to the Demon Lord and his fiancée then none of this would have happened.” While the Duke was bust shouting at the Duke of Whitedale the three mages sere attempting to fight off Cedric with Himari’s assistance. Duncan and Joan were fighting off all the archdukes and two of the dukes who had ganged up on them to fight. Joan was laughing boisterously and joking. Himari couldn’t believe how easily Joan was able to hold multiple men at bay. Himari knew from watching Joan train that she was impressive, but after seeing her in real combat she was further impressed. Himari watched Duncan fight with her heart pounding in fear. The thought of him getting hurt or injured had her chest squeezing tightly. The thought of something worse happening to him had her eyes watering and a pit forming in her stomach. She wouldn’t let anything happen to him she promised herself. Duncan was also a skilled fighter and Himari knew deep down she had no reason to worry. One of the archduchesses made a dash for the door but was unable to open it due to the spells Himari had cast. Two of the archduchesses were attempting to sneak up and attack Cedric from behind, but Himari chose that moment to reveal herself. No one noticed Himari revealing herself with all the chaos, except a slight nod of acknowledgement from Duncan. Himari put a barrier up that would protect Cedric from the archduchess’s attacks. Himari couldn’t help but laugh as the women walked into her barrier and fell backwards landing on their bottoms. Cedric glanced back and saw the women on the ground their weapons beside them and Himari standing behind them laughing. He sent her a questioning look and she mouthed later. He nodded and went back to concentrating on his battle with the mages. One of the mages had sent an electric bolt of light over Cedric’s head and towards Himari who had already had a barrier around her erected so it didn’t do anything. Himari could feel the mages magic abilities and knew they were lower than Cedric and hers. She sent the mage a bored expression which angered the mage into shooting spell after spell at Himari. The mage was getting angrier and angrier with each failed attempt. The two archduchesses were now sneaking up on Himari unaware she had been monitoring their every move. She let them think they had the upper hand before using a gravity spell to make their weapons so heavy they dragged both women to the floor. The women stared up at Himari in fascination and horror. They looked at Himari and Cedric wondering if Cedric was the powerful or if the woman before them had done it. They couldn’t figure it out. They were sure that if the woman had that much power then they would have heard about her. They didn’t recognize her as one of the six high mages that could do magic without incantation. Himari had been watching the two women waiting for their next move but looked up in time to see a couple trying to climb the wall to the window a few feet above. The husband stood on the wife’s shoulders and was finally able to reach the window seal and pull himself up. The entire time his wife was launching complaints about have to be the one to hold him up there. The husband reached down to grab his wife’s hand and pulled her up. The couple then attempted to crawl out the window only to be stopped by the barrier. The husband lost his footing and fell backwards. He reached out to prevent his fall and grabbed the skirt of his wife’s dress which caused her to loose balance and come crashing down landing atop him. She sat atop the man screaming at him as his muffled words weren’t understandable under so many layers. His arms were flailing about and he appeared to be trying to fight off her dress. Duncan and Joan had at this point apprehended the archdukes and dukes they had been fighting and had been watching the couples attempted escape. Himari, Duncan, and Joan all made eye contact at the couples failed attempt at escape and burst into laughter. The archduchesses went to leave since Himari wasn’t paying attention to them but found they couldn’t let go of their weapons which were holding them to the floor. The three mages had used all their mana in their battle with Cedric and Himari’s barrier and had accepted their fate. The Archduke of Umbra was shouting “I will be getting in touch with my father about this. You vile creatures will pay for this.” Himari snorted and said “I think the only thing your father will do is turn you over to your king for punishment. Your attacks against the Demon Lord and his Kingdom goes against the NFU rules and could have and still may cause trouble for Vitriolio and its people. Your king also may be forced to punish all of you harshly to show his dedication to his kingdom and his pact with the other nations.” The Duke of Umbra said with derisive snort “You think my father if going to believe a bunch of lowly demons over his own flesh and blood?” he threw his head back haughtily even though his hands were chained behind him and continued “Besides you have no proof that me or anyone in this room was involved. I am sure once they hear from all 15 of us how you came into Vitriolio and attacked us and took us captive using mercenaries that are also slave traders to help you with such a dirty job that you will be the one in trouble.” He grinned up at them like he was the triumphant one. Himari let him believe that a few moments before replaying their conversations for them to review. She studied her nails before looking at him and saying “Even if I hadn’t been broadcasting this live. I still have this to submit for your trails, so have fun getting yourself out of this.” The archduchesses, archdukes, mages, and dukes all went pale and some started crying while others took turns blaming each other. Some were trying to barter for their freedom offering gold and when that didn’t work they started begging. Himari rubbed her head and said “Can we put them in storage now? Listening to their whining and complaining is giving me a migraine.” Cedric said “I second that. Their nonstop complaining and whining is worse than nails on a chalkboard.” They loaded the archdukes, archduchess, mages, and dukes into storage boxes. They even stored the Duke of Whitedale away. And the room fell into a peaceful silence. Joan looked around and said “Where is viper.” Himari said “Oh he snuck upstairs and has been looking for an exit this entire time.” She grinned mischievously and continued “He will be down shortly.” They heard a loud shrill followed my thumping sounds. The sound of footfall on the stairs and Vipers pleas of “Make them stop. Make them stop.” He bounded into the room with Himari’s fake ghost floating near him with some whispering in his ear making Viper whimper and try to cover his ears. Everyone watched as the holographs Himari made chased Viper around the room a few moments before Duncan said “Don’t you think that’s enough?” Himari snorted and said “A man who has sold children and terrorized them like he has doesn’t deserve any pity. But fine I will stop though what he put Iris and countless other girls through makes what I am doing seem sweet and innocent and more like a harmless prank. Especially since I am not branding him and forcing him to work for the rest of his life. I need to quit anyway since we need to start the next part of my plan anyways.” Himari made her holographs disappear and put viper who was trembling on the floor covering his ears, at the site Himari felt a wave of guilt that she squashed by remembering the site of Iris when she had first met her and the bruises that covered her tiny body. She shook the memories from her head and said “Alright it is time for the next part of my plan.”