The 100 Days War - Chapter 16

The One Hundred Days Plan had ended.

With its conclusion, David called a meeting with his council, insisting that no member was allowed to miss it.

David sat at the head of the table with Lilith sat beside him; Hilda and one of the Dread Knights stood at their sides.

“It’s been a long time since we were all present for a council meeting,” David mused, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table. First, I’d like to begin by saying that you all followed my orders perfectly and worked hard to achieve your objectives. However.” The room grew cold. “I am disappointed in some of you. We’ll get into that later on. Mímir. Begin.”

“At once, your majesty.” The spy master, as well as Jorōgumo and Lord Valeria beside him, stood up and bowed. “I am most pleased to report that thanks to Count Barthlow’s actions, and the efforts of our spies, we were able to identify and eliminate more than a hundred rebel cells across the Demon Empire. Further, because of Valeria’s infiltration into the largest of these rebel groups, we were able to remove those who would ever dare consider defying your rule.

“Even as we speak, my Ravens and Jorōgumo’s spiders are uncovering and destroying even more rebel pockets. I would like to assure your majesty that we will have pacified the south-east before the summoned heroes appear in the west.”

“Is that something you can truly guarantee, Mímir?”

“…We are endeavouring to-”

“Do you know why I am displeased with you, Mímir?” David asked. Defeatedly, the general shook his head. “It is not because you aren’t working well; it’s because you failed to take into account how strongly the fire Count Barthlow lit roared among the people. On the day I proposed the One Hundred Days War Plan, how many rebel cells did you say there’d be?”

“…A maximum of sixty.”

“That’s right. The flames of resistance still burn strongly among my people and they need to be snuffed completely. Be grateful that Mania has proposed an idea that would tighten my grip around their throats.”

“What plan, your majesty?”

“Mania; explain.”

“As you command, Master.” The succubus stood up and smirked at Mímir. “The fear of death and torture, the vivid memories of the sack of Themis and the slaughter at Atryus will stay in the hearts of the people for years to come. However.” She lost her playful smile and attitude. “What about those who didn’t see it first hand?

“I had a preliminary look over the reports you had sent Rebecca about the rebel cells and it appeared that most sprung up in the more remote parts of the empire, in the towns and villages. There were none in Themis, Stonefall or Elvast, and only a handful in the other cities. With his majesty’s permission, I have proposed a ritual ‘recruitment’ of young people across the empire’s villages to the Dread Keep.

“The males can be put into an educational camp to make them tools of the Demon Empire and the women can be put to work as maids in the castle. Eva has often said that we’re understaffed at the Dread Keep, especially since construction began on the castle town, and so we need as many able bodies as possible.

“Further, we can publish notices saying that if anyone from those villages who attempts to aid or join a rebel cell, we will kill fifty of those people at random. As a result, anyone who does stand against his majesty has a chance of getting someone they love killed.”

“…We’d be using our own people as hostages, Lady Mania?” Rebecca weakly inquired.

“Yes, little one. If it makes you feel any better, we wouldn’t want to be in a position to harm the citizens of the Demon Empire, but we need absolute control.”

“That’s right, Mania. Rebecca, I’m sorry, but it is a necessary measure for the time being. Hopefully, it’ll be enough to dissuade more from siding with our enemies.”

“…I will make sure to train those we recruit to be loyal to you, Lord Allaric.”

“Excellent. Mímir, you, Jorōgumo and Valeria have done excellent work, but there is still room for you to improve.”

“Thank you for your kind words, your majesty.” The trio said and bowed.

“Next, Rebecca, Lilith.”

The two ladies stood up and curtsied. “Despite the numerous rebellious cells across the country, the Demon Empire has largely been at peace since your ascension, Lord Allaric,” Rebecca began. “Crime is at an all-time low, thanks to Jorōgumo’s spies finding and reporting criminals to the local militias, and because of Mímir's rebel hunts. Furthermore, outside of the failed invasion led by Prince Augustus and Count Barthlow, no other significant military campaign has been launched at us. Lady Lilith, if you would.”

“Yes! There were two minor military operations in the north-east, but the Vampire Court swiftly dispatched them with its advanced guards. The forces in question were a scouting regiment of three hundred horsemen from the Free Peoples and a small counter attack from the northern lords. As neither were substantial in size or threat, the court executed all eight hundred would-be invaders from both groups.”

“Good work. Pass on my sentiments to the lords involved. Rebecca, how go the efforts to expand my domain?”

“Both the expansions to the Dread Keep and the construction of the castle town are proceeding as scheduled. Within the next ten days, the castle town should be fully constructed and the liberated slaves from the Sons of Tartarus shall be housed within it, for the time being.”

“Dear husband, might some of those buildings be property of members of the Vampire Court?”

“Rebecca, make the arrangements to reserve ten percent of the buildings for the Vampire Court.”

“As you wish, Lord Allaric.”

“Then, next.” David glanced over his shoulder. “Hilda, and the rest of the Dread Knights; step forward.”

Hilda, as well as the other five Dread Knights posted throughout the room, lined up beside David’s throne and knelt before him.

“We…greet the…Demon Emperor.”

“We greet the Demon Emperor!”

“The Five-fingered Hand of the Demon Emperor; all of you have proven your strength and loyalty to me brilliantly. Hilda has often praised your efforts and I am pleased to see that they were not exaggerated. You and your Dread Knight brethren are knights I am proud to call my swords.”

“We graciously accept your kindness, Demon Emperor!”

With a proud smile, David nodded and sent them back to their posts. “Eva, make sure each of the Five Fingers are treated like royalty when they are at the Dread Keep.”

“Of course, Lord Allaric.”

“Now then, onto less pleasant matters. Mania, Jessica, stand.”

The two women did so with their heads held in shame.

“The defense of Atryus was successful, on the surface, but you failed in two key areas. First.” David raised a finger for emphasis. “You let Dante, the man who managed to land a blow on my person, escape. This is unacceptable!” He slammed his other hand onto the table, making all but Hilda, Rebecca and Lilith shiver a little in fear. “Dante is a legendary hero, the last of a long dead order and he will no doubt seek to restore that organisation to its full strength! We have dispatched a Raven and a team of spiders to monitor him at all times, but it’ll be difficult to assassinate him from across the world.

“The second issue, however, does not lie with you, but your subordinates. The Machai were weaker than I expected them to be.”

“Lord Emperor?!”

“Abaddon.”

The demon leapt out of his seat. “Yes?!”

“You assured me and this council of the Machai’s strength, did you not?”

“…I did, Lord Emperor.”

“And was it or was it not because of this assurance that I permitted you to take the majority of the Hysminai to the north?”

“It was, Lord Emperor.”

“Regrettably, this was the wrong decision. The Hysminai are more disciplined and orderly than the Machai. Do you know how many Machai fell at Atryus? Eight hundred and sixty-two. You can only summon a few thousand a year and we lost about three hundred taking the Holy Empire, didn’t we? Therefore, Hilda.”

“…Yes?”

“I’m increasing your budget for the Dread Knights. I want five hundred of them as soon as you can get them.”

“I will…get…on it right…away.”

“Good. Now, with the unpleasant matters settled, all of you, be seated. Now, Abaddon, Mania and the Awoken; you performed excellently and achieved most of my objectives, which is why I shall grant all of you a reward of your choosing, as long as it’s within my power. Think hard about what it is you each want and we shall discuss it another day. The One Hundred Days War Plan is over and, from today, we shall begin our preparations for the arrival of the summoned heroes!”

Things didn’t go exactly as I hoped they would, but it wasn’t a terrible result in the end.

Dante and Kella escaped, it took Mania much longer than she expected to awaken the Divine Paladin, there were far more rebels than we’d predicted, and the northern lords escaped behind the Green Mountains.

Abaddon killed most of them at the Golden Fields, but a few thousand still escaped and we have to finish them off to pacify the north-east. Not to mention, there is still much unrest in the north, especially close to the border.

That said. David smiled beneath his helmet as he presented his council with his next set of plans. I’m satisfied with these results.

I’m alive, the Demon Empire has grown, and the whole world knows to fear the Demon Emperor.

As David explained his plans to the council, some listened on excitedly whilst others did so with stone-cold expressions,

There were twenty-six days left until the summoned heroes arrived, and both sides were making their final preparations for war.

***

“I’ll do it.”

Dante smiled as Kella signed the contract the messenger presented her.

The messenger then sealed the scroll, bowed and closed the doors behind him.

“You made the right choice, Kella.”

“…Yeah.”

“Scared?”

She shook her head. “Far from it.” Kella looked down at her hand and curled it into a fist. “I just hope they’ll be enough.”

“They will be. And hey, if they aren’t, it’s our job to make them, right?”

She smiled at him. “Right.”

Dante held out his fist to her and she lightly tapped it with her own.

In twenty-six days, the summoned heroes would arrive and they would be trained by the greatest warriors the Free Peoples had.

***

Eris lazily lay on her throne with a blissful smile as she watched the people of Aangapea dance.

“Soon, all the pieces will be on the board and the real story can begin.”

With a small swipe of her hand, the thirty summoned heroes appeared before her throne, still frozen in stasis.

Five she had chosen on purpose; the rest she had left to chance.

For that made things more interesting.

“I can’t wait.”

The End.