Discipline, Weakness and Spies? (5)

"Weakness is a disease that leads to your failure," The Words of the former king Augustus Voll Augustus echoed in his mind.

"Weakness," Lucifer said while looking at the reflection of himself in the mirror.

...

Inside the barracks, at the commander's chamber, Lucifer was having his dinner with his associates Bollock and Surge.

As expected from barrack foods, the food was lightly seasoned and steaks were either undercooked or overcooked.

Lucifer used his knife to cut the steak into thin slices and using a fork ate it with a herb mixed cream sauce. The meat was chewy but since it came from healthy cattle it tasted good.

Autumn felt the juices of meat trapped inside the meat touch his tongue, the flavor of spices mixed with oil sent heavenly sensations to his taste buds.

The meat was tough but didn't matter to him. Because he was a demon his incisors and his premolars and molars which are designed mainly to eat meat which meant that the hardness of meat was only a mild inconvenience at the most.

To complement the meat Lucifer took a mouthful of the wine he was served, the taste of fermented grape juice mixed with fatty meat made his tastebuds tingle with sweet and spice. To his, displease he did had to swallow the mixture that he had created in his mouth.

The food prepared inside barracks can never amount to the ones made inside a castle and Surged knew that unaware of the fact that Lucifer liked it.

Before the dinner Surge decided that he cannot allow himself to also offer a bad wine with the barrack foods so, he chose the best wine that the holy kingdom can offer. It was hard to imagine to acquire good wine from a nation whose whole government is based on religion but who knew that it woould be reverse.

When Surged found hundred of breweries inside the holy kingdom he was surprised by the countries alcohol consumption.

The wine that was offered tonight came from one of these well-known breweries inside the Holy kingdom. When Surge took command of that brewery in the name of the demon kingdom he was praised by many ministers and Councilmen.

Around the end of the dinner when most of the meats were eaten and the wine bottle was nearly empty a knock appeared on their door.

Surge signaled a guard to examine it who then went outside to check on the door.

The guard returned and announced. "Sir, an envoy from the Holy kingdom capital has arrived at the barrack's gate, he is asking for permission to enter and wants to see the king."

"Who can be here this time?" Bollock voice his confusion for all.

Surged stared at Lucifer waiting for a final decision. Lucifer understood him and Ordered the guard, "Let him inside and make him wait in the waiting room. Also, prepare a room where I can receive him and hear his thoughts, I want to know his urgency."

"Yes my lord." The guard replied and left.

Surge looked at Lucifer and asked, "What do you think happened?"

Lucifer took a calm pose and answered, "My guess would be either there is an emergency in the demon kingdom or there has been a commotion in the holy kingdom."

For a second Surge thought it was a joke but he hasn't heard anything about Lucifer having a sense of humor. He was quite surprised at how calmly Lucifer spoke as if it was natural.

"I highly doubt that there are any emergencies in the Kingdom while Gina is in charge." Bollock praised his coworker.

"I am also confident in Gina's ability that must mean that there are some problems in the holy kingdom."

"That must be it." Bollock added, "If that is the case then should we leave tonight, It is not that far from here."

"I think Morge can handle it just fine, we can leave tomorrow at sunrise."

"Okay."

...

The waiting room was lit with glowing crystals and candles, these crystals were made by Migiccrafters which allowed them to store sunlight inside each crystal that can glow for 8 whole hours.

The light shone upon the kneeling demon revealing his tight leather clothes and steampunk Goggles.

'A wyvern rider.' Lucifer examined the demon before him.

With Surge and Bollock at his sides, he ordered the kneeling demon, "raise your head and address your self."

"Greeting My Lord Lucifer, my name if Holton, and I am a wyvern raider in charge of protecting the air carriage." The rider addressed himself.

"What is the purpose of your visit?" Lucifer asked in a practiced manner.

Holton took a deep breath before giving him the news, "Our camp in the holy kingdom was attacked."

On his comment Surge and Bollock stared at him with doubtful eyes but seeing how Holton poised himself, It seemed like he was telling the truth.

"So the humans have decided they don't want to live anymore do they?"

On Lucifer's remark, Holton understood that his king has misunderstood him so he corrected him, "It isn't humans my lord, we were attacked by the demon soldiers."

Everyone had a confused expression and they could not believe what Holton has just said, So Lucifer demanded an explanation, "Explain yourself."

"My lord, Rava has betrayed you, our camp was attacked by demons led by Rava. We believe that he wants to rule over the holy kingdom as an independent nation."

"Where is Morge, he must have done something right?"

"Minister Morge has led the remaining soldiers to a secluded place and is hiding with them." He took a short pause, "We have lost many people in the attack and they managed to kill the mammoth Hawk and they destroyed the air carriage."

Lucifer was astonished by this information, according to him killing a mammoth hawk requires a lot of force and even in a close area would at least require more than 20 men. How could these many people sneak into their camp without anyone noticing?

"How did that happen?" He questioned his confusion.

"The attack was discreet and we had no way of reacting to it. They knew the layout of our camp and had a full grasp of our army composition and they deliberately attacked the mammoth hawk first to cripple us. Once the hawk was defeated we had no way to repelling their attack"

Bollock and Surge tried to maintain their composer all this time while Lucifer contemplated the situation in his mind.

"What else can you tell me?" Lucifer asked between his thoughts.

"The demons that attacked us were different from regular ones."

"Different? How?"

"They were kept attacking us as if they don't feel pain. Even though I impaled one it kept on attacking me without ever slowing down." Holton explained.

"Did they bleed when you attacked them?" Lucifer asked which confused Holton.

"Yes, they did."

In his answer, Lucifer pondered for a while.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me."

"Minister Morge has sent you a letter." He said while holding the letter.

Bollock went and took the letter and hand it to Lucifer.

"You may leave now,"

"Yes my lord."

...

Surge and Bollock stared blankly at the which Lucifer handed to them after reading it.

Their face twisted and anger dominated their emotions.

"That coward Rava," Bollock voiced his unpleasantness "Is he gone mad with greed?" He shouted, "He can't possibly be thinking that he can get away with it."

"My Lord," Surge Bowed, "Please allow me to gather an army, if we move now then we can attack the holy castle and bring back Rava's head by the sunrise."

"No, lord attacking with an army would be too obvious. A coward like him will surely flea, I suggest that you allow me to gather a small group. I can sneak into the castle and bring you Rava's head before he knows what just happened."

Both lowered their head Hoping for their Lord to choose their suggestions.

Lucifer still consumed in his thoughts decided to stay quite.

"Lord." both voiced asking for a reply from him.

"Wait, I am thinking about it," Lucifer answered them.

After a short while, Lucifer spoke, "Surge gather an army and position them near the holy castle but make sure they are not discovered. Bollock go gather a small squad and to look for Morge and the remaining soldiers and when you find them send someone to guide them back to the Barracks while you join us in the capital."

"Yes, My lord."

"If Rava wants to start a war then I am happy to deliver his request. We will launch an attack on the holy castle tomorrow. I hope Rava understands what he had just done."

"Yes, My Lord!"

"Surge go and find someone to maintain the barracks while you are gone and also find suitable partners for Bollocks."

"Yes my lord."

Surge left the room leaving Lucifer and Bollocks behind.

"What do you think of the situation, Bollock?"

"I think Rava has gone mad with greed and he is in need of some execution."

"I don't mean Rava but the whole situation."

"I don't understand my lord."

"Do you think it was a coincidence that the attack on the camp happened conveniently when you and I are not around?"

"My lord, are you suggesting that it was all planned," he answered with a panicked voice.

"If we go by the events in our hindsight then it looks like it is, isn't it?"

"Now that lord has mentioned, it does feel like this might be someone trying to conspire against you."

"I think that the incident in the barracks are related to today's attack, it feels to me like someone planed the whole revolt to bring me into the holy kingdom and then to stop me from retreating

back they attack the air carriage, our only means of fast transport."

"I've lost you, My Lord, can you explain it in simple terms."

"Bollock, someone wants to kill me."

His eyes dilated and his mouth opened in shock. Bollock had a blank expression in his face, he can't believe that he lord has flatly said that.

"I think My lord is overthinking." He said while shaking his head, refusing to believe what he just heard.

Lucifer looked him straight in his eyes and said, "Have I ever been wrong in the past?"

"That does not mean you're always right." Bollock Protested.

"Do you have something to prove your words?"

Bollock fell silent, he cannot think of a reason why Lucifer was wrong, looking at all the events he was sure that Lucifer was correct but he refused to accept it.

"I pray that I am wrong and you are right Bollock and all of this is just my paranoia." ... "But when the time comes I want you to prioritize your own safety over mine."

"I can't do that. If My Lord's life is in danger then I will gladly swap it with mine."

"You are a good friend Bollock, but if I die then take some gold and magic items from the treasury and run away as far as you can with Gina. She knows the human world and can help you settle down in one of their nations."

"I will not go anywhere without you My Lord.."

"Let's discuss it when that happens."