chapter 23

James was sitting on his throne enjoying a cup of tea. He liked the tea very much. The power flowing through him had risen very much and he was sure he will be able to win this war properly. The structure of the castle had changed as Nathaniel had started redecorating the castle. Many precious metals were seen here and there. James had not asked how it was made as it was clear to him. The queen had not made any move at all. James had removed the illusion from the castle so that it was even visible from the farthest place. A few wanderers had walked by and James had made sure they had known the name of Dark Lord James Cynnity. James looked into the power of the world as a power of the God. He was pretty sure that the world was going to be destroyed if he was not careful. What he wanted to do was to make sure he was accepted into the human society. He wanted a backup home after all.

James looked as Nathaniel entered the room and sat at the throne. Agni also rushed into the room and sat at her throne as she did not believe in the new entry of the castle. James smiled at the absence of serenity between the two of them. Agni did respect the Primordial, but the powers were of huge difference.

Agni: It is good to see you are doing well my lord.

Nathaniel: Are you tired enough to commit suicide, now that you have everything?

James: Not now my friend. There are things I want to achieve.

Nathaniel: We need a steady supply of money if you want to enjoy tea. Unless you are going to demand payment for not killing them, there is no other way here.

James: I don't see any reason to have that much money.

Nathaniel: True. You are going to suffer if you do not earn things whenever you get a chance to.

James: Whatever.

Nathaniel: Do you plan to take over this world and rule it completely?

James: I plan to take over other worlds and make sure this world is kind of a backup for me. People will be scared of my power and I will have a home.

Nathaniel: An uncrowned king. Not a bad idea.

Agni: Our lord is the supreme being of this world.

Nathaniel: True. But there is always a bigger fish in the sea.

James: Why hasn't the queen strike yet. It has been two weeks already.

Agni: The griffin army is already marching here to attack you.

James: Let me guess. You had stopped them.

Agni: They are camping outside saying they pay allegiance to you. They say they serve the princess heir and her general.

James: I had relinquished all the titles. Even the knighthood from the queendom. They still thing that I am their general. It is kind of a joke.

Nathaniel: If you want, I can kill all of them and make sure their corpses are useful. We can even fill our treasury.

James: The idea isn't bad except for the fact that I do not kill or hurt anyone unnecessarily.

Nathaniel: Kind of sad.

Clark entered the room and bowed to the dark lord. Everyone waited for him to speak.

Clark: Our spies have reported that Lady Richane has completed her side of the bargain except for the last part. The forces are led by the queen herself and all the nobles will be coming to see with their personal guards not partaking in the event when she claims to have already killed you.

James: Fine. Just so you know, I am going alone.

Nathaniel: That is an interesting proposition.

James: I want to show them that I can destroy them alone.

Agni: I do not doubt your powers my lord but I think it might be better if there is a procession with you at its centre.

James: Okay.

Nathaniel: I will be by his right side.

Agni: Fine. Will you be providing any soldiers or higher-level beings?

Nathaniel: How about dragons?

Agni: Got it. Dragons are mainly beings of fire; you should know better.

Nathaniel: The arrogant might say so.

James: I am the head here and if you are going to keep on fighting, I will be really angry. I need you to work together as a family. Else I might need to punish you both.

Nathaniel: Sure boss. What other beings do you have in mind Agni?

Clark: I have heard beings of darkness that can take over dead bodies. Death knights they are called and is of higher power.

James: I like these kinds of powers but this is my home world and I do not need to be called a monster in this world. Elemental magic and dark magic are accepted here, but even the slightest bit of demonic magic is accepted as heretics by the religion.

Nathaniel: Are you telling to me I have no right to use the magic in this world?

James: I am just saying to be careful. I am not a god of destruction but a dark lord.

Nathaniel: True. The beings in my abyss are of higher order and does have form. But there is a thing that needs to be known. None of them is known to this world hence their presence will not make a big royal procession.

James: How about arrange all the fire power we have and Nathaniel and Agni can stand by my side. Do not interfere with the battle?

Nathaniel: They will call you the fire lord rather than the dark lord then.

Agni: What is wrong with that?

James: Even if I was nothing but a rogue wizard, these people would have called me a dark wizard. You need not worry about these titles.

Clark: We need to be ready within two days.

James: Did she bring the metal army with her?

Clark: All the Two hundred thousand.

James: That's funny because all I need to do is provide with raw energy and they will die.

Nathaniel: Clark, go and arrange the procession.

James: It is a long day and I am really getting bored.

Clark left the room after bowing to his lord. James smiled at the genuine respect given by his followers. Agni kind of had her hair flying as she was angry.

Agni: You do not get to order any of my underlings.

James: As long as it is not something impossible, it is better that you also follow his orders. If you think the order is scandalous you can come to me and demand that be taken away. I have never said no to you Agni.

Agni: True my lord.

James: I want to have a new project initialised.

Nathaniel: I am listening.

James: I want a powerful castle to be made that is attached to my life force such that I will be able to access it anytime from anywhere. Did you note the new building down the other side that has been camouflaged?

Agni: No.

Nathaniel: It is hidden in darkness. It is not just an ordinary light obstruction method.

James: My Thone room shall be in the top level and the lover level need to be filled with traps. I need you to find some really good immortal servants for me who are good at fighting and other things.

Nathaniel: Like a maid who can cook but can also a kingdom if you ask her to.

James: Also maybe an accountant.

Agni: Which level do you want me to fill?

James: The first five levels. Nathaniel. Take care of the next ten levels and also make sure you include some earthling type beings.

Nathaniel: On it, boss.

James: I am also going to make many other primordials bow to me, like all the elements. I am going to get as strong as a person can be.

Nathaniel: I can go for primordial hunting.

James: I thought I had to fight them directly in whichever match they had decided.

Nathaniel: True. But I can find the right primordial with enough strength and also the right aptitude to serve in your court.

James: I will really make you pay if what you had said about the earth is wrong.

Nathaniel: You will need higher order imagination to give a punishment that actually would make me cry like a baby.

James: And for that I need to go to earth!

Nathaniel: True.

James: Are you sure you are not a child?

Nathaniel: We primordials do not grow. I will be like this for the rest of eternity.

James: Kind of interesting. Anyway, make sure what I had said is being done.

Agni: You never speak to me as such. Is it because I am not a primordial? If a new primordial of fire serves you will you remove me from the council.

James: It is not a council as there are only two of you here. And even in the future when a new fire primordial is under me, she will surely be in the council but you will be too. And I am not speaking to him, he is speaking to me.

Agni: He has taken you over by promises of false candy.

James: I get the jest of the words but believe me, I have never had candy in my life.

Agni: I can get you some.

James: Not interested. Maybe you should go and prepare. I need to do somethings.

The princess was bound to the chains though she was seated. She was in goal and she did not what had to be done. The days were bad for her, the female knights outside showed her compassion due to fear of her being the next queen. Day or night, the time was not known. She was right in having made James her general as he still rebelled against the queen. She had not been sure about the fact that the present queen had killed her mother but was pretty sure when the knife was fund besides Ruby. It was still the same knife that had been found besides her mothers' corpse. She had been angry, though her self-preservation had kicked in. She wanted to live and for that she needed to make sure the queen was dead. She had been planning to aid James and make sure that she was killed. He would then be pardoned and made the general dragon. Who cared if men ruled or women ruled as long, she ruled the queendom? She was pretty sure no one was going to overpower her.

Her plans had failed when the queen had publicly asked her to denounce the name of her general. She had denied and even without giving her another chance she had been put into the prison in suspicion of betraying the queen. The outsider prisoners were laughing but then they screamed. A shadowy figure appeared and they had dropped down with their blood on the floor. It approached the princess. It had a scythe in its hand. It was uncommon for anyone to scythe as a weapon nowadays. She looked towards the blood of the guards.

Shadowy figure: Do not worry. They are not dead but you will be. You betrayed general griffin and you shall pay for it.

Eleanor screamed as she could not use any indirect arts in the prison and she was bound. The only thing left to do was to call for help. The most conveyable method was a scream after all. Blood started bleeding at the guts of Eleanor as she fell to the floor. Her chains were broken and with her blood the shadowy figure marked on the walls. Her body shall be eaten by dogs, her memory removed. Beware be those who challenge the dark lord James Cynnity.

Queen moved from one corner to the other corner. She would be suspected of having killed Eleanor. It did mean that the griffin general was not a general any more. She had planned to kill Eleanor but that was not supposed to happen until another opportunity arrived. She would have killed her anyhow, but the facts were clear. The worst possibility to the ruler of Fenrir, The dark lord. He had to turn a Dark lord after all. But what if it was nothing but a feint. What if he had predicted that she would march with the whole army and he would be waiting there with the army. The griffin army was currently checked by her army. She knew It was best if she had called her automates but she needed to give precise orders, else it would be chaos.

One by one all the ladies arrived into the hall. They had seen the queen moving from one corner to the other and had laughed within. They did not know what was wrong. The queen knew everyone had arrived but she still had not begun to speak. None of them had spoken with her, it was always the same, she decided it and the discussions would make a roundabout point to that exact decision. She had the veto power after all. She looked at the ladies. What if James had predicted her predicting and thought of enjoying his life for a long time strengthening his forces. What if he had thought beyond that? She knew she was not a fool to think that James was a fool. She had her eyes on him from the beginning. She had eyes on everyone. That was how she had survived. Her longevity ritual had given her the life of all the people she had killed barehanded, but she could easily be killed. The lifetime of magic could still be broken.

She also wanted to know if James was a true Dark Lord. The previous one had just built a castle and summoned a few elementals. They were powerful enough to be a separate nation. What if James had the power. She knew she had to do…

Selena: Queen Ariadne. You have to be seated and have to explain why you have called us here under the war crisis's banner.

Ariadne looked angrily at Selena. She had been the reason it all had begun. She was able to see that the bloody Rookwood was also staring back at her. Just because she had lost her daughter, she did not have the right to challenge the grief of the queen. She was the most powerful.

Ariadne went and sat at the throne. She smiled at everyone. There was only one way to resolve this. Two hundred thousand automates will not be defeated. She knew it might be dangerous, but James will surely be not able to do such a thing.

Ariadne: We have got intel that James has crowned himself the dark lord. We already have the address. We are going there with the whole army. Bring your personal guards only. I am going to summon the whole army of metal.

Selena: Just to kill a man. Are you telling me that the Queen has grown Senile?

Aubrey Richane: Careful. She might put all of us in the prison along with her sister.

Selena: We might just have to invoke the civil war treaty. A right to wage war to ensure justice prevails above all.

Lady Fenis: As a priestess the goddess will allow it.

Selena: As for your metal toys, we have an armoury built during that time just to fight the metal toys.

Ariadne laughed aloud like a little girl and it was unnerving to the other ladies as she was really old, though her body did not seem so and her voice became childish whenever she wanted and also motherly sometimes.

Ariadne: I am ready to war against you all. Remember the bloodied faces of your ancestors when it had happened the last time.

Lady Richane: True. But I might as well as ask the new Dark Lord for the help and make the princess heir the queen.

Ariadne: True. I know that you all are angry. But the fact is that the princess heir had been murdered by the dark lord.

Lady Mathes: I am going to say that is highly illogical as she supported him. The controversies point to your face Ariadne.

Ariadne: I have proof. There were guards stationed there and were injured. One had died due to blood loss but the other had survived.

Lady Merrywood: The queen was always right. I really doubt why should all of you question her.

Selena: Oh, shut it Merrywood. You are against me ever since he was made the general.

James: He had talked rudely to my children. He who does not know how to speak properly to a woman is no proper man.

Selena: He who does not respect a man of his quirks is not a proper woman. Remember that the queendom was formed for both men and women.

Ariadne: Do you want to step away from the great sacrifice of morality that has been done ever since the beginning of the queendom?

Selena: No. But remember, we rise together and fall together. We do not care if he is a dark lord or not. If you think he needs to be eliminated then he shall be done so. We do not need any proof. Say the word.

Ariadne looked at everyone and they all nodded their head in recognition. She remembered the duty of the queen. She knew what she had decided was right.

Ariadne: We march in two days' time. Get ready for war.

Lady Fenis: The witch hunt is on.

Ariadne: Technically it is the wizard hunt. A witch means a female wizard.

Lady Fenison: You have not formally organised any army to fight any dark lady before. But in recognition to the last sacrifice as mentioned by the first wizard, he had asked us to use the exact same words. It's customary.

Ariadne: Let the dark hunt begin.

All: Let the dark hunt begin.

James was seated in his rom and was enjoying a cup of tea. He knew he had to make sure he had another source of income. It was suggested to him by Clark to provide formal protection to the merchant city and accept it as a part of his territory. It would have been much better. It was really nice idea but was a little sinister. He wanted to make sure he had earned the money in this world in a different way. He looked through the windows. His bedroom was nothing special. Ever since he had gotten the power, he had lost the urge to sleep. He had to control himself from falling asleep and now he did not have to do that.

The sky was beautiful He knew the army would appear and he would make sure that there was not even a single one alive. He looked at the sky again. Noon it was. The best time of the day. It was the proper day according to him, but night was always proper night. One of the proper things of having power was that he did not have to worry at all. James looked at the world with a felling of belonging. He wanted to melt into the world, cease into existence. It was as if another entity was calling onto him.

Nathaniel: Careful. The pull of the worlds may take your power temporarily. It can even kill you.

James turned to see that Nathaniel and Agni had let themselves in. It seemed as if they never knocked. They really had not knocked. Agni always did and he was sure who had made sure there was no knock.

James: Nice to meet you too. Have a seat.

Agni: The army of the queen will reach in one day. She began marching yesterday. They are moving rather slowly and carefully.

James: Let them come. You are ready right.

Nathaniel: Everything is ready.

James: We shall wait.

The army of the queen and the guards of the ladies had walked slowly. They knew that they had reached near the place and was ready for battle. They had all brought their best weapons just in case. The worst case was really bad and anything bad they did not like. The walked further to see that they had reached the castle. There were no boundaries except a gate in exact centre of the castle. The queen laughed at the notion.

A man with black hair came by and smiled at all of them. He had black hair. All of them were on their guard. The queen and the ladies had come forward.

Nathaniel: I am Nathaniel, a vassal of the Dark Lord James Cynnity. How may I entertain you?

Queen moved her fingers and ten of the metal soldiers moved forward. The power of the Senviness, controlling automates. The ten soldiers had gone a few feet and they exploded and dropped to the ground.

The queen came forward and talked out loud.

Ariadne: I come to meet Dark Lord James. Call him out.

Nathaniel: Could you not have put on a little more effort. It is really easy to kill all of you. My master will just snap his fingers and it will be over. He is really getting bored.

Lady Fenison: The Goddess giveth and taketh. If you are meant to be powerful, remember that I carry the staff of jurisdiction, the power lies within my veins to take your power.

Nathaniel: Can you give someone else power?

Lady Fenison: No.

Nathaniel: Then you might as well as use the staff on me. It is not the real deal.

Lady Fenison: You speak like a peasant, insolent male.

Nathaniel's eyes gleamed. He had a really wide grin on his face.

Nathaniel: I dare you Use it on me.

The staff was pointed at Nathaniel and a beam of light shot from it. Nathaniel laughed and dropped to the ground laughing until the staff erupted and got reduced to ashes.

Nathaniel: That tickling device is really funny grandma.

Nobody spoke anything and kept staring at him. He waited for them to speak and was finally snapped.

Nathaniel: Come on speak something. Be angry. Wail in fury.

Ariadne: We have seen your kind. Bored to the very core and an attention hag.

Nathaniel: Fine. I shall call him. It seems you only want to play with him. HERE COME THE DARK LORD OF CYNNITY, DARK LORD JAMES CYNNITY.

The doors were opened and soldiers in fire began rushing out. They formed ranks and stood to the either side with black banners. Then followed the dragons and their riders and all the ranks were filled. The Wide variety of fire beings stood to either side and they were symmetrical to the centre where the space was left out. Then came James as he walked between the place wearing a complete black dress with his hair black. To his left stood Agni and to his right stood a clocked figure. James reached the front and Nathaniel bowed to him and moved to the left side and stood nearer than Agni.

James: Nice meeting you Queen Fenrir.

James bowed his head slightly in recognition. Ariadne did the same too.

Ariadne: Nice meeting you Dark Lord Cynnity.

James: What brings you all to my humble home.

Ariadne: I have come to discipline you. You are accused of having killed the third princess of the state, Ruby Senviness, and the second princess of the state, Eleanor Senviness. You are to yield to me and dissolve the army behind you.

James: I have to deny the offer. I can't do such a thing to myself. But if you rather clear me of all charges we can form an alliance under a new banner.

Ariadne: Then you leave me no choice, but the Fenrir nation shall destroy you. Tell the reaper before you to leave. It must be the one that had been asked to kill my sister Eleanor.

James raised his hands and the clocked figure raised the veil. It was the second princess of the state. There were murmurs among the ladies.

James: As you see the queen had tried to kill her by sending someone clocked to call me a dark lord. I am nothing but a fire elementalist as you can see. As I was her general then, I had saved her from that assassin. It was exactly what had happened the previous time.

Selena: What do you mean by you were her general?

James: I have relinquished the title.

Lady Fenis: I command in the name of Goddess Fenrir, is what he had said true, Eleanor Senviness, second Fenrir of the state.

Eleanor remembered the aftermath of the kidnapping as the clocked figure removed his cloak to show he was James himself. She was compelled to tell the truth under magic. Nathaniel sneezed. Eleanor was brought back into reality.

Eleanor: Yes. Whatever Lord James has said is true?

James: Well. I had relinquished my title as a lord. I am not even a citizen of Fenrir. I am nothing but a fire lord living my life happily providing protection to the princess of another state from her queen.

Selena: Did you kill Amelia?

James: Did Amelia say so. Another soldier to leave alive or maybe the queen herself. Why do you always doubt me?

Ariadne: Even though, you have no right to be alone. You have to bow to me.

James: About that, I am going to say this only once, Rebellion of the heir. Eleanor Senviness is officially declaring war against Queen Ariadne Senviness. A battle to the death. I as her ally declare this.

Nathaniel: Come on ladies. Choose your favourite side.

Lady Richane smiled and walked to the side of the princess. She slightly bowed to the princess and stood by her side. She was followed by the three scholars and Rookwood and Stonewood.

Ariadne: Why are you going to the other side Mathes?

Lady Mathes: Probability. You will most likely lose.

Ariadne laughed out loud sinisterly. A bigger sinister laugh was heard and she stopped to see the dark lord was laughing.

Nathaniel: You were better than her.

James: I knew that Selena would be on my side and so would Aubrey. But what makes you come Stonewood.

Lady Stonewood: I know a winning side properly. War is won by strategy.

Ariadne: What makes you think that they will win? They do not even have an army properly.

James: The war of wits.

Lady Stonewood: And the fifty thousand of the metal automates from the princess's army.

James smiled slightly thinking about what he had done. A knight approached the queen from behind and came to her knees.

Knight: Metal bots are attacking the people. They have gone straight to the fortress,

Ariadne: What have you done James? Did you release the automates into the city?

James: I am not even the general anymore.

Everyone looked at Eleanor. She smiled and said.

Eleanor: I have never summoned the metal soldiers if that is what you think. What was the last order you had given?

Everyone looked at James as he grinned. He smiled and said.

James: Keep going north and destroy anything that comes in the way.

Ariadne: You fool. Keep going north. They are the fastest beings. They would have already attacked and grazed the other Kingdoms. They will surely attack us.

James: I can take care of the other Kingdoms but I did not ask them to attack Fenrir. I just wanted them to stop at the end of the world.

Eleanor slapped the arms of James slightly.

Eleanor: James. The world is round. Did you not learn it in the classes?

James: The academy does not teach male students. They need to. Can they even swim in water.

Nathaniel: I will teach you the models of different kinds of worlds my king.

Eleanor closed her eyes and raised her hands chanting something very slowly. She opened her eyes and waited until the leader of the army of griffin and nearly two thousand of the soldiers came.

Eleanor: Where are rest of the others?

Commander Griffin: Only One thousand eight hundred nine are left. Others all were destroyed.

Lady Stonewood: Is it possible to change sides?

Ariadne: Yes.

James raised his hands and spoke the command words. All the automates of the queen began vibrating and was destroyed. Ariadne removed her sword. All the personal guards by the ladies of the side of the queen removed her sword.

James: There is a better way than this. The opposite leaders have a fight to death.