Chapter 35: The Gathering of the Damned Part 2

North Council, Orrius Forest, Barcelona

When the trio ascended from their underground mansion, the lights from the thirteen towers were not yet lit up. They stood under the towers for about two minutes before the sign of the portal activating and emitting a red light.

One by one, the twelve portals began to glow an ominous red, their light pulsating with an eerie intensity. Suddenly, each portal released a deafening bang, echoing through the Colosseum like thunder. From these portals, the guests were expelled with a force that seemed to shake the very ground beneath them.

As the last of the guests emerged, a dark, heavy, and sinister pressure descended upon the gathering. It was as if the very air had thickened, becoming almost tangible with the weight of malevolent power. The residents, feeling this oppressive force, could only stand in awe, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and reverence.

Before them gathered, were the thirteen Leaders of the Council, their presence commanding and formidable. Each leader exuded an aura of authority and dark majesty, their eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light. The residents, humbled and awestruck, could do nothing but bask in the overwhelming power and grandeur of these enigmatic figures.

"I Vlad, Leader of the Northern Council of the One-Eyed Society, together with my Prima and Primo, welcome the delegates from the Twelve Councils." Vlad, the leader of the Northern Council said as the twelve triads appeared before him.

"Please follow us to the Colosseum, we have prepared a feast to welcome you to our humble base," he added.

The dazed human servants outside the Colosseum became the appetizer for these visitors. They picked their numbers off one by one, till everyone was satisfied.

Asuang, the Council Head of the Equatorial Council even smacked his lips in satisfaction. Although he often fed on natives in the land, their bodies contain divine energy as they are faithful to One God.

Their meat often tasted sour and he had a hard time digesting their meats. Although he raised humans like cattle in nearby villages and occasionally snacked natives that hunted in Mount Cristobal, he avoided making too much of a ruckus to attract the attention of the Divinos and Babaylans. The meat of these sinners served to them tasted sweeter than dessert.

Looking at the satisfied faces of their guest, the Northern Council Head sighed in relief. Any one of these visitors can shake and move the world and their organization. The members of the Northern Council are especially well-behaved, showing their best attitude, and trying to stay low-key so that they would not attract any attention.

The group navigated the tunnel that led to their seats. Once seated, naked servers of tranced humans brought the food one by one. Their bodies glistened with foul-smelling oil that whetted the appetites of their guests.

Some ate in a refined manner, while others, completely abandoned their decency and pounced on their meal. No one minded this gory display, they are the same kind anyway. Besides, there's no point saving face in front of family.

The virgin sacrifice stood still, in the center of the circle. The unmoving manor heads and elders dared not to participate in the feast. The priests and priestesses drank blank, inky potions to replenish their strength. They would need it later in case the group decided to summon the corporal form of The Great Tenebrio.

The feasting lasted for four hours and ended at two in the morning. When everything was cleaned up, Vlad stood and addressed his guests. 'I welcome the seven councils from the Human Realm, the Three Councils from Kaidadalman, and the Three Councils from Hell."

He then bowed to each and every one of them as a sign of respect before continuing. "My Prima wrote the summons for a gathering to address the safety of the Fallen Lord. Most of you know that we, the followers of Great Tenebrio, are tasked to bring one Immortal General, to create damned places, where their God does not exist. Our first task is to summon the great General, Asdeus, the Fallen Lord. The High Priestess of our Second Manner successfully freed him and his legion last Biyernes Santo, at the height of the Red Moon."

Cheers erupted from their guests at the news that Vlad delivered. He, however, raised his hands to signal them to be quiet, as he had more information to add. "The Fallen Lord was successful in spreading his soldiers and tainting the people of Castile. What we didn't factor into our plan, is the presence of a Cardinal, who was once a former Knight, and a recluse Divina, who had hidden her own Dome near the Castle. The Fallen Lord occupied the body of the attendant of the Cardinal's apprentice, and managed to taint the present Queen of Castile, and inject his seed in her belly."

Upon hearing this, another round of cheer was let out by their enthusiastic guest, until the level-headed Supay, the ruler of Uku Pacha Region from Hell, interrupted them. "I guess there's more to the story then since you've mentioned the presence of a former Knight and a Divina?" he asked Vlad.

"Yes esteemed Supay, the day before yesterday, our High Priestess Regina, who assisted the ascension of the Fallen Lord, came through the portal. Black blood is leaking from every orifice in her body, her eyes blinded white by an unknown being, and her mark of the beast burnt a hole through her chest. My Prima decided to summon her soul and asked her what happened. Please turn your head to the recording stone." Vlad replied. Then, he turned to one of the High Priestess in the center of the Colosseum and asked her to activate the stone.

An enlarged recording of Regina's account was witnessed by the various council heads. When the recording ended, only the cackling of fire and the hissing of coals remained. Everything was quiet, shocked by what they had witnessed, and weak from the loss that they had suffered.