The Dragon and Hell

"Zariel? The powers of Hell are getting involved this early... It seems the butterfly effect I've caused is quite significant." In the stone palace atop Dragonblood Mountain, Cassius pinched the parchment contract submitted by the players and exhaled a puff of sulfurous heat. In his past life, Cassius had heard of Zariel's renowned name. She was a fallen solar, a general in the eternal Blood War, and the Archdevil who ruled the first layer of the Nine Hells. Centuries ago, she had dragged an entire city down into Hell. Although the city was eventually freed, that terrifying ordeal left deep, lasting repercussions, leaving tieflings displaced to this day. Trump knelt on one knee beside Cassius, projecting segments of magical recordings gathered by the players using his staff. For some reason, the footage of Charlotte seducing Count Donald was among them. Perhaps certain players considered that "crucial intelligence" as well. The ogre continued his report: "Master, according to the intel we've gathered, devils began active operations in the Material Plane following the death of Aragorn I. Their traces are now spread across Feanso, with particularly frequent activity within the Kingdom of Thrace. "Even though the Kingdom of Thrace has made deliberate efforts to conceal it, they have left behind far too many tracks. Merchant chambers affiliated with the Claubau Military Industry Group and over a hundred thousand Starfallen under imperial control within Thracian borders have uncovered countless clues. "We have ample reason to suspect... that Hell stands behind the Kingdom of Thrace, serving as the new patron for these humans." Cassius parted his jaws in an intrigued smile, wisps of churning flame leaking from the corners of his mouth. "Heh. Those once-aloof beings who claimed to be of divine blood have actually colluded with devils—the very epitome of cunning, filth, and evil—and even rely on them as backers. What a curious spectacle. "Yet it comes as no surprise. Humans are snobs by nature, fawning over power. And only humans like that... can be thoroughly utilized by the Empire." Trump bowed his head and echoed respectfully, "Master's wisdom is profound." The ogre hesitated for a moment before lifting his staff again. Scenes materialized before Cassius, displaying sly devils disguised as humans. "Furthermore... Master, we have discovered traces of devils within the Empire's borders as well. We are keeping close watch, but we have not moved to capture them yet, wishing to consult your opinion first. "Your Majesty, should we implement a hostile policy similar to the one we used against the Abyss, launching large-scale propaganda to frame Hell as an irreconcilable enemy of the Empire? "At the same time, we can deploy the Empire's internal forces to round them up in one fell swoop and eradicate them completely." A ruthless edge crept into Trump's voice. Devils, seen by mortals as terrifying nightmares of pure evil, were merely vermin infesting the Empire in the eyes of this ogre prime minister. Cassius pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said softly, "No need. Compared to those lunatics in the Abyss, these devils still hold utility value. Perhaps we can cooperate with them. "If abyssal demons are like rabid bandits who only know how to pillage and destroy everything, devils are more like..." The red dragon chuckled mockingly, his tone taking on a strange inflection. "...those greedy factory owners and entrepreneurs within the Empire. "They are like vicious hounds. As long as you keep a tight grip on the red-hot chain, you can still use them to bite your prey." Doubt still lingered on Trump's face. "However... Master, this might disrupt the Empire's order. Moreover, those devils secretly back the Kingdom of Thrace, which could hinder our southern campaign." Cassius replied impassively, "Who said anything about cooperating with them within the Empire's borders? Trump, summon Mezrolash and the lich Orestes." "Yes, Your Majesty." Trump asked no further questions, giving a low acknowledgement before raising his staff to dutifully execute Cassius's orders. The Cinder Emperor was always so dictatorial, issuing decrees as if gifted with precognition, yet he had never made a wrong decision—just as he was invincible upon the battlefield. Soon, with Cassius's permission, a teleportation portal swung open. Accompanied by the scent of sulfur and smoke, the tiefling leader Mezrolash stepped out with steady strides. "Good day, Your Majesty." Dressed in imperial aristocratic formalwear, Mezrolash knelt on one knee before Cassius, the ducal medallion on his chest gleaming brightly. Immediately following him, dark green fog exuding a necromantic aura billowed out of thin air. The lich Orestes materialized atop Dragonblood Mountain. Upon beholding Cassius's even more colossal frame, he froze in place for a brief moment. A dragon fifty meters in length. To any knowledgeable spellcaster, such a sight was bound to deliver a massive shock, and Orestes was no exception. Filled with reverence for such power, Orestes shuffled forward tremulously, bowing deeply as he uttered in a low, raspy voice: "Master, your loyal servant has answered your summons and offers his most sincere greetings." The once-dreaded lich now exuded a hint of listlessness, likely worn down by the endless stream of players. After all, on the forums, the lich had become a famous check-in spot for players, with many risking their lives just to interact with him. Cassius nodded slightly, turning first to the tiefling with a smirk. "Mezrolash, your relatives have shown up in the Material Plane. Any thoughts?" Mezrolash frowned and hurriedly responded, "Your Majesty, the tieflings harbor no disloyalty. We are forever faithful only to the Cinder Empire, which brought us safety and stable order. "As for those devils? Forgive my candor, Your Majesty, but all they left us were centuries of blood debts and indelible sins. At your command, we will treat them as enemies without the slightest hesitation." Mezrolash's voice was resonant and resolute, carrying unmasked murderous intent. All he cared about were his clansmen and the Empire's future; toward the devils who had made them destitute and homeless, he harbored only hatred. "Very well." Cassius nodded, banishing his teasing tone, and ordered impassively, "Mobilize your Imperial Guard and take control of all fiends within the Empire's borders." Mezrolash was slightly surprised. "Your Majesty, we need not kill them?" Beside him, the lich Orestes let out a low sneer, the soulfire in his eye sockets flickering faintly. "Lord Duke, as a descendant of devils, you are actually ignorant of Hell's basic lore? "Outside of Hell, a devil can never truly be killed; they are merely stripped of all their assets—usually souls. Though for such miserly wretches... that might be more painful than death." Mezrolash merely cupped his hands toward the red dragon. "Your Majesty, I shall use the strength you bestowed to place these fiends under restraint." "Very good. I look forward to your results, Mezrolash. Since they hail from the Nine Hells of Baator, imprison your relatives—these uninvited guests—in the City of Baator." "Yes, Your Majesty." Cassius turned his head, fixing his pale gold slit pupils upon Orestes. Although the lich looked rather haggard, the soulfire within him had grown considerably, already restored to sixty or seventy percent of its former strength. Orestes often secretly rejoiced over the recovery of his power. What the lich did not know was that ninety percent of the peculiar energy gained from raising undead wound up in the red dragon's pocket. In fact, Cassius was considering raising his cut to ninety-five percent to better keep the lich under thumb and milk more experience. The red dragon narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Orestes, it seems my guess was correct—you know a great deal about the Nine Hells." Orestes was overjoyed, the ghostfire in his sockets burning noticeably brighter. "Master, back when I was a mortal wizard, I searched everywhere for the secret to eternal life and learned a fair amount about devil contracts. It is just that..." The lich paused, the dancing flames revealing unmistakable disgust. "Those devils are utter bastards, shameless swindlers. Their contracts are riddled with traps. Three hundred years ago, an archdevil deceived me, and I nearly forfeited my soul." Cassius had no interest in listening to the lich's past. He simply retrieved the scroll and set it before him. "Orestes, take a look at this contract." Orestes examined the contract closely, his expression shifting abruptly as he muttered, "Zariel? That madwoman is coveting the Material Plane again... "Master, she is an Archdevil of the Nine Hells, ruler of the first layer—Avernus. Ten thousand years ago, she was a solar who fell from the Heavens. She possesses immense power and is an absolute warmonger." Cassius continued, "Imperial spies retrieved this from the south. By our estimates, Hell is very likely acting as the backing behind the Kingdom of Thrace, threatening to disrupt the Empire's grand conquest." Looking down upon the lich from above, the red dragon said softly, "Orestes, give me your thoughts." Orestes opened his skeletal jaw in a chilling grin—though a fleshless lich could hardly manage any other expression anyway. "Master, you must know that despite being a lawful faction, Hell is by no means monolithic." The lich raised a withered, skeletal arm and tapped his bony finger. An image of devil legions slaughtering one another in Hell appeared before them. Listening to the regimented battle cries of the devils, Orestes continued, "Devils are born with unparalleled ambition. Scheming, deceit, and strife are their very instincts, and the lords of Hell wage eternal internecine struggles for supreme dominion. "And toward a madwoman like Zariel, who is recklessly obsessed with the Blood War... countless archdevils in Hell harbor deep hatred for her." Cassius nodded thoughtfully. "You mean—we could find an ally within Hell to tie Zariel down?" The lich lowered his head and bowed slightly, his tone effusively fawning. "Master, your wisdom fills me with awe." "Recommend a suitable candidate. I will negotiate with him personally." Hearing Cassius's words, the lich seemed to recall something and was momentarily struck speechless, hesitating on the verge of speaking. For the first "suitable ally" that sprang to his mind was none other than the archdevil who had once nearly enslaved his soul. Cassius gazed at him, a trace of puzzlement in his eyes. "What is it?" Orestes hurriedly answered, "Nothing at all, my respected Master! Please, look here—" The lich raised the bone staff in his hand. The necromantic mist churned in the air, once again crafting a lifelike magical projection. Cassius cast his gaze over, seeing a colossal devil materialize within the magical image: The devil was covered in deep-red scales, with a pair of menacing bat-like wings spreading from his back. Green venom dripped constantly from his mouth, sizzling as it hit the ground in bursts of acrid smoke. Most striking of all was his waist, around which hung a belt bearing twelve constantly screaming angel heads. Unquestionably, these heads had been severed by the flaming greatsword held firmly in his claw-like grip, while his crimson face bore a wildly ferocious sneer. It was practically the textbook mortal depiction of an "archdevil." Orestes introduced him: "This is Bel, former Lord of Avernus and a ruthless warlord. Centuries ago, he betrayed Zariel and seized the opportunity to ascend as a devil lord. "Unfortunately, his performance on the battlefields of the Blood War fell far short of that madwoman Zariel's. Consequently, the Lord of the Nine demoted him and restored Zariel to power. "To keep Bel occupied and out of her sight, Zariel commanded him to forge weapons, armor, and terrifying war machines." The lich shrugged casually. "However, that is beside the point. What truly matters is... right now, he despises Zariel with a near-insane fury. And that is our opportunity." Cassius studied the projection of the archdevil and remarked with intrigue, "Bel, is it? Sounds decent enough." Recalling his own past ordeal, Orestes offered a quiet warning: "Though I have always recognized your great wisdom, Master, these devils are exceedingly treacherous. You must be wary..." "Heh. In the face of absolute power, all schemes and trickery are rendered useless. "A fallen hell lord is all he is. Even if we truly sign a contract, the initiative in this partnership... will remain firmly in my hands." Cassius spoke with total confidence. His self-assessment nowadays was crystal clear: as long as the gods did not take the field, few beings in this Material Plane could stand in his way. His only drawback was a slight deficit in accumulated foundation and esoteric methods, leaving him somewhat short of matching ancient beings who had lived for thousands or tens of thousands of years. Dealing with devils carried certain risks, but it could help compensate for those shortcomings to some degree. The red dragon slowly rose to his feet, lifting his head to gaze into the distance before unfurling his expansive wings. "Since Thrace has turned to Hell for aid, we shall use the power of devils to fight devils. "And along the way... we can initiate cooperation with those who hold power in Hell." Seeing Cassius stand, the three retainers chanted in unison: "Your Majesty (Master) is wise!"