His wings caught fire and a pillar of lightning fell behind him. Streaks of silver and black radiated from his body, breaking through the clouds and vortex that hung overhead. Standing with an audience of thousands, tens of thousands of eyes followed his movements. "{I am Emperor Zao.. Remember my name.}" He took his time speaking, a terrible shudder to his voice sent shivers into many who heard his message. "{I will create Nine Great Houses, these houses will be the foundations of the Demon Kingdom.}"
'Nine Great Houses? I thought we discussed Ten.' Queen Vira kept her eyes trained on Wu Hai, her attitude kept changing as the moments passed.
The Emperor could feel the changes in her breathing, aura and pulse. It made him want to laugh, 'Seems I overpaid.'
"{These great houses will manage the lands and create a new lineage among all of Demonkin. New territory will be divided when all preparations and selections have been made. This is my promise to the Demon Race.}" He materialized a large sword, it hummed when it appeared.
Raising it into the air, he spoke an incantation and a circle appeared in his hands. It grew to surround the Emperor and Queen Vira. "{..within 100 years.}" He flicked his finger and a silver glint sparked, the transmission ended and they both disappeared.
Wu Hai opened his eyes and saw the Queens bedchamber. "{The Items I require?}" he held out his hand and gestured toward the table.
"{So much talking, I suppose waiting a bit longer isn't going to harm the agreement.}" She smiled and a bubble burst from the cauldron in the corner. She rolled her eyes and waved her hand, eight bottles appeared next to her. "{I can only give you the eight. Pressurized Soul Essence, once condensed and refined has a half-life. It can nourish a soul greatly but I have to say, you don't seem like you've lost your reasoning. So, What could this Emperor possibly need them for?}"
"{What I need them for, it is none of your concern.}" He inspected a bottle at random and stored them away. "{Now, the second part of our deal.}" The Map materialized on the table, "{I can assure that none of my people will be in these regions. No lesser demons will be permitted past the existing borders of the kingdom's territory, the chaos they create is unmitigated and far too unwelcome.}" He pointed to several spots on the map that surrounded the current borders. "{I will agree in principle to bring whatever lesser demons that are captured back into the kingdom. It will be the Nine Families that will be responsible for the creatures in their domains and they will be held accountable. Intelligent and evolved Demons, while welcome to enter other territories, will be held to the standards and consequences of other intelligent races.}" He slammed his hand onto the table.
"{Are you listening?}" Wu Hai was losing his patience, Queen Vira was running her finger along his back.
"{Killing wildly will be considered an act of war against your allies, and I will give..}" The Emperor stopped, turned around and grabbed her wrists. "{Could you stop. There are details I'd rather not repeat.}" Releasing her, she huffed slightly. He pointed to the Map again. "{Your primary formation, you're going to give it to me. I will reproduce it in each of the territories, it will contain all lesser species, right?}"
She nodded and started to pull his armor apart.
"{So many gifts, how will I ever repay you..}" She giggled with a sinister echo.
"{You can get me what I asked for and prepare the Hunt in the Morning. Once I have the Black Spot Demon Egg.. Only then will I concede the territory.}" He turned to the Queen and his shoulder pads fell to the floor. "{Are you sure you wouldn't have one of your chosen males instead?}"
"{If we are to get nine great families, I will choose my sire. As Queen, am I not entitled to my own?}" Her fingertips plunged into the Emperor's arm, sinking to the bone.
He gave a cool breath, then, looked her in the eyes. "{I am not giving you one of the Nine Great Families. You, who dare to carry the Emperor's Seed, you will join my great family instead. To repay me, you will live among my kind, for at least 100 years.}"
His arms spread hers apart and he tore her clothing from her body. Red light radiated around her, he drew a drop of blood from her and flung it to the contract. "{Say it..}"
A Red pulsing light came from his eyes and he bit down on her shoulder, flying into the wall.
֍ꟷꟷꟷꟷ֍
When the morning came, the horde that surrounded the Emperor's Palace were still waiting for the commands.
Eager screams of joy ran through the crowd, excited howls and nightmarish acts of cannibalism filled their masses like a great churning mill. Some of the Demons in the crowd took the opportunity to swallow opponents or slaughter indiscriminately.
The Emperor opened his eyes, blood covered the sheets. Wet, with a hint of metal, that was the smell he woke up to. It was not what he imagined but it was better than bile. As he turned his head, nestled among the flap in his wing, a red figure was wrapping herself in flames.
'Kuzunoha..' He got out of bed and looked at himself in the Mirror. His thoughts trailed behind him in a lag, he felt deprived of energy.
Queen Vira rolled out of bed and walked behind him, her hands caressed his body. 'Pdddddddddt' She ran the tip of her fingernails down the scales on his arms.
"{Its early. The Hunting Parties are outside, They've already begun to slaughter each other in confusion. This type of behavior will no longer be tolerated.}" Wu Hai got dressed quickly and broke through the doorway. "{Get dressed, I will crown you soon enough.}" he paused in the doorway after kicking it open and said something unexpected.
Vira watched the doors close behind, his figure disappeared. '100 years? Its only a moment, a bloodline..' She shivered, remembered the flames and the sharp teeth. She got dressed and approached a window. Outside were the battlecries of the Demon Horde.
News of a new Emperor had scattered across the Kingdom, those who were somehow unaware of his testimony the night before had learned of its details. Nine Great Families, it drove the Demons into a killing frenzy, battling for the top.
As he approached the wall that separated the Palace from the population and battlefield, bloodshed occasionally shot into his view. A Thunderclap and bolt of Lightning marked his arrival, the battle came to a stop.
Bodies fell from weapons, claws dripped with blood and all eyes turned to the Emperor.
"{Demons, demonkin. You all share one thing in common, You're unable to reproduce. These 9 great families, I alone will choose them and I will choose them now. They will be able to create an entire clan of Demonkin, one of their own design. Only Greater Demons, marked by intelligence, are allowed to leave the confines of the Demon Kingdom. If lesser Demons leave this place, Hell Beasts will feed on your corpses.}" His aura surged again.
Murmurs in the language of the Damned filled the battlefield.
"{LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR}" A voice came from below. Soon, chants that echoed the same message began to fill the battlefield. Stamping and troop sounds could be heard as they riled themselves up. To them, it was very exciting, the idea of providence.
"{SILENCE!!}" A feminine voice broke down the cheering in an instant, Queen Vira landed beside the Emperor. "{HUNTERS, GATHER. TODAY, THE FIRST TO BRING ME THE EGG OF A NEWBORN SHADOW DEMON WILL BE CHOSEN.}"
Wu Hai turned to Vira. 'That was not the plan.' "{Vira. These matters, they are my decision alone. This is my one gift to you personally in that regard, I hope you have chosen it wisely. If I must, I will be merciless.}"
The Emperor opened his mouth and spoke in the language of the Damned once again.. "{So it has been spoken and so it shall be done.}" He stomped and another bolt of lightning struck the ground behind him with each passing word. "{WATER, DEATH, FIRE, POISON, ROT, BATTLE, TERROR, SWALLOWING}" When he finished listing off the Type of Demon Families he was going to create, he paused. "{to the Victors go to the Spoils..}" A wicked laugh followed, it seemed like he had other motives but the audience was silent.
Bolts of lightning began raining down upon the battlefield in a line and forcing others out of his way. The Emperor started to walk into the Center of the Battlefield. "{DOES ANYONE CHALLENGE ME!"}
There was more silence, to where even the roar of the vortex above them was quiet, heartbeats could be heard.
It was the Emperor's Heartbeat. Each thump made the audience tick, louder and louder, they shrank with each pulse.
Black Fire surrounded him and Lighting filled the horizon in every direction, blinding light spilled out and when the flash cleared demons began to kneel.
A two fingered slash attack came toward the Emperor when he blinked, it traveled past his position and landed on the steps behind him. "{VERY WELL}" A shield appeared in front of him and started to press outward. "{I WILL START WITH YOU}"
The barrier kept growing, displacing the demons who had already knelt, throwing them backward and clearing a path for battle. A great churning, one that rivaled the vortex overhead, began to swirl.
Booming, a thunder that could deafen the ears blew in the wind.
Chains of lightning filled the sky and collected, Emperor Zao pointed at the Raging Demon in front of him, his towering stature told him everything that he needed to know.
A bolt of lightning three meters thick shattered the landscape.