Valerian descended on Dante's Spine as his body reformed to a waiting escort.
Thirty Praetorian Guards stood in to separate files. Next to them were maids and butlers led by Apollo and Artemis who gently smiled.
"We see and greet the One True Celestial Star. We welcome, Your Dark Radiance." Artemis said.
Upon seeing Valerian's full reconstituted body and hearing the greeting, the Guard summoned their swords and bent the knee to greet him while the other attendants bowed their heads.
"Rise and know I see you." This was another formal reply given the Emperor in the old days of the Crimson Empire. The knights and attendants having been acknowledged, rose and awaited their next command.
Valerian kissed his teeth and stated, "I need more of you."
He was thinking out loud and opened a portal that was grey in colour and the size of a double door.
"Bring them all out." He spoke and the knights moved without hesitation.
As they did as they were told, Valerian walked into the tomb, maintained by magic inside the mountain, quickly descending down the stairs and into the garden. He meditated for an hour, recovering mana and enjoying the tranquil atmosphere.
Apollo came down to tell him that the knights had completed their task. Valerian acknowledged him and continued to meditate for another hour before ascending to the surface and finding five hundred and seventy black crystal coffins lined up before him. They each had weird seals on them stopping time and consciousness.
"Excellent." Valerian smiled then raised his hands. His body began to glow and he infused his vocal cords with his distinctive mana signature.
"Awaken my knights. Awaken and see me. Awaken warriors of old, your Lord calls you. Awaken my great Praetors to do your sacred duty. Awaken my deadly Sicarii, I still have need of you. Sleep no longer! Awaken! There is work to be done!"
With each sentence, the seals turned to dust and floated away. When Valerian finished speaking, there was five seconds of complete stillness and silence then the coffins simultaneously exploded throwing shards of crystal in every direction.
The Praetorians who had already been awake moved like wind and deflected every shard that went in Valerian's direction while the attendees cast barrier magic to shield themselves.
****
[Before the Az'Talon]
The Princes of Abaddon immediately appeared in the castle gardens with looks of terror on their face.
Their Lord and Creator was lying in one of the castle rooms, resting after a fight that nearly cost Him His life.
"Who would dare...?!" Lilith roared in absolute anger unable to finish her sentence and unleashing an ocean of vicious killing intent.
The roses near her wilted and turned black. The trees went from evergreen to sickly colours of yellow and brown. The fountains that spat crystal clear waters suddenly turned bloody and gruesome. The sweet, rejuvenating air turned sour then became reminiscent of iron and sulfur.
Gabriel did not stop her. He was of the same mind. He controlled is his own intent for the one who most deserved it. The one that had caused them to feel this way. The one who dared to harm Him!
Jack was more subtle with his rage. He was hidden under his hood but his anger could be felt. The chill and promise of death was almost so loud that it if any mortal beings were near him at the time they would feel like every breathe they took since they were born was given to them on credit by Death.
Now Death, itself, had come to collect what he was owed with interest. A dense fog moved into the garden. The faces and bodies of the living demon beasts that Jack had so righteously taken could be seen moving in it. An effect of Jack's passive skill, [Death's Parade].
The other two Princes withheld their power but could not hide the anger and hatred in their eyes. They had felt their Lord and Father get wounded. They had felt Him fight and felt His terrible anger. They shivered merely thinking about it.
Then it disappeared. His anger was gone. His presence in the world was weaker but He was alive which was the only reason they had chosen to speak before flying in His direction and disobeying His order to guard the insignificant mortals.
He later returned, wounded and broken. His body was healing but He seemed withered.
"He is alive and that is the greatest boon." Asura said. "Shall we go avenge Him?" His voice was barely above a whisper but all of them heard him.
"If we go and find that we have disturbed His plans then it will be us to whom His Wrath will be aimed." Gabriel said but his fists were clenched even now, vengeful as he was, he still remained the ever loyal war dog general.
"So we do nothing?!" Uriel shouted in her rage. Cracks appeared on the courtyard and into the gardens.
"Control yourself! All of you control yourselves!" Asura spoke also enraged. "You are damaging His home!" Asura's words brought a bit of common sense back into the four Seraphs.
"Allow me, my lords." A new voice appeared. The blonde haired figure walked out of the castle and waved a manicured hand. The dark auras and their effects were immediately undone.
"Lady Lara." The other figures acknowledged their Lord's advisor with the utmost respect. If their Lord was a god then she would be His scribe in the eyes of the Seraph.
Uriel was not completely happy about this woman and Lilith had once been the same but rank and authority must be adhered.
"Please, Lady Lara, tell us what to do?" Asura asked.
"There will be no interference." There was no doubt in her words. There was no hesitation, no fear and no anger shown in her voice. There was only unwavering trust.
"Then we sit idle not knowing what will happen next time?" Uriel's words were not a challenge to Lara's command but a reflection to what they were all thinking.
Even the maids and gardeners were anxious. They were also created by Him. They felt a connection to their Lord that strengthened their loyalty to Him. If He was in danger they would gladly give their lives for Him.
He gave them life, dying for Him would be the highest honour they could think of. They were mere footnotes in His great story considering the fact that He could create more of them if He truly wished it yet a deed such as giving one's own life for His was a dream that they may never attain.
A deed that would elevate them from mere footnotes to heroes of the Lord's noble House. Yet their Lord was so merciful and grand that He would never put them in harms way for His own purposes. This, in the eyes of those who served Him, made Him appear both selfless and selfish.
"There is an alternative option." Lara stated in her business like tone. "You five must create an army."
Lara's words sounded treasonous to Gabriel who had been commanded to only have a standing army of two hundred.
"You go too far, Lady Lara. Tread carefully."
"Forgive me, Lord Gabriel. I must not have made myself clear. Your army of nephilim stands guard over the mortals but I mean an army that will guard His Dark Radiance who eclipses us and protects us all in His shadow." Lara's words piqued their interest.
"Please continue." Asura urged. With their blessing she did.
"Only all of us, the six gathered here, can create a guard for His Dark Radiance. Guardians who will be His shield when worst comes to worst. We can offer each component necessary.
"We can offer the nobility of Death, the power of Knowledge, the strength of Passion, the beauty of Glory, the gift of Soul and the honour of Service but only if we work together to create Praeradio's Umbra Guard."
At these words the others were stunned.
"Such a thing..." Jack paused. "Is it possible?"
"If we work together, there is nothing we cannot do to protect Praeradio." Lara stated with a kind yet zealous smile that seemed to be contagious as it seemed to spread to the other Lords.
"Assassins who act in the shadows to be His sword." Jack suggested.
"Knights who stand fiercely as His shield." The nobler Gabriel countered.
"Both have their benefits." Lilith added.
"Both would fulfil the intended purpose." Uriel agreed. The Praetorian Guard and the Sicarii, noble knights and deadly assassins, collectively known as the Umbra Guard." Uriel agreed.
"Which would be outrightly refused by our Lord." Jack stated. "So for His own good, we will do it then tell Him."
*****
[Dante's Spine]
Five hundred and seventy soldiers stood before Valerian. Two hundred and forty Praetors and the same number of Sicarii. All in all, with the addition number of those who had already awoken, six hundred warriors in Valerian's service. A small army.
Their black and red armours were glistening. They summoned their swords and daggers. Then knelt down pledging fealty and awaiting their command. Valerian smiled.