(Back to the present)
- Death -
Death and Fensyr decided to discuss the situation in Fensyr's home. The two sat at a barely lit table.
"I explicitly warned Amaterasu not to interfere with your kind anymore. Do you have any idea why Fenrir stopped supporting you?"
Fensyr was scratching at the wood of the table, digging deeper and deeper marks as he thought.
"You know Fenrir better than I do. Why do you think?"
Death was looking at the growing damage of the wood beneath Fensyr's hand.
'I know the centuries haven't been kind to you. Those of your kind that remember what you did respect you, but the others only view you as a coward.'
"Fenrir doesn't have an echo. I setup messengers that would relay his support of your leadership, but I guess he hasn't bothered to tell them anything."
"Maybe the messengers got killed," Fensyr suggested.
"Not possible." Death was confident "The messengers in question are demons. Even if they had been killed, it wouldn't be quiet. You've seen what happens when angels die. Believe it or not, Satan is even more protective of his kind."
Fensyr folded his arms.
"Well, the reason doesn't matter. Ama has always shown more interest in us than Fenrir. I know iss not for good reasons, but the rest of my kind don't care. Strength is strength."
Death put his head in his hands.
"Why couldn't your people worship Anubis?"
Fensyr was surprised to see Death like this. For the most part, he had known two sides to the god; Angry, and diplomatic.
Growing up in Fenjyl had made Fensyr apathetic to the rest of the world. He never agreed with the worship of Fenrir or Amaterasu. One was clearly using the lycans for entertainment, and the other couldn't care less if they existed. He had always wanted to just live in peace, and he believed that would never happen so long as he stayed in Vázoluna.
'Shoulda just left that night. Shouldn't a let them convince me to be leader.'
Fensyr started rubbing his colorless eye.
Death wanted to run over to the yokai territory and threaten Amaterasu. The difference now was that he didn't have The Saint backing him up, and he also had to worry about the safety of the group if Cytus shows back up.
"If you want to leave Vázoluna, you can."
Fensyr was shocked by the statement.
"Leave?!" He loudly whispered. "I leave and my people forever brand me as a traitor. Where would I go?! Humans don't want ta be around lycans. Vampires don't want ta be around us. All the other territories wouldn't be much better given my history with you."
Death was calm. He expected the reaction.
"I'm saying you can leave, or stay and do what I told you. You kept the lycans from hunting humans, and I'm grateful for that."
Fensyr's face was a mix of anger and sadness.
'It wasn't that hard ta convince them after what you did. I wish you had killed me that night...'
"Your kind don't deserve to be dragged into a war between me and Amaterasu. I want you to stall your people for as long as you can."
"You know how my eye got this way?" Fensyr asked, seeming to ignore Death's request.
Death was well-informed on most demon deals thanks to Satan's notes. The demon lord had made sure to document any deal given, and enforced cruel punishments to any that failed to report their deals. Still, he humored Fensyr.
"No."
"I wanted to leave Vázoluna. I knew I needed strength, and when that demon came through I was so happy that I had my chance to get stronger that I begged them for a deal. "We only give deals to lessers." He said, but I was persistent. I swore fealty to him and his kind, I offered to give my eye as payment, even my tongue."
Death acted like this information was surprising.
'I wonder if people still believe that lie that Satan made about wanting eyes and tongues as payment?'
Fensyr continued.
"Eventually the demon agreed after asking Satan. He told me I would lose vision in one of my eyes for it. I didn't care. After ta deal was made I became the strongest amongst my kind, other than Amakell. I had made plans to leave, but the other lycans in Fenjyl begged me to stay. They asked me to watch over the town and protect them."
Fensyr paused for a moment, tightening his hands.
"I wanted ta leave so badly. I wanted ta get out of these woods and live somewhere unaffected by the whims of the stronger gods. I looked at the lycans, who were on their knees, lowering their heads ta me, and I realized that protecting them was a more reasonable path. I still hate it here, but I have nowhere else ta go. Do you understand my point?"
Death was listening with the intent of offering Fensyr a place in Purgatory. He reconsidered after hearing him speak.
'Assuming he even agreed to live in Purgatory, I think his place in the world is better suited here. He's the best leader the lycans have had, even if he hates the position.'
Death resolved himself.
"I want you to stay in power here. Any leader picked by Amaterasu will push your kind to ruin. You don't have to use my name, yet, but please consider it if things get bad."
Fensyr had always been terrified of Death ever since the hunt. Meeting Death that night had only reaffirmed his belief that he should stay in Vázoluna. He was strong compared to other lycans, but any confidence he had in his abilities was gone when he looked up at that shadowy form.
'I've always been rude ta you. It was for appearances, but you probably knew that. Or maybe you didn't, but you just never saw me as a threat ta begin with.'
"If I can ask anything of you. Please come back here after you handle Ama. Give as much detail as you can. My kind love a good story, and it'll help keep things in order." Fensyr's voice was tired.
Death looked at the leader and felt guilty.
'A leader forced into a terrible position by the forces above you...I'm sorry.'
Death never wanted to be like other ancient gods. He threw his weight around when he thought he had to but was always careful not to go too far. The night of the lycan hunt had always been an example of a worst-case scenario for him. He believed in what he did, but he was still worried that there would come a day when his anger would hurt the wrong being.
'I can't handle this problem right now. The humans take priority, but I need to do something about this. Once everything is taken care of I'll deal with Amaterasu. It would be helpful if I could find her first.'
Death was thinking about The Saint. He wasn't sure if she would even agree to help him if he did find her, but it was worth a shot.
"I'll make sure to. Just be safe. Even if you have to abdicate, don't risk your life for nothing."
Fensyr bit his tongue to hold back his words.
'Why couldn't you be a wolf?'
Fensyr took this chance to ask one last question.
"You met with the Godslayer. How did you originally convince him to support me?"
Death thought back on his conversation with Fenrir. He thought that he shouldn't answer honestly, but felt that Fensyr deserved the truth.
"I asked him to support you and he asked, "Why would I?". I told him that my support would be almost meaningless and just needed him to pretend. He laughed at that statement. He said that he never thought of your kind, but found the idea that someone like me was trying to help interesting. I had always assumed he would ask for something in return, but he never did. I guess this was just a temporary piece of entertainment for him."
Fensyr would've been outraged by the truth if he had actually worshipped Fenrir.
'I'm sure the proper followers would lose their minds to this information. I'll never tell them. It would be best if they figured it out on their own that we worship two gods who view us as their playthings.'
Fensyr stood up and held his hand out to Death.
"I trust your strength, but understand that my people come first ta me. If Ama threatens us when you're not around, I can't promise I'll do what you'd like me ta."
Death shook his hand.
"As I said, your safety is what matters."
- Lucifer -
Lucifer and his team, along with Mira, were waiting outside of Fensyr's house for Death. Everyone except for Lucifer and Mira decided to sit in the cart while they waited. Lucifer was thinking back to his argument with Fensyr.
'"Lucky" huh? If I was Death your kind would have lost this forest. I wonder if your fallen thought themselves lucky as Death ripped his way through them.'
Lucifer was keeping his eyes on his surroundings. He didn't trust that a talk with Death and the lycan leader would be left alone.
Death and Fensyr came out of the house. Fensyr shot Lucifer a dirty look, and Lucifer replied by pointing at the trees and conjuring a quick ball of flame.
Death sighed.
"We have bigger problems to worry about, enough already."
Lucifer trusted Death, but couldn't help but be annoyed by the circumstances.
"What are we doing next?" Lucifer asked.
"Leaving." Death replied. "We'll be continuing as planned, but after this mission is over I'll be heading to the yokai territory to discuss with Amaterasu."
Lucifer couldn't believe what he was hearing.
'Discuss? There's nothing to discuss. I'll talk with him after we finish our current objectives. Hopefully, he's only being diplomatic in front of Fensyr and Mira, and isn't actually planning on talking things out with Amaterasu.'
Fensyr walked with the group until they were at the edge of the main town.
"The scouts will keep following you, but that's just code, nothing's meant by it," Fensyr said to Death.
Lucifer avoided making eye contact with Fensyr for fear of angering himself again.
Death thanked Fensyr for his time and the group walked into the woods in front of them. Mira grabbed the staff from before and made it glow. Once the group was far away from the town Elijah decided to ask Lucifer about the lycan's history.
"I only read up to the part where Death starts fighting the army. Why are things like this?"
"Like what?" Lucifer responded.
"Maybe it's a human thing, but generally when two sides have a war one side tends to lose land and/or rights. Death seems good-natured, but I can't imagine he would just let the lycans keep everything they have."
Lucifer agreed with Elijah, but he didn't want to show it.
"Death believes in true equality." Lucifer kept his tone calm "He wants humans to integrate into this world without having to use force. He will use force if he thinks the situation calls for it though. He told me that the lycans were victims of a higher power's interference and that their whole race doesn't deserve to be punished for it."
Lucifer found the last part difficult to say. He had always found what the lycans did to be unforgivable and often compared their actions to those of level four prisoners in Hell.
Elijah thought the last part of what Lucifer had said was off.
"He didn't want to take their land away or hold the entire race responsible." Elijah assumed.
Lucifer wanted to tell Elijah that he disagreed with the sentiment.
"Death believes in second chances, to a point. He had spilled more lycan blood that night than any other god ever did or has. I trust he had good reason to leave them their land." Lucifer lied about the last part.
Elijah wasn't convinced by Lucifer's words.
'You and Death know each other well, I assume, so maybe I should just take your word for it.'
Lucifer was grateful for Death's temperament. It was a breath of fresh air when compared to other high ranking gods. However, this didn't stop the occasional nagging feeling that he would get. He went up to Death and whispered.
"Will the lycans stay in line long enough for us to deal with our current problems?"
"They should. Amaterasu's involvement must have been recent. Nothing like what happened before will happen again." Death's hand tightened around the reins.
Lucifer noticed the reaction and felt almost relieved.
'I'm glad to know you still hold anger from that tragedy. I just hope you remember that feeling when you deal with Amaterasu.'
Lucifer looked at the surrounding trees and noted the ones that were smaller than the rest.
'Maybe some of the lycans are too quick to forget their fear and need a reminder.'
Lucifer was thinking about how he would have fought that night. In his mind, he would have razed the entirety of Vázoluna.
'Chances are I would have been killed. Death didn't even have a healer until the very end.'
Lucifer was picturing himself flying through the forest, firing attacks at any lycans he would see. He kept imagining how he would avoid fatal damage. Every scenario eventually ended with him being worn down by a buildup of small damage.
Death thought Lucifer was contemplating Cytus's next move.
'One problem at a time I suppose.'
By the time the group had reached the edge of Vázoluna, it was nightfall.
"Out of darkness and right back into it." Lucifer joked.
The group was now stepping foot into the neutral zone between Vázoluna, and Ra's territory, Heliopolis.
This neutral zone was different from the first one. It was seen as less peaceful, but that was because of the territories that surrounded it.
Olympus was on the left, and R'lyeh on the right. Olympus caused little trouble, R'lyeh, however, was seen as a cursed land. The neutral zones that surrounded it were larger than any others due to the neighboring territories wanting to be far away.
"This should actually be peaceful, unlike the last one." Death said.
"Don't put "should" and "peaceful" so close together," Lucifer replied.
Lucifer wasn't concerned with the neutral zone, but more about Elijah.
"I need to prepare Elijah for a potential encounter with a vessel," Lucifer told Death.
Lucifer walked to the back of the supply cart where Elijah was reading the guide by the light of an orb.
"Did you read anything about the eldritch on the way here?" Lucifer asked.
"Yes. We're getting close to Ra's territory, so I've also been brushing up on proper behavior."
Elijah closed the guide and turned the glowing orb off. He hopped out of the cart and walked alongside Lucifer.
"What should you report immediately?" Lucifer quizzed Elijah.
"Whispers, screeches, and headaches," Elijah responded.
"Do you have the anti-frenzy medication?"
"Yes." Elijah held up a small black bottle of liquid.
"Good. If we're lucky 'which we probably won't be' we shouldn't encounter any of Cthulu's vessels. They know purposefully harming humans can result in their disposal, so things sh...uh, will be fine, especially with Death here."
There were various towns in this neutral zone. They were mostly populated by merchants that were trying to trade between Vázoluna, Heliopolis, and Olympus. Cthulu's vessels would sometimes travel through, looking for anything they thought might be useful to their kind.
Elijah flipped open the guide and turned pages until he found the name of this collection of towns.
"Sol." Elijah read. "I was wondering back in Vázoluna. Why don't the lycans worship Tsukuyomi?"
"Unlike Fenrir who's mostly apathetic to the lycans, Tsukuyomi has shown disgust with them. He wants nothing to do with their kind and was annoyed by Amaterasu's meddling." Lucifer responded.