- Death and Lucifer -
The two didn't speak to each other. They got into their usual positions and the group silently left Heliopolis. The silence made both worry about the other.
'He didn't ask me any questions?' Death wondered.
'I guess he thinks I'm worried about the Moloch line. Not wrong, just not my main concern.' Lucifer thought.
The ride would have looked peaceful on the outside. Everyone was quiet, thinking about their own positions. The uništi moving slower through the sand didn't help.
Lucifer decided to just enjoy the faux peace. He liked the dessert scenery for its simplicity. He stared out at the stretching sands and thought about how he should approach the subject of an underworld alliance.
Death hated the sand. He found it reminded him of unpleasant moments from his past. He also didn't like the uništi's reduced speed in the environment.
'Osiris...' Death thought as he blankly stared forward. "...what did my sin's weight feel like to you?'
Lucifer pulled out the guide from one of the boxes. He opened it to a page titled "Moloch Line" and started reading through it.
'I hope this didn't scare Elijah.' His eyes scanned the page. 'Moloch...I'm in no mood to deal with you.'
Lucifer turned the pages to a section called "Moloch" and read, hoping to take his mind off the underworld alliance.
'Why do you upper ranks have to be so problematic? Wars, acts of wrath, and so much more. How I didn't die when I traveled these lands alone I'll never know.'
Death occasionally looked around, thinking it was wise to look for threats, even in such an open area. He was searching halfheartedly. His biggest fear was that Osiris would chase him down and beg him to reconsider.
'I wonder how I should tell Lucifer? He won't be happy knowing I didn't tell him sooner. I'm sure he'll be understanding enough, given my position.'
Hours passed and the group arrived at the neutral zone that sat between three demigod territories. The demigods were no one of note. They were among a handful that wasn't known by humans, a fact that angered them greatly.
"Moloch line coming up!" Death yelled behind him.
Lucifer sighed and flew out.
'Here we go.' Lucifer thought.
"Anything to worry about?" He asked Death.
"Not immediately, no." Death responded.
The Moloch line was viewed as an invisible line that separates human treatment in the northern territories. There are somewhat safe places for humans to live in this part of the world, but the chances of atrocities against humans skyrockets. The most openly anti-human gods live in these more northern parts. They've been a spear-sized thorn in Death's side for a very long time.
From here on out the group will be traveling with their weapons ready at all times, something that they usually didn't need to do until now.
- Peter and Elijah -
"Everyone ready?" Peter asked.
Everyone nodded their heads. The change in the usual tone of the group was obvious. Even Heinrich had gone from a down look to a more serious expression.
Elijah looked at his hands.
'I hope I don't need to blow off another hand.'
"We should be able to just go straight through without makin' camp. The next territory we're goin' through is Hayir's. Havin' Death around should simplify a lot of things." Peter said.
- Death and Lucifer -
The group stopped briefly to change their tires back to wheels before continuing to move. As Peter said, they went straight through without issue. They reached the border wall of Hayirna.
Two guards in full plate armor stopped Death and Lucifer, requesting to see passage coins. Lucifer presented his team's before the guards opened the gates.
"There's a tax to-"
"Fuck off!" Death yelled without turning around.
Lucifer normally would have smiled at the interaction. He couldn't bring himself to even fake happiness. Too many things were on his mind. He just wanted to get out of the territory and move on.
"We need to get out of here before sunset. I don't want to argue with the guards about opening the gate." Lucifer said.
Death was going to suggest they stay until he looked around at the glaring expressions. As his eyes wondered anyone he met eyes with quickly turned their head.
The beings of Hayirna were humanoid. They had black markings of different shapes on their green skin. They had horns that wrapped around their heads and pointed up. Most of them were shorter than the majority of the group.
Death and Lucifer picked up their pace. They made it to the other gate before sunset.
'At least this place is small.' Lucifer thought.
The group didn't travel for long before making camp outside of a forest. The Hayirna territory stopped right where the elven forest began, and both Death and Lucifer agreed it was smarter to make camp outside of the forest.
The group set up their fire and not much else. Building with stone was prohibited in Hayir's and the elves' territory.
Lucifer waited until everything was clear before approaching Death.
"I need to talk to you about something serious."
'Great. I can only imagine what this is. I still have to tell him about the alliance.'
"What is it now?" Death asked.
"The underworld gods are forming an alliance," Lucifer revealed. "They tried recruiting Satan, who, thankfully, refused. I think it's actually serious this time. Even Hades might have agreed to it."
"Why do you say might?" Death wondered.
'Anubis must have told him. I might as well reveal that I already knew.'
"I don't fully trust Anubis's words," Lucifer explained. "He could have been lying about the extent of the alliance. You know Hades. For the many problems he has with Zeus he wouldn't turn to usurpation so easily."
"Good point. There is something you should know." Death announced. "I've known about this alliance for some time now."
Death sighed, expecting a look of surprise from Lucifer. Instead, he got one of anger.
"Excuse me? I assume you're talking about something else." Lucifer's tone was restrained.
"I was contacted by Osiris awhile back." Death said casually. "He told me of a potential alliance. I thought nothing of it, tried talking him out of it, and then forgot about it. These things come and go."
Death's casual attitude about it was only making Lucifer angrier.
"Right, but I would still like to be kept up about these things. How long would it have taken for you to call? I don't expect every minor issue to warrant a call, but this kind of thing could become, and might currently be a large problem."
"As I said, I forgot." Death shrugged. "I was probably swamped with other at-the-time more relevant issues. How many "alliances" get made in this world that lead to nothing? I also heard that Fenrir and Jormungand were finally going to kill Odin if you're interested."
"This is not the same as that. This affects us. Or I guess it affects me and my team. You don't need to worry about a potential war involving ancients." Lucifer's anger started slipping through.
"I'm not invincible, and I take every potential war serious." Death started to sound angry. "I have grim up here and don't want them getting caught up in large scale conflict. that is if it might actually happen. Why does this matter so much to you?"
Peter started getting closer. He hadn't seen the two argue like this for a very, very long time. He fully expected that he would need to get in-between them.
"I was dreading telling you this, I thought it was just another problem that we shouldn't have to deal with," Lucifer said.
"Don't compare what you know now to what I was told of." Death condescended. "If you received the same calls I got you would have been as apathetic as I was. I care now, and I plan on stopping this."
"I get Satan not telling me. He'd let me catch fire without mentioning anything. You?" Lucifer pointed. "I expect better."
"Better?!" Death shouted.
Peter got closer. He was readying himself to shoot a wall of fire between the two.
"I expect you to not act like a brat over something you and I both know WASN'T a big deal at the time." Death insulted. "Should I have Mary give you a copy of every innocuous report I get? What about Arryx? He traveled to Valhalla again, he might start an alliance with Odin."
"I'm not an ancient like you or Satan." Lucifer leaned forward. "I don't have the luxury of writing these things off. This isn't one of the usual bullshit rumors like Sun and Shiva teaming up. This is deities we are both well-acquainted with talking about potentially usurping their lands!"
"Lower your voice." Death ordered.
"Why?" Lucifer mocked. "Is this something serious you don't want others to know about? I ask so little of you, and you can't even understand why I'd be frustrated with this?"
The others were now gathered behind Peter, Ready to help him stop the two.
Death made a large sigh.
"I'm...I'm sorry." Death lied.
Lucifer could tell he wasn't being genuine. Peter could tell by Lucifer's expression that he had just caught Death lying. The air was now so tense that Peter thought he might misfire his magic.
"You-" Lucifer stopped himself. He wasn't used to being so angry at Death. The sight of his team out of the corner of his eye made him take a moment before moving forward with what he was going to say.
"I think we need to settle this in a healthier way," Lucifer suggested.
"Agreed." Death's robe tightened around him as he conjured his scythe. "You're not getting the handicap this time."
"Fine by me. Peter! Sword!" Lucifer shouted.
"Please don't break it," Peter said under his breath as he threw the sword to Lucifer.
Everyone walked a little way from the camp. Lao and Yvere both acted as referees. They figured they would need both healers. Heinrich, Peter, and Sabu were further away, ready to catch any of Lucifer's attacks that might hit the forest. Elijah was behind the three, hoping it was the safest place to stand.
"So you two don't kill each other or us we'll be going off of our judgment as to when this fight stops. Please don't forget that we can only do so much to stop you." Yvere informed the two.
Yvere and Lao nodded to each other.
"On my mark," Lao said.
The two dug their feet into the ground. Lucifer ignited the sword along with his arms up to the elbows. Death kept his scythe's blade pointed at Lucifer while lowering his stance.
"Begin!"