- Lucifer's side (Present) -
The sound of clanging metal filled the air as Fensyr answered questions from Yvere.
"The five main time periods are?"
Fensyr scratched his face. "Origin, that's easy. Then...Before-Division. Division, then Post-Division, and we're currently in the World Council period."
"Correct!" Yvere said with enthusiasm. "Can you name one key event from each period?"
"Uhh..." Fensyr stammered.
Lucifer was apologizing profusely as Arryx checked the state of Lucifer's dagger and Peter's sword. Arryx sighed.
"You know what the worst part about this is?" Arryx held the dagger up. "You've barely used the dagger, and yet," he placed the dagger down and picked up Peter's sword. "This beautiful blade is abused beyond reason."
"Killed Chronos with it," Peter whispered. "Fuckin' time resurrected the mad titan but still, I think it's noteworthy," he shrugged.
"Did you duel Death with this?" Arryx turned his head toward Lucifer.
"How could you possibly know that?" Lucifer shook his head with disbelief.
"The elves," Arryx cleared his throat. "Alm heard a story from one of his contacts about a fight between the Prince of Hell and Death."
'Prince?' Warden said in Lucifer's mind.
'One of many names,' Lucifer responded to Warden.
Fensyr was proudly answering Yvere's questions. "Huītzil killing Thor. Everyone knows that one," his grin turned into a worried frown. "Should probably...find a different answer given where we're headed. Wukong killing Heimda--no, can't say that one neither..."
"Does this look like wheat to you!" Arryx yelled at Lucifer while shoving Peter's sword in his face. "I could understand if you were clashing with actual weapons instead of that cursed farm tool Death wields or if you were killing some large beast--actually that reminds me," his tone shifted as he handed Peter the sword. "Why did you call me about Ryujin?"
"Oh," Lucifer sighed with relief, "I was in a recent conflict with him and wanted to know if I could bring it up with the draconic coalition. I'm not against them owing me a favor."
"What did you do?!" Arryx accused. "That old dragon doesn't move unless he's offered a mountain of food or threatened. Despite the lack of care you show to my creations, I would still assume you're smart enough not to start suicidal conflicts, which means someone paid him to...attack you?"
"Lock down an area," Lucifer revealed. "It's not something to concern yourself with."
"Mmm," Arryx doubted. "How's the knife?!" he shouted over at Elijah.
"Fucking incredible!" Elijah responded joyously as he admired his new knife.
Arryx chuckled with satisfaction. "Happy to finally have a North American human in these parts. Just need a Nepalese human to find their way here so I can start giving away some kukris."
Peter sheathed his sword. "Some humans might start takin' that the wrong way. Modern humans are more sensitive about potential racial slights."
"I mean nothing by it," Arryx assured. "I associate all humans with the weapons their specific culture or race makes. I'm not singling any one group out, though I do prefer certain weapons so that might...have led to me treating certain humans differently."
Peter shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. Any human that makes it this far into the Godlands has probably only experienced racism because they're human, not because they're a specific culture or race of human."
"You say that," Arryx handed Lucifer the dagger, "but there was a Japanese human that seemed offended when I gave him katanas. He wanted a spear but I told him I didn't have any Japanese spears to gift and that he couldn't afford a craft."
"He probably thought that you thought he was a samurai," Lucifer said.
"Well...I did," Arryx shrugged. "But I would give any Japanese human from any human time period a katana...if that's the most recent Japanese weapon I've crafted. It was just bad timing."
"Feng's here," Peter nudged Arryx.
A tall man resembling a grey and white anthropomorphic wolf approached Yvere and Fensyr.
"You the new lycan leader?" Feng sneered.
"Can't believe I have to deal with one of yer kind all the way out here," Fensyr groaned.
"MY KIND?!" Feng shouted.
"He's been doin' so well durin' this trip," Peter sighed.
"I'll deal with it," Arryx stood up and conjured a large metal stick.
"Is the vampire teaching you to read?" Feng smirked.
"Didn't know blacksmiths keep pets!" Fensyr scowled.
Yvere moved away from Fensyr and Feng's argument and joined the spectating group of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Elijah. Elijah continued admiring his knife while Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi discussed the history of lycans and shēngxiào.
"The shēngxiào started the conflict after making comments about the death of Vázo," Tsukuyomi said.
"I heard it was because lycans view shēngxiào as heretical to their beliefs," Amaterasu said.
"It's kind of both," Yvere interjected. "Lycans view their half-shifted forms as heretical while shēngxiào view full beastial transformations as a loss of sanity. Lycans did start the conflict but the shēngxiào have a habit of making comments about the failures of Vázo when the former lycan is compared to Wukong."
"Wukong is not a wolf though?" Tsukuyomi questioned.
Yvere watched as Lucifer and Arryx approached the argument. "The shēngxiào are comprised of many different groups, most of which aren't wolves. In fact, Feng's particular type would refer to themselves more as "dogs" than "wolves"-- another aggravation for the lycans."
Peter stuck two fingers into his mouth and leaned close to the back of Fensyr's head. Peter whistled with the full force of his lungs.
"FUCK!" Fensyr covered his ears as he fell to his knees. "HOW DO YOU EVEN MAKE THAT KIND OF SOUND?!"
Fensyr turned his head around with a severe look of anger. As he stared at the cold eyes of Lucifer and Peter he immediately started apologizing.
"And you call me a pet?!" Feng roared with laughter as he rubbed his ears.
A loud crack could be heard as Arryx struck the back of Feng's leg. "What's the rule, Feng?"
Feng held back cries of pain as he spoke through his teeth, "Get along or get hit..."
- Death's side -
Izanagi, Izanami, and Death were sitting at a table drinking tea.
"I wonder how Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are doing?" Izanagi asked.
"They'll be fine as long as they watch their mouths," Death said gruffly.
"They might be okay then," Izanami said. "Lucifer's done more good for those two than I would've thought possible."
"Don't," Death warned. "We're not friends talking about simple daily life."
"Sorry," Izanagi apologized. "Izanami and I asked to speak with you because we wanted to discuss the World Council meeting that's coming up. We were both planning on going while leaving the territory in the hands of Susano'o. We understand that Lina will be representing Jishcháá and that you, of course, will be representing Purgatory alongside a Grim commander..."
"If you're asking for my permission," Death said, "then you have it. As little as I trust you two, I can't live in this territory forever."
Izanami cleared her throat, "I'm not asking this out of any frustration or impatience, simply for the sake of moving forward: What can we do to regain some of your trust?"
Death took a long sip out of his teacup before answering. "You will make Han'ei into a forward operating base for the Grim while also allying yourselves to Purgatory."
"Is that it?" Izanami sighed with relief.
Out of the corner of Izanami's eye, she noticed a worried look on Izanagi's face.
"Problem?" Death asked Izanagi.
"You know what that represents," Izanagi said clearly. "Not for our sake, Izanami and I should by all accounts be dead, but for yours -- or humanity, more specifically. A large move such as that will reverberate through the world. It's risky at best, and at worst..."
"I know," Death revealed. "A second Ragnarok is coming, as I'm sure you're aware, and I'm sickened by my past inaction. I've wasted centuries sitting in Purgatory and hoping that this world would steadily get better. What I've proposed to you is not my idea but the collective idea of Grim commanders, regardless, it has my full support."
"Make no mistake," Death stared deep into the eyes of Izanagi, "I do not wish for this world to be human-owned, nor do I want to see the death of all gods. I wish for peace among the strong and weak, the execution of monsters, and for most to have the GOOD SENSE-" he slammed his hand through the stone table, "TO LEARN FROM HISTORY!"
Izanagi and Izanami were both startled by Death's outburst.
"Sorry," Death started to gather pieces of the table. "My frustrations are only partially due to you two."
"O-of course," Izanagi said.
- Satan and Abaddon -
Satan sat at a stone table atop Hell's walls. He looked out over the horizon as the sound of the wind filled the air. The usually busy walls were empty.
"One more time, again," Satan mumbled to himself.
Abaddon landed on the wall and walked over to Satan. Her exceedingly long hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing the deep yellow of her irises. She sat down and spoke calmly.
"I'm sure you know why Lucifer was specifically requested for this World Council meeting so I'll skip the explanation. I want Hell to support him when the decision is made."
"What decision?" Satan said coyly.
"Really?" Abaddon responded with restrained irritation.
"What you're about to ask for is of the highest severity," Satan said. "Explain yourself properly, as a future ruler should."
"Fine," Abaddon said sharply and with confidence. "There are only four reasons as to why the World Council would personally request Lucifer's appearance. The first is to undermine your authority."
"They're not above pettiness but that would ultimately be pointless," Satan said in a tired tone of voice.
"Second reason," Abaddon continued, "is they wish to offer Lucifer his own territory. A tempting offer for most lower-ranked beings but Lucifer, even in his lesser position here, has far more than what they could reasonably offer."
"With Ragnarok-two on the way they could offer Olympus and he would still refuse," Satan conjured an illusion of Olympus in the distance.
"Third," Abaddon looked out at the illusory Olympus, "they plan on offering him a position on the World Council. While he could be a representative for the Three Realms there's...many reasons it won't be that."
"Am I to assume the fourth option is an assassination attempt," Satan sighed. "Not for just Lucifer, but me as well, possibly even Michael if the powerful god in question is especially greedy."
"Yes, despite the absurdity," Abaddon said. "Any being that irrational would have made more attempts by now. Look," she sighed, "I believe that the World Council is going to outlaw Lucifer at the meeting. The Three Realms are only politically allied in the event of an invasion so neither Heaven nor Purgatory have an obligation to stand by Lucifer's side."
Satan conjured an illusory Death. "What about him?"
Abaddon hummed with irritation. "Death cannot afford to drag Purgatory into a war with the Council over Lucifer, at least not blatantly. This ultimately is a power move on the Council's part. This isn't about Lucifer, it's about the future of how the Three Realms relates to the Godlands."
Satan cleared his throat. "And you don't want me to allow Lucifer to be sacrificed for the sake of potential political gains."
Abaddon sighed, "Yes..."
"You have my support," Satan said casually. "Anything else?"
"I..." Abaddon hesitated.
Abaddon was taken aback. She rubbed her face and looked deep into Satan's chest.
"It's me," Satan said. "Loki knows better than to mimic demons, especially the demon lords."
"It's just that easy?" Abaddon doubted.
"Yes," Satan responded as he took off his face's wrapping. "I will not have a god, any god, tell me who is and is not allowed in my home. What my territory is and is not permitted to study. The gods can have the Godlands for as long as they wish but they would do well to remember why the Three Realms remains free from their touch."
Satan's eyes were filled with pupils of different colors, each pupil constantly shifting and changing its observation target.
"Should Lucifer choose to stand against the World Council, then on my name and all that I am, he will have the full support of Hell," Satan said as he leaned back in his chair. "But I have a feeling things will be even more complicated than they already are."