It was a welcome surprise, Balthazar's appearance.
Certainly, when he knew how the angel's mind operated. Balthazar was sick of being a goody-two shoes and when heaven gave him a chance, he took it and left. Alongside half of Heaven's armory.
If he was going to make a deal with an angel, then Irwin couldn't find one more agreeable than Balthazar.
Still, as things stand, Irwin had bigger and more current fish to fry.
The angels would destroy the shield tomorrow, then, using Scattering Wind on the runic pillars around the Castle, Irwin would teleport the bulk of his army on the runway of the island.
If he was lucky, his plane would still be there, along with his briefcase full of armaments and hex bags. It was just an optional tool Irwin was hoping to use; the raid would still be fine if it was taken away by the demons.
Irwin planned for things to awry. The Grand Coven would lose dozens of its members and Dagon's forces would be decimated to where Dagon herself would have to unleash the full extent of her powers.
The only problem would be if Dagon could not be killed. Although he was sure of the trio's prowess, even more so of Brunhilde with her cursed artifact, Dagon was created by Lucifer himself. They would have a tough time.
"Sir Irwin, the last of the corpses is here." Aeneas' voice brought Irwin to his senses as he stood atop the crowning achievement of the Castle of Endless Agony, a moving statue of the Grand Coven's founder.
"Also, could you please not stand on the head of Lady Minerva? Thank you!" Aeneas bowed his head lightly, likely more fearful of Irwin after he disintegrated the corpses a couple of days ago.
"Oh, right. My bad. Just felt like brooding for a while." Irwin jumped down the twenty-foot tall marble statue and began rifling through the corpses, after shooing away Aeneas.
Unlike the seventy or so corpses they gave him on the first time, the second batch was short of four to make it a clean thirty. It was understandable, given that most of the witches were preparing their items or training their spells.
Still, it bothered Irwin since this was most probably the last time he will have someone that could get him this many corpses within three days.
His intent on this round of credits was a way to deal with Dagon and not just some item that could instantaneously destroy her. He needed her to suffer for all of eternity.
"Or use her corrupted soul to feed the wardings of the Garden of Eden." Irwin's eyes flared with anger and smugness.
Ashes burst out of the pile of corpses, suffusing the surrounding with gray smoke. The ash cloud was then funneled into Irwin's pores, freeing the area of the ashes and the corpses.
■■
▪︎ Item Trade
▪︎ Store
▪︎ Trade Counter
▪︎ Store Credit: 328
■■
There were still some leftover credits from the first batch which helped his credits tide past the 300-mark. Unfortunately, he did not have time to dawdle as Aeneas entered the outside area once more and hurried him along.
Irwin quickly bought the System Consumable he had in mind, breaking a silent vow to lessen his wasting of his credits by buying consumables. It was for a good cause; he reasoned out to himself.
Nevertheless, his Store Credits went down to 18 as the item was particularly powerful and had an extremely short duration.
"Where are we heading?" He asked the Warlock.
"Well, the High Priestess requested a speech from you. Our troops may be filled with mighty witches, but the strength of our enemies has spread fear through the ranks." Aeneas replied.
Irwin suppressed the instinct to groan, merely nodding in agreement and silently thinking of a speech to say in front of a hundred witches, most of whom were evil beyond the point of morality.
Still, it would be detrimental to his plans if Dagon's forces easily dispatched the Coven witches. As such, he told Aeneas to wait for him downstairs as he went to his guest room and changed outfit.
Viceroy's Promise was then removed from the Trade Counter and revealed in full. The sight of which reminded Irwin of Frodo's mithril armor, iron rings linked together through some esoteric blacksmithing skills and bound by magik to shine even in the gloomiest of days.
It was easy enough to equip. Irwin merely slipped it atop his head and tightened the leather latch on the side of the armor to fit his form, quite snugly at that.
The effects were instantaneous. His body felt lighter than before and there was an inkling at the back of his head that gave him a notion of danger. Of course, that danger soon passed once he upped his guard.
Irwin chalked it up to the defenses of the Castle. For even if he was in a temporary alliance with the Coven, they were still creatures of evil desires.
Adorned in his chain mail armor, Viceroy's Promise, and his two earrings, Irwin went downstairs and found the courtyard full of haughty witches and overzealous warriors muttering about the raid that will happen tomorrow.
Irwin, with his enhanced senses, could hear the fear mongering running rampant amongst his army and, frankly, he was not sure how he should handle it.
Fortunately, the trio, Olivette, and a couple of Grand Witches stood atop a raised platform, specially made for such an occasion. It even had enchantments upon the lengths to help quell such a relatively sizeable crowd.
He waved at them, joining them up and motioning towards the crowd. "Aeneas told me something's up."
"It appears fear has taken root." Brunhilde opened up with a grim tone. Her glare was two levels past monstrous as she locked on the crowd. "We must quell it before it takes fruit."
"Don't be so dramatic," Olivette countered, her hands elegantly handling a wine glass like a soccer mom cheating on her husband with her gynecologist.
"Do you mind if I give a quick word to them? Wouldn't want them standing like bowling pins once they see the demons." Irwin asked, more of a formality rather than an actual asking of permission.
The others nodded, with Hephaestus giving a quick compliment to his armor.
Irwin loomed over the army gathered before him, invigorating his slumbering magical energy to make himself appear larger and more daunting.
"Witches of the Grand Coven!" His voice, magically enhanced, bellowed far and wide. The witches paused their activities, the cacophony of voices subsiding except for one.
"For so long, the Coven has groveled beneath the pastures of mundanity, bowing down to the faction of Heaven and Hell as to not gain their attention or, even worse, their interest.
The Men of Letters, a vile organization founded by human scum, have taken what was rightfully yours. Centuries of safekeeping, destroyed, decimated, demolished under the greedy hands of the so-called righteous.
You know what is righteous? Power. And magik gives us power. They took that away from you and when you wanted it back… they killed your brethren, your brothers and sisters.
But no more! Tomorrow, we march across the Atlantic and siege the bastion of a Prince of Hell. Her sanctuary may be a fortress, but her defenses hold no candle to the power of witchcraft!
Their defenses will fall and you will slaughter the demons and send them back where they rightfully belong! To the bowels of hell!
So rise up, my kindred. Rise to the occasion, and become something more than spellcasters. Something more than witches.
Become myths, become legends as you renew the epic of your coven. Let your blood and magik and sweat become the catalyst of revitalization.
You are warriors whose blood will be lifting the Grand Coven to new glory, to heights never seen before.
To the Grand Coven!"
Irwin's voice took on a life of its own as he released the full extent of his magik. His hands reached for the skies and crushed the sun before eyes.
"To the Grand Coven!"
"To the Grand Coven!"
"To the Grand Coven!"
The witches, once lingering with fear, were now blood-crazed by his speech as they chanted repeatedly. The ground felt the swell of magical energy as it cracked and bore witness to the stomping of crazed witches.
Irwin gazed back and gave the leaders of the raid a thumbs-up as he muttered to himself, "This is going to be a bloodbath!"
●●●●●
As usual, no chapter tomorrow.
I don't know if I what I have created is good enough for this, but if you ever want more:
patreon.com/MillanGrimme
It's five (5) chapters ahead of this site.