Within the heart of Infernaelis, where the dark and gloomy Abyssal Overlord's castle stood atop a tall cliff, rain fell there constantly, accompanied by deafening thunder and violent lightning.
Deep within the castle walls, within a secret chamber that only a handful of demons know about, ten figures sat around an enormous round table, with their aides standing beside them.
Thunder rolled, swaying the chandelier within the room.
"Demon Lord Zephyrion, your rebellion cost us thirty million soul shards to repair the damage you did to the palace. An invoice has been sent to your mansion so please pay the amount due."
The Abyssal Overlord's aide looked as apathetic as her master as she addressed the third strongest demon in the underworld she continued, "But just in case the document got lost in the mail, here is a copy," she placed a newly printed document in front the of imposing figure that was sitting upright who coldly glanced at the document.
"Now, now, Alice, you're embarrassing the poor fiend," the young woman jokingly commented leisurely leaning on the throne, her chin resting on the back of her hand as she smiled at the man who was fuming, "He was beaten up so badly. How's the bruises healing up by the way darling Rion?"
"It's…healing well. Your Majesty," the Eighth Ring, Demon Lord Zephyrion, gritted his teeth, his red eyes gleaming in shame as he replied.
"Oh that's good, don't be too disheartened, maybe next time you'll get me," Risette comforted the man, whose tanned skin became red from humiliation.
Turning to the ethereal young man who sat to her right with his head bowed, Risette couldn't help but click her tongue, "And you Sera, I'll send you an invoice as well. You slept in the lab and decided to blow an entire chunk of my castle up because Rion was making too much noise?"
"It was an experiment, there needed to be absolute silence," the Ninth Ring Arch-Demon Seraphel, retorted quietly.
"Sleeping isn't an experiment, don't forget to pay the amount," Risette gestured to her aide to hand him an invoice document also, "You both are setting such bad examples for the other employees in this Order," Risette multi-coloured eyes twinkled with amusement as she spoke, "Anyways, who's first to give a report?"
"Your Majesty," a mesmerising woman spoke as she stood up, "Please allow me to go first."
"Oh the new employee, go ahead."
The Sixth Ring and the leader of 'The Veiled Court', Sylvara, who spoke up continued, "Thank you, Your Majesty." She waved her hand and an image appeared on the other side of the room, clearly displaying two people who were going about their day, "Our shadows have gathered intel on recent movements of the church that we believed to be the main cause of our recent decline in our economy as of late."
Risette, hearing this leaned over and whispered to her aide, "Our economy is in decline?"
The aide nodded her head, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Genuinely surprised, Risette asked the new employee, "The Church? What are they doing now, resurrecting the dead?"
"We believe so, Your Majesty."
"Seriously, I was joking, you know?"
"Ah," caught off guard the upright and rigid Sylvara blushed, "Noted, Your Majesty."
Amused, Risette looked at the projected video of two people and joked, "Has the Veiled Court switched to stalking humans now?"
Blushing even more profusely, Sylvara explained, "Your Majesty, the shadows have gathered information about these two humans being the cause of our economic decline, the man is Windsor Hastings, who's rumoured to be a saint so powerful he's able to resurrect the dead while the woman on the right is Celina Valerian, the rumoured seeress who's able to discern contents of oracles."
Risette listened with interest at the intel before asking, "So, I'm assuming they're dead now?"
The young woman who resembled a Snow Queen looked like she was about to cry as she stuttered, "N-no Your Majesty, the shadows failed to kill them. We're actually watching a live feed of them right now."
"Failed?" Risette tapped the armrest, "How did they fail to kill two humans?"
"We're unsure, none came back alive, and we were unable to recover their bodies, I apologise, Your Majesty," head bowed Sylvara continued to stiffly report.
"It's a Celestial Intervention," the Second Ring, Mistress of Arcane Secrets, Morgana, suddenly spoke up.
Looking to the other side of the table where an ethereal woman whose eyes were shielded by a golden cloth sat, Risette's eyes lit up, "You're as beautiful as always Morgi."
"Thank you," Morgana continued, "A saint has appeared after several centuries along with a non-divine who is able to decipher oracles, it's without a doubt the Wings that are involved."
"They haven't made a single sound since the last war," hearing the man beside her mutter, Risette leaned slightly closer to him causing him to lean back in his chair.
"You seem interested in them, Sera," Risette commented.
"Yes."
"Hmm," remembering the flyer she had picked up earlier that day that she had stashed into her space pocket, Risette retrieved the paper and looked at the content again:
[Group Therapy For Dark Souls: A Special Journey For Those Who Needs More Excitement In Their Lives. Have You Been Feeling Bored From The Lack Of Bloodshed In The Demon Realm? Don't Worry, Come Join Us Up At The Human World, Where Sacrifices Awaits!]
Doesn't this sound fun? But how was she supposed to leave her post and attend this? If there wasn't a valid reason the demons wouldn't let her go out and have fun!
Looking at the scheming employee to her left and the powerful employee to her right a sudden idea came to her.
Sitting upright she clapped her hands, "I've decided, starting tomorrow there'll be an executive team workshop above ground."
"Executive?"
"Team workshop?"
"Exactly, to build rapport amongst the executive members by killing the Saint and Seeress I'll be taking you, Rion, and-"
"Me?!"
"-you, Sera, up-"
"I'm not going."
"-above ground. The rewards for successful completion are twenty thousand fresh souls for Rion and a Winged, and if we don't see one I'll personally go catch one for you, Sera."
"Deal," hearing both men agree as expected, Risette smiled, "Meeting adjourned."