"So, you're telling me Static got kidnapped, and we only got back one official is what you're saying." Mara said as Kyr nodded, his tail swaying.
"So, what's the plan to get him back?" Mareth asked as Mono came back into the room, looking pissed.
"We're gathering troops. This is too far." Mono said, stepping back out of the room.
"Oh shit, are they actually going to war?" Ulrich asked, Emopa sighing and nodding.
"I guess so. Seeing as how Static is captured, we have no choice but to join." Emopa narrowed his eyes.
Vatel chuckled, "Yeah, we'll get him back, one way or another."
Olivia entered the room, a stern look on her face. "So, you're planning to join, hm?"
Emopa stepped in, "Yeah, but we won't do it for free." Everyone giving him a shocked look except for Olivia.
"Emopa, what're you!—" Fox whispered as Olivia chuckled.
"I expected as much from you. After all, you are new to this world, are you not?" Olivia asked, grinning as she leaned against the wall.
"Alright then, how do you suspect us to pay you? Knowledge? Coins? Power? We can back you up here."
"Some knowledge would be nice; it'd help us get a better grasp of the world." Kyr said, everyone except Emopa agreeing.
"Alright then! As for you, big guy, you don't seem to agree. What's on your mind?" Olivia asked.
Emopa looked at her, his posture shifting a little. "I'd like more power if you can satisfy both requests."
Olivia chuckled. "Alright then, sure, but it won't be easy. You're going to have to fight for it. I'll tell you how to get it after the war."
With that, she walked away, leaving the group to their own devices.
"Emopa, what was that?" Sorra said, placing her hands on her hips. Her gaze pierced Emopa's soul, causing him to sweat a little.
"We need all the strength we can get..." Emopa said, looking to the side.
"Still, they offered us hospitality; you don't just go ahead and ask for something." As Mareth spoke, Emopa cut him off.
"We're practically mercenaries here. I assume we're only joining because of Static." Emopa turned around. "End of story."
"They've been so nice to us, yet you show this much lack of empathy or care?" Ulrich tilted his head. "You weren't usually like this."
"Any opportunity, Ulrich. Any opportunity we can get to become stronger, we'll take it. I'm simply doing what's best for the guild. Got that?" Emopa asked, turning his head toward the group.
"I care about you all; I still have empathy. Only for you guys." He walked out of the room, leaving the group behind.
Everyone looked at each other with concern in their eyes.
"Vatel, Mareth... You guys talk to him. You've known him longer than any of us have." Fox said, grabbing. Mareth's hand.
Mara stared at her but looked away after a few seconds.
"Alright... We'll try to find him, but don't count on it." Vatel said, Mareth nodding as both of them walked out.
The remaining ones were left in the plain room. Only left with a small table and some drawers with some miscellaneous items on them.
Meanwhile, Emopa walked around outside. He stood on a hill, the breeze blowing his long black hair. His eyes, still purple, looked slightly dull.
He rubbed his face. He felt a mustache and a beard growing back in, causing him to sigh.
"Emopa. You're not truly a necromancer, y'know that?" Mitorna said, forming over Emopa, this time in his more divine form.
Emopa looked up at the skeletal halo over his head, and his soul filled green eyes.
"What makes you say that?" Emopa asked, his arms crossed.
"You still care for your friends. The moment you stop is the day you'll become truly powerful." He said, fading away slowly. "Someone's coming; get ready."
The atmosphere shifted to the same red haunting. A loud crash sounded out along with a large cloud of debris forming, which obscured Emopa's vision.
"Thought this guy was dead..." Emopa sounded more annoyed than afraid.
"Emopa Abomination." Alric called out as he extended his hand.
"You and your filthy kind... Always disrupting things that don't need to be disrupted. You're all bloodthirsty maniacs." His red eyes glowed in the smoky scene.
"Now, if I couldn't kill that whore of a woman, I'll most definitely kill you." When the debris cleared, Alric's left eye was seen to be missing.
His ribcage was visible, and his right arm was made of blood. "I've only been able to regenerate my jaw and give myself a bloody arm because of your kind."
Emopa snickered a little, narrowing his eyes and drawing out his odachi. "Very well then. Let's give you more injuries."
"Emopa, wait. He's still an apostle. Mitorna spoke, only to be cut off by Emopa's sudden and rash decision to charge forward.
"Morgul, Rot, come on." Emopa swung his weapon, but Alric dodged backwards.
However, his already torn, bloodstained white robe got cut. "What?"
He looked up, seeing Morgul above. He narrowed his eyes and immediately grabbed his ankle. He slammed him into the ground, causing Morgul to cough blood.
Alric felt something off as he ducked a swing from Rot, whose blades lit up in a bright blue flame.
Alric flipped onto his hands, about to perform an overhead kick on Rot, but Emopa stabbed him in his back.
He swung the blade, throwing Alric in the process. "What the hell is going on?! Summons aren't this coordinated with their masters... Unless..."
Alric looked at the eyes of Emopa's summons. Rot and Morgul had a glowing purple glint in their eyes. "You're that variant of lich? Not only that, you're a blessed apostle too..." Alric chuckled.
"You need to die. You'll be the end of everything." Alric chuckled even more, the large blade disappearing before impaling himself in the chest.
"I'm a little damaged so far, but I can still perform it." A sphere of blood began to form around Alric.
Emopa watched, recalling Morgul and Rot. "Skarlok." He called out, the mage orc appearing next to him.
"Already on it, master." Skarlok raised his hands in the air, and a large dome covering about 950 feet formed over them.
Emopa watched as the sphere of blood exploded, splattering blood on him.
Wiping off his face, Emopa saw Alric. His hair was now a deep crimson, slicked back with blood. There were slight streaks of black in it.
His skin seemed cracked, damaged with a small orb, assumably a core, in the center of his chest.
The cracks seemed to be coming from there. His hands and feet were coated in hardened blood. They resembled claws meant for clawing out hearts.
From his forehead, two bloody horns were formed. They were curved, but not too far. They were about 10 inches in length.
Alric took a breath, steam coming from his mouth.
Emopa grinned, "What are you? Satan?"
"I guess. Let's see if you can entertain The Devil." Alric said, summoning a trident.