The moon loomed high in the sky, shining its faint light over an aged palace that had fused with the heart of a mountain.
Despite it being quiet, the very wind seemingly halted due to the high cliffs surrounding the area, the air was tense, almost suffocating.
The reason for this was clear as the tranquility of the area was betrayed by a large and gruff-looking silverback gorilla standing before the palace, his human-like expression tensed in annoyance as a dozen assassins blocked his way.
Neither side moved, the reason for this is unclear.
However, if one were here to witness the small carnage that had occurred a few days ago when the gorilla first arrived and the assassins engaged, it wouldn't be hard to come to a conclusion.
The Gorilla didn't move, only retaliating when attacked while the assassins simply stood as a wall, defending the palace if the former chose to engage.
But they chose not to meddle with the silverback since they had already lost too many.
Not to mention there was also the order from a certain female second in command.
"It was probably his doing, like these Meta prisoners he has sent. Wait for his orders and don't interfere unless you want to die."
Therefore, this is what they did.
Both parties stood in complete silence, simply glaring at each other, seemingly unbeknownst to the time that was passing.
-BLOP
However, the silence was broken as a BLOP rang out behind the gorilla, prompting everyone to look at the source of it.
Immediately, they were quick to notice a cloaked figure in all black with golden highlights step out of what seemed to be an obsidian slime-like construct.
Without wasting a second, the Assassins dropped to their knees in succession, speaking in unison.
"We welcome back the Demon's Head. We welcome back Lord Ainz."
Ainz said nothing, the cloak darkening his face, even the usual menacing green that would peek out from them gone.
It wasn't until he approached the silverback that he paused, all while the Gorilla stared for a second.
"My son."
Grodd lowered his head to meet Ainz's soft palm on his scalp, closing his eyes as he savoured this father-like touch for a second.
"Father, I have been waiting for you," Grodd spoke, the assassins behind them falling confused at the two's relationship but remained in their bowed position, silent.
"You seem…deep in thought." Grodd looked up slightly, observing Ainz.
He was correct in his assessment. However…
"I guess you could say that."
Due to his super speed perception, Ainz, or rather Derek, would usually ponder things for hours or days despite a few seconds passing in the real world.
As for what he was thinking about...
'This crack in my soul is a bigger disadvantage than I thought.'
He was too immersed in the battle, but upon using Transmutation for the first time, he could feel a searing pain shoot through his body.
It was nothing he couldn't handle, so much so that he could endure it without even making a face, since he'd experienced far worse, but he couldn't help but wonder if it would get worse.
If it did, any abilities and advantages he'd soon have with the Philosopher's Stone would prove to be meaningless.
'And there's the fact that I'm going to die and all, but meh.'
For some reason, he wasn't as worried as he should have been at that.
Perhaps bathing in the Pit had taken away a little too much of his fear.
Nevertheless, Derek was able to concentrate on other things now, like the new ability his Eclipse gifted him.
'Humans can now move from one Eclipse to another. Though I can't yet store them, it's still useful.'
He now had instantaneous travel as long as his Eclipse was already present where he wanted to go.
However, there was something else. He couldn't quite put his finger on it.
'It feels like my Eclipse is bordering on something…new. Like it's barely scratching the surface.'
He'd need to experiment some more.
With this, he removed his hand from Grodd, walking toward the palace as the Gorilla followed behind, and soon, the assassins.
"Where is Nyssa?"
"I believe she is currently torturing Malcolm Merlyn, my lord."
'Of course.'
Derek could almost smell the excitement she had at getting her hands on a helpless Malcolm the last time he was here.
"Call her to the Throne Room. I'd like an update as to what has happened while I was gone."
***
"It's about time you returned."
"I've only been gone for two days. Did you miss me?"
In a familiar and expansive throne room, the splashes and trickles of the Lazarus water filling the air, Nyssa stood before Ainz who sat on his throne, chin resting on his fist as he stroked a curled-up Grodd with his other hand.
Hints of blood could be seen on Nyssa's leather armour, presumably from her frequent tortures of Malcolm.
However, whether she chose to ignore them or not was unknown to Derek.
He partly even believed she enjoyed basking in it.
"There is no League without the Demon's Head. Leaving as you please will risk the power you hold over these troops." Nyssa, unamused by his witty comeback, continued.
"Once again, Nyssa, you fail to realise this is now a League controlled by me. The unwritten rules that once applied to your father are now nonsense."
Nyssa smirked in amusement as she heard this.
"You believe you're better than my father? A better fighter, leader and Demon's Head?"
"Do you not think so?"
Nyssa paused for a second, her eyes slyly looking Ainz up and down.
"I believe…that you're different. But you have yet to prove anything of the sort."
"Funny that you say that. I have a solution for our disloyal members. But before that, inform me of everything that has happened in the short time I was gone."
Nyssa's expression straightened as any playfulness inside her disappeared.
"As you are probably aware, your…ability had brought the Metas and directly dropped them inside the dungeon, but some remained in your slime. I'm assuming the most dangerous."
Derek nodded, prompting Nyssa to continue.
"For the former, we have kept them sedated with mild poisons. Enough to keep them unconscious and alive. And…should I even ask?" Nyssa asked, her eyes shifting to Grodd who glared at her while she did the same.
"It's a long story. Continue, what else?"
Nyssa turned back to Derek, raising an eyebrow.
"It's as though you expect something."
"Hm, call it a hunch. Humour me." Derek shrugged, to which Nyssa soon continued.
"Well, you're right…something did happen."
In the next second, Nyssa lowered her head as the usual pride and righteousness in her voice disappeared.
"While you were away, Malcolm was able to get a hold of some of his loyalists in the league."
Derek narrowed his eyes, and his attention peaked.
"He must have realised he couldn't escape the palace undetected, despite the few assassins he had under him. Therefore, after a few hours of torture, he gave up what he'd done."
Nyssa raised three fingers.
"He used his loyalists to send out three messages." She lowered two of her fingers, leaving her index finger extended.
"The first was a message to his daughter, Thea Merlyn. He claimed he knew of a way to cure her of her bloodlust."
Derek didn't need any context as to what Nyssa meant by this.
Around this time, Thea was suffering from the backlashes of being revived in the Lazarus Pit after Ra's Al Ghul put her at death's door.
Similarly to Derek, her soul was corrupted, prompting her to become more ruthless, with a strong sense of bloodlust governing her actions at times.
There were 3 ways to get rid of this bloodlust.
The first was to kill your killer/attempted killer. But considering Ra's was now dead, this wasn't a choice for Thea.
The second was a temporary fix but worked just fine for the likes of Ra's, which was to simply give into this urge. One would attain a sense of relief and clarity upon killing, however, the urge would return within a month.
'Post-kill clarity, if you will.'
Finally the last way of the Lotus. Simply a combination of herbs and meditation. This was how Thea would cure herself of her bloodlust in the show and most likely what Malcolm was referring to.
'Well, I guess I've also created a fourth way, which is having complete control over the Bloodlust, as opposed to it warping one's mind like usual.'
"The second message was to Oliver Queen. In this message, he once again claimed to know a way to heal Thea. However, he also mentioned something else. You."
"Oh?" Derek's ears perked, amused.
"He claimed that the League has been overpowered by a single bloodthirsty tyrant who wants nothing more than to conquer."
"Despite Malcolm exaggerating a little, he didn't seem to be too far off," Nyssa commented, to which Derek shrugged, the same thought occurring to him too.
'Oliver Queen. I'm sure he won't confront me unless I bother him. Malcolm probably knew this which is why he chose to mention Thea's cure.'
'But even then, It wouldn't be enough for Oliver to come. Unless…'
Before Derek could even finish, Nyssa continued.
"And finally, the last message. The result of this sent message was how we were able to realise Malcolm had been communicating with the outside world using traitors."
-CLANG
At that moment, the large doors to the Throne Room swung open as two assassins dragged in a figure with a black bag over their head.
Held up by both arms as their thighs and legs collected the dust on the ground, the figure was finally tossed forward before Nyssa with both hands tied by ropes.
Nyssa turned to this figure who stood on their knees. In the next second, the rag over their head was snatched off as Derek couldn't help but stare at who was revealed.
With long dark brown hair that lay messily on her head and similarly hazel eyes, the female wore jeans and a black leather jacket.
Noticeably, there were a few light bruises and cuts on her face.
But Derek didn't focus on this.
Instead, he wore an unamused expression as he and the female locked eyes.
"You're him, aren't you? You're the one they talk about."
Derek said nothing as the female continued.
"The new Demon's Head, Ainz."
'Ugh…Laurel Lance.'
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Lets hear it, which Female Lead is worse?
Laurel Lance or Iris West?
You'll get mine and Derek's answer in the next chapter.
Either way, you know what time it is.
But I won't even say it today...
POWERSTONESS!!!
And there's also the Patreon!
patreon.com/SonderNow