Capital of the Slane Theocracy, Silksuntecks.
A despairing mood, a once grandiose hall of darkness with thrones of dignity... now had plenty of vacant spots that would never be filled again. Four individuals looked at one another, they also looked at each other's injuries... only one of them was spotless, but her face didn't show peace, rather, restlessness.
"Marie..." The one known as the Captain of Black Scripture, Koishi, spoke to the lady with long blue hair and witch hat who sat across, healing her own wounds from a recent battle. She hissed in pain and healed what looked like a charcoal spot on her deeply burnt arm.
"We need options," She spoke neutrally, not even doing so much as looking at the other members in the face. It was as if she knew her end was near "It is impossible to defeat Jaldaboth and his underlings as we are. Ains Ooal Gown is only going to gain momentum towards the East. Another battle is only going to reduce our numbers further. The strongest human is gone... it doesn't matter who follows, once any of us misses the Theocracy won't be accounted for".
Her words brought a silence in the room. It was something everybody knew... they just didn't need her to point it out so shallowly.
"... we have two remaining aces", the Captain began.
Another of the ladies, the 4th Seat, sighed in sorrow: "But a plethora of enemies as well. It is almost hilarious that we considered to truce with Osiris. Zesshi-chan was supposed to head south to guard the border against Osiris' advances from the Baharut Empire. We can only assume she has been captured".
"Only four of us remain, before our numbers decrease any further; we must head to Mount Yalter and request Kaire's assistance while we wait for the God Slaughtering Bead to activate. If we can at least get a hold of Jaldabaoth by using Downfall of Castle and Country" The 2nd Seat, Quaiesse Hazeia, spoke solemnly.
"That's not even our greatest problem. The God Slaughtering Bead can only be activated once every fifty years. Even if we were to erase those insurgent monsters, the Undead King and Osiris remain! Our only hope is to use underhanded measures to put those two at odds with each other, giving our army room for advancement–"
"My master... The Undead King is not your enemy".
!!!
"WHO!?"
The members who were in alert descended in a state of panic as the knights all took their spots and rushed into the room with haste upon hearing shouts. They saw a woman jump from the darkness of the roof and float softly onto the round table, flapping her wings.
She was unarmed, but her yellow slit eyes concealed not their contempt and disgust, "My name is Albedo. I am the Undead King's subordinate".
"You work with Jaldabaoth!–" The Captain yelled and readied his spear even though he had never seen her during their skirmishes. Albedo raised her hand to make him quiet.
"Humans, it is best for you to hear. The enemy you are currently fighting is not the Undead King. It is Osiris who is impersonating the Undead King to settle his religion in the region by offering salvation to the chaos he is causing. There is no peace between us, Osiris and my master are fiercely at odds with each other and making active movements to settle their score".
"That's ridiculous! Do you think you can fool us?!" Quaiesse yelled.
Albedo waved her hand, and a device landed on the table, beginning a projection. In this projection, Osiris could be seen riding a gigantic golden fox, destroying Nazarick and its defence force, among which 'Jaldabaoth' was included.
Seeing the images that cursed her nightmares, Albedo clenched her hands until they bled and determined herself once more. This was the only way forward.
'Ains-sama... this is all I can do, I don't have a choice'
"T-The Golden Fox" The members were all baffled. She couldn't be lying... if she did not know whatsoever, she couldn't be making up the images that went according to the reports that they had received long ago: 'Osiris had arrived in this world riding a gigantic golden fox that wasted a massive region in the Re-Estize Kingdom, bringing forth the Armatista'.
"Impossible! Why would we believe any of this–" the 11th Seat uttered, only to be shut up by Quaiesse, who glared deadly at Albedo to continue her proposal, "You said we need options. One has just shown up".
Albedo nodded towards him and regarded him as the only 'Rational trash' among the trash.
"Osiris destroyed my home, he plundered the bodies of my comrades, defiled my dreams, and now even seeks to destroy my master. I come before you peasants today to offer a treat of temporary ceasefire and cooperation between us in order to finish Osiris off, he has caused damage to all of us, he's a threat to all of us!"
"So what you're saying is… Osiris is behind the nobility hunt?"
"Yes, and his objective is not only the Slane Theocracy but the whole world. After he has gotten rid of you, my master is next. Before that happens, I'll take matters into my own hands and murder him from the inside. This alliance is also convenient for you. The one you regard the most, that girl with white and black hair, she has been captured by him, and your only hope of rescuing her is me," Albedo finished.
"Zesshi?!"
"So it is just as we thought", Quaiesse sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Tch! What can you even do by yourself!? You have seen it with your very eyes. He is not someone who can be defeated by mere strength" The 4th seat hissed.
"I have my means, peasant... don't think I am the same with you".
"This bitch..."
The leader of Black Scripture, Koishi, lowered his spear. With one quick train of thought, he concluded, given the circumstances, "If we were to accept. What do you want us to do?"
Albedo removed the projection and floated in front of the captain, keeping a 'safe distance' lest his 'disgusting scent' corroded her robes.
"Osiris resides in a separate dimension out of our reach. It can't be reached unless he so wills it. I have my ways to infiltrate it and lure him out, placing a curse on him that, if it doesn't kill him, will severely decrease his capabilities, rendering him unable to defend himself. I may even perish during this process," she exhaled deeply, "But I'm trusting you all to attack with everything you have once I have given the signal. He is holding two of my companions hostage; once they're free, they will flee to Ains-sama's side, conveying my will and in due time, he should send his delegates to formally sing a peace treaty with the Slane Teocracy".
"…"
All members looked at each other deep in thought as Albedo awaited their response.
"If what she is saying is the truth, then even if we were to not kill him, it would be worthwhile so long as we can have Osiris experience heavy losses", Quaiesse said to the Captain.
"How can we know you are not luring us into a trap".
"You don't know... the same way I don't know if when I give the signal, you all will show up as I am expecting you to, humans. For the sake of saving our backs, we have no choice but to trust" Her disgust portrayed her frustration.
It was the lowest of the lows. But Albedo was willing to go through this hell not only to vindicate her past failure, but to save her master.
'For Ains-sama's sake, for my beloved master's sake... and for Nazarick's sake'.
"Once Osiris is gone, his forces will lose momentum and a combined attack of both our forces should be able to deal serious damage from which they will never recover. Let alone, right now is the best time to execute this operation. Osiris' main forces are not even in this world yet".
!!!
"Main forces!?"
"That Golden Fox is called Yasaka Okami; she is a terrifying being, but she is no longer in this world. Ugh, Osiris is an otherworlder, what did you expect?" She ridiculed, unable to even comprehend how she was reduced to a point where she had to rely on useless humans.
"If he wanted to exterminate humanity, he would have already done so. Right now, we are nothing more than his playthings, perfectly playing the pieces as he wishes to accomplish his desired result. He wants to become the God of this world, but he knows he won't achieve that through brute force".
"Faith", the 11th Seat mumbled. Albedo nodded.
The members all seemed to reach an agreement to trust a monster for the sake of saving their state. It was after all their duty to protect the Slane Theocracy from outside threats.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend" The Captain stretched his hand forward for a handshake. Albedo looked at him in disgust and turned around, ignoring it.
"Do not misunderstand. If it were not for these circumstances... we would be enemies and you would all be fated to perish by our hands".
"... you're an honest one, aren't you? Very well. How will we know when the right time has come?" Quaiesse mediated.
"Once you see the sign in the skies, you will know".
"Sign?".
Albedo turned around with a serious expression that concealed sorrow, "Once you see the Sun has been covered and there is no light in this world anymore, you will know my sacrifice was worth it".
**
**
Albedo walked out of the church, she was instantly showered in heavy rain as those who looked at her in the surroundings wondered why a woman was in the middle of a heavy rain, and why she had horns.
Her silhouette walked as her dress dripped, and she looked pitiful yet determined.
'If I were to tell any of this to Ains-sama, he would come rushing and fall into Osiris' trap' She looked up to the grey skies of darkness, 'I am alone… with not many options to save Shaltear and Solution. To save Nazarick. Tabula Smaragdina-sama, am I doing the right thing? I am sorry, Ains-sama… *sob* I am so sorry'.
Albedo fell to her knees and cried. In order to save her home, she had to forsake her love... she had to surrender her body and perhaps even her mind while her soul would forever remain loyal, fighting the corruption.
As a succubus, to kill Osiris... there was only one way.
...
She travelled to a certain location and waited for days, crying out of her torn heart until finally… they appeared to do exactly what they had been doing for months. An ominous aura revered and she knew it was time.
A halberd manifested in her hands, and a shadow loomed in her periphery.
*CLANG!*
Her halberd met claws, her tear stained eyes looked up to see Demiurge glared at her with killing intent so uncharacteristic.
"Demiurge!"
"You know too much!"
A major fight broke loose in which Demiurge, together with all the Pleiades, had a hard time taking her down. She fell to her knees... just as she had planned.
"I surrender".
"Then die–!"
"But I have information about the Slane Theocracy that Osiris may be interested in, allow me to see him".
Demiurge's claws stopped at her neck.
*CHAA!!*
Thunder roared, and Albedo heard steps approaching, yet for some odd reason, she felt no presence or mana fluctuation. It was as if the person who was coming didn't exist at all. As if that person, when standing in front of mirror, wouldn't be reflected by it.
"Is that so?~"
A thunder struck and shook the world, and when the lights sparkled, she saw the face of this person who was allowed to go through by Demiurge and the Pleiades as if she was royalty.
Albedo's eyes shook in sadness but also fear when she saw those shiny red eyes.
"S-Shal…tear…"
The vampire held an umbrella and covered herself and Albedo with it, raising the succubus' chin with a gentle smile.
"You're willing to cooperate with master?~" Her voice was sultry, but it shattered Albedo's heart that still held onto a little hope.
"… Shaltear, answer me a matter… what is the name… of your master?"
The Vampire's smile faltered for a second before she smiled again; Shaltear lowered her head and whispered something into Albedo's ear.
!!!
A spell was used, and a magical spark surged in Albedo's mind, forming a barrier. Albedo peeked towards Demiurge, who just frowned as if he sensed something but didn't know exactly what it was.
"I will cooperate, allow me to see him, Shaltear!".