[Salvos] 782. Plans Within Plans (Patreon)

782. Plans Within Plans

***

I leapt out of the black flames that had engulfed both myself and the Infant Demon in my arms, fortunately protected by [My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends]. Cursing, I pointed at the [Cerberus Of Hell] as I spread my wings behind my back to escape the scene.

“Hey! If you really want to deal with that Primordial Demon on your own, then I’ll just leave—”

But before I could even finish speaking, the [Hellevil] had intercepted me, laughing as it swung at me with its flaming claws. I yelped as I was sent flying back once again, crashing into the ground.

Picking myself up, I groaned and looked into the sky.

“What is your problem with me?”

But the [Hellevil] didn’t answer. It just vanished right as the [Cerberus Of Hell] snapped at it with all three of its mouths. Then the [Hellevil] appeared behind the [Cerberus Of Hell] and kicked it, sending it flying back.

The Corrupted Hellsky sent down dozens of tendrils at the [Hellevil] as it easily dodged the attacks. Meanwhile, I took this as my opportunity to try to flee.

I opened up the portal to my pocket space behind me to get back into my pocket space. But as I moved to step through it, I paused. 

I stared at the portal and realized that it was… broken. 

Shorn into three pieces.

And I recalled what had happened to the portal just earlier. The [Hellevil] had cut through space itself, destroying my portal back to my pocket space.

“Huh.”

It was not the end of the world— I could always conjure up another new portal. [Riftwalk] was what allowed me to open up permanent portals that I could always reopen, even without any upkeep of mana on my end.

That was how I had been able to open up this portal to my pocket space so easily earlier.

But to open up a brand new portal took time and concentration. Both of which I didn’t have the privilege to spare at the moment.

The [Hellevil] flung the [Corrupted Hellsky] straight into the sky, before turning back to face me. It grinned at me as it saw the broken portal floating next to me. 

“No escape.”

It spoke simply, before appearing next to me.

“Me kill you.”

And then it swung at one me once again, ripping through space itself with its claws.

***

“Did you hear about the plan?”

“I don’t even understand what’s the point— we should just leave…”

“I agree, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea to do that right now.”

“And why’s that?”

The group of discussing Demons glanced back, eyeing Taburas, then they looked forward towards Haec and Hartia who were at the helm of the rebellion. They said nothing.

But it was evidently clear why they had opted against deserting just yet.

And it was because they feared the repercussions that would come from abandoning the rebellion— from fleeing when there were still powerful Primeval Demons present. 

Well, Taburas herself wasn’t a Primeval Demon. She was a powerful Archdemon, but she wasn’t close to being a Primeval by any means just yet. However, these apprehensive Demons were likely glancing at her because she was accompanied by two Primeval Demons.

Two former members of the Deathsquad Hunters.

Aliq and Ultis.

Even if she wasn’t at their level, her presence with them was a show of force.

And it was enough to intimidate anyone who had thoughts of deserting from doing so just yet. Especially with Haec and Hartia still around.

Perhaps if they were charging straight towards the Demon King’s Castle— towards the site of the ritual— things would be different. Without Salvos or Manos here, they would certainly risk drawing the ire of a few Primeval Demons over challenging a single Primordial Demon.

Actually, that was wrong. Even if Salvos and Manos were here, it wouldn’t make a difference.

But anyway, the point was that they weren’t going to charge to their deaths just yet. So that was why the Demons of the rebellion weren’t fleeing for their lives. Instead, they were heading for the Encampments to free more collared Demons to join their cause. 

Most of the Demons here weren’t even aware of what the Encampments were, beyond the vague notion that it was where they went after the Expanse. Perhaps some of them even had friends who had managed to be promoted to the Encampments.

But most of them had never been there. They just knew that Regnorex wasn’t there, and that was enough for them to not completely lose morale.

Although that didn’t mean they weren’t planning on deserting soon. After all…

Taburas looked towards the front of the rebellion. Haec and Hartia both came to a halt right at the edge of a hill. They nodded at each other and then turned to a few of the most trusted members of the rebellion.

The [Succubus] didn’t recognize most of them besides a [Knight Eligos] named Tor and a [Fiend] named Morok. But she knew that they were the ones who had actually been actively supporting the cause.

They weren’t too high-leveled, although Morok was the highest-leveled amongst them at Level 120. 

Even still, Haec clearly trusted them because he briefly addressed them, before finally taking off with Hartia. To carry out the plan he had explained to the rebellion earlier.

Taburas didn’t know how he came up with the plan, but she admittedly thought it was pretty good. Although she was too upset with him right now to go up to him and praise him for it.

He was going to go off with Hartia to the Esplanade and free the Archdemons and Primeval Demons there— get them to join the rebellion. Meanwhile, the rest of the rebellion would bolster its forces by attacking the Encampments.

It was a much better plan than just charging straight for the ritual and having a majority of the army deserting the moment they could while they were all slaughtered.

But there was still a fatal flaw in Haec’s plan which he didn’t account for. Something that could it everything.

And it was the fact that it hinged on the two Primeval Demons he left behind with the rebellion— Aliq and Ultis— to be loyal. To keep the rebellion in check.

Unfortunately for him, it seemed that they were planning on betraying. 

On sabotaging the rebellion during the attack on the Encampments.

That was also why they had approached Taburas. To recruit her to help carry out this plan.

At the very least, they hadn’t accounted for one minor chink in their plan. And it was that Taburas had no intention of betraying Haec.

After all, she loved him. She was upset at him, but she would never betray him.

Besides, she wasn’t stupid. She knew that Aliq and Ultis had no real intention of carrying out their end of the deal they had made.

But Taburas wasn’t going to get herself killed by rejecting their offer. Nor was she just going to tell Haec to get him to deal with it himself.

Perhaps it made no sense— maybe it was irrational— but she wanted to deal with these two on her own. To prove to Haec that she was something by his side rather than just an afterthought.

So she was going to bide her time— and wait for the right moment to strike.

Resolving herself, Taburas slowly followed both Aliq and Ultis as the rebellion made their way towards the Encampments.

***

“Do we really have enough time for this?”

Haec asked as he flew alongside Hartia— not on his own. He was being carried by the Fairy’s magic.

“I mean, the ritual has already started. I don’t know how much time we have left before it’s over.”

As he spoke, Haec glanced over towards the crimson pillar in the distance. He had agreed to the plan because it made sense. But a part of him was still concerned that he would be too late to stop the end of the cycle of Advent for a long time.

But Hartia just scoffed as he waved a hand dismissively.

“Right now, the ritual is quite flashy, but it’s not actually doing anything other than collecting the mana left behind by the end of Revelation. And even when it’s done collecting the mana, it’ll take even more time to drill such a massive and permanent hole between the planes. So we have time.”

He looked back at the rebellion as the figure of the army grew smaller in the distance. They were heading in the direction of a valley where there were numerous camps spread out. Honestly, from this perspective, it looked like they were quite close to reaching the Encampments.

So they would definitely accomplish their job of clearing the Encampments in time.

It was Haec and Hartia who were more pressed for time.

“But do you really think we’ll be able to defeat Safra the Lady of Glory in time? I understand you’re confident you can beat her, however considering how long our previous battles have taken…”

Haec trailed off. Hartia just shrugged at that.

“Well, I don’t know about that. But I’ll give it my best try.”

“Right…”

The former Heir of the Netherworld couldn’t say anything in response. All he could do was just hope that everything worked out. Even as they flew on.

Until eventually, they saw it. The Esplanade. 

And waiting for Haec there was going to be his toughest battle yet.

***

In a dimly-lit room overseeing the ritual in the far distance, Safra the Lady of Glory just sighed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand.

“Oh, Regnorex dear… you’ve finally done it…”

Behind her, Safra the Lady of Glory walked up to her and hugged her around the neck.

“He’s truly amazing, isn’t he?”

“Indeed.”

Safra the Lady of Glory chimed in from the corner of the room, walking out of the shadows from the corner of the room as she just placed her hands on her cheeks. 

“I only wish I could be there with him right now…”

And the double doors swung open as Safra the Lady of Glory entered, her footsteps echoing loudly and drawing the others’ attention towards her.

“But we have a duty to uphold. We cannot fail him. We have to do whatever it takes to ensure his conquest of the Mortal Realm succeeds.”

Author's Notes:

Lowkey burned through my backlog oops

The next chapter might not come out on Friday, but it'll be this week for sure.

Read the next chapter here