This was Tartarus, the capital city of the Infernal Empire of the West.
And the colossal obsidian citadel at the heart of Tartarus was Emperor Adventus’s Palace.
The entire city seed alive with dark infernal qi.
Bridges of black iron and bone connected the countless towers in the city across dizzying heights, forming streets and passageways that were suspended above a labyrinth of lower districts drowned in mist and ash.
Tartarus was built on the ruins of an ancient volcano.
Rivers of molten fire flowed through channels that were carved on the stone around the city, feeding colossal braziers that burned with unnatural erald flas that illuminated the city at night.
The fires never die; they are said to be fragnts of the eternal inferno of Hell that was subjugated and wielded by the ruler of the city, Emperor Adventus, the Fla Sovereign.
This was a city of Mages and scholars who studied and worked on creating forbidden Mage spells all year round.
The greatest and most acclaid scholar of the city was the Fla Sovereign himself.
From the central obsidian fortress, the Sovereign commands the Demon Mage Orders- ancient covens in the city who have mastered hellfire sorcery.
Each Order inhabits a different cluster of towers in the city that were marked with different glowing sigils along the walls.
So sigils were spirals of fire, so were horned crowns, and others were burning eyes. Their sorcery and experints stained the sky with smoke and embers, turning the clouds green and copper and making the city look like a fragnt of Hell itself.
The air slled of ash, sulfur, and hot tal.
Only beings with a racial high resistance to fire and heat could live comfortably in this city.
In the sky, powerful tad Winged Qi Beasts patrolled and circled the highest spires of the city like vultures guarding a throne.
While deep below the city, chained Fire Elentals powered the furnaces that forged weapons capable of burning both flesh and soul.
This was a city forged in blood and conquest.
This was the heart of the Infernal Empire.
Every street echoed with chanting, crackling flas, and the distant roar of sothing monstrous imprisoned beneath the citadel.
The citizens, all Awakened- Demons, Warlocks, Cultists, and even Summoned Fiends lived in the shadow of the Fla Sovereign’s tower where a colossal fla burned at the summit like a second sun.
Tartarus was one of the strongest cities in the world, reflecting the might of the Infernal Empire that was ranked as the strongest power in the world alongside the Shereya Dynasty of the East.
Just like the Matriarchal Dynasty of Succubus, the Infernal Empire is seen as the strongest power in the world because they have not just 1 but 3 S Rank Sovereigns at the helm of the Empire.
Alongside Emperor Adventus, the Fla Sovereign, the Demon Empire also has the Wind Sovereign and the Gravity Sovereign, all Mages.
Today, after a long ti of being out, Jordan, the Gravity Sovereign finally returned to the city after reportedly being out traveling the cosmos.
When Lord Jordan returned, the whole city felt it.
BZZZ!
The terrifying aura of the Demon Lord alone announced his return.
Floating in the sky like he was unaffected by Gravity, his small double horns were barely visible as his silvery hair with blue streaks flowed and writhed wavily without the influence of wind, defying gravity.
This Demon Lord wore a simple white robe.
The mont he appeared, he took a step and disappeared, reappearing inside the main hall of the Emperor’s citadel.
There, Emperor Adventus stood on his throne as if he already predicted his return and was waiting for him.
The mont Jordan appeared, Emperor Adventus flashed a big grin.
Emperor Adventus was a towering Demon with dark red hair like congealed blood. He had 2 tall Demon horns, and he was garbed in a long ceremonial violet-colored robe with crimson stripes.
"Emperor". Lord Jordan bowed reverently.
Hearing the familiar voice, Emperor Adventus laughed in a carefree manner. "Finally, you’re back!" he grinned. "I’ve been bored out of my mind for months looking for who to play a death ga of Chess with".
In Tartarus, the death ga of Chess is a modified Chess ga whereby the loser must take 10 uninterrupted attacks from the winner without defending. It’s normal for citizens to die after failing in death Chess gas.
This ga reflected the demonic nature and culture of this city.
Thinking of sothing, the Emperor added. "That bastard Duncan doesn’t co to play death Chess with anymore, he’s always stuck in his dungeon experinting sothing". He cursed.
Lord Jordan didn’t comnt on that as calmly, he straightened and said. "The mont I heard the news, I started my return journey".
Emperor Adventus looked at him, perplexed. "What news?"
"The news of Zaratul’s return," Jordan said seriously.
Hearing that, Emperor Adventus twisted his face in displeasure before waving a hand dismissively. "That fool bit the hand that fed him. He’ll never amount to anything in this life, not when I’m still alive".
Lord Jordan was unfazed, he knew just how arrogant and conceited the Emperor could be especially against enemies.
He thought carefully, then he said. "Zaratul is dangerous, you should know. Right now he’s weak, this is our best chance to kill him once and for all".
Emperor Adventus frowned in displeasure, making Lord Jordan hesitate but in the end he said it. "From the information that I got from my channels, he revealed Draconic abilities during the war".
Hearing that, Emperor Adventus’s eyes finally turned sharp but still he said nothing.
Threading carefully, Lord Jordan continued. "That’s supposed to be impossible, I still don’t know how he managed to integrate a second bloodline".
"From our experints, the only way to ingest the Primordial Dragon Ichor safely without dying is when it’s infused in a Demon still in gestation in his mother’s womb".
"Only newborns can theoretically ingest an entirely new bloodline that can alter their DNA without dying, and not just any newborns".
"I’ve been thinking, just how did Zaratul do it?"
His face turned solemn. "It may be a fluke or a show of bravado by him to intimidate us. Afterall, that’s his style, he likes boasting to show that he’s the strongest in the world".
"That’s how we got him the last ti".
"But if it’s not a show and it’s true," his voice took on a concerned tone. "Then I’m afraid we must act fast before he becos too big for us to deal with..."
"ENOUGH!" Emperor Adventus finally snapped as...
BZZZZZZ!
His presence erupted outward like a tsunami!
Thick swirls of green and red qi swirled around the towering Demon as his oppressive aura swept through Lord Jordan, making his legs buckle as he looked down without hesitation.
The Emperor snorted in displeasure. "I am the strongest Awakened in history, I am the strongest in the world and I won’t begin to shake because an already defeated enemy of mine gains a new bloodline".
"Humph, if he truly succeeded, only with this new bloodline of his is he qualified to fight against on even terms".
"And still, I’d win". He snorted.
"I’ll kill him in the most brutal way possible".
He glared at Jordan and snorted again. "Only a coward goes low to kill his enemy when he’s weak".
"When he’s recovered and at his best, if he has the guts, let him seek out to fight ," his eyes glead like blood. "That is if he dares".
’But we all fought him together and still couldn’t kill him...’ Lord Jordan had a lot of things in his mind to say, but he wisely kept quiet to not trigger the ego of his Emperor further.
’I’ll have to take things into my own hands’. He concluded.
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