The faint clink of Mammon's ring echoed in his vast throne room as he interlocked his fingers, each finger heavy with gold and enchanted gems that hummed with quiet power.
For a moment, he said nothing as he leaned forward so that his forearms rested on his thighs.
Lucifer swirled the wine in his goblet lazily, still waiting for Mammon to speak.
'The child clearly believes he can hide himself from our senses.'
Mammon finally broke the silence.
'Perhaps he truly can. The haze surrounding him…Even I found it irritating. For even an ability like that has yet to be mine.'
Leevyah scoffed quietly, but Mammon continued as if she wasn't even there.
'But hiding oneself from our perception is not the same as hiding from the world.'
He unclasped his interlocked hands and raised a finger.
'Eventually, the boy must move.'
Beelzebub paused mid-bite, blood of a beast he was munching on dripped down the corners of his mouth and down his chin like a juicy watermelon.
Lilith leaned slightly against the arm of her throne, dark red hair spilling over one shoulder. Lucifer remained silent as they all turned their undivided attention to Mammon, except for the monarch of Sloth, of course.
Mammon gestured lightly as though placing pieces on an invisible board.
'Power like that does not remain stagnant. The blood of Asura does not remain idle forever. They crave battle and power unlike any other. It grows like a poison that demands conflict…resources…knowledge.' Mammon's smile deepened, 'And ambition always seeks opportunity.'
Leevyah's green eyes narrowed.
'You still haven't said anything of use, Mammon.'
The other monarchs nodded in agreement with Leevyah's statement. Even Belphegor, the monarch of sloth, nodded his head. Maybe it was even a coincidence, and his head just lost its brief balance on his neck as he slept.
'Patience, my dear brothers and sisters.' Mammon said as he lifted another finger.
'The academy. It's where the plan would take place.'
A small ripple of recognition moved through the gathered monarchs. Their gazes all turned to the center, where their domains overlapped on a large building. Surrounding that building were seven smaller buildings representing the seven sins, arranged into a seven-pointed star and connected by hallway-like bridges.
Mammon watched their reactions carefully.
'Within the Sin Convergence dominion, or the unbounded domain as it's so called, lies the greatest institution demons possess for cultivating power.
Every four years, its gates open to those worthy to attempt entry. And in three months that boy will take part.'
He tapped the rim of a golden ring against his palm.
Ting
'Young demons arrive from every corner of the realm. Noble heirs, clan prodigies, and even wandering bloodlines seeking recognition.'
Mammon's metallic amber eyes glinted.
'Oh, and even future rulers.'
Lucifer's gaze sharpened just slightly, which Mammon easily noticed.
'If the Asura heir truly intends to grow stronger…if he intends to carve out a place for himself in this realm…' Mammon spreads his hands slowly, 'He will walk through those gates as he claims.'
Leevyah crossed one leg over the other within the throne room of her own domain before she spoke.
'And if he doesn't.'
Mammon smirked, 'Trust me, Leevyah, he will…'The rings on Mammon's fingers scraped together again as he clasped his hands, 'And we will be waiting.'
Beelzebub swallowed loudly.
'Waiting where?'
Mammon glanced at him and rolled his eyes at this slow demon of a monarch who only knows how to eat.
'Inside the academy.'
Silence returned for the briefest of moments before Lucifer broke it after taking a slow sip of the wine within his goblet.
'Continue,' he gestured, twirling his index finger twice in a circle.
Mammon nodded, 'Instead of chasing the boy blindly through your dominion, Lord Lucifer…we allow the academy to become the board upon which the game unfolds.'
Mammon raises a finger once again.
'Our subordinates, demons of different ranks that use the sins associated with our domains, will be our chess pieces. Our loyal demons will be our observers, fighters, and hunters.'
Lilith's lips curved into a smile as she understood what Mammon was thinking.
'You want to flood the academy with our eyes and ears.'
'Exactly,' Mammon confirmed, leaning back comfortably on his throne. 'The boy believes he can move unseen due to the haze placed on him.'
Mammon's smile sharpened.
'But not from the many clans within each of our domains.'
Leevyah's gaze turned thoughtful now.
'And who exactly do you propose we send?'
Mammon turned his focus to her.
'Powerful bloodlines loyal to each Monarch. Houses that already serve the monarchs.'
His eyes drifted towards the direction of Asmodeus's domain of Wrath.
'Wrath's Ravengard Wolves, for example.'
Beelzebub chuckled.
'Those monsters? The academy might not even survive the semester.'
Mammon shrugged slightly, 'They are disciplined when properly directed.' He paused briefly before adding, 'and if rumor is to be believed…one of their younger heirs has already drawn attention.'
Leevyah raised an eyebrow.
Mammon's smile turned faintly amused.
'Kaelira Ravengard.'
The name lingered in the air, causing Asmodeus's eyebrow to twitch. The fact that Mammon knew of that defect in his domain irked him.
'A sinless wolf born into a clan that worships wrath.'
Lilith's interest sharpened.
'How curious.'
Mammon tilted his head. 'Some claim she lacks the very sin that fuels her bloodline. Others say it simply sleeps. Either way…a creature like that walking the halls of the academy will draw attention.'
Beelzebub grinned.
'Sounds entertaining.'
Mammon spread his hands.
'Noble heirs. Elite prodigies loyal to us are who we need.' His voice lowered slightly. 'Demons strong enough to realize when something does not belong.'
Leevyah's gaze hardened slightly.
'And if he continues to hide behind that haze?'
Mammon's rings tapped lightly against one another.
'Then we watch through every combat match, training sessions, rivalries, and alliances.' Mammon shrugged before he continued 'Power always leaves traces.'
Lucifer finally spoke again.
'And the Nocthyrions?'
The atmosphere between their domain perceptions grew heavier, causing Mammon to choose his next words carefully.
'You have forbidden their extinction, my lord.'
Lucifer's golden eyes flickered faintly.
'Correct.'
Mammon inclined his head respectfully.
'But you did not forbid their participation.'
Lilith's smile sharpened at that.
Leevyah even tilted her head as if acknowledging that Mammon had a point.
Mammon continued,
'If the boy truly carries their blood…if he truly belongs to that lineage…,' his amber eyes gleamed. 'He will inevitably gravitate towards them.'
Mammon slowly spread his fingers across the arm of his throne.
'Blood recognizes blood, my lord.'
Lucifer remained silent.
Mammon leaned forward again, voice lowering slightly.
'If he hides among them…our subordinates and their respective clans will notice. If he protects them, we will also notice. And if he reveals even the smallest glimpse of his power…we will eventually pinpoint who he is.'
Lucifer stared into his goblet for a moment before a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
The Crownless King of the Seven Monarchs set the goblet down.
'Very well, Mammon.'
His golden eyes gleamed as he smirked.
'Let's let the boy play his little game.'
Mammon's smile widened slowly.
'Then a game it shall be.'
The rings on his fingers scraped together softly.
'And every game requires champions.'
The gathered Monarchs watched him with growing interest.
Mammon continued.
'Rather than sending countless lesser demons to mindlessly search for the boy, each throne will appoint a champion clan. A bloodline that will represent its domain within the academy.'
Beelzebub laughed loudly.
'A hunt within a school? Now that sounds entertaining.'
Mammon nodded.
'The clan whose heir captures the Asura child will earn the favor of their Monarch.'
The words hung heavily in the air.
Asmodeus, the Crimson Warlord of Wrath, spoke first.
The molten rivers of his domain churned violently as his deep voice echoed across the shared throne space.
'Then Wrath chooses the Ravengard Pack.'
A ripple of recognition passed through the Monarchs.
The Ravengards were infamous even among demons. An ancient bloodline of infernal wolves whose warriors were raised from birth for battle.
In their true forms, they towered like horned war-beasts of burning crimson aura, claws capable of tearing through steel and bone alike.
'Their hunters will enjoy chasing this prey,' Asmodeus said coldly.
Lilith chuckled softly.
'How fitting.'
She leaned forward on her throne, her scarlet eyes gleaming with playful cruelty.
'Then Lust shall send the Obsession Fiends of the Malithrae clan.'
Several Monarchs reacted subtly.
The Malithrae were not merely seducers like most of Lust's children.
They were obsession incarnate. Demons born from twisted desire so intense it could warp minds and devour souls.
Their true forms were nightmarish masses of shifting limbs and velvet shadows, feeding on emotional fixation until their victims lost themselves entirely.
'They adore difficult prey,' Lilith added with a smile.
Leevyah spoke next, her voice smooth and cold.
'Envy appoints the Identity Reavers of the Aevorith clan.'
A chilling silence followed.
The Identity Reavers were among the most feared agents of the Veil.
These demons could steal more than appearances. They could claim memories, voices, even fragments of identity itself.
Their true forms were grotesque, half-formed shapes of stolen flesh and shifting faces.
'If the boy hides among others,' Leevyah said calmly, 'they will find him.'
Beelzebub wiped blood from his chin before speaking.
'Then Gluttony will send the Mawlords of the Vorgrath clan.'
Mammon chuckled.
'Mawlords?'
Beelzebub grinned widely.
'Yes.'
The Vorgrath were grotesque aristocrats of endless hunger — massive devourer demons whose bodies split open into countless maws when they revealed their true forms.
Entire battlefields had vanished beneath their feeding frenzies.
'I want to see if the boy tastes interesting,' Beelzebub said.
Mammon's eyebrow twitched at the choice of words that Beelzebub used to frame that sentence.
'Very well.'
He tapped one of his rings.
'Greed will field the Vampire Nobles of the Sanguivar clan.'
Ancient vampire nobility whose wealth rivaled entire kingdoms. It was from this very clan that Vladimir himself was from. Greed's very own was not only the one who brought about Alex's parents' end but also the one to report to the Veil and Shadow.
Elegant in humanoid form, they possessed crimson eyes and aristocratic beauty.
But in battle, their bodies transformed into colossal winged horrors of blood and gold. Predators who treated war like an investment and victory like profit.
Finally, Mammon turned toward the silent shadow of Sloth's dominion.
For several seconds, there was no response.
Then Belphegor's slow voice drifted through the void.
'...Torvath Slumber.'
The Dusk Giants.
Colossal beings of ancient stone and shadow whose bodies could crush fortresses with a single step.
Creatures that slept for centuries before awakening to annihilate entire armies.
Belphegor promptly fell silent again.
All eyes slowly turned toward Lucifer. The Sovereign of Pride rested his chin against his hand, golden eyes thoughtful.
Then he spoke.
'Pride will not appoint a champion.'
A ripple of surprise passed among the Monarchs.
Lucifer's gaze sharpened slightly.
'The Nocthyrion Clan already resides within my dominion; it is obvious who would come out on top. If I chose them as my champions, there would be no game. If they choose to play along, then so be it.' Lucifer announced proudly.
The fallen angel bloodline.
Winged sovereigns of void-light whose authority alone could bend lesser demons to their will.
Mammon's smile widened further.
The game had just become far more interesting.