The Diablarist King

21 - The Crypts

ALEKSO

     Blood drips from my mouth, my chin, my fingers, as I stalk out of a room full of eviscerated cultists. From all the people I have killed so far, I managed to find some things to clothe myself. I have no sword or dagger on me, but I am not unarmed. All I need is my wrath, my hands, and my magic.

     My undead guards do their duty of gathering up the remains and dragging the soaked tarps along the hallways that lead above ground. They will walk with the unusable bodies, out of Goldstone palace, down the roads of the tiered city, along the base of the mountain. The cultists I found would not tell me where they've hidden Edeva, and they wouldn't say what happened to Jean after I was knocked out. Since they are not useful to me, they are torn apart.

     I take my rage out on every soul who denies me my beloved. Kaz whispers things to me to make my veins nearly jump out of my skin, and further cull the unwanted inhabitants of my crypts. For their insolence, I tear their faces off, rip their hearts out, rend the flesh from their necks with my bared teeth. Then they are brought to the mountain and piled atop one another. Their bodies set on fire, all those who look towards Goldstone will see what happens to those who incur my wrath.

     "Find Edeva!" I command my soldiers. "Bring her to me, and keep her safe!"

     Several of them break off and head deeper in to the crypts, while I turn towards a pissing coward whose throat is wrapped around my hands. He was not just a cultist, but a diablarist. His eyes were a bright green, suggesting a demon of Envy gave him his uncanny speed and slight of hand. This man was fast, but not fast enough to escape my anger.

     "Where is Lambert?" I bring him close, so that we are nose to nose.

     "E-Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," He stammers. "I fear no evil, for you are with me!"

     "Tell me where your master is and I will make your death painless!"

     "Your rod and staff, they c-comfort me; you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows..."

     Oh for fuck's sake, Kaz roars in my head. Destroy him!

     Exasperated, I squeeze the air from his windpipe. Only when he desperately slaps at my wrist do I give him enough to speak again.

     "He hides in the main chamber, your highness," the cultist reveals. "He fears your wrath."

     "As he should. As all of you should. You were right when you believed I was the strongest, that I was the one capable of exalting the lot of you. No other diablarist is a king. No other diablarist has a demon in his keeping. And no other diablarist is a match for me."

     While my voice is calm and cool, I still cannot contain the urge to snap the man's neck. He falls limp, and I drop him. A soldier comes to collect him.

     Fucking rod and staff. I am losing patience, Alekso. Where is our Edeva?

     They will not hurt her, Kaz. She is valuable to them as a hostage against you. We find Lambert, they will bring Eva to us if we do not find her first.

     If we find the holy man, let me squeeze his his head until it bursts in my claws.

     "Lambert!" I call out as I head towards the main chamber. "LAMBERT! If you show yourself now, and make this less of a chore for me, I promise your death will not be painful!"

     Nothing. Fucking coward. I grab a soldier and turn it to face me. "You will turn over every tomb in the main chamber, but you need not awaken the soldiers. Just find Lambert, and keep him there until I arrive."