DB Multiverse

Bloody throne room

The slave entered the large room, ignored by the people inside, going about their business.

Rushing to the center of the room, he began to sweat. His fear grew. He himself had trouble believing the news he was bearing. He was wondering if he wasn’t about to burst into laughter given how absurd the situation was. He couldn’t imagine Blizzard’s reaction: “What’s that? Impossible!”... it would be comical. Blizzard, surprised? Inconceivable. In any case, be it for his lack of respect, for his lord’s wrath, or because he began to urinate in the Emperor’s court, he was about to die, that much was true.

Their leader, god and demon to all, was as usual sitting on his immoveable throne and spoke in his regular tone.

— You are to double the offerings to the people of Agrimmatt. They remained loyal to us during their system’s rebellion. Let them know to erect a statue of Snower in their largest square. He more than deserves it, and it’ll please him. Also, remember to...

A short official was taking note of his instructions, standing on a small floating platform to reach Blizzard’s height, so that the Emperor wouldn’t have to raise his voice. Unable to look at his lord in the eyes, he kept his head down, not taking his eyes off his electronic notepad.

— Emperor Blizzard! cried the slave as he went to his knees, sliding the few remaining feet. I bring urgent news!

He interrupted him. He knew he had to do it, because waiting to tell news of this gravity would not have been pardoned. Even so, he felt guilty of an immense crime. Not waiting for an answer on the part of the Emperor who stopped talking, he continued:

— Your son, Lord Chilled, has been killed!!

Silence weighed upon the court. He had shouted the news for everyone to hear. It was of no discretion. If a lord was concerned, everyone had to keep silent and listen. As if the declaration were incomplete, as if hearing of his son’s death wasn’t enough for him to be dead, Blizzard simply asked:

— Details.

— Your Highness, cried the slave as quickly as possible, I only know that he was fighting on a new planet, and that he’s been defeated in single combat!

Everyone surrounding were left wide-eyed at the news. They knew the demons were mortal, even if they were close to deity-status. It was surely possible to kill one, even if they were near-impervious to anything. It was conceivable that a skillfully organized group of rebels could attack the ship, lead it into a black hole while keeping Chilled busy, like gazing the place… Unlikely scenario, but not entirely impossible, either. A lucky few do win the lottery from time to time.

But this... in battle? Killing a demon in a one-on-one fight??

Blizzard stood up in a sudden gesture, taking the court aback. For years, he had remained seemingly glued to his throne, for so long that a few members of the court believed he was beyond his years of mobility. Standing now, his voice filling the room, he reiterated if needed, an eternal respect to all present.

— All details!

He cried to all his slaves. Instantly, all devices capable of displaying picture booted up. In the palace’s technical rooms, all rushed to properly mix the footage picked up from Chilled’s ship. The chief technician gulped and opened the sound to comment on the action.

— 9 hours and 37 minutes ago, Lord Chilled arrived with an army of 200 soldiers on the planet from which was discovered strange shock waves, proving that it was occupied and was producing energy.

A first screen was showing the city of the saiyan coming closer, and a second one was showing a simulation of the ship landing. Then both were showing in different angles, the army and an episode of their defeat against the unexpected powerful natives.

— They came across a large city with an armed force, the chief technician went on. Even if they don’t have uniforms, it is easy to tell that the fighters are indeed part of a trained army, as evidenced by their attack formations, and conditioning to battle.

Now, the screens were showing the entry of Lord Chilled and on each screen we could see differents parts of his massacre.

— Of course, they were of no threat to Lord Chilled. But soon afterwards, his opponent made it to the scene.

The main screen displayed Hanasia, and the battle could be seen unfolding from every possible angle without even a slightest cut in transmission. There was no need for words. The footage and sound coming every direction was convincing enough.

As the battle went on, all of the present fighters’ breaths were synchronised to the action. Seeing a Frost Demon on the ropes was unreal. Emperor Blizzard tensed at the same rate. He seemed ready to devour anyone, and that native fighting with Chilled was certainly lucky not to be in the same room as he was.

— What power. I didn’t think our Emperor was still this powerful, thought General Chatterton. To think I judged myself his superior in strength now, I can see I am still nothing in the face of that old man. He could feel the pressure emitted by Blizzard’s clenched fists. Had there been a Katchin bar in his palm, it would have shattered like cheap glass.

Then came the moment Chilled began his transformation. Those present knew the bind it would take for him to resort to such measures, save for a few other servants. Some reveled in the idea of seeing Chilled in his original form, which they had never seen before. Others asked themselves one question: There is a significant difference in power between the two forms. While he was losing the fight, it wasn’t by that much. Once transformed, his opponent would be dead meat. Could there be more of her caliber to join the fray?

But it was hardly a few seconds into the transformation that his opponent charged him.

— Such disgrace!! clamored a fighter from the assembly, which stemmed from a desire to kiss ass.

An awful move on his part, as it was clear the silence was the be respected at a time like this. Even the technician knew better! thought the general. This called for an execution. Either later, or now, but if that should be the case, it should be done discreetly. This was one of those arrogant kiss-asses that has the ability to raze a city at the snap of his fingers. A rare gem, but his fault could not be pardoned.

Chatterton wanted to sign Avoka, who knew telekinesis and would be quieter than him, but he realized that it would be unnecessary. Indeed, the offender had already dropped to his knees. He was clutching at his stomach, trying to talk, but he was unable to. His heart and lungs were being crushed.

The general turned to Avoka, but he wasn’t behind that. Avoka liked to watch his victims died, whereas now, he was focused on the scene unfolding on the screen, arms crossed and hovering a few feet above ground. He wasn’t missing a second of the action. He probably didn’t even hear the offender’s affront. Chatterton then turned to the opposite direction. Emperor Blizzard had an arm raised in the direction of the loudmouthed fighter, whose pain was coming to an end. His fingers focused in the void with such intensity that it was clear that he was the executing the offender’s sentence personally.

— I didn’t even know he had telekinetic abilities! thought the general.

The impudent fighter fell to the ground without the slightest groan and the battle was reaching its climax.

The snapping of Chilled’s spine resounded across the room… and caused the entirety assembly to shiver upon hearing it.

The decapitation scene passed, and the videos slowed. Blizzard was furious, that much was obvious. He let out a cry only those of the Frost Demons could produce of his gaping mouth.

General Chatterton, Avoka, and all the warriors and officials present in the assembly understood they were going to die.

— We will answer your questions once you have answered our own.

— No.

There was a bit of an uncomfortable silence.

Real interrogators would be needed if this was to go anywhere… experienced inspectors were coming, but were still on the way. The soldier detaining couldn’t let the silence go on.

— Listen, you really don’t have a choice in the matter.

— Is Lord Chilled truly dead?

The commander regained some assurance seeing that these pacifists were in a state of unrest. They probably didn’t know much about war.

— You had to have seen him! He was beheaded! Your leader is dead.

— Prove it to us.

And that was the end of it.

In the Tsuful’s conference room, the inspectors had arrived and had been briefed on the recent events.

— The navigators refuse to speak without the certainty of their boss’ death.

— Didn’t they seem him decapitated?

— They still believe he could be alive even like that.

— So, they’ve already given us crucial information. We would be in a grievously dangerous position if he were still alive. Have you been able to confirm his death, through his cerebral activity or something like that?

— Yes, we had a bot examine him and he really is dead. Once his corpse is delivered to us, we will be able to study him from up close.

— Well then, let’s just show them your bot’s results and video evidence.

When the inspectors met the prisoners, they showed them the images and commented them. There was no reason to believe the demon had any life left in him.

The pilots looked at each other, nooded, and the commander spoke for the both of them:

— We will answer whatever question you may need answered. We want to live, and are completely on your side.

— That loyalty, though, whispered a Tsuful to another in the back, unaware that their translator filter was equipped with decent microphones.

— It was never our choice to run his ship, good sir. We aren’t loyal retainers to the Empire, we only did our job. If there was any life left in Chilled, you would all be damned to a gruesome death. You would all be massacred, after which, he would return to his ship and asked us to fly him away. But had we cooperated with you under the same scenario, we would share the same fate as you lot.

— Essentially, we have freed you

— Of course, we may never return to our respective homes, that much is obvious, but at least, you seem a great deal civilized.

— You really believed a severed head could have destroyed us all?

— Sir, you clearly are unaware of the terrifying powers the Frost Demons wield.

Slumped on the ground, half of the court’s warriors sought a way out to save their lives. But fleeing when no one had even lifted a finger yet? Who could be more cowardly? From the perspective of an outside onlooker, it would look as though they were fleeing from a haven of peace. That is because you had to be there, within the presence of the giant monster, whose eyes were fixated on a now static screen, to realize the rage that was boiling within, one so ardently burning that he had at a loss of words… or reaction. Sign that he would, all of a sudden, kill everyone.

A few turned to Avoka. Those did understood that he had already accepted death. If Blizzard had to take his wrath out on everyone, then it would be so. They also understood that he would remain a loyal retainer and servant to the Frost Demons until his dying breath, and that if they should try to flee, he would stop them. Dijicharate, invisible, but here in the room, would have done the same. Everyone here was condemned to be used as disposable meat, with no one to save them. Or could it be?...

General Chatterton was panicking. He wasn’t afraid of death, but killing the entirety of his court wasn’t the right thing to do. This would severely weaken his royal influence, and now wasn’t the time for that. Should he try to stop his emperor? Has he the right to do so? Even if he did laud a total respect towards Blizzard?

The demon’s endless tail was wagging. Then moving. And finally rose.

So there was still muscle inside that twenty meter long bolster that hasn’t moved in years? And with all the cries of the officials, the tail in its entire length was off the ground, filling the room. Then, like a whip, it moved in arbitrary directions. At such high speed that it cracked the ground and sliced through a guard or two, walls, and a few surrounding statues.

All spread out across to the room to be out of its reach. Thankfully for them, the room was quite large. But the walls furthest away turned out to be where everyone assembled. Yikoun had rushed to an ornament which he clawed onto, scratching someone in doing so. Avoka had already flown far enough to not have to move. But the general was right next to the Emperor, not leaving his post.

The tail was swift, but he was capable of sensing its movements. He moved a little here and there to barely avoid it.

Blizzard wasn’t trying to kill. His tail was simply moving due to stress. Which was enough to risk the lives of many.

After a terrifying sequence of events that seemed to last an eternity, the Emperor regained his composure and his tail was back on the ground. Fatalities weren’t that high, and it gave him the opportunity to clear out some of the weaker members of the court in the process.

He sat back down.

The silent persisted… before he exclaimed :

— This video and all details surrounding this story are confidential!

Fear spread about the court. It was never a good position to know a Frost Demon’s secrets.

— You have discretion on the subject of the fate of Chilled’s ship, and are to feign ignorance if asked about it.

Although, it was obvious that information of this importance had leaked. Those present understood that Blizzard knew everything would be out, but he wanted to cushion the impact and delay the release of the news. He want some time, and those present would assist him in finding it. He could trust them… Right?

— Warriors of the court, I have enough trust in you to know that your honor is enough to make sure nothing will leak out. You will never whistle, not to mention there are none that could force it out of you.

A few had already picked up on the Emperor’s meaning.

Who was going to have the honors?

Avoka was ready to step up. He was capable of handling it alone. But he still needed the direct order.

Blizzard lifted his fist, and shut it with such vigor that the air trying to escape his palm snapped.

All the servants, slaves, and simple helping hands fell to their knees, choking. The merchants, diplomats, and others who had human strength fell flat to ground.

All that were left standing around the Emperor were the most powerful of fighters. Blizzard then eyed Avoka.

Finally!!

The powerful telekinetic warrior had understood the order given to him and was glad to finally be of use. He, after all, had a power only few in the universe are gifted with. He could sense energy. And he knew where each and every servant was in the castle! But the first person he would put that ability to use on next would be Dijicharate.

That is because she too was given that look from the Emperor (who is the only one capable of seeing her, and as such, is the only one who can communicate with her through his gaze), and had already left in the halls of the palace. So, Avoka began focusing on the opposite end of the palace, targeting any who could have possibly known about the contents of the recording. And each of them died in an instant without even knowing what hit them.

Dijicharat, however, didn’t really care whether her targets fit the profile. If they were breathing, they were just as good a target. Cooks, housekeepers, not a single one spared. It was a massacre.

A Saiyan landed in near the banquet.

— The royal councillor is looking for the one who killed the leader of the monsters, he said. Then, satisfied to have delivered his message, he helped himself at a table.

— Much good may it do him, replied the head of the family that welcomed Hanasia.

— Yeah... goodmaytdoem! blurted Hanasia.

The banquet was full of rich foods, and she was getting full, which was a rare enough occurrence. The beverage was still have a really weird effect on her and she had the clear idea that she should not stand up at all.

So, she looked at the sky, and even somewhat swirling as it was, it was still a relaxing and calm sight to behold.

She fell asleep unaware, and when she opened her eyes, it was night time. A Saiyan dress well enough to be noticed among the rest was there. And she noticed, behind that, a face that looked familiar… that face...Nizouki! She practically bounced off her seat, making her notice her painful headache.

— You again! Don’t tell me you’re responsible for this massacre too!

— How could I be? answered Nizouki. They came down from the sky. But we know who they are. Come to the castle, we have a lot to tell you.

— Yeah and uhh... no?

— Please, Hanasia... This is important. That monster isn’t the only one that could come down from the sky. We need your help.

—  ...not the only one?