Realm of Monsters - Chapter 722: Repercussions

Chapter 722: Repercussions

  Atop the roof of Morrigan Castle, a gathering of gods and mortals decided on the fate of Murkton. Stryg glanced at the horizon, the sky was beginning to brighten. Soon, dawn would be upon them.

  “My lady,” Corvus coughed up blood. “I can explain.”

  “Oh?” Bellum cocked an eyebrow.

  Lunae stepped forward. “You will explain to me.”

  The orc looked up at the goddess, his eyes widening ever so slightly before narrowing in recognition. “You are Lunae…”

  “I am the Mother of Lunis, the Mother Moon, the Watcher of the Realm, and the goddess who has come to destroy Murkton.”

  Corvus glanced at Bellum, hope in his eyes. “My lady—”

  “You’re mistaken if you believe I have any interest in standing on your behalf,” Bellum said.

  “But I was only trying to protect this city. Your city. Did you not do the same? I witnessed you do battle in the sky against Lunae for our sakes,” Corvus said.

  “No. I fought to protect the innocent people of this city, not Murkton itself,” Bellum said.

  “But,” Corvus frowned, “You are our patron deity. Murkton has always been loyal to you? How can you abandon us now?”

  “Many orcs in this city do not even worship me or any of the ebon gods, their worship is given to the scarlet gods. Murkton was never my city.”

  Despite his sickening condition, Corvus staggered to his feet. “How can you say such a thing? I worshipped you.”

  “I am the daughter of Solis. My father and his twin sister, Lunae, founded Lunis as a safe haven. I grew up in this very castle and walked through these streets as a child. Murkton is nothing but a mockery built upon the bones of Lunis. I was never against its destruction, only against the countless deaths that such a war would cause.”

  Bellum glanced at Lunae, “Yet it seems my aunt and I can come to an agreement of sorts. So if I can save the remaining innocents of this city, then I will gladly abandon the worshippers who only wish to use me in order to protect their own interests. Corvus Morrigan, I suggest you answer my aunt’s questions truthfully. The alternative is not one you will enjoy.”

  Corvus clenched his teeth, then sighed in resignation. “What do you wish to know?”

  “Explain what has happened here tonight,” Lunae demanded.

  “…I worried that Bellum would fail to stop you and your armies. So, I searched for a contingency. I learned of the Sigte bond and how you might share one with the Ebon Aspirant. If I could capture young Lord Veres, I could use him as a hostage to end this war.”

  “Supposing you were correct, did you think killing a goddess would have no consequences?” Lunae asked.

  “Of course, there would be repercussions. Which is why I never intended to kill you or the Aspirant. I only intended to threaten, nothing more. I do not wish for this war or the loss of life any more than Lady Bellum. I only wish for peace.”

  “Peace, hah!” Lunae scoffed. “There has been no peace amongst the Sylvan for three hundred years. You don’t want peace, all you’d like is to keep your precious city and all the power it affords you.”

  “He tried to kill Gale,” Stryg spoke up.

  “What?” Lunae did a double-take and searched for Gale amidst Belle’s friends.

  The vampire was lying on the ground, resting her back on one of the battlements. Her loose white tunic was in tatters and covered in blood. Gale looked up and noticed Lunae’s gaze. “My lady,” she tried to sit up with a grimace. Stryg ran over to her side and helped her. “I am alright, my lord. Thank you.”

  “Are you…?” Lunae narrowed her eyes. “Stryg, what did you do to her?”

  “I Chose her,” Stryg said.

  “Do you even know what that means?” Lunae asked.

  “Not exactly, it just felt right,” he admitted.

  Lunae clicked her tongue, “We will speak more of this later. As for you,” she turned to Corvus, “I am glad to know that you are no different from your ancestors. The line of Morrigan is as rotten as ever.”

  Corvus stared at the ground and sat down with slow, measured movements.

  “Do you have nothing to say? Nothing to defend yourself, Corvus?” Bellum asked.

  “What would be the point? The Watcher has already made her decision,” Corvus muttered.

  “Yes, I have,” Lunae said. “Though it seems you are already dying of chaotic degradation. Ordinarily, your organs would fail and you would die. But the sheer amount of chaos gathered in your body is accelerating your condition, causing your organs to quite literally dissolve from the inside. Your death will be very painful.”

  “I gathered,” he coughed a mouthful of blood.

  “This is not over, orc,” Lunae snarled, before turning to her niece. “Bellum, you wish to spare the innocents of this city? Very well, I will spare them. I will rebuild Lunis and the orcs will be allowed to remain on several conditions, the foremost being that they swear loyalty to Lunis and renounce Murkton and its nobility.”

  “That seems acceptable to me,” Bellum said.

  “Mind you, many orcs will die in the process of this transition,” Lunae said. “Whatever privileges they enjoyed at the cost of goblins will cease. Any who are found to have participated in the ritual sacrifices of goblins or any other form of mistreatment will be executed. Merchants will forfeit their wares in their entirety for the rebuilding of Lunis. Not only the ones in this city, but all of Silent Marshes.”

  “The merchants will rebel if you enact such a decree,” Bellum said.

  “Let them. My armies will sweep through every village and town of the Silent Marshes and execute all who dissent. After a few merchants have lost their heads, the others will turn around. I’m sure the remaining merchants will have the ability to recreate their caravans and wealth given time, if not, then they never deserved to be merchants in the first place.”

  Bellum shook her head, “I assume you have similar plans for the remaining nobility?”

  “All nobility will be summarily executed. From elderly to newborn.”

  “What? Lunae, you promised to spare the innocent. You cannot kill the children.”

  “Some innocents cannot be spared. A noble child is still a noble. Their blood and birthright can be used to start rebellions in the future as a form of reclamation of Murkton. I will not allow such a thing to be. Murkton will end here.”

  Bellum clenched her fists and glanced at the destruction of the city that lay below. Slowly, she uncurled her fists. “Promise me you do not plan to kill any more children.”

  “You care too much for these mortals, Bellum.”

  “Promise me.”

  Lunae sighed. “I do not intend to kill any other children besides the nobility. But that does not mean I will not if the need arises. Children with a weapon can be just as dangerous as an adult. If an orc child decides to try and kill a goblin for the sake of avenging a relative, I will not hesitate to have that child executed, lest others follow in their footsteps.”

  “But you will spare the rest?” Bellum pressed.

  “I will,” Lunae said.

  “Mother,” Stryg said.

  “What is it, Little One?” Lunae asked.

  “Beatrix and Gilgard helped save my life and those of my friends. They are children of Corvus. I do not wish them to die,” Stryg said.

  Lunae glanced at the orcs in question, who fidgeted under her gaze. “Why did you help my son?”

  “Um, well, w-we didn’t know Stryg was your s-son,” Gilgard stammered. “I helped him because it was the right thing to do. I don’t want to be like my father or ancestors. I wanted to change Murkton for the better.”

  “Why?” Lunae asked.

  Gilgard glanced at Beatrix, “My little sister. I hated the way my family treated her, all because her mother was a commoner. Beatrix is a good person and she is a dai-Morrigan, a bastard. So if you are going to execute all nobility, please spare her.”

  “I plan to kill all bastards as well. Some people still recognize them as nobility, albeit low nobility,” Lunae said.

  “Please—” Gilgard tried to speak but Beatrix stepped forward instead.

  “It’s alright, brother,” Beatrix assured him. “I will accept my end without protest.”

  Lunae narrowed her and crouched down next to her. Even on one knee, Lunae still towered over the orc girl. “Why are you so calm?”

  “I am not calm,” Beatrix laughed weakly and struggled to meet the goddess’ eye. “I’m actually quite terrified.”

  “Why did you help my son?”

  “I’m not like my brother. I didn’t do it because it was the right thing, or because I wanted to be different from my ancestors, or for the sake of changing Murkton for the better,” Beatrix admitted quietly. “I did it because I knew the alternative was an eternal horror for my family and every orc in this city.”

  Lunae cocked an eyebrow. “Explain.”

  “Stryg told me the truth of who he is. Of who his father is. I was sworn to secrecy by a divine oath, but I think you and I both know what would happen if something were to befall Stryg.”

  “I see.”

  “Which is why I will not fight your decision. If you wish for my death,” Beatrix knelt and bowed, exposing her neck. “Then I will gladly offer my head.”

  “Why so eager?” Lunae asked.

  “Let’s just say I’d rather not be condemned to an eternity of torture in the Soul Chasm.”

  “Hm. Very well,” Lunae rose to her feet. “I will spare you and your brother.”

  “What?” Beatrix glanced up in surprise.

  “Thank you, my lady,” Gilgard bowed deeply.

  Veronica gasped in relief behind him, but did not dare speak up for fear of offending the goddesses.

  “Gilgard, if you wish to live, you will undergo an alchemical treatment that will render you sterile. I will not have any Morrigan heirs down the line,” Lunae said. “You will also publicly swear loyalty to me through the Lunar Elect.”

  “I understand,” Gilgard swallowed hard. 

  Veronica grabbed his hand and gave him a comforting smile. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispered.

  “As for you, Beatrix. Swear your loyalty to me and I will raise you to be the first orc Sylvan Mother,” Lunae said.

  “Me?” Beatrix blinked. “I… I don’t understand.”

  “The only way for orcs to have a place here in this city as equals and not as something lower than goblins, is if they have a voice on my council. If you accept my offer, you will be granted a seat on my council, alongside the Guardian of the Sylvan, the Silver Mother, and the Lunar Elect Tribunal. Your job will be helping the orc people transition into the new way of things. Do you understand?”

  “Yes. I, um… Thank you, my lady,” Beatrix prostrated herself on the ground. “I accept.”

  “Good. You will report to the Silver Mother for your initiation. She will guide you through the sacred oaths and rituals,” Lunae said.

  “Are there any others you wish to kill?” Bellum asked.

  “Plenty. Starting with Murkton’s soldiers. I will not have a potential enemy army living within my walls. Most will be executed, save for the ones that can truly be deemed to have no ill will towards Lunis. Most soldiers will not be willing to truly switch sides, but there are always a few.”

  “…Any others you wish to kill?” Bellum asked.

  “The priests. Religion is a powerful tool to inspire hope and rebellion in the masses. And I have no interest in having other deities being fed by the faith of my people. The worship of all the scarlet gods within Lunis and its territories will be put to an end. Worship of Caligo shall also be outlawed. All acolytes serving in their temples will be put to death.”

  “That will spark more rebellions than you think,” Bellum said.

  “And I will put them all down. Do you understand the difficulty of what I am trying to accomplish? The orcs will not accept the fall of their city or the eradication of their ways without a fight. They will hold resentment for many years. It will take centuries before Lunis can be truly restored and healed. Many are going to die, Bellum, including innocents, before this is all over,” Lunae said.

  “I know… I suppose I should be happy you are no longer planning to genocide all orcs,” Bellum muttered.

  “You should.”

  “I’m not. But I will not stop you either, Lunae,” she glanced at Beatrix, “So long as you plan on treating the orcs that remain justly.”

  “I will. On that, you have my word.”

  “…What of the remaining priests?” Bellum asked.

  “There will only be three gods with dedicated temples in my city, myself, Stjerne, and you. Any priests who worship another god will be imprisoned and executed.” Lunae cocked her head to the side, her eyes glowing briefly, “Wait. There is one priestess who will be spared. Hm, she has already gained quite the following in such a short time. Interesting.” 

  Bellum furrowed her brow. “Who is this priestess?”

  “Her name is Catherine, but people already seem to be calling her the Servant of— another peculiar individual, let’s say.” Lunae glanced at Stryg, “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this, would you, oh Winged One?” 

  Stryg looked up at her, the perfect face of innocence. “Nope.”