King Domine observed in silence as Kharveth finished distributing his power among the Demon Knights. The flow of it was controlled, deliberate, apportioned with the precision of a commander reinforcing a battle line rather than indulging in excess. All three of Domine's eyes eventually settled on the gray, furred half-cape draped from Kharveth's shoulder.
*That artifact,* he thought. *It expands his effective range. The Cape of Extension, if memory serves.*
Kharveth lowered his hand, the transfer complete. Domine stepped forward slightly, his clawed fingers flexing as his gaze swept the ruined city. "You've empowered your knights. Good. Now plan how we take this city. The goddess is present, and so are Ercale and Bram. Each of them is a significant threat."
Kharveth turned toward him. The obsidian armor shifted with a low, heavy scrape as he raised his hands and began to sign, his movements sharp and economical.
"Have you or the Demon Lords faced them?"
Domine did not answer immediately. Arkanis spoke first, his posture steady, his expression unchanged. "We have, Knight Commander. I have faced the goddess and Ercale personally." He gestured faintly toward Armada. "Armada encountered Bram, and another combatant capable of manipulating time."
Armada swallowed, his shoulders tensing as Kharveth's attention slid toward him. "Y-yeah. The Swordmaster was no joke. I had to fight dirty to put him down. And the one in the skull mask…" He shook his head. "I couldn't land a single hit, even after using my demon form."
Kharveth turned back to Domine. His gauntlets rose again, fingers forming the next question with the same restrained precision.
"How many named and horned demons remain?"
Domine shifted his stance and looked directly into the portal, his three eyes narrowing as he sensed the battlefield beyond. "Four," he said after a moment. "I can still feel four. The rest are dead."
Kharveth paused at Domine's words, the massive knight standing motionless as if weighing every implication. After a moment, his gauntleted hands rose and began to move with deliberate precision.
"Please recall as many demons as you are able. I need everyone centered and in formation before I can plan an attack."
Domine turned sharply toward him, irritation flickering across his otherwise regal composure. "Do I look like a telepath?" he snapped. "I can't recall most of the nameless ones. The named demons who carried the communication stones are dead. Without them, recalling the rest means you have to go out and collect them ourselves."
Kharveth fell silent again, his horned helm tilting slightly as he looked down at the Demon King. After a brief pause, he inclined his head once and signed once more.
"I will gather them. But please recall the ones who can still be called back."
Domine exhaled through his nose, then reached into his cloak and produced a flat obsidian slab etched through with glowing red lines. Power thrummed faintly from it as he activated the artifact. "To the demons who still live," he commanded evenly, "return to the portal immediately."
The response came almost at once, a harsh, scraping voice bleeding through the slab. "My King. We have cornered two of the city's defenders. They've killed many of us. Should I return, or finish them?"
Armada glanced sideways. "That's Insidious, right? The horned imp?"
Arkanis nodded once. "Yes. One of the rare few of his kind to possess both a name and horns."
Domine did not hesitate. "Kill them, then return. Quickly. I'm sure you felt the Knight Commander arrive, and you do not want to keep him waiting."
Kharveth's hands moved again, calm and measured.
"I can wait. Rushing him may push him into reckless decisions. At best, he fails to kill the defenders. At worst, he wastes his life."
Domine did not relay that message. Instead, he addressed the slab again. "All remaining named and horned demons—return now."
A series of affirmations echoed back in rapid succession. Satisfied, Domine deactivated the slab and stowed it away. He turned to the gathered Demon Lords. "The rest of you, go out and retrieve the remaining nameless demons. Arkanis—go get Insidious. Make sure he doesn't fail."
All three bowed without protest before dispersing to carry out the orders. Domine remained where he was, facing the portal, its light reflecting in all three of his eyes.
*We will take this city,* he thought coldly. *And this world. Soon enough, they will understand just how meaningless their struggles truly are.*