The effect was immediate.

  Any ability the Royal Guards did not know how to use without the assistance of the System was lost.

  The Royal Guards were skilled individuals. Each one was someone who had trained and practiced their skills for countless hours. They mastered their skills long before they were allowed to called themselves Royal Guards.

  And yet, they had never needed to use their Abilities without the aid of the System. Their extensive experience with their Abilities allowed them to use them without the System, but it took them time to figure it out, and even then, they were slow to do so.

  In a battle against the Devils and Argalon, those seconds were lethal.

  The Royal Guard collapsed almost immediately.

  Dozens killed in a moment. Dozens more the next.

  The only thing keeping the invaders from stampeding through was Alaster’s Undead and the Golden Thousand, who, as Masters, no longer needed the System.

  Alaster suspected that they too were affected, as the System would still be benefiting them, but it no longer served as a crutch for them.

  But without the numbers of the Royal Guard, it was apparent that the Throne Room was lost.

  The Demigods were doing their best, but they too were being overwhelmed, slowly, but surely. Their attacks wiped out dozens, shredding the tiles and cutting through the thick pillars and walls.

  “This is a lost battle.” Sedall said, launching a green beam that vaporized six dozen Demons.

  The King nodded, “Retreat!”

  The Royal Guard acted immediately, they did one last all out attack, taking the Demons off guard, before they sprinted back to their King, who was being herded out by his Golden Thousand while his son was being carried out beside him on a hastily put together stretcher.

  King Galeros looked back with tears in his eyes at the bodies of his wife and children. In the chaos, there had not been time to grab them. Even just moments later, the Demons had pushed the Undead past their remains.

  Even the Demigods began to pull back, breaking through the walls and ceiling to get some distance, yet even as they retreated, they blasted the Devils and Argalon with various ranged attacks.

  Alaster’s Undead continued to hold the line, allowing the Lissurians to retreat out of the Throne Room in relative safety. But it was clear they would quickly be destroyed.

  Alaster himself stood at the broken gates of the Throne Room, with a bored expression and his arms folded without a care as he stopped bothering to Summon more Undead.

  Winged Argalons stepped out of the portal and after a moment of analyzing the situation, chased after the Demigods through the numerous holes in the ceiling and into the sky.

  As the last of his Undead was shattered, dissolving into Mana particles, Alaster remained standing there.

  His nonchalant demeanor gave the Demons pause, and instead of charging after the Lissurians and sacking the city, they cautiously remained several meters away.

  They were cautious of someone who dared to stand bored before their vast army, with even more marching out of the portal.

  The crowd parted to allow the very same Devil, the one who had announced the arrival of the Demon Forces, to walk past. He stopped in front of the army and addressed Alaster.

  “Will you surrender?” He asked in his thick accent.

  “Do not insult me.” Alaster spoke in the Argalon Tongue, doing little more then repeating after Belgroth.

  Belgroth had attempted to teach Alaster the Argalon Language many times before, usually just to kill time and ease boredom, but Alaster had never bothered to put much effort into it, always finding something else to turn his attention.

  The Devil, as well as the rest of the Demon Forces were shocked to find a Human who could speak their language. The Soldiers began to murmur amongst themselves, but the envoy kept his composure.

  “You speak our language? Interesting. We had thought enough time had passed for your short-lived Species to have long since forgotten any knowledge of our culture. I assume you have stopped us for a reason?”

  Alaster conjured a table and two chairs of bone, calmly taking a seat in one and motioning towards the other. With the army of bloody and frenzied Devils and Argalon watching his every move, Alaster pulled out a steaming pot of tea and two cups, placing them on the table before filling the two cups.

  “Come. Let us negotiate terms.”

  The Envoy sniffed the air, and despite the stench of death and rubble hanging in the air, he smelled the herbal scent of the Tea. A specific Tea he recognized. A Tea that was reserved solely for important discussions between two parties.

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  “Now I am even more curious. You know not only know our language, but our customs of negotiations.”

  Feeling the stares of the Army at his back, the Envoy gracefully bowed at the waist, lifting his two hands up to be level with his bowed head, one in a fist, the other in an upside-down palm that cupped the fist.

  He held that position for a moment before standing straight and sitting down at the bone table. Together, both the Devil Envoy and the Human raised their cups with both hands before downing them in a single gulp.

  The Devil closed his eyes to relish the aftertaste. An earthy taste that brought the image of a lush forest in the warm glow of the sun. The Demons had their own supply of the Tea, but in the harsh conditions of their exile, the herb required to make the Tea struggled to grow and never tasted the same.

  The Envoy opened his eyes with a sigh, “Thank you Human. It has been some time since I tasted home. But as you can see, the army at my back is eager for blood. I am only entertaining this for curiosity as even my superiors would be quite interested in someone who knows so much of our culture. Let us be quick with the discussion. What are your terms?”

  Alaster did not ask for much, “I do not care for much of Humanity or its Subraces. Slaughter the Dwarves to the North, the Elves to the West, or Slavers to the East. I don’t care. I know our people’s shared history. The tragedies my ancestors delivered upon yours. I understand your reason for attacking, I even support it, as something similar happened to me.

  But I have those I wish to protect. And while I do not rule over them, they would obey my command.

  I know your peoples to not be foolish enough to attack this world without sufficient forces. I suspect that your armies will continue to march out of that portal for several weeks. And you will slaughter your way outward from this city for leagues before you meet any real resistance.

  I merely wish to protect that which is mine.”

  “And what is yours?”

  Alaster conjured a map of the continent, with the cities of Galmore, Onigas, and the Kingdom of Zalar circled.

  “This is mine. Leave these Lands alone, and you may burn the rest for all I care.”

  It was a preposterous demand, one that many would call ridiculous as they laughed, yet the Demon Envoy did neither.

  “You ask too much. We already knew the settlements of this continent, and have already marked where Humans may flee to in order to avoid our conquest. The city this map labels as Galmore, it is safe. We never intended to march there. Had Onigas been a mere five miles south-east, it too would have been safe. But I am afraid that that both Onigas and this Kingdom of Zalar will be targeted.

  Our Leaders have already discussed this matter for centuries. I am sorry, but there will be no more discussions of this matter. Perhaps, Onigas may be pardoned, but not even those of us wishing for peace would accept leaving the land of Zalar to the Humans.

  For the sake of my respect for your knowledge of our Culture, I will propose the pardoning of Onigas before our War Masters. If they refuse, then I will attempt to request additional time for the residents to relocate.

  We may be here to retake our home through bloodshed, but we are not merciless. We understand how horrible it would be to wipe out a city that would have otherwise been safe a mere five miles away. Regardless, I would recommend beginning the relocation. It will take us time to reach that location anyway, regardless of the decision our War Masters take.”

  Alaster nodded, “I thank you for your consideration. However I feel I must warn you, the Kingdom of Zalar will not give up their lands. They will not move, and for every inch they are forced to do so, they will demand a hefty blood price.

  I will heed your advice and begin the relocation of Onigas, as well as the safety of those closest to me, but I swore to protect Zalar. So I am afraid that once you trespass on Zalarian Lands, I will be forced to engage your forces.”

  “What of this city and the surrounding lands?” The Enoy asked with a tilt of his head.

  Alaster merely shrugged, “Burn it to ash for all I care. I came here to exact my revenge and display the headless corpses of my enemies before their families. I had already begun when you so rudely interrupted.”

  Alaster made his point by pointing to the corpse of the Demigod still on the stairs leading to the Throne. Even dead, the Envoy could feel the power of the individual.

  “You killed him? But you have not even breached the Fourth Gate.”

  “Deaths comes to all.” Alaster responded casually.

  The Envoy looked at Alaster in a new light. It was seen as taboo to lie during Negotiations, and while he would not put it past Humans to break the sanctity of the Negotiations, the way the Human before him spoke, the Envoy did not believe he was lying.

  No longer did the Envoy look at the man as someone of curiosity and knowledge, but instead, he looked at him as someone who could potentially hinder the Invasion.

  “I believe our discussion has come to an end. I swear to bring this matter to my superiors but if you have nothing else?” Alaster did not react, “Very well then, if you care not for what we do with this city or the nearby lands, I suggest you vacate the area and do not interfere.”

  Together, the Devil and the Human stood up and bowed deeply to each other.

  Alaster deconstructed the table and chairs and sent them back to his Ring of Holding, turning to leave.

  “Oh! One last thing,” Alaster spun back around.

  “May I gather the remains of three individuals from this room? You see, they are the family members of the King, who I am still unsure is my enemy or not. I wish to take their bodies.”

  The Envoy was confused, “To do what with?”

  Alaster shrugged, “Burn, bury, disassemble, maybe I’ll put stakes through them and display them outside his room just to bring him more grief. I don’t know. But I imagine their remains will be useful. At least to me.”

  The Envoy did not know enough about Human faces and mannerisms to tell if Alaster was joking or not, but he was not sure which would be better.

  “Very well. I will follow.”

  With a grateful nod, Alaster casually walked towards the army. With the Envoy beside him, the army parted, giving the strange Human ample room. As Alaster knew exactly where the bodies were, the walk was short.

  The Envoy looked down at the broken bodies of the woman and two children with remorse, “A pity this war will cause even more mothers and children to perish.”

  Alaster looked down at the broken bodies with contempt, “Yes, but not these ones. They lived in luxury and peace, uncaring of the misery of their people while my own parents were butchered.”

  “Children are innocent.”

  Alaster scoffed, not quite believing the Devil was the one lecturing him on morality, “Depends on the child. When I was their age, I had already taken half a dozen lives.”

  The Envoy hummed in acknowledgement, “Take them and go. You have delayed our advance long enough.”

  “Very well.”

  A casual sweep of his arm, and the bodies disappeared into the Ring of Holding.

  “Do try to convince your War Masters. Any attack on what is mine will turn the ocean red.”

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