“Bwhahahahahaha,” Beelzebub laughs as he listens to the news that Nergal has given him; “this warms my cold black heart. Assuming of course I had a heart to begin with,” Beelzebub cackling upon the revelation that there are riots going on in Dis as well as all the other towns and settlements in hell. “And you are certain the citizens are blaming Lamashtu Morningstar,” Beelzebub speaking through the communication portal.
“Absolutely,” Nergal looking pleased; “my wife Laz put forth proposal 13666 in the senate. It passed easily despite some spirited debate.”
“This pleases me Nergal,” Beelzebub smiling; “by far the most intelligent plan you managed to conceive. With Enoch busy with his rescue attempt, you can slip into the palace and remove Lucifer from power.”
“What,” Nergal looking shocked; “start a coup?”
“If you think about, you already did;” Beelzebub smiling. “The common rabble; human born demons who just had had their rights stripped from them. They are howling for blood. Morningstar blood,” Beelzebub grinning; “you should go to the palace with your guards and remove that twit and his bitch of a mate, you’ll be lauded as a hero!”
Nergal takes a moment to think of what Beelzebub said before a smile spreads over his lion face; “I’ll need the remaining iron knight souls to do it.”
“No,” Beelzebub answering flatly; “Heka and Qesem are using them to make more thralls. Use your guards. All of them.”
“But they are spread thin,” Nergal responding; “protecting the senators from the riotous rabble.”
“Recall them all Nergal; let the senators fend for themselves,” Beelzebub ordering.
“But they will be needed to help restore order,” Nergal pleading; “plus they are loyal to us. Even if they know not who they are loyal too.”
“They are an anachronism,” Beelzebub being dismissive; “I have no intention of sharing power with them. Nor do I intend to maintain any form of Lucifer’s idealized style of democracy. Recall your troops,” Beelzebub ordering Nergal; “have them assault the palace from within. They are to kill every Morningstar they see. Be they man, woman or their spawn!”
"And the rest who are not at the palace," Nergal nodding to the plan; "what of them?"
"After today," Beelzebub grinning from ear to ear; "there will be no place for them to hide!"
***************************************************************
“I think I got it,” Rachael concentrating as she forms a small portal. With nothing to do thanks to decree 13666; Rachael was forced to stay at her’s and Maisy’s estate; reading the book Enoch left for her, Idiot’s guide to portal summoning.
“So,” Maisy watching Rachael stick her arm into the portal; “what did you picture?”
“This,” Rachael pulling out a small bag; “funyuns from the campus vending machine on earth.”
“Not exactly a good use of resources,” Parthenope; “but it is impressive for your first try.”
“I hate funyuns,” Maisy blanching; “those corn meal snacks always had a nasty texture to them.”
“I do have a question to ask,” Rachael opening up the bag of snacks she pulled from her portal; “how come only blood-born demons can summon portals? Why is this not taught to the human born demons?”
“I am curious about that as well,” Parthenope accepting one of the savory onion ring flavored snack. “In heaven all angels are taught how to summon portals regardless of heritage.”
“I guess it’s because,” Maisy looking sullen as she begrudging accepts a corn meal ring; “it all stems from the kidnapping of humans for the slave harems. If they could do portal magic, then they would escape their confines and their demon masters would be royally miffed.”
“That’s not fair,” Rachael sounding disgusted; “it’s borderline slavery! No wonder the human born demons are rioting. What few rights they had; now stripped from them, make them no better than the condemned souls sent here to do time for their sins.”
“This I agree,” Parthenope nodding; “even here in hell, it’s an injustice that should be rectified.”
“I’ll let dad know,” Maisy nodding her head; “in the meantime keep practicing, Rachael. With the noise outside getting louder,” Maisy closing the storm shutters; “I fear we may need to beat a hasty retreat.”
“Where,” Parthenope reading her sword; “I doubt there is anywhere in hell is safe for either of you. Kushiel and the Inquisition will most likely kill you the moment you try to enter heaven.”
“Earth,” Rachael munching on her funyuns; “it’s the only logical place for refuge.”
******************************************************
Semyaza just smiles as he strums his sitar while sitting in the grand library; using the instrument to keep the anti-cherub bubble up. The news that Beelzebub gave him regarding riots in hell was just the best thing to happen since he struck that bargain with Tiamat all those centuries ago.
“I’m certain Kushiel will be eager to use that as an excuse to invade hell and kill demons,” Semyaza grins while putting away the sitar; “that is if I tell him.”
“You up to something my heavenly counterpart,” Beelzebub trying to read Semyza.
“Always,” Semyaza exploring the grand library archives; “right now I’m trying to figure where Jehovah has all the secret lore on Chaos locked away. Thanks to Kushiel locking down the liabray I can search without Penemue and her pesky assistants from stymying my attempts at locating the vault.”
“assuming one exists,” Beelzebub looking interested.
“It does,” Semyaza examining a book on the mating habits of Mastodons before tossing away; “Jehovah is no fool. He may look and act like one to put you off guard,” Semyaza smiling as he spots a small bust of god himself; “but there is an intelligence behind that doddering façade. There is only so much misdirection I can use to keep him off guard.”
“Like making the wards in the cosmos seem like they are failing,” Beelzebub chortling; “when they otherwise are not?”
“He has Jesus and Asherah looking at the wards on Venus,” Semyaza smiling as the bust hid a switch; “I left a surprise for them; a chaos shade to keep them busy. Aha found it,” Semyaza smiling as the switch opens up a hidden passage; “by the time those twits are done with it, It’ll be too late. Oh before you close this communication portal,” Semyaza looking at Beelzebub; “your welp of a daughter is here in heaven. She is now and Angel and has been given your father’s old name.”
“Papilio,” Beelzebub sneering; “that is inconsequential. But still,” Beelzebub thinking; “you might want to pass that on to Kushiel. Maybe that will sate your pawn’s need for bloodlust. If perhaps she and her lover meet an unfortunate accident…”
“I already have,” Semyaza turning around and heading down the secret passage; whistling a jaunty tune as he salivates over what hidden lore Jehovah has squirreled away.