DD 302 Ch 31

As I watched the procession before me as the demons were herded into the room and up to the stage. I was suddenly overcome with the concern that I was going to have to fight or to slaughter the group being brought forward. This felt like it was becoming a pattern between the threadspawn at the party and this event. Did every group of elites have a new bloodsport?

But as the group began arranging themselves, I wondered if this was something else entirely.

There were some standing individually, a good breadth of space between them. Then others that had stepped to the side, only for a wall to be brought up between them and the crowd. More and more configurations of demons began to occur up on the stage, as if this was some sort of test. The final gatherings were groups and the last one was about three dozen demons milling about, constantly shuffling themselves.

My brain swirled as I watched them all congregate differently. One massive clump of several dozen demons all chained together were looking down at their feet, refusing to meet the crowd’s eyes.

“Do you get it yet?” the Succubus Queen asked me, a glimmer in her eyes.

“I think I do.” I answered, still feeling a little uncertain.

The queen held up a hand, telling me to wait a moment longer.

Other people in the crowd were beginning to stir, but as soon as all of the demons had taken the stage, another group swarmed out from another set of doors. These demons all walked with little black slate tablets, rushing very quickly to each of the Lords and Ladies present.

One came up to Lady Frey with the tablet. “We understand you have someone ready for these trials.” He was a shade, though currently doing his best impression of a pencil, standing tall with two little arms coming out the side.

Lady Frey gestured at me. “Take the tablet, Ken, and when it comes time, just do what you have been.”

The proctor gave her a glance and then turned back to me. “Up on the stage there are various challenges for you to detect Threadspawn. I will be monitoring you throughout your entire test. As you can see—” he gestured with the tablet in front of him. There was a red image similar to the forms up on the stage like it had been burned into it “—simply tap to indicate whether there is a Threadspawn present or not.”

I glanced at him. “Do I start now?”

“Of course. And you may go as close as you need to to identify the Threadspawn.” He instructed me.

I had a feeling speed and distance would matter in this test, and so I took full advantage. The blue of my eyes reflected off of the slate as I turned my focus to the stage, quickly comparing the positions of the demons and the forms on the tablet. Thankfully, using the device was easy enough. With a pinch of my fingers, I could zoom in and out. But the surprise was the more I swiped, the more I had options that included outlines of the crowd surrounding me.

Ignoring that for the moment, I focused on the stage, quickly and easily identifying those that were and were not Threadspawn. I could see cleanly through the various walls in order to identify my targets. Cloth, stone, even a waterfall didn’t hinder my ability.

Once I was done, I began moving to the crowds on the stage, realizing that whatever was putting the forms on the tablet was actively monitoring the room. As the people in the crowd shifted, the outlines moved around on the tablet as well.

That made both the stationary and moving crowds easy enough for me, but I understood how if you needed to be close or move through them it would become increasingly difficult.

I began tapping, marking each one in turn, as the one proctoring the test for me turned to me with a strange frown. I understood why a moment later when the other participants in this test were moving up to the stage, just beginning their test on the first configuration.

“Are you just making guesses?” He asked, disturbed at my speed.

I gave my examiner a weak smile. “What do you want me to do when I finish?” I asked.

“Uh… I will take it and have it graded. We have thoroughly examined, killed, and revived those that are up on the stage, and we have absolute certainty whether they are or are not infected with the worms,” he commented, disdain thick in his voice.

I snickered at his dislike, finishing up with those on the stage, only for the Succubus Queen to look over my shoulder at my work and turn to Lady Frey.

“Oh, he’s fast. I have a rough idea of the correct answers and it does seem he’s accurate enough.” She answered.

The proctor hesitated, clearly worried about correcting the demon leader in front of him, yet just as clearly having trouble staying silent.

“Oh, please. I know you will take this back and do a full grading. My commentary is unofficial.” She waved a hand at the proctor, who seemed to relax at being given back his role.

I turned to the three demons watching my progress. “Do you want me to also examine the crowd?” I held up the tablet, showing that I clearly had that option in this tablet to start marking everyone in the room, not just those on stage.

“That’s not necessary,” the proctor said quickly.

However, the Succubus Queen raised a hand and forestall any further commentary from him. “I would be delighted if you gave us insight into the state of the demons.” She told me.

I smirked and, holding the tablet, turned to the crowd and began marking several that showed positive with [Eyes of Wisdom]. It wasn’t a surprise when the queen’s lips curled into a smirk. I’d passed a test just now by volunteering to clean up the demons present. If I were in their shoes, this is exactly the kind of thing I’d want.

My actions caused the proctor to nearly choke. “It would be best if you do not throw out unsubstantiated allegations, young demon. Do you understand the cost that will be placed upon you, should you be wrong?” He asked, staring at a particular spot on the slate tablet.

I glanced at who I was beginning to think of as my sponsors. Whoever that one was, it wasn’t someone unknown.

Lady Frey looked beyond nervous. “Perhaps you should stop, Ken,” she said, only for the Succubus Queen to put a hand on Lady Frey’s arm.

“You have often been too self-conscious for your own good. Ken, please continue. Understand that Lady Frey will not suffer any repercussions.” She told me.

I heard her words but still hesitated. I was not included in that “safe from repercussions” category, at least by my understanding of her words.

She must have caught my hesitation. A sly smile slid across the Succubus Queen’s face. “Of course, that includes you, darling. We can’t have our future Incubus King being caught up in something as mundane as an argument between royalty. However, should that accusation go awry, he’ll punch at Lady Frey because her death would have value.”

With those words, my hesitation thinned and I decided to help cleanse them of the Threadspawn. I began marking the crowd with a new frenzy, even as I was marking them safe or Threadspawn-infected.

When I looked at the crowd, even with [Eyes of Wisdom] overlaying them, it was clear who was royalty and who was not. I noticed that my marking of them did not discriminate either, watching as the proctor wheezed when I marked a particular one and then reached to snatch the tablet from me.

“That is enough. Please cease,” he begged.

One look at the Succubus Queen told me her preference was for me to continue, so I held onto the tablet and finished.

Xanthana put herself between the proctor and I, buying me more time. “I am afraid you’re going to have to push me aside if you wish to take something from my subject,” she told the proctor.

The way she laced her fingers casually before her and placed them in her lap, with what passed for a cute tilt of her head, sent spikes of alarm through my mind.

The gesture must have done the same for the proctor, because he froze, unable to continue his attempt to take my tablet. He might have been willing to grab something from my hands, but he didn’t even dare accidentally touch Xanthana.

Lady Frey stood nearby, seeming to not have full confidence in my abilities. She was sweating profusely. The only one calm amongst our group was Des, who looked entirely relaxed with a placid smile on her face. Ignoring the entire scene going down in front of her, she glanced around, taking in the setting. 

The Succubus Queen noticed Des’ stance as well. “It seems you are quite confident in your man,” she commented, and subtly asked for an explanation.

Des, never one to disappoint, grinned at the Succubus Queen. “I’ll have you know, Ken’s never given me a reason to be disappointed. In fact, I am absolutely certain he’s correct on all accounts. He would not incriminate somebody without absolute certainty.”

The Succubus Queen nodded. “I do like a decisive individual, almost as much as one that has the competence to back it up.”

“He does,” Des confirmed the subtle question.

“While I applaud your support,” the Queen said, “I do need to verify it for myself.”

The queen glanced back at me, seeing that I had stopped tapping, and then nodded to Princess Xanthana, who stepped back with a sweet smile for the proctor.

“Well, now it seems he has finished. You’re welcome to take the results and test the veracity of it. Though I would offer that you test those on stage first.” The Succubus Queen cackled like an old lady and stepped to my side as the proctor hurried away.

“If you’d do me one more favor, Ken,” she said, “with those eyes of yours, I would like you to confirm the Imp King.”

I looked at him and nodded. “He’s clean.”

“Now if you would,” she said, “gaze that way, through the palace and up to the roof. The Sloth Queen stays in a central spire surrounded by windows on all sides so she can sleep in the warmth of the sun.”

I frowned, but followed her instructions. I activated [Eyes of Wisdom], first asking where the Sloth Queen was, and after getting confirmation of the location I asked if she was infected with Threadspawn.

I shook my head. “Nothing there.” I answered.

“Nothing,” she repeated, “as in you cannot find her?”

“As in there’s no Threadspawn. I found the Sloth Queen, and I think she’s comfortably asleep.” How anyone slept through all this noise was beyond me.

The Succubus Queen chuckled. “Wonderful. Now, do you see that Wrath demon along the back wall?”

I smiled, already knowing what she was going to request. I asked [Eyes of Wisdom] to highlight the kings and queens. It seemed only the Imp had gone up on stage, but all seven were present at the party. I felt a little less comfortable with that kind of power in the room all at once. Clearly this threadspawn issue was at the top of their priorities. No only were they all here, but if I understood everything from Xanthana, she only started putting this together within the last week.

I asked my ability if any of the kings or queens were infected. Thankfully, none of them were. “They appear to all be clean.” I told her.

The Succubus Queen nodded. “Good, good. Between you and me, Ken, there is a suspicion around some of the demons. The Incubus King had a sudden disregard for prior treaties, and all available history that would indicate that his choices were essentially suicide. There are whispers between more than a few demons that he perhaps was infected by a Threadspawn.”

“Ah,” I said, nodding. “And if you think there was potentially a Threadspawn in charge of hell while the rest of you were finding your way back…” I let that statement hang in the air, along with the complications it would bring if something like that were true.

“It would be a dire problem,” the Succubus Queen nodded. Her eyes flashed dangerously, and my skin prickled. I suddenly had the sense that I was standing next to a savage beast that could end me, and everyone I cared about, in the blink of an eye.

“I guess your greatest concern,” I said carefully, “is those who were also in Hell during his brief and unpleasant reign.”

The Succubus Queen nodded. “Though it would be simpler to say we’re having everyone checked. Many of my darlings are here, and I was watching your slate. Thankfully, there aren’t any concerns I need to have about them being compromised. But, Ken, I will inform you that you did mark a single prince.”

That explained why the proctor had nearly choked.

The shade, who had already hurried away and was conferring with several imps who stood to the side of the stage. Their expressions shifted between horror and disbelief as they reviewed my answers.

I noticed several contraptions other examiners had set up on stage. They were having demons walk through the machinery, or using devices while circling the test subjects. I realized that most of the demons weren’t using abilities at all. They were using technology to root out the Threadspawn. And it appeared that my detection was far quicker than the others’. No one had even gotten to the two different crowds, both the unmoving and the moving.

As my results continued to be evaluated, enough commotion stirred that people began paying attention. Even the Imp King strode over to take a look. He nodded several times, seeming satisfied, before his eyes flashed with anger and shot toward our group.

The wave of pressure that come from him nearly caused to collapse and probably would have if the princess hadn’t put a hand on my and Des’ shoulders.

The Succubus Queen chuckled at the sight of his anger.

I couldn’t utter a squeak. Even with Xanthana helping keep me up, the overwhelming power form the Imp King had my mouth sealed shut.

“And how do you propose we test your… extended review?” the Imp King’s voice boomed over the crowd.

Those who’d been working on the stage glanced up to see several of the other kings and queens moving closer.

“Don’t hold us in suspense,” came another voice. The Wrath Demon King stepped forward, his voice refined far beyond what I expected from something that looked like a bipedal mountain. “I can only assume, with that old bat’s effort to get this going, that she had someone more than capable under her wing.”

“He got a perfect score on the test,” the Imp King confirmed, gesturing at the stage. “However, it seems he was encouraged to go beyond the stage and inspect the crowd.” His words sent ripples around me.

Half wanted to rid themselves of threadspawn, the other half spoke of how others would use this to create openings in the hierarchy.

The other kings and queens came closer, and the Succubus Queen beside me finally strolled with a fluid confidence she hadn’t shown earlier. She no longer seemed like the hunched grandmother; now the cane seemed entirely superfluous.

“Come now,” she said. “It’s simple. We can kill them and inspect them for worms. If found clean, we can simply resurrect them.”

“More than a few rivalries exist.” A Shade, little more than a floating black silhouette, rose onto the edge of the stage closest to us. This demon was most certainly female, based on the voice.

“Oh, you think I’m going to stoke old rivalries when we have far greater concerns?” the Succubus Queen asked loudly. “I haven’t grown old by being so ambitious that I’d publicly execute those who moved against me. Besides, if I really needed any of them dead, I could simply wait until after this affair and kill them easily enough. All of you should trust me that I am arranging this for the betterment of us all. Ensuring we are Threadspawn-free is of the highest priority.”

She paused for effect and then clicked her tongue. “What am I to do? Allow traitors to infiltrate our midst while we crow about what each other might do? Honestly, that makes us all look so incredibly weak.”

A collective hiss rose from the demons as if calling them weak had stung.

“If you are unwilling to take the necessary steps to ensure demonkind thrives. Please, go right ahead. Tell me I’m wrong.” She challenged.

The Asura King stepped forward. “It’s not that you are wrong or that we’re weak. It is simply that there’s no need to rile everyone up by making such accusations. These things can be done far more delicately.”

“Me? Rile people up?” The Succubus Queen dismissed him with a snort. “Nonsense. It is simply far too important for us to clean our ranks. I cannot, and will not, allow demonkind to succumb simply because we are unwilling to test ourselves for those who wish to split us from within.”

With that, the old-granny facade vanished completely as she practically teleported across the room.

I recognized the prince I had marked previously. He was a four-armed Asura with an incubus aid at his side.

The Succubus Queen only stood as tall as his chest, but grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him down to get a hand on his head. The prince barely even had the chance to blink, much less resist. “Apologies. This should only be temporary.” She said, and the next moment, his head was ripped clean off his body.

It had been removed so hard and so quickly that a long ribbon of his spine came dragging out of his torso.

Demons erupted. The room went into an uproar. They were shouting, screaming, demanding justice, but the Succubus Queen ignored all of them as she began tearing through the corpse like she was doing some spring cleaning.

I had seen plenty of people die. But seeing someone ripped apart so casually was difficult to stomach.

She disassembled the prince like a child pulling apart a toy, popping limbs free, splitting the torso neatly. Complaints showered onto her from every direction.

But when she reached the ribs, just for a brief moment, a Threadspawn appeared part of it’s long body flicked out before it dove deeper into the body.

Two Demon Kings moved instantly. They moved so fast that my eyes could not track them fully as they plunged their hands simultaneously into the body from different directions. One was the Shade who’s arm stretched the other was the Imp King who floated in the air.

The powerful demons rooted around until the Shade plucked the squirming worm out with her bare hands. She held the writhing thing aloft as if it were some horrid, disgusting prize.

And with that, the shower of complaints across the room came to a swift and sudden stop. The place was so quiet that the only noise was a steady drip of blood from the body.

“Well now,” the Succubus Queen said, smirking at the crowd around her. “That’s funny. It’s gotten rather quiet, don’t you think?”

She turned back toward me, and I wanted to sink into the back of the room and out of the focus of the many many demons who might want to kill me now. But based on the look she gave me, that was clearly not an option.

“I think you’ve proven your point, my queen” I said, bowing to the Succubus Queen.

“Oh no, Ken,” she purred. “I have proven your point.”

She gazed back to the other kings and queens who, without another word of argument, vanished in the blink of an eye, reappearing throughout the room.

They began killing dozens of demons in a flash.

The crowd panicked, frothing with worry. Yet none of them dared to run away.

“Now, now,” the Succubus Queen said having disappeared from my side and appeared on top of the stage. “Do note that each and every person being apprehended tonight will be given a thorough inspection. If no Threadspawn is found, you’ll be revived—” she fluttered a hand, “—and I will provide you a small compensation for your time.”

Though she said the statement calmly, and the crowd listened with intent, there was very little calm spreading as a result. Everyone was properly terrified, looking left and right even though the kings and queens were already done, having picked their way clean through the crowd in a flash.

Before my brain had caught up with everything happening around me, the Succubus Queen was back at my side too.

“Well done, Ken. An infected prince is a high prize.” She placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “And while everyone seems happy that the threat has been removed, I must apologize that I’ve made you a fair many enemies today.”

I did my best to squeeze out a smile for her.

“To solve this problem for the hierarchy is the far greater honor.” I gave her a stiff bow.

She patted me on the cheek. “Good. I will be seeing more of you, I am quite sure.” She told me, before moving off to talk to more of the royals.

I glanced around, once again wishing there was a way to divert all of the attention currently directed at me. But Des seemed perfectly calm, like she was taking a stroll in the park as she stepped over, resting her chin on my shoulder, offering me a bit of comfort.