Exaltoskull snapped out of his daydream and back into reality. True, he was going to Nara and Taverna as pawns in his plan, but it would not be for somethign too dangerous, something that would affect their lives in a great way. Exaltoskull would not be revered as the great deamon who tore life from Bellcast the evil, but rather as the deamon who rebelled against the kind, the regicidal deamon. The deamon who killed his own brother.
No, if Exaltoskull was to succeed, he needed Taverna and Nara to rebel first. Then he could act out his own plans. But all the while, he would remain in the shadows as he had done since birth. And at last, when Nara and Taverna would confront Bellcast, and as Bellcast reached out to kill them, Exaltoskull would kill them all, if necessary. First Bellcast would be murdered. The others would be left alone, unless they needed to die.
***
The deamons who had for years stood around Metawar, gradually fortifying it, building better defences, and slaving away during the day and the night recognised Taverna immediately. He had once worked along side some of them, and his power and prestige were known throughout the mob.
Taverna landed on one of the stone pillars that was still intact and looked at the deamons, blood covered with bones almost showing. Since Axerion had died, no one had bothered to release the deamons from slavery. Bellcast had even come by and ordered then to rebuild the fortress. But he had not stayed, and he had left no one to oversee the work being done. The deamons were not fed, and so the deamons that remained were the strongest, all of the weaker ones had died off or been used to keep the alive ones undead.
When Taverna landed, the chains that bound the deamons to their positions rattled, as each deamon forced its way nearer to Taverna, the emerald warrior who brought them hope.
Taverna opened his mouth, and the crowd went silent. Bones from dead deamons rustled in the wind, but no one paid attention to that. Taverna was their focus. The green deamon began his speech.
"I am going to lead a rebellion against King Bellcast, ruler of Speed and tyrant of the universe."
Boos resounded when Taverna pronounced King Bellcast, but they were followed by cheers as Taverna disgraced his name. Taverna raised a hand, and a gust of wind escaped from his wing, blasting the deamons with air, immediately shutting off their voices.
"But a one man rebellion is not very strong, nor would I stand a chance at fighting the dark lord." A few deamons laughed, while others hit those who laughed, ensuring that they stayed silent as Taverna had made them. "Anyone who joins me will surely die. But your death will be quick and filled with pain. I'm sure that it is preferable to staying here and dying. So, I need volunteers. Around seventy of you, who I will train in combat. Of those who choose to follow me, only fifty will survive long enough to begin the revolt, and later rebellion against Bellcast. Who will join me?"
Many deamons cried out in responce, while others began fighting those who responded in order to kill them, to ensure a spot with Taverna. Seeing this, the emerald coloured deamon flew over the crowd and blasted the agressors with deamonic energy. Within minutes the crowd was silent, half of the deamons who had been listening were silent- dead.
"If you wish to follow me, then break free of your bondings and fly up to me. As I flew by I weakened the power of the metal. Those who I've already selected should find that escaping is easy.
Seventy-five deamons broke free during Taverna's words, but on their way up to meet the deamon they fought, and eight fell from the skies into the hands of the unchosen. They were devoured, giving the deamons below a little bit longer to live. Or it would have given them longer to live, had Taverna not given out his first order.
"Kill the remainders!"
Most of the deamons who were now free launched themselves at the slaves still imprisonned, but a few stayed behind. Those who hung back were killed by Taverna himself. They had not listened to orders, therefor they could not be trusted on the battle field.
The prisonners cried out in fear, but their restraints held them in place, and the massacre was easy. Blood splattered the ground and stone, and death was in the air. Taverna shut his eyes, then dropped down to the ground, where he grabbed one of the dead deamons, seemingly at random. He addressed his warriors when he spoke.
"This deamon, like all of the others here this day, heard my speech. When Bellcast or one of his followers discovered many of you missing this deamon would likely give away my plan in a second, just to save his own life, which he would losse as soon as he finished his story. By killing this deamon, and all of the others here, you have ensured that we will have more time to prpepare for the war that is to come."
Taverna dropped the dead deamon to the ground, then released a small wave of deamonic energy. The dead deamons exploded from the inside out, leaving everything in their systems on the ground before Taverna and his warriors. "Take whatever may be of use to us here. Many of these deamons swallowed weapons. They may come in use in your training. Also, feed on them until you no longer need to feed. You will need your energy."
And with that, Taverna stooped down and sunk his teeth into the blood that covered the area. He was a true beast at this time. He was a true deamon.
