Chapter 85: Zephyrus
ELYSIUM
"The demons bear no loyalty to Azriel," Celestian countered coldly. "His demon blood has laid dormant for centuries. They view him as a half-breed bastard who abandoned his lineage. Furthermore, King Draca remains sealed in the abyss. The demons respect only two things and that is raw power and absolute vows. We offer them a solemn, binding oath: fight for us, kill the human vessel, and we will unseal their realm and grant them their freedom."
The council went quiet as the deities digested the cold logic of the plan.
"Demons value a binding vow above all else," Celestian continued, a cruel smile touching his lips. "They will tear Katula apart to earn their release. And if the human truly used ancient celestial light to kill Mirevale, he will currently be suffering from the Deity’s Curse. His mind will be fracturing. There is no better time to strike."
Valedi crossed his arms, his lip curling. "Fine. A clever scheme. But who among us is going to degrade themselves by leading a filthy horde of demons into battle? I certainly won’t lower myself to such filth."
Before anyone could answer, the heavy, double doors of the council chamber burst open.
Every head snapped toward the entrance.
Walking purposefully down the aisle was a figure cloaked in dark, star-embroidered robes. Like Mirevale, his face was obscured by a sleek, black porcelain mask, and his hands were covered in silver-threaded gloves.
At the exact center of his forehead, carved into the porcelain mask, was a gleaming, eight-pointed star emblem.
"Who dares breach the High Council?" Elios roared, his divine aura flaring as he rose from his seat.
However, as the intruder drew closer, Elios’s voice cracked. His aura flickered and died. His eyes widened in absolute shock.
The young deity reached the edge of the circular table and immediately dropped to one knee, bowing his head respectfully.
"I will lead the demons," the young man declared, his voice ringing with unwavering resolve.
"Zephyrus...?" Elios breathed, his hands trembling as he stared down at his son. "What... what are you doing here? This is a high council meeting! You have no right to intrude, boy, you—"
"How long have you been eavesdropping outside these doors, child?" Nythera interrupted coldly, glaring down at him. "Eavesdropping on the Supreme Council is a treasonous offense. You deserve a century in the dungeon!"
Zephyrus kept his gaze locked on the floor, his voice steady. "Which is precisely why I am offering my life to lead the demonic vanguard against Katula. Punish me by sending me to the front lines. I will gladly take the charge."
"Have you lost your mind?!" Elios shouted, stepping around the table and pointing a finger at his son. "The demons are wild, ravenous beasts! They will tear you limb from limb before you even reach Katula! This is a suicide mission, Zephyrus! I will not allow you to go out there and get slaughtered like your..."
Elios choked on his words, unable to finish the sentence.
"...like my mother?" Zephyrus finished for him softly.
He slowly stood up, reaching up to unlatch his black porcelain mask. He pulled it off, revealing sharp, striking features, eyes that burned with a mixture of grief and terrifying conviction.
"That is precisely why I must go, Father," Zephyrus said, his voice dropping into a dangerous hush. "I am going to get our vengeance. I will personally slaughter the human who dared to murder my mother, erase her soul, and rob her of her place in the Hall of Remembrance. I will drag his screaming soul to hell, tear Katula to the ground, and make every single one of those Sins kneel before her memory!"
Elios opened his mouth to protest, his eyes pleading, but Celestian spoke first, his voice cutting through the tension.
"Words are cheap, young deity," Celestian said coldly, leaning forward. "Is this grand speech born truly of strategic focus, or is it merely the pathetic whining of a child throwing a tantrum over his mother’s death? Elysium’s survival rests on this strike. If your petty desire for revenge blinds your judgment, you will fail, and I will not waste our demon army on a boy playing soldier."
Zephyrus turned his gaze toward the Supreme Deity, entirely unfazed by the suffocating pressure radiating from the throne.
"It is not merely revenge, your majesty," Zephyrus stated, his tone chillingly calm. "Revenge is emotional. Strategy is absolute. I know the layout of Katula’s defenses. I know how the Sins deploy their forces, and I know how to manipulate the demons’ hunger for blood to serve our ends. I will not just attack—I will execute a calculated, relentless siege. I will use the demons to bleed their forces dry, draw out the Prince of Lust, and extract the human vessel alive before destroying the kingdom entirely. I promise you, on my immortal soul, I will deliver the Child of Prophecy to this table, or I will not return at all."
Silence fell over the room once more.
Elios desperately turned to Celestian. "My Lord, please! He is too young! He is not ready for a command of this scale! He will be killed!"
"He is more than ready, Elios," Solmira interjected softly, her glowing eyes fixed on the young deity. She closed her eyes for a brief second, recalling the day of his divine birth. "Have you forgotten the star chart that aligned when Zephyrus was brought into this realm? The Constellation of the Iron Conqueror lit up the sky. His destiny was always bound to war and blood. The threads of fate are calling him to this moment."
Elios let out a heavy, shuddering sigh. He looked at his son, seeing the unwavering fire in his eyes, and realized there was no stopping him.
"If you go..." Elios whispered, his voice thick with uncharacteristic emotion, "...you bring victory. But above all else, Zephyrus... do not die."
Zephyrus bowed his head deeply to his father. "I will bring you their heads, Father. I will return with good news."
Celestian raised his hand, slamming his palm against the armrest of his throne.
"Then it is settled!" Celestian declared, his voice echoing across the high arches of the hall. "Zephyrus, son of Mirevala and Elios, will command the abyssal demon horde, some of Elysium’s best warriors, and lead the strike against Katula!"
He stood up, his regal white robes billowing around him.
"Even though Mirevale’s soul was erased from existence, she served this council for millennia. We will hold a grand funeral in her honor. Let the heralds prepare the sanctuary. Tomorrow, Elysium observes the Ceremony of the Black and White Sun. And when the mourning ends... our crusade begins."