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"USELESS SHITS!!! YOU PIGS CAN'T EVEN DO A SINGLE JOB PROPERLY," A hunchbacked elderly demon shouted at the gathered cult members, his voice echoing through the dark, cavernous chamber. The flickering light from the torches cast eerie shadows on the stone walls, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

The cult members, cloaked in dark robes, cowered before the Elder, their heads bowed in fear and submission. They dared not meet his gaze, knowing that his wrath could lead to a fate worse than death.

"We needed that princess's royal blood to even kick start our plans, and you incompetent fools let her escape!" The Elder's voice was a growl, filled with barely contained rage. His eyes glowed with a malevolent light, reflecting the depth of his anger.

"E-Elder, we have sent Azazel and his team after the princess. He will definitely bring her back," one of the cult members stammered, his voice trembling.

The Elder's eyes narrowed, his malevolent gaze boring into the speaker. "Azazel, you say? He had better succeed, or I'll have all your heads on pikes. We cannot afford any more failures. The merging of the planes depends on it, and the blood of that princess is crucial to our plans."

The cult members shivered, knowing the Elder's threats were not empty. They had witnessed his cruelty firsthand and knew the consequences of failure.

Just when the meeting was going to be dismissed, A huffing and puffing minion came inside the room with a broken crystal-like thing in his hand in which name and status were written— "Name: Azazel" "Status: Dead".

Minion went to the side of a demon and said something in his ear discreetly showing the shattered crystal. The demon's eyes widened in shock as he took the broken crystal from the minion and approached the Elder cautiously.

"E-Elder, there's been an update," the demon stuttered, holding out the broken crystal for the Elder to see.

The Elder's eyes darkened further as he snatched the crystal from the demon's hands. His expression turned from anger to cold fury as he read the name and status of the crystal. "Azazel... dead," he murmured, his voice dripping with menace. "How did this happen?"

The demon trembled, struggling to find his voice. "W-we don't know the details yet, Elder. But it seems that Azazel and his team were ambushed. The princess might have had help."

"Help you say... HELP ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONTINENT?! THAT TOO THE CONTINENT OF HUMANS?! tell me which human has ever helped a demon? TELL ME!"

The Elder's voice thundered through the chamber, shaking the very walls with his rage. The cult members exchanged fearful glances, their earlier nervousness now replaced with sheer terror.

"Find out who helped her!" the Elder roared, his eyes blazing with an intense, unnatural fire. "And make sure that person pays dearly. We cannot afford any more disruptions in our plans."

The demon who had brought the news nodded frantically, his face pale with fear. "Yes, Elder. We will investigate immediately. We'll find the source of this interference and deal with it."

The Elder's gaze settled on the remaining cult members, his expression a mask of cold determination. "As for the rest of you, prepare for the next phase of the ritual. We have lost valuable time, but we will not be deterred. Double your efforts."

As everyone left the room, The elder went straight to a bookshelf and nudged one book among many, causing a hidden compartment to swing open with a soft click. The compartment revealed an ornate chest, intricately carved with runes and symbols of ancient power. The Elder approached it with a reverence that bordered on worship, his anger momentarily replaced by a grim focus.

He opened the chest to reveal a collection of ancient artifacts, each pulsating with dark magic. He reached for a particular artifact—a small obsidian orb embedded with flickering red and black runes. It seemed to absorb the light around it, casting a shadowy aura over the Elder's face.

Contained within an equally if not more powerful glass covered with dark runes and markings unknown to the average eye, the glass cover housed an ancient, sealed artifact. The Elder's fingers trembled slightly as he carefully lifted it from the chest. It was a dark crystal, its surface shifting with chaotic patterns of crimson and ebony.

"This…" The Elder's voice was a whisper, though it held a menacing undertone. "This is the Key of Endless Night. Its power can open portals to realms beyond our current reach, but it requires an alignment of the stars and a sacrifice of immense power."

He placed the crystal back into the chest and picked a runes-covered mirror, poked his finger with his sharp teeth drew a single drop of blood, and smeared it across the mirror's surface. The blood reacted immediately, causing the mirror to shimmer and shift, its reflections swirling into a chaotic vortex of dark colors.

"Bathia Ignis…" The Elder's voice carried a dark resonance, invoking the name as though it held a sacred significance. The mirror's surface continued to swirl with chaotic colors, distorting and shifting into images of shadowy landscapes and swirling maelstroms.

The Elder watched intently, his gaze fixed on the mirror as if trying to pierce through the veil of reality itself. Slowly, a shadowy figure began to coalesce within the swirling vortex. Bathia Ignis—an elder just like himself, involved in the darker aspects of their magical network—appeared in the mirror, her face obscured by a veil of shadows.

Her eyes glowed with a faint, otherworldly light as she regarded the Elder with a mix of curiosity and aloofness.

The Elder's expression softened slightly, though his anger was still palpable. "Bathia Ignis," he intoned, "we have a situation that requires your expertise. Our plans have been disrupted, and it appears someone on the human continent has meddled with our operations."

Bathia's voice, though distorted by the mirror's magic, was sharp and clear. "Disruptions, you say? How amusing. What is it that you need from me?"

"The Key of Endless Night is at stake," the Elder explained, his tone urgent. "We are close to unlocking its full potential, but we require additional guidance. The interference from the human continent could jeopardize everything. We need to ensure that this key is activated and that the ritual proceeds without further interruptions."

Bathia's gaze remained steady, her eyes flickering with dark amusement. "You underestimate the complexity of the situation. The Key of Endless Night is not simply a tool to be wielded; it is a gateway to immense power. The forces you are tampering with are not easily controlled."

The Elder's jaw tightened. "Are you suggesting that I am unprepared to handle it?"

Bathia's eyes narrowed slightly. "Not unprepared, but there are nuances to the Key's activation that you might not fully grasp. I can offer guidance, but it will come at a cost."

The Elder's anger flared again. "A cost? We are already on the brink of an immense ritual. We cannot afford to waste time or resources on petty negotiations."

"Can't help it~ Take it or leave it? You are now on your own~"

The Elder's eyes narrowed dangerously at Bathia Ignis's dismissive tone. "Do not toy with me, Bathia. This is not a time for games. Our entire plan hinges on this ritual, and I will not be deterred by delays."

"Delays?! don't joke with me, I know that the ritual can only be held on the last day of a leap year, and the next leap year is three years and ten months away. So be threatened. If you need my help, you will have to meet my conditions."

The Elder's eyes burned with frustration, but he took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. "What do you require, Bathia? Name your price."

Bathia's gaze remained cool and unyielding. "I want the Heart of that 'that' dead god from your vault."

The Elder's eyes widened in shock and outrage. "The Heart of the Dead God? Are you out of your mind? That artifact is a priceless relic, a key component of our own plans. Why would I give it to you?"

Bathia Ignis's eyes glinted with a cold, calculating light. "Because, despite your grandiose schemes, you need my expertise to unlock the full potential of the Key of Endless Night. Without my help, your efforts may come to naught. The Heart of the Dead God would grant me the power to assist you, ensuring that everything proceeds smoothly."

The Elder's expression hardened as he wrestled with the decision. He could sense the weight of Bathia's words and the necessity of her assistance, yet the thought of parting with such a powerful artifact was nearly unbearable. The Heart of the Dead God was more than just a symbol; it was an embodiment of ancient, forbidden power that held the potential to change the balance of their dark operations.

"You realize," the Elder said, his voice laced with controlled anger, "that the Heart is integral to our own plans. Without it, we lose a significant portion of our leverage."

Bathia's voice was chillingly calm. "And if you don't accept my terms, you risk failing the ritual and jeopardizing the entire operation. You must weigh the cost of failure against the cost of compliance."

The Elder stood silent for a moment, his mind racing through the implications. The Key of Endless Night was crucial, but so was the Heart of the Dead God. The balance of their plans hung precariously in the balance.

Finally, with a resigned sigh, the Elder spoke, his tone begrudgingly accepting. "Very well. You shall have the Heart. But you better ensure that your guidance is worth the price."

Bathia's eyes glowed with satisfaction. "I assure you, it will be. The Heart will be in my possession once our meeting is arranged. Until then, prepare for the alignment of the stars and the final phase of your ritual. Time is of the essence."

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[To Be Continued]

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