Chapter 13-354: Legion Plans (1/2)

“It has been a group project for us all,” they replied quietly. “She was active on Earth here for over a thousand years under various guises. We’ve basically folded up those in her Cult.” That had been a wonderful Karmic experience for many members of law enforcement and the Heavenly Churches, and the fallout was still rippling through the higher levels of society in Europe. The lilitu hadn’t been the type to expand her influence among the poor, after all.

“We’ve relayed on the names of other Dark Pact Patrons she knew of, but there is one that we held back. Oymizlavitazzrkali, the Saber Queen.”

Traveler inclined her head thoughtfully. “Wasn’t she the Kali stand-in?” she asked slowly. “She has not been seen in at least two centuries by the Heavenbound.” Traveler did a lot of reading of Heavenbound records through others’ eyes, as did they. Old records and history were powerful clues at times.

“Chinese Magi and Hindu Priests tracked her down and Sealed her away in the late eighteenth century, and nearly got Rayetizvisha, too. Kali’s Thuggee Cult has been trying to spring her ever since, but naturally did not have the power to do so.”

Traveler sighed. “But they soon might, with the Double Helix method, all the undead, and when the Shroud comes down.” She got a thoughtful look on her face, reaching out into Sama and Shvaughn’s Allegiances for a look around. “Ah, that must be the common tie that binds Oroto and his men together in dark faith and belief. What Pact did she grant?”

“Tyrant of Ten Thousand Years.” It was a demonic Pact of murder and slaughter, designed for adept bladesmen. However, it had not been seen in centuries, according to Heavenbound Hall.

Ten Thousand Years, Oy Kali!

“And you propose to do something about it?” Traveler asked calmly.

“After the Queen is fully refined.” Their voice dropped lower. “We are her lover, after all. She cannot harm us now.”

Traveler smiled despite herself. “I am now picturing you with six arms!” She snuggled back happily.

“There is also an extended family of hu hsiao operating in China, Korea, and Japan. Shvaughn has proposed folding them up with our help.”

“Foxwomen?” The soul-eating spirits of old China were not much different from succubi in how they acted, although their appearance was somewhat different. “I am now picturing you with nine gloriously fluffy tails, too!”

“Their matron does indeed have nine tails. She has been bewitching the powerful in China for at least four hundred years, and even the Magi there never went after her.”

Traveler sort of slumped in Legion’s arms. “Of course not. There were benefits involved,” she sighed. “Foxwomen... one of the Fey Pacts. Nine Veils of the Lotus?”

“Yes. And... it seems she is also one of our ex-lovers now.”

Traveler laughed softly at that news. “Well, getting them all in one spot is good for them, I suppose. I think I’m going to have to lay a Major Curse on you.”

“Oh?”

“Non-human entities entering your Pactspace get the treatment, just like Rayetizvisha, Chaining off of her.”

“That will certainly make them easier to manage,” Legion agreed. “I admit to being somewhat surprised at your reaction?” she asked, somewhere between amused and concerned.

Two artful succubi horns flowed out of Traveler’s temples, and she snorted as arcane sparks crackled along them. “I think one of the reasons that the Shroud is making me play catch-up on Masteries is so I give up and start taking Succubi Levels, and paying for them monstrous racial Stats.

“Unfortunately for it, I want to hit Ten and take my Atlantean advance in Halvyr. Succubus isn’t a Legendary template, so I won’t qualify for any form of speed advancing, unlike Sama and Briggs, so paying for it all is going to take years regardless of when I start, so there’s no hurry. I’ll be just like a normal succubus, having to pay off the negative Karmic debt for being so demonically awesome.”

Legion considered that point. They were stepping around it themselves, using the power of the Hell and Heaven Pacts to refine away the sin of the lilitu and take her power directly. Basically reduced to brains of pudding by the combined Feeblemind and Major Curse, then having her higher thought processes replaced by the Amazon Pact in Master Fred’s image, they were fusing with the lilitu directly, removing the unpalatable elements and using Karma to replace them with more positive aspects.

Working her way up to lilitu had taken the demoness centuries. The Karmic costs of such incredible Stats and abilities were not small, and even after earning the right to evolve, they still had to earn more Karma to pay back the favor bestowed upon them by the Abyss... and that debt was now Legion’s to handle.

For instance, lilitu demons could also grant a Wish a day. However, their Wish drew directly on demonic powers, and directly endangered the spiritual purity of the person making the Wish. Paying that off in a more positive direction was likely going to take massive amounts of Karma.

Mmm. Well, it wasn’t like that wouldn’t be coming, unless they went Down...

“Question. If we refine the lilitu, what does that mean if we die?”

Traveler frowned in their arms. “You have a unique situation. I’d say that Hell gets itself the service of a lilitu-equivalent. If that does happen, I suggest the lot of you do a full merge. You don’t want to be split off and taken separately.”

They nodded slightly. “We understand,” they agreed.

“In any event, your real goal is to break Twenty, become Eternal, and exceed the limits of the Hellpact, in effect being sworn to the general power of Hell and transcending its ability to grab a mortal soul. Hell simply won’t be able to contain you with a Mortal Hellpact at that time.”

“Ahhh...” they murmured. “We were wondering if being a lilitu would do it. Obviously not.”

“The difference between greater devils and the unique devils is crossing that Twenty barrier. It’s not easily done by any soulborn. A lilitu would still had to have paid back all the Karmic Debt for her evolution, and somehow get over Twenty. Someone like that would not be on this world. I’m sure her memories indicate this world might be fun and well-populated, but in the greater scheme of things, she was sent to a backwater with too many fish pecking at it.”

Legion nodded agreement after some thought. “Yes. Magic was too low, souls were too weak, and too many people were totally unaware of the powers of Sin and Virtue, only dogma. While a harvest could be reaped, the lack of awareness meant it was always a pathetic amount, and there were few powerful individuals to corrupt, generally speaking.”

“And that very dullness helped insulate mortals from true corruption,” Traveler prodded them, getting another nod. “And the fact there was a World-Angel and a Planetar around to kick her ass meant she had to be very careful regardless.”