MEANWHILE at Xykon's lair

[helldoken]

Who: Black Mage, Xykon, Redcloak
What: Team Evil meeting
When: March 1st, afternoon
Where: One of Xykon's castles
Warnings: Perhaps some atrocities?

It isn't often that Black Mage returns to Xykon's lair for a break. Till now, he's been traveling cross-country across Dagaria eating the souls of innocents. Surprisingly enough, this is probably the first time he was allowed to keep all this infernal power for more than just a day. Things have been on the up and up for the Black Mage all things considered.

At the center of the room, a gaping portal to Hell is torn right open by the Black Mage. The portal appears to be a whirlwind of fire with the occasional demonic arm reaching out to escape or drag the nearest person inside. Tied to a rope by the wrists are an Imperial guardsman, an elderly woman, an orphan, a zombie, and a Hobgoblin.

Ember shoots out of the portal, burning everyone tied up along with just a little bit of the rope. Black Mage, eating popcorn, is seeing which one will die first. Will it be from falling into the infernal portal or the poison fed to them just a little while ago?

Either way, it's worth a watch and a bet.

Comments

[force_and_style]

"We should work on an exchange program," Xykon said as he stepped up to peer in the portal. Fire lashed out to assault him, but his ring made that a nonissue. "All you ever hear around here is 'Rift, Rift, Rift'. A good demonic invasion would do wonders to get people's minds off that single-issue fixation. Cut that out." The last went to a demonic arm which tried to seize the lich, only to be brushed aside. It went rigidly still at the undead creature's touch. "Must've rolled a natural 1," he said to no one in particular as he shoved it back in.

"Anyway, put this show on pause. Team meeting time."

[the_plan_must_continue]

As Xykon suggested that the scene Redcloak was witnessing - primarily with annoyance at the wastefulness of it - be put on pause, he blinked.

"... I have to admit, that idea could work, Lord Xykon," he stated. "A well-placed demonic invasion would force the entire land's resources. Done right, the result would be significant gaps in their forces - gaps I could easily exploit with the help of Goblin forces. It'd probably let us get a foothold in Dagaria faster."

He then added, offhandedly, "Would you like me to delay the poison on the victims, by the way? Black Mage, if you'd kindly shut the portal for a few minutes."

[helldoken]

"Sure, Dorkcloak, you've got a few, but I'm keeping those guys up there. Like hell I'm undoing those knots they're tied up with." muttered Black Mage. The portal instantly closes upon the mage's whim. Of course, it would be a shame if any of his victims fell on a perfectly flat surface. The portal closes, but Black Mage runs over to another room and drags back an open box full of knives. It wasn't the same, but hey.

He sits back on his seat.

"Oh, and by the by, I'm all for a demonic invasion. There's nothing like snuffing out countless lives in a drawn-out, bloody, screaming rush of flaming demons. Stabbing will be obligatory, I presume.

The big question now is where should we start."

[force_and_style]

"Hmm." He'd suggested it offhand, but that COULD be fun to watch...

"The problem with demons is that they're free-willed and stubborn about it. We'd need to unleash just enough that the hordes CAN be defeated, at pretty hefty cost. The weaker the armies and heroes get, the easier it us for us to set up shop at the next Rift-gate location. And we stay out of it. No bargain with the netherrealms.... more so." Black Mage got a stern look. "The last thing we need is an entire 'Team Evil has to escape the control of a prince of darkness using Exact Words In A Contract' subplot. Save it for bonus content in the books."

[the_plan_must_continue]

Redcloak stared at Xykon for a second, before turning back to a view of both. "... He does have a point. Particularly about the bonus books. I never know if those are an alternate continuity or not. We're talking just a few summoning incidents - one or two regions, to one side of our target. They'll probably cause more damage, but they're the distraction - capturing a fortress or three is the goal."

[helldoken]

Ruler of hell or not, that look he gave was just a bit creepy. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was being glared at by a skull with two, glowing red eyes.

"Look, I didn't sign on this operation to have to be a part of the 'distraction'. And I... oh, wait, you're talking about the demons, aren't you? Sure, send them all in. If you want, I'll take away their armor for good measure. They'll kill, they'll be killed, and we'll have a big laugh about it back in Hell. It's all good."

[force_and_style]

"That's not the issue of the day, though," Xkyon said. A couple of undead brought up a folding chair which he casually dropped down into. "We've got a loose end dangling I'd like to see wrapped up, and that's Arthas."

[the_plan_must_continue]

Redcloak paused.

"First, allow me to state my surprise at Black Mage not jumping at the chance to be the one who causes the greatest amount of damage. I mean, it's a chance to take the record of 'most horrible murderous thing in Dagaria' back from whoever beheaded that village."

"Second... What about him, sir?"

[helldoken]

"I've been to that village. Brownie points to whoever that did it, it was a pretty sweet job. Expert work, but it just doesn't have the art that a Black Mage massacre has. So, shut up, I'm still the 'most horrible, murdeous thing in Dagaria'." He is, damn it.

"... You mean the Prince that whipped out the doom card?"

[force_and_style]

"Mr. Melt Everyone's Face himself, that's the one." Xykon nodded. "It's time we tipped him over the edge of Capital-E Evil for good. Believe it or not, some of the people out there still think he's misguided or naughty or... I don't know, whatever excuse they always use when they really, really want to sleep with the bad guy without it SEEMING bad."

[the_plan_must_continue]

"And how do you propose to do this, sir?"

[helldoken]

"... They make what excuse?"

Black Mage is, unfortunately to himself, one of those villains that are unquestionably evil. And smelly. And therefore, nobody wants to sleep with him.

[force_and_style]

"That's only for lame 'evil-but-misguided' villains, like Redcloak here," Xykon said to Black Mage. "Doesn't apply to you or me. Now, as for the plan..."

The lick steepled his bony fingers, feeling that to be a particularly evil expression. "He wants revenge against me, and we're going to give him his chance."