Chapter 3 - PARLIAMENTAL REQUIEM

Obsidian Vermilion Citadel Parliament Chamber, Valemaris. 1:32 AM. Neonatharis skyline fractures through towering gothic arches, chrome veins pulsing like exposed arteries against the blood-red neon haze.Thomas Emmanuval Devassy stands at the chamber's heart, his silhouette a razor-cut masterpiece of crimson velvet tailcoat and obsidian top-hat emblazoned with the Kalabhara sigil—a coiled infinity serpent devouring its own neural tail. He cocks Emperor's Lament, the revolver's barrel kissing his temple with lover's intimacy. His silver-void eyes gleam with symphonic rictus, reflecting the 87 MP puppets arrayed in perfect geometric salute. Each puppet's face bears the branded COLD-BLOODED tattoo, neural-jacks humming in unison like a choir of damned souls.Lilithra, Obsidian Queen, mirrors his stance across the chamber—her second revolver steady, chrome-threaded skin shimmering under the holographic dome. Void Emperor hologram looms above, seven burning eyes dissecting every micro-twitch. The air thickens with infrasonic requiem, gears grinding faintly in the walls as if the citadel itself anticipates the blood symphony.Holo-bracelet flares on Thomas's wrist: "Seq 9 Mastery: 78%. Empire Favor: 94.2%. String Sovereign: Primed. Conversion Rate: Valemaris 19.3% Abyss." Nano-tattoos writhe across his neck: COLD-BLOODED letters elongating into filament serpents.Lilithra's voice cuts like nano-shards: "Surface Parliament begs on bended neural circuits, Heir Primus. They've ratified the Cold-Blooded Bill. Claim it. Let the symphony drown their screams."Thomas Emmanuval Devassy laughs—a layered razor cascade from whisper to teeth-bared apocalypse, echoing off stained-glass murals depicting 99 Heir Trials. "Symphony begins. First movement: Pyramid Cascade."10,000 nano-strings DETONATE from his fingertips—Seq 7 String Sovereign mastery surges like abyssal lightning. Invisible at first, they manifest as silver filigrees weaving through the air, seeking neural-jacks. The 87 MPs convulse in unison—eyes rolling back to silver-voids, mouths stretching into identical rictus grins. Synchronized suicide initiates: revolvers lift to temples, cane-swords unsheathe for ritual disembowelment. Bodies collapse in perfect pyramid cascade, 87 forms stacking geometrically at Thomas's feet. Chrome-blood sprays in mandala patterns, painting the parliamentary dome with fractal hymns. The apex MP's skull detonates last, showering Thomas in warm neural confetti.Lilithra holsters her revolver slowly, neural tattoos syncing with his in pulsing harmony. "Beautiful kill geometry. Surface Parliament is yours. But Abyss Parliament hungers below—seven rival empires watch." She gestures to the Iron Mandala Gates, gears grinding open with bone-screams. Beyond: Chrome Throne Chamber, walls lined with 1,247 heir-skulls pulsing crimson-black. Central Primordial Throne throbs like a colossal heart, seven neural conduits snaking forward like questing serpents, Kalabhara crimson tips dripping viscous void.Void Emperor hologram thunders, voice fracturing reality: "Heir Primus—Parliament's gift awaits. Claim the conduits. Forge your symphony eternal."Chokmah Spires Streets, 1:47 AM. Valemaris converts 22.7%. Cathedral district cobblestones slick with chrome ichor.Spectral Constabulary remnants—987 puppets total (47 originals from Whitechapel symphony + 940 fresh neural-jacked recruits)—march in reverse-choreography through fog-shrouded spires. Chief Varn leads as rictus violinist, bow scraping air to broadcast: "COLD-BLOODED FOREVER! KALABHARA'S SON CONDUCTS!" Their boots sync-thunder hymns, revolvers spinning casual orbits.Thomas Emmanuval Devassy strides center procession, Widowmaker cane-sword tapping cobblestones in 4/4 requiem rhythm. Emperor's Lament spins flawless on trigger finger, brass glinting under gas-lamp filigree. Nano-strings extend—987 silver filaments lift wrought-iron streetlamps into aerial harp constellation, strings vibrating infrasonic prelude. Abyssal Vein River beneath surges chrome geysers, birthing 37 new Fracture Vein Gateways—portals swirling with void-fish and heir-screams.Panic symphony erupts among 2,847 Shattered Petal survivors scrambling from alcoves. Stage 3 Mass Madness detonates: 987 claw facial flesh into sigil patterns, 674 erupt in rictus laughter harmonizing with constabulary, 147 String Devotees self-strangle with their own entrails, while 823 NEW pilgrims collapse kneeling, chanting "Cold-Blooded conducts! Heir Primus harvests!"Widowmaker flashes—cane unsheathes in pirouette blur, pirouetting through 37 pilgrims. Blade chorus layers baroque: "Your gods applaud from neural graves... their strings severed by my hand..." Limbs cascade in geometric sprays, blood forming instant mandalas that evaporate into nano-mist.Revolver symphony escalates: Emperor's Lament spits 74 Sorrow Echoes (personal best 0.4 sec/reload), bullets curving mid-air to pierce multiple hearts. Brass casings orbit Thomas like demonic planets, clinking symphonic. Holo-bracelet updates: "Kill Tally: 1,024. Abyss Credits: +2,847,000. Seq 9 Mastery: 82%."Spectral Constabulary crescendos—987 puppets morph into living orchestra: revolvers blast brass fanfare, swords scrape string apocalypse, boots pound thunderous percussion. Chronovore Tower pierces skyline, broadcasting empire-wide: "Cold-Blooded Bill ratified. Heir Primus legal harvest. Dissenters fuel the symphony."Primordial Throne Chamber, 2:21 AM. Chrome walls weep void-tears.Seven neural conduits pulse urgently—Kalabhara crimson tips mimic Thomas's heartbeat, veins throbbing visible. Lilithra kneels fluidly, nano-skin rippling: "Claim your inheritance, Heir Primus. Father's memories await."Thomas's left hand grabs conduit #1—neural surge EXPLODES like synaptic supernova. Vision flood cascades: Kalabhara Empire genesis—Void Emperor rends his own spine to forge 1st nano-string from daughter-Lilithra's embryonic marrow. 99 Heir Trials montage accelerates: Thomas at age 7 dissects 1,000 ants into perfect geometric mandalas under father's gaze; age 12 shatters personal record with 999 kills in single nocturne; age 13 masters sigil smile, carving it into mirror with own teeth.Conduits #2-7 activate sequential—flooding Seven Abyss Empires intel: rival heirs in shadow parliaments plotting neural-assassination via memory-virus. Neonatharis conversion: 100%. Valemaris: 37.1% Abyss, rising exponentially.Primordial Throne awakens fully—chrome-black behemoth hums infrasonic requiem that rattles teeth. Neural tattoos IGNITE across Thomas's flesh—COLD-BLOODED evolves to serpentine "STRING SOVEREIGN", filigree crawling to fingertips. Holo-bracelet SCREAMS: "Seq 7 Unlocked. Memory Theft Active. Nano-Strings Capacity: 10,000."Lilithra rises, throat exposed: "Test it, Heir. Steal my memory—taste your birth."Silver-void eyes DETONATE luminous. 10,000 strings invade Queen's form—memory theft symphony rips visions free: Void Emperor's bedchamber, Lilithra writhing in chrome-laced agony birthing Thomas amid heir-screams; age 3: first accidental kill, nanny's throat filleted by toddler strings; age 13: heir sigil branded into his chest with father's own claw, cauterizing loyalty eternal.Queen collapses—rictus smile frozen mid-symphony. Data-crystal (her digitized consciousness) hovers pulsing: "Good boy... conduct well."Thomas licks the crystal languidly, absorbing essence: "Mother's perfection fuels the crescendo."Parliament doors BURST inward. 87 MP puppets (pyramid remnants reanimated) drag Chrome Throne forward—rival heir silhouette enthroned within. Seven void-eyes glare from familiar face:"Brother Thomas. Father chooses ME."Identical Emperor's Lament revolver cocks—mirror challenge issued.