Dulio Gesualdo was engaged in his usual, everyday hobby, namely sitting boredly on a rock and chewing licorice. There was nothing in his facial expression to indicate any feelings of recent fiasco. If you look at him from the outside, you'll see a normal young man having a snack.
But that's only the first, deceptive impression....
*****
«What is it? - Dulio stared at the golden mask in Emeric's hands with interest.
The one only smiled prevaricatingly:
«Solomon's Mask...
«It exists?! - He looked at the legendary artifact with great surprise. - How will it help us?
«You don't mind a little discomfort, do you...?
*****
Dulio burped vigorously, unculturally.
*****
«Anyway," Emeric rubbed his eyebrow. - Consider us on our own...
They hadn't gotten an agreement for this venture. Greyfia, realizing what he was getting at, instantly vetoed it and went to contact his sister. So, technically, this meeting with the exorcist was not authorized.
Michael, confused by all the chaos wrought by the Templar Order, has yet to respond to the same Dulio.
And we couldn't wait!
The only ally was Azazel, who handed him an inconspicuous ring with a wink. By the way, if they failed, this very incident could end the world. The Fallen One was taking a serious risk, but the nature of a natural player gave him confidence.
Dulio shook his head thoughtfully, but agreed:
«So what's the plan? Let's say I've already contacted the teacher, but...'' - He looked at Emeric in confusion. - What do we do? Call for reinforcements? Lure him into a trap?
«No," Emeric answered categorically. - Only "you" and Vasco Strada, no one else! Most likely he will check the meeting place several times.... So he'll be late.
«It's dangerous," Dulio adjusted his clothes nervously. - Last time, I was just lucky enough to escape the encirclement.... The Master might take a target like me and capture me to deprive the Heavens of a unit like me....
Emeric smiled in the most uncool way possible:
«Exactly.
*****
«Dulio," A voice that almost made him wince sounded a few meters away. - I didn't teach you this kind of carelessness. I can't believe you actually came here alone....
Vasco Strada, holding Durandal, stepped out of the shadows. It was interesting that the holy sword, which in Zenovia's hands looked like a natural dirk, lay quite organically in Vasco's huge paws. Although, when you have a palm that can easily encircle the head of another person, this is natural.
It was strange that a man of his size could almost blend in with his surroundings. Dulio, of course, couldn't see him, but Emeric immediately recognized the presence of the unknown man with his inner senses. Vasco, by the way, jumped around the area for about ten minutes. He spent the last five minutes on numerous "double-checks", apparently unable to realize that he had not prepared a trap.
«Master," Dulio waved toward Vasco with a lazy smile. - I thought that such sincerity might awaken sincere feelings in you.....
«You shouldn't," the huge exorcist grinned. - I've already decided everything for myself, my foolish apprentice....
«You don't last forever... - Dulio pointed at him and then at himself. - I am not eternal. And God, pardon my blasphemy, is dead.....
Vasco furrowed his brows at his speech, but did not interrupt.
«We can't protect our faith forever! - Emeric continued hotly under the guise of Dulio. - Sooner or later the pagans will get their hands on our domain! Year after year we only grow weaker, don't you realize, Master! It's a miracle to have you in the service of the Church! But in a threefold alliance....
«An alliance with demons and the fallen! - As Strada spat.
«The world is not static! Everything changes, including ourselves! - Dulio was not indebted. - Isn't it obvious to you that Hell has ceased its barbaric ways?! Aldis Lutz...
«They've just learned to hide their rotten natures! - Vasco stretched his thick neck irritably. - Do you know how much I've seen in my not-so-long century, compared to the demons? No matter how much they boast of their new order, their evil stench can't be hidden. They replaced "slaves" with "figures" and what?! - Vasco looked him straight in the eye, trying to exert his authority. - I even know how they do things now... You make some horror that somebody found, and then you go to bow down to the Old Devil.... All that's changed is the methods of concealment, but not the substance of it...
«We... - Dulio said hesitantly. - We can ask...
«What?! Vasco practically loomed over him. - Ask him to kill or capture Zekram Bael?! Naive boy! His roots are so deep in Hell that the New Lords can't make a peep without him! - In Emeric's opinion, that was a bit exaggerated, but true. - Dulio, do you realize how hard it has been to live as long as Zekram Bael? He's the only active son of Lilith and Lucifer! His paranoia is so great that he hasn't left his castle in hundreds of years! Just for a second, imagine his network of relationships and intrigue unfolding right now... - Vasco shook his head. - Hell won't make peace without his consent... Zekram Bael's consent, practically the quintessence of what we're fighting against! Corruption, nepotism, viciousness, and sin of every order! And people like him don't get off scot-free! He's stood with every top of Hell for thousands of years, and you want us to "forgive" that?! Even if he starts shitting rainbows right now, we have a duty to oppose that "agreement"! Just because he has too many sins on his hands... And you will fall even more in my eyes if you believe that he will stop "covering up" his own and others' sins...!
Emeric had to recognize that side of the coin. No matter how 'good' the Old Devil was right now, it wouldn't undo the fact that he stood by Lucifer and his progeny, even if he later organized a rebellion. And not because of the "viciousness" of the past path, but rather because of the instinct of self-preservation. Personally, Emeric also began to form grievances against his "grandfather". The manipulation of the Ranking Games, the cold-blooded murders to clean up his tracks and the withholding of information from the New Lords. Perhaps Aldis was really used to putting up with his 'omnipresence', but he wasn't happy with that arrangement. And about hiding "other people's" sins... Diadora had to justify his retinue somehow, didn't he? Wisdom had already given a definite "Yes" to the connection between the Great King and Diadora's impunity, even though the latter seemed to be on the right path, but Emeric still didn't believe it.
All in all, it's a thinly veiled case, but it's still a weak argument. To be more precise, it is too narrowly specialized for an uprising of this scale.
«It's not just about Zekram Bael, is it...?
«Hm," Vasco sighed tiredly. - I was just giving you an illustrative example, Dulio.... Of course, it's not just him... We have a possible way out, Dulio... - He looked at him, not as an enemy, but as a student. Just like when he was a kid. - I can't tell you, but just trust me.... After Archangel Michael comes out of the negotiations, we will unlock our new, or how to look at it, source of power...
«Those rays that revitalized the Crusaders....
The most surprising thing is that Wisdom not only did not want to work, but gave some ramming in response! Like there's nothing wrong here, I don't see anything strange about the sudden "boost from the sky"! Emeric wouldn't have even noticed this anomaly if he hadn't sent a "specific" request! Now he was convinced that Wisdom and his premonition could really be tricked somehow! The Templar Order had 'something' that could fool his understanding of all things present and coming! And at the same time, they hardly knew about his "special" method of finding information... Solomon's words about putting "protection" on all his artifacts came to mind... It is unlikely, of course, but we should not dismiss it....
«Okay, Dulio... - Vasco sighed tiredly. - Let's do it quickly and without violence ...
«Well, well, well," Dulio rubbed his shoulders demonstratively. Dark clouds began to form above them, periodically illuminating the entire space with lightning. Storm Zenith obeyed him as if he were his own. - We'll see about that...
*****
«It's not a fact that we can beat Vasco Strada ... - Dulio paced from side to side anxiously. - No one knows the limit of his abilities... And even if we win, we won't be able to get the hostages out.....
To such claims, Emeric only shrugged his shoulders.
«Did I say we should win?
*****
For the first time, Emeric was unsure of his abilities.....
Of course, he had to intentionally get captured, but no one could stop him from mentally comparing himself in front of his current opponent. And bitterly he had to admit that he wasn't confident in his one-on-one strength, certainly not counting the use of the King's Figure.
His second serious opponent, that is, the Emperor, was already part of the top echelon of power, but...
Vasco Strada had long since ceased to be human in the conventional sense.
Strength, speed and just plain physical conditioning for starters.....
Dulio urgently summoned a miniature cloud, which he immediately stood on so that it would carry him away from the hotbed of battle. The owner of Zenith Storm was a long-range fighter.
Vasco Strada wasn't going to give him that opportunity.....
He tilted slightly to leap towards it in the next second. The titanic momentum left an explosion of rocks at the site of his jump, which were hurled backwards at tremendous speed. With a single leap, he could cause earthquakes. Naturally, the speed he gained allowed him to instantly appear in front of Dulio.
He ostentatiously didn't use Durandal, but only raised his fist in front of him....
All Emeric had time to do was expose tons of super-dense ice in front of him, which he backed up with magical energy...
BOOM!
The shockwave that passed through the instantly shattered defenses crashed under his breath and sent him flying uncontrollably.
With a lurch, he landed on the ground, coughing up the dust that had risen.
Vasco landed dozens of meters away from him, deliberately approaching with a deliberately slow gait.
At the will of Emeric and Dulio, the dark clouds spewed out pillars of lightning that Vasco didn't even bother to dodge. For a second, the whole space was lit up with blinding flashes and sounds that tested his eardrums to the limit.
The ground tens of meters away just evaporated.
The smell of ozone completely permeated the space.
But...
Vasco Strada came out of there almost unharmed. Only the puffs of steam rising from his body and a couple of coughs showed that he had indeed taken such a blow to the chest. These pillars of lightning could simply vaporize most of the supernaturals, but the exorcist only scratched himself.
Durandal darted in near his head....
Emeric, under the guise of Dulio, sighed with frustration.
«I give up...
***
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