***The Mortal Planes***

***Amon***

War…

It was something that came instinctually to any demon I had met so far. It was in our blood. The moment we left our eggs we were ready for combat just like the mortals’ had the ability to eat and defecate their way through their existences from the moment they were born.

That was the reason why I looked down from one of the city’s highest towers, deeply disturbed by the attacking army’s inability to take the city walls. From my point of view, there wasn’t any reason for them to flail about as ineffectively as they did.

It was like watching a horde of wild demonlings trying to get over a wall.

‘No, scratch that,’ I thought to myself. Wild demonlings would have taken the city walls already because they would have simply climbed over the bodies of their fellows. The mortals were too squeamish to do that.

As soon as they had to advance over the felled bodies of their comrades, it was like an invisible force-barrier broke their charge, causing many of them to turn and flee.

It helped that the undead who defended the wall hadn't the same fallibility. They were more similar to demons in their disregard for death and blind obedience to commands. Even if they lacked a proper legion's coordination and a demon's instinctual fighting abilities. They also didn't respawn that easily.

“At least they are good at menial labour...” I commented to myself, already deep in thought of whether my preparations had been enough. A week wasn't much to organize a proper defence before the Alliance's troops realized that something was up, but it could have been worse.

Again, demons would have caught on much quicker, realizing there weren't enough defenders for a city that was supposed to harbour a million people.

Intellectually, I had known that this pitiful struggle would inevitably happen from studying my souls’ memories. Still, seeing it happen in practice was baffling, to say the least. If it had been possible to summon a demonic legion, there would have been no problem with taking the mortals’ world, I was sure of that. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough mana for such a feat, so I didn't even bother to summon my minions. They wouldn't have made a difference.

That was if a demon actually wanted to live in this place.

I looked up towards the sun and curled my lips, despising the unfamiliar blue sky just as much as the lackluster background mana that had me starving for energy. The slight curve on the ocean's horizon to the north also felt unnatural to me. And in this environment, my body generated barely enough mana to keep my reserves constant.

The mortals’ souls were a nice enough incentive to pay the mortal realms visits, but I decidedly refused to live in this dimension. This world felt like a mana desert compared to the Infernal Planes. Other demons would have the same problem. Even those whose evolutions relied on physical powers instead of magical ability.

And it wasn’t like the Infernal Planes lacked living space. My species was more than capable of regulating our own numbers naturally.

I abandoned the idea of taking a mortal world of my own just as quickly as it had occurred to me, figuring that other demons would come to the same conclusion. The demonic race had evolved and adapted to live and thrive in the Infernal Planes. There was no reason for us to adapt to a less desirable dimension.

“They will break the walls if they are willing to try another charge like that,” the undead officer commented from right next to me.

I looked at him, then at the section of city-wall that the Allied forces had charged. “Maybe if they actually manage to bring their saboteurs to bear, but that last attempt was a pitiful one. Though I hope that they will get their act together in time. If they had just relied on their numbers and attacked in several places at once, there would have been no chance for us to defend. This way, they are just laying more corpses to our feet for us to replenish our numbers.”

“I still don't think that raising the dead in such an obvious manner and sending it against the army is a wise move,” the officer commented. “It's giving them confirmation of their cause among their own men. And the more atrocities we commit, the likelier it will be that the gods may intervene.”

I shrugged, unsure whether I should listen to the reanimated servitor. Apparently, this world had quite a few very active immortals and deities who liked to meddle. But that was all hearsay as far as I knew.

“It would be interesting to meet a god,” I admitted. “The immortals at least are too afraid to lead the charge.”

Sending out my mana, I sensed the powerful signatures that hovered just outside my range of awareness.

“They didn't dare to challenge the Empress face to face,” the officer commented. “Why would they show themselves to a demon?”

“If they know that I am here,” I pointed out.

“They know,” the officer assured me.

Having a few former enemies on my side, now turned into reanimated undead, came with all kinds of benefits.

I turned to leave my vantage point. “Just tell me once they actually breach the walls. I don't want to be bothered before they actually enter the city with a sizeable force.”

It took two more days before the mortals managed to gather their courage and I was called back out of the room that I had made my study. Aside from the initial planning, I had left the actual execution of the plan to the undead. There wasn't much a single person like myself could have done anyway. It was hardly possible to run around such a huge city and take care of every little detail in person.

Even if I could have done that, the fact that it likely wouldn't change the outcome of this battle satisfied the terms of my contract. As long as I made a serious effort, it was fine. I wasn't responsible if my drafted minions made a mistake.

The undead officer entered the room that I had turned into an impromptu enchantment workshop. “They have taken the walls and are now advancing. We have been fighting a losing battle for the last hour while retreating towards the city centre, just as you ordered.”

I sighed and gestured for the undead to lead the way. “Let's fight our brave last stand in the defence of this horrible place.”

The undead looked like he didn't comprehend my distaste for the city, but he didn't question it. Wordlessly, he turned and led the way towards the central plaza where I intended to fight one last battle together with the remaining undead.

He would have understood my point of view if he had ever seen a demon settlement. All the ones I had been to so far were of different design, but with ease of defence foremost in mind. Compared to this huge city, our places were like beehives. I was sure that the army that was taking this place right now would have bitten out their teeth on the fortifications of a city like Irkos or Baaar even if I had just half my defenders.

From the first day, the moment I had seen the city's layout, it was clear to me that there was no holding the place against the besieging army. I had far too few people. Once the enemy realized that the defenders lacked the numbers, all it would take was one coordinated effort from their side.

My resources were limited, and I didn't have the time to build up my troops with more apparitions. At least I couldn't possibly do so in a meaningful way before we would be overrun. The Alliance had several hundred thousand combatants as far as I knew.

Janice's mainland capital had been under siege for decades, and her enemies had long since created fortifications and proper supply chains of their own. Which made it impossible to just send out any newly created undead to bring back more corpses. Admittedly, maybe not impossible, but I doubted that having my undead run up against the trenches that were surrounding the city would bring me any gains.

It was just as likely to lose them all without any returns.

My only option was to sell myself as expensively as possible. Just as Janice had wanted me to.

Well, it wasn't like I intended to play around for much longer. I had to get back to the Infernum at some point and this environment was starting to grate on me. Extended stays in the mortal realms didn't bother me nearly as much when I was an imp, but there was something about my adult form that made me dislike this world. Staying in the mortal realms was much easier when I had access to the fae's pocket dimension which was saturated with mana just like the Infernum.

We reached our destination and I planted myself right in the middle of the plaza and smiled while I awaited the end among my undead. They would dutifully give their lives in my defence.

The sounds of combat were coming closer as I considered the situation. Just to make sure, I turned to face the officer that had acted as the go-between for the undead batallion and myself. “I hope they are selling themselves dearly? We want them to have as many troops as possible inside the city.”

The officer bowed. “Everyone got their commands. All is just as you instructed. Similar scenes will play out all around the city.”

“I hope,” I grumbled and turned as a group of soldiers charged the barricade that my undead had erected around the plaza. Then I watched while they tore them down despite the defending undead.

Their weapons were infused with powerful enchantments that ensured that an undead would stay down, and their spells were practiced and suited to fight the necromantic plague.

The scene assured me that my decision to have my few newly created undead stay within the city was the right one. Janice had commanded the people she left me to stay within the city walls, but that didn't mean that any newly created undead would have to do the same.

I didn't get any more time to allow my thoughts to meander.

The soldiers had finally broken through our lines and charged us.

I summoned my staff, this time giving it the shape of a halberd while wielding my magic as economically as possible. It wasn't like the mortals could oppose me on a physical level, so the first few fell easily.

I laughed upon swinging my weapon. Bodies parted in front of me and blood sprayed the cobblestone. One of the mortals tried to cast a spell, but I plucked at the ill-controlled strands of magic. Her spell matrix came apart before she realized what I was doing. Then she died to the blade of one of my soldiers.

After gutting another warrior, I used the staff of my weapon to block a spear and grabbed the wooden shaft, pulling the wielder towards me with it. Then I gave him a headbutt, making sure that my horn would hit his forehead.

He went down and I roared in delight while blinking his blood out of my eyes. This was what demons lived for!

The stream of soldiers seemed unending while I fought. From time to time I decided on using some of my magic for a spell. I used my resources sparingly and as efficiently as possible, but my reserves were whittled down slowly. There was nothing I could do about it without getting a chance to rest.

It was possible to drain some magic out of an unwilling sacrifice, but it would take time that I didn't have in the midst of combat. Doing it on the fly while fighting against the victim's magical resistance would get me almost nothing in return.

Then the tide of the battle slowly ebbed and I realized that I was standing on top of a small mountain of corpses. During the heat of battle, the bodies of my undead minions and the attackers had piled up in a macabre display of violence right where the two groups had clashed. The flow of combat had carried me to the edge of the plaza.

And, 'mountain' was probably exaggerating the situation a little. But it could pass for a small hill – with some imagination.

Shaking my head, I grinned manically and faced the next wave of soldiers that was backing off now. Their valiant charge had been commendable, mortals that they were, but now they had apparently lost their grit.

Suddenly, a powerful aura bore down on me.

I almost fell, my knee squelching into the bloody grit and dirt of the battlefield.

The mortals and undead around me lost it. The mortals' bodies and weapons clattered to the ground while they puked out their guts. Eyes rolled in their sockets as their brains were brought to the verge of frying. The powerful magical aura was too much for their mortal bodies.

My undead didn't fare much better. Those whose undead life didn't wink out instantly were brought to the ground. The magic that was holding them in this world just gave them barely enough power to look up defiantly at the figure that had appeared above the plaza.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself back to my feet. I tried to take control of the powerful magic surrounding me, but I couldn't even touch it. It already belonged to someone else and he had tight control over it.

Looking up, I faced the newcomer and forced myself to smile. “And who might you be.”

The man was muscled and had slightly greenish skin, but that hadn't much meaning to me. It was his aura that showed that he was far above the creatures that were currently wetting their pants all around us.

He raised a single eyebrow upon seeing me still standing. “A demon? Have the Mirai finally lost their last marble by summoning one of your kind to this world?”

“You tell me,” I replied. “I am just here under contract, but I think they did a well enough job at restraining my options. What's it to you?”

The god, at least that was what I assumed him to be, sighed. “I never wanted to get involved in this conflict, but when I heard rumours of demonic influence atop of necromancy I decided to take a look. Forgive me, but I would like the Infernum to stay far away from my chosen home.”

I checked my mana levels, wondering whether there was any point in fighting.

Maybe I could have had a chance if we had been in the Infernum. Back in my home-plane, I could have regenerated quickly, effectively pulling on limitless mana reserves. It would have certainly given me at least a fighting chance against this being that was apparently generating all the power he could ever want on his own.

Gods were apparently like limitless fonts of mana. No wonder that my progenitor was obsessed with becoming one.

I shrunk my weapon back down to pen-size and stuck it behind my ear, then bowed mockingly to the newcomer with my arms spread wide. “Call me Amon. I am no challenge to you as I am now. Though, should you ever visit the Infernum, I would be up to giving you a good fight.”

The green-skinned man smiled, showing me a set of oversized canines. “I am Marigold, a god who calls this world his home. But I have to decline your offer. Stronger gods than myself have challenged the Infernum and were never heard from again.”

“Now, begone.” He raised a finger and pointed, calling forth a lance of golden light that connected us for the fraction of a second.

I looked down at the hole in my chest, then fell, landing on my back amidst the sea of corpses. Normally, I should have healed. A wound like that wouldn't stop a demon! But something was preventing my regenerative powers from kicking in.

“That's a dirty spell!” I gurgled mockingly at the god above me.

Marigold floated lower, apparently intrigued by my behaviour. “You are a strange one. Normally, demons do their damnedest to fulfil their contracts.”

“Oh, don't worry,” I replied with a smile that wiped Marigold's sardonic smile from his face. “My contract is upheld perfectly fine. One demon fell today, but many will rise in my stead. And I doubt you will catch them all if you aren't willing to nuke the city... and with it most of the besieging army. Either way, I have won.”

I closed my eyes and let go of my life while the runes etched into the plaza's cobblestones started to glow, a scene that would be mirrored throughout the whole city.

The remaining living mortals started to scream in agony while the dead ones started to rise. It was a chorus of agony that arose simultaneously throughout the whole city.

Marigold's appearance had been unsuspected, but I doubted that even a god could change the outcome of this event on the fly.

The Alliance would lose most of its military forces today, no matter what Marigold decided to do.

I allowed the Infernum to take me back and opened my eyes, noting that I was back in Kasdeya's laboratory.

“That was one hell of a ride!” I cheered and threw my hands up from where I was lying on the ground just as I had fallen in the mortal realm. Even now, I could feel the souls trickling in through the contract. Apparently, the god hadn't yet decided to wipe out my steadily resurrecting undead. He would have to decide quickly or waste his chance at stopping a small apocalypse.

Or he simply no longer cared what happened to the Alliance once I was gone from his world.

A tail waved sinuously in front of my face. Then two feet stalked next to my head and I looked up into Isabella's face. She had her arms crossed and didn't look pleased. The situation seemed serious, but I liked the point of view.

“Hi, tits?” I greeted, testing the waters with an infectious smile while I wondered what I had done wrong.

“Never take a contract during the storm season again,” Isabella whispered.

I sat up and got to my feet, sensing that there was something serious behind her words. “Why not?”

“Because time does strange things between our planes and the mortal realms during the storm season. A plane that previously ran on a one-to-one timescale could suddenly run on a sixty-to-one,” she whispered, her voice warning me.

I looked around, checking whether the workshop had changed. “How long have I been away?”

“Ten hours.”

“That isn't so ba-”

“But it could have been centuries!” Isabella screamed, making me jump. “I just came in when you took the summons. It was too late to stop you. Hasn't anyone told you this stuff?”

“R- right!” I apologized. “I didn't know. Nobody told me. Have you been waiting here the entire time?”

“Yes.” She relaxed a little. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“Then let's talk and not fret over what could have been,” I replied. “Now I know.”