With a heavy sigh sounding like a half whine and half whimper, I slammed back into the chair hard enough to kick up the front legs. They fell back down with a clack against the stone floor. The noise echoed throughout the empty halls, passed mighty pillars of flaring flames, passed torches lit with burning purple, passed the spot where my scouts were supposed to be. And yet… they weren’t there. Again.

“Stupid wretches and pigs!” I shouted, slamming down my fist against the chair’s arm. Mana surged through, wildly, and directed itself into the wood. It burst into flames and a second later fell to ash. I turned my head to look down at it. Yet another one. Another comfy chair as the casualty of my anger problem.

“Gah! Not again!” Standing, I grabbed the chair with one arm and tossed it high. I threw a fireball at it, turning it to ash with a mighty “whoosh”. It was no good damaged. Plus, it felt amazing to take out my anger on something.

But now, I was in need of a new chair. Clicking my tongue, I shouted, “Zya, Telia, get me a new chair. And a some wine…”

Immediately the two women hurried out from the shadows and set another chair behind me. Telia zipped off and returned seconds later, setting a small metal table beside me along with a mug of wine, full to the brim, the sour, fiery aroma pleasing the senses.

“Very good. Go,” I tossed my hand and sat down. They hurried away. Bringing the mug to my lips, I took a long, drawn out sip of the refreshing liquid. It burned the tongue. The throat. Tasted almost too sweet, sour, and spicy, and yet was just perfect. Draining half of it, I set the mug down and began rapping my fingernails against the chair, the clacking once more echoing. It filled the silence. It barely kept me sane.

What was taking them so long? Why weren’t they back yet? Had that cursed piece of dung Chaos done something to them? Or had the Thalwesse? Or were they just incompetents monkeys no doubt flirting with the angels?

“Of course they are… I bet they’ve been dragging them to bed by the dozens… I should have left the scouting to Reapers, or Orcs… Luna’s bones! I bet Dark Slimes would be faster than they are!” I shouted toward the long throne room. My throne room. It had held balls before. War meetings. Executions. Even once the mighty Luscious herself graced my hall when I was promoted to High Reaver. Just imagining her beautiful inferno curled my toes and heated my cheeks. “Aaaah… Master is so wonderful.”

I lost myself in daydreaming then. Imagining her praising me. Gracing me with a dark sacrament. Or maybe… maybe even a promotion to her court. Serving with her for my life would be… glorious. I cupped my cheeks like a little girl, but I didn’t care. I loved the feeling of desire and hope when it came to her.

The sudden crash of my doors slamming open snapped me back to the present. One of my scouts, a raven haired succubus favoring the name Deahw, ran in panting. She was covered in sweat. I could smell an angel’s touch on her skin. See the traces of fingernails scraping along her arm. Yep, I had guessed it.

“Succubus…” I growled, using her race instead of name to verbally slap her. “Could you be any more unreliable? I send you to scout the forest and yet you scout beneath an angel’s robes!”

Deahw fell to her knees in front of me quickly in exhaustion and reverence, still trying to catch her breath. “Th-th-thalwesse…”

“Thalwesse?” I asked. Suddenly, I was a bit worried.

Deahw raised a haggard finger and pointed out the door. “M-magic… magic… the sun rose… it burned… burned the forest… the river…”

“A burning forest and a river? You are making no sense, Succubus. I shall go see for myself and save time…” I scoffed at her words, “The sun rose…?” But the sun was falling, not rising. I hopped up from my chair and sauntered toward the exit, trying not to move too quickly; I had my dignity, after all. But curiosity, touched with fear and excitement urged my feet to walk faster. “Zya, Telia, take care of her. I don’t want my minions covered with that damnable scent of heaven’s pigeons.”

With that I ignored what was behind me and focused on what was before me. In the doorway sat a portal and I stepped through, the feeling of being pulled in all direction overcoming me. Vision vanished. The familiar warmth kissed my skin, causing a pleasant shiver to run down my spine. Then, reality snapped back into place and I stood outside my tent near the Thalwesse Crater.

I expected cold. Darkness. Something more akin to the approaching twilight, and yet, the wave of heat washing over me reminded me of Luscious’ personal gardens of lava. Light burned brighter than an Ignis’ arousal, blinding me for a moment. Smoke slipped into my lungs. Fire. The sound of shouts and the roaring crackles of a blaze made their voices small. Nearly snuffing them out.

My hand shielded my eyes and I blinked rapidly.

“What under the sky is going… on…” my voice vanished. My eyes surely lied. Before me, to the East of the crater, the forest burned. No, burned wasn’t it. It was being eaten. Consumed by red and orange that licked the sky. A wall of the brilliant horror stretched across my vision. It was… the devastation of a god. It must have been. Even the heavens flashed with its echoes, turning brilliant colors in response to the licking fire.

“Milady Zeahanna,” one of my nearby soldiers said, bowing.

The words barely left my mouth, my eyes transfixed on the destruction. “What… is this?”

“The Thalwesse, Milady! The Thalwesse summoned a sun!”