Azazel led him inside the house with a weary look and sat him down in the half-killed living room. The house was a mess at the moment. Numerous man-sized holes, broken furniture, and the ubiquitous layer of dust that came from the "somewhat" destroyed frame of the building.
Actually, he didn't want to put up a fight right away, but after he realized that he was facing a strong opponent, he couldn't resist. He wanted to test his strength. Of course, it was incomplete, but even a close combat gave a lot. Azazel, like most fallen angels, had never been strong specifically in that regard, but there was some basis. As with all beings of "higher" rank, his strength and power were off the charts.
Emeric had told Ichika once before that creatures that were fairly "pumped" in this regard had overall stats at obscene levels. In their world, there are almost no instances where an individual can blow up a mountain but not withstand the same response from the outside. If you've developed a magical aura, by default, you can also hold a punch and hit back just fine.
So, Emeric couldn't help himself when he realized he was facing a strong opponent. Even if this fight was far from Azazel's full fighting potential, Emeric wanted to test this "nut" for strength. And it wasn't a bad thing, he was completely pleased with himself.
Azazel pulled a bottle of amber liquid and two glasses from the miraculously surviving mini bar.
«You want some?
«Is it of the magical variety?
«Uh-uh.
«No, thank you," Emeric denied the offer. - I don't suffer from masochism....
«Fuck you and your accusations, ha ha ha ha...
Azazel didn't explode like a teenage schoolgirl this time. He'd already realized that Emeric was teasing him out of pure fun. He was even a little ashamed of the recent incident when he'd lost control on the roof.
«Why masochism, by the way?
«Why drink alcohol if it has no effect? - Emeric calmly accepted a can of Coke. - If you enjoy the taste of alcohol, I consider it pure masochism..... It's not like it's designed to be enjoyed. That's what bartenders are for, they mix alcohol with something else to make it less disgusting. Because, well," Emeric shrugged. - Alcohol doesn't taste good...
«A-ha-ha-ha-ha," Azazel cheerfully accepted a sip from his glass. - "You're right, Emeric, but for me alcohol isn't just a tool of 'masochism'..." - He looked nostalgically inside the glass. - Since ancient times, people have marked various events with alcohol... For me, it's a memory that allows me not to forget about numerous meetings. - He came to his senses and smiled cheerfully at him. - Well, this meeting I certainly won't forget, but.... - Azazel put his glass forward. - As they say, let's wash it down!
Emeric, too, smiled slightly at this immediate optimism and tipped his hat to Azazel. And so began the full-fledged acquaintance of one young demon and the leader of all the fallen angels.
«I have to be honest," he broke the comfortable pause. - For a second I thought it was Cockabiel who had come for me....
Azazel raised his eyebrows in surprise, then laughed knowingly.
«Ha-ha-ha," he set his glass down so as not to spill it. - Then you've definitely never seen him in person! He's a total douche bag, who's also a... - Azazel leaned forward slightly, as if he were about to tell a secret. - Much uglier than me! Believe me, my young friend, you will not meet a more irresistible fallen angel in the world....
«Well, well, well," Emeric raised an eyebrow slightly ironically.
«Don't do that! - He furrowed his eyebrows pretentiously. - I won't fall for your provocations anymore. I am the most beautiful of the fallen angels and that's it! A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha...
«And the most humble, too!
«I'm starting to like you already!
A full conversation between Emeric and Azazel went down a treat. Azazel seemed to have completely forgotten their "first" meeting. The leader of the Fallen was easy to talk to and could adjust to the conversation, and Emeric, despite his eternal desire for "jokes", sometimes knew the measure and could keep the conversation going. All in all, so far so good.
«So why did you come to town? - It seemed natural to use the "you" form of address. Azazel had the impression of a person who didn't care for formalities. - Was it because Cockabiel supposedly stole the Excalibur?
«Not presumably," Azazel shook his head negatively. - All the signs point to that...
«And you came in person because...?
«Cockabiel will most likely be gathering forces in your and Sona Sitri's city," he poured himself a whiskey. - He needs a big stage... Would he find anything grander than a city where the younger scions of the Lords of Hell are holed up?
«A grandiose scene? - Emeric furrowed his eyebrows. - For what?
Azazel didn't immediately answer the question, but exhaled slightly thoughtfully and looked into his eyes.
«He wants to start a new Three Factions War. - Emeric wasn't surprised. It was roughly what he had envisioned, albeit on a smaller scale. - Have you heard the rumors of a "warming" between the Biblical Factions?
Immediately he remembered Greyfia telling him about Excalibur. How she had said something about "convergence" while lying on his shoulder.
«Wow," Emeric shook his head in amazement. - The battle between Hell and Heaven is as old as the world.... I just can't believe that some form of 'truce' is possible....
«Not a truce, but an alliance! - Azazel smiled triumphantly as he saw Emeric's jaw nearly drop. He wasn't so old after all. - Yes, my young friend, we are tired of the endless battle, and the times are not the same....
«What do you mean? - Emeric didn't understand the last part. - Times are not what they used to be...?
«Suppose," Azazel began to ask him tricky questions. - That we unite... In that case, which faction would be the strongest in the supernatural world?
«Mmm," Emeric gave a serious look. - Most likely ours, that is, the Biblical one, if angels and demons can be brought under the same denominator.....
«Don't worry, we'll let you down somehow, ha ha ha," Azazel laughed off and continued. - But the problem is that you thought for a second, but you hesitated. A couple of millennia ago, this kind of hiccup would not have happened, everyone around us would have just pissed their pants at this "alliance", but now there are several major players on the world stage who could potentially smash us one by one, and not only one by one....
The Biblical Faction is one of the most formidable factions in history for a reason. Angels and demons could literally fight each other throughout time, without regard for casualties, in any location in the world and spit on the opinions of the other mythologies. Simply because they were feared. Even if you take Hell, Heaven, and Grigori separately, you can get not the weakest fighting units.
Hell. On the rise thanks to the Evil Figures system. Not to mention two historically powerful Super Demons that the rest of the world hasn't seen before, that is Aldis Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub. They are most likely already in the top ten strongest of this world. Actually, when compared to the rest of the Biblical Factions, Hell is likely to be the strongest. Simply because they've managed to rebuild at a more striking pace since the Great War, despite the widespread birthrate problem.
Heaven. They have the strongest God and many Seraphim who assist him in watching over mortals. They also have the most developed system of "recruitment" among mortals. That is, numerous churches that assist in targeting a potentially powerful person. Exorcists and the like. In fact, if you look at it from this side, it is unclear who exactly will win, that is, Heaven or Hell. Will the Superdemons be able to defeat God? That remains a big question.... There is of course a downside, and that is the "mechanism" of the angel's fall. The sentient one sitting in front of Emeric showed by his very existence that any Seraphim is always at risk.
Gregory. Fallen Angels and the like. In short, exiles, if I may say so. In recent decades, they had made contact and recruited people with the Sacred Mechanisms, but it was still not enough. The Fallen Angels, when viewed objectively, were the weakest Biblical faction.
Even so, on their own, they were a powerhouse. They could shut up most pantheons on their own, but together...
«Who are you talking about?
«There are many gatherings of gods that have gained power.... - Azazel melancholically recalled how in his "youth" he had slaughtered these gods in packs. - But we can single out a few, such as the Scandinavian pantheon....
Odin, Thor and Loki. The progenitors, or consequence, of the Viking culture, one of the most militant cultures in history. Also a collection of various "interesting" legends that actually exist. Like Fenrir, the wolf whose fangs can bite through a god. Or Jormungand, the serpent that wraps around the world. There are plenty of legends and tales to go around...
Emeric caught a slight discrepancy in his mind.
«Despite a rather aggressive culture," Emeric began to say. - The Scandinavians have become much more humble in recent centuries. I thought Odin said they had enough of their own Nine Worlds, but..." he said.
Azazel realized at once that Emeric had grasped the unnamed pantheon. His senses did not fail him; this boy was not only smart, but brilliant, if he could grasp the main threat at once.
«"Maidens and Devatas..." - Azazel nodded at his guess with an appreciative smile. - The divine pantheon of India, perhaps already the strongest in the world.
India has always been one of the most devout countries. The huge population and sincere prayers have created real monsters in the world supernatural arena. Since ancient times they have been called the "Lords of Asia" and now potentially of the entire world.
Azazel decided to put his knowledge to the test.
«And their gods?
«The main three, the so-called "Trimurti"-Emeric took up his game. - Shiva, recognized as the strongest god after the Biblical one, the God of Destruction. Brahma, the God of Creation, is in the top ten, as is Vishnu, the God of Creation. Indra, the God of War and Storms, Shiva's eternal adversary, who is also in the top ten... cannot be forgotten. - Emeric looked thoughtfully at Azazel. - Here we have four gods from the same pantheon, who are among the ten strongest beings of the world... - Emeric drank his Coke in a volley, as if trying to drink away his 'grief'. - If it weren't for their constant squabbling amongst themselves and the presence of the Biblical, we could probably already consider them the first supernatural faction of the world...
Azazel felt an unbearable bitterness, but restrained himself, and smiled at him.
«You hit the bull's-eye as always, Emeric.....
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