The Genesis Game

Roughly 8 chapters until this goes on 30 day hiatus so I can edit and revise. If you want to see something, comment or hold your peace.

=====================================

From the surrounding alcoves, and from the dark recesses that circled the throne room floor, the bloodl.u.s.t of the assembled demons that had been directed against him began to fade as the demonic host adopted more neutral postures, though they remained suggestively aggressive towards him.

"You'll have to accept my apologies for the poor quality of your meal." Said the Demon Prince with a laugh. "None of those souls I had kept in the Soul Cage had been dungeon boosted, I'm afraid they'll offer you nothing but a bit of nourishment and perhaps ecstasy by their consumption. You'll see no gains to your power I'm afraid."

Seraph ignored the comment. It had been worth a try, given his options, he had tried for the one that had the most benefit to him, he knew as soon as he saw those souls in the cage that nothing he did would manage to free them, they were doomed.

This entire situation was off and it had to an extent unsettled Seraph. He had come in expecting to fight, and found far more than he could handle, but rather then his life ebbing away in a pool of blood, he was surrounded by demons talking to a Demon Prince.

"What is it you want Demon?" Asked Seraph bluntly, his voice heavy with irritation and rife with tension as he looked at the Demon Prince wondering what the demon's angle in all of this was. Much of Seraph's composure gone as he struggled with this meeting that nothing in his previous life had prepared him for.

"What I want?" Laughed the Demon Prince as he sat up and turned to his minions and raised his hands electing a response of laughter from the surrounding demons.

"I want everything." Admitted the Demon as he sat back down with a thud. "Leave us." He commanded as he looked all around. Within seconds, every monster that had been in the throne room disappeared into the shadows and beyond, leaving Seraph alone with the Demon Prince in front of his, staring face to face, eyes parallel into the darkness that was the demonic Harlequin.

"Oh Seraph, we all want what we cannot have. I want conflict eternal. I want brother to fight brother, father to fight son, neighbor to slay neighbor, and for that dear little brother, I need humanity to live." Remarked the Demon Prince slyly.

Seraph kept his composure, saying nothing as he continued to stare, focusing on remaining stoic to avoid giving the demon any insights but he was certain some of his disbelief was apparent, how could it not be?

"Surprised are you? This is a team effort." Responded the Demon Prince cryptically. "Star Wormwood approaches, and with it the end of all things."

Raising an eyebrow, Seraph challenged the notion of team work.

"I am evil, yes this is true, I am a monster. But what I am not is nothing. I do not d.e.s.i.r.e the void to take you, I do not d.e.s.i.r.e an end of all things. I do not d.e.s.i.r.e the end of your world, and with it, the end of my plaything. This whole world is a stage and you are all but players on it to be played." Explained the Demon Prince.

"I am a creature of eternity. I was there when humanity first crawled out of the mud, and I will be there when humanity returns to it. The last thing I d.e.s.i.r.e is an end. Humanity must survive, and for that, I will make you an offer, but as I said, for my help I'll require just one little thing."

"I'm not giving you my soul." Interrupted Seraph in irritation.

"Ha." Laughed the Demon Prince. "Like I would want that dirty old thing. What I require is much simpler. First, your silence on this deal of ours is important as is your silence regarding how you found your way here. It would be awfully inconsiderate of you to spoil the secret for everyone else. Secondly, your cooperation is a given, and I'm sure you have no qualms about that right little brother."

The Demon Prince looked at him menacingly, and Seraph knew he really had no choice but to agree, the difference in their power was simply too great.

"I'll take your silence as consent." Responded the Demon Prince. "The second part of this deal is that I require sacrifice, and by sacrifice I mean sacrifices, plural, often, frequently. Once monthly I want you to deliver to me a soul, I don't care where you find it, whose it is, or how you got it. In return I will give you my blessing and the ability to summon my avatar once daily."

Seraph thought over the offer, one soul a month was nothing in the larger scheme of things if it helped give him the power he needed to conquer the dungeon, and more so to prepare for Wormwood.

The Demon Prince leaned in, it's face tense in anticipation as Seraph considered the offer.

"And if I refuse?" Asked Seraph coyly.

"Little brother, if you refuse to comply with silence I'll be forced to call my minions forth and rend both your soul and body into a nothingness and cast that into the abyss. But if you refuse my offer, you're allowed to leave and roam freely. Unlike the humans we do not kill our own without cause."

Seraph nodded, the explanation had implications he needed to sort out for himself later whenever he had the time to do so.

"What does your blessing do?" Asked Seraph genuinely as he considered his options.

The Demon Prince leaned back, a huge grin on its face as it realized it had him and now they were just working out the details.

"My blessing is not as complicated as that of my brothers, whom I assure you, are not quite as straightforward as I am." Remarked the Demon Prince. "My blessing will allow you to change others whom follow you into various lesser demons, cosmetic changes mostly I assure you of this as well. In return they gain a bit of power from the change, but you gain far more as every person you mark in this way gives you a portion of their power, and you by extension give me a portion of that power. Just like that, everyone wins. It's multi tier marketing."

"Do I need to choose today?" Asked Seraph, not yet willing to commit, he knew this would likely backfire and needed some time to try and figure out a work around if it did, or even if the situation back in Hometown would require him to accept the deal to survive.

"No. It doesn't. You'll find Seraph I can be quite generous." Responded the Demon Prince. "If you deliver within 30 days the soul I have asked for, I'll consider the offer accepted, and until then, you may have access to the powers I have granted you, though should you use them I will consider it as binding and will expect payment."

Notification: Quest Unlocked - To Serve a Prince

Temporary Ability Granted - Demonize - Minion and Ally Racial Change to "Fel"

Temporary Ability Granted - Summon Avatar of Beelzebub - Summon a *level avatar of Beezelbub were * equals your current level.

Confirmation Conditions: Deliver (1) soul to the Demon Prince Beezelbub on a monthly basis.

Alternative Confirmation Conditions: Usage of abilities granted by the Demon Prince.

Reward: Permanent access to abilities. Increased Reputation with *Demonic Factions*

Fail Conditions: Use an ability granted by the Demon Prince and forfeit soul debt.

"Now Seraph, since you defeated me in the little game that we played, the gate to the 3rd floor of the dungeon is unlocked for you. I suggest you try to get stronger first before attempting it, my brother Beliel is not as kind as I am." The Demon Prince warned. "Until then, return to Hometown."

Notification: Arrival - Hometown - Central Plaza

- You have arrived in "Hometown" the city of the elves.

Without warning, Seraph began to disappear and as a twisting nausea settled deep into the pit of his stomach, Seraph knew he had just teleported, and as he looked around the area he had arrived at, he recognized the central plaza, and more so he could see the Inn of the Cursed Fig, even though it was daylight still, he stumbled in that direction, badly needing rest, to check on his team mates, and clear his head.