Chapter Text
Lux hummed to himself a low, quiet tune as he wrote in his journal, recording all the things he helped Her Majesty with today, as per usual. Sorting the bodies of loyal Demons that had fallen in the battle with Kael, the Realm of the Soulless, by alphabetical order of their last names, teaching Princess Eden the history of the Great Bloodshed, etc, etc… He was content with his small tasks. Nothing ever changed, just the way he liked it.
He dipped his feather quill in the bottle of ink when he wrote it dry, scritching in another sentence, and raised his dark eyes as he detected the skittering footsteps of a servant approaching. He rested his quill on the desk and stood up, already assuming what the lesser Demon was summoning him for.
"My Lord!" The arachnid arched his back outwards and bowed deeply as Lux opened the door to his office, his six legs impressively maintaining structural balance in the awkward position, and his head barely reached past Lux's upper arms, Lux noted in amusement. His expression looked wary, as if he knew something was amiss. This troubled Lux. "Her Majesty requires your immediate audience."
"Of course," Lux nodded, closing the door behind him and following the arachnid, Horoma, the silver-etched name tag read. He trailed behind him closely with his arms folded behind his back and his posture carefully straightened to maintain a regal look, pondering what could possibly be the matter. He felt a small bit of anxiety tug at his chest, and small, intrusive, assuming thoughts invaded his mind like a swarm of flies no matter how much he tried to swat them away.
What was wrong? Was it something he did wrong? Was Princess Eden hurt? Had a Beast escaped the chambers?
Lux shook the thoughts out of his mind as they entered the throne room, the familiar, towering granite pillars with Ink swirling and pulsing around them like living things, the Ink-dripping spikes sticking out of the walls, ceiling, and floor, and the black, twisted throne of solidified Ink in the rear center stage of the room where Queen Nyx sat bringing him a small sense of calm.
Horoma quickly departed with a bow and without a word, whilst Lux lowered himself on one knee and bowed his head deeply.
"Your Esteemed Majesty," he spoke loudly, knowing that mumbling would fetch him a swift disembowelment like the several other servants that had done so in her midst (their organs punctured on the spikes on the walls further gave the intended example to anyone who entered), "you requested my audience?"
"Yes, I did. Splendid morning isn't it?" Nyx took a sip out of her wine goblet, her long, pale legs sidled next to her, her tail wrapped around a thorned leg of the throne. Lux thought his sister looked especially elegant this morning in the simple bandeau and loincloth that vaguely covered her body, with black, transparent silk fabrics that slid over her shoulders, thighs, and stomach, attached to silver clasps on the sides of her clothing, her black, spiked crown framing her ghostly white hair beautifully.
"I- Yes, Your Majesty. It's a wonderful morning. For what reason do you require my attention?"
"Ah. You have met General Five, have you not? A splendid Mandryx."
Lux felt a twinge of annoyance go through him at the despicable name, his lips tugging down into a distasteful frown. Five. He knew that name all too well. That player had broken his heart more than once and shown quite clearly that he wasn't at all interested in anything to do with Lux many, many times prior.
"I have. And why, may I ask, do you speak of that Mandryx's name?" Lux hissed out between teeth gritted into a careful smile. He already knew where this was going.
Five would ask for his help for something so small that he could easily take care of himself, and then he'd try to get into Lux's head with that irresistible charming voice and face of his, only to shove him away when he didn't need him anymore. Classic Five.
"I have been informed that he requires your immediate assistance in Maruuk Hive, something about a troublesome cult, if I remember correctly." Nyx waved her ringed hand like his choice of whether or not to go on this sudden, insignificant mission didn't matter, which, of course, it didn't.
"And… he cannot take care of this himself? He is a powerful Mandryx, I'm sure he has complete capability to take care of something so simple, Your Majesty-"
"Oh, but he can't." Lux heard that familiar, silk-smooth voice purr in his ear that brought both a pleasant shiver travelling down his spine and an ugly, hateful feeling curl in his chest.
He felt a diminutive, gauntleted hand land on his shoulder, followed by two more on his back, and he flinched away with a hiss instinctively and rose to his feet, turning around swiftly to face who had dared to touch him.
And there was General Five, the most stunning Demon that Lux had ever met in his entire life in all of Hell, and the most despicable, cheating ex he'd ever had the misfortune of dating. That stupid, fucking smug expression stared down at Lux like he knew that Lux had no choice but to accept, six hands perched on his hips and sides in an unfairly attractive stance, his head tilted down at him and his twin antennae twitching in interest and amusement as if sensing Lux's unease.
Five's wings buzzed faintly under his sheen, armor-like elytra as he bowed deeply in the midst of the Queen, and Nyx tilted her head faintly in acknowledgement.
"General Five," she spoke and picked up the black goblet resting on the arm of the throne, taking another sip of her crimson wine. "I am satisfied to perceive you are alive and well. I presume you are here on the account of the "cult" that you spoke of?"
"Yes, Your Highness." The Mandryx straightened, running an armored hand through his icy blue, spiked hair, which did nothing to fix it, Lux observed with rapt interest that he quickly dismissed. "They call themselves the "Nari'kuul", which means "ecstasy" in Xerian, and I have reason to believe that they are taking part in the Mandryx disappearances in the Maruuk Hive—"
"Wait— what do you mean "disappearances"?" Lux's eyebrows knit together as a frown appeared on his face, and he took a step toward Five, curious now.
The insect's infuriatingly captivating, black eyes barely spared him a brief glance, though there was a thinly veiled hint of surprise in it, as if he was in disbelief that Lux was genuinely concerned for the other Mandryxes.
"Let him speak, Lux. Know your place." Queen Nyx glowered down at Lux with an expression of narrowed eyes of disapproval, and Lux shut his mouth instantly. "Continue, General."
"Ah- Yes, as I was saying," Five smirked down at Lux, who shot him a nasty glare in response, wishing so tremendously that he could flip him off. "I believe the Mandryxes disappearing are caused by the Nari'kuul, the reason being for their plans spoken of that are witnessed by random bystanders who managed to hear of experiments of an aphrodisiac-like drug that the Nari'kuul created and deemed "Cupid", along with mentions of testing it on random Mandryx that they manage to find. The witnesses reported to authorities immediately, and the news reached me quickly."
"This has… troubled me. I'm afraid the Nari'kuul are a force not to be reckoned with, and I, having no such knowledge of alchemy as your advisor does, require the knowledge he bears so that I obtain an advantage."
"I'm sure you can easily take care of them in a blink, General Five, or have you forgotten your status of power?" Lux raised an eyebrow, and Five huffed, his smirk growing slightly strained.
"That's the problem, alchemist," he snarled, "all of my soldiers have withdrawn from the mission for fear of being captured by the Nari'kuul or have made pathetic excuses to prevent their choosing to assist me, which leaves me to myself to debunk this because the commander refuses to lend me her support over something so "negligible and petty", even though I told her that Mandryxes could be currently experimented on right now, or, Xeria forbid, raped—"
"Gentlemen, I advise it is best if you settle this dispute in another room preferably quite far from here. I am growing a rather unpleasant headache." Nyx narrowed her eyes, and instantly, Lux felt a shiver of fear slither down his spine.
He knew that look, it meant "leave immediately before I suddenly get murderous cravings and carve your organs free of your body." He nudged Five sharply with his elbow before bowing lowly to the Queen and apologizing, waiting until the Mandryx did the same before he exited the room.
Lux didn't stop striding until he was a fair bit away from the throne room and out of the Queen's ear range, and once he was, he turned to General Five with a furious expression that actually made Five take a wary step back.
"You. You spineless, arrogant, idiotic insect— I cannot believe you had the nerve to show up here and ask me for help after what you did." He seethed, stepping forward to poke the Mandryx harshly in his chitin-armored chest, his fury spiking when Five didn't so much as flinch, instead daring to reach up and swat his hand away.
"Who else was I supposed to seek, I know no other alchemist than you! Believe me, I am just as unhappy to be doing this as you are. I hoped never to see you again, yet here we are." Five huffed, and Lux couldn't squash down the sting of hurt he felt at the statement.
He knew it was true, yet it still cut into the still-healing wound of a harsh, past breakup. He still harbored strong feelings for Five, and he hated himself for it.
Lux also knew that he had no choice but to help the Mandryx.