Iwaku World - The founding of the Crimson Cadre

Soulless briefly heard the sobbing. That was... of course... it had to be Sakura. His head turned towards where the crying came from, the path there with drooping flower wallpapers, just as sad as she was. He looked at the Warmaster, then at the Wind Mage, and decided he would try to say things later. Shaking off a bit of chill from outside, he half walked his way back to the room where the great angel and weak human Asmodeus lived his last breaths. He sidled up to the woman crying there, licking her cheek in an obvious worry for her emotions.

He understood what the loss was like. Although, he was quick to accept and move on, it was the natural way for him, a denizen of Insanity who has been here for far too long. Anything, no matter how shocking or surprising or sad, was accepted and quickly he would move on. It was not so different with the loss of Asmodeus, and it had not been so different with the loss of his Mad King. He nuzzled her though, empathizing with her and her loss, and her tears. Although he himself shed none, he let out a few noises of comfort to Sakura, letting her know that he understood her pain and wanted her to feel better.

Albeit, it was not easy to get over a big loss. He understood this, even if he didn't experience it himself.

[Soulless tries to make Sakura feel better.]
 
"Those guys better not be who I think they are...." Nic looked up his cockpit as several craft came into view, heading straight for the strange-looking house in the distance. The ground below the three vehicles shook as a battleship-sized craft lumbered overhead.

One of the wingmen opened communications."Negative, Captain. I don't see anyone trying to stop them, but 10 credits says it's nothing serious. Comm intercepts say they're here for... a pickup."

The other wingman responded, "If it's just a pickup then why did they send a fuckload of their dudes over THAT house?"

"That house never appeared on previous scans. I'm sending an observation drone out. Stand your ground, pilots." Nic proclaimed.

"Yessir." The three humongous tanks hovered still above the ground.

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A small robot fluttered out of Nic's tank turret, shifting left and right towards its designated target. Within half an hour, the robot, and in turn, Nic and his wingmen were able to see what the commotion was all about. Nic in particular, through his robotic scout's eyes, realized the full import of what the Imperium forces were carrying - a carcass, carefully transported and treated with reverence. But who had passed away that was so important to these people?

"Magnify. And record." Nic muttered as he flicked a button on the holo-panel.

Nic examined the profile of the deceased person carefully. He was sure it was Asmodeus, but even then it was doubtful to him. If this is him, then how or when did he lose his wings? If it was indeed the Prince Asmodeus, then it was a pity that Nic missed his last moments of mortality. But he watched again; if these people were treating him with such veneration, similar to that of a saint....

"It must be him." Nic thought.

The robotic scout fluttered through the procession, watching as armored individuals placed the body into an ornate coffin and carried it towards what appeared to be an elevator. Even among the three distant observers, there was a moment of solemnity and silence.

A man, whom Nic could consider to be near-godlike, and had managed to influence Iwakuan history, had now left the realm of the living. As he watched the massive Barship depart, he contemplated if things will ever be the same. Most likely not.


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Bridge, Imperial Battleship Byzantion
2 Hours Later


A short encrypted tone came through the comm panels. Marshal Taft, being one of the few who were on station at the time, opened his holo-consoles and attempted to decipher the call.

"One of the Three Kings is dead. Repeat...."

What could that mean? The Marshal thought to himself.


[SUMMARY: Nic finds out about Asmodeus' death, despite his doubts that it may not really be him, as he was missing his wings. Just to make sure, he sends a message, which the Marshal receives. Marshal Taft, being the noob that he is, can only imagine how Asmodeus' death will influence Iwaku.]