The Demon King's castle
Upon the floor within the Demon King's castle one could see several demon corpses not yet cleared away.
A demon sergeant came running in haste into the palace, taking no heed whatever of some fellow-soldier's bones his foot struck against.
All of these were a body of people the lord Demon King had killed in his rage, having come by a certain piece of intelligence before this.
It was said that this was a star system within the Machine Race's borders, of which no word whatever had been heard until then.
And which only now had begun little by little to spread among the Demon Race's high officers.
They came to know that of those interstellar warships supplied to the several demon legions, no few were produced by this Machine Race star system.
Only as to why they should be produced within a Machine Race star system, no one had any exact word.
And when His Majesty the Demon King learned that that Machine Race star system had been attacked, he ordered at once that demon legion fleets be drawn off from every front in support.
To the doubts several demon marshals raised — why, upon the front, at the very critical moment when the Angel Race was held down and the War Angel King's headquarters might be threatened within a week.
So great a number of demon legions should be drawn back.
For such a military movement must beyond doubt bring the military operations gone before to nothing.
His Majesty the Demon King passed down one word only: this is his order.
And though those demon marshals may have been unconvinced within, they carried out His Majesty the Demon King's order for all that.
Every attack upon the front was halted.
Three demon legions were drawn back entire, and three demon legions in part.
It may be said thus: that this order of His Majesty the Demon King's led directly to near a third of the demon legions' strength upon the front being drawn away.
And another third besides, upon His Majesty the Demon King's order, made ready to hasten to the support at any moment.
That for the sake of a single star system within Machine Race territory a military operation upon so vast a scale should be undertaken.
Is truly hard to believe.
And now a worse piece of news had come.
This demon sergeant knelt in the pool of blood upon the floor; he gulped, and did not know whether, having spoken this news, he would come out of it alive.
"The legions gone… gone to the support of Machine Race territory have sent back their latest intelligence…" the demon sergeant said haltingly.
His Majesty the Demon King's cold glare fell upon the demon sergeant.
The demon sergeant's head was very nearly stuck against the floor; with the last of his strength he cried it out. "Marshal King-of-the-North has sent a message asking relief.
"The King-of-the-North Legion has been ambushed by thirty thousand interstellar warships of the Owl Dragon Legion!
"And has met besides an Owl Dragon fleet of three hundred T5 interstellar warships.
"The case of the fighting does not admit of any hope.
"If it may be, he prays Your Majesty to send demon legions to the rescue!
"And if there be no chance of it, Marshal King-of-the-North… will find means to fight to the last, and at the same time to get for Your Majesty… what more may be had of the enemy's case."
"An ambush?" His Majesty the Demon King's voice rose, grim and dark.
The demon sergeant shut his eyes; he dared not think what should come to him next.
If he must die, he wished only that His Majesty would give him a quick end of it.
"The Owl Dragon Legion…" His Majesty the Demon King spoke out that name with murder in it. "It seems this crew came prepared.
"That place must not be lost.
"Pass my order: draw off…"
"Report!
"Upon the front against the Angel Race, the Ghoul Legion, the Balam Legion, the Amon Legion, the Serpent King Legion and the Demon-Crocodile Legion have all sent back word.
"The Angel Race has all at once put out a great host and opened a counter-attack.
"The strength of the counter-attack comes to near a million angel interstellar warships!
"Should it come to blows, with no support at hand.
"Our strength upon the front stands at a disadvantage.
"The several legion marshals pray His Majesty to determine it!" Another demon sergeant came running in, and reported another piece of news exceedingly bad.
"The Angel Race…" The Demon King gave a cold snort. "Two pipes drawing at once, to put their pressure upon me together.
"And an ambush made ready besides…
"Good! Good! Good!"
Three times over the Demon King said that word good.
Thereafter he gave his orders down, cold as ice. "Order the Ghoul Legion, the Balam Legion, the Amon Legion, the Serpent King Legion and the Demon-Crocodile Legion to give up the Angel Race territory taken these several months past, and fall back to the positions they garrisoned before.
"Should the Angel Race fleets press on further, then fight them; and without my order!
"They are not to withdraw!
"Pass further word: the Black Angel Legion, the Agares Legion and the Hell-Baron Legion are to support the field in the Machine Race's direction.
"They shall make certain of this, in whatever case it be.
"Within fifty hours they must cut their way in to this coordinate for me, and tell me the case of the star system at this coordinate!"
"Yes!"
The two demon sergeants let out a breath, and drew out of the palace at once to carry the word.
And at a stroke this palace sank again into a dead stillness.
"This time, for your sake, I have sacrificed no little.
"Bring out that trump of yours now, or do not blame me for turning my face and knowing you no more!" the Demon King said darkly, of a sudden.
A black shadow had appeared, at some point or other, within the shade beside the throne.
"Your Majesty, we have all this while been giving you our help.
"And now the holy ground is in danger; you ought to help us.
"It must be remembered that you and we are at present bound in one common fate."
Before this black shadow had finished speaking.
His body — the head of it — was gripped fast in His Majesty the Demon King's hand.
One could hear a kind of grinding of metal.
Krch, krch.
"Were it not that I must have a care for you people.
"In a week my host could have entered the War Angel Star Region and wrecked the Angel Race's industrial foundation!
"Which is as good as cutting off the Angel Race's two arms.
"Within half a year I could have taken the Angel Race's whole territory and had the Angel Race upon its knees before me.
"And now, because of you.
"The sacrifice of my host these several months past has gone for nothing!
"Will you not give me some account of it?" There was murder in the Demon King's voice.
One could hear that if at this moment no fit account were given.
There would be one only left living here.
"Your Majesty… as a recompense for the rescue of the holy ground, I am willing to give you that set… of drawings for a quasi-T6 interstellar warship…"
The Demon King's hand loosened.
"And further, I shall…" the one within the shadow said darkly.
Having heard that speech out, the Demon King's look plainly altered somewhat. "You had this held in reserve all along?
"Why did you not use it before!"
"It is a trump; it cannot be moved until the critical moment.
"I hope Your Majesty will forgive it!" said the one within the shadow.
The Demon King gave a cold snort.
Is it that it cannot lightly be moved — or is it that they are guarding against him?
Upon which question the Demon King did not press; that answer is of no importance.
"Then do as you have said." His Majesty the Demon King said it, his voice low.
"Yes, Your Majesty.
"Set your mind at rest, Your Majesty; this universe will in the end have one master only.
"And that is you!
"Great Majesty!"
The one within the shadow was gone, at what moment none knew.
And in the place where he had been there was a square crystal.
Within which there seemed to be sealed up some kind of mysterious technology!