Souls of the Fallen

Throwing Shade

Okay, friend... Before I get to the battle in the barracks, I need to pull your attention to a brief meeting of great importance. Two familiar characters are making a reappearance in this story. In the rear of the governor's office, Weiss stands before his fountain with his hands behind his back. The governor is dressed formally in a black suit with a white undershirt and blue tie. He patiently waits along with his two large demon officers, Jedd and Hue. The intense sound of ripping fabric precedes the sight of a portal opening before the three men. As the portal remains open, a subtle bubbling noise remains consistent in the area.

Damien, the demon overlord of the Underworld, steps out of the portal in an all black trench coat. The seams and accents are red with gold buttons and jewelry. His undershirt and pants are also black with gold buttons. Luu is the second to exit the portal. She's dressed in a similar fashion but a little tighter to compliment her infectious figure. Weiss looks down to the shorter but more decorated leader.

"Welcome, sir," Weiss acknowledges his superior. He slightly lowers his head to bow. Damien doesn't say or gesture anything to him. He only stops a few feet from the governor. "I would like to to thank you for your contributions to our city, sir. Especially in my case."

"Your people are not severing their ties, Weiss," Damien says. "I've come because I'm displeased. Especially in your case..." He's not frowning but there is an obvious level of displeasure in his demeanor. "Meanwhile, you're living very well, I see."

"I am trying, sir."

"Not hard enough," Luu says while writing in a tablet. "Have you been able to crack down on the Eon population?"

"Yes, ma'am. I actually have a case being handled right now." Weiss' watch chimes. A scowl slowly creeps across his face as it continues to ring.

"Answer your call," Damien says.

Weiss is hesitant but he looks at the notification. He taps the watch a few times to dismiss the distress alert he has received. The governor turns to his officers and whispers to them, "Orna needs your assistance at the home inspection." He points them off to handle the situation. The large men leave him alone with the world's largest influence.

Damien disappointedly shakes his head at the failing leader. "Your shade, have you been feeding him?"

He turns back around and says, "I have to find ways to do it discretely. I still need to uphold my appearance as a respectable leader. If I'm caught feeding people to a shade, I'll damage my reputation."

"Have you not informed them of your allegiance to me? It's been four years, boy!" Agitation rises in Damien's voice. He motions to Luu and she walks up Gabriel. She kneels next to him and hovers her over the ground. Her hand glows slightly and she takes a note in her tablet. Upon returning to Damien, she whispers into his ear. "Tsk tsk tsk... You've got to do better than this Weiss."

"I will do better. You have blessed me and I will not squander the opportunities."

"I'm calling off this tour you have planned," Damien says. "This meeting was enough to get me disappointed. I don't want to have to remove you from your position personally. From the way it seems though, your incompetence may do the dirty work for me." He turns his back to the governor. "Feed on your Eon prisoners. It's the fastest way to regain power. And remember to convince these peons that they don't need to be connected to The Flow. It's important to my cause."

Luu slides her tablet into her messenger bag. She does a few elegant hand motions in the air and a portal rips open again. Ash spills into the grassy yard and the two demons walk through. Luu disappears first. "I'll feed right now. I would like for you to return to check on my progression, please," Weiss says with a lower bow.