"In some cases, the demon lord won’t mind, as their layer is hospitable to visitors and known across many realms where you can trade for knowledge or anything else with other civilizations working together with the abyss lord," Zarvok explained.
Ikenga’s interest was piqued. "How do you find such an abyss layer?"
"As I said before, luck—or, in most cases, prior knowledge of the layer and its abyss coordinates, which allows you to go there directly," Zarvok said as he reached for another fruit.
"If the abyss is so helpful to first-time visitors, why do so many still fear visiting it?" Ikenga asked.
Zarvok paused at Ikenga’s question. "The abyss doesn’t exactly help its first visitors. It only places them in a layer where it’s easier to achieve their goals. Whether the goal is achieved or not depends entirely on the visitor, not the abyss."
"In the other scenarios I mentioned, everything depends heavily on luck and the knowledge you have about the layer you’re visiting. As an origin god, if you land in an abyss layer with a demon lord, death would be the least of your concerns. Your status is known, and death would do little to harm you, so you could be held captive indefinitely by the abyss lord, who would use every method possible to discover your world’s coordinates."
"As for ordinary ascended gods, their fate is pretty much sealed. They might be taken as slaves, servants, or killed, leaving behind a godhead that contains their world’s coordinates," Zarvok said with a smirk and an anticipatory look on his face.
"Killing gods? Aren’t you afraid of ’Order’?" Ikenga asked. The demon stopped to look at him before laughing.
Finally catching his breath, Zarvok replied, "We demons aren’t afraid of ’Order,’ as they have no power over us. We can only be judged by the opposite force."
Ikenga wanted to ask more but was cut off by the demon. "This isn’t why I’m here."
Ikenga stayed silent, while Keles took over. "Then what are you here for?"
"Since neither of you questioned me being a son of the abyss, I assume you know what that means," Zarvok inquired, and Keles nodded.
"Then you must also know about gods assisting with the ascension to demon lord status," Zarvok continued.
Keles wanted to nod but stopped when Ikenga placed a hand on her. "We do know about it, but not what it truly entails," Keles corrected herself.
Zarvok nodded. "When a divine being helps a demon ascend to demon lord status, it can be seen as paying the price required for the knowledge you seek. During the ascension process, you will obtain what you need."
"Expedition," Ikenga whispered aloud.
Zarvok looked at him and nodded. "For a demon king to ascend to the demon lord, an expedition to another world must be carried out. That world serves as the prerequisite for the ascension to demon lord."
"In this scenario, gods are the best allies for demon kings or sons of the abyss like myself."
Keles’s eyes narrowed as Zarvok spoke, his words revealing the depths of the abyssal politics at play.
With a doubtful look, Keles asked, "With the demons in this layer, I don’t see why you’d need the help of gods to conquer another world."
Zarvok stood up from his seat and began pacing the room. "That’s where you’re both right and wrong. Right in the sense that the powerhouses of this layer and their armies could indeed conquer another world. But wrong in thinking that all demons would work together to make that possible. You forget that I’m not the only one with the ambition to take over another world and ascend. Every demon harbors the same ambition."
Keles studied Zarvok carefully as he moved around, his words sinking in. The truth of his statement was undeniable; the Abyss was a realm of constant power struggles, where every demon sought to climb higher, often at the expense of others. Cooperation was rare, and alliances were fragile at best. She could see now that Zarvok’s situation was more complicated than it first appeared.
"Ambition breeds conflict," Ikenga mused aloud, his eyes following Zarvok’s movements. "You’re saying that even with the powerhouses here, the likelihood of betrayal is too high for a successful conquest."
Zarvok nodded, pausing to look at Ikenga with a hint of appreciation. "Exactly. If I were to rally the demons of this layer, we’d spend more time fighting each other than actually conquering the world. Every demon king, every warlord, would see it as an opportunity to seize power for themselves. It would be chaos, and the world we target would likely escape or fortify itself before we could make our move."
"The worst outcome would be that the world becomes too damaged from the infighting and no longer meets the conditions required for ascension."
Keles remained skeptical. "So you think bringing gods into the mix will somehow change that?"
"Not somehow—it will change things." Zarvok tapped his skull as he sat back down. "Gods are like gifts to the son of the abyss, increasing their chances for ascension. When it comes to conquering a world, it can be done in many ways—not just by brute force, which my other brethren would have no choice but to use."
"As the son of the abyss, I have the option of non-violence and can maximize my benefits. Unlike demons, gods are much more acceptable to all life forms."
Keles remained unconvinced, though she couldn’t deny the logic in Zarvok’s words. The Abyss was a brutal place, ruled by might and ambition, but Zarvok was proposing something different—something more strategic, less reliant on sheer force. It was a novel approach, and one that clearly set him apart from his demonic kin.
Ikenga leaned forward, his gaze sharpening as he considered the implications. "So you’re suggesting that by involving us, you can achieve your goal without the typical destruction that comes with a demon invasion? You want to use us as diplomats or intermediaries to secure the world without turning it to ash?"
Zarvok nodded, his expression serious. "Precisely. With your help, we can approach this conquest with subtlety. Instead of tearing the world apart, we can manipulate events, weaken the resistance, and ensure that the world falls under our control with minimal destruction. This approach doesn’t just meet the conditions for ascension—it exceeds them."
"It’s similar to the stories of heroes and villains you find in many human tales. The demons like myself are the villains, and the gods are the heroes. When the expedition starts, this entire abyss layer will be involved, meaning that most of my brethren will pour into the world, ready to destroy and conquer."
"As the son of the abyss and with you gods by my side, I can choose to play the villain or the hero. In this case, I play the hero."
Keles raised an eyebrow, still skeptical but intrigued by Zarvok’s unusual approach. The idea of a demon playing the role of a hero was almost laughable, but something about Zarvok’s demeanor suggested he was serious.
"And what do you gain by playing the hero?" Keles asked, her tone probing. "What’s in it for you if you’re not the one leading the charge in the traditional sense?"
Zarvok’s smile widened, though it held a hint of something darker. "Playing the hero doesn’t mean relinquishing power—it means wielding it more effectively. By positioning myself as the savior rather than the conqueror, I gain the trust of the world’s inhabitants, making them more likely to submit willingly rather than through force. This not only ensures a smoother conquest but also strengthens my claim when I ascend. A world taken by diplomacy and guile holds more value in the Abyss than one shattered by brute force. It demonstrates control, strategy, and, most importantly, superiority over my rivals."
Ikenga considered this carefully. Zarvok was clearly a different breed of demon, one who understood that true power came not just from might but from influence and control. This was a game of chess, and Zarvok was offering them a seat at the table—though it was clear he intended to make the final moves.
Keles still had doubts. "And you think the other demons will simply allow you to take this approach? Won’t they see it as a weakness, an opportunity to undermine you?"
Zarvok’s expression turned cold, his eyes narrowing slightly. "They will see what I want them to see. By the time they realize what’s happening, it will be too late for them to stop it. The demons who join the invasion will be blinded by their own bloodlust, eager to tear the world apart. Meanwhile, I’ll be securing the true prize—control over the world’s hearts and minds. By the time my brethren realize that brute force alone won’t work, the world will already be mine."
"And what of the world’s inhabitants?" Ikenga asked, testing Zarvok’s resolve. "If we play the hero, as you suggest, are we to protect them? Or are they merely pawns in your game?"