Rise Beyond Celestial

Linfer arrived at Empress Epsilone's office, pushing the door slowly with a playful smile on his lips. Barely had he stepped inside when he was violently pressed against the door, Epsilone's lips crashing into his. Her mouth devoured his with almost feral passion, as if she had been waiting for this moment for centuries. Linfer responded to her kiss with a certain nonchalance, savoring the empress' excess while noting the warmth of her body pressed against his.

"If only your dear Octavius could see you now," Linfer murmured, his lips barely parted from hers. "See his wife behaving like a slut..."

Epsilone let out a stifled laugh while caressing the nape of Linfer's neck, her fingers entwining in his hair. "I'm just your slut," she replied, moaning, as her lips trailed down to his neck.

With almost bestial speed, Linfer seized the opportunity. He gently bit the base of her neck, savoring the sweet taste of her blood flowing into his throat. Epsilone, immersed in a state of total euphoria, gripped his shoulders tighter, her body trembling under the bite.

"Tsk," Linfer said between sips, releasing his grip before licking his bloody lips. "That's your punishment for your dear emperor's arrogance." Epsilone, too intoxicated by pleasure to protest, surrendered completely to him, her eyes closed and her lips parted in delight.

They continued their passionate encounter with increasing intensity, moving from the office to her personal spa. There, immersed in the warm, scented water, their bodies intertwined under the flickering light of the candles, they prolonged this endless night of desire. Epsilone clung to him, moaning his name between each kiss, each caress, until dawn finally broke on the horizon.

The next morning, Linfer rose, stretching gently, a mischievous smile still gracing his face. Epsilone watched him, still languid, with a tender and affectionate gaze. "I love you," she murmured, her eyes misty with emotion.

Linfer leaned towards her, his clawed fingers gently brushing her skin before making a precise incision on her chest, tracing a perfect omega between her breasts. Their mingled blood transformed into a reddish scar, as if she had been branded with a hot iron.

"Until my return, let no one touch you," he commanded with a coldness that contrasted with the tenderness of his gestures. Epsilone slowly nodded, accepting his order without a hint of hesitation.

Gazing at her one last time, his piercing eyes capturing the sad gleam in hers, Linfer whispered, "I'll be back..." Then, in a cloud of bloody mist, he disappeared, leaving the empress alone.

Tears silently rolled down her cheeks. Deep in her heart, she felt that it might be the last time she saw the one she considered her beloved.

***

Linfer, in his gaseous state, traversed the entire castle and finally arrived at the meeting point. He was still the last to arrive.

Leviathan looked at him with a cold expression, his hands behind his back. He wore a long black coat over his armor, while Alderbaran, as always, stood silently in a corner, her veiled attire revealing only her eyes.

They stood before a large closed portal, with only the sage Caesto, Emperor Octavius, and two guards present.

Octavius broke the silence, his grave voice resonating in the air:

"I see you're all ready." He nodded towards the guards, who, without a word, stepped forward towards the portal.

The guards simultaneously inserted their keys into the massive locks, a dull clinking sound echoing. The chains, as if they had been waiting for this moment for centuries, began to slowly relax. Suddenly, with a crashing noise, they shattered into pieces, sending dark fragments flying. A slight tremor shook the ground, and a crack appeared on the surface of the portal.

It was a spatial rift, narrow at first but gradually widening, revealing the sole passage to access the lower plane. On the opposite side, a similar rift existed, connecting the upper plane to the lower one.

Octavius, a satisfied smile on his lips, looked at his son Leviathan. He placed a firm hand on his shoulder and, in a powerful voice, declared:

"Conquer the underworld."

Leviathan, tall and imposing, nodded, his features marked by the usual seriousness on his stoic face.

Not far away, Alderbaran, Octavius' youngest daughter, calmly observed the scene. Her soft voice broke the silence:

"Goodbye, father."

Octavius replied, his tone filled with paternal affection:

"Goodbye, my daughter. I also expect a lot from you. Don't let the Elysian intimidate you."

"Okay..." She nodded.

Linfer sighed loudly.

'Isn't this all too hypocritical? Who could intimidate her in this world? Just ask her to kill them all, why beat around the bush.'

Octavius' gaze fell on Linfer, who was eating an apple with a detached expression, almost bored by the entire ceremony.

"Caesto, could you brief him on the strategy?" Octavius asked, gesturing towards Linfer with his chin. "He was absent at last night's meeting."

The sage Caesto nodded in agreement, preparing to explain the tactics, the information about the lower plane, and especially the locations occupied by the Elysian. Linfer, having finished his apple, carelessly tossed the core onto the ground and moved towards the rift, a nonchalant smile on his lips.

"Take care of the empress for me, father," he said with a wink, ready to step through the portal. "See you later."

He disappeared into the rift without waiting for a response, his words still floating in the air.

"And don't forget what I told you!" Caesto called out calmly, as Linfer was already out of sight.

The portal trembled again as the rift stabilized, and one by one, they entered, each projected into a different location in the lower plane.