Shattering Humanity-Chapter 271: What Is A Queen?
"I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ’a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household’" -Matthew 10:34–36
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[Mount Decima. Military Residential District]
Nephilim: "Well, if I’m going to make it outside to Erebus I’ll have to beat the foot traffic through the shuttle system."
He gets up, quickly moving his way to the washing Silpheed.
He pats his most trusted colleague on the head, not seeing that the kind gesture is making Silph blush.
Nephilim: "You did good last night, Silpheed.
I entrust you not to disappoint me again."
With a silent nod, Silpheed continues and Nephilim makes his way towards the front door of his lovely home.
Nephilim: "When I get back Eden, maybe I can take you shopping.
I know how much the office supply store tickles your fancy, haha!"
Eden blushes.
Nephilim: "I’ll be back, you two be good for Silpheed!"
The man fully embracing the role of a single father of five, closes the door behind him and stands there alone for a moment.
Outside his home, the giant light hanging above the entire district is too bright to look at and illuminates the entire replica of a pre-apocalyptic suburban neighborhood.
Now that it is morning, instead of the nightly ambiance of cicadas, crickets, and owls the hidden/disguised speakers are softly playing birds tweeting and tree leaves rubbing together from the non-existent wind inside the dome.
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the baseball sized pink orb with Princess Kawaii still asleep inside sucking her thumb.
Nephilim’s grip tightens around the little girl in the smooth crystal ball he was entrusted to protect for three days.
Nephilim: "She really is cute.
I wonder what her name is..."
MamMon DæMon: "That’s the irony.
The angel’s name is Kawaii."
Nephilim, still standing at his own doorstep shoots his gaze forward and sees the incredibly illusive and unpredictable Old Norse witch standing at the end of his short walkway to the curbside.
She has her hood up, cowlick out, and from the shadows of the head covering, her azule blue eyes glow.
He puts the snoozing pink princess back in his inner jacket pocket. Taking the first step away from the door.
Nephilim: "Oh!
Queen MamMon!
I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.
Good morning."
MamMon DæMon: "And a merry morning to you too."
Nephilim: "Pardon my memory, but I thought we were going to meet outside the mountains in Erebus?
I hope I didn’t mistaken the time and I was actually late."
MamMon charmingly smirks at the most recent example of courtesy and title the highly respected man had bestowed upon her the night before.
MamMon DæMon: "Are you still going on with this ’Queen’ business, Erinyes Nephilim?"
Nephilim is halfway up his cemented path to where his comrade is waiting for him.
Nephilim: "Of course.
You are the most adored and sacred person of Erinyes territory.
It’s only right, don’t you think?"
By the time he reaches her, she starts making her way down the street.
MamMon DæMon: "I could say there is an argument that it is you who is the one most adored.
But, I assure you, there is no need to grant me such a noble and useless title."
Nephilim: "Useless?"
MamMon DæMon: "A Queen has her subjects fight to defend her.
As where I defend those who help me achieve my goals."
The only other life inside the mountains, aside from humans, are arachnids and common invading insects.
As those two pass by a tree, there is one spider comfortably living within unmoving leaves, with a huge web.
MamMon DæMon: "A kingdom stands as long as a Queen stands proud and pure.
As wherever I go is my kingdom, and I stand on a hill of corpses.
A Queen and I are nothing alike."
A fly lands in the arachnid’s kingdom, and immediately she scurries through her self shot silky strings, entrapping it’s prey for the next meal.
A smiling Nephilim follows close behind the philosophically speaking hooded woman and explains with his own reasoning while they continue their morning walk and talk.
Nephilim: "Well to me, a Queen is a woman that empowers those considered beneath her, and who would never have been empowered in the first place without her help or guidance."
From inside her hood, MamMon’s eyes dart to the side. Interested in her partner’s reasoning.
Nephilim: "A Queen is a woman who takes charge, doing what’s right when corruption and malpractice are apparent in her world.
A Queen is a woman who has been through actual hardships and fought through them with her inner beauty, not her outer. Even though she could take advantage of any moron if she wanted."
The truly stunning woman puts a hand to her cheek, pretending to blush.
MamMon DæMon: "Oh my.
Well if I didn’t know any better, I would say you are coming on to me, Erinyes Nephilim.
Your flattery is appreciated but unnecessary.
Now for the reason as to why I am early in the first place.
It seems a few of our younger graduating soldiers have managed to infiltrate our enemy’s territory.
In a few hours, one of my older sisters will be appearing on this continent to fetch two of our own rouge soldiers."
Nephilim’s interest peaks and he catches up to his ’Queen’.
Nephilim: "What?!
Which two graduates?!"
He realizes his place and distances himself from her once more
Nephilim: "I’m sorry for my energy, Queen MamMon, but I care about all my soldiers who put their lives on the line everyday.
It’s why our last General has entrusted me with this job."
MamMon DæMon: "It’s understandable.
And to answer your first question, it is going to be the fight loving delinquent pair from Squad 4, Ezekiel and Jeremiah."
Nephilim: "But one of them is considered a ’Beast of the Mountains’!"
MamMon DæMon: "Oh? I know Skalmönd was known as the ’Beast of the Beasts’.
How cute."
Nephilim(nods): "That young man Ezekiel is considered ’The Titan of Beasts’ within the HFF Academy.
That will be a huge loss to our overall protection of-"
MamMon DæMon: "It will all be fine, General!"
She cuts the worrying military strategizer off as she turns up the cement walkway to an three floor apartment.
One of the three mailbox’s flag at the end of their walkway is a crown.
MamMon DæMon: "I assure you, once we defeat Skalmönd, all my sisters will know of my grand accomplishment, and they will finally see I truly am the most fit to command them all.
Just as I had told them all those centuries ago."
They enter the unlocked front door and walk up the staircase to the third floor.
Nephilim: "So, if you don’t mind me asking, which one of your sisters is it going to be that shows up?"
MamMon DæMon: "My sister known for her and her mother Sanngriðr’s wrath, L’Orient DæMon."
[Tristan and Stephanie’s Home]
With a mouthful, Bethany stuffing her face, swallows her food and looks at her Squad 1 member.
Bethany: "So Steph, what’s the plans for the day?"
She takes another bite of food and swallows before washing it down with some OJ.
Bethany: "Didn’t you say we have to go and meet up with General Nephilim today?"
Ichythis(to herself): "...’Nephilim’?"
Even though she says it quietly, Isfet’s sensitive ears pick up the repeated name of the General and the facial expression Ichythis made after hearing the name.
Stephanie: "Well, umm Tritty and I had woken up early to make you all breakfast so that we wouldn’t be late, but there’s still an hour until the General is supposed to accompany us to Erebus City."
Suddenly, in complete xcitement of the main character finally beating the arc’s main bad guy in her show, Petra jumps up with her arms in the air and a tearful open smile.
Petra: "Get him, Captain Stretchy!
You got this!
Ahhhh!"
The older sister has tears in her eyes too, but not from the show...
Stephanie: "She’s always been so very impressionable.
It makes me happy just knowing that she’s happy, cheering for the good guys."
There is a ring at the doorbell.
Still hung over Peyton puts the pillow over his head from the loud noise.
Peyton: "Uggghh!"
Everyone watches as Stephanie quickly turns and prances over to the door.
She opens it to see MamMon and Nephilim patiently awaiting invitation to enter.
Stephanie: "Oh!
Madame MamMon!
General Nephilim!
Please come on in, we weren’t expecting you."
While in the living room, Isfet turns to the smoking Ichythis and whispers.
Isfet: "Is everything okay?
I could hear you earlier.
Do you know that Nephilim guy or something?"
Ichythis ashes her cig and takes a drag before answering.
Ichythis: "No, I don’t know anything about the actual man she’s referring to, but I do know about their secret clan."
Isfet: "...Secret...Clan’?"
