Hello, everybody! This is the last entry so far, the prompt being Charm. What could I write but the charming Mastema, trying to destroy someone else with words? Also, so sorry this took so much time. What am I going to do next - I don't know yet. Maybe I'm going to focus on my NaNo project for the rest of April and write for some challenges...

Title: And So, It Ends
Prompt: Historical 15 - Charm
Fandom: Soul Cartel
Rating: T
Summary: The Lord of the Snakes offered peace. As always, it came with strings attached.

 

‘Your Highness, Michael,’

Mastema dipped his quill in the ash-black ink. His thoughts - let free for a moment - tangled in a disordered sense.

‘Your brother's army has fallen. I am just as sure as you that the end of our little struggle is near.’

How much time would it take Raphael to send a message? Mephisto could not guard all the mountain passages, but he had left soldiers on the ones close to Justina. Raphael would need at least a few weeks to send a message through the remaining ones. Another chance to pressure the prince, then.

‘I regret to inform you that your brother has been slain.’

Uncertainty - a bet where the pluses outweighed the risks. Mastema smiled. He could pressure Micheal even more.

‘I regret to inform you that your brother had been slain by Uriel. Is it not time to end this horrific war, where brother must kill brother?’

How could the good, all-loving Michael say no? How could Mastema not pile even more guilt onto him?

‘You have tried to end this bloodbath. We accepted your offer for peace talks and we will accept it again, if you do not wish your whole kingdom destroyed. You could have agreed to our terms. I shall give you another chance. Refusal means your destruction. I do not believe I could hold my brother back.’

Mastema would not even try to hold Mephisto back, but Micheal did not need to know that. Fear made people obedient. Now Mastema had to play the part of the charming hero.

‘However, I promise to fight as much as I could. If you agree to meet me, I will stop the advancing army by any means possible. I shall ask for compensation, of course, but only as much as acceptable. Even here we have heard of the heavy losses you have suffered through.’

Just enough to not ruin them completely, but so much that they would depend completely on Inferno's mercy. Astaroth would have to agree to those terms, but she did as Mastema asked. He was her best, most trusted politician.

‘I find it hard to believe you would not agree. This is in the best interests of both countries. The needless death stops, the senseless bloodshed ends. No more families will have to be broken, no one will die in agony from a sword in their back. No one will have to fear the crimson shadow of the war.’

He could not say "No" to those terms, right? And even if he did, Mastema had another letter planned - that one for the Royal Court. At least one of them would wish the war to end. One spark to ignite a second war.

‘Mastema, First Lord of Inferno’

No, not enough. After a short thought, Mastema added to his signature, ‘and Governor of Purgatory’

The seal of House Lucifer hit the soft wax. All left was to deliver the message. Oh, how fun it'd be to send Uriel - but he could disprove the contents with ease. No, the letter had to be given to someone else.

Mephisto would hate it - he always hated when wars ended. That monster lived for pain and fighting, always being one step before his enemies and beating them every time. The next danger to Mastema's power.

After the peace treaty, he would have to kill him, too.

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