//------------------------------// // Meanwhile, at the Legion of Doom // Story: Into the Friendship // by AmanDash //------------------------------// The Council of Barons have been debating violently for the last half hour already. Gordrak, known for his brute force has already conjured a fireball and was ready to throw it at Karumpos, who was eyeing the former with such contempt that even the others could feel it, even if it was not directed to them. The debate was about whether they should attack the Doom Slayer in Equestria or not. Gordrak stated that with the element of surprise and with enough force, they could overpower the Slayer on a foreign territory while his defenses were down, or at least, not so high up. Karumpos reminded him that the Slayer's defenses were never down, and it would be wiser to take on the Slayer in Hell, where they had the field advantage as well as nigh infinite numbers. They have been running in circles already, repeatedly shouting the same sentences over and over. "Listen here you coward, I don't care about your excuses. Clearly you just want to pull yourself out of fight, and IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN!" - roared Gordrak. Karumpos was not lazy to answer, with so much cold cruelty in his voice that every lesser demon who heard him felt a shiver running down their spines. "You are wasting Hell's resources. We can NOT take on the Slayer on a terrain we don't even know! Hell, he may even find allies in the inhabitants making it impossible to even reach him, not to mention kill him. If you want to go, that's on you. I will report your failure and obsession to waste military force to the Dark Lords." "And I will report you for cowardice. You know what is the punishment for it. Do not test my patience, unless, of course, you want to face the Hell Guards." All of the other Barons tensed up at the mention of the Hell Guards. It has been a traditional punishment since eons founded by the ancient Archviles. If an Archvile proved to be unworthy of his position as field commander of the forces of Hell, he was sentenced to face the two Hell Guards alone in the Arena. Though the Archviles have long retreated to a secret region of the Hellscape unknown by most demonkind, the Barons of Hell carried on their legacy. To day, the Hell Guards have remained undefeated. Still, Karumpos didn't allow fear gripping at his blackened heart. He stood proudly, defiantly even, eyeing Gordrak with unrestrained malice. "It is not cowardice, it is called tactics and strategy, something you clearly lack" - he stated evenly. "Samarra has pinpointed his location for us, we just have to wait for the portal to build, teleport in and KILL HIM! Of course, a coward like you is not worthy of the Slayer. You don't even deserve to be a called a Baron. You are nothing but a disgrace to all of the Barons of Hell." "Says the one taking advice from Summoners, because he is too stupid to figure out anything on his own. A Baron should NEVER listen to any demon below him, but you are clearly not sharp enough to be called one. Maybe you should stick to brawling and betting on Hell Knight matches, as you have always been doing. That's what you are for, not for commanding the armies of Hell. Only the Dark Lords of Hell can give us orders. And that coward Samarra, your Summoner friend, who does nothing but manipulating those fool enough to fall for it and sending others to their doom - well - she isn't one of them." Gordrak was already trembling with barely restrained rage. He took a menacing step towards Karumpos. "I will RIP YOU APART! IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO FACE THE SLAYER, YOU WILL DIE AT MY CLAWS!" - he roared with unholy fury. "Bring it on, bitch." - Karumpos coldly stated, while stepping up right in the face of Gordrak. Suddenly, something hit the ground near them with such force that the ground shook, and the arguing Barons faltered from the force of the impact. It was Makaleel, the oldest of the Barons, who had leapt up in the air and landed near them with his impressive ground pound. He was one of the ancient ones who were alive before the Slayer's first massacre began - and the only one who had already faced the Slayer during his first rampage and survived. It was by accident though - they were fighting in a cave when suddenly the cave collapsed and the Slayer was cut away from him. "That's enough. We need every one of us to face the Slayer, be it here or elsewhere. If you two start killing each other, you are doing free labor for the Slayer." - he rumbled. "We will have a vote. There are nine of us present at this council. Majority wins. If the idea of Gordrak wins, we all must support him by all and any means in his mission. If he fails, he won't be given even an Imp for support." "Fine. Let's get this over with." - Gordrak grumbled. "So, who votes on opening the portal and attacking the Slayer in Equestria?" Suddenly, six claws were raised high in the air. "It is settled then. Gordrak wins six to three." "That's cheating!" - Karumpos seethed. "Gordrak and Kragoth raised both of their claws!" "It may have escaped your attention, Karumpos, but this is Hell. And Hell doesn't play fair. Hell uses lies, deception and is unfair in battle. The vote is concluded. We begin our attack as soon as the portal is opened. All Barons present must bring their full assorted army. If I find out that any of you left even as much as an Unwilling behind, I will personally make sure that the traitor faces the Hell Guards. Samarra, gather your Imps, Hell Knights and Hell Razers. You are coming with us. And Grishnakh? Don't you even dare to try hiding your Pinky." With this, the nine Barons of Hell present at the council started to scatter. Little did Gordrak, Makaleel and the two others who wanted to face the Slayer in Equestria know that they were bound to fail. For as they won the vote by deception, the remaining four silent Barons lined up behind Karumpos in unity. Karumpos and his allies made sure that those four who wanted to rush head first into the unknown like a Pinky, would face serious trouble in Hell... if they ever made it back.