In a clandestine meeting that brought Frey and Snow face-to-face with men who ought to have been their enemies, an unexpected offer appeared—a chance at an alliance unheard of in history: an alliance between the Empire and the Ultras.
The Black Order were a secret organization working in the shadows, their goal to save as many humans as possible—not by fighting, but by yielding and going with the current. Their creed was simple: demons are an enemy that cannot be fought head-on. They "resisted," but never directly. In truth, the Black Order had never dared open battle; the one time resistance happened was when Rank Nineteen, Astaroth, was killed .. and even then, it was Gavid Lindemann who acted, not the Order itself.
"Our aim is to save humans, to preserve their lives by every means we can. We fight in our own way ..for survival," Maria said.
Their organization was not small. It included Lord Mergo himself and two of the Empyreans—though Lawrence wasn’t a formal member, merely Mergo’s retainer.
All of this Frey Starlight took in, and after hearing the proposal, he simply smiled.
"An alliance, then... It would be wonderful if it could happen," he said. Snow turned toward him, suspicion plain in his eyes; he wasn’t about to trust the Ultras so easily.
Frey continued anyway. "The war between the Empire and the Ultras has dragged on. It’s become necessary to end it soon. If we keep on like this, one side will be wiped out by the end. But with an alliance, we might prevent that."
He nodded, honestly liking the idea. "The true enemy is the demons—our one enemy, the foe we must fight. If we ally, we unite our strength and become far stronger than we are now. It’s a great scenario."
He nodded again—then his expression sharpened. "So? Tell me, Mergo—what’s the condition?"
He asked it out of nowhere, drawing curious looks.
"Condition?"
"Yes. You’ve said yourself you see us as hope for humanity, and we’re the sort to wage war against the demons to the bitter end—even if that means challenging the High Ranks and bringing calamities down on this planet. You, on the other hand, the Black Order, refuse to fight directly. That’s an obvious conflict of interest."
Mergo’s smile broadened. "Quick on the uptake, aren’t you, Frey Starlight? And yes .. what you’ve just said is exactly right."
He stepped forward and laid out his case.
"Frey Starlight, you’re clever enough to grasp the present reality. You may think you’ll win, since we Ultras lack anyone who can stand against you and your friend—but that way of thinking is completely wrong. In the end, the Empire’s ruin is inevitable, no matter how fiercely you resist, because your enemy isn’t human. It’s demons—filthy, unfathomable demons."
He sighed lightly, as if the very thought of the High Demons forever lurking made him tired.
"My intent is sincere, Frey Starlight. I’m here to ally with you if possible, to unite our strength—and to save what can still be saved among the Empire’s people."
Frey answered, unconvinced. "And how exactly do we save them if we don’t fight?"
Mergo said what he’d come to say. "At the rate this war is going, the moment you lose, the Empire will be annihilated—without exception. It will be a catastrophe that takes millions. But, Frey Starlight... you can avert that fate."
He held out his hand. "Submit to the demons. Surrender, and spare the worst—for yourself and for those close to you."
"You are very strong, and the same goes for Snow Lionheart. If you both submit, the demons will value you highly. You’ll accomplish far more than I or Gavid Lindemann ever could."
In other words: if Frey and Snow became demonic contractors and yielded completely, countless humans might be spared, given the worth of the two of them. Both possessed staggering potential.
Submission to demons was hardly unprecedented; it had happened many times already .. not only among humans. The one who holds the ninth rank among the High Demons ..Nito isn’t a demon at all, but of the Pantheon. In other words, other races can enter the demon hierarchy even if they aren’t demons.
Given Frey’s and Snow’s power, they would be recognized and granted very high ranks. With that status, they could oversee Earth themselves .. rather than the witch Beatrice .. and save many lives.
This, in brief, was the Black Order’s "best path to survival," conceived after witnessing what Frey and Snow—especially Frey—had accomplished.
Neither Frey nor Snow looked impressed.
"This is your brilliant idea of survival? You call this ’fighting’? All you’ve done is bow and simper .. while humans keep dying every day."
Yes, the Black Order had saved millions over the years. But for every human they saved among the Ultras, a hundred others died.
"Your submission kept you out of direct conflict with the demons, but it turned you into their lab rats. Most of you died to demonic blood."
"From what you’re saying, you want the Empire to do the same thing .. don’t you?"
Frey chuckled.
"What a joke."
To him, it was the dumbest thing they could do—and Snow agreed completely.
"I’d rather die torn to pieces on a battlefield than crawl and simper before filthy creatures who enjoy watching people die," Snow said, making his total opposition plain.
Mergo let out a long, heavy sigh.
"I’ve been there, you know... in Helmond."
Because he was half-demon, he had spent his childhood in that hellish land—and in those few years there, he’d seen enough.
"Frey Starlight, I know my offer sounds pitiful to you, but believe me—this is the best we can do."
His voice rose, unusual for him, as old memories surfaced.
"The Demon King, the Ten High Ranks... the Duchy of Hell ..every one of them is a monster you can’t predict and can’t fight. Raising our swords against them is nothing but suicide. Instead of annihilation of our extinction fighting from the shadows while yielding on the surface is far more merciful."
Frey wasn’t moved. If anything, he knew more about the demons and their king than Mergo did.
"It’s too early to declare failure. We’ve only just begun to fight the demons."
The battle with Zibar, the appearance of Geppetto—those were only the opening skirmishes of far harsher wars to come, and Frey intended to meet them all head-on.
"I appreciate the offer, Mergo, but I’d rather decide my fate with my own hands than leave it to others while I kneel and hope for their mercy."
There was nothing for Frey and Snow to give Mergo but refusal.
The old man tipped back his bottle and drank deep. Maria remained calm, unmoved by Frey’s words. He kept an eye on her the whole time, testing for a hint of intent—but her face stayed perfectly cool, hiding everything.
Maria was one of the main heroines of the novel Frey had once written. Like the others, she held vast potential. At some point, she was meant to change sides and aid Snow Lionheart .. but with how things had shifted since Frey’s arrival, that was no longer guaranteed. For a moment he thought it might happen now, given this talk of alliance. With his refusal, it seemed it wouldn’t be anytime soon.
Mergo cut across Frey’s thoughts.
"Frey Starlight, I doubt I can change your mind. Your resolve is clear and deep—beyond the reach of someone like me. But I must warn you: you’re walking into your grave."
Frey didn’t so much as flinch. "Let me worry about that. If death comes looking, I won’t turn it away."
"Stubborn to the last... but so be it," Mergo said, then continued. "Frey Starlight, let’s make a wager, you and I. A simple one—you’ve nothing to lose."
"A wager? What kind?"
Mergo stepped forward.
"It’s simple. As I’ve said, the war between the Empire and the Ultras is at its end. The final battle is close—soon the main forces of both sides will clash, and the victor will decide everything.
"My wager is this: if the Empire’s forces survive that battle and emerge victorious, I promise the Black Order and I will become your subordinates. But if you lose, you likely won’t be killed. When that happens, I want you to join us yourself—and carry out the proposal I’ve given you."
A wager on the war’s outcome—on who would stand and who would fall.
Frey thought for a moment, then nodded calmly.
"Fine. In that case, we’ll be enemies a while longer."
Snow stepped up as well. "Which means it’d be better to kill you now, wouldn’t it? You’re some of the Ultras’ most important pieces."
He was ready to strike at light-speed and end them. Frey stopped him ..and in the same instant, a strange surge of aura rippled over them all. Frey recognized it at once: Mergo’s manipulation of space, the art that let him slip anywhere at will.
"This is the end of our meeting, Frey Starlight," Mergo said. "Next time will be on the battlefield."
"I’ll be looking forward to it," Frey replied.