Chapter XXIII: The New Council
The Soul Banisher stared at the delightful city beneath him. The walls were lined with the crucified failures of those who had failed him, their pitiful screams for mercy unanswered. The gates were open as a stream of scum flooded into the city. All those once exiled, rapists, murders, pedophiles, thieves, brutes and other villains were welcomed back with open arms, provided they could write. The peasants who weren't chained to tables and forced to write brawled in the street. The mighty Marauders, the wise Sages, the intelligent sages, and the fuckhole Wardens, all supposed valiant Orders that were little more than a distraction. When the peasants fought each other, his reign was unchallenged. The Soul Banisher grinned, feeling the corners of his mouth tear open as blood flowed down his face. This was glorious.
The Soul Banisher turned and walked back into the tower. A few of the pathetic Council of Nine was there. Axiom had her nose in a book about cats or some bullshit, Mizal played with a knife, clearly bored as Malk frantically humped her boot, some animal part of his brain connecting sexuality to leather through his memories of Gimp Suits in his last career before joining the council. Steve was lying on the couch, downing bottles of whiskey. Mister IAP sharpened his sword on a grindstone.
"Is this all you're going to do today?" the Soul Banisher said.
"I guess I'm going to touch myself," Steve shrugged.
"What's there to do? Everyone's productive!" Mizal said.
"Zag put on a new play about Tim and Chris! Burn that shit to the ground! Fight for your Orders! Do something!"
"Do I seriously have to start making a thrusting motion to show you how gay that is? Oh, Malk's already doing it!"
"Axiom, are you going to do anything?!" the Soul Banisher said.
"I'm up for anything!" Axiom said in a high pitch, showing off her impressive ventriloquism act.
"Oh, really?" the Soul Banisher said.
"No!" Axiom said loudly in her regular voice. "Fuck off, I'm doing real work."
The Soul Banisher considered shattering their morale, or killing them, or brutally tearing them apart, before sighing. He turned, walking down the stairs of the tower and walking out the door. He needed something new. Something better than this pathetic council.
The Soul Banisher had an idiot who couldn't lead a dog on a leash, a bitchy cynic, a horny rodent, a rotting sleazeball, a drunken prickand IAP, who he liked, but kept bad company. He needed new minions.
***
The first character to replace was obviously a strong leader to replace Lady Mizal. Although Mizal was prone to brutalizing anyone she thought could replace her, there was still Thara.
After stopping in to Set's and paying the greedy mercahnt a Point he was directed to the dungeons. The grunts of pain, pleasure and a mixture of both filled his ears as entered Thara's private dungeon. He paused, finding the Undead King strapped to the wall, dressed in a maid's outfit. Although the Soul Banisher had seen things that would shatter a mere mortal's mind, this gave him pause.
"Uh... hey," he said.
"This isn't what it looks like," the Undead King said.
"I'm sure it isn't."
"This is foreplay. I'm getting head afterwards."
Although the Undead King's genitalia looked the closest to "malnourished" a dick could get, the Soul Banisher nodded.
"Is someone talking? I...!" Thara said, walking into the dungeon. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know we had company."
The Soul Banisher stared at Thara, who was completely naked. He paused after a second, realizing that there were thin, see-through strips of fabrics over her breasts and genitals that could technically qualify as clothes in the same way motor boating counts as friendship.
"I need your help, Thara. How would you like to be my minion?"
"She's already my min...!" End began to say, before cowering from Thara's whip.
"Happy to!" Thara said.
"Good. Meet me at the Council of Nine's tower in about an hour, got it?"
"Yes, sir!" Thara grinned.
***
Next was a dumbass who spewed out stories and has delusions of grandeur. The obvious choice was the Small King. The boy, who had inherited his crown by being both the son, brother, nephew, cousin and uncle of the previous king of a small, unknown nation, due to incredible amounts of incest, and the only surviving citizen of said nation, due to incredible amounts of incest. He was found in the back of Set's, shitting in a bush and wiping his ass with a book.
"Are you the Small King?" the Soul Banisher asked.
"Of course!" the boy grinned, finishing wiping his ass and closing the book shut. "How may I help you?"
"I didn't mean to interrupt your shitting, but I..."
"What?" the Small King said, confused. "I'm not shitting, I'm writing. This is my newest book."
The Soul Banisher paused, the high amount of books submitted by the Small King now clear. Never the less, at least he understood how to wipe his ass after shitting, something the twat he was replacing didn't know.
"I need your help. Just go to the Council of Nine's tower in an hour, OK?"
"Got it," the Small King said.
"That's it? No questions? You're not the slightest bit c...?"
Seeing a fly do its name into his ear and come out the other side, the Soul Banisher decided to turn away and focus on the next person.
***
Next was the one who's actually able to get shit done. Although he wouldn't mind keeping Mister IAP around, he had some form of loyalty to the old council. He quickly found the perfect target, hanging half-naked wearing animal furs from the city walls alongside a few Beastmen. With a flick of his wrists the Beastmen exploded into flames, collapsing down the wall. Then, he turned to Wibbins, who hung there.
"Make it quick," she said, closing her eyes in terror.
"Relax, I'm not here to kill you. I'm here to recruit you."
"R-recruit me?" Wibbins asked.
"I need a capable minion. Are you up for it?"
"Y-yes, sir. Th-thank you, sir," Wibbins nodded.
The Soul Banisher grabbed Wibbins by the hand, lifting her up to the top of the wall.
"Get to the Council of Nine's tower, got it?"
Wibbin's eyes widened.
"No, I can't! They ki...!"
The Soul Banisher grabbed her by the throat, lifting her into the air and holding her above the wall.
"I asked for a capable individual. Not one that questions," he snarls.
He released his grip, as Wibbins shrieked and fell through the air. He grabbed her by her hair, yanking her to a stop as she screamed.
"OK! Please, just don't hurt me! I don't want to die!"
The Soul Banisher tossed her to the top of the wall.
"Get to the tower and wait for me."
Wibbins nodded and pointed her tear-filled eyes at her feet.
"Good," the Soul Banisher grinned, turning to walk onto finding the next target.
***
Next was a whiny critic. Axiom's criticism had helped the Council improve slightly. A similar figure would be better for the reformed Council. The obvious choice was found being odd in a tavern.
"I'm not a furry!" the Penguin Furry yelled. "I am a penguinite! We are a noble...!"
"We don't serve furries," the tavern keeper repeated.
"Quiet! What did you say your name was, tavern keeper?"
"Vic Mars the fourteenth," the tavern owner answered.
The Soul Banisher grabbed the tavern keeper's throat and, not recognizing the name, tore it out and devoured it eagerly. He turned to the Penguin Furry, grinning with blood-stained teeth.
"So, you're the Penguin Furry, yes?"
"I'm not a f..." he began to say, before staring into the Soul Banisher's eyes and knowing true fear. "Yes, sir."
"Head to the Council of Nine's tower," he said. "Wait there for me."
With that, the Soul Banisher walked out of the room, not even bothering to wait for the affirmative answer.
***
The Soul Banisher walked into the Admin Chambers to find a replacement for the necromancer. Seeing the Iron Killer there, he pointed at him.
"Go to the Council of Nine's tower and wait there, got it?"
"Sure," the Iron Killer nodded.
Well, that was easy. Now to finish with the group scumfuck.
***
Although a replacement for Malk might seem to be an issue, the Soul Banisher felt like he should keep up his whole one for one theme. When he found himself stepping in a puddle of urine, he paused and frowned before realizing he had found his candidate.
A large, fluffly but very annoying bunny sat in a puddle of its urine. It sniffed the air, or perhaps sniffed its own urine. Yes, this would replace the Capybara.
"This'll do," the Soul Banisher said, picking up the rabbit before walking towards the Council of Nine tower.
***
The new Council of Thara, the Penguin Furry, the Iron Killer, Wibbins and the Small King were assembled outside the Council of Nine's tower. This would do. He'd replace the meaningless background Council Members later. For now, he had new minions to further his expansion.
The new Council was born