The halls of Eclipse Imperium, Regis Vortigern's airborne fortress, echoed to the measured ring of feet on polished obsidian floors. The throne room, a vast chamber lined with colossal pillars engraved in eldritch runes, pulsed with a soft golden glow, tuning itself to its master's whim. Seated on a towering throne of onyx and blazing emberstone, Regis saw his most favored retainers gather.
They were all creations by Eclipse Imperium guild members, powerful NPCs who had gained total sentience upon arrival in this world. In opposition to Ainz's secretive policy, Regis had been expanding overtly, folding new territory under his dominion and accepting those willing to surrender into the Ashen Dominion.
Tonight, however, the throne room was on edge. The world was evolving. Regis could feel it.
Ainz Ooal Gown, Nazarick's enigmatic undead overlord, had begun his conquest of the Re-Estize Kingdom, drawing the interest of every power on the world. The war of Supreme Beings was nigh.
Regis leaned forward, resting his chin on his armored fist. His golden eyes, which shone with divine and abyssal energy, scanned the room.
The Inner Circle Assembles
At the forefront was Zeraphis, the Nightborn Warlord, Regis' right-hand general. A hulking figure in spiked midnight-black plate armor, Zeraphis was an Eldritch Dreadknight, a race and class hybrid unique to Eclipse Imperium. His gauntleted hands were resting on the pommel of his soul-drinking greatsword, Noctis Fang.
"My Lord, we have received reports from our agents within the Slane Theocracy," Zeraphis spoke, his voice possessing an otherworldly metallic timbre. "Nazarick is acting with deliberated calculation. They have incinerated entire cities with their armies of undead."
To his left, Lady Valeria, the Blood Empress, displayed a smile of knowing. A being of breathtaking loveliness with crimson irises and skin of pale ivory, she was an Abyssal Blood Monarch, a unique breed that was a combination of vampiric and eldritch blood. Her black gown flowed with shimmering cursed enchantments, and a golden chalice containing red fluid hovered next to her.
"The Undead Supreme Deity is efficient, I'll give him that," she thought. "But efficiency is not conquest. Dominion requires subjugation of body and soul."
A low laugh came from Voldren the Titan Sage, a Colossus Sorcerer, who was nearly ten feet tall. His body, suffused with arcane tattoos, radiated magical power. His wisdom often cooled the others' bloodlust.
"However," Voldren interrupted, his voice a low, rich baritone, "there is one undeniable truth—Nazarick possesses World Items. If we move too soon, we will be forced into a fight we are less than prepared for."
At the speaking of World Items, there was a grave silence that fell over the room.
These relics, remnants of Yggdrasil's prime, had the ability to reshape the fundamentals of magic, bending reality itself. Regis possessed a few himself, though he had yet to fully understand the extent of Nazarick's arsenal.
Regis finally spoke, his voice ringing with unchallenged authority.
"The mistake Ainz Ooal Gown is making… is that he believes fear is enough. That is where I will exceed him."
He rose to his feet, his colossal figure shining in a golden-red aura as the throne reacted to his presence. His star-thread cape billowed behind him, blown by unseen ethereal winds.
"Fear is a tool—but loyalty, respect, and faith forge chains unbreakable." He gazed out at his generals. "We will not simply take the world. We will make them kneel willingly."
Expansion and Dominion
Other than Eclipse Imperium's floating fortress, Regis' realm included a number of kingdoms. The Ashen Dominion had already absorbed the Draconis Theocracy, a zealot nation that had once risen up in revolt but was now among his most trusted vassals.
His army was unlike anything this world had ever seen.
The Blackguard Legion: Elite soldiers armored in Voidsteel that were able to absorb enemy spells and deflect them.
The Riftstalkers: Shadow Nexus assassins, trained in planar shifting and death strikes.
The Abyssborn Conclave: Warlocks and archmages who wielded magics alien to this world, powered by the celestial abyss.
Thousands of troops drilled incessantly on the fields outside, their cries echoing through the night as war engines, enchanted ballistae, and abyssal behemoths were prepared for battle.
Regis had no interest in meaningless slaughter. He would conquer the world not through force alone, but through the calculated breaking of wills. By causing his enemies to believe his victory was predestined, they would surrender before conflict even began.
Ainz vs. Regis: Two Supreme Beings, One World
The time for initial contact had come.
Regis stood before his gathered council once more. "We will send an emissary to Nazarick."
Zeraphis narrowed his gleaming silver eyes. "A message of war?"
Regis smiled. "A message of dominance."
He raised his hand, and a golden-black summoning rune shimmered in the air. One figure materialized—a colossal figure bound in golden chains, his face obscured behind a mask of the eclipse.
The Voice of the Sovereign—a beast that spoke Regis' will to lesser kings.
"Go to the Great Tomb of Nazarick," Regis commanded. "Deliver this message: The Ashen Throne is aware of Ainz Ooal Gown's presence. We will meet—not as enemies, not yet, but as masters of this world."
Ainz would receive the message.
And thus, the first steps toward a conflict of Supreme Beings had begun.