Chapter 1
AN: I do not own anything but my OC and my idea for the story.
Chapter One: Insertion
'What is the purpose of having power?'
What other purpose is there for someone that's stronger than everyone else; to be top dog? Power was just a dream for those who can't bear the harsh reality of life; a means to take control of one's own fate. It was something to always strive for. But what about those who already had it? Wasn't there always suppose to be someone with more power than others?
'I don't understand it.'
Life was a constant struggle; a never-ending challenge that would keep pushing down on you until you stopped breathing. Normally, those that were weak that had the Will would try to strive and struggle against those that have power. It was a means of escape. While those who had power, however small it may've been, always had an insatiable desire for more of it. But, there were also others faster, stronger, and smarter that pushed against them, trying to knock them back down.
It was like Life itself was a giant tree and there were many people trying to climb up its trunk, all the while, Reality acted as a tether that constantly tugged on their tired, worn bodies. They wanted to reach the top, to see the metaphorical ever-expanding horizon. While others were either unfortunate or would rather choose to stay complacent, satisfied with what they had, remained at the roots.
What awaited those that reached to top? What would they do afterwards? Most sentient beings always had that burning desire for more, to surpass their limitations. They soon learned that there was a limit to everything and that their desires are nothing more than impossible dreams.
'What does that make me then?' The man asked himself silently as he sat down with an exhausted huff; he became vaguely aware that it wasn't the softest of seats. He could feel every bone in him sharply protest with each subtle movement he made. The soreness of his muscles added to the constant unrelenting pain. There was a ringing going through his ears, almost preventing him from hearing anything else around him. His mind felt like it was in a numbing haze; probably the only thing giving him solace from any further anguish.
What about beings that figured out how to surpass mortal limitations? For those who found out one day that they could suddenly lift something ten times their weight effortlessly; or run at speeds that broke the laws of physics that hindered them; what of them? What did they do with their power? Did they seek more of it? What did the rest of the world think of them? 'Were they hunted too?'
Ah! He was being too philosophical, too many damn thoughts. His brain was already enough of a jumbled mess as it was.
Against his body's protests, he brought his hand into his vision. Cracked skin along the palm, fingers and knuckles, gashes and cuts scattered along the back of his hand and forearm; some were deep enough to go straight to the bone while others were shallow. Whatever skin that wasn't shredded to bits had burns ranging from mostly minor, to a few severe. He could already see most of the dead, blackened skin flaking off in the searing breeze of the night. He could feel the dry air flow around his entire body, smothering him.
He honestly couldn't fully remember how it came down to this, and as he kept trying to recall anything beforehand, he found more of his memories fading away steadily. All that was left were the most recent events.
He had been in a fight with something. He remembered the strength behind its attacks, and the pain that came soon afterwards. So much blood had been spilled and many bones were broken.
They had been fighting in a strange place, a place of inverted colors and blank space; nothing but a white void. Something about that place kept sapping his strength and energy. It felt like his very body was getting pulled around, stretched, and shredded while being burned all at the same time. He thought he would've gone insane but all he felt was rage!
Everything… hurt, even when he still felt that same familiar feeling of raw power flowing through him, filling his lungs, nostrils, and mouth. It hovered along his skin like a second layer of skin.
Then, suddenly, they were drifting in space before crashing into a large grey, cratered wasteland. There was no air in that place, he had to hold his breath for as long as he could. He looked up and saw something he didn't think he'd ever see in his life.
It was the Earth. He was on the moon?… How was that even possible?!
He was sure that the oxygen in his lungs should've been ripped out of him but, strangely enough, that didn't happen. In fact, it felt more like being underwater than anything else.
He didn't have enough time to take in the beauty of the world before the thing he'd been fighting re-commenced its assault. The sheer malevolence and hate radiating off of it caused something primal within him to react and he struck back with all his might and power. Their clash ignited the space around them and in a bright flash of blazing crimson light, the ground they stood on cracked and splintered and burst violently from the explosive shockwave.
What came after was a vivid and intense experience.
The force of the shockwave sent him hurtling through the endless void of space, spiraling out of control. He closed his eyes to keep in a futile attempt to try an keep his sense of vertigo in check; that had continued for what felt like minutes. Then he felt his body become alight with fire, the blood in his veins boiled and his skin and hair began to burn away. He was falling… and he kept his eyes closed as he waited for his end to come and the pain to finally cease.
It felt like an eternity, the constant burning torture never-ending. It was still impossible to breathe or even scream as he felt himself burning from the inside out. His vision quickly faded, his body finally going numb from the pain, and a voice reached his ears as everything else faded into cold silence.
Rest now, Vessel. Bear all your burdens onto me.
His mind had finally shut down as he welcomed the cold darkness, his current conscience being overlapped by another.
I won't allow your journey to end here.
Oversoul Possession!
…or at least, that's what he had originally thought.
Letting his arm fall limp at his side again, he looked downward to his torso and lower body; noticing how the damage on his arm was shared throughout his exposed body parts, maybe even worse. It looked like he was missing a sizeable chunk of his right side. The cracked and pale white color of his rib cage was noticeably visible within the shredded mess of muscle tissue and mangled organs. He looked far worse than he felt. Maybe it was the endorphins still pumping through his veins, keeping him from feeling the brunt of it.
By all accounts, he should've been dead. He chuckled, amused.
Ah, now he knew why it felt like there was a draft. Whatever clothes he had been wearing beforehand were unrecognizable now. At least his pants were relatively intact, wouldn't want his modesty to be compromised. It was too bad really, he actually liked his clothes.
'I think?' He rummaged through the drunken haze of his mind to confirm it. Not finding any clear answer, he passed it off. 'Ah well, I'm sure Circe and Medea wouldn't mind making me a new set… uh…'
'…Who were they again?'
Brief, faint images flashed through the fog within his mind. Details were obscure, like heavily blurred out photos. Most of them were of the same four women; by the fullness and shape of their curves he could tell that these women were definitely beautiful. Though, he couldn't help a small nagging feeling of warmth and longing in his heart. Even if he couldn't identify or recognize their faces, he felt an odd attachment to these strangers.
'Will I ever see them again?'
A single, fleeting thought. It seemed so foreign and out of place to him that he almost didn't think that it was his own mind conjuring it. His vision became blurry and distorted as he felt wet droplets seep from his eyes, confusing him. He felt them slowly roll down his scared cheeks, into his charred wounds.
He didn't understand why he was shedding these tears. Was it because he feeling sorrow? For what reason would he feel sad about?
He released a low, hollow chuckle. I'm losing my mind…
"DIE YOU MONSTER! RAAAH!"
"Wait, pull back!"
The injured man was torn out of his thoughts when he heard two voices shout. He saw a blurry, shadowed figure launch at him. The figure looked to have six large, white feathered appendages coming out of him, spread out wide. A blade of pure light in their hands, poised and ready. An angel maybe? Every muscle in his body burned in anticipation, instincts roaring out for him to dodge. Instead, he remained as he was…
He knew better. 'It's not like it matters…'
It was brief, a fleeting flash of searing pain as the figure's blade pierced through his chest, impaling him. Like a hot knife cutting through butter, the glowing blade made its path straight through his flesh and damaged insides. It sunk right through where his heart was. "Kuh!" The forced of the attack itself forced him to cough up blood. It was hard to breath again, except for a different reason this time.
It seemed his lungs were punctured, again. 'Oh well… It's just going to end the same way as all the other times.'
He exhaled in resignation.
The unknown assailant kept a firm grip on the glowing weapon with both hands. "Haaah… not so tough now, are you?" He twisted the blade further, wanting to draw out the downed man's torment. He sneered to the downed man, "To think a lowly human was responsible for so much chaos. Take solace in that you've been slain by a true being blessed by The Almighty!"
"Titus, your wings!"
The constant ringing in his ears had deafened significantly enough for him to hear more voices call out. He even took note that the angel, who had his sword still sheathed in him, seemed to be losing his previous aura. The pristine white feathers of his wings began to wilt slightly as dark shadows began to bleed through in its place. The holy ring of light above his head disappeared as impure, murderous thoughts tainted the image of a being that was suppose to represent purity and righteousness.
'What a fool…'
Did he truly not remember how his other comrades had fallen? Or of the ones with the bat-like wings? They all either shot him with many deadly and powerful spells or slashed at him with weapons forged in ethereal magic. Did this fool not learn anything of the outcome of those attempts?
Does he not see that the hill we are on is not made of earthen rock or grass and dirt?
"Why would our Lord give his blessings to such a weak and unworthy species instead of his chosen guardians?! I refuse to understand it!" The fallen angel continued to rant as he glared down at the assumed corpse. The other beings in the surrounding area, both angels and demons all clad in armor forged for war, watched on as another creation of purity and righteousness became tainted with malevolent, selfish malice. Another fallen angel.
A small part of him wanted to lash out at that arrogant angel, to show him just how weak he truly was compared to him… just like all the others that fell before him. Another part of him, this one more prominent, just wanted to continue to lay down and rest. To just close his eyes to the world and ignore it all.
"Get away from him, Titus!" Someone screamed off at the side. A woman's voice?
"Wha… what is this?!"
'Finally noticed it, have you?'
With the feeling of renewed energy and strength entering each remaining muscle fiber in his body, he began to slowly stand up once more. His movements caused the fallen angel to finally let go of his weapon and leap a few feet back in panic. Even with the holy light blade still lodged in his chest and copious amounts of blood spurting out, he could still move like it wasn't even effecting him. Like a man possessed.
I really am a monster, aren't I?
He began to feel his blood boiling once more, this time with a more pleasant sensation. The holy weapon construct cracked as the light faded from it before completely shattering into hundreds of small fragments. The blood pouring from his wounds flared with raging light.
Like magma, it dripped down his body. It sizzled as steam poured out of the many gnarled holes and tears littering his frame. Many of the observers could even hear multiple sickening snapping and popping sounds with each twitch and movement the human made. Lifting his other arm, he stabbed the sword he had in his possession into the mound they stood upon, trying to steady his wavering footing. The mound gave a sickening, deep squelch as metal easily gave way and the bodies within were pierced through.
Many would flinch at the sight of the weapon. Its make was something never seen before and yet they were all morbidly familiar with the dreaded blade. Caked in both dried and fresh blood of many slain angels and devils, it's bladed frame was severely damaged and was riddled with fractures and cracks. Regardless of the damage, the blade still continued to give off that same ominous aura…
A cornered and wounded beast of unknown strength and power, it continued to bear it's blood-soaked fangs. It would strike out at anything at a moments notice, refusing to lie down. Refusing the inevitability of it's own impending demise.
"…You should've... listened…"
The man's voice, raspy and weak, carried itself throughout the desolate battlefield like a roaming wraith. The corrupted angel that had run him through took a fearful step away from the human – no, monster. This thing, masquerading in the flesh of a man, glared at him hollowly with crimson orbs. They glowed with power and undaunted fury that gave the celestial being pause. The monster released its grip on the handle of the blade and took a single determined step towards Titus, a head crunched within the confines of its helmet under the monster's foot.
"NO!"
A twitch of muscle, a howl of anger, another thrown light spear, and a throaty gurgle. It all happen within a span of mere seconds.
Blood. So much blood.
"Brother!"
"Lord Michael!"
"Let go of me! I have to make him pay! He'll just keep killing us if I don't do something!"
The monster turned his head and glanced towards the angel that had thrown the light spear that was currently lodged in his back, pierced through his spinal cord. Despite this, he still stood there, unaffected as the construct shattered and faded. Another blazing wound was left in its wake, already in the process of repairing itself. He promptly ignored them.
"Bas-kuh!… bastard…"
Huh?
The young man looked back to the fallen angel that had attacked him earlier. The dying angel feebly tried to grasp and claw at the arm that impaled him, gripping the bleeding heart within his chest. Copious amounts of blood spilled from his mouth and chest, life force steadily leaving him.
I'll ease his suffering.
"I-I'll… make you… pay… yo-kuh!... you monster!... I'll -"
"Just die."
The monster squeezed his fist.
Like a ripe grape the bloody organ burst violently, splattering the fallen angel's life essence on the monster's arm, chest, and face. The angel's futile struggling ceased in an instant, body bending over limply. Another puppet cut from its strings. The corpse continued to be held upright by the arm still impaled in it.
Just like all the other angels that fell before him, the tainted black feathers of the wings faded into nothingness. One by one until nothing remained of the phantasmal appendages. All the while, the man holding the corpse felt more power enter his veins, filling his heart with unrelenting exhilaration and strength. With his vision fully returned, he panned his eyes over the rest of the surrounding angelic and demonic beings. Beings that had been warring with each other until he showed up.
Almost casually, he tossed the withered corpse aside and released his grip on the crushed organ. The body continued to careen down the mound until sliding into a stop. Another empty husk for the growing mountain of bodies.
"Hraah! RELEASE ME!"
"BROTHER, PLEASE!"
"Listen to your sister, Lord Michael! We can not afford to have you fall as well! You must calm yourself!"
So loud… More than a little agitated by the constant yelling and frantic shifting of metal-plated armor, the monster returned his sights to the source of the noise. It was that same angel that had been restrained by other multi-winged angels. He briefly noticed that one of them was distinctly female and had a powerful holy aura that match the male angel that was being held back. Her hair was a radiant blond, nearly ethereal. And yet… it was such a shame to see such beautiful and luscious hair covered in specks of blood. I wonder what she looks like under that helmet…
Mentally shaking such hormonal thoughts away, he continued to observe the group of struggling angels. He could tell the pale blonde male that was currently glaring at him with eyes full of malice and unrestrained rage was their leader of sorts. His golden wings of heaven kept flickering between divinity and darkness as his rage prevailed over his own sanity.
The holy energy pouring out of that angel seemed to flood the area and pounded against the monster's frame threateningly. I can feel my blood boiling again… His muscles twitched, waiting to spring into action once more. Instinctively, his own power rose to combat the oppressive aura. He could feel newly grown hairs raise on the back of his neck, another familiar feeling bubbling within his being. Deep, deep down…
Hunger.
His lips parted apart slightly, teeth gritted as he exhaled that unbearable heat within his lungs in a puff of hot steam.
The monster raised his right arm and slowly swung it wide towards the implanted blade a few feet behind him, causing many to flinch and prepare themselves for another possible slaughter. "Come… forth." As those words left his lips, the sword seemed to shudder and shake before it suddenly flew through the air towards the awaiting hand, an unseen force guiding its trajectory. Catching the spinning blade by the handle with fluid ease, he gave it a brief twirl before bringing the flat edge to rest across of his wide shoulders. He rested his left hand on the bladed edge gently as the blade hummed in a near subsonic tone.
The human then stood there, motionless, observing everything before him. Waiting. All the while, his body continued to restore itself.
I just want to rest…
….
'This is madness...'
Like many others around him the young devil prospect, Sirzechs Gremory, didn't dare to move hastily when the human took a seemingly more relaxed posture. Any warrior worth their salt could tell just by looking, watching as that same red lightning rolled over his form like a chaotic, violent thunder cloud. The previously severe wounds that his body had sustained glowed brightly with that same crimson light and unnatural heat.
'I've never seen a healing factor act in such a way before.' Sirzechs had seen and read about quite a few self-healing abilities from other supernatural races in his life. Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels had always had their own minor healing factors because of their natural affinities to magic. Although, the Phenex clan had an instantaneous regeneration because of the connection they share with the legendary fire bird, but, even that ability was limited to their stamina and mental fortitude. Add on to the fact that, because of their demonic origin, their clan was still lethally vulnerable to holy objects just like any other devil.
He had read once that Dragons had a healing ability that surpassed all three factions and the only things that could nullify that ability were weapons specifically forged to slay them. Unfortunately, such weapons were rare and could only be wielded by certain individuals, mainly humans. Forging these weapons was close to impossible these days since the art of forging such weapons was lost long ago.
They were lucky enough that there were still a small amount of humans alive that could wield these ancient blades. Otherwise, all three factions wouldn't have been able to defeat the two berserk Heavenly Dragons that had decided to have their usual 'rivalry' skirmish in the middle of the battlefield.
Sirzechs could definitely say that they had lucked out in that regard.
But, unfortunately as always, whenever one threat has been dealt with, there is always another just over the horizon. Or in this case, from the sky.
There was almost no warning. Angels, Fallen, and Devils had been waging war with renewed resolve after sealing away the two rowdy dragons when they all felt a sudden, faint shift in the air. It even cause everyone to cease their aggressions. Many asked and wondered what the ominous feeling exactly was, but just as some higher ranking beings began to assume the worst… the unthinkable happened.
'How could it have come to this?...'
...
An hour beforehand…
The sky had been clear tonight, the moon shining more brilliantly than ever before everyone's' attention was drawn towards it as a few saw a brief shimmer of red light flashed as a small dot on the surface. A flickering scarlet flare. The light instantly disappeared…
And a large portion of the moon shattered. Even from such a long distance, the clearness of the night sky gave everyone present enough sight to witness the Earth's only moon being cracked before their very eyes. It happened almost far too fast for them to see, gut Sirzechs saw it all happen in slow moving.
First came the small flare of scarlet light, then just after it disappeared the moon itself almost seemed to shudder, a faint ripple travelling across it. Then multiple large, flaring, red cracks splintered across the moon's surface in an instant right before that large section broke off violently from the following explosion of debris and moon dust. Sirzechs couldn't fathom what he bore witness to.
What gods-forsaken thing had the power to break the Moon?!
The very ground beneath shook violently, causing many soldiers on all sides to stumble. Many cried out in terror as the sky became alit with nearly scorching heat, fire raining down and across the sky.
"FATHER IN HEAVEN ABOVE!"
"LUCIFER'S BALLS!"
Many angels and devils cried out in terror as fire continued to rain down around them.
"I-is this… Armageddon?" Sirzechs couldn't help to asked out loud over the screams of terror and shock of the other soldiers.
The end of the world.
When all hope for survival seemed lost, multiple lights suddenly shot into the sky from multiple directions towards the shattered moon. The power emanating from each streak of light bore the presence of overwhelming power. Each one was distinctive and different, and yet, none could be denied their divinity. Sirzechs' eyes couldn't have widened any further, 'Are those gods from the other pantheons?'
Every man and woman on the battlefield kept looking on as another even brighter light shown across the fiery sky. It's pure, unfiltered radiance enveloped the sky in its entirety, illuminating everything with far brighter light than the sun. The rain of fire ceased and the upstart devil could only assume it was the gods' doing.
'Where they able to place a barrier over the entire world?!' Such a baffling concept! To think that most – if not all – the gods working together and combining their efforts to protect the Earth, it was a truly astonishing sight to behold. He was also glad that the overwhelming divine energy didn't burn his skin.
Many soldiers from all sides cheered in joy at their salvation. Even a small amount of members from the different factions embraced each other as if they were comrades that had survived a great ordeal together. Sirzechs couldn't help but to smile a little at such a scene. It was both surreal and heartwarming to see natural sworn enemies come together in such a way. Maybe, just maybe…
'Maybe it is possible to create peace between our races and finally end the constant, mindless bloodshed.'
Sirzechs never truly hated any of the angel factions to begin with. In fact, he would like to believe that he had a few friends and allies on both sides; many claimed he was too young and naive to properly understand the way of things. But, in the end, he did understand that deep down, underneath it all, they were still natural enemies fated to kill each other. There was always that single, nagging thought that lingered in his mind. What could have the world been like if the first original devil had not fallen from heaven?
It was then that Sirzechs saw one of his closest friends and brother-in-arms, Ajuka Astaroth, continuing to stare up at the sky with furrowed brows and a tightly clenched jaw. He had only seen such a look on the normally stoic man's face whenever he was genuinely worried about something.
"What troubles you?" Sirzechs placed a hand firmly on the young man's shoulder, attempting to grab his attention.
Without releasing his skyward gaze, his friend spoke with a tense tone, "Something isn't right, this feeling of unease continues to plague me. Don't you still feel it as well?"
"What are you trying to say Ajuka? I don't understand."
Ajuka finally turned to look at him with a grave expression, "Neither the God of Heaven or Lord Lucifer have returned from their battle. And this feeling… It's as if the balance of world has shifted."
Sirzechs still couldn't understand, what did Ajuka mean by that?
"Look, up in the sky! Something's breached the barrier!"
Ajuka and Sirzechs both swiftly turned their heads back towards the sky at the angel soldier's shout. Sirzechs' and Ajuka's eyes both widened once again at the unfathomable, there breaths taken away from them.
There, far above the clouds, like a fractured glass screen, a sizable hole had shown itself on the divine barrier. It was as if something had punched straight through it almost effortlessly.
"Something came through!"
It was relatively large and it continued to leave a trail of fire and smoke as it descended, its trajectory aimed into the far distance.
Out of fear or whatever strange compulsion, several members from each faction took to the sky to blast the falling object with relentless barrages of magic. Multiple large explosions erupted across the skyline as the various spells made contact.
Sirzechs quirked a brow in confusion, 'Was that it?' All of that foreboding tension… ended in such a swift manor. What was the purpose of it? It couldn't have been any larger than a boulder, and yet it somehow punched through a divine barrier made by multiple gods. Could it have really been nothing?!
So confused was he that he was completely taken by surprise when the flaming object came bursting out of the smoke cloud. Many shouted in shock when they saw how the objects trajectory changed, heading straight in their direction with renewed velocity.
Frantically, Ajuka yelled out to the surrounding soldiers, "Everyone scatter!" Many devils, including Sirzechs, and angels heeded his warning and almost frantically dispersed, some taking flight while others sprinted along the war-torn ground. A majority of lower-tier devils and angels weren't fast enough to get out of the way and were lit ablaze from the close proximity to the falling fireball. It was far too fast to intercept with spells.
"TO ME, TITUS! Me must do everything we can to stop it!"
"Yes, Lord Raziel!"
Sirzechs looked to his flank as two angels flew past him and the Astaroth heir towards the rapidly descending meteorite. 'What're they doing?! They honestly think they can stop that thing?!' "Get back!"
Neither heeded his call as the both of them continued onwards. A mass amount of potent holy energy collected around the leading angel, his ten wings stretched out wide behind him and glowing radiantly. He roared out to the heavens.
"As a guardian of the Throne of Heaven I, Raziel, shall protect the world and sanctify The Lord's holy name! Hold fast, HOLY SHIELD!"
The seraph through his arms forward with palms flat and open. All of the collected light that had been concentrated into his wings burst outward around him before it all flowed in front of his body. It formed into a massive circle shield made of multiple layers filled with rings of runic symbols brimming with holy light.
In mere moments and with a thundering boom, the meteor impacted the magical projection in a ground-shaking explosion of fire. The shockwave spread on for miles, staggering and even knocking most Devils, Angels, and Fallen out of the air completely.
After having recovered from the powerful shockwave, Sirzechs and Ajuka both turned to look towards the source of the impact. The fluttering of wind briefly brought Sirzechs attention to his left as someone flew to a stop next to him.
"Is everyone alright?" Serafall Sitri, another dear friend, asked worriedly as she checked over some of the injure devil soldiers. Falbium Glasya-Labolas followed soon after with his fellow clansmen behind him. Everyone had already landed to the ground to get a short period of rest while they looked upon the massive, smoking crater left behind from the explosion.
Many members from all sides that could still stand gathered around the edge of the crater, staring upon the devastated landscape with anticipation and apprehension. More than a couple Fallen soldiers became anxious. "D-Do you think he's alright?"
"Of course he is, Fallen!" One indignant angel budded in spitefully, "Did you already forget the Ten Seraphs' power? Holy Shield is the highest defense spell know only to the Lord Raziel."
"It completely nullifies any physical and magical attack! The only thing that could break through it would be a god, but even they still would be hard pressed to shatter it completely."
Ah, yes... The sacred Shield of Heaven that protects the Heavenly Throne from forces of Satan and his demons. Sirzechs remembered that ability well. A unique and powerful ability that even his own Power of Destruction couldn't even budge.
"Aghh!" A devil soldier exhaled in frustration as he tried searching through the smoke from his location, "I can't see anything, the smoke's too thick!"
"Lord Raziel! Are you alright down there?!"
It was then that they heard it, a howl of anger, the sharp swishing of a blade as it sliced through the air repeatedly, then there was a heavy smack followed by a loud grunt. A body of a familiar angelic knight flew out of the smokescreen, limply soaring through the air.
Sirzechs saw a twelve-winged angel immediately fly into the air to intercept the unconscious low-tier angel, her armored priestly robes flowing elegantly through the air. As she caught the injured man she yelled out to them, "I have him! It's Titus!"
Just as the female seraph shouted those words, another male seraph flew into the air next to her as she flew back to the gathered angelic healers. The ten-winged seraph shouted to heavens as he activated his unique ability.
"By the will of God, all shall bow their heads under the righteous winds of Heaven's wake! Holy Wind!"
With a grandiose gesture of his arms, another holy runic seal appeared in front of him before a violent tornado, that glowed with similar holy light, tore it's way through the smoke and scattered it within seconds. The smoke cleared and the hidden assailant became revealed…
No one was prepared for what they saw.
Held by the throat and dangling above the cracked earth was Raziel, of the Ten Seraphs. He continued to struggle weakly, taking strangled breaths as black fingers firmly wrapped around his throat squeezed slightly further as seconds passed.
"What the hell is that?!..." Ajuka muttered in bafflement next to Sirzechs as everyone bore witness to this new, unknown being standing before them.
Pitch-black skin and a humanoid in form, it was taller than Sirzechs, himself; standing at six feet and two inches. Its only source of clothing was a set of heavily tattered and torn, burnt white trousers. From the tips of its naked toes and fingers, to the fringe of its scalp, the being's skin was completely dark, like tar. The only details that could be seen were the definitive and almost rigged lines along its chest, stomach, arms, legs, and shoulders that identified them as well defined muscle.
Though, the most startling thing about it was the being's pure white hair and eyes that held nothing but abysses of endless white. The large spiked dreads fell behind it, reaching his waist, with a couple locks coming around its shoulders and over its chest. One particular spike fell over the left side of its forehead, reaching just above the chin.
Like the surrounding area around them, faint, left-over steam wafted off of its body as it widened one of its eyes at the other beings in inquiry before bringing its full attention back to the ten-winged seraph in its grip.
Then it spoke… with no visible lips.
"It seems that I'm in luck; coming across so many strong, healthy life forces all enhanced by spiritual energy… you'll all do nicely."
Its voice; cold, deep and baritone, echoed throughout their ears. Many tensed as chills ran down their spines from the vague words laced with hidden intent. It felt as though a wolf was prowling among the sheep.
Even Sirzechs found himself shaken, 'T-this feeling…!' It reminded him of those times long passed, when beings born from ancient, primordial entities walked the planet in abundance. The pressure in the air was denser but slightly tolerable, and yet, it still carried that dominating presence that continued to way down on him as the seconds went on. He saw many weaker Devils, Angels, and Fallen on the verge of collapsing from the invisible force.
Several holy energy sources lit up all around before four more ten-winged seraphs launched themselves into the crater with light weapons drawn and trained on the mysterious being, their postures extreme hostile.
"RELEASE HIM NOW, INTERLOPER!"
"Interloper?" a deep hollow chuckle escaped from the being's none-existent mouth, "Quite an accurate name for us, I guess." A crack suddenly appeared across its chest, causing it to grunt slightly. Its eyes narrowed and it brought its other hand up into view, another crack forming on its palm. Its voice sounded almost sorrowful, "I don't have much time. Forgive me, Vessel, it seems that I'm going to have to cause more problems for you once again…"
The seraph angel in its grip gasped out the one question on everyone's minds, "Wh…what the hell…are you?"
It turned its gaze back to the captive, those white abyss-like pools piercing through the angel like cold daggers.
"We are something your minds simply cannot fathom; an impossibility." The fingers on both of its hands morphed into sharp abyssal claws, "Please bare no hatred towards my unfortunate vessel. For his sake and continued existence, your lives must be my sacrifices before my time is finished!" It thrust its free hand into the ten-winged angel too fast for the other seraphs to react.
"NO, DON'T-!"
Blood splattered the ground in a violent, gory mess and the dark being callously tossed the now lifeless corpse to the side. As it hit the ground, the once pure and pristine angelic wings withered and dispersed into nothingness.
"…..."
All were silent as they watched on. The nameless, faceless thing just continued to look at the beating heart in its hands, almost as if it were curious about the organ within its grasp. Then, to everyone's further horror, the surface of its mouthless face seemed to morph and tear open into an inhuman maw of sharp teeth and an endless void of white… before chomping down on the bloody organ like a hungry beast.
"LORD RAZIEL!"
"You damn monster… I'LL KILL YOU!"
The monster only grinned sinisterly, trails of bloody scarlet dripping from its teeth and onto the ground. It's body blurred, zig-zagging around as it dodged multiple light spears being hurled at it.
"In another life, another time, you lot might've had a chance against me!"
Wings once pure and holy became twisted and corrupted by sinful hatred, spears and arrows of light soared through the air, and swords were drawn as many angels–both fallen and pure–charged into the crater.
The beast only laughed louder as it met each of them in a ultraviolent, bloody onslaught. Sirzechs looked towards his closest friends as they looked onwards as well with varying degrees of distress then towards the Fallen and Pure Angel leaders. None of them gave any such order to attack. It wasn't long before he found the monster upon him as well, various weapons of light embedded in it.
"Come hither, little demon spawn! This body's blood sings for me to consume you! HrruHAHAHAHAHA!"
It was far too late to pull back. This was now a battle for survival, signaled by a dense wave of Destruction. One collective thought strayed on their minds; 'Why would God allow such an existence in this world?'
...
An hour later, back to the present...
The fighting had lasted for so long; all of their efforts seemed to be for naught. Almost every manner of spell thrown at the beast did little to nothing against it. Most magical constructs shattered against its skin and only seemed to embolden it.
The Devils had all but lost hope when Sirzechs' Power of Destruction became savagely devoured like it was some sort of starved beast. The only things that seemed to slow it down and push it back was elemental manipulation magic.
Among the now deceased Seraphs, Raziel and Sariel, many other lower-tier angels and devils were lost, what was once population within the hundreds of thousands was now reduced to a few thousand. The only reason for their halted extinction was because of the collective actions of the Factions' acting leaders, though neither were they spared from the assault. If it wasn't for the Divine Healing ability of Gabriel, the rest of the Seraphs – including Michael – would have lost the battle of attrition.
The unknown being's endurance had been unmatched. At some point during the time she had been healing the wounded it began to target her. It was also at that point where an unsettling discovery had been made.
It closed in on her faster that she could anticipate, clawed hand poised to pierce through her chest and crackling maddeningly. She fell over in fright and the creature loomed over her prone form.
Until its movements suddenly became frozen, as if seized by an unseen force. Muscles twitched and veins bulged in stress as the creature seemed to struggle with itself. With blood-soaked claws mere inches from penetrating her chest plate, the being groaned a bit before chuckling. The hollow rumbling of its vocal cords sent chilling shivers down her spine and caused goosebumps to rise along her skin.
The blackened skin of its body began to evaporate into the air, slowly revealing tanned human skin underneath. Its white tattered trousers darkened in color until they became black. Even the pale white hair on its head shrunk to reach its shoulders before it darkened in obsidian. With all by the face gone, the creature continued to stare down at her with that same demented smile before giving her its last parting words only she could've hear.
"Hehe… looks like my time is up." Its eyes narrowed in a subtle sneer as more of the black skin disappeared into the wind, "Keep praying to the god you hold so dear to your heart, for you have been blessed with unfathomable luck." A small devious smile tweaked its lips, "Farewell, little dove… Maybe you'll take care of my clueless vessel while I'm away, eh?"
Just as it finished those words, the darkness finally vanished only to reveal a very confused and heavily conflicted young man. The previous overbearing presence from before had suddenly disappeared almost as if it hadn't been there to begin with. His grey eyes looked to be clouded and unfocused; even if he had been looking at her, she could tell that he didn't actually see her.
Gabriel couldn't believe what her eyes had told her, 'A human?!' Her gaze diverted to the dark obsidian gemstone that was embedded in the center of his chest. She could see crimson energy swirling within the depths of the stone like magma.
"Don't you DARE TOUCH HER!"
She didn't have enough time to contemplate the new turn of events before the man turned his gaze passed her and raised his arms in sudden preparation a large beam of holy light slammed into his form. When it died down, the human was seen prone several meters away in steaming heap. He struggled to raise himself as he glared at the angel that landed in front of her, eyes alight with burning, chaotic energy.
Gabriel remembered the words her beloved brother roared out towards the downed human, his voice filled with an almost unnatural anger, "I swear to you, beast… as long as I draw breath, I shan't allow you to mar my sister's image with your bloodied hands!" Michael raised his hand into the air above him before swiftly dropping it, "Rain down Hell upon it!"
The young man was then consumed in a hail of light and fire. Given recent events, Gabriel could help but to feel sad for the unfortunate human. Something about that expression on his face when their eyes connected for a split-second caused a small twinge in her heart.
Why did he suddenly decide to spare her life? How could a merciless killer convey such intense regret after already having callously ended so many other lives?
Could it have been… that he and that monster weren't one-and-the-same?
Ever since God continued to remain missing, Michael had to take charge of their remaining forces. Gabriel loved her brother, quite dearly in fact, so it wasn't against her character to worry for him.
Even with the combined efforts of both Angels and Devils, the human continued to live on, though this time the damage on his body showed. More angels fell as hatred festered within their hearts at the man's persistent fortitude. More soldiers charged at him, a blade appeared within his burned hands the next moment and he swung it with swift and brutal efficiency, cutting them down. This kept repeating in a seemingly never-ending cycle of carnage and death. It was as if his mere existence caused a shift of the pure and impure, able to inciting rage within the hearts of ever-patient.
Unseen sweat ran down her cheeks from within the confines of her helmet as she turned away from the human to look at her beloved brother in more worry. Never had she or any of the other angels seen Michael act with such hostility, even to the worst of the Devils. She worried that her brother would fall to sinful rage. Such a thing should only be impossible…
Gabriel turned to make one last glance towards the human that still strangely hadn't sought to make any further moves against them. 'Where are you, Father?'
The unnatural crimson fire over the man's eyes burned with a faint intensity as he stood over an hill of corpses under the light of the broken moon, the black stone in his chest still glowing with chaotic power from within.
Yes, where is your precious God now?
All of the Angels–both Fallen and Pure–present stiffened upon hearing a strange warped voice forcefully invade their minds. Even the Devils began looking around frantically as if they heard it as well. The dense, hostile pressure that had permeated the air around them dispersed as the armies' focus was drawn away from the man standing upon the hill of broken bodies.
Over here, you little lost sheep.
[Distort]
A beating pulse, similar to that of a heartbeat, rung out across the worn battlefield they all stood on. There was another unnatural shift that many even caused their very souls to twist uncomfortably. It was as if they felt the very foundations of the world bending and contorting, making a few begin to feel ill. The only being not seemingly effected was the human man that now looked visibly confused by the now hesitant gazes that were locked on him.
The air behind him shimmered before ripples took form and spread outwards, like a disturbed surface of water. Slowly, a figure cloaked in black stepped out of the shimmering ripple, their features completely obscured and hidden within the confines of the shadowed hood. More and more of their cloaked body became visible as they made their way out of the spatial anomaly.
Like a wandering phantom, every movement they made was as silent as the grave they'd haunt. Just as the cloaked figure landed behind the human, the body gave off a soft crunch as boots pressed down.
A swift flash of a swung bladed edge, followed by a whoosh of displaced, sharpened air, the human's sword arm was stopped short just of cleaving the cloaked being. The sword rang softly as it was held in place between a thumb and index finger.
The man's pupils dilated within widened sockets as he beheld the spectra-like figure that had seemingly appeared behind him with nary a sound. From the heavily scarred fingers to the equally scarred, tannish flesh of the muscular humanoid arm that disappeared within the dark abyss of the cloak, his eyes trailed to the face completely concealed within the void of darkness of the hood; darkness so deep it seemed as though no light could penetrate through.
The cloaked being's shoulders shuddered as a chuckle escaped their hidden lips, "You should be more careful, could really hurt someone with this." The blade rattled slight within their nonchalant grip as the human struggled to wretch it away.
Onlookers became baffled by the one-sided struggle that the young man was putting up against the cloaked assailant. The human even had to resort to using both of his hands; veins bulging along his arms in strained effort with gritted teeth.
Where thousands of Angels and Devils lacked the physical strength to contest, this singular unknown entity was effortlessly overpowering the monster with only two fingers!
Just who–or what–was this person?
'A god? No, it couldn't be…' Azazel contemplated as he stared intently at the two powerful entities. 'I can't feel anything coming from them. That shouldn't be possible!'
The human growled in strain as crimson sparks lit up across his body and arched around his weapon. This seemed to catch the attention of the cloaked being as they tilted their head in intrigue, "How interesting…" The grip they had on the blade loosened, causing the young man to stumble back in surprise.
His shock only lasted for a moment before he switched his footing and, utilizing the leftover momentum, he spun back around with a fierce war cry and brought the blade's edge across the neckline of the cloaked figure. With the connection between the neck and shoulders severed, the being's head–hood and all–fell through the air.
No sound, no blood, no resistance. It was as if he hadn't even made contact at all. 'What.. is this?!'
Everything began moving in slow motion, all sound became muffled and muted; the young human also fell victim to the unnatural altering of time. 'I can't.. I can't move my body!' So there he was, rendered near motionless, bones and muscles cracking and tearing in struggle only able to watch as the disembodied head hung in the air.
From within the darkness of the hood, two bright lights flared from where the eyes should have been. The light quickly grew brighter until it became far to blinding to look at, but with his body being controlled by the slowed flow of time, he was forced to watch as the burning light exploded outwards and consumed everything around them. The only noise that reached his ears was a single word, a phrase.
[Undo]
RRRrrrGhhaaAaaAaaaaAAAAAAGggGGGHHHHHH!
That single uttered phrase caused something deep inside him, buried down, to suddenly react violently. His mind reeled on him, howling in soul-rending agony within his subconscious. It felt like something was tearing into his brain with sharp, jagged claws.
Every fiber of his being felt like it was being shredded to pieces only to be regenerated and shredded once again. Over and over… and over again. The pain was unforgiving and relentless. There was nothing the young man could do to stop it, to find reprieve; he could only howl within the depths of his damaged psyche.
"Now…" [Revise]
Then the whole world went black and he knew no more.
….
Onlookers became baffled by the one-sided struggle that the young man was putting up against the cloaked assailant. The human even had to resort to using both of his hands; veins bulging along his arms in strained effort with gritted teeth.
Where thousands of Angels and Devils lacked the physical strength to contest, this singular unknown entity was effortlessly overpowering the monster with only two fingers!
Just who–or what–was this person?
'A god? No, it couldn't be…' Azazel contemplated as he stared intently at the two powerful entities. 'I can't feel anything coming from them. That shouldn't be possible!'
The human man suddenly released a gasp as if he had been holding his breath and fell on his back, coughing up blood and struggling to breathe.
Under the hood, unseen eyes widened and brows rose high. The cloaked being became immensely surprised by the scene in front of him, "What's this?" With the blade still within his grasp, they flipped it before catching it by the handle and began to slowly stalk towards the downed human. "Unbelievable…"
The human, finally having regained the ability to breathe properly, he looked back towards the cloaked figure with gritted teeth and eyes tinged with panic. "What… what the hell are you?" His voice was coarse and barely sounded above a whisper.
But the strange entity heard it clearly enough. The being ignored the question entirely.
Unseen lips curved open in a toothy smirk, "You saw it, didn't you? You remember." Their last words weren't a question, more of a confirmation of an undeniable theory. Instead of giving a verbal response, the young man got back to his feet before lunging with a fist drawn back and an exerted grunt.
[Flash Freeze]
In a sudden blur of movement, another naked and scarred arm swung out of the shadows of the cloak with a palm spread wide open. Violent winds so cold most of the surrounding factions thought could freeze the fiery pits in the depths of Hell whipped around the entire area in a turbulent frenzy. The winds collected into a tornado that enveloped the hill of corpses. When the winds died down, the surrounding factions all bore witness to a truly terrifying sight.
The entire hill of fallen bodies, along with the human man that had created it, were encased perfectly in solid ice. The cloaked figure continued to calmly stand in his spot as they stared at the frozen fist of the human that had been stopped completely before it could land the blow.
Though their expression was completely obscured, a brief mirthful chuckle escaped them again. They then flipped the blade in their hand and caught it by the wrapped handle, seemingly inspecting it. "Surprisingly light for such a large blade…" 'It may have a metallic sheen to it, but, it just doesn't feel quite that dense.' They lightly tapped the side of the blade with a finger, the low hum reached their ears, "…A mix of bone and iron, perhaps?"
Such a perplexing combination.
*crack*
"Hmm?" Everyone's attention was brought back to the frozen human when they heard that noise.
Nothing had seemingly changed about man's frozen state, but, when looking closer they could see an ever-so-small fracture on the surface of the ice. Several more seconds passed before visible droplets of water began cascading down the frozen sheet of ice.
*crack*
*crack*
*crack*
Steam began to rise off the ice encasing the human's body while more and more cracks ripped across the thick layer of ice. The human's eyes flared with menacing scarlet light from with the ice.
The Angels, Fallen, and Devils couldn't believe their eyes. Even with all their efforts, it truly seemed like this human was an unstoppable force, not knowing the very concept of defeat.
"He's not going to stop until all of us lay dead at his feet…" Gabriel turned her head to look at her brother in concern as he began muttering to himself. A feeling of hopelessness settled within them like a thick cloud of depression, almost suffocating them.
"Such a strong will and desire to resist. Could it be desperation, or…", the strange entity loomed closer to the immobilized human, "Is it simply in your nature to retaliate against forces constantly working against you? How interesting."
More cracks continued to violently tear away at the icy prison. The cloaked figure placed their free hand on the frozen man's chest, the pads of their scarred fingers pressing around the area surrounding the flaring light originating from the center of the man's chest.
"Here, let me save you from your… suffering." [Shatter]
The scarred hand clenched into a tight fist as the entire body encased within the cracked ice instantly became vaporized in a clash of shattered glass. The tiny ice particles that were now the remains of human man flickered with reflected moonlight as they drifted through the wandering breeze before finally disappearing completely.
All that remained was the cloaked, anonymous being standing upon the hill of frozen corpses. They continued to hold their attention to their partially closed fist even as they brought it to their side, examining the obsidian gemstone residing within. 'Still warm to the touch.'
"Is it…finally over?"
"I don't believe so, sister. I can no longer sense that raw presence that monster produced."
"Thank The Lord above, I thought it would've been the end of us all."
The cloaked figure turned towards the massive crowd of spiritual beings surrounding the area as they most began to murmur and exclaim in relief amongst themselves while others silently mourned for their fallen comrades and loved ones. They all looked to finally be on the verge of collapsing, exhaustion from the constant conflict setting in.
Without either the God of Heaven or the Devil Kings present and no way of knowing if they were in good health, all three faction armies were forced into a temporary stalemate.
One female seraph ran up to The Archangel as the other Seraphs released him after he had calmed down. He looked towards her as she spoke with haste, "Lord Michael. We still have not been able to regain contact with The Lord. What do we do?"
Michael frowned as he finally had some time to contemplate their current situation, 'How did this all become so bad? Have things honestly become so dire that you can not speak to me, Father?' He then addressed the female seraph, "Do nothing for now. Without proper guidance from Him, we can not re-engage without possibly suffering further losses. Keep your eyes on the Devils and the Fallen and be on guard; judging from their inactivity, the Devils are just as in the dark as we are without their Satans here to lead them."
Gabriel piped in, her posture a bit more slouched from both physical and mental exhaustion, "I don't see Azazel or any of the Fallen forces making any further hostile moves against the Devils nor us."
Michael shook his head fondly, 'Even if you have turned your back on our Father to engage in a life of sinful desires, I still consider you my little brother, Azazel.' "I expected as much. A tactical genius he may be, he still always wanted to consider himself a pacifist at heart."
Uriel spoke up, his tone coming off with bitter flippancy, "Knowing him and Shemhazai, it'd be safe to assume they would try to withdraw their forces as soon as they get the opportunity."
"It's so good to see you lot in relatively good spirits, but, it certainly feels like I've been forgotten already."
Heads from all three factions turned when they heard a voice echoed against their eardrums, retching their attention back to the cloaked being standing on top of the hill of frozen corpses. The tone of their voice reeked of amusement, yet anyone that can produce cognitive thought could tell that it held a hint of irritation.
Still not knowing anything about the new arrival or their purpose for being here, Michael took it upon himself to step forward and be the pseudo ambassador for all three factions. Some sweat trailed down his temple as looked upon the unknown being patiently waiting for his next words, 'How could we have almost overlooked him?! With such recent displays of incomparable strength and power, his lack of presence made him seem near non-existent.' Even as Michael kept the cloaked man in his line of sight, it still felt as though they were constantly phasing in and out of existence; like they could disappear at any moment.
It was quite an unnerving experience for him, and he was God's firstborn son.
Having finally found the right words to speak, he bowed his head humbly, "Apologies, stranger! As Angels of the Christian God, we thank you for stepping in and putting a stop to that monster when our forces combined could not," he raised his head, "Though, you'll have to forgive for our ignorance. We were under the assumption that there wouldn't be any outside interference from any other pantheon during our war. May I ask, who are you and what pantheon do you hail from?"
"It was no trouble to me to lend aid. Although," the cloaked man began to idly flip the sword around in a bored manor, "I certainly wasn't expecting this much destruction from your little 'skirmish.' It's a good thing that I came here when I did, otherwise," they shrugged in a lax manner, "We wouldn't be having this discussion."
Michael's eyebrow twitched at the casual jab at their supposed sacred 'holy war'. He did agree with the fact that things would have gone differently this person hadn't intervened.
"As for which pantheon I hail from, well… I don't belong to any." They added quickly afterwards, "I fixed your moon, by the way."
'Fixed?!' All heads turn skywards only to see the once shattered moon fully restored, as if it hadn't been damaged to begin with. Many eyes were widened as they beheld the astonishing sight. Had it truly been restored so easily? No known gods other than the ones that created the universe could perform such a feat.
Michael took a moment to process this as he licked his dry lips, "T-That is quite impressive! You must being of tremendous power to be able to prevent such a calamity with ease! Tell us then; if you are not from any known pantheon, are you a sort of 'rogue god'?"
"'Rogue god'...?" they reached up to their shadowed face, as if holding their chin in thought, "I was going to say 'new god' but 'rogue' has a better ring to it."
Michael raised an eyebrow in confusion at the stranger's slightly weird way of speaking.
A sigh left the stranger's lips, "Oh well, it matters not. I originally came here to offer up my welcoming gift to you lot. I thought it would be such a great gift that it would actually end this little war."
There was another shift of the very fabric of space and dimensions that could be felt by all those present; many felt the hair on their skin prickle from the subtle and unnatural sensation. They saw two more series of ripples began forming on the rouge god's left and right sides.
"Who knows, maybe you'll all become great friends after this, yeah? Speaking of which…" Pale, slender arms clothed in long black gloves wrapped tightly around the shoulders of the stranger's cloaked body. Full, voluptuous breasts thinly covered by dark silk pressed deeply into their broad back with a sensual pleasantness that most weaker-minded men would find indescribable. A deeply satisfied hum tickled their left ear, carried by hot and visibly steamy breath.
Many in the crowd, mostly those within the Devil's ranks, gasped as they caught sight of the powerful woman clinging to cloaked god. Michael found himself completely befuddled at this, even a few other angels began projecting more light constructs in preparation for another possible attack.
'That she-devil… and another dragon?! How is she here and what is her connection to this random god?!' His eyes veered between the devil with long hair as black as an abyss and the woman with scaly skin and a serpentine lower half, currently admiring blood-soaked claws. So many other questions plagued his mind, but, only one made it to the forefront, 'If she is here, what does that mean for Father and the other Satans?' He could already feel his fingers twitching in preparation to grab a light spear soon to be summoned.
No… impossible. It was simply impossible; such an unfathomable conclusion cannot be true. It simply could not…
The opening of the hood twisted towards the woman that was now laying her cheek against the cloth of their hood affectionately, "Well, you certainly seem pleased with yourself." The woman opened her eyes half-lidded as her hands softly groped the fabric of their cloak.
Her dark amethyst eyes reflected the calm moonlight as she giggled with partially restrained glee, "Hmhm~, well of course I'm pleased. After all of these centuries, I have finally been able to accomplish my long desired dream. No longer am I be bound by the cold, cruel chains of Fate that once held me."
She reached her hand into the hood, the appendage disappeared into the dense darkness but she felt the warmth of the unseen face within. Her fingers slowly trailed across the ridge of a nose and around the sockets of the eyes before going southward. It was then that the pads of her fingers felt signs of rough, jagged, heavily twisted flesh – so much so that it gave her pause – before her palm came to rest along the god's jawline, savoring the warmth of the mangled face within the dense shadows. Her voice became a mere breathy whisper, "And it's all because of you. I cherish you for giving me the opportunity, my lord."
A large tan, scarred hand softly gripped the wrist of the hand touching their face, "How does it make you feel, placing fealty to me with such passionate words?"
The woman's breath came out with a shudder as she felt the pure, unrestrained power lurking just beneath the skin and muscle of the hand gripping her, they could easily crush her with only a single thought. The amount of gentleness and restraint displayed sent shivers of pleasure and fear down her spine, it was nearly intoxicating to her.
"It feels… liberating." Her full lips turned upwards into a seductive smirk as her eyes shimmered with dark abyssal power, causing them to flash a deep violet.
"Lady Lilith!"
The Queen of the Underworld, along with the two other powerful beings, turned their heads towards the Devils as more than a few called out to her. She only greeted them with a small frown and an air of uninterest.
"We're ever so glad that you are in great health! Do you know what became of the other Devil Kings and Lord Lucifer?"
"Did they come out victorious?"
"How do you know this stranger, my Lady?"
Lilith turned to look back at the face wreathed in shadows, a brow raised slyly, "Do you want to tell them or should I?"
"No, no. I'll handle this," they gently pulled her hand away before she finally slid off their cloak, "It's my gift to them, after all. Echidna..."
[Store]
Making the sword in their grip disappear into a flash of light, they brought their now open hand towards the draconic woman, posture expectant. Echidna's tail twitched as she felt the attention switch to her and her eyes dropped into a deadpan.
"...Do I really have to?"
"Yes." Their confirmation only made her frown more, "Don't make that face, this is all a part of my plan, my dear."
She folded her arms under her generous bosom as her stubborn nature spiked to the surface, "Tch. I'd say I worked extremely hard to earn these as my new trophies. Can't you just give them something else?" The cloaked god let their hand drop slightly, expression still unreadable.
"Alright then, how's this," the cloak shifted as they moved closer to the draconic lamia and firmly held her chin within their fingers, "you can have whatever you want, just name it and I'll make it so." Their echoed voice knocked against her eardrums pleasantly as if a hidden undertone with those words was asking her to open up and let them in.
"Just say the word and I'll give you the universe, if you wish it…"
An almost scolding reddened flush came across the soft human-like skin of her cheeks and neckline as she felt low vibrations hover over the scaled parts of her upper body and along the lower half, from the waist to the very tip of her tail. Her eyes very nearly glazed over in euphoria as so many mental images invaded her mind. Promises of whatever she wished, whatever she desired flowed through her mind like rolling clouds of mist. She felt her own breath leave her in silent airy gasps. 'He would even grant me that? My lifelong dream, my deepest desire…'
In her current daze, Echidna summoned a small runic seal made of dark, scarlet light and greek symbols that hovered in the air between her and the cloaked man. A decently sized brown worn sack fell out of the portal before it was caught in his calloused fingers. His other hand released her chin and rose up to her head, patting the silky tresses a couple times. His hand grazed one of her horns as he pulled away from her, inciting an actual pout from her but she remained silent regardless. "Thank you."
"Hmph." She turned away from him with her arms still folded in a air of disapproval; though, most could only see it was only half-hearted since the image was broken by her fluttering wings, swaying tail, and mildly flushed cheeks.
"Anyways! Back to the true reason for my being here…" he turned back to the surrounding crowd of anxious spiritual beings, holding up the worn sack for them to see, "My friends! I hope you enjoy this." He tossed the sack in front of the feet of the Archangel and other loyal seraphs with a loud thud while the other faction leaders came over to see for themselves.
Uriel moved to open the sack as everyone else watched on in heedful curiosity. This random god claimed to bring gifts worthy enough to possibly put an end to conflict that spanned over a millennia? Preposterous! …Though, none of those around could deny that they weren't at least a bit curious.
A demented grin flashed into existence within their minds. It disappeared far too fast for any of them to fully register.
"Behold," the rouge splayed his arms wide and finally opening the front of the cloak fully, revealing a heavily muscular naked torso and dark, baggy trousers. Like his arms and hands, his torso was riddle with many fatal-looking scars, so much to the point of near deformation. "I give you the greatest gift any sentient being could ever receive. Freedom."
"CHRIST!" Uriel stumbled back with a panicked shout as the worn sack opened further, causing it's gory contents to spill onto the blood-soaked soil.
Five heads rolled out, four of them were the severed heads of the recently missing Devil Kings, including Satan Lucifer. The final head drove a stake through everyone's hearts, devils and fallen angels even felt the cold, invisible grip of dread surrounding them, rooting them there, forcing them to stare upon face of their creator. A face comprised of such pure golden light so intense that any mortal that looked upon it would be driven to insanity in an instant. The only dignity given to deity was the lack of any visible blood coming out the neck as it laid there.
Sometimes I wonder if I should've even left him with that… That very same voice since before the rogue god's arrival whispered into their ears, invading their minds and infecting them with fear and despair. Yes. Look upon the one that created you, shepherded you, watched you with eyes that had always seen into the future of all things, and punished you for events that had already been set in motion. Whether if the future was filled with calamity or prosperity, he would only watch on in negligence. It had to be done.
Then there are the 'wolves', the ones who seeked to lead you astray before devouring you as soon as your guard was down. Not once did they know that, even with all of their efforts and plans, they were still destined to fail. They, and those who followed them, were fated to burn in the Lake of Fire at the end of Armageddon. Such is the design of things… But they wouldn't have known, so they were slain. It had to be done.
"Ignorance can be such a horrendous sin too, you know."
`Fa… Father… no…'
"Ah! Lady Gabriel!"
There was a loud clattering of chainmail that caught Michael's attention, his eyes whipped around behind him and he caught sight of Gabriel's form collapsed into the arms of a few surrounding Seraphs and other lower-tier angels. She, herself was completely unresponsive. "Sister!" He was at her side in an instant, his worry for his beloved sibling tearing at his heart.
The Devils were stricken in much the same way as the Angels after having found out that their leaders were slain as well. Many began fleeing with their teleportation circles while others were forced to move from their petrified states, the reality of their inner worlds crashing down on them proving to be too much for their fractured sanities.
Sirzechs' conflicted eyes met with Azazel's for a moment before he, along with the other Fallen, took flight into the distance as fast as they physically could. It's all up to you now, Prince of Destruction. Sirzechs felt his own blood freeze as his vision locked onto the cloaked being once more, an feeling of dread so deep and seemingly alive that it nearly swallowed him completely. What your people do from this point on will be on your shoulders, boy. This is your opportunity.
A feminine hand grabbed his arm firmly, pulling him along in urgency, "Come on, Sirzechs! We have to go, everyone else is leaving!" Serafall's panicked yelling shook him out of his trance as she continued to pull him alone rather roughly.
He spared a final glance towards The Mother of Devils, "What about Lady Lilith?" Serafall stayed silent on the matter as he let her pull him away before teleporting away, the silence was an obvious answer to him. The former Queen had chosen her side.
Another Seraph gripped Michael's shoulder, "Lord Michael, we have to leave!"
The Archangel tried to shake him off roughly, yelling back, "What about Gabriel?! How is she?!" He swore if anything befell his sister as well, he would bring down Heaven's wrathful fire upon the entire world in retribution! 'I shan't lose you as well, sister. I shall not let that happen!'
"She's fine, m'lord! The stress just overwhelmed her and she fainted." Raphael grabbed Michael's shoulder again, his grip a bit more gentle yet still as firm, "But the fact remains that we must fall back to Heaven. The Heavenly Father is dead and our forces are far too small to continue fighting; we must secure what we have left."
"The other factions' armies have fled. We should follow in their example… before we lose anyone else." Uriel spoke up as he walked up to them, with God's glowing head cradled within his arms. His voice sounded shaky and ladened with sorrow, the helmet he wore did nothing to hide the broken spirit within.
Raphael glanced back towards the murderers standing on top of the hill of frozen bodies. "They don't seem to want to give chase." He urged Michael further, "If there was ever a better time to fall back, now is the chance."
After a moment of hesitation, Michael conceded. He turned around one final time towards the leader of the primordial trio as a teleportation circle glowed under his feet. Michael's posture was brimming with an overabundance of authority and fury, "You, heathenous god, will pay for your heinous crimes in due time! Mark my words, as the Heavenly Father's only Archangel, I promise you will not receive any forgiveness from Heaven nor Hell! Neither will you receive their mercy!"
Your first mistake is assuming that I'm expecting any, Michael. Your second is assuming that I'll need it.
The super being watched on as Michael's brow twitch from his voice's intrusion into his thoughts before the Angel faction disappeared into flashes of holy light. He couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at the proud archangel's expense.
"I certainly don't remember Michael being so… emotional." Lilith couldn't help but take note of.
"That's mostly my doing, I'm afraid. I may have tweaked their minds a bit before we got here. It's actually quite surprising how it turned out." He almost forgets how easy it is to bend and break things of his choosing.
[Distort]
"Let's take our leave, ladies." He turned and walked back towards the ripple he'd entered through. Lilith joyfully jumped onto his back, her arms wrapping tightly around him as he walked with his stride unbroken. He did turn his head slightly to his left when he felt smooth, warm scaly arms snaking around his arm.
Echidna kept her terse gaze forward as she held his arm close enough to her bosom that it nearly smothered him; the thrumming of her powerful heartbeat sent pulses of primal heat through his body. A pleasurable fog threatened to cloud his mind and corrupt his psyche. He even found his own eyes drifting down to her wide hips and toned stomach as it flexed with every hypnotic sway. He pulled back up to her face, this time noticing how her eyes peered at him from the side, a smoldering lust hidden within those seemingly uncaring orbs.
...Along with that insufferable half smirk. 'How cheeky!'
You play a dangerous game, my dear. He couldn't help the smirk that came to his own lips. He then dug into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out the black gemstone he had acquired not too long ago, inspecting it as they walked. The ice under his boots cracked with each step. Lilith rose a brow as she leaned over his shoulder to look at the object.
"Such a strange little piece of stone. What is it exactly?"
"Mmm…"
He didn't answer for a few seconds before speaking, "Unsure. But," a pearly white cheshire grin peeled across the darkness of his hood, childish glee filled his veins, "I'm sure it'll be fun finding out, no?"
The trio disappeared within the spacial ripple before that faded away as well. It wasn't soon afterwards when the glacier that had once laid across the war-torn wasteland cracked heavily before-
[Shatter]
Particles of shattered ice glittered in the moonlight as they drifted around with the chilling breeze. The silence of the night once again claimed the wasteland that would forever be scorched by Heaven and Hell. The Moon above retaining its calm serenity even as the gods in orbit failed to fathom what had just transpired. The seeds have been sown once again. All that's left to do now is watch what happens from here…
Too bad I don't want to do any of that, not again. Not when I have you here, my friend. You and I…
...we're going to shake the very foundations...Maybe then… I can finally escape this endless, fabricated Hell of mine.
…I better end this now or else people might be getting the wrong idea of who the main character's suppose to be. Now…
[Perspective-Switch]
[End]
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AN: Just casting out my lure here, now I just have to wait for the bite. If y'all are new to my account, check out my Maken Ki fic and give that one a look.
I spent far too much time on this one chapter so I'm going to work on my other story for a bit and let this one site here for a bit, see what kind of reception it gets.
I'd like to thank my other friends: Soleneus, Dairegh, and NSG(NorthSouthGorem) with the development of this chapter and everything else I've worked on. Where I fail, these fools are always there to pick me up.
Please go and check them out when you can, give them some love too! They're more experienced in writing than I am and I always look up to them for advice.
Until next time.
