I don't normally like role reversal, but since Zarc and Ray have so little to them in canon, I think it can work in this case. I still kept Zarc in the Devil role, though - he's just the hero in this instance.

Everything was so still and he hated it. Zarc was a lively person by nature – he delighted in it, the energetic crowd, the thrill of the fight. And even the simpler joys…a laughing child, excited chattering, the rambunctious spirits that he called friends – simply put, Zarc reveled in life, in all its chaotic glory.

He wondered if he would ever get to enjoy that feeling again.

There was a nervous shuffle from across the room – Zarc wasn't alone, nor was he the only one who was restless. The others – a pitifully small group, numbers which had only dwindled since their formation, a desperate gathering of strangers fleeing the same terror.

"We've already stayed here too long…" the whisper sounded far too loud in that still room.

"Just give him more time. This is the only way we'll be able to stop her."

"He's not going to do it! Even if he could, no man is going to destroy his own child…"

Zarc listened quietly to the conversation. There was no point in interrupting – although he knew full well that the man's doubt was misplaced, Zarc didn't feel like explaining that he knew this because he could sense Leo Akaba's feelings to know that despite the conflict of the desire to protect her, the man's guilt and love for his daughter was enough to drive him to find a way to stop her.

Of course, whether there was a way to stop her was a valid concern. But Zarc…he couldn't accept that there wasn't. There had to be a way…there had to be a way to make things right.

Akaba may have blamed himself for the situation, for failing to notice what was happening to Ray, for creating the system that allowed her to become one with her monsters…but how could he have known? He wasn't an empath like Zarc. No…if anyone was to be blamed other than Ray herself, it was Zarc. He should have…he should have known, he should have been able to understand her feelings, he should have been able to do something! He alone knew Ray better than anyone else, he alone knew what she was feeling – that conflicting hunger and hatred for violence and chaos that slowly drove her mad…

It had been what drew her to him, it had been his chaotic and violent dueling that had attracted her. But she had hated it, too – hated what she desired, hated that she desired it. And as an empath as well, she could see it everywhere, see the violent tendencies of thousands, millions of people, all cheering for Zarc to brutally crush his opponent, which he didn't hesitate to deliver. And so she had been driven to stamp it out, not only within herself, but within everyone – to eliminate chaos and violence entirely, forever. And if she had to choke out life itself in the pursuit of that aim, in pursuit of her perfect world, well…

He had seen it happening, why hadn't he done anything? He had never imagined that she could go this far, true, but she had been suffering. He should have…given it all up, given up dueling, everything for her. A part of him knew that it wouldn't have made a difference. People would have sought out another outlet, if Zarc could even have brought himself to disappoint the audience. And he would have been the same. Ray still would feel that within him, she would be repelled as much as she was attracted, she would despise him as much as she loved him…

And he knew she had loved him, as strange, as impossible as it seemed. But she hated loving him, and Zarc knew this too.

He really hated being an empath, sometimes.

It did afford its advantages, however. For instance, as the rest of the room tensed at approaching footsteps, Zarc knew that there was no cause for alarm – the nervousness was enough to know it was just the scouts they had sent out for supplies earlier.

"Ah…it's just you…" a voice said, relieved.

"Anyone see you?" another asked sharply.

"Don't think so. But…they're getting suspicious. They can tell something's amiss."

"We shouldn't linger here any longer. Someone get Akaba and let's move out. If he won't leave, we leave him, got it?"

"We can't afford leaving anyone behind," Zarc finally spoke up. "Especially him, he's the only one who can give us a fighting chance."

"I have my doubts on that. It's too risky to stay, I don't care how much equipment is here. It's only a matter of time before they find us."

They, meaning Ray's worshippers. There were countless numbers of them, all devoted to serving her will. Some were eager and willing, to Zarc's dismay – despite his abilities, it still astounded him that so many desired that crushing, lifeless, sterilized existence. Others served out of fear – that was more understandable to him, after all, Ray made sure to eliminate any perceived threat to her perfect order. They wouldn't last long. Ray would know they weren't genuine, and that kind of existence would take a heavy toll on their souls even if Ray left them alone. Everyone else…well, they gathered in groups like the one Zarc was with now, hiding in the shadows, rebelling and seeking freedom in the small ways they could. They didn't tend to last long, either…

"You can put your fears aside," a voice said. Zarc and the others turned to see Leo Akaba emerging, finally, from the laboratory he had spent the last few days in, working tirelessly. He looked wearily at all of them, and held up four cards. "The means of our salvation."

"You…you've really done it? Those cards will…destroy her?"

"No," Akaba said. An angry murmur surfaced throughout the group, but Zarc shushed them before it became more. "These cards lack the power of destruction; rather, they harness the power of life."

That caught Zarc's interest. Life, itself? He could think of nothing better to fight Ray with, the natural chaos of life was the complete antithesis to her perfect, lifeless order.

"With these," Akaba continued. "I'll be able to defeat her and seal her away…" Though outwardly he kept composed, Zarc could feel the man's grief.

"Let me take them. Let me face her."

"You?" Akaba asked, surprised. "You're willing to risk yourself for this…no, I can't allow that. It's my fault that Ray did this, I must make it right."

"You're exhausted. And she's your daughter. I know it will be hard for you to go through with this, to fight against her," Zarc said. It would be hard for him to fight against Ray, too – but Akaba didn't need to know about their relationship. He looked around at everyone. "Let me do this. You've all seen me duel – you know that it's everything she wants to eliminate. She won't be able to resist fighting with me. And I can do it, I can take her down – you've seen me duel, you've seen the tournaments I've won…"

"Face it, old man – Zarc's one of the best duelists, and you're just a scientist. He's got the best chance out of any of us," one of the group interrupted. Zarc could feel Akaba bristle at the statement, but reluctantly, he nodded, and slowly handed Zarc the cards.

"I don't want anyone else to fall victim to her," he said. "But it's meaningless if I fall, isn't it? You're right, you have the best chance. But I'm going with you. If only…to see her one last time."

Zarc nodded. He understood.

"And the rest of you?" Zarc asked. "Will you seek shelter, or will you come along? It makes no difference to me, I just want to know."

"We'll come. But if you get us killed, I won't forgive you," a woman spoke up.

"Fair enough."

.

.

.

There she was.

Terrifying and inhuman, she was guarded by various worshippers. Their appearances differed little – their clothing, hairstyles, even the expression of disgust at the approach of the disorderly, motley group…all exactly the same.

"If you continue to defy Her will, you will be eliminated."

Zarc ignored them and pushed forward.

"We will not allow you to threaten this world with your chaos. We will not allow you to threaten the people with your violent ways. Her Divinity has delivered us all from these base and primitive…" the worshipper gave a gasp of shock as Zarc shoved him aside.

"RAY!" Zarc shouted. Finally, she turned to look at him. Zarc felt her anger, her hatred of him and everything he stood for, blazing directly at him. Ah, but he felt conflict there too – even in this state, she could not purge herself of what she hated, and there would be her undoing. "Face me, Ray!"

"The likes of you have no right to address…" Zarc shoved the worshipper again. He had no idea if it was the same one or not.

"Do you enjoy this, Ray? This perfect, boring, dead existence you've made? Do you get a thrill out of being called God?"

Ray said nothing, but continued to stare furiously at him.

"Well, I say God's a tyrant! And if you're going to play at God, then let me be the Devil! So fight me, Ray. I'm everything you hate, so come at me."

"The Devil lost," Ray said venomously, finally deigning to speak.

"I won't," Zarc said calmly. He readied his duel disk.

"You chose the wrong side. You knew better than I the wickedness of humanity, but still you chose it. Why? I've brought peace, I've brought order…I've saved everyone. Why do you still stand against me?"

"Saved?" Zarc echoed in disbelief. It was amazing, really, how two empaths still could not understand one another in the end. "You haven't saved anything! You can repress chaos, you can repress violence – but you're repressing life itself. You're just as destructive as what you claim to have saved the world from. How many people have you killed, Ray?"

She didn't answer.

"You'll never achieve what you want, Ray. You'll never be able to destroy it completely – because it still exists within you," Zarc said. This elicited exactly the reaction he was hoping for. Ray rose up, even more furious than before. The worshippers, too, squawked at him, affronted that he would dare imply that their God was susceptible to such horrible, base, human things. He paid no attention to them – only Ray mattered. And she knew he could sense her feelings, she knew he wasn't lying – still, she was going to deny it, Zarc could tell. The duel disk beeped at him – his challenge had been accepted.

As he expected, Ray dueled in such a manner to prevent him from doing pretty much anything. She started to mock him, confident that order, her perfect order, would always be able to control chaos.

But the conditions had been met.

"I always did like to hear you laugh," Zarc responded to her taunting in a subdued tone, knowing that it would be over soon. "But not like this. I'm sorry, Ray." His voice became louder. "I have to do this. I wish there was another way, but I can't let you continue to do this – to yourself, to the world. This is the end, Ray." He closed his eyes in regret, and activated the four cards in his hand.

Ray's confidence faded in an instant, and Zarc could feel the panic well up inside of her. He could feel the power of the cards working, a great chaotic force altering their surroundings, pushing the onlookers away, destroying the structure around them.

"What are you doing?!" Ray demanded. "Stop it! Stop…" She gasped as the ground began crumbling beneath them. "You're destroying everything!"

Zarc didn't quite know what was going on, he didn't even know if Akaba had intended this. But somehow he knew that it wasn't quite what Ray thought it was.

"No," he said. "This is life, Ray. This is creation."

"I won't let you bring back chaos! If this is creation, it'll be on my terms." She reached out into the maelstrom, trying to shape it. She started screaming as the forces began tearing into her.

"Ray!"

Was this what Akaba meant to happen? He would never willingly hurt Ray, that Zarc was sure of. But it was starting to seal her, Zarc could see that.

"Ray!" he shouted again. "I won't let you inflict this kind of existence on anyone again!" Whatever this new world she was being sealed into, he couldn't let her go alone. He couldn't let her make it lifeless and empty.

I would have done anything for you, anything but accept that kind of existence.

Zarc threw himself into the maelstrom.

...I might continue this someday.