Hello everyone, mad thought here with a new story. Yes I should be focusing on some of my other works, but this one has been bugging me for a while and I wanted to get it out there. I wanted to do something a bit out of left field with a crossover nobody'd expect SMT Nocturne and XCOM 2. Now I should mention that I started writing this before War of the Chosen came out, so the time table on XCOM's side is pushed back when meeting the other factions. Plus if they have been fighting for over a decade, just the Commander coming back wouldn't immediately get them to stop suddenly to meet up. There would be debates and hesitation from in the factions.
Just a forewarning, not a lot of XCOM in this chapter. This is more on post Nocturne with some creative tweaks on the ending. The prominence of the story will be taking place from XCOM's perspective as they try to understand what's going on. Shout out to METALHELLSPWN for characters that will appear in this story.
Please enjoy and don't forget to comment, follow, and favorite. And no flames please, that absolutely kills my will to write anything.
I own nothing except for my OCs and crazy ideas.
"talking"
"thoughts"
"powerful"
Chapter 1: Brave New Worlds
The sun shone brightly in the afternoon, with wind blowing a cool breeze. Birds chirped and flew through the air, and dancing leaves added to the chorus. It wasn't too hot nor too cold outside. Yes, this day could be called perfect…. even if there was a funeral going on.
Most of the grievers had gone home already, but two friends stayed behind along with their teacher. Chiaki Hayasaka and Isamu Nitta looked at the grave of their friend Naoki Kashima. Chiaki had red eyes from all the crying she did, while Isamu pulled his hat further over his eyes to hide his pain.
"A drunk driver, that's what they said it was," Isamu said bitterly. "What they didn't say was the driver got caught with some prescribed drugs in his car as well not in his name. That bastard wasn't just drunk but high as well!"
*Sniff* "At least he'll be going to jail for a long time. But it's just not fair!" Chiaki lamented.
"Yeah, life ain't fair that much is certain," a man's voice said behind them. "Sorry if I startled or disturbed you, but I felt like I needed to pay my respects."
"It's fine, but who are you?" Chiaki asked.
"The name's Jyoji Hijiri. I'm a journalist by trade," the man answered.
"So what's so interesting about a dead teen and a car accident?" Isamu asked with some hostility.
The older woman put her hand on his shoulder, calming him down a bit. She looked at the man, "Sorry about that. We've all been hit rather hard by this whole experience. My name is Yuko Takao, I'm their teacher."
"It's not the worst thing I've had to deal with. Once you say you're part of the press in any form people tend to be less than friendly. And my condolences on your lost student Takao-san," Jyoji said.
Isamu sighed before nodding to the journalist. The four people turned back to the grave marker in silence. Yuko turned her head to the shadow of a tree to see a young man hiding there looking at the scene with a sense of sadness. She gave a sad smile toward him and received a nod before he disappeared.
"Good luck to whatever roads you walk Naoki. Thank you for saving our world. Farwell."
Alleyway
The young man sighed as he pulled his hood down. He was rather dull as a person. A normal teen with dark hair and not a lot of muscle. The only thing that stood out were his golden demonic eyes.
Months after the Conception took place. Months after endless fighting with the demons of the Vortex World. Months after he saw the world end and for him to restore it to how it was previously was, free of otherworldly influence or people's distorted visions for the world. After all he'd been through and done all he wanted was for things to return to how they were. Hanging out with his friends Chiaki and Isamu between classes, or learning from their teacher Takao-sensei.
But it was too much to hope for.
One does not return from the end of the world unchanged. A person can't undo the death that they caused by their bare hands. Who would be unaffected by the idea that had killed gods with unimaginable powers darker than any night? Can someone sleep well at night knowing that they had been forced to kill their friends?
No. There was no going back no matter how much he wanted it. The Magatama placed within him was evidence enough for that. As much as he had denied it, he wasn't human anymore. No human could make demons kneel before him or challenge beings like the four horsemen. A human couldn't challenge the Great Will and restore a dead world to what it was before.
The months of nightmares and the steady change to his own body only hammered home the truth to him. Naoki the human died within the Vortex World and from that came Naoki the Demi-Fiend. A demon with a human heart. Not constricted to the vices of demonhood yet not completely immune to them. Mortal enough to see the world through a human lens and want to seek the better tomorrow, but backed by monstrous strength and powers.
"This is for the best," he tried to convince himself.
"Well you've still got us boss," a cheerful voice said to him.
The feeling of something on his shoulder was enough proof to confirm who spoke. He turned his head slightly to see his oldest companion, Pixie, smiling at him. She was a small creature with insect wings and wore a blue leotard with stockings and gloves. She had been by his side since he first found her in the hospital he'd arrived. She'd evolved into a High Pixie and continued to be his companion. And within the Labyrinth of Amala she rose to a level unheard of for her kind, even if she reverted to being a seemingly normal pixie. Any poor thoughts on her form were cast away when she used megadolion for the first time within the confusing and dangerous maze.
Her smile broke his depression. He returned the gesture and pat her diminutive head, careful not to hurt her. She may be the strongest of her species and clan, but he was still far stronger. She pouted and swat his hand away before leaping off his shoulder to flutter closely to him.
"You know I hate it when you do that," she said with her cheeks puffed in irritation.
"Sorry."
She waved it off. "It's fine. So, you got everything you need boss? We really doing this?"
"Taking over the Vortex World? Yes," He said with determination.
When he learned of his lacking humanity, he realized that his mere presence would be a danger to the reestablished world he fought to bring back. He discreetly summoned his most trusted and powerful demons to his side to discuss the situation. There had been some debating, but they had all agreed that he could no longer reside with his fellow men without risk of corrupting those around him due to overexposure of demonic energies that pulsed in his body. He could contain them for a long time but the energies would eventually leak out. When Pixie recommended returning to the Vortex World he became confused.
Surely it was gone. The world had been restored so there would be no ruined world, yet all the demons with him claimed otherwise. It was still there, more reduced and missing some sites, but remained all the same. Some power kept the remains of the destruction intact and demons still wandered the place in their quest for Magastuhi. The Vortex World could provide a haven for himself and his demons, but it would have to be conquered first and bring some degree of order to the many clans of demons. With the end of the Conception and the deaths of so many high-ranking beings there was now a sense of pandemonium as they all struggled to hold onto what little Magastuhi was left. But he had a plan for that.
Pixie gave a forlorn look to a group of trees outside the alley. "It's a bit of a shame really. Outside Yoyogi Park, there aren't any trees in the Vortex World."
"Like I said I have a few ideas. Don't worry, my Vortex World will have trees for you," the Demi-fiend said as he took off his hoodie and put it away.
Pixie smiled at this. She turned away from him to hide her rather human like blush. "G-geeze boss! Don't make a girl a promise you can't keep."
He chuckled at her reaction. All his demons, save for the most powerful, seemed to have become slightly more human. It was a more welcome change since he theorized he would be ruling the Vortex World for many years if not indefinitely. He easily lifted the crate of his various things to his shoulders. "Hey, think you can get the bag?"
Pixie huffed as she picked it up with no worries.
"Thanks. Now let's meet up with the others," Naoki said.
He raises his left hand before him and pulses his demonic power. A black energy with a red border surrounds the hand, but so too does the point in front of the duo. The point grows into a swirling mass of terrible energy and whispers of power and pain sound in the enclosed space. The power stirs a response in Naoki's own body and black markings with blue outline appear on his body, while a black horn juts from the back of his neck. Without looking back, the two demons disappear from the world forever.
?
Despite the convenience of teleporting, there were factors that could affect the destination while going from point A to point B. For demonic teleporting, it could be affected if the interference was being done by an extremely powerful being. And the being before the travelers was deceptively powerful.
While they stood, or in Pixie's case floated, on the platform in the middle of some sort of gathering, the curtain rose on the stage before them. The curtain revealed a study of some kind with two "people" as the only occupants. A young woman who wore an outfit befitting of a grieving widow, yet held dignity only found in those who were proud to serve their hosts. The man in the wheelchair she pushed wore a suite and held a cane he fiddled with in one hand. Yet his eyes held power that dwarfed even the Demi-fiend's own strength.
Pixie slowly edged to hide behind her own master as he and the man stared one another down. Tension was thick in the air. Naoki was somewhat indifferent to the whole situation, if the man wanted him dead they would be. But that wouldn't mean he'd go quietly.
"It has been some time since my master and I saw you, Demi-fiend," the woman spoke. "The last time it was after the fourth floor in the labyrinth. You were nearly done with the deepest section of the Labyrinth of Amala, yet you did not go through the final door to meet with us before your final battle. While some may see this as an insult, your actions and rebelling against the Great Will have pleased my master greatly."
She paused for a moment as some tension abated. "And now we see you again after your victory to find you coming to the remains of the Vortex World. Why?"
Naoki thought about his answer. "…As you can probably tell, I am no longer as human as I thought I would be after the rebirth of the world. My very presence would be a danger to my friends and those around me, so I returned to the only option open to me."
The man and the woman did not show it, but they were interested in what he saw was his only option.
"I packed what belongings I had or deemed that I needed, faked my death, and now set forth to take over the Vortex World as my own!" explained the Demi-fiend.
Silence permeated the room. Then a deep but quiet chuckle escaped the throat of the old man. The woman looked to her master with some shock before a smile crossed her face.
"It seems that you never cease in your entertaining of the master. To forsake your own connections to that world for their sake, shows a vision that sees a much larger picture than a normal man. Still, if you are to take the Vortex as your own, how are your subjects to survive with so little Magastuhi available?"
"I did say that I brought what I believed were needed for my success," he began. "And you have mentioned the multiverse to me as well. That had me thinking that with the right equipment and research, my demons and I could find the frequency of Magastuhi and draw it from multiple worlds within the multiverse into the Vortex World. Making a near endless supply of Magastuhi available to us."
The old man taps his cane against his foot as his mind processes the full implications of this plan. After analyzing what the Demi-fiend had planned he gave a shallow nod.
The woman addressed the pair once more. "The master is intrigued by your proposal. If you can follow through on your promise, what you say may come to pass. My master offers you luck on your conquest."
And like that a portal opened beneath them, taking them to their original destination. The duo managed to catch themselves before slamming into ground, saving the belongings they had. A slow clap caught their attention as they saw the rest of their allies. The clapping man wore a red outfit, carrying two pistols and a large sword on his back. This was Dante, the son of the demon knight Sparda and professional demon hunter.
"So, you kiddies decided to go for the stylish entrance?" he inquired in a laid-back tone. "Well, whether it was intentional or not, I can appreciate a little showing off now and then."
"Regardless of our companion's quips, it is good to see you Demi-fiend," spoke a more serious looking man in a striped robe. This was Futomimi, leader of the Manikins. Naoki had promised him that he and his fellow Manikins would have a place to call their own, especially after the majority were slaughtered by the corrupted Chiaki and her forces. They earned that much.
Behind the two humanoids were beings that were more…unique in their forms. Nine were relatively human shaped, but had skulls for heads. They were Naoki's fellow brethren of the fiend clan which ranged from the exuberant Matador to the more duty driven four Riders. And near them were the leaders of the Demi-fiend's light and dark factions, the fly lord Beelzebub and the voice of God Metatron. All looking to him and Pixie for their plan of attack.
"We'll need to take and restore Asakusa. Having the Manikins on our side is going to affect everything in the long-term. That I have a promise to keep," the Demi-fiend receives a grateful nod from the Manikin leader. "Shibuya would also be a good spot to secure. It was a neutral zone and until the fighting is done it will have to be a refugee center. Ginza I would like to be taken through diplomacy with Nix, she pretty much owns the area and the demons at her beck and call can help us. Securing Kabukchio gives us a place for prisoners and getting the serpent clan on our side since most of them stay there. Ikebukuro and Chiyoda will be difficult given the strength of the previous leaders having such an impact there. Other places within the Vortex World will be easy to take with our strength alone. But our most difficult fight is going to be taking and securing the Tower of Kagutsuchi, especially if that is to be our capital."
"If something is worth doing, it is hardly ever easy," Metatron noted.
"And if it is, it's usually a trap," Beelzebub added. "This shall be an interesting campaign my Master."
"No worries boss," Pixie chimed. "We're ready whenever you are!"
The Demi-fiend's eyes glowed a baleful yellow as he looked at their war map.
*Timeskip*
Twelve years had passed since the conquest of the relatively weakened Vortex World. With the lack of Magatsuhi, many demons barely put up a fight before being slain or surrendering. The six-month-long fighting was surprisingly quick, given the objectives Naoki put forth before they set out. The Magatsuhi Beacon Naoki constructed, with the aid of willing demons and Manikins, helped convince others to take his side.
After clearing out Asakusa of any non-friendly demons, Futomimi set forth to gather the lingering numbers of his people and bring them to their city. The process of restoring their home was slow given their few numbers, and without a steady supply of Magatsuhi to form new Manikins the place would be very sparse indeed. The process was taking too long for them to stay in Asakusa forever, so Naoki pushed the development of the beacon. However, the project site was moved to the safer area of Shinjuku to ensure that, if it was successful, the Manikins would not become a target.
The principle of the device was that it would tap into the multiverse and draw in Magatsuhi from humans or sentient beings of many different worlds/realities. Because of the numerous sources, the machine would draw Magatsuhi from minimal targets, in other words dead/killed humans. There was no difference in the quality of Magatsuhi thankfully and this had the benefit, at least to Naoki, of no humans in these worlds dispersing into the energy his demons were gathering, keeping the phenomena secret. Oddly enough, the device had created weather in the Vortex World with storms that rained Magatsuhi and prompted the spread and growth of vegetation, but only near major areas all others were still barren. New lakes and seas formed in places that were low enough, though they had managed to keep Asakusa safe.
With the knowledge that the Magatsuhi Beacon worked and was bringing in Magatsuhi back to the Vortex World, his forces could focus on their campaign. Some places gave up with little to no fight when he told them he had access to a stable supply of Magatsuhi available. Shibuya, Kabukchio, and Ginza all willingly submitted to him and pledged themselves to his rule. Ikebukuro was initially tough, but after strategically taking out the more prominent forces in spectacular fashion, they pledged themselves to him by differing to his much greater strength. Chiyoda had to be nearly cleared entirely in order to be taken as the demons were too fanatical to the previous Reason, same with the Tower of Kagutsuchi. He was forced to spend a lot of Macca to bring back some of his subordinates.
However, once the fighting was done, the Demi-fiend set to work establishing his new kingdom. As rewards for their help in the development of the Magatsuhi Beacon and their logistical support throughout the fighting, the Manikins maintained Asakusa and the area around it all under the watchful eyes of Futomimi. Metatron earned his lightside clans the area of Ikebukuro so they could display their divine might more openly. Beelzebub and his more darker clans were rewarded with Chiyoda, something about the old Diet building called to the fly lord's corruptive nature.
Manikins and some more nature tied demons, mainly from the fairy clan, had taken up the task of cultivating the new plants to develop a kind of ecosystem. They didn't quite understand it the way Naoki did, since he took biology classes, but they understood that meant opportunity. When they had gained some semblance of skill in gardening, Naoki introduced them to possible crops they could grow. The Magatsuhi had an interesting reaction to the plants, the seemed to grow faster and healthier than they normally would on any version of Earth. However, the Magatsuhi used had to be monitored and not saturate the plant, lest it become a demon itself. The fruits and vegetables were rich in flavor and could restore health or magic depending on the type of produce. To supplement the new diet, Naoki would take trips to random Earths and steal away farm animals so there could be a supply of meat. Yoma and Jirea clans helped in that regard.
The Demi-fiend's excursions to these Earths proved to be a boon in case there was something needed and the demons of the Vortex World could not produce it. Often it was to take books and Shinjuku became the place they would be. The Vortex World's great library.
Naoki had commanded his other fiends to patrol the Vortex World and maintain some degree of order in his name. Demons would be demons after all, but he would at least manage it. His friend Dante would be in charge of hunting down the especially dangerous ones. It was pretty much his old gig but now with a more steady pay. But always by his side was Pixie. Not once would she leave him alone for too long, save for checking in on her less powerful kin or reading by herself. Her loyalty and companionship made her the most important demons to Naoki and he would not hesitate to grant a request if she asked for one.
Still, it did not mean he wouldn't be confused about what she asked for at the moment.
"You want to be able to become human? Why?" he asked.
Pixie looked down, her wings beating slightly slower. "W-well, everyone around you is at least human sized and I'm left to be your pint-sized demon. I feel left out in a way. Even if the form is temporary, it would be nice not to hover to look you in the eyes. And…" she blushed, "we could have more opportunities."
*Sigh* "You've been reading those books again haven't you?" he said in a deadpan.
"Guilty!" she grinned at him.
He pinched his brow. "Alright, I'll look into it tonight, okay?"
She smiled warmly, "Thanks Naoki."
The two had been by each other's side for so long, they had become the source of gossip among some clans of demons. After all the saying of 'behind every powerful man, is an equally powerful woman' was more than a saying if that woman could throw around megadolions. But Pixie had a hard time trying to be something more than the Demi-fiend's Pixie. She was born a demon and needed to have more human understanding. And there was also a size issue. If they wanted to become physical at some point in time, she needed to be a normal sized human to do so.
"Heck Beelzebub has a human form for crying out loud, I deserve one too damn it," Pixie thought angrily, while keeping her smile.
Later that night Naoki bid Pixie farewell, someone had to run things while he was away, as he took a step into the portal he opened. He came out into a deserted town somewhere in Northern Japan. His many travels required being inconspicuous, so he was once more lacking his demonic markings, aura, and horn with only a hoodie to guard him from the night breeze. Not the cold could bother him much anymore.
The place he ended up seemed to be a neighborhood over grown by plants and had some erosion. Signs in his birth language were rusted and bent with vines hanging from them. Sounds of wild dogs echoed in the still night. The lack of power did give him a pleasant view of the night sky.
"So, this world is ruined huh? Too bad. *Sigh* It's always depressing coming to fallen Earths," the Demi-fiend lamented.
Still, the door had been opened and he would find some humans for Pixie. He didn't know what he'd do once he found some, but ideas were kicking around in his head. He was about to set off when he heard a sound coming from near the former train station. Following the sound, he tried to think of what it could be. It didn't sound like a normal train, in fact it sounded like a faint hum of energy. Whatever it was, was passing through the town soon, so Naoki decided to wait and observe.
His patience was rewarded with more questions as a black train with many cargo cars passed swiftly by. The design was made for intimidation and aerodynamic speed. The red lights gave warning and light for the journey. But what caught his attention were the many green pods the cargo cars carried as they gave off the feeling of Magatsuhi. Having gained his attention, the Demi-fiend followed the tracks to the destination.
Two hours of running were nothing to the fiend as the train slowed into the strange facility. Just as the black train, the complex was extremely futuristic. Windows of red energy, turrets on the buildings, and guards patrolled the streets. Stranger still were the non-humans that patrolled with the solders. He saw what looked like oni in green armor, more animalistic naga, and what looked like legless archangels, all of whom carried energy weapons of some sort. And yet none of them gave off demonic aura, instead it felt off. Engineered in a way and fake with a dash of 'not of this world'.
"Huh. Aliens," he said unimpressed. Their power was weak and far below any threat to most demons of the Vortex World.
Satisfied in his scouting and having gaged them of their threat level, Naoki decided to try and perform first contact with an out of the way patrol. The patrol had two grunts, one carrying an electric blade, and another in red armor with a cape. Seeing them by themselves offered him the chance as he stepped out from behind a tree.
"Pardon me but-"
His diplomacy was cut off when the one in red pointed to him and shouted in some obscure tongue while readying his weapon.
"I mean you no harm," Naoki tried to deescalate the situation.
Yet they would not listen and fired upon him without mercy. Unfortunately for them, they only singed his jacket. They seemed to stop in confusion, unable to ascertain why he was still standing.
"Hey! This is my favorite!" he shouted.
The one with the blade ran up to him and stabbed him with the electric blade, yet his skin was unmarred. A sense of dread fell over them as his yellow eyes gained an irritated glint.
"Okay I tried to be nice," he said casually before grabbing the offender by his neck and throwing him into a nearby rock, hard.
The other two were surprised by the sudden and brutal demise of their member. What was a trooper, was now a meaty stain on the landscape. They opened fire while trying to back away. The Demi-fiend wasn't in the mood. He took a deep breath and expelled fire from his mouth, catching the other trooper. The pained warped cries from the man were strange music to the Demi-fiend's ears, as he smiled. Hey, he was a demon after all. He turned his gaze to the last man in the patrol, who was giving a desperate/panicked report as he closed the distance.
Naoki slapped the weapon from his hand and pinned him to a tree, dangling by his throat. He ripped the helmet from the leader and found the man was actually some kind of creature. While he had the general appearance of a human, from the mouth up was an elongated head and large eyes of the, thing in his grasp. He relished the pure fear emanating from it before crushing its neck with a smile. Dropping the corpse, he noticed a kind of data pad attached to its hip. He took it and began to do a little info digging before whatever backup would arrive.
He casually scrolled through it, but found the language difficult to read even to his demonic mind. Demons came from all sources of mankind's mythos; thus, all demons knew all human languages. This confirmed his stance on aliens, so he would have to go by what he could piece together. His investigation was interrupted twice by backup but he swept them aside with area of effect spells without looking away from the pad.
It seemed that a race called the Elders came to Earth and conquered it after a long bloody campaign, and took to ruling the planet to use its resources and inhabitants. They seemed to have some kind of agenda called the Avatar Project, which required sites like the one he was near for research purposes. It also seemed that the force that first denied the aliens was making a comeback as a guerrilla fighting force. This XCOM seemed to want nothing less than the full liberation of Earth from the Elders' and other aliens' hands. They had been rather successful over the past month harassing the aliens of ADVENT and gaining intel about the project.
However, none of this was his problem. The Demi-fiend ruler of the Vortex World, Bane of the Great Will, had no obligation to this Earth nor its people. He only came for Pixie's request and yet stumbled upon this whole mess. He truly admired these XCOM people, he really did. They were fighting for the path of freedom as he once did. Yet to him these foes were terribly weak. Only the lowest level demons of the Vortex would be threatened by them, and yet they must pose a terrible danger to the average human. If XCOM had demons like him they…
Then came an idea. An awful idea. Naoki grew a savage, bloodthirsty grin upon his face as he acknowledged the curious thought. He practically felt the amusement of the old man and the woman in black from wherever he was sure they were watching.
"Well," he started as his demonic aura rose and his markings appeared, "it has been rather dull back home. My subjects have needed some form of entertainment, and boy do I have an idea. Pixie you magnificent woman, you've just given the Vortex the best source of entertainment since we took over."
His vicious grin stood out as clearly as his markings and eyes did in the gloom. It would be the last terrifying thing any of the ADVENT forces there would see.
