"Alright, I think we've got everything!" Charlie exclaimed with a smile as she looked over the front desk.
When everyone tuned into Channel 666 news for the press conference, they discovered they had some time before it began. This allowed them to bring some chairs over, get some snacks and beverages, overall make themselves comfortable. As for the Slayer, he was now with them, for it was starting to get let, and the Imps had to put the children to bed and start winding down themselves.
"So Will, what do you think he's gonna tell everyone?" Angel Dust asked as he opened his beer.
"Not sure...he's going to have to say something that explains how I'm back...because everyone's probably figured out by now my return and the Hell Wave happening aren't a coincidence..." He answered.
"I don't know. The people in our circle are pretty stupid," Cherri argued.
"I know that better than anyone here," Vox said with an expression that made him seem dead inside.
"Well...maybe he can get away with saying as little as possible then..." The Slayer suggested.
"I just hope he'll be able to say anything at all..." Lilith confessed with a worried expression.
"Trouble in paradise?" Alastor inquired, but he did so sincerely and not in his usual, looking to start a fire to watch it burn sort of way.
"No, not at all. Lucifer's just been so overworked. I'm getting concerned for his health." She explained before adorning a smile, "But once this whole disaster business is behind us, then his schedule will be cleared. So he and I can spend our mornings together sleeping in until noon." She said.
"Wow, that is like, nauseatingly wholesome," Blitzo commented.
"This coming from the man who cuddles me when we sleep together." Stolas chimed in, causing the Imp's red face to turn pink.
"THE FUCK STOLAS?!" He questioned.
"Ey, fuckwits." Husk spoke up, getting not only theirs but everyone's attention, "Keep yer traps shut. Lucifer's coming on." He informed while pointing to the TV.
Hearing that brought everyone to silence, all eyes focusing on the screen, waiting to see the devil. But when Lucifer did walk out and made his way to the podium in the center of a speaking platform, they were stunned by what they saw.
"Is...he...alive?..." Katie asked because the devil looked like a zombie to her.
"He is. I can confirm." Azrael answered before she put a hand to her chin, "Though...I can't say for certain how much longer that will remain true..." She said.
"Nah, he's fine. I know that look." Husk replied casually.
"How so, Husker?" Alastor asked.
"Simple, he's drunk." He answered.
"He...he's drunk?..." Lilith questioned, "You're...sure?" She added.
"Oh yeah, seen that look over a hundred times. Actually, it could be a thousand. I stopped counting after five hundred." He said.
"We're going to have to talk about that later," Azrael told him.
"I...I can't believe dad's drunk..." Charlie muttered in disbelief, believing Husk because if ANYONE would know if someone was plastered, it'd be him.
"SHH! He's talking!" Blitzo hushed, excited to see how this was going to turn out.
Elsewhere...
"Alright...here we go...we're at the podium...huh...it's a nice podium too...what wood is that...mahogany?" Lucifer thought to himself as he stared at the object.
"...Um...Lord Lucifer?" After a full minute of him standing there saying nothing passed by, a reporter spoke up.
"Hm?...OH RIGHT, the press conference thing...what was I supposed to do again?..." He wondered.
"PSST! Lord Lucifer!" One of the Authorities from before whispered to him from the side, thankfully getting his attention, "Your hand! Look at your hand!" They instructed.
Doing as he was told, Lucifer looked down at his right hand, and when he saw the folded piece of paper inside of it, he gained an expression no different than that of an excited child who just found candy.
"RIGHT! THE SPEECH!" He suddenly shouted, causing everyone in the audience to jump a little, "Ahem. Sorry for the delay, just gathering my thoughts." He told them before unfolding the paper and placing it on the podium, "Now then, to begin. Everyone has been wondering what precisely the massive explosion was at the heart of our city a month ago. And I, as your leader, have been fairly quiet on the matter because...I didn't know shit either, going, to be honest with you. But don't worry! I have the answers now, and I plan to give them!" He assured.
"Is that in his speech?..." One of the Authorities whispered to the other two.
"Nope. He's winging it now. Nothing we can do but watch him burn." Another responded.
"WHO'S GOT THE FIRST QUESTION?!" Lucifer asked, continuing to shout.
At this point, the reporters were at a loss; they didn't know if this was an act or if he was baiting them into some kind of trap. But they came here for answers, and he certainly seemed ready to give them, so one demon hesitantly raised his hand to get the ball rolling.
"Yes! You!" Lucifer exclaimed to acknowledge him, turning down the volume of his voice as he did.
"Uh...reporter for Inferno Info. My question for you, Lord Lucifer, is one that many people online and in our line of work have had the moment the Slayer reappeared. It being is his return connected with the disaster?" He asked.
"Well, no fucking duh!" Lucifer answered, "He was sealed away in Doom dipshit! OF COURSE, the massive explosion is tied to his return!" He exclaimed.
"...Okay..." The demon replied as he sat back down, the wind knocked out of his sails since it was their ruler who insulted him.
"Uh...r-reporter here for Imp Intel..." A second reporter spoke up, though this time it was an Imp, "W-What exactly was the explosion? It seemed magical, b-but that's only speculation..." She asked, stuttering slightly because she feared what he would say.
"Oh, that one's easy. It was the culmination of a variety of different energies collected by the Slayer's enemies in an attempt to help them escape from their imprisonment. But be rest assured none of them made it out because the Slayer, as is his namesake, slew them all. I hope that answers your question." He answered as politely and well-spoken as possible, which made the Imp feel better and made her smile.
"Hey! Why doesn't she get chewed out?!" The first reporter questioned.
In response to that, Lucifer picked up his podium and threw it at the demon, effectively knocking him out with the only other sound to come from his person is a groan. Of course, as it would for anyone, this shocked and terrified the crowd of reporters.
"...I'll be the first to say it. I overreacted." Lucifer told the crowd getting the focus back on him, "And before any of you ask anything else, whether it be about the reform or my behavior. Allow me to state for the official record that I, Lord Lucifer, am tired." He said as he allowed his shoulders to slump, "No...that's not accurate...I'm past tired and am on the brink of dying from exhaustion..." He confessed, letting out a heavy sigh, "I know all of you want answers...you're entitled to them as the confused and frightened masses you are...and I, your leader, should be the one to offer some insight and comfort you..." He continued while slowly closing his eyes, "But please...I beg of you not as your ruler but as a person...let me sleep...I just need a day or maybe two of nothing but sleep, and I'll be back to my old self..., and now that the Slayer has returned, we know nothing bad will happen...so please...can I have a break?..." He requested.
Wow, this was a side of the devil their circle had never seen before; Lord Lucifer, the most powerful of them all in this domain, was showing a vulnerable side of himself. And maybe if things were okay, if everything around him wasn't spontaneously combusting every five seconds, the weight of his plea would've had longer to sit with them. Sadly this wasn't the case, for the person to respond to him wasn't any of the reporters or the masses watching on television; it was one of the Authorities closeby who walked towards him on the stage.
"Sir, I REALLY hate to be the one to do this to you." They began as they nervously looked towards the floor, "But...we've just received word from our superiors...who've received word from their superiors...who happen to be your equals...and well...they've told us something is happening that requires immediate attention." They informed.
"...Right...of course...there's always something..." Lucifer replied before slowly falling forward and hitting the ground with a thud.
"Lord Lucifer!" The Authority exclaimed in shocked as the crowd of onlookers gasped.
"What's wrong with him?!" One of their comrades questioned as the other two Authorities rushed over while the first one knelt.
"He...seems to have passed out...I think his exhaustion and the stress of this news finally brought him down..." They replied.
Back At The Hotel...
"Dad!" Charlie shouted worriedly as she and everyone else watched her father fall face-first on the stage.
When the broadcast started, there was a relatively even distribution of concern and amusement felt for Lucifer, with Blitzo taking up most of the latter. But as it went on, it quickly became all concern, followed by a growing fear that, mentally speaking; he was NOT okay. It all culminated in this moment, where after being told something by an Authority, he straight up collapsed. However, the surprises didn't stop there.
As Lilith, Charlie, and Azrael all became frantic over the well-being of Lucifer, the Slayer's visor lit up, which didn't go unnoticed.
"Will? What's going on?" Katie was the first to ask as she was also the first to notice.
"Nothing good..." He answered, which gained EVERYONE'S immediate attention.
"Does it have to do with Lucifer? Or more specifically, what that Authority told him?" Stolas inquired.
"Probably...but regardless if it was or wasn't, I have to go..." He told them as a portal suddenly opened in the lobby.
"Wait, what? Will!" Angel Dust called out as the Slayer walked towards it, "What the fuck is going on?! One minute Lucie's having a mental breakdown on TV; the next, you're leaving through a portal? This is some armageddon foreboding shit, you know!" He exclaimed.
"I do...hopefully it's not as bad as it seems..." The Slayer replied while looking back at his companions, "I promise we're not looking at what happened six months ago...the message I received just now tells me that much...but whatever the situation is, I need to go deal with right now...you guys go make sure Lucifer's not dead..." He told them before leaving through the portal.
"I SWEAR TO GOD WILL IF YOU DISAPPEAR FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU MYSELF!" Angel Dust threatened as the portal closed, his hands balling into fists out of anger from how familiar this whole thing was becoming.
Elsewhere...
"Ah, Will! There you are!" Vega greeted as the Slayer stepped out of the portal.
One of the rarest things the Slayer ever saw were the Maykrs, regardless if it were drones and angels or the Khans and Samur, frantically going about their workspaces in a panic. They were calm, composed, always in control of their actions and thoughts while keeping their emotions in check. But this was different; as he looked around, he saw angels and drones flying everywhere, either working on the building itself or doing some other task, which assumed related to why he was here.
"I'm sorry for the current state of everything. We hoped to get the new facilities finished before Valentino, and the Dark One attempted anything. But they were one step ahead of us, it seems." Vega informed.
"So, this is them..." The Slayer responded.
"It can't be anything else." He responded before turning around, "Walk with me. I'll explain the situation as we go. The Khans, Samur, and the Wretch are waiting for us." He said as he led the way.
"What about Gabriel?..." The Slayer inquired, following at his side.
"I haven't contacted him yet. While what is happening is alarming, it isn't so severe we need to call the calvary. You alone can handle this without issue though the Wretch does want to accompany you if that's alright." He responded.
"After what they pulled in Doom, I'd appreciate someone having my back..." The Slayer said, "Now, what are the details?" He asked.
"It happened out of nowhere. No spike in corruption, no sudden appearance of demons in mass, and it completely blindsided us because it was something we didn't expect." Vega began, "We received word from Heaven that souls, all of whom came from the world tied to Lucifer's circle the most, suddenly arrived." He continued as they left one facility and headed for another, "While alarming, we didn't think much of it initially, as that world has a particular affinity for death and mayhem. But when more details came in, we realized it could only be their doing. For the cause of death for all these souls, men, women, and children, were two hulking masses hidden in suits of blackened armor wielding maces whose spikes were made of energy." He revealed.
"A mass murder...the only reason they'd do something that'd instantly reveal their location is to build a Gore Nest..." The Slayer suggested.
"Our assumption as well, and sadly we discovered it to be true." He confirmed, "After checking the site the souls gave us, which was an arena in a fairly large overpopulated city, we discovered a growing concentration of corruption." He explained.
"And because the Dark One is without his power, it isn't his corruption, but instead what they have gathered from the souls..." The Slayer realized, "But why let some of them go? That part doesn't make sense..." He noted.
"Our best guess at the moment is that his arcanists, the Mother Of Demons and the Resurrector haven't regained enough power on their own to hold onto them. Which is another vital purpose this Gore Nest serves." Vega said as they reached their destination.
Allowing a pause in their conversation to take place as they went through the door, The Slayer and Vega were immediately greeted by Samur upon entering.
"Ah, thank the Heavens. Both of you are here." He said, both the Khans and the Wretch who were nearby unable to speak to them as they worked on what seemed to be a new, better version of the Wretch's Slipgate invention.
"What has changed in my absence Samur?" Vega inquired as he and the Slayer came closer.
"The answer to that question is a double-edged sword, father." He replied, "The good news is no demons have been made, and they cannot resurrect any from Doom thanks to our cleansing of the realm. But this brings me to that bad news, for in place of a horde of snarling monsters, they have a skilled merciless hunter." He informed.
"The Cyberdemon..." The Slayer said, knowing it had to be him.
"Yes. But he is with new flesh and form. No longer a towering behemoth easy to hit with your strongest armaments, he is of your size and can match both your speed and strength, it seems. How this is possible, we cannot determine at this time." He explained.
"Either way, I'm still going to kill him..." The Slayer replied.
"We'd expect nothing less." Samur assured before looking over at the others, "Is it ready yet?" He asked them.
"We just got the coordinates locked in, and all preparations are set. We're ready whenever you are." The current Khan answered.
"Then get it open...we can't let anymore die..." The Slayer told her.
Nodding in response with a few presses on the terminals, the Slipgate came to life, creating a light blue portal in its center for him and the Wretch to walk through.
"I see you have a new suit..." The Slayer told him as he summoned his combat shotgun.
"I see you have your original." The Wretch replied, making the Slayer smirk, if only for a second before they both went through.
Earth
Meat...so much meat...mixed with fragments of what was once bone...laying in streets drowned in blood. The Cyberdemon was of Doom's greatest slaughterers...arguably THE greatest...but that carnage he could wreak now with his new body and power was...terrifying. The arena was saved for the Hell Guards...the Sisters were busy with their work...but this rampage of death through the city streets was his and his alone. But all these mortals...no matter what size or even species they may be...were nothing more than bait to lure his actual prey.
His hunt began ten or so minutes ago...in more than half that time, a response was received. A blue portal appeared not far from his person, bringing his march to an end and his grip to tighten on the shaft of his ax. Outstepped from within was none other than his quarry, the infamous Slayer accompanied by another who, although bearing new armor, could not be mistaken in their identity.
"Ah, the Slayer and the Usurper..." He greeted with a breathy voice, his excitement managing to show despite the nature of his existence, "Our Lord told us you were spotted during the Icon's resurrection, but now that you stand here before me alongside our greatest enemy. I see not the demon who once served MY master so diligently." He told him.
"You may keep your master. I am no one's servant any longer." The Wretch replied with a snarl.
"Hahaha, is that what you think?" He questioned as the portal behind them closed, "You will ALWAYS belong to OUR maker. The god you pledge loyalty to had his time with creation, but like all things made of naive souls, it will come to its end." He said.
"I agree. For that is the fate of your creator." The Wretched responded confidently.
"Where is Valentino?..." The Slayer spoke, growing tired of this abomination's ramblings, "We know what remains of your master's soul lies within his own...where are they?..." He asked.
"Do not think me a traitor simply because you stand beside one Slayer. If you want such information, you will need to pry it from my maw along with my tongue." The Cyberdemon answered.
"Poor choice of outcome..." He responded as he readied his shotgun, "I've already done that quite a few times, I'm good at it..." He said.
With that, the conversation between them was over; neither side cared to hear anything else other than the sounds of combat. The Cyberdemon was the first to rush forward, summoning a shield to protect himself right as the Slayer unloaded his shells rapidly, able to do so thanks to his current modification. The Wretch, however, lacking any firearms like his comrade, unsheathed his arm-mounted blade and went in to strike their foe at his side. But it was not only the Cyberdemon's feet that were swift now, reacting the moment the Wretch made his move, he did away with his ax and brought forth his shotgun.
Firing off both barrels at once, though the attack brought no harm to the Heavenly Baron, the force propelled him backward, allowing the demon to carry on with his charge towards the Slayer. Now in close proximity, the Cyberdemon wielded his ax again, switching between his weapons as fast as he did before. Reacting on instinct alone, the Slayer sent his shotgun away, summoned his chainsaw, and clashed against an overhead attack meant to splice him in two. Serrated teeth that refused to break met with powerful energy that would not falter; these titans stared into each other's eyes as they always had currently locked into a stalemate.
From the Wretch's perspective, this was a massive oversight on the Cyberdemon's part, as it left him entirely open for another strike. With his blade still ready for use, he ran towards him, pulling his arm back with the intent to thrust the weapon into his lung. But from the Slayer's perspective, he saw something different, as the Wretch closed the distance between him and the Cyberdemon, one of the hulking armored creatures Vega described came from above, having leaped from the top of a nearby building.
"LOOK OUT!" He shouted, hoping he'd warn him in time.
Sadly, it was too late. By the time the Wretch began to turn his head, the behemoth had landed on top of him. Not allowing the Wretch a second to come to his senses, it grabbed him by one of his legs and threw him into the very building it jumped from, resulting in an explosion as the demon's body flew into the structure. Unfortunately, the Slayer could do nothing but watch, so long as the Cyberdemon held his ground, he couldn't move as otherwise he'd receive his opponent's attack.
"How funny, you'd think after all this time you'd be used to ambushes." The Cyberdemon taunted him, following it with a cackle.
"I'm...going...to enjoy...breaking off your horns...and shoving them into your sockets..." The Slayer replied.
"Oh? I don't think my comrade agrees with that notion." He replied.
Before he could question what that meant, the Slayer felt a powerful force hit him at his back. Violently bouncing on the ground until his body crashed into a car; if it had been anyone else, they would've died. But for him, it only pissed him off. Quickly getting back upright, he looked to where he once stood, finding now besides the Cyberdemon, there was the second of the armored demons.
As for the first, it was busying going after the Wretch in the building, for his ally like him recovered swiftly to avoid taking any more blows.
"Two on one?...I like those odds..." The Slayer said as he sent his chainsaw away, "Fine...you bastards want to brawl?...Then let's go apeshit..." He told them before accessing his suit's powerups and activating berserk.
"Finally, you're starting to take this seriously!" The Cyberdemon exclaimed as he threw a blade of energy from his ax at the Slayer.
Easily dodging the attack with a simple sidestep, the Slayer rushed forward with both fists reared back, ready to punch, which they responded to by meeting him head-on. Meanwhile, inside the building, the Wretch was engaged with the second half of the armored duo.
"Hell Guards, what a miserable joke." The Wretch said, both he and the Hell Guard standing opposite of each other, "You're nothing but parasites. Bred and produced in mass, whose only power is granted through suits of MY design. Do not think for a second that even if your body has changed, that I still won't tear you in two like the worthless worm you are." He threatened.
Seeming to take offense to that, or perhaps it simply wanted to attack, the Hell Guard rushed the Wretch leading with its shoulder. Unlike before the Wretch was prepared this time, he not only dodged the attempted shoulder bash but also evaded the follow-up swing of the Hell Guard's arms when it realized it missed. This turned their fight into a close-quarters brawl of the Hell Guard trying to land punches while the Wretch dodged each one. Some would say he was at a disadvantage, the Hell Guard was a fortress in this armor, and nothing he could do would penetrate it.
But that's the funny thing about armor, no matter how well made, if studied long enough, one or even many weaknesses in its design will be found, for nothing is perfect. That was the Wretch's plan, continue to avoid getting hit until he found something, even the tiniest possible opening, to deliver a blow that, while not decisive, would give him an edge in the battle. Yet while he focused on keeping himself safe and buying the time he needed to do something worthwhile, the Slayer's approach was the exact opposite. Grunting like a madman, he threw punch after punch at the Hell Guard and the Cyberdemon but found that no blows he landed even made a dent in their armor.
Eventually, he'd back off, but only because Berserk was fading and he needed a new strategy.
"Surprise Slayer?" The Cyberdemon asked, "Our master studied you all that time we were sealed together. Your powers, your suit, your weapons, and what fuels them. He set to work ensuring that you'd have no advantages, and now we all see that it was well worth the effort." He explained.
"Everything breaks...if you beat it enough..." The Slayer responded in a pant, not because he was tired, but because his blood was starting to boil, "It's just like the old saying...shoot it until it dies..." He told them.
Not a second after he said that, the Slayer summoned his chaingun, brandishing its four barrels simultaneously, as he activated Onslaught. Even the Cyberdemon and Hell Guard weren't so overconfident they'd chance injury, so the moment the Slayer started shooting, the former raised his shield while the latter pulled a massive slab of the concrete street to use as one. Back inside the building, the Hell Guard who swung at the Wretch remained focused on its goal to destroy him. Unfortunately for the demon, its time had come; after carefully examining its armor, the Wretch found one point of attack that'd grant him the edge he needed.
"The pit of his arm, when he swings overhead, there is a space just big enough for a blade to be inserted horizontally. If I time it properly and aim it well, I can sever the arm from the body." He thought.
Continuing to dodge until the opportunity presented itself after four more strikes, one came that granted him the window he sought. With all his might, he thrust his blade upwards like an uppercut, slotting it perfectly between the armor and sending it through the arm. Like a heavy branch broken from a tree, the Hell Guard's arm fell to the ground, a loud thud going out into the air as a result. However, the Wretch made a fatal oversight; he forgot that his opponent was a demon of Doom in the heat of battle, which meant that even an injury like this would not distract it from its goal.
Brandishing its mace with its remaining hand, the Hell Guard swung at the Wretch with all its strength, sending him straight through not only the wall of their current building but several of the others on the same street. Landing on his back, the Wretch gritted his teeth from the pain, a gush of blood spewing from his mouth and filling his helmet.
"He...He broke...all of my ribs...exploded a lung...but this suit...it's meant to withstand such a blow..." He thought as he stared up at the ceiling above him, "It's not possible...even if his body is stronger...same for his soul...the only way this could happen is if..." He continued, just as a realization hit him, "SLAYER! THERE IS MORE THAN O-"
BAM
Another blow, once more from the Hell Guard's mace. The creature managed to reach him before he could notice, and now that it stood over the Wretch's immobilized form, it intended to beat him to death. But alas, his partner could not hear the Wretch's screams of pain as more of his body was broken. His ears were filled with the sound of gunfire, and his mind fixated on the two demons in front of him. Soon, their fight would change too, as suddenly the Cyberdemon did something he'd never done any other time they fought.
"HELL GUARDS! RETREAT!" He shouted out in a commanding tone, "OUR REINFORCEMENTS HAVE ARRIVED! LET THEM DEAL WITH THE SLAYER!" He added.
Reinforcements, that word caused alarm bells to go off in the Slayer's head. He maintained his fire, of course, making sure to try and land any bullets at all as those three retreated. At the same time, he brought up his scanner on his hud, and coming from behind him in the direction of where he assumed the arena was given, the city's layout was a horde of demons.
"Imps...and Hell Knights...they've managed to summon more..." The Slayer discovered, causing him to put his chaingun away, "Wretch! We've got more incoming! Get ready!" He called out.
Waiting to hear him respond, it didn't come. All the Slayer heard was the distant screeches and howls of the demons.
"WRETCH?!" He called out again, rushing into the building to find his companion.
Searching the area as quickly as he could, the Slayer saw the massive line of holes through the buildings, and at the end on the other side of the last one was the still form of the Wretch. Running over to see how bad the damage was, he stopped halfway, not needing to get any closer. Most of his abdomen was flattened, all of his organs forced out in some way or another, and although there was still light in his suit, it seemed as if the Wretch had been killed. And yet, the Slayer didn't react; he stared down at the remains of someone he considered an ally...a friend...and he felt nothing.
But only because those responsible were gone, there was no one there to feel anger towards, not until the first Imp found him and lunged at his backside. Turning his body halfway so he could catch it by the neck, as the demon struggled in his grasp, that emptiness inside him filled.
"I'll...kill...all of you..." He whispered beneath his breath, while with his free hand, he reached down and grabbed hold of both the Imp's ankles.
With the same amount of ease it'd take to tear a tissue in half, he did so with Imp, separating its torso from its legs without a second thought. Blood and viscera fell out of the corpse and onto the floor, which distracted him only for a moment from the horde outside.
"Ten knights...twenty Imps...less than thirty seconds..." He said as he released both parts of the corpse he held.
Summoning his chainsaw again, he revved the tool to life, the gasoline-burning inside it only outclassed by the rage burning inside him. No more words were spoken, for no one else was around to hear them. He rushed out of the building right into the waiting demons, kicking things off by feeding his chainsaw the head of a Hell Knight. Cutting it down the middle with impressive speed, with the battle now started and his first victim claimed, he carried out his righteous culling.
The Hell Knights reacted first, trying their best to grab hold of his arms to restrain him or even to disarm him of his weapon. A strange behavior, usually they'd swing at him with their clawed hands or leap into the air to try and crush him, but he overlooked that. They were monsters waiting to die, so who cared if they were acting strange? What importance could that serve?
He needed release, for his anger, his violence, for the madness that returned worse than ever before. By fifteen seconds since the start, he killed the Hell Knights, each swing of his chainsaw possessing more power than the last as his fury and bloodlust grew. All that was left were the Imps, twenty of them. They stood around staring at his blood-soaked sword that growled for more victims, it was hungry, and he was more than happy to feed it.
One by one, he took such pleasure in their struggle; after the third one died, they all tried to run, how funny that was. He activated Overdrive, allowing him to move even faster. He killed seven more in half the time, leaving ten left in all, and it was then that he could see the genuine fear in their faces. These Imps, all-new, spawned from the Gore Nest at the arena, they had no idea what monster they were sent to fight, but they were going to learn.
He decided his chainsaw was through. He wanted this to be done by hand; he started punching or grabbing them so he could destroy each Imp piece by piece. So much was broken, torn, smashed, and ripped, all of it filling the air with dying wails of these forsaken creatures. Eventually, only one remained; it cowered on the ground backing itself against a nearby vehicle, looking to him with a pleading gaze for mercy.
This was also very strange; more so than the last, it should have brought him back to his senses. But this was not a massacre spawned from survival, nor because he felt like killing, one of theirs turned his friend into a corpse; he was merely repaying the courtesy. Keeping the Imp on the ground by pressing his foot against its torso, he looked at it one final time before delivering a powerful stomp to the skull, crushing it completely. And with that, it was over, no more demons present to be slain; all that remained was the Gore Nest at the arena.
Yet that wasn't his priority, a friend of his was lying dead in rubble nearby, and he was going to get his body safely back to the others. But when he turned around, expecting to see a mass of demon bodies, what he saw instead made his heart stop beating in his chest. There were no Hell Knights, and there were no Imps, the viscera that lay scattered everywhere was...human. At first, he thought he was seeing things; yes, that had to be it; this was like his nightmare in which the Dark One was messing with his mind.
Then he heard it, the body of the Imp he just killed slump over and hit the ground. Slowly he looked back, needing to be sure it was an Imp because he KNEW for a FACT, it HAD to be an Imp! But it wasn't.
"No..." He muttered in horror as he turned back around to face it, "This...this isn't real...it's another dream...I...must've fallen asleep at the hotel...this is another nightmare..." He reasoned, still hoping this was all in his head.
The more time he spent staring at the corpse, the more he wanted no NEEDED it to change. It wasn't an Imp anymore. Instead, it was the body of a teenager, somewhere between thirteen and fifteen, from what he could tell. Sadly, the only change that occurred was the pool of blood beneath the body, as it steadily grew in size as more blood leaked onto the ground.
At this point, the nightmare was becoming too much, and he gripped his helmet out of the growing panic he felt inside of him, wanting so desperately to wake up. He started punching himself so hard he managed to bruise; he was willing to break his bones if the pain would end this torture.
"WAKR UP! WAKE UP, GODDAMN YOU!" He shouted angrily at himself, continuing his assault which added more bruises to his body, "THIS CAN'T BE REAL! I...I'D NEVER...never..." He muttered before dropping to his knees.
Staring down at the ground, his whole body numb at this point, he didn't even react when he felt the warmth of the blood from the corpse reach him. And soon, his min would numb too, everything getting drowned out even as things began to change. Portals were suddenly opened, Sentinels and Authorities rushed out, followed soon after by the Khans, Samur, and Vega, who hurried to his side. But no matter what they did or what they said, the Slayer continued to stare silently at the ground, for none of this changed the truth.
He killed them. It wasn't demons, the Dark One, not even Valentino. By his hands alone, these people met their end. And so, as that fact made itself at home in his mind, the Slayer shutdown.