The Karcist and the Lord

a S.C.P. Foundation Mythos x M.G.E. crossover

Chapter 51

"Hmm... mmm." Heperiti moaned, as she started to wake up. She realized she was feeling the pleasant afterglow of a particularly good climax, and then smiled as she felt Zekophets' hand turn her head to his face. She pursed her lips, expecting a kiss.

"Darling?" The Anubis Lilith frowned and opened her eyes as she heard and felt the concern that her mate had, and turned to see the Sparthen was staring at her with trepidation. It was also then that she noticed the presence of her mother sitting at the foot of the bed. The two Mamono stared at each other for a moment, then Heperiti looked at her husband.

"Did we..."

"Yes, yes you did." Deborah

"...Why?" It was then that Zekophet recounted what had happened earlier, from his noticing how she was acting off, to her attacking her sister and injuring a large number of the castle guard and finally to when Deborah struck Heperiti with a Demonic-Mana enhanced strike. Heperiti blushed, as Zekophet mentioned her being taken by him while her mother was in the room, both from the thought of being watched and also from the fact she was deemed a danger enough that she had to have her mother present to ensure she didn't harm Zekophet.

"By the Gods... I'm so, so sorry." Heperiti whimpered, as she covered her face in shame and horror. "I shouldn't have gazed into the Machine Blood."

"What did you see?" Zekophet asked. Heperiti paused and looked up, her hair ruffled by her moving her paws through them. Taking a few seconds to calm herself, Heperiti explained what happened.

"At first, the microscope I made just showed a bunch of fluid molecules, but at a specific magnification I activated. It was some sort of... information transference about how to make and use the various, but I think it was doing so through hypnosis."

"Why? And do you remember what it was you were hypnotized into trying to achieve?"

"That is the only way I can explain my sudden outburst. But, I can't remember what I was doing, or what I wanted to accomplish. I just know that it was giving me the knowledge to fight the Cult of Nalka." Heperiti was clearly frustrated as she responded to the question Zekophet asked of her. Deborah at this point clenched a fist, and breathed slowly to calm herself down.

"Giving you the information? As if it was... alive?" the Monster Lord asked. Heperiti nodded.

"Zekophet, you mentioned earlier how you think Mekhane is involved. Mind elaborating further on what this means for my husband?" she asked, turning to the Sparthian.

"In essence, if the Machine Blood is the Ichor of Mekhane, then Mikheal is trapped within his own body while the Broken God Mekhane himself seeks to take over and possess it for their own ends. This is something I have drawn a conclusion from due to seeing how we have been paying attention to how the King of Makai has an expression indicating he is struggling with something, indeed even becoming enraged, as well as what has been observed of those who were infected by the substance in the Mekhanites." After replying like so, Zekophet squeezed his wifes' hand.

"Back before Heperiti came, I was raised to believe that Mekhane was one of the gods of the Pantheon. But with what I have witnessed of the Mekhanites and what we have heard, there is no way I can possibly stand for the Broken God. Especially if they are willing to do this to my wife... we must find a way to completely free the King from Mekhanes' grip upon his very soul." Zekophet held Heperiti to his chest as he said this, to which Deborah looked at him with a determined look.

"Is there any way I can assist Mikheal in breaking free from the grip of Mekhane by going into his mind directly? Like how a Nightmare would enter the dreams of a potential mate?" Heperiti then stood up, and it was clear she had an idea.

"I remember something that could help. Zekophet, you mentioned that I brought some of my files and lab supplies, right?"

"Yes. Currently, the Sabbath are going over what you brought over, though your being indoctrinated into attacking fellow Mamono has left them uneasy and suspicious about what would happen if they used anything." Zekophet explained.

"I would like to see if I brought anything that could help. Even if I was hypnotized, one can't be compelled into doing something that they wouldn't have considered doing otherwise unless they were heavily brainwashed." Deborah looked at Heperiti then Zekophet, then sighed.

"Do it, but make it fast. We can't let Ion or Mekhane catch onto what we are doing."

**POV SHIFT**

"Come on then you wretched whelp!" Corvidan yelled, driving his ax into the skull of a Daevite warrior, and felt a surge of pain when an arrow struck his back. As the Nalkacite looked around the battlefield, he could see that the Fallen Maidens were holding their own. Good, at least they aren't taking chances, making it easier for him to focus on the charging Daeva spear wielding soldier ahead of him and avoid being skewered.

Sidestepping a thrusting attack, Corvidan delivered a spinning back fist into his opponents' face, then threw his ax into the chest of a swordsman, who then fell over as a fireball blasted into several Daeva. Corvidan picked up the dropped spear, and backed up to avoid the arrows flying at him. After looking around, he finally spotted the archer that was continually loosing arrows in his direction, only for them to be struck down by a musket shot to the stomach.

Corvidan then saw several more Daeva were running towards him, and growled. He could see that around only a quarter or so of his Adytites were still remaining. Even so, as one of the Daeva what appeared to be a club of carved stone swung down at him, Corvidan ducked under it and drove the spear into their abdomen. As it went through the other side and got stuck, he caught the club in mid-air, only to feel the handle suddenly burn when grabbed it.

As he dropped it, one of his fellow Nalkacites blocked another attack as they tackled a swordsmen and stabbed them in the neck. Then they turned to Corvidan as the Adytite wrestled the final and third solder to the ground and snapped their neck. All around them, the few of Ions' followers remained were gathered around the Brides, Alexis in particular creating entire walls of flame with her rage being poured into them.

"Corvidan, we must fall back from this field at once! The Daeva surround us, and-" the warrior was interrupted by a sudden white-robed figure teleporting to him and Corvidan. The two turned to see what was in fact a Daeva Priestess, who decapitated the Nalkacite with a ritual sword of dark obsidian which cleaved their flesh like paper. Corvidan then jumped back as she immediately slashed his chest on the return stroke.

Disengaging her with a kick to the stomach, Corvidan backed up in the direction of the Fallen Maidens. The Daevite slashed at the mans' chest, and his flesh immediately began to turn black with necrosis and rot. As the Daeva raised her sword, a small diamond shaped knife flew out and stabbed into their neck, then a small paper talisman activated, causing a purple ethereal vector line to shoot through what the knife didn't pierce.

As the Daevite Priestess' head flew into the air, Corvidan looked over to see that Koyoi rushing forward, the Kitsune kicking and punching with an unarmed martial arts style. Her feet and fists glowed with purple Demonic Mana, and blew apart whoever and whatever the Kitsune Bride struck while the Adytite crawled back up, picking up a dropped bronze sword.

"By Ion, how many of them are there?!" Corvidan screamed, clearly getting annoyed with the situation, with what few of the Cult of Nalka being channeled into a ring around the Fallen Maidens. It was then that a horn sounded out, and the Daeva stopped their attack. There was confusion amongst the Fallen Brides and their escort but then a portal opened, and when a man in Order robes stepped out followed by more Daeva, there was a collective gasping among the Mamono. Corvidan realized they recognized him, and a closer look at his facial features made the Adytite realize he was related to Wilmaria as well as the clearly disabled and uprooted Roper that was being carried into the area.

"Hey girls, have you missed your King?" the man said with a shit-eating grin. Corvidan looked back at Alexis primarily, and saw a look that spoke of confusion, hate, and even more... fear.Corvidan felt his skin crawl, as her look bespoke of knowing the man that was amongst the Daeva, and thus meant this was not baseless.

"Father?! You are supposed to be in the castle dungeons being corrupted until you finally turned into an Incubus and reunite with mother!" Wilmaria exclaimed. Corvidan and the other Cultists looked at the Succubus with looks that showed they were piecing together what was going on, and who it was that appeared before them. It was then that the last of the Daeva crossed the portal. Before it fully closed, the Daeva raised a formation of spears toward it, and several Mamono soldiers crossed it running only to stop as they realized that they had nearly lost their lives in the process.

"That is correct." the man said, as the Mamono behind him were set upon and subdued with nonlethal, but nonetheless painful hits and strikes. "However, I have something that I require you and your fellow 'Brides' that were apart of Garth's harem, hence why I brought your sister little Willy."

"Only Garth can call me that... do not call me by that name!" Wilmaria muttered in anger. "And if you have so much as harmed a single hair on his head, you are going to be wishing you haven't."

"Ah, well he is still alive and well last I checked. All I did was paralyze him. Now then, I spared him because there is something I require you to come with me to take care of, along with Primeria." There was a moment of shock that passed through the Brides, then Wilmaria growled.

"Sir..." Corvidan turned to see that one of his warriors had approached him from behind, and saw that it was Alexis. "...Wilmaria, Mimil, Sasha, Francesia, Koyoi, and Merse were all treated poorly by the nobility of Lescatie, and would make for six women that he held power over. If Primeria was still alive and not slain by Nadox, that bring the number to seven." a few seconds passed, and when he realized what the Half-Elf was saying Corvidan felt horror and fear for the first time since he came here.

He can't know about that ritual. There's is no way the Daeva are trusting this failure of a King... Corvidan thought, as he examined the man for any signs of decent in his face or body language.

"Why the hell would we go with you?" Sasha asked, visibly shocked at King Noscrims' audacity. The former King smiled, a clearly false innocent one as he replied.

"Because frankly, you don't have a choice. I'm simply giving you the courtesy of recognizing that fact, plus it's less bothersome, just like I happened to know about the second orphanage you set up in the woods outside Lescatie, and were the traitor that leaked information to Druella and her Radicals." the Mamono and Nalka Cultists stared at him blankly.

"Bull. Shit. You knew nothing about that until after the siege." Merse replied, calling out King Noscrim. He then cleared his throat, and without missing a beat proceeded to speak in a manner that implied he spent a lot of time reciting his answer.

"When Sasha founded the first orphanage for children that lost their parents, it was around eight or so years ago before she began to question the purity of the Orders' cause. Until she finally began to gather Mamono children whose parents were killed by her fellow Heroes, she also was slowly losing communion with the Chief God herself. Their voice was slowly growing more and more silent, until Sasha could hear their voice no more. Even so, you were now challenged with... hah, hiding the children from me." Sasha raised an eyebrow as Noscrim started speaking.

"Eventually, one of Druellas' Radicals made contact with her, and helped her set up the second orphanage when the Radicals began to consider liberating Lescatie from my iron grip around a year later. So as the next seven years went by, Sasha would begin feeding information for her contact while that kept the orphanage safe not even a hundred yards from my city. Examples of your Mamono charges were an Orc girl named Mildren from the village of Rafial, and even a couple of teenage Amazons who would later find their husbands amongst the ranks of the militia. Tiana and Viala I believe." Monica frowned, clearly recognizing the names.

"As for what information you gave, it started with the patrols of the city watch, it which did not account me happening to institute some obvious last minute changes before Sasha could report them. Like say, storing some of the more explosive materials for the city defenses in the walls themselves. Now, how did I do?" the King asked, finally finished with his diatribe.

"Um, what was said was very much general information you could search for in the records that have been written up after the siege was finished." King Noscrim frowned at Sashas' reply, then sighed.

"Fuck it..." he muttered under his breath. "...you are going to come with me, whether that is of your own volition, or by force of arms." he then gestured to the Daeva Matriarch that was next to him. The Daeva then began to approach as she shouted in a language that was too similar to what the Cult of Nalka speaks to be coincidence, only to stop when a war cry drew their attention.

"Incoming!" someone shouted, as several Valkyries fell upon the Daeva horde. Before the dust even began to fall, a whirlwind of hacking and slashing blades tore through the crowd and emerged to reveal one of the Chief Gods' champion Angels as she stopped to look at the group before her. Upon seeing King Noscrim, the Valkyrie scowled. The man grit his teeth as the Angel pointed her sword at him, ignoring the chaos of the Daeva being pushed away from the Fallen Brides. As the Valkyrie spoke, Corvidan and his troops stayed back watching the area around them with tense looks.

"Julian von Lescatie, as Arch-Valkyrie of the Chief God, I Ramiellian charge you with heresy of the highest order, purposeful and willful abuse of your power-" Julian then interrupted the Valkyrie with a loud groan, then interjected with his reply.

"Yes yes yes, I'm a heretic of the highest order, and never ruled responsibly. In all honesty, do you really think I give a shit at this point? I've been set up to fail the very beginning of my coronation, and lo and behold when the armies of the Monster Lord came, not a single one of you showed up to help the city, nor prevent the siege." The Arch-Valkyrie frowned at Julian's interruption. A clapping sound was then heard, which was revealed to be the Black Lord of Alagadda. Currently, he was inhabiting the body of some form of chimera or other creature which they did not recognize.

"Now now, I'm sure there was a better argument you could have used King Julian." the Black Lord said, as the Daeva gave a bow of respect to him. Julian looked around, then did the same. As the Valkyries looked at the Ambassador, Corvidan tightened the grip he had on his ax, as the Alagaddan continued, looking over to the Valkyries.

"Now then, I would appreciate it if you give the Daeva what they were here for, that being the Brides. In exchange-"

"We will do no such thing, in fact we were sent here ahead of time to make they did not fall into your hands. I'm sure you are familiar with the Void Seraphim right? They haven't had the chance to repay you for the loss of their comrade." the masked figure tilted his head, then turned around as he heard chanting behind him, growing in tensity. It was then he saw one of the mentioned servants of the Chief God. The Seraphim was locked in a pose, yellow ichor flowing around her wrist. As she finished, Corvidan recognized the spell format, and use of what amounted to her blood as the basis of the spell.

"Bullshit. What makes you think those pretenders of divinity would even know of thy existence, let alone answer when blood magic is forbidden in this world?" the Black Lord asked, arrogance in his tone and posture as he crossed his arms with his mask smiled.

"Fly Spear of the Holy Fourth... and pierce the vile servants of the Vortutent before thee." she concluded, and as soon as the words left her mouth, her ichor gathered together and began to spin.

"Wait, WHAT?!" He cried out as his mask changed expressions and a hole in the air formed in front of her, and a spear flew and impaled the shocked Black Lord, flying through the air and tearing the Alagaddans' body. Corvidanand the other Nalkacites from Earth jumped back as they recognized that it was Ortothan sorcery, while the Black Lord screamed in pain. The spear of light that the Void Seraphim fired continued onward, cleaving through a number of Daeva who failed to dodge the attack as Julian and the Daeva Matriarch with him teleported away.

The Valkyries were also quick to respond to the distraction, with several charging the ones that held the captured Mamono hostage and the others surrounding the Fallen Brides and their escort. Within but a moment the Daeva soldiers were cut down before they could so much as raise a hand, and the Mamono were pulled away to where Corvidan and the rest of his party were.

"Nor-el, get them of here now!" Rammiellian screamed. After she did so, the group were surrounded by a bright light, blinding Corvidan as he felt himself being grabbed and taken away from the area by whatever power the Angels used to teleport away.

**POV SHIFT**

As the Black Lord of Alagadda recoiled from the attack that he was struck with, he let an impotent roar of rage. Why did that Void Seraphim know Ortothan magic?! The god that made this world specifically created it in its own universe, and was clearly too obsessed with keeping beings like Ion and his master the Hanged King to even entertain letting those blood sorcerers into the world. And the Void Seraphim were clearly meant to keep such knowledge out of its inhabitants' hands.

Unless... no, the current Chief God was too much the blind follower to even entertain such notions. The Black Lords' internal discussion was interrupted as he saw that Julian von Lescatie and the Daeva Beliatar returned to the area. The Black Lord then realized how close he was to achieving his mission, as the Ambassador appeared. Julian and the Daeva around him watched the two creatures stare each other down.

"What happened Jester? How did those Valkyries slip the tributes right through your fingers? I gave you one job: to make sure the tributes are taken to Alagadda." the Ambassador asked, referring to the Black Lord by his mortal office in an insulting tone. The Black Lords' mask shifted into looking like Tragedy, but some of the acid that constantly leaked from the mask formed a number of lines on the porcelain, making his mask look angry.

"You were the one said this world was isolated by it's creator, and I would've had them under my thumb, if I knew that the Void Seraphim had contacts within the self-appointed 'Guards of the Second Hytoth' somewhere." the Ambassador tilted his head downwards, then the Black Lord found that his neck had a hand around it. As the Ambassador spoke his voice was quiet and low so only the Black Lord could hear what was said.

"Do not try to shift the blame on me. I have been working on our plan for millenia in advance, and I will not accept failure because you were stupid enough to let yourself be struck by an Ortothan spell. Should you entertain thoughts of going to the Hanged King to voice any supposed failure on my part, remember that you have yet to regain his favor. Something else to think about considering if you're are not convinced to drop this now is that I am the one who has been running Alagadda in his name, and your dropping the Elixir of Life is the reason his immortality is not complete." he whispered to his fellow Alagaddan, before releasing their neck. The Ambassador turned to the Daeva army, his face restored to normal.

"Spread out through this realm and find the tributes at once! We have but a short time to find them before they are beyond our reach, fail, and I will see to it that you will all answer for it..." he threatened, too which the Daevites spread out and disbanded.

"Any ideas where they went?" the Black Lord heard Julian asked as he and Beliatar passed them.

"There is a number of areas, but Heaven is right out. Most of what remains of the Order is likely taken over by the Cult of Nalkas' agents at this point, and with Ion imprisoned by the Tree of Judgment, they likely aren't going to be the most hospitable of hosts should the Valkyries enter their lands with very clearly corrupted Mamono..." Beliatars' voice trailed off, and the Black Lord felt his jaws clench with anger.

"Bastard, I'll find the tributes and deliver them myself. Then we'll see how high and indispensable thou art."

**POV SHIFT**

"Alright, let's see what I have brought with me..." Heperiti said as she opened a folder. Deborah stepped back and watched as her daughter quickly sifted through it. Deborah walked over to a flight of stairs, then came up to the room where her daughter Emmalis was being taken care of. As the youngest Lilim made a feverish groan, Deborah passed a hand on her forehead.

"Hey honey... I'm here for you." the Demon Lord said to her daughter, who calmed down at the sound of her mothers' voice. She then began brushing Emmalis' hair, a frown marking the Demon Lords' face. A few minutes passed in silence, as the Demon Lord tightened her fist. Those things must be stopped, with lethal force if need be. Deborah understood that, but she and Mikheal a promise to the other that neither would never take the life of another being. Deborah bit down on her own fist as she felt seething anger and hatred for everything that had happened. Despite attempting to resolve this with as little bloodshed as possible, she couldn't stop Ion from having his way with this world.

Ion derailed everything, from his accursed and barbaric savages rampaging in Lescatie, to hurting Emmalis and even driving Terria into madness with visions of Deborahs' past. What did Ion have to gain from all of this destruction and returning the world to the era of bloodshed and death that was the Cycle, and why, just why is the Chief God helping him?! Has she gone mad as well, driven to insanity in her attempts to reconstitute the Cycle that not even the death of her fellow Gods will sway her? Not only that, but how has Emmalis not foreseen all of this? Surely she would have told someone about it if this was the future.

"Damn it all." she snarled, holding Emmalis' hand against her own forehead. It was then that she felt something as Emmalis channeled her magic. As the Demon Lord felt a vision being sent to her by Emmalis, Deborah allowed it to enter her mind.

The Demon Lord found herself in the city of Sparthens, which she recognized from the technological wonders contained within. However, the city was in the midst of a battle between the Mamono of the Desert Kingdom, and Mekhanite soldiers that had somehow entered the city, frozen as though they were actually statues in whatever form and stance they took. When Deborah flew up into the sky, avoiding the various missiles from both sides to see that the walls were not breached.

The only conclusion she could derive from this, combined with the fact that the Mekhanites were at their most numerous at the pyramid at the center where a giant ship-shaped vessel was floating above it was that they breached it from within. She flew up into the pyramid, which she realized was the one that Heperiti lived in. She then entered it, and saw the remnants of a fight between the Mekhanites who were occupying the pyramid and the equipment of Mamono soldiers that were likely either slain or driven out of it.

When she found the lab where Heperiti worked at uncovering the mysteries of the Sparthens Technocracy, Deborah could see that a portal had been constructed. She stared in confusion, unsure as to how it was built, but could see that it was indeed how the Mekhanites entered Sparthens. Deborah then saw an Automaton that was surrounded by where looked to be a number of non-combatant Mekhanites, which appeared to directing the Mekhanite forces as it hovered over a map of Sparthens laid on a table.

When the Demon Lord reached towards the Automaton, which had its back to her, it turned and tried to grab her wrist. Deborah wrestled out of it's grip and punched it, then paused as it looked at her with Mikheals' face on it. When the Automaton opened its' mouth, a bright light flashed, catching the confused Succubus off-guard with how bright it was. She did not see any more then that however, as the vision withdrew from her mind and the Demon Lord found herself in Emmalis' room.

Deborah let go with a shaky breath, and left to go to Druella who was next door as she calmed herself from the implications. Upon entering the room, the Demon Lord looked at her elder daughter, who was currently set on a couch of the finest silk. As Druellas' eyes turned to look at the Demon Lord, Deborah sat down on a chair, and then reached out telepathically to the Fourth-borne.

Druella?

Mother... what is wrong? The Lilim asked. Deborah sighed, as she prepared her response.

I have to save your father from another God that has made their presence known. To shorten it simply, this one is like the original Chief God from what I heard of it in that it has their own version of the Order, but this group is obsessed with turning everything and everyone into little more then vessels mind-controlled by their God. I may have to enter his mind directly to do so. Upon seeing the confused and shocked look in Druellas' eyes, the Demon Lord changed the subject. How is your attendant Sabbath doing with reversing this curse? Druella then began to flex her fingers, curling and uncurling them as well as twisting her wrists and ankles.

I can feel the curse starting to weaken, as my joints are starting to loosen up, and breathing has become slightly easier as well. Just give me a week or more, and I might be... functional enough to get back to the field. Who does this new group call themselves?

They call themselves Mekhanites. Currently, they have stopped and have dug in at the city of Bernia after they drove the people there out of their homeland. Deborah then sighed, taking a moment to place her hand on her forehead. We tried to make peace, but they managed to ambush your father and Aegila through their methods. He was... infected with something that I will have to enter his mind to deal with when they got out of the prison attempt. Silence reigned for a moment as the two Succubi stared, until Druella spoke up.

What in the name of Hel has happened with this world? Druella asked, visibly affected negatively by what had transpired. Deborah already guessed all too well what was going on in her daughters' head since she spent the greater part of 900 years bringing in and assimilating Order nations into Demon Realms, and bring the loving embrace of the Mamono to the peoples who lived under its regime. For everything she worked for to all be put under danger of the fires of war once more, there is no way such a thing would not strike Druella to the core harder then any wound or battle.

I don't know what or why, but regardless all Mamono are going to turn to us as the Royal Family to guide them. That is why I want you to stay strong Druella, not for me, but for your soldiers and the people that they fought for as well as your younger sisters. Especially Emmalis... Deborah replied. Her reply managed to calm the Lilim for the moment at least. After some time passed with the Demon Lord watching over Druella, Heperiti entered the room.

"Mother, we're waiting on you downstairs." she said, before looking at Druella. "Uh... hi."

Hey. How have you and Zekophet been amidst the madness of this war? I sensed you were in the area, then suddenly felt you and Aegila fighting each other for some reason. Seeing Heperiti was uncomfortable about it, Deborah intervened.

"Well, I hate to cut this short, but time is of the essence. Plus I just remembered that I should talk to Heperiti about something that is best discussed in private." Deborah then took Heperiti outside the room. The Anubis Lilim looked at her mother, making a number of attempts to protest, but mostly coming out as wordless noises. As soon as she did, Deborah began walking back to where Mikheal was held in his medical pod Heperiti as she spoke.

"Emmalis has sent me a vision, one that pertains to Sparthens. Would you happen to have an Automaton in your laboratory?" she asked.

"Yes, an incomplete one that I have preserved for the purposes of studying it, as well as for taking notifications on how it differs to the ones that are corrupted." Heperiti replied.

"Has the Automaton been exposed to Mekhanes' Ichor at all?"

"No."

"In my vision, an Automaton had managed to build a portal in the middle of your lab, allowing the Mekhanites to attack your city from within it's own walls. While I'm working on stopping Mekhane in his tracks, I want you to go back to Sparthens with a garrison alongside with your sister Evelyn. If only to make sure Mekhane doesn't try to pull one over us like Ion was able to repeatedly." Deborah requested of Heperiti. Heperiti wanted to argue, but could see the way the Demon Lords' eyes were firm in their gaze.

Despite that, the Anubis Lilim could see the purple rings under her mothers' eyes. It took her a moment, but she could see how tired her mother looked, with hair that was frazzled despite it clearly being brushed. Succubi culture practically ingrained the importance of attracting ones mate by grooming oneself to look as alluring as can be, something that all Mamono took pride in. Heperiti could even remember when her mother gave her a set of various pigments and dyes for mixing and making her own colors, as well as application brushes for the Anubis Lilims' 13th birthday.

"Yes mother." Heperiti replied. Then she reached out to brush aside a lock of the Demon Lords' hair which was hanging just shy of her left eye back behind the ear on the same side.

A small smile graced Deborahs' face as she at first was surprised, then grateful for her daughters' action.

"Thank you." she whispered. Heperiti walked on with her mother to the chamber where Mikheal was held. On the way there, Zekophet approached them, bowing his head to his mother-in-law.

"Hello love. Is everything alright?" Heperiti asked.

"Yes. However, when I got near Mikheal, I could feel some form of sensation where my body is connected to my prostheses. Given the particularities of Mekhane and his abilities, I decided it would best for me to distance myself until everything has settled down before Mekhane tries anything." Zekophet replied. Heperiti looked at her husband, who shuffled in place as she replied.

"Well, she has had a vision where the Mekhanites attack Sparthens. I'm going to head back there to try and stop them, or at least evacuate the city to ensure that our people are safe and away from any fighting that takes place." The Anubis Lilim explained. Her husband nodded at that.

"Well then, where should I consider going then?"

"How about Court Alf? The Seven Isles are as remote as can be save for the Mist Continent. So far, the Divas and their island nations had proven too isolated to attract the attention of the Cult, and as a result they have been sheltering those who managed to make it to their nation." Deborah offered. Zekophet thought about it, then nodded.

"Sounds good. Isolated and not as likely to be a target in any Mekhanite or Nalkate attacks anytime soon. I'll leave for the Seven Islands after helping you set up the machine, Poseidon willing." with that, Zekophet walked down the hall with Deborah and Heperiti.

Upon reaching Mikheals' chamber, they could see that a helmet and visor of some kind was already built, with a cable connecting it to another that was placed over the Monster Kings' head and eyes. Two computation machines were set up in the middle of the room with two screens, one displaying what looked to be a brain being scanned and examined along with other data relating to health. Deborah looked at Heperiti as she asked about them.

"So how does this work?" Deborah asked. Heperiti was the first to respond.

"To quickly sum it up, your going to enter fathers' head after we scan your brain. We will also be able to track how your mental condition as well as that of father, so if things go wrong we'll be able to stop Mekhane from taking over you as well." she explained.

"Alright, lets' get this over with then. Either Mekhane will release my husband peacefully, or I'm making him with force." the Demon Lord said, as she sat down in the chair, and put the visor over her face.

It was but a minute she could feel a sensation akin to a buzzing sound, and the Demon Lord found herself staring at a vast plain of mechanical constructions. Upon looking up, she saw that the sky was a night sky she did not recognize, with stars that glowed in both natural and unnatural colors. Ignoring this in favor of finding her husband, she scanned for his mind, and found that she could feel him, and another being.

Mikheal? she thought, projecting her husbands name to let him know she was there.

Deborah? DEBORAH! Mikheals' voice cried out. The voice of the Monster King caused Deborah to audibly exclaim, as she finally could hear his voice.

Yes it's me, I've come to... Deborah then noticed the area around her glow, and looked up to see a light flying towards her while falling from the sky. Nearly cursing she dodged the object as it crashed into the ground. Mikheal spoke up, his voice one laced with concern.

Shit, Mekhane has noticed, you must wa- suddenly Deborah cried out as she heard a screeching sound that interrupted them. After the sound stopped as suddenly as it started, she felt a cold metal hand grab at her throat, and on instinct slapped it down and held down with an arm bar. At the same time, she struck out at the Automaton that tried to choke her, her fist punching and denting the already damaged head. She then threw it off of her, causing it to shatter. A moment passed, when the pieces of it began to float, then pieced itself together. Staring at the being, she realized it the second mind she sensed.

"So your Mekhane."

"Correct. You will-" Deborah interrupted the Broken God by teleporting in front of it, and then kicking the the mental projection of Mekhane in the mouth. The Broken Gods' image didn't so much as blink, but stopped as soon as she made her attack. It then caught her by the ankle when she made a second attack to the stomach area of the Automaton, not breaking it's emotionless stare as it did so.

"So be it." With that as his response, Mekhane threw Deborah into a pillar of iron that appeared from the ground, causing her to exclaim in pain as she felt it impact as though she really did slam into a block of the same metal. When she looked up, it was to see Mekhanes' fist flying at her head, and the Demon Lord moved out of the way. With a snarl, she head-butted the Automaton, ignoring the screaming pain of hitting Mekhane with her skull as it sent him falling backwards where an impact could be heard. She got out of the pillar, and hovered downward to look for the Broken God. As she scanned the ground a sharp pain in her left wing made her scream in pain, and Deborah then saw a hole was blown through it. Reacting quickly, she surrounded herself in a bubble of Demonic Mana which formed a spherical barrier around her as she fell. several spikes of molten metal flew at her from multiple directions, and splattered against the barrier as they were deflected.

After landing, she looked at the sky in the direction the spikes flew at her from and saw machine of some kind in the air. It resembled a smaller faster version of the Ark she once saw fall from the stars through the eyes of Talgor, the Dragon who was the Demon Lord of that era, and was bristling with strange lop-sided ballistae like weapons. Realizing she was in for a long fight yet, Deborah conjured her sword Lust-Weaver, which glowed a faint purple-white color from its blade. With a cross-blade that was made to resemble two wings, she held it in both hands, staring sternly at the Broken God as it piloted the craft flying towards her.