Chapter Five

The Blighted Marshlands, Berith Territory

The Covenant.

Cyrus was almost sent into a state of intense wrath and agony by the very mention of his mortal enemies. Cedric would have to be an ignorant fool not to see the vitriol coursing through his son's veins.

Every word pushed into existence was spoken with such fury it threatened to overtake Cedric entirely. A low-born devil would have fallen to the ground by the emotion's sheer weight, but he was the Patriarch to House Kimaris.

"Not a day goes by when I don't think about the Covenant. No one was safe from their reaches, not the men, the women, or the children. Everyone was a heretic to be purged as far as the Covenant were concerned."

Cyrus's hands were curled in on themselves, his fingernails biting into the palms of his hands, threatening to pierce flesh and shed blood.

However, it was his withering gaze and the gathering of demonic energy all around him that drew Cedric's full attention. Unlike his rampage a few days earlier, the black tendrils surrounding Cyrus were far more controlled.

"….I hate them." The Kimaris heir spoke with venom as he locked eyes with Cedric. "I despise the Covenant with a passion that runs deeper than whatever ill-conceived animosity your people have for the Angels and Crows."

"Our people were at war for close to a Millenia, Cyrus." Cedric retorted while nursing his chalice. "I would hope that someone so knowledgeable in the horrors of conflict would understand our blight."

"Do not compare my people's war for survival to yours, Cedric. The Great War began because of the whims of a petulant child." The Primarch's narrowed slightly, but Cyrus pushed ever further. "I know the reason Lucifer wanted to strike out against the heavens, and it wasn't for the perceived notion of removing the underworld from God's so-called tyranny."

Cedric was not outraged at the accusation.

The Great War was fought to serve the Samael's lust for power, but it was difficult for any devil to go against his desires. Implanted in each of the 72 original demons was an unquestionable thirst for their father's attention to the point that none would ever dare to question his motivations.

It was similar to a red haze that snuffed out any thoughts of rebellion against Samael. Even when he ordered their Legions into the jaws of total annihilation without hope for victory, none dared to voice their concerns.

This cloud fell at the seams when Lucifer and the other Satans were killed during the siege of Heaven, and for the first time since their creation, the surviving Houses began to think for themselves.

This newfound autonomy was the entire justification for the Civil war against the Loyalists. None of the surviving pillars wanted a return to the old ways, for all had grown tired of being treated as cannon fodder.

"I see you have already begun searching for your own answers." Cedric mused to himself with a small smile. "However, that particular piece of information is not common knowledge, boy."

"Knowledge is power. Hide it well." Cyrus's crimson orbs gave nothing away, pressing the Primarch into drawing up his own conclusions.

The answer was obvious in hindsight.

The only devils who retained that knowledge were the high-class devils that belonged to the main houses of the 72 Pillars. Elerin and Jade were out of the question, especially since only one Kimaris clan member would willingly give Cyrus that knowledge so easily.

"Ghislaine." Again his son gave nothing away, and that was a credit to his composure more than anything. "She is too quick to appease you."

Cyrus refused to acknowledge whether his assumption was right or wrong, snatching the chalice and drinking a mouth full of wine.

Cedric would have words with Ghislaine later. While educating Cyrus in their people's history was important, it remained a fundamental fact that Elerin's duty was to educate her son.

"…Yes." Cedric tentatively acquiesced to his son's previous accusation. "Our conflicts were fought for differing reasons. Lucifer sought to institute his rule over the planet, but Heaven and the Grigori stood in his path. The comparisons are-"

"Nonexistent." Cyrus cut into his father's word with finality. "One was fought for survival, the other for domination. There is no comparison between the two."

Clearly, this was a subject that his son was unwilling to compromise on, and Cedric sought to redirect this conversation before it became too heated.

"As you say." Cedric leaned back, motioning his hand and refilling both of their drinks. "Now these…..Elites, as you call them. While piecing together your mind, I came across a reminiscence of them toiling in the darkest corners of your consciousness. What are they?"

"They are called Sangheili. Elites was an acronym my people gave them because of their combat prowess and unquestionable fearlessness in battle. I have never seen an Elite retreat in the face of certain death. Their very culture demands that a warrior never turn their backs on their enemy….." Cyrus glared at his chalice. Memories of his encounters with the military backbone of the Covenant flashed in his mind. "…They are an adversary I both respected and despised all the same."

"But they were not the only enemy you face, were they?" Cyrus shook his head at Cedric's inquiry.

"No." He began. "The Covenant consisted of half a dozen other alien species, each with its own specific function. The Unggoyy were weak alone but vicious and near innumerable in packs. They are the mainline infantry that can easily overwhelm any who oppose them."

"…..The Kig-Yar were expert marksmen and support specialists, covering their allies with an impressive energy shield." Cyrus continued. "The Mgalekgolo were their heavy shock troops, capable of wiping out whole platoons of marines by themselves…."

The Jackals and Grunts were adversaries that he could handle with ease but fighting a Hunters was always a difficult prospect. Their strength alone could easily crush a Spartan with a single strike, and the plasma cannon strapped to their arms only heightened their lethality.

"…The final two species I came across were called the Yanme'e. They served primarily as skirmishers or mechanics for the Covenant and were one of the few I rarely encountered in the field…."

Cyrus hesitated when he recalled the final race that made up the Covenant military, and Cedric took notice. Not a word was spoken for moments on end, and the Patriarch tried to find his son's listless gaze.

Cedric did not want to pressure his son too much. It was clear to him that Cyrus was severely affected by his trials as a human, and no matter how many years passed, his soul would hold onto those scars for eternity.

"….The last species were called the Jiralhanae. Brutes was what my people called them, and the nickname was well earned by those animals. They placed a greater emphasis on brutality above all else. Where the Sangheili were willing to offer you a warrior's death, the Jiralhanae cared not for how you died…." Cedric flinched at the chalice rupturing in Cyrus's hand, and wine began to drip from table to floor listlessly. "…All they wanted was to kill you and then turn you into their supper. Some took their time and enjoyed your screams as they consumed your flesh raw."

Truly, the Covenant were as brutal as they were fanatical, and Cedric almost wished he could face those creatures on the field of battle. Alas, the opportunity would forever be lost to him, and he would have to contend with imagining crossing swords with them.

A question gnawed at Cedric's curiosity while he summoned a second chalice filled to the brim with wine for Cyrus. He hesitated to ask any more questions at first, but he found some audacity while downing a mouthful of wine.

"When did you first face them?" A pair of crimson orbs shot up to meet Cedric's own, and the answer fell from Cyrus's lips in an instant.

"On a planet called Pegasi Delta."

Cyrus did not have the heart or desire to revisit his first combat deployment against the Covenant, and whatever explanations he was willing to give dried up.

The passion he spoke with gave Cedric an inkling that a tragedy had taken place on that planet. Whatever occurred carried enough pain that Cyrus was unwilling to explain himself, and there was no greater pain than a soldier losing their brothers in arms.

"Sìth shìorraidh." Cedric tilted his chalice in salute and drank the rest of his wine. Cyrus did not partake, pushing his drink aside and standing to his feet.

"Are we done?" At the slightest notion of dismissal, the Spartan turned on his heel and departed the command tent.

Cyrus unknowingly strode past the cloaked shape of his mother, who stared at his receding form with concerned eyes. He tightly wrapped his loose cloak around his frame as he exited the tent, seeking protection from the freezing elements.

Tomorrow they would reach the provincial capital of Acheron, and his training would finally begin.

Avernus, Acheron Territory

The Acheron territory previously belongs to House Andromalius, but its members along with the entirety of the 72nd Legion were annihilated in the final stages of the Great War.

House Agares took ownership of the territory and renamed the capital city to Avernus, a vassal protected by the 2nd Legion during the Civil War.

That was until they were routed from the field following Primarch Azuraki's death at the hands of a House Nebiros assassin. Now the territory plays host to the most brutal fighting of the civil war, and regions are changing in hand with each passing day.

Avernus quickly became the focus of the Renegade's efforts in breaching the impregnable territories of Lucifer, and dozens of their Legions flocked to its towering walls as a beacon of rebellion.

Ghislaine cared not for the Renegade faction and their needs. Her focus was solely fixated on Cyrus and teaching him the martial prowess of House Kimaris.

And to say he took to her teachings with ease would be an understatement.

The Shadows practically fell under Cyrus's control without opposition, contrasting the supposed complexities with mastering their houses' ancestral power.

Ghislaine gathered up several Guardsmen from the 66th's First Cohort, and on the onset, the veteran Legionnaires were wary of crossing swords with the heir of House Kimaris at such an early age.

That hesitation evaporated when Cyrus openly questioned their reputation as Veterans of the vaunted First Cohort and offered to ask members of their sister Cohorts if they were too cowardly to face a child.

Ghislaine could not help but give Cyrus credit. He'd already perfected the art of motivating devils by openly doubting their pride as warriors. Now the only question in her mind was whether or not it would bite him in the ass later.

The Guardsmen sent their youngest and least experienced Legionaire as the first to spar with their future Lord, and Cyrus made the Devil pay for her inadequacy. Cyrus embarrassed his opponent with such speed and ferocity that Ghislaine could see steam blowing out of the lead Centurions ears.

It didn't take long for the rest of the Guardsmen to want a piece of Cyrus.

The resulting spars between Legionnaires and Clan heir were not as one-sided as Ghislaine had predicted. Her brother managed to put up stiff resistance against the more experienced devils and even scored hits against several of them.

Cyrus was impossibly good by her standards, but a wealth of experience separated him from the Veteran Guardsmen of the First Cohort. There were clear physical limitations between a child of only a few years and a fully grown devil with a few centuries under his belt.

By the sixth spar of the night, Cyrus was beginning to exhibit symptoms of exhaustion. His limbs were becoming sluggish, and his demonic energy was fluctuating under the strain of fatigue.

The Nekoshu wearily eyed her youngest sibling as he came to blows with a Centurion named Ciaran, one of the longest-standing veterans of the 66th Legion. He also performed the menial task of drilling his fellow Guardsmen in their downtime when their performance was lacking.

When the Centurion roared, two pairs of black wings erupted from his back, and he charged at Cyrus with clinical precision. The Kimaris heir manipulated his demonic energy and formed a phantom sword from his right arm. He swayed to the left and struck Ciaran in the back with a powerful swipe just beneath the middle of the Centurion's spine.

Ciaran grunted at his strike, pivoting his momentum and landing a glancing blow on Cyrus's left shin, stumbling the boy's balance. The Centurion advanced on him once again, unleashing a flurry of strikes that Cyrus barely dodged or parried.

"Tsk..." Cyrus clicked his tongue before leaping back a considerable distance, only to be thwarted once more by Ciaran's lightning-quick dash. The black wings on the Centurion back made it difficult for the Spartan to put distance between him and his adversary.

The Headhunter swung around and dove low to dodge the Centurion's slashing spear, allowing the Lance to crash into the floor below and create a crater not inches from his feet.

With each blow he launched at Cyrus, Ciaran's strikes were being parried and counterattacked with growing difficulty. The Kimaris heir had to fight back the snarl of irritation as his arms and legs began to tire from the constant action.

Ghislaine observed from the sidelines, ignoring the amusing chatter from the other Guardsmen watching the spar with an equally keen eye. The mystery surrounding the oddity that was the Kimaris heir was a subject of interest in the Legion, and the Nekoshu knew that her Legionnaires liked to talk amongst themselves.

A few Centurions within the 66th, we're concerned that Cyrus was either a loose cannon or incompetent negligent of the fact he was merely a child even by devil standards.

Ghislaine hoped that by inviting members of the 1st Cohort to their nightly sparring session, the concerning rumors surrounding her enigmatic sibling would come to a close.

A subtle glance in their direction settled these concerns as the spar between Cyrus and Ciaran drew to a close.

Cyrus had acquitted himself well while facing down the Centurion, but his body couldn't react fast enough to a significant blow from the Guardsmen's Lance. The spear landed just underneath his chin, but the kinetic force behind the strike was enough to send him skirting across the training ground floor before he came to an unceremonious halt at Ghislaine's feet.

"….Shut up." The shit-eating grin plastered across her face only grew in size, and it vexed Cyrus to no end as he rubbed at the fresh bruise along his jaw.

"I think that's enough for one day, boys." Ghislaine casually waved off the Legionnaires. "Come back tomorrow for round two. I'm sure my brother here could use the lesson."

Ciaran nodded in respect towards Ghislaine and gathered around his subordinates for their departure. The Nekoshu waited until they exited the training ground before turning her attention towards a mildly annoyed Cyrus.

She tossed him a waterskin filled to the brim in freshwater, receiving a curt nod from the boy while he enjoyed its contents. Once he was finished, Ghislaine handed him a refreshing towel courtesy of one of their attendants standing silently in the shadows.

"You're getting better," Ghislaine's encouragement was met with a derisive snort. "Trust me. I've never seen someone take to our ancestral power so easily."

"Still lost," Cyrus expressed while wiping away the blood from his chin. "I'm too slow, my reactions are adequate, but my movements are too sluggish."

"You're five!" The Nekoshu retorted, snatching the wet cloth from him, and began dabbing at a laceration along the right side of his forehead. "Devils may mature faster than most sentient beings, but that doesn't mean you'll be ready out of the womb to start cracking skulls."

"That's not good enough."

A rustling noise came from behind Ghislaine, and Cyrus looked past her shoulder to find their eldest sister entering the tent. Jade had spent the last few days by their father's side, and very rarely did she deign to grace them with her presence.

The relationship between the three Kimaris children had hit a few rough patches, but Jade tried to mend the issues between herself and her youngest siblings.

Cyrus didn't particularly like his eldest sister, but he didn't exactly extend any courtesies to Ghislaine either. And yet, the Nekoshu was eager to change his attitude towards her by guiding him through their shared ancestral power.

He could do without her constant need to irritate him.

"Know your limits, brother." Jade strode towards the bickering siblings with a cool expression. "You will exceed your physical limitations with time, but until that happens, you must adapt to them. Stop trying to force yourself into committing to an action you are incapable of performing."

"What she said." Ghislaine gestured towards Jade with a condescending smirk.

"I know." Cyrus rolled his eyes in exasperation and made to exit the training tent while sporting a nasty cut when Ghislaine linked their arms together. "I thought we were done with training."

"We are, you ungrateful bug." The Nekoshu placed a hand below his chin and the other against the laceration on his forehead. "It doesn't mean you need to go out there with this nasty cut on your head."

Cyrus had to battle the impulse to shove Ghislaine away with every passing second as she poured her life essence into his wounds. Her intentions were pure, but the way she manipulated his body into fast-tracking his healing was a jarring experience.

It almost felt like being violated on a molecular level, but a lulling sense of relief consumed that sensation whole.

Cyrus nearly shook with relief when her hands finally fell from his healing wounds and onto his shoulders. He didn't say a word when Ghislaine planted a chaste kiss on his forehead.

"Mwah is that all better, my little bug." He severely disliked his sister when she called him that.

"Yes," Cyrus growled out while removing her hands from his shoulders and turned towards a pensive-looking Jade. "How much longer are we going to be here?"

The 66th was camped outside the city of Avernus and maintained a hardline perimeter alongside the personal Legions of the other Tribunes. Lords Sirzechs, Ajuka, and Lady Sitri, alongside the 56th, 29th, and 12th Legions, respectively, were the first to arrive at Avernus, followed by the other belaying Tribunes.

In the two weeks since they arrived at Avernus, the Renegades struggled to remove the Loyalist forces from Acheron, and during this time, the 66th Legion was held in reserve.

Cedric did not want to commit his best asset to the war just yet and opted to coordinate the Legions already in contact with the enemy. The 37th Legion, together with parts of the 24th and 65th Legions, broke the deadlock after routing a Loyalist vanguard near the Aranda river, pushing their opponents back into the territories of Lucifaad.

With the threat eliminated, the Renegades could once again turn their attention upon the loyalist capital, and only now did their father opt to deploy the 66th Legion.

Cedric was drawing up a cohesive battle plan for his subordinates from within the confines of his command tent, and their mother was a constant presence at his side. Elerin didn't have an in-depth tactical mindset, but she brought with her a wealth of knowledge concerning the border of Acheron and Lucifaad from her early days as an advanced scout under the tutelage of the long-deceased House Andromalius.

"The Legions are preparing for an assault on the loyalist stronghold at Gehenna. If we take that city, then our Legions will have a clear path to the capital." Jade supplied. "While there are executing this prerogative, Ghislaine and I will be in command of the Second Cohort."

"What about me?" Cyrus was foolish enough to think he would be assigned to a cohort, let alone fight in the coming battle.

"Father has deemed fit that you stay with the camp prefect to maintain our supply lines and learn the ins and outs of maintaining a fighting legion." Jade's comments ignited an exasperated feeling in Cyrus.

Never in his wildest dreams or nightmares did he think he'd be regulated to logistics duty, but he had no place on the battlefield.

That notion hurt his pride as a Spartan more than anything else.

"Understood," Cyrus bitterly accepted the duties designated for him. "When do we leave?"

Before either of his siblings could answer, a faint commotion outside the training tent grew into a frenzy.

"…Nevermind." The devil sisters shared a whimsical look before Jade rolled her eyes and exited the tent leaving Ghislaine to drag their younger sibling along. The Nekoshu beckoned him out into the camp by wrapping an arm around his shoulder and leading him out.

Cyrus could hear the soft clangs of Guardsmen mustering into position, but the full extent of the fuss outside became apparent when the pair emerged from the obstructing confines of the training tent.

Eleamus stood on top of a vast pavilion with a panoramic view of the entire camp, and the Praetor could be heard for miles thanks to the use of infernal energy to magnify his voice.

"All Centurions, muster up your Cohorts and fall into formation! We move for Gehenna! Air Adhart Gu Cogadh!" Eleamus's words ignited a unified response from the Primus Legio's to the Centurions and on to the Legionnaires themselves.

"For the Lord of Shadows!"

Thousands of Guardsmen and attendants from every Cohort began tearing down their tents and extinguishing their lingering campfires as soon as the Praetor's order went out for all to hear.

While serving as a Spartan, Cyrus had never observed the deployment of an organized military detachment. A grand majority of his time was spent amongst the confines of an ONI prowler with only the barest of troop complements made up of two squads of ODSTs.

He imagined that UNSC Marines and Army troopers went through the same orderly chaos when the ground elements received their orders.

"Earth to Cyrus?" The Spartan's thoughts were waylaid when Ghislaine pulled on his cheek. "Stop daydreaming. Father is going to want us in the courtyard alongside him."

Cyrus shook free of Ghislaine's grabbing fingers and sent her an aggravated glance before stepping towards the assembling yard.

The Civil War was about to reach a crescendo, and Cyrus wanted a front-row seat to the carnage at hand.

The Fields of Sulphur, Lucifaad Territory

Gehenna.

Cedric hadn't seen it in years.

The 66th Legion and its Renegade counterparts were forced to contend with Lucifaad's dangerous ecosystem. Hazardous gases and ferocious native fauna were just one of the many obstacles Cedric and his Guardsmen had to endure.

Along their route, Lord Gremory and the six Legions under his command captured the city of Tophet, laying the foundation for the siege of Lucifaad. If Cedric and his Legions conquered Gehenna, all obstacles between the Renegades and the Loyalist Capital would be eliminated.

Sirzechs rushed to rendezvous with Cedric and his Legions taking with him a small bodyguard and leaving Lady Sitri in charge of the Northern task force.

The towering walls of the Loyalist stronghold were a welcome reprieve compared to the Fields of Sulphur that polluted the border between Lucifaad and Acheron.

Cedric ordered his Legion to hold formation behind a large rolling hill two kilometers away from Gehenna's manned walls.

The anticipation practically leaked from his men as they enviously stood in place, behind the 66th were a hundred thousand Renegade Legionnaires eager for Loyalist blood.

But discipline took precedence over belligerence in Cedric's Legion, and that concept also fell upon their sister Legion's.

No one wanted to draw the ire of their Legions Praetor, least of all Eleamus, who none of the Blackguardsmen wished to aggravate.

Centurions commanded with harshness and terror at every level, maintaining their troops' focus upon the Guardsmen next to them and not the Loyalist Dogs cowering upon their walls.

Eleamus marched in between the organized ranks of his Legion, scrutinizing every inch of his Guardsmen as he walked amongst them.

In the next few hours, the Cohorts would disperse into pairs for a coordinated assault upon the walls of Gehenna. Thus, this may be the final time they were united under a single banner until the battle was won.

Cedric stood at the head of the Legion's formation, unbowed and undaunted by the responsibilities now laid before him.

His wife was the only one of his immediate family to be at his side, Jade and Ghislaine were at the head of the 2nd Cohort, and Cyrus remained with the camp prefect organizing a proper staging ground for their siege of Gehenna.

Breaching the towering walls would be just one of many objectives for the 66th and its allies to full. Cedric wanted his Guardsmen into the city by the end of the night, and Sirzechs would prove to be that deciding factor.

Sirzechs is second to none in terms of sheer power, and he was far and away more formidable than any other devil in Cedric's service.

The Gremory heir is the product of a joining between Houses Gremory and Bael, one of the few instances where mix breeding between Devil Clans produced an adequate offspring.

The Shadowlord was counting on Sirzechs raw power to breach the city gates without having to commit his Legions to a grueling siege.

The only question in Cedric's mind was whether or not Sirzechs could come through.

"Can you do it?" The Shadowlord appraised the crimson-haired Devil next to him.

Sirzechs had managed to reach their designated rendezvous outside of Gehenna a few hours earlier, and now they stood side by side amongst several Loyalists Legates and Officers awaiting their orders.

"I've never expanded my infernal energy to that degree." The Gremory answered with caution in his voice. "My control over the Cumhachd Sgrios is substantial, but trying to bring down the city walls may be…..volatile."

"Gremory…" Elerin emphasized his clan name with purpose. As House Kimaris's Matriarch, she possessed as much political authority as Cedric, and it also helped that Sirzechs mother was a close confidant of hers.

"…It's a yes or no question. Can you do it?"

The Crimson Devil's confidence wavered under the Matriarch's penetrating gaze, but Sirzechs pride wouldn't allow him to concede to the woman so easily. Cedric was silent through the exchange, and he didn't feel the need to intervene on either of their behalfs.

After a few moments of silence, the Gremory heir managed to find his backbone gathering up waves of infernal energy within the palm of his hand. The other Legates kept a respectable distance between themselves and Sirzechs, reluctant or unable to withstand the overwhelming demonic force around him.

"I can do it." Cedric gave the Super-Devil a glance of approval before centering his gaze upon the walls of Gehenna. From this distance, his eyes could perceive the growing panic on the garrison commander's face.

The Shadowlord did not recognize the Devil in charge of the Loyalists, but it did not matter who had assumed command of Gehenna. What mattered was that they had retained their devotion to the ignorant and foolish Satans who dared to lead their race into extinction for the glory that did not exist.

"The Legions are ready." Eleamus strode to his Primarchs side, brushing past the First Warden and disregarding the infernal energy gathering around Sirzechs.

"Good," Cedric glanced towards the thousands of Legionnaires under his command.

The Blackguards of Kimaris would lead the vanguard while the 37th and 68th Legions, under the Houses of Phenex and Belial respectively, covered their flanks. Once Sirzechs tore down the walls, the 66th would exploit the breach, and their sister legions would follow.

However, Cedric's Guardsmen were overwhelmed with the same feelings of dread and apprehension that afflicted most soldiers before the beginning of a major offensive.

They needed a rallying call, and only his Praetor could sufficiently rile up his Guardsmen for battle.

"Eleamus." The Praetor snapped to attention. "Spread the word."

The crimson-skinned retainer of House Kimaris removed his helm and raised his ornate Lance high in the air.

"Guardsmen!" Thousands of Legionnaires from across the 66th Legion gazed upon their Praetor, and all responded to his call by beating their Lance into their chest.

The impact of Griycium colliding with carapace triggered a chain reaction of fear and curiosity among the Loyalist and Renegade armies.

"The night is our domain!"

A cheer spread through the ranks of the 66th Legion, and it spilled into the hearts of their sister Legions.

"The Primarchs eyes are upon us! And we cannot fail in his sight!"

When the Renegades heard the harsh but captivating words of the Kimaris Praetor, they were swept up in a maelstrom of fervor that threatened to consume them whole. Eleamus had a penchant for riling up the Guardsmen before a final charge, and as the infernal energy gathered around Sirzechs, the beacon of rebellion shone brightly in the night.

"Storm their ranks!" The vigor in Eleamus's voice reflected the mindset of all his underlings, and once again, a cheer echoed through the Renegade Legions. "Spare not one of them!"

"Lift high the black banners of our Primarch!" On instinct, the Legion Signifier's raised the banner of the Shadowlord into the sky, drawing another fervor of shouting.

"It is not yet our time to fall into extinction, but these Loyalist dogs would see our race put to the sword!"

Cyrus emerged from the prefect's tent to an exhilarating scene. The fervor that had taken control of the Legions had spread to the staging ground, where the attendants went to work setting up a massive encampment.

There wasn't a Renegade within miles that wasn't affected by the Praetor's words, and Cyrus felt an influence threaten to take hold of him. Eleamus was using his magic to drive his Guardsmen into a frenzy, and only the senior leadership remained unaffected.

Witnessing thousands of Guardsmen shout and cheer with reverence was a thrilling sight to behold.

Sirzechs ignored his environment and devoted all of his concentration to the increasing ball of pure demonic energy in his hands.

Pulling the energy that settled just beneath the surface of his skin, Sirzechs raised his foot and slammed it into the landscape below him. His cyan orbs danced with a crimson hue and locked upon the gates of Gehenna.

"This night will be remembered for eternity!" Eleamus raised his Lance towards Cedric as Sirzechs power of destruction reached a breaking point. "Now follow our Primarch into the pages of history!"

A ball of pure red expanded into a solid beam of demonic energy and slammed into the Loyalist walls disintegrating Gehenna's impregnable walls and disintegrating the soldiers stationed upon them.

"For the Rebellion! For the Primarch!"

As one three Legions charged towards the charred remains of Gehenna's walls, breaching its failing defenses and butchering all who dared to stand in their way.

Sirzechs ability ignited a shudder felt across the entire battlefield, and the Loyalists withered under the massive assault.

Where the Loyalists felt fear and the Renegades experienced ecstasy at the super-devils infernal power, Cyrus felt a cold chill crawl up his spine. The force in the Gremory's hands reminded too much of a Covenant glassing, and he fought to keep down the fury in his gaze.

The Spartan offhandedly added Sirzechs to a growing list of Devils that he would have to contend with in the future.

Cyrus was the first to turn away from the increasingly one-sided battle. He had duties to attend to, and as far as he knew, the war would be over in the coming weeks.

How wrong he was.

Another month, another chapter. The Devil Civil war will last for more than a few chapters before we start getting into the events of the show.

I have been fascinated by the DXD world since I started reading Fanfiction but I always found the reading material to be a little out there sometimes.

Now that isn't crazy considering the precipice of the Manga and the anime but I wanted to try my own interpretation while also adding in another element to contend with.

My only gripe is that this world is a lot more dangerous than the rose-colored tints from Issei's less than mature personality.

So this is my shot to contribute to this fandom.

Stay safe out there everyone and keep an eye on the sky.

Assuming you're reading this far I do have a (P)A T R (E) O (N) if you would like to donate so I can devote more time to writing but this story won't ever be uploaded with the same fervor as my Cyberpunk one until that story is completed. So I would not contribute unless you would like to.

Next Chapter: September 13th, Earliest