Valentine's Day, Chapter 8: Worlds Apart (The Ragnarok Demoness)
Dwelling within the confines of a fragile mortal shell was one of the most powerful demons to ever set foot in Midgar... Ragnarok. To those who could not pronounce her name, she was known as the Demoness of Armageddon. She had a clock, that was tuned to the beats and rhythms of the world. This clock had the power to turn Midgar into nothing more than a memory if it ever chimed the midnight hour. She also had the Armageddon Stone hidden in a safe place. If that Stone were to fall into the wrong hands, it would entomb all within Midgar in an endless sleep. Combined with the Clock, the Stone could either make Midgar the strongest of all the worlds, or it could make it disappear completely. Now her mission became clear... She had to keep her clock from striking the midnight hour. It also became clear what the clone was up to. He wanted to destroy Midgar! Her human host was strong in her own right...
*Meris. Suggestions.*
**We need to get that Stone so Vincent can program it into the computer.**
*I can't do it alone. I need Xanetia.*
**Damn!**
Meris caught Vincent's eye and made a motion with one hand that had him cursing soundly. The others turned to him in curiosity. Vincent only cursed if something was wrong. Retribution walked over to him and spoke in Greater Demon. Destruction responded in kind. What he told her made her shoot a fireball into the air.
"What was that about?"
"Ragnarok can't retrieve the Stone without help."
"Well, what about one of us?"
"It can't be any of us. It has to be Xanetia. And if Diablo has her..."
"Then he has the power to find the Stone before we do!"
"Not if I get to him first!"
That deep voice made all turn to its source... A cloud of fog in the alleyway. There was something familiar about that cloud... Vincent recognized it first. The name he uttered made everyone stare at the fog in shock.
"SEPHIROTH!"
Sure enough, it was him! The legend himself stepped from the fog bank and it faded away. Tseng brought Hojo and Locke over that way, moving slowly for the blinded scientist. Sephiroth met them halfway and healed them with passes of his hand. The group merged into a crowd too big for the alley. So Retribution moved them to a secluded clearing. They were able to spread out and did so, taking care to stay in everyone else's sight.
"But, Sephiroth, I thought you were dead!"
"You can't get rid of me that easily, kid."
Sephiroth calling Vincent kid... That made Meris laugh and shake her head. Sephiroth saw her and his eyes narrowed. But he made no move to draw on her. Then he motioned to her metal arm. She understood his gesture immediately. It was time to let everyone know her secret. So she went behind a tree and removed the flesh covering on her arm, then came back. The metal glinted in the moonlight, catching everyone's eye.
"What the deuce?"
"You always did have a way with words, Locke. She's one of my former test subjects. They told me to make her into the perfect Shinra soldier. But Vincent had other ideas. I'm glad he acted on those ideas. I don't think we'd be standing here if he hadn't."
Erian touched Meris's other arm, causing her to look at the youthful Angel. Erian's hand crept out and took hers. Meris smiled through a sudden veil of tears and gave that hand a gentle squeeze. To have an Angel take the hand of a Demon's vessel was truly remarkable. Vincent, and Destruction within him, could feel something radiating from Meris and Ragnarok... A voice laced with dual harmonics could be heard echoing from Meris's lips.
~There is something to be said for the trust of a child... Erian has offered to be my friend. I haven't gotten that kind of offer in a long time. So, yes, Erian. I'd be honored to call you friend.~
Sephiroth smiled and backed into the shadows. He'd done what he'd come to do: Unite Heaven and Hell in a common cause. Before anyone could see him and protest, he disappeared. Tseng saw the fog in the trees and understood immediately. His soft chuckle wasn't lost on any of them.
"That was Sephiroth's mission, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Erian, it was. He won't be coming back."
Runithea appeared silently, holding something in her hands. Retribution saw it and immediately began howling. Ragnarok and Destruction separated themselves from their human hosts and echoed the unearthly howling. Demons all over Midgar howled in anguish and blind fury. And surprisingly enough, so did Discord! He started howling when he realized what had happened.
"What is that?"
"The howl of the Dead!"
"Oh, no! Diablo killed Xanetia!"
Sitting in Runithea's hands, silent proof for Erian's exclamation, was Xanetia's heart. Diablo had butchered her when she refused to tell him where the Armageddon Stone was. Discord separated himself from the clone, by force, and fled to the clearing. The clone, consumed by his madness, didn't notice he was now alone in his quest to destroy Midgar. Lucrecia stood by his side, so he wasn't by himself. But inside, he was alone. When they saw Discord appear, the Demons set up a circle around Meris and Vincent.
"I come in peace... Runithea, please, tell me which Demon's heart you hold in your hands."
"Discord, this heart belonged to the noblest Demoness there ever was... This was Xanetia's heart."
Discord balled one hand into a fist and gritted his teeth. He was attempting to hold back his ire... There were Angels present, after all. Retribution touched his shoulder and he looked at her. Standing in front of him was Xanetia's other half. Her dark side, if you will. Xanetia and Retribution had been forcibly separated when it turned out that she had two sides to her personality. Diablo wanted both halves so he could merge them into the unholiest of Demonesses...
"Ambresia!"
"Yes. That was our name when we shared this body. But we were separated because we couldn't always agree. So we claimed sisterhood to protect ourselves."
"And now, with Xanetia dead, Ambresia will never again walk the plains of Midgar."
"And so too will the Armageddon Stone remain hidden. Xanetia held the key to its location."
"Not true. I have a way to bring her back. But it's not for the faint hearted."
"That son of a bitch killed my other half! I want revenge!"
"Then come with me."
Discord led Retribution to a thickly wooded area of the forest and turned her to face him. She stood there silently, clad in a floor-length black robe with a maroon stripe down one side. He reached out and tore off the robe, leaving her nude in the moonlight. She suddenly knew what he had in mind and lifted her chin. To let Discord have his way with her was a small price to pay if it meant bringing Xanetia back. He shrugged off his own garments, then took her into his arms. Her legs came up and wrapped around his waist. He grinned in silent approval and slid himself into her. The resultant mating was, remarkably, silent. There were no screams or other sounds of violence. Destruction knew why and chuckled. The sound of a Demon chuckling was a harsh and discordant sound, no pun intended. Any who heard it winced and clapped their hands over their ears. Locke, Tseng and Hojo grinned broadly and disappeared from view, sent to a place of safety. Runithea set the heart on a tree stump and backed away, head bowed in silent prayer. Then the Angels disappeared, leaving Chaos, Justice, Destruction, Ragnarok, Vincent and Meris.
"What could they be doing that has everyone grinning and disappearing?"
"They're doing what comes naturally, I guess."
Over in the trees, Discord was giving Retribution everything he had. Forwards, backwards, her underneath, her on top, from behind... But he was amazingly gentle for a Demon. Truth be told, he'd fallen for Retribution long before this. He'd always wanted to give her a night to remember... When they emerged, him adjusting his belt and her tugging her robe into place, there was a brilliant flash near the stump where Runithea had left the heart. When the flash died down, the owner of that heart stood tall and proud for all to see...
"Xanetia!!!"
"Hello again, other self."
Xanetia stood tall and proud, hands clasped in front of her. Where Retribution's skin was an angry shade of red, Xanetia's was a soft pink. Retribution's wings were black and leathery, while Xanetia's were grey and feathered. Retribution carried a sickle while Xanetia carried a karsuri-gama. But their eyes were the same eerie shade of amber. And their disposition was the same... Chaotic Good. The others re-appeared, smiling faintly when they saw Xanetia. Retribution simply looked at her, knowing physical contact was forbidden, as that was the way Ambresia could come back to Midgar. Xanetia ignored the shocked looks the other Demons gave her and reached out for Retribution, hands outstretched.
"Come, Sister Self... The time has come for us to be reunited."
Retribution could do nothing without Ragnarok's blessing... So she looked over at her superior. Ragnarok, for her part, was more than willing to allow this. It was the only way to save Midgar from Lucrecia and the clone. So she looked at Retribution and nodded. She was giving her blessing. So Retribution reached out and her fingertips brushed Xanetia's. But that was enough... They were caught up in a whirlwind that stank of brimstone and molten sulfur. When the whirlwind dissipated, there stood a Demoness of grey skin and red wings, holding the Scythe of Judgment in her hands. The voice that emerged was eerily harmonic, indicative of the double personalities.
"The Clock will be reset without being destroyed. The Scythe of Judgment has that power."
Then she was gone. The wind reeked of brimstone and stank of sulfur. They could feel the world shaking beneath their feet...
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I have to be out of my mind. Why did I allow Ambresia's return? I can answer that one easily. It's the only way to save Midgar from my Clock. They call me Ragnarok, but that isn't my purpose. My purpose here is to prevent Armageddon. When I was first formed from the stuffs of the Netherworld, also called Hell, they gave me power beyond any mortal's wildest imaginations. They also keyed a Clock to the beats and sounds of the world. Then they called me Ragnarok, to keep it from happening. Such was the way of things back then. The ground is beginning to shake... That can only mean one thing.
"The Clock's countdown is nearing the end."
"She has to hurry, then."
"I only hope she's in time."
"She will be. Ambresia is the Demoness of Judgment. She takes sentences rendered by the Master Demons and carries them out."
"Master Demons?"
"They're the Netherworld's equivalent of the Archangels."
"Oh, Good Lord. If they were ever summoned to Midgar..."
"They wouldn't leave anyone alive if provoked beyond control."
"And they're easily provoked."
"So we can only hope the clone doesn't find a way to bring them to Midgar..."
I start pacing, leaving pools of sulfuric acid in my footprints. Discord just stands there, head lowered, lips cracking and bleeding as the Clock's countdown resonates in his heart. Justice and Chaos are in a similar state of decay... Destruction is the only one unmarred by the countdown. His name is reason enough. He was created to savor such a state of disrepair. But I can tell from the way he's standing that he doesn't like it one damn bit.
"Destruction, talk to me."
"This goes against the way of the world. I don't like it because it means Meris and Vincent will die."
"Even if Ambresia does stop the Clock, it doesn't mean we won't be safe."
I turn my attention to the speaker, who happens to be Vincent. Meris's metal arm is a silent reminder of things past. Vincent's metal hand is another such reminder. But unlike Meris, he was willing at the time. Hojo, Locke and Tseng are all watching him carefully, waiting to see what he does next. I have to admit, I'm watching him too... But Meris is the one who continues that train of thought.
"The Clock isn't the end of it. Not by a long shot. Ragnarok, do you remember the scroll I was holding?"
"Yes. Where is it?"
She reaches into her jacket and brings out that scroll, so unusual because it's red with a white ribbon. The mere sight of it is enough to make Discord's disrepair undo itself. Justice and Chaos become unmarked as well, making me wonder what's on that scroll. With a sudden flash of insight, I know what that is.
"That's what they're looking for! That's the scroll to summon the Master Demons!"
Then, without warning, a fissure opens in the ground. From that fissure comes a cloud of red sulfur. There are only five in all the Netherworld who have such a cloud...
"The Master Demons!"
I will be the first to admit it. The Master Demons scare me. They always have, and they always will. And it isn't just because of their fearsome appearance. The Master Demons don't look human the way the rest of us do. The fissure belches out enough red sulfur to blind us, even me, then it's all gone. Standing in front of us is but one of the Master Demons, a male whose body resembles a grossly misproportioned dragon. And yet, for all his size and power, his voice is remarkably gentle and easy to understand.
"You who hold our summons, identify yourself."
"I am called Meris."
"The twin to Lucrecia. You are the only one who can control the power in that scroll. If she were to get it, she would immediately release us all and destroy Midgar. Demons, tell me why Ambresia walks the land."
"Master Demon Farin, the Clock counts down the time left to the world."
"Who used my name?"
"I did."
To our total surprise, Discord moves forward, head lowered in respect. Farin, so identified by said Demon, curls one wing outward, engulfing Discord in its leathery grip. When the wing opens, Discord still stands. He falls back, hitting the ground with a huge gash in his stomach. The only one to make any kind of protest is Meris.
"You didn't have to do that! He told you what you needed to know!"
"Meris, don't say any more."
"No, Chaos, I won't keep silent. Discord answered the question. So he used the Master Demon's name. Big whoop! That doesn't mean he deserved THAT!"
"She's right, Chaos. Discord didn't deserve that."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Vincent Valentine."
I can't believe what happens next... Farin descends on Vincent with a howl of rage, mouth opening widely. When he moves back, there's no sign of Vincent. We're mute with shock.
"You ATE him?"
"Even for a Master Demon, that was uncalled for!"
"You're right. Farin, you will undo what was done. Vincent Valentine was merely speaking his mind."
I can't believe my eyes! Standing behind Farin is the only Master Demoness in all the worlds...
"VIROTH!"
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Farin turned around and stared at his female counterpart. Viroth was in the guise of a harpy. But she didn't act like it! She acted like a rational human instead of a crazed Demoness. Viroth's form changed with her mood. And she was upset, so she was a harpy. Vincent lay in Farin's belly, screaming as the acid ate away at his flesh. Meris could hear him screaming and dropped to her knees, hands covering her ears. Tseng, Locke and Hojo all glared at the Master Demon who'd gutted Discord and swallowed Vincent.
"Farin, you have until I count to ten to reverse what you've done. Or I will make you suffer for an eternity!"
Meris remained on her knees, hands over her ears in a vain attempt to block out the agonized screams of her beloved. His flesh was dissolving slowly, prolonging the agony. Farin, meanwhile, stood under Viroth's gaze unflinching. Before he could say or do anything, Vincent lay on the ground, acid burns all over his body. And Discord rose from his place on the ground, wound undone by Viroth's silent companion. There was only one Master Demon who never said a word... His form was that of a large tree. Vincent lay there shaking and whimpering, unable to stop himself. He had no voice left to scream...
"Farin, what you did was reprehensible and deplorable! Explain yourself!"
"They deserved it."
"No they didn't! You had no right to gut Discord and swallow Vincent!"
The Master Demons looked over at the source of the voice... Meris. She was kneeling beside Vincent, trying to convince him to fight death. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears and as hard as the earth itself. The mute Master Demon waved a branch over the couple, undoing the injuries to Vincent's flesh. But nobody could undo the injuries to his soul...
"Vincent, please... I need you."
That whispered plea went straight to his heart and rebounded all over. The ground stopped shaking and damage done vanished as though it never was. Ambresia reappeared, Scythe gleaming brightly, even with Lucrecia and the clone hanging from it by their belts. Destruction and Chaos took charge of them, tying them up with Demon cord. The sight of Vincent lying on the ground with Meris kneeling beside him made her narrow her eerie amber eyes. Then she saw the Master Demons. A shimmer, and Retribution and Xanetia stood side by side. Each held her respective weapon in a defensive pose. To see three of the Master Demons meant something awful was about to happen. Then, with a loud groan, Vincent sat up and held his head.
"What in all of Midgar happened?"
Meris took his hands in hers, not caring that two of those four hands were made of metal. He smiled at her, then turned around, slowly. She helped him find a place to sit where he was propped up. She sat beside him, flesh hand resting on his shoulder.
"The dragon over there swallowed you because you stood up for Discord."
"Now I know how a sheep feels!"
"You always did have a flair for bad puns, kid."
"Is that...?"
"I think it is!"
Sephiroth came from the shadows again, glowering at Farin all the while. He'd been sent back to deal with this menace... His Masamune glinted in the moonlight. Viroth and the mute backed up, knowing damn well what Sephiroth was there to do. Farin had caused more problems than the rest of the Master Demons put together! Retribution and Xanetia moved the humans out of range, setting them in a nearby cavern. Then, with a reek of molten sulfur, the other two Master Demons appeared, summoned by Sephiroth's Masamune. Ragnarok waved the other Demons back so as not to interfere with what was about to happen. Soon, only Sephiroth and the Master Demons were in the clearing. The Master Demon who looked like a goat spoke with a gravelly voice that carried to all involved.
"Farin. You have been charged with behavior unbecoming of a Master Demon. The penalty, if you are found guilty, is death. And the Heavens have chosen the one to bring about said punishment. They have sent Sephiroth back to Midgar for this. Master Demons, convene the Tribunal to determine Farin's fate."
Sephiroth stood silently as the Master Demons circled Farin with their black leathery wings. Utter silence prevailed for a long time, indicating an internal struggle. The mute Master Demon reached out with a leathery branch and lifted Sephiroth into the circle. After what seemed to be an eternity, a loud scream was heard from the center of the circle. Viroth moved back to reveal Farin and Sephiroth locked in a struggle for possession of the Masamune, currently buried to the hilt in Farin's stomach.
"The verdict has been reached. Farin has been found guilty. Sephiroth's Masamune acted of its own accord. Now the penalty is being carried out. No assistance for Farin is allowed."
Sephiroth's hand clamped around the hilt of the Masamune and it slid out, slick with Farin's blood. After being in dragon form for so long, Farin had become one. His claws reached out to gouge Sephiroth, only to encounter an invisible shield. Meris had her hands curved into a cat's claw position. She was the one who'd cast the shield!
"Very clever, Meris."
"She did say no help for Farin... But she didn't say no help for Sephiroth!"
Her innocent grin wasn't lost on Viroth. Meris had correctly interpreted her words. Therefore, the shield was allowed. Sephiroth lifted the Masamune in a salute, then turned his attention to Farin. The dragon Master Demon roared and closed his talons around him, squeezing in an attempt to crush his lungs. But Sephiroth was waiting for that move... He promptly sliced Farin's arm off. He pried the talons open and stepped out, unmarked and unsplattered. The arm quickly grew back, but was shriveled and weak. Farin lifted his other arm to slice at Sephiroth's ribcage, only to have the Masamune slice clean through it. It grew back in a state identical to the first one. The shriveled limbs looked... human!
"Farin isn't a true Master! He's an impostor! Those are HUMAN arms!"
"She's right! Viroth, as the Senior Master Demon, what is your decision on this?"
"No matter if he's an impostor or not, he must die. He acted outside the bounds of the office he held. But this means that there are only four Master Demons in place. There must be five, or the balance will be shattered."
"Sephiroth, you are to carry out the sentence Viroth has handed down. Then you are given the burden of locating the fifth Master Demon."
"I hear and obey, Master Demon."
"He's loyal."
Sephiroth gripped the Masamune in both hands and gathered his strength. Within the blade of his weapon rested a rare item... The Black Materia. Nobody knew where it had gone, but they were about to find out. The blade of Sephiroth's Masamune began to glow, an inky black aura that engulfed weapon and wielder. When the glow had reached full power and only surrounded the Masamune blade, Sephiroth lifted it above his head as though it were a longsword and charged, a loud yell ripping from his throat. Tseng recognized that glow...
"Holy FUCK! That's the Black Materia!"
"So that's where it went!"
Sephiroth's charge brought the Masamune in line with Farin's midsection and he brought the blade down with all his might. It cut through the thick hide as though it were paper. Farin let out an inhuman screech and collapsed, fire belching from the wound. The Black Materia seeped from the Masamune onto the fallen Demon, engulfing him and turning him into a pile of sun-bleached bones.
"It is ended. I go to seek the fifth."
"Sephiroth. For your efforts here today, you are granted one wish."
"A reward is not what I did this for. I did it in the name of justice."
"Then your reward passes to Vincent."
"I can't do it. My wish is selfish in nature."
"Vincent, you have truly earned this. All you have done has been in the name of justice. Speak what you want."
"If I were to take the wish, I'd want Sephiroth to stay on Midgar, I'd want my hand to be flesh and I'd want Meris to have her arm back."
"That is not selfish. If you truly had been selfish, you'd have wished for the world to be yours."
"She's right, Vincent. You've truly earned their reward. Grant what he wants."
"Viroth, allow me."
Viroth turned to the tree-like Master Demon and raised an eyebrow. The others were looking at him in something akin to shock. Those were the first words he'd spoken in over thirty thousand years! But Viroth only smothered a grin and nodded. The tree-like Master Demon, whose name was Remick, waved three branches. Sephiroth's form wavered, then solidified. He looked down, then nodded once with a satisfied smile. Vincent's metal hand disappeared, replaced with the flesh and blood one he'd lost so long ago. And Meris gritted her teeth as the metal arm she'd been given turned to flesh, the steel tines replaced by bones. The cap over her heart remained, but it didn't hamper her in any way. Tseng, Locke and Hojo were hiding smiles as they came out of the cave. Retribution, Xanetia, Destruction, Chaos, Justice, Discord and Ragnarok emerged, bringing Meris and Vincent with them. Merick lowered a branch for Sephiroth, who stood on it after handing Locke his Masamune. The branch lifted and Sephiroth was dwarfed by the Master Demons. In his mind, he held the identity of the missing fifth Master Demon. Viroth ferreted it from his mind and spoke it aloud.
"Discord."
Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Farin had untied the Demon cord holding the clone and Lucrecia, so they were long gone. Meris saw them gone and frowned. Discord couldn't look at any of them as he moved forward. Viroth hid a smile and put a taloned hand on his head. He looked up at her, eyes widening at what she was doing. The Discord Demon was the fifth Master Demon, and Viroth was giving him the power to name his own consort! His limbs trembled as her name slid from between lips that were rapidly going from red to black with the power flowing through his veins.
"Retribution..."
She stepped forward and bowed her head. Viroth put her other hand on Retribution's head and did the same to her that she'd done to Discord. Ragnarok, even outside the host she'd Bonded with, could sense Meris's fear. She fled silently back to her mortal host and merged their minds.
*What troubles you?*
**What's she doing to them?**
*Discord is the fifth Master Demon, and he's named Retribution as his consort.*
**But what about Xanetia?**
Vincent and Destruction had merged again, and Destruction picked up on that thought. If Xanetia were left out, she'd find no reason to live, and would commit the ultimate act of attrition...
**Suicide?!?**
*That is the way of the Demon. Would that we could prevent it.*
Sephiroth had never merged with a Demon, but there was a first time for everything. He tipped his head up to the sky and opened himself to the available Demons. Chaos felt a tug and followed it, finding himself residing within Sephiroth. To say it felt strange was a gross understatement.
*Relax, Sephiroth. It's Chaos.*
**This is weird! I never thought I'd experience what Meris and Vincent do... I don't know how to talk to you!**
*This is how we do it. Vincent knows what will happen if Xanetia is not chosen to become one of the Master Demons.*
**I think I can guess. Suicide.**
*Unfortunately, yes. Because Xanetia works with the Angels, she may not be considered worthy.*
**That's bullshit. She's a Demoness, isn't she?**
*She is.*
Meanwhile, Viroth funnelled the power of the Master Demons into the chosen vessels... Discord and Retribution. Even with the power they now had, they retained their humanoid forms. Merick, the tree Demon, turned to Xanetia and held out a branch that glowed brightly.
"You will join your sister half and her consort. Touch the glowing branch, and the power will be yours."
Without hesitation, Xanetia put one hand on the glowing branch Merick held out. Of all the Demons standing there, only Justice had no placement anywhere. But he was an Arbiter, so it wasn't so bad. In front of the humans, Xanetia's skin darkened, becoming blood red, and her wings turned black as pitch. Her karsuri-gama writhed and shimmered, then solidified as a sickle.
"The power is yours... And the Circle is complete!"
"There were SEVEN Master Demons... Not five!"
Meris, and Ragnarok within her, knew what that meant. Only one Arbiter would remain to carry out the will of the Master Demons. And his place was by himself. None would travel with him, even as an ally. But he had no objections to such a fate. In fact, he'd already gone in search of the fugitives. Lucrecia had somehow convinced Diablo to let her touch Xanetia before he killed her...
"Oh, no."
"What is it, Meris?"
"Lucrecia touched Xanetia."
Vincent spouted a series of expletives designed to make a sailor blush. He knew what that meant. He'd been with Lucrecia long enough to know she could steal information by touching someone. After he'd run out of human epithets, Destruction supplied some that made Merick cringe. Viroth frowned and the goat-like Master Demon, whose name had been lost in the annals of time and was now called Brutus for obvious reasons, recoiled. The newest Master Demons just stood there without reacting. They'd heard him say those before... The final Master Demon, a genderless being in the form of a large black dog, was simply known as Omni. Brutus eyed Viroth and they headed off into the woods. Typical Demon mating included screams and threats, but there would now be two exceptions to the rule. She leaned back against a tree and he pushed into her, sliding in with little obstruction. They'd been bedmates for many a century, but this was the first time she hadn't attempted to prevent entry. His hips slammed into hers with amazing regularity, making her smile with each thrust. Her smiling during mating had always heralded intense pleasure for him... And tonight was no exception. Her tail slid up his leg and poked into his rectum. His eyes closed and he expanded inside her. It now felt like she was being ripped in half, and she loved it! When they came back, her eyes were sparkling and he was grinning as best he could with his caprine head. Vincent, who'd refrained from touching Meris since that day in the park, turned and walked into a different part of the woods. Meris made a wordless exclamation and followed him.
"Vincent?"
"I want to, but I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I'd hurt you and I don't want to do that."
"What if it wasn't really us?"
"You mean the Demons?"
"Why not? She's had a thing for him since the day he was created."
"I don't know..."
Destruction and Ragnarok thought it was a brilliant idea. Except for one thing... If the Demons fully took over, they'd stay that way until her need had been satisfied. And neither were sure how long that would take. It also meant their human hosts would be risking immediate death upon completion.
*We can't do that. You'd stand a chance of dying.*
"They don't think it's such a good idea."
"I know. But how can I convince you that you won't hurt me?"
She suddenly knew. She brushed up against him the way she had the day in the park when the clone had attacked Vincent. His response was a low groan, then his arms wound around her and he held her tightly. She put her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. There was a hint of something in that smile... It was that something that made him groan again and kiss her. Their passion flared up and fed the Demons within. Something snapped inside Vincent and he slid one hand between her legs. He had to feel her, make her his... His hand made contact with bare flesh. He blinked and realized the Demons had removed their clothing. All the better! He knelt and put his lips where his fingers had just been. Her low moan made him smile as he kissed her most intimate of places. When he thought she was ready, he brought her to her knees in front of him. With a wicked smile, she wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned back. They fell to the forest floor, him lying on top of her, hands braced on the hard earth. It was his hands that kept him upright. Then, slowly, he lowered his hips, sliding into her wet heat. Her moan mingled with his groan as he settled into the cradle of her hips. Slowly, sensuously, Vincent Valentine made sweet love to the one woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with. Her release, when it came, was powerful and shook them both, even after he'd collapsed on top of her. The Demons within were satisfied and remained dormant. When the mortal lovers came out of the woods holding hands, everyone knew. How could they not? The woods reeked of sex! But they had no idea what lay in wait for Justice when he found the fugitives... Except Sephiroth. Because he would be the one to stop them. And when he did, he would single-handedly save the world.
Dwelling within the confines of a fragile mortal shell was one of the most powerful demons to ever set foot in Midgar... Ragnarok. To those who could not pronounce her name, she was known as the Demoness of Armageddon. She had a clock, that was tuned to the beats and rhythms of the world. This clock had the power to turn Midgar into nothing more than a memory if it ever chimed the midnight hour. She also had the Armageddon Stone hidden in a safe place. If that Stone were to fall into the wrong hands, it would entomb all within Midgar in an endless sleep. Combined with the Clock, the Stone could either make Midgar the strongest of all the worlds, or it could make it disappear completely. Now her mission became clear... She had to keep her clock from striking the midnight hour. It also became clear what the clone was up to. He wanted to destroy Midgar! Her human host was strong in her own right...
*Meris. Suggestions.*
**We need to get that Stone so Vincent can program it into the computer.**
*I can't do it alone. I need Xanetia.*
**Damn!**
Meris caught Vincent's eye and made a motion with one hand that had him cursing soundly. The others turned to him in curiosity. Vincent only cursed if something was wrong. Retribution walked over to him and spoke in Greater Demon. Destruction responded in kind. What he told her made her shoot a fireball into the air.
"What was that about?"
"Ragnarok can't retrieve the Stone without help."
"Well, what about one of us?"
"It can't be any of us. It has to be Xanetia. And if Diablo has her..."
"Then he has the power to find the Stone before we do!"
"Not if I get to him first!"
That deep voice made all turn to its source... A cloud of fog in the alleyway. There was something familiar about that cloud... Vincent recognized it first. The name he uttered made everyone stare at the fog in shock.
"SEPHIROTH!"
Sure enough, it was him! The legend himself stepped from the fog bank and it faded away. Tseng brought Hojo and Locke over that way, moving slowly for the blinded scientist. Sephiroth met them halfway and healed them with passes of his hand. The group merged into a crowd too big for the alley. So Retribution moved them to a secluded clearing. They were able to spread out and did so, taking care to stay in everyone else's sight.
"But, Sephiroth, I thought you were dead!"
"You can't get rid of me that easily, kid."
Sephiroth calling Vincent kid... That made Meris laugh and shake her head. Sephiroth saw her and his eyes narrowed. But he made no move to draw on her. Then he motioned to her metal arm. She understood his gesture immediately. It was time to let everyone know her secret. So she went behind a tree and removed the flesh covering on her arm, then came back. The metal glinted in the moonlight, catching everyone's eye.
"What the deuce?"
"You always did have a way with words, Locke. She's one of my former test subjects. They told me to make her into the perfect Shinra soldier. But Vincent had other ideas. I'm glad he acted on those ideas. I don't think we'd be standing here if he hadn't."
Erian touched Meris's other arm, causing her to look at the youthful Angel. Erian's hand crept out and took hers. Meris smiled through a sudden veil of tears and gave that hand a gentle squeeze. To have an Angel take the hand of a Demon's vessel was truly remarkable. Vincent, and Destruction within him, could feel something radiating from Meris and Ragnarok... A voice laced with dual harmonics could be heard echoing from Meris's lips.
~There is something to be said for the trust of a child... Erian has offered to be my friend. I haven't gotten that kind of offer in a long time. So, yes, Erian. I'd be honored to call you friend.~
Sephiroth smiled and backed into the shadows. He'd done what he'd come to do: Unite Heaven and Hell in a common cause. Before anyone could see him and protest, he disappeared. Tseng saw the fog in the trees and understood immediately. His soft chuckle wasn't lost on any of them.
"That was Sephiroth's mission, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Erian, it was. He won't be coming back."
Runithea appeared silently, holding something in her hands. Retribution saw it and immediately began howling. Ragnarok and Destruction separated themselves from their human hosts and echoed the unearthly howling. Demons all over Midgar howled in anguish and blind fury. And surprisingly enough, so did Discord! He started howling when he realized what had happened.
"What is that?"
"The howl of the Dead!"
"Oh, no! Diablo killed Xanetia!"
Sitting in Runithea's hands, silent proof for Erian's exclamation, was Xanetia's heart. Diablo had butchered her when she refused to tell him where the Armageddon Stone was. Discord separated himself from the clone, by force, and fled to the clearing. The clone, consumed by his madness, didn't notice he was now alone in his quest to destroy Midgar. Lucrecia stood by his side, so he wasn't by himself. But inside, he was alone. When they saw Discord appear, the Demons set up a circle around Meris and Vincent.
"I come in peace... Runithea, please, tell me which Demon's heart you hold in your hands."
"Discord, this heart belonged to the noblest Demoness there ever was... This was Xanetia's heart."
Discord balled one hand into a fist and gritted his teeth. He was attempting to hold back his ire... There were Angels present, after all. Retribution touched his shoulder and he looked at her. Standing in front of him was Xanetia's other half. Her dark side, if you will. Xanetia and Retribution had been forcibly separated when it turned out that she had two sides to her personality. Diablo wanted both halves so he could merge them into the unholiest of Demonesses...
"Ambresia!"
"Yes. That was our name when we shared this body. But we were separated because we couldn't always agree. So we claimed sisterhood to protect ourselves."
"And now, with Xanetia dead, Ambresia will never again walk the plains of Midgar."
"And so too will the Armageddon Stone remain hidden. Xanetia held the key to its location."
"Not true. I have a way to bring her back. But it's not for the faint hearted."
"That son of a bitch killed my other half! I want revenge!"
"Then come with me."
Discord led Retribution to a thickly wooded area of the forest and turned her to face him. She stood there silently, clad in a floor-length black robe with a maroon stripe down one side. He reached out and tore off the robe, leaving her nude in the moonlight. She suddenly knew what he had in mind and lifted her chin. To let Discord have his way with her was a small price to pay if it meant bringing Xanetia back. He shrugged off his own garments, then took her into his arms. Her legs came up and wrapped around his waist. He grinned in silent approval and slid himself into her. The resultant mating was, remarkably, silent. There were no screams or other sounds of violence. Destruction knew why and chuckled. The sound of a Demon chuckling was a harsh and discordant sound, no pun intended. Any who heard it winced and clapped their hands over their ears. Locke, Tseng and Hojo grinned broadly and disappeared from view, sent to a place of safety. Runithea set the heart on a tree stump and backed away, head bowed in silent prayer. Then the Angels disappeared, leaving Chaos, Justice, Destruction, Ragnarok, Vincent and Meris.
"What could they be doing that has everyone grinning and disappearing?"
"They're doing what comes naturally, I guess."
Over in the trees, Discord was giving Retribution everything he had. Forwards, backwards, her underneath, her on top, from behind... But he was amazingly gentle for a Demon. Truth be told, he'd fallen for Retribution long before this. He'd always wanted to give her a night to remember... When they emerged, him adjusting his belt and her tugging her robe into place, there was a brilliant flash near the stump where Runithea had left the heart. When the flash died down, the owner of that heart stood tall and proud for all to see...
"Xanetia!!!"
"Hello again, other self."
Xanetia stood tall and proud, hands clasped in front of her. Where Retribution's skin was an angry shade of red, Xanetia's was a soft pink. Retribution's wings were black and leathery, while Xanetia's were grey and feathered. Retribution carried a sickle while Xanetia carried a karsuri-gama. But their eyes were the same eerie shade of amber. And their disposition was the same... Chaotic Good. The others re-appeared, smiling faintly when they saw Xanetia. Retribution simply looked at her, knowing physical contact was forbidden, as that was the way Ambresia could come back to Midgar. Xanetia ignored the shocked looks the other Demons gave her and reached out for Retribution, hands outstretched.
"Come, Sister Self... The time has come for us to be reunited."
Retribution could do nothing without Ragnarok's blessing... So she looked over at her superior. Ragnarok, for her part, was more than willing to allow this. It was the only way to save Midgar from Lucrecia and the clone. So she looked at Retribution and nodded. She was giving her blessing. So Retribution reached out and her fingertips brushed Xanetia's. But that was enough... They were caught up in a whirlwind that stank of brimstone and molten sulfur. When the whirlwind dissipated, there stood a Demoness of grey skin and red wings, holding the Scythe of Judgment in her hands. The voice that emerged was eerily harmonic, indicative of the double personalities.
"The Clock will be reset without being destroyed. The Scythe of Judgment has that power."
Then she was gone. The wind reeked of brimstone and stank of sulfur. They could feel the world shaking beneath their feet...
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I have to be out of my mind. Why did I allow Ambresia's return? I can answer that one easily. It's the only way to save Midgar from my Clock. They call me Ragnarok, but that isn't my purpose. My purpose here is to prevent Armageddon. When I was first formed from the stuffs of the Netherworld, also called Hell, they gave me power beyond any mortal's wildest imaginations. They also keyed a Clock to the beats and sounds of the world. Then they called me Ragnarok, to keep it from happening. Such was the way of things back then. The ground is beginning to shake... That can only mean one thing.
"The Clock's countdown is nearing the end."
"She has to hurry, then."
"I only hope she's in time."
"She will be. Ambresia is the Demoness of Judgment. She takes sentences rendered by the Master Demons and carries them out."
"Master Demons?"
"They're the Netherworld's equivalent of the Archangels."
"Oh, Good Lord. If they were ever summoned to Midgar..."
"They wouldn't leave anyone alive if provoked beyond control."
"And they're easily provoked."
"So we can only hope the clone doesn't find a way to bring them to Midgar..."
I start pacing, leaving pools of sulfuric acid in my footprints. Discord just stands there, head lowered, lips cracking and bleeding as the Clock's countdown resonates in his heart. Justice and Chaos are in a similar state of decay... Destruction is the only one unmarred by the countdown. His name is reason enough. He was created to savor such a state of disrepair. But I can tell from the way he's standing that he doesn't like it one damn bit.
"Destruction, talk to me."
"This goes against the way of the world. I don't like it because it means Meris and Vincent will die."
"Even if Ambresia does stop the Clock, it doesn't mean we won't be safe."
I turn my attention to the speaker, who happens to be Vincent. Meris's metal arm is a silent reminder of things past. Vincent's metal hand is another such reminder. But unlike Meris, he was willing at the time. Hojo, Locke and Tseng are all watching him carefully, waiting to see what he does next. I have to admit, I'm watching him too... But Meris is the one who continues that train of thought.
"The Clock isn't the end of it. Not by a long shot. Ragnarok, do you remember the scroll I was holding?"
"Yes. Where is it?"
She reaches into her jacket and brings out that scroll, so unusual because it's red with a white ribbon. The mere sight of it is enough to make Discord's disrepair undo itself. Justice and Chaos become unmarked as well, making me wonder what's on that scroll. With a sudden flash of insight, I know what that is.
"That's what they're looking for! That's the scroll to summon the Master Demons!"
Then, without warning, a fissure opens in the ground. From that fissure comes a cloud of red sulfur. There are only five in all the Netherworld who have such a cloud...
"The Master Demons!"
I will be the first to admit it. The Master Demons scare me. They always have, and they always will. And it isn't just because of their fearsome appearance. The Master Demons don't look human the way the rest of us do. The fissure belches out enough red sulfur to blind us, even me, then it's all gone. Standing in front of us is but one of the Master Demons, a male whose body resembles a grossly misproportioned dragon. And yet, for all his size and power, his voice is remarkably gentle and easy to understand.
"You who hold our summons, identify yourself."
"I am called Meris."
"The twin to Lucrecia. You are the only one who can control the power in that scroll. If she were to get it, she would immediately release us all and destroy Midgar. Demons, tell me why Ambresia walks the land."
"Master Demon Farin, the Clock counts down the time left to the world."
"Who used my name?"
"I did."
To our total surprise, Discord moves forward, head lowered in respect. Farin, so identified by said Demon, curls one wing outward, engulfing Discord in its leathery grip. When the wing opens, Discord still stands. He falls back, hitting the ground with a huge gash in his stomach. The only one to make any kind of protest is Meris.
"You didn't have to do that! He told you what you needed to know!"
"Meris, don't say any more."
"No, Chaos, I won't keep silent. Discord answered the question. So he used the Master Demon's name. Big whoop! That doesn't mean he deserved THAT!"
"She's right, Chaos. Discord didn't deserve that."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Vincent Valentine."
I can't believe what happens next... Farin descends on Vincent with a howl of rage, mouth opening widely. When he moves back, there's no sign of Vincent. We're mute with shock.
"You ATE him?"
"Even for a Master Demon, that was uncalled for!"
"You're right. Farin, you will undo what was done. Vincent Valentine was merely speaking his mind."
I can't believe my eyes! Standing behind Farin is the only Master Demoness in all the worlds...
"VIROTH!"
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Farin turned around and stared at his female counterpart. Viroth was in the guise of a harpy. But she didn't act like it! She acted like a rational human instead of a crazed Demoness. Viroth's form changed with her mood. And she was upset, so she was a harpy. Vincent lay in Farin's belly, screaming as the acid ate away at his flesh. Meris could hear him screaming and dropped to her knees, hands covering her ears. Tseng, Locke and Hojo all glared at the Master Demon who'd gutted Discord and swallowed Vincent.
"Farin, you have until I count to ten to reverse what you've done. Or I will make you suffer for an eternity!"
Meris remained on her knees, hands over her ears in a vain attempt to block out the agonized screams of her beloved. His flesh was dissolving slowly, prolonging the agony. Farin, meanwhile, stood under Viroth's gaze unflinching. Before he could say or do anything, Vincent lay on the ground, acid burns all over his body. And Discord rose from his place on the ground, wound undone by Viroth's silent companion. There was only one Master Demon who never said a word... His form was that of a large tree. Vincent lay there shaking and whimpering, unable to stop himself. He had no voice left to scream...
"Farin, what you did was reprehensible and deplorable! Explain yourself!"
"They deserved it."
"No they didn't! You had no right to gut Discord and swallow Vincent!"
The Master Demons looked over at the source of the voice... Meris. She was kneeling beside Vincent, trying to convince him to fight death. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears and as hard as the earth itself. The mute Master Demon waved a branch over the couple, undoing the injuries to Vincent's flesh. But nobody could undo the injuries to his soul...
"Vincent, please... I need you."
That whispered plea went straight to his heart and rebounded all over. The ground stopped shaking and damage done vanished as though it never was. Ambresia reappeared, Scythe gleaming brightly, even with Lucrecia and the clone hanging from it by their belts. Destruction and Chaos took charge of them, tying them up with Demon cord. The sight of Vincent lying on the ground with Meris kneeling beside him made her narrow her eerie amber eyes. Then she saw the Master Demons. A shimmer, and Retribution and Xanetia stood side by side. Each held her respective weapon in a defensive pose. To see three of the Master Demons meant something awful was about to happen. Then, with a loud groan, Vincent sat up and held his head.
"What in all of Midgar happened?"
Meris took his hands in hers, not caring that two of those four hands were made of metal. He smiled at her, then turned around, slowly. She helped him find a place to sit where he was propped up. She sat beside him, flesh hand resting on his shoulder.
"The dragon over there swallowed you because you stood up for Discord."
"Now I know how a sheep feels!"
"You always did have a flair for bad puns, kid."
"Is that...?"
"I think it is!"
Sephiroth came from the shadows again, glowering at Farin all the while. He'd been sent back to deal with this menace... His Masamune glinted in the moonlight. Viroth and the mute backed up, knowing damn well what Sephiroth was there to do. Farin had caused more problems than the rest of the Master Demons put together! Retribution and Xanetia moved the humans out of range, setting them in a nearby cavern. Then, with a reek of molten sulfur, the other two Master Demons appeared, summoned by Sephiroth's Masamune. Ragnarok waved the other Demons back so as not to interfere with what was about to happen. Soon, only Sephiroth and the Master Demons were in the clearing. The Master Demon who looked like a goat spoke with a gravelly voice that carried to all involved.
"Farin. You have been charged with behavior unbecoming of a Master Demon. The penalty, if you are found guilty, is death. And the Heavens have chosen the one to bring about said punishment. They have sent Sephiroth back to Midgar for this. Master Demons, convene the Tribunal to determine Farin's fate."
Sephiroth stood silently as the Master Demons circled Farin with their black leathery wings. Utter silence prevailed for a long time, indicating an internal struggle. The mute Master Demon reached out with a leathery branch and lifted Sephiroth into the circle. After what seemed to be an eternity, a loud scream was heard from the center of the circle. Viroth moved back to reveal Farin and Sephiroth locked in a struggle for possession of the Masamune, currently buried to the hilt in Farin's stomach.
"The verdict has been reached. Farin has been found guilty. Sephiroth's Masamune acted of its own accord. Now the penalty is being carried out. No assistance for Farin is allowed."
Sephiroth's hand clamped around the hilt of the Masamune and it slid out, slick with Farin's blood. After being in dragon form for so long, Farin had become one. His claws reached out to gouge Sephiroth, only to encounter an invisible shield. Meris had her hands curved into a cat's claw position. She was the one who'd cast the shield!
"Very clever, Meris."
"She did say no help for Farin... But she didn't say no help for Sephiroth!"
Her innocent grin wasn't lost on Viroth. Meris had correctly interpreted her words. Therefore, the shield was allowed. Sephiroth lifted the Masamune in a salute, then turned his attention to Farin. The dragon Master Demon roared and closed his talons around him, squeezing in an attempt to crush his lungs. But Sephiroth was waiting for that move... He promptly sliced Farin's arm off. He pried the talons open and stepped out, unmarked and unsplattered. The arm quickly grew back, but was shriveled and weak. Farin lifted his other arm to slice at Sephiroth's ribcage, only to have the Masamune slice clean through it. It grew back in a state identical to the first one. The shriveled limbs looked... human!
"Farin isn't a true Master! He's an impostor! Those are HUMAN arms!"
"She's right! Viroth, as the Senior Master Demon, what is your decision on this?"
"No matter if he's an impostor or not, he must die. He acted outside the bounds of the office he held. But this means that there are only four Master Demons in place. There must be five, or the balance will be shattered."
"Sephiroth, you are to carry out the sentence Viroth has handed down. Then you are given the burden of locating the fifth Master Demon."
"I hear and obey, Master Demon."
"He's loyal."
Sephiroth gripped the Masamune in both hands and gathered his strength. Within the blade of his weapon rested a rare item... The Black Materia. Nobody knew where it had gone, but they were about to find out. The blade of Sephiroth's Masamune began to glow, an inky black aura that engulfed weapon and wielder. When the glow had reached full power and only surrounded the Masamune blade, Sephiroth lifted it above his head as though it were a longsword and charged, a loud yell ripping from his throat. Tseng recognized that glow...
"Holy FUCK! That's the Black Materia!"
"So that's where it went!"
Sephiroth's charge brought the Masamune in line with Farin's midsection and he brought the blade down with all his might. It cut through the thick hide as though it were paper. Farin let out an inhuman screech and collapsed, fire belching from the wound. The Black Materia seeped from the Masamune onto the fallen Demon, engulfing him and turning him into a pile of sun-bleached bones.
"It is ended. I go to seek the fifth."
"Sephiroth. For your efforts here today, you are granted one wish."
"A reward is not what I did this for. I did it in the name of justice."
"Then your reward passes to Vincent."
"I can't do it. My wish is selfish in nature."
"Vincent, you have truly earned this. All you have done has been in the name of justice. Speak what you want."
"If I were to take the wish, I'd want Sephiroth to stay on Midgar, I'd want my hand to be flesh and I'd want Meris to have her arm back."
"That is not selfish. If you truly had been selfish, you'd have wished for the world to be yours."
"She's right, Vincent. You've truly earned their reward. Grant what he wants."
"Viroth, allow me."
Viroth turned to the tree-like Master Demon and raised an eyebrow. The others were looking at him in something akin to shock. Those were the first words he'd spoken in over thirty thousand years! But Viroth only smothered a grin and nodded. The tree-like Master Demon, whose name was Remick, waved three branches. Sephiroth's form wavered, then solidified. He looked down, then nodded once with a satisfied smile. Vincent's metal hand disappeared, replaced with the flesh and blood one he'd lost so long ago. And Meris gritted her teeth as the metal arm she'd been given turned to flesh, the steel tines replaced by bones. The cap over her heart remained, but it didn't hamper her in any way. Tseng, Locke and Hojo were hiding smiles as they came out of the cave. Retribution, Xanetia, Destruction, Chaos, Justice, Discord and Ragnarok emerged, bringing Meris and Vincent with them. Merick lowered a branch for Sephiroth, who stood on it after handing Locke his Masamune. The branch lifted and Sephiroth was dwarfed by the Master Demons. In his mind, he held the identity of the missing fifth Master Demon. Viroth ferreted it from his mind and spoke it aloud.
"Discord."
Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Farin had untied the Demon cord holding the clone and Lucrecia, so they were long gone. Meris saw them gone and frowned. Discord couldn't look at any of them as he moved forward. Viroth hid a smile and put a taloned hand on his head. He looked up at her, eyes widening at what she was doing. The Discord Demon was the fifth Master Demon, and Viroth was giving him the power to name his own consort! His limbs trembled as her name slid from between lips that were rapidly going from red to black with the power flowing through his veins.
"Retribution..."
She stepped forward and bowed her head. Viroth put her other hand on Retribution's head and did the same to her that she'd done to Discord. Ragnarok, even outside the host she'd Bonded with, could sense Meris's fear. She fled silently back to her mortal host and merged their minds.
*What troubles you?*
**What's she doing to them?**
*Discord is the fifth Master Demon, and he's named Retribution as his consort.*
**But what about Xanetia?**
Vincent and Destruction had merged again, and Destruction picked up on that thought. If Xanetia were left out, she'd find no reason to live, and would commit the ultimate act of attrition...
**Suicide?!?**
*That is the way of the Demon. Would that we could prevent it.*
Sephiroth had never merged with a Demon, but there was a first time for everything. He tipped his head up to the sky and opened himself to the available Demons. Chaos felt a tug and followed it, finding himself residing within Sephiroth. To say it felt strange was a gross understatement.
*Relax, Sephiroth. It's Chaos.*
**This is weird! I never thought I'd experience what Meris and Vincent do... I don't know how to talk to you!**
*This is how we do it. Vincent knows what will happen if Xanetia is not chosen to become one of the Master Demons.*
**I think I can guess. Suicide.**
*Unfortunately, yes. Because Xanetia works with the Angels, she may not be considered worthy.*
**That's bullshit. She's a Demoness, isn't she?**
*She is.*
Meanwhile, Viroth funnelled the power of the Master Demons into the chosen vessels... Discord and Retribution. Even with the power they now had, they retained their humanoid forms. Merick, the tree Demon, turned to Xanetia and held out a branch that glowed brightly.
"You will join your sister half and her consort. Touch the glowing branch, and the power will be yours."
Without hesitation, Xanetia put one hand on the glowing branch Merick held out. Of all the Demons standing there, only Justice had no placement anywhere. But he was an Arbiter, so it wasn't so bad. In front of the humans, Xanetia's skin darkened, becoming blood red, and her wings turned black as pitch. Her karsuri-gama writhed and shimmered, then solidified as a sickle.
"The power is yours... And the Circle is complete!"
"There were SEVEN Master Demons... Not five!"
Meris, and Ragnarok within her, knew what that meant. Only one Arbiter would remain to carry out the will of the Master Demons. And his place was by himself. None would travel with him, even as an ally. But he had no objections to such a fate. In fact, he'd already gone in search of the fugitives. Lucrecia had somehow convinced Diablo to let her touch Xanetia before he killed her...
"Oh, no."
"What is it, Meris?"
"Lucrecia touched Xanetia."
Vincent spouted a series of expletives designed to make a sailor blush. He knew what that meant. He'd been with Lucrecia long enough to know she could steal information by touching someone. After he'd run out of human epithets, Destruction supplied some that made Merick cringe. Viroth frowned and the goat-like Master Demon, whose name had been lost in the annals of time and was now called Brutus for obvious reasons, recoiled. The newest Master Demons just stood there without reacting. They'd heard him say those before... The final Master Demon, a genderless being in the form of a large black dog, was simply known as Omni. Brutus eyed Viroth and they headed off into the woods. Typical Demon mating included screams and threats, but there would now be two exceptions to the rule. She leaned back against a tree and he pushed into her, sliding in with little obstruction. They'd been bedmates for many a century, but this was the first time she hadn't attempted to prevent entry. His hips slammed into hers with amazing regularity, making her smile with each thrust. Her smiling during mating had always heralded intense pleasure for him... And tonight was no exception. Her tail slid up his leg and poked into his rectum. His eyes closed and he expanded inside her. It now felt like she was being ripped in half, and she loved it! When they came back, her eyes were sparkling and he was grinning as best he could with his caprine head. Vincent, who'd refrained from touching Meris since that day in the park, turned and walked into a different part of the woods. Meris made a wordless exclamation and followed him.
"Vincent?"
"I want to, but I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I'd hurt you and I don't want to do that."
"What if it wasn't really us?"
"You mean the Demons?"
"Why not? She's had a thing for him since the day he was created."
"I don't know..."
Destruction and Ragnarok thought it was a brilliant idea. Except for one thing... If the Demons fully took over, they'd stay that way until her need had been satisfied. And neither were sure how long that would take. It also meant their human hosts would be risking immediate death upon completion.
*We can't do that. You'd stand a chance of dying.*
"They don't think it's such a good idea."
"I know. But how can I convince you that you won't hurt me?"
She suddenly knew. She brushed up against him the way she had the day in the park when the clone had attacked Vincent. His response was a low groan, then his arms wound around her and he held her tightly. She put her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. There was a hint of something in that smile... It was that something that made him groan again and kiss her. Their passion flared up and fed the Demons within. Something snapped inside Vincent and he slid one hand between her legs. He had to feel her, make her his... His hand made contact with bare flesh. He blinked and realized the Demons had removed their clothing. All the better! He knelt and put his lips where his fingers had just been. Her low moan made him smile as he kissed her most intimate of places. When he thought she was ready, he brought her to her knees in front of him. With a wicked smile, she wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned back. They fell to the forest floor, him lying on top of her, hands braced on the hard earth. It was his hands that kept him upright. Then, slowly, he lowered his hips, sliding into her wet heat. Her moan mingled with his groan as he settled into the cradle of her hips. Slowly, sensuously, Vincent Valentine made sweet love to the one woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with. Her release, when it came, was powerful and shook them both, even after he'd collapsed on top of her. The Demons within were satisfied and remained dormant. When the mortal lovers came out of the woods holding hands, everyone knew. How could they not? The woods reeked of sex! But they had no idea what lay in wait for Justice when he found the fugitives... Except Sephiroth. Because he would be the one to stop them. And when he did, he would single-handedly save the world.