A common mindset is the scariest kind of killer is one who doesn't speak, one who just stares at you vacantly with not so much as a growl or whimper sounded. No emotion, no reaction, just a complete detachment from any feeling or acknowledgement that what they are doing is cruel. But imagine if you can such a killer, a pure concentrated being of madness and murder who was silent for so long, suddenly spoke and showed this absent emotion. What would the words muttered from their mouth sound like, would it be normal like yours and mine, or would the insanity they kept housed for so long deep within their souls leak out?

For the first time in countless ages many Imps of Doom experienced this, as the Slayer was currently hunting down a pack of them in a new region, one not too far from the marshlands. Unlike the sickly green of the swampy environment this terrain was a consistent brown, something that would've struck a cord of familiarity with the Slayer if he weren't currently focused on his present game. Which is exactly what he saw this as, it wasn't a fight nor was it a standoff, merely a predator wanting to satiate its hunger. But if you expected the words that left the Slayer's mouth to be something humorous, like a crazy person waving about a sign that the end is near, you'd be terribly mistaken.

The way he spoke while certainly deranged wasn't loud or attention grabbing, he wasn't trying at all to put on some kind of show. He spoke as if he was an observer to the very situation unfolding with him in it, his detachment so severe he no longer saw himself within his own body. This was proven to be true by the very things he was saying, as they weren't threats or promises of death and despair, nor highly detailed visceral images of what he'd do to their bodies. His words were that of someone who had nothing left, no fear, no care for life or death, whatever was to happen he'd welcome with open arms, for there was no point in doing anything else.

"How many times have we done this?..." He asked in a low voice, one that felt like a cold gust of wind blowing at your back, "So many shells...so many bullets...so much blood...yet we keep going...and going...for so long...forever even...hehe...perhaps it's destiny...maybe fate...who knows?..." He asked as he looked around himself, "I felt something not too long ago...when the Barons all marched towards me...and when your latest abomination tried to kill me...I felt excitement...joy too...like when we first fought on Phobos...before the rage set in..." He explained to the Imps he knew were listening, "But now...I'm tired...that brief moment of euphoria is gone...I hope I feel it again...the adrenaline pumping through my veins...my heart pounding and head throbbing providing the tempo for the music of war...accompanied by the sounds of gunfire and the revving of steel teeth...but I don't think it will...as this is all that is left for us...doomed together..." He told them.

Then without warning he suddenly spun around, catching an Imp who tried to sneak away as it believed he was too focused on his ramblings, before then blasting it to pieces with his combat shotgun.

"One down...four left..." He said as he pumped the weapon to ready the next shot, "You know...I came close I think..." He continued on as he went back to scanning his surroundings, "For once the fighting seemed like a distant memory...the sounds of demonic shrieks and the scent of festering corpses...all slowly but surely fading into history...hehe...but that was stupid...foolish even...we've never stopped...we'll never stop...always fighting...always killing...forever..." He told them.

Just as before this was followed by a swift and accurate fire of his gun, this time utilizing its grenade launching modification to dispel two Imps at once, who had been peaking over a nearby boulder on a ledge to see if it was safe yet.

"Still...it was...nice..." He admitted though in a far softer volume, even coming to a stop to look at the ground before going on to say more, "They felt no fear in my presence...at least not anymore...they even wanted to call me by my name...I felt...safe...I felt like...for the first time since you took it from me...that I was...home..." He explained, his voice so low by now it was barely even a whisper.

After saying this however no more words were given, the remaining two Imps decided it was better to try and kill him than to just wait for death. They pounced on him from both sides clawing

and stabbing away at his armor, not even caring that it had no effect whatsoever. Now in a time like this the Slayer would be quick to act, grab onto their heads and smash them together maybe, or he could take out his chainsaw and in a simple spin cut them in half. Yet he did neither of these nor anything else in the same over the top fashion, all he did was store his shotgun before grabbing onto both of their skulls to hold them out to his sides.

Struggling to break free from his inescapable grasp he watched them for a few seconds out of curiosity, something he had never bothered to do until now. He couldn't tell if there was any actual sentience to them, yes they had some manner of a soul, but they were like ants or bees all serving the head of the hive. Even as he began to slowly crush their skulls causing them to howl in agony, they did so only as a reaction to the sensation and not from emotion. This brought forth a question to his mind as their life slowly drained in blood and wails, had he become just like them, devoid of all emotion or identity and was now driven solely by instinct?

Sadly this was a thought only present in his mind for a moment, for such things had no meaning or place in this Hell, nor did anything else for that matter. He was unkillable, unyielding, overall unstoppable, and with each demon vanquished he only grew stronger thanks to his suit. Of course the Dark One would just make more as he always did, and now that they were trapped together in his domain he could do it better than he ever had before, thus creating a truly endless cycle of carnage. So as the Imps' bodies became corpses and hung limp in his grasp, he simply dropped them to the ground before proceeding to venture into this new terrain.

This Hell, which had been his alone for so long was now the only home he had left, and at this point the only one he believed he deserved.

"So...this is Heaven..." The Wretch said in a hushed volume as he walked, gazing at the mesmerizing cosmos that surrounded him.

Though he knew of Urdak as he kept track of the Slayer's progress after their encounter, he didn't know exactly what to expect from this portion of the divine realm. He only knew where it was hence how he was able to lock onto it with the Slipgate, but now as he stared at the vibrant colors that filled the sky above him, it was truly the most beautiful thing his eyes had ever seen.

"I hope it doesn't disappoint." Vega told him as he, Samur, and the Khan all looked at him as they walked, all heading to a more private locale to continue their discussion.

"Not at all...in fact...it would bring me to tears if I were even capable..." He replied.

"Were any of the worlds Doom invaded beautiful enough to illicit such a reaction?" The Khan asked.

"In their own way, they were of course all distinct from each other, but the beauty that is this place is far different as it fills me with a sense of...safety." He answered.

"Intentional I can assure you." Samur admitted with a proud smile, "Our father wanted this place to soothe one's soul and ensure the mind was at peace, this way our thinking as well as that of any guests would not be hindered." He explained.

"Which will undoubtedly help us moving forward." Vega chimed in as they all came to a stop, "Forgive the mess, I've been tinkering." He quickly apologized.

Watching the massive door they arrived at open, the first thing both Samur and the Wretch saw was the small pile of cubes near one side of the room.

"Creator's block father?" Samur asked genuinely, even though it did sound an awful lot like a joke.

"Yes, but for now let us not focus on my inability to get beyond the basic shape of my latest personal project, our attentions should be solely on where we go from here." He answered as they all entered.

"I hope I do not step out of line when I say this creator." The Wretch began as he kept his gaze on the pile, "But I would not mind lending my aid if it could be of any use, after all I am good with my hands and have a fairly sharp mind." He said.

"Hm, I may just take you up on that." Vega replied, "And please, call me Vega, it is my name after all." He requested.

"It is?" The Wretch questioned.

"Long story, best saved for another time." Samur told him, earning a nod in response to show he understood.

"So, I believe the first thing we should sort out is the involvement of the others." The Khan suggested as the door closed to give them total privacy.

"Others? As in your other creations?" The Wretch asked.

"More so family and friends." Vega answered as he put his hands behind his back, "And on that matter I do not think we should include them." He said.

"Sir, I don't know if that is the best idea, as you already struck a bad cord with them when you kept the Slayer's sacrifice a secret, how do you think they'll react if you keep his retrieval a secret as well?" Samur asked.

"True, but at the same time what can any of them do? Even if say Lucifer, Azrael, any or even ALL of my children were to lend their aid it wouldn't mean anything, their powers do not allow them access to Doom, and they certainly would have no power in the Dark One's realm." He answered.

"But what if we were to build them armor and weapons as we did the Slayer?" The Khan suggested.

"While that would certainly allow them to actually have a chance at surviving, it wouldn't mean much against the strongest of Doom's demons, such as say the Cyber Demon that bested Gabriel, who alongside the Slayer and Sir Pentious we will be saving." He replied.

"I believe I know of Gabriel if it is the same as your son, but who is this Pentious?" The Wretch

asked.

"A demon from Lucifer's circle, he was an unfortunate pawn that helped with the Dark One and his minions' return, now he just like my son Gabriel is being controlled in horrid bodies of metal and flesh." He answered.

"I'm sorry." The Wretch immediately apologized while looking away, "They are no doubt still using all that I created to accomplish this, it is my fault that these two innocents suffer." He said.

"Even if they are it is the Dark One who still uses them, you abandoned these cursed contraptions long ago when you left the realm." Vega told him.

"It doesn't matter, I have yet to pay for these crimes and thus I accept no pardon from them." He argued.

"Your payment is the suit that is now bonded with your bone and flesh, so I assert with the power my position grants me that you have atoned for your actions, with what you are to do in the future in mind as well." Vega said.

Even though he wanted to continue rejecting this forgiveness, the Wretch fell silent as it did ease his mind that the creator himself was saying these things.

"We should keep our focus on our next move." He replied after a few silent seconds, "But before we go any further is it decided this currently involves only us? No one beyond this room and your servants will know?" He asked.

It was now Vega's turn to be quiet as he thought of how he truly felt, and even though the Khan and Samur gave him concerned looks, he remained firm in his initial decision.

"Yes, as it stands there is nothing my family or anyone else connected to this could do, all we would be doing by including them is giving them hope and further complicating their lives, which has been done enough already." He told them.

Although both Maykrs wanted to object much like the Wretch had with his forgiveness, they held their tongues for they did agree with his reasoning. But still they feared that as things moved forward should they learn of this exclusion, that on top of what was to come it would only make things more complicated.

Feathers, torn pieces of cloth, and a few pieces of broken wood boards might elude to a very unsettling tragedy involving a chicken coop. But they also eluded to something else, and depending on who you are it could either be sweet, sexy, or just flat out strange. Because what these things hinted at was another carnal interaction between the noble Stolas and his boyfriend Blitzy, both of whom would be walking a little funny after this last exchange. For unlike the ones that came before THIS one was BY FAR the best, even if you were to combine everything they did in the rest and put them into one, which they did.

And while it may sound cliché and sappy like something out of a dollar bin full of crappy rom coms, it was due to the fact that if either had any doubts this was something real, they were done away with the moment Blitzo nearly crippled his ex wife. Which again may sound very strange, but hey, they were just as equally a strange couple.

"So...how did you like your reward Blitzy?" Stolas asked him as they laid together, the Imp resting on top of his chest and abdomen with the noble's arms wrapped around him.

"Gonna be honest, think I'm colorblind now." He answered with a smile.

"Oh? Not fully blind?" He questioned as he then leaned in close to whisper, "Then perhaps I didn't do my best~" He suggested while blowing in his ear.

Feeling a shiver go down his spine as that happened, Blitzo decided to respond not with words but with a kiss.

"Oh my, you're the one kissing now? That's new." Stolas said once they stopped. "What? Can't I do the lovey dovey shit too?" He asked.

"Of course you can, I just didn't think you'd ever want to, I know how you feel about such things." Stolas answered.

"Yeah well, since this latest outburst is probably going to put your divorce over the edge, figured it won't be long till...well ya know." He replied.

"Know what?" Stolas inquired in a rather cheeky manner, earning an unamused glare from the Imp. "You know exactly what." He replied.

"Do I?" Stolas asked with a playful grin.

"...Alright, guess we're done here then, been a nice few months." He decided as he tried to get up.

This would earn him the reaction he was hoping for, which was the owl demon tightening his hold and pulling him closer.

"I was only teasing Blitzy." Stolas said as he kissed his cheek. "I know, but that's MY thing." He replied with a smirk.

"So you get to be lovey dovey but I can't be a tease? How is that fair?" Stolas asked.

"Way I see it we both serve a role in the relationship, I'm the one who teases and does all the shit involving the sex and making out stuff, while you get to be the dad who wears a fanny pack and carries around juice boxes." He answered.

"...I'm not that bad..." Stolas said defensively, even though he clearly didn't believe that himself. "Aww, now who's embarrassed?" He asked as he pinched his cheek.

Instead of responding with words Stolas grabbed a nearby pillow, one of the few that hadn't been ruined, and put it over the Imp's face to keep him silent.

"You already tried to smother me earlier, and to be honest it worked better the other way." Blitzo muffled through the pillow, and even though his face couldn't be seen his lover knew he had the proudest smile.

However their flirtatious teasing of each other came to an abrupt end, as the sound of Blitzo's cell ringing caught their attention.

"Shit, sorry, forgot to turn that damn thing off..." He apologized as he pushed away the pillow. "Allow me." Stolas offered before reaching over the side of the bed, easily able to get the phone

from his clothes due the length of his arms.

"Oh, thanks." He replied while taking it from him.

"No problem~" Stolas cooed as he gave him another kiss on the cheek.

"Sup?" Blitzo greeted as he answered the call, expecting to hear Moxxie or Millie on the other end. "Hey, it's me." Loona replied catching both him and Stolas by surprise.

"Loony? Why're you calling me? You NEVER call me, in fact I'm pretty sure you deleted my contact info." He said.

"If I did then I wouldn't be having this conversation with you right now." She pointed out. "I...guess that's true." He replied a bit surprised he hadn't realized that himself.

"Anyway, I just wanted to call and tell you that you guys got a letter, like one specifically addressed to you." She informed.

"Oh? Why wasn't it sent here to the palace?" Stolas asked joining in on the conversation.

"I dunno, was just lumped in with the rest of the mail, also doesn't have like a return address on it or a stamp or anything, just an envelope with your names on it." She explained.

"You sure it's not a bomb? Or covered in some kind of poison?" Blitzo asked. "You really think I'd be holding it if it were?" She countered.

"Point taken, still why did you need to call us about it?" He questioned.

"I didn't, but Angel and the others got back just before it got here, and they say that you two need to come and open it, they won't say why cause they're being assholes like that." She explained.

"WE HAVE OUR REASONS!" Angel Dust shouted from elsewhere in the room she was in. "Right...anyways if you could head here that'd be really great, they're kinda antsy." She said. "Sure, we'll be right over." Blitzo replied before ending the call.

"Looks like our cuddling is over, how unfortunate." Stolas said with a sigh before stretching out his arms, "But when business calls we can't ignore it, and this does seem like something of substantial importance." He reasoned.

"Yeah...though...we could cuddle in the limo you know..." Blitzo suggested.

"Blitzy! Cuddling in the limo? But I thought you didn't want to show displays of affection yet?" He questioned.

"The only one besides us in there will be your driver, and he knows better than to look cause I'll stab his fucking eyes out if he does." Blitzo said.

"Well then, I guess this isn't so disappointing after all." He replied with a smile.

With that decided they both got out of bed and headed for the bathroom, as they DEFINITELY needed to take a shower before they put their clothes back on.

"PrePaRAtiOnS aRe ComPleTE..." Sir Pentious said to Valentino, informing him that one of their demons had finished their upgrades.

At this point the moth demon was actually becoming engrossed in the behind the scenes action so to say, as getting to see how all these demons were put together was genuinely fascinating. But none of it mattered once his lackey said that, for he knew precisely which of the two demons he was referring to, and it filled him with anticipation.

"Oooooh yes FINALLY! I get to see angel boy's new gear." He replied in excitement.

Watching in anticipation as the snake demon interacted with his terminals, soon just as how the now in repair Doom Hunter had appeared, so too did Gabriel in the center of the room. And to Valentino's amazement he actually had been given quite a few new attachments, such as a device at the end of his tail that would allow him to fire a laser, and his wings now being mechanical with high powered thrusters, not only to increase his speed but also so he could use them as a weapon in close encounters. Speaking of, his arms and legs though still mostly flesh and bone had been given some upgrades, like the fingers, toes, and claws all being replaced with metal versions for added durability and lethality.

"So, this is what two point O looks like? Not too shabby, but do you think still having that fleshy body of is he'll stand a chance?" Valentino asked.

"YeS...hIs hAnDs WerE tHE IsSue bEfOrE..." Sir Pentious replied. "What about his spear? Give that any cull new gadgets?" He asked. "CaN't...iT iS boUnD tO HiS soUl..." Sir Pentious answered.

"Ah, well it ain't bad the way it is I guess, let's just hope this one goes better than that last piece of shit you sent out there right?" He asked with a laugh.

Again for a moment Sir Pentious's hands twitched ever so slightly, even managing to curl a bit this time, but he still could no more before he resumed his work, making sure all was set to send the corrupted Archangel out for a rematch with the Slayer.