"So...what should we do first?" Husk asked Azrael as both walked down the sidewalk.
Unlike before Pentagram City no longer resembled a chocolate filled sucker, where the best part was tightly packed in the center while the outside was a hardened exterior. No more were the only buildings, businesses, and residences in the center to middle portions of the city reserved for the wealthy or powerful, it became a nice balanced mixture of every kind of person the circle had to offer. Even Imps who were delegated to their own city before now lived together with the demons naturally born or otherwise, as part of the reform the Magne family was pushing was a unification of their people. All of these things came together to create an environment Husk never felt before in all his time here, he didn't feel like people were looking at him with belittling gazes while mocking him as he walked by, allowing him to relax and focus on the day ahead with the beautiful woman who accompanied him.
"This is your home, I thought you'd give me a full and thorough tour." She answered while looking towards him.
"I would, except when those freaks invaded they kinda fucked everything up even though they weren't really there for all that long, so damn near everything got moved around while being rebuilt as part of the reform." He explained.
"Oh, so when you said you didn't know much about the city you were referring to that?" She inquired.
"Uh...no." He replied a bit hesitantly, "Though I know nothing about how the city is now too, I was talking about how it used to be back at the hotel." He clarified.
"You seem embarrassed by that." She noticed as he was now avoiding eye contact.
Upon hearing that Husk came to a stop, causing her to do the same so she wouldn't walk passed him.
"Look, I know we agreed we're not trying to impress each other but it is a little awkward that I know about the same as you do, and you've only be here for like what, a day or two?" He asked.
"Hmm...about that much I'd say." She answered after giving it some thought.
"Huh, right on the money with that one." He said to himself both surprised and proud he was spot on, "Point is, while I'm not trying to dazzle ya or blow your socks off, I still want to show you something interesting, if only to make a good impression or whatever." He explained.
"But we're not trying to impress each other." She replied.
"There's a difference between impressing someone with how amazing you are, and trying your best to not come across as a worthless piece of shit." He replied.
"Is that how you see yourself?" She asked.
To her surprise he actually hesitated for a moment instead of answering right away, a look of doubt mixed with contemplation present in his eyes as he did.
"I mean...pretty much..." He answered with a sigh while closing his eyes, "I don't think I'm the
worst person here or anything dramatic, but I know my soul is probably one of the cheaper in quality." He said.
In response to this Azrael without saying a word pulled him into a hug, his head being placed against her chest due to her height.
"You shouldn't say such a thing Husk." She spoke in a soft and comforting tone, "I have seen all manner of souls in my life, from those who are radiant like Heaven's light to those who are darker than any shadow, and while yours is consumed by such a darkness it is not there by choice, it was forced upon you by those who decided to be so wretched and cursed that they care not for what their actions do to others, they are the worthless of creation yet believe otherwise and I can say without doubt that you are not one of them." She told him hoping it would make him feel better.
Whether it was her voice that washed over him like a comforting breeze, or the soothing cold that came from her body that he could feel even through his fur, Husk for the first time in his life didn't object to be hugged like this. In fact, as the embrace went on he felt his eyelids grow heavy and his body begin to relax, something about her made him feel safe. Unfortunately this wholesome and wonderful moment between the two didn't last, but it wasn't because they were doing this on the sidewalk out in the open. Although they were receiving a few curious glances from those nearby, it would be a voice familiar to Husk that caused his eyes to shoot wide open and his relaxed state to turn to panic.
"OH. MY. GOSH." He heard Millie say as loudly as she could from what sounded like the end of the path, "HUSK?! IS THAT YOU?!" She asked.
Turning his head slowly away from Azrael who still held him in her arms, both he and her looked ahead of them and saw the Imp and her husband standing there.
"It IS you! Oh my gosh!" She repeated with a big doofy grin spread across her face.
"Azrael, kill me now, please." He requested just as Millie and Moxxie started running towards them.
"Why? Aren't they your friends?" She asked while releasing him from their hug. "Yes, which is EXACTLY why you need to kill me." He answered.
Before he could elaborate on that the husband and wife duo reached them, which was followed by an immediate assault on his ears in the form of questions.
"Husk! What's going on? You NEVER leave the hotel! Why're you with Azrael? Why were you hugging her? Or was she hugging you? Was it because you were sad or upset or-" Millie stopped mid sentence with a loud gasp as her eyes widened, "ARE YOU TWO ON A DATE?!" She shouted.
"Wait what? No way Husk would never go on a date...unless..." Moxxie started as the cogs of his mind turned.
"Here comes round two..." Husk said with a sigh.
"Did you finally kill yourself for real this time like you always say you are? Even though that's impossible unless one of the Authorities does it, UNLESS you stole one of their weapons or bought it through some shady deal THEN killed yourself, and if you did that then you would've met
Azrael instead of dropping from the sky, but Charlie and Vaggie would've freaked out and told the rest of us, plus we just saw you yesterday so it'd be weird if you just decided to kill yourself for real
last night, even so-"
"ALRIGHT!" Husk exclaimed as he grabbed onto both of their mouths, "LISTEN. I will release both of you and let you speak again IF you promise to calm the fuck down, I will explain everything but ONLY if you two stop acting like you've lost your goddamn minds, got it?!" He asked.
Exchanging a quick look between each other they both then nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
"Thank you." He said while letting them go, "So, to start things off by answering the biggest question, me and Azrael are not on a date right now." He told them.
"If that's true then why were you two hugging just now?" Moxxie asked. "...I had an itch in the center of my back." He lied.
"Really? THAT'S what you're going with?" Moxxie questioned while crossing his arms.
"Can't go with anything other than the truth." He replied crossing his arms as well, "Fucking wings and feathers itch like a bastard sometimes and this one just happened to be right between my wings, so I asked if she wouldn't mind scratching it for me so I wouldn't be forced to starting rubbing myself against a lamppost." He explained.
"Let's say that is true, that out of every normal way she could've scratched your back she decided to do it by hugging you, why were you laying your head against her chest then?" Millie inquired.
"It...felt really fucking good, so I just kinda lost myself for a second there." He replied.
"Mhm..." Moxxie sounded with a raised brow and an unsure expression, "Okay, so she was scratching your back in a spot you can't reach and it felt really good, but that still doesn't explain what you two are doing out in the city, alone, with no immediately obvious reason." He said.
"We're going grocery shopping, kitchen ran out of food during breakfast and we need to get some more before lunch." Husk lied again.
"Aha! We got you!" He exclaimed triumphantly while pointing his finger at Husk's face, "We all know that the only people who go grocery shopping for the hotel are Charlie and Vaggie! Because Nifty would just buy food she likes, Alastor is still not clear of the potion debacle so it could be laced with something, and you'd spend any money you're given on booze and gambling!" He explained.
Over the next few seconds they all watched as Husk did his best to try and come up with another comeback, but the moment his crippling alcoholism and gambling addiction was brought forward it was an immediate knockout.
"Fuck...alright fine I'm feeding you bullshit..." He said with a sigh of defeat while throwing his head back, "But we AREN'T on a date, I was being honest about that one I swear." He insisted.
"Really? Then how come you two were hugging?" Millie asked now looking to Azrael, who had kept silent this entire time as she didn't know how to add herself to the conversation.
"May I be honest with them as well? Or would you rather it stay between us?" She spoke while turning to Husk, wanting to get his consent before sharing anything.
"Better to just get it out now otherwise neither of'em will shut up." He told her.
"Very well." She said before turning back to the two imps to answer Millie's question, "While we are not on a date as Husk said, we are out together because we learned that in addition to having a lot in common with each other we also find one another...attractive, so we are using today to become better acquainted and see if this could grow into something more." She explained.
Although this information was STAGGERING, there was one part of her explanation both Imps caught that was strange to them.
"You hesitated when you said attractive, why?" Moxxie asked being the first to do so.
"I...was just trying to think of the right word to use is all." She answered while averting her gaze, which combined with her tone resulted in the single saddest attempt to lie any of them had ever seen, especially Husk who had an impeccable poker face.
"...Azrael." He spoke to get her attention, "You do think I'm attractive, don't you?" He asked.
Watching as the hesitation that was present when she said the word before return, the suspicion he had from the beginning that this was all just some sick fucking trick Alastor was pulling rushed back into his mind. But before it could cement itself as the truth in his thoughts or his countless insecurities could surface and make things worse, she responded to his question.
"It's...hard for me to say..." She began, making sure to maintain eye contact with him so he'd know what came next was the truth, "I've never complimented anyone in such a way before, so although it may sound strange coming from me of all people it's...embarrassing..." She admitted as a purple blush came to her cheeks, "But if I must say how I feel about you...then...here it goes..." She said before shutting her eyes tightly while taking in a deep breath, "In regards to how you appear in this form I think you are both handsome yet cute, but not just because you resemble a cat and have wings, for while you are rather brash towards people I can see that you are sensitive as well, but that isn't to say I don't find the direct side of you unappealing as it shows me you aren't afraid to be honest, which I think is a very admirable trait that not many people have, but when you take these two sides I have seen along with those I haven't and how your demon form is meant to represent every aspect of your life, it all comes together to make you a very interesting person who I find attractive in many ways that I would like to learn more about...if you'll allow me..." She explained, her voice progressively getting quieter as she went on.
A silence came over them as everyone had their own reaction to what she said including herself. Azrael kept her eyes closed as tight as she could, waiting anxiously to hear what Husk was going to say. Millie and Moxxie on the other hand had their eyes as open as was physically possible, their mouths both agape in shock that she felt so strongly about him. Then there was Husk, who after hearing all of that was incapable of forming any words to say for his mind was totally blank.
As for those suspicions and doubts that tried creeping their way back they were gone, sent so far away by that response they were likely never to return. But as the seconds went by and they all just stood there he knew he needed to do something, ANYTHING at all to show her that he not only appreciated what she said but he felt the same way, perhaps even more. Alas his tongue and teeth betrayed him refusing to move even by an inch to say a single sentence, which only made the tension between all four of them worse. Forced to think of a way to respond to her physically that wouldn't be inappropriate or simply too forward, a single idea appeared in his mind that he felt would do exactly that.
This is why after nearly thirty full seconds of them all just standing there he reached out, put his hand on her shoulder, and said the only thing his body would allow which was-
"Cool."
...
...
...
"COOL?!" Millie shouted as loud as she could in question, the volume being so great it was heard by people a full street over.
Before he could try and explain why he said something so fucking stupid, the small woman tackled Husk to the ground and grabbed him by the fur of his chest.
"THIS WOMAN JUST POURED HER SOUL TO YOU AND YOU GIVE HER A PAT ON THE
SHOULDER AND SAY COOL?!" She continued to shout as she began shaking him violently, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" She asked.
"I FUCKING PANICKED OKAY?!" He answered though it was a little distorted due to the shaking, "WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO SAY?!" He asked.
"LITERALLY ANY OTHER FUCKING THING THAN COOL AS IF SHE JUST TOLD YOU
WHAT THE WEATHER WAS!" She answered before pulling him close so they could be eye to eye, "What you SHOULD have said is how you feel about her you dumb bastard! That way you two could have a beautiful moment where you realize you are meant for each other and you both have found love, BUT YOU WENT AND FUCKED THAT UP!" She shouted as she resumed her violent shaking of his person.
"YOU WANT ME TO SAY SOMETHING?! FINE! I'LL SAY IT NOW IF ONLY TO GET YOU
TO STOP SHAKING ME!" He shouted back at her.
"No...it's okay." Azrael spoke up which got their attention, "You don't have to Husk, I know that this is hard for you." She told him.
Even though her words made it seem like she wasn't bothered by his response, all three of them could tell she was doing her best not to look either disappointed or hurt. Seeing this changed the entire mood in an instant, it also compelled Husk to get out from under Millie and back to his feet so he could speak to her properly.
"You're right Azrael, it is hard." He began while getting closer to her, "If there's one thing at all that I'm good at it's acting like I don't give a shit or that I don't feel anything, which is really easy because it's a hundred percent true." He told her as he looked to the ground, "But then this day happened, and you and I...happened to a certain extent, and while I'm not singing from the rooftops or dancing down the street it has made me feel...some...stuff..." He admitted.
"Such as?" She inquired hoping he would say more.
"I'm...happy, or at least I'm on my way to feeling happy." He replied while rubbing his arm, "The fact is Azrael you're nice, I'm sorry I can't put it in some beautiful heart touching way like you did cause that just ain't me, but when I say nice I mean you're understanding and don't try to force me to talk about shit or do shit I don't want to, you're just polite and I feel like I can talk to you without having to worry if it's gonna lead to some bullshit about therapy or being a better person or yada yada yada, and I get everyone's just trying to be nice themselves cause they care and want to help me, but there's a difference between helping and trying to make me happy...and you're genuinely the first person who seems to understand that." He explained.
Keeping his gaze fixated on the ground their roles were now reversed, as he waited nervously to
see what she was going to do or say in response. Thankfully history would repeat itself in the best way possible, for how she chose to respond was the same as before when she pulled him close and hugged him.
"Thank you." She whispered into his ears once he was back in her arms, a soft yet pure smile present on her face as she said it.
Seeing how happy that made her dispelled any embarrassment or nervousness present in his body, and even though he knew Millie and Moxxie were still there he still enjoyed this like last time. But neither of the Imps were going to ruin this touching moment between the two, instead they watched on in amazement.
"Whoa, I didn't think I'd ever see Husk act like that." Moxxie whispered to his wife as she came back to his side, doing so as not to disturb them.
"I know, isn't it sweet?" Millie asked speaking in the same volume, "It just warms my heart to see him like this, it's about time something happened that makes him smile." She said.
Saying that however caused two wires in Millie's head to connect, resulting in the lightbulb of great ideas to shine brightly in her mind.
"Oh no, you just got an idea didn't you?" He asked her, recognizing that look in her eyes the moment it appeared.
"Trust me, it's good." She answered with a grin before walking over to Husk and Azrael. "That's what I'm afraid of..." He said worriedly unsure of what she was about to do.
"Excuse me." She spoke up to get their attention in which she was successful, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just had a wonderful idea." She told them.
"Which is?" Husk inquired.
"Me and Moxxie are out in the city today because it's our day off, so we decided to check out a place that we thought might be nice, would you two like to join us?" She asked.
"No, no, NO, all this mushy stuff and hugging is one thing, but we agreed that this wouldn't be a date!" He exclaimed while breaking away from Azrael.
"I'm afraid I must agree, we do want to take things slow and that might be a bit too much." She spoke up agreeing with him.
"Well then it's a good thing it won't be a date." Millie responded remaining firm.
"If the place you're going to is some kind of fancy or romantic restaurant then that qualifies as a date, or even if it's just a movie that still counts." He said as he crossed his arms.
"TECHNICALLY it's both..." She replied, causing her to quickly throw up her hands to keep him from getting angry, "BUT it's because it's a club with a performance theater! The kind where they have all kinds of acts come on stage and do different shows for everyone." She explained.
Even with this information given both Azrael and Moxxie expected Husk to respond by telling her that didn't make a difference. However they and Millie were surprised to see him actually think it over for a few seconds, a slight tinge of interest even appearing his thoughtful expression.
"...Would...they maybe have a magician or something like that?" He asked.
"Oh yeah definitely!" She answered as a cheeky smile appeared on her face, "Buuuuut if we want to see that we'd have to get going, the performances will start pretty soon just in time for lunch~" She informed in a whimsical manner.
Once again a few seconds of silence went by as Husk thought it over, a lot more obvious this time as he looked off to the side with his arms crossed while tapping his foot.
"...F...F...Fine..." He replied after struggling to get it out due to his overabundant reluctance, "But if the magician sucks I'm gonna kick you." He warned, though because that threat was so ridiculous none of them took it seriously.
"Alright! Let's go!" She exclaimed with zest before walking passed both him and Azrael, "It's just a little ways from here! Won't take us long at all!" She told them.
"This will be fun." Moxxie said with an awkward chuckle as he stepped forward, "All four of us, hanging out, getting to know each other better, it's gonna be great." He went on, but was promptly made to shut his mouth from the grumpy glare Husk shot his way.
"I must say, I'm rather surprised Husk." Azrael admitted after Moxxie ran away to catch up with his wife to be free of the feline's stare, "I didn't think you'd want any company on our day out, what swayed you?" She asked as she and him followed the two Imps.
"You'll think it's stupid." He replied while averting his gaze, which she thought was adorable.
"Aw, please?" She pressed with a slight playful whine.
If it had just been that he would've been able to ignore her, but when he looked at her face and saw her making puppy dog eyes to persuade him with, he couldn't keep himself from giving in.
"...It was the magician..." He answered quietly so Millie and Moxxie wouldn't hear, "I like magic shows, magic in general, before I got into gambling with cards I used to do tricks with them, but I don't anymore." He explained.
"Ah, well that's a shame, I would've liked to see what kind of tricks you could perform." She replied.
"...Maybe I could some time...after ya know I practice and stuff..." He suggested even quieter than before.
"I would love that." She said with a smile.
Hearing that from her especially after everything that had happened in such a short span of time, the faintest red blush was able to be seen underneath the black fur of his face. Because of this Azrael decided to do something they agreed against back at the hotel, as she wanted to try and make him feel less embarrassed. Reaching over she gently grabbed his hand and intertwined her fingers with his, and while at first it seemed like that'd be it he responded by doing the same. And so with a small smile now on his face to go with hers the two walked together hand in hand, which to his relief went unnoticed by Moxxie and Millie as they led the way.
Meanwhile...
Nothing worked, the holy energy of the Unmaykr, the bullets and buckshot of his traditional weapons, the supercharged plasma of his energy based armaments, or even rockets as they once did during their first battle. Even when all of these weapons the BFG included were empowered by Onslaught they yielded no progress, the living monolith known as the Icon of Sin marched forward without so much as a flinch. Bolstered by renewed life given to it by the Dark One, along with an unknown number of artificial augments made from his own mech, both came together to make an already immensely powerful creature even more so. To make matters worse it had an array of new abilities, in addition to its natural powers which allowed it to conjure fire balls and set large stretches of the ground aflame, it now had a full body shield that absorbed all energy based attacks to further increase its power.
Then there were the others that he could see, such as his mech's shoulder cannon that was a part of its new grotesque form, the bones of its hands replaced with his mech's to amplify any blasts it conjured, and all of the parts of its damaged body the head included that were now armored and reinforced, for the first time in his life the Slayer had no idea what he could do. But he knew he had to think of something and it needed to be fast, it's power was beginning to eat away at the barrier put in place by Vega. Of course given that it was made by the creator is was the strongest possible blockade for it to break through, but as it gained stronger by the second this meant that there was a timer in place to prevent that outcome.
That's when it happened, as the Slayer's mind raced through all his possible options and ideas of how he could harm the Titan, for but a moment a series of images flashed in his mind. Lucifer's circle, the hotel, everyone that he came to know and had given him a chance at normalcy, if this beast broke through it would surely go there first by the command of its master. Their faces, the screams he imagined they'd make, the desperate struggle by the Maykrs and the Exterminators to try and stop it, if the Icon of Sin left this place they'd all be dead. And if that happened, if they and everyone else who knew Lucifer's circle as their home were to die by its hand, then for the second time in his life the Slayer would be responsible for letting those he cared about die.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
He shouted in pure unbridled rage, sending away the weapon he currently held as his hands balled tightly into fists.
Activating Berserk, Overdrive which had recharged, and Invincibility all at once, no matter how much he'd have to fight nor how long it would take he WOULD bring down this monster with his bare hands. Running towards it at a blinding speed it now cared to truly notice him, no longer idly casting spells or summoning seas of fire, it stared down at him with eyes that glowed with blue light, a detail that while strange would go unnoticed. His focus was entirely on the Icon's kneecaps, his plan was to strike them like a missile and shatter them to countless pieces, for no matter how it was resurrected nor what technology was melded to its flesh, it wouldn't be able to recover from that kind of damage. Sadly like its body the powers it wielded were expanded upon, which he learned when he drew close and instead of erecting a wall of fire to try and stop him, it caused the very ground beneath his feet to sink at such a rate that even Overdrive wouldn't save him.
Yet this didn't keep him from trying, first he attempted to just leap out of the growing pit but was knocked back down by a pillar suddenly shooting out from one of its walls. Then he summoned his rocket launcher and fired it beneath him, hoping that the blast would propel him at such a rate he couldn't be stopped. But by the time he attempted to take the shot he looked up and saw the opening of the pit closing, the last thing he could see was the Icon's stare.
"NO!" He shouted as he switched his aim upwards and began firing off rockets in rapid succession to try and stop it.
Alas it didn't work, the pit closed and he was cast into darkness, all the while this tomb crafted for him continued getting deeper.
"No...please...no..." He thought to himself as he kept shooting out of desperation, "Not again...please...not again..." He begged in his mind.
Although it may seem strange given all that he had seen and been through, the Slayer was not one to believe in miracles. Divine intervention was one thing, someone could even argue that after he met the Maykrs he came to embody that concept. But there was a difference between one of heavenly origin becoming involved with a matter of the mortal variety, and something astronomically impossible happening at the moment it was most needed. However just as he stopped firing his rockets for it was clear they had no effect, two things happened simultaneously that would change his stance on the matter.
The first was the ground beneath him started to rise while the mouth of the pit reopened, allowing him to see the Icon and the sky above him again. The second was the Icon letting out a pained mechanical sounding howl, all the while it fell to the ground on its back having been struck by something of incredible force.
"THERE HE IS!" He heard a familiar voice call out when he neared the top, "SLAYER! UP HERE!" The voice directed.
Looking to his right and upwards at the sky he found Gabriel hovering in place, his spear summoned in one hand and a relieved smile present on his face.
"By father's name thank the Heavens we got here in time, we were afraid that as the portal was being opened you'd be far too buried down to rejoin us." He said.
For a brief second the Slayer was confused by what he heard as Gabriel claimed he wasn't the only person that arrived to lend him aid, yet who else besides the Archangel could've come to help fight the Icon? This question was quickly answered as he heard a pair of footsteps approach him from behind, and when he turned to see who they belonged to he was stunned. Though his form was now different because of the suit grafted onto his bones and flesh, there was no mistaking who stood just a few feet away.
"It's been a long time Slayer." The Wretch greeted as he held out his hand, "I'm elated beyond words to see you are in good health." He told him.
Though normally stoic and fairly unresponsive even when greeted by an ally, the Slayer filled with gratitude that he of all people came to assist him enthusiastically grabbed onto his hand to shake it. And in that instance the two were taken back to when they last saw each other, parting ways with a similar handshake to show respect and forever solidify their alliance. Sadly this was all that could be done for now as all three men's attentions were drawn back to the Icon, who had recovered from the unexpected attack and with surprising speed was getting back to its feet.
"It's already recovered from the strike, the Dark One as much as I hate to praise him has outdone himself with this abomination." The Wretch said as they withdrew their hands.
"How." The Slayer spoke which caught the demon off guard, "How...did you do that?..." He asked.
"The Soul Cube, a weapon created by both my and the creator's vision." The Wretch answered quickly getting over his surprise, "It is piloted by the great angels of the Maykr race, the Khans as they're called, however it was also blessed by Abaddon so it would be capable of harming it." He explained.
As if on cue the subject of their conversation flew at an impressive speed from the sky towards them, stopping a few feet in the air above their heads.
"Ah Slayer! It's so good to see you!" All of the Khans spoke in unison, "We're glad you are safe and that we were able to help you." They said.
"I HATE TO INTERRUPT THE PLEASANT CONVERSATION YOU ALL ARE
HAVING!" Gabriel shouted at them gaining their attention, "BUT IN CASE YOU FORGOT THERE IS A REALITY DESTROYING CREATURE THAT WE STILL NEED TO
KILL!" He reminded.
Nodding their heads to show they understood,the Wretch and the Slayer both turned their focus entirely on the Icon, who seemed to be looking at where the Khans had struck it to ensure its wound was healed.
"Here is our current plan Slayer." The Wretch began as the Khans flew down to him so he could hold them in his hand, "It is impossible for us to properly asses just how resilient and persistent this version of the Icon will be, even with the Soul Cube and Abaddon's blessing on our side it will be a task to destroy it, so we must prioritize on incapacitating it to the best of our abilities, I and the Khans will aim for key parts of its legs to make them vulnerable for you to do what you do best, as for Gabriel he will distract it from above and if it tries to focus on us he will get in close to strike at its eyes." He explained.
"Sounds good...but once its on the ground...I get to rip out its heart and pry its head from its shoulders...then I'll fire a shot from the BFG down its throat to be certain it stays dead this time..." The Slayer replied.
Now that the initial shock of him speaking was gone the Wretch actually heard his voice, meaning he was able to take in its tone and how he spoke to him. The Khans had this happen as well, for they heard him speak when he was brought to Urdak in his days of madness, and hearing him talk like this now made them worried he returned to those dark times. But that was something they'd address later, now was the time to fight and make certain that Doom and the Dark One would not exist passed today, no matter what it took. Standing still as Gabriel set their strategy into motion, he started the battle by throwing his spear with incredible precision into one of the Icon's eyes.
Letting out another sound of anguish as before though this one less passionate, the Icon now fully focused on the angel aimed its cannon to try and destroy him. Remaining where they were until Gabriel summoned his spear again and the Icon began to fire, once these two things happened the Slayer and the Wretch rushed towards it. Though the Soul Cube was being controlled by the Khans the demon still sought to help guide them as much as he could, doing so by throwing them with all his might towards its left knee. Once in the air they brought forth their blades and spun them to full speed, which allowed them using only the momentum provided by him to enter the meat, metal, and bone they made contact with.
Yet unlike before where they went through they remained inside the Icon's body, flying through the leg to deal as much damage as possible before they were noticed, which sadly was quite fast. This is when they all learned of another feature its augments granted, it could withdraw its shield so it could use its energy to send out a powerful blast from itself to dispel any attackers. And while this did succeed in ejecting the Soul Cube from its leg, now that the shield was down the Slayer could bring out his weapons to finally deal some damage. Deciding to be cautious and not waste this precious opening by testing how useful the Unmaykr might be now, he summoned his chain gun and with the mobile turret attachment proceeded to unload a hailstorm of bullets.
Massive chunks of flesh flew away from the bone leaving it fully exposed, which after a few more seconds of the volley ate through that as well. Letting out a howl similar to its last the Icon stumbled in place, yet was able to remain on its broken appendage thanks to the support of the other leg, as well as the mechanical supports that had been added in the event something like this happened.
"We'll go for the other one! Take care of those supports to ensure it has nothing left to help it stand!" The Wretch instructed as the Khans flew back to his hand.
Choosing to respond silently this time with but a simple nod, the Slayer replaced his chain gun with his ever reliable chainsaw as he knew it could easily and quickly cut through the metal. On the ground things were going exactly as they hoped, which was entirely thanks to Gabriel who carried out his part of the plan flawlessly. No longer burdened by flesh thus freed from exhaustion or any other physical strain, the archangel with unwavering focus dodged every attack that was sent his way. Which became more treacherous as time passed, for now the Icon had summoned a sigil above its head to cast fireballs at him alongside the cannon's energy blasts.
But still Gabriel was able to dodge every single projectile aimed in his direction, all the while throwing his spear at its head and other various places on the upper body to keep it distracted. However as he continued his assault he noticed something strange about the Icon, something that even with all the chaos going on didn't make sense.
"It's not looking at me..." He thought staring solely at its eyes, "Its cannon and the sigil are focused on me, and it seems to be ignoring them as I am in this moment the more immediate threat, but why is it only staring ahead?..." He wondered.
Deciding to solve this mystery before something unexpected happened he flew high into the air until he was nearly fifty feet away, which he was able to accomplish swiftly thanks to his powerful wings. He then flipped upside down and dived straight towards the Icon's head, his spear held out in front of him so he would hopefully go right through. Amazingly this actually worked, he wasn't repelled by the shield suddenly returning nor by a well aimed shot, he pierced the metal, skin, and bone of the skull which put him where he assumed the brain would be. And while there was indeed a brain inside the skull, it wasn't what he expected.
The Spider Mastermind, or rather a horrifically mutilated version of the creature was what he found serving as the Icon's brain, its former cybernetic legs having been altered to form an artificial connection to the body.
"What...in the Heavens...is this?..." He questioned utterly baffled by what he discovered.
But before he could examine it any further he heard something yell from behind, followed by whatever it was attempting to tackle him. Of course this did not happen, Gabriel sidestepped to avoid his attacker then delivered a blow from the shaft of his weapon to its body sending it to the ground. Now able to get a good look at his assailant his eyes widened from shock, for it was none other than the trapped soul of Sir Pentious who was still bound in his corporeal prison.
"I'm so sorry." He apologized the moment he recognized him, though not being a fool he pressed the base of his spear to the snake's body as he was still controlled by the Dark One, "I'm also sorry for having to restrain you, but it must be done until we are finished." He said.
"P-PlEaSE...YoU HAVe...tO StOp..." Sir Pentious replied, having to use all of the willpower he could muster to do so.
"I promise you will be freed of the Dark One's control soon, we need only wait for the Slayer and the Wretch to bring the Icon down, then we will kill it." He assured.
"NO...THAT'S...THE PROBLEM..." Sir Pentious shouted as best he could, fighting against the Dark One's will with every fiber of his cursed flesh, "THE ICON...IT ISN'T ALIVE!" He revealed.
"Wait...what are you saying?" Gabriel asked.
This unfortunately was the end of their conversation, for suddenly the seemingly dead Spider Mastermind came to life with a haunting howl, which Gabriel realized was the same as the Icon's. That would turn out to be the least of his concerns, for after the howl was let out the entirety of the Icon's skull began to glow with blue light, which he quickly deduced was energy. But that wasn't the only part of the Icon that did this, although he couldn't see it the Titan's entire body was also glowing bright blue with energy which brought the Slayer, the Wretch, and the Khans all to a stop on the ground. Then it happened, so quickly and so suddenly none of them could react or do anything about it, the energy that the Icon had been absorbing built up to its maximum and was going to be unleashed.
"IT'S...A...BOMB!" Sir Pentious shouted out just before they were all overtaken by a blinding blue light.
Minutes Prior, Back In Lucifer's Circle...
"Three...two...one...and...THERE SHE IS!" A well dressed demon in a tuxedo exclaimed, doing so while pulling open the door of a sword infested box to reveal a beautiful demon woman.
A thunderous applause filled the air as every spectator who watched on was left amazed by that trick, a few whistles being added in to show just how impressed some were. Now one might think that in Hell of all places magic tricks would be seen as...stupid fucking wastes of time that only dipshits would enjoy. But the thing about being dead and living in the afterlife is that everything was more extreme, the drugs, the violence, the drinks, the sex, and so much more, with things like rehearsed performances and otherwise included as well. So whenever a magician or illusionist managed to wind up in Hell for whatever reason, if they wanted to maintain a life of luxury and fame that they had grown so used to back on earth, they needed be better than they were otherwise they'd be nobodies.
Add in the fact that they now lived in a place where there was actual magic and potions were real, any of these performers who could come up with a legitimately impressive act that involved neither was a sight to behold. But wait, a woman surviving a box stabbed through with swords wasn't a new trick, in fact it was one of the oldest in the book that had been explained multiple times.
Which is why unlike that safe for work version that was used on earth, this one not only had real swords thrown into the mix but an insane number of them as well, coming out to a total of fifty full length blades that went through a never before stabbed box. Yet still somehow his tall stunning assistant came out without so much as a thread of her clothes being cut, which had everyone wracking their brains trying to figure out how they pulled it off.
None more so than a certain winged feline who had the most puzzled expression on his face.
"You okay there Husk?" Moxxie asked as he, Millie, and Azrael looked at him, all four sitting in a booth with mostly empty plates and glasses.
"How...the fuck did he do that?..." Husk asked himself completely ignoring the Imp's question,
"I've only seen that trick done with like five maybe ten swords at most, how the ever living fuck did he manage to get fifty in there and NOT hit her?!" He carried on.
Seeing how much fun he was clearly having brought smiles to the others' faces, as they had no idea he'd be so excited and invested in a magic show of all things.
"You really must like magic huh?" Millie asked him, managing to get through to this time unlike her husband.
"Who DOESN'T like magic?!" Husk responded as he turned to look at her, "Anyone who doesn't like magic is an asshole, there I said it." He told them.
"Oof, Blitzo's gonna be pretty mad when he hears that." Moxxie replied. "Then he's dead to me." He decided while crossing his arms.
"You don't mean that." Azrael said as she put a hand on his shoulder.
"Nope, bastard's dead to me, if he shows up at the hotel while I'm at the front desk I'm shooting him with my shotgun." He said firmly.
"But you're always at the front desk, you're the only person who works it." Millie pointed out. "Then he better have a good reaction time." He replied.
Suddenly the sound of a voice speaking through a microphone went out through the air, causing them and everyone else to look back at the stage to see who was there now. To no surprise it was the owner of the club who came out between acts to say a few things and to introduce the next performance, a woman as beautiful and charming as she was refined and elegant, The Magnificent Madam Mimzy!
"Sorry to interrupt everyone's chit chatting, but I just wanted to see if we could all give one more quick hand to our mystifying last performance?" She inquired, to which everyone including Husk and them responded by clapping their hands for a few seconds, "Thank you, it's just SO wonderful to have patrons as amazing as you here today, we've managed to pack a full house and we're just getting started, I'll be singing a quick tune while the next act gets ready so please take this time to refill your glasses, restack your plates, or just powder up in the restrooms during this intermission." She instructed before closing her eyes and taking a breath.
If it somehow wasn't clear to anyone in the building Mimzy took great pride in her singing voice, which for those thick headed few they soon learned once she started singing. Her voice was soft and entrancing like an old time melody, but not in the way of an enchantress or siren. The way she carried a tune along with how she seemed to dance with the spotlight as if it were a person, made the fairly short curvy woman a sight very few could turn away from. But turn away some did as they had come with company, such as Husk and party who after she began singing focused back on each other.
"Do any of us need to use the bathroom or want any refills?" Moxxie asked.
"I'm good on my drink and my bladder, but I wouldn't mind getting some more of the grub they're serving." Husk answered.
"Likewise." Azrael said.
"Okay, two plates full of food and nothing else." He replied as he grabbed Husk's and took it from
the table, "Hey hon, could you grab Azrael's for me?" He asked his wife.
Responding by doing just that Millie reached over, grabbed her plate, then held it out for Moxxie to take.
"I mean could you come with me to get the food." He clarified.
"Why? What they got wasn't that heavy." She questioned with a confused expression and tone.
"Yeah but...ya know...I could drop'em or bump into someone...plus I...just want your company..." He said while trying to subtly point towards Husk and Azrael with his tail.
Feeling her eyes widen when she realized what he was doing, she said no more and hopped out of her seat to join him.
"Gee, I wonder if they're trying to give us some alone time." Husk said to Azrael once they were gone, watching them leave with an unimpressed look on his face.
"I think you may be right." She replied with another smile, "But to their credit it worked." She noted.
"Yeah, that it has." He agreed as he leaned back into his seat, "Azrael, can I ask you something?" He inquired.
"Only if I can answer." She replied jokingly which got a chuckle out of him.
"Sure, sounds fair." He said before getting back to his question, "We're still not considering this a date right? Even though we've sat through a few acts, we've had lunch together, we're in a club which is where either couples or lonely drunks go, and we have the dopiest married couple in all of Hell accompanying us?" He asked.
"Well, I suppose that depends on how you would answer a different question, are you here as a lonely drunk and I am just your acquaintance, or are we here as a couple?" She responded.
"I thought we were gonna take things slow?" He countered with another question.
"We are, but are we taking things slow starting as friends who work their way towards a romantic relationship, or do we want to start right at the point where we agree to be seen as a couple?" She countered his counter.
However he didn't have anything at the ready to say to that, needing a few seconds to think it over as whatever he decided would be significant no matter what it was. And whether it was the environment they were, the mood setting singing provided by Mimzy, or Azrael's own beauty which he couldn't help but look at as he mulled it over in his mind, he chose to fully accept that this was both their chance at being happy.
"...Couple." He answered with a small smile, "Way I see it we'd just be making ourselves nervous by taking things too slow, we should still take it slow of course but it seems stupid now to take them THAT slow, if that makes any sense." He explained.
"It does." She assured while moving her hand to rest atop of his, "I feel the same way." She said.
Turning his hand around so they could hold them like before he felt his smile get bigger, for this was the first time that he could remember where lady luck was finally on his side. But by this point in his life Husk shouldn't let himself be so naïve, one does not escape misfortune just because they
want to or because something nice has come into their life, even the company of an angel couldn't change that. With no warning a sudden violent shaking went throughout the whole building, so intense and powerful no one knew what was responsible. Next came the near eardrum exploding sound of what seemed to be a bomb or something similar, causing everyone but Azrael to cover their ears to try and protect them.
That is when she realized something terrifying was happening, thus making her first instinct to try and get Husk, Millie, and Moxxie to safety before they were affected. Sadly this entire event happened over the span of twenty seconds, the first five was the shaking, the second was the sound, the third a powerful shockwave that dismantled the building around them, and the final being the cause of it all which consumed them in a blinding blue light.