The sounds of sirens and the cramped confined roads of the metropolis constricted around the two angels as they drove through. Ryo had stern and serious eyes directed straight forward and to his goal. His brother, on the other hand, looked like a tourist with how much he gawked at every building and everyone.

Ryo noticed this, however was ultimately uncaring. It wasn't until the younger of the two began to speak did his attention sidetrack.

"This is all so incredible up close. It's like actually getting to be inside an anthill, I've only seen this place from afar for so long," Gabriel gawked. "We should get out!"

"There's no time for that, the others could be coming any moment. And I'm not about to throw my one and only chance away because you want to sightsee," the elder brother grumbled.

"I know, I know, you must forgive me. I haven't done anything like this ever before. Perhaps you and all your rebelliousness is rubbing off on me. What do you think?" Gabriel teased.

Ryo sighed through a slight smile, though he still wasn't as playful as his companion, but he did have a soft spot for his child-like joy and naivete. He was glad to know after all these centuries he hadn't lost that touch.

"So, where is it we're going first?" Gab stated again.

"I told you, I have to find Akira and set things right," Ryo answered rigidly.

Gabriel's eyes tapered slightly, "Hmm, you think you know where he is?"

"He lives at the Makimura's, he has for ten years."

"Well, this is a different timeline, he might not be there," Gab suggested.

It was then Ryo glanced at his brother suspiciously, "What? Do you know where else he could be?"

"No, I was simply pondering on the possibility, by all means continue on brother," he reassured.

Ryo's eye stayed on him for a moment, before staring forward again in musing. Surely things could not have possibly changed that much in this new reality, the professor told himself. Even still, it all nagged at him and wouldn't leave his conscious, how all this even came to be in the first place. Ryo sighed, and ultimately gave into the question he had been dreading to ask.

"Gabriel?" Ryo started flatly.

"Yes," he replied chipperly.

"What caused all this? Why has anything changed in the first place?"

It seemed that question shifted the angel's demeanor as a crestfallen look came over him. His sights turned downward as he paused for a moment.

"To tell you the truth, we don't know…" Gabriel admitted.

"Oh nonsense, you mean to tell me that's the one thing he doesn't know?" Ryo scoffed.

The younger brother jumped slightly in concern, "No no brother, I'm serious, we truly don't know. That's why I and the other scouts are down here, they think it has to do with you. But from what I've seen, clearly that's not true. I speculate it has something to do with the soul of Akira Fudo and that great Devil himself."

Ryo's brow rose somewhat in interest, "You think Akira and Amon did this?"

"Why yes, the motivations fall into place…" Gabriel noted.

Suddenly Ryo's face, while still utterly serious, began to show with immense fret. It was clear his breaths came shorter, and his mind was racing.

"What is it?" Gab questioned, seeing his brother's distress.

Ryo swallowed as he collected himself, "It's nothing, I was just thinking about Amon actually. I mean he was conquered by Akira; he has no power or control anymore, wouldn't you think?"

Gabriel retracted slightly, "Do you really believe that? Neither Akira or Amon exist as separate beings any longer. Whether the boy realizes it or not, the influence of the demon is surely still present with him. And knowing what little I knew of Amon, he wasn't the type to just give up, especially with his unfinished business. I'd say I'm almost certain he must have some say in it himself."

An ever-present shadow of gloom and silence filled the car for the next few moments. Ryo hardly budged from his spot, seeming as if he was recalling something deathly crucial. Gabriel picked up on it, and sensed how spooked he had become. He wanted to say something, but decided it'd be best to wait and hear his brother out instead.

When finally Ryo stirred his words were brief, "Well, seemingly nothing's for certain anyway. No sense in speculating on such hypotheticals."

"I would hope that be the case," Gabriel agreed.

The siblings were now entering the neighborhood that the Makimura's and by extension Akira lived in. Ryo's form trembled in anticipation as they got closer and closer to the house. Even Gabriel was attentive, practically at the edge of his seat.

All that could run through Ryo's head were those last critical moments, those last few agonizing seconds before oblivion. The thought of it shivered him to his core, bringing back every horrible emotion at once. He had to stifle them though, he simply had to. As much as he knew Akira's displeasure with him, he had to make him see, he had to explain himself.

The house was in sight now and just as they were to approach it something caused Gabriel to perk up in concern. Ryo noticed this as he turned to view him.

"What is it?"

"Oh no," Gab responded in an oddly unphased manner. This only roused Ryo more as he looked to him with constricted pupils.

Suddenly right in their path, a blinding golden light emitted. It was so bright and yet so terrifying. Surely every bystanding person had to have seen this, it had to have startled them out of their wits, and yet all the humans just carried on. It was as if they hadn't seen it at all, the only ones to react to its presence were the brothers themselves.

The feeling of absolute dread consumed Ryo whole. Not a single thought passed through his mind other than to escape. Revving his car, he threw it into reverse without consideration to anyone else that could be present.

Gabriel seemed in shock by his brother's abrupt actions turning his head to him in a snap, "Brother, what are you going? This is only going to cause more harm. It's just Urial, maybe I can explain to him!"

"Urial?" Ryo at last questioned. However, he hadn't stopped yet, keeping to his desperate pursuit of escape.

"Yeah, let me just talk to him-"

"Don't, I'm not taking any risks!" Ryo said as he spun the car around to finally face forward. Now he pushed the vehicle to its limits as he drifted and swerved his way through the traffic.

"You know you can't outrun him with this measly manmade technology!" Gabriel enlightened.

"I know that," he corrected through grit teeth. Following that statement Ryo's gaze pinpointed to one area, not allowing anything to break his stare. With the light illuminating at his back the professor still never turned glanced back. He just kept going.

"Brother, we can't be doing this! This is really bad!" Gabriel tried to argue. His pleas fell on deaf ears and the next thing he knew another portal of light had been opened. Gab squeezed his eyes shut and placed his hands on his head. Ryo barreled through the portal at speeds so high that the car lost its traction traveling through, sending the brothers into a spiraling crash on the other side.

The world sloshed around Ryo's vision as he waited desperately for the car to at last slow to a stop. At last, the car started to slow and eventually landed upside down with the two beings well shaken on the inside. The first thing Ryo did when his senses caught up to him was to peek over his shoulder. He saw the portal he had created close in just enough time that they were no longer being followed. Thankful, he opened his car door and tumbled out in a heap of relief. He could hear the other car door open releasing Gabriel.

Slowly Ryo started to come to his feet and search for his brother, "We did it Gab, I lost him!"

Ryo could see Gab sitting there motionless as he stared out over the horizon. It was a familiar one, overseeing a large cliffside that caught the ocean's waves. In his haste, Ryo didn't give much thought to where they would end up, so it seemed they found themselves in the place Ryo had first met Akira.

The fallen angel acknowledged this area and all the mixed emotions it had come with but had to ignore them. Gabriel had yet to say anything, and was deathly still, something somewhat uncharacteristic of him.

"Hey Gab, are you alright?" Ryo spoke in that deadpan yet concerned tone of his. He came to his side and reached out to nudge his shoulder.

"Don't bother," he at last responded but when he did it was far more forceful than Ryo thought he had in him. A timid brightness seeped from him and threatened to creep out more as he turned to face his brother in frustration.

"You couldn't just listen to me!? You know how much more trouble I'm gonna be in?"

The earthly angel was a tad taken back by his younger brother's outburst. His brow knit and his interests fell squarely to the other angel.

"I'm doing all of this to try and help you and everyone else, and it's like you didn't want to hear me at all. If I get in trouble, then we'll both just be worse off," he explained.

The brothers were quiet in their stand off for some time, until with a sigh, Ryo's body shifted into a more relaxed position.

"I do understand Gab, and I don't wish to put any more strife on you. But you must know that I would rather continue to live in this never-ending Hell than go back to being father's slave, and I only wish that you and the others could say the same."

Gabriel shook his head with scrunched features, "No brother, don't say that, father created all of us, he's loves us with affection and mercy-"

"Then where is mine!?" Ryo spat, cutting his brother off. "You're so afraid of upsetting God and yet you speak so highly of him. Deep down you know the second you prove yourself to be a liability he'll toss you aside with no more room in his heart. We are not his beloved creations; we are his tools. The second you understand that, the second you understand me."

The stare bonding the angels was fierce, and unbudging from either side. Gabriel's expression churned almost looking as if he could cry. At last his eyes shut and his head dipped as he returned to shaking his head.

"It's not true, it's just not true. He only did that to you because you hurt him…"

"He hurt me! After every back-breaking impossible task, I accomplished to make him proud, he was still never satisfied! When I dared to call him out on it, I was cast aside, that's how he is! And you're so scared because you know it!"

Gabriel's long golden hair draped around his face, covering the immense discomfort that tore all through inside him. He didn't even speak back anymore, as he silently discredited his elder brother's words in his head. Ryo could see the upset that he had caused and from it he could feel a slight prick in his chest. He breathed, releasing much of his aggravation. Slowly Ryo walked next to his younger brother and began again much softer.

"Gab, I don't want to make you feel bad, I am not angry with you. In truth, you're the only one I have left to rely on, I could never tell you how grateful I am for that. After everything I've done, and all you're risking, you're still here for me, whether I really deserve it or not…" Ryo trailed off. He could tell he was getting to Gabriel, as he noticed his head perk at his pause. The professor couldn't help but stop himself though, he didn't understand what had come over him. Normally he could never understand these emotions he had much less anyone else's, but he felt he had to finish. As unnatural as it felt to him, he knew he had to.

He faced away and in a straightforward tone kept on, "Even if things go bad, I just want you to know I'll look out for you. I should have been doing that all along and…and I'm, sorry, I'm sorry I haven't been keeping an eye on you as I should have. I've made many mistakes, but know that no matter what I won't leave you again. I'll never let you feel as alone as I have, brother…"

Ryo's words spilled from his mouth, he couldn't even think twice they just came, sincere and raw. His back was still turned, unable to even process all that he had said. Whether he understood them all himself or not Gabriel now met to the side of him, with a calm smile.

"I knew I came back for you for a reason, as stubborn as you are…" Gab said with a subdued voice. It took a moment for the response to fully hit Ryo but when it did, he was able to smile same as his brother.

"We'll have to try again at the Makimura's house. I bet they're all around there waiting for me to show up," the oldest said.

"All the places you usually go to will be busy with them. Even here, we really should be leaving."

Ryo agreed with him as both him and the brother started to walk away from that ominous hill.

"Too bad about my car. But maybe traveling more discreetly will be to our aid," Ryo commented, looking back at his dismantled vehicle with a sneer.

Gabriel appeared to rise slightly hearing that, "That could work. Perhaps it would be better to get the information we need in a way they'd never suspect?" Gabriel suggested.

"What do you mean?" Ryo seemed curious.

"I mean we might be able to obtain further knowledge second handedly. We can't find Akira but one of the Makimura's must know where he is. We could follow one of them instead, you've never interacted with them much before."

A glimmer of inspiration shone in the bright blue of Ryo's eyes. The thought process was clear on his face as he calculated their necessary course of action.

"That's it," he whispered.

"What is?" Gab questioned with wonder in his tone.

"I know who we need to find, and the sooner we find her the sooner we find Akira!"

In the dark dwelling of the demon's hideout, a hulking figure paced back and forth. His large hooves clomped with each shuttering step he took, and a huff expelled from his lungs.

"Ghelmer, Jinmin, even Sirene and Kaim, all perished, and Jenny is nowhere to be found…" the king lamented to his pack of demonic warriors.

"In all fairness sir, Sirene and Kaim's bodies were never recovered," a devil piped up from the crowd. Zennon eyed him, but soon dismissively waved away the notion.

"It doesn't matter, these pursuits have proved to be nothing more than a waste of our precious time and resources. The uncertainty of our situation is grave. My soldiers, I warn you now the measures we may soon have to take could very likely prove risky," the king informed. "We must be prepared for the worst; we must prepare to fight!" he boomed. The roused demons began to become more unspoken and energized from Zennon's speech. Their reactions encouraged him further.

"The divine war presses us once more, and along with it the war of man! We've been defeated before, but now is the time for a rematch!"

Several howls of boisterous applause punctuated that statement. The king was at his peak, as he started one last time.

"My Warriors, I have a plan, and I will need each and every one of you to play a vital role. This will be our time to conquer! This planet belongs to us!" he hollered.

"We're ready!"

"We'll do whatever it takes, sire!"

"Down with Devilman! Down with God!"

An uproarious cheer swept the ancient beasts, as Zennon watched over them with a pleased smile, "Very good. Our first task, kill all humans."