An acute and insistent ringing buzzed within the angel's skull; as he could only float there and allow the damning words of the demon king, hallow him out completely. The angered chants of the demons around him soon drowned out the shock he was experiencing. He didn't care to hear any of it though. They scolded and cursed him, the demons, the demons that had taken him in and made him their lord, now despised him.

In a booming voice, Zennon announced above all their heckles, "I think the demons are speaking for themselves now. We don't need you, and we never really did. All you've done is hinder our raw power, all you've ever done is use us for your own selfish gains. Just as our late and great Devil once warned us. And you made sure to silence him too…"

Ryo felt as though the accusations were coiling around him, doing everything it could to grab ahold of him and sink him. Zennon watched the angel's eyes of panic with a sickening grin across his face.

"The Devil… you got rid of him too, just to keep us in your clutches. Well, we won't stand for it any longer, we will fight our own battles now. And you will never again bring us down with you!" he shouted.

The rest of the demons ripped open with applause and cheers. Ryo could only continue to shake his head.

"No, no you don't understand, I don't want any of this! You'll get us all killed!" the angel protested.

"Better than to die under you again, Lucifer," Zennon's final statement felt like a punch to the gut. The next thing Ryo knew he was being hurdled backward. The pain of the punch didn't even register to him at first, just the desolate reality that he was being betrayed.

From the ground Gabriel gasped in horror, no longer fretting how the demons may react to his intrusion. As far as he could see it, this had already reached its boiling point. His body changed into his angelic form in a miraculous shine that emanated like a halo from the top of his head. Differing from Ryo, Gabriel's form was covered in golden armor and shimmered like gemstones.

The rest of the demons didn't wait around seeing the change, knowing this was a fully powered angel of God. They went after him spewing acid and clambering to leave a sizable mark on the defensive angel as he came at them. It was a fairly piteous attempt, however, as Gabriel cut through them with ease. He went right after Ryo who was still trying to hold his own, but he seemed out of it. His mind just wasn't there.

Zennon wasn't letting up in the slightest, and Ryo wasn't giving much of a fight. He just couldn't bring himself to battle, the shock was far too overwhelming. Everything was happening in a daze. He felt Zennon beating him and lapping up every second of it. Ryo knew he should just end the demon king then and there; it would be far too easy for him, but something deep inside him just didn't have the spirit.

Gabriel was making his way towards his brother, but his rate of pace annoyed him. Killing and defeating these demons was simple enough, but cutting through all of them was overwhelming. When a cluster of them died another one just took up its place again. He knew he had enough power to blow them all away in one sweep, but it would be draining, for the circumstances though, he could attempt it.

Zennon laughed, relentlessly having his go at the once acclaimed angel. Ryo would counter him in defense but in his state would barely do much else in retaliation. He was suffering from the brunt of it all and it felt like an eternity with every attack. His past and present were becoming muddled, as what seemed like his entire life and every wrong move and every mistake took hold of his mind.

He just couldn't escape it. It was all so inevitable that he would end up like this. It was his cruel reality; it was simply his fate that he would rise so high, only to fall so far. Images of his life before when he served God himself, he stood right beside him, the lord's right-hand angel. The most beautiful and righteous angel that had ever existed, God's own and very first servant. He obeyed his father, looked up to his father, adored his father. Everything Lucifer had ever done he had done for him. His only want in the world was to please him, and yet he never could. He could never be good enough, and no matter how much he tried and how hard he fought, God never saw him as anything more. This fact hurt him, angered him, introduced him to feelings he never knew he had and would so easily forget. He wanted to fight to prove God wrong.

Then all around him the feeling of weightlessness, it was like gravity had vanished. He was falling, falling down further and further just the same, just the same as always.

The crash to the ground shook him enough to register his surroundings. Zennon had knocked him to the Earth. Ryo had found himself in the depression of the crater. The world whizzed by as he could barely catch up.

Staring down at him was the vile and merciless face of Zennon, and higher above that was a fist aiming down at him. There were plenty of attacks Ryo could pull off, he could have simply teleported away, but he did none of that. He laid there still, motionless, and practically lifeless awaiting the hurt that would soon be upon him. For deep in his heart he knew he deserved it, as he closed his eyes and yielded.

Several moments passed, far more than Ryo thought necessary. More so than that, he could hear as if there was some kind of struggle occurring. The angel peeked his eyes open again and quietly gasped.

There standing between him, and a crushing blow was someone he truly did not expect.

"Jenny?" he whispered.

"Psycho Jenny! What is the meaning of this!? He is the betrayer to us all!" Zennon berated the demoness. Using her powers, she held back his arm, which was a struggle on her. Her powers were incredible, but the pure bulk of the demon king was even much for her.

"Your highness, don't do this! I beg, there must be a better way!" she pleaded.

Eventually, Zennon had managed to wring his arm away from her psychic manipulation, but in doing so it temporarily threw his stance off. After catching himself, his scornful stare found her.

"Jenny, our alliance with that traitor is no more! You no longer have any obligation to him; you work for me! And I no longer have interest in negotiation. Stand down now!" he commanded.

The demonesses let off her resistance. She didn't seem as though she wanted to be confrontational, her face alone appeared as though it was at war with itself. She didn't put up a threat, but she didn't move away from Ryo either.

"Please sire, I mean you no disrespect, but I fear this is a mistake. You mustn't harm Lord Satan," she meekly insisted.

Zennon's gaze tapered at her, "Jenny, you of all our demon warriors should know the endless suffering and misery this angel has put us through. There is no reason to protect him, why do you still persist?"

Jenny's face seemed to scrunch back further as a pained and even unsure look came over her. She seemed to be debating within herself, thinking of some way to dispute the king's words. Surely there had to be a reason, some kind of rational reason that compelled her to stand against him like this. Whatever that was, it simply wasn't coming to her, but she also would not be moved away. She wouldn't leave her master.

She felt the pressure of the world. Jenny knew she needed to defend herself, but before she could say anything the sound of an explosion took their attention. A blinding white light with golden trim ate through the barrier of demons. It was much like the attacks displayed by God, and yet it was still much smaller, but no less deadly.

Shooting out from light was a frame that bleed through with the same colors. Only this figure was recognizable; it was Gabriel, he was rushing to Ryo's side.

"Gab?" Ryo perked up ever so slightly.

His brother soon crashed down beside him. It was clear a good portion of his energy had been drained performing that offense, but he still had just enough juice to come to his brother's direct aid.

"Ryo my brother, we have to go!" Gabriel took Ryo by the arm and began to drag him. His brother was proving to be a tiresome load to haul however, as he felt as though he was trying to drift back.

"Come on brother, we have to escape now!" Gabriel continued to beg. When he searched back to see where Ryo's eyes sat, he was mildly shocked to see he was entranced by the psychic demoness and her selfless interjection.

"Jenny, your interference is becoming troublesome, he's getting away! Stop him now! That's an order!" Zennon yelled.

She turned to face him and could see the hesitation within him. Even as he was being dragged away by his brother and could easily escape, there was something compelling them both. Her face wrinkled further in discomfort. Jenny felt the expectations placed on her, it was a crushing feeling, but she had to act on them. It was against her nature to disobey.

She raised her hand and prepared a psychic attack. It was warming up in her palm, but she felt rueful the whole time. Witnessing the subtle shock and betrayal on her master's face, the face she had looked into ever since he was very small. The intrusive thought of him as a young child haunted her. It hurt her to think how vulnerable and trusting he was of her, how he had depended on her, and how he looked now.

Slowly the attack she had been setting up began to fade as her hand lowered once more. She couldn't do it, she just couldn't.

"Jenny, what is the meaning of this!?" Zennon scolded.

The demonesses' brow creased, as she stared up at the king with a repugnant glare.

"I will not harm him."

The horrid glower the king showed down upon her was unlike she had ever seen. It was like he was staring down at an insect that needed to be terminated.

"Fine."

Not another word was spoken as he now turned his retaliation to her as well. He stomped his hooves down trying to crush her and the other angels. At last, Ryo no longer resisted his brother's pull as looked back, encouraging Jenny to hurry along with them.

The demonesses came right to their side as the group took off into the air, with a flock of angered devils at their backs. Zennon himself led the group, as he attempted to swipe at the trio and knock them out of the air. Jenny fought back the best she could, sending a psychic wave that disoriented most of the surrounding demons. Not all were affected the same as Zennon seemed to power through it, and he was gaining.

Ryo began to feel himself in the present once more. The vigor that had been silenced within him sparked once more. He felt his determination as he watched Jenny and his brother. Seeing Gabriel is what pushed him to action. His already tired brother was setting up for another fatal blow, but not in enough time to actually go through with it.

In a blink, Ryo took Gabriel as well as Jenny by their wrists, and with a flash of light, he had whisked them all away.

The demons searched trying to find any sign of them, and yet came up with nothing. Zennon especially was perturbed by the outcome.

"Sire, what are your orders? Should we send a team out to find them?" one of his many subordinates asked.

The king's features were stale and fierce. With an audible huff, he turned away and landed back on the ground.

"No, I will not concern myself with them any longer. If they come back, do not hesitate to kill them, but I will not waste any more of my men to go looking for them."

Zennon left it there, and did not wait around as he returned to overseeing the destruction by his kind. Soon, with a lofty demeanor, he casually lifted his hand and let a smile grow on his face.

"That'll be enough," he announced, catching the attention of all his devils. "I'd say the humans can take it from here now," the king concluded with the triumphant roar of his men punctuating his order.

A glint of light delivered the three runaways to a desolate, icy, and empty landscape. There was nothing but snow and wind. A blizzard blared around them and concealed them into this wintery isolation. Jenny and Gabriel had appeared close by one another, looking confused as to the whereabouts of who had brought them here. When at last the vague outline of the angel came into view, they rushed to him. He was turned away down on his knees and crumpled in on himself. He looked so small and frail.

"Master?" Jenny questioned with worry.

"Brother?" the concern was present in Gabriel's voice as well, but his curiosity drove him further. "Brother, where are we? Why did you bring us here?"

If not for the gales, there would be only silence. The demoness and angel glanced to one another at a loss before something, at last, broke the tension.

"Jenny, why did you do that?"

It was so soft and mild as if asked by a child. Jenny's expression represented her surprise. It took her some moments, in truth, there was no explanation she could think of. Never before had she deliberately disobeyed an order from her higher-ups, and yet inexplicably she had.

"My apologies sir, I don't suspect I have a very good answer-"

"Don't refer to me as sir, I am no one's authority," Ryo spoke back. His body had not turned, but the profile of his face could now be seen by the others. "And you do know you must. There must be a reason, one I had never anticipated, the same one that always evades me. The same reason why you came back for me," his sights met Gabriel's. There was a desperate haze in Ryo's eyes, it was like his very soul was pleading for this one answer.

Jenny could see how harshly he wanted this, she regretted how little she could answer. Ever since he was younger, he looked up to her as an advisor. He was incredibly smart, but yet there was so much he did not understand and now he asked of her something even she knew nothing of. It was clear from her expression the struggle she was undergoing. Never did she want to disappoint him, but also, she never wanted to mislead him.

All she could do was stare back into his icy blue eyes, those same wondering eyes she had stared into at every stage of his life.

Cautiously she started, "You know I've sworn myself to protect you. Even when you were in your adolescence, I always knew who you were, how powerful you are, but you were also so vulnerable. You did not know any better, you were small and frail…" her gaze drew to the ground. "When you first told me of your plan, I found it foolish that you would put yourself in such a weak position. Even if I knew it was to better your understanding of human fears, it is instinctively undesirable to a demon to be in such a powerless state, and I thought that for a long time, but…"

Ryo's eyes widened, waiting breathlessly for her continuation.

Jenny's features became gentle as she scooped the snowy floor, "…I couldn't help but remember how much you relied on me. How much faith and trust you had bestowed upon me. You couldn't look after yourself, so I did. Repeat after repeat, within this eternity of a time loop I looked into those eyes of yours. Those eyes that knew so much and yet still looked up to me, that small child that needed me. I couldn't get that out of my head, as much as I tried…"

The winds screamed over the silence, but could not dispute its presence in the conversation. Both the angels were absolutely speechless, Ryo especially more so. Finally, Jenny's large orbs lifted once more to view the one in question.

"…I mean, how could I be expected to destroy the one I have raised so many countless times…?"

The cold around them couldn't bite as hard as what Ryo felt within his own veins. It was such a shock to hear and yet it came with a sense of comfort he could have never imagined.

"…Jenny…" he uttered weakly. Without command of his brain, his body began to seek her out. He came to her with uncertainty, but steadily he lifted his arms up to her. She drew back slightly as if in surprise, but it didn't last, she stayed right where she was as he moved in towards her again. She felt his arms envelop her, a surreal experience she could have never thought of in her wildest dreams, and yet it was like it was something straight out of a dream.

Gabriel watched from a distance in complete awe. It was something completely inconceivable, but somehow it wasn't the least bit shocking.

The demoness's arms slowly rose. It was such an unnatural response for her, it was nothing she could have ever considered, but still, she was compelled to do so. Her grip enveloped him bringing them close in that cold and unforgiving world. They stayed put that way for some time before Ryo finally found the strength to look up to his brother once again.

"I have been a fool," he pulled away from Jenny. Addressing both of them with sorrowful features he continued. "I've been all wrong, I've been all wrong about demons, humans, even our own kind, brother. I could never figure out why none of it ever worked out, I could never understand any of this, for I had been blind to the most crucial aspect. But Akira knew all along…"

The angel's tone became longing and rueful. He stalled himself before he could keep going, and when he did it was in a sad whimper.

"...He tried to warn me…"

His companions watched him with similar mournful expressions.

"Brother, don't blame yourself so harshly. Many of us have aided in this wrongdoing," Gabriel attempted to soothe.

Abruptly the brother's head shook, "No, I can't keep denouncing my faults. For so long I've ignored them or dismissed them. Only now do I see the immense errors of my ways. That's why I came here, the burial ground of my worst mistakes."

A questioning glance was shared between Jenny and Gabriel.

"What do you mean? Where are we?" his sibling queried.

Ryo came to his feet and began to walk forward, prompting the others to follow. The storm was so thick it was hard to see much ahead, but the demoness and angel kept up well enough.

"Devils have existed on this Earth for countless eons, and through those eons, God has clashed with them in many instances. However, they have always reemerged in different ways, and sometimes centuries later. In the last extension, many devils were frozen in the ice caps, and thus where many of my past endeavors still lie."

Just as he had finished a massive structure that resembled an ice castle came into view. It was huge and ancient. Gabriel gapped up to it. Jenny was less shocked by its sheer presence and more so that it was even still there at all. She knew of this long-forgotten fortress and how so many demons had been frozen to the climate.

Ryo had stopped before it, looking over it as a whole.

"What will you do?" Gabriel spoke out again.

A thoughtful pause came over the angel until softly he replied.

"I'm going to do what I should have done centuries ago…"