Hey guys, new chap!
Looks like we're getting some more depth into Hol Horse and J Greil's characters. Now, according to the wiki, Hol Horse doesn't disrespect women usually, but can abandon that notion when extremely aggravated. Thus, I've made it so that his Ghoul self has no such limitations. Also, hope I succeeded in making you guys grimace with the sorta character deaths back in Nico's mental break down.
In addition to them, it is finally time for the big boss of this little prison to make their move. Who would it be? Well, Diablo fans should have a splendid idea as to who it is, but if you haven't then I won't spoil it for you. Just have to read the chap to find out. Though, I will say that more lore shall be added to this universe, giving it a depth and complexity that many Neptunia fics lack in my opinion. Lore is basically one of the biggest highlights of OEG, you know!
Anyways, onto the chapter!
Chapter 90 - The Boss Comes in hot!
"Ugh… guh… that brown haired bitch!" An infuriated J Greil roared, then winced with a sharp spike in pain as he nursed his face, more specifically his nose that got shattered by her surprise drop kick. Not only his nose, but his jaw had been dislocated, and several teeth got forcefully knocked out. Not to mention how his features looked even more deformed than normal, showcasing just how badly his body had suffered from that confrontation between them and those two. It felt unnaturally familiar, sickeningly so actually. Add in the various injuries that Nico's power had dealt to him that barely regenerated in time for him to launch his sneak attack, and he looked like he'd been through hell. "She'll fucking pay for hitting me in the face! I'll find her, I'll find whoever she's close to and fucking rape them in front of her! She'll be in pure despair before I have my fun with her!"
Hol Horse groaned as he sat against a wall, wincing and grimacing as his body also began regenerating from the wounds that he had been dealt by the teenage Spec Ops. The two Ghouls had successfully escaped via a special emergency teleport circle given to them by their mistress, in case of hem getting more than they bargained for, and had ended up in one of the cells in the Cursed Hold. It wasn't out of kindness or anything, to their client they were just expendable tools to use till they served their purpose. However, she had given them explicit orders to flee when things looked too bleak for them to recover from. Not only that, but his inner cowardice had surface just then, and all he could think of was running away. Like his partner though, he too found this situation to be sickeningly familiar.
That's right… it was back then, 3 years ago when they fought Nico the first time.
Back then, the two had inklings as to the kid's true nature, the beast that lay within him. They had inklings, because that Armour he wore had kept his scent mixed with metal, making it difficult for them to tell whenever they went on missions together. Their suspicions about his true nature only came to a conclusion on that fateful day 3 years ago, where the kid, his Armour too damaged to be used anymore, resorted to unleashing that beast he kept in check usually. At the start of the battle the two Ghouls had been too focused on the battle itself to notice his scent, but once they saw that hidden weapon of his, their theories had all but been confirmed.
They thought back then, that they were ready for him, that he was merely a bug compared to their strength. Like a pebble compared to a river, destined to eventually erode away at the face of their constant might. It was their pride that told them this, and for a time they truly thought that Nico would have no chance against the two of them, for he had been put on the defensive for a large portion of the battle, Kid looked like he'd been caught off guard by the fact that they were Ghouls, too, thus furthering their own ego, pride and arrogance. They thought him feeble and helpless before them. They thought him weak.
Oh, how wrong they were.
Though, compared to back then, the beast inside had much sharper 'fangs' in the past. They hit harder, they hit faster back then compared to now. Honestly, it felt like a joke to even compare the two. It made him feel sick to his stomach and considering his condition that didn't seem to be very helpful right now. The audible sounds of flesh being manipulated signalled his regeneration was working its magic, but like te way he injured Nico, his injuries healed much slower than normal. Still though, the fact that his fangs were weaker than they were in the past meant that the teen hadn't unleashed his inner beast for some time, something that the two Ghouls found a blessing despite their reactions to it, since it would give them some form of control over the confrontation they had back there. For a time, it did even. They'd dominated the teen in their fight, and had even reduced him to a weakened, pathetic state where they could have both their revenge and their fun with the teen before finally ending his miserable life, as well as the stain on their reputations.
However, they had forgotten one thing, one very crucial detail about Nico's character that few knew about.
It was like when an animal is cornered by several of its predecessors. Its fight or flight response is triggered, and it becomes infinitely more dangerous, more unpredictable, to ensure its survival. It bares its fangs towards its predators and fights to preserve its life. That situation was exactly what Nico had gone through back there, he had been cornered by the two Ghouls, and if he hadn't bared his 'fangs' then the teen would have faced death and THIS time it would have been permanent. No coming back from the dead like he did once before or so their client had said. Even blunted fangs can be dangerous if they bit down hard enough, and that had been exactly what had happened.
One could say that they were sustaining a substantial amount of Karma for forgetting that.
The man's brow twitched in noticeable irritation. J Greil's loud voice echoed throughout their cell as he ranted and raved at not being able to feed on their prey, filling the air with his obnoxious voice. It was the only other sound they could hear other than the sounds of their regeneration getting to work, the deformed Ghoul's healing not as slowed as his was. That seemed likely thanks to that brunette woman having special powers, but they weren't Ghoul-oriented, therefore they didn't slow down his healing.
Still though, J Greil's whining really started getting on Hol Horse's nerves, and he had half a mind to shove his Kagune down the other Ghoul's throat to get him to shut the fuck up. It would be so easy to do, as even while weakened Hol Horse wasn't helpless. He still had enough power to form at least his Ukaku Tail to lunge at the guy. However, he refrained from such actions. As mind-bogglingly annoying s he was, J Greil venting his frustration this way was his way of coping with what happened. Everyone had their own way of coping with stress, some with sex or others through ranting. Why else do you think old women rant about their problems like nobody's business? Aside from being annoying old hags of course…
Plus, it would make him a hypocrite since he wanted to release his frustrations verbally too.
He just had more control over himself.
His mind, in an attempt to distract itself from J Greil's whining, wandered towards their client. One that will likely be making a move soon knowing her. Also, their little contingency plan had the side effect of letting her know through that weird voodoo shit that she called demon magic that they had failed to kill their target. Well, fail wasn't the correct term, now that he thought about it, their client had told them that their job was to hold the enemy off while preparations were made. Under no circumstance did their contract say that they had to kill them, THAT had been something they had decided on their own the moment that they learned that Nico would be one of their foes.
A cold chill ran down his spine at the mere memory of her. Their client, a woman who was bathed in so much blood, death and demonic power that even Demons themselves were wary of her. Him and J Greil were some cruel assholes, of that they were certain. They'd do some fucked up shit to people, they were Ghouls for fuck's sake. Seeing a crying infant alone? They'd just as soon devour it as an easy meal. A child looking for its parents? They'd have their fun first before finally ending its miserable life, maybe even in front of its family and watch the fireworks.
But this woman? Oh, she'd do SO much worse than what they'd do. At least in their cases the victims were dead in the end, in her case they'd end up worse than dead. Not like Hol Horse or J Greil cared though, this was a world that followed the law of the jungle, they didn't need to care about the weakling ants that got squashed on by bigger predators. They could go rot in some dumpster for all they cared… that, or let themselves be feasted on since that was the only other use that they had under their belts. Still though, even they didn't want to get on that woman's bad side, especially not with what they'd seen her do to those that try to usurp her power.
The man still got nightmares from the last time someone mouthed off to her.
He had to wonder what her next move would be. Like he mentioned previously, their little contingency plan will have informed her that they'd bought her all the time they could. Part of him figured that she'd probably be angry, cause that was largely what she had in droves. She usually had this furious look in her eyes, like she was one step away from going on a blood rage ad everyone around her would be her target, whether they were friend or foe.
Not to mention how she was a malicious and fanatical individual, unopposed to sacrificing her followers in order to achieve her goals. One could call her a complete devotee to the Chaos Gods, and by extension Overlord Momus. The Primary Chaos God that functioned as her patron however, was Khorne himself, and given Leanbox's rather… bloody history, that should come as no surprise. The Blood God would have a field day with this Nation, especially when he supplies her with powerful Demons to aid her in her cause.
Sometimes Hol Horse had been by her side whenever she seemingly 'communed' with the Chaos God she was devoted to, and from those times he would witness how portals, portals where Hol Horse dreaded finding out, would open and spit out legions of Demons for her plans. She'd been planning a major offensive with her Hordes of Chaos, summoning Legions, Warbands and gathering followers throughout Leanbox. He'd seen how she'd imbue their weapons by forcefully sealing the most violent and savage of Demonic beings within them, beings that she wouldn't have been able to handle otherwise, which resulted in enhancing the weapons' power and corrupting the weapons to their very core. Twisting them into the horrific nightmares that the Cultists, Chaos Champions and Warbands used in present times.
He'd lost count of how many Hellblades and other corrupted weapons that had been forged within this place. It was like a factory for supplying the Overlord Momus Faction, as well as the Chaos followers, with truly infernal means. The Basilicoms thought heresy was the Spec Ops Program, but they had no idea of what true heresy really was. At least, until they witnessed this shit.
Pure dread filled his mind at the thought of those weapons sinking into his flesh, something that had been proven possible and by the Goddess it STUNG like a fucking BITCH! The injuries that came from said weapons healed at practically a SNAIL's pace in comparison, erven slower than other Kagune! Never had he been more scared of something in his entire life, then those weapons at that moment.
In the end, Hol Horse could only pat himself on the back, for managing to hold them off enough to use the spell and get away in time. Now Nico and those broad will have to face her, and by the goddess he did not want to be around when that happened. Glancing over to J Greil, the man saw that his injuries looked to be finishing up, which made a small smirk form on his lips.
All this stuff had stressed him beyond all belief… it was time to let loose that frustration.
"Wow… you definitely had some interesting encounters." IF remarked with an impressed whistle. Her hands were placed within her Trench Coat as she regrouped with Tekken, MAGES. and Stefan, whom had accompanied her out of the Chamber of Suffering. Nico was right beside her, walking stride by stride with her as he told her what had happened while they were apart (abridged so she didn't know about Biko, of course). From the Urgent Quest, the encounter with the Demon Prince, up to the constant battles throughout Leoric's manor and the various underground levels, it sounded like the guy had seen a LOT of action today. It honestly amazed her how the teen looked like he could still keep going after all that bullshit. The brunette then sweat dropped while giving a weak smirk, her eyes shining with awkwardness as she noticed something… unique about his situation. "Seems like you're pulling a Nep in the attracting trouble department."
Nico could only chuckle in response, having taken off his Mask to showcase his facial expressions. He'd made sure to keep any confidential intel under wraps, like the crystal that he gave Compa and stuff to do with his mental issues. He'd rather not have that exposed right now, especially since they had bigger fish to fry. Thinking back on those previous battles, it was obvious that they had yet to face the big boss. Only then would they be able to take out this Dungeon once and for all, something that in his eyes, couldn't have come any sooner. He felt SO freaking ready to leave this hellhole and blow it sky high, these girls had no idea. Not only that, but he had to figure out a proper training schedule, one that incorporated re-training in his other side. That last battle had brought the point home for him, no longer could he afford to risk keeping it a secret when his comrades lives were in danger. He had to have the resolve to do what he had to do, the resolve that his adoptive mother had installed within him during training. "Yeah, you could say that again, though I have to admit…" his eyes shone with pride at that moment, his gaze falling onto her limbs with nothing but pride and approval in those light blue orbs of his. "That it won't be easy to measure how much pride and respect I have for you right now, IF. These mutations of yours seem quite powerful and versatile. Perfect for your true self." He complimented, giving her a thumbs up and a grin.
IF had to snort into her Trench Coat's left sleeve, a snort that turned into snarky laughter right afterwards at the gesture he made. "Hahaha, a thumbs-up signal? Really? Get with the times, dude…" she teased with a grin, lowering her sleeve once she found herself… at least reasonably calm. She had been aware that Nico wasn't the best at social conversations, heck just look at their past interactions. Most off them had been about 'the mission this, killing abnormal that', there were few times where he had no ground to base his conversation on. Nothing but social norms that is, something Nico was decidedly crap at, at least in his eyes. To her though, it just went to show how genuine he tried to be for everyone, how he always tried his best to be as honest as he could. Though by no means was she under the illusion that he had no secrets. Not with what Stefan had told her nor with what she had figured out about him either.
The way he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, trying to not meet her gaze and hide his flushed cheeks all but proved her thoughts about his awkwardness.
To think, she had been that way when he surprise hugged her out of nowhere. Heh, feels like payback for embarrassing her… though she tried not to think about it that way. It didn't seem right to condemn him for that. From what she witnessed in that moment, deep down Nico was just one big softie to those he cared about. Heck, it wasn't really that surprising to her, since how he behaved around Neptune and Compa. Plus, with his hidden prankster streak, it just went to show how childish he was down to his heart. Honestly, part of her couldn't help but exhale in relief at that, even with all the shit that Nico had seen in his lifetime, there was still part of him, albeit buried deep within his being, that could still be all childish and innocent. In times like this, stuff like that was considered all the more important.
Soon enough, the two regrouped with the others. Looking to the girls, Nico eyed them for any sign of injuries, any at all that could have been done by a stray Kagune strike or anything like that. Aside from how low MAGES. Mana reserves were, it looked like those two were A-Okay. Nico resisted the urge to exhale deeper than he had ever thought possible at this, with what he saw during those hallucinations, it was all he could do to restrain himself from hugging them as well. IF was fine she was someone he'd known for a while, but Tekken and MAGES. didn't have that familiarity. It would only end up embarrassing them all further.
"Well, looks like we're all here now." he remarked, glancing over to MAGES and Tekken, then to IF. The teen then noticed something when he looked at MAGES., his senses did anyways. "Hey MAGES., your Mana reserves seem larger than before, what happened?" he asked her, noticing that her reserves, which rivalled the size of a small puddle on a pathway, now seemed to be more like a small pond in size. Did she take an SP Charger while he wasn't looking? One of Tekkens? If so, she must really need it for her to be that desperate.
In response to his question, MAGES. gestured over to Stefan, whom was standing off to the side watching them interact. "You may thank the holy sword over there. His powers over the primordial domain of the heavens boosted my powers. I should be increasingly reliable for the upcoming battles thanks to his assistance." She explained.
Surprise soon crossed onto his features, before they returned to normal. Then, his eyes landed onto the sight of the wielder of Ashbringer, and thus, they promptly flew open in shock. Surprise, too, can't forget that, as Nico nearly lost control over his jaw at the sight of the lost Ostermark Captain. Quickly, he regained his composure, clearing his throat before he spoke with his Spec Ops professional tone. "Am I right to presume you are indeed Captain Stefan Von Kessel of the Ostermark Order?" He asked him, while mentally he deduced with Biko that he must have been captured by the Overlord Faction and brought here. It only made sense with how there were Demons in the ruined Mojang Village, how Stefan and his men disappeared there. Either captivity or death would have likely been their fates. While he'd been prepared for the worse, Nico couldn't help the relief flooding his system at this.
It felt quite good, not having the worst-case scenario for once.
Stefan eyed the teen for a moment through his helmet, before he nodded in response as he recognised the teen before him. "I am, and I assume that you must be the Spec Ops Agent DEATHSTROKE." He stated, getting a nod from Nico in return. "In that case, it's good that you are here, we have much to discuss. But first, you should check your armour Module, it's acting strange." he said, gesturing with Ashbringer to Nico's chest. The teen glanced down, noticing that his Armour Module was flashing Green. That meant his Armour was back to full capacity, so with a slight smirk the teen patted the Module firmly and deployed his Armour. 'Ahhhh, only temporarily not having armour is better than having none at all…' he thought to himself.
"Well, while we have a LOT of talking to do, sir, I don't think now would be the best time." Nico stated, having his Armour's helmet open its faceplates. This was the middle of a Dungeon, and this wasn't some videogame where the heroes would be safe discussing important information without fear of scripted villains eavesdropping on them. This was real life, and if Lastation had taught him anything, it was always to make sure you were in somewhere private for discussing sensitive intel. He got the feeling Stefan knew this, and the others should be somewhat aware as well given their backgrounds. MAGES. being a Magician who had to protect her research, Tekken who had to protect the secrets of her martial arts prowess, etc.
His eyes shone with stern seriousness, glancing over to the Chamber of Suffering. "I can sense a build-up of power residing within that place. Its large, enough to be a boss of sorts." He explained, frowning deeply. What Nico didn't say was that the energy was demonic in origin, and with the amount that he could sense, whoever wielded it would obviously have a LOT of power build up. Also, whose to say this was all the power they possessed? This mystery person could be suppressing their powers, but they were so large that they still spilled out. It happens sometimes when someone grows to that level.
Looking over to the Chamber of Suffering as well, IF narrowed her eyes as her senses, senses she'd honed to pick up demonic power thanks to all this combat against beings like these, also picked up the large energy within… and boy could she agree with him on the size department. "Yeah, I feel it too. Its big, way bigger than anything else we've faced in this place. It feels like…" Now she felt like she might get flak for this, but it was the best comparison she could think of at the moment, so no judging her! "It feels like its way larger than that of a CPU's. Like, like it could crush everything in this place at any moment." What she didn't say was that she too noticed that it was demonic in origin, like she'd mentioned in her monologue multiple lines ago her senses had been honed to pick stuff like this up. Chills crawled down her spine at the… sinister vibes she got from it. Nico and Stefan were right about this likely being a boss-type monster. "Don't like the feel of it though, feels kinda evil."
"It is as the Windwalker says." MAGES. interjected, getting the others to look at her while she kept her gaze on the Chamber. The way she held her staff so tightly in her grip, which looked strong and tense considering how they could see the veins from her hand as clear as crystal, definitely gave the others pause. Her eyes, they were nothing but stone cold, a stark indication of what ran through her head at this moment. Her eyes gazed upon th Chamber like it had committed a grave sin against her, and knowing how she felt about these things Nico didn't rule that possibility out. She then raised her Staff and pointed it towards the Chamber, the tip seemingly releasing faint wisps of focused Mana. "I can sense a great evil lurking within that Chamber. It has only just arrived however, but it seems to have something planned. The energy is calm, frightfully so, and it only appeared shortly after those two Ghouls vanished. This a coincidence, I think not."
That gave the others grim expressions, especially Nico and Stefan. Odds were, those two had the most experience with shit like this. The others would have had experiences with tough monsters before, but this felt like something else. IF would come closer than the others to the experiences they had, considering how she was a Candidate for the Spec Ops Program, however she hadn't seen even a spec of the shit that these two had seen. After all, there's a big difference between Spec Ops and Guild Agents.
Meanwhile, the two couldn't help but worry about the cause of this energy. Rebellion and Ashbringer respectively trembled on their spots on their respective wielders' backs, one in nervousness while the other trembled in eager anticipation for a tough opponent. It should be pathetically obvious which was which at this point. Still, to cause such strong reactions from their sentient weapons, that alone made them realise that this enemy would be one of their most dangerous foes yet. Probably on par with the CPUs or even high tier Abnormals in the worst-case scenario. Going by wat they'd seen so far: deranged Cultists, mad Warbands, legions of bloodthirsty demons. Both wielders glanced behind them at their respective weapons, taking in their reactions. Hell, for Nico he even felt Ebony and Ivory trembling just as much as Rebellion.
'Nico, it seems this enemy will be powerful enough to warrant the use of your DPU Powers.'
Biko suddenly cut into his thoughts, snapping them up and discarding them without mercy.
Nico, however, didn't show much of a reaction considering how used to this he was at this point. 'Really? That bad?' he thought, projecting his concern for this upcoming battle through their link. He received grim acknowledgement through the link in return.
'Indeed. However, since DDD is not active yet, it would be wise to use one of the abilities that has become available to us. When you face off against this enemy, hold out your hand and try to imagine yourself as I you were summoning a ball of Hellfire like we practiced. Believe me, the results will be worth it.'
'I don't suppose you'll give me any hints as to what that might be?'
'I don't believe you really wish for me to do that, as you wish to discover these yourself.'
'…Good point.'
Big part of his ideals was self-independence. Nico firmly believed that in order to become truly strong, one had to have the strength to back it up. Not just strength though, but independence, strong will, and the guts to keep going even as one is getting beaten down by life's obstacles. In a world like this one where ones' strength determined their ability to survive, this ideology only fit perfectly. That was why, while he could accept Biko informing him about specific abilities being available, with a few short and vague explanations here and there (mostly because Biko was simply another part of him, so it would stand to reason that he was simply helping himself just like with that white copy), Nico would rather discover the abilities he had himself, to showcase how he wasn't someone who overly relied on others to do everything for him. It was a major part of who he was as a person, how he came to be that person.
His thoughts became broken once again, but this time they didn't get broken because of his demon persona, nor was it because of the White Copy of him whose presence Nico could feel in the forefront of his mind. "Well then, why are we just standing around here for?" Tekken questioned as she pumped her fists in front of her, as if mimicking her battle stance. Her eyes shined with a gleam that only those who liked combat could understand: the look of someone who enjoyed fighting strong opponents. "The enemy won't just wat for us, so let's strike while the iron's hot!"
"Pretty sure that's not exactly how the expression goes…" IF remarked, taking her hands out her pockets while Tekken merely shrugged nonchalantly. Though the excitement in her eyes still persisted. She could tell. The brunette had her pegged since day one, as someone who enjoyed the thrill of the fight, especially when she heard how she… reacted to getting his. (She still wanted to know how that happened, or at least get a definite answer out of her as to the cause) "But you have a point, no sense wasting away out here, we should go inside, but keep an eye out for traps. Who knows what awaits us down there."
The rest of them nodded in agreement, with Nico swiftly closing his Helmet's faceplates after IF's speech. He couldn't detect any enemies save for the one inside, so it definitely felt like the final boss encounter in a dungeon crawl. Still though, they'd best be cautious, there was no telling what the enemy had in store for them in there. IF and Stefan maybe, the brunette having told the male about how she fought in there for a short while before hearing the sounds of his fight against the Ghouls outside.
With that, the party headed inside the Chamber of Suffering.
"Huh, so this is the Chamber of Suffering, huh?"
Inside the Chamber, Nico and the others walked to the centre of the platform that IF and Stefan had been fighting on for a while. The scorching heat, combined with the way that Lava looked like it would devour them slowly if they so much as grazed it, definitely gave its name some accuracy. He could imagine it now, how victims would be strung up in cages then lowered into the lava just enough so that their deaths would be slow and painful. Just when they were about to die, they would be lifted out from it for potions and other healing items to be forced down them to heal the damage. Rinse, repeat, victory. Not something he wanted to think about anymore, so let's stop there.
The teen had to admit this to the rest of them as his head swerved about, taking in everything. "This definitely fits the bill, I'd say."
Tekken shuddered despite the abnormally high temperature. She rubbed her arms up and downwards, trying to stave off the Goosebumps forming on them. "This place really reeks of death alright, I can just hear the souls of the deceased crying out in torment." She remarked, looking about warily. Despite her earlier bravado, this place still had the ability to disturb her with its appearance. She doubted anything would change that, but then again it would be wise not to tempt fate.
Goddess knows how that would turn out.
IF and Stefan however, didn't look as disturbed as the rest of them, save for Nico but hey was that even a surprise anymore? Since the former two had seen this before when they fought on their blood frenzy, the sight didn't have the same impact on them, though judging by their expressions it seemed that they'd rather have not seen this place again. "Yeah, this place definitely gives you the creeps doesn't it?" the brunette remarked, hands on her hips as she regarded everything.
The Mad Magician looked throughout the air, muttering some inaudible words to herself, though Nico could hear them just fine, same with IF thanks to their enhanced hearing. Though, they quickly attributed it to runic language since they couldn't understand a word of what she was saying. "I sense that there is a great build-up of demonic power here. Someone powerful has arrived here, and odds are they are after us." She warned them, getting nods from the others. They wouldn't have come here if they weren't prepared to face danger, and if they were honest, then IF and Nico would admit that they had a few bones to pick with the one responsible for all this.
Stefan's eyes focused on the lava beneath them however, remembering how annoying that was back when they were here last. "Be wary, this platform can be engulfed in seas of fire at any time thanks to the Magma. Apparently, some areas can be heated up to such a state at random, though I do not know how."
"It appears to be runic in nature." MAGES observed as she gestured with her Staff to the centre of the Platform. Her Magician's eyes showed her things that non-mages wouldn't have noticed, such as runes carved into the platform in some demonic style of beauty. Kind of like weaving clot, only the demonic variant. "It seems that we are at a disadvantage. Those Runic enchantments must store up heat within them, then use the heat to set certain parts of the platform on fire, then drain the heat from them to restore the areas to their previous state." she deduced, her eyes dancing along the various runes she could see while memorising and analysing each one's function. All in all, while crude the designer of this runic enchantment had done a fairly good job. They may belong to the enemy, but the Mad Magician had to acknowledge their skill in this craft. "it appears to be at random as well, like you two previously assumed, and does not allow us much breathing room."
'Well, that sounds convenient, doesn't it?' Nico couldn't help but think to himself with as much sarcasm as he could muster. He could hear Biko humming in agreement within his mind… as well as his white self, whining about how cheap those tricks were in his eyes. Though, Biko and him did what they could to ignore him. 'What are the odds that the one who designed those runes is a total sadist who jacks off to people's suffering?'
Biko didn't grace him with a response, which basically spoke for itself.
"I see you all have arrived. Finally."
Just then, a feminine voice broke through the silence, slicing through the air like blades as it echoed throughout the space around them. Almost like it was coming from everywhere but nowhere at the same time. It made the group tense up instantly from the malice and sinister vibes from it, shivers travelling down their spines like a stampede from every syllable uttered. Not just that, but there were some… demonic-sounding undertones to the voice, like it was being possessed by something of said nature. Just hearing that voice alone sparked a sense of danger that no ordinary being could muster within them. This, this felt… wrong, unnaturally so. Just hearing that voice made them want to eradicate the one owning it just top erase the stain on nature itself from existence, making everything pure again. Not only that, but it filled them with a primal sense of fear, even Nico had an explosion of fear erupt within his chest when hearing that voice.
'Th-That voice… could it be?!'
Despite the feelings invoked by that voice, it didn't stop their natural instincts honed from constant exposure to violent Demonic entities and their deranged, borderline psychotic, Cultist followers. Everyone swiftly got into battle stances, Tekken her Martial Arts one, while the others drew their weapons. Stefan with Ashbringer, MAGES. with her Staff, IF shifting her arms into dual Axammers, and Nico drawing both Ebony and Ivory. Each of them got into a circle, their backs facing each other as to cover any possible means of flanking them. Everyone kept an eye out for the source of the voice, though that source couldn't be found at the moment.
For a time, everything became silent, save for the crackling of the fiery embers from the Magma beneath the platform. There was nothing else, for a seemingly eternal moment, like the blessed virgin Mary praying within the embrace of a pool of darkness. The lack of sound, save for the previously mentioned one as well as the near inaudible breathing of the others, created a thick and terribly ominous atmosphere. It felt almost like it was trying to choke the breath out of them or something, given how they could hardly breathe even with some of them having innate abilities for these situations.
Eventually though, one of them became fed up with all this tension.
"Okay, where the fuck are you?!" Nico called out to he atmosphere around them, his eyes glancing about erratically for any signs of attack. Ambushes and surprise attacks weren't that uncommon in the real world, and in this particular Dungeon there'd been more of those than he had hair strands. It didn't help that his Devil Arms Rebellion, Ebony and Ivory were sending him their irritation for not seeing their enemy yet in large radar-like waves. Made keeping in control over his emotions all the more difficult, it did. "Come out and show yourself already!"
A dark, sinister chuckle resounded throughout the Chamber, causing ripples to go straight through the atmosphere. The ambient demonic power that MAGES. had sensed almost mimicked its master's actions by how it contorted and rippled, according to those that could sense it, as if it had a will of its own that was merely an extension of its master's own wicked one. While that happened, the air around them intensified tenfold, and they could just FEEL the sinister gaze of their unseen enemy looming over them like a shadowy wraith prepared to claim its next victim.
That's when it happened.
In one moment there had been a tense peace. The next, an ominous, overbearing presence, one that just oozed endless bloodlust, demented insanity and near psychotic levels of madness, just appeared right on his mental radar. Not even his Bracers or his senses detected anything until right at.
That.
Moment.
His lone uncovered eye widened to the size of a dinner plate while his pupil shrank to dot size, trembling violently while the maddening presence seemed so… CLOSE to him. Like, right by his ear, looming over him not unlike how a certain white version of him would be like whenever he made an appearance. Though, not physically which was the sole difference between this presence and him.
The presence's hot breath travelled down his neck, releasing crimson vapours while sending trembling cold shivers down his spine.
"Very well, then, BOY. It will amuse me to see you suffer myself, for your transgressions against us."
BANG!
Nico reacted instantly, spinning around and pulled Ivory's trigger, firing at the presence's head. Itchy trigger anyone? If he were under more of a composed mental state, he would have fired without turning, no need to waste unnecessary movements after all. But hey, he'd been startled goddamnit! It usually took a LOT to catch Nico off guard, as that was how he'd trained himself with his mentor. Keep a level head so he could figure things out. However, with everything that had happened so far, and the emotional baggage he had yet to sort, well, his mind wasn't exactly at 100%.
However, to that end the Presence merely chuckled and vanished without a trace…
Not without being seen by the rest of the Party though.
"Whoa!"
"TCH!"
"Kya!"
"The hell?! Has the denizens of the underworld gained a new champion?!"
Those had been IF, Stefan, Tekken and MAGES. reactions in a nutshell, and if Nico hadn't reacted first then they would have likely done the same as he'd done. All the while the presence just simply laughed her evil laugh. Her laugh seemingly came from everywhere around them, until dark crimson smoke rose from the ground to their left flank. The smoke condensed into a cocoon once it reached about over 6 foot 2. From there, the smoke proceeded to condense, forming a solid feminine shape, then an actual person.
In the end, a woman floated before them with a sinister smirk on her features. A woman that Nico and Stefan recognised right away just from a single look. The woman was one who had very pale white skin, almost Albino. She had a bald head, not a spec of hair on her, with clear grey eyes. From her head, protruded 2 long, thick horns reminiscent to that of a Bloodletter's. She was draped in what looked like a dress and headdress, though the energies of Khorne and his Demons turned what probably used to be elegance, into pure wicked evil. Its colours were crimson, orange and black, the signature colours of the Blood God. The Dress had a mix of fabric and armour in its design, while the Skirt opened at both the front and back, showing off her armoured knee-high boots. Inside the dress's interior, one can see the reddish orange hues that Khorne's Demons wield as their own. Her arms were covered by crimson fabric forearm-length gloves that wrapped around the base of her middle fingers, covered by black forearm guards. From the backs of her shoulders, two wings each protruded, making a total of 4. They were made from noting but bone, but there was crimson-orangish energies crackling through them, somehow creating a gravitational field that allowed her to hover above the ground. Each wing was at least half her height, with each finger ending in pointed tips.
"Looks like it really is you. I thought I recognised you from all this…" Nico snarled, his lone uncovered eye narrowing in a blaze of primal fury. "How did you survive from back then… MAGHDA?!"
Chapter end!
"Whew! Things are heating up now, now that the final boss of this mini arc has made her plays!
If you're a diablo fan, you should have sen this coming, but it's Maghda herself! The witch that lead a coven of witches for the lord of lies in diablo ore: Belilial. She'll have plenty of stuff revolving around her, but how the heck does Nico know her? What's their connection? Well, you'll jsut have tio wait and find out.
For now though, be content with this Special Event here. Now, something you guys ought to know, instead of just limiting them to character interactions, i'm going to be using them for much more than that, as you may have seen in the second most recently made special event with the lore around Ganache and Umbrella. I'm going to be making some to expand on certain topics that I feel aren't relevant to be included in the min story, but can still be learned for world-building purposes. Think of them as like those books in Skyrim where they talk about these heroes of old and you go fight them in their crypts to take their possessions as your own.
So, when you see a Special event, it will be either about the characters interactions with each other, normal everyday stuff really, or world building on different subjects. This fic's greatest vocal point for me, at least so far, is the LORE revolving through it. It's got so much about it to learn and explore, to the point where i can see why Falcom would try to be an adventurer to see it all.
Without further ado though, let's get on with the special event, shall we?
Special Event - Devil Arms biography
"You wish to learn about the various Devil Arms in your possession?"
Biko asked this of the main aspect after the two decided to take a break from training. The two were located in the center of the Coliseum where craters dotted the landscape, and the stands looked like they had been hit with boulders in many places. It looked like the aftermath of a siege from the inside or something similar, though to those two it would be fixed by the time they return to train once more.
Still, Nico wanted to make use of this break to get some information about the Devil Arms, the weapons that he commanded with his will. The weapons that latch onto his soul and live off his energy in exchange for him wielding their power. Even after learning their names and discovering that they each held their own abilities, Nico still felt like he had so much left to learn. These were demonic, sentient weapons after all, so there must be MUCH that he didn't know about them. Knowledge and wisdom was a vital tool on the battlefield after all, something his mentor as well as his fighting against the Coalition back in Lowee taught him all too well.
Biko's eyes remained stern as they gazed at him for a tough, tense moment, before they closed as he gave a relenting sigh, uncrossing his arms from the front of his chest. "Very well, it would be beneficial for you to learn all there is about Devil Arms, And with how much has happened, I can safely say that we have a LOT of revision to do."
The moment he said that, the man raised a right hand and clicked his fingers, the two vanishing from the coliseum and reappearing at the front of the Library. Nico eyed the structure intently, the structure that he had been warned to stay away from by his demon persona. Various feelings swelled within his chest as he stared at it, though the key one he felt would be anxiety. The place which house not just his knowledge, but also his memories, including the ones that he forgot. If Biko hadn't warned him Nico could definitely see himself going inside there and trying to see what he could find. Though, he would also admit to stopping just short of opening the door since personal experiences told him just how bad messing with amnesiacs really was. Not just physically but also on the mind as well. Bad things happen to those who force their minds to recall something it wasn't ready to.
"When I said it represents your knowledge, and how it wasn't completely accurate, I was not lying. As I am part of you, everything I learn is also recorded and stored in here." Biko told him, making Nico hum in understanding. That made sense, if Biko was a part of him and the library stored things that he knew, then it would make sense to assume the same applied o whatever Biko knew. "Sit. I will retrieve the knowledge that you require from the Library." Biko told him, and the teen did so, sitting cross legged on the ground while mentally he couldn't help but be baffled by the experience. Sitting in an outside classroom of sorts wasn't something that happened often, especially with how shifty the weather could get.
Still though, Nico sat patiently as Biko held his hand out towards the Spire. Nico wondered what he was doing, it didn't look like this place had any doors or anything resembling an entrance so how would one get inside? His answer came to him seconds later, when a bright magic circle appeared on the Library, and from it a series of books floated out of it and flew through the air to the space around Biko's head. They circled him there, bobbing up and down like a ship on an ocean, while opening themselves up to the man.
Soon enough, he looked to be finished with them as he made them float behind them while turning back to the other male. "Alright, now, we shall begin." Biko told him, clearing his throat. "Devil Arms, like I said long ago, are physical manifestations of demonic foes defeated in battle. However, to expand on this they are also the souls of the demons that you kill, solidified into the physical world, hence that is why they are separates them from normal weaponry, as you may have suspected, and are incredibly difficult to destroy. If they were hit by an atomic bomb dead on, they would only take minor scratches. Devil Arms primarily work with demonic energy, feeding off it to sustain themselves otherwise they will go berserk and eventually evaporate out of existence. However, with what we know from Tekken's case, they can create substitute energies for them to absorb instead if the host does not have any demonic power, or as I learned moments after, gradually taint the host';s energy with it's own to make their energy more suitable. In your case, you yourself were a candidate for becoming a DPU, although you were unaware of it at the time. That alone made your SP unique, as well as edible for the Devil Arms, leading to your easier time using them. They make sure to take care of their hosts otherwise they will die, for the lives of the wielder and weapon are intertwined. If the weapon is destroyed, its essence recedes inside the host's soul to rebuild its physical form. It will let the soul of its wielder know when it is ready to return, and thus they will be able to call on it once more. The time frame for this however, differs depending on the Devil Arm."
Nico frowned to himself as he took this information in. "What happens if the host dies then? Does the Devil Arm..."
"When the host dies, so does the Devil Arm." Biko announced seriously, causing Nico to go wide eyed. The teen summoned Rebellion from his Void Storage, one of the more basic of his many Devil Arms before placing it on his lap and staring down at it. The idea that it could be destroyed if he died was, well, something he didn't think about. "Their lives are intertwined, due to the Devil Arms latching onto the user's soul. Being a Devil Arm is a serious undertaking, for those that do are, in all sense of the word, on life support. Parasites. They cannot live without a host to house their essence. Therefore, if they find a worthy wielder, they can possess and control that wielder and make them do their bidding. However, like with you they can be controlled instead, eliminating the possibility of possession. However, it is very difficult for one to control a Devil Arm, it is essentially like trying to reign in a bunch of hormonal rampaging teenagers addicted to high grade drugs. Or trying to convince an arrogant tyrant that their ways are wrong. Thus, it takes considerable willpower to keep them in line. The fact that you, Nico, wield several Devil Arms and have not lost yourself is almost unheard of, and a testament to your mental fortitude."
Well, Nico could see that. Although flattered by the compliment, something he made known by the sheepish look on his face as he looked to the sandy ground below, he also could see how that would be considered a big deal. He remembered when he first got Rebellion, Alastor, Ebony and Ivory. Harvester wasn't part of the set originally, he'd only found this weapon after a certain incident involving the undead, a sealed Abnormal, a Witch and a town. Nevertheless, when he first got those weapons, the teen had felt like he was constantly carrying multi story building sized weights over his shoulders every second of the day. It took all that he'd got just to keep his professional demeanor in front of the other Agents, but his adoptive mother wouldn't be fooled. She'd almost blew up like an atomic bomb on him when she found out what had happened to him. The strain on his body had been that great, but the strain on his mind? Oh, that had been a thousand times worse, like his brain had been gripped by a cobra coiling tightly around its prey, threatening to crush his brain into a liquefied mess, combined with this icy cold sensation that made Lowee's climate feel more like a summer camp in comparison. He had almost fallen to the strain more than once during his trip back to civilization, but it had been through sheer willpower that he'd maintained himself. That strain got even harder when he got Harvester, like those stacking debuffs in those RPG video-games, but over time he had been able to adapt top the burden, co-existing with it. That had made it slightly easier, but he would never forget those initial moments.
Biko hummed to himself, getting Nico's attention as he began speaking something else. Something that honestly drew the teen in like a magnet. "Now, Devil Arms indeed originated within the DPU Era. Back then, Demons and DPUs ruled supreme over the humans in that time, and it was firmly established that no human could overpower a demon. Not only thanks to the physical differences, but humans beck then were like infants in terms of combat prowess, energy reserves, the works... at least, by demon standards. By no means were humans were weak, as even back then they had powerful creatures unlike those of current society to contend with for territory and resources. Normal monsters by the way." Biko said, while raising a hand to stop Nico, who looked about to open his mouth, but stopped when he saw Biko's gesture. "Their base monsters were the equivalent of the Abnormals we face today. That should give you an estimate as to how strong they were. But, there was a whole plane of distance between their strength and that of a demon's. An entire Kingdom's worth of forces would only take down one of the lesser demons, that was how the difference between them was."
Yeah... that DEFINITELY pained a rather dark picture. Demons were naturally powerful beings, powerful enough to give the Goddesses a run for their money Hell, just fighting the lesser versions had been tough for Neptune, and she had been in her HDD form. He himself was alright, considering his DPU powers helped him even the playing field, and that the Demon Prince had been focused more on him, but the way it jus dismissed her like it did, like she wasn't even worth the effort... It was either really stupid or it had strength way beyond hers. After fighting it though, Nico found himself willing to bet it was the latter, especially when he had to resort to his hidden weapon to defeat it. But, that just begged the question: How the hell did the humans survive with so much against them? That would probably bee a mystery that would remain unsolved... at least mostly, giving the expression that his demon persona was making.
"However, an incident happened one day and changed the balance between humans and demons drastically. One human, during a conflict with a demon who'd caused the human much grief in the past, got lucky and managed to score a critical hit on the Demon he'd been fighting. The human had done it through the use of the demon's own weapon, which was a Hellblade, of which he had only gotten by sheer chance. Yet, it was that chance that changed things forever. That demon died, but before it could return to the non-physical plane to reform, its rage at the one who defeated it had become so great that its soul tried to possess the human, to overtake it's foe's will and use the human's body as a vessel. However, the Demon underestimated the Human's willpower, and because of that it's soul became subjugated by the human, manifesting its power as a weapon that the human used to great effect. The world's first Devil Arm."
Taking a slight breath, Biko paused his lecture for a moment, letting it sink in, before he continued. "Afterwards, other cases of humans becoming able to use Devil Arms occurred, Demons turning into weapons that they used for their own gain. Back then, the human's will t survive had ben much greater than current generation humans, their willpower being born from constant struggle to survive as a species in an era filled with beasts that could cause mass genocide of their ranks without even so much as blinking an eyelash. Unfortunately, There were so very few who managed to succeed where this one human had done so, and many humans joined the demonic ranks as mindless entities, hell-bent on nothing but their own instincts. Those that survived and overcame the Demonic Souls to use their powers would remain hidden from society, only emerging when absolutely necessary for fear of being outcasted. Whenever their homes were threatened by zealous Demons or arrogant DPUs who thought they could have some fun with them for some time, these people would appear to challenge them. Devil Arms, in those moments, would prove to be just as lethal, if not more so, than the foes they fought, for at base strength they rivalled that o the demonic forms they once took. Therefore, their base strength always varied. However, through training and absorbing demonic souls, these weapons grew in power, gaining new abilities to make them even deadlier on the battlefield."
"Now, there are several methods to controlling a Devil Arm, the first being Subjugation." Biko spoke once more while waiting for Nico to finish his mental thoughts. The two were connected, so he could still hear them even in the inner world. "Subjugation is where one imposes their will over the Devil Arm after it tries to kill them and take their bodies for its own means. Most of which revolve around chaos, death and destruction. Those are the things that excite demons the most, you see. Normally, humanity would NEVER have a strong enough willpower to subjugate a Devil Arm, for their wills would be too powerful, too vast. It's like trying to compress a raging hurricane within a wine glass, nigh impossible. However, the nigh impossible isn't impossible, as there have been humans who have the mental fortitude to dominate the Devil Arms, earning the right too wield their power. Despite this being one of the most dangerous means, it is also the most fruitful. Devil Arms respect those with strength, the strength to do what needs to be done, the strength of one's resolve. They follow the laws of the jungle, therefore if they are proven to that their wielder is strong enough both in mind and soul, then they will follow that person to the ends of the earth. Not even caring about their limited lifespans. It has been recorded that a Devil Arm and Wielder could potentially live forever if their compatibility is high enough, for in those cases Devil Arms act like life supports to their hosts, keeping them in their prime with their power."
Now THAT got his attention, a shudder travelling down Nico's spine as he gazed down at Rebellion once again. Memories of Alastor flowed into Nico's mind when he heard that, no matter how many times he heard that word he would always think back to that moment. The moment that he first found that sword, impaled in the chest of some corpse he had no care for. It hadn't been that long since he first found Rebellion, Ebony and Ivory, just a moment or so actually, but he would never forget it. It just stood there, diagonally angled yet possessing a prideful appearance that just screamed otherworldly to him. It reminded him of when his adoptive mother would don her Armour and completely change everything about her presence. Nico hadn't thought much of it at first, but the sword shook when he was near, as if responding to his presence. He swore he heard a voice in his head just seconds before the sword launched itself out of the corpse and into his chest, lightning sparks roaring from the point of impact while Nico felt something try to usurp its will over his own. It had felt so... ancient, so powerful, so... eldritch, like it only let him fight against it just for its own amusement before cracking down on his mind. That had been one of the few times that he'd felt fear, the fear of being devoured by another predator. However, back then he had quickly quashed that fear and turned it into resolve, refusing to let a blade dominate him, an apex predator, before grasping the hilt and pulling the blade out of his chest It had released one last lightning attack and then became silent, submissive.
That had been one of the most heart-pounding moments in his entire life. Not even Abnormals or his Mentor could install such fear in him like the Devil Arms did.
But still... he'd did it, he'd subjugated them and ever since thy had been his faithful servants, his weapons-in-arms throughout the many battle she'd had with them. While they didn't show their powers till that Hellverse Dungeon, the fact remained that they didn't attempt too take him over, and let him wield their power without repercussions.
If he had been a normal mortal and subjugated Alastor... would he have gained eternal life from that thing as well? Would he have been destined for the life of an immortal?
A shudder traveled down his spine at the thought.
"Another method is combat itself, a simple enough procedure. The wielder must defeat the demon on combat, killing it to prove his or her strength. Thus, the soul inside the creature will recognize that a potential wielder is within the vicinity and will try to possess them, latching onto their souls permanently while taking over. If the host 's will is strong enough they can resist and dominate the Devil Arm, rendering it unable to possess them and reducing them to the role of a servant to the host. No matter what the method is however, Devil Arms will NOT follow a wielder who is weak of body or mind, they must have both otherwise they will take over and reduce the host t a demonic entity no better than a walking corpse. You and I have experiences with that type of beast." Biko explained, giving Nico a pointed gaze to which he knew all too well what his demon persona was talking about.
Images of Racoon City, Hellverse and OTHER instances of him encountering the undead came to mind.
"What happens if someone else tries to use a Devil Arm that is already wielded by someone else?"
Biko expected that question, and had an answer already for him. "It won't work for one, the Devil Arm will return to the rightful wielder's side. Not only that, but it will cause severe damage to those that do, potentially fatal. They will only acknowledge those that have passed its test, anyone else is just another body to cut open or smash to dust to them. Killing the original wielder won't be any better either because like I said, the Devil Arm is essentially a Demonic soul on life support. If it loses that support then the soul vanishes from existence, no exception. While Devil Arms value strength above all else, they also value strong loyalty o those that prove themselves. They will stick with their wielders through thick and thin, never leaving their side. They may get... rowdy, from time to time, however once they see that their wielder is worthy they will not listen to any other. Devil Arms may be troublesome to handle, but the benefits far outweigh the cons."
Well, that certainly answered that question. Nico gulped at the thought of what damage any of his weapons could do if someone else tried to use them, or even worse someone like Neptune saw one lying about and got the SPLENDID idea of picking them up. Only to suffer a fate that, according to Biko, would be downright traumatizing to anybody. Seriously, those who were into SXM were slowly losing their fear factor for him, these Devil Arms seemed like the scariest bad-asses around the block. Though, the parts about their loyalty drew his attention to Rebellion like a magnet, a small mile forming on his lips as he felt a new sense of camaraderie with the Devil Arms. Strength and Loyalty were 2 of the greatest things Nico valued in this world. Strength of both body and mind the resolve to do what must be done, and also the loyalty to one's own ideals, as well as their brethren. Find those trustworthy, and Nico would stick by them even jumping into the pits of hell to show his loyalty.
To know that these weapons, despite being rowdy like a bunch of rebellious teenagers, had similar values to him despite their rather demanding influences on his body, definitely raised his fondness for them by large margin. It felt like these weapons were specifically made for him and him alone, that was how deep the connection he felt between them was.
A good warrior was only as good as the equipment he sported...
And Nico felt like he had a DAMN GOOD set of gear in his arsenal.
"Wow..."
"Indeed. Now, the break time has ended. It is now time we resume training."
"Alright, let's go."
With that, the two vanished back to the coliseum for more training.
