A leaping stomp was followed by a claw strike. A second strike was followed by a flaming bite. A roar was followed by a fireball. Vovin kept up his assault, Lilith's champion refusing to let up as Velgroth kept dodging, raising his shield to keep both limbs and fangs and flames away from him. He tried throwing his crossblade and lost his focus as the dragon tried to devour him. The demon jumped back, gaining some distance as the dragon turned, a tail swipe kicking up dirt and debris as Velgroth was blinded for a moment. The claw swipe that followed hit home, knocking him back and towards a wall. He rolled to regain his footing and saw the dragon charge him, raising his shield to take the blunt of the charge as he tried hunkering down.

Vovin pulled back, raised a claw and brought it down to try flattening the demon only for him to disappear and reappear some paces behind him.

Velgroth clad his warped crossblade in hellfire, before throwing the weapon, yet even with the infernal enchantment, the weapon barely scratched the dragon's armored hide as it traveled up its back and up its head.

"That armor…" Noah muttered. "Just how tough is it?" He asked. "I've seen Empyrean armor before, but… that durability… it's unnatural."

"It has been warped by the flames of his hatred." Samael whispered in what seemed to be annoyance. "It's the same as that created by the dark prince himself."

Noah looked towards the Blood Prince in veiled curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Ah so you don't know." Samael made a noise. "Lucifer wields the same Empyrean weapon he did back before he 'fell from grace'."Samael began. "However, as he fell, that blade became twisted into something else - a manifestation of his hatred and power." The Blood Prince stated. "The same can be said for Vovin's armor."

"So that's it…" Noah muttered as he returned his gaze to the fight. "Can the same be said for the weapons and armor of the other Fallen?"

"Of course." Asmodia stated. "Though their 'grade' is certainly varied, they all carry their twisted armaments. It is a part of them after all, not to mention a reminder of what they had lost in their failed rebellion."

"I see." Noah muttered as he made a face and returned to the battle at hand. "What grade is Vovin's armor?"

"I'd say it's pretty high up there." Asmodia stated. "Not nearly as high as Lucifer's but still pretty high up there."

"Does Velgroth know that?"

"Of course." Samael admitted as he returned to his drink.

"If that's the case then why would he…" Noah paused, before seeming to think. "He's a sacrifice."

Earth

London, England

She needed to rest. That was the only thought that ran through Galahad's mind as she settled down, her back to a wall as she raised her hands to her face and cupped it for a moment. 'Breathe.' She told herself as she did just that. 'Breathe.' She thought again as she raised her head and dragged her hands across her face. "Galahad?" Looking up the knight just took another breath as she lowered her hands.

"Tristan." She greeted as she saw her fellow knight remove his helmet. "How might I be of service?"

"Winston told me what happened earlier." Tristan muttered as he settled down next to her. "I wanted to know if you were alright."

"I'm not." Galahad confessed. "But I am doing better." She admitted. "The longer I'm outside of combat the better I'm starting to feel."

"I see." The knight muttered as he took a breath and looked around. In a moment of respite thet knights of the Round table had already set about putting up what would act as one of their camps. It wasn't much yet, but it would still act as a place of rest and respite. Someplace they could retreat to when they needed a moment to breathe. He reached for a water bottle, passed it to Galahad as she stared at it for a moment. "Thirsty?"

"Yes." She muttered in gratitude, taking the drink and downing what she could for a moment before taking a needed breath. "Thank you." She whispered as she stared down the rest of the clear liquid and seemed to think. Though about what at the moment, that was up for debate. "Damn it."

"What troubles you?"

"I don't even know." Galahad muttered as she took another drink before staring off into space.

"Well, isn't that a first?" He mused as he ran a hand through his charcoal black hair. "Usually you know exactly what is bothering you."

"Yes." Galahad didn't bother to deny it. "Perhaps there's just too many things bothering me right now."

"Perhaps." Tristan muttered. "It's going to be a long month." He said after a while. "And should we get through this one, the next will no doubt await us."

"Do you think we can win?"

"We have to." Tristan remarked. "We don't have a choice, too much is riding on us if we fail."

"That's a good point." Galahad muttered before falling silent. Without another word she took another drink of her water. "Where will we head to next?"

"As soon as we're rested up we're moving towards sector 12."

"Good." Galahad muttered as she finished her water and seemed to think for a moment. Getting to her feet she seemed to stretch for a moment before looking back at Tristan. "I'm going to patrol the perimeter."

"Must you?"

"Just sitting still with everything going on is quite bothersome you know." Galahad muttered. "I need to move around." Picking up her sword the knight walked away, heading away from their makeshift camp as Tristan watched her.

Heading towards the perimeter Galahad took a minute to look around, her helmet lighting up as she put it back on and started walking around. "It's quiet." She muttered to herself. She didn't like how quiet it was right now.

It shouldn't have gotten this quiet so soon.

One month of demons falling as they had, yet the knights had only been mobilized for a few short days and now they were just… gone?

"It can't be that easy." Galahad muttered as she continued walking. "Where are they hiding?" She asked. "And exactly why are they hiding from us?" She'd read the old texts, and listened to the old stories. She knew how the old, forgotten wars with Hell had gone. She knew how the spawn of the Dark realm would come like the waves of a violent ocean. She knew of the Demon Masters and how they would guide their legions across the land.

…

Stopping, the Knight felt her thoughts focus on something in particular.

Where where the Demon Masters?

Where were the ones leading the Dark Prince's armies?

Now, she wasn't foolish enough to believe that they would appear after a few days worth of effort, but she knew they had to be somewhere. She knew that they had to be settled somewhere, some place that they claimed as their personal seat of power.

Looking around the Round Table Knight stepped towards the skies, her attention quickly turning to see they were clear. She turned towards one of the streets to see it gradually giveaway to the demonic growth that she knew of as the Hellgrowth.

Would this road lead towards a Demon master? She doubted it, still she knew her people would head down those twisted roads soon. Clenching a fist though, the knight prepared to head down the road herself, her bloodlust already rising at the prospect of finding something to hunt. So raising a hand to her helmet the knight opened comms. "Tristan."

"Galahad, what is it?"

"I'm going forward for a bit, theres something I feel a need to check out."

"Hold tight, I'll send a company to support."

"Theres no need for that." The knight stated. "It's safer if I go alone." She muttered. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Tristan said nothing for a moment, but she was certain she heard him sigh.

"Alright… but Galahad, be careful alright."

"I will." She cut comms not long after that as she started off, running down the slowly terraforming streets in search of something.

Tokyo, Japan

The faceless one kept moving, not even bothering to stop their charge as they continued carving through the masses. They didn't bother counting how many they had already cut down - nor would they start any time soon.

They just needed to move.

Just needed to keep swinging their sword until everything in their path disappeared from sight.

They swung their sword, and cut another demon down.

They threw their needles and made limbs go numb.

Even the sheath was a weapon of sorts. It's from breaking bones and punching holes through demon's skulls.

Faceless kept killing, kept striking down everything that came near them as they moved forward.

"Get out of my way." The Faceless one muttered looking at the horde that was still coming their way before making a tsking noise. Sheathing their sword, Faceless stepped back as the horde continued their approach. With a deep breath they went low before charging forward, blurring across the street before coming to a stop behind the demons and swiped their sword to wipe a bit of blood off of it before sheathing it. Behind them dozens of bodies fell apart, limbs and torsos hitting the ground as the street finally fell silent.

Placing their hand on the back of their head the Faceless one cracked their neck before making a noise and walked on. "How annoying." They muttered as they walked on, attention focusing on their surroundings, finding themselves knee deep in the Hellgrowth infestation. "Either case, I shouldn't be too far off now."