Homura had never been the most social of people.
Spending most of one's youth in a hospital and then a lifetime's worth of time focused on one person tended to do that to someone.
A party? That sounds like a lot of fun! Try to enjoy yourself, Homura-chan! And make some new friends before I get back, okay?
She sighed as she glanced around the room. Despite the host's intentions, most of the guests were still huddled into groups separated by their respective factions.
She recognized Rias and Sona with their respective peerages, but she also noticed a young man with dark silver hair who was seemingly glaring at someone near Rias. Nearby, a woman with long, flowing hair and dressed in a maid outfit was watching the little sisters of the Satans like a hawk.
Rank-and-file members of all the factions flitted about, but all were very clearly keeping to themselves.
It appears the leaders have their work cut out for them if they truly wish for peace.
True peace could only be achieved with mutual cooperation, but how could that happen if none of the factions trusted each other?
As she ruminated on the situation, Homura froze as a wave of déjà vu swept over her.
This feeling reminds me of my time stops!
Sharply focused, she took in her surroundings and noticed that many of the guests were now frozen, barring a few exceptions.
Rias and a few of her group, along with that young man and maid she had seen earlier were all still moving.
Sona and her peerage, however, were all locked in time.
Worried voices began voicing their concerns, all echoing the same question: "What's going on?"
"This is a terrorist attack."
Azazel confidently strode into the room, followed by the rest of the leaders that had been attending the conference.
Confusion crossed a few faces when Madoka appeared, but the Governor General grabbed everyone's attention before anyone could question Her presence.
"If you doubt me, please turn your attention outside, where magicians are currently doing their best to bring down the protective barrier we've erected over this building."
Homura looked outside and was shocked at the sheer number of people part of the invading force.
So many! Why would they want to ruin our best chance for peace?!
Someone asked about the time stop that they were experiencing.
"It is likely that they captured that half-vampire kid and used some sort of magic or Sacred Gear to force his Sacred Gear into a Balance Breaker state."
Cries of worry and alarm followed Azazel's declaration.
"I must ask you all to remain calm! We will work out a plan to resolve this situation – !"
The leader of the Grigori was interrupted as a particularly intense tremble shook the building, causing several members of the audience to wince.
Azazel, now sporting a dark expression, said, "Sirzechs-san . . . what I felt just now . . . you felt it too, right?"
Satan Lucifer nodded with a grim expression. "Yes, there was immense demonic power in those attacks we felt just now. Far more than what a normal Ultimate-Class Devil could achieve on their own." His eyes narrowed. "It seems the Old Satan Faction has come to pay us a visit."
Azazel nodded. "Judging by the number of magicians outside, they have allied themselves with the Khaos Brigade." He scowled. "I knew I should have acted against that suspicious group sooner."
As the other leaders questioned him about their opponents, Homura felt a wave of unease spread through her.
Is this what war is like?
She had spent countless decades fighting, but those had all been smaller skirmishes against inhuman opponents. Sometimes she had fought magical girl opponents, but that had grown rarer as her notoriety grew. Very rarely had she been forced to take a life, but she had loathed herself each time she did so.
Each time . . . I feared that I was disappointing Madoka.
She knew her gentle friend would never want anyone to die.
Not even those vile enough to stand in the way of the peace we all seek–!
"Are you alright, Homura-chan?"
A concerned voice broke her out of her thoughts.
She looked up to find golden eyes watching her with concern, and a comforting hand resting on her shoulder.
"Ah – I'm fine . . . Madoka."
The goddess silently leaned closer to her as they watched the magicians outside throw everything they have against the barrier.
"Would you be mad? If I killed them," Homura asked in a low tone.
Madoka smiled sadly. "I wouldn't like it. I never will. But I can understand why you would do it."
Homura released her tension in one pent-up sigh. "Thank you, Madoka."
She turned away from the window and walked closer to the other leaders, arriving just in time to hear Azazel beginning to organize a response to the attack.
"Rias-san, I trust you will be able to rescue your Bishop with your plan?"
Rias nodded sharply. "It is my duty as a Gremory to keep all my servants safe!" She ran off towards the maid along with the rest of her peerage.
Azazel turned to the rest of the leaders. "Despite the fact that the barrier is powered by the strongest members of our factions, it will not withstand this barrage for much longer. Their raw energy levels are simply too high, and we do not have any barrier specialists that can bridge the gap." His eyes narrowed. "That means that we will need to go out and defeat them. But as soon as we leave, the barrier will drop, leaving the school open to attack."
Serafall spoke, clearly worried about the safety of her frozen sister. "Then what can we do? If we leave to fight, everyone in here will die!" Her face contorted in anguish. "But if we don't leave, their attacks will eventually break through and everyone in here will die anyway!"
"So, some of us need to be able to defend this building while the rest of us goes outside to deal with the enemy leaders," Sirzechs summed up. "Any suggestions?"
Several gazes turned towards Michael hopefully.
The angel blinked and shook his head sadly. "My protective magic is strong, but even I cannot set up a defense that will protect the whole school against a heavy assault from all directions for a lengthy period of time."
Crestfallen faces appeared as what appeared to be their best hope was shot down.
"Um . . . I think I can do it."
Surprised looks were quickly leveled against the nervous goddess that had spoken up.
"You? You have magic that can protect this whole building?" Sirzechs asked skeptically.
Madoka nodded. "I don't like using it . . . but for this occasion, I think it is important enough." she closed her eyes. "I will need a brief moment to prepare."
Azazel spoke urgently. "The barrier is almost out of time, so I would advise you to hurry."
A glowing magic circle appeared underneath Her feet. As Her eyes shot open, they flared with a brilliant light–!
A red shadow was cast, a vast blanket of crimson that consumed its surroundings before reaching further, encompassing the entire school. The interior of the school remained largely unchanged, except a red tint now pervaded the area.
A wave of dread crashed upon them, a suffocating pressure that quickly become muted an instant later.
Madoka sagged as eerie, unnaturally colored butterflies appeared and flitted around her.
Homura quickly rushed in to catch her before she collapsed from the exertion as the other leaders all looked around with various degrees of shock.
"Ah . . . what was that?" Serafall asked nervously.
"This is a witch's barrier," Homura replied neutrally, although she was fuming on the inside.
I know why you did it, Madoka. Why you called upon the thing you loathe the most: your witch form.
She wore a stoic expression as Madoka gazed at her with a weak smile before her eyes closed again.
That does nothing at all to quell my anger at the fact that you had to do so in the first place!
With her surroundings dredging up unpleasant memories, she felt every last shred of remorse she might have felt for her soon-to-be opponents fade.
They will all burn. And they will die screaming.
"Is this barrier the result of her previous position?" Sirzechs asked without a hint of emotion.
"Something like that," Homura responded coolly.
"I had no idea that her burden was so great," Michael muttered with a concerned expression.
Azazel glanced around curiously before returning his gaze to Homura. "Tell us only what is necessary for us to know."
"The barrier will redirect any attacks that originate from outside it. However, enemies can still enter and attempt to destroy it from within, but there are familiars in here that will aid us in repelling intruders."
"Is it possible for them to forcibly dispel it?"
Homura looked away. "The only way to do that is to kill the caster."
They all glanced at the goddess sleeping peacefully in Homura's arms.
"I trust that you will stay with Her, then?" Michael asked.
She nodded. "I will protect her and everyone else in this building."
Azazel nodded his head in acknowledgment. "We are counting on you, Akemi-san."
The other leaders and their subordinates flew off to confront the leaders of the attacking force, leaving Homura alone with Madoka.
She ran a hand through her long, pink hair, reveling in the feel of the silky strands under her palm
I will always be by your side.
And so, she sat there, a dutiful disciple attending to her goddess as she awaited the arrival of those who would do Her harm.
xxx
There is, Azazel thought, nothing quite like what I've seen in this "barrier."
As he and his companions made their way through the fortification the goddess had constructed, they saw many strange sights.
A variety of chairs, ranging from mundane to exquisite, lay scattered around haphazardly. Dim lamps hovered in the air, casting dark, ominous shadows. Paintings sat in various nooks and crannies, depicting disconcerting images and scenes.
Despite these grim aspects, vibrant gemstones occasionally appeared, shining like rays of hope in this otherwise unsettling locale.
But the most notable feature was the creatures that seemingly lived in the barrier.
"Whoa!"
Sparing a brief glance behind him, Azazel noticed Serafall narrowly dodging a white and pink blur that shot past.
"Just what are these things anyway?" she grumbled under her breath.
"Probably those 'familiars' that Akemi-san spoke of," he replied.
"I've seen many devils bind familiars, but none were quite so exotic," Sirzechs commented.
And isn't that an understatement? Azazel thought.
The familiars (which had no business being animate beings) appeared to consist of flying pairs of scales with wings for arms and a red spear hanging down the middle. Pink ribbons fluttered behind them as they flew, creating a stark contrast against the dreary environment they existed in.
When the group had first encountered them, they were understandably wary of the strange creatures. After the creatures proved to be non-hostile, they were simply a mild annoyance that the group had to take care to avoid colliding with.
Another issue the leaders had initially been concerned with was being able to find their way outside ("This place is like a labyrinth!" Serafall had complained), but black-speckled purple lines on the floor ran through the barrier, flowing in a direction that his intuition told him was the way out.
The others had been skeptical of his claim until several familiars appeared and lined up to point their spearheads in the same direction as the lines.
No one had doubted his idea after that.
Now, they were flying at top-speed through the barrier, but the constant twists and turns made the trip much longer.
The interior of the space was much larger than it should be, which wasn't helping matters either (some kind of spatial distortion? He made a note to ask about it later).
Azazel slowed down until his flight kept him level with Michael, who had remained quiet for most of the journey.
"Something on your mind, Michael-kun? Your new goddess not quite as pure as you had hoped?"
The angel shook his head. "No, it's not that. In fact, it's probably for the best that She has experience with the darker side of the world."
His eyes became downcast. "A leader is one who is burdened with the task of making the difficult decisions. Something I know all too well." He looked away for a moment. "They cannot be idealistic or naïve, lest they lead their people to ruin."
Azazel nodded. "It's certainly a pervasive fear. Don't worry about it too much, or you'll never get to sleep at night." He tilted his head. "Then again, you don't have to worry about it as much now, eh? So why so gloomy?"
Michael sighed. "Every day, I wonder if I made the right decisions. I know that I should not fault Madoka-sama for Her nature, but I cannot help but find it disquieting. I know that She said that it was Her duty to relieve others of their despair, but if this barrier is any indication, then the process does not have an outlet for the grief She has accumulated. Each burden She shoulders becomes another weight on Her soul, yet She will continue to fight the endless battle against despair even as humanity's negativity threatens to drown Her. Given enough time, I fear that it will be too much, and She will become . . ."
"A goddess of despair," Azazel finished.
Michael slowly nodded. "After all, isn't despair simply the absence of hope? And what hope wouldn't wither and vanish under such an unending onslaught?"
Azazel looked at him thoughtfully. "If you have any concerns, I would advise that you talk to Her about them." He smiled. "She doesn't seem like the type who would refuse you."
"Yes . . . I suppose not," Michael said.
They lapsed into silence once more.
"Hey! I think I see an opening up ahead!"
Both leaders reflexively scanned the area ahead of them in response to Serafall's cry.
"Well, looks like the lines do lead out after all," Azazel said.
The others did not respond, but simply pressed on with renewed vigor.
Azazel doggedly followed, even as he smirked internally.
They just don't want to admit that I was right.
xxx
Rizevim Lucifer was irritated.
He let out a tired sigh as his compatriots continued to eagerly throw orbs of demonic energy at the barrier enveloping the school building.
High on Ophis's snakes, they can only think about the next rush of power filling their veins at this point.
A devil was many things, but a servant was not one of them.
A devil is one who controls power; he does not allow power to control him.
Sadly, his companions did not aspire to his lofty ideals.
He had little interest in disrupting this "peace conference" being held by the Three Factions. There was much bigger fish to fry, after all.
To think that the Apocalypse Beast exists! The amount of chaos and suffering it would bring when it awakens . . . I am shivering in anticipation!
The Apocalypse would be his grand achievement, and he will be immortalized forever as its harbinger.
But my dimwitted companions cannot seem to look past their grudges to see what is truly worth working for!
Katerea had concocted a hare-brained scheme to assassinate the leaders of all Three Factions in one of their own territories, during a time where they would be most on guard.
The worst thing is that the others approved of her plan! And she had even wanted to go alone!
Ophis's snake was a great boon, to be sure, but even that would only go so far against the powerhouses leading the factions.
Arrogance or not, confronting them by herself is the height of foolishness.
And because letting one of his colleagues go off to get herself killed would put a damper on their resources, he had decided to make this a joint operation.
Katerea had initially objected, but Creuserey and Shalba jumped at the opportunity to settle their own grudges against the current Satans.
They were so busy fantasizing about killing those holding their namesake positions that they didn't even notice me set up our escape route.
Having a plethora of magicians, especially those talented in the creation of teleportation circles, at one's beck-and-call came in handy at times.
Although, if they knew of my preparations, they would likely be quite displeased.
He knew that if it were up to the others, they wouldn't even dream of retreat. After all, they were the "True Satans." It would be beneath them to run away from those inferior to them.
Of course, they would probably be far more vivid in their description of how great they are and far more slanderous about how lowly the usurpers are.
He had no illusions about being able to end the leaders of the Three Factions. With the kind of firepower they brought, they could perhaps kill one or two. All of them?
Not a chance.
That doesn't even account for the other noteworthy figures that may be present.
It was highly likely that the current Lucifer had brought his wife, the Strongest Queen.
And I've been hearing some concerning rumors about Heaven as well.
Hopefully, he would be able to validate them during the battle, if at all possible.
We will do what damage we can, and then we will retreat. Forcibly, if need be.
If it were up to him, they would not be there at all. But sadly, he had to indulge his reckless comrades at times.
"Huh? What's that?!"
A cry of alarm brings Rizevim out of his musing, just in time to witness a startling sight.
Where the school building and much of the surrounding area had once resided, a great distortion in the world was now present. A sinister red and black dome that shook and twisted under the assault of their forces.
But all of that paled in comparison to the aura that the strange phenomenon gave off.
Wrongness.
Anger, hatred, fear . . . it was like a buffet of negative emotions.
In all my life, I have never felt something so wicked!
How depraved must a devil be, to create such a vile construct? And it must be a devil that was responsible, for neither of the other factions would dream of using such unholy magic!
I must congratulate whichever of the Satans is responsible. Right before I torture them for the secret to the technique, of course.
The things he could do with it, the chaos he could spread . . . he felt himself shaking in excitement.
Whoosh!
His brows furrowed in annoyance as he watched his companions continue to throw orbs of demonic energy at the barrier, only for them to be swallowed up without a trace.
"I would save my energy if I were you," he said.
Katerea scowled at him. "What need have we of conserving power when we have Ophis's blessing running through our veins?" She laughed as she prepared another shot. "Strange barrier or not, they will soon be crushed by our power!"
Rizevim rolled his eyes. "Because we're about to have guests, and it would be remiss of us to not give them our full attention." He pointed to the figures flying through the sky, quickly closing in on them.
As he watched, one flew closer to another for a moment, and then the latter turned away, heading towards an area where magicians were concentrated.
Wings of silver? It was a mistake to let that one out of your sight, Azazel.
The Governor General would learn of his folly soon enough. As his gaze swept across the other figures, he felt a frown build.
Sirzechs, Serafall, Michael, and Azazel. I know the other two Satans are back in the Underworld. But if that's the case . . .
His eyes drifted back towards the barrier.
Who is maintaining it?
He doubted that such a powerful spell could be kept intact without constant input from the caster. And for a spell of that magnitude, the person behind it must be at least Satan-class.
I will have to leave that matter for later. For now, we must be prepared to receive our guests as proper hosts.
The atmosphere thickened with bloodlust as his compatriots noticed the approaching figures.
"So, they have come! And in one nice, tidy group too!" Creuserey laughed, mania tainting his voice. "We will destroy them all, and history will mark this day as the one where we became the Kings of this World!"
As the other two joined in with similar sentiments, Rizevim sighed yet again.
At least, this excursion turned out to be quite fruitful.
He spared one last glance for the sickening anomaly tainting the world.
A grin stretched across his face, a promise of despair for those residing in this world.
Very fruitful indeed.
xxx
The first group that she encountered fell with little resistance.
Still disoriented by their strange surroundings, the magicians were unable to protect themselves from the barrage of arrows that appeared out of thin air and sliced through their ranks with ease.
After briefly checking to ensure that there were no survivors, Homura rushed back into the depths of the labyrinth.
While the magicians seemed to struggle to find their path through the barrier, she was able to traverse it with little effort. It was as if the barrier shifted and changed to accommodate her and put her on the shortest route towards her next target.
It was not long before she came across the next group.
"Keep yourselves together! We have orders to destroy whatever is causing this barrier, so no matter how freaky it is, you're just going to have to deal with it!"
Homura felt her blood pound in her ears as they openly declared their intent to harm the one she held dear.
I won't give any of you the chance!
Her bow stretched out, an elegant beast ready to pounce and unleash its fury on unsuspecting foes . . .
"Wait, there's someone there! Shields up, now!"
Homura cursed as the leader of the magicians detected her and rallied his troops.
"There she is! Don't let her get away!"
Bolts of magic from several different disciplines flew out towards her, forcing her to devote her concentration to dodging.
As she warped short distances to throw off their aim, she fired off several shots in return, only for them to be blocked by magic shields.
My normal projectiles aren't strong enough to pierce them, but I don't want to risk using holy fire inside the barrier!
A witch's barrier was intimately tied to the witch residing in it. Only in this instance, Madoka was the one sustaining the labyrinth.
She didn't know how holy fire would react with something as vile as a witch's barrier, but she was unwilling to take the chance that it would hurt Her through Her connection with the barrier.
But if I don't take them out, they might find Her anyway!
As Homura was being confronted with the reality that she would be forced to utilize her Sacred Gear, the faint sound of a whoosh reached her ears . . .
A meaty THUMP soon followed.
"What . . . what are these things?!"
Homura quickly took advantage of the distraction and rapidly fired arrows at the chaos unfolding before her.
So, the familiars finally show up.
White and blue blurs chased after panicked magicians, attempting to slam the scales hanging off their limbs into the invaders' heads. Many were incapacitated in this manner, while others soon fell before Homura's onslaught.
"Form up! Form up, damn you – gurk!"
The leader of the group fell, and the others soon followed.
As Homura moved closer to inspect the fallen foes, she noticed the familiars beginning to act strangely.
One landed on a magician and balanced itself precariously as its balance begins swaying to-and-fro. Eventually, it lurched in one direction, then gathered itself and lifted off to hover above its target.
Its spear pointed downwards, the blood-red tip glowing sinisterly in the barrier's magical lighting.
It thrust down, homing unerringly on the magician's throat.
A shower of blood sprayed out, soiling the creature's white wings.
Homura watched, eyes wide and frozen in shock.
Mado . . .ka . . . ?
She found it difficult to breathe, as if her heart were lodged in her throat. She didn't want to turn her gaze downward, but she forced herself to do so anyway.
I must know.
To know if she had carved another scar in her friend's heart, if her weakness had forced Her to take a life for her sake.
She felt as if an eternity had passed in the time it took for her gaze to travel down to the magician's neck. She expected to see a pool of rapidly cooling blood, a face already paling as the last remnants of life fled from it.
Instead, all she saw was a minor cut on one side of the magician's neck. The man's chest continued to rise and fall, a steady beat that fueled his body with life. The point of the spear rested nearby, scant centimeters away from inflicting a lethal blow as if some unseen force had diverted it at the last moment.
Her gaze suddenly grew blurry, and as she blinked, she felt the cool splash of water on her hand.
I'm crying.
She was not sure when it had happened. Was it when dread had filled her body, and visions of Madoka's sad visage flashed through her mind?
Or was it when relief had flooded through her, and she realized that her weakness had not forced her friend to stain her pure white gloves with blood yet again for her sake?
Keep it together. It's not over yet.
Her eyes sought out the other familiars and noticed similar scenes playing out. Numbly, she noticed that some of the familiars lurched in the opposite direction and those that did instead bound their victims up in ribbons and began carting them off.
For many others, she saw them beginning to topple towards the direction that would lead to their victims' demise –
Only for them to abruptly move in the other direction as if someone had shoved them.
Seemingly content with the new judgment, they bundled their targets up with ribbons and began following their kin in a bizarre procession.
Once the last of the magicians had been dealt with, Homura turned away.
The memory of a select few suddenly changing on which side they fell flashed through her mind.
You are as kind as ever, Madoka.
Homura took off in a sprint, a blazing fire ignited in her eyes.
I will deal with this threat so that you do not have to sully your hands with their blood.
xxx
There were many things in the world that still baffled Azazel. The Sacred Gear system created by the God of the Bible was one that he had devoted his life to unraveling. Many mythological beasts were conundrums that seemingly defied the very laws of the world with their existence. Yet another mystery that had piqued his interest was the anomaly that was currently guarding the school (he certainly hoped that he would be able to take a closer look afterward).
But the puzzle that he doubted that he would ever solve was the tendency for villains to monologue before a battle.
"Today will be the end for you, vile usurpers! You and your lowly allies! We will destroy this world and build it anew in our image, as is our right as descendants of the original Satans!" Creuserey ranted.
Sirzechs gazed at the Old Satan Faction neutrally. "You would stand against the might of the Three Factions combined? I will only give you this one chance to surrender."
"Surrender? Nonsense! With the backing of the Khaos Brigade and the dragon god Ophis, we are plenty capable of ending all of you right here!" Katerea said.
"You don't have to do this, Katerea-chan! If you stop now, we can still be friends . . ." Serafall said.
As Katerea's face contorted in rage from Serafall's outrageous suggestion, Shalba cut in, "We will not associate ourselves with the likes of you! No true devil would even dream of consorting with our sworn enemies!"
Michael sighed. "If you cannot let go of your hate and prejudice, then we will have no choice but to stop you all here."
Azazel glanced at the one Satan who had not spoken, the descendant of the original Lucifer.
Rizevim caught his gaze and reciprocated with a sharp smirk. "As pompous as my companions are, I admit that it would be much more convenient if the leaders of the Three Factions ceased to be a factor in my plans."
Azazel grinned. "How arrogant of you, to think that your group can take all of us on at the same time." He turned to the other members of the Old Satan Faction. "Kings of the world? Rightful heirs? Please, you all just sound like a bunch of cliché villains. I have seen far too many of your ilk during my lifetime. And do you know what generally happens to people like you after your conceited speeches? Let me tell you . . ."
He unfurled his twelve wings, their pitch-black feathers swallowing the light like an endless void.
"They die horribly."
Katerea growled in response to Azazel's taunts. "Why you . . . !" She stepped forward, body tense as she prepared to rush at the target of her rage.
Rizevim quickly stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Now, now, don't let the lowly fallen angel get to you. After all, it's just the inane mutterings of creatures beneath us. It would not suit those of our position to deign to pay attention to those inferior to us."
His words were calm and calculated, delivered in a cool tone that left it ambiguous as to whether he believed in his own words.
However, none could dispute the effect his words had on his compatriots. Katerea and the other two visibly agitated Satans all relaxed as they took his words to heart.
"Right," Shalba said. "We should act with the decorum befitting true rulers and deal with these worms quickly."
A blast of demonic energy surged forward, and the battle between the old and the new was underway.
Well, Azazel thought. So much for the classic plan of "provoke the villains into making mistakes."
He caught one last glance of Old Satan Lucifer's smug face before a cloud of dust obscured his vision.
We'll have to be careful around that one.
xxx
While Sirzechs usually dealt with relentless enemies by simply destroying them, he was also smart enough to know when to respect them.
A leader cannot afford to be careless.
And the easiest way to make a trivial mistake was to underestimate one's opponents.
While I couldn't care less about their tyrannical ideas, I will acknowledge their strength.
The leaders of the Old Satan Faction were all Ultimate-Class Devils, but their demonic energy levels seemed much higher than usual.
Not only that, but they are far better at coordinating with each other than we are.
Individually, he was confident that he could take any one of them on. With Serafall as a partner, whom he had fought alongside during their civil war, they could likely fight and defeat two of their opponents at once.
Add in a fallen angel and an archangel that he was much more accustomed to working around instead of with against all four of the Old Satans?
He was not nearly as certain of their odds in that case.
"Watch it, Azazel-chan!"
"Sorry, sorry!"
Sirzechs grimaced as the fight went on. Serafall fought in a highly chaotic manner, flying around the battlefield at high speeds and strafing her opponents with her ice magic to pin them down.
Azazel had manifested his artificial Sacred Gear [Downfall Dragon Spear], causing his attacks to create huge shockwaves that could catch several opponents at once.
Unfortunately, the possibility of friendly fire was ever prevalent. And while Sirzechs has had plenty of time to become accustomed to Serafall's habits and flight patterns, Azazel was not nearly as learned.
This resulted in a few close calls (such as the one he had just witnessed).
On the other hand, Michael fought in a methodical manner, moving only as much as needed to dodge incoming attacks and throwing light spears when they had a good chance to strike the target.
Similarly, Sirzechs fought with great precision, condensing his Power of Destruction into tiny spheres that he moved around the battlefield at will, intercepting enemy attacks and hounding his opponents where he could.
Clearly not enough, if they are still able to elude us, he thought darkly.
Jump back to avoid the incoming blast. Dash left to pre-emptively avoid Azazel's next attack. Intercept the blasts aimed at Serafall with the nearest orb. Distract the Old Satan near Michael with the rest to try to create an opening –!
Shtick!
Katerea hissed as she fell back, a gash on her arm still sizzling from the light spear that had almost taken her life.
"You need to be more careful, Katerea-chan," Rizevim said in a languid manner. "Why, if we hadn't been here, then you would be dead right now!"
"Enough!" she growled. "Let's just finish this quickly."
Her arms twisted as they changed into monstrous tentacles, shooting out to ensnare the nearest foe.
Michael grunted as he was rooted, the tendrils' surprising speed allowing them to catch him off-guard.
"This is the end, angel scum!" Creuserey shouted as he prepared to finish off the archangel.
A crackling orb of demonic energy hurtled towards Michael –!
Splat!
Katerea screamed as parts of the tentacles entrapping the angel were obliterated, giving Michael a scant few moments to move.
He won't make it in time! Sirzechs thought with trepidation.
A shockwave blew past, the aftershocks knocking the angel away from the potentially lethal attack.
"Don't go and die on us now!" Azazel flew by with a grin.
"Stop chatting and come help me!" Serafall said as she did her best to pin the rest of the Old Satans down.
Sirzechs let out a brief sigh.
Already, our teamwork has greatly improved since the beginning of this fight. Adaptability is necessary to flourish in this new era.
He narrowed his eyes at his opponents.
A pity that they cannot seem to realize this.
If they insisted on standing in the way of a new order, then he will not hesitate to eliminate them.
Some may call me ruthless. But I am simply doing what must be done.
With that in mind, he leapt back into the fray.
xxx
The first thing that went wrong was when Katerea nearly died from a light spear.
Everything just went downhill from there.
Well, Rizevim thought, I did not expect anything less.
It would have been nice if they had been able to take down at least one of the opposing leaders, but he deemed it insignificant in the end.
After all, what he planned to unleash on the world . . . no number of leaders would be able to fend it off.
In fact, it may be more enjoyable for more resistance to be present at the moment of his great triumph.
The brighter the light, the more satisfying it will be to snuff it out.
To watch as the guiding light in their eyes flickered and faded away as they finally realized the futility of their struggles.
But first, we must escape with our lives.
"Damn you, devils! How dare you defy the will of the true rulers of the Underworld!" Shalba said with a growl.
The descendant of Beelzebub was panting heavily, minor injuries dotting his body. Blood trickled down his face from a light spear that had grazed his face, and several gashes lined his torso.
Creuserey fared little better, one arm encased in ice and severe burns covering the rest of his body.
Katerea had the most severe injuries, losing an arm after the tentacles it had been turned into were annihilated by Sirzechs' Power of Destruction.
He was the most well off out of all of them, sporting only minor injuries.
But that will change very soon unless we leave right now.
He was not blind. He had seen how the leaders of the Three Factions had quickly grown from "a bunch of individuals that happened to be fighting for the same reason in the same place" to "a coordinated team that functioned like a well-oiled machine."
Flexibility, versatility, and power. They had it all.
It's little wonder that my companions lost the civil war.
Sirzechs gazed at them impassively. "I know that I said that I would only give you one chance to surrender, but if you lay down your arms now, I will spare your lives."
Katerea glared back and spoke with a voice filled with malice. "Never! Not to the likes of you!"
She began laughing, the maniacal of one whose sanity was very close to snapping.
Oh dear. I do hope that she isn't contemplating using that self-destruct spell.
Not only would it leave quite a mess, but it would render his preparations meaningless.
Which would be quite a shame.
"Well, we've had our fun, but we really must end things now, shouldn't we?" he said.
The leaders of the Three Factions looked at him warily, while his allies gazed at him with a look of anticipation.
He flared his power, the might of a Super Devil that was rivaled only by two others. With Ophis's snake backing him, no devil's presence could outstrip his own.
He saw his enemies' eyes widen as they fell back and braced themselves. Besides him, he felt his companions charge up the remainder of their energies for one final attack.
A wasted effort.
He felt his energy peak, and at that moment of climax –!
Teleport!
A loud explosion cratered the earth.
When the dust finally cleared, there was no trace of the Old Satan Faction.
xxx
When Madoka came to, the first thing she saw was a pair of violet eyes staring intensely at her.
"It's over, Madoka," Homura said, smiling gently.
Madoka smiled back. "I'm glad."
Manifesting the witch's barrier had taken a larger toll than expected but manipulating the labyrinth subconsciously had not been too difficult, aside from a few close calls with her familiars acting up.
That had been too close . . .
A split second later and she would have had more blood on her hands.
But am I only delaying the inevitable?
The world she inhabited now was rife with conflict, and not all of them could be resolved peacefully. The attack today had made that abundantly clear.
If some people can't be reasoned with, then . . .
Then they would have to be stopped. Before they hurt any others.
I will try . . . I will try not to kill. I hate the very thought of it.
But if there was no other option, then she would do it.
She already did it once, after all.
I am no longer an innocent, naïve girl. And it's not fair to Homura-chan, forcing her to shoulder the burden of making decisions that I don't want to make.
She had done enough for her already. It was time to start paying back.
No matter how long it takes.
"Feeling too comfortable, Madoka?"
She blinked rapidly, confused.
All of a sudden, she realized the position she was in.
Laying down on a couch, her head in Homura's lap, while a hand gently stroked her long pink hair.
It felt very nice.
Madoka blushed. "Just a bit," she murmured. A teasing glint entered her eyes. "You seem quite relaxed too, Homura-chan!"
Homura flushed. "I merely wanted to ensure your comfort. That I benefited in the process is simply a bonus."
"Don't be like that, Homura-chan! Your happiness is important too, you know."
Homura remained silent. Eventually, she spoke. "The others are waiting for us. We should not tarry much longer."
Madoka sighed. "Yes, yes."
They got up, straightened themselves out, and proceeded to walk out the school building.
When they arrived outside, they could see that clean-up had already begun, the corpses of the dead being carried off. The magicians that Madoka had captured were being carted off to secure facilities as well.
"And she has awakened! Had a nice nap, Madoka-sama?"
Azazel greeted them with a grin. Despite the various small injuries he had picked up during the battle, his composure remained unruffled and his spirit unfaltering.
"I'm afraid that I feel more tired than I did before I fell asleep, Azazel-san," she replied.
He laughed. "Unsurprising, considering that you had your hands full repelling the intruders and the bombardment."
"I had help," she said, gesturing to Homura.
Azazel gave her a nod. "Indeed, you did. Fine work, Akemi-san. I don't think a single one of these magicians made it to the school."
Homura stoically nodded in response. "Thank you."
"I am glad to see that you are well, Madoka-sama."
Michael approached their group. Despite his bedraggled appearance, the archangel still exuded an aura of peace and tranquility. However, his posture was ever so off, as if something was troubling him.
"And you as well, Michael-kun!" She tilted Her head. "Is something the matter?"
Michael paused. "It can wait until later."
She nodded in understanding.
"Ah, Madoka-sama! You really must teach me your secret technique!"
Serafall bounced over, followed closely by an exasperated Sirzechs.
She skidded to a stop in front of Madoka, then leaned forward. "That barrier you made was so cool! The inside felt kind of strange and freaky at times, but it was really interesting! Can you teach me how to make something like that? Is it some kind of super-secret magical girl technique?"
Madoka lightly chuckled at Serafall's antics. "I'm glad to hear that you were not too disturbed by it." She smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, it is not something that can be taught."
Serafall visibly deflated at the news. "Aww . . ."
Sirzechs cleared his throat. "Putting that aside, we should ensure that everyone is up-to-date."
Madoka blinked. "Right! What happened on your end of things?"
"We managed to drive off the leaders of the Old Satan Faction after extended combat. We suffered only mild injuries while inflicting more grievous wounds on our foes, but no one was killed in the end." He glanced off to the side as a hint of pride showed in his face. "My younger sister succeeded in rescuing her Bishop while dispatching any enemies she encountered without any trouble."
Madoka sighed in relief. "That's good to hear."
"Unfortunately, I have some worrisome news. Vali seems to have disappeared," Azazel said.
"Vali? You mean the White Dragon Emperor?" Michael asked.
"The very same."
Sirzechs frowned. "Did you not bring him with you to the conference? I distinctly recall you ordering him to help take down some of the magicians."
"Yes, but he has not returned. I'm beginning to wonder if he has been captured by the enemy."
A hint of worry marred Azazel's otherwise flawless mask of confidence. Any parent would worry about the wellbeing of their child, and even if Vali had been adopted, Azazel still treated him as he would his own.
"We will be sure to keep an eye out for his whereabouts," Sirzechs promised. "For now, we must conclude this conference properly."
Azazel grimaced but quickly smoothened out his composure. "Right, let's finish this."
They walked closer to the mass of the now unfrozen rank-and-file members of the Three Factions. The constant bustle as they carried out their duties allowed the leaders to approach unnoticed until Sirzechs cleared his throat to get their attention.
Faces turned, wings slowed, and hands stilled as everyone waited in anticipation for the result of the conference.
To continue the cycle of hate as bitter enemies, or to break out in search of a fragile peace.
Sirzechs spoke, a loud, powerful voice that brooked no argument. "After much deliberation, we have concluded that it would be in all our best interests to make peace. This conflict has gone on for too long without any true purpose, and we have all only suffered because of it. Working together, we can achieve so much more than we would be able to if we kept on tearing each other down."
He closed his eyes as he let his words sink in. "The Satans have made our decision. No devil is to come into conflict with a member of Heaven or the Grigori without proper justification. Any devil that breaches this rule will be punished severely. You have been warned."
The devils cheered for their leader as he stepped back, and Azazel stepped forward in his place. "As Sirzechs has said, we are now at peace. No fallen angel is to fight with Heaven or devils from now on." His eyes scanned the crowd. "Anyone dissatisfied with my choice may leave. However . . ." His eyes narrowed. "I will kill you without hesitation next time we meet. Only those that make the same choice can follow me."
The fallen angel troops roared their loyalty as the Governor General stepped back.
Even though they had not planned this beforehand, Madoka knew exactly what to do. She stepped forward, and the crowd hushed as they noticed Her presence.
"Hello," she said. "It's nice to meet you all! The angels already know me, but for those of you seeing me for the first time today, my name is Madoka." She smiled. "I am the new goddess and leader of Heaven, and I was the one who protected the school and those trapped in it from attack while the other leaders led the offensive."
A brief silence fell over the crowd as many were caught by surprise. A wave of murmurs and whispers quickly followed as they began wildly speculating.
"I'm sure you're all wondering what my presence here means," she continued. "So, I'll tell you the truth." she paused.
"God is dead. and He has been for a long time now."
The murmuring by the fallen angels and devils grew louder, but they quieted as soon as She began speaking again.
"Some of you may remember with Him with bitterness, an uncaring father that cast you out the instant you did not meet His standards. Some of you may remember Him with hatred, a relentless enemy that sought to destroy all that you loved. Some of you may remember Him with fondness, a patient guardian that never faltered in His duties."
She paused and took a deep breath. "I did not know Him, and I never will. But I have inherited His legacy all the same. And it is that last trait that I seek to carry on, that of a caretaker and nurturer."
She closed her eyes. "But I do not intend to fill that role for merely some of you. No . . ." Her eyes opened, an unbreakable resolve shining through. "It is my hope that you will all remember me as the kind goddess who strived to better the lives of everyone, regardless of faction or race."
She smiled, radiating a warm glow that could soothe any worry.
The moment passed, and she turned and stepped away, leaving a stunned crowd in her wake.
Soon, some of the angels began cheering, and a few of the fallen angels and devils joined in as well.
I don't have the loyalty of as many of them as the others do . . .
She recalled the massive response Sirzechs and Azazel had been able to generate in their subordinates.
But my words managed to reach people from each faction.
White, black, and leathery wings all raised together in praise for Her.
And that's good enough for me.
Sirzechs approached her with an impressed expression. "An impressive speech, Madoka-sama. I did not know that you were so skilled at improvisation."
Madoka gave a small laugh. "I did not either, until a moment ago."
"I'm quite amazed that you managed to get some of my hard-headed subordinates to cheer for you, Madoka-sama," Azazel said with an easy grin.
"I just did what I felt was natural."
Sirzechs cleared his throat. "There was another matter that I wished to discuss regarding the peace treaty." He looked at them seriously. "After some discussion with Serafall, we concluded that since both Heaven and the Grigori were contributing 'peace offerings,' then we should do so as well."
"Oh? And just what did you come up with?" Azazel asked curiously.
"Before I answer that, there is a question I must ask." He turned to Madoka. "Do you think that you will ever be able to create angels as He did?"
She blinked in surprise. "Um . . ." She furrowed Her brows in thought. "Even if I could . . . I don't know if I would want to."
The idea of creating another sentient being scared her. After all, what would happen if she made a mistake?
Their life would be ruined, and it would be all my fault.
And she would have to design the person's character, personality, and other traits as well. None of which were aspects that she felt anyone should have such absolute control over.
No, she could not entrust herself with such a heavy task.
She shook her head. "No, even if I could . . . I wouldn't do it."
Sirzechs nodded in understanding. "In that case, I would like to propose an alternative. I can ask my colleague, Ajuka, to design a system similar to that of the Evil Pieces system to reincarnate humans into angels."
Madoka blinked. "That would be wonderful!"
Such a solution would address the issue of the flagging angel population without requiring her to delve into domains that did not suit her.
The Satan nodded. "In addition, with more angels, there would be more candidates for the Grigori to recruit." He looked at Azazel meaningfully.
The Governor General laughed. "How considerate of you, Sirzechs-san!" He turned towards Madoka. "Would you have a problem with that, Madoka-sama?"
She shook her head. "No, I will not discriminate like that. Any angel who wishes to join the Grigori is free to do so."
Azazel clapped his hands together. "Excellent! Now that that is in order, we should finish signing the treaty, yes?"
As the rest of the leaders nodded in accord, they proceeded back into the school to finalize the agreement.
On that day, the Kuoh Treaty was signed.
From then on, the fate of the world was changed forever.
xxx
"The others are not pleased with that stunt you pulled."
"They need not be pleased with my decision. They need only realize that we were outmatched and that staying any longer would only result in all our untimely demises."
The Old Satan Faction had retreated to one of their many hideouts after the failed attack on the peace conference. Rizevim had been focused on planning his next move when Katerea had suddenly confronted him.
She scowled at him. "If you had unleashed your full might on them, we would have been able to wipe them out!"
"You seem to be forgetting that they had a Super Devil of their own. The archangel and the Governor General were no slouches either."
She grimaced and glanced away, clutching at the stump where her arm used to be.
He spoke casually. "And how is your regretful loss of limb?"
"I'll deal with it," she replied tersely. She turned her gaze back to him. "I'll admit that . . . perhaps we were too hasty. We should have prepared every advantage possible. The traitors are a disgrace to our kind, but they are rather resilient."
Oh? he thought. It appears that she is learning.
While an intriguing development, it was quite bothersome. Now, he would have to dispose of her sooner, before she caught on and realized that he did not truly support the ideals of the Old Satan Faction.
It is rather troublesome when one's pawn begins to move by itself.
No matter. He would just need to give her an appropriate assignment. One that would advance his agenda while ensuring that she did not return.
Devils are cruel, wicked beings. We kill on a whim, for no reason other than that we did not like that person.
Whoever said that other devils could not draw our ire?
Out loud, he said, "I am pleased to hear that you understand my point of view."
She nodded. "However, the others won't simply accept that this was a retreat." Her eyes gained a calculating glint. "Unless you frame it as a stepping stone, one that will make way for a much bigger invasion in the future."
And she shows that she can manipulate others! She would have been such a promising devil if her days were not numbered.
"What a brilliant suggestion! I shall definitely take it into consideration. Now, will that be all?"
"One more thing," she said. "The White Dragon Emperor dropped by to give his report."
He raised an eyebrow. So, my worthless grandson may have some value after all.
"The report contained some very concerning information regarding Heaven. I think you should take a look at it."
Her piece said, she laid down the report and walked away.
Idly, he picked up the piece of paper. As he scanned through it, his eyebrows rose and rose, until they almost disappeared into his hairline.
The dome was created by the new leader of Heaven. And a new deity at that!
The report was sparse, unsurprising if Vali had not been privy to the actual meeting of the leaders. But what he had was enough.
Rizevim carefully folded the paper and tucked it away safely.
I really must do something nice for that boy.
Of course, his definition of "nice" was quite different from the norm.
Every child should learn to respect their elders, should they not? In that respect, Vali has been a very bad boy. He should be grateful that I am willing to forgive him!
He laughed darkly, dreaming of the cruel tortures he had planned to inflict on his grandson. Plans that will never come to fruition now that he had a much better task before him.
It's quite ironic, really.
To think that Heaven's new goddess would have such a dark side.
I will enjoy pulling her down from her throne!
He spent the rest of the night mesmerized, dreaming of a goddess's fall and a world plunged into chaos.