"So...if we're getting all of this right. All of the strongest elves and the Demon Family are in there?" Jexi asked.
"No mistake. I can feel them all the way out here. They must be prepping for something." Zexi said.
"Well...back in house Vermillion...I overheard one of the elves saying they were waiting for the last magic stone to arrive." Roxas said.
"And they've already got two. If they happen to claim a third, we won't be able to stop them." David said.
"Then it's about time we finished this then." Fuegoleon said arriving.
"Captain Fuegoleon!" Asta said. "You're up!"
"Yes...I've been busy keeping the city under protection. But none of this will stop unless we get their leader." Fuegoleon said as Salamander roared behind him.
"I have to agree. We need to take Licht's head now before this damage becomes permanent." Nozel said.
"I don't want to see anymore elves giving in to their rage and hatred. So we will stop them here and now." Raine said.
"This is our race after all...well half of it anyway. So we have some responsibility to stop this crazy stuff going on." Genis said.
"And you'll have our support the whole way in." Lloyd said.
"You know, the moment we go in, we'll no doubt face the strongest of the elves. If any of you have any second thoughts, no one would blame you for stepping down." Fuegoleon said.
"Thanks...but we aren't exactly the sort to back down to nothing." Jexi said.
"Let's end this." Theo said as they headed on inside the palace. Inside was a large room made of stone. "Huh...this is strange." he said as they saw portals across the room. "These must lead to the other rooms in the palace."
"The elf's leader must be on the lowest floor. That seems to be how most dungeons operate." Yuno said.
"Yes. Though, I can feel demonic presences from the portals. It looks like Mammon's colleagues are waiting for us too." David said.
"Then I guess we're going in at random." Jexi said as they all started jumping through portals.
With one part of the palace, Asta, Mimosa and Lloyd ended up in another room.
"Huh...nothing here except…" Asta said before they saw a number of paintings across the room. "These paintings…"
"Well well…..you and I have met before." said a elf holding a paintbrush.
"Rill…" Asta said.
"I told you before, my names Lira. Oh well, I'm waiting for the final magic stone to arrive so I say we practice a little bit." Lira said.
"How about instead I wake you up here and now?" Asta said.
"But I'm already awake. Awake as I can be. This Picture Magic is amazing, much better than the scribbles I managed to get out before. We elves are about to design a totally new world! Once we get rid of all you humans, we'll have a fresh big canvas to paint on!" Lira said.
"Fine then...we'll do this the hard way." Asta said.
Meanwhile in a different room…
"Lord Mammon…" Moloch said looking up. "I cannot help but wonder...if this really is like you. I want to truly believe you are a kind demon lord but...something about all of this feels...fake." he said before shivering a bit. "What was that? Something sinister is in this place."
"Moloch...are you there?" a voice said to him telepathically.
"I'm here, Succubus. What is it?" Moloch said.
"The magic knights have engaged with the elves. Me, Azazel and Gremlynn will be with Lord Mammon and the elf leaders to make sure they remain unharmed." Succubus said.
"Understood. I'll keep a watch out for intruders coming this way. And Succubus...do not get too close." Moloch said. "This is going beyond trying to start war. The elves beyond this world continue to rage...even the women and children. Is this supposed to be...or revenge for Beelzebub?"
"Don't know. Seems a little over-the-top for something like that, if you ask us." a voice said.
Moloch looked over to see Genis, Raine, David and Yuno arrive.
"Why...why are you all here?" Moloch said in shock seeing Raine and Genis.
"What? You didn't know those two were half-elves when you sent them off with us?" David asked.
"No...I knew full well. I just followed my path of chivalry. I wanted to make sure the woman and her child were safe." Moloch said.
"Uh...you know we're siblings right?" Genis asked.
Moloch stood there silent for a moment. "For real?" he said, surprised.
"Yeah, it's a long story." Genis said.
"Normally, we'd all be working to chop you to bits right now, but… I don't know if you noticed, but there's something strange going on here." David said. "We don't think Mammon is the true mastermind behind all of this."
"Mammon planned this but...the way he acts, the way he planned this...this is nothing like him at all." Moloch said. "He's been like this for the past 500 years now."
"500 years...the same time the elves died out here." Raine said.
"Do you think there's a sort of relation?" David asked.
"It's too well timed to be a coincidence." Yuno said.
"You...might be right. Patri and most of the other elves have failed to realize this but...I've met the real Licht before all of this and this would not be something he would want. Yes...none of this is anything he would desire." Moloch said.
"I knew it. A third party is manipulating them from behind the scenes." David said.
"Maybe they aren't so behind the scenes anymore. I haven't told anyone but...I've been feeling a sinister presence in this place since the elves returned...and it's still in this castle." Moloch said. "It's even more sinister than any demon I've seen. It even makes a demon lord seem tame compared to it."
"Are you serious? Is this mastermind really that ferocious?" David asked.
"Ferocious...I'm not sure. There's only one thing I can think of to best describe it...pure malice." Moloch said.
Meanwhile with Asta's group…
"Plant Magic: Magic Cannon Flower!" Mimosa said as a large plant destroyed a painted monster.
"There's no end to these guys." Asta said. "None of this is even gonna amount to much if we can't touch Rill."
No matter how many avatars Asta cut down, Lira still drew more. But it was clear that his brand of Picture magic was much different than RIlls.
"No...that's not it. I actually want to create something pretty. I only made monsters because I thought they'd be a fitting end to humanity. But no. It's all the humans' fault! It's all because of them." Rill said before a bowl of food was offered to him. He turned around to see Charmy standing there.
"You look so frustrated. You might be in a bad mood cause you're hungry. Some food might calm you right down." Charmy said.
"Huh? When did she get here?" Lloyd pondered.
"Get away!" Lira shouted, tossing the food onto the ground. "Away you cretin. I would never eat anything made by human hands."
"Rude...who do you think you are?" Charmy said looking sinister as a large sheep grew behind her. "Cotton Creation Magic: Strike of the Sleeping Sheep."
"If I am to create...I must first destroy." Lira said creating a large monster before it took down both the sheep and Charmy.
"Charmy! No!" Asta shouted before an intense magic filled the room. Before their eyes, they saw the sheep lose more and more wool.
"Hey...can I come out now?" it asked Charmy.
"What is this magic?" Mimosa asked. "It's not human."
Before long, the sheep bursted apart before in its place was a large wolf. Charmy had also changed, having grown taller and her hair longer.
"What?! When did she get bigger?!" Asta asked.
"This is familiar….I know what this is." Lira said. "You were born to both a human, and a Dwarf. You're a hybrid."
"A Dwarf?! Wait, what the heck is a dwarf?" Charmy asked.
"Well they're a race that lived separate from the elves. But like them, they're a race from long ago that wielded special powers." Mimosa said.
"And weren't you a sheep a moment ago?" Charmy asked.
"Shut up." it growled.
"You're right...this matter doesn't matter at all. All I know is that I'm starving. So let's eat." Charmy said.
"So many monsters...I'll eat them all up." the wolf said grabbing a knife and fork. "My appetite is insatiable!" it howled as it started to devour the monsters.
"Food Magic: Glutton's Banquet!" Charmy said.
"What?! She's eating my monsters faster than I can draw them! And not only that… they're being converted into mana for her!" Lira said.
"This was kind of on you." Lloyd said.
"RRrrgh..!" Lira snapped. "I've had enough of you, humans!" he said sending more monsters at them.
"Yes! Make more!" the wolf said, devouring the new monsters.
"This really is all on you. No one wastes the food I make!" Charmy said as she punched through the monsters. "This is for the protein. And this one's for the fat. And this...is for the wasted carbs!" she said punching Lira rapidly while naming off multiple nutrients.
"Wow...so...think it'd be okay if we just snuck out?" Asta asked. "Honestly, I don't wanna see the end of this."
"Same." Lloyd said as they went on ahead.
Down below, David and his small group arrived in a room with a pedestal where three elves and the rest of the Demon Family stood around.
"Well this is quite a surprise. We sent Ado's group to pick him up but you went and beat them up. I'm still glad you came here and with two other elves as well so congrats." Rhya said.
"And over that magic stone...immediately please." Patri said.
"I've waited...for so long." the third elf muttered.
"As usual, Ronne, you're so quiet, I can't understand you." Rhya said.
"You should surrender, Ishihara. We've won this little war." Mammon said.
"Have you? Because from what I can tell, you haven't even won a damn thing yet." David said. "And I'm not talking to just you, Mammon."
"What's he talking about?" Gremlynn asked.
"Is it to any of us?" Succubus asked.
"He's started to realize something's off too like Moloch has." Azazel said.
"Enough of this! Light Magic: Light Swords of Judgment!" Licht said creating multiple swords.
"Copy Magic: Light Swords of Judgment!" Rhya said creating multiple swords as well.
The swords went flying as the four of them quickly dodged each one. But after they stopped, the elf known as Ronne stood next to Yuno with a palm reached out as Yuno quickly jumped out of the way before the elf went and grabbed the stone.
"Yuno!" Genis said. "Why did you jump away?"
"I didn't...he made me move." Yuno said. "But that belongs to me. Give it back."
"Nice work there, Mr. Ronne." Mammon said.
"Yeah. No one could beat you at tag." Rhya said.
"And now...we can finally make things right." Ronne said.
"Indeed." Rhya said before stopping. "Okay, everyone just stop for a moment."
"What's the hold up?" Succubus asked.
"I can easily tell when someone is lying to me. I wonder why my fellow elf just told a lie just now. Ronne...who the hell are you?" Rhya said.
The elf just stood there silently before giving a creepy evil smile as a hole appeared in Rhya's body.
"Don't tell me...this reincarnation...it can't be…" Rhya said as he fell to the ground.