Chrysalis Heart

by Yincira

AU. What if the story was about the plight of the demons? Nina's more heroic, Azazel doesn't disappear, Belphegor doesn't die, Kaisar's more self aware.

20. Theosis

· · · · · · ·

September 30

· · · · · · ·

For reasons Merlin could not explain, the barrier weakened. Charioce didn't care for why as long as it wasn't a trap. He had to clean up this mess before he fought Bahamut, or his successor would inherit a kingdom too unstable.

The king of Manaria was here to bolster attitudes about dragons, and his kingdom's academia might be useful, but that just dictated which kingdom he sapped up to. It was the holes in his armies that had to be filled.

He had quite some holes in his court too. He didn't doubt Kaisar had some loyalty to him, and that he would not have breached security if his little friend hadn't been involved. Nina was another question. Chris couldn't pin point what exactly Nina was doing here beyond a medium of attraction to him. She might not have a good reason to stay, if she would not kill him or try to take his bracelet again.

Regardless, that left him with his first chance to observe her in every day life. Nina's only real strength was her resistance to the power of Dromos, take that away and it was so easy to contain her. All he had to do with keep her in a small enough space to stop transformation, easily arranged on her schedule. So he learned.

She was uneasy being in those small spaces. She had a newly aquired aversion to oily food. Most of all, she was an excellent liar, if too specialized. He hadn't noticed it during their dates when he was her escapism, but now she wanted to escape him it was clear as day : a cultivated image of an innocent happy girl with not a worry in the world. Nina was a method actor, her presentation worked because she knew to kindle the emotions she and others wanted — joy — and put away the inconvenient ones. She wouldn't be as effective if trying any other role.

He'd fallen for her at first sight, had he fallen for a lie? Would he have been strong enough to resist if he had known?

"Your majesty, I have determined that the summoning circle that occured while you ... guest ... conversed with Lao, it belonged to Azazel."

"I see," he said, outward poise perfect to disguise where his thoughts had strayed again. Right, he was in the middle of being informed of Merlin's research.

"It confirms that he can attempt to summon her with the aid of Jeanne d'Arc, despite the hindrances of the girl's half human nature and the lack of hell energy at her location. He must have other aid and I would like to find out. If I were able to summon demons indiscriminately, we could elliminate all of hell's court, even Lucifer, before you fight Bahamut."

"I see."

He could postpone unsealing Bahamut a little more.

More a deer than a dragon at this moment, stressed, elegant, and dead if she took but one wrong turn. If only he could feel about her as the simple thing she was. Simple love he would've indulged in ten years ago shouldn't be a problem now. Still, that fire. There was something there that could be great. For now it was only in the way she'd steal a smirk when a man disrespected her, just before shoving him out of the way and letting him know he'd underestimated her. She could be a queen; strong when she had to, but also far from politics.

"Your majesty, your permission to involve the ancient forest dragon in this?"

Should he let an unknown dragon with mysterious abilities to detect fate meddle with Nina, or was she asking about something else? Was he being distracted by his own thoughts insisting it was about Nina?

"How are you sure it's not them alone?"

"Azazel has no special talent at summoning," Merlin said. "He needs elaborate magical codes memorized to summon even the most basic of skeletal warrior from hell."

"Perhaps the location mattered. We were at the statue of Bahamut. It survived the rain of fire untouched, and we could not break it down when we elevated this palace. It had to be raised along with it."

"That does sound unusual. I will have a look at that, if you allow."

He allowed, for strategy, for practice, and secretly because he wanted to know more.

According to Lao, Nina had visited her home along with Azazel and Jeanne. Perhaps they were the reason Nina was off ... It really would help if fate was a little clearer. Was his mind straying to Nina part of a greater plan, was she alone astray, was she an obstacle altogether? He wasn't as perfect as he should be, after all.

· · · · · · ·

Rita had determined a few things about Olivia's prey : they lacked souls, but weren't corpses. She controlled them using the zombie principle however, for which she used Furfur's abilities to connect directly to minds. The demons had had a pact between each other, well beyond being a ward; perhaps on the level of witches, but that wasn't testable right now.

What was testable were all the fascinating new powers that Mugaro had manifested in heaven. The ability to shut down the zommorods had expanded to other fractures in the world, and proved to be an extension of healing power ... or perhaps had become healing powers due to what ne wanted to be. The attribution of themes and their manifestation was something Olivia had been curious about for good reason, but that was another topic further away from zombies. How exactly her strange bundle of power and curiosity tied together was up in the air yet, and Angra Mainyu wouldn't cooperate.

Mugaro at least did. Ne spent most time teaching nur new hallows how to exert healing power, and had nur project of slowly healing the effects of long term mutilation, overwork and starvation on the demon population, but still squeezed in some time for Rita. This involved the curious story of ne being able to sabotage something about Olivia's powers. Something about a new perspective and souls, which tickled Rita's curiosity like nothing else.

So once in her center office, she asked what ne could tell about her actions with Furfur.

"I had a little deal with Furfur," Rita said. "Unfortunately, I couldn't pose much questions or conduct experiments. I'm not letting Charioce have this knowledge, so I cleaned up. Can you tell anything off about me?"

"You just killed him?" Mugaro asked with childlike innocence, and fear. Now, the kid hadn't been afraid of Azazel knowing full well he'd killed people who couldn't put up a fight. Perhaps ne saw something else.

"If something bothers you spill it. We're getting nowhere otherwise."

"There is a thick string between you and that marble, going all the way to the castle," Mugaro said. "And a thousand tiny threads all over the place. It's like what exists between Azazel and whatever he's got in the castle, and Olivia and her court, and Cerberus and her puppies."

Well well, wasn't that interesting. Rita wasn't aware she still had a claim on that zombie.

"I may have a link yet to the zombie I made in the castle — I provided her a soul, after all. As for the rest, don't you worry about it. Unless I die."

Mugaro frowned and would have gone on, but Rita occupied nur with getting more data out of what ne saw.

· · · · · · ·

As far as Favaro was concerned, Azazel talking to Amira was good entertainment.

"Stop being stubborn and do it!" he shouted at the wall, while Amira signed bunny ears behind his head, only to be dissapointed; the horns ruined it. He'd have to draw jackalopes for her some time. Though, she might expect to meet them and he wasn't sure they existed.

"It's not what Nina wants," Favaro said at last. "And trust me, abduction's not gonna go over well."

"You don't get it, Nina keeps throwing herself at Charioce on flimsy excuses!"

This had been going on for a while, so Favaro was quite grateful when Mugaro emerged into their cave with the words, "She'll let me know through prayer if it's needed. I'll just stay close to you, okay?"

Azazel softened a bit at that, but Favaro got curious what that meant about Rita's experiments. Giving her a raised eyebrow was enough of a prompt for her to say, "Mugaro saw connections when ne died, Azazel has something in the castle he could link to. I want to know what this is about, so we're here to test it."

"Does this even relate to figuring out what Olivia did?"

"Perhaps," Rita said with a shrug. "Now, Azazel, I've been informed you can do that link with Nina's help? What does she do?"

Prying more info out of Azazel was difficult till he figured that perhaps he could learn to be conscious in both places. Favaro hung out, lacking anything better to do, so heard Mugaro declared Azazel technically shared a soul with the creatures in the castle. Not like with Cerberus, Mimi and Coco, whom Mugaro could sense as individual people. The ones in the castle weren't quite like that, though Mugaro couldn't tell without them near.

Hmm. Cerberus got better at her magic the more she did thematically with it. Azazel had this amazing potential that he sucked at at every angle. What was he doing wrong?

Favaro had zero interest in magic, but it was starting to sound more technical lately. Something more manageable if one knew the rules. Not that he planned to become a magician, but there was a certain idea he entertained in the back of his mind ...

· · · · · · ·

For breakfast the king graciously requested her presence at his table "so he could learn more of commoner life from a reliable source". As such, Nina ended up on a balcony that oversaw the misty city and the defense lines around the barrier. Wyverns swooped by frequently, some of them with black armors atop. Her death sentence on hold.

Other than that it was pretty. Morning glory, soft mist to hide the broken city, good food and elegant clothing, like she expected right after fairytale's happy ending. She had not been around Chris beyond dating, slavery and crisis; she didn't dwell too much on him in her room. He didn't either, judging from his calm posture.

Just there, sipping some coffee as if he'd done nothing wrong. He never did start casual conversations, only talk along if she did, so there was probably grandiose rambling coming up.

The food was awfully good though, so to be defiant she piled it all on a plate, and ignored her chair in favor of the balustrade. "So, I'm not really here talk about my commoner life, right? Honestly, everything I said during our dates is true, just add dragons."

"That revelation added sense to your random claim deers were scared of the area," he said. "So yes, I have another question. Do you still want to understand the true me?"

"Yes. What's it like to murder?"

He smiled at that, as usual. "None of the murderers on your side have bothered to explain? I killed for a good cause, so more may live."

"... but you didn't kill for a good cause," Nina huffed. "And you're not answering my question. You know, I always felt about people separate from the stuff they did, so I'm trying to get at what connects that. Again, what is it like to murder?"

"Transaction requires no emotion. I simply do what I must."

"... but to defeat Bahamut, you definitely must not destroy the people who kept it at bay!"

"You do not think on a grand enough scale."

Back at home, Nina had had a teacher with that tone, explaining transformation over and over while ignoring her hybrid nature.

"We're just going to keep repeating ourselves without getting anywhere, are we?" Nina said. "I'm tired of it."

Maybe she should transform and squash him. The very thought sickened her to her stomach, but the idea he might soon kill her friends was worse.

Maybe it'd be less bad if it he died somewhere else.

She could lift him and just throw him down the balcony.

Her wings unfolded, eyes still on him.

His hand went to his sword automatically. Of course.

She stopped moving, and he might have stopped himself just a second before.

He was fast, she'd seen it in the slums. Those few beters between him and the edge were enough to put up a fight. The wyvern riders might catch him anyway.

Still she lingered on the edge, eyes locked with his in silence. He was always beautiful, but she could only name one other thing she liked about him.

When she folded her wings and sat down, Chris relaxed. "What is it like to live in constant doubt about your goal?"

"I know my goal. What I want is for my friends to be safe, ... and for myself to be safe too. Then, I want a nice life for everyone I care about. Then, if there's time, I'd like to dance again, and hunt criminals and find nice dresses, but I don't need you for that. I just don't have my heart lined up with my thoughts, that's all."

"Hunt criminals? A strange goal to have, when many of your friends are exactly that. Or are you not aware that this Azazel was a serial killer even before the fall of Cocytus?"

"Lots of murder, I know," she said. "So did Cerberus and Rita, and Favaro was a like, a paid serial killer of criminals. You know Bacchus has magical ropes that he never gives to the bounty hunters? He's not great either. I know lots of people with a body count. What are you getting at?"

"What about Jeanne, when she unsealed Bahamut?"

"Jeanne was mind controlled. Leave her out of this. And if you wanna talk about my mass murdering friends, you need something better than pointing out they exist. Oh, I can do better for you : there is a room in heaven that records all crimes people have committed. Azazel has a wall full of criminal wards, each of whom have their own set of crimes. He's not growing it anymore though. I dunno about what Cerberus and Favaro and Rita are going to do, but I know your wall is a thousand times worse in less time, and it's still growing."

"Ah, they have one for me? Did you look at it in detail?"

"No. I'm starting to regret that. Heaven now has included crimes against demons, did you know that? I bet there's an amazing bounty on your head now."

"Does this system record the good I've done too?"

"It wouldn't matter."

"You miss the larger picture. If the demons and gods were not as they were, I would not needed to become this way. Any change they underwent is because I taught them the hard way. None of those demons would care one wit for humans if they hadn't been brought low. Those who bring themselves high, I accept with open arms. We already allow certain demons to be hired. Did you know Azazel got paid for his job at the amphitheater once? We could have more of that if only demons proved themselves better. I'm opening that avenue by recognizing the dragons."

But he wasn't going to rebuild Cocytus or anything. It was their job to prove themselves?

And he still hadn't answered her question.

Nina dropped her head to the table as Chris droned on, "And remember, that which is good is so relative. My people would call my conquest of hell good, and if I had gotten Jeanne d'Arc on my side, soon they would have called my conquest of heaven good too."

Mumbling against the tablecloth, she said, "They're all going to be dead soon because you're bringing Bahamut here without warning."

"I will defeat Bahamut at the cost of my life, and leave behind a world where the other two tribes know their place."

"Pffft, you really think that'll work? You made everyone hate you, that's all."

"Discipline will always be harsh by necessity."

"Did you know there was a human who became a full demon without changing his personality? He was righteous and wanted to help his people. He united benevolent demons who hadn't beforehand been able to change their realm for the better. He even worked with Azazel despite not liking the elite. Dante is dead now, thanks to you. You forced Azazel to kill him. What good did that do? The dead cannot learn, and you just keep killing without minding who it is."

"You focus too much on the individual, rather than the greater good. "

Nina slammed her cup on the table, cracking it. "But the people are made up out of lots of individuals! You just lump them all together and punish them alike?"

There that smile again. "That distraction you experience is exactly why I had to relinquish the sense of guilt from myself."

"You know, you're not smart enough to do good if you don't have guilt to stop you. I'm not either, nor is Azazel. I could give you someone who does good cause she's smart, but she's a demon so you wouldn't care either way. You'd probably lock her up like Jeanne. No, people like us need to feel guilt to keep us in line."

All he gave was silence.

Do you hate humans? she'd asked Azazel once. Yes, he'd said right away. It was that simple, and yet he hadn't let her fall to her death when he'd still thought she was one. Charioce didn't hate demons, he said, but he killed them anyway without the slightest sign of stopping, and playing ball with children didn't change the death sentence he had on Mugaro.

"You really shouldn't have compared yourself as better than Azazel. He's a low bar to meet with his past, and an very high one when it comes to the people he cares about."

No matter what she said, no matter whom he could have been, the way he was now didn't even feel for her even as he was willing to overhaul his system to make it easier to pardon her ... without tainting his public image, or his personal contest with himself on his resolve. Whatever it was, it left her standing alone. If what Chris felt for her was still expressed only in conditions, how could he ever rule anyone right?

Standing here in fancy dress made on broken backs felt filthy all of a sudden. All she had with Chris was a shared hobby. The rest was merely fate. Maybe there was a final wall she could crack, so all he'd hidden away would pour out. A nice little fantasy where the world didn't matter, only his heart. Too bad she and her friends had to live in the world he'd made.

She wanted to go home, and it wasn't the village between the trees where everyone was bright and she lived a lie. Her home was just a short flight away, over in the slums where she had to hide and where her words meant something. She had a life beyond dancing, a life with her friends and family and with ... oh.

Oh spirits.

It'd started with simple desire either way, until the words romantic love had lost its meaning the more she tried to see it in Chris. Much of what she wanted from him had gone beyond lust and shared hobby, wrapped up like a fairytale of epic journeys and shapeless devotion. She still wanted safety, but also a lot of other things, some of which were now shaped like Azazel.

Nina only had a wry, nervous chuckle to lose.

"Is something funny?"

"Yes. My teacher's really lousy cause he's smart yet refuses to be straightforward. Still better than you though."

More than one teacher had failed her, perhaps. What wisdom had her mother left her? Nina didn't actually know a lot about her mother and father's life, other than their fairytale romance. Did they quarrel? Why did she move to his home rather than the other way around? What did they have in common? There was a gaping void around the fairytale that she couldn't fill in for them. Nina wasn't sure whether whatever existed between her and Azazel had more to it, but it wasn't a hobby alone.

Charioce just sat there with his high maintenance perfection. Sharp, and begging for her to give endless forgiveness and unconditional love so she would fit him, as mandated by fate.

It left her with a seed of anger. This all wasn't fair, and if fate indeed exploited her like this, she had more than one enemy.

· · · · · · ·

That her very first true military offense would be attacking her own city was the least plausible future, yet here she stood.

Charioce had filled up his depleted armies with dragons and soldiers from Manaria. He might suspect the Essenbecks were up to something, since he had kept their provided armies out of relevant positions, had brought in a successor, and Manaria was an especially dragon friendly country ...

Did this relate to Nina? Charioce was easy to see as a monster, but if he had human weaknesses all the better. Better didn't mean good though, especially not if Nina caved to him. It was tempting to ask Sofiel, but if she didn't already know that'd break trust.

Using the power of free demons for set up, the Black Troupe would be able to mount an attack much swifter than ever before. After Lucifer had created the nexus, other demons appeared to create smaller portals below the hills. One of Lucifer's spies had a communication beacon in the hills they used to hone in; they had hoped to land in the middle of the city, but apparently the barrier got in the way. Said spy hadn't been able to craft a gate nexus.

Secretly Jeanne was glad for this. The opening in the castle's outer wall faced the city, there was strategic benefit to that angle, but at what cost? Coming from the hills would spare the citizens more.

After Jeanne finished going over strategy with the Essenbecks and Reinier, she had little left to do. Her role would be a lead soldier, not a general. Inspecting and motivating troops would not be her business today. She tried not to regret that, for now, as she had other concerns in need of time.

As Lucifer finished up the last elements of the nexus, Jeanne approached him. The unicorn was behind her as usual, but vun horn glowed more. Alert.

"Lord Lucifer, may I have a moment of your time? It regards Charioce's greater goal. I had hoped to discuss it in a safer environment, but time may be important."

"Time I have aplenty."

New tunnels and halls had spun out under the miner's village, many of them emptied as the demons worked close to the nexus. The unicorn remaining outside, they claimed one.

Well, claim. There was a couch already, and wine, and a single book, all protected by a circle.

"Teleportation and gate travelling takes a lot of energy, I prefer to have something quicker at hand to rest," Lucifer said at her staring.

He dropped himself on the couch, crossed his legs and took his book. As if all that'd happen were a quick update before he'd move on with so important down time. All the magnificence of archangels radiated from him, even as technically, he was lazying about.

"It appears that certain rumors were confirmed. Azazel is in Anatae. I wonder why you did not tell me. Or anyone for that latter, since he is your ally."

Oh no.

"He suffered a great deal of injuries during his capture by Charioce, which did not regenerate," Jeanne said. "He was unable to move until recently."

Oh Michael, how was she going to avoid talking about her child's role in this? Why was Azazel in Anatae to begin with?

Lucifer pulled out a bush of black feathers, one of those she'd handed out to prove Azazel was her ally. "So you say."

He fanned out the feathers between his fingers. There were more than Jeanne had distributed.

"Mammon aquired some of these from merchants. They were in circulation before you descended," he said slowly. "And isn't it rather curious that despite your alliance, not a single demon has seen Azazel? Perhaps he was busy conquering the lower part of the city, though I wonder why. Olivia should have been our ally."

"Azazel is not a fine negociator." And Olivia wasn't very fine about respect for life, judging from the tales.

"Heh. Yes, that is true."

If Azazel had not yet contacted Lucifer, and Lucifer knew nothing of El Mugaro, something was amiss. Time to redirect.

"I might assume you are a better negociator," she asked.

"Indeed I must be."

What was he waiting for? She took a dare and said, "I can only assume though. Since I began, an underground movement had started routined escaped slaves to Valeria. There was no such thing for five years, despite your ability to open portals."

"Helheim was crowded already," he said. "As long as some survive, we shall rebuild once humankind burns itself out."

Oh, he was not truly Valeria's ally. He just moved things along, but would take no risks. Except perhaps telling her their hide out what Helheimr, but maybe he expected Azazel to have told her already. Was this a test? What was she supposed to do? He let the conversation drift without pressing anything ...

"I cannot speak for what goes down between you and Azazel, and I must discuss something else. We believe Charioce XVII intends to fight Bahamut soon, and has done something to prevent you and lady Gabriel from detecting its arrival."

"Does he now?" Lucifer broke one of the feathers in his hand. "Do you have proof?"

"You could simply teleport to Eibos. A facility brimming with green power is visible once there."

"Let me clarify : do you have proof for me that does not require me to visit an unstable location that contains a facility that might just be designed to capture me?"

"What?"

"Since his conquest of hell, Charioce XVII has invented an application of the zommorods that negates ichor founded magic, as I'm certain you know. He has activated this costly energy below his castle, as I'm also certain you know. It is why you require humans to invade, as I'm sure didn't slip your mind while building this invasion. That you enact while rebelling against Gabriel — don't look so surprised, my erstwhile sister would never allow you to do as you will — and overthrowing your own king. And Azazel's circumstances are very curious. And absent."

Her invitation to show him Eibos no longer sounded reasonable, especially when she'd have to ask him to weaken himself by teleporting, or trust the unicorn and her.

Oh Michael, why were there even any feathers from Azazel in circulation?

"I cannot provide you proof other than that, but I must ask, what if I am right? What if Bahamut does arrive soon? Will you be prepared?"

"Then let it come," Lucifer said. "It's done so countless of times. The world will just rebuild itself into the same useless dreck."

"Did you not stand with us ten years ago? How can you be so callous?"

"How can I be? Surely you noticed I was late, ten years ago. I came for Azazel, that was all. Satan's sacrifice would never be mine. No, I once tried to destroy the world myself, before I truly understood what held it all together," he said. "Arbiter Mortis was not perfect, yet shaped this world in her image of perfection. The end of that world is the only true change that Bahamut brought. Everything since has a cycle of the same. There is a triviality to this world you will never be old enough to understand."

And a triviality to departures, for him. Invisible force closed around Jeanne, almost suffocating as every movement was dictated. His invisible power. He just picked her up and deposited her outside.

Before the door slammed shut, she caught a glimpse of him smiling at his book.

Lucifer was intimidating in presence only to leave one wondering whether he acted the moment he was gone. She could hardly call it a flair for drama, but it wasn't the cold, condescending way Charioce held himself. Jeanne didn't know what to make of it, or even whether she should try.

· · · · · · ·

By means of her unicorn, Jeanne and Sofiel arrived at the growving nexus. Once a small cave, this end had now expanded further underground. Her goal was to speak with a few people, and secure alliance.

Anatae's lower quarters looked like a ghost town : covered in mist and cursed web. The mist reached the castle too, but lacking the webs left it without the ominous impression. No wonder Valeria felt nothing for making an official alliance with the demons. They expected treachery, and had zommorods at hand in case, and Paracelsus's automatons. As far as Valeria was concerned, the demons in the lower quarter were proof of Charioce's incompetence, no more.

Jeanne had not risked arguing in their favor, lest the fragile trust people had in her were harmed, especially since she did not know the story.

Soldiers scouted the hills around the barrier to warn of any trouble, but the unicorn could gateway them to a patch of forest nearby easily enough. It'd take some effort to pass for the unicorn, so in the meantime she placed her hand on the forcefield.

The unicorn stopped, curious. Encouraging. Look.

This wasn't magic from hell itself, though its frame was demonic. Rather, it flowed like that which humans souls generated. It would have surprised her more, if over the past months her entirely world view hadn't been full of strangeness.

At the tips of her fingers it flowed away, more like sand than water the way demonic and divine power did. Spreading it apart with her hands, she held open a path for Sofiel.

Together they went through, into a mostly empty street. A few humans milled about near a house, and demons flew overhead. They got about two streets down when someone came leaping across the roofs.

Through the haze of the demonic webs it took Jeanne a moment to disginguish her child, by which time ne already leaped down. "Mother!"

El Mugaro fell into her arms. The embrace was welcome, the years of separation still fresh on her mind. Tearing herself loose wasn't easy, but El Mugaro did it nurself.

"The unicorn came to you too? Oh, and hello, Sofiel!"

She nodded. "Yes, but there's something more important we must discuss. Please lead me to where you're staying."

· · · · · · ·

When Mugaro had run off cause ne sensed nur mother, Cerberus had scrambled to get as much important figures to be around. John, Alex, Augustin and whatever Red Troupe members were around. Rachel was available, but Belphegor was busy with science crap. That put Cerberus on the spot of being the noble host.

And what a job Jeanne did arriving in the slum's central plaza! Sure, her clothes were a bit off, but descended from on high riding a unicorn, two angels flying along. It should've been this profound moment of bonding across the tribes.

If not for one detail.

"Where the hell is Coco?" Cerberus whispered to Jeanne.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen Coco for a while now. There were complications that limited his teleportation, I suspect he got stuck somewhere. I already have someone looking for him. In the meantime, may I introduce you to our allies?"

"I'll look myself, but fine."

"Lady Sofiel, this is Cerberus and Mimi, who helped us escape Charioce's island," Jeanne said.

The angel looked upon Cerberus with contempt, but radiated something appetizing. A compatible power perhaps? Worth being nice to in case it was useful. Cerberus put on her sweetest face, bowed a little and said, "Welcome to our humble abode."

It softened the goddess a little, though she remained distant. "Likewise. Are you the leader? We have come to—"

Aaaand Azazel stepped out right then, causing Jeanne to stand straight and be very loud with, "Azazel! I entrusted El Mugaro's safety to you and bring nur back to Anatae of all places?"

"Mugaro just wanted to get some friends out."

"El is seven, Azazel. You're an adult. You're supposed to know better!"

"Mother, please! It was realllllly necesary we got here anyway. There was this demon taking everyone hostage and we just had to get rid of her as soon as possible."

"Oh dear order," Sofiel said. "Jeanne, you need to arrange better babysitters."

"But I'm not a baby!"

"Where is Nina anyway?" Jeanne asked.

Azazel just barely contained himself from a no doubt explosive explanation. He managed through gritted teeth, "Let's talk about this somewhere not public."

"Hello, we have to be formal here for a minute ... " Cerberus trailed off. Ugh, why even try with these people? They had no idea about crowd control. Newbies.

· · · · · · ·

"I don't believe this," Jeanne said upon hearing why Nina was in the castle. "I thought Nina was at least level headed about this, but she went to Charioce alone?"

"You knew the entire time?" Azazel snapped.

"She told me in confidence, so yes."

"She wasn't level headed about it at all, she brought him into the slums without telling anyone!"

"While El Mugaro was there?"

Cue another horrifying story. Perhaps Nina might be out of her mind, and Sofiel added fuel to this.

"My dear El Elyon, it was Charioce XVII?" At the questioning looks, Sofiel expanded with, "She onced asked whether she was in love and wanted magical confirmation. I gave her as best as I could, though the way earthlings speak of romance confuses me. She certainly has a form of affection and craving ..."

Azazel kicked down a wall.

"My admiration with how you're dealing with this just keeps growing, Azazel," Cerberus said.

"Let's not panic," Favaro said. "It's not like she's going behind our backs anymore."

"You don't get it, I've seen this before!" Azazel said. "When I ..."

His eyes went to the door, till Cerberus said, "The kid's nowhere near."

Azazel continued, "Back when I still toyed with humans. There'd be women who would do anything for their lover or husband or whatever. Some of them admitted it up front, others had all these excuses. She's staying for him either way."

"Oh dear," Sofiel said. "Can we trust her not to do anything ... rash, like before in heaven?"

Jeanne felt awfully guilty for agreeing to everyone's unspoken uuuuh sad but yes moment.

"Do we actually know what her deal is?" Mimi asked. "We got these fancy new powers, but they only tell us stuff about community, it's not that good at predicting stupidity or backstabbing."

"At the root of romance there are crushes, limerence, infatuation, lust, passion and friendship," Sofiel said. "I'd have to talk to her in detail for more, but it's not easy. Perhaps because she has a mixture of all of those, save friendship. I don't know enough about whether or not she'll betray us."

"She isn't going to intentionally betray the entrance in Kaisar's place," Favaro said. "Anyway, there's something else we have to talk about. Coco mentioned Bahamut, right?"

Jeanne nodded.

"Well, we're not sure of the primary anti Bahamut movement ... "

Cue to the most horrifying story yet.

Fate existed not as a facet of divinity, but an independent process that dictated Charioce was the holy knight.

And she and Azazel were apparently immune to its direct machinations. Not its indirect, though. The world still affected her.

Also, Charioce was the holy knight destined to save the world.

She could accept it being Favaro, but Charioce? If fate put the future of the entire world on the back of a ruthless genocidal monster, then she had a greater enemy.

And Nina had something to do with this all. Charioce XVII was to save the world, and she was to aid him? Favaro was guessing only, but he'd know what he was talking about.

"We have a kind of pattern here : pink hair, dragons, young and naive, destiny guy tried to murder her at one point. I'm not free of guilt here," Favaro said with a too casual shrug.

The biggest problem Nina should face about her crushing on guys was being turned down, not being murdered.

This. This held the world together? It couldn't control her, so Martinet took her as a weapon? And fate let them all believe she was the true knight? With the sheer precision fate orchestrated, it could have avoided so much suffering.

Why did the gods adhere to fate? Why was any of this not questioned?

"Anyway, about the war on our doorstep," Cerberus said loudly. "Jeanne, are you a saint already?"

Jeanne and Sofiel exchanged a glance. The idea had floated without word, but never been outright planned. Valeria had included her in the invasion plan, but as a knight on horse. Would Gabriel allow Sofiel to transform Jeanne, after she'd gone against her will?

"If she wills, it will happen just before the war," Sofiel said.

· · · · · · ·

That evening, Amira had messages to share, including Jeanne. Mugaro's was relayed first, of nur happiness, and of wanting Nina to be careful. It was rather short, but Amira said ne knew the truth now.

Jeanne worried so much over learning what Nina did regarding Charioce, pressed her to be careful, and said she would have her return right away if not for one problem with the incoming invasion and the matter of her family.

They didn't know her tribe mates had joined Charioce. When asked, Amira confirmed she hadn't told them this. To her, treacherous family seemed a touchy subject. If Nina could work on that, Amira would keep quiet.

Sofiel was there too. Nina only knew her on the surface, but it was still nice to hear from her. Sofiel regretted that she hadn't seen the trouble that weighed on Nina, and understood why she hadn't outright confessed the nature of her problem. It was a little of a relief that she didn't say anything about her having had to reveal it.

Favaro tried to be all mentory with how she should her choices and not run on emotions a lot. Well meant, but she'd figured that out by now. Really. He also wanted to chew Kaisar out for going along with this charade.

Rita called her an idiot several times and told her to chew out and make him hy his ass over to his mansion for tests; Amira was sure a few times of idiot might've been meant for Kaisar.

Azazel didn't pass on a message, which was ... something. Obnoxious? Just how angry was he with her? He didn't mind her being near, so ... or did he? Was that just barely tolerating her ? It didn't seem like it. Maybe he just didn't know what to ...

No, this wasn't okay. Even if he was angry, they were still friends.

Nina crossed her arms. "Tell Azazel he should at least say hi."

"He did do a lot of complaining about how you weren't safe in here."

Really, what was up with him? It wasn't like there was any real danger if he could just summoner her away. "I'm fine."

"He thinks you're lying to yourself," Amira said. "Why would you do that?"

"I'm not ..."

"Lying is horrible, especially if you live it. It can break you and the world with it. About that, they have this plan ..."

Jeanne had new friends who'd come to invade the city, and they had zommorod powered mecha. All the more reason she had to make her tribe mates stand down. There was complicated invasion stuff too, which neither of them understood very well, and Nina had trouble focusing on when Amira herself kept reminding her to talk to her family. To Ladislao.

Why was Amira so focused on family? Curiosity won out, so when Amira explained the limits of her spying (Charioce and Merlin could always see her), she asked, "What do they see though? You looked different ages to me, first you were a very young girl, but you looked like a woman when you helped me being summoned away."

Amira looked rather sad, the silence only accenting it.

"I'm just wondering whether it's a glitch, like how humans see different in Rita's mist than demons do?"

Amira shook her head. "I was made, so maybe I don't have a set form. My mother is ... was Nicole. I'm not sure whether I can call her mother anymore, I was made by breaking her soul. Some demon, Belzebuth, he did it. His power was half of me. I never was the little girl you saw. You're one of those who see me when I do not make it so, whatever you saw was your interpretation of me. In time, I am 10 years only. In mind, when I was made I was like a 5 year old. I haven't lived in the world since then, so maybe I still am."

"Oh ... it's probably not the same, but I've lived as animal more than I've lived sapient. I know a little about lost time with people. You're still alive, and learn new stuff. Just slower maybe?"

"I had language and fighting skills, but it wasn't even all language — I didn't know what a father was, for example. Then I was sealed along with Bahamut. I haven't been able to hear anything for all this time, so I couldn't learn the words for things. I don't understand lies with words well, because the lies I've been told were memories. Maybe that is a little like what you lost."

"I'm getting memories back from my time as dragon, but they're not smart memories. Just animal memories ... hey, what do you mean, your memories were a lie?"

There was the story of pain, of her mother Nicole dying in her arms. As Amira went on, her expression grew sadder. Had she ever told anyone this story? To lose her mother because she'd arrived, triggering the murder ... Nina's stomach turned and the dragon wanted out, or crawl away. Still she could hold the memories of her father, and put them aside to focus on how Amira felt.

And there was something about lies that had to be said.

"Amira, you should know Favaro has something not so nice about him that he's gotta tell you."

Amira pouted, but not in a bratty way. She looked like the world let her down.

Nina waved her hands in a soothing way. "It's nothing as bad as with Charioce and I'm sure you can talk it out. Still. It's going to hurt."

That sad look didn't go away and Nina almost regretted saying it. No wonder Favaro didn't want to try when they only had pictures. How was he even going to say sorry?

It didn't feel fair. The man who loved Nina didn't think he ever had to say sorry.

· · · · · · ·

Oktober 1

· · · · · · ·

No running, only polite giggling, no opening random doors, no saying thanks to servants, stop stating opinion on everything, walk neatly, eat neatly. Acting like a well mannered girl quickly became excruciating. She still couldn't get heels to work, going down on her face every few hours. Breaking rocks was easier and more pleasant since it didn't come with shame.

Oh, she knew shame. Silly Nina can't transform was the background hum of home. Now it was instead her not becoming a princess. Like heaven she might be a token, and would be left if she didn't live up. At least at home, they didn't discard her with a dose of death.

So she played along and waited for a chance to talk with some of the other dragons. It wasn't like they really needed her in the slums anyway.

During an outdoor breakfast in the gardens — which Nina was supposed to handle by only eating small portions — she met Merlin again. Not her prime choice, but given the threat she was to Mugaro and all this fate stuff she might as well give it a shot. Siding off to talk with the scary, illustrous Merlin was socially acceptable and useful for the rebellion.

Merlin had a table under an plant archway with flowers overhead and much more food than she would need. Nina sat without asking.

"I'm surprised you are still here," Merlin said. "I thought you only stayed to avoid trouble for your friends."

"You can just ask me why, you know. It's cause I have to know how much of my tribe Chris is involving."

Merlin considered for awhile before she said, "From what I understand, Ladislao arrived first and convinced other men to join. So far, they act as employees and little more, however ... Ladislao sent off someone to your home town a while ago. I will be expected to summon him back tomorrow."

Qhispe wouldn't join, would she? Right? Their whole policy was to not get involved with the war. It'd be fine.

"It won't work," Nina said. "Anyway, you're close to Ladis?"

"Ladislao has served as my mount a few times, so we are colleages. That is not important," Merlin said. "If we are to discuss a matter, it should be of concern to the greater fate."

"My uncle's—"

"Someone smarter than you, but less relevant."

"Ugh, fine. Hand me those bagels."

Merlin did so, and said. "I would hand you your exact fate as well, if you just let it happen."

"Just so we're clear, I and Chris went over all this already, and he's ambivalent either way. He's not gonna stop me if I do it, and is fine with dying if I don't. We moved onto killing being okay or not, and he tried to make it about Azazel all of a sudden. Jeanne came up too. Why?"

In a bout of flouting decorum, Merlin rolled her eyes heavenward. "I merely mentioned your escape route."

"Well, he was very annoying and vague again. Want to add anything nasty? Like what your deal with Azazel is?"

Merlin sighed. "It is not something I wish to discuss in detail."

"Then do broad strokes. You want me to make a decision based on fate, then give me stuff to work with."

"Azazel manipulated me to defy fate, a dark seduction that I fell for believing he was just some fool to whom I could listen without risk, and perhaps learn what made him untouchable by fate. It was his pretense of stupidity that lowered my guard, I did not see what he was truly doing.

Upon pacting with him, that resistance to fate's hand passed to me. You can imagine but never comprehend what the shift in cognition did to me. I am already soul in transit in dying by demonic nature, a fragile existence. If we were all puppets of fate, then without fate we surely were free? In the shadow of Azazel, I could experiment with that freedom.

I understood what fate did to me when I lost the will to go through old routines. Thoughts that always came to me now did not. Habits vanished. I lost almost all of whom I was. I hated fate for it, but oh, it was the way the world no longer met me to pave my way. I had to make choices I never had come before, I had to rely on my own limited wisdom. I tripped into a freefall when I had no wings. If the idea fate controlled me was terrifying, this was worse.

Fate is gentle guidance for the betterment of humankind, but ruthless for those who seek to break it, as Azazel does. He may be a mastermind of seductive evil, but he will never win again."

Nina had to laugh, and clamped her hand over her mouth to stop the spray of food.

"What is your issue, if I may ask?" Merlin almost snapped.

"I hate to break it to you, but your fall was your own fault too. Azazel's not a deep thinker and can do really stupid things. According to Rita, he almost started the rebellion without telling me! Then there's throwing you and Athos in last minute, and we didn't test my powers all that well either, and he tried to force a kiss one me and that just made things worse — Ladis told you how my transformation works, right? — and he just keeps throwing himself at Chris with no planning. He also threw himself at Odin, and got himself killed by Dione."

"Are you sure? He seems to be awfully alive lately."

"Divine CPR. Anyway, about the bowels of evil, he's a kid in that. People were toys, he didn't have a grand ideology like Chris does."

Merlin huffed, "Evil in itself is a way of life. Senseless slaughter the end result, just like that friend I had you remove from the castle."

Nina blinked. "If you want further proof how out of touch with intrigue Azazel is : he could have just paid her to do that years ago. At least, back when he didn't have qualms about mass murder yet. They've been allies for years."

Merlin's eye twitched, to Nina's satisfaction.

"And I really mean it about the kid thing. Gods have this weird thing where sometimes their minds don't match the body like with humans. There's Amira who was a five year old when she was five weeks old, and Mugaro who was a three year old when ne was three seconds old, And now ne looks like a twelve year old but still acts like younger and older, and it's all very confusing. Azazel was stuck like that for several centuries. If all it took for you to be seduced was a bratty ten year old kid with superpowers, I bet you had feelings you ignored," Nina said. "Trust me, I'm so good at that I didn't even notice till recently. By the way, did you know Chris would be incredibly dead if my feelings hadn't stopped me from telling the gods he took treks outside the castle? That's why fate wants me, I run on feelings all the time. Butterflies and lust. I'm trying very hard to think instead cause fate is a dick."

Merlin's hands clenched into the tablecloth, and Nina's edge melted away.

"I bet it's scary for you too, learning people you're close to are bad guys," Nina said. "Many in my life did bad things, and some still do. Me too. Jeanne says I can't hold myself responsible for anything I didn't choose to do, and I can't if I accept her as mind controlled, I was mindless. Others made art of murder."

"Method," Merlin hissed. "King Charioce has sensical method, there is nothing like that to Azazel."

"The dead can't care about that, and most of the living can't either. And you? What do you care about? Chris has things he wants for himself, like me, the subjugation of the gods and demons, and the glory of humankind. You talk about fate like that's the goal in itself."

Merlin closed her eyes and whispered, "You are nothing but an ignorant child, making the a mistake I've made too, except the cost will be higher. Bahamut will kill a thousand times more than anything even my errors caused. You cannot fight fate. Not even Bahamut can."

Nina frowned. She had a pretty good idea about non answers by now. "But—"

"Enough." A flitter of anger crossed Merlin's face, which she quickly reigned in. Calmly, she continued eating, smiling and making smalltalk, and with every passing second, Nina grew more horrified. This woman was fate's closest agent, and felt like freedom was some kind of evil.

· · · · · · ·

Azazel didn't have enough to do to keep his mind off of worrying. Cerberus had control over the barrier zone, Angra Mainyu was nowhere to be found, and all he could do was wait.

Today, Mimi came to tell that Jeanne had come by to discuss strategic aid with her and the Red Troupe. Merlin could likely sense Jeanne if she transformed; they should have sainted her before arriving. Oh well.

Jeanne wanted a private word with him later that evening, so he found them a secluded place.

Most human houses were occupied on the lower floor, but the upper levels were often empty. What few humans moved higher were those who hated demons so much, they refused to be near the growing underground city. Houses further to the slums had no humans. He selected one with thick walls, passed the location to Mimi and waited outside.

Jeanne arrived late, with an apology there was so much to discuss, but Azazel's attention was elsewhere.

A cloaked person shuffled from behind a corner, before breaking into a clumsy run. Azazel's first instinct to throw them away quelled by the sheer absurdity of someone hobbling at full speed while trying to bow.

The person shoved the packpage at Azazel, muttered something while bowing, and ran off again.

Baffled, he opened the package : a plate with a frosted cake on it.

"You used your position to make people bake you cakes?" Jeanne asked.

"I didn't! I have no idea... oh. Nina."

Jeanne snatched a piece. "It's good cake, though I can't place the flavor."

He gave it a shot. Hmm. Made from the new demonic gardens. Whatever this was about, they'd clearly waited till Jeanne was near to deliver. A human then, thinking a saint's presence would make things safer. Whatever.

When they entered his chosen place, Jeanne toured to the kitchen to find a fork. Demonstratively, she planted it in the cake and dared him with a glare to make a mess.

He flicked the fork at her, "But what will you eat with?" before digging in. This stuff was good , he might have gone as far as thanking Nina if she would just let him summon her out of Charioce's grip, but noooo. She had to be there for some reason.

Jeanne took one look at the ravaged cake and passed on the fork.

"Alright, I must say a few things. For one, you sitting around in heaven and doing nothing wasn't helping anyone, least of all yourself. I understand you had a lot to deal with, but this ended up with my child literary having to pull you out of suicide. That is nothing a seven year old should have to deal with."

He struggled inward before saying, "Sorry."

Jeanne seemed surprised. Before it got awkward, he said, "Did you send Mugaro after me or what?"

"Yes. I did not like the way Gabriel was molding nur. Besides, I don't believe you deserve to die. Not anymore. That said, I am very displeased to find you all here."

"Ne had a life here, what did you expect."

"I understand, but I wish you'd gone in alone," she said.

"Do you really wanna argue about this thing we can't change anymore, or whas there something else?"

He made short work of the last of the cake while Jeanne gathered her thoughts.

"I've met Lucifer," she said. "And I begin to wonder why you left Helheimr."

Azazel froze.

"I came here to restore the pride of the demons," he said evenly. "I stayed to save them. What else could there be?"

"The fate of the demons will have to be decided soon, and I'm trying to figure out your place in it. Lucifer is not promising."

He sneered. "What about that isn't clear yet?"

Jeanne gestured at the house. "Regardless of your intentions, you didn't release the hostages this Olivia claimed. People will take that into account."

"But—"

"Hear me out. You have to prepare and you cannot dismiss eons of prejudice that humans have for demons. I can only do so much, so work with me here."

Azazel considered for about five seconds before he said, "I'm pretty sure I killed someone in the Essenbeck family tree, so you do not want me involved at all."

Jeanne almost dropped her head on the table. "We're going to try very hard to quell rumors about your true identity. I can play off the rag demon killing murderers, but not your games before. Work with me a little here, please."

There was no more cake to distract him. "What does this have to do with Lucifer?"

"He's creating a nexus to the city to transport the armies of Valeria in secret, and from what I've seen of him, he does not inspire the spirit of cooperation."

Oh, there it was. Perhaps she thought Lucifer had sent him to scout out the area and he'd just stuck around. Perhaps she thought Lucifer would invade ... which might not be off that much ... he staked things out whenever he could, but there were limits, like when he'd mobilized against Bahamut.

"For what it's worth, I don't live for Lucifer anymore," he said. "It's ... "

Jeanne's expression softened. "El Mugaro's one, I suppose that's true. And your people ..."

She'd have met enough demons to know hell wasn't perfect even to its own.

A silence fell. Azazel became too aware of the absurdity of the situation. He was out of his league. So was she. Their encounter ten years ago hadn't exactly been fun, but it'd been simple. A coupe like this was not, unless ...

"Eligos went on about power vacuums a lot. I didn't think it meant anything, but now ... what do you think is going to happen if Charioce is overthrown?"

"The Essenbeck family will attempt to make a claim to the throne, supported by Valeria. I have little idea who how that will unfold, but Valeria is still very much about using demons. It won't be good, and this ties to Lucifer as such : I'm running the escape network with Sofiel's help, he's only acting for the war side. Even you in this short time here did more. It feels like a spell waiting to explode."

"So fix it. You know you're more than a torch. Charioce XIII feared you for that reason. It's a common thing both in hell and on earth, the moment got someone who holds the adoration of the masses they're a threat. To his throne."

Judging by that look, it started to sink in.

"You can't be serious."

"Really? You've been dismantling a foundation of faith in the gods — that they are desperately needed to protect humans against demons — and you didn't consider being a leader?"

"I already am, but there is a difference between guiding the people and running a government," she said. "I can't just take the throne, I'd be known an usurper. They inspire no loyalty, and that I am a woman in a world of men makes this all the more difficult."

She looked trapped and unwilling to take the way out. He knew the look. Granted, prior times he'd done this there was a tragic ceveat they were running into, but this wasn't a game. Those things only blew up when he wanted them to.

Jeanne didn't say yes. He didn't think she had to.

"I will see what I can do for your people from whatever position of power I might attain, if you will follow some directions regarding that."

"Fine. I will keep demons from harming your tribe." That wasn't a promise easily made.

"We don't have to trade favors," Jeanne said gently. "If we can be allies on trust instead, all the better."

"Whatever works."

She nodded at the window. "Those webs must go, however."

The threat had to go. They'd probably never quite see eye to eye.

· · · · · · ·

That afternoon Nina learned the word symposium : a large gathering with lots of talking about a topic. They needed a hall bigger than the ballroom, but at least there was some food.

She was supposed to sit still and listen to people talk about science and society, in rows among old men. Nina herself, Chris, Anne and the dragon guard were the only without wrinkles and graying hair.

The king of Manaria insisted in these educative endeavors, having brought along scholars to learn from and teach to Charioce's court. Kind of rude, since the topic was demonic outbreaks. Ghouls also started growing on earth more. A not so subtle hint there were things to be fixed, but Charioce's ministers preferred talking about population control and action over art and theory. Chabrol rambled on about ancient legacies reclaimed and deciphering old runes and mysteries of the world.

Chris spent the time with Argus, while Anne and her entourage was further in the back to take notes. During a quiet moment, Ladis walked by and made eye contact with Nina, nodding at her to come along. Anne noticed and kindly excused Nina by asking her to fetch something for her.

Nina followed Lao outside, but she didn't go too far. If any Onyx Knights appeared, she'd slip back in the hall.

"I've been told you almost caused a spectacle," Ladis said lightly. "What was that about?"

"The Orleans Cannon Fodder," Nina said.

Ladislao chuckled, and it stung. He wasn't different from the casual way he acted at home.

"You really believe in all this stuff?" Nina gestured at the door and droning.

"The control is useful," Chris said. "Chabrol can keep his runes, they're harmless."

"Most demons are harmless too," Nina said.

"You always try to make it about them," Ladis said.

"Chris always tries to make it about himself," Nina said. "All the way to fighting Bahamut. There's a three world war that wouldn't exist if everyone was busy uniting against Bahamut."

"That's all you see? You have the most powerful man in the world in love with you, ready to change the founding laws of his kingdom just so you can get away with your crimes—"

"Crimes I wouldn't have done if he hadn't made such a shitty world. What is wrong with you, Ladis? Didn't our tribe leave hell cause we hated how the place was run?"

"That's different. We're turning our backs on the demons further by joining this kingdom. Charioce managed what we never could : overthrow hell."

"Do you know what he did to me? When he had me in prison ... no, that's wrong. he had me enslaved on that island. I told him I'd break out cause I have friends to save, and him to stop, even though I hated that I had to, cause I loved him. He walked away and left me to rot there. He'll do the same to you and the others once it's convenient."

Ladislao's face twisted in a way she'd never seen— but no, she had seen it. Flashes of memory where she was a dragon came up, far into the world ... he'd come to fetch her ... her heart pounded and she smelled blood. The light of transformation almost broke, but she forced it away.

He took a step back, before calmly saying, "It's your own fault that happened. If you hadn't gotten involved with that filth you'd be fine."

"No, I'd be dead, his knights came after me for a stupid reason and—"

"Oh shut up. You were in the wrong place, right? That's your fault too. Don't betray him, Nina. You have the chance to walk away with all your crimes now. Both recent and past. Don't betray us."

With that he returned inside.

Quietly, Nina fetched the excuse for Anne, and returned too. When she did, Ladislao had taken a seat near to her corner. Surrounding him were all the other dragons from her village.

By then, someone else stood on the podium to deliver a speech. Rather than the sour scientists, this one wore regal clothing.

"That is the soon to be Charioce XXI," Anne said.

"Not XVIII?" Nina asked. "Does Chris skip three for the show?"

"The ministers haven't figure that out yet the exact order," Ladislao said behind her. "It doesn't matter. If Chris were to die, there's someone competent to keep the kingdom together. Isn't that great?"

Charioce soon to be XXI droned on. "We must achieve continental unity, bringing together our common political and economic interests. Our young people are determined to furnish every effort by showing love for their work and united determination, and by acts of renunciation and sacrifice. These attributes they will aquire only under the discipline of our noble kingdom."

He nodded at the group of dragons, and Ladislao bowed.

"It is the wise who see the road we must take, led by our hero Charioce XVII. Only the enemies of our unity will seek to escape." At this, the guys chuckled, and one kicked Nina's chair.

"It is a long road yet. For ages, pleasure has prevailed over the spirit of sacrifice. People have made demands rather than put in effort, to the result of our misery. The gods took advantage of this to make us bow by broken will, and the demons fed on our fear. We must no longer let ourselves be swept along by the frame of submission." Someone whispered about ungrateful protesters.

He droned on and on, and with every jab and empty vow, her kin agreed, while Nina remember who they were. More than one had been out to drag her back when she was wild. More than one had returned home with stories of rising above their ranks.

"May Charioce XVII live long and prosperous. I promise to fullful my task with honor and glory for the good of the kingdom, whatever my role shall be." The end of the speech.

Ladislao leaned over to whisper, "You could be more too. You could finally be useful."

Nina almost couldn't breathe, and the walls were too close.

She folded her hands and closed her eyes, almost praying to Mugaro and the others to bring her out of here.

I can't ...

She should get out of here. They wouldn't listen to her. She should ...

... and then what she be? Actually useless, now they knew to make wards for resistance against Dromos. No, she better stay, and use Charioce's weakness for her. It had to count for something. It had to.

· · · · · · ·

Oktober 2

· · · · · · ·

Nina was woken by a jolt from Amira, which was followed by a long story about Jeanne's plans to invade the capital. They could use a revolt of the demonic division of the Orleans Knights, the destruction of the anti ichor magic field around the castle, and the staff that had been stolen from Rita. These were to be passed on to Kaisar and Dias.

It didn't need to be those two. Chris would probably die and she wasn't going to let herself be distracted by that, cause her friends and everyone else had to live.

"I will deal with the protective zone," Nina said. "See, good thing I'm in here. Tell me what I need to know."

She didn't give Amira room for bringing up any personal messages.

· · · · · · ·

Kaisar was in the middle of explaining a nobleman about the virtuous regimen of the Onyx Knights when Nina burst from a door. "Brother! We need to talk. Now."

With an iron grip she dragged him away, he could barely blurt out an apology to the man.

Once alone in a room, he managed a single, "What—" before Nina poured out most distressing news.

The Black Troupe's coup was at hand already, the Essenbecks having allied with Valeria and Jeanne d'Arc. He knew the coup might happen, but Jeanne would invade her own kingdom? He had never imagined her to sink so low. True, she had done terrible things, but only when tainted by demons. Otherwise she was strong and righteous.

"Hey, are you listening? I said we could use back up from the inside, so we're gonna free the enslaved demon soldiers, and we're gonna shut down the Dromos field thingy. You did the latter at the arena already, so you're going to teach me how."

"It's not that simple—"

"Why?"

"They've upgraded it since then. It can't be turned down by a single keystone anymore exactly because Azazel escaped." He held up Rocky. "And Rocky helped, you can't do it without this. Besides, last time the key master was somehow knocked out. Now I don't even know who it is."

"Dammit. I guess I'll have to do it the old fashioned way. Anyway, you better get in place as soon as the invasion begins."

"..."

"Right?" She glared at him with those inhuman red eyes.

Would he participate? Favaro and Belphegor would let him live it down with sore dissapointment, Azazel didn't expect an awful lot from him anyway. But Jeanne ...

"What about his majesty? Will he be executed?"

"If he doesn't die in battle, maybe. Look, I don't feel like it either, but I want it because it's what needs to happen for everyone's sake."

"But ..."

"Why do you like Charioce so much? I was made for him by fate or something like that, but you? Is he your friend?"

Kaisar looked away. She wouldn't understand.

"Let me show you the demons at arms. We shall see from there on."

· · · · · · ·

Gloomy small tunnels, but they were dry. She focused on the smooth stones, nothing like the rough abyss of the island. It smelled different and as it was daylight, there were no torches. They passed windows and open terrain, cautious until they reached the bunks of the demons.

Nina hitched up her stuffed skirt and descended into the bunks while Kaisar stood guard at the entrance.

Here only dim light came from what once had been drainage holes. The demons were kept close for marching, but out of sight.

A rather large demon stood up, weary of her presence. "What're you down down here, young lady?"

"I'm Nina of the rebellion," she said. "And I'm here to ask for your help and help you break free. Unfortunately, we can't do the latter without the former."

"Huh?"

Nina raised her skirt just enough to unhook the food bags at her garters — bread, chunks of meat, candy, anything she had gotten her hands on. After a quick head count she divided it.

"I know you didn't get much choice in being Orleans Knights—"

"We're demons at arms, not knighted," the big demon said, eying his baquette suspiciously. "We never could be."

"Still. Here's what'll happen : you get a better boss. Have you heard of Jeanne d'Arc? She's coming here. And Azazel is already here, he'll join her."

That got displeased silence and a few eye rolls, until someone in the back stood up.

"It's true."

Wait, that voice ... Nina jumped ahead, met halfway by Nishaol.

"It is you? How did you get here?"

"There was a job opening, so I took it. They take in uncollared demons if they prove their loyalty, or suitably deceive them." Nishaol turned to the other demons. "Listen up, things are different out there. Two new tribes have been formed under the barrier, and as I told you, Azazel's alliance with Jeanne d'Arc is real. We can make a difference in the upcoming battle."

Wow, she was good at her intell. Nina probably hadn't even needed to come.

There wasn't much enthusiasm though. Nina took Mugaro's feathers out of her hair ornament, handing one to the big demon."Here. I don't know very well how they're going to work, but keep them close. If all goes well, they'll either allow the right person to find you, or it'll even help these collars to shut down."

The demon looked between her and the feather. "This doesn't sound very well planned."

Nina gave a shameful grin. "Yeah, we're winging it, but it's something."

She took the other feathers out and passed them to the nearest demons. "Hide them carefully. If you keep them separate it'll be less suspicious. Once it's time, maybe you can pray to Jegudiel or El Mugaro."

"Pray?"

"It's simple, just close your eyes and focus on the name, and say amen, and you'll probably feel magic flow."

"Why would a god answer us?"

"Cause this god was adopted by Azazel and has lived among demons for years. Ne would never reject you just for being a demon."

A silence fell before someone declared, "We're being pranked. This is all some prank from that weird princess who just arrived."

Nina lifted the nearest demon over her head, sat him down again, and declared to her stunned audience, "I do hang with her, but I am a dragon of the rebellion, and I sneaked in here to help."

Well, it wasn't entirely a lie.

Kaisar came down the stairs, hand on hilt. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I just had to prove I wasn't human."

"What's he doing here?" the big guy snarled.

"He's an ally too," Nina said.

"Oh really."

"He was our master for the past five years," a scarred demon said. "Sure, he doesn't treat us as bad as others, but he never set us free, and you should've heard him about the king. Charioce fixed the kingdom this, Charioce made bounty hunters obsolute that, you gotta admit Charioce did a lot of good for the kingdom, and demons did a lot wrong too. Piece of shit."

"If this rebellion works, is he gonna be in charge of the knights again? Cause I'm telling you, that rebellion isn't gonna end that way."

"He's not gonna keep you, really. I swear no humans will own," she said. "In fact, there are new tribes now. You can ally with either Belphegor or Cerberus once you're free, and split off once you go back to hell if you want. Things will be better."

That got almost as much skepticism as the idea of a friendly god.

Before Nina got any further, a guard appeared in the doorway. "Captain Lidfard? What's going on here?"

Captain Lidfard who wasn't guarding. Crap.

Nina was about to invent some excuse about being curious and dense when she noticed the shining green light behind the guard. An Onyx Knight had been called.

No time. She braced and sprinted ahead, pushing Kaisar ahead aside to jump over the men.

She ran back the way she'd come.

A slash crossed her back just as she broke into the sunlight. On the square she rolled to dodge the next blow. Too small to transform here, but the light made it impossible to hide. She ran on, only to be caught by the neck and slung against a wall. Another rolling dodge. Faster than him, she kicked his arm, putting him off balance. Off she was again, but not for far — he grabbed her long skirt from the ground and she smacked against the rock. Ripping the dress , back on her feet, go— he jumped, kicked against the ceiling and blocked her way.

She backed off, and went the way she'd come. Maybe the demons could provide a diversion.

What she got was something like it : a whirling darkness. Her attacker stopped as the beast hurled past Nina. He caught it in a sphere. The beast trashed, shrieked so loud it echoed.

Nina slid below, grabbed his foot and slammed him to the ground. Before he could get up, she kicked him over, breaking his focus. The beast hurled itself at him again, a thick snake teared the helmet off. Within a blink, the man's head was a smear against the wall.

Only now Nina got a good look at the creature : a skinless black goat with four horns, the top two of which mimiced Azazel's.

"You're one of his goats, right?" This got a nod. "Thank you."

A metalic band around its ribs crossed the shoulders, surrounded by maforms growths and feathers; wings kept from growing by force. Between the wings a much larger black serpent emerged backward, solid and scaled unlike the shadow snakes. It's been blinded with a headset, but could still smell. It focused on approaching Kaisar.

The goat stood up, staggered on bleeding legs towards Nina. Just as she reached out, it collapsed. The poor beast looked in terrible shape.

Kaisar stopped at the corpse of her attacker, looked sadly down at it. Guilty, while Nina felt nothing for him.

He looked just as guilty at the goat, but that lasted less long. "You both need to go back where you came from."

Nina held the goat's head, wondering whether in animal form they could understand words, or maybe remember in case Azazel linked again.

"Thank you, really. But you have to go back to the cage now before they'll kill you. We'll get you out later. I left Mugaro's feathers with the demons at arms, I'm sure they'll break you out too."

She couldn't do anything about these wounds — tying them with her dress would betray she'd been here — so she just lifted the entire creature and followed Kaisar to its cage.

· · · · · · ·

Favaro waved his hand before Azazel's eyes, just to get it slapped away.

"You blanked out there, did you lose focus?" Rita asked.

"Onyx Knights tried to kill Nina."

So apparently Nina had been in the Orleans Order zone, encountered hostility, and Kaisar had set loose the goat they kept there for training. Azazel had promptly murdered the Onyx Knight. Azazel was pissed off about how wrong Nina was on her safety, but Favaro held some hope Kaisar was coming around.

"Cerberus. Anything your community magic crap can tell about what the hell is up with Charioce to Nina?" Azazel asked.

"I can't tell anything," Cerberus said. "Charioce's bar is so low, his mercy for Nina is a rising diapir at best."

"More importantly," Favaro said. "Nina's left those feathers, can we do anything with that?"

"Hmm ... we'll have the mist musicians work on expanding the potential," Cerberus said. "If they can use this as a channel to work Mugaro's power through those feathers, we're going to have at least three dozen inside allies. However, that depends on their willingness to risk death and actually revolt. Favaro, how likely is Kaisar to get his human buddies to revolt?"

Favaro tilted his hand. "Meh. He's practically as smitten with Charioce as Nina is, with a coating of duty. The best you're getting out of him is stopping Charioce, but he's not gonna endanger the guy."

"Lidfard's brat is in love with Charioce too?" Azazel snapped. "I knew he was insane but that much?"

Favaro shrugged. "If only it were that simple. It's not insanity. You know all this crap about knightly honor—"

"He was so eager to murder you in the name of that!" Azazal spat. "Why isn't he aiming that at Charioce?"

Favaro would've shrugged it off with Kaisar being a stubborn, but maybe he was a little tired too. "Kaisar's always been up to his neck with honor and loyalty to kings. You know his old man, right? Kaisar used to hate the drilling and ran off to hang with me, but it must've stuck anyway. For all I know, he now thinks shitty authority doesn't mean there's no love. Or he's being too honorable. Hmm. You don't happen to have a non torture way to deal with those?"

"Of course not."

He didn't let it show, but Favaro began to regret his hands off way of dealing with Kaisar's erratic life choices.

· · · · · · ·

"A friend's pet?" Anne asked while casting a recovery spell on Nina's back. "Who just happens to be here, and you knew exactly where in the castle, and they just happened to break out, and just happened to pummel you by accident?"

The fact that she'd dismissed her entourage made it clear she expected something more. Correctly.

"Is it that weird I'd have demonic friends? Aren't you friends with a dark dragon?"

"Yes, but she turned against the forces of darkness. If your friend's pet is captive here, it must be on their side."

Nina laughed nervously. "Yeah ... speaking of friends, what's the deal with this alliance?" Nina asked. "I don't mean Manaria coming in here. I mean the big one across the continent. All humans are suddenly friends now?"

"You don't know?" Anne looked like she's rather ask why the sudden change of topic.

"Nope. Detached commoner, you know."

"Being adjecant to Eibos, Anatae suffered more than other countries from Bahamut. In exchange for financial support to invade hell, they lent zommorod powered automatons. His success provided his country cheap and freed us from the threat of demonic invasion. An alliance that began as a charity event is not the stability of the continent. We dread what hell will do if we ever lose Teutoiskas's support, so the recent attacks have left my country nervous."

"And you agree with the war with the gods too?"

Anne shook her head, before changing her mind to nod. "I don't like the war, but the reasons I see. The gods had enough power to give Dromos a run for its money, so why did they never use that power to deal with hell? They left us dangling on the barest strings. I cannot condemn the actions this kingdom took when it saved so many lives. Charioce XVII set up stations at every hell nexus to prevent warships from entering, and stamped out the practice of dark sorcery to summon demons. Resources were free to improve the kingdoms, and—"

"He could just guard the gates? That was all?" Nina dropped herself back on her bed. "I can't believe it. I keep having to say this over and over and over, don't I? None of that needed the innocent citizens of hell to suffer. He could hire dark sorcerers like Rita to make ghouls and zombies to work for him. No need to abduct citizens!"

"Hell has ordinary citizens? Is that something your friend told you?"

Hmm, did she actually have to go along with Merlin's ruse, when it probably was to smooth out stuff for Chris only?

"It's something I've seen myself. And so has the king, by the way. Did you hear any rumors about the king and a red dragon?" Nina said while she let herself dwell a little on bad memories, and the dragon trickled through her skin.

"Yes, but how could they mean anything? The greatest king of earth — don't let my father hear I said that — who overthrew hell wouldn't fool around like that. They're even talking of forbidden love ..."

Anne trailed off as the scales pushed through Nina's skin, and her nails turn to claws.

After a drawn out silence, Anne said, "You're magenta."

Nina let go a sigh of relief. "Finally! Yes, but those morons call me a red dragon."

"You're a rebel?" Anne scooted back, and Nina felt some magic flare. "So that friend of yours' pet is here because—"

"Don't worry, you're not my enemy! Please don't attack, I really don't want to hurt you. It's just that the king hurts a lot of people."

Anne relaxed a little. "Well, won't you elaborate? You have to admit that's hardly incriminating."

Nina took a breath and said, "I'm the king's weakness, and most of everything you know about hell is wrong. I know your friend Grea didn't have good experience with the shadows, and neither did my tribe. The thing is, it's that way for most other demons too. Can you cancel an hour of meeting with court ladies or so?"

Anne swallowed, but her power subsided. "Alright."

"Great! I never had a shot at going into detail!"

· · · · · · ·

At evening Nina hoped for Amira, but expected Charioce. Neither showed.

Perhaps he knewof the incoming invasion and was preparing for it, so fear drove her out of her room, through servant passages and avoiding Onyx Knights. A friendly servant gave her directions to a rather bland room, not dissimilar to anything else in the castle. Books, desk, and further ... weaving noise?

In a side room she found a zombie on an old loom. It was so bizarre, Nina forgot to say hi.

Appraising, the woman said, "You're no servant, young lady"

"No, I'm Nina. Uhm, hello."

The woman tensed at once. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to see what my boyfriend is scheming."

That caused such a disgusted sneer from the woman, Nina was almost offended. But curiosity won out. "Why is a zombie in his inner quarters?"

"Why is a dragon in his court? You tell me, I haven't figured out why he plays with the darkness." One hand still on the loom, she looked at her other hand. "Or why I am a filthy thing of hell now."

"You know, it's becoming my mantra to explain people they don't know enough, but I don't have anything for this. You're still you, right? I can't even tell what you think is filthy about that."

The woman cast her a long, hard stare. "That's because you're a dumb wench."

Nina crossed her arms. "Who turns into a dragon and could eat you."

"Ah, you're that one? I've been informed you are not very good at that," she said. "He insists you are no threat because you need special circumstances to change. Depraved circumstances."

Huh. It struck Nina how long it was ago that she'd changed for being horny — it had to have been on the island. That strange moment of his mercy, the death knell of her twitchy heart.

Her father's death stood out clearer in her mind now, no longer drove her into panic. She set it aside of this woman's death, and that of Amira's mother.

My dedication lies with my duties alone, as I honor my pitiful mother's legacy.

Zombieness aside, she was such an ordinary woman. His dead mother's honor wasn't worth more than the demon mothers dying, or anyone. Who was she anyway? He only defined as by nature of being his mother and wanting to go to the castle.

"You are the king's mother, aren't you?"

"And you're Nina Drango."

"Yep," she said with a small smile. "Are you one of Rita's, uhm, friends?"

The woman gave a long, raspy sigh. "If that's what we call the undead nowadays, yes. Unfortunately. And you are, even more unfortunately, my son's girlfriend. You have no idea how little you deserve him, and I can't even tell whether it's because you're of hell's blood, or he's lost his mind."

"I don't think he lost his mind so much he's all up on his ego. He's so dead set on fighting Bahamut alone he's turned heaven and hell into his enemies."

She dropped the thread. "He's doing what now?"

Nina rushed through the broad strokes of her story to explain how she knew what she knew.

Chris had already told her of his conquest of heaven and hell, and how he expected to die fighting Bahamut, to go down in a glorious death for the purpose of his tribe.

And she knew something, for she said, "You said a ghost right out of Bahamut told you this?"

"Yeah, her name's Amira."

"Amira? That Amira. Oh that takes the cake. My son's been haunted by the ghosts of Zeus and Satan for years! I believed it revenge and it's not even that. What is he even doing? Did I actually mean he had to go overthrow heaven and hell? Noooooo, I meant he shouldn't waste time buying stupid charms or have an expensive wedding. What does he do instead? Burn hell somehow, desecrate the gods themselves, flaunt the borders of life and death. While Bahamut's threatening the world! Multi tasking is good, I told him, but he finds a way to take that too far. All that, and the only thing that works him up is whether he should lose his virginity to a dragon? Honestly, I don't recognize my son."

"Wait, what do you mean, not even that?" Nina blurted, because she definitely didn't need to be thinking about that last part because oh dear that went in a direction—

"Amira, the one that got me killed. He's been letting her spy on him for years, can you believe?"

Nina could believe the woman had a lot of pent up frustration, and she might've vented along if not for that bomb. Charioce knew Amira was independent somehow.

"What did he tell you about this ghost?"

"It's just why he wouldn't be around and how I should hide in case any of his black guard gets any ideas. He's going to capture that thing and—hey, where ... the youth these days!"

Nina ran. Amira was projecting, but this was the man who figured out how to revive ancient technology, command it, and overthrow heaven and hell.

Nina sensed the dreadful radiation of Dromos's power before she reached the hall. Once there she burst through the door.

The floor with its hexagon star stood alight with green power, surrounded by Chris, Merlin, Chabrol, numerous Onyx Knights, and the ancient forest dragon in his human form. It was the latter who spoke against apparent thin air, but as Nina walked Amira faded into view as a woman both divine and demonic. More miserable than Nina had ever seen her, she faced Nina.

"They won't let me leave."

"What do you think you're doing?" Nina said.

"Lightening my burden. Only when one is no longer haunted by the shadows of one's sense of guilt, one gains the inner rest and the outer strength to pull out the weeds. For years, she had me believe I had failed to achieve this state. As Zeus and Satan I saw her as manifestations of my guilt alone. I saw my weakness when I should have seen a spy." He faced Nina now. "A misconception. It is only you who truly tests me. Tell me, was your temptation part of the plan too?"

"No," Amira said. "Nina did not have me. I declared war on fate and you long before we met her."

The forest dragon growled low. "Oh girl, last time you did that you played right into fate. How do you know you won't do so again?"

"Now I stand outside this world."

"Then you should stay out," Merlin said. The circle below Amira raged high, and Amira's form flickered and weakened until it condensed in the form of a girl, who folded into nothing but a star.

Just like that, Amira was gone.

"You just sent away the one who could tell us more about Bahamut than anyone," Nina muttered.

"I secured my kingdom's safety," the Onyx captain said. "All threats are eliminated.

Nina ignored him, still facing Chris. Despite her resolve to be strong, her voice quivered. "You can secure so much more by having mercy. Why don't you? You trample of everyone in the world, except the opinion these guys have of you?"

"They found me, but I do not obey them," he said. "What I do is only reasonable."

"Reasonable? You're on the brink of war! You can keep your pride and strength if you just declare to the world you'd offer the same respect to the gods as you now offer my tribe, if only they behave."

She didn't actually want Jeanne to stop and couldn't let on that Mugaro was here, but it had stopped being about that. Some part of her, even now, wanted Chris to relent for his own sake.

"There's no point to that," Chabrol said. "Silly girl, you don't know anything of politics or government."

Merlin just glared at her.

The forest dragon looked heavenward, either tired or disappointed.

Chris was unreadable as always.

So Nina dropped on her knees. "At least withdraw the command to kill El d'Arc. Please."

He still said nothing.

"Chris, if you really want to save the world from Bahamut, you need to stave off a war. Give them a sign of good will."

That's when he said, cold as so often, "Perhaps it is time for you to accept we can never dance again."

There wasn't much hope left to break, this was it. Always the same dismissal, as if dancing was all that existed in her mind.

Nina just faced Merlin. "Remember what I said about stupidity? I'm not supposed to think about how I feel, says fate, only about how he feels. I was made that way by fate? Couldn't fate have made him better then?"

"Fate has no heart, and it is better off for it," Merlin said. "If it needs a man like him, there is a purpose."

"If it needs him, fate's stupid too."

"Azazel sent you, didn't he?" Merlin said.

Oh that was it.

"I'm done with your stupidity, and no goodnight to you."

She turned around, only to find the door blocked by two Onyx Knights. Oh.

She hadn't thought this whole visit through.

But Charioce stepped ahead, and without looking offered his arm. She laced hers through it, following him out the door.

The tremor in her step did not go unnoticed, as he slowed down.

Once they were further down the hall he said, "I thought you wanted peace? Then why stir rebellion?"

"To save as much people as possible."

"That sounds so rehearsed."

"I'm faking part of that. I prefer the people close to me to be alive first," she said. "But at least I'm doing it."

"If that's how you live, all the more reason to leave. We will never align unless you throw those ideas away. That Azazel, he can summon you, right?"

"Not anymore," Nina said. "He needs Amira's help for that. Hell's power doesn't reach far enough."

He wouldn't Amira go. The limits to his mercy were right there, his everlasting contest with his own achievements. If he died, he escaped all justice. If he lived it could only be by escaping the world and its justice. Maybe fate expected her to run away with him, his ever smiling salvation. Yet he exhausted her, and whatever she had loved about him became shapeless. She hid a void, like the man who had reasoned he should not feel grief for others.

Not that she could do that easily. It felt like she ought to cry, but couldn't feel.

The door of her room opened, and his hand was gentle on hers as he led her inside. He stayed at the door, a perfect gentleman if only she excused everything else he had done.

"Goodnight."

He smiled again. Lovely if he had not directed it at her distress.

"Goodbye," she whispered. Goodbye to him, to everything she wanted him to be, to a life lived in romantic love alone. He wasn't Chris anymore to he. XVII is what he wanted to be and he was going to live and die with that.

· · · · · · ·

Oktober 3

· · · · · · ·

Favaro's response to Mugaro passing on Nina's information was a simple, "Her soul merged with Bahamut, she'll be fine."

"How can you be so damn casual about this?" Azazel snapped.

"Hey, there's just two options, living with her being stuck the harbinger of Götterdammerung or getting upset." And he just shrugged at that!

The glass Azazel had been holding broke into tiny shards.

"Oh come on," Cerberus whined. "Stop ruining our stuff!"

"Amira can only ever project to one place," Favaro said. "She's riding some kind of magic, so they probably hijacked that, not Amira herself. The real problem is if Nina needs a lift out, so how about we do a good job conquering that castle today?"

"Tch. Fine."

It wasn't fine.

· · · · · · ·

At a better time Jeanne would have gone out the doors, bring together the humans and demons under one banner, but today's blessings had to be limited. This was the battle of Valeria and the Black Troupe, not the true uniting she would have liked. The element of surprise trumped other concerns.

It was just her, Sofiel and the unicorn in Augustin's little church, now the home of her child's magic. It brimmed with power so to Sofiel it was easiest to sanctify Jeanne here.

Sainthood lay before Jeanne again, when mere months ago she thougth herself forever cursed, then learned curses meant little, and now she didn't know what to value it as anymore. Well, save as a gift from Sofiel. When one no longer was on their knees in worship, the exchange between god and mortal was more lopsided. Jeanne gained power, Sofiel at most had two avenues to express her own.

It was of course only a tactical choice this time, not an honor before heaven. Jeanne was certain Sofiel had not asked Gabriel for permission.

It was just them in the empty room, hiding from prying eyes. It shouldn't feel special. Jeanne still took a knee rather than pray. A knight before a lady, rather than a mortal before a god. An exchange of duty and strength.

That should be all, but it wasn't when Sofiel asked, "Would you allow me to me to try another way?"

Wings wide, Sofiel laid her hands on Jeanne's cheeks, leaning in slowly. Giving time to move away.

Jeanne might not be experienced, but she had seen this. A blaze of well trained objections set in — not with a god, not with a woman, not with a superior, not in a church — but they lingered behind. Jeanne let her.

A brief touch, the barest exchange of breath past their lips, before holy power set alight within Jeanne's soul. Jeanne closed her eyes as the sense of Sofiel lingered and faded, soon overpowered by the change upon her, but not forgotten.

This was more than Michael had ever given her. Inward her power converged into a single point, all hers to wield with a subtle knowledge. Wings in her back sprung into existence, ready and known to be used. New armor formed around her.

When she opened her eyes, a halo was alight over Sofiel's head, the way Raphael, Uriel and Michael had once had. The radiant smile was better still.

Sofiel let go of a breath, as if she were the one to be in awe. "As you should be, Jeanne."

White wings unfolded to match her goddess, a token that paled any lady's favor or gift of gods to humankind. Yet as Sofiel gave it, she did not allow Jeanne to feel unworthy.

The unicorn bowed, allowing Jeanne to step on. Sofiel handed her her own staff, transformed into a spear. Jeanne covered Sofiel's hand with her own for a moment, a quiet thanks before she faced war.

· · · · · · ·

Dawn barely had broken when took position. The fog turned thicker and thicker, obscuring the sun entirely. Near the barrier at the main street Belphegor, Azazel, Trismegistus and and Durahanem with a Red Troupe squad, concealed in an empty house. They were a haphazard security in case the war spread beyond the castle, but if all went well they'd keep it to the castle. There wasn't supposed to be an air battle over the city at all, so they'd try moving into the castle to aid.

The Red Troupe had arranged a path for them to reach the forest ring. They had also arranged for a few demons to pose as slaves to be brought into the lower ranks of the castle, who would attempt to aid from the inside; all equiped with sleep darts of course.

If only Cerberus were willing to help teleport people around once the field was gone ...

Well, Belphegor could forget about that. That was expected. Less so about Kaisar. Since delivering Nina to the castle he hadn't been to the mansion. Even Rita had commented on how odd this was. And annoying, to her.

To Belphegor it was more worrying. The Essenbecks employed Kaisar as insider, what thatmean she did not know. Even if Kaisar was against Charioce at last, he still favored people who weren't much good to the demons.

They waited in the house for the signal. Azazel paced. Belphegor mad an effort to sit still, but wasn't entirely successful.

She was about to walk to the door and ask again when Favaro tapped her on the shoulder. "Y'know I'll spot him before anyone here does."

"I can't help but worry he might either be less than loyal, or caught."

"He'll show up. It'll be a weird day I'm the one doing heroic crap before he does," Favaro said. "Or get killed without me."

"He's five years late already, you weren't," Belphegor said.

"Tch. I bet he won't show up at all," Azazel said.

Favaro grinned. "I'll bet you my leg he will."

"He'll probably be late," Belphegor said. "If you're right, I'll improve your leg, though honestly, you should let ... uhm, someone fix that better. And you, what if I'm wrong?"

"I don't know. Take Walfrid as a ward or something."

She made a face; the guy hadn't even bothered not being drunk when he'd approached her. "Deal."

"What're we gonna ask from him though?" Favaro said. "Our rag demon's broke."

"Oh, I can imagine a thing or two that can benefit us. Should we make a formal contract?" Belphegor already cast a little contract circle.

It was easy to get caught up with Favaro's lax attitude, but deep down she couldn't shake the anxiety. An attack on the castle, the worst enemy of hell. Chaos, did she need the distractions.

Trismegistus rolled her eyes. "Why is this Kaisar even important?"

"Lifelong friend for me, half assed knight for her," Favaro said. "Also the pet of our good doctor."

"It's not about that rock? Rita asked me to keep him alive if we come across him first." Trismegistus asked.

"Wait, when?" Favaro said. "Rita's supposed to stay for the injured."

· · · · · · ·

Rita quietly followed the steps through the dark. "I have a tendency to poke at mysteries, do you understand that?"

"I'm counting on it. In fact, I'll help you along a little : how did Nina find out happened to Amira?"

· · · · · · ·

Another dull symposium in the big hall. Murmurs, exchange of books, theories on Dromos, and so on. If the war broke out, maaaybe she should give them a heads up, see whether anyone defected ... nah, they were all here caused then wanted to be. Though, Anne knew a little and had just gotten into a quiet but heated debate with her father.

Manaria would be ready for the battle regardless of the king now, all orders passed, but ... hmm, it wouldn't be so long anymore. Maybe she could set the stage.

Okay, if Nina was honest she didn't want to leave without chewing out XVII. It might be the last time she ever saw him. And he presented the option so well sitting center to the hall on a platform, surrounded by equipment and scholars demonstrating stuff.

At the first glimmer of demonic energy coming from the hills, Nina marched up to XVII.

The people didn't quite silence, but many looked at her bold behavior.

XVII looked up, barely startled as she stopped before him.

"I'm breaking up with you."

"Hmmm? What way?"

"I mean that in the we're done dating way," Nina said. "You's an amazing dancer and awfully attractive, but then what? We can't build a relationship on ... what's the fancy word, again? Esdetiek?"

"Aesthetics ..." Anne muttered.

"That, yeah. Anyway, everything else I like about you isn't true. You's not not safe, not kind, and us being fated really starts to feel like I'm not allowed a choice."

The crowd broke out in murmurs and at the edge of her vision, black figures moved near the curtains and doors.

XVII stood up. "Very well, what cause would I have to argue? Let us never see again."

So damn cold. Right there, she couldn't stand it anymore. Pink flames sat ablaze around her.

"She's a demon!"

"Do you even know what that means?" Nina unfolded her wings, and let the scales come out. Lifting her head, she told everyone, "I am of the dragon tribe to the east, descendents of demons who turned their back on hell's corrupt leaders, the way Jeanne d'Arc has turned on humankind's corrupt leader. I am of two bloodlines, and I stand proud in the heritage of both of my people in rejecting unjust kings.

XVII, had you marched into hell to dispose only of its cruel leaders I would have been your proud ally, but not this way. You took downtrodden people and ground them into the dust and then you dare claim you're why the world is better?"

"Well, red dragon, were you not tired of repetition?"

Nina thumbed at the people around them. "I bet it's new for them."

Turning her back on XVII, she faced their audience. She couldn't appeal to these people for the welfare of the demons alone, but surely they cared for their own?

"I am Nina of the rebellion. It's our job to know what we are fighting, and for what." She pointed at Ladislao. "And not like them. You won't see anyone but young men because they don't represent our tribe. We don't wage war on innocent demons any more than on innocent humans. Like us, there are countless other demon tribes that Charioce dragged into this."

"You know nothing!" The sharp voice belong to Merlin, carrying magic that stung through the air. "All are subject to the hand of fate, and you try to unravel it like this? Stop already!"

Merlin's words caused confusing muttering, while Merlin seethed below her forced composure. Hmm, Nina might've hit more than one sensitive spot. Maybe she could hit a third.

"You repeat yourself too. Maybe you're right and fate made me. It felt like that alright, that I'm born to dance with him So?" She threw over the nearest table. "That's it? That's all I get? My destined love is based on a hobby, and in return, I just have to survive him?"

"Of all people you should have been the one to see what lays in his heart," Merlin said.

"I've met Chris, thank you very much. I loved him, but he's devoted his life to being Charioce XVII at the expense of everyone else. He had more choices than anyone else, so his actions prove who he is to us. We don't live loose of the world," Nina said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Our world, yet he crowned himself to make everyone's choices for them. We'll all be sacrifices for him when he brings Bahamut here. He slaughtered the strongest demons in the arena or used them as fodder in the army, and the gods do not heed your prayers anymore. Who will raise the shields to protect us?"

"That's a lot of allegations you give, girl," the king of Manaria said. "All the world knows the holy knight exiled Bahamut ten years ago. Do you have proof?"

"I cannot prove it, but I need to you know who to blame once it happens. Gods and demons have already allied. How many saw that day, when the holy child came to the aid of the demons? That was my friend Jeanne's child," Nina said. "We will all stand against Charioce and the threat he poses to us. Against the warmongering he caused. All tribes, versus you, until the throne doesn't have any Charioce on it. Jeanne d'Arc will come to Anatae to bring justice and peace. You still have some choice, your majesty."

"What do you say to that, king Charioce?"

"I bow only before impersonal nature, that which knows no good or evil, no love or hate. Life itself is my idol, that governed by eternal struggle that grows our strength. Peace will be our undoing, for it shall make us complacent before the powers of the world. No, we must struggle to elevate ourselves. Our success as a tribe alone is all which determines right or wrong."

"Your species is mine too. I am a child born out of peace, that is the only heritage I'll embrace. Not your warmongering. Take your nonsense to the grave, XVII."

"What grave?"

A thunderous explosion outside sent part of the wall collapsing. Even as it was out of sight of the windows, they burst with the force of it. Nina pushed all her force into her wing beats to blow the glass clear of herself and those near.

"The one you'll get today." She spun to the door, swung them open and glared back. "And stop calling me red. I'm magenta."

· · · · · · ·

The drums of war in her ears were both familiar and foreign after the years. The sense of Dromos was far closer as she tore into the field, a constant thick sense far worse than on the island. Yet better, because she was no longer starved and broken. Holy power in her veins, this place was hers to destroy. Jeanne had not missed battle and pain, but she had missed the power driving a noble cause. Something she had put to sleep for ten years coursed through her veins again. The restrictive laws of heaven and earth no more holding her down. This army ramshackle and dishonorable, but the goal was freedom by whatever means. It was worthy.

The projection of Sofiel emerged from her spear, aimed at the foundations of the castle's outer ring. Wyverns swooped at her, but they were nothing compared to ghouls she'd fought in the past. Sofiel's power measured up to Michael's, and her aim was steady : broke wings could send the wyverns down, leaving her free to create an opening on the hillside.

A third shot was enough to send it crashing down.

The grounds of the hills broke open as automatons crawled out, and armies on horse and wyvern and foot along with them.

She held back until they were close enough, dealing with the Anataen wyvern riders. Her own people now strangers to her; men chosen by the model of Charioce XVII. A mindset she almost lost herself to, but still she focused only on the Onyx Knights. They were dealt with so easily, it was difficult to imagine hell falling to them. Throwing her spear into a spin sliced three straight through the middle, a process easily repeated a few more times until half the Onyx air force was dead.

As she pursued the others to the arched wall, a familiar voice reached her.

"Lady Jeanne!"

The source was a cluster of knights atop the outer wall, their swords sheated and a banner raised. Dias stood at their head.

She landed before them, at which they took a knee. "We heard of your endeavors in the other lands, and wish to join your cause. This king has lost his honor long ago. Let us fight for you!" Dias said.

Despite everything she smiled. "It would be to the honor of both you and me. I accept. May we—"

Thunderous roaring echoed between the walls.

A dozen dragons rose into the sky, soon joined by the wyvern riders. Two circled between the arches and castle, right at Jeanne.

"Work only on the inside and tell anyone you meet of the invasion that you work for the saint of Sofiel. Claim one of our banners as soon as possible."

· · · · · · ·

Nina was quite lost in the castle, so when a familiar voice reached her with, "This way!" it was welcome.

Nishaol waved at the end of the corridor. As she ran ahead in the dark, Nina could only follow her footsteps, further, down stairs, past unlocked gates and the occasionally corpse. After a long time in the dark — or perhaps only long for her rapid heartbeats — they emerged to poorly lit double door. Demons in Orleans armor already waited for her, a few of the most heavy set hitting at the doors.

With every step, she let the transformation take hold, keeping her mind.

The door wasn't open yet. so she gathered all her power in her arms, joining them until it collapsed. When it did, its sound overpowered the war outside just for a second.

Beyond it lay a vast, circular hall full of caster around a network of crystals. The pulsing green power flared up in the presence of demons. Guards flooded in, some of them endowed with zommorods of their own.

Nina calmly unleashed herself. Rather than, chains slipped off. The pulse of dragon wasn't as strong, but it rose, and scales broke first. She unfolded her wings. To the demons she said, "Cover me a little more. It won't be long."

· · · · · · ·

"I'd wish you good fortune, but fate appears to disfavor us," Belphegor said. "May our skill overcome it."

"Let's keep it with fleeing if we have to," Azazel said.

"That I can do," Belphegor said. "Can you?"

"I'm trying," Azazel said, which got a very sheepish smile from Belphegor. "I will, alright?"

"I hope. Well then, farewell till not too long."

Belphegor and her team would infiltrate from the gates that the Red Troupe's insiders should open. Azazel's goal was a little more suited to his violence, so she cirled a quarter of the castle below the mist. Staying under the trees, he took out any passing wyvern and ambushed a mecha stomped through. Easy enough, the Onyx Knights were occupied elsewhere.

The dragons were a problem for them, and the forest was alight soon after they entered the fray. So much for his cover; not that the fire hurt him.

The dragons burned through the first ground forces, and didn't notice him as coming from behind. A flock of novel automatons plowed at the dragons, long armed and on all fours until facing them. They wrestled two dragons to the ground, but the others rose up. Azazel sent a swarm of serpents at them. Scales didn't stop him, and he knew to aim at the muscles and throat. His targetstarted coughing blood, its neck injuries slowly filling up the lungs. Another burst of serpents at the lungs, and the dragon could only choke up air and flames. Without risk, he could approach and slice the head off.

As the corpse thundered to the ground, it was the only sound. The main forces had already moved on. Four more automatons flocked at the constrained dragons, Azazel shot at the nearest and carved his sword into the dragon's head. Its captors left.

The other dragon was still and its automatons move on too, stupid things not realized their target was faking it.

Azazel got to it before it got up, driving a sword into its head. On reflex the dragon shifted, leaving behind a frightened human who instantly became a dragon again. Azazel took one wingbeat ahead to slice its neck off. He didn't even get partly through before the shift happened again. The human rolled away and was back to a whole dragon a second later.

They had the same transformative reflex as Nina, but even faster. The only way to kill them was destroyed the head quick enough.

He went right through the fire and drove his sword into the brain. That did the trick.

Nina hadn't convinced this one to stand down, he doubted she'd managed with others. Knowing her she'd still feel bad about this dead. Well, she'd have to deal.

· · · · · · ·

The dragon wasn't as forceful as it could be, her transformation slow. Blood covered her fists, skin too weak yet even as she stood taller than the people around her. That there even was a way to detect the dragon's state — how own — was almost distracting. She always had lost herself — no, just her awareness — she was here, and she was one alone. Always had been, she had just forgotten herself.

She was her own to find beyond grief and dissappointment. With her dragon scales, mingling with the last memories of XVII was growing frustration. It wasn't fair that her family, her home, had deceived her, that her lover had let her rot, that fate set her on this path. Fearful rage made way for focused hate. She pushed herself further on this, just barely on to her awareness.

"Hurry," Nishaol said, blurred in her shapeshifting ears.

She dug her growing claws in the crevices of the floor, not hurrying, that made it more difficult. She went pulse by pulse, one burst of power at a heartbeat. Her father's worried face as he ran to her mingled with the enclosing walls and the labored sounds of slaves. The walls were too close, but she could change that.

Her father almost reached her, the wood — the island — collapsed and they fell — she fell between the rocks — it was always cold, even here.

She'd left Chris behind, but her father didn't deserve to die. Or be compared to XVII. She couldn't say sorry to him and couldn't forget. It'd hurt forever, but she could still do this right. Destroy this stone, prevent others from being enslaves or felled by it, and her father had nothing to do with it.

As fangs finished growing, her awareness remained. Fire built between her jaws, higher and higher until the heat trembled the air. In one fierce blast she let it go, launched at the crystals.

What served as a chest spike to slow a landing dragon, warped and overgrown on her hybrid self, now easily tore into the crystals.

Her wings unfolded. Beating down all the power used to make her tons of weight rise, all the zommorods in the room shattered. With the dying green light, she was left with darkness and cheering.

· · · · · · ·

Favaro inched ahead below the bushes till he raised his hand; the signal that he was at the edge of the field. Belphegor tensed up, but no alarm went off.

At the chirping of birds, a specific safety code of the Red Troupe, he stood straight. Sarvo joined him, muttering up something, though he grew quiet when Belphegor joined him.

A small service gate opened, just across a bridge between forest and castle. That'd be a quick rush, the guards taken out above, but they waited. Belphegor had to join, for tactical reasons, but most of all social. At the verge of war it felt silly, that she was more nervous than before. She couldn't blame it on fear for what had gone wrong last time, rather, anxiety for what might go wrong now. She was to put herself in the spotlight and be some kind of example?

· · · · · · ·

Sofiel sensed the field switch down, but it didn't make an immediate impact on the battle — against humans, the green power hadn't been used at all. Charioce was left with a considerable force, especially when backed by the skilled Manarians.

She was more skilled yet.

Opening a single gate for a mecha did not exhaust her. A second one, and a third one passed before she needed break. Like this she brought the automatons behind enemy lines. Moving on, she opened gates and attacked Charioce's forces where they least expected it.

She was no warrior and her gates were limited, but they were just humans. A summoned spirit or two, and she left behond on fields of frozen faces. The scraps were picked up by the mortal forces with such ease, heaven was insulted to ever have groaned before the blade of Charioce.

· · · · · · ·

Nina was in the middle of tearing apart the containers when the demons around her cried out.

"Look who's here."

Nina whirled around to the voice, only restrained by the half broken constructs.

Ladislao and three others had entered the hall, one changed to a dragon. Dead demons lay at his feet, and the dragon was in the middle of biting another to death.

"Don't!" she roared out.

They all froze.

"You're conscious?"

Nina tore the last metal out of the floor and hurled it at them. "Let him go!"

The dragon just bit down and threw the corpse at her.

Nina spread her wings. "Everyone, get out!"

The demons scurried to one of the other exits. When one of her tribe lunged after the slowest, she pounced. Biting one of the horns, she janked his neck sideways. As he jerked free, he neck was at odd angle, while her mouth bled.

"Play nice, Nina," Ladis said as if they were at home and he was just babysitting her.

Play? This was war and she had fought him before, she could remember now. Just before Chris — no, XVII tamed her. He'd been after her and the demons already ... and he would kill them. The image of him and enemy blended more and more.

"You're not here to play either." The last demon out, she closed the door with her hind leg.

"Indeed. He let you get away because he's too weak to personally kill you, but he's strong enough to leave it to others," he said. "So here I am. Again."

She could handle this if he had been alone. But three others, and herself aware that she'd have to kill family ...

· · · · · · ·

Kaisar joined the other Onyx Knights in front of the castle airship docks, as Charioce and his entourage prepared to leave.

The element of surprise and the depleation of Anatae's armies set up a consecussive list of failures. Essenbeck's troups had turned on them and someone had opened the outer gates; as he'd expected. Valeria's troops flooded in, mecha scaled the walls or were sent in by gateway, the protective field was down, merciless Azazel in the sky, and Manaria's armies gathered only to protect their own king.

Anatae would fall. The king knew. They all knew.

Kaisar had hoped for a stalemate where both sides would realize the folly of their ways. He just didn't know how to affect that.

The gates closed behind them, now their task was to prevent pursuit.

That alchemist blocked every attack, leaving her magic to trap them to the ground. Ordinary soldiers lacked the strength to even take a single step.

Rather than further attacks, Belphegor flew up; far enough over them to avoid a range green attack. At the edge of the warped ground Orleans Knights both human and demon gathered.

"Surrender to saint Jeanne d'Arc, and no harm will come to you! Your own king saw worth in allying with dragons, do not fear to suffer shame for my wings. I would not have you bow to me, I only herald."

The Onyx Knights tried to attack anyway, but Belphegor backed away. Two mecha broke through the walls surrounding the path, intercepting the spheres with their own.

Rocky refused to attack at all, but Kaisar could still form a sphere in his other hand.

"We are aware of Bahamut," she said, and gestured at someone ona wall — Favaro. "And we are not without a champion."

"The one and only," Favaro said.

"If you're still the champion against Bahamut, why fight Charioce?" someone called.

"Hey now, he started it. I was just minding my own business when his Onyx Knights get all rude and try to capture me," he said. "He was gonna enslave me to work on that fancy weapon he's got out there. Now look, half of the knights already joined Jeanne and Manaria's princess just ran by with a white flag. There's lots of people who figured out something is wrong."

Belphegor locked eyes with Kaisar. The near ground grew lenient, like an invite for him to move to them. She wanted him to truly betray his king to his death, the very man Kaisar had sworn to protect with his life.

She had never given the impression of a seductress, but now he saw her for one, tempting him away from honor. Favaro as her primary tool.

Kaisar fled across the nearest broken, abandonding his allies on either side. He still had something to do. They wouldn't understand.

· · · · · · ·

Charioce and Chabrol were almost aboard when three mecha broke through the ceiling and stomped into the airship right before him. The skybeast roared out, but without a command post would not obey. As the rest of the ceiling crumbled, an unnatural light fell in.

He expected some deplorable god, but it worse. Jeanne d'Arc a saint once, winged like an angel but resistant to the power of the zommorods as she cleaned through the bridge of the nearest ship's core. How despicable, to wallow in their power rather than one's own.

Countless green spheres he summoned only stalled her, so he drew his sword. Before they met in combat, blue hellfire fell down to her, scorching the docks so close he had to shield.

The zombie dragon leaned into the busted ceiling, jaws snapping at Jeanne.

At the same time as she slashed its lower jaw off, Azazel's serpents pulled the dragon's neck back. He almost cut it off, but a green sphere caught him. Screaming, he was pulled toward Charioce by the Onyx Knights. Jeanne went after, only for the dragon to block her path.

Charioce drew his sword, ran at the demon and slashes. At the last second Jeanne planted her spear between blade and target, but it left her open for attack. As the dragon fired, his knights had to drop Azazel to shield themselves.

In the inferno, Jeanne and Azazel could not see. He had seconds to decide.

This airship was gone, and a new one could not be prepared if they fought here. So he took it outside.

Jumping off the docks, he projected green circles out of the hangar, and further towards the outer wall of the castle on the side of the river. By now the arches were empties, and the battle to the hillside had eerily stilled. There should have been more of a fight.

Where were Manaria's troops? Had they backed out at the last minute?

Where were his attackers anyway?

Jeanne didn't fly out of the hangar. She came from behind. He turned, catching her spear on his blade and redirecting it. He grabbed her wing, got kicked in the chest and had to let go. A scorching hot flare cut his arm, which eroded below the armor just to stay strong a little longer.

Something wrapped around his boot and janked to the floor. He caught himself on his arms, and rolled before Jeanne's spear bore down, dodged the black serpent. His cloak got caught, so he ripped it off.

Jeanne kicked him to the edge of the wall. He slid off, and boosted himself into the top arch way. The walls would provide some cover, but with the lights out, he didn't see Azazel until he the sword was in his face. Black blood lost, he moved back a little too late. A deep gash covered his

So close, but this time he'd die if he reached out. Jeanne swooped close, no time. He hurled a green sphere. Azazel teleported away just before it hit him, and Jeanne sliced the one he threw next.

He lost the light next as someone threw a smoke bomb. The shields did nothing against it.

The beat of leather wings rushed somewhere beyond, barely audible over the noise until the dark sparkings shot at him. Those he could block.

What got through was familiar sharp sting shot into his neck, right in the smallest crevice.

Chris pulled back a simple dart, devoid of magic.

His enhanced body fought off the poison, but that pulled out more force from his bracelet. His surrounding skin seemed to shrivel and soak as it pulled closer.

Out of the smoke, black wings beat. Azazel's white face was before him, the sword ahead. He caught the blade on his gauntlet.

Wild eyes met his for a second, before serpents wrapped all around and threw him at Jeanne.

Her golden spear flashed in the sunlight, blinding him but never striking. The hilt just barely blocked an attack from behind; Merlin'staff.

Falling, he converged his power into a disc. The impact was harsh, but he lived. The poison wouldn't let him for long unless he got himself rest; if not the zommorod would finish him.

Above, Merlin and the undead occupied his assailants. Jeanne kept trying to dive at him while Azazel tried and failed to occupy Merlin. Jeanne got pulled back twice, before Chris had enough power for another cirle.

He jumped further down to make himself scarce, disgraceful as it was to back down. The nearest window of the castle was his refuge, from hence he fled into the concealed servant corridors.

Nina hadn't been around. Perhaps she was dead already, and he shouldn't feel bad about that, or good. She shouldn't matter.

If she had to die, then he wished she had died earlier.

· · · · · · ·

With all her weight crashing from high, her body broke. Reflexive transformation forced her back into human form.

"Ladis, wait ..."

"We tried so hard to separate from hell and then you fight the best king that happened to humankind! While conspiring with the legions of hell! You'd take us back into the abyss that we fought to redeem ourselves from! He might have assumed we are the same threat as other hellspawn, but ironically you really changed his mind. How can you defy him?"

Her vision blurred, and sound came only distantly. Still she heard Ladis go on, "You looked so smug, promising everyone Jeanne d'Arc would make things better."

Nausea set in, but she had to keep bracing. As long as her head was whole ...

"But really, you'd take everyone down with him too."

"Chris is the one doing that!" The was supposed to be fierce, but it came out as a sputter.

"You could have been the crown of our redemption." The sound came from all around and nowhere.. "You could have saved people by convincing them to submit to the throne."

Could she ... ?

Someone's paw stepped on her, claws digging in her shoulders. The weight was too much, she lost her mind to her dragon again.

When she came back to herself, she was in another part of the dungeons altogether. Another hall, broken walls, herself tossed haphazardly on some weird bench.

She caught her breath, but her vision remain blurry and sound drifted in and out.

"Stop ..."

"I'll stop when you're finally dead," he said. "What's the trick to killing you?"

· · · · · · ·

"Where is he?"

"Azazel, focus!" Jeanne called. "If we take care of her ... "

They could bring in Mugaro and nothing Charioce did would matter.

Merlin cast a path of solid circles for herself to run across, a trick familiar to Jeanne. No ordinary human, it allowed her to have more space, and running faster. Herself being the caster, the circles vanished once she'd used them.

The largest undead dragon circled her, now joined by the reanimated corpses that died earlier. Azazel went for the main one; this time he wouldn't let Sofiel's trick mess it up. Dead perhaps, but he could still shred it. He fell right intso its jaws, through the fire, into its stomach, where he exploded into a swarm of nothing but black serpents. Bones, and rotten flesh flew apart. It wasn't enough to destroy it entirely, but he didn't want to. It was only the fire that had to be disabled. Slipping out between the ribs, he sliced off a wing and sent it down, then severed the head.

It collapsed into the castle, still spewing blue fire up at them. Dammit, the zombie magic kept that alive too.

With Charioce gone, Jeanne didn't have to cover for him, but she now had airborne dragons to deal with. One she exploded as it was over the arches, but she refused to do so if there was a risk the corpse would fall in the castle. Merlin noticed this and directed the dragons closer to it. They got in his way too. The fire might not harm him much, but it did hurt, and he had to get into the ribcage to shred them.

Something crawled across a nearby roof. Rita?

Frantic, she waved at Azazel, but kept quiet. Then she ran off.

Merlin hadn't noticed her yet, facing the other direction as Jeanne circled her.

Azazel rejoined the battle and forced Merlin to move back by teleporting closer. Teleportation didn't work too close to the dragons, but she also noticed he wasn't running out of energy. He moved closer while Jeanne forced her to use the dragons for blocking, until they were behind the castle.

The blue fire didn't reach anymore. He could deal with the dragons, but that left Jeanne to intercept Merlin's attacks on him. He left the impulse to fight her head on, taking care of the dragons first. A few broken wings did it.

Jeanne and him locked eyes; he swooping aside so her eyes crossed Rita. Right away, Jeanne understood and went for a frontal charge, her fiercest attacking rushing in and herself behind, forcing Merlin to jump back on her circles a few times.

As Jeanne's second blast shredded a dragon wing, Azazel teleported right behind Merlin. He sliced Merlin's hand off and kicked her back.

Rita's launched arm grabbed the staff, quick to return to Rita.

As Merlin was distracted with the pain, Azazel and Jeanne placed themselves between her and Rita. Red light shone behind them, at its behest the zombie dragons turned against the armies of Charioce.

Merlin could only watched from her position as fire burned through the last of Charioce's armies, while the mecha made short work of every Onyx Knight in sight.

He'd seen Merlin desperate long ago, this wasn't close to her edge yet. Rather that despair, her hatred pulled her together. She had centuries worth of that for him, nothing he could blame her for. But he would blame her for protecting Charioce. If not for Jeanne he would have gone for the kill, but he'd made a promise. Merlin was mostly human right now, one of her tribe.

"It is over. Surrender and we will find a better way than what fate offers," Jeanne called to Merlin.

"There is no better. I have tried and found no more justice or salvation without it."

"Can you truly call fate the same as justice if it must sacrifice so much?" Jeanne asked.

Merlin lowered her staff. "I have not known for a long time," she said. "Regardless, I cannot afford to concern myself thus when Bahamut exists. Fate is all that protects us."

"If fate relies only on facets of this world then we should have enough. All we need is the knowledge fate withholds from us, and we may have that way through Amira and others."

Merlin wavered, to Azazel's surprise. He had never understood what had made Merlin betray fate and pact with him, but if it led to the same as last time ...

Merlin only opened a gate and let herself drop through. There was no further attack.

... of course not. Merlin wouldn't forgive him.

Disappointed, Jeanne turned to him.

"Why'd you even think talking to her would work?"

"I believe lord Michael inspired me to. He may have noticed something we are unaware of. But I disgress, we have more immediate concerns."

He took in his surrounding for the first time since laying eyes on Charioce.

Banner on the castle had been replaced. The sound of fighting was gone, and the automatons had all fallen still.

"Azazel, please gather the demons in the castle and bring them to the underground city. I must meet with the human generals and organize, so Charioce cannot escape."

He nodded, but it didn't mean yes. Belphegor could handle that. He was going to drag Cerberus here to trace Charioce, and Nina.

· · · · · · ·

Staff at hand and safely in an isolated hall, Rita inspected the loyalty of her new little army : Teutoiskasians, Valerians, Manarians. All the same drab humans. She did spot a few dragon corpses in the hills, but sorcerers were already burning them; ironically a health rule Rita herself had dictated in her guild days.

She found someone else though; Rocky heeded her call. That meant Kaisar came barrelling into her courtyard drawn along by Rocky.

Right as he stopped, Rita kicked him. "And where exactly have you been?"

"Rita? This is how you say hello?"

"We are in the middle of overthrowing the kingdom and I didn't see you once! I had to climb a castle to get my staff! You can live without hello, brat." She kicked him again, harder this time. "Get moving, you ungrateful child. I didn't cart you around the world ten years ago just to be left hanging now."

"But Rita, this is a delicate situation."

"You don't say. Now let me see Rocky."

He struggled to remove the black armor.

Rocky was all gray and withered. No good, she had to fix this somehow.

"We need to get you to ... my office. Now."

Before she could react, Kaisar had had chopped Rocky off with a wrist blade, almost clean across the old line. Thick black blood still strung them together, and Rocky started twitching.

"I'm sorry," he said through gritted teeth. "I have to be here. Take Rocky."

"I can't believe you!" Rita had bandages in her back, having expected trouble, but not this! Did she even have enough? Rocky should go back on.

Though, she needed to know what was up with that zommorod, it'd be easier of Kaisar wasn't attached. If something went wrong, she didn't want them both to be destroyed.

Careful, she cut the thickening blood — or were those veins? — between them, and tied them up as best as she could. The infection didn't go away from Kaisar, but with all that armor shouldn't see whether it had gotten worse.

"Once you're done messing around with Jeanne and the rest of these bozos, come see me."

Tense, he nodded. "Thank you, Rita."

Rita returned to organizing her zombies alone, worrying whether it meant something that he didn't say till later, as he usually would have done whenever they ran into each other before meetings.

· · · · · · ·

Jeanne met with the generals of Valeria, who had gathered at a segment of the castle occupied by the king of Manaria. Mid battle, he had called back his troops into a defensive position and declared neutrality. The reasons were a complete mystery, but meetings were scheduled to find out why. In the meantime, rumors about the strange Lidfard girl swirled around.

Altogether, the invasion could have had a higher toll, the only true threat having been Charioce. That left a dangerous little thought playing through hermind : if her child had been here, it would've been even easier. Merlin was skilled, but invincible.

She put those thoughts aside, and focused on the kingdom.

· · · · · · ·

Cerberus declared that like with Amira before, someone had cut off physical trace; blame easily set to Merlin. That left Nina to be found, which Favaro handled. Azazel followed him below ground, straight through the dungeons. The scent of old and fresh demon blood met him, but other than a few corpses it was empty.

The green field was off. His strength was his own to use. The walls crumbled when he hit them, the doors ripped off their hinges easily. Even as the fight had drained him and the string of Charioce's attack were fresh, he wasn't weak. There was no reason to feel dread as he set foot in here. He'd owned a torture dungeon once, this one was so feeble in comparison. Nothing here could touch him anymore.

Parts of the floor had collapsed at random intervals, strained with more blood than one small body could hold. Favaro grew more anxious at these, but all the turns he kept taking only led to the conclusion Nina had been here multiple times. So had others. It wasn't till he caught sound they had a clear path.

They first came across a man walking down a corridor, only to skit to a halt when he saw them.

"He's here! Get out!" Right away, he shifted into dragon form and launched up through the ceiling. Azazel ignored him for now and followed Favaro.

When they found Nina, she was alone. One of the bigger halls, now entirely trashed. Tools thrown to the side, she herself a small glow in a corner. Halfway between dragon and girl, she went both ways and neither. Azazel tried to take her shoulder to help her up, but her form twisted and she rolled over. Just barely he caught one of her wings, or she would have thrown herself across the place.

"Nina!"

Her eyes, one too large, tried to focus and found nothing. "Aza—argh!"

She toppled over, her form twisting and retreating unnaturally.

What was he supposed to do? Was there anything he even could do? Would guiding away the magic help at all, or leave her stuck in this state? Not that he knew how to do that.

She curled up, breathing heavy, blood coming scatches from her own and Azazel's claws. Her arms twisted at an odd angle to embrace herself, one wing was so large it reached the nearby wall, the other twitching over her. Azazel tried to keep his hand on her shoulder, but at the next spasm his claws cut again. Folding his hands left him unable to hold at all, so he brought out his wings; the scales on it were blunt, so he only had to keep the spike away.

A rustling noise, then Favaro knelt down at Nina to cover her with a cloak. "Nina, can you hear us?"

"They got me ... I lost ... control ... "

Favaro helped her sit up, but when her wing bulged out he was thrown off.

"I'm getting Jeanne," Favaro ran off.

Nine clutched at herself, eyes still staring wide at nothing. "Is he ..."

There was only one she could mean. "He got away."

"A-and Jeanne?"

"Alright, and she'll be here soon."

Nina relaxed a little, but the twisting transformation didn't cease.

When Jeanne landed at last, it already felt long, but it probably wasn't. She had Urlain's sash and worry rather than shock on her face, Michael might've tipped her off enough.

"Nina! What happened?" she asked as she pulled her closer.

"They caught me ..." she said through a feeble grin. "I think fate's angry at me."

Azazel looked away, but kept his wings up while Jeanne worked. Under her guiding power, Nina's steadied a little. As she grew smaller, Jeanne wrapped the sash around Nina, steadying Favaro's cloak.

When Jeanne helped her site, Nina muttered, "Every time I get a plan, I end up hurting me or others." She sounded hollow.

"Nina, we won. The moment that field went down, the gods made their move. The Orleans demons helped us from the inside. There was a coup, but no warzone beyond the castle," Jeanne whispered.

"What? Am I supposed to ... I don't ..." She almost shrunk into herself. "I'm sorry. I let him get away again ... and ... "

Her form twisted again, and Jeanne renewed her focus. "I have to bring her to El Mugaro."

Azazel nodded, reconsidered on saying anything to Nina — like he had anything — and told Jeanne, "I'll deal with whomever attacked her."

Jeanne lifted Nina. Once she was gone, Azazel asked Favaro, "Did you smell anything about who attacked her?"

"Plenty," Favaro said. "That'a way. You have fun, I've got some other stuff to handle," Favaro said. "Try to keep the noise down though. The goody two shoes might hear, and make it quick, or Merlin summons them away. They're all dragons."

Really now?

"I have a better idea : we own the area. Find Malphas."

· · · · · · ·

Belphegor had sought out one of the remaining arches in the outer wall, high up and away from the humans. When Durahanem arrived with the last of the demons at arms, she should have given a welcoming speech, but she wasn't done tying her wounds yet. Charioce's attack had melted some of her flesh, the pain substantial. Little Mugaro could heal it, but it wasn't bad enough that she'd run off.

Rachel stepped up, more confident in bossing people around and less exhausted.

"Alright, listen up. I'm the captain of the Smaragd Guard, we work for that lady. You could work for her too, which I recommend since your other option is the humans who took over. They haven't outlawed slavery, and all that."

Probably needed a few softer words though. Belphegor stepped ahead to say, "You will be welcome to stay as long as you need. We are allied to Jeanne d'Arc, who is true to the rumors you may have heard. Under her protection, we will be moving back to the slums in peace. There is another court master there, you may choose her to. This is the end of your slavery."

The group muttered in confusion, at which Rachel quirked an eyebrow at her.

"I'm breaking a lot of protocols here," Belphegor said with a shrug. "I haven't learned most."

Favaro popped up right then.

"Any of you seen Malphas? We found Nina, she's a mess, and so is the underground of the castle."

Belphegor shook a doubting no. "A lot of the Onyx Knights got away, but most of the armies surrended at various stages. Rita ended it. It's ... jarring. They overthrew hell, and we overthrew them with a few humans and three pact mates."

Favaro rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah ... what's going on over there?"

He pointed down below, where the surviving dragons spoke with some fancy court girl and a number of politicians. A representative of Valeria arrived through a gate of Sofiel, a quick truce to be negociated? She explained as such to Favaro.

"Oh man. This is gonna be a mess."

With those cryptic words, Favaro moved on, and Belphegor couldn't afford to fret right now. Though she could guess Azazel might have asked for Malphas, and what for.

· · · · · · ·

Sofiel's gate unfolded in the small church. Jeanne was down the stairway to the underground patient's ward in a second. Nina still writhed in her arms, she laid her on one of the many empty beds. As expected, El soon appeared. The smile wore vanished quickly in exchange for the blue light.

"What did this to her?" ne asked.

"Azazel found her like this, we don't know," Jeanne said. "Do you?"

"It's a little like with Odin, her shifter magic is all weird, but I can't see any damage from Dromos."

Nina lashed a growing arm at nothing, Jeanne pushed it down. El laid nur small hands on the scales, helping to channel away the errant power.

"You're tired, mother, Sofiel. I'll take over, you please go back to the castle."

Nur looked so sure, Jeanne shut down the desire to object.

"Do you best," Jeanne brushed a hand over nur hair before swiftly turning to Sofiel's gate. The notion her child had been forced to grow up even when away from heaven, that she kept to herself. Perhaps not a child soldier, but ne was still a child doctor. The responsibility for life and death had only shifted. It left her bitter, but she had a duty to fullfill before she could worry for that.

"Ne will be fine," Sofiel said. "Don't see a human child, see a god finding one's purpose."

"I know," she said, and almost didn't say, "But I don't know how to help nur along with this."

· · · · · · ·

Malphas rather liked this project. They sealed all of the underground, the dungeons, the field generator, the torture halls. While Mimi tracked down the dragons, Azazel found the goat used for experiments; the other had been released from the training den by Rita and was on its way. Malphas knew to let it in.

In the flesh, the beast was pathetic, but only due to the zommorods. He tore off the shackles and belts, allowing it to regenerate lost wings. Once within range of his serpents, it moved as his own beasts, no need for conscious command. As one, they walked out.

They remembered their time here, these memories his own now. This, the first true speck of freedom, save the meeting with Nina.

On the way to the center, he met Mimi dragging an unconscious body. She said the surviving dragons up there were defecting. Azazel would rather kill them, they weren't trustworthy, but Jeanne couldn't use a display of hostility against "allies".

Those who had gone after Nina would be enough. Just four of them, but they regenerated.

Malphas stood guard at what had once been the generator of the Dromos field, now reconstructed as a prison. Metal and earth alike holed up dragons to keep them from shifting, but not well enough. Two were loose, a third in small form being dug out. Of course, Nina had been able to launch herself once hundreds of meters up a hill. Creating a prison for them would be very difficult, but fortunately not part of any plan.

He slammed the door, drawing their attention.

"I don't care for your tribe ditching hell, but now you've waged war on us?" he drawled. "You're not getting away with that."

The one still in human form crawled out of his hole and dared to stand tall and defiant. ,"It's your kind that shouldn't get away with all hell has wrecked on the world!"

With that he turned into a purple dragon.

Oh, he knew both of those faces.

"You were at Nina's home," he said. "And you protected Charioce during the first rebellion, didn't you?"

If he had killed Charioce that day, it might not have set free all demons across the continent, but they could have liberated the city. They would have found Jeanne, they would have ... none of that matter anymore, save that this one was a liability.

This one he wouldn't be sharing. In fact, he wanted some time alone.

He snapped his fingers. "Cerberus, can you hear me? You're invited."

Her magic worked as he guessed it would. Cerberus squealed when she teleported in, almost sickeningly cute as she laced her fingers together. "That's so nice of you, it's about time you gave me a little gift. What is it?"

"You wanted Rita to make us an army, didn't you?" He gestured at their prisoners. "There's not much, but they regenerate, and don't dissolve upon death."

"Ooooh it's been such a long time we got to torture, right, Mimi? I wish Coco could be around."

"We should save him some meat!"

"Yes, we should. We're taking a lot of meat, aren't we?"

He grinned. "Keep the limbs whole. Those will be our soldiers. You take those other three."

Grinning wide, Cerberus summoned most of her girls. They pounced on the dragons, magic alight, ignoring the ring leader.

The chase didn't matter, he just wanted his prey away from the main scene, so he told Ladis, "Run."

He broke through a wall, broke its own bones doing so, shifted and fled as a human.

The stones groaned under the weight of the ruins above, but would not yield. Malphas's constructive magic was stronger than ever, now she indulged in it, and dungeons were right up her alley.

They weren't up Azazel's alley anymore, he realized. This place still lay fresh on his mind, all their creative torture etched in wounds he could no longer see.

It shouldn't matter. His time here had been but a fraction of his long life. Fear was ridiculous to feel, really. Nothing here could hold him anymore. Nina had destroyed the core, and the king didn't rule anymore. It was only that Charioce wasn't dead yet, that was all.

The goat followed him, clattering its teeth more and more.

Ladis knew the way around only a little, turning a wrong corner twice; Malphas had twisted the place a lot. Maybe he wasn't looking for an exit, but a place to transform instead. He got a level or two up, into the remnants of the dungeons.

Kicking off a wall just as Ladis rounded the corner, Azazel was behind him. Pulling him back in the smaller space, Azazel held him up by the throat. He had strength well beyond a human, but had no mid way shape like Nina. Azazel could match it easily.

He'd been a relative of Nina, of which traces were visible in his face. Most of him was different though. Nina might've pleaded for him the way she'd done for that blond brat, but she wasn't here. He needed the parts, but he also had time.

"Tell me, what do you think Charioce is worth?"

Choking, he sputtered, "Everything. Our redemption from your kind."

"Really? That's hilarious. I wouldn't have spent one thought on you if you'd stayed home. Had I killed Charioce that day, it'd all be over. I'd be in hell, with different rules. See, I'm not bored anymore because there's more in my life. Why waste time killing at my empty whims? The trade off to that is ..."

Azazel dug his claws into Ladis's shoulder, ripping to the bone. He waited for the screaming to fade to a whimper before digging his nails between the joint bones.

"... I have a lot more to avenge, and a much better idea what really makes for a worthless soul. Like you."

He tore the arm off, and let the screaming trash fall to the floor. Azazel kicked him over so he faced up.

"You painted quite a target on yourself."

The others limbs went just as quick. Humans were so vulnrable, it was a surprise they thrived.

His prey turned dragon, and that changed nothing. There was too little room, all he had to do was step back and have the walls collapse. All that thrashing and clawing and useless fire amusing him. Very little competence, it just threw attacks in his general direction. To make things a challenge, he restrained his serpents and went at it only with his sword. Slipping below the neck, he cut into the shoulder, then braced a foot against the body to rip it off. The limb just ended up turn to pieces before he got it loose, helped along by the snapping jaws.

Pathetic, really. One front leg down and it already collapsed, blood pooling quickly.

The dragon transformed back to human form, disoriented more than before. The limbs hadn't been far enough to be lost to the transformation magic, and vanished to a whole humanoid.

Again he ripped off his arms and threw them further away. In the time that took, his prey scrambled away.

He followed at leisure.

Past more than a few rooms he'd spent his time in as a prisoner. Idle, he entered one to prove nothing mattered. He picked up a wire. He let it fall. He let nothing matter.

The goat walked on, pursuing its prey at a faster pace. Herding his prey to a dead end.

He picked up a saw, and deemed it unfit. A wrench, worthless. He could do better.

He found the rack they'd tied him to, and considered using it for his prey. But he could do better than this cheap tool.

He destroyed nothing. Not until he was done, then he would tear it all down at once.

He caught up to his prey scraping by at the very end of a block, tearing at a wall while the goat chewed at the legs. It didn't quite obey precise directions, he'd fix that. Later.

The torn arm was back, so he teleported right on top of his prey tear it off again.

The usual whimpering and begging happened. By chaos, it'd been so long since he'd really gotten to enjoy pleas for mercy. Mostly. With every move he might be like Charioce, and he almost saw himself on the other end.

Still he went on.

"Why do you even bother talking? I am one of the reasons why the word devil means something. I see you for what you are."

The prey transformed halfway, throwing him back. Before the shape was too large, the light receded back to small form. Whole again, save in mind.

It muttered something on how he wasn't worthy to judge, so he lashed the face open.

"It took all of Charioce's atrocities to change that. It wasn't worth the cost," he said. "If I could go back in time and save them all by killing my old self, I would do it."

Now the prey got it. That exact look of mortal despair when one grasped their slow death.

He willed the other goat to join while tearing loose two more legs. Screams filled the hall again, now audible through three sets of ears. The beasts were more inclined to devour though. Controlling them was difficult still if he didn't want to lose control of his main self — they were simpler minds, easier to get lost into.

The goat here began to understand its master though : the limbs had to stay whole, and be thrown free. Hell's new army.

His left as his other goat arrived, the beasts remained to harvest more of the dragon.

He tore down the ceiling, going up until he found a part of the castle that burned with dragon fire. Here he let the fire sear off the blood, ignoring the pain.

Within it he calmed down, face drawing smooth to show no malice or joy.

That done, he went up.

The invaders had congregated on a wide plain where a king's throne oversaw. Jeanne d'Arc with her radiant wings stood before this throne, neither claiming it, nor letting anyone else do so. A few humans in fancy clothing stood at the bottom of the stairs, obviously eager to do so, but unwilling to pass.

The intensity of Sofiel's pact with Jeanne still gave him pause; not even Michael had gone this far. She stood at the brink of goodhood itself, though her resistance to the zommorods proved her human mortality.

He sat on the wall and drew fear, but none dared to disrupt the atmosphere. Belphegor and Cerberus stood apart from them, halfway up the stairs like the important humans on the other side. Jeanne was in the middle of arranging ground rules, from the sound of it, to Cerberus's irritation and Belphegor's anxiety.

"No, the demons must retreat to their homes in the slums and their underground city, so the houses that belong to the humans can be reclaimed by them," Jeanne said.

"Of course," Belphegor said. "Once we possess the resources we will return to hell, but I ask that we may center the point of return nearby Anatae. We will need some homes for this."

"Have you not been expanding below the city?"

"Those homes have exits in the houses, and we must take in those of the upper city too."

The air grew worse when Jeanne beckoned Azazel to approached. He'd have spurned the gesture if it had been anyone else, but she had his respect so he landed before her.

"Rag demon, I thank you for your help." Jeanne being overly formal now looked strange to him. "Today, and when we escaped Charioce's grip."

She put her right hand on his shoulder, ignoring the stinging looks the gods and humans around gave her. He returned the gesture, mentally scrambled for something dignified to say. Jeanne cut short the need by stepped back and and saying, "I've been told you represent a coalition of local demon tribes. Perhaps you could explain the function of this system of government to those present here?"

He resenting having to educate these measly, but did so anyway in short, curt sentences.

Down below, his prey escaped just long enough to kill himself. There were enough pieces by now to make a sizeable little army in case any of these fools here tried anything.

· · · · · · ·

El Mugaro didn't know what to make of it, the way Nina distorted between shapes. Rather than Odin's ailment, it was alike to when Azazel had broken under nur misplaced healing. A shape that didn't know what to be. Azazel had not been a hybrid though.

"I can't set her back because she's not injured, and I can't see her former imago, it's all her in half injured states and there's so much," El Mugaro said. "Can your mist help call back something?"

"I can't see the illusions of the fog," Rita said. "And neither can you as a holy creature. Get your hallows."

Mugaro retrieved them, before explaining Rita what ne had seen from Azazel and Odin. "I can't tell what's causing Nina to not stick right though."

"She's not regenerative, her transformation just cheats the system. I suspect increased intracranial pressure," Rita said. "And possible psychological issues exasperating it. Keep channeling away her transformation power in any case."

"Uhm, can we perhaps get an update?" Augustin asked. "Do we need all this mist? It's hard to see the patient."

"Imago magic is a register of the shape of things. It is invoked through my mist as it plants illusions in the minds of the affected, but I never explored that part of the black bible much. If I knew what exactly happened when Azazel's goats were born, I wouldn't struggle with this."

At the confusion of the hallows, Mugaro explained what ne could about Azazel's condition with the serpents going out of control, and how it'd started and ended in the arena.

"Imago magic ... does it interact with curse magic? Could she have cursed herself?"

El Mugaro would've said no, but Rita paused.

"If imago and afflictive magic both can be faulty ... perhaps," Rita said.

They worked that angle by taking apart a whole lot of layers, where El Mugaro compared to what others saw, or did not see.

Augustin's idea was something close to the truth. Between transformative magic, its imago source, and the energy from hell's ichor, Nina struggled with her human magic and soul not adjusting well, and her transformation magic technically being bright magic.

They shut down her transformative magic the way one dissolved a blessing, which Augustin knew to do. It stilled the transformation, but she was left malformed to the point of cruelty, and not even conscious. Mugaro let Rita's mist chant settle on a past illusive force. Just a few hours ago. Rather than watch for guidelines, El Mugaro wrapped this up in a blessing and tried to apply it on Nina.

It didn't take. Of course, it was an illusion from Rita, never meant for life. Though maybe ne could cheat the system too.

Anyone could pass on the way a god did, if by El Mugaro's power. Perhaps it was the simplest thing yet, dismissal of a form and the life it held together.

If Nina died ne could just bring her back.

El Mugaro planted a kiss on her head, careful this time not to use nur power to send off, but to keep. She broke apart into golden and pink light, but ne kept her soul close as ne set both blessing and form and soul back in place.

The light turned all pink and pulled together, leaving Nina whole. Asleep, but that wasn't unusual. Rita covered her with a blanket, and was about to address the others when Nina opened her eyes.

"You're awake already?"

Rather than answer, she struggled to set up. El Mugaro took her by the shoulders. "Wait, don't ..."

But she was healthy as she could be, the only reason to stay down her modesty.

Ne still could see the subspace that kept her clothes for her. Someone must've made it, because it existed apart from her natural shape shifting. The delay was likely caused Nina remained in transformation cool down too long, perhaps that also was why she went unconscious during a swift shift back. Mugaro could only speculate, but the subspace timer could be poked at astrally.

With a flash, Nina's clothes reappeared. A fancy blue gown torn only a little, but whole enough to work.

Nina herself wasn't.

"Nina, can you hear me?" Rita asked.

She didn't respond.

Rita tapped on her knee, it jerked.

"I'm here," Nina muttered.

"Anything feel off?" Rita asked.

She sprang into a smile. "Really, I'm okay. You did a great job. I could use some food though."

Nothing was visibly wrong with her in nur blue eye, but the way she moved was mechanic.

"You're still conscious," Rita said. "Any idea why?"

"Exposure," was all Nina said. "I'll be off then!"

El Mugaro had never seen Nina so ... not Nina. Fake.

Ne caught her by the arm.

"Yes?"

She was sick, but ne couldn't see how.

"There's always things adults don't tell me. Why are you pretending?Is it anything you did?"

Her eyes cleared a little, but it wasn't better. "No ... I didn't. They did, and I couldn't do anything about it."

"Mugaro, leave her be," Rita said.

"No, it's okay. I lost family today. Or maybe before."

El Mugaro let go of her arm as that sank in.

"Aren't you sad?" El Mugaro asked.

"I'm ... I just have a little too much to feel sad about lately. I can't keep up."

She would out the door before ne knew what to say.

· · · · · · ·

Favaro spent the late evening catching up with some friends from the knightly order, who had sided with Jeanne or surrendered. Politics were a mess he liked to keep out of, and Charioce sure had some great liquor. Valerian soldiers and even a few from strict old Manaria joined in. Nobody really knew what they were celebrating, because technically Anatae hadn't been overthrown. The big shots were very strict about how politically, they just got rid of a bastard king whose claim to the throne was very shaky anyway; and whose actions had proved his lack of political education since childhood was a reason to depose of him. So this was a coup, not a government overthrown, and the alliance between the countries still stood.

For some it was Jeanne's return, too. For some it was the idea they'd get their honor back. For most, it was an excuse to party. Favaro was a little in the final category, because for all that he made a point of not worrying, Amira hadn't shown her face yet. His now sharp ear had traced and caught word from Charioce's inner circle; that old dragon from the sub dimension had been here.

That didn't stop him from bragging about his fight with Charioce in the slums. He might've embellished a bit, actually. Still, it was a return of the good old days of not being chased by Onyx Knights.

Most Kaisar staggered into the inn near the eleventh hour. Rocky wasn't present, and Favaro struggled through an alcholic haze to ask, "They only managed to arrest you arm, didn't they?"

Kaisar pulled him to a corner of the bar; Favaro noted he wasn't very missed by the crowd. Probably shouldn't have retold the story three times.

"Jeanne vouched for me," Kaisar said after ordering. "I asked her to keep my involvement with the earlier rebellion quiet. I need you to do the same."

"Huh? Wouldn't that be a benefit to you?"

"Of course not. The rag demon's reputation is not at all helpful, and there's already rumors going on that he is Azazel."

"Fine, whatever. I'll protect your honor. But you should know Jeanne's been thinking about knighting Rachel and the rest of the Smaragd Guard into a separate order. You're not getting the old ways back."

Kaisar clenched his one fist. "We must try."

"Yeah, how about I make you a new Rocky first?"

"As quickly as you can," Kaisar said. He didn't order anything, but Favaro lost his train of thought by then.

· · · · · · ·

Oktober 4

· · · · · · ·

In the aftermath of old battles Jeanne had always sent prayers, but what worth was this ritual when her goddess stood at her side on earth? Today, they walked together.

The king of Manaria had reservations, the Essenbecks aspirations, the Valerians indications. Jeanne did not reach for the crown, but would hold the throne for now as a saint's seat. None of these were concerns of her old days, when there was but one lord of earth to to serve, and one in heaven. Still, perhaps they were better than the other concerns.

El Mugaro's music carried on the mist deep into the castle, softly healing whatever wounds the day had brought. Not everyone might make it, but more would than otherwise. The burden of war was lesser, easier, and only bitter for knowing it could have been like this for eons already. Had heaven reached out to earth more. Whatever caused affinity, that Michael would bear a child half human with the power to heal had meaning she could not readily explain to her fellow humans.

The blessing left the vigilance of the night strangely peaceful. She would not likely be called to attend to a dying soldier's last words, or spend the hours in prayers for salvation to lost souls — now she knew gods did not govern the afterlife. The tradition remained, but spared her for the night. She stayed in her room to chase sleep that elluded her.

Her new wings unfolded, she stood at the window to overlook her city. That barrier would be her next concern, and the webs over the city. Peace stood on a knife's edge.

A gate opened to her room.

"Oh, why did I expect anything but you awake. Jeanne, you can sleep." Sofiel's hand softly laid on her shoulder. "They're alright. Your friend's healed, and casualties in the city were all but avoided."

Jeanne laid a hand on Sofiel's, and after a breath's hesitation wove their fingers together. Sofiel leaned in, closing her arms around Jeanne's shoulders. Half behind her, Sofiel's breath was on her hair and wings; the latter a new sensation altogether.

The way Sofiel had sactnified her was but trivial in the grand scheme of this all, and Jeanne was a long way from giving this a place in her world. Women were to marry mortal men and have children, lest they be saints or nuns or spinsters. There was no shape to desiring a goddess, but it had a shape, and gods breathed the way mortals did. She would finds words for it in time, and if she had to give herself so be it. The next question would be whether she could keep this, or whether she even wanted to know if it had more meaning.

"Come now, sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day," Sofiel said. "I'll be with you."

"Thank you, lady Sofiel." The words were paltry.

· · · · · · ·

"What are you paying me?" Rita asked as she followed the bloody trail of limbs.

"You can keep a few of these for yourself," he said. "I just want the rest of to work for my summoning codes."

"Hmm ... throw in a hand of your own and we're set."

Damn her. "You get it after you revived these things."

"And ... how are you going to explains this to our more sensitive friends?"

"What does it matter? If I don't die, I'm going back to hell. They already know what I am anyway."

· · · · · · ·

Nothing.

Nina laid on her back in her wide cave, heart steady. They'd won. It would get better for everyone. It didn't feel like either.

A few people had been by. Rita and Mugaro to check on her condition. Sofiel to tell her Jeanne couldn't come by due to her newfound obligations. Belphegor awkwardly expressed thanks on behalf of everyone, uneasy with her new role. Marcio had shuffled by the door, but left when she didn't respond.

Azazel took a long time. He was probably breaking demons free in the upper ring. She'd join in, but couldn't even muster the will to get up.

By the time he finally arrived her torch had gone out. He was just a silhoutte in the doorway; cloaked up as the rag demon.

"You never had a chance of getting your family to defect, did you?"

He was angry below the calm, she could tell.

"No."

Without a word, Azazel sat somewhere next to her. Waiting for an explanation. How was she to give that? Her choice to stay wasn't premeditated, he knew that ... what else was there to say?

"I didn't get myself to try killing him," she said. "And uh ... I tried to convince him to tell everyone about Bahamut. There was another king, I thought it would be a good chance ... "

She had to pause to think about how to best say this. Charioce's alliance with the dragons wasn't exactly an invitation and her uncle had shown up on his own terms. But there had been an option to join him.

"I saw a hint he was loosening up and maybe I wanted to be the one to change him. He'd let me in. If I follow what fate made me for, his path, he will love me for the last of his days, and they may number yet if I sacrifice myself. I just wanted him to give in a little too."

Azazel sneered. "This is what I mean with how good he is at breaking people. Do you even hear yourself? You cannot win by bowing, Nina. If he gave a shit he'd do anything in his power to let you live."

"He did warn me of the Onyx Knights, and he's trying to change the way the kingdom works so he could pardon me ..."

His wings flared out. "I don't ever want to hear you excuse him to my face!"

"I'm not excusing him!"

"Tch. You really don't hear yourself?"

"I'm just trying explain myself. He told them to kill me and at the same time shoved me away and didn't do anything himself to restrain me. That's why I thought I was a little safe." she muttered. "He tried something when he could've just broken up with me without telling me anything. Then Amira gave information about the invasion, and that settled it."

"He passed a death sentence on you either way," Azazel snapped. "So don't come with that bullshit. Whatever he did wasn't because you changed him for the better. Nobody changed me either."

"I know."

"So why don't you understand he's playing with you?!"

"He's not," Nina said. "He takes everything really serious. No, he plays against himself. He chose to destroy his conscience and live a life of ruthlessness, believing that's the best for defeating his enemies. Never faltering that is a challenge to himself, the rest doesn't matter. I don't understand all of his rules though. The first night I was there, he almost tempted me into killing him."

What's that supposed to mean?" which translated to I don't get why you couldn't want to do that and I wish I'd been in your place.

Nina could only shrug as answer. "And then I lived in his castle, looking over my shoulder every time, and hoping to see he'd do better. I don't think I'd do it anymore, if he offered to run away together or something, but I was stalling my return. If I didn't get burried, I'd just drown in him, wouldn't I?"

"That's somewhat better than the nonsense you spouted just before."

She really didn't want things to fall silent or him to leave, and there was one more painful topic.

"Do you know what happened to Ladis?"

"Dead ... and ..."

Chasing him during his vigilante days gave her more than enough idea what that meant.

"Not now," she said. "I can't deal with more. Tomorrow?"

He fell silent, but not for long.

"I've seen you burn people, and you don't hesitate as a dragon. What exactly about killing do you hate?"

"Feeling life go away," she said. "And the blood, and the way the dead look ... fire doesn't do that. Fire is clean, it comes from an instinct. I actually considered throwing XVII off a balcony, but backed away. I'm not sure whether it was distaste, to realizing I couldn't succeed. What about you? You faced him too today. Are you okay?"

"It could be better. It could be worse. Jeanne kicked me out of the upper ring, but I'm going back this morning. Unseen."

She wasn't the only one who didn't really want to talk about the king. A distraction was welcome. "When I'm not so tired, I'll go along."

He stood up, gestured at her to follow.

In the light of the torches outside, he showed her a black bounty bracelet.

"As a Watcher, I oversaw was the crafting of weaponry," he said. "Bracelets aren't that far off. Anything you want on it?"

"Huh ... oh, uhm, more ornaments would be nice. And lines. Maybe some flowers?" It sounded ridiculous, but Azazel produced some copper.

Sitting down where they were, he bent it into shape and pushed the results into the black metal. He had some paler metal to coat it with.

Watching him work calmed her a little. Or maybe that was the wrong word, when she'd been too calm before. Maybe it distracted.

From among the chaos, her little conclusion from four days ago sprung to mind. It didn't really matter now she thought about it. He was already so irritated she kept fawning over Charioce, no way she could tell that that crush had never gone away. It was pretty silly to still feel that way, better to set it aside. At least this wasn't liable to get anyone killed or be strategic for better or worse.

The finished product was lovely, she wished she could feel something more than dim joy.

"If we meet any lethal trouble tomorrow, I can handle the killing. You just cast the spell."

"Will that work though? Only a god can fasten these."

That resulted in a short flight out of the caves.

Being picked up wasn't that awkward anymore, so Nina mostly paid attention to the surrounding for once.

The mist covered the slums so densely, only the barest suggestion of moon was above. Within seconds they were over it, where Azazel hovered to look around.

The barrier still remained, but beyond the it the scene had changed. Banners had been raised; a few houses near the castle collapsed, and the castle itself was full of holes. Part of it had burned. Nina hoped Anne and the demons were alright. She hadn't seen Azazel's goats either.

Azazel spotted what he was looking for and dove down to the mist again.

There was small celebration on the ruins of the amphitheater, including a familar white spot. They landed at the edge of the feast, behind the ruins.

On a table, a duck without his crown sat, drinking more modestly than she knew of him.

"Hey, Hamsa! You're back?" Nina called.

Hamsa flew over into their shadowy corner.

"Hello, Nina," Hamsa said. "It's been tolerable once we were released. Bacchus is pretending to work with Odin while we stave off a impending civil war in heaven, but I don't have anything to do. I might as well come here and see how all's going."

Nina cringed. "Sorry for the civil war."

Hamsa waved it off, but it felt like he didn't want to worry her. Like her mother had, so often.

"Can you grant me a real bounty hunter bracelet?" she asked.

"I don't have any—" Azazel held out his construct, and a glowing rock. "That'll do."

The way Hamsa could bend his feathers as if they were hands was the most tell tale sign of being a reincarnated god, moreso than the voice. It still took him a few tries though. Once the bracelet closed around her wrist, he took the rock.

"Now, you can't just go up and cast the spell," Hamsa said. "A target's soul has to be detached from their mortal anchor enough. You'll have to inflict some kind of lethal damage."

"I'll can't do that yet," she said, holding up her wrist. The bracelet glinted in the light, but was bereft of the joy she'd once felt for it. This was real, and it was no adventure. "I have to change that, and it'll be the one place where my resistance means the most. I know better than ever the ways he is dangerous and yet loves me. This time it will count."

"Alright then." Hamsa clicked the rock in place. "You can set it in stealth mode by tapping the stone thrice with your ring finger."

Nina did so. She was only going after one bounty, and it wasno demon.

"Can I have his bounty paper?"

The paper printed depicted him in his usual fur coated outfit. She didn't look at it to memorize, but to forget. If that didn't work, to shove him to the back of her mind.

"Even after all this, you're still going after him." Azazel said. It wasn't a question,

"Nothing changed," Nina said. "He still gives me leeway. Maybe not in all the ways I hoped, but I can make count what I have."

"It doesn't have to be you," Azazel said. "Jeanne's got the best chance right now."

"And I'll let her do it if it turns out to be that way, but I have to be prepared to do it myself."

"Alright. Make sure you have back up this time."

A real smile pulled at her lips, if weak. "I'd love that, but I better not make promises."

· · · · · · ·

He might as well have lost, because Nina really had been his weakness.

To render his wishes and selfishness nothing, his individuality the sacrifice so humankind might inherit domination of the earth. Gods, demons and Bahamut were only obstacles, all of which he could face without tremor or hesitation.

Yet she ...

If only he had never met her. He'd known she made him weak the moment his conscience stung, that useless thing that compelled one to foresake reason for paltry interest.

Her incessant questions that always failed to understand the nature of the world, why did he even bother trying to talk with her? He should have stuck with his early resolve to never answer that naive girl. It would've been better if he'd just broken her heart and let her run to some other life, or her death if it had to be.

If not for her, he wouldn't falter on his difficult path. Fate had determined her for him, Merlin said, but he did not need her. He would die battling Bahamut, a worthy cause.

If only he had never met her, she could not have done this to him. To fall in her arms to his demise, his will to barely prevail.

If not for her, he wouldn't be stuffed in Kaisar's attic.

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