So I've been reading the past few chapters, just to remember where I left everything off since I legit haven't looked at this fanfic in the last two years. The struggle is real.

Rin had felt hopelessness before. It was a rock sinking in his gut, a sort of ice seeping across his veins that reminded him of dark corners, of iron chains, of screams rattling the stars. The blue fire flame flickered across his skin, though its tentative warmth had already begun to fade. Soon, he would have no power left.

And then everyone would die.

It was that thought alone that kept Rin aloft, that thought alone that made him grit his teeth and wipe away the blood dripping from his nose. Rin had no faith that he could win against Satan. It was a fool's hope to believe so in the first place. But, if Rin could buy his friends some time ...

... maybe there would be a happy ending after all.

Though, the happy bit would be a long time coming. But his friends would learn how to be happy without him. They would move on with their lives. Find their place. Learn that their world would be much more peaceful, much more happy, without the son of Satan wandering about.

The thought made Rin smile. It was a thin, bitter smile, but it was a smile all the same.

Satan noticed. A corner of his pale lips twitched up, a hissing sneer that chilled Rin to his core. "Is something amusing, son?" he asked as flames danced wild through the air. Sweat beaded on Rin's brow and shivered down his spine. "Anything you'd like to share?"

Rin kept his mouth shut. He knew that Satan was taking his time with him. Knew that the King of Gehenna was enjoying his death, savoring it, and could probably taste the bitter tang of his blood right now. The thought made Rin wince, a brief contortion that had nothing to do with his various wounds.

"Well, Rin?" Satan continued with outstretched hands. If Rin was being perfectly honest, he was surprised that Satan bothered to remember his name. "Anything to say?"

Translation: Any last words?

Rin lifted his head, his sapphire eyes shining bright despite the bruises surrounding them, and said, "Suck it."

"Faster!" Yukio shouted at Mephisto, who answered with a glare and muffled curse. Kurikara blazed in Yukio's hands, the holy blade shining bright despite the carnage around them. Shura had given Kurikara to Yukio just moments ago, and since Mephisto was the only one who could fly out of the group ...

Well, there was little chance that Yukio would risk giving the demon Kurikara. His brother's blade; no, his brother's very soul, would only be safe in his hands. And even then he wondered. Even then anxiety curled and twisted in his gut, a constant reminder that he was only one small human in a sea of monsters.

The wind whipped past, causing his eyes to water. Rin and Satan were little more than blurs against the red-crusted sky. Sapphire flames twisted and stirred the air like stars painted across the scarlet skyward veins, hissed between the folds of the wind, whispered between the crevices of the sky. Satan's flames were still burning strong.

Rin, on the other hand ...

Yukio grit his teeth beneath the gasmask. Rin was not doing so well. His blood dripped down to the parched earth below, towards the demons still lingering on the battlefield. If he bothered to turn around, he could have seen Raziele at the white-haired Sophiel's side, her light bright and strong as she burned through the Demon of Pestilence and all the rest that dared stray nearby. He would have seen Shiemi fighting alongside Ni-Chan, could have all of the rest fighting just as bravely. He would have been proud.

If he turned around.

As it was, he had absolutely no idea what was happening in the world below. They weren't even a spark in his mind.

No; all he could think about was Rin and how pale he looked, how fragile without his armor, how bloodied, and how Yukio could turn it all around.

"This is a stupid plan," Mephisto said, his face pale and drawn. They were close to Satan now, close enough that Yukio could see the dirt in the demon's nails. "You seriously cannot be this stupid."

Yukio's lips twitched into a feral smile. "No, I am that stupid," he said, his voice low, "and if you don't believe me, just watch."

Mephisto's eyes widened as Yukio held up Kurikara, then - in a sudden blaze of light - shouted as Yukio ripped off the hilt and let it fall to the ground.

Work will get in the way of writing/uploading, especially since I'm also trying to edit a book I completed a few months ago, but I'll do my best to upload once a week ... though they may be small chapters.

But anyway, I hope you all have an amazing day! Too all of you in school, BEST OF LUCK! You can do it :)

xx

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