Chapter 6 Demonic Discord

The tide of the war had turned. Demons from the Rebellious Army began working together, using each of their elementally based attacks in conjunction with each other; Nevan joined the charcoal-armored demon Alastor, sending a ferocious storm of lightning from the sky into the front lines of Argosax's army. The Hellhound Cerberus and gauntlet-wielding Ifrit worked together, using their respective powers of ice and fire to destroy the second wave of demons. Argosax' forces fell by the hundreds while the Rebellious Army only fell by a small fraction of that. And at the center of it all, was Sparda.

Nearly half of all the kills brought upon the Army of Argosax came from this one devil. Sparda's sword, less a weapon than an extension of his arm, worked in perfect harmony with his body. Unleashing vicious kicks and punches, he brought the sword up to cut through demonic armor as if it were nonexistent. Sparda held Argosax's troops back almost single-handedly, allowing his army, the Rebellion, to fight ahead into sea of opposing demons.

Behind his army, watching his hordes carry out his bidding, Argosax continued to unleash his legions. Deep in his self-righteous soul, he believed that he would prove victorious simply because he was the Ruler of Hell.

Mundus, now high above the battlefield, sent more of his followers down to even the odds. Thousands of Hell Vanguards, grim reapers powered by darkness, raised their scythes in unison as the solemn timbre of funeral bells silenced the cacophony of the raging battle. They teleported into the carnage amidst a wisp of black smoke. They used the Blood Plain's fluid consistency and rippling effect to their advantage; vanishing into thin air, the Vanguards attacked from below, bursting upwards through the hordes, cleaving demons in two. Mundus looked past the war, and straight into Argosax' featureless visage and all of his anguish and pent up rage exploded. With a burst of brilliant white light, his wings shot open and he hurled himself straight for Argosax.

Alighting mere feet from his hated King, Mundus blasted Argosax. Argosax, still solid from the energy expended spawning his hordes, stumbled backwards a few yards, then quickly gathered himself and sent a vindictive glare back at his once loyal servant. Mundus stood tall and his chest seemed to inflate as he walked towards his one true enemy.

"You will not survive this day, Argosax." Mundus' deep voice boomed with anger and arrogance. Argosax jumped backwards into the air, unfolding his halo of blazing wings and with one final burst of power, he let loose his own lieutenant: Noctpteran, the large moth-like demon.

"So, you actually believe you have what it takes to defeat me?!?!" Argosax stole one final look at Mundus and flew away from the battle.

Mundus' stone brow lowered, "COWARD!" and he gave chase. It will end this day… he thought as he leapt high into the air with a burst of light.

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The war had dwindled down to nothing but a battle of mere guts and will, until Sparda saw Noctpteran; remembering past experiences, Sparda knew that this one demon, although not too powerful by itself, could unleash its voracious larvae into the battle at any point and turn the tides once again. He knew he didn't have time to warn the others. As Noctpteran flew towards the battle, which had now become focused in the center of the Blood Plains, Sparda launched himself into the air, trying in vain to keep ahead of the deadly moth-like demon.

Sparda looked behind him and saw the larvae eggs fall from the sky and plant themselves underground. He looked upward, trying to find the otherwise useless demon, but all he saw was a vague silhouette framed by falling ashes of gold. He then drew his attention back to the battle:

Hell Vanguards were being seized violently from below, disappearing into the ground and into the gaping maws of the ravenous worms. Several other Hells and Shadows were attacked from behind by the extremely large larvae, which burst from the ground and charged towards their prey. All throughout the battlefield, demons of the Rebellion were being unmercifully consumed whole by the gigantic vermin. Abyss' fought hard trying to use their projectiles to keep the larvae at bay but found that the larvae's own mindlessness made it almost invincible.

The newly revivified Rebellious army was now being eaten alive by a swarm of ferocious maggots, and as Sparda looked on, he became disgusted. His head lowered, No…he thought…We're too close…It won't end like this…Suddenly, his red eyes began to glow and an aura of crimson demonic energy surrounded in his thoughts, Sparda did not recognize a rounded wave moving rapidly towards him.A larva charged him, and popped up from the Blood Plains. Endless rows of teeth rushed toward Sparda, who was engulfed and swallowed. But things were not as they seemed. The larva began to emit a dull red luminescence and suddenly there was a flash of metal, gleaming in sanguine radiance. The larva fell into fourths, completely dismantled and dead. And Sparda stood amidst the bloody rain, silent and cold.

The Sword of Sparda began to emanate red fire and Sparda began to feel like there was a stone in his chest, something that he had never felt before. It was almost there was another, more powerful warrior inside of him ripping and clawing, trying to make its way to the surface. He stared at his sword, and raised his head to see Beowulf still engaged in battle with Furiataurus and Orangguerra. Sparda's face contorted from a mass of confusion to one of cold disdain as he flew over to assist his comrade.

Beowulf, taking blows from both sides, thinks he sees Sparda, but doesn't recognize his sword. It is only after Orangguerra is lifted high into the air by Sparda's sword does Beowulf realize that Sparda is not himself. Furiataurus stops in his tracks, just in time to see Orangguerra reach the zenith of his unwilling flight.

Sparda, now in the air with Orangguerra, teleported above him, and swung his sword down. Using his now tremendous strength, he sliced Orangguerra across his back, driving it into the ground. Sparda landed on its back, and dug his cloven feet into its flesh. Beowulf stared in disbelief, and then slowly turned his head to see Furiataurus approaching. Regaining lost strength, Beowulf spun around and grabbed the demon in a headlock. Furiataurus thrashed violently, trying to escape, but Beowulf used his free hand to beat Furiataurus' face in. He tossed him aside, and looked to Sparda. "COME ON!" he screamed as Orangguerra toppled to the ground. Sparda, on top of the giant ape's back, kicked off the ground with his right foot, sending him frenetically skidding across the sea of blood. Beowulf kneeled down on all fours, and followed Sparda into the battle.

With a flick of his wrist, Sparda transformed his sword into a spear. The fire emitting from the sword began to crawl up his arm and cover his body. Another gesture, and the sword became a scythe.

As Blood Goats and other demon fodder tried to attack, Sparda slashed all around him, turning the opposing demons into visions of falling statues. Legs stood without torsos, and body's stood without heads, while blood sprayed everywhere. Flashes of the blade were seen as Sparda tore through the battlefield, still on the back of Orangguerra. As he continued to ride the back of the ape, his eyes became set on Argosax.

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As Noctpteran let more larva fall, the Griffon's claw quickly put an end to the process. "Now, I'd have more fun fighting a giant lizard than a moth…" Griffon then proceeded to tear Noctpteran's wings off. The demon moth fell to the ground as Griffon sent an orb of red lighting through its body, killing it instantly.

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Argosax and Mundus were locked in a war of attrition, each using their powers against the other but to no avail: both were simply too strong.

Argosax raised his hand to form a large sword from it, and brought it down upon Mundus, who formed a shield of light to protect himself. Argosax leaped over Mundus and turned, swinging his large arm-sword. Mundus then countered, grabbing Argosax around the arm and twisting, breaking Argosax' concentration, causing the sword to melt back into an arm.

Suddenly, Argosax planted his foot on Mundus' chest and pushed, sending himself flying back. Mundus charged again, throwing a punch, but Argosax countered with another punch. The only contact made was one of each fist colliding with one another, clashing in a boom of power, fire, and light.

"You poor servant…you believe you can win, don't you?"

"Wrong …I know I WILL win!" Mundus charged his fist and blasted power from it causing Argosax to stumble back. He then brought his hands to his chest in a circular motion and Argosax looked up to see thousands of hellish meteors flying toward him. He tried to form a shield from both arms but it was too late; the meteors bombarded him.

Overall, they did little other than annoy him, but the whole of Argosax began to glow with fury, "Mundus!" he chuckled through his words, "You really do BELIEVE you will win! Give up now, servant, and I promise you a quick death. Continue with these silly pebbles, and it will be long and painful…"

"Nothing causes me more pain than seeing you still breathing." Again, they charged each other, each grabbing the other in an arm lock around their chests, their heads mere inches from one another. As Argosax groaned, Mundus spoke.

"If you had a face, I imagine that it would be twisted in puzzlement and despair. Deep inside, you know that even if you cannot win, I cannot lose. Either this will end in a stalemate, or you will lose. Do you hear me?"

"You trash!" Argosax tossed Mundus behind him, and formed a whip from his right arm, his back toward the ongoing rebellion. Mundus brooded solemnly as he saw Sparda quickly approaching,

Looking back into the blank face of Argosax, Mundus spoke, "Even then if this does end in a stalemate, I still have one thing you don't…"

As Mundus said this, Argosax retracted the whip to form his right arm again, "And what would that be? You are not speaking of that child Sparda, are you?" Sparda then came close enough to hear these words; "He's nothing more than a lowly whelp who only knows how to swing his twig of a sword."

Sparda jumped off Orangguerra now trampled body and lifted himself into the air, his sword, still in a scythe form, raised high. Scum… Sparda thought.

"Nonsense!! What I have…" Mundus sends forth a beam of white light strong enough to blast a hole through Argosax' chest, "…is POWER! You…have nothing, not even your kingdom…"

Impacted by the incredible blow, Argosax fell to the ground, landing on his knees. He held his chest, trying to keep his power, his very life force, from bleeding onto the Plains. He turned to see what he hoped would be the Rebellious Army lying in ruins but instead, he saw Sparda, radiating a fierce red aura of flames, his face brimming with fury and anger.

As Sparda came closer, in a desperate attempt to live, Argosax raised his hand and began to absorb members of his own army as well as demons in the Rebellion to sustain his own life.

Sparda turned in mid-air to see this debacle. He then held out his armored hands rigidly, and unwittingly unleashed a fury of red orbs of fire, killing all who Argosax drew into his body, even those of Sparda's own Army. It was then that Mundus noticed something different about Sparda, something more…sinister…

Landing on the shoulder of Argosax, Sparda unsheathed his sword from his back and, in a violent spinning motion, sliced through Argosax' throat, causing his lifeblood to spew all over the field. As he lost more power, Argosax' now concrete physical body began to deteriorate and mutate into an incoherent blob of excrement, each remaining limb falling to the ground and evaporating.

As his physical body fell apart, Hell as a whole began to shake violently and a dark cloud of thunder and lighting ripped into the very fabric of space, creating a portal of sorts above Argosax, who was apparently trying to make an escape. As his gelatinous body floated there, he attempted to suck up more of his own army to repair himself. However, this time Sparda allowed it.

"You……you cannot….."

Demons like Bolverk, Furiataurus, Orangguerra, what remained of Noctpteran, Blood and Abyss Goats, members of the Rebellion, Puia, and several others were ferociously inhaled into the body of Argosax. The incoming demons did nothing but make his amorphous mass even larger.

Sparda observed Argosax in his weakened state and his red aura intensified. Nothing had ever made Sparda feel that way and his rage satisfied and terrified him at the same time. The fall of a tyrant was at hand.

As Argosax continued to fall apart, he made one final declaration displaying the epitome of his arrogance, "Mundus! You will not have my Throne!"

With one last look, Sparda charged towards Argosax with lightning speed, his sword at his side, leaving behind a red trail of demonic energy. As he took one horizontal slash at Argosax he made his own final declaration,

"DIE!!"

The screaming pile of sludge that was Argosax convulsed violently and was suddenly thrust backwards into his own portal, and sucked the surrounding demons of his army into it as well. As the portal closed an intense gust of wind exploded outward, creating an audible bang, which sent a ripple of demonic energy throughout every crevice of Hell.

On the battlefield, what remained of Argosax' forces stopped in mid-attack, and burst in flames. Nevan, Alastor, Cerberus, Ifrit, the Hells, Arachnes, Phantom, Griffon Shadows, Vanguards, Frosts, and the numerous other demons ceased in mid-attack as well, and watched this awe-inspiring defeat. Even in Hell, they had never seen such a display of fury and power as in the preceding battle. They trained their eyes on Mundus and Sparda, who now stood side-by-side, relishing their treacherous triumph.

A new age had dawned. The war was over. The Rebellion, now mundane. Hell stood as one...