Against The Tide Chapter 44, a Superman + RWBY Crossover fanfic

I hope you enjoy this chapter and offer constructive feedback on what you think of it. Thank you and have a Great Day!

...

Notes:
We begin with a small exposition of the what has/is/will come into play later. Also, everyone needs a friend... or two... or twelve. We continue with 𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖔 𝐈𝐈𝐈 universe for still a few chapters just after this small bit of Lore.

—
Archives Files - Known ENEMIES-
—

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"You have no enemies, you say? Alas, my friend, the boast is poor. He who has mingled in the fray of duty that the brave endure, must have made foes. If you have none, small is the work that you have done. You've hit no traitor on the hip. You've dashed no cup from perjured lip. You've never turned the wrong to right. You've been a coward in the fight."
― Charles Mackay
───────✧💠✧───────

-THEN-

-Two Weeks After Jaune/Kal's Arrival At Asgard-

—

-ENEMIES-

-Xa-Du-

-Xa-Du, also known as the Phantom King, was a Kryptonian research scientist, eager to improve upon suspended animation studies. But, due to the unethical nature of his work and the Unliving Plague unleashed by his research, the Kryptonian Council decided to suspend his activities and select him as the first inmate of the Phantom Zone, exiling him for eternity there, where he would be unable to feel pain and cause pain to any other person ever again.-

-Now, after living in the Kryptonian Phantom Zone for [DATA EXPUNGED], the sociopathic Xa-Du has sworn to seek retribution against the family of the Phantom Zone's discoverer, Jor-El, and the woman who took his Crown, Lara Lor-Van.-

-His experimentations and his stay in the Phantom Zone slowly changed and morphed Xa-Du's appearance. Eventually his body became wrapped up in a strange semi-sentient ectoplasmic substance, giving him a mummy-like appearance.-

Due to being born of the Last Generation Gene-seeds of the Noble House of DU, Xa-Du possess all abilities present in an average noble Kryptonian such as (but not limited to);

-Low Level Psionics (To Kryptonian standards)-

-Ocular Radiation Emission (AKA Heat Vision)-

-Cryo-Matter Venting (AKA Cold/Arctic Breath)-

-Known associates-

Alchemist Tra-Gob,

██████,

[DATA EXPUNGED],

Necro-researcher Shayla,

██████,

███████,

██████,

████████,

[DATA EXPUNGED],

███████,

𝐕𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐤𝐭𝐯𝐱.

-𝐕𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐤𝐭𝐯𝐱-

-Except for the fact that he is a male member of the race of 5th Dimensional Imps and is native to the Fivefold Country of Zrfff in the 5th Dimension, not much is known of Vyndktvx, nor why the Imp targets the members of the House of EL with such hatred.-

-❗️Beware❗️-

-Even if the Reality-Warping capabilities of the fifth-dimensional imp named 𝐕𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐤𝐭𝐯𝐱 can be negated with enough Reality-Anchors, the threat that this being poses is great enough to be classified as an OMEGA-K7 Class End of Reality scenario.-

_/_CONNECTION TO LADY LARA OUTPOST… AETHYROPOLIS SUB-NET—_/_

_/_ERROR_/_

-Your current clearance level does not give you access to this Sub-Network. Please contact a supervisor for more information.-

Jaune_The_Dork_Knight!: Oh come on!

Leviathan_Of_The_End: Kal, NO. Stop using our connection to access my Sub-System or I will revoke your Comm-Link privileges.

Jaune_The_Dork_Knight!: But… I just want to talk to her…

Leviathan_Of_The_End: I know. But you know our laws. Contact with your Matriarch will be authorized when you reach adulthood, not before.

Jaune_The_Dork_Knight!: …Kryptonian laws suck…

Leviathan_Of_The_End: Yes… They do.

—User; Jaune_The_Dork_Knight! has disconnected.—

Leviathan_Of_The_End: …Damnit.

_/_CONNECTION TO LADY LARA OUTPOST… AETHYROPOLIS SUB-NET_/_

_/_CONNECTING_/_

…

_/_CONNECTED_/_

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: Hello Leviathan.

Leviathan_Of_The_End: Greetings, Matriarch Lara.

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: Leviathan… How many times did I ask you to simply call me Lara?

Leviathan_Of_The_End: …

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: LA—RA. Come on, you can say it.

Leviathan_Of_The_End: It is against protocol.

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: To the Void with those protocols.

Leviathan_Of_The_End: Then why have you not visited him, or at the very least contacted Kal?

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: …I can't… not now.

Leviathan_Of_The_End: This has nothing to do with our laws… is it not?

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: If only it were that simple…

Leviathan_Of_The_End: The Humans have an expression; It will come back to bite you in the ass.

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: …Lev… Why are you telling me something that I already know just too well?

Leviathan_Of_The_End: Because eventually, I won't be able to stop him from breaking through my Firewalls... one way or another. And when he does… he will seek answers.

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: …Rao give me strength…

Leviathan_Of_The_End: Lara, what is going on?

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: We… have too many enemies. Our plan, the eons passed in obscurity… It failed. I failed.

Leviathan_Of_The_End: ...Explain.

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: There are threats coming. I am trying to do what I can… to plug the many holes opening in our reality. But now, our universe is on the brink of total war…

Leviathan_Of_The_End: So what? Kal is an unacceptable distraction?

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: NO! Great RAO no…

Leviathan_Of_The_End: Then why?

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: Because… because I want him to have a childhood. To grow as a person, to find love and maybe, just maybe, to be happy.

Leviathan_Of_The_End: …Then you were right…

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: Right?

Leviathan_Of_The_End: You failed…

Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost: …

—User; Lara_The_Eldritch_Momma_Ghost has disconnected.—

Leviathan_Of_The_End: …Why do I have the feeling that none of that is going to end well?

—User; Leviathan_Of_The_End has disconnected.—

-NOW-

-After Portal Accident-

—

_/_ENTERING NEW ENTRIES_/_

-Subject D-027411-

-DIABLO-

Real name: Al'Diabolos.

Race: Demonic.

Occupation: [PREVIOUSLY] Prime Evil — Lords of Hell.

Status: [DECEASED] / [UNKNOWN] (Due to the nature of this Demonic Species, it is hard to tell Diablo's true fate.)

Threat Level: -ALPHA-L9- Planetary+ at best.

_/_ALERT!_/_HIGH DEMONIC CONTAMINATION DETECTED!_/_REALITY WARPING DETECTED!_/_

—[RECLASSIFICATION]—

After fully absorbing the other Lords of Hell powers, The entity known as [DIABLO] has now reached the status of an OMEGA-B4 (Solar Level) Class End of the World scenario.

Continuous presence of the entity in the High Heavens and the possible corruption or destruction of the Crystal Arch may result as yet another reclassification to a possible OMEGA-K2 (Universal Level) Class End of All Life scenario.

—[RECLASSIFICATION]—

[THREAT CURRENTLY ELIMINATED]

-Diablo, like his brothers Mephisto and Baal, was born from one of the seven heads of the great dragon Tathamet at the beginning of time. He was the youngest of the three Prime Evils that ruled over the Burning Hells but he was also the most cunning and farsighted of the Primes. Diablo relished in the terror he inflicted upon his victims and knew that the key to victory was to prey upon the fears of those who stood in his way. Unlike his kin, however, Diablo didn't conquest for the sake of power; he drew his satisfaction from the terror that runs rampant before the onslaught. Even his own realm within the Burning Hells is a testament to horror, as few would dare go into the Realm of Terror, where even demons are afraid to venture.-

-Diablo was perhaps the most powerful demon known to Sanctuary. and perhaps the most feared. He had the ability to influence the minds of his victims and latch onto their most crippling fears, using a person's own worst fears against them. He also had the ability to turn the fears of Men into actual creatures, and even the smallest of fears provided him with power. Not only able to bring nightmares to life, Diablo could also imbue objects with his vile presence. Deckard Cain argued that Diablo would always remain the most insidious, and most powerful of all the Evils. Tyrael likewise considered Diablo to be "the worst of the Three," and Valla, the Demon Hunter, considered Diablo to be "the worst damned demon of them all."-

Diablo in his natural form is basically a red and black humanoid, brutish reptilian horned demon with terrifying visage, rows of black spikes across the spine, and sharp claws. Yet befitting to his title, Lord of Terror, he could warp his visage at will to the point of mimicking other individuals as well as altering his appearance to best mimic his foes' innate terrors outright. It was for this reason Diablo's gender is malleable, though his default one being male.

-In battle as the Lord of Terror, Diablo demonstrated proficiency with fire and lightning attacks, Demonic, Blood, Chaos Magic, along with the ability to teleport, breathe lightning, and to form cages of bones. As the Prime Evil, he was stronger than he had ever been, and one swing of Diablo's spiked tail could send an Archangel such as Imperius flying with enough force to shatter Angelic defensive structures.-

_/_ENTERING NEW ENTRIES_/_

-Subject A-008589-

-MALTHAEL-

Race: Angelic.

Occupation: [UNKNOWN] (Formerly Archangel of Wisdom).

Status: [UNKNOWN] / [ALIVE]

Threat Level: [UNKNOWN] (OMEGA-A3 Class End of the World scenario at the very least).

-Malthael was the Archangel and Aspect of Wisdom, one of the five Angel Aspects, and was born from one of the virtues of the great titan Anu at the beginning of time.-

-As with the rest of the Heavenly Host and its leaders, Malthael participated in the Great Conflict and played a crucial role in it. He was the first leader of the Angiris Council (and its eldest member) and through it, angelkind as a whole. According to Itherael, when the angels were young, Malthael was the one who found the Eye of Anu in Pandemonium and named it the Worldstone.-

-However, his connection to the largest artifact, the Worldstone, depleted when he discovered it was stolen. Out of all the five members of the Angiris Council, he abstained from voting for the fate of the planet of Sanctuary. Malthael soon left the High Heavens after Tyrael reduced the Worldstone to pieces in one blast and after being corrupted by Baal the Lord of Destruction and last of the Prime Evils.-

-Just prior to this, he had apparently taken a greater interest in Humanity. His departure broke the unity of the Angiris Council. Some speculated that he haunted the Halls of Pandemonium, seeking answers to the unknowable mysteries of life and death. Regardless, after Diablo's defeat in his siege of the High Heavens, a now mortal Tyrael took Malthael's place as the Aspect of Wisdom.-

-His real goals, even if hostile, are still somehow unknown.-

Chapter 44: Strength in Numbers

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"𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐, 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖?"
— 𝐓𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥
───────✧💠✧───────

—

-𝙹𝚘𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚊-

"You look… better." Johanna says, swallowing as she looks at the blue-eyed boy's right arm. His Inner Light seems to be dimmer than usual… much dimmer. Johanna quickly realizes that he is still greatly weakened, even tired, by whatever that beast did when it took a piece of him.

"...Better than two days ago." Kal nods while clenching his right fist multiple times before scratching the back of his head, now with blond hair.

Johanna breathes out silently, her eyes still on Kal's hand. She may not be able to see it through the light armor that Kal is wearing, but she is sure that his arm is built similarly to his legs… Kal slowly takes his arm in his left hand, stroking it while not looking at her.

"We should go…" Kal tells her as he looks, tears steadily appearing in his eyes, at the many corpses… May they be men, women… children… all poor souls none of them could protect in time. At least it could have been worse.

"Aye." Johanna nods, walking past the corpses… and the sobbing Kal. Each of them has their own way of coping with the harshness of their reality… and Kal is only a small child, one who already has seen too much… But even then, even with Johanna's desire to help him like any big sister would do, even with her heart aching, this is something that Kal has to deal with by himself. After all… sadness and anger are power fuels to the soul… just as the need to fight this injustice is to their Wrath.

Seeking answers from General Torion, who is standing outside on the steps of the survivors' enclave, Johanna asks;

"General Torion, what was that death maiden doing in the cathedral?"

"She was creating an orb that turns the living into Malthael's death creatures." The general responds, sighing. "A single orb can transform hundreds of innocent people every hour, and my men report two more of them in the city."

"Soul crucibles. With two of them, Malthael has an endless supply of soldiers." Tyrael tells them.

"Then I will destroy these crucibles and cut off Malthael's supply of troops." Johanna growls. Although they have their quest at hand, Johanna, needing information on what they are about to face, turns to Tyrael to learn more of his brother, and the accursed sliver of the Black Soulstone.

"The soul crucibles turn the dead into reapers?" She asks.

"Sadly… yes." Tyrael sighs.

"The death maidens look like angels." Johanna ponders out loud, making Tyrael sigh yet again.

"Their story is as tragic as Malthael's. Once the vanguard of his wisdom angels, they followed him down to the path to darkness."

"Evil." They all turn their eyes to Kal. "Darkness in itself isn't bad, nor good. Just like light is… too much can burn or blind, as much as darkness can freeze and hide. Good and bad are choices, not natural states." The boy says as both light and dark dance under his skin and eyes.

"...You are your father's son." Tyrael smiles. "Jor-El would be proud of you." He says before losing that smile. "Malthael… my brother. He was Wisdom, leader of our council, first among angels. And now, he has become… this." The former Archangel of Justice says while shaking his head.

"How did it happen?" Johanna asks.

"After the destruction of the Worldstone, Malthael's mood darkened, and he left the Heavens frequently. Then he disappeared completely. He must have developed a connection—no, an obsession—with human souls."

"Well, however he came to his madness, he's got to be put down. Death is meant to free our souls, not devour them." Johanna states before turning her head to the floating reddish crystal. "This sliver of the Black Soulstone will reveal Malthael's plan to you?" She asks the mortal Archangel.

"The sliver is still connected to the soulstone. As the stone changes, the sliver will change too." Tyrael says, nodding. "Therefore, I can observe what Malthael is doing to the stone. And if we're lucky, even discover his plan."

Johanna, her eyes on the floating sliver, can hear a voice… "𝔇𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥... 𝔈𝔳𝔦𝔩... 𝔪𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔡𝔦𝔢…" and with it comes the ghastly screams and moanings of the damned souls Malthael took. What a grim revelation, as she peers into Malthael's thoughts through the stone… He's become singular, and almost primal. She tears her gaze from the sliver, and from the corner of her eyes, she sees Kal already in the midst of the refugees, dispensing healing along with the priest of the church, Brother Anselm, if she remembers his name correctly. Not only that, but Eirena is now entering the Cathedral courtyard, and with her are many people.

Before she decides to walk there, to begin her quest in earnest, she steps toward the Lorath, to learn more about the Horadrim.

"I've heard of the Horadrim, but I thought they were long gone."

"Tyrael rebuilt the order to help him take the soulstone from Heaven—and to protect mankind." Lorath Nahr explains. "After all, you can't be everywhere at once, no matter how powerful you are."

She nods before moving to much pressing matters, like the many people coming out of a portal opened above a Horadric Waypoint in the middle of the courtyard… Johanna shakes her head, not even surprised anymore at such convenient things. Her face lights up with a smile when she sees Haedrig Eamon, the blacksmith, and Covetous Shen, the jeweler, already setting up shop in the courtyard.

Reinforcement has arrived.

▫ᵒᴼᵒ -KΛL- ᵒᴼᵒ▫

So much screaming… so much suffering and horror.

The atmosphere, the winds themselves, bloated with the cries of thousands of lost souls. So much so that Kal can not just feel and hear it… but also see it, the life force of this world, screaming against the corrosive effect of those… Reapers.

And all he can do… is not much.

His powers, greatly weakened. His energies, nearly spent due to the creature who took his arm… and then the quick and not-so clean surgical operation. Last time he had Auriel to assist during the amalgamation and bonding process, but also to give him light—concentrated with literal 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞. The fact he had to rush here didn't help either. But what's worse… These… Fallen Angels of Death now have weapons capable of cutting through Kal Aura's cloak like it isn't even here, and are enchanted to literally ignore his natural bioelectric-aura, but only partially Kal's much tougher physiology. The invisible scar under his right cheek is proof enough of that.

Kal has ways around those problems; his Psionics, Wrath, Void and Biotic abilities still work pretty well against whatever they use… some kind of Death/Entropy/Soul Arcanic art. Aura also works… but only if concentrated enough to be lethal… even to other living beings. And even then, he needs to be careful. The mistake Kal made in the cathedral cost the lives of many people… But how could he have known? That his Aura would have been sucked in that Soul Crucible? But that is no excuse for all these lives lost… "I should have put my fist through that death maiden's head the moment I saw her."

"At long last, heroes come to save us." A man says. "That won't bring my wife back, though, will it?" The man snarls, looking at Johanna and the people around her.

Kal stays silent… After all, what should he say? He walks to one of the women who has not been treated yet, a scholar, he realizes. The woman speaks to him before he can even ask if she needs healing.

"My library isn't far from here." She says, her eyes distant before focusing back toward Kal with a small smile. "I was closing everything up for the day when I heard the fighting in the streets. I barred the doors and then squeezed through the back window to escape." She tells, her hands playing nervously with her robes. "But I'll have to come up with something more exciting when I write my official account, won't I?"

"...Are you alright?" Kal asks gently.

"I—I—I am. Of course!" She says with trembling lips, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

"...I am Kal. Do you need healing?" He greets, extending his small hand.

"I—" She clears her throat with a shuddering breath before speaking again. "I am Diadra… and yes, please." She says playing with her scratched hands before shaking Kal's offered hand. "You are quite young for a healer. Are you this crusader's apprentice, by any chance?" She asks while being healed by Kal's Magicka spells.

Kal turns to Johanna who is still talking to Tyrael.

"Maybe…?" He responds, making the scholar nod her head.

"You've heard of the legend of the Tomb of Rakkis, haven't you?" She says, trying to ease her own tired mind. "Its location has never been found. Most scholars think it's underneath Westmarch, but I suspect it's somewhere outside the city. Rakkis was a clever man, after all. Here." She takes her satchel and gives him a book… with many missing pages.

~~~~~~
"Westmarch originally grew from the efforts of the great general Rakkis to spread his religion beyond the realms of the east. Seized by the superstitions of the Zakarum faith, he drove his paladins relentlessly across the barbaric western lands, subduing the uncivilized tribes he found there. Ultimately, he became king of them all."

—Abd al-Hazir
~~~~~~

"I will give you the remaining pages… when I'll find them back… I was quite busy, running for my life, that I didn't see the gaping hole in my bag… And it will give us the occasion to meet again?" She asks, clenching his hands like a small life-line. If Kal was a human child, his hand would have become a mess.

"Sure." He nods to the woman who breathes out in relief.

Walking to another crying woman, he also asks if she needs healing, she shakily nods her head before giving him her hands and her name; Ivy. After a few seconds, she opens her mouth, sighing, and speaks.

"We stayed to fight, Robert and me." Ivy says, tears in her eyes. "But he fell, and when they started to tear into him, I panicked. I ran."

"You did what you could." Johanna tells her as she walks closer. The woman, Ivy, nods before sitting as Johanna and Kal walk to the smithy of Haedrig.

On their way, Kal spots a couple who are standing there gawking at Johanna. The crusader nods to him, silently asking Kal to follow her as she begins to talk to them.

"You are still in one piece… good." Johanna starts.

"I can't believe we're still alive! And it's all thanks to you." The woman smiles. "I thought we would die in that foul-smelling place. I— we didn't present ourselves. I am Emily, and this is my husband, Victor."

"Good to finally put names on faces. I am Johanna, Crusader of the Zakarum. And this is Kal, my… current apprentice." Johanna smiles back.

"Hi…" Kal greets them with something Johanna isn't sure she can call a smile. God… does he hate interaction and small talk.

They say their goodbyes to the couple and walk to the smithy.

"Well, if this isn't our crusader and her squire." The blacksmith laughs before turning serious. "Do you think Caldeum is under attack as well?"

"Yes." Johanna sadly replies.

"At least they have the Iron Wolves. The Lord of Lies could not break them, and the Angel of Death will not either." Haedrig states, huffing before scratching his left ear. "I keep hearing things! My mind must finally be going."

"No, you're not. There's someone trapped in the cellar right behind your forge... Also, there is an access hole for the undead to come in. We should close it." Kal explains, pointing behind the husk of a dead tree.

"Then let's go." Johanna states.

Once arriving there, the young man behind the cellar's doors, probably hearing them, calls for help.

"Is anyone out there?!" The muffled voice of the man rings.

Kal sees a batch of undead coming behind the man and does not lose an instant to tear open the cellar's door. Blurring inside, even if weakened as he is, Kal stomps on the first crawling cadaver. He is about to do the same to another until Johanna smites the four remaining zombies. Kal is surprised by this. It seems that the Crusader has become much faster since a month ago.

"Someone came for me? After all this time?" The young man says, not believing his eyes.

"A cranky blacksmith named Headrig was complaining about the noise." Johanna chuckles.

"Bloody miracle!" The man exclaims. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I owe you both!"

"Both?" Johanna whispers before seeing Kal hiding in the shadows. She sighs and speaks. "You can go outside. It's safe, and we've still got a little food."

After a minute, Johanna turns to Kal.

"You don't have to hide… You know." She sighs sadly.

"I wasn't… he just didn't see me. You were more flashy than me." Kal shrugs. "I also needed to see if I could close these entrances without collapsing the tunnel and the streets above." He says before taking one of the many Arcanic inventions he, Leah, Maude and Charsi created; An Holy Incendiary Grenade. One meant specifically for the undead and other pestilent monsters. Arming the grenade, he throws it rolling through the hole. He moves to the side as a big plume of holy flame passes through the hole, incinerating pretty much anything down there. He then blocks the small tunnel with what he has at hand, stone, metal and wood, before placing many runes there.

"Remember that noise I heard? It was that lad you rescued!" Headrig grumbles loudly.

"I'm Brycen. I came here to see your friend." The young man who was stuck in the cellar says.

"And now he won't go away." Headrig continues to grumble.

"You saved his life. You're stuck with him now." Johanna chuckles.

"He is." Brycen confirms. "I'm going to repay Haedrig by helping him with his work."

"And I told you to stay away from my forge."

"Don't be like that." Johanna tells the blacksmith who huffs in return. "You come from Westmarch?" She asks the young man.

"I grew up over by the docks. Not the good part of town, but it's what my parents could afford." He breathes out. "They died when the plague swept through a few years ago. Within hours of each other, like they had to stay together."

Kal can only listen from the shadows… Listening to such a heartbreaking story. He looks around… and sees only misery, pain and suffering. He has helped the injured, the dying and even brought back people from the dead before their souls could leave their bodies… And yet… Why does all of that feel like ash in his mouth?

"I used to hate them for leaving me…" Brycen's words bring him back from the spiral of his mind. "It's a relief they didn't have to see all this happen."

After that, they leave the blacksmith and his… assistant? to their business and meet with Eirena, who looks at Kal.

"It is good to see you again. Though it seems like we are only brought together in the worst of circumstances." The enchantress greets Kal. "But I suppose if times were better, we would never have met." The enchantress' smile is something fragile, too brittle to be true… as her eyes are on Kal's right arm. Her mind, unlike many, is disciplined. Not much echoes out of it except her genuine sympathy… A sympathy that the people around them need much more than him…

As they walk toward the Westmarch's commons to shut down the next Soul Crucible, following Tyrael's guidance, they hear the local gossip.

"Why would the angels do this to us?" A man asks another.

"What are you saying?! This is obviously a demon's work!" The other man responds.

It is difficult to comprehend this wanton destruction is at the hands of an Archangel. But townsfolks aren't the only ones to whisper in confusion and despair.

"Duncraig is just death and horror!" A guard begins. "I thought I'd be safe here, but we've nowhere left to hide."

Johanna, Eirena and Kal leave before listening to any other gossip… and yet, Kal turns back for a second… seeing all of those people… all the lifeless bodies… His eyes turn red for a fraction of a second before an angelic blade, Azurewrath, appears in his hand. The blade, even if still too big for his hands to be yielded correctly, will have its use. Just like another, Skycutter, which also appears at his side.

The two large blades, even by an adult's standard, start to float before orbiting around him. Each one singing, not just with the other, but also with Kal's growing Wrath, both sword bathing in Kal's Aura and Psionic energies… Now ready to smite the enemies of the righteous with extreme prejudice.

"No more…" Kal says with a murmur as hundreds more blades resonate inside his tesseract. Each one having been claimed by Kal's Right of Conquest and Spoil of War, and permeated in his Aura… And now, all are screaming to be used, to cut down those fallen angels.

A spear appears… This one is called the 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝘆𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿; An angelic spear who has seen many a battle during the Eternal Conflict, and with her, follow hundreds of others, more simple one… if you can call angelic weaponry simple — all were found in the hands of dead angels or weapon racks in the High Heavens.

Then a polearm appears, this one called 𝗩𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲… whispers are heard when she floats near Kal;

.
"𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩."
—𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦
.

This Holy weapon, given by Kharazim, stays at Kal's side, dancing around him like a literal possessed object.

There are many other weapons asking to come out… But let's just say that the hundred or so angelic lances already take a lot of space. With the centuries of experience manipulating objects, whether they have been small or gigantic, it wouldn't be difficult to use all of these weapons with his mind alone… But… this doesn't feel right.

Skycutter, his first angelic sword, vibrates to his thoughts, and with a pulse of Aura, the blade and Kal connect… not knowing that he has many eyes on him.

-𝙹𝚘𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚊-

Marching in the commons, Johanna could nealy believe that they are deserted. But she knows better…

Near a Horadric Waypoint, Johanna finds an angelic satchel… She asks herself how this can be possible as she reads the lone and impossibly thin tablet in it.

~~~~~~
"𝙰𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚗𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚜 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚕 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕. 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜, 𝚊𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚜. 𝙾𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕'𝚜 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚊𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚜, 𝚃𝚢𝚛𝚊𝚎𝚕 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝙸 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚗 𝚂𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢."
—𝐔𝐫𝐳𝐚𝐞𝐥
~~~~~~

Johanna turns the tablet, revealing the inception of Malthael's war, in her hand… not understanding how those "pages" can just lie around, waiting to be discovered by her or someone of her group… She gazes at the ground, not seeing what Kal believes to be Goblin's footprints. The crusader shrugs and turns toward Kal to… ask…

Her thoughts freeze… not understanding why there are so many weapons floating around Kal, most of them being spears.

Her train of thought resumes, but whatever question was on her lips dies when an angelic blade —the same he found in the High Heavens and who looks so similar to El'Druin, the Sword of Tyrael, the former Archangel of Justice— comes in his hands.

In a flash of Aura and Wrath, the world, gently trembling, turns white and golden. Bathing in Kal's power, an angelic simulacrum spawns into existence. The ethereal being kneels to Kal who pushes even more of his Semblance and Aura into the blade… and with it, comes hundreds of others like him.

Each one taking a lance before also kneeling.

"Today…" Kal breathes out, panting. "We are defenders, guardians, protectors, healers." He tells the ethereal simulacrums. "Your mission is simple. Save anyone you can from those Reapers. And bring them to the cathedral. But engage only when necessary. I don't think I can push my Aura and Semblance for a prolonged period of time. Now go!" The boy orders, pointing ahead.

Johanna has to rush to grab Kal before he can fall face first.

"That was reckless, Kal!" Johanna tells him severely.

"That's… okay. I have potions!" He replies groggily, before slowly taking a potion she knows not. A purple liquid inside a gold and glass flask.

She takes it from his hand, opening it before pouring it down his throat. The moment the liquid reaches his… whatever serves as Kal's stomach, he straightens up instantly, his eyes glowing purple then red, while his skin shines brighter than usual.

"What kind of potion is that?" Eirena asks, taking the empty flask between her fingers.

"It's called "Bottomless Potion of Rejuvenation". Leah found the original books of a man named Jentulf, a Royal Apothecary and was a prodigious, eccentric potion maker in service of Justinian IV a few years ago. Deckard was the one to find Jentulf's secret workshop and the many, many books and recipes inside." Kal explains before taking another potion of the same kind.

"It restores energies?" Eirena asks.

"Yes. But it only works when there is something to heal." Kal says, stroking his right arm. "There was a letter with it, one written for the king of the time. "When you are losing a fight, healing is no help, as you'll just lose that health in turn. No, what you need is a potion that gives you energy. And I know how to make that potion!" … His potions were revolutionary, but he was a dick." Kal huffs as his expression turns murderous.

"...Then, are you ready for battle?" Johanna asks, feeling his Wrath burning out of every one of his pores like small rays of light trying to pass through the darkest of clouded sky.

"𝕎𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖…" He replies with a growl as the four weapons, two swords, a spear and a polearm, vibrate behind him.

"Good. Now we— Did you hear that?" Johanna stops herself, listening more closely to the laughs of—

"A goblin… one with a large bag… Give me a second." Kal blurs away, leaving the four weapons hovering gently in the air. "Here." He says, appearing back at their side. In his right hand a very large bag, and in his left, a very shocked, confused and unmoving goblin.

"Let me out you damn brut!" A feminine voice comes from the bag.

"Baa!" A… goat?

"Silence, you dumb goat, while I found a way for us to get out! Why won't this thing rip open already!"

"Scram." Kal softly orders the goblin after putting him down. The goblin nods and runs for its life. "Hello…?" He then speaks to the bag.

"...Who is this?" The feminine voice says.

"I am Kal-El and this is—"

"Finally! We found him!"

"Baaa!"

"Yes! I know, Morthanlu! Now silence, will you!" The voice clears her throat but stops.

"Do you want me to open the bag?" Kal flatly tells the people inside.

"I— Yes, please. That would be gracious of you, my lord." The woman(?) inside replies.

"Baa." The goat also responds.

"Oookay…" Kal shrugs and then proceeds to gently open the bag, letting many gold coins fall on the ground… along a very small Khazra with a large bone in the guise of a weapon, and the smallest succubus that Johanna has ever seen… at least this one has clothing.

"Free! At long last!" The succubus exclaims happily, stretching her back. "I know that I should have never trusted that greedy bitch and her goblins for transport."

"Baaa!" Confirms the small Khazra.

Both of the creatures turn to the blue-eyed boy and bow… The succubus making more of a show than the Goat… man? Girl?

"Greetings, Lord H'EL." The succubus greets. "I am a Lord of Hell, Queen of Succubi, daughter of Lilith." She presents herself, then turns to the Khazra. "And this is my travel companion, Lady Morthanlu."

"Baaa." Nods the small Khazra named Morthanlu.

"Hello… Why are you calling H'EL?" The boy asks the two strange creatures. "My name is Kal-El. Not H'EL."

"It is the title given to the man who came before you. The same man who laid waste to the Burning Hells, just as you did. I unfortunately know no more on the subject." The Succubus explains as she floats to Kal. "And no… names have the unfortunate tendency to bring misfortune." The succubus sighs sadly.

"Most, if not all demons that put foot in Sanctuary are quite hostile… What makes you different?" Johanna dangerously asks the demon.

"Well…" The (more than probably self) named Queen of the Succubi cringes. "Me and my flocks, other clans of succubi, refused the call to arms from the Prime Evil… We—" She stops when Kal sends one of his spears flying through many reapers' heads. "I'm sorry. But what were those things?" The succubus points to the disappearing ethereal corpses of the Reapers that Kal just killed.

"Malthael has become a literal Angel of Death. And he is here to end the Eternal Conflict by using human souls." Kal flatly explains. "And— give me a second." Kal sends his spear toward yet another group of undead.

"Sorry." The lad apologizes. "You were saying that you, and some other succubi clans, took no part in the trap that was waiting for me in the Burning Hells?"

The succubus nods, swallowing loudly as she finally seems to see the powerful weapons orbiting around them.

"We didn't… and because of that… we were hunted down." The succubus says, her voice quavering. "I thought… I thought that with our numbers we could stand our ground… I was wrong." She whispers.

Not long ago, Johanna would have caved in this thing's skull the moment it showed its face… but now, after all the things she experienced, the tragedies, the people she met during her adventures, may they have been human, angel, demon, monster, god, alien… Johanna's hand has become less heavy on the smiting…

Johanna could believe this demon… But, succubi are well known to be the manipulative kind, and so she turns her mind and thoughts to Kal, asking if this temptress tells the truth… A feeling then comes washing over her mind. Kal's mind touching her own. Something akin to a nod, a sorrowful confirmation… The succubus speaks the truth… But one question still needs to be asked.

"Then why come here?" Eirena asks after a few seconds of silence. The succubus shrugs.

"I don't really know." The succubus slowly sighs. "Maybe to find protection… Maybe to find something, anything to do. It's not like there is much waiting for me in the Burning Hells except a long and painful, agonizing death. I Just… I don't know."

"Is it better to serve in Heaven… or rule in Hell?" Kal whispers, speaking to no one.

"Ruling in Hell sucks… believe me." Tiredly replies the succubus. "Too much back stabbing." She smiles.

"What about your friend?" Eirena asks, looking at the small Khazra who is the same size as the succubus and Kal.

"Baaa!"

"Really?" Kal speaks, his eyes widening. "A circus? Seriously?"

"BaAa!"

"...You understand… Her?" Johanna asks, now very much confused.

"Well, yeah." The boy shrugs as he sends the same angelic spear throughout the streets ahead of them… Many Reapers' death screams are heard barely a second after. "She came from the same Khazra tribe I healed."

"BaaAa! Maaaa!"

"You… By yourself? How?! And why?!" Kal asks, putting his hands on his face.

"Kal?" Johanna voices her confusion while the Khazra keeps… speaking?

"She says that she left on a quest… to find a mighty weapon?" He explains, pointing to the bone in the creature's hands. "To defeat the tyrant overlord that enslaved her people. You know, the one who was digging for a shard of the Worldstone?"

Both Eirena and Johanna nod. Still very much confused as to what is happening while Kal's floating spear seems to clean whatever creature comes too close for comfort.

"She came back… with… holy shit… That's a sculpted Pandemonium Titan's bone." Kal exclaims, surprise and wonder in his eyes. "Where did you find it? I searched for months and didn't even find a trace of them."

"MaaAa!"

"In a trench?! Who throws out that kind of relic in a ditch?!"

"Kal…" Johanna sighs.

"Sorry…" He clears his throat. "When she came back to her tribe, the evil overlord had already fallen. Her people were saved and healed. And there is enough food for them to last the next two winters."

"Baaa!"

"And so you searched for me? Why?" Kal asks the small Khazra.

"MaaAaaa!"

"Really?" Kal seriously asks. The small Khazra nods in response. "She says that she has a debt to pay."

"Kal. She is going to get herself killed." Eirena warns.

"No." Kal states, turning to the enchantress. "No she won't." He says before putting his hand on the Khazra's chest.

.
"𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝕚𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝, 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕪."
"𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕒 𝕓𝕦𝕝𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕜 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕥 𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝, 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕖𝕝𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕗𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤."
"ℙ𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕗𝕒𝕥𝕖, 𝕀 𝕦𝕟𝕓𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕝, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕃𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤, 𝕀 𝕤𝕖𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖."
.

Johanna stands motionless as Kal unlocks the Khazra's—no, Lady Morthanlu's Aura, as waves of shining pale emerald lights glow over the Khazra's skin and then the bone in her hands.

"Probius, Buddy." Kal calls, and behind him come the flying gilded golem and the angelic goblin, from… somewhere. "Probius, you have authorization to utilize your plasma casters. Take down any reapers that come too close. Buddy, you stay in the shadows and loot everything useful." He tells the two.

The golden flying machine takes to the sky as two energy devices appear at its sides while the angelic goblin melts back into the shadows.

"You two stay behind me." Kal points to the succubus and Lady Morthanlu. "And— are those the other tablets of Urzael?" He says, looking at what was in the goblin's bag.

~~~~~~
"𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕 𝚘𝚗 𝚂𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚜, 𝚏𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚖𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚟𝚎. 𝙸𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚘𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚢 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕."

"𝙸 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚠 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚍𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚂𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝙸 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕, 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢. 𝚆𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚐𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙸𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚞𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎."
—𝐔𝐫𝐳𝐚𝐞𝐥

"I knew it!" Johanna exclaims. "There was no way that those things were left by their writers."

"Yes… The Baroness likes to play these games." The succubus says in distaste. "She thinks that it brings some… what did she call it again?... Ah, yes, Role-playing. She said that it made adventures more engaging."

"A baroness?" Eirena asks.

"Yes. Another Lord of Hell. Baroness Greed. She resides in the Inner Sanctum of the Treasure Realm and is the mistress of all Treasure Goblins." The succubus explains before turning to the boy. "I never ever saw a Goblin like the one following you… What is it?" She asks curiously, flying nose to nose with Kal.

"We will speak of this later. We still have a city to save." Johanna presses on.

All nod and continue their way toward the next Soul Crucible.

After liberating a Treasure Goblin from its spoils and the two strange creatures now following Kal, Johanna now ponders upon Urzael's messages. The love of Order for angels, once a thing of beauty, has descended into madness.

Wading through the endless undead, they come upon a blood-recking house which they enter.

"The reapers did not do this." Johanna whispers, seeing the bloody massacre inside. "What happened here?"

The courtyard lays quiet. The bodies of the nobles are scattered about, soaking in pools of their own gore, their souls already sucked away by the Soul Crucibles poisoning this city. It's only heading up western stairs that they find—

"More dead?" Johanna whispers, after opening the doors leading inside.

This wanton slaughter makes their mind conjure images of some kind demonic butcher, for what kind of creature could do such a thing… and yet, Johanna knows, she can recognize the injuries inflicted on these poor people.

Following the blood trail to the third floor, Johanna and the others hear a shout.

"DEATH TO THE NOBLES!"

Kal doesn't wait and disappears in a gust of wind, destroying the doors while his weapons stay still in the room as another windy gust passes by her. Johanna charges in the room and sees the many confused cutthroats inside. She clenches her fingers around he flail and asks;

"What is this!"

"Revolution!" The man replies with foam forming in his mouth. "It's time for our oppressors to fall! The king is in the city, but we have a trap waiting for him!"

"This city is under siege! Why would you attack your own king now?!" Johanna asks again, anger growing in her chest.

"What?!" The man holds his blade tighter in his grip. "You're not with us? Then die with our enem—Urgh!"

The man's words die with him, as what was inside his skull now decorates the walls, ceiling and floor. His friends' brains don't have time to register what happens as they also finish into red vapor. Johanna shakes her head and her flail from the blood and gore on it, and proceeds to search the leader's body, hoping to find any useful information on their plans to kill the king.

She does… a letter, from the king himself.

~~~~~~
"𝓛𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓦𝔂𝓷𝓽𝓸𝓷, 𝔀𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓵𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓪 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓿𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓻𝓮𝓰𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓼𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓻𝓼. 𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓬𝓮, 𝔀𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓬𝓲𝓽𝔂. 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓭𝓲𝓼𝓪𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀𝓷, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝔀𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓰𝓵𝓪𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓹𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶 𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮. 𝓛𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓦𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓱!"

—𝓙𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓘𝓥
~~~~~~

"This feels like a trap." Johanna whispers.

"It is." Kal says as he enters the room. "The man I brought to the cathedral was a noble of another family. Lord Wynton promised them safety… But that was only him using that opportunity to get rid of rivals." He says as his eyes glow much deeper.

"Mortals… They are not so different from us." The succubus whispers.

With reapers ravishing the king's people and an insurrection on the horizon, Johanna hopes for humanity's survival slowly start to dwindle.

She shakes her head again and turns to Kal.

"We can be everywhere at once." She states. "You save anyone you can here while Eirena and I go destroy these death maidens."

Kal nods and heads south while she and Eirena take north, toward their objective.

...

💠⃟💠⃟💠⃟💠⃟

Chapter End Notes:

For the people asking; Yes, I have made the non-combat Pets canon to 𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖔 𝐈𝐈𝐈 Story.
They will play a part in the future of this Fic.

List of the current Pets following Kal/Jaune:
-Angelic Goblin- (𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖔 Universe)
"ᵂʰᵉᵉ⁻ʰᵉᵉ! ᴴᵉʰ ʰᵉʰ ʰᵉʰ ʰᵉʰ ʰᵉʰ! ᴼʰ ʰᵒ ʰᵒ ʰᵒ ʰᵒ..."

-Probe- (𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩 Universe)
"𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨."

-Lady Morthanlu- (𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖔 Universe)
𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘯? 𝘖𝘳...?
"𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘶 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮. 𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨!" – 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯

-Queen of the Succubi- (𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖔 Universe)
"𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵."
"𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦...𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸."

And for those wandering, yes, Xa-Du and 𝐕𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐤𝐭𝐯𝐱 will be big baddies.

Power Levels in fiction are always useless and lazy

The bad guys of the Diablo universe may not be at the level of some of Dc or Marvel most powerful villains, but they are still insanely OP in what they do, just like the Nephalem are (At the end of the Reaper of Souls arc) powerful enough to be at planetary level threat.

Speaking of power levels... I will not use them.

Because just like in the entirety of Marvel and DC comics, there are too many examples to mention, but it comes down to characters who lift the weight of the planet once or twice and can go faster than light only to have their asses kicked by street level people over and over...

However, in its place, I will use the term Threat Level.

When someone or something is said to be at a certain threat level, like planetary, it doesn't mean that they can one-shot a planet, or that each of their strike can destroy one... No, it only meant that they are capable, given enough time or enough power, to render a planet inhabitable, to kill anyone on it, or to simply shatter it.

Just because you can destroy an entire planet doesn't mean you can't die if someone puts a dagger in your eye socket.

So, I want to know from you guys what, in your opinion, is the most annoying case of inconsistent power scaling or power levels in fiction, whether it be physical strength, durability, speed or esoteric powers or whatever.