A/N: This fiction is finally back after a much needed break. Hope the wait wasn't too agonizing for the lot of you. As a side note, for those concerned about when Denied by Grace will get its next chapter, the answer is when the chapter isn't giving me any more trouble…it's in one of those wonky phases where I'm being picky about some of the wording, but you know how that goes…

Anyway, on with the fiction.

Chapter 37

The gamble was one Keiichi took, not on faith, but on his own personal demands of perfection.

He might have left them to their own devices, but that didn't mean he didn't have a desired outcome. Keiichi was a calculating man, a demanding demon, and a father who expected great things. His expectations were forced upon Megumi's shoulders in this one moment. The apple of his eye was the youngest, the baby…Megumi resented that.

There mere thought of it tried her to her limit, tested her beyond reason, and her fury was enough to kindle that resentment into full blown hatred. It burned with feelings of bitter scorn. Tore at her, like claws of irony she dared not think deeply about.

The baby was a god after all, at least, so his seals appeared. He was not a demon, and thus worthless to her personal cause, or so she thought. There was a small part of her, tiny though it was, that wished greatly to see the baby of the family turn demonic. Red seals upon his face would be her father's pride and faith solidified.

His will done, as he demanded.

A future chosen by the merit of bloodline and iron will. It would also greatly pain her mother, and Megumi desired that too, deep within her heart. Megumi's distaste for the heavens was a powerful one. Just as she resented Hikari, who stood unflinchingly in front of her. It had been a long time since they had come face to face.

Longer still, that sight alone was enough of a provocation.

"Are you looking for a fight?" Megumi spat, feeling the icy chill of something she didn't want to express. They might have been sisters, but they weren't on good terms. To consider themselves family was a term even more distant, a nearly foreign sound to each of them.

"It depends, demon." In fact, they might as well have been on opposite sides of a battle ground. "Are you going to give me one?"

"You haven't even swallowed your egg, and you want to take me on?" Megumi grinned, curling her hands into fists. "Come at me, Valkyrie, I'll give you a fight."

Narrowing her eyes into slits, Hikari took a breath. "I'm not allowed to fight demons." She hissed, saying the words as if she were spewing venom from her mouth. "If you want a match, it'll have to be arranged by our retainers. That's the rules."

"Dad won't care." Megumi shot back. "He gets it, trust me." Then a grin slipped across her face. "Unless you're afraid…"

"Mom would care." Hikari turned her back on her sister. "My unit would care." That alone was enough to keep herself from drawing her weapon, but even so, her fingers reached down to the demonic blade at her side. It felt oddly fitting, as if it called to her. "Besides, you don't have any weapons. I'd kill you with mine before you even got a spell off."

"You aren't that powerful…" It was a mistake to say it, and Megumi instantly regretted it. She felt the heat of the blade on her neck and knew the power instantly. "That's a demon's blade." She noted when her sister withdrew the weapon from her person. "Grandma's power…"

"You've been trained to sling spells." Hikari said with a breath. "I've been training for war." She slid the knife back into its sheath. "Don't test me, you'll lose every time."

Hikari was cold, clipped, and so unlike her usual calm. The look in her eyes remained deadly, even as she began to back away. It was the training of a warrior, a woman who'd shun all else in the name of the heavens. Hikari was not the selfsame little girl who took to hiding under tables, and Megumi had no idea what to do with that information.

In her youth, Megumi was told stories of the warrior goddesses, and wondered what they might be like…how powerful they had to be. Even as she looked at her sister's retreating form, she had to wonder what had given Hikari the need to feel such vengeance. "Well, shit…" She muttered, her hand raising to her neck, still in awe of what she'd just witnessed.

If this was to be her home, she'd have to get stronger, quickly.

…

Creation owned them, not the other way around…anyone worth their salt knew that. Keiichi was one of the few who understood perfectly the dangers that went unvoiced. Such perils would be forced to linger in the shadows, because that's where such a thing belonged. It would sit, dormant, until the time was right…and he was not the one in charge of dictating such a whimsical time.

The more he thought of this, the more he came to realize that creation would be doomed to fail.

It would one day bite the hand that fed it, and it would be forced to renew itself once more. History, loath though he was to admit it, would eventually repeat. He could only hope that when the time for such a thing came, he had left creation well prepared for the ordeal.

One of the few ways he saw fit to do that, was to school his children meticulously, and choose a fitting pecking order.

The conclusion was unquestionable. Strangely, it didn't bother him as he felt it should have. Maybe, in some odd way that made him a weaker man. If that were the case, he wouldn't have been surprised, and yet he continued to ponder the notion profusely. It didn't tickle him to do so. The morbid truth, just like many truths in his life, merely served him as an idle way to pass the time.

As an immortal being he had too much of it.

"Your life is about to undergo strict changes. I would think it might prove useful to consider your position." He told his eldest daughter, as he lectured her at length. "You are a demoness, but would you ever consider yourself such a thing?"

"Why would I?" She returned with a huff. "It lowers my station."

He grinned widely at that. "In some ways, it might. I don't doubt that." He agreed as he turned to her, feeling as though some part of her soul had been lost in the observation. "However, is the term a negative one?"

"Well, yeah…" Megumi told him as if the man in front of her was completely inept. "Demons are demons, simple as that."

"Analyze." He spoke crisply. "Is it a negative thing for demons as a whole, or is it merely a title you, as an individual, can't carry?"

She was forced to think critically on that, a skill that didn't come to her easily. In fact, she hated to over think situations. With a sigh, she shrugged. "It depends." She knew she was standing on this ice. "Is the demon in question a low ranking whore, a lesser deity, or a leader to her people?"

"What does it matter?" He asked, interested to see where she would take that fleeting string of thought. It was like paper to his logic. Flimsy and easy to rip into pieces…however, Megumi still lacked the wisdom of time. "Why return to me a question that I, as a male, hold no value over?"

"Umm...well…" She was under his pressure. This was a test, a deeply seeded one, she was sure. "I think it matters a lot, actually." Megumi admitted quietly, biting her lower lip. "Demon women aren't like goddesses. We don't have any use for weakness, even among our own gender."

"What does that say of your grandmother?" He then returned. "She was every bit a woman, was she not?"

"She was every bit a demon." Megumi shot back. "She was a female, but she was pragmatic, cunning, and without a doubt a show of force." In thinking of that, it came easy to her, the conclusion ironclad. "Hild is a name that sets itself on a higher standard than mere gender. She was such a demon who demanded to be noticed. A woman, maybe so, but she left a legacy behind too."

"That she did." Keiichi nodded, feigning disinterest, all the while taking inward amusement in his daughter. "What do you think then, of our new home?"

She frowned at that. "I have no words."

He lifted one of his bushy eyebrows at that. "You don't?"

"I do." She amended briskly as she stepped across the room to gaze out of the window. "I think you'd slap the words out of my mouth as I spoke them."

A soft chuckle slipped from his lips. "You think that little, do you?" He supposed it should be expected. There wasn't much out there for her to see. "Megumi, if you do not intend to take the throne, consider another position worthy of your bloodline. See that you pursue it."

"And if I do want to take it?" She shot back at him, her eyes cold, and her words biting.

The thought bothered him, and he gazed out to the empty lands in front of him once more. His devil sniffed a bit, the action an unhappy one as he twiddled his long claws, toying with a tiny egg that amused him. Keiichi tossed the creature a lopsided glance, and then regarded his daughter once more. "Then I would suggest you broaden your perceptions. Hild was indeed pragmatic, however, she was also theocratic."

"The hell is that?" Megumi asked him, unsure of the word. "Theocratic?"

"She herself was a deity, but she understood there were higher powers at work. She trusted them, and had faith in them. Even if that faith was little more than hatred." He explained as his eldest glared at him. "She knew there were laws she could not bend. That she would never be able to break some of those universal truths. Because she knew that, she tried to change the peoples of creation instead…that is the type of ruler you would have to desire to be."

His words were encouraging, because she was not that type of demon, and could never be.

…

To say their talk had been disheartening was an understatement. Megumi could only swallow his guidance weakly, while trying not to protest. His words were the kind that stuck to a young immortal like glue….a sickeningly sticky glue, that was venomous by nature. It bound her, wrapping around her soul so expertly, it was as if a serpent itself had hissed the words.

A stinging bite of her father's perceptions…little more.

It wasn't kind, but it was probably true. She locked herself in her room after that, stewing on the demon king's prediction. He hadn't exactly been clear, and she was forced to dig around in-between the lines. She began to wonder if the throne was designed for herself, or for her baby brother whose angelic markings had yet to sway. It made sense, she knew, because every demon male wanted a son.

Her father had his wish, but even so, that desire was held up above his reach.

She found the internal debate a difficult one, especially since her father's devil favored her often. The creature had always done so, because she equally favored him in return. "If you keep batting at it, it'll probably never hatch." Megumi took note as her father's devil once again toyed with an egg that sat at the end of a long chain.

The devil paused and threw a disgruntled frown in her direction. Too strong to break. He huffed unhappily.

"Isn't that Hikari's egg?" She asked him. "Don't you think you should give it back?"

Koiji sniffed the tiny little thing that so amused him, and he lifted an eyebrow. He'd borrowed it off of Hikari's neck some time ago, and he'd yet to return it. The tiny bauble amused him, and he was unsure why. He'd seen them before, but not one quite like this. Felling drawn to the little egg, he'd felt the need to keep watch over it. Mine… He said as he looked up to the demon before him. This one...it is mine...I desire it…so I have it.

Megumi just smiled. "That's because there's another of your brood inside." Her own devil came forth. Ivory skin, crimson eyes, and pure ivory wings made of thin a membrane gave a hint to her nature. However, it was no question that the devil seem almost angelic. Perhaps in some ways, she was every bit the reflection of Megumi's divine blood. The young devil took after Holybell, her features gentle. "What do you think, Papa, do I look like the ruler I should be?"

He lifted his gaze, and replaced the egg around his neck, as he came to Megumi's side. However, it was not the demon's cheek he caressed gently with the back of his hand with a nod. It was the devil. He gently brushed some golden tresses behind her ear, and turned the youthful creature to the mirror. You are strong… He concluded after a moment of consideration. He still wasn't so good with words, but even that singular notice was enough.

His gaze didn't lie. He was proud.

He then began to back away. You are mine, mine are always strong…that does not mean that you can't be stronger. It was the conclusion he'd come to as he began to float out of the room, no doubt in search of the goddess who tried to avoid him at all cost.

He's right… The female devil agreed with a sigh. We're too weak, even now.

"Papa is just very powerful." Megumi said with a conviction that her heart didn't carry within itself. "Talutah, we should go back to the hells. You know we'd be better off there."

The devil shook her head. Father wants us here, so we stay. She didn't want to anger him, to have his wrath cast onto her. She valued his rare praise too much to upset him. Instead, she went about tending her wings.

"Xic would want us to go back." Megumi said as she turned to look at the mirror once more, eyeing the dress she had with a frown. She wondered if she would one day grow the same ample bosom as her aunt and grandmother. "I miss him…he's a nice guy…well, kind of."

At that, her reflection looked up at her, nibbling shyly on her lower lip. Father would not take kindly to him. Actually, I think he might actually kill Xic. You know how father gets. Talutah noted, though she couldn't deny, there was something thrilling about Xic…about older demons in general. She studied her own body, and frowned at the small swell of her breasts and lack of womanly figure. Do you think that such a demon would take notice….we're not exactly…well…you know.

Megumi frowned. "I know…" She wasn't happy about it either. "Every woman in this family has a decent pair of tits except me. What gives?!"

…

Demons were finicky creatures. Appeased one moment and starving the next. Their satiation knew no boundary line, and that was the strange crux of many issues. They would stop at nothing to receive their due, even if that due wasn't one that was earned by their merits alone. It was a feat to keep a realm of angry, blood thirsty demons from starting a total ruckus.

Hild was skilled at maintaining that low boil…allowing enough freedom for their amusement, without releasing the tight murderous chins of her demands. She was as much a diplomat, as she was a killer…Truth, she was merciless, unwavering in her demands, but her people were loyal because of it. She made no idle threats, and so, her rule was one idolized by her laws.

It was a hard demand to live up to. "I want to revitalize the war council." Keiichi demanded. "I want a show of force, a demonstration to be held for any who step out of line."

"We will see it done. No doubt many will not expect it from you, I would think it will change the minds of many who think you weak." Hagall nodded, though she hadn't once lifted her eyes to Keiichi the entire time she'd been on earth. "Lashings are suitable, yes?"

Keiichi nodded, and voiced his agreement before moving onto other topics that bothered him lately. "I also want the breeding grounds cleaned. Without the drakes and other beasts, we won't ever see a new ecosystem. Encourage growth, and put an end to anything unsightly." At this, he nervously chewed his thumb as he sat crossed legged. He was filled with a low simmering rage he couldn't quite put his finger on. "And make sure that those damn lowlife demons don't just sit on their asses all day!" He ranted then as he stood. "There's plenty to be doing, give them jobs if they can't find one." He growled.

"Yes sir, it will be as you demand." Hagall agreed, her voice quiet and filled with reverence to him, fearing his terrible ire. "If I may be so bold to speak plainly...you would permit such boldness?" She asked of him slowly, caution seeping into every word.

He sighed, and closed his eyes, a curse slipping from his lips. "Yes…" He said beyond gritted teeth. "Of course you can."

She only then looked up to him, and slowly began to stand. She studied him for any signs of displeasure, any hint that even standing might be out of line. She found none, and felt it safe to proceed. "Highness, there are many things we don't agree on." She said to him evenly, wondering why she felt the urge to say something so obvious at all. "Even so, we both held a deep and very profound respect for our dark lady, may she rest in peace."

"Your point, Hagall." Keiichi snapped.

"Lady Hild would be saddened to see you like this." Hagall blurted quickly, as she shut her eyes. "She would not wish upon any creature the suffering you have undertaken."

He regarded her. Hagall was indeed a ruthless demon. It went without saying. Her spiteful attitude was a dangerous one to have, and she was a manipulative little bitch when she desired to be. Of that he was sure….however, in spite of her vile nature, there was one thing that they both agreed on. Hild was a far better ruler than most of demon kind could ever hope to achieve. They would not see another like her ever again at this rate.

"You're right about that." He agreed quietly. "Why speak it to me now?"

"Because you have at your disposal some of the realms finest demons." Hagall told him quietly. "Demons that alone can do little more than bring strife, and welcome war. Hild brought together those singular terrors. She made us a unified front. Even my pure power was humbled by her motherly ways." She took the time to look away from him, bothered about the topic, but pressed on anyway. "We were taken under her blackened wings, raised by her unholy hands…in that way, we are just as much part of her brood as you…and while it's true you may lack the power to prevent war, it is not raw power that you currently need."

Keiichi said nothing to this, although he nodded, letting her know that her words hadn't exactly fallen on deaf ears. "See my demands reach fruition." He told her in response. "There's plenty of busy work to keep even the laziest of demons busy...report to me in an orderly fashion."

"Of course, as you wish." Hagall said to him with a bow. "Anything else?"

"In the finest onyx that can be found, carve a throne, and in the best marble that can be gathered etch Hild's likeness into a monument." Keiichi said then. "Put it where my throne resides. It would help many, I believe, if they knew that she was not forgotten."