Maou closed the Gate, half hoping that the Templars hadn't seen it. He'd never known humans to be all that perceptive… perhaps they'd just seen Emilia and were coming over to say hello.

"Company, halt!"

The man in the lead raised a fist, signaling his men to stop. Another signal, and the men on horseback all cantered into a circle, surrounding Emi and the others. The metallic ringing of swords being drawn echoed from all around the group as the Templars drew their blades and bore steel.

"Emilia the Hero! It's been a long time! I thought you were dead, my dear."

The blonde man leapt down from his saddle. He spoke in Centruvian, and his voice was deep and kindly. He swept his hair from his face, revealing somewhat weathered features, a forehead creased with frown lines, and a wide smile. He approached Emi with the familiarity of family, as though he were a long lost uncle.

Emi's sword appeared in her hands, and Henric eyed it for a moment before smiling even wider.

"Ah, yes! One Wing! An excellent blade- I presume you handle it as expertly as ever?" Henric posed.

"Better than you could guess," Emi replied.

When it became clear she had no interest in furthering the conversation, Henric turned his attention to Emi's companions.

"It seems you keep some strange company… I'm sure you have quite the story to tell us," he said. "Come, let us return to the capital. We can rest and relax for a while. News of your return will be spread throughout Ente Isla within the fortnight, and you can greet your adoring public as the Hero who vanquished the Demon King!"

"I have no intention of being used by the Church again," Emi muttered. Her words caused a ripple of uncertainty to wash over Henric's men. They peered at each other and shook their heads. What was the Hero talking about?

"You've not lost any of your spunk," Henric said. His smile was as cold as his icy blue eyes as he took a menacing step forward. "But I'm afraid you misunderstood my invitation. It is not one that you can turn down."

With a snap of Henric's fingers, the knights pressed inward until their steeds were vying for space. The swords they had drawn were lowered, all aimed at Emi and her friends. There was no way out of the encirclement. Henric smirked and raised his arms.

"You see, even though you are the Hero, I can sense that you are no match for my forces. Surrender peacefully, and I may yet spare your friends."

"Tch," Ashiya scoffed, "do not think to lump us in with the Hero. While we are allies, we are not friends."

Sir Henric frowned at Ashiya, who glared back at the man.

"What is your name, lad?"

"How dare you?" Ashiya asked indignantly. "I am far older than you could possibly imagine, whelp. I am Alciel, Scourge of the Eastern Continent!"

The templars began to whisper amongst themselves. A few looked deathly afraid of Alciel and his venomous amber gaze, as if they could see the likeness of the great Demon General in the man before them. Suzuno pulled a ladle from her bag and deftly brought it down on Ashiya's head, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Idiot! We are trying to remain incognito," Suzuno hissed in Japanese. "You've gone and blown our cover!"

"It's not like it really matters," Maou shrugged, grinning as he cracked his knuckles, "all we have to do is take care of these guys and we're in the clear… as soon as they saw Emi, their fates were sealed."

The Hero turned to look at the Devil, whose eyes were now shining with a keen red light. She was about to remind him that he wasn't to use magic when Urushihara said as much.

"We're not allowed to use external magic," Maou reasoned. "But if we channel our magic inward, we can regain our demonic strength and speed… using this, we can defeat these knights, no sweat!"

"You there, foreigner! Do you speak Centruvian? Step back, or be swept away by the might of the Church's finest," Sir Henric threatened, giving Maou a hard glare as he unsheathed his sword.

"Of course I speak Centruvian, dullard. I mastered the language in a few short days after learning of its existence using my superior intellect. Who are you to address the Demon King and his Generals?" Maou demanded.

Awe and outrage swirled through the rank and file Templars. Some chortled and lowered their swords, but Sir Henric kept his guard up. Whoever the young man with the glowing red eyes and black hair was, he exuded a presence that wasn't even remotely human, and he had no reason to lie about his identity.

"I grow weary of this," Henric uttered, "speak plainly, or I'll set my men to kill you and leave you for the carrion scavengers."

Maou smiled, jerking his head from side to side as he stretched his neck. After a moment, he opened the floodgates of his magic. It flowed into his limbs, filling him with a strange fire: the strength and stamina of the Demon King at his peak. Maou vanished, or so it appeared to the soldiers surrounding him. Henric, however, managed to follow his movements. He had jumped, leaping no less than ten feet in the air in the blink of an eye. He came down and landed on the flank of a soldier's war charger. With a kick, Maou sent the man flying out of his saddle before taking the reins and steering the stallion away from the encirclement. Chaos overtook the Templars, and their lines crumbled.

"Don't just stand there," Maou shouted in Japanese, "help me! Make sure that no one hurts Chi or Rika!"

Before Henric could strike at Maou, Emi intercepted and threw the first blow; a powerful thrust that would've pierced the engine block of a car like butter. The Templar pushed his cape behind him and parried the strike as Urushihara and Ashiya followed Maou's example in dispatching the soldiers. Suzuno erected a barrier around Rika and Chiho while Nord protected his wife. Acies-Ara leapt through the air with ease, hopping from horse to horse as she rang templars' helmets and undid saddle straps, all without taking a hit.

"My lord, help us-ARGH!"

The soldier's cries were abruptly cut off by the sound of a neck breaking. Emi saw Henric wince painfully, but aside from that, he showed no signs of having heard his men's plea for help.

"You've grown into a fine swordswoman," the old Templar said, his face red as he defended himself against Emi's onslaught.

"No doubt your training had something to do with that," Emi replied, breathing hard from the effort of her offensive.

"Perhaps… but your skills have developed further. Your fighting style is different- less rigid. You've developed something all your own. This is the sign of a truly exceptional fighter!"

As they spoke, steel rang out and sparks flew. Their blades met with all the ferocity and speed of a rabid chimera. As they fought, the world around them seemed to fall away. Emi found herself over assessing her moves. Were they too flashy? Was he truly overwhelmed, or was it a ploy? Was he trying to use flattery to unsettle her?

As she tried to figure it out, her body worked on autopilot. Without thinking, she slid her blade along Sir Henric's longsword. The guards clashed, and as Henric pushed against her, Emi twisted her wrist and locked their swords together, pushing upward to performing a flawless disarm. Her old master's sword cleaved the air before impaling itself in the dirt and quivering.

Emi raised One Wing to Henric's collar, but he was already outlined in celestial force. It curled off his armor in silvery tendrils as he flung out a hand and barraged Emi with holy fire. Emi dispersed it with a casual slice of her blade, but the old Templar was already closing, his fists bleeding magic power as he prepared for hand to hand combat.

Maou found that Acies-Ara, while great for distracting or hindering Templars, had no desire to take their lives. Instead, she simply grinned as she foiled their attempts to escape, effectively leaving them at the mercy of three demons that were cloaked in human skin.

"Tell me, Emilia! Since when does the Hero consort with demons?"

"Since the Church tried to kill me, cover it up, and use me for their own ends," Emi hollered, ducking and weaving as she tried to get out of range of Henric's fists. "At least demons are forthcoming about their desire to kill me! Stab me in the front, I say, or not at all!"

"I assure you that the Templars had nothing to do with that betrayal! For Heaven's sake, I helped raise you! And now you return, only to slaughter my men and attack me?"

"I came here to destroy Heaven! Your men's lives were forfeit when they tried to hurt my friends!"

"So suddenly following orders warrants the death penalty by decree of the Hero? Where's the logic in that? I taught you more than swordsmanship and magic, I taught you to think!"

"I-"

Emi froze, stunned by her mentor's words. It seemed so simple in hindsight: they could've just wiped the memories of the Templars after knocking them unconscious. Instead, they were now dead and broken, their bodies scattered across the field as their mounts fled. In some cases, the horses were dragging the corpses away by their stirrups.

Before Emi could recover, Henric threw a hard uppercut, striking Emi just under the ribcage. Her breath whooshed out of her lungs as she fell to her knees. The holy sword vanished as she panicked, struggling to draw breath. A shadow fell over her, and she looked up to see Henric, still outlined in celestial force. He looked much the same as he had years ago, albeit a few extra wrinkles. Disappointment was etched into his face, as though Emi had just dropped her sword during a difficult training session.

"I'm taking you in… the Church will try you for destroying my vassals, but I'm sure I can get them to spare your life… for now, sleep."

Henric rested the tip of an armored finger against the middle of Emi's forehead. Celestial light glowed around his hand as Emi's eyelids fluttered and drooped. She swayed, but before the magic could wholly take effect, someone caught Henric's wrist and ripped his hand away from Emi.

"Nord Justina," Henric observed, looking the wheat farmer up and down. "I thought you'd died in the war."

"I didn't. And if you think you can take my daughter, you're dead wrong," Nord growled.

Henric scoffed before channeling more celestial force into his hands. He willed it to burn like holy fire, but Nord simply frowned a little deeper, ignoring the pain of his searing flesh.

"You're just a wheat farmer," Henric spat. "I am the greatest swordsman of the Church, and a master of holy magic!"

"No. I was a wheat farmer. The war took that from me, just like it took my daughter's innocent childhood… What you see before you is a man who has lost far too much to let anything come between him and his daughter ever again."

Nord reeled back, feeling every muscle in his forearms bulge and ripple as he clenched a fist. Before the Templar could react, Nord had sank his burnt hand into Henric's face, breaking his nose, and forcing the bones upward, into his brain. Henric fell to the ground, lifeless, as the last of his magical strength faded away and scorched the grass around his body.

Emi found her breath and shook her head to regain her clarity before being helped to her feet by her father.

"Are you alright?" he inquired.

"Sore and tired," she admitted, "but still alive."

Suzuno had wrapped Rika and Chiho in a shroud of protective holy magic before covering their eyes and holding them both close. They had been waiting patiently for the battle to end, trying their best to ignore the screams as their friends killed the Templars. Suzuno felt she couldn't shut her eyes tightly enough, but it did no good. The howls of agony were all too familiar to the Inquisitor. Her only regret was that Chiho and Rika could hear everything she did. They were never supposed to have to deal with all the death and horror.

Their jobs done, Maou, Urushihara, and Ashiya all landed on the ground, picking through the carnage in search of survivors. When they came across one, it was simple enough work for them to crush their vital organs under foot. Even though they weren't technically human, they didn't seem to enjoy the process at all. Maou noted that Ashiya and Urushihara looked quite pale and shaken. After living in a peaceful society for so long, it was frightening to have to fight for survival against normal humans. Two long years in exile had more of an effect on them than they would've thought possible.

"We should find a way to get rid of all the bodies," Maou said.

"There's no use," Lailah sighed, looking down at the corpse of a man whose face was twisted in fear. "We need to move. No doubt the celestial force released here will alert others from the Church. Suzuno, undo your barrier, lead Rika and Chiho into the foothills. Quickly now!"

Suzuno nodded and undid her magic with a snap of her fingers. She commanded that Rika and Chiho keep their eyes shut before taking each by the hand and leading them across the field, off to the north, where the foothills were now bathed in a glorious golden glow from the rising sun.

"Satan, if I might have a word in private," Lailah said.

Maou nodded before turning to Ashiya and Urushihara. "You two go with Suzuno and the girls. Protect them from anyone who might attack. Keep your wits about you- use a pulse to search for approaching holy magic."

When they had gone, trudging through the dew covered grass after the girls, Lailah led Maou away from the battlefield, leaving Emi, Nord, and Acies-Ara to speak. Behind them, crows began to descend, shrieking in their garbled tongue as they sought their next meal.

"You wasted no time in regaining your bloodlust and depravity," Lailah commented, coming to a stop with Maou as they surveyed the farmlands spread out before them.

"I'd hardly call it bloodlust," Maou sighed, looking at his hands, which were shaking with adrenaline and stress.

"Hmm. So I suppose you were acting in our best interests?"

"Memories can be recovered after they're erased. We would've wasted too much time messing around with the Templars, and Emi is a priority for Heaven. I did what was best for the plan."

"Ah, so you weren't just playing the loving husband?" Lailah teased.

Maou growled in the back of his throat, looking slightly queasy. First he killed a bunch of Church soldiers, now he was discussing his marriage with his fallen angel step mother. Things couldn't get much more complicated… or so he thought.

'And now Alas-Ramus is crying in my mind,' Maou thought loudly over the sound of the toddler's shrieks. He winced in pain, but Lailah didn't seemed to notice. Her eyes were locked on the farmlands, as though she could see that little wheat farm she and Nord had occupied before Emi was born.

"I jest, dear. I know that you and Emilia are… well, you're not friendly. Still, I'd like you to do something for me. Think of it as repayment for the life I spared, all those years ago."

"This must be one hell of a favor if you're pulling out the big guns," Maou said bitterly.

Lailah was silent for a moment before she clasped her hands behind her back. The sun was warm and bright against their shoulders as they looked out over Ente Isla.

"I'd like you to protect Emilia."

"I've been trying-"

"No. Not like that. You saw how she froze. She is still bound to the Church. They raised her, cared for her, taught her all she knows. She was raised as a human, so she has qualms with shedding human blood. Should such an occasion arise where we should need to fight again, I'd like you to take care of it."

"So just because I'm the Demon King, I'm supposed to be alright with slaughtering innocent humans? Is that what you're saying?"

"Again, no. I'm saying that so long as Emi considers herself human, she is a liability on the field of battle. Set her up against an angel and- well, you've seen her. Humans… they're her weak spot. Her fatal flaw is compassion and empathy; I'll not see her dead because she refuses to fight a human."

"I think you underestimate your daughter," Maou said. "She's slow on the uptake, I grant you, but she knows what needs to be done. If she didn't, she wouldn't be here, volunteering for a suicide mission."

Lailah frowned, but then a small smile crept across her lips.

"I suppose you have a point."

"Obviously. Still, I'll keep an eye on her," Maou promised, running a hand through his hair as he thought about his already expansive list of things he had to do. Between watching Emi for stupidity and plotting to destroy Heaven, he felt he had his work cut out for him. And then there was Alas-Ramus' diaper situation to deal with…

"Thank you, Satan."

"It's Maou." The Devil insisted, turning away from the view to sulk back towards the battlefield. "Call me Maou."

Much to the surprise of the war party, there was a small village nestled in a valley between the foothills. Upon entering the rather rundown tavern, they learned that they were, in fact, on the Western Continent, not far from Emi's home village of Sloan.

"I thought the countryside looked familiar," Emi noted quietly.

They also learned that the village they were currently staying the night in was approximately ten leagues away from the mountain Nord had built his cabin on.

"How far is a league?" Rika asked Ashiya in an undertone as a seedy looking barman placed their food and drink down in front of them.

"About three miles," Ashiya replied, picking at a leg of mutton and scowling at it. Somehow, he found he no longer enjoyed meat as much as he had before being trapped in Japan.

Suzuno, Maou, Nord, and Emi, on the other hand, all seemed to enjoy the food quite thoroughly. They tore at the mutton and bread with glee, rivulets of juice dripping form their chins as they groaned in appreciation. Their gluttony was second only to Acies-Ara and Alas-Ramus, both of whom could eat their weight in food and still be hungry.

"That'll be sixty silvers," the barkeep grunted, his fists against his hips as he thrust out his potbelly. For the first time, Maou realized that he hadn't thought to prepare any Ente Islan coin for the trip. His wallet was stuffed with yen, but he didn't have two coppers to rub together.

The barkeep was a beefy man that probably stood taller than Ashiya. He had a swollen gut, a bad comb over, and a surprisingly large, well-oiled mustache that took up most of his face. His forearms and biceps were rippling with muscle, and were probably as wide around as Urushihara's entire body. With every passing second, his scowl deepened. Maou tried to smile, but it came up more like a grimace. He was searching for the right words he could use to wriggle out of paying when Urushihara wiped his mouth and stood up. He rummaged in his pockets for a moment before pulling out several large pieces of gold.

"Here's for the food. How many rooms do you have available?" Urushihara inquired.

"Six," the barkeep grunted.

"We'll take four."

"As you say, serrah. I'll draw up your keys and show you to your rooms when you've all finished eating."

The man nodded to Urushihara before heading back to the bar, leaving everyone else to stare quite intently at the NEET who'd just paid their tab.

"Unless you've discovered a philosopher's stone or a golden goose, you should be as broke as I am," Maou said indignantly.

Urushihara smirked, enjoying the stunned looks on his friends' faces before heaving a sigh and shrugging.

"I may or may not have borrowed some gold from Bernael's secret office vault."

"You went back to that cretin's office and stole ancient imperial gold that may or may not have been cursed?!" Suzuno asked.

"Oh, yeah, it was totally cursed. I waited until I had enough power saved up to go back and remove it. Besides, I didn't spend any of the gold until now. If I hadn't taken it, we'd be out on our asses, so I think what you're trying to say is 'Thanks for looking out, Urushihara, you're the greatest!'"

Ashiya moaned and put his head in his hands. Maou just smiled lamely for a moment before nodding and taking a long drought of his mead. After eating, everyone went to their rooms to get some sleep, even though it was only early in the afternoon. They had gone from Japan, where night had fallen, to Ente Isla, where the sun was rising. In contrast, where Japan was beginning to get frigid and winter was fast approaching, Ente Isla was fresh from winter's clutches, so everything was wet and bleak.

Maou, Emi, and Alas-Ramus bunked in one room. In another, Urushihara and Ashiya made due. Lailah, Nord, and Acies-Ara shared a room, too, leaving Suzuno, Chiho, and Rika in the final room.

The rooms were sparely furnished, as was expected from such a small establishment, but with the addition of their sleeping bags and camping supplies, they felt a little more hospitable. Before going to bed, Urushihara was sent out to procure inconspicuous clothing for everyone, as their Japanese attire, while simple and unadorned, was still too noticeable. If they were to travel the countryside on foot, they needed to blend in from a distance.

In the morning everyone woke, packed their things, put on their rather bland-looking tunics and breeches (which smelled moth-eaten and moldy) and went down to the tavern to get breakfast. Of course, in Ente Isla, breakfast consisted of sausage links, bread, honey and mead. It was odd to think everyone consumed alcohol on a daily basis, but it certainly made the morning a little easier to deal with for the war party, all of whom had large dark circles under their eyes.

Urushihara threw down another two gold coins for the barkeep, who smiled at his generosity before everyone fastened on thick black cloaks and started on the road leading out of the village. It wound up the side of a large hill, zig-zagging back and forth through tall trees as they ascended. The mud made it difficult to traverse, and recent mudslides raked the hill. It was a miracle none of them had struck the village.

"I don't think I'd ever build a village here," Nord said to himself. "It's terrible for farming."

"I suppose they mostly rely on trade, but it still seems like an odd place to make a home," Emi agreed.

After half an hour, they came to the top of the hill, where the land of the western continent was laid out before them. In the distance, they could see the mountain where Nord had staked a claim. For miles around the land was rolling and cultivated. Here and there sprawling farmsteads and towns could be seen, all interconnected by a series of thin, dark lines that crisscrossed the land.

"If we plan this right, we can walk all day without running into any more towns," Lailah said.

"It would be faster to just cut straight through, though," Maou noted, holding a hand to his forehead as he scanned the lay of the land.

"I'm sure the farmers would love to have demons tromping through their crops," Urushihara said sarcastically.

"No, Satan is-" Nord began.

"Maou," the Demon King corrected him.

"Maou is right. We can cut straight through. Emi and I used to do that all the time, though we usually avoided going right through their crops."

"War is not so easily forgotten," Lailah commented. "Perhaps we should stick to the roads. Times have changed here, love."

Nord frowned at his wife, as though she'd just reopened an old wound.

"War or no, I don't see any farmers giving us any trouble, and if they do, perhaps we can simply buy their silence," the wheat farmer posed.

Urushihara huffed. "Yeah, cause I'm made of money."

"Well, how much gold did you steal," Ashiya asked scathingly.

"More than a little, less than a lot."

"Enough," Emi said. "We'll go straight through. So many people traveling together through these lands would cause too many questions to be asked if we met someone on the road. We'll steer clear of the fields and try to stick to the edges of property lines so we don't cause a ruckus. Now let's move. We have a long walk ahead of us."

Emi readjusted the pack on her shoulder before pulling up the hood of her cloak and making her way forward, down the path that led to the bottom of the hill they were on.

From there onward, Emi was their guide. She led the way, almost as if retracing the path she and her father used to take by memory, though she adjusted her course slightly to remain out of view of the farms and towns they passed. The lack of vegetation made the land seem sad and barren. The sky was grey and overcast, and here and there patches of snow still remained, though they were quickly melting to create large puddles of water on the already saturated fields.

Emi kept up a steady march, straight through the muck and mud. With each step, she found the mountain growing taller as the miles melted away behind her. Chiho and Rika were not used to walking so far, and the lack of any sort of civilization set them on edge. The air was clean and fresh though, and it filled their lungs more fully with each breath they took. As Maou was not as recognizable as Emi, he had his hood down, and Alas-Ramus rode on his shoulders, giggling with glee as she and her papa played a game of 'I Spy'.

The day passed quickly enough, and the group walked in a state of determined silence. With each step, they could feel their lifespans shorten, as though they were walking right into the gates of Heaven, rather tramping across a wet, mushy countryside.

"I spy with my evil eye something… brown," Maou said.

"I think it's 'my little eye,'" Suzuno interjected.

"I don't have little eyes though," Maou grinned, striking Suzuno with a flamboyant crimson wink.

"Howsey! Issa bwown howsey!"

"Wha- a horsey? Where's the horsey?" Maou asked.

Alas-Ramus pointed. Off in distance, and closing fast on a road that lay to the east of the war party was not one, but six horses. Each was taller than a man, and clearly outfitted with fine silk saddle throws and polished leather saddles. Upon these horses rode six knights in armor so bright they were nearly blinding, and they galloped South, back towards that little village, at speeds only a war horse could achieve.

"Everyone get down," Emi called quietly.

She ran back to the group and quickly activated her celestial force. She was hoping to save it for opening the Gate to Heaven, but it seemed she had no choice but to hide herself and the others, or risk another fight.

She created a barrier of energy that reflected and refracted light, noise, and anything else that would give away their presence. Everyone crouched low, instinctively pulling up the hoods of their cloaks, even though they were effectively rendered invisible.

The knights approached, and it became apparent that they were more Templars, probably as highly decorated as Henric, though without their personal forces accompanying them. They rode hard, going right past Emi and the others, not paying any attention to the mysterious footprints that led back in the direction they were going.

"Why were they in such a hurry?" Acies-Ara huffed, scraping mud from her knees as she got back on her feet.

"They're probably going to search for the Templars we killed," Ashiya realized. "All the more reason for us to hurry."

The last town for them to pass was actually quite large. It looked like a privately owned castle, likely a distant relative of the Saint Aires Emperor. The walls of the fortress were made of large slabs of cold grey stone, and a wall ran all around the perimeter of the city limits. Atop the battlements, Maou could make out the distant figures of guardsman, so he urged Emi to steer them clear of the town.

"Well no shit, Maou. That's the castle of Viscount Vensley. Thirteenth cousin of the Emperor, and twenty-ninth in line for the throne," Emi scowled.

"I take it you know the guy?"

"When I was working to free the Western Continent, I had headquarters there. Vensley loved to brag about his title, and he loved to throw parties when someone in his family died."

"Sounds like a nice guy." Maou cheeked.

"Well, with each death he got a little closer to the throne… for all I know, he may have made it out of the twenties by now. He loved to set up assassinations. It was his favorite pastime… aside from concubines."

Emi blushed and stared at the ground for a moment. She leaned heavily on one leg and the mud under her boots squelched loudly. Maou looked at Emi covertly, fascinated by the myriad of emotions on her face. In a single moment, she went from embarrassed to angry to sad to amused, and then right back to embarrassed.

"Let's go," she mumbled, striding down a slope that would take them out of sight of the castle.

The land before the mountain began to fluctuate as though the earth were doing a stationary wave. As they neared the mountain, the wave became more aggressive. Each ascent made their thighs and calves burn, and each descent only served to make them appreciate that flat terrain they'd been traversing for most of the day.

As it was still late winter or early spring, the nights came early, and darkness fell rapidly. By the time Emi had actually set foot on the mountain proper, it was completely dark. The stars twinkled magnificently above them. There was something about Earth's stars that just couldn't quite match the splendor of Ente Isla's sky at night. Off in the western hemisphere, radiating a soft bluish-white glow was one moon. In the eastern hemisphere, a shining scarlet moon was framed in pink and crimson clouds.

And between the moons, which were actually planets themselves, laid a sea of stars so bright and clear it was like someone had poked holes in a pitch black canvas. None of the stars moved, like satellites did on Earth. When you actually saw a shooting star, you could tell what It was, and wish upon it.

"We could make camp here at the base and finish the climb in the morning," Nord offered.

He wasn't keen to mention it, but he wasn't as young as he once was, and he feared the journey was now too much for him to undertake in one go. Emi's eyes twinkled in the starlight as she glanced between her weary friends and the mountain path leading upward. She was so close, and she wanted to know how the cabin had fared over the years… on the other hand, they were now far enough out of the way that no one would find them unless they were intentionally searching for them. Also, aside from the small flat outcropping that the cabin was nestled upon, there was no flat surface to set up camp. Either they would have to stay the night at the foundation, or they would have to press on for another hour or so.

"We can set up camp over by those trees for cover," Emi said finally, nodding at a long arm of trees that circled the base of the mountain.

Sighs of relief went up from everyone. Rika and Chiho were so grateful that they dropped to their knees and dry-sobbed. Their legs were sore, their feet had blisters, and Ente Isla was chilly, muddy and utterly inhospitable. How did people live without running water and electricity? Sure, magic was useful, but how were they supposed to charge their phones?

Within fifteen minutes, Maou had set up the tents. Nord and Acies-Ara gathered firewood, and Ashiya had masterfully ignited the kindling with his special flint and tinder.

"Well, this sucks," Urushihara drawled, pulling a flaming marshmallow from the fire and picking it off the poker with his bare hands. He swallowed the charred marshmallow whole, while it was still aflame before stabbing at the fire. "No laptop. No closet. Fresh air… I miss Japan."

"So go back already," Emi sighed.

"No way. Unlike you, Hero, I'm fighting for NEETs everywhere! Someone needs to stand up for their right to sit around all day on their computers and shitpost."

"What?" Maou asked.

For a moment, the Demon King seriously thought that people posted pictures of fecal material on the internet, for everyone to see.

"It's from the internet. It means to post something that gets people angry, or starts fights. As a demon, I have a natural inclination for that sort of thing," Urushihara grinned.

"Wait, so you're not just annoying in person, you're annoying online, too?"

"Emi," Suzuno scolded, "be nice. Urushihara, you too. You are comrades in arms, now."

It was odd, to say the least, that Crestia Bell commanded such respect from the Hero and Lucifer, for they both looked to her and nodded solemnly before looking back to the fire. Everyone stared into it, flames reflected in their eyes.

Off to the side, on a few choice coals Lailah had pulled from the fire, glass dishes filled with leftovers were heating slowly. No one had the energy to hunt, or go in search of the stream, which might've wound around the mountain and trailed off on the other side for all anyone knew.

Bottles of water were broken open, along with a few cans of soda. It was a veritable feast for Maou, who was used to living and eating on a pauper's salary. The food seemed to bring comfort the likes of which Rika and Chiho couldn't comprehend. They were trapped in another world, but the smell of Japanese dishes and the familiar labels of water bottles and pop cans was a reminder that Japan was still there, even though it felt a million miles away at the moment. Chiho felt she understood Ashiya's love for his cape a little better. In a world that was completely foreign, the smallest familiarity was a blessing.

As everyone dished themselves food using plastic plates and utensils, things began to feel a bit more like they did in Japan. People talked and joked and argued. They smiled, even though it was a little harder than usual. It took more effort to be happy, but everyone did it. They weren't on a one way trip. Death wasn't looming over them. They weren't in enemy territory; this was just a camping trip! A well-earned, possibly permanent vacation.

"I never thought I'd be in another world," Rika said quietly, poking at her food with a fork as she tried to look around in the darkness.

"It is a little strange to think about," Chiho agreed.

"It's not so bad," Emi said, smiling at her human friends, "trust me, Ente Isla may not be as safe as Japan, but there's a beauty here in Ente Isla that can't be matched. It's a shame we couldn't have been here in the spring. It's gorgeous."

"Maybe we could visit again," Rika said hopefully.

'Fat chance of that,' Maou thought, a bitter smile crossing his face.

"Yeah, maybe," Emi's voice was strained. It was one thing to fake a smile, but trying to sound happy when all she wanted to do was break down crying was difficult.

"We'll do it in the spring," Chiho said, "and we can go sightseeing! We'll all go together! We can see the place where you grew up! Oh, and maybe even the Demon Castle!"

Everyone smiled at Chiho. She was so insistent, so sure of what was to come, that it was hard not to believe that they all might survive. At the very least, it gave them all something to hope for: something to look forward to, should they succeed.

"Yeah!" Maou said suddenly, "We'll go to my castle and I can undo the magic so we can all stay there. We can live together and just go around Ente Isla, exploring all the things we never got to see."

"It would be interesting to visit the northern continent," Ashiya chimed in.

"South, for me," Urushihara added, "I'm sick of all the cold.

"It would be nice to visit some of the larger cities as a private citizen," Suzuno muttered.

"Perhaps I can work the land again," Nord shrugged. "Get rid of the salt Lucifer's armies laid down…set it all back to rights. That way when I die, you'll have some sort of inheritance."

"You mean… I'd own the farm?" Emi asked.

"Of course. You- uh- you did plan on being a farmer again, didn't you?" Nord asked hurriedly. "I mean, you don't have too, but when you were little you always said that you wanted to do what I did-"

"I'd love to be a wheat farmer," Emi beamed at her father. "It's better than fighting all the time."

Nord beamed back at his daughter, looking quite touched. It seemed that Emi had remembered her passion for her old home, even after all those years away from it.

"I think you should have Urushihara help you rebuild," Lailah said pointedly, looking at Urushihara from over a can of Mountain Dew.

The Demon General spluttered for a moment, but everyone was already nodding in agreement.

"Hang on- I'm no good with tools! I'm a Demon General, dammit! You can't all just decide that I have to fix this guy's house! Where will it end?! I'll have to rebuild three quarters of the Western Continent!"

"A small price to pay for your heinous crimes," Suzuno said quietly.

"Tch. I was only following orders. You want to point fingers, look no further than the Demon King."

But Maou wasn't having it. He shook his head and smirked.

"No way, man. I didn't tell you to kill! I said subjugate. That means we need people alive to rule over!"

"So now I'm suddenly to blame for you deciding to attack Ente Isla?!" Urushihara asked loudly. His words carried through the dark and echoed against the mountainside. Everyone froze. Urushihara was on his feet, fists clenched, eyes ablaze with fury.

"No, I admit to leading the assault, but you were the one who sacked the Saint Aires Empire!"

"Then you should take responsibility and clean up your mess," Urushihara shouted.

Maou was on his feet now, too, and his eyes were like staring into hell, as the fire was still reflected within them. The camp fire roared higher as the two demons glared at each other.

"What do you think I've been trying to do?!"

"Further your pointless career at some dead-end fast food joint!"

"I did it to survive!"

"You could've just used your magic! There were countless times you could've simply walked into a bank and asked for all the cash! You could've mugged people-"

"I'm not resorting to violence! I'm not the Demon King I used to be!"

"That sort of sentimentality will get you and everyone else here killed!"

"ENOUGH!" Ashiya called out, stepping between the fallen angel and the Demon King. "We are all tired, and blame lies across all of our shoulders-"

"I wasn't the one conquering Ente Isla," Emi said icily.

Ashiya scowled down at the Hero. "I never said you were. We of the Demon Army all played a part in the attack. Spending so much time in Japan has given us a new perspective, however, us demons have fought and killed each other on principle for millennia before we came to Ente Isla. We are not so quick to think as we are to strike down our enemies. Naturally, such abrupt changes are causing some tension."

"There's no tension here," Maou said angrily, "is there, Urushihara?"

"Not anymore there isn't," the fallen angel snarled, stomping off in the direction of the mountain.

Lailah looked after him worriedly. "Is… is Morningstar leaving us?"

"No," Ashiya sighed, "he is going for a walk to cool his nerves. It would seem we have pushed him too far."

"Whatever," Maou scoffed, whirling around and stalking away in the opposite direction, drawing the hood of his cloak over his head as he grumbled to himself.

Ashiya looked back and forth between them before his shoulders drooped. He silently cleared away the angry demons' eating utensils and uneaten food before walking off after Maou. Suzuno cleared her plate and dabbed at her face with a napkin before standing from the fire.

"I am the one who upset Urushihara," she said, looking at the shadows Lucifer had vanished into, "I shall go appeal to him."

"Um, Suzuno? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Chiho wondered.

She had every cause to ask, of course. Chiho knew all too well how depraved and terrifying Urushihara could be, having been a victim of his in the past. The inquisitor nodded.

"He is just upset. Being singled out like he was just now irks him to no end… I'll remind him that we are all in this together."

"Tell him that I'm sorry for making him angry, too," Lailah said quietly. "I did not mean to, I was simply joking around. No one expects him to fix the damage he caused."

Lailah's final sentence probably would've just made Urushihara even angrier, but Crestia Bell bowed to Lailah before padding off after him, the sound of her heavy leather boots on the ground quite different from her usual sandals.

Rika turned her head from side to side and asked, "Do you think they'll be alright? I mean, they're friends, aren't they?"

"Hmm. They've always had a close relationship, from what I've seen. I suppose stress is just causing them both to act out. I bet they'll be fine by tomorrow morning," Chiho said, though she didn't sound entirely convinced.

Emi stood carefully, as Alas-Ramus was cradled in her arms. Somehow, the child was still asleep, even amid all the shouting and arguing. Apparently, it was fine for Maou to argue with other people, just not Emi.

"I'm going to talk to Maou," Emi declared. "He almost lost control of his power for a moment. One little slip up on his part will bring Heaven down on us."

And Emi tromped off across the muddy fields after Maou and Ashiya, leaving Chiho and Rika with Nord, Lailah, and Acies-Ara.

"So… what prompted you two young ladies to join us on our… quest?" Nord asked politely.

As kind as Nord was, Rika still found it awkward to speak with him, given that he was Emi's father. Chiho smiled at Nord, grateful that he was trying to get acquainted with them. Lailah, on the other hand, elbowed her husband in the ribs and muttered, "Don't pry, darling. I'm sure their reasons are their own."

"I don't mind sharing," Chiho piped up, "you see, I've known Maou for over two years now. He is my trainer at work… he taught me a lot, and he… well, he wasn't like the other boys I knew. He was smarter, for one thing, and he had goals that always kept him going… he wasn't necessarily handsome or anything like that, but he was so dedicated to the job… he was so charismatic and kind, and his eyes and demeanor seemed so mature… There was just something about him that made me think 'wow, this is a guy I can get behind', you know? Anyway, we became friends, I learned about who he was and… well, I could only think of him as my senior team member from MgRonalds."

"I suppose you were put in harm's way the moment you learned who he was," Lailah guessed, "and from then on he protected you."

"Yeah," Chiho blushed, hoping the red light of the crackling fire kept everyone from seeing the heat in her face.

"So in a sense, you're here because you feel like you owe Maou for protecting you?" Rika asked.

"Wha- No! Not at all! I-I'm here because… because…"

Chiho could barely stand to think back to the time before she met Maou and the other Ente Islans. The world was a bore. She had been a top student, a remarkable student athlete, and still, she had no friends. Her school life, coupled with her work load and home life, usually left her so drained she never got the chance to make any real friends. There were classmates, sure, but that was a bond of familiarity from having known each other for so long.

Chiho remembered sadness and despair. She remembered birthday parties where only her family showed up. It was nice to see her cousins, and they were all so much fun to play with… but even they couldn't help but notice Chiho had no other friends.

"I'm here because my friends needed me," Chiho said firmly, "and I didn't want to be the kind of person that disappoints my friends."

Lailah's unsettling violet gaze seemed to pierce Chi like an x-ray. It felt, for the briefest of moments, as though the fallen angel could see all of her negative emotions and insecurities. She blinked, and the feeling vanished, leaving Lailah with a small smile.

"You have a good heart, Chiho Sasaki," Lailah murmured, tilting her head. "I can see why the Demon King is so fond of you."

"F-f-f-f-fond?! O-of m-m-me?" Chiho's face went entirely red, and she keeled over, falling backwards over the log she was perched upon. Rika turned to look at where she lay on the ground, shivering.

"You ok, sweetie?"

"F-fine," Chiho stammered.

Urushihara grumbled to himself as he stumbled through the woods that ran the perimeter of the mountain. Now that he was in Ente Isla, his powers were right back where they had been when he was a Demon General. The only thing that hadn't gone back to normal was the fear and respect he commanded.

No, to everyone whom had been trapped with him in Japan, he was just a NEET, a useless sack of crap. Apparently, he was only good for taking the blame, and for being the butt of all the jokes. Seriously, what was it with those assholes? Even Suzuno…

"Tch," Urushihara scoffed, coming to a stop by a tall, coniferous tree. The woods around him smelled of cool refreshing pine needles, but they couldn't quell the anger that boiled in his chest as he thought about the Inquisitor.

She was supposed to be his… well, they were more than friends, he knew that much. So why was she so eager to point out his flaws? Sure, he'd done things wrong, they all had, but she was hardly one to talk. How many people had she killed in the Church's name? How many lives had any of them taken? Alciel used to annihilate entire villages at a time, earning him the title of Scourge, so why was Lucifer the only one who should have to rebuild?

Urushihara laid a hand on the trunk of the pine tree. He imagined his anger flowing out of him and into the tree, ebbing away like sand in an hourglass. It did no good, though, for as fast as he could get rid of his anger, another reason to be livid popped into his head. He closed his eyes and snarled at nothing, pouring as much of his anger and hatred into the tree as possible.

'I'm not angry,' he thought desperately, 'I'm not… I love Suzuno… those guys are my friends…I'M NOT ANGRY!'

Finally, his frustration hit a peak. It seemed he was nothing but a bottomless abyss of anger and hurt. He took a wider stance and focused his magic inward. He pushed so hard against the trunk of the tree that it snapped and flew through the air like a javelin. It soared out of sight, and he heard a great myriad of snaps, cracks, and crunches as it smashed against the mountainside. Urushihara huffed in exasperation, running a hand through his hair as he stared into the darkness surrounding him. His anger was gone. All he felt was remorse. Why couldn't he vent normally? Why did he never get any sort of closure until something was broken and defeated before him, and he was left with guilt gnawing at his insides?

"Morningstar," asked a timid voice.

"It's you," Urushihara said, not bothering to turn and face Suzuno.

"I came alone," Suzuno offered. "I thought that you might want some choice company…"

"Not really. I'd much rather be alone, right now. Thanks anyway."

"Yes, because being alone is clearly what's best for you at the moment," Suzuno mumbled, her words thick with implied sarcasm.

Urushihara rolled his eyes before he turned to survey Suzuno. Unlike her usual choice of dress, which was a traditional Japanese kimono, she now wore a set of dark clothes, padded and braced with leather armor. It was probably the same uniform she wore when killing in the name of the Church, but the leather was dark and supple, as though it had been well made and meticulously cared for.

"You look good," Urushihara said. He cast his eye up and down the form-fitting leather armor, causing Suzuno to blush and pull her cloak more tightly about her.

"Don't change the subject… we're talking about you."

"There's nothing to discuss," Urushihara muttered, turning away from the Bailiff of the Inquisition.

"Oh? So I suppose you just enjoy throwing trees for the fun of it? It must be something you do quite often, seeing as you're so good at it," Suzuno needled.

"You know why I'm angry," Urushihara said quietly.

"I know why, yes," Suzuno walked up to Urushihara and gripping his hand, forcing him to turn and face her, "what I can't fathom is why you let it bother you so?"

"I guess after two years of being called worthless, you start to get a little annoyed," Lucifer blurted out.

He hadn't meant to speak so loudly. He wasn't trying to yell at Suzuno, he was trying to explain himself, to make her understand… but it only served to form tears in her aquamarine eyes.

"I know. You've told me all of this… you are not worthless."

"You're right," Urushihara said bitterly, " I'm an excellent pincushion for blame!"

"You have made mistakes. There isn't a single person around that campfire who hasn't," Suzuno muttered.

"Then why did you have to bring up mine?" Urushihara wondered, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings-"

"My feelings aren't the issue… you of all people… you were supposed to… why? Why would you throw everything I've done back in my face?!"

Urushihara gripped Suzuno by the shoulders, looking delirious. Suzuno frowned at Urushihara, but his eyes were so filled with pain and rage, it was hard to meet his gaze.

"Because I care. I know what it's like to carry around your sins… you'll have to learn how to deal with that. Even now, you seek to make amends. You're with us on this mission because of your selflessness and empathy. You are not worthless. In the end, people like you are the ones who truly make a difference… even if it's hard to believe in yourself, sometimes."

"I'm not a good person-"

"You are, whether you know it or not. You've done wicked deeds. Your name is synonymous with evil… but there is good in you. I've seen it. I know the things you've done… and I still care for you. When the time comes, and you have to choose between fighting for what's right or sitting things out, you are always on the frontline. I think you'd be surprised at how much good you are capable of."

Urushihara's hands fell from her shoulders, but Suzuno stepped up to him and laid a hand on his face. It was warm, and so soft and forgiving, Urushihara could practically feel every negative emotion being sucked out of him, leaving him with the strange desire to fall on his knees and worship this woman, this normal human female.

"The others might make jokes. They might not treat you like you matter, but you are the Morningstar. You are the Lightbringer. Show them your name is worth something. Make them believe in you, just as I do. Show them that you will work hard to do what's right… and they will show you the respect you deserve," Suzuno whispered in Lucifer's ear.

She stood on her tiptoes to gently kiss him. After a moment, she stepped back, wiped her tears from her face, and walked back towards the campfire, leaving Urushihara to stare after her. His mind felt curiously blank and clear. The cheek Suzuno had tenderly held felt hot, as though she were still holding it. Urushihara felt his knees give way, and he fell back against the base of the tree he'd destroyed. Somehow, his ire, his self-doubt, and his frustrations had all been swept away, with little more than a soft touch and a few words… to think that such a person existed who held such sway over him was unimaginable. He used to command Heaven's army, but he'd never felt such power as Suzuno seemed to have over him.

"Thank you," Urushihara muttered, "for believing in me… Suzuno."

As Maou walked, he found that it was hard for him to walk angrily, or even with a purpose in his step. As soon as he tried, he ended up slipping in the muddy field and landing on his butt. By the time he heard Ashiya calling after him, he was covered in travel stains and mud smears, and he looked like he'd lost a battle with a marsh mud man.

"M'lord, you must forgive Urushihara for his rudeness," Ashiya said quickly, "perhaps if I'd been a bit harsher with him in Japan, he might've built a bit more character."

"You're not to blame, Alciel."

"Y-your majesty, are you alright?"

"Eh?"

"You're covered in muck, sire."

Maou tried to smile, but it seemed a little lackluster. "Oh, yeah. Fell down a couple times… how did you manage to stay upright while chasing me down?"

"I used the same principles as we used in Japan while walking on icy surfaces. Keep your feet flat, and take small, shuffling steps, like those arctic tuxedo birds," Ashiya said.

"You mean penguins?"

"Ah, yes, precisely! Just like those remarkable penguins! You sure are well versed in Earth's ways, your majesty," Ashiya sycophantically.

"Are you trying to flatter me to make me feel better," Maou grumbled.

"That depends on whether or not it's working, sire," Ashiya smirked.

"A little."

"Excellent. Rest assured, I'll deal with Urushihara's insubordination personally-"

"No… no, just let him do whatever he wants… personally, I'm amazed he came with us. He's never really been the selfless type, you know?"

"Yes, his involvement does seem a tad suspect," Ashiya noted, scratching his chin thoughtfully, "could he perhaps be a spy?"

Maou, who knew the real reason Urushihara had joined them, was amazed at how quickly Ashiya had come to that conclusion. Still, if he hadn't caught Urushihara and Suzuno red handed, he might've thought the same thing.

"Oh- uh, no, he's definitely not a traitor," Maou said quickly. "I think he's just turning over a new leaf. Change can be frustrating, especially when people keep bringing up the past."

Maou waited for Ashiya to speak, hoping against hope that his lame excuses made some sort of sense.

"I suppose you make a good point," Ashiya muttered doubtfully.

Maou breathed a quiet sigh of relief, only to hear a series of uneven squelches from behind him. He and Ashiya turned to find Emi marching toward them, looking as though she'd had quite enough of the mud.

"Of all the times to plan an invasion," she muttered to herself. "Why couldn't we have done it in the summer?"

She came to a stop before the demons, noting how their eyes were brimming with raw power. Maou stared intently at Emi's chest, a small smile on his face. She was about to tell him off when he spoke.

"She's so cute," he crooned.

Emi then realized that he wasn't looking at her body, he was looking at Alas-Ramus, who was still snoring in her arms. She hiccupped and mumbled in her slumber, and all three of them, demons and Hero, tilted their head and smiled.

"Awwww," they said in unison.

Emi realized that she was showing weakness and quickly readjusted her expression into one of anger. It was hard to keep up, given the bundle of cuteness in her arms, but she said, "Demon King, you do realize that you almost used your magic, don't you? You put all of us in danger by becoming so angry."

"Why do you think I walked away?" Maou asked, rolling his eyes.

"Well… just- be more careful. If you get us into more trouble, I'll be sure to take care of you after I dispatch our enemies."

"Mama…"

Emi's eyes widened, and she looked down at Alas-Ramus… who was still sleeping.

"A-Alas? Alas-Ramus, are you awake?"

"Papa…"

"She's dreaming," Ashiya whispered.

"No fighting," the girl mumbled.

Emi blushed, as did Maou. They locked eyes for a brief moment before staring guiltily at the ground. It seemed that, even while asleep, the toddler had the preternatural ability to know when they were arguing.

"I'm going back to the campfire," Emi said wearily.

As she spun around, her momentum carried her a bit too far. The mud beneath her boots was slick, and Emi's feet were suddenly in the air. Alas-Ramus was thrown from her arms. Emi's face was twisted in fear as Alas-Ramus was thrown upward. There was no way Emi could catch her, she was still falling.

Emi hit the ground with a disgusting splat. She opened her eyes to find a shadow gliding over her. As silent as the night, the Demon King had kicked off from the muddy ground, gently catching Alas-Ramus in his arms. He hit the ground and took a knee, sliding several feet in the grime before coming to a stop.

The girl yawned in his arms before mumbling to herself.

Emi pushed herself to her feet and rushed over to Maou as fast as she could without falling again. Aside from a single speck of mud on the toddler's cheek, she was unharmed.

"I'll take Alas-Ramus," Maou decided, pulling away as Emi held out her arms for the child. "I have a steadier gait."

"You fell down, too," Emi pointed out.

"Channel your inner tuxedo bird, m'lord," Ashiya hissed as he waddled past Emi and Maou, making his way to the campfire. The sound of a tree crashing down in the forest by the mountain was heard. Ashiya's penguin waddle was interrupted, and he slipped and fell in shock.

"Wha-what was that?" Emi asked

"Urushihara," Maou sighed. There was nothing else nearby strong enough to knock down a tree. Maou only hoped that it helped his vent his anger, because he didn't want to have to deal with the fallen angel's attitude.

"If he keeps that up, someone might hear!"

Emi and Maou waited. Ashiya stood, muttering darkly to himself as he tried to scrape as much of the mud from his pants as possible. Nothing else happened. Apparently, he had soothed his anger, to some extent.

"This is gonna be a long camping trip," Maou muttered to himself. He followed Ashiya's example, and waddled back towards the camp, though he managed not to fall in the process. Emi waddled behind him, utterly humiliated at her failure, and her having to walk like a penguin.

Author's Notes:

Ladies and gentlemen, demons, angels, and whoever else reads this fanfiction, I am proud to present the War Arc, the very last part of this story. I'll have you know the story is written, and edited (though I'm sure it's still riddled with mistakes here and there). Moving forward, I must warn you that this fic WILL CONTAIN SEXUAL THEMES! You've been warned. Anyway, for those interested, the story is now almost seven hundred pages, and is just over three hundred thousand words, according to the word document. In any case, here's to you, my fellow fans of DIAPT, and to the end of an era. I can't believe it's almost over.

And sorry for the traveling scenes. It's kinda hard to make walking exciting, but I tried. It if helps, play that Lord of the Rings song that they play during panoramic shots. It just might do the trick.

I suppose that definitely falls under the recommended music section, but if you're feeling up to it, definitely scout the newest Breaking Benjamin album. It's-a pretty gooood.