Kai

It seems that Zill is even more popular than I thought. He's already enlisted his friends to join Fight Club as well as a few other students of whom I'd assume are affiliated with Damian in some capacity.

Shockingly, even Cameron decided to show up as well!

It's only been a day since the Demon attack, and since I told Damian what attacked him before departing with Cameron.

I'm currently doing drills with Zill, it's the first day for the other students and we're showing them some examples of things they can learn via doing a quick spar.

Plus, he's put on his weighted suit again and also upped the weight by about 20 pounds, so he's now about 120 pounds heavier than normal, confusing his peers.

"Evasion and Parrying are your friends. When Offense fails, knowing how to move and fight back will help you regain the edge." I instruct them as they nod.

I throw a punch at Zill, who anticipates the attack and unknowingly takes a page out of Speak's book by moving my arm to the side and spinning his body 360 degrees, driving his elbow right at me. I retaliate by ducking under it and use his grip on my arm against him and grabbing his own, thrusting my leg beneath him and breaking his stance, judo throwing him right over me. Surprisingly, he lands on his feet and counters with the same exact move, throwing me in front of him. Recovering by backwards rolling and getting up on my feet, he throws a kick directly at me of which I sidestep as he drives it into the ground. Finally, I end our bout by swiping at his exposed legs, causing to him to fall on his back and slightly hit his head on the ground.

As he rubs the back of his head, albeit difficultly because this entire time he's still had that heavy suit on.

Respectfully, I reach out my hand for him to take, of which the chimera-like being takes as he smiles. I lift the currently hefty one to his feet.

"Ya did good, Zill!" Kayla calls out from the sidelines.

"Thanks, babe!" He responds, giving a thumbs up and a smile. He then looks back at me cheekily. "Yunno if I didn't have this suit on, I'd definitely woulda won that."

"I wouldn't doubt you'd have had a better edge. You didn't even use your energy abilities." I point out.

"Eh, it was only a practice bout. Besides, after what I've heard about that creature you fought the other day, wanted to take it easy on you." He assures me.

"Appreciated, but you'd be surprised on what I can really take…as well as dish out…" I say.

As Zill tilts his head in slight confusion, before a little grin of anticipation forms, someone off to the side speaks up.

"Uh, how exactly do ya want us do be able to pull this stuff off? Not all of us are really athletes, just so ya know…" The dark-skinned girl I've heard Zill call Sahara asks.

"Time, patience, and dedication. The smallest changes can make the biggest difference. Merely apply some things to your daily routine, of which I will elaborate on soon, that is all. Zill already has demonstrated necessary skill, so it will not be long before he will be capable to serve in my absence." I say, respectfully gesturing to the anomalous one as he smiles in pride.

Before I can continue with the lecture, I feel like a certain…someone…has shown up.

I look to the door, which is now open and occupied by…

"Damian." I say to the jackal, who seems to be in an intensely depressed state.

"Kai…" He replies melancholically.

"Hey Dame…" I hear Jack call out from the sidelines. "How've…you been?"

"How do you think?" The antichrist sarcastically replies.

"Right…not good." Jack confirms solemnly. "Though…where've you been…?"

"I went back home with my babysitters…had to take a day…" He explains.

"What brings you here, Damian?" I ask.

He takes a moment to both sigh and gather his words as well, almost faltering as he speaks.

"I came back up here because I just wanted to ask…why did you save me?" He asks earnestly as he approaches me. "Last I saw, you despised me with every fiber of your being. You seemed to not even like me the moment you laid eyes on me and knew for a fact that…even I'll be the first to admit…I was being a troublemaker. I was the bad guy ever since and you treated me as such, rightfully so. I deserved to be thwarted and you were the underminer. Yet…when it seemed like I was going to die…you didn't hesitate to put your life on the line…as you did for the school…for me…? I just…it…it doesn't make sense…I only wanted to know why…!"

He looks at me dead in the eye.

The black sclerae are the same, as well as the red irises…but the nature of them are different now…

His encounter with forces beyond what he knows…and having what he cherishes taken away from him…

It's given him a new perspective…humbling him…

He's changed…at least to a degree.

I turn to the people he knows.

Jack looks as if he's not even believing what he's seeing, like he never even thought that his cousin of all people would admit that he's wrong in any capacity. His eyes are wider than dinner plates, and he's rubbing his eyes and pinching himself to see if he's dreaming or not.

Zill glances to and from me, looking the same way as Jack, as his civil nemesis has shown something that seemed impossible for someone like him. He even glances to his girlfriend, who's scratching her head, confused at this whole situation.

Even Damian's friends are shocked beyond belief at what he just admitted…as well as the drastic change in demeanor.

"Just…why?" The red one asks.

In that moment, I don't see an antichrist anymore.

All I see is something akin to a little red puppy, staring at me with the innocence and confusion I never thought he'd have…wanting the answer that only I could provide.

I know Carrie and the teachers asked me to…but the question lies…

Would I have saved him regardless?

I thought about who Damian was before…and why he did what he did.

It's definitely his nature as a troublemaker…but I wonder…no…I know…

He's really is just a pup, a powerful pup, who doesn't know any better.

This may an opportunity…for him to truly change…to grow, and truly transcend in life…

This…could be Damian's awakening.

I look at him dead in the eye and take a deep breath.

"You are young. You have your whole life ahead of you, I can't have that taken away from you, despite being the stereotypical bully. When I look at you right now, given what's happened, I only see someone who must be taught discipline and self-control. I discriminated against you because you were, for lack of better words, an out-of-control demon, due to personal experiences. You saw the kind of Demon that I know of, but you're different from them. You can grow, live, love, make your mistakes and learn from them. You're just a kid, and life may be a nightmare, but you at least deserve the chance to live and dream on. Jack feels for you, and what you were attacked by I wouldn't wish upon my other worst enemies. But the fact that you excised yourself, and exposed your own flaws is what says a lot about who you are now given what you went through. What I see now, is a chance." I explain.

"A chance for what?" Damian asks.

I ponder for a moment.

"You know, it's as someone I greatly respect once said…"

I take another moment to fully recollect the memory…

"What is better – To be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"

Damian just stands there…stunned beyond belief, staring directly at me for what feels like an eternity, completely lost for words.

It's as if he was introduced to a reality he never thought possible…

But suddenly…taking even me aback slightly…

A singular tear…going down his face, matting down his fur. Then another, and another…before…

He slowly approaches me and-

He…hugs…me…

The little anti-…no…pup…embraces me as if I were a long lost parent, not even squeezing me, just…burying his face in my torso.

A few muffled sniffs come from him as I look to the rest of the class.

They all basically have the reaction you'd expect to seeing something like this.

Everyone's jaw is on the ground, Zill and Kayla are almost blank-eyed, Jack's eyes are twitching, and Damian's friends comically fell backwards with their legs up.

I separate ourselves slightly, kneeling down to be on his level, looking him in the eye. I reach behind him, resting my chin on his shoulder and his on mine, returning the embrace as his little sobs grow slightly louder while I pat him on the back.

"T-Thank…you…" I hear him whisper.

"Anytime, kiddo." I reply, having even myself changed a little bit, despite my reservations.

We separate again, my right hand on his shoulder, I give him a little smile, to which he returns.

After patting his shoulder, I stand up to witness my class once more.

Everyone is still staring at us, blank eyed.

But comically, and universally…they all go-

"WHAAAAT?!"

2 hours later

Cameron, in the teacher's lounge

"Damian what?!" Carrie shouts in disbelief.

"H-He was crying. Right into Kai's chest." I say, having seen it.

Kai's lesson didn't go too much longer after what happened with Damian, we went our separate ways for the time being as we were dismissed.

Tomorrow…apparently we're going to be doing…

Weapons training…

As homework, we're all required to be wearing these weighted suits and bracers to help with our training.

I lift up my arm, albeit difficulty due to them being at least 10 pounds each.

I'd say I've got about an extra 50 extra pounds on me right now…and I guarantee you he made them in the first few weeks of us being here…

I knew he was at least something akin to an engineer when he talked about building his own guns…but…I don't know…

As much as I'm interested in learning more about means to defend myself as well as helping others to do so…I'm still trying to make progress in not being nervous around the animalistic citizens.

Funnily enough…I do believe I am…

I was making some small talk with Carrie in the teacher's lounge, and trying not to think about the fact that she's also hellborn as I was doing so.

Mentioned Damian crying to Kai as I did.

"Ah…ah almost don't even believe yeh…" She throws her hands up in the air as she turns away from me.

"I mean, given the kind of guy he is, wouldn't even sound like him." I say, rationalizing her stance. "But based on my expertise, it'd definitely take a traumatic experience to make him do something like that."

"You said he was attacked yesterday, what by?" Zechariah asks, having been here to interrogate Simon, who also happens to be listening.

"Kai said Damian was attacked by a…Demon?" I say, unsure if what I'm saying is accurate.

I mean, I've seen 'demons' here. Damian, Carrie, and those Hell sprites certainly fit the description…but Kai said the creature was wearing an oriental-like mask and a business suit of sorts. Definitely doesn't sound like the ones I've seen so far. What disturbed me, however, is what he said the creature could do…

I mean…energy manipulation…enhanced strength, speed, stamina, durability…reflexes…call me premature in assuming this…but those almost sound like attributes of…a super soldier

Was the being he fought someone who was built for combat?

"Another rogue demon?" Zechariah asks.

"What in tha hell is goin' on down there?! And why'd it attack Damian?!" Carrie also asks, stunned.

"No, Carrie, it's not the kind you're thinking of." I correct her. "It was not red, but it was black and white, wearing a mask and a business suit."

"Ah've…never heard of one like that…" She replies.

"Imagine my reaction…" I say, still unsure about that information.

"Actually, where even is Kai right now?" Carrie asks.

"Last I saw he was heading back home. Said he had to take a call." I explain.

"Take a call?" Zechariah asks, almost concerned.

"Yeah…why?"

"Did he say where it was coming from?" He asks again.

"No…is it important?"

"Depends on if it's within the barrier or not."

"I…don't know honestly…"

"Because if it's not…that's not supposed to happen…"

"Why?"

"For security reasons the barrier blocks communication methods…if Kai has found a way to breach that…" Zechariah says but relents. "I'm not suspecting him of any malicious behavior, he's proven himself too much otherwise. It's merely the fact that he potentially gained access to communication to the outside world. And if he did, the question lies as to how…"

"How indeed…" Simon comments, Zechariah presses a button on the cage. "GNNNZZZAHH!"

Simon gets electrocuted with a built-in shocker, courtesy of Kai, to get him to shut up.

I would say this violates the Geneva convention, but with everything that's happened I'm pretty sure Geneva doesn't even exist anymore.

Zill

"So, like this?" Kayla asks me as she slowly throws a punch at me.

"Yeah, but turn with it to reduce-GUH!" I say, but she interrupts me with the instructed punch to the face. "Better…"

"Sorry babe, wasn't sure if I was doing it right." She apologizes as I rub my face to alleviate the pain.

"You're good, definitely improving fast."

"Honestly surprised I'm able to…despite this heavy-as-hell equipment…" She comments on her weighted suits and bracers while difficultly lifting her limbs.

"Hey, it's part of the training, it'll help you develop yourself faster." I tell her.

"Yeah, but is the rush due to the fact that we've been gotten attacked at least twice within the last week or so?" She asks me.

"I guess so. I mean, luck favors the prepared."

She turns to me cheekily.

"Did Kai tell you that?" She asks with a smile.

I grin innocently.

"Maybe…" I say as we share a laugh.

There's suddenly an awkward moment of silence despite us knowing each other and being comfortable around one another.

As if there's an elephant in the room that's hidden, but we somehow know it's there.

"Zill…" Kayla says.

"Yeah, babe?" I ask.

"Do you…ever wonder…about Kai?" She asks.

"Kind of, yeah. He's different from other humans. He's stronger, braver, certainly more skilled. I'd imagine he served in some form of armed forces like I've heard stories from the outside world." I say.

"Yeah…"

"But I have to give credit where credit is due. He's already taught me more than I ever thought I could know about fighting! In fact, as you heard, I really think I can teach the others!" I say, entirely sure about what I can do now.

"Oh, I don't doubt it, babe. I've seen what he can do, and he's certainly taught you well." I give him a kiss on his cheek, to which he returns.

Kai

I'm currently patrolling through the bustling city, planning on later investigating the potential splinter in the force field.

The creatures that were there were definitely at least foreign, but not…foreign…foreign…

But damn, so much has been happening as of recently I've almost not been able to keep up.

I fortunately find adventure, so to say, in work so I'm at least good in that department.

RING! RING! RING!

The sound of my earpiece goes off in my ear, I answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey Kai, it's Damian again."

"What's up?" I courteously ask.

"I still can't thank you enough for what you did for me. I just wanted to say I owe you one, if not everything."

"What matters is you're alive, man. That's all." I assure him.

"Well, I just want to say, I'd like to join your Fight Club. I've still not gotten my powers back yet and I'd…maybe like to learn some moves. In addition, I owe you, my life. I am for lack of better words, now at your disposal. If you ever need anything, ever, just ask and I should be able to help."

I chuckle, trying not to burst out laughing at this dramatic change in his behavior.

"Okay, man, don't degrade yourself out of gratitude. I'm happy you're able to help and I WILL ask if I'm in need of it. Plus, you have my blessing to join Fight Club. Just meet up at the room after school. Got it?"

"Got it. See you…Kai."

"You too." I say as I hang up the call.

He really has changed…the old Damian would've never said 'thank you' or anything like that.

I'm not saying I planned for it to happen in any capacity, only that I know what happens when people, especially those his age, go through something like that.

I guess he had to lose something to gain something-

Hold up…

Something…is off…

Very off

As if…I'm being watched…

Not the kind of glances that I get from the occasional passerby, the kind that…is WATCHING, WATCHING…me…

I also…feel it…too…

Is it…yes…similar in nature to him…but not exactly…like another type, so to say…

It's not just right behind me…but there's about 3 others in the areas around as well…watching over me too.

4 in total.

I don't dare to look back, at least not yet, but I subtly feel up my weapons, making sure they're at the ready, and they are.

The presence behind me is getting closer, but it feels like its getting more nervous as well.

Soon, there's little to no people in the area.

Just me and the eyes watching me…as I continue to act oblivious.

It gets closer…closer…closer…preparing to-

NOW!

I thrust my hand behind me, seizing the neck of who was following me in the same way I did Kaycee.

SLAM! SHKK!

I drive the being I grabbed straight into the brick, splintering it as I unsheathe my spear-blade, brandishing it up against the face of…

Her

A distinctly young adult human female with a shaved head on the right side of her head with exceedingly long grey hair. She wears a black choker, a tattered grey off-the-shoulder crop-top that's held up at the neckline by a series of crisscross spaghetti-straps that form an inverted pentagram. She also wears shorts that are tattered at the hems with a crescent moon detail on the right side, black knee-high socks, high-top sneakers, black lipstick, earrings, and she has white sclera with red irises.

She's also about the size of a human, probably around Cameron's height.

However, her appearance is human, but it's similar in nature to that of Damian's

"WHA-! GNH! HOW-?!" The native demon-in-disguise utters through my hand on her neck.

"I'd like to know who… you are." I interrogate her as I push my blade closer to her.

"You…how-did…you…?" She chokes through.

"Answer me." I order her. "Show yourself."

Despite her resistance, I try a little something…triggering-

AWOOO!

In the sound of a wolf's howl and a flurry of blue and green flames, her whole-body morphs into something different…

Something…animalistic…

A being with a wolf-like appearance. She now has a pointed, dog-like muzzle with sharp and pointy teeth, and a dark grey nose. Her eyes have reversed colors, with red sclera with white irises, and she wears dark grey eyeshadow. She also has a piercing on her right eyebrow.

Her fur is white with grey encircling her face, grey patches on her shoulders, and long, voluminous silver hair swept to the side to reveal her dark grey ears - the right of which is pierced with the two small hoop earrings, the left which is ragged. She has a large, dark grey bushy tail with white on the underside, her choker also now has spikes as well.

"There you are…" I declare. "Now, who are you?"

"We're a-assassins…s-some grey lady…with yellow eyes…and some other (choke) armored…twins…hired…w-well…ordered (gag) us…to hunt you down…otherwise they threatened to kill…"

We…

Before she finishes what she's saying, my senses fire off.

I slam my fingers on my helmet activator.

WHEE-WA-CLANK!

KABOOM!

Just as my helmet finishes locking itself around my head, I feel the concussive force of a .50 caliber bullet flying right at my head.

CLANG!

"MY BABY!" I hear the sound of another voice screaming, and one of the other 3 presences hauling you-know-what towards us.

"BLITZ! NO! MOXXIE! COME ON!" Another female sound cries out.

"MILLIE! WAIT!" The final one of the 4 calls as he follows the one named Millie.

In total, 3 other distinctly red beings charge at me, all wielding a mixture of melee weapons and ranged weapons.

The male one with the big horns uses a flintlock pistol (explaining the .50 caliber feeling), the female one with the raven-black hair uses a giant battle axe, and the other male with the white hair uses a crossbow.

I sheathe my spear blade, and pull out a 9-banger, tossing it towards the 3.

BANG! X9

The mixture of the light and sound disorients them, stopping them in their tracks.

I retain my grip on the canine and bring out my LeMat, firing a silver Dragon's Breath round at the group.

"GAH! SILVER!" The one named Moxxie cries out.

"Loona! Where are you, baby?!" The one named Blitz attempts to feel around in his stupor.

I look at the one I deduce to be Loona, who has her eyes locked on her apparent teammates.

"Focus on me." I order her, she looks right at me as I pull her from the wall, throwing her right at them.

When they recover, they're met with a living projectile known as Loona, she slams right into them, causing them to topple over almost comically.

Moxxie pulls out an apparent book from somewhere in a familiar way and the one named Millie draws a pentagram with a piece of chalk whilst reading it.

A portal opens from it

"FALL BACK!" Millie cries out, grabbing Moxxie and trying to drag Blitz with him.

That book...

I switch to the grappling option on my rope dart and shoot it at the work of literature, seizing it and yanking it away from the 4 as they look back in shock.

"This looks important!" I quip while the book flies towards me.

"NO!" Moxxie cries out.

"THE BOOK!" Millie adds in a panic as it lands in my hand.

"Moxxie! Get your ass over there or I'll dock your pay!" He degradingly orders his apparent subordinate.

As he continues to berate him, Loona manages to preeminently get up and rally herself...

She grabs the axe that Millie dropped as well as Moxxie's crossbow and stares me down.

SHKK-RIING!

I extend my spear blade and unleash it into its full form, taking a combative stance and using a hand gesture for her to come at me.

"Bring it."

She accepts my challenge by charging straight at me as I join her in such. She goes for an executioner's beheading of which I duck-dodge under. She thrusts her crossbow at me and fires just as I sidestep it. I counter with a kick to her side and follow up with a roundhouse to her face, sending her flying back as she drops the ranged weapon.

Extending her, now free, apparent claws and stopping herself in the concrete using such, she bares her fangs as she comes at me again. She throws her axe right at me, but I dodge it, catching it in the air and throwing it back at her. She sidesteps it as it embeds itself in a wall and reengages me, this time fully baring her claws. I parry a slice towards my face, as well as the follow up, and the one directed towards my gut. She follows up with a double kick similar to what I did earlier.

For someone who seems about my age...she's good, even I'll admit that.

I decide to shake it up by whipping out my Bergmann and aiming directly at her, but during the process of which, she takes a page out of my book as she smacks my arm to the side when I pull the trigger.

BAM!

In the next few seconds, it's an almost elegant series of strikes, with me attempting to aim my gun at her, firing as she redirects it with us being evenly matched...for the time being...

"GET HIM, MY BABY!" I hear Blitz egg on his apparent 'baby'.

As he does, he and the other 2 demons rally themselves, going to retrieve their weapons and all 3 charge at me.

I manage to strike Loona's face with the staff part of my spear and shoving her away to give me some room to work with against her associates.

Pulling off some deadly gymnastics, I duck under Millie's axe swing, blasting at Blitz. The bullets pierce right through his giant horns and torso, splintering the former as he gets stunned. I use his other horn to swing over him, doing a cartwheel mid-air as I dodge the crossbow bolt Moxxie fires at me, I retaliate that shot by firing one of my own at him as I'm upside down, shattering the weapon and hitting him in the abdomen with the projectile. Locking one of my legs onto Blitz's horns, I rotate myself in the air to fire right twice at Millie, disarming her and kneecapping her in both legs as she falls. When Blitz and I hit to the ground, he aims at me with his flintlock, but misses the shot. I shoot over his head and his gun flies out of his hand, destroying it, much to his fury.

Loona tries to come to aid her associates, but I slam the butt of my gun into Blitz's head, knocking him briefly unconscious as I get up to reengage her, almost sending her into shock at what I did.

Does she have a form of attachment to this one in particular?

However...eventually when she and I lock eyes at one point...one look from me is all it takes for her to realize what I'm going to do next will end this.

She tries to sink her claws and teeth me, but I judo-throw her over my shoulders as she manages to land, but I take what I like to call a Concussive Force grenade and throw it under her legs like a tennis ball, she looks behind her, trying to assess what I just did.

Let's do that little move again...

After quickly reloading the magazine in my Bergmann and replacing the shell in my LeMat, I haul ass towards her, taking her by surprise when she looks back at me.

I drop kick her despite her blocking, sending her flying. Her back hits the bomb as it explodes, flinging her up into the air. I thrust out my weapons and open fire on her, so much so that she remains in the air for a second before I roll backwards to regain my stance. I leap up all the way towards her, slapping a sticky version of the grenade onto her, emptying the cylinder and magazine into her, forcing her to the ground.

I switch to the shotgun on my LeMat, loaded with a flare round this time, aiming it right at the bomb, I squeeze the trigger, and it sends a ball of light flying towards it, making it explode as she somehow ricochets towards her friends she lands right in front of them.

They all look at her, in a state of disturbed shock.

For them, one of their own was defeated, relatively easily by one guy who also took the rest of them down as well.

When Loona gets up, she trembles slightly, but valiantly manages to get up.

Admirable...

As I land, I kangaroo-jump towards her to prepare the final strike of this skirmish, I whisper one more thing to her.

"We will meet again, brave one..."

SLAM!

In one drop kick, I send her flying towards her teammates, knocking her and them into the portal as it closes.

When all is quiet with me and my victory...it's just me in the street...

And this book...

I look at it closer.

It has a navy blue cover with gold reflective pages separated by a dark burgundy ribbon, and has golden borders with a large red gem on the center of its spine.

It radiates with energy...powerful energy...

As I do, I also look at the interesting looking axe that Millie dropped, soon moving over to pick it up.

It's about the size of a weighty hatchet, but would be massive in her hands, relatively small in surface area but definitely durable.

I think I can make something out of this...

The next day, after school

"When someone's coming towards you with malicious intent, what do you do?" I ask my class.

They all whip out dummy pistols and make them click as they pull the triggers.

"Don't hesitate!" They declare.

"Good. When you're out, what do you do?" I ask.

The reload simulations range from using speed loaders, magazines, and clips to reload their individual weapons of choice.

"Perfect. What is faster: Reloading or switching to your sidearm?" I ask them.

"Switching!" They all say.

They definitely learn fast.

All the better...

"Excelsior, my students. Everyone take a 10-minute break, we will commence sparing afterwards and you will be dismissed." I say to them.

As everyone wipes the sweat from their foreheads, Cameron included, as she came here, I go to a certain red one.

"Damian, I need help with something." I say, looking to the little jackal.

"Yeah, man, anything." He smiles.

"Zill!" I say.

"Yes?!" He stands at attention.

"You're in charge for the rest of the lesson. You all will be dismissed at the normal time." I order him and the rest of the class.

Zill bows respectfully as well as the rest of the class, of which I return.

"PLUS ULTRA!" They shout.

That one was Damian and Jack's idea, believe it or not. Inspired by that quote I gave the former. It means 'Go beyond'.

I lead the jackal in question to the library, where we can be in relative privacy.

"Okay...so why'd you bring me here?" He asks.

I reach behind me for a bag I was carrying for the day, I pull out a little cloth package and unwrap it to reveal the dark navy-blue book and the axe I took.

I've seen Damian make many expressions after Speak's attack, the eyes of him seeing the book are what take it to the Nth degree.

He slowly seizes the book and weapon from me as I give it to him, beginning to instantly flip through the pages of the former like a madman.

Apparently, this book is so important that he starts to distort his own voice like the time I foiled that anniversary plan.

"Where...in father's name...did you get these...?"

"Got jumped the other day by creatures I'd assume to be demons of this world. Fought em off, they got away through a portal using this, but I took it from them as they did. Figured you'd probably know something about it." I explain as he shrinks back down and his voice goes back to normal.

"Guessing you annihilated them?" He asks with a raised eyebrow, asking from experience.

I shrug my shoulders.

"Relatively. Took this axe as a trophy, so to say."

"What...did they look like?" He asks.

"Well, one was some kind of wolf with a human disguise, and the other 3 were red with horns." I explain.

"Sounds like imps and a hellhound..." He says.

"You know of them, specifically?" I ask.

"Based on your description, they sound like the demons under the jurisdiction of my father's counterpart...imps are the lowest on the hierarchy, the only lower than that being hellhounds."

"Your father has a counterpart?" I ask, slightly confused.

"Hell is bigger than you think. Father can't be everywhere so there's multiple versions/counterparts of him to reign over certain areas." He explains.

"So where would this book originate from?" I ask.

Damian looks back towards the piece of literature...

"Damn...this thing is powerful...so much-wait...this looks like..." He starts to say.

"Like what?" I ask, his eyes lights up as he points to the symbol on the front.

"Wait! I remember now! This is the House of Goetia crest!" He says, smiling.

"I'd guess that's a demon faction down there?" I ask.

"Yeah, a while ago Lord Paimon retired his position as leader to his son, Lord Stolas. It was a whole thing. I think he has a family right now because of it, but things apparently aren't really going so well with him and his wife, Stella. His daughter Octavia is doing alright last I heard...but that news was a while ago...so I'm not sure now..." He says, putting his hand to his chin. "She was actually my playmate and friend when we used to visit, side note. She was nice, very kind, we still message each other sometimes."

"Interesting. So, this belongs to the one named Stolas?" I ask, gesturing to the book.

"Yeah." He confirms.

"What does it do?"

"Well, based on what I'm reading right now." He says, flipping through the pages again. "Lots of portal stuff, spells, other magic, aspects involving manipulation, basic things that Lords of Hell would have access to."

I mentally chuckle at that.

"So should this be returned to Stolas?"

"I guess, but this begs the question...why would something like this be in the hands of Imps? These things are normally reserved and protected by the most secure of security in the hands of Hell's lords...if word got out that this was taken somehow..."

"Regardless of why or how at this point, I doubt they used this to carry out the assassination attempt in his name though..." I say.

"Why?"

"Because the hellhound said that they were threatened to do so by some grey lady with yellow eyes and some armored twins...the yellow eyed one I know. Do you by chance know somebody named Kaycee?" I ask.

"Sounds...familiar...based on that description it sounds like a Chaos deity...but I'm not sure..." He conjects. "What about those 'armored twins' you mentioned?"

"If it's who I think it is...and it more than likely will be...when they show up..." I say as I take the axe from Damian, brandishing it as if I were preparing for a battle whilst I contemplate. "We're going to be in for a Really. Bad. Time..."

Chapter End