NMHA Ch. 72 - Pandemonium Awaits


A/N -

Thinking of starting a new story. To do that though, I'll definitely want to plot it out a bit more. But I think I have something good in mind.

May even try publishing it at some point.

I'll let you all know if I end up making something I think is worthwhile.

If I happen to take even longer than usual for the next chapter, perhaps that's why. ...Not that it was, in this case.

On another note, it's impressive just what sorts of creations fans of a series can create. Recently a song came onto my Spotify that both absolutely slaps and aligns with Luna's and Sirzechs's adversarial relationship better than perhaps any track I've heard yet.

...It also happens to be a fan work of a fan work within the MLP community of all things that showed out of the blue in my Spotify playlist. Crazy how that works out, but that's neither here nor there.

Brief key so everyone is aware of the language used in this chapter.

Quzh - Physical sense

Isaz - Metaphysical sense


The last thing he remembered was the pain of having the Light, twisted though it had become, ripped from his soul, shredded apart like so many had before him. He could feel his very self bleed away, and with it, his sense of such. At the same time, he understood why.

The Light had become distorted because he had. He'd given everything in his pursuit of a passion he knew would never be returned. He let it define him, and as a result, became something... different. Wrong, even.

He still was, he knew. In the end, his only regret was buying into the drivel that the King had spewed. That one day, once He had been overthrown, she too might come to feel the same as he.

He knew better now. A pity that only happened after he died.

Which brought him back to the most poignant point.

He should have been... dead.

No. He was dead. He was sure of it.

So why could he feel the cool, musty stone of a cell floor against his head? And why could he hear the soft, gasping breaths of two women in the cell as well?

...Why could he smell sexual excrement?

Had there been some sort of ritual? Some sort of summoning?

For him?

Impossible, he had been as departed from this realm as a being of his caliber could be, short of True Death itself. His very essence had been Sundered; ripped away and spread across the cosmos, dead in the Isaz and Quzh of all but Death, but she would never have turned on them like that.

And yet, here he was. Back in that oh-so-familiar land that he had spent many years traversing in search of a way out.

He released a low growl, placing a hand (slightly larger than he remembered his being) on the ground to begin rising to his feet. Cursing the thrice-damned pounding in his head that reminded him sorely of his spars (read: deathmatches in all but name) with that despicable puppeteer, he rose to his full height (again, slightly higher than he remembered) to take address of his whereabouts.

As he expected, it was a cell room, cold and damp, and though it hardly affected him, the same could not be said of the two women in the same room, seeking heat in each others' embrace.

Red hair. Crimson like blood. Light brunette- flaxen. They appeared similar in age. But to his Isaz their ages were quite distinct. The redhead had entered human adulthood only recently, while the other bore the age of many centuries.

Not immortals. But long-enough-lived that they may as well be.

There was more. The flaxen-haired noblewoman (if her attire, tattered though it was, was any indicator) bore the same essence as his cruel commander in the War.

The redhead had a similar feel... but her hair reminded him keenly of the harlot and her toys.

Now that he thought about it, the redhead's essense was almost a mix of the harlot and the overlord. A descendant of both, perhaps?

Both were shivering, eyes shut, arms wrapped around themselves and huddled together in the fetal position.

The younger of the two's eyes opened and flicked over to him, before her pupils dilated and she began to hyperventilate.

Was she afraid of him?

Smart girl. But now was not the time to inspire such.

He needed information, and these two women - Cambions? - were at this moment his only possible allies in this situation.

No, fear would not resolve his predicament at all.

He took in a slow breath, then began to hum.

Almost immediately, he could see the effect on the two women. In the face of his solemn, soft tune, their bodies stopped trembling, and slowly - surely - the tension began to leave them.

He continued for a long minute to wear away at the festering fear that he could still feel from the two, before his humming vanished into the still air.

"Be not afraid," he finally said. "I have no reason to wish either of you harm."

"...Ruval...?" the younger of the two tried, almost desperately.

He tilted his head. Ruval? Was that who she thought he was?

It sounded like a name similar to those his offspring chose to take. Ruval... Phenex? The name resonated within him, as though it were a memory forgotten yet still felt.

He lifted a hand to his chin. Curiouser and curiouser.

"Don't be ridiculous, daughter," the now-confirmed mother chided, opening her own eyes to look his way. "That is not Ruval. Have you been slacking in your history studies?"

"But Dio-" The redhead's eyes widened as a spike of fear shot through the air, a snap of Id that should have precipitated a flash of the fell power within her. Yet nothing appeared, and instead she whimpered, her hands rising to her head as the feedback of their prison struck.

"...I do not recall who that is," 'Ruval' said plainly, nose curling in distaste at the many irritants currently bothering him, least of all the fear wafting from the younger woman. "But if the piercing head pains and scent of excrement is what I think they are, then I have a good idea what this 'Dio' may be."

The brunette stared at him for several seconds. He allowed her to gauge him, instead of cowing her into place like most of his kind would have.

Then again, even if his treatment of his own wasn't terrible as, say, Bael, that didn't stop him from receiving the same fate.

The thought nearly brought a smile to his face at the irony of it all. Their punishment was equal where His Creation was not, despite how some deserved their fate far more than others. Apparently his amusement shone through, because the brunette glanced away swiftly.

One does not meet the Firebird's smoldering gaze for long, and expect to walk away unscathed.

Both women were intelligent enough to recognize where they stood before him. That would make things easier going forward.

"I think I understand now. We are in your capable hands... Lord Phenex."

"Mother...?" The redhead looked up, confused. Unsure. Unconfident.

It was a common reaction to encountering the parasite for the first time, especially if he wanted to have his fun. Break their pride. Break their sense of safety. Make them unsure of what is and isn't real. If nothing was safe, not even the sanctity of their own mind, they'd latch onto whatever they could find.

And if the parasite was the one offering that sense of safety, even as the culprit behind breaking it...

"What... that worm... did to us..." The brunette shivered, but her expression was sharp. He clearly hadn't gotten particularly far along with her, if the murderous gleam in her eye was anything to go by. "He will pay. We just need to... trust our ally in this situation."

Very smart woman indeed. And if the parasite really was back, and managed to do so before him?

For the first time in a very long time, he was looking forward to what came next.

He turned to the bars and lifted a hand to them. He ran his fingers down one of the vertical slats of cold iron, eyes narrowing slightly as he felt powdered unicorn dust within the bars.

Just how much did their captors have, if they were willing to create a cell like this? Clearly, they were not willing to take risks with their Devil captives.

But he was no mere Devil.

"Ru- Lord Phenex, your hand-!"

Then he grasped onto the metal firmly, and the bars fell away in a rush of heat, glowing white from the intensity as he stepped over the rapidly-cooling metal. He glanced back at the stunned women, lifting a single brow.

"Mind your step."

And without a further word, he started walking away. He would admit to taking no small amount of pleasure at the gobsmacked expressions he knew he left behind him.

"L-Lord Phenex!"

He paused, then turned back around to see the brunette standing there past the threshold, hands bunched into her tattered dress as she stared at him, but respectfully avoiding eye contact.

Clearly she had something important to say, if she were calling after him.

"The exit seems to be in the other direction."

Ah.

Hm.

This one was worth keeping. Perhaps as an advisor? He supposed it depended on her loyalty to the overlord, or his kind.

He'd need to find someplace to put the daughter, though, if she was going to remain a liability.

"I see." He turned his piercing orange eyes upon the woman who had called to him, dark sclera contrasting sharply to the flames that burned within.

"I do not believe I asked for your name yet. Please enlighten me."

She blinked, and the brief glint of confusion was washed away with calculativeness.

Yes, she'd do quite nicely, at least for the time being.

"Venelana Gremory nee Bael, milord." She curtsied. "Widowed matriarch to the Gremory Pillar."

Widowed. She thought it prudent to make that distinction. She knew the game.

"Ah, a descendant of the overlord, met with the harlot. It is little wonder you and your daughter are graced with exceptional form."

"You flatter us, Lord Phenex," Venelana replied with a small smile.

"H-harlot?" Oh, that seemed to rouse the redhead from her daze. Amusing. Even affected by the parasite's handiwork as she was, stung pride could sharpen the mind.

"Tales of Gremory's conquests and deviancies are likely understated," he answered dryly. "When she wasn't involved in one of her blasphemous studies, your father's ancestor made the Whore of Babylon look like a virgin."

"...Oh." She looked down, with a pinched expression, before shaking her head, as if distracting herself from an errant thought.

"But now is not the time for idle chatter." The Phenex Lord glanced past Venelana, over to the corner. "We must away, before someone discovers the breakout."

"Wait, how did you do that, anyway?" The girl perked back up. "That cell was chock full of anti-Devil enchantments and sealants, and Holy-affiliated materials too-"

She caught herself as he raised his brow. Perhaps she wasn't as useless as he initially inferred. As long as she wasn't trapped in her own thoughts, at least. Just unblooded, then. Untested, perhaps.

That would certainly make it easier for the parasite to do his work. All the more reason to find a place for her to regain her footing.

"I am no Devil," he replied simply, walking past Venelana, now in the correct direction. The other two followed; he was, after all, their best bet at getting out of this mess.

That did not, however, mean he missed the way the Gremory matriarch looked at him. She was already thinking of ways to further her own ambitions of power. Truly, Venelana was a child of the overlord through and through.

Honestly though, who expected that mere cold iron and unicorn dust could dissuade a sufficiently motivated Demon?

Considering the supposed presence of the parasite, either their captor was woefully misinformed or had a most peculiar sense of humor.


"Hello, darkness, my old friend," Luna breathed softly to herself as she stood atop the dusty, unkempt plains. The land around her was arid, hostile, inhospitable even. This was not land touched by Devils in many a year, not ones with the ability to make something of it at least.

"I've come to talk with you again." She could feel the shifting of the Id suffusing this world. She could feel multiple signatures directing their focus on her. One was unfamiliar; one of the Demon Children, she surmised. They wouldn't take a challenge like this unanswered Another was familiar, pulsing with a rage borne of grief that the brunette knew far too well.

"About a vision softly creeping..." One part of her was gleeful that she'd been able to wound him so. He'd gotten away scot-free for far too long. It was about time he got his just desserts.

"That left its seeds while I was sleeping..." The rest of her was a cacophony she couldn't quite make out, save for one overarching emotion: disappointment.

"And the vision that was planted in my brain..." It never had to be this way. If only he'd been less selfish, then they could have still been friends.

"...Still remains..." Luna could still remember the old days clearly. Things had been so different then. Simpler.

She'd just wanted to become stronger then.

"Within the sound..." To do a little bit of good in her corner of the world, and benefit from it too.

She'd been a fool to think that her modest dreams would have ever borne fruit.

"Of silence." The brunette let out a low breath.

"It never had to be this way," she murmured, shaking her head. "Why didn't you just trust me back then?"

"I did." The runes from the teleportation spell fizzled out as the caster stepped through, directly behind the Worldweaver. Risky, but then again she had chosen to not raise a ward to prevent such. "Not many people could have survived what you went through, from the very gala of your introduction all the way to your kidnapping at the hands of the Naberiuss' child."

"We could have solved that gala in so many different ways," Luna replied, a hint of heat entering his voice. "Why did you take the one that would hurt me the most? Betraying my trust, violating my autonomy, and leaving me to... to..."

She didn't finish, shaking her head. She still couldn't understand why Sirzechs would use her, then throw her away without a second thought.

"Do you think that the greatest of us became so without suffering?" the Super Devil replied, softly, dangerously. "That the road to greatness isn't fraught with struggle?"

"I never wanted to be great-"

The redhead laughed. Unlike the normal, warm peals that she knew he could make, this was jagged, sharp, and harsh, much like the land around them. "Don't lie to yourself, Lunarunn. You always wanted to be somebody that others could look up to. You just wrapped it up behind your desire to 'do better'."

She heard him shift behind her. "But really, you aren't so different from anyone else. Not a noble, nor of any exceptional talent. Your only lucky break was Worldweave, and even then you were squandering it on the path you were taking."

Lunarunn rolled her eyes, letting the heat in her chest add a bite to her words. "Like you're one to talk. You came out of the womb with such destructive power that nobody but your own mother could even touch you. You were born with everything."

She turned her head to side-eye the redhead, who stared at her with cold, murderous eyes. She met and returned them in kind. "So what makes you special, huh? What gives you the right to betray me after years of working together? What gives you the right to orchestrate the events that led to the murders of Loedrick and Thelastia?"

He was silent, stoking Luna's ire further.

"Don't bother answering, I already know."

Once more, Sirzechs deigned to not answer, prompting Luna to whirl around with a frustrated growl, facing the Strongest Devil in full. "Rrrgh! Why, Sirzechs!? You let me waste years of my life reaching for a goal you knew, you knew, I'd never be able to accomplish!"

His eyes narrowed. "You had two options to do so; Peerageship, or political marriage. You made it expressly clear that you did not desire the former."

"Oh please, you knew from the start that my autonomy was the one thing I wasn't willing to give up!" She held up her prosthetic arm to the side. "I trusted you. I gave so much of my time to become strong enough to be of use. Why didn't you just talk to me? I accepted when you said I couldn't go to the Young Devil's Gathering. I put my body on the line time and again chasing Strays. Even after the gala, I still tried! I threw away my morals to be the Underworld's bitch."

The Worldweaver summoned Cataclysm Eclipse, jabbing the thumb of her prosthetic arm against the choker that formed as the fell wings spread wide. "And my reward? A fucking collar around my neck! A 'lost' bloodline I just so happened to have? Don't give me that bullshit! That could have been just as easily taken away if I stepped a toe out of line!"

"You seem to have the idea that Zekram and I were on the same page when it came to how to handle your ascent," Sirzechs tilted his head. "For a time, perhaps, I did. Someone with your potential, with a power not seen since Yahweh's passing? Zekram believed you needed to be chained."

His gaze misted over, if only for a moment. "Had it not been at Ajuka's insistence, I would have agreed with Zekram."

"Are you trying to make me feel bad for killing Ajuka?" Luna hissed. "You're a bit late for that. Ajuka made his choice. I gave him the chance to surrender, but he refused to back down. It was either him, or me. I chose him."

And just like that, the misty sentimentality evaporated in the wake of simmering contempt. "It should have been you."

But it wasn't.

"And yet I'm still here. Not so fun when the balance of power is on the other side of the scales, is it?" The brunette smiled, but the upturn of her lips was from a darker sort of satisfaction. "We could sit down and hash this shit out all year and still not get any closer to making up. Your actions led to the death of my parents. I killed your blood brother in one-on-one combat. And now you're here to settle the grudge match you started. I'd say it was nice to talk to you, but unlike you I'm not a liar. So shut your mouth, and take your best shot."

Sirzechs shook his head, closing his eyes. "In case you don't remember, my title is synonymous with the Prince of Lies. But here, and now? Perhaps it would be better to simply be honest."

He doffed his cloak, tossing it to the side as it vanished in a flurry of motes.

Destruction bore down upon the anomaly, a force of nature shattering the earth and rending the sky, a pillar of such overwhelming Id that, despite her best efforts, forced her back one step. Her other wings quickly joined those of her initially-manifested pair, and she immediately squared up.

She knew that she couldn't match it. Not directly, at least. She knew that from the very first day they'd met.

She remembered choking then, unable to breathe in even a fragment of Destruction's true presence. She could still feel the pressure now, threatening to suffocate her.

She met its eyes in defiance all the same.

YOU WILL BE ERADICATED, it seemed to say, its baleful gaze locked in on her, beads of red from within the void. WHEN I AM DONE, THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT OF YOU OR YOURS.

As if in return, her own Id - instead of attempting to match the avatar of Destruction - dispersed itself across Creation, readying itself for the moment to strike.

In that moment, a child of Pride crashed down like a meteor, long black hair snapping wildly as sin and rage ravaged the countryside where the avatar and the anomaly once stood. As the dust clouded the sky, the anomaly and avatar reappeared, arms already blurring forward.

No more words were exchanged. No more words needed to be said.


Falbium Glasya-Labolas frowned as the ground rumbled, glancing over to the Devil who had joined him in the room full of sturdy oak and the fragile vellum laid upon it.

"That is the signal, correct?" he surmised, getting a nod from his copper-haired counterpart.

"It is," they affirmed, fingers dancing as they willed up a magical circle, some form of visual feed. "A massive influx of Id in the old Botis territory. Three signatures; one subtle, two overwhelming. Lord Creuserey, likely Sirzechs, and one more that I am not familiar with, not necessarily in that order."

"Lunarunn, then," Falbium said, lifting a hand to his chin. "A free-for-all between those three will render the surrounding region inhospitable for centuries to come. It's likely Lunarunn chose abandoned territory, far away from civilization, for that reason."

"It is also rather close by," Aesle commented, giving Falbium a pointed look. "I am not one to take such coincidences lightly."

The bald Devil huffed. "If you are searching for a traitor, look elsewhere. Our interests are aligned, and so I have no reason to act against you. I delivered Serafall to the TSF to prove my intentions, after all."

"Yes, and that was most unusual of you," The Marchosias side-eyed the former Satan. "Turning on an old ally just like that? I would expect that sort of behavior from Sirzechs or one of the Demon Children, but it is... unsettling for you to do the same."

"I had to maintain my cover. Serafall and I do not have the same rapport that she and Sirzechs did, and I could not risk her leaking either of our defections." He flicked a hand, releasing the spell he had been holding for some time now. The simple color charm on the hand of each of his squad leaders would vanish, a silent signal to proceed. "If word had gotten out that a Satan had turned on their comrades, much less two, the Underworld would be even more disarray. The only reason there aren't already riots in the streets is because the remaining nobles and their Peerages have kept the abductions silent. Needless havoc is not my goal."

Aesle held up their sheath, lifting the hilt slightly as to view the sheen of their preferred weapon. "A bloodless coup, then?"

"In a sense." Falbium rose from his seat and started walking, casting a brief glamor and privacy ward over them both as Aesle followed him into the hallway. No need to let the servants know- any leak could be devastating. "I sleep easier when I don't have to deal with the stench of spilled vitae."

"And the remaining purebloods?" Aesle queried. "They are liable to fill in the power vacuum left by the Pillars' abduction."

"They won't interfere." He shrugged. "At least, if they have a sense of self-preservation."

"So in other words, that's why you've mobilized your allies in the military?"

Falbium glanced Aesle's way with a wry smirk. "Perhaps. Though even if their Kings are kidnapped, we also have to deal with the Peerages. We have not severed the head of the snake just yet."


"Everyone, thank you for coming on short notice," Grayfia started, looking around at the gathered Peerage. Even Tannin had come, despite Sirzechs having let the Rook be, following the events from a decade and a half ago.

"When the Queen requests our presence, we are obligated to answer," Okita Souji replied, bowing slightly. "I am surprised that Sirzechs-sama is not present for this, given the grim scenario- though given the loss of his brother, I understand."

"Is he still grieving?" Mathers asked Grayfia, to which she shook her head.

"Lord Sirzechs is otherwise preoccupied," she replied. "It appears as though Lunarunn Noname made a challenge to the strongest Devils in the Underworld through a beacon of Id. He has gone forward to settle the feud she created with Ajuka's death."

"So that was what I felt earlier," Tannin rumbled, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "I did not recognize the beacon, though I wondered why I noticed a passing familiarity."

"Then why are we not aiding him?" Mathers, the Peerage's sole Bishop, queried. "Considering what she has done, should we not be well on our way to provide support?"

Grayfia shook her head. "He insisted he go alone. Sirzechs expects that she is operating as bait to pull attention away from another operation, and he knows better than most just how exceptional Lunarunn is at surviving adversarial odds."

What she managed to accomplish despite her setbacks, in all honesty, was nothing short of incredible. If only... but Grayfia knew better than to speculate on 'if only'.

"Yet he cannot allow her challenge to go unanswered either, especially after she killed Ajuka hardly a week earlier," the Bishop crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "His honor, his people, and his very Id would demand retribution for her brazen trespass."

"Indeed," she agreed. "So our goal is instead to lend our aid to Rithe and Shahasa Phenex. They are gathering forces to hunt down the perpetrators of the Assembly Abduction, and considering that the culprit is most likely the True Satan Faction, they will require the additional firepower to bring our Pillars home."

"Considering your previous involvement with them, I will trust your judgment," Beowulf, one of Sirzechs's two Pawns, deferred.

"What about the government proper?" Okita pointed out. "If all our strength is dedicated to advancing, our back is left defenseless. If the Dark Moon's goal is to attack the government while we are assisting in the recovery of the nobility, we may not have a home to return to."

"I understand that, which is why I will be operating as the de facto leader of the Peerage during Sirzechs's absence," Grayfia declared, the other Peerage members glancing at each other. "Each of you has a particular talent for offense or defense, so I will assign you each a task as such. Okita Souji, you will lead the defensive front. Your mobility as a Knight and your previous experience within the Shinsengumi will be crucial for stomping out any attempts to breach our halls."

"Understood, Grayfia-sama," Okita bowed. Satisfied, the Queen turned to Mathers and Tannin.

"Mathers, your Summoning magics will allow a much wider sphere of scouting. Tannin, your firepower will be necessary to break into the TSF's holdings. You two will be assigned to offense, as the eyes and arms respectively."

"Of course. You can count on me," Mathers did the same as Okita, but Tannin was a different story.

The Blazing Meteor Dragon grunted, crossing his arms. "I would much rather assist with defense, but Bova has grown well. He should be able to defend the orchards if push comes to shove."

The silver-haired Queen smiled slightly and bowed. "Thank you for understanding."

"It's not for your or Sirzechs's sake," he replied brusquely, staring down at Grayfia with a pointed glare. "I am only here because this situation threatens my home as well."

She nodded wordlessly. After what was asked of him before, it made sense Tannin would want little to do with the rest of the Peerage.

"Enku, Bahamut, offense. Your abilities are suited for large-scale combat, and like Mathers will be necessary to hold a wide beachhead for the Phenexes to send in their soldiers."

"Ma'am!" Both saluted, and the white-haired Devil turned to the last member of the Peerage, the second Rook.

"Beowulf, you and I will work with Okita." Grayfia met his gaze. "I will coordinate the offense and defense. I want you to stay mobile as well. You have full permission to Promote. Until Sirzechs returns, consider everywhere enemy territory."

The business-suited man nodded, placing a hand on his own breast. "Yes, Ma'am. Any other orders?"

She looked at the others, before shaking her head ever so slightly. "We are dealing with an unknown threat, with unknown capabilities. We thought the Assembly untouchable, until the very bandit leader Lord Phenex warned us of stole the leaders of Hell from their safest keep. We must remain agile, lest we be caught unawares all the same."

"Agreed," Okita nodded. "Then shall we be off?"

"Indeed." A lifted hand signaled the summoning of one, then two portals. "Left for the defenders, right for offensive deployment. I will maintain contact with you all as much as possible. Good luck, and stay on your toes."

Once more, the Peerage of the Crimson Satan saluted, and immediately broke for the portals, passing through one after the other, until only Grayfia was left.

She glanced back out the doorway, expression softening for a brief moment before she turned for the portal.

Another portal opened behind her.

Grayfia hit the ground as her teleportation spell sputtered out, breaking her fall from the sneak attack with a roll, instincts blaring at her as she threw up a barrier against the follow-up. Scintillating lights splashed against the pane before it shattered, though the silver-haired Devil had already retreated to the center of the room.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings before landing on a well-dressed Devil, walking forward without a care in the world, the single braid of his silver hair swaying behind him as he met Grayfia's gaze.

"I must apologize, Sister, for having to put you in this bind," he drawled, though the smile on his face was as far away from apologetic as could be. "But I've spent all this time preparing; I couldn't just let this opportunity slide by!"

"...Euclid," she finally said, expression stony, not showing any indication as to how his attack from behind affected her. She couldn't show weakness, not to him. "How were you able to bypass the wards?"

"Come now, is that really how you mean to greet your brother?" Euclid Lucifuge lifted his arms, smile widening to something more manic. "After so long? Still spellbound by that scarlet faux, I see." His eyes narrowed as he set a finger right where skin gave way to his grin. "I think it's about time we had another heart-to-heart about that."


"If Sirzechs is facing Lunarunn alone, he will have delegated command to his wife." Falbium hummed. "As I understand it, Euclid will be handling Grayfia."

"Ah, that's why I was requested to slice a corner of the wards surrounding the Lucifer manor." Aesle sighed. "Were it not for Valerie, I doubt I would have returned from that particular mission unscathed."

"The Sephiroth Graal wielder," Falbium confirmed, to which the Marchosias nodded. "That makes sense. You two do make for an effective saboteur duo, with her to fool the wards while you cut away at them."

Another shudder wracked the building, the rumbling much deeper. Aesle's eyes narrowed as they slowed to a stop, hand on their sheath, the other on the hilt. "That one was much closer."

Falbium rose as well, brow furrowing as he looked outside. "Have we been compromised?"

The copper-haired Devil's frown deepened as they looked around, eyes sliding shut as they felt the air around them, tasted the Id.

Their eyes opened wide as they lifted an arm to their mouth, breaking into a flurry of coughs as Falbium approached, hands outstretched.

"Aesle, what-" he was stopped by an outstretched hand of the copper-haired Devil.

"Heat- *hack!* Fire. Lots of it. *Kaff kaff-* More than I was prepared for. One of our other locations." Aesle glanced at Falbium again, and the bald Devil could detect genuine unease in the normally-unflappable commander's gaze.

"You recognize it."

"Orobas Estate." The copper-haired Devil's brow creased. "The Id there is... it can't be, can it?"

Falbium's own eyes widened.

Venelana, Rias- Ruval Phenex.

If Aesle was concerned about fiery Id from where those three were kept-

Falbium wasted no time processing it further, creating a teleportation seal for them both.


Issei grimaced as the ground trembled, briefly slowing down to avoid falling on his face as the clash between the titans of the Underworld continued. To think, they were so far away, yet they could still feel the tremors of their battles.

It was like a battle between gods- how could he challenge that, when he was just... him?

'Give it time, Issei,' Ddraig responded to the thought with a harrumph. 'You underestimate how far you've come with my power.'

Time... something that Issei felt was becoming increasingly scarce, even if he tried to ignore that sensation. Every day, something new seemed to go off the rails. First, it was documents from the Church being leaked to every major news organization (and the internet) in horrifying bulk, shortly followed by every other major institution in lockstep. Too many to completely address.

Next, it was politicians 'disappearing' with their misdeeds on full display, the remainder becoming increasingly unnerved. Tragedies like assaults, robberies, and worse were on the rapid rise.

Everyone was attempting to keep the peace, but he could see the big picture. People were scared, and so it was little surprise that protests and riots were also flooding the streets - demanding answers and solutions.

The Dawn Legion's reach was far, it seemed. Many of the better-organized protests he'd seen on the news seemed to push the same sort of ideals the organization itself touted.

Even the news networks themselves weren't safe. Flurries of misconduct reports also hit the internet. Nobody seemed safe, from the most powerful to the most spotless and everything in between.

They certainly seemed to be interested in unveiling the brutality that still existed, and at such a rapid pace that there wasn't even time to get used to the madness. No time to normalize the atrocities.

From so far away, he could still feel the earth shaking in time with each impact.

For a long moment, Issei felt helpless. He was trying so hard to try and keep the peace, but what could he do against such overwhelming odds?

'Kh. I've said it before, but screw everyone else. You are a dragon; tend to your horde, and burn anyone who attempts to desecrate it!'

Issei exhaled, forcing his gaze away, back to the expressions of consternation on Riser and Ravel at his distractedness.

He couldn't let that happen. He had to focus on what he could do. Anything else would be a waste of time and effort.

"So we're going to be raiding old houses?" he asked again, forcing his mind away from the encroaching sense of inadequacy.

Ravel's brow twitched, but she nodded, twin tails bobbing from the motion. "Yes. Though the True Satan Faction was largely expected to be alive following the Civil War, the Old Satan Faction thought it would be enough to let the remnants be. 'Honoring the past by letting it be', they said. Though I do wonder if they were aiding the TSF."

"Perhaps they thought they would be granted positions of power in the returned government," Riser remarked. "Riser does not know, nor care. All that matters is that the TSF would likely have used the extinct houses to host their operations- and so it is time we burn them out after their grave offense."

"Back to being an arrogant piece of fried chicken, I see," Issei snarked.

"T'is only arrogance if Riser's poise is not well-founded," the blond responded haughtily, though Issei didn't miss the way his eyes flicked over to the direction they all knew laid the confrontation between Lunarunn and Sirzechs. Then the insult registered. "Also... fried chicken?"

"Phenex. Phoenix. Fire bird. Fried chicken," Issei belted off quickly, before pushing on. "So why are we walking to the Orobas estate instead of using Georg's Sacred Gear to hit them directly?"

"We don't know what defenses are there," Ravel replied while Riser looked away with a peculiar expression at the 'fried chicken' remark. "If we end up warping right into an ambush, we won't be able to fall back. The Dawn Legion wasn't able to procure emergency escape talismans for this mission on such short notice."

"A convenient excuse, given everything else they've pulled off," Issei muttered, to which Riser nodded in agreement.

"Agreed. Though with the Dark Moon herself drawing away the strongest fighters, that gives us more room to make an impact." He paused, holding a hand for the other two to stop as a communication array sprang to life in front of him. "Yubelluna, you have an update?"

"Affirmative," the voice of Riser's Queen responded through the array, though she seemed short of breath. "We were able to deal with the guards around the estate, though they had some sort of seal that vanished when we dispatched them. Mihae identified them as dead-man's switches."

"Then they were bait," Ravel commented, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice. "They'll know we're coming. Yubel, can you and the others keep the welcome party busy while we circle around back and sneak in?"

There was a long pause before she responded, this time with breathy horror. "...Oh, by the Morningstar... is that... Falbium Asmodeus?"

Ravel and Ruval exchanged wide-eyed looks, while Yubelluna started barking out orders from the other side of the array. "Mihae, Ni, Li, fall back! Xuelan, Siris, cover them! Lord Riser, visual confirmation on Aesle Marchosias and Falbium Asmodeus! They appear to be allied, we must withdraw!"

Falbium? Issei's brow scrunched up. "I thought he was one of the Satans."

"I..." For a moment, shock had taken root, and Issei could see the doubt on the young nobleman's face. "He is. Or, was. It appears we may now know how the Assembly abduction occurred." He cleared his throat and raised his voice. "Confirmed. Get out of there, now. Your lives are more important than any more info you might uncover."

"Understood. They don't seem to be paying us attention, but I'm not going to look that gift horse in the mouth. Everyone, let's get out of here!"

Issei blinked as he heard the beat of wings from the array before it disappeared. That... was not the Riser he expected. The amount of concern he was showing for his Peerage raised his respect for the noble a few notches.

Though if both were given a near-equal amount of concern, then that probably meant a few things

"Is Aesle the Devil that attacked the Assembly?" the brunet asked, to which Riser gave a short nod.

"Given my brother no end of trouble as well beforehand," he expounded. "We must have been encroaching on TSF lands without realizing. Though that makes me wonder..."

"If Falbium and Aesle are both here, we know the Orobas estate has a high-value target," Ravel added, but her brow was drawn together in concern. "But the question is, who or what is that target?"

As if to answer their question, in the distance a pillar of ghostly flame erupted, as though the Orobas estate were home to an exploding mountain, the pillar roaring upward into the sky, as far as Issei could see.

"...That's Ruval, isn't it?" the human guessed.

Neither Phenex answered, and instead both took a step back.

Issei glanced back at them, and noticed that the concern in their eyes had given way to another emotion entirely.

"That... should be Ruval," Riser started, pupils dilated. He didn't seem entirely sure of himself, and his sister wasn't faring much better.

Ravel shook her head and took another step back, this time angling herself to shelter behind the nearest person- in this case, Issei. "But... no, that can't be. Something's wrong, very wrong."

He didn't sense anything. Then again, maybe he wasn't as in-tune to their brother's aura or whatever like they were.

But that didn't stop the chill that went down his spine when he realized that the inhabitant of his Sacred Gear began to growl, the low rumbling only amplifying his unease.

'Ddraig?'

'I know that scent,' the dragon said darkly. 'Ruval's siblings are right to be concerned, that is not their brother, that's-'

Issei's instincts screamed at him, and his heartbeat overrode any further words from Ddraig as he lunged forward and tackled Ravel to the ground, eyes focused not on her but on the barely-visible sheen of wind that passed through the treeline like it wasn't even there... and the nobleman who had not recognized the danger in time.

Phenexes were supposed to be 'immortal'. Blessed with extreme regeneration, to the point that even the weakest of them had a tolerance for combat the same way that the strongest beings did. The only way to defeat them was to run their willpower, their Id, dry.

So Issei's own eyes dilated as blood flew from Riser's mouth, splattering onto the forest floor.

There was no fire to reattach his bisected halves, only his spilled vitae. No other response from the proud Phenex, save a surprised intake of breath.

All there was were the falling trees around them, and even as Issei manifested his Boosted Gear to blow them away, he could not stop Riser Phenex from falling as well.

His body, still split in two, landed on the ground, and laid there, shivering and gasping as his blood fed the grass between waist and torso.

"Wha... wh... R-riser... no, no, brother!" Ravel scrambled out from beneath Issei and ran for her gravely wounded sibling, the brunet doing the same as well, quickly locking eyes with the nobleman.

The glaze of shock had already set in, and he was unresponsive beyond the rapid gasps and beating of his heart. Not unexpected; Ruval just lost the lower half of his body.

Ravel immediately pulled out what appeared to be a phial of some sort of liquid, grabbing Riser's legs and forcing them back up against the slash. She then unstopped the phial and poured it over the wound.

Yet she paled all the same as the Tears hissed, evaporating as they touched Riser's skin with no change to the injury they were used on..

"Why isn't it working...?" she breathed out. "Why isn't it working!? Phenex Tears should be able to reattach severed limbs!"

Issei grimaced, the severity of the situation sinking in. Phenexes were supposedly immortal, right? What if that blade of wind was from some sort of ability that ignored regeneration?

"Marchosias Devils were able to slice through most barriers like they weren't there." Ddraig supplied quickly. "More importantly, their wounds cannot be healed with traditional magic. Not even the healing abilities of the Phenex bloodline works on them."

'Shit. Shit, shit, shit-!' He forced down the feeling of panic. 'Breathe, just focus Issei. You've dealt with amputations before, just remember what Asia did in Sudan.'

"Ravel," Issei said, voice completely flat as he inspected the wound. It was bleeding freely- not good, the cut was so clean Ruval's blood vessels weren't even reacting to the sudden opening they led to. "Can you make ice?"

"What?" Ravel met Issei's gaze, wild and panicked, chest heaving like her brother beneath them. "What is ice going to do about this?!"

"Ravel!" he snapped, releasing part of his own aura, stopping her cold. He locked onto her eyes. "Breathe. I can save Riser, but I need your help. I need ice, two blankets, and a crapton of gauze. Contact the others out of earshot while I'm working on the wound, we need to get him back to a medical facility ASAP, and we don't want to cause your brother any further stress."

Considering the situation, he wasn't sure if Riser would be able to withstand whatever stresses there might be for teleportation. The nobleman needed to be stabilized now.

She swallowed, hard, but nodded, holding a hand over to the side. Ravel winced at the act of creating a diametrically-opposed element, but a small pile of ice appeared next to them after a handful of seconds. Issei nodded as blankets appeared swiftly after, immediately taking one and grabbing Riser's sides, lifting it up to reduce the blood flow and stuffing the blanket beneath. He set the other one on the top half of the nobleman, leaving the wound itself exposed.

He reached over and grabbed the gauze, at which point Ravel stood and hurried off to contact the rest of Ruval's Peerage, and likely the Dawn Legion main camp, too.

As Issei worked on administering first aid, Riser stirred, eyes blearily focusing back in on the brunet covering the wound, reaching for the severed waist to do the same to the other half.

"You're going to be alright," he said with far more confidence than he felt, placing the Boosted Gear against the legs, pulling it closer to Riser. "I think that slash was from that Marchosias person, but you'll be okay."

'Ddraig, what limitations do I have regarding the Boosted Gear's doubling abilities?'

'What do you have in mind?'

'Can I Boost the amount of oxygen in the blood still in Riser's lower half, so they don't die out before it's reattached? And double the blood count itself if too much bleeds out?'

'You could, but there's no guarantee that he will even be able to use anything below again. That slash cut clean through his spine.'

'As long as the limb isn't dead, Asia should be able to reattach and reconnect it. Twilight Healing should be able to fully restore him even if a Phenex Tear can't. It worked for Dad, it should work for Riser too!"

He could keep Riser alive, he was sure of that. He wasn't sure if he could do the same for Riser's lower half, but he was sure as shit going to try.

He had to, after he wasn't able to save him from being wounded in the first place.

"If only I'd been faster. Or more perceptive... I know I could be. I just... I need more time...!"

Ddraig hummed thoughtfully at that, but said nothing to chastise or encourage his host.


Aesle sheathed their blade, sweat dripping down from their face as their foe evaded what should have been a lethal strike. The treeline in the distance had been severed, and yet the fires remained.

No, not remained, but spread, like a poison throughout a person's body, the flames continued to burn across the land, growing stronger and stronger as they fed.

A firestorm erupted around the Marchosias, forcing them to take to the skies lest they be eaten alive. Even then, the only reason they managed to escape unscathed was from the shield that appeared beneath to delay the flood of burning tongues.

Falbium had done the same, sweat beading his brow as he stared at the Orobas mansion, now a hellish ruin from their fell foe's flames.

Almost immediately both were caught in a searing vortex, the wind taken from their wings and bashed against them, dragging them back to the ground, back to the awaiting, ever-hungrier inferno.

As Aesle rose back to their feet, the encroaching fire was dispelled by Falbium's ever-reliable barriers, though the heat remained, sapping energy and liquid alike.

"No luck, it would seem," Falbium muttered, glancing over to Aesle.

"None. Though how in the world did Ruval manifest a fully-powered Demon?" Aesle looked around them, eyes flicking for any sign of the being in question. "Diodora inherited Dantalion's powers and became a Demon, but he isn't Dantalion. How is this possible?"

Falbium grimaced. He had a couple ideas, but nothing concrete. "I think we have more pressing matters to address."

"Indeed you do." From the fire, the being in question appeared. Though he looked visually indistinct from Ruval in terms of base appearance, there were three things that stood out. First were the pair of horns, composed entirely of the same ghostly embers that surrounded them. Then there were the glowing orange eyes in black sclera. But the most telling sign that the being they faced was not the same Ruval which had been imprisoned was the shattered halo around his head, glowing an ethereal blue.

"Honestly," Phenex drawled. "I was expecting more from our spawn. Even if you were incapable of reaching our might, I expected that you would at least be able to put up a fight." He tilted his head and clicked his tongue, lifting a single brow. "So far, your performance has been... disappointing."

Aesle and Falbium grimaced as the heat around them intensified, responding in kind with the Demon's comment. "The world has not been the same since the Demons died, Phenex," Falbium said slowly. "And so we have changed."

"Clearly. I would not have expected those we sired to have become so... pitiful. Honestly, to revive the worm before myself?" The blond scoffed. "I find my disappointment growing further with each passing discovery."

"It was Rizevim Lucifer who performed the ritual for one of ours to inherit Dantalion's power," Aesle responded, though it was with a grimace.

Phenex tilted his head, brow furrowing. "Who is this Rizevim you speak of?"

"...The child of Lucifer." Aesle said after a moment of pause. "The first Devil to bear his heritage."

"Then he must have been spawned after our deaths. A contingency perhaps," he waved it off. "Regardless, it seems our experiments in creating life were flawed from the beginning, if even the creation of our leader were to stoop so low."

Aesle and Falbium deepened their stances as Phenex lifted his arms, tutting aloud.

"Ah, to think that our kin would dare raise arms against one such as myself. You knew from the very moment you saw me that I was no mere Devil, and yet you still attacked." His head tilted to the other side, glowing ember eyes scrutinizing them like the Firebird he was. "I am not without mercy, however. Kneel before me now. Prostrate yourselves for your indiscretion, and I will gladly accept you as part of my flock, as I have with the descendant of the overlord and her daughter."

Falbium blinked. "Venelana and Rias?" Had they managed to secure relative safety under Phenex? How, exactly? Or was Phenex hedging his bets by using them as potential hostages?

"Yes, them. Why the surprise?" the Demon smirked. "I am far from the ravening beast history has portrayed me as. But then, history was always written by the victors."

Falbium glanced over to Aesle, whose own golden gaze glinted back. Just by those words alone, Phenex had driven him into a corner. He was no longer allied to Sirzechs, not after his actions thus far, but he wasn't so far gone as to be willing to let the Demon hurt Rias and Venelana - or worse.

And yet... what would the point be for trying to fight for change, if all he does in turn is bend knee to the old way, the old regime?

Then again, history was written by the victors. The Demons were tyrants, yes, but how much of that was fact, and how much was embellished?

It made logical sense to surrender. Falbium was a Satan, but he was no Demon, and his specialty wouldn't do much good when Phenex didn't need to strike at him to win. It would also get him access to Rias and Venelana, so he could get them away from Phenex. A Devil could not defy a Demon, after all.

But what would that concession cost? Demons were notorious for their specific wording, and he said nothing about evading 'punishment' if they surrendered.

"I am waiting," Phenex drawled, ember eyes flicking between Falbium and Aesle. "Make your choice. Now."

Falbium might be a Devil himself. But he was also a Satan. A leader of people. A military commander. If he could not see a way to beat Phenex, then the best option they had was...

Wait, why was Aesle lowering to the ground?

His eyes widened to the copper-haired Devil, who had lowered themselves to a kneeling position, sword buried blade-first into the ground, hand on the pommel, head lowered.

"Very well. I bend my knee to thee, Lord Phenex, Marquese of Hell. My blade is yours."

'Is he trying to get in close?' It was an abrupt about-face, for certain. What was the Marchosias planning?

"That's better." Phenex smiled knowingly, as though Aesle's surrender was a foregone conclusion. His eyes turned to the bald Satan once more, brightening with promised fire. "You could learn a thing or two from your contemporary."

That was the only warning Falbium got before the tongues from all sides converged upon him, and he had to throw all his plans to the wayside.


As Falbium shot skyward with a speed that betrayed his usual indolent nature, the wind itself raced after him, with flames in hot pursuit. While Phenex could have just smacked the upstart Devil down once again, that just seemed... anticlimactic. Especially since his ally in this fight had effectively turned against him. Or at the very least would not continue to fight.

The 'Satan' had no choice but to retreat, that was all but guaranteed.

He would let the Devil flee, and spread word that the Demons had returned. Phenex wondered what legends of their deeds would have perpetuated to this time. Certainly, he'd be keen to learn once all this hullabaloo was resolved.

The ember eyes of the Demon fixated on the kneeling soldier - the one who knew their place. Supposedly. The about-face was more than a little suspicious.

He walked up to the copper-haired Devil, taking the moment of peace to inspect them more closely.

Eh? What was this? This was...

"Fascinating," Phenex breathed, a growing grin on his face. "You aren't just any ordinary Devil, are you?"

"...Your perceptiveness is as sharp as ever, Lord Phenex," Aesle replied simply. "No, I cannot say that I am."

"The Sephiroth Graal?"

Aesle looked up in surprise. "You know of the Sacred Gears?"

"They came into being shortly before my essence was Sundered, when our behavior as a whole was at its most... distasteful," Phenex replied glibly. "It was Father's response to our unbound misanthropy that birthed the Sacred Gears, including the same one that apparently played a large part in creating you."

The copper-haired Devil frowned at the final remark.

"Would you consider yourself a misanthrope, milord?"

Phenex lifted a brow, tilting his head to the side.

"I cannot say for certain," he replied. "Father was always insistent that humans would grow into something beyond us, but I never saw it. Yet my eyes were for something else entirely, so perhaps I missed what He did not. I cannot say I have any love for humans, but I do not hate them either. I am merely ambivalent to their existence."

"I see." Aesle breathed out a soft sigh. "I believe that is something you and Lord Lucifer have in common, then."

"Ah, you mean the child of such. Yes, I would like to speak to him eventually..." He trailed off, looking to the side.

"Milord?"

"...Speaking of humanity, I do believe my flames have brushed against one. But not entirely human. Dragonling? No- Another Sacred Gear wielder." Phenex's eyes narrowed. "Treating... one of my blood."

Aesle's eyes widened fractionally as Phenex's gaze honed in on him once more, the Firebird's pupils dilated.

"Your blade is impressive, to reach that far," he said, almost casually, but the heat surrounding the copper-haired Devil intensified. "Yet you have gravely wounded one of my own. That... is unacceptable. Be still, and accept your punishment."

The flames jumped at Aesle, and unlike Falbium, the copper-haired Devil made no attempt to flee. Not that they could, following a point-blank Command.

He turned away, expression thunderous, as the screams of the burning Devil shrieked out from behind him.

"You will survive," Phenex declared. "But only because I am aware of your lack of intention of striking at my own as such, even if you meant to take me off-guard right here. Next time, I will not leave so much as your ashes."

Then he vanished among the fires of the burning manor.


Issei wiped the sweat off his brow, grimacing as the heat around them seemed to intensify. Ravel was doing a good job using her own flames to keep the ghostly conflagration at bay, but it certainly wasn't comfortable for the Holy-Grail-optimized human.

Not that he could complain. He'd signed up for this. That, and there was someone else who needed his attention far more than he needed to gripe.

Though that was starting to change. Riser's hyperventilation had begun to taper off, and Issei was getting a hang on when to Boost the Devil's vitals. The lower half, the one separated from his other organs, was a much different story.

"Ravel, ETA on evac?" he called over to the twin-tailed Phenex, who grimaced.

"Normally they'd be here now, but I think this fire is keeping them at bay," Ravel explained, her own expression pinched as she had to fend off a lunge of flames seeking to consume them. "Ruval's flames aren't usually this... aggressive. I just hope the others weren't caught by the spread."

Issei bit his lip as he looked between Riser and the Phenex's severed waist. While he was able to keep up the oxygen levels and the blood count at decent enough levels to prevent it from running out of air, carbon dioxide buildup wasn't something he could keep at bay like he could asphyxiation. Sure, he could double Riser's CO2 tolerance over and over, but eventually those Transferred Boosts would overwhelm the body part and kill it anyway.

They were running out of time.

A wave of heat, greater still than what he was already struggling with, washed over the trio, and all three fell still as a presence made itself known.

Ancient.

Overwhelming.

Vast.

Dangerous.

Wrong.

Issei's head started pounding furiously as a man stepped out of the fire, arms behind his back, flaming horns and shattered blue halo shining brightly as he gazed at Ravel, then Riser, then the young man himself.

The hairs on the back of his neck shot up immediately, and the pounding in his head intensified to a nearly agonizing degree. Issei had to force his eyes back down to Riser, lest the pain become too much for him to bear and keep rendering aid to the fallen Phenex.

Though if the way Ravel's knees hit the ground was any indication, Riser wasn't the only one who had collapsed.

And yet, the flames around them stopped advancing, as though held at bay by the being in front of them.

"A human in Hell? How peculiar," the newcomer spoke casually. "And aiding my kin, at that? More peculiar still. Tell me, blood of mine, how did this come to be?"

Issei opened his mouth to answer, but Ravel beat him to the punch, though her words felt flat, as though coerced out of her. "Issei Hyoudou was brought forth by an allied paramilitary organization called the 'Dawn Legion'. They believed he would be a useful asset in recovering Riser and my brother, Ruval, as well as the other Devils kidnapped by the True Satan Faction." She swallowed, hard, and continued, voice regaining some of its prior color. "But you're not Ruval... are you?"

"He and I are not the same," he replied as he lifted an arm as though to inspect it. "Though this is the second group of individuals to refer to me by that name. I believe that I may have... acquired this body, after he was psychologically ravaged by an old enemy of mine." Issei and Ravel exchanged concerned looks over what 'Not-Ruval' said. "Still... 'True Satan Faction'? That may explain why I was imprisoned with the descendant of Bael and her daughter."

That got Issei's attention. "Rias? She's here?"

"Obviously not," Phenex scoffed. "But if this Rias girl you speak of is the redhead, they are currently sheltered within the flames that have laid claim to the manor I arrived from. Regardless, do not speak unless spoken to, human."

The brunet grimaced, Boosting the blood count in Riser's body again as the blond groaned from the sudden influx of oxygen. He took offense to that last comment in particular, but they were in no place to push the topic.

Still, Rias was here too? Issei wasn't sure whether or not to be relieved, frustrated, or concerned.

"Though, you ignite my curiosity all the same," the Demon continued. "How do you know the descendant of Bael and Gremory?"

"I went to school with her, briefly," he replied snippily. "We also have a Lishanian Pact."

"A Lishanian Pact?" Phenex seemed genuinely surprised at that, taking several seconds to look at Issei closely. He forced himself to ignore how that gaze made him feel completely naked, utterly exposed to the Demon's gaze. "My, it seems that girl has more depth to her ability than she lets on."

Then the Demon tutted, the surprise turning to disappointment. "A mutual defense Pact? Is that truly it? Pah, and here I thought you were her thrall."

"I value my independence a bit too much for that, thanks," Issei fired back, a surge of defensiveness rising up within him.

"Of course, of course," Phenex didn't sound convinced, but he seemed willing to drop the subject. "As the host to Ddraig, it makes sense you would value your independence. How is that overgrown newt doing, anyway?"

"Better than you over the past millennia, you blasted obsessive seagull," Ddraig growled aloud, getting a start out of Ravel. "Personally, I would have preferred it to stay that way."

"H-he can talk?!" the twin-tailed girl stammered briefly.

"Of course I can talk," the dragon harrumphed. "I just didn't find any of you worth talking to."

"You... ingrate!" Ravel stomped her foot with puffed cheeks. If the situation wasn't so dire, Issei would have found it cute. "Apologize!"

"Are you challenging a Dragon? You should know better than to do that," Ddraig taunted, to which Issei interrupted.

"Hey, we can argue later. Right now Riser needs medical attention of the non-magical kind. Phenex, or whoever you are, can you travel with other people within that fire of yours?"

Once more the heat ratcheted up, and Issei felt uncomfortably sweaty under Phenex's glare. "Do not presume to speak with me of my abilities. I will do what I feel is necessary to render aid to my blood. You have done well to sustain him thus far, dragonling, now I will handle the rest. Consider yourself lucky I am in a good mood. Others have been punished for less."

Once more, Issei was tempted to snap back, but this time Ddraig cut in. 'Brat, don't antagonize him further. Phenex will annihilate you if you keep this up.'

'He's that dangerous?' Issei prompted, to which Ddraig groaned.

'Brat, you feel his presence! He is a Demon, in a prime body to channel his power. There is a reason Demons are still feared millennia after their passing! You are no fool, so bite your tongue before you prove me wrong!'

As harsh as Ddraig's words were, he had a point, and Issei chose to follow the Dragon's wisdom and lower his voice instead.

"Okay. There is a base camp that Ravel could guide you to. Someone is there who could treat Riser better than I can," he chose his words carefully. "Alternatively, Riser's Peerage should be on their way. They could teleport him to that same camp."

"So those are the Devils combatting my flames that felt like kin, but not," Phenex murmured. "Very well. I will allow them through. They are persistent, if nothing else. If they are chosen by my kin, I will let them handle him, and free my hands for more... impactful action."

The way he looked in the direction of the brawl between Luna, Sirzechs, and some third entity made Issei pause. He wasn't sure what a Demon would do in that sort of brawl, but he was sure that it probably wouldn't be good.

"Lord Phenex! Lord Riser! Oh, sweet Morningstar-" someone called in the distance, and landed quickly, running up to the bisected Phenex. Normally Issei would take a second to stare and marvel at the numerous beauties that had landed and ran up to them, but the shock and anguish on their faces, especially the purple-haired one, was enough to stop him cold.

He'd pushed his luck enough. Especially in Phenex's presence, he was not willing to make a fool of himself.

"He's stable for now," Issei focused on the task at hand. "But after I Transfer more oxygen to his legs, he'll have about five more minutes before they die. You need to get to the base camp, and get to Asia by then, or else your King is going to stay an amputee."

Yubelluna's hands raised to her mouth, but lowered them and gave a firm nod. "I will begin setting up the teleportation circle. Mihae, please assist me, we don't have much time."

The Bishop nodded, and the two set to work setting up the teleportation spell. Phenex watched impassively, before turning away and spreading one, two, three- six pairs of ghostly white wings of fire.

"If my kin is to remain lame for the rest of his life, the only one of you who will survive is his sister."

Without another word, Phenex vanished, though Issei could see what appeared to be a comet shooting across the sky momentarily. Then it was gone.

"R-right," Ravel stammered briefly, shaking off the weight of Phenex's presence as the fires around them began to die down. "We need to hurry! Issei, I-"

"It's okay," he nodded at her. "You can stay with Riser. I'll go get Rias and Lady Gremory. If nothing else, I can escort them back to safety."

Ravel paused, before nodding back, expression firming as she nodded. A glance over to Yubelluna and Mihae, then to Riser, she knelt down and picked up the Phenex's top half of his body.

"R-Ravel...?" he murmured, half-conscious.

"We're heading back," she said.

"B-but..."

"Just rest, brother. Please."

The teleportation array started glimmering, at which point the Peerage began to hurry through, sparing no shortage of concerned looks at their wounded King.

Issei Boosted the oxygen to Riser's legs once more before the half-masked Rook took them off his hands and hurried after the others.

But even as he did, a dark thought crossed his mind.

'...How am I ever going to be strong enough?'

This time, Ddraig didn't respond to Issei at all.


Rizevim paused in the middle of his walk and turned to watch a comet fly by, high in the sky, in the direction of the brawl between Sirzechs, Lunarunn, and Creuserey. He lifted a hand to his chin, taking a long moment before identifying what he felt.

"Oh?" His smile, ever-present these days, grew wider still. "That should be... impossible. Ahahaha, you really are making things exciting again, Lunarunn. Your ripples continue to spread."

For the first time in a very long time, he was looking forward to what came next.

He turned back around and continued walking, paying no heed to the trail of bloodstains and unrecognizable lumps of flesh he left behind as he walked into the Dawn Legion's base camp.

Rizevim himself was spotless.


A/N -

I bet you've got questions. Like how Phenex woke up when Ruval was, in his words, 'psychologically ravaged' by Diodora Dantalion-Astaroth.

Well, I've got answers. But you'll need to figure them out in the future chapters.

Tempura Wizard, out.