The Guard Commander bowed low. He could sense the anger boiling up within the CEO of the Demon Realm. She was angry beyond measure, and it radiated from her in waves of power.
"Your Excellency, we stand ready to battle the invaders. I have recalled our legions to the primary gateroom."
Hild stared at him. Though he dared not look up, he could feel her eyes burning into his soul. His forces had lost more to angelic seals than he had managed to capture. But there was something else, some intensity within the Daimakaicho that whirled around her. The Guard Commander was quite sensitive to her moods.
"You will seal the goddesses and their ilk. My daughter, Urd, shall be treated with all respect due to her station and freed immediately outside our gate entrance. The others I want repulsed, sealed, and traded for our own fallen."
"It will be done, Excellency," he replied. But he felt a cold spike of fear travel down his spine. These goddesses that were coming were formidable and had defeated many demons. He had no illusions about his chances against them.
"And order me a new guardsman from the Fabricators." Hild said flippantly, throwing down a charred guard helmet next to the Guard Commander. "Thankfully they are too low on the chain to be a part of the doublet system, or else we'd probably be in a killing war right now."
The Guard Commander gulped visibly. He, at least, had a doublet. So, he was safe from being outright vaporized. Probably. But the leader of the demons had many inventive torments worse than any death.
"I obey."
"You are dismissed."
What angered her so? He wondered as he rose and backed out of the throne room.
He heard his leader sigh and mutter to herself as he reached the door.
"I really need to get laid."
Time slowed for Keiichi, still trapped in Hild's private lair. Yet this was not entirely unwelcome. He remembered something from before being split, how MotorHead had helped him to tap energy leftover from the goddesses and their antics. The energy had been a trifle to them, but immense power to him.
Dark Angel, come forth. He thought to himself.
A moment passed, and he wondered if she would even obey him.
But then she was there, a beautiful creature of darkness hovering in front of him. Yes, master?
Do you feel it? Keiichi asked her. The energies all around us. Her energy expended and expelled.
Yes… I feel it. Dark Angel said in his mind. Keiichi felt tendrils of his being wrapping around his familiar, embracing her as she moved to collect the residual energies of the Daimakaicho. But it will change you, master. You act as if you don't want to be a demon, as if you don't want to be with her. This will make you more like her.
I know, Keiichi replied, but there is no other way to do what we must do.
The familiar smiled, clearly at peace with the ramifications of what they were doing. And yet, as Keichii watched her, he noticed how she was changing, too. She looked more like Urd's angel than a proper familiar. She was Light and Dark in equal measure. Perhaps even more Light than Dark.
But that will change, master. Soon, we will be with Her. Forever…
Are you a piece of her, or me? Are you a reflection of my soul, or hers?
Yes. The familiar answered cryptically as she continued to gather the energies around the five-sided room. The world flashed around him, and he saw dark tendrils lancing out from his body, growing stronger. He felt power greater than he had ever known, no matter how small it was to Hild. Even his real body didn't feel quite real anymore, as if it was an abstraction of him, not truly him.
The more of her energy you absorb, the less you will be able to resist her, master…
I know, Dark Angel, I know…
Then you accept her offer? Dark Angel turned to smile at him, posing seductively. We will be the envy of all Demonkind.
I intend to make a… counteroffer. Keiichi said. His familiar cocked her head in curiosity. And for that, I need all the energy I can muster.
You would bargain with her?
Why not? Keiichi answered. That's how it works down here, isn't it? Wish for anything! But be prepared to negotiate for it.
Dark Angel blinked, incredulous. She won't let you go so easily. What could you offer her for that?
Keiichi felt a tear running down his face as he thought of Belldandy, out there, fighting for him. Fighting for their future together.
I will offer Hild what she truly wants. Even if it kills me.
Lind's polearm smashed into the Guard Commander's quarterstaff, vibrating with intensity. The demon commander was a fearsome opponent on any day – for Lind had battled him before – but this day he was desperate and furious. Some dark fear permeated his being and Lind could sense it. He fought terribly. In most encounters, Lind held a slight advantage over him, but today they were matched. Perhaps he even held the advantage.
Behind her, Peorth dueled with a trio of lesser guardsmen, and Keiichi was back-to-back with Belldandy, reinforcing her protection screen as other demons swarmed the entry room. Where Urd and Skuld were, she did not know.
The Guard Commander parried Lind's blow and cast a spell pushing Lind all the way to the far wall, energy crackling around her.
"I have you now," he exclaimed, staff twirling in the air for the sealing blow.
Lind braced for it, feeling the sense of failure overwhelm her. But the blow did not come. Mara, now a goddess second class, diverted the staff just enough for it to slam against the wall instead.
"Traitor!" The Guard Commander screamed.
"Whatcha going to do about it?" Mara replied, pushing back the commander with a fire spell.
"I will ruin you. I will kill you! I have no need to worry about the doublet for you! I will kill two gods in one!"
Lind climbed to her feet, worn down, as she watched the pair duel. Mara was new to goddess energy, and only second class now. Yet she fought almost as effectively as a Valkyrie. Urd is right, she was meant to defend, not destroy.
But soon that wouldn't matter. The Guard Commander has been selected by a ruthless, Darwinistic campaign of terror in Hell. He would soon overwhelm her. Lind casually swatted aside a lesser demon and rejoined the fray. Mara was losing ground, now.
Cool Mint and Spear Mint shot out of Lind's body and reinforced the embattled ex-demon, distracting the Guard Commander. Skuld bombs flew out to drive back others. The demonic legions, weakened from the brief attempted invasion of Heaven, were pushed back.
The Guard Commander growled and swatted Cool Mint aside, then Spear Mint. But they gave Lind the time she needed to save Mara. The commander barely parried the next blow from her polearm, and he was pushed back by the force of the blow.
He looked around him and made a quick mental calculation.
"Fallback," he growled at his underlings, staring at Lind with pure hatred in his eyes. "This isn't over."
Lind's normally stoic face cracked a crude smile. It was a strange thing, almost unnatural to her. We will save Keiichi, all of him. She thought to herself. The expression must have unnerved the demon. He shuffled out of the large entrance chamber and slammed the door tight, barring their way. Enchantments covered it.
"Clearly we're going to have to battle for every piece of ground here, this time." Urd said. "No one and done challenges."
"But… but… that's so unfair!" Skuld exclaimed.
"I don't think she cares about fairness." Urd chastised. "This isn't a game this time."
Belldandy looked at Urd, a worried expression on her soft features. "But why were there so few of them to stop us? There must be thousands of demons down here."
Lind answered. "Defense in depth. If they congregate many demons in one place, it is possible an area of effect spell could take out many of them, giving them a disadvantage in the skirmish with Heaven. They don't want to risk that. Whereas battling relatively evenly in every single room, eventually we will tire, and they will seal us. They can afford to give up ground. We can't. They have reserves and can rotate in fresh demons. We don't. I would do the same."
Peorth sat down, exhausted, her energy drained. "And this was just the first room. How many of these do we have to fight through?"
Urd frowned. "It could have changed since last time. But at least six at a minimum. And if we make it there is still… my… moth… Hild to consider."
"I'm beginning to think this was a bad idea." Peorth replied. "A really bad idea."
Keiichi looked to Belldandy, his face fraught with worry. "Bell… we don't need to do this. We can still go back… I don't want to see you hurt or worse to rescue only a part of me!"
Belldandy looked at him, saying nothing.
Urd replied for her. "It's no use, and you know it. How far would you go for her in the same situation?"
"To the end." Keiichi said, his voice heavy with resignation.
"Excellency, they have gained entrance and are holding position at the landing. I have another wave of demons ready to engage if they push forward." The Guard Commander's voice emanated from Hild's communication stone.
The demon leader frowned. "You just let them in without a fight?"
"I have reinforcements coming… I thought is wisest to defend the…"
"SILENCE" Hild's voice was so fearsome, the very foundations of Nifelheim vibrated with rage. "If you can't handle them, then I will handle this myself."
"What are my orders, Excellency?"
Hagal and Thrymr looked at the Daimakaicho with confusion. "My Lady…"
Hild's self-control returned almost as suddenly as it had been lost, and she smiled to Hagal. "Yes, I will need your help. Collect the others and return. We will attack soon."
"We obey, my dark mistress." Hagal answered, dragging Thrymr with her.
The Daimakaicho picked up the communication stone once more. "Commander, you will attack immediately with every demon you can muster. You will not retreat. If you fail me again, your position is forfeit and you will spend eternity contemplating the meaning of woe." The stone clicked silent before the stunned demon could think of a proper reply. Hild cursed silently. She knew the Commander couldn't handle the goddesses – especially that goddess. But the more she could be weakened, the better the chances of victory were.
She breathed in and out, calming herself. The energy coursing through her body threatened to leak out of her seals. Too much is riding on this, she thought. I have invested too much to see it fail now. And Belldandy will never stop hunting me. Of all the Goddesses, she seems the most passive, but under that soft exterior, she borders on single-minded insanity. She truly is the most frightening of her kind. Even her father knows it.
Only when Hagal and Thrmyr were safely out of sight did she allow herself to fall backward onto her throne, lost in melancholy thought. She thought back to that night when she had surprised him. Tyr – the great Kami of Heaven – looked upon her, shocked into submission and silence.
She had cast her spell in that moment, felt his arms around her one last time, realized their passion in a moment that seemed to stretch out into eternity, yet was over all too soon. At the time she had believed her spell on him had been greater than any in the universe, able to fool him at last, as no one ever had.
But I never fooled him. He always knew, didn't he? He wanted me that one last time, too. And not seeing me ever again tore him up as much as…
She slammed her fist down on her throne, nearly cracking the quartz armrest. Self-righteous, sanctimonious asshole… I hate him. I love him, but I hate him. The tears began to flow, and alone upon her throne where no one could see her pain, they flowed freely.
The doors opened once more, and Hild was there. Her seductive aura was gone, and Keiichi felt his own power flowing through him. He stood from the bed, standing before her, staring into her eyes without fear or hesitation.
"Hild."
The demon looked at him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion for a moment. They bore deep into him, sensing the change in him, the darkness building up around him. Then a smile crossed her features.
"You have embraced your nature at last, Keiichi." Hild's grin widened, and she pressed her cheek against her hands, as if the whole thing were something cute and lovely. "Now let us make our contract."
"No." Keiichi said.
"What?" Hild's expression fell for just a moment – a moment so short no mortal could have caught it, but then he wasn't mortal anymore, was he? Then her attitude shifted into one of pride, of admiration and touch of warning. "You are so… delicious, Keiichi. Standing up to me like that."
Keiichi's cast the attack spell without warning, flinging immense demonic energy at the Daimakaicho – at least, immense by his reckoning, whatever they might have been to the great demon leader. Tendrils of higher dimensional power flower around him and he felt his body dancing in a rhythm not unlike when Belldandy sang her spells into existence. The universe had a melody and he channeled it in and through himself and flung it at the demon mistress.
His right hand glowed as the ball of energy slammed into the Daimakaicho… and fizzled out gently after a few moments, but not without leaving a great cloud of shattered, smoking ruin where Hild had stood. When the smoke cleared, he could see Hild in her true form, terrible and majestic, her eyes haunting in a cloud of shadow, her semi-corporeal form seemingly gone. The shadows formed and threw energy back at him, more, even, than he had managed to collect.
Keiichi batted Hild's attack away with his left arm, still caught in the dance, the melody of demonic energy all around him. Hild's energy burned through one wall without stopping, blazing into the infinite darkness before shattering in a mighty explosion. He breathed heavily with the exertion that took out of him, fighting the urge to fall to his knees in exhaustion and barely winning. He stopped the great dance and stood, his right arm still crackling with dark energies, unwavering, as if ready to challenge her once more. Though in truth, it took everything he had to avoid collapsing to the ground.
Hild's form coalesced from the shadows again. "My MY…" she clapped her hands happily. "Now that was truly impressive, my Keiichi. What a fine Consort you will make. I had worried your mortal origins might weaken your demonic form, but I am so happy I was wrong. Our child will be powerful indeed."
"Put me back together, Hild. I don't want to be here, I am not your love, and I will fight you every single day until I win, or I die, or you give back what you took!"
Hild snapped her fingers, and the smoking, ruined room was clear and clean once more, as if their brief spat had never happened at all. Such was the power of the Queen of Hell. She walked up to Keiichi, the ex-mortal still crackling with demonic energy, and pushed him back down onto the bed with one finger, calling his bluff.
"Look at you. All hurt, exhausted from harnessing energies you can barely control. For me, this is just foreplay." Her finger traced down his chest, cutting his clothing away as she did so. "You're mine, Keiichi, and deep down, you know it's true." She sighed in ecstasy, touching him, whispering to him, kissing his body.
Somewhere deep within him, his heart screamed in protest. The rest of him, grown in this place where time had almost no meaning, closed his eyes and let it happen. There was too much demon in him now. That original piece of himself was so small in comparison, so weak. It could mount only feeble protest this time.
Dark Angel smiled within him. Sweet, seductive surrender. Only one other being in history has experienced what we will experience. There is no better in the universe.
In the tiniest corner of his soul, a connection was made to someone else, guilt shattered and transmitted across the bond shared with another, and he screamed a silent scream.
Hild kissed him passionately, and his arms wrapped around her body as her clothing evaporated into nothingness.
That tiny piece cried out, and a single tear traced down his cheek while undeniable pleasure shivered down his spine.
Belldandy… I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…
The demons advanced in numbers, now. And the battle turned from bad to worse.
Before Belldandy, dozens more demons marched into the room. Peorth was already sealed. Mara was passed out, a demon preparing to seal her, too. Urd and Skuld were back-to-back in desperate defense. Lind attacked while Belldandy held the shield intact. Keiichi was exhausted, and MotorHead along with him… Even one more defensive spell was likely to put him to sleep.
It was over, Lind had said. There were too many, and the ferocity of the demonic Guard's unexpected attack was too much for them.
But then this feeling overwhelmed her. A sense of betrayal and hate like she had never known. Belldandy felt as if her soul were being torn from her body in betrayal and shame. The wrongness of it buried into her awareness. She felt Hild touching him, kissing him… taking him from her.
"HILD" She screamed without even realizing she had done it. The power of that scream was so great every demon in the room was blown off their feet. Belldandy's eyes were vacant, glowing intensely, and her power seals completely shattered, slamming to the ground.
The force of the explosion was deafening, and it threw every demon in the room against the wall, or into each other, or just slammed them into the ground over and over. Most demons were knocked out completely. A few of the strongest moaned in terrible agony. The Commander of the Guard leaned on his staff, barely able to stand.
"What… was…"
Belldandy's body rose above the ground, shimmering with energy, and the Commander was tossed aside like paper in a tornado. Yet the goddess wasn't done with him. She picked him up and slammed his body against the wall, again and again. Blood splattered from him. Tears splashed on the ground.
"Bell… stop…" Urd urged. Loving arms wrapped around her. Her Keiichi was behind her, holding her tight.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Her Keiichi repeated, even though he had done nothing. Or, rather, this part of himself had done nothing. The apologies became sobs.
The Guard Commander's unconscious battered body slowly fell to the ground.
Skuld stood in shock, staring off into the next room… filled with moaning demons. All of Hell seemed to cry out in intense pain.
Belldandy collapsed in a heap.
Hild felt it, of course. There wasn't a single resident of Nifelheim who didn't feel that explosion of jealous rage. For a moment, she felt a cold spike of genuine fear, a feeling she hadn't truly felt since she had watched him walk away after the final meeting, knowing…
But then she smiled. She had what she wanted now. All the happiness, all the lost shares, they were recovered in an instant. The wave of divine hatred exploded even out of the Earth gate, carrying with it depression, loss, and betrayal. In one instant she had achieved a great shift in the balance of happiness and negativity.
It had only cost most of her legions getting sealed or thrown into unconsciousness to do it. But not even the mighty enraged Belldandy can pull off something like that twice. We have her now.
She snapped her clothing back into existence, and regarded her Keiichi, asleep on the bed. Oh yes, he's mine now. She felt his surrender, his shuddering ecstasy. Next time, she would be able to conceive with him. She had almost managed it this time, but some small piece of his original soul remained attached to her. It would break next time. And then…
…and then eternity won't be so lonely anymore.
She walked out of the room. Hagal and her special demons were waiting for the attack order. Belldandy's rage had been measured, tested, and weighed. Now victory was assured.
It was time.