~Madness of Realities~

Rias found herself in the Rating Game dimension, the green, otherworldly aurora spread across the artificial sky, much like the realm where she fought Riser in the said game. Within the dimension she was surrounded, all alone facing an army of demons and fallen angels, who to her shock are fighting in unison against her. The traitor Riser Phenex stood in front of her, his arms folded while having that arrogant smirk on his face that never ceased to make her blood boil. Above the traitor was Kokabiel, flying above Riser and the demons, wielding the merged Excalibur sword that he used against War in their fight.

The demons and fallen angels charged at Rias, prompting the devil to spring her wings and fly in the sky, shooting one Destruction Blast after another as she ducked and weaved their attacks airborne. After a while, Riser and Kokabiel charged at her. Kokabiel swung his blade at Rias, with the devil dashing backwards to avoid the sword, but it was followed by Riser appearing behind her and kicking her hard in the back, sending her flying and crashing on the ground. Almost an instant did Riser and Kokabiel appeared in front of her, with her lying helpless on the ground.

"Check mate." Riser said arrogantly with folded arms as Kokabiel raised his sword again, ready to cleave her in two.

However, before the blow can be dealt, both Riser and Kokabiel have suddenly been cleaved in two through their waists, their split body parts crumpling lifelessly on the ground and burning into nothingness. Rias opened her eyes, and they widened in surprise when she saw a familiar face.

"Fear not Rias. You do not fight alone." War proclaimed before he turned his attention to the army in front of him.

With an incredible speed and brutality, War slaughtered the demonic and fallen angel army, to Rias' sheer astonishment. While the rest of the wretches ran off, War sheathed his Chaoseater and approached the devil.

"The fight is over." War said simply.

"War. Thank you for saving me." Rias smiled gratefully.

"Gratitude is needless, i will always come to aid you." War said stoically.

To her added surprise and shock however, War picked her up effortlessly and held her in his arms bridal style, making her blush at the act. Ruin approached behind War, prompting the rider to mount his steed and place Rias in front of him, with her now sitting like a princess.

"Now, we ride." War said.

Ruin reared up and kneed loudly, prompting Rias to grab onto War's chiseled chest and hug him tightly. In an eyeblink they have already reached their destination, which appeared to be a familiar, grassy field overlooking the valley below, with the sun setting behind the hills on the horizon. It was the same location where she and War conversed the night before the Rating Game against Riser. War and Rias dismounted from Ruin before they both gazed at the setting sun. Or so she thought as War, for some reason, kneeled in front of the devil and fixed his eyes on hers.

"War? What is it?" Rias asked curiously.

"For the first time in countless centuries, i feel enamored of someone's beauty. Your beauty." War confessed in usual stoic, yet softer tone, while Rias couldn't help but blush in shock at the flattery.

To add to the shock, War gently grabbed her chin and right cheek, almost as if he was about to kiss her.

"And i feel like i have not given you a proper reward, for all your efforts to prove your devotion to me." War said as he grabbed her blazer and shirt with his left hand and ripped them all from her chest.

Before Rias could even comprehend what happened, she stood naked in front of him, allowing her large breasts to bounce freely and making her blush at the sudden disappearance of her clothes. What made her face redder than tomato however is that out of the blue, War was naked as well, having nothing but a towel around his waist.

"The time has to come for you to be rewarded in a way that you always desired." War said as his face inched closer to Rias'.

"War." Rias said, almost in a trance as she started to give in to his advances and close her eyes.

"Rias? Rias? Rias."


Her name was called out repeatedly by another voice, the reality around her blurring into nothingness. Another instant later she would find herself in her room, lying in her bed, with another familiar, friendlier face standing next to her with a smile.

"Time to wake up Rias."

That face was Akeno as she smiled at her friend, while topless Rias in her underwear stood up from her bed.

"You had a dream about War, have you? My my, he must have left quite an impact on you during your training with him." Akeno smiled in tease.

"I wish it was the impact i wanted." Rias sighed a bit in disappointment.

"Sorry to break you from your wet dream president, but we need to discuss the plans for the Rating Game ahead." Akeno smiled.

"Of course. I'll be out in a minute. Wait for me with the rest." Rias smiled to her best friend.

"As you wish." Akeno bowed respectfully before she left the room.

When she did, Rias' smile disappeared as she pondered on that singular moment in her dream. On the moment with War staring at her with a look of desire on his stoic face. But as soon as that image came, she shook her head to erase it from her mind.

"Girl, what are you thinking? That's never gonna happen. Never." Rias thought adamantly.

Rias then couldn't help but sigh and groan a bit in almost childish sadness as she plopped on her bed, due to how reality can be such an utter disappointment at times. It's no use daydreaming about any sort of sexy time with War, because every single lecherous thought that comes to mind always has a grimdark ending, given the rider's personality. It's a miracle in and of itself that he tolerates them to begin with, since his resentment towards the demons and their descendants couldn't be more apparent even if he tried.


A week passed since Loki had been dealt with by War and Strife, along with Wrath by Death and Fury. Nothing eventful happened during that time, until this day. Currently, Grayfia arrived to meet with War and Strife away from the Gremory estate somewhere in the wilderness, to inform them of an event that is about to occur.

"A Rating Game?" War asked bitterly.

"Yes. More specifically it is a tournament designed to test and rank the power of the next generation of devils. It was supposed to be held not long after the faction meeting, but it was delayed after Loki attacked." Grayfia said formally.

"By slapping their hands at each other in glorified exhibition matches?" Strife asked snidely. "Don't you think the best way to gauge their power is fighting demons that are no doubt mincing your people to bits? It would be two birds with one stone as i can see it." He proposed.

"Agreed." War said simply.

"Unfortunately my master does not, and insisted that Lady Rias and her peerage battle in the safe seclusion of the Rating Game dimension. Lady Rias is set to fight Diodora Astaroth in the upcoming match, she insisted that you spectate their battle to come." Grayfia said, maintaining her formal tone.

"This is precisely why your enemies continue to devastate your territories. Instead of using the power they possess to kill demons and renegades besetting your borders and killing your people, you would have them parade in the arena to fight for your entertainment." War said sternly.

"Despite their power and ability that they attained under your wing, they are still very young, some yet to pass even two decades of lifespan. The hopes for future generations of devils lie with them, along with many other young devils in respective households. To achieve that future, they must continue to live." Grayfia said in more serious tone.

"If they do not take a fight to your enemies, there will be no future for your kind. Then all your efforts to preserve the future generation would be for nothing." War said sternly.

"All the same, the decision has been made. I am here merely to relay the message from my master Sirzechs. The choice is yours on whether you wish to attend Lady Rias' match." Grayfia said formally, bowing her head slightly and closing her eyes in respect before she teleported back to the estate, leaving the horsemen alone.

"These devils and their accursed games." War hissed in frustration as he turned around and started to march, followed by Strife.

"Annoying isn't it? All that training just so they can earn themselves another badge of bragging rights." Strife said in laidback manner before he looked at his brother. "So, you plan on spectating that fight too?"

"Absolutely not. I have squandered enough of time with their meaningless brawls." War said sternly.

"How do you know that there won't be another black goo monster on the horizon?" Strife asked curiously.

"At this point Strife, i do not care in the slightest. We have our own mission to fulfill, and this time i will not tolerate any distractions." War said adamantly.

"Duly noted." Strife said casually, not having any legit reason to argue with War on the matter.


Later that day, true to his word, both War and Strife were absent from the proceedings occurring in Rias' Rating Game against Diodora Astaroth. But as is now the apparent pattern, this Rating Game did not go as intended either. With no horseman to intervene in his plans, Diodora betrayed the Gremory Team to the Khaos Brigade, the devil renegades ambushing the young fighters, allowing him to retreat with Asia in tow to his home base and prepare his defenses. However, thanks to War's and Death's training, the Gremory devils were able to easily dispatch the soldiers and immediately chase after Diodora.

But the traitor in question was not the only one who set up an ambush. In secret, Sirzechs and Azazel have sprung on the unsuspecting devils from the Khaos Brigade, even managing to eliminate one of the deposed devils from the Old Satan Faction, Creuserey Asmodeus. Diodora's fighters didn't do any better as they were easily beaten, reaching Diodora in his throne room and bullying him into submission. But things quickly turned to worst as Shalba Beelzebub appeared, sentencing Asia to certain death by sending her to the Dimensional Gap, and outright executing Diodora. But with that act, Issei's blood boiled with anger, his rage and fury so intense that he unwittingly utilized the form that Vali used against Death, the Juggernaut Drive. With this ascended form of Balance Breaker, he managed to kill Shalba with a single, powerful blast of energy.

But Issei's rampage didn't stop there. In fact, it had only just begun.


Far away from the battlefield, War and Strife paid a visit to Azrael in Stormkeep, and are having a conversation with him in his study atop the Crimson Spire.

"You would be pleased to know that Death and Fury have defeated Wrath at Lostlight." Azrael informed formally.

"Are you certain of this archangel?" War asked inquisitively.

"Certain as ever War." Azrael confirmed formally.

"Nice, i knew those two could handle the Sins on their own." Strife said lightheartedly.

"You may celebrate after we deal with all seven of the Sins brother. Until that day, we need to stay vigilant to their whereabouts at any moment." War said sternly.

"You really need to learn to cheer up, even beating one of the Seven is a cause for celebration as any." Strife said in laidback tone.

"I'm inclined to agree with War. Until all of them had been defeated, the realms across Creation will not know peace." Azrael warned.

"Both of you are lost causes." Strife sighed and grunted a bit in annoyance, always a chip on the shoulder with these two.

"Lord Azrael!" An angel soldier suddenly called out from the entrance and quickly approached the trio. "I bring word from King Sirzechs of the Gremory devils." He said as he saluted the archangel.

"Speak." Azrael said.

"Rias Gremory's pawn, the one named Issei Hyoudou, had transformed into a large dragon and started rampaging across the territory. He requests the aid of the horsemen in this matter." The soldier said formally.

"The incompetence of these devils never ceases to annoy me." War said in frustration.

"The boob enjoyer going off the deep end? That's worth a check." Strife said curiously before he headed towards the doors.

"Where do you think you're going Strife? We have more pressing matters to attend to." War called out sternly.

"You go on ahead War, I'll join you after the show is over." Strife waved his hand nonchalantly as he continued to make his way towards the doors, eventually leaving the room and out of sight of the two.

"I believe it would be wise to join Strife. The power of the Red Dragon Emperor is not to be ignored." Azrael advised.

War looked at the archangel for a moment, before in the next he relented as he followed after his brother. Best to keep an eye on him should he decide to blow the head off of the only devil that may be of use with his Sacred Gear.

"Had Death killed those devils, we would not had this distraction to begin with." War thought bitterly as he marched outside the room.


Back to the battlefield, Rias conjured a protective barrier in front of her, reinforced by Kiba's swords to protect themselves from Issei's onslaught, while the devil pawn continued to shoot red energy blasts and beams in all directions, tearing apart the landscape in rage and agony.

"What are we going to do? We can't even get near without him tearing us apart as well." Karlamine gritted her teeth in anger and helplessness.

"I wish i knew." Rias said as she frowned sadly, at how her dear servant had plummeted so low to blind rage and suffering.

All the devils were then on alert as behind them all, a silver magic circle formed. From the circle, Grayfia, War and Strife materialized.

"War? Strife?" Rias said in surprise.

Grayfia bowed her head to Rias before she teleported away from the field.

"Thank goodness you're here." Rias smiled as she sighed in relief.

"Report Gremory." War said in usual, serious tone.

The atmosphere immediately soured for the devils. No use being cheerful with War around, though this time it wasn't without reason.

"Of course." Rias said before she looked back at Issei far below. "One of the devils of the Khaos Brigade, Shalba Beelzebub, had sent Asia to the Dimensional Gap. That prompted Issei to be fueled to such levels of rage that it triggered not only his Balance Breaker, but this form as well." She said in serious, yet worried tone.

"The Juggernaut Drive." War said, remembering Vali utilizing the same form against Death in their one sided bout.

"Yes. Now his power has increased so much we can't even get close to him, merely approaching him will kill us." Rias said seriously as she watched Issei continuing to rampage.

"Very well. I will end this." War said as he was about to leap towards the transformed devil pawn.

"Stay put War, i know just how to pacify the kid." Strife said in laidback tone as he grabbed his brother's shoulder.

"The boy is using his life force to maintain that form brother. Make sure you end this quickly." War said seriously.

"Noted." Strife said nonchalantly before he glanced at the devils. "You kids stay here and enjoy the show." He waved them before he dashed high in the air, before soon plummeting down like a bullet towards Issei.

"Do you think he'll be able to bring Issei back to normal?" Akeno asked worryingly.

"He will, so long as he doesn't kill him." War said bluntly in usual, serious tone.

That didn't lift their spirits in the slightest as Rias, Akeno, Kiba and Gasper gasped in worry, while Karlamine, Isabela and Yubelluna had their eyes widen in shock. They were not as attached to Issei as the Gremory devils, but they certainly wouldn't want him to die a gruesome death, despite being an unbearable pervert.

Down on the battlefield, Strife landed hard in front of the dragon, while Issei continued to roar endlessly in fury and agony.

"Hey! Dragon boy!" Strife called out, drawing the mad pawn's attention. "How about you drop out of that suit and grab some tits back with the Gremories?! You know, pafu pafu and all that!" He called out lightheartedly, even gesturing his hands in motorboating fashion.

That didn't had much effect as Issei growled like a beast before he started to charge a mouth beam.

"I guess that's a no." Strife said casually before Issei fired a mouth blast, prompting Strife to dash sideways.

Issei in his berserk state attacked Strife as he fired one energy beam after another, along with a volley of energy balls aimed at the horseman. The rider, with his incredible speed and agility managed to avoid one energy attack after another, but in a burst of surprising speed from Issei, he managed to chomp on the rider. Before the pawn could close his jaws shut, Strife used his arms and legs to forcefully open them wide.

"Gotta say kid, your definitely need a mint spray." Strife grunted as he struggled to keep the devil's mouth open.

While he did, almost like a reply to his insult, Issei immediately fired a mouth beam, consuming the rider in the process as Issei slammed the horseman on the ground and then dragged the beam through the ground upward in the air. When the smoke cleared, Strife slowly got up from the ground relatively unscathed.

"That ticked." Strife said casually as he patted his shoulders like wiping off dust, before he looked at the devil. "Well, better end this now before it gets out of hand." He said as he was about to pull his guns out.

[DIVIDE!]

A voice shouted as Issei's eyes, along with the wing gems glowed from green to blue.

"What the..." Strife grunted as he felt his power being cut in half.

[DIVIDE!] [DIVIDE!] [DIVIDE!] [DIVIDE!] [DIVIDE!] [DIVIDE!] [DIVIDE!]

As Issei continued to roar wildly and rapidly cutting Strife's power in half, the rider collapsed and placed his hands on the ground from being severely weakened.

"Divine Dividing?" War said in genuine surprise, certainly not expecting the Red Dragon to use the power of the White.

"Yes. Somehow he possesses the power of the White Dragon Emperor, the same ability he used against Shalba not long before you arrived." Rias said in serious, yet worried tone.

War's eyes narrowed as he remembered Death holding a blue orb in his hand, an orb that belonged to Vali, along with the power of his Sacred Gear. And when he put two and two together, he got his answer.

"Death. He is responsible for this. What was he thinking, giving the power of the White Dragon to this brat, and made him even more of a threat?" War thought in seething anger.

"Damn, didn't expect that at all. Better tag out while can." Strife grunted as he tried to get up.

But as he stood on his feet and was about to depart, Issei's eyes suddenly glowed yellow, along with Gaspers at the same time. The berserk pawn made use of Gasper's Balor View, enveloping the rider in temporal aura and freezing him in place.

"Gasper?" Akeno said as she noticed how the boy's eyes flashed yellow before reverting to normal.

War gritted his teeth furiously before he marched towards Gasper and roughly grabbed the boy's head with his prosthetic gauntlet.

"Set him free boy! Now!" War shouted angrily, extremely tempted to pulverize the boy's head to save his brother.

"I can't. I don't know how, but Issei is using my power like he did with Shalba." Gasper gritted his teeth and groaned in pain as he closed his eyes and tried to free himself.

Realizing what Issei is capable of in his Juggernaut Drive state, he dropped Gasper roughly on the ground like a used rag.

"Akeno, get everyone but Rias out of here. I will not allow the boy to make use of your powers against us." War said sternly as he fixed his eyes on the dragon.

"But War, we can't-"

Before she could finish that sentence, War gritted his teeth angrily as he immediately pulled his Chaoseater and pointed the blade at the queen, making her flinch and gasp in fear and shock.

"Retreat now or i will kill you all myself!" War said in dead serious tone.

"Do it Akeno." Rias said urgently as she looked at her friend with a serious, yet worried look.

Not willing to hesitate for even a moment in fear of War's wrath, Akeno conjured a magic circle beneath her and quickly transported herself and the others away from the battlefield, leaving only War and Rias where they are. However, Rias maintained her shield to protect herself from Issei's incredible, yet uncontrollable power.

[BOOST!] [BOOST!] [BOOST!] [BOOST!] [BOOST!] [BOOST!]

The bloodmad issei started to rapidly boost his power as he opened his chest and revealed a large, circular gem that looked like some kind of cannon. While he did, the green gems dotting his transformed state flashed repeatedly, save for his chest where he is charging his energy attack.

"Can't. Budge." Strife gritted his teeth as he tried to free himself from Issei's Balow View, before he looked at the dragon in front of him. "Damn that kid, how in the Nine Hells did he manage to get dividing ability as well?"

Strife certainly didn't like this turn of events. It went from being a cakewalk to a life or death situation in a blink of an eye. Of all the ways he imagined he would die, it certainly wasn't like this.

[LONGINUS SMASHEER!]

Issei fired an enormous, concentrated beam of green energy.

"Ah crap!" Strife shouted in panic as his eyes widened in fear, eventually consuming him in the beam. With Strife's power drastically crippled, now even he has much hope in surviving a blast of such magnitude.

As the beam went through him, it exploded on the spot, creating a titanic explosion. Rias boosted her shield and encircled herself as the wind, smoke and fire went in her direction, as well as every other. Eventually, when the smoke cleared, it revealed Issei still bursting and radiating with red aura of energy. Fortunately for Strife, instead of being obliterated, the rider opened his eyes and found his brother War standing in front of him, raising his prosthetic gauntlet in front of him in defense before he lowered it, gazing at the mad pawn with an ever stoic look on his face.

"Thanks War. That certainly caught me off guard." Strife sighed in relief as he collapsed on one knee, finally free of his frozen state.

"Return to Rias and recover your strength. I will put an end to the boy's rampage." War said sternly.

"Yup, sounds like a plan." Strife said lightheartedly as he slowly stood up.

On cue, Mayhem manifested from a cloud of shadow and galloped towards Strife, stopping next to the rider and allowing him to mount his steed.

"Give him a good one for me." Strife gave his brother a thumbs up before he galloped forward.

As War watched his brother gallop away to a safe distance, he then fixed his stoic gaze on the berserk devil in front of him, who continued to rage and unleash a barrage of energy attacks in every direction.

"The power of the Red and White Dragon in a single host. Death, you fool." War thought as he gritted his teeth angrily.

With Issei possessing the power of both Red and the White, he poses much more of a threat than the Red and White Dragons ever could individually. Fortunately at this point, the Four Horsemen have experience in dealing with both of the Dragon Emperors, especially the White One. So long as he doesn't allow Issei to touch him, he can end this here and now.

That said, he dashed like a bullet straight towards the mad pawn. By the time Issei would realize that War was approaching him, it was too late as the rider punched Issei on his chest gem, hitting him with such force that dissipated the red power around him and send his flying backwards, crashing through the crater wall and creating a large cloud of smoke. War then landed on the ground and gazed stoically at the area where Issei crashed. The smoke quickly dispersed as the dragon form shattered like glass, revealing Issei himself falling and crashing on the ground, unconscious from the intense transformation.

When he awakened, his vision was less and less blurry until he noticed Rias kneeling close to him, holding him behind his head with a sad, yet relieved smile on her face.

"President?" Issei said as he could see Rias clearly now.

"Issei. Thank goodness, you're back." Rias smiled with teary eyes as she hugged him, pressing his face on her large breasts.

Far away from the duo, War and Strife observed the reunion between master and servant. Were it not for that fact, their little reunion would have been heartwarming, but in this case not so much. On one hand, War probably should've outright killed Issei when he attacked him. No matter how much she spoils him, the boy is still her slave. Had he killed him he'd be doing him a service, because then he'd be truly free of the shackles that Rias bound him with, along with her other servants. But on the other hand, in Issei's case anyway, his Boosted Gear is far too valuable to be thrown away by killing him, so until future events deem otherwise, the boy will continue to live.

"Well done horsemen."

An unknown voice suddenly said behind the riders, prompting the brothers to turn sideways and look at the source of the voice. That someone was a little girl donning gothic lolita outfit, her back turned as she gazed high in the sky. Much like Death, War and Strife could feel this sense of emptiness, the void that the girl exudes. And like their eldest brother, they recognized the newcomer.

"Ophis." War said sternly as he and Strife immediately pulled their weapons, with War taking a fighting stance while Strife pointed his guns at the dragon.

"Your brother Death tried to harm me and failed. The two of you will do no better." Ophis stated as a matter of factly, with no boast or arrogance in her voice.

"Doesn't stop us from trying either way." Strife said seriously.

"I am not the enemy Strife." Ophis said simply, before she turned her head left and looked back at Strife from the corner of her left eye. "But if you still believe you can defeat me, take your shot." She smirked in what appeared to be arrogance.

War and Strife could only stand and fume in place at the taunt, extremely tempted to charge at Ophis with everything they have, but stood their ground all the same. Only with select few beings in all of Creation would the horsemen feel so powerless, the Great Red and the Charred Council themselves being among them. Without their full power gained by breaking of the Seven Seals, even they wouldn't have much hope in defeating a foe like the Ouroboros Dragon in a direct assault. And if what she said is true, if even Death didn't do any better against her, what chance would they have? They're maybe fearless, but they're not fools. Ultimately, through willpower alone did they lower their weapons, but not without grinding their teeth in seething rage about the sheer self-loathing they have for their weakness. If there was a time when they wished their gaze alone would kill someone, it would most certainly be now.

Almost on cue, a tear in reality opened far in the sky, with Ophis, War, Strife, Rias and Issei looking up at the phenomenon. Through that tear, a being that not even the horsemen would ever thought to see emerged through the opening, its titanic size slowly but surely emerging in their world.

"The Great Red. But how?" Strife said in genuine surprise and shock.

"Not entirely Strife." War said as he narrowed his eyes a bit, while Strife looked at his brother. "This is but an echo of the great dragon, his physical form finding itself between this world and the Dimensional Gap.

"Well deduced War." Ophis glanced at the red rider before she looked up at the Great Red, pointing her finger at the dragon's incorporeal form. "One day Red. One day i will reobtain my silence." She said before she wiggled her index finger up once, mimicking a pistol shot.

Almost as soon as the Great Red appeared, another tear in reality opened in front of the dragon.

"Until we meet again horsemen. Stay alive until then." Ophis said flatly before she started to march forward in departure.

"I really wish i could blow her head off right now." Strife said in dead serious tone as he clenched both of his gun grips, even trembling a bit at the amount of anger and self-loathing he's feeling right now.

"As do i, but if Death was incapable of harming her, we would had difficult time doing it ourselves." War said sternly, gathering an immense amount of willpower to maintain his composure and not let his own anger consume him.

"I hate it when i feel so weak." Strife nearly spat angrily.

"So do i." War said in serious, yet calmer tone as Ophis' form dissipated and vanished into nothingness. Not long after she disappeared, so too did the Great Red, the tear in reality closing as well.

"ISSEI!"

"Now what?" Strife said in annoyance as he and War sheathed their weapons.

When they turned around, they noticed that Issei suddenly lost consciousness.

"Issei?! Issei, wake up! Issei!" Rias repeatedly shook the devil pawn, but it was no use.

What was intriguing for the horsemen is that Issei's Boosted Gear is still manifested, but this time its appearance was different. Alongside the usual solid plates, there were now red veins spread around the green gems of the gauntlet, red scales forming upward to his elbow, and the boy's own veins bulging around his biceps and triceps area, nearly reaching his shoulder. The way it manifested, it was as if that arm was no longer his own, but that of the dragon within. Either way, Issei would not be waking up anytime soon.


An hour later, War, Strife and Gremory devils arrived at their estate, placing comatose Issei in his sleeping room. Rias, Akeno, Kiba and Gasper surrounded him and waited anxiously for is recovery, while Isabela, Karlamine and Yubelluna stood on the sidelines, along with Azazel. Moments later, War and Strife entered the room.

"How's the kid?" Strife asked curiously.

"Not good, he's still in a coma. His body is stabilizing and his energy is replenishing, but i can't say the same for the wound deep inside." Azazel said seriously as he fixed his eye on the slumbering pawn.

"Inside?" Strife asked.

"He means the mind Strife." War said in usual, serious tone.

"Figured as much myself War." Strife said in mild annoyance.

"He's never had such an intense transformation. I guess Asia's loss affected him more than we thought." Kiba said as he contemplated on the tragic event, feeling sorrow of his own at the loss of their purehearted comrade.

Rias then silently approached the two riders with a serious look on her face.

"Tell me War. What are the odds that Asia would still be alive within the Dimensional Gap?" Rias asked seriously.

"Nonexistent. None but Ophis and the Great Red could hope to dwell within that plain of reality. All others are sentenced to die the moment they enter it." War said seriously.

"Even the horsemen?" Rias asked curiously.

"We'd be fine actually." Strife shrugged in laidback tone, drawing Rias' attention. "That's one of the perks of being the Council's killing machines, we can visit any realm without repercussions."

"So does that mean that you can go in there and save her?" Rias asked in hopeful tone.

"Asia Argento is no Dragon of the Apocalypse. At this point, she is most certainly dead." War said grimly.

That sliver of hope was immediately dashed as Rias lowered her head and looked down sadly.

"Blunt as always brother, never change." Strife said nonchalantly.

"Azazel, how long will it take for the boy to recover?" War asked curiously.

"Can't say. For a wound such as this, who knows when he will wake up. If Asia was here she would've easily speed up the recovery, but since she isn't, the best we can do is wait it out." Azazel said seriously.

"In that case I will take my leave Strife, you may join me at your leisure." War said in usual, serious tone as he looked at his brother.

"I'll let you know if i sniff out one of the Two To Be Defeated." Strife said casually.

War only raise his right eyebrow in confusion at what Strife said.

"I mean Sins War." Strife said in annoyance.

"You know your humor escapes me Strife." War grunted in annoyance he marched outside the room.

"All humor escapes you, per usual." Strife said bluntly as he followed his brother outside.


For the next three days, Issei would still be in a coma, while the Four Horsemen are yet to find Gluttony and Pride. On that third day, Rias, Akeno, Gasper and Kiba attended their usual school duties. Currently, Rias was sitting on the sofa in the club room alone, staring sadly at the table in thought. It truly was a sad state of affairs for her and her peerage. Koneko's dead, Asia was sent to die in the Dimensional Gap, and now Issei is in a coma from the Juggernaut Drive fiasco, unknown if he is to awaken again after such traumatic loss. Even the loss of Sona affected her as well, the one friend that she always confided to besides Akeno. It seems with each passing day, thing spiral out of control all the more, both for her and her family.

She then heard the doors opening, breaking her from her thought as she glanced at the newcomer.

"Gremory."

"War. I'm surprised to see you here. Did something happen in the Underworld?" Rias said in surprise and curiosity as the rider slowly approached her.

"Nothing that should concern you." War said stoically.

"Then why are you here? I don't understand." Rias asked curiously as she stood up and approached the rider.

"I came here for you Rias." War said in serious, but softer tone.

"Me? But... why?" Rias asked softly in confusion.

To her confusion, War lowered his massive frame as he knelt to her eye level. Rias couldn't help but feel uneasy as War is not acting like his usual, stoic self. There was a different look in his blue eyes, like a sense of longing lurked within them.

"I know i have always been harsh with you, but it was for your own good. The universe is fraught with danger, and that includes the Underworld. I only wished to see you prepared for any and all threats that might come your way." War said in serious, yet soft, if not friendly tone as he locked his eyes on hers.

Rias could only look silently at the rider in bewilderment. What in the world happened to War to make him behave like this? For many weeks that passed since the horsemen were involved in their affairs, War's contempt towards demonkind was apparent for all to see. And that was something she never would've believe to change at this point. But now he's treating her as if they have fought side by side for a long time. So many questions raced through her mind at War's current demeanor. If it was anyone and anywhere else, Rias would've believe this to be a ruse, but considering how War opened up to her about his demise from Death's scheme eons ago, she is slowly starting to believe that he had finally extended his trust to her, resulting in this more friendly attitude towards her.

"Thank you War. For everything you've taught me." Rias smiled gratefully as she closed her eyes and bowed slightly in respect.

But to her added confusion, War grabbed her chin gently and tilted it up, while Rias looked at War's eyes again. And his face was so close to hers that she couldn't help but blush a bit, as if he wants to kiss her.

"You are grateful. And yet, there is doubt and worry masked behind your eyes." War said in serious, but gentle tone.

To her added confusion, surprise and even shock, War suddenly pulled her in a hug.

"War." Rias said as she now found herself in surprisingly warm hug.

"Allow me to put such doubts to ease. From this day, i will shoulder all your worries. Close your eyes and unburden your mind." War said in stoic, yet soft voice near Rias' ear.

As if she was entranced by his words, Rias slowly closed her eyes, all mental barriers and insecurities dispersing as she was melting in his embrace.

"That's it. Let it go." War said softly.

Outside the meeting room, Strife and Akeno were walking along the hallway, making their way towards the unsuspecting duo.

"Still worried about Issei?" Strife asked.

"To be honest, I am. I miss teasing him to no end about girl's breasts, he's always exhilarated by the topic." Akeno smiled sadly as she looked on the ground.

"Don't worry, he'll be alright. I bet right now he's dreaming of being surrounded by a dozen girls who want to give him a boob job." Strife said in laidback tone.

"You think i would be a good candidate for a boob job?" Akeno said as she smiled and narrowed her eyes mischievously.

"Only one way to find out gorgeous." Strife said in husky tone as he was opening the double doors.

But as soon as they entered the room…

"What the..." Strife said in bewilderment as he noticed War standing next to Rias. Not only that, but he is holding her close to his body in almost a hug as both of them were gazing at Strife and Akeno.

"Rias?" Akeno said in surprise.

Strife suddenly pull Redemption and aimed at the duo.

"Strife?" Akeno said in shock, bewildered that Strife would pull a gun at his own brother.

"That's not War." Strife said seriously.

"How do you know?" Akeno asked curiously.

"See anything wrong with this picture?" Strife asked seriously, not letting his sight out of the alleged doppelganger in front of him.

Akeno looked again at Rias and War in front of them for closer inspection.

"War hugging Rias? And caressing her hair?" Akeno said inquisitively, starting to understand why Strife is so skeptical at the scenery before them.

"Exactly. No offense, but he'd rather cut his arm off then ever do that with a devil." Strife said in serious, blunt tone before he glanced from Akeno to the duo. "Alright punk, i don't know what you are, but i'll blow your head off for cosplaying as my brother."

Strife fired a shot from Redemption, but to his surprise, Rias conjured a barrier in front of them with a serious look on her face. The rider continued to fire one round after another, but after about a dozen shots, curiously, the shield doesn't even have a scratch on it. But he got his answer when he glanced at War, the skull engraving on his prosthetic gauntlet glowing and empowering her shield. He then narrowed his eyes as he examined the situation. He may not be in tune with magical arts like Fury, but even he can tell that the power on display is definitely Rias'. As for the impostor, he may have his brother's power, but his behavior is certainly not that of real War. More importantly, who in the Nine Hells was capable of making the exact replica of him in the first place, power, appearance and all?

"Rias, snap out of it! That's not War, he's an imposter! Get away from him, please Rias!" Akeno called out desperately to her friend.

Sadly, Rias didn't even flinch as she simply melted in the intruder's embrace.

"It's no use Akeno. She's been completely taken over by that faker." Strife said seriously.

The fake War then raised his prosthetic gauntlet above him, conjuring fire around it and gathering power for what appears to be an area of effect attack. Judging by its potency, Strife would be able to withstand it, but not Akeno.

"Akeno, move!" Strife shouted as he quickly sheathed Redemption, hugged Akeno from behind and bolted through the window like it was nothing, making good distance from the club house. Not long after, a fiery explosion erupted from the old school building, consuming it in explosive dome and burning the forest around them in wide area.

Far away from the building at safe distance, Strife landed on the ground and dropped Akeno on her feet, before both of them turned and looked at the demolished building and forest fire.

"Alright. Definitely not War." Strife said seriously in confirmation.

"What about Rias? Could she be an imposter too?" Akeno asked worryingly.

"No, that was Rias alright. The real question is where that doppelganger took her." Strife said seriously before he looked at Akeno. "Take us to the Underworld, we'll get to the bottom of this."

Akeno nodded seriously before she conjured a magic circle below them, dematerializing them and teleporting them to their destination.


Soon enough the duo would find themselves in front of the Gremory Estate in the Underworld. But before they could head towards the building…

"Strife!"

A familiar voice called out from behind them. When Strife and Akeno turned around, they found his brother War marching towards them. Due to their encounter with his supposed sibling at the club house, Strife pulled out Mercy and aimed at his brother, uncertain if this wasn't another one of the faker's attempts to deceive him. As for War, his eyes widened in surprise at Strife threatening him out of the blue like this, but not losing his composure in the slightest.

"What is the meaning of this?" War said as he frowned in anger and outrage.

"Tell me. Do you like to play with women's breasts as much as I do?" Strife asked seriously.

"Brother, for your sake, that better not be a serious question." War said, visibly aggravated at the out of the blue confrontation. "Now explain yourself before you lose that gun, along with your arm." He said in dead serious tone as he lifted his right arm and gripped Chaoseater, ready to use it in a moment's notice.

War and Strife now have an intense staredown, each waiting and anticipating who would make his first move. But after several long moments of Strife staring deeply into War's eyes…

"Yup, that's him." Strife said in more casual tone as he sheathed his weapon.

War in response only raised his right eyebrow in confusion.

"Believe it or not, Akeno and I encountered your double at their club house on Earth." Strife said seriously.

"What do you mean 'my double'?" War asked curiously as he let go of his weapon and straightened himself up.

"That what I said War. Someone out there copied your appearance and took Rias away." Strife said seriously.

"Impossible." War said sternly.

"It's true. Were it not for Strife to tell the difference, I would've been tricked by the impostor too. " Akeno confirmed with a serious look of her own.

"We're on our way to meet with Sirzechs and inform him about the kidnapping." Strife said seriously.

"Let us move then, I was on my way to meet him as well." War said seriously.

"Horsemen!"

Another familiar voice called out to them, who turned out to be Azazel, accompanied by Rossweisse.

"Glad I ran into you, I have urgent news from Asgard for you two and Sirzechs." Azazel said seriously.

"Relay it when we all gather inside the building." War said seriously. Azazel nodded silently before five of them headed towards the entrance.

A few minutes later, all of them gathered in Sirzechs' study.

"Loki huh? I knew I should've blown his head off then and there." Strife said bitterly.

"How can you be certain that he was the one responsible for creating a clone of me?" War said in almost angry tone.

"Because the cocky little prick took credit for it when he was interrogated by Odin." Azazel said seriously.


At that time, when the interrogation occurred in Loki's cell…

"You were the one who created a clone of the Red Rider?" Odin asked seriously.

"That I did." Loki said simply.

"How?" Odin asked in demand.

"It is not just the All-Father that sees all you know. The duel between the Riders of Ragnarok in the Underworld caught my interest as well. I won't indulge you with the specifics, but i have managed to harness the cataclysmic power that they unleashed during their little duel, and with a little Norse magic created an exact replica of the horseman, convincing enough to fool even the devil when the time is right." Loki said arrogantly.

"You impudent brat. Is it because you couldn't defeat the Four Horsemen that you decided to go for Sirzechs' sister instead?" Odin asked in frustration.

"As if they were my target to begin with when I entered the abode of those bats. While I did made a mistake of confronting you directly, it wasn't entirely a fruitless venture." Loki smirked arrogantly.

"Why bother going through all that trouble just so you could damn the girl?" Odin asked in frustration.

"I'm a god of mischief you wrinkled dustbin, it is in my nature to sow discord among the realms, not just the Norse. You should know this by now, yet still you refuse to accept that fact, like a senile old fool that you are. You may now start praying for her soul, as your stubborn foolishness has condemned her to the one place that not even gods dare to tread." Loki said in arrogant, defiant tone.

"Loki!" Odin shouted angrily.

But before either of them could say anything, Loki conjured a barrier around him, just like he did with Strife and Akeno during their interrogation.


"The balls of that freak." Strife said in mild bafflement.

"When I find him, I will tear out his heart and feed it to the hell hounds." War said in dead serious tone as he gritted his teeth and clenched his left fist at the audacity.

"First things first we have to find out where Rias was taken." Sirzechs said seriously.

"He did mention a place where not even gods dare to tread. I can't imagine many places where they wouldn't dare to go unless-"

Azazel stopped as he and Sirzechs looked at each other in shocking realization.

"The Dimensional Gap." War stated what everyone was thinking right now.

"Is Loki that much of a sore loser that he would actually send someone there?" Strife asked the young Valkyrie.

"I'm afraid so." Rossweisse said seriously.

"Then she is dead." War said bluntly.

"Unlike you War, i refuse to believe that." Sirzechs said seriously.

"Whether you believe in it or not is irrelevant devil king. None but Ophis and the Great Red can dwell in that realm without their bodies being torn apart by the nothingness." War said sternly.

"All the same, i would beseech you to go into the Dimensional Gap and save her. To my knowledge, the Council's enforcers can travel to any realm, which includes that void as well." Sirzechs said as he bowed his head down slightly in plea.

"Even if we consider the mad notion that she is alive, I have no interest in saving her." War said coldly as he turned his back on the devil king.

"But surely you can understand horseman, you have a sister yourself." Sirzechs said almost in a plea.

"My sister devil, despite her recklessness, is more than competent to handle herself and is not so easily broken, unlike yours. Even if she was in trouble by any chance, i would not plead other people to rescue her. I would have used all my might to save her, even if i have to storm the White City itself or the lowest circle of Hell to do so." War said sternly.

"I'm afraid it's not so simple when you are both a devil king and a concerned brother." Sirzechs said seriously, trying to maintain his composure.

"It only shows how much of a 'concerned brother' you are, when you care more for your title and position then your own kin." War said in disgust. Sirzechs' face scrunched in anger at that remark, but War didn't care as he knew that his words ring true, judging by the devil king's reluctance to do anything. "My brothers and I may not always see each other eye to eye, but i would rather throw myself against Lucifer himself before i let them suffer whatever fate they would find themselves in." War added, with not a shred of sympathy in his voice towards the devil king.

"I appreciate it brother, but this is indeed something that only you can do." Strife said in mildly serious tone.

"Say that again?" War said in low, yet outraged tone.

"I don't know all the details, but the fact is that she is fond of you. In her current state she will obliterate everyone but those she cares the most, including you." Strife noted as the image of Rias in embrace of War's clone formed briefly in his mind.

"Preposterous." War said dismissively.

"War, womanizing is my thing in spare time, I think I can tell when a girl likes someone. And in this case, for whatever reason, Rias likes you." Strife said casually.

"And how are her affections for me my concern Strife?" War asked in his usual, serious tone, not moved by that information even in the slightest. She cares about him, so what? He was never interested in such things ever since the Nephilim came to be, so why should he give a damn about it now?

"They're not. But given what we have to deal with, it will me much easier if you were to go and get her out of there. Once we're done with that road trip, we can continue our mission." Strife said casually.

"The only thing she is drawn to me about is my power as a horseman, like all demons before her." War said sternly before he looked at Sirzechs. "And if her own family is reluctant to march and save her, then the Dimensional Gap is where she belongs." He said coldly.

Sirzechs again gritted his teeth in frustration, aggravated beyond belief. Azazel noticed this, and anticipated that words will turn to fists if this keeps up.

"Now now horseman, we're all friends here." Azazel said in laidback tone as he stood between War and Sirzechs. "I sincerely doubt you'd let Rias rot in the Dimensional Gap like that. After all you and Death invested too much in her and her peerage to throw them aside like used rags. Wouldn't you agree?"

Again War remained unconvinced.

"You know what? I'll tag along too." Strife said as he held his chin in thought.

"What?" War said in confusion as he looked at his brother.

"Well, of all the places that we've been in over the eons, the Dimensional Gap is one of the places I've never visited. Who knows, might build a house there if I like it." Strife said in laidback manner.

"Not likely, unless you intend to kill the Great Red himself." War said snidely.

While they were having their own conversation, Sirzechs looked down morosely, realizing that this might be the only chance for the horsemen to help him rescue Rias. And if he doesn't do everything he can to convince them, then Rias might indeed be lost to him forever. All that is left for him is to swallow his pride and go all out.

"I beg of you horseman." Sirzechs said almost in desperate plea.

That sincere request had drawn War's attention, along with Strife and Azazel.

"Trust me when I say this, I would've personally ventured into the depths of Hell itself to save Rias. But as a devil king I am bound to my realm and its people. Considering the demonic incursions and terrorist attacks of the Khaos Brigade, the incursions that have only grown more frequent, I cannot abandon my people when they need me the most, even if it is for a short period of time. So the only choice, the only hope that I have, is that you would heed my plea and save my sister. Please understand this, from one brother to another." Sirzechs pleaded, putting all his hopes in the words he uttered and praying for a positive reply.

When he finished, War continued to look at the devil king with a stoic look on his face. He still stands by his point that it is Sirzechs himself who should go to the Dimensional Gap and save his own sibling, that much War would do no matter what title or position he would hold. But as he looked into the devil's eyes, he could see the sorrow and desperation in them. He truly wishes he could go, but as a king of his people, his hands are indeed tied. It has ever been the curse of bearing a crown of a nation, where in times of crisis you have to choose between your family or the people you rule over. Of course, as is with any devil, War questions whether this one truly cares for the wellbeing of his people, or like any demon he wishes to preserve them because they would be useful tools somewhere down the line, meatshields at the very least.

Ultimately, after much pondering, and to everyone's anxious anticipation save for Strife, he had come to his decision.

"Even if i were to agree to save her, we have no idea how to enter the Dimensional Gap to begin with." War said seriously.

"Hold that thought." Strife said casually as he took a step forward.

When he did, he raised his right hand in front of him, creating a small light portal. From it, a large sword emerged and fully materialized, allowing Strife to grab it by the hilt. But as soon as it emerged, Akeno and even Sirzechs felt incredibly unnerved at the presence of such a holy sword.

"Caliburn? Where did you get that?" Azazel asked in shock and surprise.

"I snagged it from that blonde guy with glasses, whatever his name was. It has a nifty ability to cut through dimensions. So if i were to venture a guess, we can use this thing to slash our way to the Dimensional Gap." Strife said as he examined the sword in his hand.

"Do you know how to use it Strife? I am not fond of being stranded in a dimension far from our own." War said skeptically.

"Only one way to find out." Strife said casually as he dematerialized the sword, then both of them turned around and were about to depart.

"Wait. How did you manage to extract the Sacred Gear from him?" Azazel asked inquisitively.

"That detail I'm keeping as a secret Azazel, you yourself are not exactly a free encyclopedia either." Strife said bluntly as he and War turned sideways and looked at the group.

"We will return with Rias, but know that you owe us a favor when we bring her." War said seriously as he looked at Sirzechs.

"A big favor at that." Strife added.

"Thank you horsemen. I will repay you with whatever you need." Sirzechs said as he closed his eyes and bowed his head in gratitude.

"Wait. Let me come with you." Akeno said as she approached Strife, while War left the room ahead of his brother.

"Sorry Akeno, this time it's a road trip for two only." Strife said almost dismissively.

"Please. Rias is my best friend, I can't stand by waiting around while she suffers inside the Dimensional Gap." Akeno insisted with a determined look on her face.

"I know, but you won't be doing her any favors if you're caught in a crossfire against whatever we will face there." Strife said firmly, but the next moment he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Stay here and take care of the others, who knows what trouble will occur while we're gone." He said in more compassionate tone.

After a few moments, realizing that Strife was right, Akeno nodded silently with a sad look on her face. Strife nodded back, silently assuring her that they will bring Rias back, before he also departed.

Sirzechs watched silently as Strife also left the room, before he glanced at Grayfia momentarily. Much like him, she also silently shared his sentiment, that she was also not in favor of leaving the matter for the riders to settle. But with his hands tied as it is, it was the only option they had left. Right now, for better or worse, Rias' fate is in their hands.


Later that day, War and Strife have moved in the wastelands away from the Gremory Estate.

"Why are you so insistent to rescue her Strife? You have no shortage of women to charm, devils or otherwise." War asked curiously.

"Because it's so entertaining to see a woman having hots for you War." Strife teased.

"Are you saying that I am repulsive to women Strife?" War said in frustration at apparent insult.

"Not at all brother, just finding it hilarious how one-sided their affairs are when they involve you. I'd like to keep the show going a little more before that devil's dream bubble pops." Strife said in amusement.

"When we rescue that devil, I will put an end to her childish pursuits myself. I have no use for lovesick fools on the battlefield." War said sternly.

"Assuming she's alive." Strife said casually as he materialized Caliburn in his right hand.

"Azazel was right to ask." War said seriously as he looked at the sword in Strife's hand.

"Come again?" Strife asked inquisitively.

"How did you extract the Sacred Gear from the human you took that sword from? Such an act is sacrilege to the Creator himself, to steal the tools meant for humanity." War said sternly.

"From a human working for the Khaos Brigade. Don't get sanctimonious with me when it involves terrorists War." Strife said in annoyance before he gestured the sword in his hand to his brother. "Besides, this is just the tool we need to bail Rias out of the Great Red's prison. But if you have any other ideas, i'm all ears." He said as he lowered the weapon.

War in turn could only hiss in frustration, begrudgingly admitting that he had no alternative.

"Thought so." Strife said casually before he turned his back on War. "Now let's get this started, shall we? As much as I like the idea of a road trip, I don't want it to last too long."

"Agreed." War said.

Thus with everything said, already mastering the use of the weapon he acquired for a while, he swung his sword and carved open a tear in reality, consuming them both and sending them in another plane of existence.


The first reality that they peeked through a small tear was strangely what looked like a fancy kitchen. At the table sat a young man in orange martial arts suit with black, spiky hair, while next to him was a pregnant young woman with dirty blonde hair, feeding the baby in her arms with the baby bottle filled with warm milk.

"Aww, who's a cute baby? Isn't he adorable?" Strife said playfully in heightened voice as he closed his eyes, making the baby giggle cutely at the rider's playful manner.

"Strife?" War said in mild annoyance.

"Riight, another slice then." Strife said lightheartedly before he looked at the couple. "Bon appetite!" He waved goodbye before he closed off the small tear in reality like curtains before they completely disappeared.

"Umm, Goku? What just happened?" The woman asked the husband in utter confusion.

"That was weird." The husband named Goku said as he continued to look at where those two people appeared, before he looked at... "Lucia, i think Gohan finished with that bottle." He said as he pointed at their child.

"Oh right." The woman named Lucia immediately pulled out the baby bottle from her child's mouth. "Goodness, you're as gluttonous as your father, are you?" She said as she smiled playfully. And while the baby was giggling cutely again, Goku rubbed the back of his head while grinning sheepishly.


In the second reality that War and Strife have peeked through the tear, they noticed what looked like a medieval battle in front of the huge, spiky black gate, the human soldiers being surrounded by a legion of goblin-looking creatures, their numbers stretching by the thousands as far as what looked like a volcano and a tower with a flaming eye at the top. Seeing quickly that Rias was nowhere to be found, Strife pulled out Mercy and fired a shot directly at the goblin army, the explosion of the blast creating a wave that incinerated thousands of goblins straight towards the volcano and tower, leaving only the army near the humans to be dealt with.

War in response could only look at his brother with what looked like silent scolding.

"What? Now it's an even fight." Strife shrugged before he closed off the small tear.

"Aragorn and the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth couldn't even begin to comprehend at what just happened, but in that instant, nine thousand Mordor orcs have been annihilated, something that not even Sauron himself could predict. With the path towards Mordor now wide open, and with the Nazgul being dealt with by the eagles, Aragorn lead the charge through the Black Gate, their victory against Sauron a certainty. Sadly, their victory would quickly turn into tragic demise for the Fellowship. Gollum dropped into the fires of Mount Doom with the One Ring, putting an end to the Dark Lord as Barad-Dur imploded, but with that act, with Aragorn and the Free Peoples within Mordor, the earth beneath them rumbled and tore itself wide open, consuming them all in the dark abyss below. With the death of the armies of Gondor, Rohan, and the rest of the Fellowship, Frodo and Sam would be left for dead on the rock near the entrance of Mount Doom, surrounded by the flowing lava, never to be rescued. Sauron may have been defeated, but so have the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth been deprived of their greatest champions, leaving the Middle-Earth's nations to endure what promises to be tumultuous Fourth Age." Wizards and Warriors documented.


In another reality…

"May i lick one's holy toes?"

"IMMEDIATE RESTRAINING ORDER. NEXT."

Another small tear in reality opened next to the unknown trio. When War and Strife peeked their heads through, they noticed a room where there was a tall man in golden, ornamented armor and spear, a red-skinned man with one eye opened and another closed, and a giant skeletal corpse strapped onto a golden throne, and what looked like some kind of enormous machine behind it.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" The giant skeleton said in what sounds like a text to speech.

"Definitely not the Dimensional Gap." Strife said bluntly.

"Give me that sword Strife, you clearly do not know how to use it!" War reprimanded angrily.

"Okay fine, spoil the fun why dont ya?" Strife said annoying before he immediately closed off the tear they created.

"Wwwwhat the fuck just happened?" The red-skinned man asked in bafflement.

"SEEMS TO ME LIKE A 4TH-DEGREE INTERDIMENSIONAL WARP FUCKERY BY SOME DUDE WITH EARRINGS, WHO NO DOUBT CAUSED ECONOMY DISASTER DUE TO THE BATSHIT INSANE AMOUNT OF HAIR GEL HE PUTS ON HIS HAIR ON A DAILY, JUST SO IT WOULD LOOK COOL BEING SPIKY AND SHIT. ALSO, WHO IN THE RIGHT MIND WOULD WEAR THOSE RIDICULOUS DISH GLOVES INTO BATTLE? DOES HE PLAN ON THROWING PLATES LIKE FRISBEES ON HIS ENEMIES OR SOMETHING? IS HE POSSIBLY A GERMOPHOBE?" The giant skeleton said through text to speech as he pulled out a picture out of nowhere, displaying a man in blue and orange with black, spiky hair and yellow earrings. A man that the two men below him have no clue who he is but the skeleton himself.

"A what now?" The red-skinned, one eyed man asked in confusion.

"What's a hair gel?" The golden guardian asked in confusion.

"NEVERMIND. LET US PRETEND LIKE THAT MOMENT NEVER OCCURED." The skeleton said bluntly.

The two robed robots them bonked the red man and golden knight in the head hard.

"Ow!" The two whined in pain briefly.

"GOOD. NOW ONTO THE NEXT QUESTION."


Finally, in another dimension, War and Strife emerged from a larger tear in reality, before it promptly closed behind them as soon as they appeared. As it did, the riders looked around at where they arrived.

"Where have you taken us now Strife?" War asked in mild annoyance.

"Not a clue to be honest, even i can't tell where this sword will take us." Strife said bluntly as he looked at Caliburn in his hand.

"It only shows that such a weapon should not be handled by an amateur." War said bluntly.

"I am so touched by your compliment War, you have no idea." Strife said sarcastically as he dematerialized the sword, before approaching and standing next to his brother, joining him in surveying the realm around them.

"Would this be the Dimensional Gap?" War asked curiously.

"Your guess is as good as mine, never was curious enough to pay it a visit and see how it looks." Strife said before he looked at War. "Do you think we will find the devil in this place?"

"Let us explore this foul wasteland and find out." War said in usual, serious voice before he walked forward, followed by his brother.

As they were marching aimlessly, they continued to scan the realm they found themselves in from every direction. Their first impression on their arrival is that they reached the Dimensional Gap, but later on they noticed that they don't feel that sense of nothingness that the void would bring, that similar feeling like the Abyss when War visited the long lost necrotic world of the Ravaiim, back during the Abomination Crisis. No, this barren world seems far more sinister. Perpetual storm darkened the sky, while rocks, boulders and patches of land drift aimlessly high above the ground. The black wasteland stretched for miles around, charred and barren, with green fire, rupturing spikes and bubbling green lava carving the land wherever they go.

"This realm has been scoured of all life." War said in contemplation as looked left and right at the land.

"Seems like a demon's handiwork, or something worse." Strife said seriously.

"Stay alert, who knows what abominations we will face during this venture." War said cautiously.

"Hopefully someone that will gives a challenge, even wholesale eviscerations get stale after a while." Strife said eagerly.

"Nothing is stale for someone who is always seeking an excuse to pull a trigger." War said, more as a fact than a jab.

"Touché." Strife admitted.

As they continued to travel the wasteland, they suddenly heard a sound of a whip cracking not far from them.

"Move you maggots!" A distant voice commanded, drawing War's and Strife's attention as they glanced to each other before looking left in the direction of the voice.

A whip was heard cracking again.

"I said move before I flay you alive!" The same voice commanded angrily.

"Guess there's some life here after all." Strife said amusingly.

War said nothing as he marched to the source of the voice, followed by Strife. When the riders were close, they looked down from a small cliff overlooking about fifty creatures, dragging a row of dozen or so of chained prisoners in front of what looks like some kind of portal.

"Umm, War? Those don't look exactly like the demons of Hell." Strife pointed out.

"Indeed. They certainly appear to be demons, but... different." War said in contemplation as he examined this new enemy.

As War glanced at the prisoners slowly marching towards the portal, he noticed that these captives are not human. Among the species that are shackled are muscled greenskins with tusks, purple-skinned women with long ears, humanoid bulls and short men with long, braided beards and hair.

"Apparently Rias Gremory is not among them." War said seriously.

"Perfect, good a time as any to give them a surprise greeting." Strife said in amusement before he pulled out Mercy.

As the horsemen examined these creatures, they can at least confirm that their origins are most certainly malicious, as if they emerged from Hell itself. Though unlike the demonic bestiary the Four Horsemen are well used to, these demons look entirely different. One type of demon that comprises most of the group are orange-skinned humanoid soldiers, sporting wickedly crafted armor save for chest and left arm having only bracers, a helmet with long spike and three on their backs. Their weapons are forged in equal fashion, but they all carry various types such as swords, spears and axes. With the exception of one of them cracking the whip from the prisoners left flank, indicating him to be a slavemaster of a sort. Another type of demon is the one escorting the prisoners, one front and one behind them. Their upper bodies are that of your typical demon, but instead of their legs they hover above the ground like ghosts, three long leathers dangling while green energies endlessly exude below them, sporting small green cages around their waist and a big cage on their backs. The leader of this warband standing next to the portal is the one that stood out the most. It was larger than the demons present, the wicked beast having traditional wings, horns and hooves, armed with a flaming sword. Flanking him was a third type of demon, that of the scantily clad, six armed women wielding six wickedly forged swords in each arm, ready to pounce and mince their victims in a moment's notice.

"Fresh victims for the Soul Engines." The hovering demon spoke to the leader.

"Haul these soul bags through the portal, we have other slaves to-"

The leader was cut short when a missile blasted through his head, his massive body crumpling sideways. All other demons, including prisoners, looked in the direction far away from the portal, and found what appear to be two humans, one holding what looks like a demonic greatsword, and another holding a gun with smoke emitting from the barrel.

"Intruders! To arms!" One of the soldiers shouted angrily, prompting the other soldiers to form up.

"About time you noticed!" Strife called out snidely before he and War jumped down to meet the warband.

"Send for reinforcements, now!" One of the demonic women shouted to the nearest, floating demon. The demon nodded before he and the other floating demon entered the portal, while the two, six armed women slowly marched to the other demons.

The soldiers roared as they charged at War and Strife, with the horsemen doing the same. War swung his Chaoseater on the first demon and sliced off his right arm before he plunged it through his chest, lifting the demon and throwing it on the nearby soldier. When the second nearest demon attacked, in quick succession, War swung left and sliced off both of its legs and swung right, decapitating the demon. He then killed the third demon by swinging upward, cutting the demon in half from groin to head, its two halves falling off sideways. The next two demons charged at once, but War plunged Chaoseater through the chest of first demon, while he caught the second one's head with his prosthetic gauntlet, slamming him on the ground before he carried on his carnage, cleaving the demons like scythe through grass, slicing through their weapons, armor and flesh like they were nothing.

As for Strife, he was having a time of his life as he acrobatically dashed, jumped and flipped through the demons, all the while shooting each one through various parts of their bodies, making swiss cheese out of them. The last three demons also charged at the rider, but in response, Strife sheathed his pistols and pulled out dual sabers. Like a blur he charged at the first demon and swiped his sabers so hard that the demon's head launched in the air from the force of the decapitation. While in the air, Strife jumped and kicked the head like a football, using the long spike on the head of the demon to impale the second demon in the head, killing him in the spot. The final demon that tried to attack the rider had his hands promptly sliced off by Strife, before he sheathed them, pulled out Redemption and shot the demon behind his head, making it explode as the rest of its body crumpled on the ground.

The two demon women watched in shock and awe at the vicious display of these supposed mortals. Their brutality rivals that of a demon, but without the rage to guide their blades. Still they would not be deterred.

"You have made a mistake coming here mortals. You will regret that decision with your lives." One of the demon women spoke as she pointed one of her six swords at the riders, before both promptly attacked them.

"All yours War." Strife said playfully as he bowed to his brother and gestured with both of his hands at the women.

War couldn't help but smirk at Strife for a moment, how he's so graciously allowing him to kill this new type of demon, before in the next he glared at the women with a stoic look on his face, readying his weapon. The two demon women flanked the rider from both sides and attacked in unison, whirling their blades at the rider. War barely parried each and every blow, surprised at the speed and accuracy in which they swing their weapons.

"Come on War, you can do better than that!" Strife shouted in tease.

"Excuse me lad." Another voice spoke.

When Strife turned around, he found the foreign prisoners lined up in front of him, with a short, bearded man at the head of the line.

"Mind loosening these up?" He asked politely as he gestured the chains and cuffs on him.

"Oh, right." Strife said absentmindedly as he turned around.

As he grabbed the long chain keeping the prisoners together, he poured a minuscule amount of power in his right fist. Then he lightly bumped his fist on the chain, sending vibrations through the chains and shattering the cuffs from all of the prisoners. Each captive rubbed their waists in turn, murmuring to each other in amazement at Strife's feat.

"Nice trick lad." The stout man said.

"We are grateful for your assistance." The bull man bowed his head in gratitude as he and other prisoners gathered near the horseman.

"You can thank me by getting as far away from here as possible." Strife said casually as he pointed with his thumb to his right.

"And go where? It's not like we can take a long walk back to Azeroth." The stout main said in sarcastic tone.

"Azeroth?" Strife asked curiously.

"Our homeworld far from the domain of the Burning Legion. I'm afraid we are stranded here without the means to return home. Perhaps you know the way?" The purple skinned woman inquired.

"Sadly I don't." Strife said casually, before their attention was drawn to the clamor of battle.

War finally dashed backwards, creating a good distance from the women, but the demons didn't stop as they again charged at the rider. This time War was prepared as he dashed forward, catching the first demon woman off guard as he punched her in the chest, sending her sliding backwards as she drilled her swords through the ground to stop herself. The second demon attacked War, but in retaliation, the rider jumped, swung Chaoseater upward and sliced three of her right arms before he promptly swung down and sliced off her three left arms. War didn't stop there as while she was screaming in agony, the rider fired an Abyssal Chain on her forehead, pulling her down before he decapitated her with his weapon. The second and last demon woman screamed in rage as she charged at War, while the rider dashed towards the demon. When she swung her swords down, she missed the rider as she drilled the blades of her weapons on the ground, allowing War to disarm her bottom arms and grab her two swords. He then swung inward with both of the swords, cutting the bottom arms off, followed by slicing her top arms as he swung outward, jumped and swung the weapons upward as he sliced her remaining arms off. While he was in the air above her in that moment, he pointed the swords down before he plunged both through her skull and pinning her on the ground, leaving the swords in her head.

When War finally killed the demons, Strife approached his brother and clapped in applause.

"Nice, very nice. Gotta try that out myself." Strife said in glee.

"Assuming there's more of these demons in this wasteland." War said stoically, before he glanced from his brother to the foreigners behind him.

Before he could speak to them, the portal activated not far from them, spewing a row of demons from them. More of the demon soldiers emerged, along with flying creatures that look like bats, demonic hounds and six armed women.

"Go! All of you! Now!" Strife shouted seriously, waving the foreigners to run.

While they did, a muscled, tusked greenskin approached Strife and pounded his chest in salute.

"Lok'tar Ogar stranger. Make their deaths painful." The greenskin said in seething anger towards the demons.

"You can count on it. Now go." Strife said seriously as he tilted his head for the warrior to go. The greenskin nodded silently before he ran to catch up with the rest of the captives.

"Charge! Let these intruders feel the wrath of the Legion!" The demonic leader commanded, the same large brute with flaming sword like the last one.

"The Legion?" War said curiously.

"Definitely not the demons we're used to bullying." Strife said casually before both of them readied their weapons.

As the horsemen were about to attack, suddenly a green beam shot at the portal, destroying it and creating a violent explosion, knocking the demons down and stunning War and Strife momentarily. When the dust settled…

"Death to the Legion!"

Another voice shouted the warcry, one definitely not spoken by a demon. War and Strife looked up in the air, when about two dozen winged, agile warriors with what appear to be warglaives bolted towards the demons at amazing speed and sliced through them in the blink of an eye. The leader of these warriors faced the massive demon, and it didn't take long before he cut him apart as well. When the demon newcomers were slaughtered to the last, all of the fighters would turn their fronts towards the horsemen and readied their weapons.

"They're in the friendly mood." Strife quipped sarcastically.

"Hold Illidari!"

A powerful, commanding voice called out, all attention fixated on this individual. Indeed, the humanoid warriors lowered their weapons, stood upright and made way for their leader to pass.

"I would have words with them." The leader said.

When he was near, War and Strife have noticed that this warrior certainly stood above the rest that surround them. This man with long, pointy ears and pony hair seems far more vicious, wings, horns and hooves making him look more a demon than a man, with intriguing, green, glowing tattoo carved across his chest. Ignoring the obvious demonic features, he bears a similar appearance like that purple-skinned woman, along with most of the warriors in his warband. Guess they are from this 'Azeroth' as well.

"Speak your name, and i will do the same." War said sternly as he gripped Chaoseater, ready to charge at the supposed demon in the eyeblink.

"I am Illidan Stormrage. And these are my demon hunters, the Illidari." The man named Illidan spoke out sternly as he gestured the warriors surrounding the riders. "What do they call you?"

"I am War." The red rider said simply.

"Strife." The rider of shadow said simply as well.

"Curious names. What brings you to one of the Legion's strongholds?" Illidan asked inquisitively.

"We are in search of a friend who had been captured by the demons. Do you know where we can start looking?" Strife asked casually.

"I do not know this friend of yours, but if you are the enemy of the Legion as well, then consider me your ally." Illidan said, with a hint of caution and skepticism in his words towards the riders.

"Then we would welcome demon hunters such as yourselves Stormrage, i would see that we finish our expedition here as soon as possible." War said in serious, stoic tone.

"Let us move then." Illidan said simply before he turned around and marched onward, followed by the fellow Illidari, War and Strife.


Sometime later, the horsemen and the Illidari discovered one of the demonic encampments. Illidan didn't waste time as he launched a frontal assault, slaughtering the demons en masse. As they did, War and Strife walked in and observed the agile warriors in action.

"These demon hunters aren't too bad, are they?" Strife asked curiously.

"Not at all. Their fighting skills are honed to deadly edge. And their zeal at fighting demons rivals that of the angels." War commended as the demon hunters cut through demons with sickening ease.

"One noticeable detail though is that they are juiced with demonic power." Strife noted.

"Yes, a very foolish decision on their part." War said grimly.

The riders then heard growls and howls of bloodthirst from their right, noticing a group of demons heading towards them.

"Oh look War, they actually want to fight us." Strife said in amusement.

"Let us indulge them brother, so they can pay the price for their foolishness with their lives!" War said sternly.

"Oho, now you're getting me excited!" Strife said in glee as he pulled out his guns and aimed at the demons.

Thus War and Strife were having the own session of demonic evisceration. During the clamor of battle, Illidan observed the horsemen in action. Their skill in battle is unlike anything he had seen over ten thousand years. They fight with brutality of a demon, cutting through them without even a moment of hesitation or remorse, but also with discipline and focus of a veteran of ten millennia, if not more, the tempered rage preventing them from flailing wildly like one would expect from a demon. War's skill with a greatsword would make even the very best warriors among the Night Elves look like amateurs, while Strife fired his weapons with such pinpoint accuracy it puts the best archers to shame, as if their weapons were an extension of their body. They were truly warriors without equal. And it would appear that they are yet to show the full extent of their strength and power, most notably Strife as he was toying with the demons for his amusement. Maybe, just maybe with their help, they would drastically turn the tide against the Legion.

Aided by the Illidari, War and Strife made quick work of the demons in the encampment, wiping it out in record time. Eventually the group examined the fallen demons and opened a small portal to send the captives back to Azeroth.

"Rias Gremory is not among the captives." War said seriously as the prisoners entered through the portal.

"Guess we keep looking." Strife said casually.

"There are more encampments like this to be found throughout the land. Perhaps you may find your friend in one of those camps." Illidan said seriously.

"Then let us not waste a moment." War said seriously as all of them continued onward.


After they were done, the horsemen and the Illidari raided another demonic camp, killing them by the hundreds before their numbers diminished to about fifty, leaving them for the Illidari to clean up.

"Gotta say, it's a breath of fresh air killing these particular demons, adds a much needed variety to demon-killing in general." Strife said lightheartedly.

"A demon is still a demon, treacherous, scheming vipers to the last." War said spitefully as he looked at the nearby corpse of the Felguard.

"True. Well, time to see what else is there to kill in this dump." Strife said casually.

"We are here to recover Rias Gremory, not to indulge ourselves in slaying weaklings." War scolded.

"Come on War, it's not everyday where we get to hop between dimensions. I'm sure even you are excited a bit to find out what other enemies we can eviscerate here." Strife said in laidback tone, doing his best to convince his brother.

"I suppose a little exercise is in order." War relented after a few moments of pondering.

"Alright, now you're speaking my language!" Strife said jovially.

"But, once we cleanse this barren rock, we are to rescue the devil and return to our dimension." War said seriously.

"Deal." Strife said eagerly.


The Horsemen and the Illidari wasted no time as they raided two more demonic warcamps. Along the way, although they had no luck finding Rias thus far, the horsemen had a chance to encounter more types of demons that dwell in this place, like the arachnid demons named Aranasi, the sorcerous Man'ari eredar, and floating blind demons named the Inquisitors, none that posed a particular threat to the incredibly powerful horsemen. Although the riders have been of immense help to the demon hunters, Illidan still doesn't trust them entirely, thus he only relayed basic information that they need to know. Like how the demon hunters comprised of only the Night Elves and the Blood Elves, and were given names for each type of creature they faced thus far. Felguards, Shivarra, Jailers, Doom Guards, Felhounds, among others that were previously mentioned, along with the denizens of Azeroth named Orcs, Tauren and Dwarves. The only information that the horsemen were willing to share to the demon hunters is that they were searching for a young woman named Rias Gremory, and that they would promptly leave as soon as they find her. However, given the wealth of information provided by the demon hunters, it gives the horsemen a glimmer of hope that they might encounter a foe that would give them a true challenge, someone they can cut loose against.

An hour later, after scouring the realm of more demons, War, Strife and the Illidari have gathered in a cave somewhere in the wastelands, readying themselves for another raid. As they did, Illidan approached the horsemen.

"Your fighting skills are impressive, never have i seen warriors as skilled and merciless in battle as the two of you." Illidan complimented.

"So are you and your warriors Stormrage. I take it that you specialize in eliminating demons?" War asked curiously.

"We are." Illidan answered simply before he looked down at the demon hunters below, along with War and Strife. "The demons have taken much from each of the Illidari that stand before you. Now they live for nothing else than to bring ruin upon those same murderers of the Legion."

As War glanced from one demon hunter to another, he can see in their eyes the truth of Illidan's story. Even though their green, fiery eyes are blindfolded, he can still see the seething emotions that he had noticed countless times before. Agony. Fury. Vengeance. Just to name a few. Any trace of goodness and hope that might've existed within these unfortunates is erased from their very souls. Now there is nothing left but a singular purpose of killing the demons in the most brutal fashion one can imagine. These warriors are true avatars of vengeance. In few angels over the eons had the horseman ever seen tread this dark path in the name of revenge, but in this reality, these warriors would count among those avengers.

"By wielding the same, foul energies these demons possess?" War said seriously before he looked at Illidan. "Fighting demons with their own power never ended well Illidan. It always ends in tragedy for the fools who take that risk in the name of vengeance."

As Strife listened in to their conversation, for some reason it feels like he's seeing two versions of War talking to each other. Their stance, their soft-spoken, yet stern language, even their voice seems dreadfully similar.

"And what of you? Is there any tragedy to speak off that motivated you towards the path of combat?" Illidan asked curiously.

"None." War said simply, while Illidan raised his right eyebrow curiously. "My brother and i are born warriors. Blood and battle is what we've always lived for, and continue to do so."

"Preach brother." Strife said in laidback tone.

"That said, we should keep moving, the sooner we rescue our companion, the sooner we can leave this cursed place." War said seriously.

"Lord Illidan!"

One of the female Night Elf demon hunters called out to their leader, approaching Illidan and bowing before him.

"We have discovered the companion that they seek. She along with the other captives have been taken to the pit lord Azgoth's stronghold." The demon hunter informed.

"Inform the Illidari to ready themselves, we march soon." Illidan commanded.

"There's more." The demon hunter added. "A massive number of demons have been seen flooding within the stronghold, as if readying for an invasion. I fear that without reinforcements we will be overrun." She added, with a hint of doubt and fear in her voice.

"Perfect, just the kind of welcoming party that I like." Strife said lightheartedly as he twirled his gun Mercy.

"What do you mean by that?" Illidan asked curiously, while the demon hunter in front of him looked at the riders like they were crazy.

"It means that the demons know we're here, and have summoned reinforcements in hopes to stop us from rescuing Rias Gremory." War stated seriously.

"And you believe that only the two of you are enough to fight an army of such magnitude?" Illidan asked skeptically.

"If you don't believe us, we'll be happy to demonstrate." Strife said eagerly as he sheathed Mercy.

"You lead your demon hunters to assassinate this 'Azgoth' and other commanders, Strife and I will deal with their minions and free the captives." War said seriously before he and Strife departed.


The plan was set into motion. As Illidan and the demon hunters flanked the fortified stronghold to eliminate their leaders, War and Strife stood at the entrance to their base, thousands of demons growling and howling in bloodlust as they locked their murderous eyes on the horsemen. It wasn't long for their Doom Lord to roar out a charge while pointing at the horsemen, with the army happily obliging as they recklessly charged at them.

"Alright, a proper army to mince and maim." Strife said in rising, murderous glee.

"A simple warm up." War said in usual, stoic voice as he readied his Chaoseater.

The horsemen then charged at the army of demons. While Strife already started to fire a barrage of bullets from both of his pistols, killing dozens of demons in seconds, War cleaved row upon row of demons as soon as they were in reach in various twirls, swings and trusts, cutting through them like they're nothing.

Above the battlefield, a Night Elf female demon hunter and a Blood Elf male demon hunter observed the carnage below.

"Those two… they're monsters." The Night Elf said in astonishment, her blindfolded, green eyes widening at the spectacle as War and Strife continue to decimate the demons.

"Monsters that fight on our side, which is good enough for me." The Blood Elf said almost dismissively, as much as he too admires the level of carnage these two are capable of.

"Do not idle, Azgoth and his minions await." Illidan commanded sternly.

"Yes Lord Illidan." The two demon hunters nodded before they followed their master, along with other demon hunters.

Back to the battlefield, War noticed more demons pouring from the gateways not far from them.

"Strife, the gateways!" War called out.

Strife nodded to his brother before he promptly leapt up high in the air and aimed at the three gateways, firing at all three of them, shattering their base and disabling the gateways in the process. During those moments in the air, a swarm of felbats rushed at the rider, one by one grabbing him until he was enveloped in a sphere-shaped bodies of felbats. But a few moments later, Strife exploded from within the aerial pile, the blood and viscera of the bats crumpling downward while the horseman spun horizontally many times over and shooting a circle of shadow bullets, killing more felbats and some of the doomguards before he landed on the ground.

As for War, the demons also tried to dogpile him, and in a more brutal fashion than his brother, War also imploded from the pile as he made use of the Blade Geyser ability, plunging Chaoseater into the ground and erupting multiple spikes in all directions in wide range, impaling the demons until half of their forces have been killed. But the riders didn't stop there as they charged towards the entrance of the fortress itself, killing the demons indiscriminately along the way, unhindered in the slightest this time from their efforts to stop them. When they reached the building, War smashed open the gates and charged inside with Strife, continuing their mayhem until they eventually reached the chamber where prisoners were kept in spiked cages. When the horsemen executed the Jailers inside, they freed the prisoners before interrogating them.

"Elune be praised." The night elf female sighed in relief as she and others went out of the cages.

"Ya have our thanks mon." A skinny, hunched man with long tusks saluted the horsemen in gratitude.

"Tell us, all of you. Do any of you know of the young woman with crimson hair to be imprisoned here?" War asked sternly.

"The human?" A male orc spat acidicly as he approached the riders. "She can rot in this place with the rest of the Alliance." He said in seething anger.

"There are humans on Azeroth?" Strife asked War curiously, while War looked at his brother silently. While that part is not surprising, it is curious how it is shared by many races, and not just being a human only kingdom like in their reality.

"If you are looking for a fight you Horde filth, I will be more than happy to oblige." A wolf man growled at the greenskin. But before the tension could escalate further…

"Enough!" War snapped angrily, silencing the wolf man and the orc. "If none of you have useful information on the matter, then leave this place."

And while they did just that, the only ones that were left were a male Tauren and a female Night Elf.

"We have seen her, the Jailers have taken the girl to the personal chamber of the one in charge of this place." The Tauren informed.

"Word had spread that a powerful Fel Lord had arrived. If you intend to encounter him, do not face him unprepared." The Night Elf warned.

"Thank you for the information. Seek out the demon hunters that besiege this place, they have the means to return you to Azeroth." War said seriously.

"Elune's blessings upon you warriors." The Night Elf saluted before she and the Tauren also departed, followed by War and Strife.

Soon after, the horsemen reached the throne chamber of the stronghold. When they did, they noticed that the room was guarded by twenty dual-wielding demons known as the Wrathguard. Behind them, near the throne, a giant demon that they assume to be a Fel Lord stood in front of the small prison, where certain someone was locked up.

"There is the accursed devil!" War said seriously.

"And is apparently not in good shape." Strife said in mildly serious tone as he noticed Rias' unconscious body levitating in the sphere prison.

"Let us deal with them quickly, this will be all for nothing if she dies." War said seriously.

"How surprisingly caring of you." Strife teased, but War ignored that as he focused on the Wrathguard, charging at them and already starting to kill them.

Despite being reputed as the elite honor guard of the Legion's leaders, against the might of the Four Horsemen they didn't fare any better as they were cut down to the last, leaving only the Fel Lord to be deal with.

"Ahh, there you are. Lord Achimonde has taken a great interest in you mortals, it will be a pleasure to deliver your broken bodies before him." The Fel Lord said menacingly as his massive form turned towards the horsemen, towering above them while he pinned the bottom of his equally massive battleaxe on the ground in a threatening manner. But despite that, the demon was slightly unnerved as these two didn't even flinch.

"Not before I shatter your skull demon." War said sternly as he gripped his weapon.

"You are yet to convince me of your might." The Fel Lord said, completely unconvinced by his threats as he now gripped his weapon with both hands.

"Trust me, he can be very convincing." Strife said, more as a fact than a retort to the demon.

The Fel Lord had enough as he roared furiously, rearing his axe to the right behind him, while the horsemen took their fighting stances. When the demon was near and swiped left, War and Strife dashed backwards, with Strife firing several shots from the pistols mid-air, forcing the demon to raise his weapon to block the bullets. At first the Fel Lord attacked Strife and tried to cleave him, but the rider of shadow easily ducked, weaved and dashed every blow, almost looking like having a dance of his life. But during his efforts, the demon was impaled with a spear-tipped chain on the back before he was yanked backwards hard, making him fall on the ground. When War pulled back his chain, re-equipped Chaoseater and was about to attack, the Fel Lord swiped his battleaxe while he was still on the ground, making distance between them and allowing him to get back up. He tried his luck as he reared his battleaxe above his head, ready to cleave the red rider, but unlike Strife, War stood perfectly still in place and sheathed his weapon, all the while having that same, stoic look on his hooded face. When the demon finally slammed his weapon down hard, to his shock, War grabbed the battleaxe's blade with just his left prosthetic gauntlet, putting them in a momentary stalemate. Strife giggled in gleeful anticipation as he knew that will happen next. War yanked the massive battleaxe from the demon and wielded it like it was nothing, swiping right and chopping the demon's left leg and then right leg, making him roar and scream in agony as he fell on his back and broke the spikes behind him, followed by War jumping in the air above the demon and swinging down the weapon, driving the axe deep into the demon's chest, blood gushing and flowing freely from the fresh wound.

Just like that, as War landed on the ground, the battle was over. As Strife and War walked next to the demon's head, the Fel Lord glared defiantly at the horsemen.

"You are… too late." The Fel Lord said as he gritted his teeth and coughed up blood.

"Here we go." Strife said snidely, readying himself for yet another defeated villain monologue.

"Lord Archimonde… knows of your presence in this world. He will arrive soon… and you will die at his feet… screaming and begging for mercy. Count these last moments of your lives… while you can." The Fel Lord said grimly as he mustered an immense willpower to cling to life a little longer, all for sheer defiance to the riders.

As he started to let out victorious, yet painful chuckles, Strife interrupted that abruptly as he shot the demon in the head, making a big hole in it as blood and brains splattered on the other side.

"He was done." Strife said bluntly.

However, without the horsemen expecting it, Rias suddenly exploded from her prison, unleashing a massive torrent of crimson energy in continuous waves, destroying and even disintegrating the entire top of the building, her energy freely spreading outside.

As for Illidan and the demon hunters, thankfully they were all done by the time Rias unleashed her explosive power, all of them gazing from the ground at the top of the building where the horsemen went, noticing the crimson waves of energy radiating from it, reaching even them far below.

"Lord Illidan? What is this power?" One of the demon hunters asked in shock and surprise.

"Whatever it is, it does not belong to the Legion." Illidan said seriously.

"War and Strife are up there as well. Maybe they can handle the situation." Another demon hunter said in hopeful tone as he looked at his lord.

"We will see." Illidan said grimly.

"War? Any clue as to what's happening right now?" Strife asked loudly through the winds as he raised his left hand to shield himself.

"Whatever these demons have done to her, they apparently shattered her mind further. If she keeps raising her power like this, she will destroy her own body." War said grimly through the winds also, but standing upright due to not being affected by them, along with Rias' destructive power.

"That doesn't sound good." Strife said seriously.

"Strife, you go and deal with any survivors that might be out there, I will attempt to reason with her." War said seriously as he glanced at his brother.

"Good luck with that, the girl doesn't look like she's capable of listening." Strife said seriously before he departed.

When Strife left, War looked back at Rias, her absentminded form levitating above ground, her power continuing to rise and emit continuous waves of energy. Her power as of now is already radical, about as wild and intense as Fury's arcane magic. If this keeps up, with her psyche being damaged as it is, then his prediction might come to pass, where her absurd, out of control level of power will eventually destroy her body and make this entire trip pointless. A rather pathetic display of an emotionally broken person honestly, but as he kept reminding himself on an endless loop over the centuries, not all are as strong in mind as they are in body. Nevertheless, there was only solution to this situation, he will have to rely on something he does not entirely excel at: Diplomacy. And then, when they return home in their dimension, at that point he will make things loud and clear to her, to finally end her 'love' sickness that she clings to for whatever maddening reason.

"Rias! Rias!" War called out loudly.

Rias' eyes widened momentarily as a familiar voice called her name. Slowly she turned her head to the right, only to see the red rider himself.

"War?" Rias said, as if her consciousness was stuck in a limbo between real world and her dream state.

"Come to your senses devil!" War shouted sternly.

"Why are you here?" Rias asked almost absentmindedly, believing this to be another illusion.

"I have come to bring you back to your home in the Underworld. So power down before you destroy own body." War said sternly.

"You came here… just so you could bring me back home? Is that it?" Rias said in disappointed, if not sad tone, her power steadily rising above her body's limit.

War was about to say a flat out yes without hesitation, but given the current predicament he decided not to speak it out loud, so he opted for an answer that she wishes to hear.

"My motives for coming here are of no importance Gremory. What is important is that i take you back to your loved ones. I told your brother that i will return you to him and your family, and that is what i intend to do." War said in usual, stoic, but softer tone.

At this point War is walking on eggshells. Rias' current level power is already threatening to tear her body apart, any further and that will most certainly be the outcome. He has to keep her lamenting long enough for War to seize the moment and rush towards her to knock her out. Then it would be a simple matter to bring her home.

"My… family?" Rias said in remembrance.

"Correct. Your mother, father, brother, even your retainers are waiting for your return. So let us leave this cursed place, and return you in their arms." War said sternly.

"My… retainers?" Rias said before she looked down in front of her, her power remaining the same for now.

"Kiba."

An image of the young swordsman formed in her mind, his polite smile and meticulous mannerism all too familiar to her.

"Akeno."

An image of her best friend now rushed through her mind, an image of the moment where she found her in the forest years ago, and in the next her friendly smile that always teased her for something.

"Gasper…"

She then saw the young half-vampire hanging out with Issei, the happy memories slowly but surely dropping her power to less than critical levels. Sadly, that changed quickly as War noticed her power once again rising above her body's limit, and Rias closing her eyes and frowning sadly as her memories are now quickly replaced with morbid scenarios.

"Koneko."

Rias said in rising sorrow as the moment where Death decapitated the small rook flashed in her head.

"Sona."

With her name, an image of Sona transforming into a black liquid monster formed in her mind, followed by Akeno disintegrating her with lightning to stop her rampage.

"Asia."

She then remembered a beam of light where Asia was, before in the next moment she was gone, condemned to the Dimensional Gap by Shalba, never to be seen again.

"Issei."

An image formed of Issei's rampage in his Juggernaut Drive state, followed by his unconscious form in his bed rushed through her mind, each morbid memory rapidly rising her power, slowly turning her skin red and threatening to destroy her body as War predicted. Using this very moment that would determine her life, War dashed with a speed of lightning and hit her behind her head. That sudden intervention plummeted her power to normal and knocked her unconscious, thus saving her life and readying to finally take her back home.

Far below, the demon hunters sighed slightly in relief, while Illidan continued to watch on with a stern look on his grim face. He then noticed a figure leaping from the top of the building and is plummeting towards the ground, landing hard not far from them. That figure was War, holding unconscious girl bridal style before he stood upright and placed Rias on his right shoulder between his neck and shoulderpad.

"Nice work." Strife complimented.

"Now that that is finally done and over with, we can-"

"Tremble mortals, and despair! Doom has come to this world!"

A deep, rumbling and terrifying voice echoed miles away from the group. The horsemen and the Illidari looked towards the horizon, and have found a figure that the demon hunters and even Illidan dreaded to face head on, a demon lord of colossal size leading a legion of demons in front of him.

"Illidari! Through the portal, now!" Illidan commanded as he conjured an emergency portal, which the demon hunters entered through without hesitation.

"You are retreating?" War said in outrage at the apparent cowardice, while the portal closed behind the demon hunter.

"That demon lord is Archimonde the Defiler." Illidan said grimly.

"358." Strife suddenly said out of the blue.

"What is that number for Strife?" War asked in confusion.

"Oh nothing, just a little hobby of mine." Strife said casually.

"Hobby?" War asked.

"Yeah, eons ago i started taking count of the corny titles the demons give themselves. Defiler, Destructor, Deceiver, the list goes on." Strife said casually.

After a few moments of staring silently at Strife in mild bewilderment, War and Illidan returned their attention to the demon lord.

"Unless you have the power rivaling that of Sargeras himself, you have no hope of victory against him." Illidan said grimly as he looked at the horsemen.

"What you don't know demon hunter is that we are yet to use the full extent of our might. I believe it is time that we show you just how powerful we truly are." War said seriously as he picked up Rias from his shoulder and placed her on the ground next to Illidan. "Take care of the girl, the demon awaits." He said as he marched forward and pulled out Chaoseater.

"No way I'm gonna miss this." Strife said in excitement as he pulled out both of his guns and went to catch up with his brother.

With Illidan alone, he looked at the unconscious Rias. There was no way that he would reduce himself to being a babysitter, as he too is eager to shed demon blood, if not Archimonde's. That said, he picked up the girl bridal style and took to the skies, flying towards the hills where he could find her a good hiding spot.

Archimonde pointed towards the horsemen, and the legions of demons charged at them without hesitation. Having had his fill for the day of slaughtering an army of weaklings, War instead performed a mighty leap and dashed straight towards the demon lord himself. Archimonde's eyes widened at that spectacular feat a mere mortal could perform, but he immediately narrowed them as he fired red lightning from his index finger. War narrowly dodged the red lightning mid-air and sped up towards the demon lord. But when he was near, the demon lord caught the rider, closing his fist before he roared as he slammed the rider on the ground below him. Believing him to be dead, he marched forward to face Strife, while the said horseman plowed through the demons by the hundreds. Illidan soon arrived to aid him, before in that moment both of them looked back the giant of a demon slowly marching towards them. In that moment, when Archimonde was about to cast a lethal spell on the duo, War suddenly flew to the demon's right side of his head using his mastered Shadowflight wings, clenching and charging the Tremor Gauntlet in his right hand before he delivered a thunderous punch on the demon's cheek, creating a massive shockwave that stretched for miles around them and sending the giant demon's body flying and dragging through the ground, pursuing him quickly with his fiery wings.

The entire demon army accompanying Archimonde watched their lord in shock and awe, unable to perceive how he was sent flying like a ragdoll by a tiny mortal.

"Incredible." Illidan uttered in sheer astonishment.

Back during the War of the Ancients, many have dared to defy the demon lord, but there was only one who had the power to challenge Archimonde directly. That someone was a Wild God Malorne, father of his then mentor Cenarius the demigod, whom Archimonde killed in their duel. After ten thousand years, of all the beings he imagined who would be powerful enough to battle the demon lord himself, War and Strife were certainly not among them. What's more baffling is how War not only attacked, but overpowered the demon lord, delivering a blow akin to being struck by Sargeras himself. It was simply astounding that these human warriors could possess such strength and power.

"That's one word for it." Strife said, his adrenaline pumping at the sight of a real fight. "Listen, call your friends and take care of the small fries, we'll handle the big demon and the other heavy-hitters for you." He said eagerly as he pulled out Redemption and twirled it a bit.

"Very well. Fight hard Strife." Illidan said before he flapped his wings and readied his warglaives.

"Why does he remind me of War whenever he talks?" Strife contemplated, having this sense of déjà vu every time the demon hunter would speak. But another moment later he would shrug it off as he focused on what's infinitely more important: unhinged slaughtering of demons.

On the other side of the battlefield, War landed a good distance from Archimonde, while the demon lord growled furiously as he slowly stood up. He commenced his attack again as he conjured a wave of felfire from the ground, going at fast speed towards the rider, prompting War to take flight high in the sky, reaching the demon's level. In that moment, Archimonde readied his fist, with War doing the same before they collided violently, emitting another, devastating shockwave, tearing apart the land beneath them.

Back to Illidan, the demon hunter conjured a portal behind him.

"Illidari, to me!" Illidan commanded.

On cue, nearly a hundred demon hunters emerged and immediately attacked the demon horde, indiscriminately cutting through them like a hot butter through knife.

Strife was surrounded by seemingly endless swarm of demons, but in response, both of the gun barrels blackened in shadows before he started spinning at fast speed like a sawblade, firing shadow bullets in a circle and piercing through a thousand demons, their corpses crumpling on the ground. Except for one. When Strife looked curiously at the survivor, he could notice that this was no ordinary demon. He seems like a pit lord, a powerful one at that.

"Impressive maneuver. But now you face the might of Mannoroth the Destructor!" The pit lord bellowed and growled menacingly as he approached the rider, the hulking mass of muscle, wings, felfire and metal towering above him, while in the background War and Archimonde clashed fists with each other throughout the wasteland, emitting huge, booming shockwaves with every hit.

"745." Strife said casually, to the Pit Lord's confusion. "Don't mind me, feel free to attack whenever you're ready." He shrugged.

But that casual, dismissive comment infuriated the demon as he growled angrily and charged his double-bladed glaive with fel energy.

"Insolent mortal! Die!" Mannoroth growled as he fired a powerful, devastating fel blast from his glaive right where the rider was standing.

A powerful explosion erupted when the blast struck for miles in front of him, eventually dissipating and incinerating the charred land. Mannoroth chuckled triumphantly as he apparently killed his target.

"Yoohoo!" A familiar voice called out teasingly.

Mannoroth's eyes widened in surprise before he looked left and right for the source of the voice, but was nowhere to be found.

"I'm on your back brainiac." Strife said in annoyance.

Indeed, the pit lord turned his head and found Strife lying on his back near the demon's flaming spine, out of sheer mockery baking a marshmallow on a stick above the spine like it was campfire.

"You know, usually i would be annoyed that you don't know who we really are, but since we're new to town for the time being, i guess I'll let it slide this time." Strife said in laidback manner as he continued to tilt the marshmallow above the demon's fiery spine.

"You would be foolish as well to underestimate me!" Mannoroth growled angrily as he clenched his left fist and ignited the fires on his head and spine, prompting Strife to ditch the stick with marshmallow and nimbly jump above the demon.

"It seems that no matter what reality, all demons have bricks for brains." Strife thought in unamused tone as he landed in front of the demon. "I know what i'm dealing with in a fight. At this point i'm just playing with you, and for your sake, i better not be bored out of my mind anytime soon." He warned.

"Fool, toying with me will be your grave mistake!" Mannoroth growled angrily as he raised his glaive and slammed it on the ground, while Strife dodged the blow as he dashed to his left like a bullet not far from the demon.

"You think me not taking this seriously will give you the advantage?" Strife mocked as Mannoroth growled angrily again at the failed attack. "Go ahead, see how that works." He goaded as he gestured the pit lord to attack. The demon roared as he swung his glaive repeatedly, trying to hit the rider, but Strife nimbly evaded each one.

Far away from Strife and Illidan, War continued to trade blows with Archimonde, the powerful demon doing his best to even wound the rider, but nothing so far. Finally, War and Archimonde dashed backwards and momentarily stopped their battle, their fiery gazes fixed on each other.

"Whoever you are, you appear to be a mighty warrior. With your strength, you would have served the Legion well." Archimonde said in deep, rumbling, commanding voice.

"I only serve the Council and the Balance, a coward like you has nothing to offer me!" War shouted defiantly.

"For that insult, you shall feel my wrath and burn!" Archimonde said in dead serious, menacing tone as felfire enveloped the demon's eyes, hands and upper body, empowering the demon lord.

"Foolish demon! It is you who shall know the true meaning of wrath!" War shouted in defiance before he finally made use of the Stoneskin ability, a coat of molten rock enveloping his body completely, drastically augmenting his resilience and strength. With both combatants empowered, they once again charged at each other, their fists about to collide.

In that moment, back to the Illidari and the demon hunters, as they finished off the last of the demons, a sound of a thunderous blow can be heard, sending a shockwave that reached even them, along with Strife and Mannoroth, drawing their attention to the spectacular fight. From their location, even though War and Archimonde were fighting on an equal footing, the hilarity of the situation is that the sizes of each of the combatants made it look like the demon lord was trying to swat an annoying fly. Despite that, each and every blow they dealt to each other tore the landscape apart, one impactful shockwave after another.

"War seems to be having fun over there. And i have to deal with this fat blob." Strife said to himself as he folded his arms while watching the fight at hand, completely ignoring the pit lord. Mannoroth didn't take kindly to that insult as he growled in anger. "Kinda regretting that I didn't take dibs on the big one when i had the chance." He mildly scolded himself.

Mannoroth growled in rising, seething fury at being ignored like he was an insignificant imp, thus he started to charge his glaive for another powerful blast.

"You really do have a habit of shooting people in the back, do you?" Strife said in serious, yet annoyed tone as he glanced at the pit lord from the corner of his right eye.

Mannoroth at this point didn't care what Strife had to say, but as he was about to fire his blast, the horseman with lightning speed pulled Mercy, aimed at the demon's right shoulder and blasted it from its socket, making the demon howl and roar in fury and agony.

"For the record, i don't appreciate that." Strife said in annoyance as he now turned his front towards the demon. "Either shoot me in the face or don't shoot at all, real simple. Now get that toothpick and fight me for real, this foreplay is starting to bore me." He said seriously. He thought he would have fun with Mannoroth as well, but War's fight with Archimonde seems infinitely more exciting that toying with this sack of teeth and horns.

The mighty pit lord was not deterred from his wound, legendary as his fury was, thus he picked up his glaive with his left hand and charged like a rhino straight towards the horseman. In retaliation, determined to end this fight now, Strife dashed quickly towards the demon, jumped and aimed Redemption right on his snout.

"Boop!" Strife said playfully before he fired his weapon, blasting apart Mannoroth's head, his horns, brains and bones splattering everywhere. As he dashed away from the now dead demon, the pit lord's massive body crumpled on the ground lifelessly.

With that skirmish done, Strife turned around and continued to watch his brother's fight, the two titans continuing to clash their fists, with the demon lord even firing fel fire on War and rider dodging each one.

"Hmm. This guy must be really tough, haven't seen War go all out like this in a long time. If this keeps up, he might even have to use his Chaos Form to beat him." Strife contemplated as he held his chin in thought. Another moment later he picked up Mercy and hoisted both of his guns near his face. "Alright, time for me to join in. Hope you had your fun War, cause I'm about to blow my load on this prick." He said as he eagerly pointed both of his guns at the demon lord.

As Archimonde continued to clash with War, delivering thunderous, seismic punches at each other, Strife started to generate a tremendous amount of energy in both of his guns, preparing to utilize his World Ender ability, a blast that at full power is capable of tearing apart an entire planet, hence its name. And with Archimonde's incredible power, it requires nothing less than this ability to weaken him, if not destroy him outright, depending at how much he charges his ability.

"Suck on this "demon lord.'" Strife said in mockery before he fired a titanic energy wave from both of his pistols straight at the demon.

Archimonde had seen the energy attack coming his way, but the speed at which the attack came left him no time to react. War however managed to quickly dash backwards from the blast, narrowly avoiding it while it completely enveloped the demon lord, the energy wave so massive that it continued all the way to space, fizzling into nothingness. As a huge cloud of smoke formed where Archimonde was, War hissed in frustration at his brother's recklessness. When the smoke eventually cleared, Archimonde himself was revealed crossing his arms in front of him, visibly wounded and seared, but very much alive. However, he quickly collapsed and placed his hands on the ground, weakened from the ordeal, while Strife flew towards the demon and landed not far from him.

"Hey there big guy, mind if I join the party?!" Strife taunted in laidback tone.

"Wretched creature! I will flay both of your souls for this." Archimonde said as he gritted his teeth and glared daggers at the rider.

"Feel free to try squidface." Strife quipped.

"This demon is my quarry Strife." War said sternly as he landed next to his brother.

"Sorry War, but I think it's my turn to have some fun with this guy." Strife said casually as he gestured his gun while looking at the demon.

"We need to finish this demon and leave this place, many more battles lie ahead elsewhere." War said seriously as he looked at his brother.

"You dare look down on me as if I were a lowly demon?!" Archimonde growled furiously as he slowly stood up. "I am the Defiler, Lord of the Burning Legion! You will regret your folly presently!" He bellowed out angrily as he enveloped his hands with felfire.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Strife asked expectantly as he glanced at War.

"After you brother." War said simply.

Archimonde roared as he casted a torrent of felfire on the duo, immolating the ground where they stood, but War and Strife quickly utilized their Shadowflight wings and took to the skies. War dashed like a bullet towards the demon's head, delivering an uppercut and left hook, while Strife fired a powerful shot on the demon's belly, knocking him back and sliding several miles away. In that moment when the demon lord recovered, an incredible amount of energy flowed through the horsemen's bodies, and War and Strife transformed into their respective ultimate forms, Chaos Form and Anarchy Form. Archimonde's eyes widened in shock as the two mortals transformed, one into a fiery demon, while the other what looked like a horned goblin with a scorpion tail and a heavy machine gun instead of left hand. Not only that, but their power increased exponentially, matching if not surpassing his own. Strife didn't waste a moment as he opened his shoulderpads, revealing about fifty holes in each shoulder, before he fired a barrage of rockets, all of them by the hundreds aimed at the demon lord. Archimonde crossed his hands as all across his body rockets were hitting him violently, but Strife not only continued to fire hundreds upon hundreds of rockets, he also started to use his heavy machine gun to add to the barrage, aimed at the demon's crossed hands, while he used his scorpion tail to fire a beam of crimson energy right on the demon's face, searing his left cheek. Although Archimonde did his absolute best to resist the continuous barrage, he could feel his body failing him as Strife damaged him further and further. War in his Chaos form roared as he charged at the demon, easily bypassing the missiles and aiming for his legs, using his flaming sword he sliced both of the demon's legs, making him roar in agony as he collapsed on his back. Despite that, Strife didn't stop even a moment with his assault as he now poured more power into his rockets, machine gun and scorpion tail, utterly enveloping the demon in continuous, violent explosions and tearing apart the land one mile after another.

War took to the skies and reverted from his Chaos Form, but now he noticed that Strife lost himself in his bloodlust as he didn't stop his assault. If he keeps this up, he will tear this whole realm apart, reducing it to nothing but rocks floating aimlessly in vastness of space. Seeing that there is no use to speaking to him, he charged his Tremor Gauntlet, dashed towards his brother and punched him on his left cheek, knocking him back as he finally stopped his barrage.

"This battle is over brother. Stand down." War shouted sternly.

Although that blow didn't damage him, it did made him regain his senses, which was the purpose behind his attack. Strife looked at his brother as he rubbed his cheek, before he reverted to his normal form as well.

"Thanks. That form can be quite a drug sometimes." Strife said as he chuckled lightheartedly.

"Fool! How many times did I tell you to master your transformation? You are fortunate that I was here to stop your rampage." War scolded angrily.

"Come on, it's not like you never had bouts of unhinged carnage when you use your Chaos Form." Strife said in laidback tone.

"At least I learned to control myself in that form, a lesson that you are yet to be aware of." War said seriously.

"Okay fine, I'll pay attention to your classes of self-control when we get back home." Strife said sarcastically.

"Sarcasm will not aid your cause either." War said sternly.

"Let's just get this over with." Strife said dismissively in annoyance as he marched forward, followed closely by War, who hisses in frustration at his brother's stubborn stance at the topic.

Eventually the horsemen have reached the area where Archimonde was. When they did, they noticed that the demon lord's body was completely obliterated, nothing left but parts of his armor, bones and charred skin fizzling in the crater below.

"Looks like that's it then." Strife said casually.

"I'll admit, this was more entertaining than i had anticipated." War said in amused tone.

"See? Told ya this little trip would be fun." Strife said lightheartedly.

"Let us bring the devil back brother, we will have no shortage of battles in days to come in our reality." War said in serious, yet calmer tone before both of them departed.

Several minutes later, War and Strife have reached the deserted stronghold, where the demon hunters were about to leave. Illidan was tending to the unconscious Rias before he noticed the horsemen approaching.

"War, Strife!" Illidan called out as he approached the riders. "We are done here, it is time for us to leave."

"You do not seek to finish off the demons?" War asked curiously.

"Another time. The Legion's numbers are near endless, and the Illidari are not prepared to face their numbers." Illidan said seriously before he took a step forward. "Your skills in demon slaying are a welcome sight. It would be an honor for warriors like yourselves to join us in our war against the Legion." He said respectfully.

"Unfortunately we have to return to safeguard our world, we have neglected it longer than we would wish for." War said in usual, serious tone.

"I see." Illidan said in almost disappointed tone, but respected their wish all the same. "I have to admit, at first I had my reservations when it comes to you both. Although time and again you have proven yourselves as fierce warriors, never would I have imagined that you would be capable of defeating the right hand of Sargeras himself. Know that on this day you have dealt such a blow that the Legion would hardly recover from, and turned the tide to Azeroth's favor in this war, bringing us closer to defeat them for good. For that you have my gratitude, and that of my demon hunters." He confessed.

"I would stand with you till the end to purge the demons Illidan, but my duties take me on another path. I can only wish you luck in your future battles against the Legion." War said in usual, serious tone.

"May your blades never dull in your duties, War, Strife." Illidan said in farewell.

"May your road be paved with the blood of demons, Illidan Stormrage." War said also in farewell.

With everything said, Illidan and the demon hunters conjured the portals and returned to their base of operations far from here, eventually every single of them crossing them before they all closed, leaving War, Strife and still unconscious Rias alone.

"So, you can be social when you want to be." Strife teased.

"He is a warrior willing to sacrifice everything to preserve his homeworld Strife. That is someone worthy of my respect." War said in usual, serious tone.

"Assuming he won't go crazy, considering he's juiced with demon power. And you and i both know how well that ends up." Strife said casually.

"If there is a day when they would go mad with demonic energy, the warriors of this reality will have to deal with that threat themselves." War said seriously before he glanced at his brother. "Now, let us return to our own." He said. Strife nodded silently before he pulled out Caliburn and swung it in front of him, creating a tear in reality as all three of them were consumed by it, the tear itself closing as quickly as it was opened.


Back to their reality, in front of the Gremory estate, Sirzechs, Grayfia, Azazel, and the members of the ORC were waiting anxiously for the horsemen's return. Another moment later, they would all notice a large tear in reality, and from it, a certain someone would emerge from it.

"Surprise surprise!" Strife shouted jovially. "We're back from a successful rescue mission."

"Successful you say?" Azazel asked skeptically.

"Yeah." Strife said casually.

"Strife, where are War and Rias?" Sirzechs asked curiously.

"What do you mean? They're right-"

But as he turned around, War and Rias are nowhere to be seen.

"Wait a minute. They were just behind me, where could they have gone?" Strife asked in utter confusion as he looked left and right.


In another realm of existence, War found himself in violet void, dotted with floating pillars and rocks. And the platform that they're standing on looked like some sort of arena, but instead of it just being a barren rock, it was strangely well chiseled and ornamented, as if this arena is used by someone. There were runes encircling the edges of the arena, but what confused War the most was the center, where a face of a zombie with a top hat and cane was carved, emerging like smoke from what looks like a tea cup for whatever reason.

"Where has Strife sent us now? I don't see him anywhere." War said in frustration as he looked left and right. "The next I see him, I will take that weapon from him."

His attention was then drawn to Rias, who writhed and gagged in agony as black liquid flowed from her body, though different from the tar liquid that infected Sona and Vritra. That sudden event awakened Rias from her slumber as she breathed heavily from vomiting the black liquid. After a few moments, she found War looking at her sideways.

"War? Where are we?" Rias asked as she looked around in utter confusion.

"Later." War said simply as he now fixed his eyes on the black puddle moving through the ground in front of him.

When it stopped, from it emerged the clone that manipulated Rias in the club house, a clone of a certain trickster god's doing.

"Loki. I will mount your skull on a pike for this." War said in low, dead serious tone, for the god daring to make a flimsy clone of him.

"Loki?" Rias said in confusion before she looked at War. "You mean that imposter was Loki's doing?"

"It is. And I will see to it that he pays for this insult." War said before he marched forward, facing the clone.

Seeing that an intense duel was about to occur, Rias stepped back near the edge of the arena, while War and his clone pulled out Chaoseater weapons at the same time, charged at each other and clashed their blades. After a momentary stalemate, War and the clone dashed, evaded, swung, twirled, swiped and clashed each other's weapons, showcasing incredible swordsmanship on both sides. But after a while, it became apparent that this clone may have his appearance, but its power is pathetic. Apparently it was never made to give War a challenging fight, but to deceive Rias and condemn her to the Dimensional Gap. Or at least that was the plan before she somehow ended up in one of the worlds of the Burning Legion instead. That said, the clone made use of the Chaos Form, with its fiery, demonic appearance being more bluish-white than usual orange, in reflection of Loki's energy. But even in this form, War was not concerned in the slightest. Determined to end this here and now, War swung his weapon so hard that it broke the fiery demon's weapon. The clone tossed the hilt aside and roared furiously before he threw a left punch, with War doing the same. When their fists collided, War's punch was far stronger as it pulverized the clone's hand, forcing him to revert back to normal as black blood freely flowed from his shoulder socket. War followed his attack by swinging Chaoseater above his head and swiping it down, decapitating the clone on the spot before its body melted into black liquid, melting away into nothingness.

"Alright, way to go War!" Rias cheered at the rider's victory, while War gazed at her with a usual, stoic look on his face.

"You've had your fun, but now the main event!"

Another voice suddenly echoed across the void, drawing the duo's attention, before a newcomer popped at the center of the arena not far from them.

"A bit of choreographed combat, a calamitous caper, some swinging swordplay! That was all alliteration, which i find fascinating." The newcomer said in charismatic, carefree and flamboyant voice. "A dance of death, though death itself is a funny concept, i should know! Just look at me, the flesh has died, but not the burning fire within! Then again, there isn't actually oxygen here in the Dimensional Gap, so no fire should burn for long, hah! But i digress."

Rias and War looked at the bizarre, zombie creature in ragged gentleman clothes in complete confusion before they glanced at each other silently, one expecting to know the answer from the other what exactly is happening here, but neither of them did. Even War, who lived for countless centuries, who had seen many a strange phenomenon was just as perplexed as the devil herself. This zombie may partly appear and behave like a gentleman, but he talks as if he lost all sense of sanity long ago.

"Rias Gremory." The gentleman zombie said, jumpscaring Rias as he appeared so suddenly in front of her. "For such a beautiful, crimson-red rose i expected you to be quite the dance partner, but it is pleasant, or unpleasant for most who are involved with the horsemen, a surprise that it is with War. Generally speaking, one so encumbered would have two left feet." He then nonchalantly tapped War's left boot with his cane. "I find both of you to be rather engaging. Allow me to explain..." He made a circle around the two, before he walked in front of them and continued to walk towards the center of the arena. "Nothing reinvigorates the spirit like a good round of fisticuffs, eh lady and gentleman? Though not so gentle really, the horsemen do hit quite hard. I was merely speaking in generalities, which, upon reflection, is a bad habit. It's best to get to the point, to be succinct. In general." He turned towards them when he reached the center, leaning on his cane.

"War? Are we having the same hallucinations right now?" Rias asked in utter confusion.

"I can hardly call this a mirage, but yes, i see the strange creature too." War said in usual, serious tone, but was just as confused at this walking bundle of lunacy.

"Put a little spring in your step, the show has begun! We must give the audience what they've come for!" The zombie said in jovial, flamboyant manner before he looked at War and Rias in realization. "Ah, perhaps you assume we're alone. That's due to your three dimensional vision, which fails to pick up the spirits of the other six. That's almost human of you. Though tecnically you are, or were, part hu-"

The zombie gentleman was abruptly silenced as he received Rias' destruction blast to the face, creating a cloud of smoke where he stood.

"Sorry, but i had my fill of people talking alot." Rias said to War in frustration. The rider wasn't bothered by that in the slightest as he too didn't like to talk unless something was needed to be said. Both Rias and even War were surprised when they noticed that the zombie was gone.

A moment later however, Rias was caught completely off guard as she was suddenly smacked hard on her back by the zombie with a cane, making her scream in pain and slam into the ground, rolling a few meters forward before stopping, lying motionless on the ground for a few moments.

"Don't you dare steal my spotlight! It has taken me infinite millennia over countless worlds to acquire!" The zombie gentleman said in insult.

"This... will be interesting." War smirked a bit at the possible challenge in front of him as he drew his Chaoseater and took his fighting stance.

"En garde you boob!" The zombie said to War as he held his cane like a fence sword.

War attacked as he swung his sword overhead and tried to swing it down, but the zombie parried it easily with a flick of his cane and poked hard on the rider's chest, knocking him backwards.

"Surprise!" A high pitched, cartoonish voice was heard as the zombie teleported and smacked War hard in the back with his cane, sending him flying momentarily and smashing on the ground.

Rias tried her luck as she fired three destruction blasts at the zombie, but to her shock, the zombie merely snagged the three blasts and started juggling them with his cane.

"Do be careful my dear, this toy slices both ways!" The zombie said politely before he flicked all three blasts with his cane back at Rias at fast speed, prompting the devil to barely dodge her own blasts in panic.

The zombie then appeared behind her, and all he did is smack Rias behind her head with his cane, making Rias kneel and grab her head to shake off the pain.

"You're going to have to put your back into it." The zombie scolded like a parent would a child.

Suddenly his chest was impaled with a spear-tipped chain before he was dragged towards the source, who happened to be War. But as the rider swiped his weapon, the zombie teleported and emerged to War's right, prompting the rider to swing his weapon again, but the zombie simply dashed backwards.

"Pick a card!" The zombie said as he pulled a deck of cards and started flicking each card like a projectile at such speed that dozens of them were fired at War at once.

War could only avoid and slice through each card, but he fired them so fast that four cards managed to hit him, the edges of the cards piercing his flesh, delivering a surprising amount of pain.

"I dare say, my spry demeanor might be too much for old fellows like you. Perhaps you could pick it up a bit? I've got business to attend later in the evening. I have to see a once living man about a skeletal horse!" The zombie ranted, while War furiously gritted his teeth as he pulled out each card from his body.

Rias again fired an enormous destruction blast at the zombie, but when it cleared, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he? Is he gone?" Rias asked in almost panicked tone as she looked left and right.

"Keep your guard up Gremory, this is a surprisingly formidable foe." War said sternly as he slowly approached her while looking for his opponent.

"I figured that part myself." Rias said seriously as she continued to look for the zombie.

"Care for some service milady?" The zombie asked suddenly next to Rias in polite tone as he bowed like a gentleman.

Rias dashed backwards in panic and again charged up her signature attack.

"How about a service with a SMILE?!" Rias roared defiantly as she unleashed another destruction blast at the Wicked, but he casually sidestepped it.

But that quip made the zombie chuckle in amusement.

"I thought i was the wicked one, hah! Do you see? Wicked is my name, not yours!" The zombie now named Wicked said before he signed blissfully. "Ahh... such humor always gets the best of me. Some have said it's vainglorious to laugh at one's own jokes. Well they can-"

"SHUT UP!" War and Rias shouted furiously at the zombie person. But as soon as they did, they both looked at each other in slight bafflement at how they said that in unison.

Wicked looked at the duo in momentary surprise before he laughed a bit in response.

"Aww, isn't this adorable? Ahh young love. Though i wouldn't really call it young in War's case, it's still so refreshing to see a couple rise through their disagreements and fight as true lovers." Wicked said, seemingly lost in his own, blissful thoughts.

Though it made Rias blush a bit, his incessant babbling is now getting on Rias' nerves bigtime.

"Okay, now this zombie really talks too much." Rias said seriously.

"Let us put an end to this maniac." War said grimly.

"So I'm told horseman, but such is my nature, as is yours for indiscriminant slaughter in the name of Balance. To each their own really." Wicked said casually.

"Can you take this seriously for goodness sake?!" Rias shouted angrily, already feeling like she's going crazy.

But another instant later, Wicked appeared in front of her with a surprisingly grim look on his withered face.

"Trust me dear, you are not prepared for serious." Wicked said in grim, dead serious tone. But the second later he flipped back to his jovial self. "Isn't that right War?" He asked as he chuckled humorously, but War only scowled angrily. "Exactly so. The show must go on, my dear."

He then disappeared, and with a sound of a double quack of a duck, he reappeared to War's left, prompting the rider to raise his prosthetic gauntlet and block Wicked's cane poke. He immediately retaliated as he swung Chaoseater over and over again at the zombie, but Wicked casually ducked and weaved each attack before he casually tapped the floor below, creating an enormous top hat that exploded from the ground, knocking War back.

"Care to go for a spin?" Wicked said as he threw the top hat on his head like a sawblade straight towards War, prompting the horseman to raise Chaoseater and block the top hat drilling his blade. War roared as he rebounded the top hat back to the Wicked, which the zombie casually caught.

"That was a pun! My hat was spinning!" Wicked laughed to himself as he placed the top hat back on his head.

"You know your jokes are really bad if you have to explain them." Rias said in annoyance.

In response, Wicked appeared next to her and smacked her in the head like a teacher would to an unruly student, while Rias grabbed her head and knelt down in pain.

"Eyes on the prize princess." The zombie instructed politely. While he was distracted, War tried to thrust his weapon straight at the zombie, but Wicked easily dashed away, now facing the duo in front of him while Rias stood up.

War and Rias didn't had a clue at how much time passed since they began their battle with Wicked. Minutes, hours, months, maybe even years, but after a while of what appears to be royal thrashing on the duo, the Wicked finally decided to end the bout, for reasons only known to him.

"My word, is it the time already?" Wicked said in surprise as he looked at the nonexistent watch on his wrist.

War and Rias could only look at the zombie in confusion.

"Terribly sorry, but this is where we part ways. The audience has been satisfied and I have places to be. Arrivederci, adieu, goodbye and goodnight." Wicked said before he took off its top hat, did an exaggerated, yet courteous bow and then threw his top hat above him. Then he used his cane to somehow attach it to his top hat and then motioned his hand downward, making the top hat quadruple in size, levitating him upward as if he was holding an umbrella, eventually fading away into nothingness of the void.

"That... was the strangest thing i've ever seen." Rias said in confused trance.

"Yes. Very odd. And yet, he was a surprisingly worthy foe." War said seriously. Despite the Wicked's madness, his fighting skills are unlike anything he had encountered before, like fighting a force of chaos itself.

"Silly me, i almost forgot."

The Wicked suddenly echoed as he conjured a large top hat near the duo, tilting sideways and popping out of existence in small burst of red energy and several bats. But what shocked Rias the most is that from the top hat emerged…

"Asia!" Rias called out in shock and surprise as she ran towards her. "Asia, speak to me! Asia!" She shouted as she nudged the unconscious, blonde nun repeatedly, while War stood behind her.

But their attention would soon be drawn to the realm itself as it suddenly distorted itself, making them fall down into the black abyss below, their fates unknown.


Somewhere in the Dimensional Gap, the Wicked, his full name being Wicked Killington was lounging on a certain someone as he drifted through the void.

"Ahh, love was certainly felt in the void back there." Killington sighed blissfully as he lied on a snout of a certain dragon. "They will make such a beautiful couple one day. Don't you agree, my reptilian friend?"

That dragon turned out to be Great Red, who didn't appreciate that the Wicked K was using him as a hammock to lie on.

"You doubt so? Oh so yee little faith. The horseman might be rough around the edges, but the affection is still there beneath that carapace of molten rock. You can't deny that fact big red." Wicked K said casually.

The Dragon of the Apocalypse merely growled at that name.

"Okay okay, 'Great Red'. Touchy a tad bit, are we?" Wicked K corrected himself politely. "Not to worry, with a sip of a delicious tea, such tensions will be a thing of the eternity. Isn't that right?"

The Great Red again made a sound at what seems to be a dry chuckle.

"Bite your lizard tongue. You might actually hurt my nonexistent, yet existent feelings. Such a fickle thing, isn't it? I have no idea how mortals can manage such a thing on a day to day basis. Now, where were we?" Wicked K said, losing his trail of thought before he remembered. "Oh yes."

As he said this, another portal opened in front of Wicked K and Great Red.

"TEA TIME!" Wicked K shouted jovially as he and Great Red entered the portal.


Back in the Underworld, War and Rias would suddenly find themselves in front of Sirzechs, Grayfia, Azazel, Strife and ORC. Everyone present were surprised to see them, as for them, there was only a gap of few minutes between the time when Strife first arrived and then War and Rias.

"Rias!" Akeno, Kiba and Gasper shouted in joy as they rushed towards their president, followed closely by Karlamine, Yubelluna and Isabela.

"Thank goodness!" Akeno shouted in joy as three of them approached their president.

"Asia?! Is that Asia?!" Kiba shouted in shock as he saw the unconscious nun in her arms.

"No way!" Gasper said in shock.

"She survived?" Akeno asked in surprise.

"Yeah." Rias nodded as she smiled gently.

"Thank goodness, both of you made it out in one piece." Akeno smiled in relief.

"It's good to be back." Rias smiled gently.

While the ORC were having a heartfelt reunion with Rias, War slowly walked towards Sirzechs, Grayfia, Azazel and Strife.

"Thank you War." Sirzechs nodded gratefully.

"Now you owe us a favor for rescuing your sister." War said seriously.

"Indeed. What favor would you ask of me?" Sirzechs asked in more formal tone.

"We'll hold onto it for now, just try not to forget that you owe us a big one." Strife said as a reminder to the devil king.

"Then I will take my leave. And again, thank you for saving my sister." Sirzechs smiled gratefully before he and Grayfia teleported via magic circle.

"Might as well hit the road too." Azazel smirked in laidback manner before he looked at Strife. "You two can babysit the devils from here on out."

"How gracious of you 'Mister Azazel'." Strife said sarcastically with folded arms. Azazel in response chuckled in amusement and waved goodbye before he also disappeared via magic circle.

A few moments later, when the devils expressed their worry and relief for Rias' and Asia's safe return, the crimson devil looked at War's broad back and smiled gently before she walked towards him. Apparently the red rider is not aware of her approach, but despite that, she remember a moment in her dream before the sabotaged Rating Game against Diodora.

"Gratitude is needless, i will always come to aid you." War said stoically.

That may not be an exact response to what she is about to say to him, but considering the trouble that the horsemen went through to save her, going as far to another dimension no less, she anticipates that he will say something along those lines.

"War." Rias smiled gratefully as she stopped right behind him. "Thank you for saving me."

However, the response would be far the opposite as War gritted his teeth, being fed up with her maiden in love episodes. It's a good a time as any to rip her mind from the clouds and pin her on solid earth for good. That said, he quickly turned around and roughly grabbed her with his prosthetic gauntlet, alarming everyone present but Strife.

"Let me make one thing clear devil." War said sternly as he grabbed Rias by her chest with his left gauntlet.

But for some reason Rias blushed red and moaned loudly, confusing the red rider a bit. When he looked at her chest area, he realized that he unintentionally grabbed both of her breasts with his large gauntlet, immediately letting her go afterwards. After that embarrassing moment, he returned to his stern self.

"I had enough of your pointless pursuits Gremory. You are tirelessly seeking something that you will never receive. As the horsemen always have, we serve the Council and the Balance. And i will suffer no distractions, no compromises or half-measures in my duties. Remain in your delusions if you wish, but i will never allow such pointless things to distract me from my task to preserve the Balance. Especially not from you." War said sternly, without a shred of compassion in his voice.

Rias could only gasp in complete shellshock, his adamant, coldhearted words shattering the illusion that she had held dear in her mind up until now. Time and again, during the period he spent with the devils, she would had an emotional whiplash from the red rider's motivations and actions concerning her, but now all she could feel is agonizing pain in her chest, while in her mind she is going through an emotional chaos, incapable of thinking straight. The devils could only imagine what was going through Rias' head in those moments of absolute shellshock, but none of them would be positive as they all notice how she is bowing her head down, doing her absolute best not to go through an emotional breakdown on the spot.

"But... but i lo-"

"Do not speak words you do not have true feelings for." War interrupted angrily.

"You don't know anything about me War, let alone what I feel for you." Rias retorted defiantly, going all in at this point.

"I know that you are a devil, whose origins are unmistakably tied to the Dark Kingdom. You know very little about me either Gremory, so it only stands to reason is that your attraction is based on my power as a Horseman." War said in almost dead serious tone.

"You are not letting me know you. You don't even trust me enough for that." Rias said desperately.

"No. I do not." War said coldheartedly.

That simple, yet ice cold answer was enough to leave Rias speechless again, and break her heart further.

"Death has use for you and your kind, and it will remain so until he deems otherwise. As for me, I never had interest in knowing you to begin with. As far as I'm concerned, you can be thrown into the lowest circle of Hell to rot in its icy wastes." War said coldheartedly before he departed from the estate, to a destination only known to him, so long as it's from the Gremory devils.

While she tried her hardest to power through War's words, they were so cold, cruel and heartless he made them sound like they were spoken by Death himself. Unable to bear such an insurmountable agony any longer, she ran towards the building as tears streamed from her eyes, despite trying her absolute best to stem them.

"Rias!" Akeno called out as she was about to chase her.

"Let her go." Strife said seriously as he grabbed Akeno's left arm, prompting her to look at the rider.

"What?! But Strife-"

"I said leave her alone." Strife said seriously. After a few moments, Akeno gave up on the chase, allowing him to let her arm go. "It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was necessary. She won't get anything from War but a lifetime of pain." He said seriously as he watched Rias running and disappearing in the building. As much as he loves his brother, he would spare any woman from one-sided affairs with him. Best to face the music than be trapped in an illusion like Rias was.

After an exhilarating adventure through dimensions, War and Strife succeeded in saving Rias' life, only for the red rider to shatter her heart. But War didn't care in the slightest that he bursted her dream bubble. After all, the horsemen are in need of warriors, not lovesick fools who will only get themselves killed on the battlefield with their needless distractions. What was important is that he had gained a debt of gratitude from Sirzechs, a debt that will be dearly paid in days to come. Until then, he is free to continue his mission to hunt down Gluttony and Pride, and finally collecting the remaining piece of the Armageddon Blade before the sword could be reforged for the horsemen's use.


A/N: Possibly the longest chapter I wrote so far. I had thought of splitting it in two chapters, but I didn't know which part would be a good cliffhanger, so I decided in the end to add another long read. Also, forgot to mention this since chapter 9, but me personally I always imagined War's Chaos Form to look like a Balrog (aka Durin's Bane) from Lord of the Rings instead of the Fallen model for more unique appearance, along with having Balrog roars and growls to make him sound really terrifying, so this is something that can live rent free in your heads if you want.

-Super heavy weapons guy thank you :)

-Wacko12 Yet to come up with what Nephilims we can conjure for the story, cause the only one whose soul wasn't absorbed in the amulet by Death would be Absalom.

-Gamelover41592 thank you very much. Quite so, and in abundance.

-DOOMRAIDER Yeah, regardless of their emotional stability, be it Archon's or someone else, it's something that Absalom and the Seven Deadly Sins can easily exploit for their own benefit, or just for laughs. Though unlike the Sins, Absalom is arguably more dangerous as he doesn't have to rely on people like the humans to thrive, he just outright twists and corrupts everything and everyone because he can, all the way to the Kingdom of the Dead and even the Tree of Life itself. Yeah, that's one of several outcomes i imagined for the devil citizens, but we'll see which scenario will occur when the time comes, be it corruption, betrayal to the demons of Hell or something else :)

-BoilingPoints30 You're welcome. And yea, for the new readers, I don't think they'll be making a return.

-nantono Yup, just the kind of bond between Nephilim siblings one could imagine :D

-Gods Angry Man Better yet, he might try to take that Sacred Gear from him and be infinitely more dangerous, like Raynare did with Asia's Twilight Healing in canon. Who knows, the possibilities are endless and none can be good for everyone involved.

Sorry if it took too long, really tried to speed this chapter up, but the length of the chapter itself prevented me from posting it sooner. Hopefully it won't be the issue for future chapters, but at this point i can't make any promises. As always, thank you all very much for reviews, faves and follows and i'll see you in the next chapter :)