Chapter 54: Neverlasting Peace

The Majesty Queens spent an entire month setting up the Hope Heralds organization. They'd called on every connection they could, hoping to garner more support so that they could help mortals and the supernatural. They knew it would be difficult but Issei never spared any effort in his crusades so neither would they.

They decided to split the workload, each taking charge of a department that best suited them.

Artemis took charge of security, sending out bodyguards and roaming armed parties who'd use proportionate force to stop crime wherever present.

Brynhildr kept an eye on military operations, doing her best to keep world tensions low while preventing the development of unnecessary weapons such as bio and chemical weapons.

Amaterasu pursued medicinal endeavors to try and help create new cures for disease as well as eradicating birth defects and disabilities.

Grayfia handled the business aspects since she'd had centuries of experience dealing with Gremory companies.

Morrigan, surprisingly, took charge of scientific endeavors. Her time researching fate and Fate Breaker had sparked a love of the sciences within her.

Eldesa forecasted best choices and delved into finances so as to properly route funds to people who needed it.

Camilla went into entertainment and used it to spread words of wisdom and philosophy so as to try and negate the growing ignorance and immaturity of the world's population. She made full efforts in her work since she never forgot the arrogance and greed that spurred the Hero Faction's actions that destroyed her life once before.

As for Sylderia, she went into creating infrastructure, ensuring that lost souls would have help finding homes and getting back on their feet and expanding the reach of their organization.

Thanks to some magic, their first 2 months went well. The Mortal Realm had no idea what was going on and whenever some greedy politician or dictator tried to start trouble, Artemis and Brynhildr would put them in their place.

The Supernatural didn't dare stir chaos either since the Majesty Queens had gained a reputation for being as powerful as the Fallen Heralds. The Queens had extended an invitation to the Chaos Queens but they opted to tour this world and unwind now that their main counterparts were back on their feet.

Regrettably, it was still too soon to say if things would go well with the world. It was easier to see what lied beyond the horizon after the turbulent sea calmed.

One evening, Artemis had wrapped up a small dinner gathering.

She was drinking with Athena and Aphrodite at the Kuoh Residence after her huntresses all returned home. As much as they wanted to keep partying, the younger ladies could barely stay awake after all the alcohol.

"So, any news I should know about?" Artemis sipped her wine.

Athena stared into her goblet, swirling its contents.

"There's been talk of new troublemakers. They appeared out of nowhere and have been targeting people with Sacred Gears and significant powers. My scouts say that they're remnants of Praegorn's followers."

Artemis froze when she heard that name. The mere mention of it made her seethe with lividity. Just when she thought the chaos he'd sewn was over, his evil managed to find its way back into the world.

"Any names and locations?"

"None. They hide their tracks well. Their last sighted location was the Ruins of Atlantis. I reckon they're trying to recover Atlantean armaments to prepare for another assault. At least, that's all I'm hoping it is. My scouts are still digging for their trail."

"Keep me posted. I wanna nip it all in the bud before it can get big." Artemis glared darkly into the contents of her silver goblet.

"Where's everyone else?" Athena looked around and found nary a person in sight. It had dawned on her that not a single person had returned home even this late into the night.

"All out visiting family."

"What about the caretakers?" Aphrodite nudged her neck toward the picture of Cleria and Yaegaki.

"We built them their own estate on the grounds."

"I'm stunned that a former noble and exorcist are relegated to housekeepers." Athena said.

"I wanted to give them their own division to run in the Hope Heralds but they declined. They said that they just wanted a quiet and simple life. Honestly, if things were different, I'd be living like them."

"Then that means it's just you and the others living here, huh?" Athena gave her a sad sympathetic smile. This was a big house. Hearing nothing but one's own echo was a sobering experience.

"Yeah, but it's not bad. It's like living with the Huntresses in our early days. We're still getting to know each other." Artemis' shoulders sagged as she recalled the days on her island with her maidens.

"So, experimented with them too?" Aphrodite winked.

Artemis went stone-faced.

"No. The only person each of us would share a bed with is Issei."

"I see. I'm still surprised you're all willing to share. I've seen many harems get bloody real quick."

Athena rolled her eyes at her sister's lack of tact. Artemis merely scoffed into a laugh.

"You'd think with our reputations. However, I think living with Issei kinda opened my eyes."

"How so?" Athena scooted closer to her.

"When our pantheon was at the top of the world, none of us thought we could do no wrong. Then mortals started getting smarter and we changed as a result but we were still quite uncouth in many ways. When I lived with Issei, I learned of what it was like to be right in front of people I'd hurt. I saw what guilt did to an immortal. I saw how much he suffered reflecting on the impact his own actions had on others. It made me realize just how often I went wrong in the past."

Athena and Aphrodite's gazes went downcast. Artemis could see some shame welling up in their own eyes. She laughed, hoping to lighten the mood after bringing it down.

"I learned accountability with him and it made me realize what were minor slights and what were genuine problems. Back then, we committed so many crimes that it's hard to count." Artemis sneered at her reflection.

"Can't say I have any excuses." Athena's tone was soft, a tinge of regret laced it.

"I often wondered why Issei never came after any of us. Perhaps it was his crusade across the stars that saved us from his wrath. By then, we'd tried to tone down our behaviors but still, we never wound up paying for what we did, did we?" Aphrodite's tone stopped being jovial.

"No. Maybe living with the newfound guilt and regret is punishment in its own way." Aphrodite pursed her lips in shame. "That's why I wanna do this. I wanna make up for what I've done, even if people hate me for it."

"Good point." Athena took a sip of her drink before Aphrodite change the mood.

"So, enough of the gloom. Let's end the night on a happy note."

"Indeed." Artemis chuckled lightly.

"Let's hope that peace lasts this time." Athena raised a glass alongside her sisters, toasting to a new beginning.

The next morning, Artemis awoke to hear the other Queens returning home.

"We're home at last." Brynhildr groaned.

Everyone had been swamped with belongings and souvenirs. They laid out their gifts onto tables as they dropped their bags off into their rooms.

"Did you all have an international heist or something?" Artemis grinned as Sylderia hefted a giant block of cheese onto the dining table.

"My parents insisted I shared this with you. It's Lemurian Sweet Cheese." She sliced off blocks for everyone to try.

Artemis was surprised by the food. It was like eating a chewy block of cheesecake that was less sweet.

"Odin insisted that I bring back barrels of mead. He said that drowning sorrows at least once is good for you and then he said to pick yourself up a few days later." Brynhildr scoffed.

"Not the most sound advice I've heard." Camilla chuckled.

"He thinks it's funny." The Valkyrie Captain rolled the giant barrel into a corner of the Kitchen.

Everyone proceeded to have breakfast via sharing their various treats and drinks from their homelands. Artemis found it fulfilling to have a slice of every country at the table. Then she remembered that there was one touch missing: Atlantean food, something Issei was adept at.

She tried not to let the pain in her heart ruin the mood but struggled to do so. Despite her renewed resolution and her best efforts to recover, thinking about him always stung. She hated how hard it was to completely move on.

Once breakfast ended, it was time for everyone to get to work. Artemis never expected that she would have to wear mortal clothing but she reckoned getting into a blue business suit was a nice change of pace.

Artemis went with the others to their new headquarters in Kuoh's city district. Their building was 10 floors and made of white marble and it stood tall like a beacon of progress, complete with a sword-like antenna at the top. It stood proudly like a flag and it was the hope of the ladies that it would become a beacon of progress and strength.

When they entered the lobby, they bypassed the barrier put in place and entered the Supernatural side of their base. Yokai, demigods, and other mythological entities went back and forth. Most of them were employees moving in and out to get to their assignments.

"Welcome back, My Ladies. The Four Satans, Archangels, and Grigori Head will be arriving in 30 minutes for your meeting. I've also notified the Jotuns that the items they requested will be shipped this afternoon. We'll also make sure to notify Horus about the construction team we're sending to Egypt next week. Oh, and we just received a shipment of supplies from Africa." Arsyla was now adorned in a business suit, having become Eldesa's secretary.

"Thanks, Arsyla." Eldesa handed her old friend a coffee.

"I still can't believe we managed to find a way to incorporate our old duties into this career. Still doesn't feel real. Too bad Ilkynos stayed with the Order." Arsyla sipped her drink as she followed her bosses to the 8th floor.

"Regrettably, some of us had to leave behind our old duties and organizations but I think this is just as worthwhile." Eldesa glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She was still getting used to not wearing golden robes anymore. Instead, she exchanged that attire for a dandelion-gold suit.

"It helps we've got such capable employees that we can drop some things to them if things go down." Brynhildr shrugged.

"Please don't make that a habit." Artemis quipped.

As much as they hated it, the Majesty Queens knew that the place they'd be the biggest help in was the battlefield.

Sylderia peered out the window in her white suit and black shirt. She stared at the horizon, wondering just how long it would be before positive changes would take hold. In just the past month, they managed to provide homes to 5,000 homeless, 300 jobs to Kuoh's suburbs alone, as well as launching a manufacturing plant for their own medical supplies. Things were starting to look up here and she hoped this would continue across the world.

'Issei, is this what you would've done if you'd lived?' At times, she pondered this question. Was she and her cohorts making him proud? Was this a good idea or was it just a way to find closure without having heart in this organization?

Sylderia's thoughts were cut off when a voice entered the room.

"Please excuse us."

She turned around to see that Michael and the other leaders of the Biblical Faction had arrived. However, there was one addition that she hadn't anticipated to see: Lord Bael, the father of Sairaorg and Magadaran Bael. The Queens remained polite with their expressions but all agreed in silence that he was an uninvited presence. He leered around the room with his slicked-back black hair and purple eyes. His build was thin and tall, something Sylderia took as a sign of the rumors being true. The Bael lacked physical strength due to favoring their Clan's Power of Destruction.

"Welcome. Let's begin the meeting."

Once everyone was seated, Sylderia addressed the first elephant in the room.

"So, how may I help you, Lord Bael?"

"I've come today to negotiate." Lord Bael passed a packet of papers to her.

Sylderia retained her composure as she read the proposal, despite its contents.

"I see. So, you want us to hand over Cleria Belial and Yaegaki Masaomi in exchange for establishing a foothold in Bael territory, right?"

"Along with other privileges. The apples grown in our territory have many magical effects that are versatile and would be an assured asset to your medical research. All that I ask is that you turn the two over to us."

"And the rest of you support this proposal?" Sylderia looked at each of the Biblical Leaders. Their silence spoke for them and allowed for her to proceed.

"Lord Bael, I am sorry to say that I must decline your generous proposal."

"And may I ask why?"

"What you ask for is not material possessions but people. I do not allow the trafficking of lives. It's, in fact, outlawed. I would be breaking the law by agreeing to your proposal. I can't do that when my organization is still so young." Sylderia was seething that this man had the audacity to ask for such collateral but she ensured to keep her smile. She would wait for him to slip up as she could tell he would do so.

"This matter wouldn't leave this room." Lord Bael looked at the others as if he had nothing to worry about.

"That's where you're wrong, Lord Bael. Others will find out. Words will escape mouths at the slightest provocation. The ones who know Cleria and Yaegaki will wonder where they are and searches will begin. It'll be like trying to close the caps in a collapsing dam. You'll never be able to plug all the holes in time and when you have, the damage will already be done. Now, I do believe this matter is closed."

Lord Bael looked incensed by Sylderia's rejection. Clearly, he wasn't used to being refused.

"As you mentioned, your organization is very young. It is barely 3 month's old. I can grant you financial security, exposure, as well as being your ally in times of need."

"I must still refuse, Lord Bael. While you would be an asset, your price is simply one that we cannot pay."

"Should I also mention that others know you're housing Cleria and Yaegaki? They will come for them. Under our care, the two will have the entire Underworld to protect them."

Sylderia smiled coyly but her eyes glinted dangerously. She knew that was a lie. There was a reason why Issei always kept an eye on Yaegaki and Cleria. They knew a secret that many would kill them for.

"Lord Bael, my word is final. If you continue to insist, I must ask you to leave immediately."

"Lady Sylderia, I do not believe you are aware of your position."

"I am completely aware of my position. I will never sell out Cleria and Yaegaki. No matter what you say to me, I will not accept your terms."

"Then are you aware of the danger they represent? The Old Satan Faction and fanatical exorcists would use them to ignite another war. The Grim Herald did not die to allow such chances to linger, did he?" Lord Bael smirked, as if he thought he'd put her in Check.

Sirzechs' brow twitched but he quickly let it subside. Instead, he took a small exhale as he studied Sylderia's face. He nodded at the Queens; they were free to tear into him.

"The world is still trying to sort itself out. I reckon that if everyone were to find out about his death, then it would have drastic repercussions for everyone." Lord Bael's smile grew even further with his attempted blackmail.

The other Majesty Queens weren't surprised he knew of that fact but at this point, it was no longer that much of a secret. Everyone employed at Hope Heralds knew the truth. So did the Fortium and other major deities. That said, it stoked the raging flame inside their hearts when Lord Bael tried to bait and guilt them into accepting his offer. This was unacceptable.

The 8 women merely shared a resonating glance with subtle nods at Sylderia before they all turned their gaze toward Lord Bael. He seemed to shrink into his seat when the eyes of 8 extremely powerful beings focused on him.

"The Grim Herald's passing is not as much of a secret as you think, Lord Bael. Every employee here knows about it. Your leaders know about it along with many others in foreign lands. You attempt at extortion is tantamount to threatening to steal one of our thousands of cars. It is nothing and its impact would do nothing to what's already happening."

"You consider your stability 'nothing'?" Lord Bael looked befuddled at her choice of words.

"The Grim Herald died, yes. However, he wouldn't have done what he did if he didn't have faith in any of us. He was never a man to gamble lightly. He put his trust in the ones who remained behind because he believed we could continue the preservation and progress of this world as well as keeping to the principles he tried to uphold." Artemis spoke up, finally having had enough of the Bael leader's voice.

(Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest OST – Selene's Smile. Play Song.)

"As for Cleria and Yaegaki, they are like family to someone we cherish very much. If I may be so bold, what has you so insistent? Is it because of the real truth?" Sylderia decided to no longer play nice. Since none had ever put this foul creature in his place, she would do everyone a favor.

"The real truth?" Lord Bael cocked a brow.

"The 9 King Evil Pieces, of course." Sylderia's smile melted immediately as she glared dangerously at him.

His expression contorted in shock. He clearly hadn't expected anyone to know about them and that gave her grounds to keep pushing.

"The Grim Herald told me many things before his passing. You along with many other Clan Heads have rigged the Rating Games with the King Piece. You give them to candidates you consider easy to manipulate and then fix matches in schemes and gambling to line your pockets and standing. When Cleria found out, you tried to have her killed under the pretext of preventing a war due to their romance." Grayfia's glare was like a tundra that was threatening to close in on the Bael Clan Head and he knew that.

He flinched slightly when he made eye contact with her. Lord Bael quickly resumed a calm demeanor but the Majesty Queens would not allow him to utter another word.

"Lord Bael, was it not enough that the Grim Herald slew the Old Devils? Was it not enough that he made it very clear what would happen if anyone tried to hurt that couple? All he asked was for you all to leave them alone. Even now, he never exposed you all after some compromises. And before you play innocent, many of your Clan's leaders created the corruption in the games from centuries ago. It would be wise of you not to abuse your power." Morrigan now made her stance clear as she crossed her arms.

"Do not think that because Issei Hyoudou is no longer here that we are weak. Do not dare to underestimate us and think that we are so lost in grief that we would bow down to any threats and blackmail. We will refuse and fight anyone who tries to take advantage of us, Bael. Should you or anyone come after Cleria and Yaegaki or create trouble, we will not tolerate the act and we will hunt down the problem to its source and eradicate it." Sylderia's eyes began to glow a rainbow color that was synonymous to her power over light.

"And the next time you sully his memory with your tongue, I will ensure that it will be removed." Eldesa glared at the man. For a brief moment, the stars in the morning sky became visible, which should've been impossible.

(Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest OST – Selene's Smile. End Song.)

Lord Bael looked ready to soil himself at the sheer magnitude of threats lobbed at him. He sneered and left without another word. When the Biblical Faction didn't go with him, he leered at them.

"Are we not adjourned?"

"Actually, now the rest of us are here on separate matters. I assure you, Lord Bael, that we will speak again when we return to the Underworld." Sirzechs retained his calm demeanor as the older devil left.

Sylderia then turned her attention to the red-haired demon lord.

"I apologize for springing this on you but I figured it was best that a neutral party tore him down." Sirzechs bowed his head.

"So, we were just here to do your dirty work?" Grayfia had nothing but respect for Sirzechs. He did the best he could with his work but it bothered her that he sat on the sidelines so much.

"Not at all. When he returns home, he will find that his assets have been seized and his cohorts arrested. Ever since my friend killed the Old Devils, I decided to take matters into my own hands. We all did, actually. Thus, we learned of the truth like you did. It was after many months that we laid the steps to remove the corrupted nobles from power and confiscated the King Evil Pieces." Sirzechs looked to Ajuka, who held up the 9 King Evil Pieces.

"So, you brought him here just to rub salt on his wounds before you inflict them?" Camilla asked.

"Yes. If we were to do it ourselves, it would look like a trap that he could've leveraged against us. He forced us to bring him along today because he was sure that you all would be vulnerable to coercion since Issei is gone. I merely saw an opportunity for you to tear into someone who would besmirch Issei's name to let off some steam. Furthermore, if word got out that you resisted the Bael Clan's Leader, someone who's influence rivals our own, then respect and recognition would naturally flock to you." Sirzechs smiled like a child who'd earned a prize.

"Well, it did feel good but let's move on now. What's really got you all visiting us today?" Artemis interceded.

"I reckon you've already heard the news that Praegorn's remnant forces have been starting trouble. They call themselves the Providence Armigers. I have names and faces that I wanted you to spread word about. They've been pretty tricky to catch and I thought you all would be great at seeking them out." Azazel looked specifically at her for her skill at hunting.

"Any news on a goal?"

"Greed, it seems. They've been collecting anything and everything related to him. I reckon they'd even go after even a piece of hair that fell off his balls." Azazel shrugged.

Eyes rolled at his uncouth humor.

"It amazes me that anyone would worship that shit-eating, fucking parasite of an abomination." Amaterasu muttered.

Everyone looked at her in shock. Amaterasu was one of the most well-spoken of the Queens. For her to speak so strongly was a whopper.

"Wow, okay, yeah, um…anyways, was that all?" Camilla cleared her throat awkwardly.

"No. You see, I've also done my share of surveillance. I have a known location and I'll be sending several teams of Angels there to apprehend a few of the Armigers." Michael said.

"Then I'll go as well." Artemis volunteered.

"Excellent. Then we will adjourn this meeting with this." Serafall handed a packet of papers to Sylderia.

"What's this?"

"A trade deal. We lost a lot of people and many others have been afflicted with curses and injuries that Phoenix Tears can't cure. We'll trade you exclusive items from our territories in exchange for medicine that'll be tailored to curing those afflictions." Sirzechs winked at Grayfia.

She could only smile as the Biblical Leaders left.

"What was that about?" Sylderia turned to the icy woman.

"It's his way of saying he'll give us free gifts. He's just trying to make himself look neutral; that silly brother of mine." Grayfia muttered.

"Why the sudden kindness?" Morrigan asked.

"Maybe he's just being nice. I reckon he's extra happy someone said to the Bael what politics won't allow him to. In case you didn't know, all those random gifts from the Underworld were also from him." Grayfia could recognize his handiwork anywhere.

"Well, you all have fun. I've got some hunting to do." Artemis had already changed into her battle attire in a flash of light.

"Make sure to be careful and to warn us if anything goes wrong." Camilla said.

"I will, I promise."

"Just to be safe, another one of us should go with you." Sylderia interceded.

Artemis went to Florida, USA, to begin her hunt. As a precaution, Amaterasu tagged along. Thanks to their divinity, they remained invisible to mortal eyes to avoid attention.

Amaterasu opened her hand, sprouting white flames. She blew into it, causing it to split into 10 smaller sparks that changed shape. The flames enlarged before gaining canine features as the embers faded to reveal 10 foxes. She held up pictures to them once they fully stabilized.

"Search for these individuals and report back to me once you find them." She dismissed her familiars who all disappeared in a burst of sparks.

Within 2 hours, the Angels and Amaterasu's familiars contacted them whilst they surveyed the surrounding area.

The 2 goddesses then rendezvoused with the scouts a few miles away from the warehouse that the Armigers were spotted in.

"Anything to report?" Artemis walked up to a young Brave Saint, Irina Shido.

"No. We tracked them here and they haven't left the building since. There've been no traces of them leaving via teleportation either."

"They know we're here. This is either a trap or they know they're cornered." Amaterasu snapped her fingers. Her familiars materialized from smoke and embers in midair, landing by her.

"What did you learn?" She asked.

"I smell human scents only. Their strength isn't particularly high. I've also sniffed a powerful stench amongst them that is exceedingly rare. It's foul and cold, almost like decay. There's no doubt about it; the power of a Fallen Herald's in there."

Artemis began to worry. If there really was a Fallen Herald still alive then the situation could easily go out of control.

"Amaterasu, you and a few other Angels erect a barrier while the rest of close in. I'll spring them; the rest of you stay in the rear and be ready to capture them." Artemis said.

Everyone split up to do as planned. Once Amaterasu enclosed the warehouse with a tower of ivory inferno, Artemis made her move. She notched an arrow and aimed right at a window. The arrow began to glow, particles of light emanated from it like a twister of glitter. She let it fly and just before it hit the warehouse, a wall of purple mana erupted from the ground. It crackled and snapped like fire and it gave off holy energy.

Artemis surmised that this wasn't Praegorn's power, itself. He didn't use flames. He and Issei preferred to use pure mana in defense and there was no way holy energy was in his mana. She flew over and smashed through the window to see just what truly lay inside.

Humans ranging from mages and warriors were clustered together to stand against her. The most notable of them was a young woman with purple hair in twin-tails. Artemis got a nasty feeling emanating from her. The way her eyes glistened with sadistic glee made her feel apprehension.

"Attack!" Someone screamed; the horde of enemies closed in on her from all sides.

The Moon goddess merely stomped her foot and sent out a shockwave that sent them all flying backwards. Artemis fired a single arrow into the sky that split into several more as they rained down, pinning her new captives.

Artemis continued to study the Young Woman as she brandished her hand; a purple flame danced between her fingertips. That was all she needed to remember who the girl was.

"Walburga, leader of Hexennacht. You're a long way from home."

Walburga's grin faltered but she resumed her bravado as Artemis approached.

"And you are?"

"Artemis, Goddess of the Moon. Surrender and this won't have to get more violent."

Walburga glanced at her cohorts and realized that none had been killed. She smirked to herself.

"Then let's make a deal. I'll provide you information if you let me go free. To begin with, I was only here because they called me." Walburga spread her arms.

"And why did they do that?" Artemis didn't lower her bow even as she conversed.

"They wanted to recruit me. These Armigers are remnants of the Khaos Brigade. They've been searching for ways to get stronger and rebuild their organization."

"And your answer?" Artemis stepped closer, her arrow still trained right between Walburga's eyes.

"I wasn't going to join. I was only here to hear them out. Since you're here, it's pretty clear that they were in the wrong. Why else would a goddess personally come to apprehend these people?" Walburga bowed, her hands on the floor.

"Then you'll have no problems coming with me to answer more questions. I promise not to hurt you if you're as innocent as you say you are." Artemis lowered her weapon.

"Of course, Lady Artemis." Walburga waited for her to turn around before drumming her fingers on the floor.

Purple flames erupted from the ground, snaking around the other Armigers on the floor and burning them into ash within seconds. Their screams echoed for only a few brief moments before glowing spheres were shrouded by the fire.

Artemis recalled Issei telling her of a Longinus that could take souls and use them to empower itself.

"I never thought you'd end up with Incinerate Anthem." She was always disappointed when such power wound up in the wrong hands.

"Like I'd just let you take me." Walburga raised her arms. "Incinerate Antiphona Calvario!"

The souls that she'd caught in her purple flames took form, becoming humanoids of inferno that attacked the goddess like lifeless puppets. Artemis had to admit that Walburga had guts for standing up to a goddess but this wasn't something she would waste more time on.

She flared her aura, allowing her divinity to obliterate the purple blaze that Walburga created in an attempt to escape. The witch was thrown off her feet by the shockwave before arrows of silver light pierced through her clothing to fix her to the ground.

"Ow! What is this?!" Walburga tried to wrench herself free but failed miserably. The mere act of touching the arrow burned her hands.

"Now that you've settled down, let's talk." Artemis coldly loomed over her from behind. It didn't sit well with her that she sacrificed her lackeys just to escape.

"I'm not telling you anything!" Walburga was instantly silenced when an arrow zipped past her face into the ground. It had happened so quickly that she had only blinked before the sound of stone shattering registered with her ears.

"Almost missed. Another inch to the left and I might've taken off your ear." Artemis calmly brandished her bow to emphasize what she could do next.

Walburga realized that Artemis wasn't kidding and relaxed, shedding all attempts to resist.

"Good girl. Now, tell me everything you know about the Armigers. What's your plan? Why're you going around stealing and kidnapping people?"

Walburga shut her eyes in resignation, gnashing her teeth all the while.

"The Armigers are remnants of the Khaos Brigade, mostly the Hero Faction. We're trying to rebuild our numbers and consolidate power. By stealing items and recruiting followers, the Khaos Brigade wants to take their stake in the power vacuum while people are vulnerable and gullible. We didn't count on you all being back on your feet."

Atemis felt her frustrations turn into rage. Half a year had barely passed and someone was trying to stir up trouble again.

"And who else is working with you?"

"What?" Walburga looked genuinely mystified by her question.

"The Hero Faction was purely human before Issei got rid of it. You can't have done all the damage and gone to so many places without serious backing. Who's helping you?"

Walburga merely snickered spitefully.

"You've forgotten how powerful Praegorn is. Just a little bit of his power can take someone a long way. Not to mention the leftover spoils of war have done wonders for us. You shouldn't underestimate humans."

"I don't underestimate your savagery at all. That's what makes it so sad. Now, are you going to give up the names of your other friends or do I have to coax them out of you?" Artemis aimed a bow right between Walburga's eyes.

The little witch could show all the bravado she wanted but Artemis had seen into the eyes of cowards enough to know that someone like her valued her own life above all else. Walburga's pupils dilated in terror, sweat profusely trailed down her face, and she tried to hide her trembling but Artemis could feel it all the way from where she stood.

Walburga stared at the arrow, her pupils dilating in fear.

"We got help from―" Walburga gasped sharply all of a sudden. She began to gag and cough as her eyes bugged. She seemed to struggle to speak only no sound came out of her mouth. She thrashed around as a mark appeared on her forehead. It was purple and bore a mark that gave her the same feeling that Praegorn did.

"What?!" Artemis felt a sudden spike in energy around her. Her skin crawled with anticipation; something dangerous was happening. The power she felt was beyond anything the Khaos Brigade could do. It was like being in a vacuum with cold claws closing in on her.

"Get out of there!" Amaterasu called out to her.

Artemis broke out of the warehouse just in time as purple inferno erupted from Walburga.

"AAAAAAAH!" Her screech echoed into the sky along with a pillar of fire. When the sound and embers faded, there was nothing left of the warehouse nor were there any corpses.

"What was that?" Amaterasu flew over to Artemis.

"I think whoever recruited Walburga of Hexennacht wanted to make sure she didn't talk too much. She was rigged to detonate as soon as she tried to confess who was helping the Armigers."

"So, we ended up nowhere." Amaterasu clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Their troubles weren't over yet. A magic circle sprouted by their ears.

"Amaterasu! Artemis! Get to the Underworld, ASAP! Someone's trying to invade Ajuka's Citadel!" It was Grayfia and the sound of combat could be heard in the background.

Ajuka's new Citadel was like a tower that was layered by smaller and smaller floors that each had paths leading outside. The surrounding forest was burning down and enemy forces clashed with allies as the clangs and echoes of combat rang across the terrain. Artemis could see even the Four Satans dealing with the stampede of monsters below. She was even more surprised to see that Lord Bael and his Clan were present to fight off the enemy.

The 2 goddesses were stunned to see that Erenaux were prowling around, attacking all in sight. Artemis could practically feel the color drain out of her own face at the sight of the monsters. For all intents and purposes, they should've been gone.

"H-How are there Erenaux?" Amaterasu gasped, wide-eyed.

"Don't know but we've gotta deal with this fast." Artemis let loose her attack, [Moon Shower]. The massive bolt of silver mana burst, raining down as a hail of arrows that shredded apart Erenuax.

"Artemis! Amaterasu! Over here!" Grayfia had thrown up a wall of ice to hold back a storm of blasts.

"Any explanations?!" Artemis shouted over the commotion.

"None! I'll deal with things here. You two go support Ajuka."

Amaterasu nodded as she swiped her hand through the air, disintegrating enemies with her white flames before taking off with Artemis to support the Beelzebub. The two were accosted by hulking Erenaux abominations but suddenly, streams of shadow swirled around them before devouring them like an octopus.

The goddesses looked above and saw that it was Anti-Sylderia.

"Sorry I'm late but I was busy on vacay. Now, keep going while I do crowd control."

Artemis restrained her desire to ask questions and continued through the stone hallways to reach Ajuka's inner vaults where she felt the most concentration of Malfresta.

"I can't believe it. I thought the Erenaux and Malfresta disappeared with Praegorn." Amaterasu sneered.

"Malfresta is sourced from hatred. I'm guessing someone learned how to harness that power and imitate it." Artemis could also scarcely hide how livid she felt. Even in death, Praegorn refused to leave anyone alone.

The two finally stopped inside one of Ajuka's Vaults and saw that the he was fighting a massive horde of Erenaux alone. It was actually the first time they saw his powers up-close. Magical equations and formulas floated around him, blasting and redirecting attacks aimed at him. When one blast touched one of his green magic circles, numbers and symbols would slow it down before oscillating to different characters before sending them right back at their source.

Yet, the look on Ajuka's face made it clear that this wasn't as easy as he made it seem. He looked troubled.

"Lady Artemis, Lady Amaterasu, please head to your right and go to the 5th door on your right! The enemy must be after what's inside!"

Nobody asked questions as the two flew off to do as he asked.

Artemis fired her arrows and cleared the way ahead in tandem with Amaterasu burning a hole through the scores of Erenaux obstructing their way. When the two got to the Vault, they saw that a Erenaux with glowing lines across its body had snatched what looked to be an Evil Piece. It turned around and revealed its form. It was an Erenaux that looked like the Red Dragon Emperor.

"You should've stayed dead." Artemis sneered. She moved desperately, donning her Majestic Raiment armor from her battle with the Chaos Queens and Fallen Heralds. Her silver aura flared viciously as she obliterated the Erenaux with a beam of light from her bow.

The blast brought the entire room down along with the Erenaux. An earthquake shook the entire fortress so violently that even Amaterasu lost her balance from the shockwave of the blast.

"I don't think that was necessary!" Amaterasu gawked at her, appalled at the overwhelming use of force.

"Didn't your recognize its silhouette?" Artemis hissed.

"Yeah, I did but you could've brought the entire citadel down on us." The Sun goddess ran over to the rubble to pick up the Evil Piece that had rolled to her feet.

"Is that what I think it is?" Artemis inspected the seemingly harmless chess piece. It was teeming with vast power, pulsating with an ominous crimson glow.

The two returned to Ajuka and presented it to him. He merely glared at the doorway in deep thought despite his grateful tone.

"I'm thankful that you stopped this from being stolen. However, I'm disappointed to say that only 8 of 9 King Pieces were retrieved." Ajuka showed a recording of his vault's security cameras. One of them was empty.

"How'd it get stolen?"

"Someone was able to see through my tricks and stole it by dispelling my magic in the Vaults. I don't know how yet but the magic used was able to override my calculations and stop them from inversing their powers. Whoever broke into the 9th vault was well aware of how to counter me." Ajuka pocketed the King Evil Piece.

"How did this even happen?" It was unheard of for someone to just suddenly drop in out of nowhere and ransack a Satan's base.

"Somehow, bombs of Malfresta were planted around my citadel and detonated. The pools of corruption spawned the Erenaux who flooded out in droves. Whoever did this had been studying this locale for some time." Ajuka began escorting the goddesses outside.

The three were stopped outside by Grayfia, who looked as grim as ever.

"Emergency meeting with the Alliance. Now."

The leaders of each pantheon from the War of the Heralds convened with the Queens and leaders of the Biblical Faction at Ajuka's Citadel. All stared at one another inside the meeting room as tension began to solidify into the atmosphere due to this sudden and suspicious attack. Eldesa could already tell that everyone was sharing one thought: someone amongst their ranks was already up to no good.

"Given Ajuka's explanation, this attack was planned in advance. The enemy's plan was simple but well though-out. They used bombs of Malfresta to create Erenaux and while we were all busy, someone who was familiar with the security here was able to break the seals on the King Evil Piece and escape with it." Grayfia summarized the situation with image projections.

"Why only one?" Zeus asked.

"Perhaps that's all they needed. The King Piece is an amplifier much like the other Evil Pieces. However, it multiplies the power of its user many more times than any other Evil Piece. My assumption is that someone is going to use it just for that purpose and settled for only one rather than risking prolonged risks by fighting an increasing number of enemies." Ajuka surmised.

"Any ideas on who would know how to bypass your security?"

"I've never told anyone how to get past my defenses. Only someone who's known me for a long time would know how to do so through repeated observation." Ajuka's response was neutral but it did nothing to spark suspicion.

Many eyes snuck glances at Sirzechs. It was no secret that they were best friends but many knew how to mask monstrosity with smiles.

"Still, to think that someone was able to get past all this security." Odin stroked his beard.

"Praegorn was overwhelmingly powerful. He was the only one who could rival Torviark. It doesn't surprise me that remnants of his power could blast holes in my estate's shields."

Artemis wondered why everyone kept parroting the statement but quickly shelved the annoyance into a quiet corner of her mind. There were more important matters.

"Artemis, you destroyed the intruder. What did they look like?"

"A Red Dragon Emperor. It's armor was reminiscent of one albeit its flesh was purple like an Erenaux."

"It's been studied that Malfresta is sourced from hatred. Perhaps lingering emotions from the dead were used in order to fully form these creatures since Praegorn is no longer here. We never did recover the Holy Grail so who knows if it's in the right hands."

"I doubt that. The Holy Grail was sealed shut behind the doors that…" Sylderia trailed off.

"Anyways, the Holy Grail can never be recovered. That means something else is being used."

"Then perhaps we should eliminate all doubt and see if we are dealing with vengeful spirits." Zeus looked to his older brother.

"Hades, could you and the other afterlife deities see if the souls of the dead are lingering in this plane?" Hera asked.

"I'll check. However, interdimensional rules are tricky. The Fallen Heralds and their cohorts are not from this world so it'll be hard to get an accurate find."

"Do what you can. In the meantime, we will enter a state of high alert. Our priority is to hunt down any traces of Malfresta and any related perpetrators are to be captured alive." Ilkynos adjourned the meeting, allowing all to disperse.

It was truly a shame to everyone present that their hard-earned peace was so short-lived.

Originally, the plan was to have a longer grieving process but mourning for 5 months is quite a long time already and I thought that needless moping and despair would've been counter-intuitive to last chapter. I had to remind myself that I intended for the harem to be much stronger mentally than characters in my other stories since they're all 2000 years old.

I actually had a lot of fun writing this chapter, especially since I got to show off how the harem would be with Issei gone. My favorite part was how stupid they made Lord Bael look.

When I think back on it, writing the Issei of this story wound up maturing my writing and also being detrimental since I got too used to writing serious characters. When I went back to try and write Issei from "The Heroic Calamity" reboot, I actually had a really hard time making him fun and goofy like in the original version of the story.

This final arc has been helping me to write other characters that aren't so grim and laser-focused on their mission.

With that commentary out of the way, I'll see you all next time.