Blood of the Covenant: One Demon Plan, Two Men Laughs (DMC V - Double SI)

[Atma]

I look forward to more of this

Click to shrink...

Hopefully by either tomorrow night or sunday, the next chapter will be up.

 

[Atma]

I look forward to more of this

Click to shrink...

Funny you should say that...

 

[Atma]

Sol paused before tapping on Alex on the shoulder. Asking in a quiet tone, "Did you hear something or did you feel something?"

Alex stopped and turned towards Sol, a blank expression on his face. "There's... skittering. Outside. A lot of skittering." He pointed straight towards the door, Calcabrina already in his hands.

"And screeching. Skittering, screeching, something hard hitting something else, like plastic against plastic."

"Okay, we hit them hard and fast?" Sol asked, drawing his sword and readying his pistol. He could now notice the noise Alex mentioned. It was just barely audible in the back store room and without Alex pointing it out, he'd have either not noticed it or thought it was his nerves getting to him.

"I'm ready whenever you are."

"Yes. You go in first and I follow shooting? Or side by side?" Alex asked, already taking out his sword and firmly grabbing the sheath.

"I'll go first, I don't think there's enough space to charge out side by side without tripping over each other." Sol said before moving in front of Alex. Readying his sword, Sol slowly approached the door. He placed his hand on the door knob, looked back to Alex, took a breath and threw the door open while roaring out a challenge and a violent display of movement. Sol only realized that the store was populated by roughly four Empusa as he vaulted over the counter.

He brought his sword down on the nearest one, the blade driving deep into its monstrous skull. As it spasmed, he called out to Alex, "Four Empusa." He wrenched the sword out and brought it down again. "Three Empusa!"

"One." Alex's answer was followed by two charged bullets, before he shot forward, cleaving one in half and pushing the tip of the umbrella in the mouth of one, and blasting its inside with magical bullets in a single move.

Only to stop a moment later, his eyes glowing silver-grey and purple. "I didn't know I could do that."

"Well shit, keep it up!" Sol responded before turning his new pistol on the last Empusa. The barrage of gunfire pushed the demon towards the entrance, where Sol finished it with a Stinger. The Empusa crumpled in on itself before fading into a mass of red orbs. "And that makes Zero…" Sol backpedaled back to Alex while de-cocking his pistol. "Are you hearing anything else?" He asked quietly.

"Hearing, no." Alex gulped and pointed out, towards the front of the store. "Seeing, on the other hand…"

The massive form of a demon appeared from a red portal, the whole thing taking a few, long seconds to emerge. It resembled a praying mantis, landing on all four of her legs. The front limbs ended in two wicked looking scythes, long - longer than both of them, really - and sharp. A human skull was her face and a 'crown' made of blood clots was her crown.

No name appeared in front of them, luckily, but both of them knew what that thing was.

Queen Empusa​

"Oh, fuck you. That was the monster that the kids had to evade?" Alex grit his teeth, looking at the demon outside.

"Well, ain't no rest for the wicked. Same tactics as before?" Sol asked while checking his pistol.

"Dunno if it's gonna work, but sure. Just… pay attention. You don't want to… I don't know, lose an arm or something." Alex twirled his sword with what looked like experience. It wasn't, he was just lucky that it didn't fall on the ground.

"I'll open with a charged bolt, you then use the moment to attract it towards the side?" He was already starting to charge a bullet, his eyes observing what the demon was doing.

Mostly, nothing. She seemed to stay still and surveil her surroundings. On the other hand, she still hadn't seen them, so there was that to thank for it.

Sol gave Alex a flat look through his helmet, before saying, "If she does that, I'm taking one of her arms as recompense… On second thought, I don't want to look like Jeff Goldblum from The Fly."

He got his weapons ready, "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be. On three." Alex pointed his umbrella towards the Queen and aimed carefully at her face. It was risky, but he was a bit more precise with a magical bullet than with guns, so it worked. "Three!" And he unleashed his attack.

As the attack hit, Sol began to move and began to close in on the Queen Empusa. Using the charge shot as a distraction, Sol brought his sword down on the Queen Empusa's leg joint, intent on crippling. Unlike the regular Empusa, the sword did not easily pass through, but the strike did some damage based on how the demon recoiled.

"Try and stay at her back! Be careful!" Alex shouted, before charging another shot and then following it with a stream of normal ones. While he was doing this, he kept walking towards her, planning on moving to the side, to pincer her between them.

"Right!" Sol called back before moving further to the demon's rear. Without grace, he began to stab at the back half of the Queen Empusa, hoping that it wouldn't decide to kick backward.

She didn't. She just jumped, all of a sudden, her shadow darkening Sol's form as she started coming down. Even Alex's shout and the charged bolt didn't stop her descent, her weight too much for him.

As if on instinct, Sol let loose a stinger blasting forward out of the falling zone and past Alex.

"We're the bug stompers, not the Bug stomped!" Sol shouted.

Alex didn't facepalm at that line, but only because they were in the middle of a fight.

Right after that, the Empusa Queen landed on the ground where Sol was a moment before, cratering the ground under her, and shaking the entire area.

"Damn, another jump like that and…" Alex blinked, before turning towards Sol. "Make her jump again!"

"What!?" Sol shouted in surprise before realizing what Alex was getting at. "Oh… oh hell this is going to suck." He said before moving in on the Queen Empusa. There WAS a plan Sol would have liked to have used which involved doing what he did before and eventually getting behind it. However, there were two problems with that plan. The first was simply that Sol simply couldn't easily get on either side of the Queen Empusa. The other was…

"Fuck… gah!"

Was the fact that the Queen Empusa backhanded the man into the wall as he attempted to move around it. Its victory was somewhat short-lived as Sol began to rapidly cut and hack at the limb that pinned him to the wall. Several deep scoring cuts later the Queen Empusa threw the man to the ground in a rage before leaping again and aiming downward. Sol managed to just barely get out of the landing zone in time, however the damage was clear. His breastplate had a clear indentation just beneath the sternum and the back of his left greave was shredded from flying debris.

"Ah… hope… that bitch is dead… feels like my chest is on fire!" Sol gasped out.

The Queen Empusa was very much NOT dead. On the other hand, the crater where she had landed groaned and creaked, then fell from under her, bringing her and everything around her down one floor, completely covering it in rubble and rocks.

"Are you still alive?" Alex's voice was pretty worried, but, if Sol answered, he didn't have the chance to hear it, as the Queen roared from the floor down. But only the upper part of her body was visible and one blade was snapped in half.

"Get the hint you mantis bitch." Sol groaned before firing at the Queen Empusa's head. The rounds bothered it but didn't do much else beyond that.

She roared again and started struggling, the amount of stone over her slowing her down significantly, but she was clearly managing to escape.

"Damn it." Alex bit out, before charging a shot and hitting her right in the head. "Spear her, I'll support you from above!"

"Ye… Yeah!" he called back before staggering forward. As the queen Empusa was distracted he raised his sword high and drove it deep into the demon's leg. The blade pierced the chitin and sank into the floor below. He barely got his arms up in time to block its backswing. He could feel the blow reverberate through his arms as he skidded backward.

The Queen Empusa tried to move, but it couldn't move from where it was.

"Alex! Finish her!" Sol yelled out.

Another charged shot landed on her head, stunning her for a moment, before Alex jumped down, landing on her back, sword already drawn and swinging. The blade bit into the neck of the demon, before stopping after a couple of inches or so.

"Why! Won't! You! DIE?!" He shouted, letting go of the sheath and grabbing the sword with both hands, struggling to push it forward.

The Queen Empusa tried to shirk the human off of herself before she felt something slam into her rear. Sol had come up behind her with a trash can and began to use it as a blunt weapon against the demon.

In the end, it took them almost fifteen seconds to kill her completely. An eternity during a fight, but it was what was needed as the Queen Empusa was just too durable.

Finally, her head went flying upwards and she disappeared in a flash of red orbs, throwing crimson light all around them. Alex leaned on his sword, panting heavily. "Damn, she was harder than I thought."

"I think… I think you're right. I do need better armor." Sol wheezed out before shakily wrenching his sword out of the ground. He made his way up to the second, clutching his chest.

Meeting up with Alex he simply stated, "Let's find Rodin, feels like someone is driving a weight into my chest."

"Probably the fact that a piece of metal is pressing where your lungs are!" Alex almost shouted, before moving towards him and starting to try and take out the armor. "How the fuck do you remove this anachronistic thing? WHY did you choose this anachronistic thing? Right, you didn't choose it, the Statue did. Help me get you out of this place before you choke." His hands were fluttering around the sides and the back, trying to understand how to remove it.

Sol hands moved up to his shoulders and loosened the straps. The breastplate seemed to ease up on his chest and his breathing began to ease.

"Hah… ah… that's better. You think that Rodin has a spot near the statue?" He asked slowly.

"I REALLY hope so." Alex was still breathing a bit in anxiety but was calming down. He grabbed the breastplate and brought it away from Sol. "Look, I understand you like this style of armor. But… honestly, it's not practical for this. Most demons are very agile and those that aren't, are more than strong enough to crush you to paste, armor or no armor. Please, ask Rodin for something that you can use and stay safe?"

Alex was outright pleading with him.

"Yeah, you're right… Just kinda wanted to look like a hero from an old legend, you know? It was stupid of me." Sol shakily got up and pulled out the Geryon Horn. "Okay, let's see if Rodin has something better, maybe I could do something with this."

"Yeah, that would be cool." Alex was slowly calming down before he returned his attention to the Gamestop. "So, the kids told us that the statue was inside here, but we haven't seen it. Considering we haven't checked the entire place, but just the first row of shelves and then the backroom, I'm going to hazard a guess that it's in the part we haven't checked yet."

That said, he started walking towards the place where the counter was.

"Maybe there's an office in the back that we didn't see?" Sol asked.

"I honestly don't know. Unless the door behind… Oh." Alex stopped and pointed at a door, nestled perfectly between two shelves, near two cardboard cutouts, one of Link and the other of Mewtwo, both proclaiming the new Smash Bros game. It was almost unnoticeable at first glance.

"Well, we've found a door. It's something." Alex shrugged, before going around the counter. "I'm gonna see if they have the keys for the backroom so that we can rob the consoles… Aaaand I found the entrance to the Gates of Hell. It's in the next shelving aisle"

He twisted his head back to look at Sol, a single eyebrow raised. "Way in the back. How's that for ironic?"

"Hahahaha" Sol begins to laugh before continuing, "Ah retail, how I don't miss that hellish existence."

"See you inside?" Sol asked before stepping through.

Alex nodded and followed him, stepping into the ominous red circle on the ground.

**********************************************

Sol found himself standing in the familiar bar run by a certain Fallen Angel. Said fallen angel was quietly polishing a glass. Sol looked at Alex, nodded and approached the bar.

"Hello Sir, I was wondering if you could do anything with these two items." He said while placing the Geryon horn on the bar but making sure to keep the Nidhogg limb off.

"I don't want to stain the bar, and I need to make my sword and armor stronger."

"You call that tin can armor?" That was what Rodin opened with, putting away his glass and giving a long, judging look at the armor that was still on Sol. "Kid, if you want to die, you could have just asked. I would have made it easier than letting a demon kill you, you know?"

Alex appeared from behind Sol, his eyes rolling upwards. "Yeah, I told him the same thing. Apparently, it was for the…" There, he stopped and made air quotes with his fingers. "'Aesthetics'."

Rodin looked at Alex. And then stopped. "Kid. Kid. What the fuck did you do?" His tone of voice was even flatter than it was with Sol. "No, seriously. What did you do."

Alex blushed and looked to the side, not answering.

"That was mostly my fault." Sol cut in quickly. "We encountered a.. a Geryon. We managed to bring it down, but my blade didn't cut deep enough. I turn around one moment, and the next thing I know it's goring Alex here before dropping dead on top of him. Managed to somehow connect Alex to a Divinity Statue with myself acting as a bridge between the two."

Sol was deathly quiet for a moment before continuing. "He was dying, and the option to save was some form of hybridization process the statue offered. It used up just about all the bones of that fucking horse, save the horn there to get Alex back up on his feet. I should have checked that damn kill."

Rodin's eyes were wide open. "Wait, did you say bones?"

However Alex was already rolling his eyes. "Yes, I've already forgiven you, seeing as you have also saved my life. He's just a martyr, really. I'm fine." He opened his arms and did a twirl on himself. "See?"

Except that he didn't stop when he would need to. Instead, he kept going for around a quarter of a turn, before falling down like a puppet with their strings cut.

"Alex! You all right!?" Sol asked, shocked.

"No, he isn't alright. He imperfectly fused demon flesh into his body. What did you think would happen? That'd he just walk it off? The two parts of his body are fighting each other. May not seem like much now, but it'll get worse over time." Rodin answered grimly.

He took two fast steps from behind the counter and kneeled near the guy on the ground, before pressing a hand against his right side. That made Alex scream like he was being tortured until he removed it from his side.

"Yeah, this is bad." Rodin's expression looked grim. "His liver has already started to break down. Soon it will be his kidneys, then lungs, then heart."

"Wha… what can we do?" Sol asked, horrified.

"Unless you have some more Geryon bones in hand, not much. There are three options right now." Rodin looked very serious, his eyes pinning Sol in place like a spear in the gut.

"Option one: use a lot of restoratives to keep him alive. Option two: find a compatible demon and take the liver to replace his own. Option three…" And he turned his head towards the wall of weapons behind the bar.

"What's option three?" Sol asked while following Rodin's gaze. Could it be something to do with Devil Arms? Dammit! Why did this have to happen!?

Rodin gave Sol a pitying look, before jerking his thumb towards the weapons on the wall again. Specifically, on Vendetta. An Executioner sword. "Do the math."

"No, no fucking way. We got pulled into this game of death together, we'll get out of this game of death together." Sol shot back, venom clear in his voice. "You mentioned finding a compatible demon right? Where can we go for that? What would even count?" He asked, his voice getting more heated as he went.

"I can't do this alone dammit, and he isn't going to die like this. If that stuttering deadbeat Agnus could make a geriatric priest Nero's equal in combat, then why the hell can't I figure out a way!?" Sol's mind raged.

Rodin looked at Sol for another long moment, before nodding. "I can respect that." He got back behind the counter and grabbed something gold from under the bar, before tossing it to the distraught guy.

It was a small gold CD. "Play that and a lot of demons will come to attack you. There should be at least a couple good enough for your friend there. Oh, and here." The second thing that he tossed was a green lollipop shaped like a leaf.

"A witch friend of mine gave me a couple. It will keep him healthy enough to fight and recover."

Sol held the disc almost reverently before putting it away and saying. "Thank you… I have… I have some things I want to upgrade. I know my aesthetics are stupid, but I want that horn to be a part of the armor, a lasting revenge, and these," He said while holding the finis sword and Nidhogg tentacle.

"I don't think I'll be able to do this with my current arms and armor." Sol said carefully.

"Just before coming here, we fought off a Queen Empusa," He began gesturing to his sword and then to his armor. "The sword did cut through her… body I guess, but not nearly as well as it did on the lesser ones, and one good backhand dented the armor into my chest. I can't take that risk like that. With these pieces, could you do anything about that?" Sol asked Rodin.

Rodin hummed for a moment, grabbing the stinger of Nidhogg and the piece of Geryon horn. "I might. It will cost you, but I might be able to do something. Be warned, unless you bring me some better armor, it won't be as strong as it should be. Basic materials like these…" He rapped on the steel with his knuckles, making the metal ring. "Aren't really good enough to work against demons. Sure, the Watcher of Time gave them to you, which means that they are slightly better, but still not much against demons."

He turned the materials in his hands. "I can either make something that will give you more time to dodge or something that will absorb some of the strength from any hit that comes your way. You choose. Both cases, it will cost you a pretty penny."

Sol thought about it briefly weighing the idea of wearing armor made from a demon horn or the flesh of a demonic tree parasite. In combination with general disgust at the idea of any part of Nidhogg being worn and the idea of increased dodge time like a certain witch, he went with the only sane option.

Taking off the pieces of his armor, Sol stated "I'll have the horn mixed with the armor and the Nidhogg piece with the sword. You mentioned stealing strength, but I'd rather do that actively than reflexively."

"Yeah, good choice there." Rodin nodded, before grabbing the materials. "Gonna need the rest of your armor. Strip."

Alex chuckled at that, low and more relaxed than before, the green lollipop hanging from his lips, his complexion already looking much, much better.

"Oh, to hear those words directed at me…" Rodin looked at Alex, before smirking and winking. "Yeah, you're too weak now. Maybe when you're a bit more grown up we can see. The armor." He turned back towards Sol and snapped his fingers.

Sol dutifully took the armor pieces, leaving him only in a gambeson and associated pants.

"I feel like I'm just wearing a set of long johns here. Definitely, not the right look for this place." He grumbled out before placing the remaining pieces and sword on the bar.

"It will take me a bit of time to complete this work. Go to the Watcher of Time and get a few more clothes." A red, glowing circle appeared behind him, Rodin slowly floating upwards. "Consider that it will come to around 50 thousand Red Orbs."

After he had said that, he disappeared.

"That's… that's fine," Sol said with a shaky sort of confidence that seemed to crack at every word, before looking at Alex. "I'll be right back man, take note of anything you're feeling. Doesn't matter how little it seems, I don't know how much time we have and my luck has always been something of a serious coin toss." He finished before leaving the Gates of Hell

*********************

When Sol found himself back in the Gamestop, he did not hesitate to get to and reach out to the statue.

"50K for better gear, meaning I've got 24K+ to work with. Less when I buy new clothes. The gambeson and pants combo wasn't all that great without the armor, he missed having shoes immensely.

When the statue and the void manifested he made his options quickly. 1 Set of sturdy clothes (-200) another Large Vitality Star (-1500) and… if was getting new weapons and armor, then it would be best to save until he paid all his dues and then saw what abilities he could get with his remaining funds. He watched his wallet drop 1,700 points and felt the gambeson combo change. The resulting outfit wasn't nearly as detailed as Alex's. It was a simple black leather jacket, grey shirt, and black jeans. Shoes-wise, it was a simple pair of dark hiking boots.

"Thank you very much, I'd stick around longer but I have a friend to save," Sol said before reality clicked back and he made his way down to the Gates of Hell.

*********************

When he came back, Alex was sitting on a chair in front of the bar counter, sipping on something that was glowing a deep purple, with streaks of red, as well as having a cheery neon orange afterglow.

"I have no idea what this is." Alex proclaimed, pointing at the glass. "But it's sweet, mildly alcoholic, and very, very good."

Then, he hiccuped, a faint trail of red smoke coming out of his mouth. "Also, it makes you blow smoke when you hiccup."

"His liver is breaking down and he's drinking… suppose I would too if I were in that position." Sol thought before talking to Alex. "How are you feeling and is Rodin back yet?"

Alex smiled sadly. "Better. That lollipop was really magical. And he went to see if he had a few more, but he should be back about.." A red circle appeared behind the bar counter and Rodin manifested from it.

"Ah, you're back. And mildly better dressed than before." Rodin nodded, before taking out two packages. One was long and thin, while the other was more bulky. He put them down in front of Sol.

"Fifty Thousand Red Orbs. Cash on delivery." He smirked at him, while Alex was sipping his cocktail with false poise.

Sol gave out the required red orbs and watched his internal wallet drop to 22,600 before looking at the arm and armor. The armor was what drew his eye first. It had been altered so much to the point that Sol was sure that he could wear over the clothes he currently had on. The armor had been separated into six larger pieces. For arm protection, the gauntlets, bicep armor, and pauldrons had been made into one segmented piece that was further slimmed down for ease of movement, almost like manicae. The leg armor had received a similar alteration and seemed to end just halfway over his boots. The chest piece had been redesigned, so that even though it looked thicker, it felt much lighter than before. There were other, more important changes though. The helmet, while still retaining its general look, now bore two sweeping horns that more than likely sprouted from just behind where his ears would be. Furthermore, gone was the bright shine of man-made steel, as the metal had taken on a deep azure hue, which uncomfortably reminded Sol of the same colors the Deep Geryon had sported. The fluted nature of the armor had become more organic, almost mimicking the look of the demon's scaled skin. All in all, if someone else had told Sol that this was his old armor, he'd have been hard-pressed to believe them.

The sword then caught his eyes. Where once a fleshy stinger and simple demonic blade lay, there was a sword made of sharpened bone. Taking it in his hand, Sol stepped back several paces and gave a swing. It felt… right somehow and there was something else, a feeling he got while holding the blade. Acting on it, with a simple thought, the blade segmented and revealed itself and assumed a whip-like form.

He was reminded of a movie he had seen many years ago and the accompanying legend it was based on.

"Gevaudan, I'll call you Gevaudan, after the beast that roamed that region of France… And you," He said addressing the armor, "will be called Geryon B." He zipped up his jacket before methodically donning the armor.

"Okay Rodin, I think I'm ready for that CD. That drink you gave Alex, is that to numb the pain?" He asked.

"Mild restorative. Virgin, don't worry." Rodin waved away Sol's worries, before taking out a small CD case. "Here you go. Play that CD when you want to start the gauntlet. I suggest using a wide open space." He gave both of them a long look.

"And to get some more Red Orbs. You'll need it." Which, fair.

Alex nodded and downed the rest of his cocktail, before getting up. He was much better than before, at least at a first glance. "Thank you Rodin."

"Eh, think nothing of it. Here." And he dropped two more lollipops in his hands. "The only ones that I still had. Be careful and come back once you have the money and the materials, ok? I'm always interested in trying to make new things. Or if you want something from there." And he pointed at the weapons on the wall.

Alex nodded, smiling. "I absolutely will. Thank you very much."

"Again, thank you Rodin." Sol responded before looking at Vendetta hanging on the wall. "One day I'll buy that sword, sir. But today is sadly not that day." He finished before taking the CD in two fingers and walking to the Gates of Hell entrance. Thinking back, he thought he saw something like a player in the back room with the statue, maybe he could use that for the gauntlet.

"Ok, so…" Alex started, before dithering a bit. He looked like he was collecting his thoughts.

"First of all: I want to go and use the Divinity Statue. I don't have a lot of Orbs, but I want to advance my magic and maybe get another technique or empower Calcabrina or something. Also, I want to get a bit better. Second, we need to walk about… what to do. For… You know, the Liver. How do we… Do you know how… Can we…" He seemed to get frustrated, clearly unsure on what to say. Or how to say it.

Finally, after he had stopped and taken a long, deep breath, he turned fully towards Sol with uncharacteristic seriousness. "How the fuck do we get a liver from a demon? Do you even know how or where they have one? If they have one?"

Sol paused mid-step to the back office door before turning around. "I guess we cut them out, or drag whole bodies to Rodin. I don't know about you, but I'm not a surgeon and I'm terrified that I'd screw that up. So... yeah, hit up the statue. I'll try to find something to play the CD and then…" He trailed off thinking. "Then we'll just need to find a place big enough to attract demons."

"Yeah, sure. Just another Tuesday." Alex commented, before reaching for the statue.

He stopped a moment before making contact. "We need to alert the kids. About what we are going to do. Or, well. That there will be a massive demon attack, at least." Alex commented, lowly, before finally touching the statue.

The white-gold space greeted him. The Watcher of Time was right in front of him, motionless.

"Thank you for your help. With the…" Alex waved his hand in a meaningless pattern, talking about the hybridization. Then, he just went and looked for what he could buy.

He had exactly 14.800 Red Orbs, and there were a lot of options he could choose from. More spells, like beams and aiming spears or creating constructs. More normal techniques. Enhancements. Weapon specific powers, like in the games. Even powers tied to his new hybrid status, powers that messed with times. Sadly, they were more costly than the others and… If Alex was going to be honest with himself, he didn't have the energy to use them well.

Basics. He needed more of the basics. Walking before running.

So, he went for something very simple.

Air Hike, like Sol. Because double jumping was pretty neat. And useful.

Basic Enhancement (Mystical), to empower his magical energy and, probably, reserves. It was under the physical version and he had seen it, but he had chosen to not take it before, considering that he wasn't completely stupid. Or obsessed.

Well, no, he was, but he was also smart enough to understand that he would need the physical abilities to remain alive to be able to use magic. So, that was the second thing he bought.

Finally, with almost all that remained in his wallet, he bought the Trigger Heart ability. That would pay more in the long run than instantly, but being able to use more energy to achieve the same effect was a godsend.

Divinity-sent? Watchersent?

Eh, the terminology didn't really matter right now.

With a sigh, he exited from the Statue's space and turned towards Sol. "Ok, go and find a CD player. If they still exist in that format, anyway."

"Already did," Sol said, placing an older CD boombox on the counter. "Now, I'll probably use the statue to see what abilities I can get with these," He said gesturing to his armor and sword, "we'll warn the other survivors, and then find a spot. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm feeling…" Alex seemed to check himself for a moment, before nodding slowly. "I don't feel feverish or tired or anything like that. No pain anywhere, not even discomfort. I'm feeling well, all said. I don't know for how long that will last, of course, but… we'll see. We're trying to resolve this situation, after all, aren't we?" He smiled, trying to be sure of himself, at Sol.

"Yeah," Sol simply responded before touching the statue. In the void he called up the menu options for abilities and noticed two new options.

"Gevaudan and Geryon B, what do you too have to offer."

Looking at Geryon B, he noticed only one option was available, "Time Step, huh? That second or two may save my life… fuck it, I've got a feeling I can make 10K back easily enough." He looked at the options for Gevaudan and gaped at the options. Fretting over them slightly, he made two purchases. Something called Rush Cut for the sword state, and Dragline for the whip state. He watched the Red Orb count drop down to 2,260.

"Thank you," he said to the statue before knowledge filled his mind and the world reset.

Looking at Alex as he came back, he stated "I think I have my first set of true moves."

Alex's eyes widened for a moment before he smiled and gave him a thumb's up. "Congrats. Can't wait to see them in action. This said, where do we go?" He gestured at the CD. "I can't remember any wide open spaces around here and I don't think that fighting inside the mall is going to be a good idea. Also, there are the Kids to deal with."

"Yeah we'll let them know what we're planning, say that we're doing it to clear the area before deeper sweep and clears, then head outside? That front entrance place could be a good spot, relatively open and we could funnel any demons into a choke point."

"Can't demons just use those portals? How about the parking lot? It's wide, it's probably empty and it's pretty scenographic?" Alex suggested, clearly trying to think of a good place. "Otherwise… Maybe the roof? But there's the chance of falling down. Nothing underground… There's the center of the mall, but, again, it's not really open, per se."

Sol rubbed his chin in thought, "Parking lot would be best, You could probably post up somewhere high and rain death on whatever is attracted by the music while I deal with ground stuff. That will work." Sol said before grabbing the boombox and making his way out of the store.

Alex sighed and shook his head, before following him. "We need to alert the Kids before we do that. I don't want them getting in the middle of the situation without knowledge in some misguided attempt at trying to help or.."

He stopped talking when, after turning a little following the bend of the hallway, he stopped because there were several teenagers guided by a single adult coming their way. They stopped as well, with the teacher - presumably Phys Ed, if the way he was dressed was any indication - holding a metal bar and glaring at Alex and Sol.

"Hi there, how are you doing?" Sol asked in a friendly enough tone while slowly setting down the boombox, shifting it out of the way, and keeping his arms to his side.

Alex didn't facepalm at Sol, but it was a near thing. He just… stood there, waiting to see what would happen.

The teacher glared - again - at both of them, before he raised the metal bar he had in his hands and pointed it at Sol. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

At a cursory glance, they couldn't see either Kurt or Prep Boy with them. Which was… strange.

"Trying to survive just like you," Sol said easily before narrowing his eyes, seemingly catching onto what Alex had noticed. "Where's Kurt, and the other guy." He asked slowly.

"Why do you care? How do you know the name of one of my students?" The teacher asked, rather forcefully, before one of the girls pushed her way up to him.

"Prof! That guy is the one that saved you!" Her blonde hair was matted with sweat and blood, but she was otherwise pretty unharmed. Still, at her shout, everyone stopped and started to stare at Sol and Alex. The teacher lowered his 'weapon' and glared at Sol.

Then, he looked down at the girl and then back at Sol. "What kind of wound did I have?"

"Your femoral artery was sliced open, and you'd have died of blood loss if we didn't step in. Now why don't you answer my question, what happened to Kurt and the other guy?" Sol asked again, a slight edge to his voice.

The teacher seemed to calm down slightly. "Nothing. They are back at the restaurant to keep guard in case something happens. With forty kids, bringing all of them out was too dangerous. You were the one who told them about the statue, right? Well, we are going to see if we can find it and see if there is a way for us to go back home."

Sol gave a sigh of relief before glancing at Alex. "It's in the back office of Gamestop. Now that you're here, we're going to be clearing a path by playing bait so to speak, so whenever you're done in there let us know and hold up somewhere. You'll be safer that way. Anything you want to add man?" Sol asked Alex.

"I don't know if they have already told you, but anything marked with an L in parenthesis…" He made two lines in the air with his finger. "Are not to be trusted. Be careful walking around because the demons can appear at any moment. Normal materials are useless to defend yourself. And… Try to stay alive, but don't leave people behind to save yourself. It will never end well." After that, he nodded and kept walking forward.

Sol was quick to follow after Alex and made sure to watch the group carefully. It wasn't that he thought them evil or anything but they were a group of people who were scared and in a place that really was hell. Humans being human could be both a good and bad thing depending on what went on in their heads.

Stepping in line with Alex, Sol stated quietly, "That could have gone worse. How long do you think they'll be?" He asked, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"No idea." Alex wasn't running or even power walking. He was just… walking with a little bit of speed to it. Completely natural.

"No idea, but I hope it won't attract too much attention. On the other hand, maybe our little music show will be enough to keep them safe, for now." Alex continued as he shrugged.

"Maybe," Sol said in response. He was quiet for a while, before passing a window overlooking the parking lot. As he looked out onto it, he noted that while it was both open and intact, there were enough busted and smashed cars to make a good post-apocalyptic movie.

"Well, I guess the parking lot looks clear enough."

"It does, true." Alex nodded, before looking around once more. "On the other hand, who destroyed these cars?" He gestured at the various wrecked ones. "Also, do you think there's something secret in the underground parking lot? Should we check that one before?"

"Let's get you those body parts first. I'd rather fight out in the open in the light of day and get you at 100% than encounter something we've never seen before in the dark. There might be lights on in here, but what about the below? I'd rather make sure we're good up here before heading further down."

"True, true." Alex nodded, before pointing at the corner of the parking lot farther from the Mall proper. "That point looks good to you? Mostly, because it's far enough that there shouldn't be any risk of us ending near the mall itself."

"Yeah, we'll be far enough so as to get a good sight line of the surrounding area and we can easily move beyond the parking lot if need be." Sol looked around further, moving behind Alex and glancing over the railing. "And the exit is right below us. Are you up for this?" He asked in a more serious tone.

"Don't really have another choice, do I? I mean, we're either doing this or we hope to find the right demon roaming around. It's not like we have more choices. And I don't fancy dying a long, slow death while my body destroys itself from the inside." Alex shuddered at his own words, before taking a deep breath. "Also, Red Orbs. Those are always a good thing to have. And we're going to need them. A lot."

Then, he nodded at Sol. "Hit it."

Sol nodded, took the boombox, and walked down and out of the mall to the side corner of the parking lot making sure Alex was close enough to be a part of the battle but far enough to not take a hit. He looked around and saw an overturned car with the windows blown out. He kneeled to the ground, inserted the CD into the boom box, slid it into the upturned car, and pressed play.

As the song began to play, he looked to Alex, drew his gun and sword, and waited for the party to arrive.

"Not exactly what I was expecting, but it's nice," Sol said after a few moments.

"Yeah, same," Alex smirked, before pointing at the various portals that were opening in front of them. "Look, we have company."

From the opening in the fabric of reality, several of the demonic ants fell, some gracefully, some… less. Those that managed to not fall were those that were able to fly.

Empusa. Red and Green variety. Alex cracked his knuckles, before pointing Calcabrina towards one of the green flying ones. "Let's dance."

A charged bullet slammed against that one before the demons shrieked and started attacking, shambling toward Alex and Sol.

Sol twisted Gevaudan in his hand, the blade segmented and he lunged forward. Gevaudan sang through the air as he slashed through the Empusa that began to congregate. The linked parts sliced through some of the Empusa with ease and Sol swore he felt better with each out slice.

"Come on you bugs! Time to get stomped!" Sol roared to the horde.

Alex didn't say anything else, he just started shooting from a distance, bolt after bolt raining on the Green Empusa. Keeping them from reaching the needy ones, keeping them too high, and in some cases, pushing them back when they were starting to get too close to Sol.

A couple of charged shots managed to land on some of the Red Empusas that were attempting to swarm Sol, giving him as much help as he could.

Sol realized what Alex was doing and began to aim Gevaudan lower on the Empusa. The bone whip sliced through the limbs of the demons, dropping them forward as they fell mid-step.

"Alex! Finish them off, take as many red orbs as you need!" Sol called out as he crippled more and more Empusa.

With a roll of his eyes, Alex jumped forward, the blade coming out of its sheath, a charged bolt shining on the tip of the umbrella. And then, he started slicing and exploding the demons. He felt way lighter than he should have been, especially considering that he was 5'9'' and looked like a swimmer. The second thing because of the Statue, but it wasn't the point.

The point was, that for his height and build, how he was moving wasn't very realistic. At least, not without some serious commitment to learning how to fight.

Once all the demons were dead and he was being showered in red, he blinked, puzzled. "I'm…." Turning towards Sol, he closed Calcabrina, trying to put into words his thoughts. "I'm not sure, but… Aren't I a bit too good at fighting? For what I've done, anyway?"

Sol breathed in and out evenly before smiling "A few hours ago, I'd never been able to do any of this. Maybe every time we're not just physical boosts but also the potential for battle? Don't knock it man, just be glad we can fight."

The track was still playing and Sol scanned the horizon for any additional demons. Nothing so far, but that didn't mean much.

Alex nodded, slowly, before he whipped his head to the side, along Sol. From a bigger portal, a white figure started to descend. It was white. Shining white, really with a shield that looked like two wings closed together and a spear in his other hand.

"What are those doing here?" Alex hissed, his knuckles going white on the grip of Calcabrina, the blade already naked and the umbrella open, ready to be used as a shield.

"Well shit, if it isn't one of Agnus' tin soldiers…" Sol said with a grimace before stopping short. He looked to Alex and then at the Angelo copy. "Hey Alex, I think we found your organ donor."

"A nice sacrifice on his part. Also, he has nice armor. Could be used for your own, to reinforce it a bit. I would like to avoid you getting skewered by an errant lance, you know." Alex nodded, shallowly, before showing his teeth in what someone could have called a smile if they were completely ignorant of social convention.

"Well? What are we waiting for?" The Bianco Angelo moved forward, aiming at Sol, his spear already extended and whirring. Alex was between Sol and the demon at the same moment, the spear hitting the umbrella and stopping. Sure, the magical shield shattered like glass from the hit, but the Bianco Angelo had been stopped.

So, Alex planted the blade straight into the eye-opening of the demon, eyes blazing indigo and gray and purple. "Boom."

A charged bolt sent the demon flying back, smoke coming out of the helmet.

The demon stepped back as the smoke began to dissipate. It raised its weapon briefly before Sol attacked the limb. As he did, he let out the second of the two moves he bought from the statue. Rush Cut sent him arching forward, his blade making a deep gouge in the demon's pseudo-armored arm. The limb lost its grip on the lance and hung limply at the demon's side.

"Now Alex! Finish Him!" Sol shouted above the music and clattering of the lance.

"Eh, sure. Let's see…" He shot forward, booted feet hitting the concrete of the parking lot, before jumping forward. Near the Bianco Angelo's shield. Only for the air under his feet to crystallize in a platform, allowing him to jump once again, somersaulting above the demon and impaling him on the back of the neck, thanks to the fact that Sol was keeping him mostly still.

The sword - Brina - remained embedded there, before Alex finished his jump and landed behind the Bianco Angelo, with the tip of his umbrella - Calca - resting on the upper left side of the Bianco Angelo's back.

"Kaboom."

Another charged bullet ripped through the already weakened armor, blasting the body underneath apart.

While the music was coming to a close, the demon fell on the ground in front of the two, leaving several Red Orbs behind.

"They're all yours man. You need them more now than I do." Sol said while grabbing the boombox and turning it off. As he looked back at the spectacle, he noticed that the Angelo body, while still relatively intact, was simmering along the edges.

"Oh, we have to get that back to the statue, prompto. You need that liver, and whatever else is in Agnus' tin soldier as soon as possible." Sol said while hefting the demon's body on his shoulder.

"True, true." Alex nodded, the motion looking a little bit hysterical before he went to the other side of the demon and grabbed the other shoulder. Acting together, the two of them moved the rather heavy demon and started walking back towards the Mall.

"Let's hope that it's ok. Also, I don't think I'm going to need the armor, so… do you want it? Maybe you can ask Rodin to add it to your own, to make it stronger or something." Shaking his head to move his ponytail away from his neck, Alex looked towards Sol, waiting for his answer.

"Maybe, but you could probably use it better than me…" Sol said as he moved towards the entrance. "We need you to get you at 100%, or a true 50% before we do anything else. Come on, let's go."

Entering back into the mall, there was a sense of unease that hung in the air. Something in the air was charged and…

*Bang! Bang!*

Two gunshots rang out in the mall. Sol looked back to Alex, and mouthed the question, "Kurt?"

"I don't remember him having a gun." Alex answered, slowly and with a low voice, eyes wide, before another gunshot could be heard from the inside of the mall.

"Fuck it." Both of them nodded and started running towards the door. It was open, so they didn't need to use the still-decaying corpse of the Bianco Angelo as a shield when they entered. Still, they stopped.

There was a man in a suit, with a rather large gun in his hands. A strange gun, that was almost organic looking, at least at first glance. His eyes were shining a faint black, there were smudges of blood on his clothes and a group of kids were cowering in front of him, while he was ranting at them.

The weapons that Sol had left were in front of them. In pieces.

"Now why don't you tell me where the rest of you had been hiding! We never saw you at the beginning! So how the hell are you here!? This is our moment! Our power! Now just answer the question and…" he was cut off by a bullet striking his head. The impact had dazed him briefly, but the bullet itself didn't penetrate deeply, instead leaving a nasty cut above his eye.

Sol stood there gun out, barrel smoking, and quietly stated "Back away from the kids, shit for brains, they're in the same boat as us and those red-eyed assholes."

The man turned and looked at the two. His eyes widened briefly before a cruel almost inhuman smirk danced across his face.

"You! I remember you two from before. Thought you could slink around our backs like scavengers! You should have joined when you had the chance!" His voice boomed out as he laughed. His dark eyes seemed to focus on Alex briefly, taking in his alterations, his face took on a grim, leering smile.

"You seemed to have joined the winning team, didn't you? It feels good, yeah? All that power. Hahahahaha! Ah… Bet you're just full of it now, aren't you!? That power… yeah, I think I'll take it from you and all those fancy toys while I'm at it!"

Alex blinked, before letting the corpse of the Bianco Angelo fall on the ground with a loud, metallic thud. "You?"

His voice was a whisper when compared to the businessman, but all the more dangerous for it. At that exact moment, Alex sounded like the end of times, like the last words that someone would ever utter before time passed over them and reduced them to dust.

"You think you are strong enough to defeat me? Or even him?" He gestured towards Sol, head slightly cocked to the side, before starting to walk forward, Calcabrina scraping the metal tip of the umbrella - the sword was still in the sheath, unseen - against the floor. "You, that only reached this place thanks to borrowed power. You, who advanced without worry or fear. You worked in a group, which is admirable, only to devolve into… what? What even are you, now?"

Sol scooped up the body and looked between the two before handing Alex an object. "I see you want this one… take the vitality star for afterward. I'll preserve the body as best I can."

Sol hefted the body on his shoulder before looking back. "Kick his ass brother." before leaving deeper into the mall.

***********************

Sol ran to the statue quickly. He could feel the heat from the Bianco Angelo slowly dissipating body on his shoulder.

Bursting into the back room, Sol touched the statue, and feeling the white void replace his vision, he banished the menus and stared at the Bianco Angelo. The shimmering effect had faded, slowed even, but was still present.

"Okay, Alex, it's all on you. Survive this one man" Sol wished he had a watch to count the time better, but without it, he slowly began to count aloud…

***********************

The businessman cackled "Better than you or your fleeing friend! Now come on!" he roared as he raised his demon gun.

Alex raised a single eyebrow, his face would have been in the dictionary, as the definition of 'unimpressed'.

"I'm sorry, should I be worried? I mean, I understand that you must be driven to compensate for your… lackluster capacity…" Alex's eyes darted downward, to look at his opponent's crotch, before returning to his face. "But really. A gun of that size is just impractical. At least if it's not a shotgun or a rifle."

The man turned steaming red, before aiming and shooting at Alex. Without a care in the world, he opened Calcabrina and let the bullets hit the canopy of the umbrella, without any kind of effect.

"Yup. Deluding. But, I guess you are accustomed to hearing it, aren't you?" Alex's smiling - smirking, really - face appeared from above the edge of the umbrella for a moment, before hiding again when the gunshot another time.

"Stop hiding behind that umbrella and let me kill you!" The businessman roared and fired another blast from his gun. The blast seemed to streak with a dark light, and though it hit, the impact was enough of a tell to state that the gun, its effects, and its power were far more bark than bite.
The businessman roared again, "Just DIE!"

Alex smiled from behind his cover, his thoughts running. The man in front of him was, honestly, pathetic: that gun had pitiful power, he hadn't even tried to move from his position and seemed to not even know what to do when someone didn't automatically fall for his violence.

He half turned the handle of Brina, before stopping and starting to charge a bullet in the palm of his hand. After a moment, it was good enough.

"You call that a shot? Please." Alex's voice echoed in the room before he popped up and let his own bullet fly toward the man. Well, to be more specific, in front of him.

The plan was very simple: let the charged bullet hit the ground, raise a cloud of dust, and use the cover to advance. It should work.

The charge shot struck the ground, sending tiles and dust in the air. The businessman began to cough and try to clear the dust and debris from his vision.

"Just like before, you two were hiding in the background while we fought, you cowards! This gun will bring me victory!" He shouted in fury. Blinded and raving in the confusion, the demonic businessman fired several stray shots around himself in an attempt to hit Alex. None of the shots, thankfully, hit their mark.

Alex, finally, acted. The dust cloud was still big enough to hide his movements. Unsheathing Brina, he let the umbrella drop on the ground - the position would make it look like he was hiding, crouching on the ground behind the big umbrella, while he would be anywhere but there.

After that, he darted to the side, running towards the man, blade trailing behind him. The dust cover opened a little, letting the businessman see the umbrella still in front of him. Not Alex to the side.

He shot the umbrella, again, without any effect beyond pushing it upwards in a series of twists, showing that there was nothing under it. Alex jumped forward.

Then jumped once again, from an Air Hike to a somersault, passing right to the side of the man where he was holding his weapon.

Brina flashed upward before Alex twisted and landed on the ground behind the businessman, the blood slowly sliding down from the Devil Arm.

"Any last words?" His tone was flat and icy. The sound of his arm - along with his gun - hitting the ground, separated from his body, was dull, meaty, and loud.

The businessman clutched the stump of his arm, before howling in pain. In between cries of agony, he began to hiss out. "Ha… ah… They'll be coming. They'll wonder what happened to me. I was IMPORTANT!!!" He roared defiantly, turning and attempting to use his remaining hand to grab at Alex.

Alex took a single step back, moved his sword from his right hand to the left, in a reverse grip, and slammed it in his chest, pushing with all of his strength, until the businessman topped backward, the blade pinning him to the ground like a butterfly.

"Nah. You really aren't." Alex raised a single corner of his mouth, before aiming his right hand at the man's head. Magic collected in front of it, before the charged bolt slammed in the horrified face of the man.

Everything that remained was a red splatter on the ground. He removed Brina from the man and, while the corpse exploded into red orbs, he extended his right hand. Calca landed right in it.

"What a fucking nightmare."

Slowly some of the students began to peek out from behind the barricade in front of EAT. There was something in their eyes. A look between gratification, fear, and caution. Some edged forward, Kurt among them. The right side of his face a deep purple and clutched in his hand was the axe blade that had belonged to the hand axe.

"Is… Is he dead?" He asked cautiously.

************************
Sol had given up counting seconds and had instead chosen to cycle through some songs in his, unknowingly singing them aloud as he paced.

"Cause the music plays forever."

The body, while still mostly whole, had lost most of its skull, hands, and feet. The dissipation was still encroaching on the greater whole, but could he risk it? If he left now and Alex was still fighting the other guy, shit.

"I can hear them on a timeless wavelength. Never dissipating."

He looked back to the body, "Come on Alex, give me a sign."

************************

"Fuck." The Red Orbs were a lot. The fact that the gun was still there was a problem. But he also knew that he had to go. And yet, he didn't really want to touch that gun. So, he turned towards Kurt.

The boy was awake and watching, a strange look on his face. When he noticed that Alex was looking at him, however, he flinched back a little.

Alex didn't say or do anything. He just gulped down some air and pointed at the gun. "You take that. Do what you want with it. I need to go or I'm going to end up dead. See you later." And, without any other explanation, he turned and started running as fast as he could.

He jumped over the collapsed section that the Queen Empusa had died in and landed in front of the Gamestop. Not even pausing at the door, he rocketed inside the back room, where the statue was. Sol was there, with what remained of the Bianco Angelo.

From the outside, it was strange to see, as he was almost immobile, and yet still there. He slid the last few steps, before slamming against the Divinity Statue.

White gold light blinded him.

There was a flash of light behind Sol and he turned mid-step and verse.

"I'll ask questions on what happened later, the body is dissipating and I don't know how much of it you need or how much you have left to harvest it."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Shit." Alex grimaced, a hand going to his side and hovering over the area where his liver was. "It's starting to hurt again."

Then, he turned towards the Watcher of Time. "Can I see the hybridization options?"

A screen opened in front of him, giving him what he wanted to know.

"Not this. Not this. Absolutely not this. Ah."

Bianco Angelo Perfect Hybridization (Liver): 25.000 Red Orbs\

"Fuck. 25K Red Orbs." Alex glanced at the counter and blinked. "That guy had more than 10k of Red Orbs with him? He was a wimp."

"How much do you have on you? Do you have enough to do it?" Sol asked with cautious optimism.

"26k. Barely enough." Alex flashed a small smile at Sol, before tapping the option on the screen. Immediately, it vanished, leaving him with only One Thousand Red Orbs. Then, the body of the Bianco Angelo started to… vibrate. So to speak.

The armor split open like an egg before whatever was inside rose, a mass of black, blue, and red… oily smoke - or something that looked a lot like it - and un-spooled like a ball of yarn, entering in his body straight from his right side, where the liver.

It hurt.

It Hurt a lot.

Alex fell on his knees, the space of the Divinity Statue vanishing and leaving him back in the Gamestop, eyes open and glassy, mouth shouting a silent scream of pain, his skin flushed red, as his hands and nails dug in beneath him, almost trying to rip apart the floor.

After thirty more seconds, the whole thing was done, and Alex slumped on the floor, boneless.

Sol moved quickly. Not directly touching Alex, but kneeling by his side, he began to speak, "Just breathe man, just breathe. The pain will probably pass soon. Just… hold on."

"Ghhhh…" Alex was trying to take a deep breath, but the stitch in his side was making it pretty hard, and he was starting to turn a little more blue than a person should ever be…

"Gh- Aahahhhhhhh…" Finally, after a long, long minute, Alex managed to take a deep breath, the burning in his lungs vanishing almost immediately, as air finally filled them. That first breath was followed by a series of short breaths, almost like he was scared that he would lose the ability to breathe once more.

Sol stepped back and gave Alex space as he watched him. He didn't quite know what to do but figured talking may actually be helpful in this situation.

"That's it, just breathe. Let your body do the work and breathe. This will pass, this will pass."

It took Alex a couple more minutes to stop panting like a dog, tears sliding down his face, before he finally stopped and, slowly, rose upwards, using his elbows to push himself into a sitting position.

"I'm... feeling better. Yeah." He nodded, more to himself, before sighing, his shoulders slumped downward.

"I'm feeling better…"

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Whew! This chapter actually wanted to work with me this time around when doing final edits. Nothing really big to talk about for this chapter except for business lackey with the gun. What's the old saying? Was it Absolute Power, Corrupts Absolutely, or was it The Promise of Absolute Power, Corrupts Absolutely... Well, we'll just have to wait and see with that one, won't we?

 

[InZodwetrust]

There was a man in a suit, with a rather large gun in his hands. A strange gun, that was almost organic looking, at least at first glance. His eyes were shining a faint black, there were smudges of blood on his clothes

Click to shrink...

Is the gun a devil arm?

Alex didn't say or do anything. He just gulped down some air and pointed at the gun. "You take that. Do what you want with it. I need to go or I'm going to end up dead. See you later." And, without any other explanation, he turned and started running as fast as he could.

Click to shrink...

Would there be a consequences of wielding a corrupted weapon?

 

[Atma]

Is the gun a devil arm?


Would there be a consequence of wielding a corrupted weapon?

Click to shrink...

Looks through notes.

No, I don't remember us ever laying the groundwork for that being a Devil Arm, hence why power-wise it didn't nearly do as much as a real Devil Arm could. Now, if it were a real Devil Arm and not be acquired through smithing and conquest, then that would absolutely be a problem. I think there was a part of Dante's backstory were someone wielded a Devil Arm and it almost overtook them in many ways.

 

[Atma]

Sol looked at Alex. Several thoughts were running through his mind. Some were along the lines of "If this were to happen to me, would I have to go through the same pain," and "Is part of his hair now blonde?"

It was, Sol realized, as even in the dim light of the back office he could see the difference. He got up and extended a hand towards Alex. "Come on man, let me help you up."

Alex's hand went and grabbed Sol's own, his almost dead weight making him stumble for the barest of moments before he managed to get him up.

"Thanks. I would be dead without you." He was blinking away the remaining tears before he cracked his neck and back.

Then, silence. For a long moment.

"I'm kinda tired, you know?" While his voice was light, his expression was… not. "And there's still some of the Bianco Angelo Armor. How about we take it, go to see Rodin, and see if we can take a nap?"

"That's not a bad idea, keep it and use it for your own needs. You could use it more than me." Sol said before walking back and into the Gates of Hell.

Alex remained there for a moment, looking at Sol's disappearing form. "I… actually meant that you could reinforce your own." He said to the air, before looking down at the hunk of metal. It shone in the light.

"Maybe I can get a reinforced duster or something?" He checked his leather duster, which was… well, made of leather. "You never know."

So, he grabbed the loot and took a step into the magic circle.

*****************************************************

"Mission Accomplished… I hope…" Sol said to Rodin as he entered the bar.

"I'm not really here for anything mind you. Just to make sure Alex is doing alright."

After a few moments, Alex appeared behind Sol with the armor dragging behind him. He looked.. normal. At least, Rodin didn't say anything.

At first.

"Well, you definitely went better than the first time, that's for sure." The bald man grimaced a little, before checking Alex from head to toe once more. "Yeah, you're not going to lose your liver anytime soon. Your kidneys, on the other hand…"

Silence.

"Of course. Because it couldn't be so easy, could it?" Alex wasn't shouting, but almost. He just dragged his hand on his face, moving his glasses to the side. "Do you know how many pieces I need to change before I don't risk killing myself anymore?"

Rodin hummed. "Well, you're not exactly a weapon, but I can hazard a guess."

"Dammit all, we just can't catch a break can we." Sol said bitterly, before tapping his hands against the bar and asking, "What can we do? How much of himself does he have to replace, before this stops being a life-threatening issue?"

"The easy way would still be finding another Geryon and using it. Sad to say, those are pretty rare these days." Rodin started, leaning forward on the bar counter, his hands firmly placed on the surface.

"The second option is to replace enough of your body until you can hybridize properly, instead of just grafting things together. Stay away from the brain and heart. The stomach and intestines are a good starting point. Still, you'll need the kidneys." He frowned, seemingly lost in thought for a moment.

"Your lungs could be substituted, but that's going to be very touch and go, depending on the demon you are using. Humanoid only." He got back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Once you have… Mhhh… Around half of your body is replaced, you can try and see if you can finish the Hybridization process. It's not going to be easy. Some demons aren't compatible with each other, after all."

"Well shit," Sol said briefly before pausing and giving a thoughtful look. "Hold on, the statue offers complete hybridization at 100k. Is it… doing it in partial payments? Like 25k for a liver, 25k for a pair of kidneys, etc… Could that be it?" He asked.

Rodin shook his head. "Nah, kid. The statue offered that because you had the entire corpse to use. The entire piecemeal process, from now to end, will easily run you 300-400 thousand Red Orbs."

"Then we need a complete body then… maybe we'd be lucky… Can we keep that disc you gave us? It's pretty useful all things considered."

"Won't work twice." Rodin shook his head, before explaining. "It's the magical energy inside the disk that makes the demons appear. Without it, it's only music. As for the entire body, sure, you can do that."

Then, he smiled. "On the other hand, if you can find compatible demons, you can try and maximize your gains. Don't you know what they call it now? Min Maxing?"

"Ha, yeah they do. And I've never been a fan of it personally. Too much running of the numbers for my own damn good. I get lost in the minutia… What do you think Alex?" Sol asked.

"I played a fair amount of Dungeons and Dragons, so I'm familiar with the concept. And, honestly, I would prefer it, so that we could correct any possible problem that could appear while we are doing things. If we use a single corpse, there's the chance that something will go bad and I won't have the option to correct it."

"It's your choice. Just try to remain alive, it would suck to lose two new clients." Rodin smiled at the duo, before continuing. "So, why did you come here?"

"To report on a mission accomplished, or that was the plan…" Sol snapped his fingers. "We have some armor pieces from the Bianco Angelo, maybe you could work with Alex and see what you can come up with?"

"I don't think I'm going to want armor like Sol, though. Maybe something with this?" Alex shrugged off the leather duster, letting Rodin examine it.

"Good quality. The Watcher, right?" At his affirmative nod, the bar owner rapped his knuckles on the armor, listening intently. "I can armor it a bit. It's not going to give you anywhere near enough armor to withstand more than a couple of blows, but it can be useful in a pinch."

Alex nodded, before asking the really important question. "How much?"

Rodin checked the armor and the duster once more time, before leaning back. "Five Thousand."

Alex grimaced at that. "I'll have to shelve the option, for now. I'm just at One Thousand."

Sol nodded in response, "We'll come back for those options later on sir." Sol then looked to Alex, "You want to check out the underground parking lot? Maybe find some secrets down there or another way further down?"

"No offense, but I kinda want to sleep. The whole changing your liver like it was a car part hurt like a mother and I'm kinda… mentally tired. Not that much physically, but… yeah." Alex shrugged, before looking at Rodin. "I was hoping we could crash here and nap for a couple of hours?"

"What the hell? I kinda like you two. You can take a rest here for a little while. But don't think this will be a usual thing. I already have to clean up for Enzo from time to time."

"Well" began Sol, "how much for a drink, because I honestly feel like I need one."

"Oh, yeah. That, too. Food, too, if you have it. We're going to pay for the nap, too, I'm not that kind of asshole." Alex piped up, smiling at Rodin, before patting his stomach. "I'm kinda hungry, gotta be honest. Kinda want pizza. But I doubt we're going to be able to order, so…" And he shrugged.

"If that's doable… If not then, I'm a simple guy. I'll take a Gin and Tonic and I will find a chair and rest. If there's clean-up duty needed just say the word and I'll help with it." Sol said while placing his helmet on a table.

"Well, you're already better than Enzo. He still owes me a pretty big debt. Anyway, go sit down and I'll see what I have. Even if it's only a few bar snacks." Rodin walked back towards the backroom and vanished from sight. Alex and Sol, in the meantime, slumped on the comfortable couch near one of the small tables.

"Well, this is going to be a long thing to do," Alex commented, his head bent backward, stretched over the curve of the couch. "Adjusting my body, I mean. Man, I sound like I'm in an RPG game…"

Sol gave Alex an odd look, before laughing. "Shit sounds like we're in the vortex world, and you were the one to have a run-in with Kid-Cipher and his nanny. All we need now is Dante asking which side of a coin toss we want to be on."

Sol sat straighter in the chair. "When you really think about it though, you're not far off. We've got a mysterious force telling us of a great mission, rivals who are turning evil at the drop of a hat, and progression elements. Maybe it's not Final Fantasy or SMT, but it's pretty close all the same. Though to be honest, I'd rather take my chances here than in FF."

"I mean, it depends on which Final Fantasy we're talking about." Alex pointed out, notably not refuting Sol's previous points. "Nine is nice, from a story and world perspective. Eight would be great if we could get our hands on the power of the Sorceress: they're basically demigoddess. Shame that only women can be one. Seven is a death world, but Materia is nice. Ten is… kinda meh, honestly. Never played Eleven, never finished Twelve, but it's nice and Thirteen is a Final Fantasy in name only. Fifteen… Not enough magic for my tastes."

"Slight difference of opinion on that. "Nine is a borderline death world thanks to Kuja and… I really do wonder if it is the same Garland as in One. That's a terrifying thought. You are absolutely on point about Seven. Eight, eh… I'd like to avoid GS amnesia, thank you very much. My friend was a super fan of Ten, though he refuses to discuss Ten-Two in any way. I wouldn't mind being in Twelve. Rabanastre seemed like a cool place to live in if you're able to disregard the occupying Arcadian forces. Again though, you're absolutely right about Thirteen. I couldn't stop making Time Bandits jokes when I first saw Caius Ballad, even though he was the best thing in that particular series. Fifteen… I want Ardyn's car. It looks nice." Sol said before looking to see if Rodin had returned.

"Oh! and Fourteen… I really only know the Nier crossover event and that's enough nightmare fuel to tell me to stay far away. I do not want to live in anything, even touching the Taro Verse." Sol said with a chuckle.

"I played a little. Not much more than a month, tho, for lack of money for the account. Still, it was pretty nice." Alex sighed. "But we are here. And we're going to make the best of what we have. So, we're going to eat something, drink something, nap, and then try to find as many secret areas as we can. We need to buy more of those orbs, both Blue and Purple."

"Too true, you especially. We need to keep you in the game as long as possible until we can even you out." Sol said, addressing the elephant in the room. "But we're far too many red orbs short and even I can feel the strain getting to me."

He paused, his eyes glassy for a moment. "It's funny, even now I still can't stop thinking that I'd never been able to do any of this before." Sol almost made to continue before Rodin came back.

"Drinks are on the bar. Food'll take a bit longer. Hope you don't mind it hot."

"I'll have anything now. But first, I'll take that drink." Sol said before taking the glass. He was just about to raise it to his lips before stopping and holding the glass forward.

"I would like to make a toast. To our futures, may they be bountiful, bright, and happy."

Alex chuckled a bit, before clinking his glass against Sol's one and adding his own two cents. "And that Murphy won't screw us more."

*******************************************

The magic circle in the Gamestop flared red and two figures appeared from it. Both looked… a bit groggy, to be honest, but more rested and apparently ready to take on whatever was going to happen now.

Well, more or less.

"So, underground parking lot. We're going from the outside or the stairs inside?" Alex stretched his arms backward, cracking his spine, before turning fully towards Sol.

"I figure inside the mall. That way we can check on the others and then find an entrance. If one doesn't exist, then we'll check the outside of the mall for an entrance there." Sol said as he carefully made his way out of the Gamestop.

"Yeah, you're right. Also, I'm… Well, I just realized that I blew up the head of someone - that businessman - in front of kids. I may be a bad influence." Alex said, a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"So, uh, don't be surprised if they don't want to see me, ok?"

"Man, I ran off with a sizzling demonic suit of armor. I highly doubt either of us are the latest and greatest with them," Sol responded.

Sol was more right about his assessment than he had realized. As the two reached the area where Alex fought the businessman, they noticed the other survivors were there, most with makeshift weapons in hand, and the teacher holding the demonic gun. The moment they heard the two approach, the other survivors turned and began to cluster together. It was a decidedly unfriendly action.

Alex stopped almost instantly, before raising his hands, aborting the motion halfway and then bringing them to his lap, left hand holding the right.

"Yeah, your reaction is valid and fair. I'm sorry for what I've shown you all." Alex looked pretty contrite.

The hand of the PE teacher tightened around the gun slightly and he looked at the two with thinly concealed anger. "That lunatic mentioned something about the two of you being part of the same group. Do you wish to explain that?"

Alex blinked, before shrugging, apparently unconcerned. "Sure. So, we got summoned all together. Big group, a bit more than a hundred people, I think. The entire group got split into three - well, four, technically - subgroups. One of those subgroups has been killed by six… demons or people, I'm not sure, with red eyes." Alex stopped for a moment to take a breath, before continuing. "That was before we met you, so I have no idea where the culprits are. Anyway, the two remaining subgroups are under a businessman and a businesswoman. We know that there are at least three big groups that have been summoned here, considering you are here and those six people are here. And we are here."

He finished by opening his hands to the side, in a sort of pacifistic gesture.

The man's free hand balled into a fist. "And what makes you any different from them? Your eyes are similar after all." He said with venom.

Alex sighed. "Similar is not the same, first of all. Second, I got the eyes at the same time I got the hair. Third, you are kinda being racist. I fought to keep you all safe, we saved your life at our expense and gave you information without asking anything in exchange. You are assuming that I'm like them just because my eyes are similar? Bit too quick on the judging." Alex's expression hadn't changed from the start, but he seemed disappointed.

"Also, I didn't take the gun and left it with you all. What are you accusing me of, exactly?" Alex questioned.

"We're not accusing you of anything. We're stating simply that we don't want you here. We know damn well we can't defeat either of you, but we can't trust you to not bring more of those lunatics down on us or to lose it yourselves. So leave. Do what you need to and leave."

Alex blinked. Sol blinked.

"We… were already going to do that? Did you think that we wanted to remain here?" Alex asked, his voice holding a rather prominent note of bafflement. His expression was also unsure about what was happening, considering the situation.

"Good, we'll take care of ourselves." The PE teacher said simply.

Sol looked between the two, slowly nodding. "We'll head out now, leave you all to your business," Sol said slowly while looking at Alex.

Alex looked back at Sol, before shrugging and turning away. "Be careful with the gun, sometimes demonic weapons have a will and can take control of the users if they aren't strong enough." He tossed his last advice to the teacher while walking away.

"Now, where are the stairs…" Muttering under his breath, he tried to see if there was any map around their position.

There were directions to the stairs for the underground lot in the form of large mall maps that were placed around the mall. "Sub-level entrance, near a post office? Well, I guess a mall would be as good a place as any." Sol said while looking at the map. Shouldn't be too far from here.

"Better than having to go around the entire mall. But, now that I've thought about it…" He started checking out the various stores around. "I think I can manage using a coffee maker. Want to go and try to see if there's a bar where we can find more food? Or even just a convenience store, to stock up a bit."

"Yeah, that would be a good idea," Sol said while looking at various stores. He then asked, "How you holding up?"

Alex stilled for a moment before his entire form slumped down. "I'm feeling like Build-A-Bear started a franchise of horror videogames. Scared all the time, tired, stressed, nervous, hanging by a thread." He let his forehead rest on the map in front of him. "I just… I miss home. I miss my laptop. I'm trying to not even think about my friends and family because I'm going to crack if I do."

Then, still leaning on the map, he turned towards Sol. "What about you?"

Sol let out a tired laugh in response. "I'd be lying through my teeth if I said anything different. I miss my home, I miss the mountains screwing up weather forecasts on me, I miss my family… I… If I have to replace a piece of myself with a demon, just please bear with me. I could try to justify it, but that would eat at me like nothing else. I'm sorry… I know it's a lot."

Sol looked back to where the other survivors would have been. "I'm scared for them, you know. Maybe it's selfish to say but I want them to survive for some peace of mind, a way to keep our karma as clean as possible. I don't know, I don't know." Sol sighed before heading down the nearest staircase, looking for the entrance to the Underground Parking Lot.

"Yeah, I don't know, either." Alex moved and grabbed Sol in a hug, squeezing him. "It's… I'm… Can we even return home?"

Sol practically tripped over himself as he heard the question. He didn't turn to Alex, didn't want him to see the look of horror on him, but his voice couldn't hide it.

"I… I hope so, I fucking hope so." Sol balled his fists. "If not, then… then we'll just have to make do… become demon slayers and, and…" He trailed off.

"And I guess deal with this as best we can."

"Yeah, yeah. We can… We've managed to arrive at this point. We can go forward. Devil May Cry is gotta be hiring, no? So, there's that." Alex's voice was choked off, but he continued. "And… we have a lot of time. To find a way. There's a lot of magic. And, you know, I already have Time powers. Maybe we can find something with control over space. We'll see."

Then, he fell silent for a minute, the hug still there. Finally, after that moment, he let Sol go and took a deep breath. When he spoke, his voice was way more calm.

Even if it was a simple facade.

"Ok, I'm… ok. Let's go and find someplace where we can take a lot of sugary stuff."

Sol turned around, pained relief on his face. "Dibs on anything with cookie dough in it."

Alex chuckled a bit before the duo started moving. It was another hour, another minute of which they were alive and free. It was enough.

At least, for now.

*********************************************

They had managed to find - and raid - a coffee shop, resulting in a lot of snacks and similar food. They had also demolished the pastries that were still there. And only slightly stale, for some reason.

Still, they were full since… before the nightmare horse. So, they ate and drank - they had managed to puzzle out the coffee machine and went to town, making whatever they wanted - and relaxed, the stress on their shoulders sloughing off like water on a duck.

Then, after they were rested, relaxed, and full, they moved once more.

The electronic shop was on the way to the stairs, so it too got raided. Simply entering, going in the back, and taking what they wanted. They didn't destroy the rest but didn't care about hiding their passage. Computers, cellphones, laptops, desktops… whatever they wanted. It might have been useful in the future and it wasn't like anyone was going to miss it.

The stairs towards the underground parking lot were there. Dark. The light didn't work, apparently.

"Should we risk it and see if the lights are working in the basement level?" Sol asked Alex.

"Well, I think I can see a bit through the dark… but not that much." Alex shrugged, before taking a couple of steps in the dark.

"Yep, I can see a little. What do you say, do we try to go down? It's gonna be risky as hell - pun intended - but, if I recall correctly, more danger means more reward." Alex said.

"Might as well, I'll go first. Be bait. Anything you see that looks hostile, blast it and I'll try to follow the shot. Maybe we'll be lucky and the lights will be on further down." Sol winced after he finished speaking. "I should not have said that."

Alex gave Sol a flat look. "Yeah, you really shouldn't have said that." Still, he started walking downward.

The stairs were in good condition, barring the fact that they were empty and dark, but still easy enough to navigate until they reached the underground floor. It was dimly lit by the emergency lights, showing the number of cars around. It wasn't as packed as the lot above ground, but there was still a decent number. And, in the office where security would have been, a fairly strong blue glow.

"I think that we got a hit." Alex pointed. There was enough light to see, at least a bit.

"Cool, at least we can see somewhat, maybe we're lucky and someone left their keys in the car," Sol said as began to move past Alex and inspect one of the cars. As he did, he noticed that something reflected a hint of light in one of the cars. Upon further inspection, Sol asked aloud, "Is that a mask?"

"A mask?" Alex asked, blinking in confusion, before turning and looking at the area behind Sol. Nothing.

"There's nothing behind you. Maybe it's… a car ornament? What mask is it?"

"It's like a Venetian masquerade mask, but completely white, nothing interesting about. It's kinda creepy looking at it in this light." Sol replied.

"I can guess." Alex joined Sol in looking at the inside of the car, before noticing something.

"Sol… how can there be the reflection of a mask when there aren't any masks behind you?" His words were measured and calm. Too calm.

Sol began to respond. "Maybe b…" However, as he did, the reflection began to warp around the mask, sending Sol scrambling backward. From the area around the mask, a black mass began to push out from behind the mask, followed by a pair of arms and an oversized pair of scissors.

"Oh damn it all, isn't that the demon type Nico hates on a scientific level?" Sol asked quickly as he drew his blade.

"Yeah, yeah, the Scissor something. Death Scissors?" Alex was also scrambling back, Calcabrina already in his hands, ready to open if the demon started moving forward. "Wasn't it intangible or something?"

As if to answer the question the scissor demon seemed to float down and flow into the floor, disappearing easily as it appeared.

"Oh, that's why Nico hates them," Sol said quietly as he drew his pistol in response.

"Fuck me," Alex growled, before turning around and putting his back against Sol's. "Let's just… keep our eyes open. And try to not get ambushed, this thing seems a step up from the others."

The metal tip of his Devil Arm was tapping on the concrete of the parking lot, a nervous tap-tap-tap that echoed against the walls of the underground man-made cave.

Sol looked around the garage for the demon. The dim lights cast shadows that seemed to stretch indefinitely, which only served to make seeing the demon that much harder. He thought for a moment he saw something, like the haze of heat on a summer day there was a ripple in the concrete, just where the shadow and light connected.

"It's like Geryon. Alex, the wall!" He shouted before firing at the spot he saw.

"Oh, come on!" A volley of bullets slammed against the walls from where the Death Scissors came out, except it didn't really stop it. It only nicked the blade it had in its hand before it moved enough that Alex had to move a little to keep it in sight.

Sadly, keeping something in sight didn't mean being able to hit, considering that the light was playing against them, throwing shadows all around and making the fast-moving demon vanish easily.

"Hey Alex, how far underground do you think we are right now?" Sol asked as he watched out for another manifestation of the scissors.

"I have absolutely no idea," Alex answered with a grunt, while he had to open his umbrella to stop a sudden assault from the side, an assault that he didn't manage to counter in time before the Death Scissor vanished into another wall.

"I was thinking we could blow the roof open to get some extra li…" Sol was cut off as the scissors came out at him. He managed to block the strike before the scissors fled back. Whether it was from the impact against Calcabrina or Gevaudan, there was obvious damage along its weapon.

"New plan." Alex uttered, before charging a bullet in his hand, waiting for the moment the Death Scissors emerged from the shadows. When that happened, he shot it almost at point black, considering that it was coming straight at him with the giant scissors opened and ready to cut him in two.

One of the two blades flew away, staggering the Death Scissors for a moment.

Sol seemed to catch on and moved to strike. Extending Gevaudan to its full length, Sol lashed out at the scissors, carving deeply into the darkness that made up its body. The demon howled before fleeing back into the walls.

"Okay, so we can stun it. Same plan when it appears next then?" Sol asked.

"Hey, if it works, it works." Alex shrugged, another bullet being charged in the palm of his hand.

Several long seconds passed before the Death Scissor appeared once more, the single blade already in a descending arc, aiming straight at Sol, the mask cackling.

Sol managed to get his sword up in time and smash it directly into the half-scissor. The recoil forced him a step back before he lunged and landed another blow on the half-scissor. The Death Scissor fled back into the shadows.

"Two strikes on him this time. Think the third will be the one." Sol asked Alex.

"Let's hope. Did they have some sort of recovery ability or am I misremembering things?" Alex asked while scanning the area around them. Now that the initial hit of adrenaline had passed, he was able to analyze things more calmly.

It was that calm that allowed him to spot the demon appearing from their side, on the edge of his left eye, making him turn and open the umbrella. The blade hit the cloth and stopped cold.

"Kaboom." A charged shot slammed against the Death Scissor, sending it flying back. "Sol, now!"

"Stinger!" Sol roared, flying forward into the Death Scissor. The blow forced it back and while it was screaming, Sol initiated his other technique. The horizontal slash sliced through the mask and the shadowy phantom broke down into red orbs.

"I really… No, no I'm not going to finish that sentence. Let's just see what else we can find down here." Sol said.

"Well, there's that." Alex pointed at the blue glow coming from the inside of the guard office. "You go and get your piece of blue orb, I'm gonna go and see if there's anything else around here. You never know, maybe there's another secret challenge or something." With a shrug, he turned and started moving around, trying to see if there was anything of interest.

"Alright, if you see anything else, just call out," Sol said before entering the office. Grabbing the orb piece, he felt a familiar jolt.

"That's three of four," Sol said before looking through the rest of the office. There wasn't really much there on the walls. Trying the desk, he realized that it was locked. He tried it again and with a wrench, the desk drawer came loose. There wasn't much in there, but…

"A key?" Sol asked, looking at the simple key with a red plastic tag. Wasn't a car key, too small for that, still he better take it with him.

"Nothing out there. Did you find something?" Alex's head popped up from the door, looking in. He looked vaguely annoyed. "What's that key for?" His eyes soon zeroed towards the key in Sol's hands.

"Don't know, but if there isn't anything down here, then maybe this key is for something upstairs. Can't be for anything on the second floor, we've been there enough. Maybe a roof access key?" Sol questioned.

"I mean, I checked the walls, but the light is what it is. I couldn't see any other side rooms or other areas of the parking lot. Nor stairs going down, so…" Alex shrugged, taking a couple of steps inside the office and checking the key.

"There's only a R on the tag, so…. maybe? I mean, all the shops inside here were open - barring the ones that the Kids had closed - and the alarms were not active." And they knew, seeing as they had gone on a 'shopping spree' using a Five Finger Discount on… a lot of things.

"Want to take the elevator and go directly to the roof? I think there's one near the stairs. Still active, I mean."

"Yeah, we can avoid the students and the teacher. It can also probably help get a bird's eye view of everything, maybe we can see our next descent point while we're at it." Sol said, pocketing the keys.

"Yeah. I mean, we don't have a full map of the city. And maybe there will be something useful. Do you still have the pamphlet you got near the market? Maybe we can use that?" The two of them walked towards the elevator while discussing the possibilities, unsure of what to do. Their path wasn't really clear, considering that they could have an entire city to explore to find the demon that had brought them there.

*****************************************************

Standing in front of the closed door to the roof, Alex patted Sol's back. "Well, you have the key. Go on and try to open it. If it doesn't work, we can always break it."

"Here goes," Sol said before inserting the key. It went easily and turned just as well. Opening the door, Sol walked out onto the roof and stopped.

"Oh." He said weakly. Redgrave City, a once modern and thriving location, was in ruins. Massive roots rent through various buildings, structural damage and collapse were blatantly evident across the city's broad horizon, and whole areas were flooded.

"Oh… fuck." Alex pointed to the side. The flooded parts continued for a fair bit until they dried up again. Only, not back into concrete and buildings, but in some sort of fleshy landscape that soon twisted and changed in some sort of eldritch geography, Predominantly in red, gray, and black, covered in skittering things and some others. Finally, right around the trunk of the Qliphoth - it was massive. It wasn't a tree, it wasn't even a skyscraper, it was… mind-bending. It blocked the sky and the horizon with more than just its physical bulk. It was the presence of it that weighed on them - there was a castle. A medieval castle, looking a bit like a ring, around the trunk. Massive and foreboding, light gray stone and black accents.

"I guess that's where we need to go. Kinda looks like the castle from Mallet Island doesn't it?" Sol said easily enough. "It's like a collection of bad memories overlapping each other here."

"Yeah, it kinda does." Alex nodded, looking some more. It was really a disaster. However, it was the sound of an explosion coming from behind them that made them turn.

There was a tower. A high, high tower, completely white, with one side having recently exploded. Two figures, one dressed completely in black and another dressed in white, were falling from the hole, while the sun's ray shone on something gold inside it.

Then, more people dressed in white crowded around the edge of the tower and the two struggling people vanished behind the buildings.

"Well, that was… strange." Alex's eyes were wide open, a surprised look on his face.

"You think they were the Red Eyes or businessman and businesswoman finally going at it?" Sol asked, his hands moving towards his weapons.

"I honestly… Look, I don't know. I have a theory, but nothing more. It could be wrong." Alex raised his hands, taking a step back towards the center of the roof, before looking around. "Want to hear it?"

"Might as well, because I am at a complete loss otherwise." Sol responded while still looking at the white tower.

Alex took a deep breath. Then another. And another.

"We know that we aren't the only ones that have been summoned here. We know that there are at least three groups: ours, the kids, and the Red eyes." He started, walking in a circle. "We know that at least two groups have been summoned in groups of more than one hundred people. Ours and the kids were. And, if the Red Eyes are so powerful, probably they were too. And probably they have killed all of them to gain that much power."

Another deep breath.

"That." He sliced his finger towards the tower, where the people could still be seen near the top, through the giant hole. "Is definitely not something from Redgrave City. And the number of people, all in white? Looks suspicious to me. So, it may be another group."

He wasn't hyperventilating, but almost.

"There could be four groups. But there could be more. So, more than one hundred people in a group, probably more than four groups. I'm going to guess." He stopped and turned fully towards Sol, raising both his hands. Then, he raised two fingers from his left.

"Two sure groups: ours and the Kids. Both more than one hundred." Then, he raised two fingers on his right hand. "Two maybe groups: Red Eyes and White and Black. Also probably more than one hundred, considering the number of people on top of that tower."

Then, he raised another finger from both hands. "Here's my guess. Six groups. One Hundred and Eleven people per group. A total of Six Hundred and Sixty-Six people." He let his hands fall on his sides. "Narrative convention points to that. And we are dealing with demons. It could be that they are using that number to strengthen themselves. But."

And he raised two fingers on his right hand. "But. They hit a speed bump. Can you imagine which one is?"

Sol looked at Alex briefly before back to the tower. "Us, those students and the teacher." He began to pace and snap his finger. "Okay so, we're not taking the bait on that poisoned fruit. The students aren't taking the bait on that either… I hope."

He turned back to look at the tower. "But they, and the others…" He trailed off. "You mentioned narrative convention before right? What if the power aspect was a bonus… like a Ponzi scheme? If there really are six groups of 111, then it stands to reason that that sacrifice would be enough to do whatever is needed. The power aspect is really like having a big meal."

He stared at the tower, before asking aloud. "Who the hell are you, group 4?"

"Well, technically only us. The rest is the butterfly effect, but yeah. Point remains. Now, I COULD try and speculate some more about the rest of the scheme, but I really don't know anything else." Alex ran his hand between his hair, dislodging the hair tie. He grabbed it before it could reach the ground and started retying his hair.

"Really, the lack of information is what is hurting us. So, assuming that the six groups - assuming there ARE six groups. Or, well, were six groups - have been summoned in six different parts of the city, where would it be?" The question hung in the air, while Alex looked down at the tower, before checking the place immediately around.

"It could form a circle around the city. Like a Star of David. It could be randomized. It could be… I don't even know. It could be anything. But… The tower. Can you see any other landmarks around?"

"Well, we have the Tower, The Castle, here possibly…Sol trailed off before looking around the horizon. His eyes manage to spot several things in the distance. The first was a structure on a large hill. The hill itself showed signs of heavy damage or possibly sheer erosion, but there was a building on it. He couldn't make out many of the details, but he was sure it was a mansion. The second almost blended into the city if not for the difference in construction. It was a skyscraper, emphasis on was as the building was broken into several massive pieces. What made it stand out was just how different it looked.

The ruined skyscraper was almost black against the other buildings. It was a striking contrast. There was something not quite right about it though and the more Sol looked at it, the more his eyes began to strain before he was forced to look in another direction.

Clearing his eyes, he noticed the last thing. It was almost perfectly hidden in the destruction of the city. The flooded waters may have pooled and destroyed many of the smaller buildings but they were flowing. It was slow at first, but as they went the waters became faster, churning more, until whitecaps formed and they were all heading down somewhere they couldn't see.

"Like the waters of life… If we're location 1 of 6 then those other locations must be either entrance points or descent points. It's just a matter of getting to them safely." Sol as he turned to Alex.

"Yeah. If we are correct, anyway. My theory could be a total wash and I could send us on a lark. Anyway." He refocused his eyes toward the tower. "Think we should try the tower first? I mean, it looks like it's populated, so… Also, I wonder what caused such an explosion."

He turned towards Sol. "You? Want to start anywhere else?"

"No, not really. That old manor seems too far away, I'd rather not risk those if we don't have to, and that broken skyscraper… that some bad vibes right there." Sol said before making it to the door. He stopped and groaned.

"Hey Alex, I think I found our next secret challenge room. On the back of the roof access door were similar markings denoting a secret.

"You up for this?" Sol asked.

"More Red Orbs. Yeah, I'm up for this, I need a lot to buy more techniques. Activate it." Alex smiled, his grin bloodthirsty.

The symbol on the wall started to shine, before the two of them vanished, finding themselves in a circular room, with several columns rising from the sides, twelve of them. In front of them, was a red, pulsating portal that started bubbling upwards the moment they appeared.

A Hell Caina slowly manifested from the red bubble, soon followed by another. It didn't look like it was going to stop.

"Oh boy. Arena fights. Survive, ok?" Alex smiled, although he was feeling a bit sick in his stomach at the scene.

"Yeah. Best of luck." Sol said before drawing his sword and gun and throwing himself into the horde with a Stinger. The attack separated the horde in two and it was quickly followed by a Rush Cut, creating further distance between themselves and the demons.

"I've got these four!" Sol shouted as he dodged a swipe from a scythe.

"I'll get the other four, I guess." Alex shrugged, seeing Sol so excitable calmed him down, and he unsheathed his blade. Then, he started shooting.

*********************************************

When the two of them returned to the room, they were covered in blood - some theirs, most from the demon - and were panting. Sol more than Alex.

"I admit…" Alex said as he leaned on the wall, eyes closed. "I didn't expect the giant lizard at the end. That was dangerous.".

"Ha, ha… That was, guess we just encountered the older nastier cousins of the Pride demons from 3 huh?" Sol asked with a pained smile. There was a nasty cut along the inside of his left arm. The wound was bleeding, enough to be painful, but not debilitating.

"Yeah. Yeah, we did." Alex grunted and then something in his back popped with a loud crack. "I think I had something in my back when I landed on the ground before. You still have the First Aid Kit?" He turned towards Sol, his eyes worried and looking at the wound.

"You still have that Vitality Star I gave you right?" Sol asked instead while nursing his arm.

"I'm fine. You're not. Now, do you still have the First Aid Kit or not?" Alex didn't relent, turning towards him and holding his arm, trying to see better the wound. Yes, he still had the Star and he seemed to think about using it on Sol as soon as possible.

"Remember I threw it away in a rage a while ago. I'll buy another one when we next get the…" Sol was cut off, as something leapt into the room. It was vaguely humanoid but very blatantly reptilian.

"That's not a blade or an assault… that's one of the new demons from 5 right?" Sol asked as he got ready.

"Can't remember." Alex growled his weapon already in his hand, the blade gleaming in the sun. "Anyway, it doesn't really matter." He aimed the tip of the umbrella at it while it was jumping towards them and started shooting. The first bullet made it stumble. The subsequent ones kept it in the air.

"He's dead either way." After keeping it in the air for a few moments, he slashed with his sword one, two, three times, and the head of the demon fell to the ground.

"I'm pretty sure that there is a pharmacy in the mall. We're going there and disinfecting that cut. And some bandages. No discussion." His tone broke no arguments.

"Yeah, yeah. Maybe. Well we have compensation. So silver linings." Sol said before a mass of red orbs fell from the sky.

"Better than nothing. On the other hand, we did get a few Orbs from the room, so… Eh." Alex shrugged, before opening the door back towards the inside of the mall. "Now, you have a choice. We can either find a pharmacy, we go to the statute or I use the Star on you. Which is going to be? To be clear: the statue is for you to get another blue orb, you should have more than enough." Again, his tone was steely, and very worried.

"Let's check the pharmacy. The med kit wasn't all that great, we can take much more and at a much cheaper price." Sol said.

"Yeah, ok, fine. We're still stopping at the statue before going, I want to get a few more skills. I don't have anything for Calcabrina yet and I want another spell I saw." Alex muttered, before moving forward and taking the spot in front of Sol.

Luckily, nothing happened on the way down and, thanks to this being a mall, the directions to the pharmacy were clearly labeled. So, it took five minutes to reach it. Once there, however, he stopped.

"I don't actually know where the first aid kits are held?"

"I got this." Sol said as he perused through several isles and reached for a small box made of opaque plastic.

"I've seen enough of these in various general stores and ranger stations when I'd go for long trips. I like… I guess I liked, until further notice, to get away from big cities for a week or two, so I kinda have an idea." Sol said as he opened the small first aid case and pulled out disinfectant before hissing at its effects. Wrapping the bandage, Sol looked around further.

"You think we should raid anything other than some of the medical kits?" He asked.

Alex looked tempted for a moment, before sighing. "While I would like to say yes, I'm… well, there are the Kids here. I would feel bad if we took something that could help them with their survival. I know." He raised his hand towards Sol to forestall any possible comeback. "I know that we have more or less robbed a few stores. But those were luxuries. Even if I have what amounts to half a jewelry in my inventory, those are still luxuries. Not things that could save a life."

"You're right. We'll take an additional kit each, let them know the place is here, statue, and leave. We should be able to leave through the parking lot we fought the Bianco Angelo in." Sol said while nodding in agreement.

"Sure, that works." Alex nodded, starting to look around to see if they had one of the bigger ones. Even with him not finding anything, it didn't take much time and, soon, they were back in the Mall, moving towards the Gamestop. Alex stopped all of a sudden.

"You know, maybe it's better if you go alone to talk with the Kids. I mean, they didn't really… like me the last time we talked. You would be received better." Alex was blushing slightly before he turned. "I'm gonna stay near, like… behind the wall."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Sol said before making his way over to the other group. Raising both hands above his head, he called out. "Hey, guy you're not the biggest fan of approaching."

Several noises alerted Sol as the people began to gather, the PE teacher front and center.

"We told you to leave." He stated simply.

"Yep, and we are. Alex is taking care of some business at the statue. I'm here to let you all know four things. One," Sol begins raising an Index finger. "There was a pretty powerful demon in the basement underground complex. You can spot them easily if you catch sight of a white, blank carnival mask. They can phase through walls and floors, so you know, rather. dangerous."

He raises another finger. "Two, there was a trap, sorta, on the door of the roof access. We took care of that too, so you can all get up there without worrying about triggering it. It's not a pretty sight, up on the roof. Three, the pharmacy isn't too far away, and we took two med packs for ourselves. However, everything else in there is yours."

He raised his last finger. "We saw a fight a ways away from here at a white tower. We're heading to investigate that as soon as Alex finishes up. Then. we'll be out of your hair."

"Thanks." The teacher in a very insincere tone, before brandishing his pistol. "Time for you to leave."

Sol grimaced under his helmet but kept things civil. "Well, thank you for your hospitality, and stay safe," Sol said before leaving the other group. As he made his way past where Alex was, he muttered. "Goddamn, I forgot how much I hated high school teachers and high school bullshit."

"Eh, yeah." Alex didn't say anything else, he just turned and walked towards the statue. It wasn't, again, a long walk and, soon, they both were near it.

"You go first, I always take a long time choosing. Yeah, the statue alters time, but I need to… process something I realized. I'll tell you once I can put it in words." Alex's hand went, without his conscious notice, to his right side. Around where the liver was, more or less.

Sol's eyes seemed to catch the motion though he didn't say anything, just nodding and touching the statue.

When having his one-on-one with the statue, he looked at his wallet "9,850 huh… Okay Statue, item menu."

The menu opened and Sol scrolled down until he reached the Blue Orb. It was now at 6,000. Making the purchase, Sol felt the pain in his arm lessen to nothing and watched his counter drop to 3,850. He popped into weapon abilities and picked up Sinker for 1,000, dropping his count to 2,850.

"I'm going to save up the rest. There are a bunch of skills I want to get going forward. Thank you again." He said to the statue before reality snapped back.

"Okay, Alex, it's all yours."

"Thanks…" In a rather subdued manner, Alex tapped the statue, finding himself in the white-gold space. Only then did he take a deep breath, well aware that no one could see him while here.

"What the fuck." His utterance was low enough that only he could hear it - not that it mattered, as there was no one else - and he had to stand there and breathe for a minute before he could steel himself and get up once more. "Ok."

"Can I see what I can get for Calcabrina? Oh, and the spells."

A window opened in front of him.

Spells:
Enochian Magic Level 1 – Basic: Bought
Enochian Magic Level 2 – Intermediate: 2,500 Red Orbs
Enochian Magic Level 3 – Advanced: 5,000 Red Orbs
Enochian Magic Level 4 – Master: 10,000 Red Orbs
Magic Knowledge Level 1 – Basic: Bought
Magic Knowledge Level 2 – Intermediate: 5,000 Red Orbs
Magic Knowledge Level 3 – Advanced: 10,000 Red Orbs
Magic Knowledge Level 4 – Master: 20,000 Red Orbs
Bullet Spell: Bought

• Rapid Fire 1: Bought
  • Rapid Fire 2: 4.000 Red Orbs
    • Bullet Storm: 8.000 Red Orbs
• Double Bullet: 500 Red Orbs
• Charged Bullet 1: 600 Red Orbs
  • Charged Bullet 2: 2.700 Red Orbs
    • Bomb Bullet: 9.000 Red Orbs
• Elemental Infusion: 10.000 Red Orbs

Barrier Spell: Bought

• Full Barrier: 2.500 Red Orbs
• Strengthened Barrier 1: 2.000 Red Orbs
  • Strengthened Barrier: 2: 8.000 Red Orbs
    • Castle of Stone: 16.000 Red Orbs

Beam Spell: 500 Red Orbs

• Empowered Beam 1: 2.000 Red Orbs
  • Empowered Beam 2: 6.000 Red Orbs
    • Laser Beam: 12.000 Red Orbs
• Elemental Infusion: 10.000 Red Orbs

Calcabrina (Combined Form)

• Float (Keeping the umbrella open will slow down any fall to a gentle float) - 2.500 Red Orbs
  • Levitate (As long as the Umbrella is open, the weight of the user is reduced to almost nothing. Higher jump, can walk on fragile and liquid surfaces) - Require Float,5.000 Red Orbs
    • Fly (Glide/flight for short distance with directional momentum chosen at the start of the movement) - Require Levitate, 10.000 Red Orbs
      • Defying Gravity (Unlimited flight, cost Magical Energy) - Require Fly, 300.000 Red Orbs
• Tar Beam (Only combined form, charged.) (Charge the entire surface of the Umbrella and shoot a giant beam.) - Require Beam Spell to be bought, 25.000 Red Orbs
  • Improved Tar Beam (Can charge the beam for longer. Damage is increased) - Require Tar Beam, 50.000 Red Orbs
• Calca (Sheath)
  • Rainproof (Require Barrier) (Strengthen the Barrier and extend it beyond the Umbrella's edge) - 5.000 Red Orbs
    • Waterproof (Require Rainproof) (Barrier is strengthened and extended more) - 15.000 Red Orbs
      • Impervious (Require Waterproof, Require Funeral March for a Marionette) (Extend the shield further, the barrier is strong enough to block any attack once. Cool down after this use) - 50.000 Red Orbs
  • Puppet Waltz (Require Beam Spell) (Lasers come out of the tassels hanging from the spokes of the umbrella, can be kept active during movement) - 15.000 Red Orbs
    • Funeral March for a Marionette (Require Puppet Waltz) (Calca gets thrown up in the air, lasers come down from the tassels and it starts turning on itself, the lasers hitting all around in a casual pattern) - 35.000 Red Orbs
• Brina (Sword)
  • Running Stitch (The tip of the sword is charged with magical energy and, on hit, releases a thin beam of energy in the enemy) - 8.000 Red Orbs
    • Cross Stitch (Require Running Stitch, Require Beam Spell) (The tip of the sword can now leave behind up to two trails of energy that will shoot forward. Charged) - 20.000 Red Orbs
      • Cross Stitch (Require Cross Stitch) (The number of trails of energy that can be used is now unlimited, but need to be continuously chained) - 40.000 Red Orbs
  • Back Stitch (Require Barrier Spell, Require Beam Spell) (Enlarge the size of the sword by overlaying cutting barriers on it. The size can change from slightly bigger than normal to great sword size. Weight is unchanged) - 25.000 Red Orbs
    • Blanket Stitch (Require Back Stitch) (Can now enlarge the sword to bus size. Weight is unchanged) - 50.000 Red Orbs

"Lots of options." Alex hummed, before glancing at how many Red Orbs he had in his wallet.

9,800 Red Orbs

"Well, it's a bit low, but I'll… get what I can. So. Let's see…" He started browsing the options, taking his sweet time, until he decided.

But, before he could choose anything, another window opened in front of him. However, this one made his expression turn icy.

Geryon Hybrid Powers

• Blink (Move from one place to another without any time in between. Limited to five seconds of movements, only places that are physically accessible): 7.500 Red Orbs
  • Blink 2 (Time of movement is extended to ten seconds): 20.000 Red Orbs
    • Blink 3 (Time of movement is limitless, depending on magical energy consumed): 75.000 Red Orbs
• Time Bubble (Create a bubble of slowed time in front of you that lasts for three seconds): 15.000 Red Orbs
• Haste (Speed your personal time up, moving faster and doing more things in less time): 35.000 Red Orbs
• Slow (Slow down a target's personal time, making them move like they are in slow motion)(Consume Magical Energy): 50.000 Red Orbs

"Of course." His head dipped slightly before he stopped.

"Doesn't matter. I don't have enough Red Orbs. So, remaining with the original options it is." He removed the Hybrid Powers section and returned to the one before.

By now, ignoring the default options that still relied on the lent power was automatic.

"I'm gonna take the Magical Knowledge Level 2 and the Beam spell. That will leave me with 1.800 Red Orbs that I'm going to keep and not use, for now, as I want more. We're going to need to go hunting." He muttered, before finalizing his purchases , the Divinity Statue returning to a normal statue and leaving Alex with a rather big headache and Sol at his side.

"You okay," Sol asked while gesturing to Alex's head.

"Second level of general magic knowledge. Headache is painful, but it's already going away, don't worry." He smiled, although it was clear that he wasn't feeling completely well, for now.

"So, Tower? Considering…" He waved his hand towards the direction where the Kids were.

"Yeah, I have no idea if that group will be friends or foes, but it's better to head them off now if they're like the Red Eyes," Sol said before making his way out of the back room.

"Yeah, definitely." Alex nodded.

The two, walking together, moved out of the Mall, leaving behind a distrustful high school teacher, a group of traumatized high school kids, a rather upset and possibly dangerous - for himself - goth boy named Kurt, and an opening towards Rodin.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Who are the figures Alex and Sol saw on the rooftop? What other horrors and demons will they encounter during their time in Hell? How good are Rodin's deal and prices really? Find out next time!

In all seriousness, the next chapter kicks off the beginning of the next major arc which runs about... five or so chapters. Some major events are incoming. Also, we get to see some of Alex's purchasable skills! These will become more visible as the story progresses so as to not spoil things ahead of time.

 

[gac]

So where exactly is the blonde is Alex's hair, did it replace the black or mix in with the silver? And you miscounted how many Red Orbs were left after Alex's purchases, there should be 4,300 left, not 1,800.

 

[Yuki no Yue]

So where exactly is the blonde is Alex's hair, did it replace the black or mix in with the silver? And you miscounted how many Red Orbs were left after Alex's purchases, there should be 4,300 left, not 1,800.

Click to shrink...

The blond is, IIRC, halfway down? I think I remember the hair starting black, turning gold and then silver. Think of them as divided in thirds.

As for the Red Orbs... Maybe? We'll have to recheck. Thanks.

 

[Nick Terakidan]

So, when are they going to start juggling people in air while hopping besides them like some sort of maddened bee?

 

[Yuki no Yue]

So, when are they going to start juggling people in air while hopping besides them like some sort of maddened bee?

Click to shrink...

In the future, I think. Can't remember right now.

 

[Atma]

The two began to travel away from the mall from the parking lot that they had fought in before. The tower was easily visible in the distance and though it would take some time to get there on foot, the sounds of battle still echoed throughout the ruined copy of the city.

Giant roots slithered through the side alleys and broke the buildings, forming an intricate layer that seemed to go towards their target, in a sort of curved shape. Almost like it was forming a circle around it.

Also, there were the demons' ambushes. Several of them, in fact. Nothing more than the bottom of the barrels, but, after the tenth or so ambush from a group of Empusa, both of them were starting to get a bit irritated.

"Is it me…" Alex was sheathing the blade back, while grabbing the Red Orbs that the Empusa had just dropped. "Or are they getting more and more frequent? The attacks, I mean."

Sol retracted Gevaudan and responded. "No, you're right, before we could at least travel for several rooms or a good distance without encountering demons. But now? We're definitely seeing more of them."

"Also, those roots." Alex waved his hand towards the giant roots that blocked several alleys. "They… I dunno, it almost feels like they are circling something. They look more like a wall than a root system, I mean." He turned back towards the way they had come from and pointed to his right.

"Look. The roots only are on this side of the street."

The roots were situated oddly Sol realized. Looking at the two sides of the road, he asked Alex. "Should we just climb over, or at least to the top and see what's on the other side?"

"Honestly, I would like to say yes, but I don't think it's a good idea, somehow. Mostly because we don't have a good way to deal with flying enemies and something's telling me that there would definitely be some if we tried to climb them." Alex confessed, looking towards the roots, following them with his eyes.

"We could try and find an opening. Otherwise, we're going to climb. Fair?"

"Fair," Sol said before trying to find a potential exit. The road began to wind around the roots before the roots themselves wound over the road like a series of archways. Eventually, the two found the tunneling path turning into a large open area which could have been the one they believed was present.

"Nothing here. Guess it was all just a red herring." Sol stated before there was a noise coming from the roots. Something bulged and moved within them. Twisting and churning, the shape began to increase in size before something gnawed its way free of the Qliphoth's embrace. With a resounding clatter and the sound of metal grinding on stone, the shape shook off the Qliphoth flesh that clung and spread its wing.

The demonic bird flapped its wings experimentally before lunging at Sol and Alex.

Hraesvelgr: The Stymphalian Tree-Eater​

It was on them in a matter of moments. The two, being still keyed on by the fights they had to deal with during their journey, threw themselves to the side, rolling on the ground. Once they reached a stop, the bird had already turned and flown away, the concrete where Alex and Sol were covered in long gashes, broken and cracking away.

"What the…" Alex muttered, looking at the vanishing form of the giant bird. "Did we find the nest of that bird?"

"Maybe, or maybe we found its hunting ground," Sol said as he tried to see where it went. The bird's shape was obscured for a few moments before careening down towards the duo.

"Here it comes!" Sol shouted as he prepared to dodge once again.

"Wait." Alex's hand on his shoulder stopped Sol from moving away. "Look. It's not coming this way. It's going… There." He pointed down the street.

At that moment, a plume of smoke exploded from a building to the left, down the street, instantly followed by a wall of sound that was a definite explosion. The bird was also influenced by the sound, it seemed, as it stopped its descent with a metallic squawk, before rising back up and vanishing somewhere in the sky.

"Something's telling me that we have found either more demons or a new group of people." Alex's remark was rather dry.

"Should we go and see if we can say hello?" Sol asked warily

"Do we have another choice? Realistically, I mean. We were already going towards the Tower to see what was happening. I was already banking on needing to meet someone for that." Alex shrugged, before turning slightly towards Sol. "Up to you, though. If you want to try and sneak in, I'm game."

"Why not both? We'll sneak along and see what they're like, and how they act. If we don't like it, we quietly and calmly retrace our steps and stay clear of them until they eventually pass."

"Ah, the cautious approach. I like it. After you." Alex mock-bowed to him, grinning all the time, before starting to walk behind Sol, down the street.

Sol walked through the winding roots of the Qliphoth in a cautious manner, making sure his steps were as soft as he could. He was not all too thrilled at the idea of alerting people who may or not be bloodthirsty psychopaths. The noises from the Stymphalian seemed to increase and decrease as if it were flying to and from the area.

Was it searching for something? Trying to somehow force its way back into the root system. Sol couldn't be sure. However, he began to notice that the canopy of roots was thinning, with some even showing signs of damage. As he continued forward, a wall of roots had been severely damaged, possibly big enough to fit through and definitely big enough to look through. He motioned Alex towards his position to overlook the potential site of the bird's impact.

Alex slowly reached Sol in his hiding spot, walking on the balls of his feet to avoid the heel of his boots making any loud sound. "So." His whisper was barely enough to be heard from his friend. "What do you see?"

The question, while it sounded a bit absurd, wasn't. Considering that Sol was near the corner of the building at the end of the street, while Alex was behind Sol, thus unable to see what was happening without exposing himself too much.

The destroyed area was populated by a good number of people recovering from the crash landing of a particular metal bird. Sol could see that they were easily distinguished by clothing and appearance. One group was dressed in a lot of black leather jackets, carefully made to look with various brighter designs and images across the backs and sleeves. Some of these people sported mo-hawks and faux-hawks, while others had more normally styled hair that was either bleached, dyed, or left to its natural color hair. All in all, their image gave Sol the vibe of demonically charged punk rockers.

The other group… the other group concerned him. They were, and the key emphasis here was the word were, extremely clean-cut. Wearing almost white, their too-clean-cut appearance made them stand out against the punks and the desolated city. Like a lot of white. Upon further observation, Sol realized that their clothing was almost like a uniform, and that gave Sol pause. Something about that bothered Sol more than the punks.

He turned back to Alex before whispering. "It's the two groups we saw from the mall. Seems to be a religious group vs punk rockers. Got a bad vibe from the religious group. Take a look." Sol said as he moved around Alex.

Alex blinked, before exchanging places with Sol and peeking out from the corner. The way the punks were groaning, but getting up and helping one another was kinda nice to see. On the other hand, the white-clad people… Yeah, Alex was feeling a bit strange watching them.

There was something… He blinked and went back behind the building.

"Is it me…" He started, looking at Sol. "Or are they all white? Er, caucasian, I mean."

Sol looked at Alex, and then snuck back to look again. "No, no your right. They're all white. The punks aren't but the religious are… I really don't like where this is going."

"I mean, it doesn't really mean anything. It's just a detail that… stuck out to me. Along with…" Alex checked quickly once more, before hiding again. "Well, they have a bird with open wings on the back of the jackets, they are not touching each other, they seem to glare at the punks, especially those helping each other out..."

Sol stopped, "Open bird effigy, all white, and possibly open racism… We got nazis don't we?"

Alex stopped as well, before, slowly, removing his glasses and facepalming. "Of course, there would be nazis. Why wouldn't a demon summon nazis?" He sighed, long and tired.

"History of occult leanings, general lack of human decency and morals to begin with, take your pick… Well… silver linings… I guess we won't have to worry about morals getting in the way, if we have to deal with them. Hell, they might do use the favor and off themselves 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' style." Sol said with a shaky laugh. He was not a fan of the notion of taking human lives, but at least he could safely say that he'd be removing a legitimate threat to the world.

"As is my personal opinion that nazis aren't human beings and that they forfeit any and all protection from the law, morality and my own sense of justice when they started being nazis, I'm plenty in agreement with you." Alex nodded, replacing the glasses on his face. "The main problem is to see how strong they are against us. If they are using the demon's power, they are probably more advanced than us. Probably."

"I've watched and read enough about their odd obsession with the occult to know that they've probably been juicing, thinking they could outsmart the chess master. What do you think we should do? Intervene and fight alongside the punks or stay back?" Sol asked.

"Well, at least you aren't going to say something like trying to listen to them. Or, heaven forbid, helping them. I know you aren't like that, don't worry, I'm just… despairing." Alex tried to placate Sol before he could say anything. "But yeah, I'm firmly on the punks' side. Maybe we can introduce ourselves once the nazis aren't around anymore?"

"Yeah." Sol said in agreement before noticing that the sudden intrusion of the metal bird must have caused the two groups to decide that enough was enough for the day. They were splitting, shooting dirty looks at each other with the punks looking comparatively better than their foes. Said punks were also heading in a rightward direction which Sol hoped was going in their direction as well.

"Let's say hi to some hopefully new friends."

"Yeah, that sounds fun and not at all dangerous." Alex snarked, but he was smiling slightly.

"Let's follow them from the back until we are sure that the nazis aren't around, then say hi? So that we don't risk meeting the enemy while we're trying to greet them."

Sol led on ahead, moving quietly to not attract the groups' combined attention. The twisting roots of the Qliphoth created winding paths across the broken and twisted road. Every now and then, the cry of the Stymphalian could be heard in the distance followed by a crash of something. A not so quiet reminder of one of the two present threats that existed in the area.

"Well, this isn't creepy at all." Alex muttered, his voice barely loud enough to be heard by Sol before he turned the corner where the Punks had disappeared. It led into a small plaza - something that gave both of them a quick flashback of another plaza - with several barricades made of both stone and wood put all around it, even as the roots worked as a natural deterrent for a good part of the borders.

"No, just a nice quaint plaza." Sol replied just as quietly as he made his way to the borders. He began to feel around the barricades, looking for any area that might give way to prying hands. Eventually, his fingers found a small section of metal that gave a little. He attempted it, found he could pull it up, and motioned for Alex to head through.

The long-haired guy followed him, trying to keep as silent as possible until both of them were behind the barricades. The area they were in was a converted building's ground floor, having it been turned into a long hallway without exit, barring a couple of small openings that looked more usable as a way to shoot at the people inside the galleries.

After a few steps, a voice stopped them cold. "Well. We have intruders, we have."

Sol turned in the direction of the voice, raised both hands above his head, and simply stated, "Hi there, how are you doing?"

The guard was a punk, thankfully. Maybe in his mid-twenties, the punk's weary appearance was matched by a slight limp and tired and dumbfounded expression. He stared at Sol for a few quiet moments before asking, "The hell you on about?"

Alex rolled his eyes but didn't say anything for a long moment, just studying the Punk. Mohican, black t-shirt with ripped sleeves, a denim jacket covered in patches, and leather pants. It looked like the left leg had been removed at the knee, but, before he could go on with his scrutinizing, the guy snapped his fingers twice.

"Oi, you two are here? You have some problems?" Now, he looked a little worried, but still pretty wary.

"Well… outside the problem of being in hell and being hounded by demons? The nazis are a more immediate problem. We saw Metal Feather face earlier and tried to track it down before its last crash landing." Sol explained.

Sol paused briefly, and looked at Alex, before addressing the guard again. "We're also addressing a uh… bit of information we just found. We were part of separate groups weren't we?" Sol began to lead on before the guard cut him off.

"And what says you're not a fuckin' nazi, eh!?"

"Not much, except for the fact that we're not lily white like them, we're not wearing a bizarre blend of school and military uniforms, and the fact my first action was to try to touch the sky and talk like a normal and sane human being instead of a deluded fascist psychopath?" Sol finished with a question.

The Punk looked at them with a gimlet stare, before sighing. "One faux pas and I'm gonna play bowling with your heads. Follow me, I'm going to bring you to the boss." And, showing a rather extreme lack of fear, he strode forward, passing near both Alex and Sol.

"As long as you aren't nazi, we can at least hear you out." The sentence was tossed behind his shoulder, with a rather lackadaisical attitude.

"Well, that went much better than expected." Sol said, slightly bemused. "What do you think it'll be like in there." He asked as he walked up the steps.

"A trap." Alex deadpanned. And he was proved correct a moment later, after they had gotten out of the tunnel, with seven different people surrounding them. The place was an added balcony, made with stone and wood, clearly taken from the buildings that the Qliphoth had smashed. In the middle of it, there was a bigger guy than the others, with his arms crossed, dressed as a biker, with gray streaks in his hair and a chain around his right arm.

"So, you enter here, spying around, and ask an audience with the boss. What makes you think that you'll be able to just waltz up to him?"

"Honestly, nothing." Sol said with a shrug. "We just wanted to see if you guys were a part of a separate group. We saw you guys fighting with the nazis from a mall a few miles off and figured we'd investigate. You'd be group 3 slash 4 respectively."

"So we're not the only ones that we got summoned in this hellscape?" The biker's eyebrow rose in incredulity before Alex nodded.

"I have a theory about it. Anyway, no, you aren't the only one. We have met personally with another one, beyond the one where me and my friend came with, along with certain knowledge of another one. Feel free to believe me or not, it's not really a problem for me." And Alex crossed his arms, a fairly neutral look on his face.

Before anything could be said or done, a shrill cry began to make itself known, and it began to grow louder and louder until…. The cry became a deafening howl, one that drove every occupant in the room to their knees, as the windows shattered and the building began to experience violent tremors from the assault.

The howl faded but the people inside still clutched at their heads in an attempt to alleviate the ringing in their ears.

"It's that bird!
"What!?"
"The bird!"
"What the hell happened!?"
"I think the building is coming down!"

The voices began to make themselves more clear as the building shook more and more.

"Alex!" Sol shouted not realizing just how high his voice was. "What the hell was that!?"

Alex was on the ground, in a fetal position, his hands covering his ears, an expression of pain on his face. Slowly, he uncurled when he heard Sol's voice, tears collecting at the edges of his eyes.

"The bird we saw before." His voice was barely audible, Be it because he was talking with barely more than a thread of air or because Sol's ears were still ringing. "It was a shriek. Sonic attack of some kind."

"What!? Gah!" Sol shouted aloud, his ears still ringing from the attack before getting Alex on his feet. His hearing might be coming back slowly, but he could clearly see the punks escaping out the back.

"That way!" The group of leather-clad guys and gals ran towards the nearest apartment complex, entering from a fire door that was propped open.

"Stop shouting! I can hear you!" Alex answered, before starting to run behind the Punks, Calcabrina already in his hand, his head turning around like a ball on ice. The cracks on the walls and the floor didn't fill him with confidence in the structural integrity of the building. And considering that both he and Sol were INSIDE the building…

"I'm shouting!?" Sol asked with shock. Then it seemed to click with him as ran to catch up with Alex and the remaining Punks.

Sol could feel more than hear the building shaking as he began to follow along. Something was slamming into the building and he really didn't have to guess as to what it was.

From behind them, one of the windows exploded into shards of glass and wooden splinters, as the giant head of what looked like an eagle mixed with a crow appeared inside. The feathers, the beak, and even the eyes had a rather distinct metallic shine to them. And, if the way the demon's beak had just cratered the stone floor, it was more than just a trick of the light.

Seeing this, Alex ran faster.

Sol took one look and ran like a maniac all the while shouting, "That's a huge ass bitch!"

As if understanding the partially deafened man's shout, Hraesvelgr retreated briefly before slamming itself back into the breach, attempting to get at the humans inside. Each time it did so, the building began to shake that much more.

"Oh, fuck me running." Alex didn't even shout, he just muttered his curses, before putting up one last push of speed, quickly turning right when the Punks did the same and finding the stairwell going up.

Luckily, only until the second floor, where their unwitting guides running out of a window, on precariously positioned wood beams, connected the complex to another one a short distance away. It wasn't high enough to cause problems and there was a pond under it, so it was better than the other choice.

Sol catching up took one look at the beams, flinched as the building shook another time, and roared, "Fuck you feather face!" as he ran out onto the beams. The beams held his weight, but not his balance as he stumbled his way into the other building.

"Insults later!" Alex was already most of the way through the improvised catwalk, but he could feel how much it was shaking under his feet. And a fall from that height, especially with the pond underneath, wouldn't kill either of them, but it would hurt, that was for sure. "Running now!"

Sol didn't argue the point, quickly following behind him as another tremor rocked the area. Hraesvelgr dragged itself away from the front entrance and round its way to the beam structure, slamming head first into the connected building. Sol could practically hear the audible sharpness as its beak repeatedly opened and snapped shut trying to get at them.

The wooden beam snapped under the giant bird's bulk. Luckily, it was stupid enough to look inside the building they were just coming from, not where they were now, sitting still and silent, waiting for the demon to go away.

The Punks were doing the same thing. Sitting against the walls and behind corners, some with their hands on their mouths, to stop any and all kinds of sounds from escaping.

The bird stomped around in the lower area, crying out every now and then, but thankfully not letting out another of those sonic blasts. While they were fortunate to not attract its attention, the weight and strength of the demonic bird were still being felt by both buildings. This led to the understandable circumstance of the first building's rear edifice, the location that they had just escaped from to collapse. The falling brick and mortar fell upon Hraesvelgr, who in response began to thrash around in anger.

The explosive movements resulted in damages to the second building making themselves known and the punks began to flee the soon-to-come destruction. Alex and Sol followed right after, the brick and concrete coming down behind them, almost like a block construction that someone had kicked. Except substantially more dangerous.

Their unwitting guides brought them down, past the first and ground floor, before taking a door to the basement. Once they all were behind it, they calmed down a bit. So did the other two.

"You think… you think, feather face got the hint and flocked off?" Sol asked slowly and deliberately, trying his best to keep his voice as level and low as possible.

"Ouch." Alex answered, deadpanning. "That pun. That was horrible. But I hope so, yeah." Then, he turned towards the Punks, who were now realizing that the duo was still with them. "So, your boss. We were told something about meeting him to prove that we aren't nazi? Which, by the way, I'm insulted. It's not like they would even accept me, even in the impossible case I wanted to join them."

"Yeah? Why?" The same guy that had ambushed them asked, swaggering forward, trying to intimidate the duo. Not that it was working.

"I'm gay, you walking stereotype. Want me to prove it to you?" Alex's answer was accompanied by a sensual smile and a slow bending forward, eyes half-lidded.

Sol couldn't help but chuckle at Alex's challenge to the punks, which drew their attention to him. Realizing this, he stated easily, "I'm not, but I am mixed. Boricua Irish, so I get to enjoy St. Pat's and the NPRDP that much more."

One of the other punks shrugged her shoulders, before nodding. "Eh, fine by me. If you are lying, we'll catch you and kill you later. Either way, you're not going to give any secrets to the Pricks in White." And, after having said that, she moved to the other side of the room, where a perfectly normal closet stood. Opening it, it was also a normal closet inside.

At least, until she pushed something near the bottom and the back panel swung open, showing a metal door. The plaque on it said 'Sewers'.

"Well? Are you coming?"

Sol looked at Alex before saying, "I think we found our entrance further down." Sol took off his, rubbed his ears a bit, and followed after the female punk. She opened the marked door easily and the sound of running water began to make itself known. As he looked through the entrance, he could only remark. "It doesn't smell as bad as I thought it would."

"Because these are empty, as far as sewers go." The same female punk that was now opening the way answered, walking calmly on the sidewalk, the running water in the center. "From what we understood, the place is basically new. Never been used before. And large enough to allow us to walk through it without too many problems." She took the first turn left, before opening a grate that was straight in the middle of the road. "Still, it's not exactly pleasant. Gets a bit stuffy after a while."

"I can imagine." Sol said before looking at Alex. "Maybe this isn't so much like a scene from a memory, but I'm pretty sure sewers are supposed to, you know, smell? Maybe I'm reading too much into this."

Alex elbowed him lightly. "Remember the apartment." And he just walked forward, ignoring the looks of curiosity in the eyes of their momentary companions.

Sol's eyes widened slightly before he clarified. "We spent a few hours, I think, in an apartment a ways back. There was running water, fresh food, the works. Strange thing was, it didn't make sense for it to be there. I've been calling it like scenes from memories, but I'm not sure that works anymore."

"The whole place is a bit like a terrarium or a diorama. Everything looks like it's real and, for the most part, it is. But only on the surface." Alex continued the group of Punks now paying attention to what the duo was saying. "For example, look there."

On the other side of the sewer tunnel, on the concrete sidewalk, there was a crack. A small one, one of those that you see anywhere. It looked old, with edges vaguely rounded down, completely unremarkable.

"It's… a crack in the floor?" The guard punk asked, his eyes swiveling from the crack to Alex and back, like he was watching a tennis match.

Alex nodded. "Yes. But how come there's a crack in the ground when the sewer is basically empty? It makes no sense, realistically, for it to be damaged in that way and that precisely. It's more like… someone had put it there because sewers are places that aren't well maintained and, so, the floor must be cracked."

"And if we look at the apartment," Sol began, catching on. "Apartments are stocked with food and running water, running power. So it stands to reason that they'd be there also. The real question is where these notions are coming from. My best guess is the demon that dragged us all here has to make everything seem as realistic as possible so as to keep everyone alive for as long as possible."

The group fell into an uneasy silence, now looking around like everything they were saying was something new and impossible to believe. Still, they walked.

After a few more minutes, they exited from a rather large pipe, on what looked like a small garden between some buildings. The place was near the edge of the town, right near one of the giant roots that encircled this area, with several people milling around. The most eye-catching thing was the white tent with the red cross on one side and the old man sitting against the wall with a semi-circle of people around him like he was holding court.

"Hello Sir, I'd greet with a time of day but I don't think that's how this place works," Sol said easily enough. "My friend and I saw you all from a ways away and figured we'd investigate and verify some things. Then feather face showed up…" Sol trailed off before repeating, "Then feather face showed up."

The older biker blinked at Sol, before looking at the others. "Who are they? And why are they here?" While his voice wasn't exactly accusing, there was a rather prominent note of distrust in it.

The female guard from before responded. "They claim they're survivors from another group. Not anyone tied with ours. They approached us at the Hyatt Hotel before what he," She gestured to Sol, "called 'the feather face' attacked."

While the group was discussing the situation, Alex was focused on another thing entirely. Specifically, the way some of the group held themselves. Some leaned left or right, others seemed to stand on the ball of their feet or almost like they were leaning back. Also, all of them that were doing this, had a body part completely covered. Even more than just long sleeves and gloves, they had multiple layers on, not showing even an inch of skin.

Sol continued, "Well I have a hard time pronouncing Norse stuff. I think it's actually called Hralgr or something like that. We saw it burrow its way out of the root system and then it attacked your group and the nazis. We both hate them so, figured we'd help you guys take them on until we could find a way down to a lower level of this place."

"Hraesvelgr. Like the eagle that sits on top of Yggdrasil. Considering we have met Nidhogg, I'm sensing a theme." Alex commented all of a sudden, attracting the attention of everyone around.

"Word of caution: if we meet a giant squirrel called Ratatoskr, I'm not gonna be responsible for what I'm going to do." He looked far too serious for someone that seemed to be joking.

Assuming he was joking.

Sol just quipped, "Squirrels are the demons of lawns and gutters everywhere. Whatever you do to it, I'll grab the popcorn."

"Yes, yes. All of this still doesn't explain why you're here. What haven't you started with the nazis?" The Old Biker - Alex and Sol should really learn their names soon - asked, both appearing vaguely annoyed and vaguely amused at the same time. He also reached near his leg to scratch it, bringing to Alex's attention that it was one of the full-covered limbs.

"Well, because we'd rather meet with some sane human beings first, before having to deal with those bastards." Sol said, dropping his smile. "There's something else too. We didn't see you in our group, nor the nazis, and there was a group we encountered at a mall a ways back. See, our group split four ways. There was Alex and I, a group of high school and college sports teams, and rival business teams. The jock group got wiped out by another group we didn't see. Six people with red eyes."

Sol paused and began to sit on the ground before continuing. "Figure there's us, you and our mutual enemies, the mall group, and the red eyes. That's four groups of people brought here."

"I have a theory that there are at least two groups more, but it's just speculation on my part. It doesn't matter right now." Alex added his own two cents, before focusing back on the Punks. There were more people around, now, and even some that got out from the tent at the side of the small garden.

"How's the fighting against the nazis going?" Alex asked, trying to keep the conversation moving.

The Biker Boss looked at Alex for a long moment before speaking. "Better than we thought in some ways, worse in others." He began, hand slightly rubbed at something underneath the fabric of his covered leg.

"They're tenacious and have a taste for blood, but I bet half of them were never in a real fight before any of this went down. They like to gang up on people, get 'em away from their fellows for isolation, and go in for the kill. But match 'em with enough men and women and they'll run off with only a few licks given."

"The biggest bullies around the block are cowards, who would have guessed," Alex muttered, before twisting his head a bit, watching towards the tent, and then back at the boss. "Also, having demonic power lent to them must have emboldened them. I'm assuming that you're using it, too? Well, before you lost access to the statue, anyway?"

The Biker Boss was quiet for a minute before grinning and lifting his pant leg a little. Instead of skin matching his other leg, the skin was blackened with slight flashes of red lines dancing across the surface. The other punks began to lift parts of their clothes all revealing similar, but varying body parts that were decidedly not human.

"The demonic power is a help, sure. But outside of a med-tech or a nurse or two, we don't really have doctors, and sometimes those green stars aren't enough to give you back a limb. So, they take a limb or two from us, and we take something back as payback."

The biker boss gave a venomous laugh before continuing. "That nazi pricks believe themselves to be 'too pure' to even dare taint their precious bodies with better parts. A lot of them aren't around anymore. So we're evened out for now. Now, I'm guessing that looking at you, you've taken a little back yourself." He said looking at Alex.

Alex didn't laugh.

The sound that came out of his throat couldn't be called laughter, really.

"A little?" His voice had gone… high. Almost shrill. Pitched in a way that was a horrible mix between lilting harmonically and grating on the ears of whoever was listening.

He leaned forward a bit, his smile unhinged. "No, I took more than a little. We fought a Geryon, me and Sol. And the demon, when he was dying, decided to break me, as a final fuck you." He was smiling, maniacally, eyes open wide unnaturally. There was a faint aura of power and magic all around him, lighting him up. "Something like a few hundred kilos of demon horse fell on me. All of my bones - or nearly all, the same shit - broke. Broken ribs. Perforated lungs. I got paralyzed. Not that it mattered, I would have died."

Then, as if nothing had happened, he straightened back up and started redoing his ponytail. "Sol saved me. You can use the Statue to hybridize yourself with a demon, if you have the material with you, turns out. Speaking of." He finished with his hair and nodded sharply towards the leg. "How's that demonic flesh treating you? Because mine was poisoning me. It still is, I'm just searching for the right… replacement parts. So to speak." His smile, now, was a thin, sharp thing, only the barest hint of perfectly white teeth shining through his closed lips.

The Biker breathed through his teeth for a moment, his eyes flicking to Sol and seeing the other man grimace. "It's not perfect if that's what you're asking. I get drop foot sometimes, Otto sometimes develops a pretty shitty limp." He said gesturing to guard that Alex and Sol first met.

"Max gets lockjaw, something fierce, and you can imagine the rest… We know we're on borrowed time. We figured there was out and we could get real medical help on the outside. Then those nazi pricks kept jumping us. Yeah, we'd take a few of them out, but they take some of ours."

The Biker Boss leaned back in his chair, "Name's Richie, you said something about helping us earlier?"

"Yeah. We can deal with the Hraesvelgr for you. With the stipulation that we get the rewards. After that, if you have found a red circle, glowing ominously as if it leads to Hell itself?" Alex smiled, this time way more shrewdly. "Well, we can show you something pretty interesting." And, with a lazy, almost casual movement, he twirled Calcabrina in his hand.

Without a word, Sol drew Gevaudan, showed it briefly to the crows, and then let it extend out. "The red portals lead to a bar called 'Gates of Hell'. It's run by a literal fallen angel named Rodin. Good guy, he makes some killer drinks and more importantly, some real quality weapons. I mean really good shit. That's where Gevaudan, this armor, and Calcabrina come from."

Alex nodded, smirking, before the umbrella vanished into his inventory. "Cost quite a bit. But it's definitely top notch. Best demon blacksmith short of Machiavelli himself."

*******************************************************************

"So, we know that Hraesvelgr usually only attacks if someone is passing under the area where the main street is while he is feeding. Beyond that, he remains in his nest. Which is on the top of that building." Alex pointed at the widest building around, nearest to the roots that circled this area of the building, before pointing at the door. "This area is also a sort of dead zone between the two factions, considering that the bird is vicious and none of them, not even the nazis, are strong enough to defeat him. Which is kinda strange, assuming it has more or less the same strength as Nidhogg."

"I'm guessing it's metal feathers." Sol said, looking at the map. "If we could pierce them, we could probably kill the bastard, far more easily." He traced his fingers along the map, stopped, traced it again, and gave a long-suffering sigh. "I… may have a plan, but it's both risky and very stupid."

Alex turned to look at Sol fully. "I mean… considering that Nidhogg basically killed himself, if this one is the same on the intelligence level, I'm pretty sure it can't be that stupid."

Sol leveled a flat look at Alex before saying, "No, it is that stupid. I'm thinking of pulling a Kevin Bacon at the end of Tremors. Piss off Hraesvelgr enough that he chases me to the nazi base. It causes merry havoc there… then we drop a building on its bitch ass."

"Yeah, I stand corrected. Nope, vetoed." Alex crossed his arms in an X shape. "We don't have a way to collapse a building reliably - as in, making it fall where we want it to fall - and we don't know the way from here to the nazi base well enough to not make a mistake in trying to lead him there. Finally, it's a bird. We have already seen that he can fly. Think of something else."

Sol paused, and looked at the map again before saying. "Then we watch it, wait for it to sleep, and collapse its nest building. If we do it fast enough we could prevent feather face from flying away and catch him in the collapse. That'll do some damage… Now how to do it."

Sol paused a bit and snapped his fingers with a look of eureka. "Okay so, same vein of stupidity here, but while we, and by we I mean everyone in this collective room, don't have the capabilities of bringing down the building, they, as in every demon we could attract, might. And Rodin is our man of the hours with discs to do it."

"I hate to be the voice of reason here, but." Alex took a deep breath. "The Punks are still searching for the entrance to the Gates of Hell. We still don't have a way to control when and where the building would fall. AND we don't know if the sounds of fighting will wake the demon up before we are done."

Alex then looked at Sol more carefully. "Is everything ok? You seem to be… distracted."

"... No, no it isn't." Sol sighed. He stared at, but not really looked at the map. "Time's against us, hell we're practically drowning in it, we have a giant metal bird raining sonic death down on whatever it feels like, and fucking nazis have access to a shop and can keep themselves going as long as they can kill demons. By all that's good and righteous, what'd I kill to get my hands on a tank or something and shoot the bird out of the sky."

"Sadly, I'm out of tanks. And I'm pretty sure that Rodin doesn't have one, either. However, there's always the option of going up there and killing that bird personally. As we have seen - and heard - it would prefer to dive bomb us instead of using the sonic scream to kill us from afar."

Sol's eyes widened, "You can float with Calcabrina right? Maybe we could do something with that… maybe we can get it to dive bomb into the building, break its metal shell, and then…" Sol trailed off but made a smacking noise with his fist and palm.

"Floating is not flying. And no, I haven't managed to buy that option yet. Sadly." Alex grimaced, thinking about what techniques he could use once he had the required Red Orbs. "So, that doesn't work. On the other hand, we could just try a simple sneak attack?" He didn't seem too sure, but he didn't have any other ideas.

"That works…" Sol said with a nod, he took a deep breath "Then I guess we hit the nazis after that."

"Yeah." Alex nodded, pointing at the top of the building. "If Richie is right and there's a statue within the nest, we can upgrade ourselves and then deal with the nazis." Then Alex winked at Sol. "Also, how much do you bet that there's a secret mission here? I mean…" He waved his hand towards the empty building. "It only makes sense, no?"

"That's a sucker's bet, let's take a look," Sol said, his mood improving.

"After you." Alex did a theatrical bow, before following Sol toward the building.

*********************************

The place must have been some sort of office building if the way the various floors were exactly the same all the time. Cubicles, break rooms, lots of small spaces, tight hallways that opened on desks in front of bigger offices.

The only thing that they found in their very thorough exploration was one of those Red Orbs deposits on the first floor, hidden in a stall in the bathroom. The second floor didn't reveal anything. Neither did the third.

The fourth, on the other hand…

"Bingo." Alex breathed, his smile enough to stretch his face, the spidery runes on the wall shining dimly in the low light of the corner office that was currently looking on the giant roots outside the windows.

"What challenge do you think it is?"

"Could be a battle room, could be a platforming segment. You ready?" Sol asked.

Alex shrugged. "Eh. I'm as ready as I can be. Hit it."

Sol reached out and touched the runes. The world warped for an instant and the two found themselves in a decently large room. On what appeared to be a track covered in demonic runes lay a complete Purple Orb. There were also two doors on either side of the track and an obvious pressure plate in front of the track.

"I think I know who gets the prize this time… I feel like I've seen this before." He didn't step on the pad but looked at both doors.

"I'm guessing this starts the track and that we have to reach the end before the orb does, or beat each other getting to it." Sol finished.

Alex blinked. "I wonder… What would happen if someone triggered this while being alone? Would this place create a competitor to play against or would it just be a run against time?" He tried to look around and beyond the holes in the walls to catch a glimpse of what he had to run through but with no luck.

"Maybe, but we won't know until we try. Okay, here goes." Sol said, before stepping on the pressure pad. The track started up, and both doors opened. "I'll take the left side and you the right?" Sol asked quickly.

"Sure. Maybe, next time alert me before you start the potentially deadly track!" Alex managed to yell before he started running down the right hallway. "I hate running!" He managed to grumble in between breaths.

The hallway wasn't particularly problematic, beyond the fact that it had several obstacles placed randomly and haphazardly in front of him. He had either to jump them or to swerve around them, which consumed more time than just jumping. Or double jumping, in certain cases.

Sol went into the left door entrance but took the obstacles inside at a slower pace.

Alex, to be fair, didn't really know that. So he just… kept running. Jumping, sometimes just moving slightly to the side, keeping up a steady pace, until he reached the end of the hallway, where the door to the final room was. And a switch.

A few moments after this, Sol reached his side and saw a switch of his own. "Press your switch, see if it opens your door." He called out.

Alex shrugged and stepped on the switch. With a simple click, the door in front of him swung open, showing the point of arrival of the Purple Orb, with another switch in front of it. Considering that the other switch had opened the door, Alex just stepped on that one, too.

A section of the track began to rise and offered the purple orb up. With another noise, Sol entered the room and gave Alex a thumbs-up.

"You know, if you want to use some of the more esoteric techniques and spells, you'll have to use these, too." Alex pointed out, before grabbing the purple orb. Instantly, it melted into his hand, before the air around him shimmered with energy and his presence felt… more.

"True, but you need that more than I do right now, and maybe that extra magical strength can punch through Hraesvelgr's wings," Sol said as the world returned to what it once was.

Sol looked back briefly before tapping his fingers together. "Considering it though, that was pretty anti-climactic. You were probably right, It was probably meant for a single person to deal with." Sol stated with a shrug.

Alex looked at Sol, before nodding slowly. "Or enemies. Kind of like a trap, I guess. I would say that I'm wondering what would happen if one failed one of these, but we have seen what, haven't we?" He was, of course, speaking about the first corpse they had found and where to be more specific.

"Anyway, upward we go. We have a giant eagle to render endangered." This time, Alex's smile could have brought someone to their knees.

Several minutes and quiet sneaking later, Sol and Alex had made their way to the building where they saw Hraesvelgr make its nest. It looked to be a high rise office building, with a heavy emphasis on glass and steel beams. A more 'Industrial' look than what one would normally expect.

Sol checked his handgun and blade before going to open the front door. "So, we get him to dive bomb the building, and then stab at the exposed parts? Sorry about asking this again, it's one thing with fighting demons on the ground. It's another to fight a big demon X amount of flights up." Sol said nervously.

"Yeah, no, I completely understand," Alex answered, pushing himself forward and peeking inside the place. "We need to bring Hraesvelgr down here, otherwise we're going to die just like this." And he snapped his fingers. "So, yeah. dive-bomb and attack. Here's to hoping he's just as stupid as Nidhogg… assuming it's possible, anyway." And he strode inside the lobby, making a beeline for the elevators.

The elevator's doors dinged open a moment later. Alex turned towards Sol. "So, do we take this or the stairs?"

"Might as well enjoy the elevator ride while we can… plus I'd rather not take the DMC equivalent of going up the Shinra Electric Power Company outer staircase. It's always faster heading than up." Sol said before entering the elevator and asking. "You think they'll have elevator music?"

Alex shrugged, before pushing the button for the top floor. "I honestly have no idea. I guess we'll discover in a moment." The door slid closed.

The metal box started going up, and cheery, happy music started playing. It was so opposite to the situation's atmosphere that it made Alex blink and look up with a strange expression on his face.

Sol let out a short laugh before clapping Alex on the shoulder.

"Oh man… hahaha… oh that's… actually kinda catchy." He said between laughs.

Alex looked at Sol with a surprised expression, before he shook his head. "The pressure must have gotten to him." He smirked and patted his head. "There, there. Don't worry too much, I'm sure you'll get better in no time"

"Ah… no man, it's just that it's a funny coincidence that's all." Sol said as his laughing began to calm.

The elevator ride was pleasant for several more minutes until a pinging noise indicated that they had reached the floor just below the roof. The roof access floor was sparse and seemed to have been in the process of either renovation or base construction. There were various building supplies and materials scattered about.

"Okay, well now this wasn't a complete job. Hmmm, not too sure about how well this particular floor looks… maybe more stuff for feather face to crash into?" Sol asked.

"Good question. I'm just hoping neither of us will slam against something exposed. I'm not sure we can get a tetanus shot anywhere." Alex commented, before moving up the short flight of stairs to the door to the roof proper. It was closed, of course, but it was the simple matter of cutting the lock open with Calcabrina to gain access to the outside.

"Ready? I'm pretty sure it's going to attack as soon as we are out there." Alex asked.

"About as much as I can be." Sol said with Gevaudan and his gun drawn.

The roof could have been bare once, but now it was covered in a mess of flattened metal and dried Qliphoth roots. Sitting inside the makeshift nest was Hraesvelgr itself. It looked at the two before standing upright and letting out a challenging cry.

"Uh, change of program. The chicken is already in the hen house." Calcabrina was already in Alex's hands, the tip aimed at the demon. "Now we just need to cook it." A feral grin graced his lips, before he shot a beam of energy straight at the Hraesvelgr, making him shriek in surprise and a little bit of pain.

With an equal grin, Sol began to run along the side of the demon and fired with his gun. He knew that the rounds wouldn't do much of anything but he was hoping beyond hope that one shot would hit an eye, blinding or really pissing it off.

"Come on feather face! Over here! One annoying bug of a human ready to kick your ass!" Sol shouted to get its attention.

He didn't manage to hit an eye, but it pissed him off… Well, that was another matter. It may be for the irritating pinpricks of pain that he was feeling, the sounds, or the shouting, but the giant bird demon turned towards Sol and shrieked, before taking flight in a flap of enormous wings. The winds caused by the aftereffects were enough to send both of them down to the ground.

"I'm seriously regretting this idea right now." Sol thought before trying to right himself and aiming at the sky where Hraesvelgr ascended. The flapping of its wings was drowning out a lot of the noise he could hear.

Still, he called out to Alex, "Alex! I can't see him, how about you!?"

Alex didn't answer for a moment, before pointing at a small spot in the air. "It's coming back. Fast. Looks like he doesn't like people in his nest." He readied his umbrella, energy shining on top of the metal tip, before pointing to the other side of the roof across from Sol. "Run that way! As fast as you can."

His aim was to make the Hraesvelgr miss. A stationary target was easy to hit. A moving one, especially with the relative size between the two, would be much harder.

Sol began to run in the direction Alex pointed out, trusting the other man implicitly.

"Okay, come on feather face, we're right here." Sol thought as he got into position.

Alex kept his umbrella steady, aiming at something that was, for a couple of seconds more, not visible to Sol. Until it was visible. And it was Hraesvelgr, coming back down with all the strength of the hammer of the gods, shining in the sun like gleaming metal.

And his eyes open.

"A bit more… A biiiit more…" Alex murmured, slightly adjusting his aim, the glowing sphere at the tip making it a bit hard to aim properly. Then, once the demon was in range, he shot, the beam piercing through the air and slamming against the beak and eyes of Hraesvelgr.

Now, the spell was a simple beam of energy, so the damage wasn't all that big. But it was bright and irritating and aimed right into the eyes. So, the giant bird lost its trajectory and slammed against the top of the building in an earthshaking impact. The whole roof trembled and several cracks spread from the point of impact.

"Go!" Alex shouted, still keeping his beam on the demon.

"Stinger!" Sol roared out in response. He flew forward and struck Hraesvelgr with Gevaudan. The bone sword didn't do much against its metal skin and Sol was forced to retreat.

"We're going to have to get him to break his skin even more!" Sol shouted out.

"Good idea! But pay-" Before Alex could finish his alert, Hraesvelgr shook his entire body, rising from the concrete of the floor, and flapped his wings forcefully, a wave of pressure and wind sending Alex down on his back and Sol flying away. Luckily, not out of the building, but almost.

Then, the demon rose in the air, wings gleaming, and shot a series of feathers sharp as knives towards the two of them.

Sol managed to right himself as the heavy gusts pushed him back, before seeing the descending feathers. Letting Gevaudan loose, he tried to swat out as many of the feathers as he could. He was successful with some, but several flew too close for him to bat away.

"Gah!" Sol cried out as several feathers managed to create small slashes along his armor. He instinctively grasped at some of the spots, feeling thin streams of blood underneath his fingers. "If I didn't have my armor…" he trailed off before firing at the demon in anger.

"Oh fuck meee!" Alex, on his back, didn't have the time to get up and avoid the feathers. So, he copied Steve Rogers and closed himself in a fetal position, before opening Calcabrina and casting Barrier as a good measure.

The sound of metal hitting glass echoed around him for a moment or two, before the barrier shattered. But the cloth of the Devil Arm didn't break and the attack concluded a moment later.

"Fuck you, you overgrown chicken!" A barrage of bullets slammed against Hraesvelgr, while Alex got up once more, a dark expression on his face.

Hreasvelgr screamed once more and began to circle the rooftop. Angry, the demonic bird began to build up speed with each pass and made its next attempt to dive-bomb the roof.

The continuous circling of the roof made the winds start to twist in his wake, the currents becoming stronger and stronger until it was almost a tornado. Alex had to rapidly remove the blade from the sheath and slam it in the concrete under his feet before he got flown away from the incredibly strong winds.

The windows of the building weren't so lucky or resistant and, with a shatter of glass, sharp shards started flying around.

Sol barely managed to hang onto several pieces of steel and debris, using the weight to hold himself in place.

"Fuck this bird! Fuck this bird!" Sol thought furiously while waiting for the winds to die down.

Before the winds had stopped, the demon rose steeply upwards, wings beating furiously, before turning and falling into a dive, straight towards Alex. It was just by a stroke of luck that Alex saw him.

To be more specific, it was a flash of light coming from the metal body of the demon momentarily shining into his eyes and making him raise his gaze. His eyes widened and, in a panic, he accidentally opened the canopy of the umbrella. The remaining winds were still strong enough that they filled the cloth and, almost as if it was a sail or a parachute, brought Alex away from where he was trying to stay, his blade sliding out of the concrete like a hot knife through butter.

Sol managed to just barely see this, and impaling Gevaudan into the concrete, he let the chain unlink and began to try and quickly make his way to a position where he could reach for Alex to grab his hand.

The screech of the blade against the concrete was ripped away by the weakening winds, but Alex managed to slow down enough to grab Sol's hand. Then, the links on Gevaudan went taut and they stopped moving all of a sudden.

And that was the moment when Hraesvelgr slammed against the roof once more, spreading the cracks that the first impact had caused. He had missed Alex by a lot. It was stunned, but quickly recovering.

They had to act fast if they wanted to capitalize on the situation.

"Come on!" Sol roared as Gevaudan retracted and he charged at the demon. While stunned, Hraesvelgr did manage to turn to the noise in time to see Sol. More specifically, to see the oncoming point of a stinger.

The bird shrieked in pain, throwing its head while blood poured from a deep wound in its face.

At the same time, Alex shot another beam straight at the legs of the demonic bird, making him screech. And then…

Both of them landed on the ground, their hands on their ears, the sound waves reverberating inside their skulls like giant bells, making them cry out in pain.

Hraesvelgr slowly got up, wings flapping violently and sending them flying backward, against the concrete that held the door to the inside of the building, before rising in the air, luckily stopping the sonic attack. Still, both of them were stunned, at least for the next few moments.

Sol's vision swam and the ringing in his ears only served to further disorient him. He tried to stand briefly before falling to his knees.

He didn't know if he was actually speaking or not, but as if on reflex he thought he was. "Come on, just a little more. We can kill you if you just dive a little more."

Alex was swaying like a sailor on his first sea journey, but he was using his own weapon as a crutch to remain standing. Which was more than what Sol was managing. "Come down here and face us properly!"

Then he stopped and the hand that wasn't clutching Calcabrina with a death grip went to his mouth, his face briefly looking very green from the nausea.

Sol managed to finally stand before shakily scanning the horizon. There was a brief moment of lull before he saw the Hraesvelgr and began to fire upon it. "Come on, come on! We're right here!"

"Yeah! Come- OH fuck!" Alex instantly turned and started to run towards Sol. They didn't know if Hraesvelgr had heard them or not, but the demon was coming back down. Faster than the other two times, as the tail made of dust and winds behind him attested. Straight at them.

"Inside! Hide inside the stairs!" Alex shouted, aiming for the door to the inside of the building.

Sol didn't need to be told twice as he quickly ran behind Alex. Perhaps it was the damage from previous dive bombs or damage from the combined attacks of the two humans, but Hraesvelgr's aim was terribly off. It had struck the center of the rooftop, the center of its nest. The structural damages already accrued finally showed their worth, as the rooftop crumbled underneath its weight. The demon bird collapsed through several floors of the building, howling and screaming as it fell.

The metallic feathers that were its armor, began to twist and warp under the rain of falling steel, glass, and concrete. Sections of its feathers began to tear away, revealing pulpy, pulsating flesh. When Hraesvelgr's descent finally ceased it screamed in a newfound agony, its voice rising in pitch and power.

Sol and Alex were not spared from this miniature cataclysm either. When the roof collapsed, the stairwell kept them relatively safe for several moments before the supports holding the stairwell gave way and a section of the floor fell away and created an impromptu slide that they fell down upon. When they finally reached the floor, just shy of Hraesvelgr's new resting place, a section of ruined ceilings collapsed further, striking the demonic bird and causing it to let loose another howl.

"Holy shit, I thought I would die." Alex said, eyes wide and sclerae in full view. Then, he noticed in what situation the demon was and he, almost by instinct, snapped his weapon towards him. "This may be our last chance! Go and hit with all you have!"

A moment later, a beam of energy slammed against the exposed parts of the bird and Alex started trying to pass it side to side.

Sol didn't verbally answer, only lashing Gevaudan's whip at the demon's eyes. The bone blade managed to score a deep cut just above one of the demon's eyes. Blood pouring down, the demon's sight became obscured and it thrashed in a rage.

"Hurts doesn't it!?" Sol shouted before moving along the newly created blindside and slashing at the exposed sections of its body.

This state of things lasted for a few more moments before the Hraesvelgr shrieked, the sound wave sending everyone and everything around him flying away. Rubble on him included. It was now that the human and hybrid could see what had happened to the demonic bird.

One wing had broken, dragging on the ground, while the other was only in a slightly better shape, with most of the feathers bent and covered in dust. All across its body were several deep cuts that sluggishly wept blood.

One thing was sure: they had a good chance of killing Hraesvelgr, as long as the raging demon didn't kill them first.

The demon screamed once more as Sol drove his sword into an exposed portion along its side. In response, the bird attempted to throw its weight around and scrape Sol off its side. Unfortunately for both the wall that it had attempted this on didn't exist anymore.

"Oh fuck! Oh fuck!" Sol screamed as his legs dangled over the edge. As Hreaveslgr pulled back into the building, Sol regained his footing and fired into the demon's head.

"Just die already so we can get on good solid ground!" Sol screamed.

"Hey!!" Alex's voice echoed in the cave-like room, attracting the demon's attention. Well, that and the charged bullet that slammed against the side of the head. "Come and get me!"

And another bullet hit the demon in the face, which turned all of sudden and tried to peck Alex to death, every strike faster than the one before, with the hybrid only staying alive thanks to a frantic series of jumps to the side and, on one occasion, a quick barrier.

As the bird attempted another peck, Sol came around and stabbed at a small section of exposed flesh of its throat. Hraesvelgr's resulting scream twisted into a gurgling rasp. It turned to peck at Sol who ducked underneath the bird and tried to attack its underside.

Another charged bullet exploded against another open part of his throat, making the bird turn again towards Alex. Only to show his weakened side back to Sol, who didn't miss the opening.

That song and dance continued for a couple of seconds more, before the now rather bloodier bird decided that enough was enough and rose upwards and backwards, before screeching, long enough that even the remaining stone and steel around the place started to vibrate from the sound wave.

"Alex, to the edges, quickly!" Sol shouted over the rising, and warbling pitch.

The remaining steel and stone fell upon Hraesvelgr like a rain of shattered arrows and hammers. Each strike seemed to bring the bird further and further to its knees with weeping wounds and dents marring its once majestic features. Hraesvelgr attempted to stand once more only to collapse under the weight of the last of the debris.

It let out a gurgling noise before falling silent, still trying to move out from under the remains of the roof.

The head was peeking out of the rubble and Alex decided to take the chance, perfectly aware that, if Hraesvelgr was in better condition than what it looked like, he would get hurt. Very hurt.

With a dash forward, the canopy of Calcabrina left behind, he plunged his blade into the eye of the demon, to the hilt.

"DIEEEE!!" The shout was pretty uncharacteristic of him, too, but he was panting for breath, red in the face, and with sweat covering his body, along with several scratches and concrete dust.

The head of Hraesvelgr detonated in a shower of gore and steel. With its body finally falling limp, it began to pour a mass of red orbs that filled the room.

"Bout time feather face… Alex! You okay?" Sol asked.

"Never… Better…" He was panting and, a moment later, he winced and put his hand on his side, around the area of his kidneys. "Grab anything you can from the corpse. I'm going to make a weapon out of him if it kills someone. Possibly more demons."

Still, it was telling that he was unwrapping one of those green lollipops that Rodin had given him. Mostly, it was telling that he wasn't as good as he said he was.

 

[Atma]

Tired and still rather dirty from the fight, pieces of Hraesvelgr safely stored inside their own extra-dimensional armory, the duo managed the climb upwards, towards the cratered roof of the building. They did so for a single reason.

"There." Alex pointed towards the edge. Precariously perched on the only remaining intact piece of roof, the Divinity Statue stood under the sun, shining gold. It was completely untouched as if the whole place hadn't been destroyed mere minutes before.

Sol raised his hands before lowering them. "I swear I'm going to develop a phobia for heights once this is done. We are so owed a beer or something stronger when we get back." He sighed before trying to figure out how to reach the statue.

"I want a hot chocolate, to be honest. Liquor is all well and good, but chocolate is where it's at." Alex smirked, before looking at the very narrow edge of concrete that still connected the platform where they were standing to the one with the statue. Edge that was no more than two feet in width at its widest point.

The narrowest point, Alex didn't want to think about it.

"Want me to go first or do you want to go?" Alex asked, willing to go, but exactly eager.

Sol was quiet for a minute before sighing and saying, "I better get this done now. The faster I'm off this roof the better." He unfurled Gevaudan and wrapped around the concrete edge before slowly making his way across. There were a few moments where Sol went stock still. While his face was turned away from Alex, if one was to look at Sol's face, they would have seen that his eyes would be shut tight for several seconds. The only indication of his stress was a heavy breath that came after each stall.

Finally reaching the statue, Sol called "I'm good… I'm good."

"Ok. Keep your hold on Gevaudan steady… I'm going to use it as a rope to reach you, ok? Stay there." Alex put his hand on the blade and, with the lightest touch on the metal, he moved forward, foot after foot, not looking down the building, but only on the next step.

A gust of wind made him clench his hand around the unfurled form of the whip sword that Sol was still holding, blood immediately dripping down both the blade and his palm, but it only lasted for a moment and, with a few quick steps, Alex reached Sol, the wound on his hand already closing back down.

The perk of being a Hybrid, even a failed - for now - one.

"You did the walk first, yours is the honor of the statue. Go on, spend your well-earned Red Orbs. I'm going to be here." He pointed to the corner near the inside of the building. "Sitting. Recovering from having almost fallen several floors. Go on." And he took a few wobbly steps towards the edge of the platform, before dropping down and breathing heavily, head thrown back and face to the sky.

"Alright… be back in a few minutes," Sol said before touching the statue.

As he touched the statue, the white void appeared as well as the various menus.

"Going to go with skills this time, I need to diversify what I can do." The skill menu opened up and Sol began to peruse through the list.

"Right, I'm going to take Beat Rush, Constriction," Sol paused mid-sentence and looked at an option very hard before continuing, "Binding Life and Time Step."

Sol knew these were some costly choices but he needed something more than Stinger and Rush Cut to survive here. Binding life could keep him in the game longer and make sure any healing items he found could go to Alex, provided there was a demon he could constrict with it. He watched his red orb counter drop by 50,000 before saying his goodbyes to the statue.

Returning to the… "DON'T LOOK DOWN, just talk calmly with Alex, then reach solid ground. You can worship the solidness and surety of it later just make it across and you'll be A- Okay." Sol began to rapidly think as he turned to Alex.

"O…okay so I just spent a wicked amount of red orbs getting some very useful skills. So, I'm going to do a reverse of what we did before and Gevaudan's link will be outside waiting for you when you get back." It was clear however that Sol's attempt at calmness was not going as well as he hoped it would have.

Alex slowly got up from his sitting position, before looking at Sol with a worried look on his face.

"Sol… are you Acrophobic? Afraid of heights?"

"I wasn't before, but after featherface nearly gave me the long goodbye, I'm pretty sure I am now." Sol said quickly.

"Makes sense, really. Well, I'm off to empty my wallet." And, with a smile, Alex tapped the statue, finding himself in the usually white gold space. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the default screen shattering away.

"That parasite inside me and Sol is getting pretty problematic. I think we need to remove it as soon as possible… Assuming it is possible." He sighed, before looking directly at the statue. "I pray to you, let Rodin be able to help."

Then, with a bow towards the Watcher of Time, he opened his options. As usual, he didn't look at the items, preferring to go straight for the abilities.

"I think to start with the racial skills I got, this time…"

Geryon Hybrid Powers

• Blink (Move from one place to another without any time in between. Limited to five seconds of movements, only places that are physically accessible): 7.500 Red Orbs
  • Blink 2 (Time of movement is extended to ten seconds): 20.000 Red Orbs
    • Blink 3 (Time of movement is limitless, depending on magical energy consumed): 75.000 Red Orbs
• Time Bubble (Create a bubble of slowed time in front of you that last for three seconds): 15.000 Red Orbs
• Haste (Speed your personal time up, moving faster and doing more things in less time): 35.000 Red Orbs
• Slow (Slow down a target personal time, making them move like they are in slow motion)(Consume Magical Energy): 50.000 Red Orbs

Alex didn't hesitate.

"Blink is a must, that's for sure. Time Bubble, too, too good to pass." He hummed and dithered for a couple of minutes, thinking of taking the upgrades for Blink, before shaking his head and opening the Calcabrina's page.

"Been a while since I checked your skills, uh? I haven't bought you anything yet. Unconscionable of me, really." He hummed a rather famous song while he scrolled up and down the options that he had access to.

• Calcabrina (Combined Form)
  • Float (Keeping the umbrella open it will slow down any fall to a gentle float) - 2.500 Red Orbs
    • Levitate (As long as the Umbrella is open, the weight of the user is reduced to almost nothing. Higher jump, can walk on fragile and liquid surface) - Require Float,5.000 Red Orbs
      • Fly (Glide/flight for short distance with directional momentum chosen at the start of the movement) - Require Levitate, 10.000 Red Orbs
        • Defying Gravity (Unlimited flight, cost Magical Energy) - Require Fly, 300.000 Red Orbs
  • Tar Beam (Only combined form, charged.) (Charge the entire surface of the Umbrella and shoot a giant beam.) - Require Beam Spell to be bought, 25.000 Red Orbs
    • Improved Tar Beam (Can charge the beam for longer. Damage is increased) - Require Tar Beam, 50.000 Red Orbs

• Calca (Sheath)

  • Rainproof (Require Barrier) (Strengthen the Barrier and extend it beyond the Umbrella's edge) - 5.000 Red Orbs
    • Waterproof (Require Rainproof) (Barrier is strengthened and extended more) - 15.000 Red Orbs
      • Impervious (Require Waterproof, Require Funeral March for a Marionette) (Extend the shield further, barrier is strong enough to block any attack once. Cooldown after this use) - 50.000 Red Orbs
  • Puppet Waltz (Require Beam Spell) (Lasers come out of the tassels hanging from the spokes of the umbrella, can be kept active during movement) - 15.000 Red Orbs
    • Funeral March for a Marionette (Require Puppet Waltz) (Calca get thrown up in the air, lasers come down from the tassels and it start turning on itself, the lasers hitting all around in a casual pattern) - 35.000 Red Orbs

• Brina (Sword)

  • Running Stitch (The tip of the sword is charged with magical energy and, on hit, release a thin beam of energy in the enemy) - 8.000 Red Orbs
    • Cross Stitch (Require Running Stitch, Require Beam Spell) (The tip of the sword can now leave behind up to two trails of energy that will shoot forward. Charged) - 20.000 Red Orbs
      • Cross Stitch (Require Cross Stitch) (The number of trails of energy that can be used is now unlimited, but need to be continuously chained) - 40.000 Red Orbs
  • Back Stitch (Require Barrier Spell, Require Beam Spell) (Enlarge the size of the sword by overlaying cutting barriers on it. The size can change from slightly bigger than normal to greatsword size. Weight is unchanged) - 25.000 Red Orbs
    • Blanket Stitch (Require Back Stitch) (Can now enlarge the sword to bus size. Weight is unchanged) - 50.000 Red Orbs

With a slide of his finger, he bought the Float, Levitate, and Flight power for his weapon, all the time looking like he was making an impulse purchase. "Whooops, my finger slipped."

After that, he tapped his lips with his finger for a moment, before buying the Running Stitch power for his blade. "I AM a bit low on offensive options in close quarters, after all."

Right after that, he went back to the general powers and, with the scant Three Thousands Red Orbs that he still had - 3.800 Red Orbs, to be specific - he bought the second level of Enochian Magic, leaving him with only 1.300 Red Orbs, but rather happy.

With one last bow, he returned to the normal world, his umbrella on his shoulder, teeth in full display in a wide smile aimed straight at Sol. "You know, shopping is REALLY nice to do, after almost dying."

Sol, who had made it to the other side, had Gevaudan extended and taught along the edge of the walkway, and called out in agreement. "Oh I agree, makes you realize that battles could have been easier if not for a certain birb and its stupidity."

"Battles could have been a lot harder, too. Remember Geryon?" Alex pointed at himself, before blinking and smiling. "And speaking of Geryon…"

Then he was right near Sol, seemingly disappearing and reappearing near him between blinks of the eyes.

"I got a teleport and a couple of more interesting things. Want to see them?" His smile was, one could say, devilish.

"Maybe when you reached the ground floor? I really don't want to be up here any longer than I have to." Sol said shakily but there was an evident note of happiness in his voice.

"I bought something to keep me in the game longer, myself. So any healing items I get, they'll go to you, until we can stabilize you." Sol continued.

Alex smiled, before taking a step forward towards Sol and throwing his arms around him in a rather tight hug. "That's awesome! Mostly because I want you to live as long as possible, but still! You're a great friend!" Then, he leaned back a bit, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Which is why I'm going to feel a bit bad about what I'm going to do… right now." One of his hands moved from Sol's shoulder to his waist and he tightened his grasp before he pushed both of them away from the edge of the building and into the air outside.

They started to fall before Alex twisted the hand that wasn't holding onto Sol and Calcabrina snapped open. Their fall reached a jarring stop, then turned into a gentle floating down. Like a demonic version of Mary Poppins plus one passenger.

"Ah! What the fuck man!" Sol screamed as the two floated down to the street below.

"I can fly, I can fly, I can fly…" Alex was singing - rather better than when he was a pure human, which was a bit strange, as far as modifications went - while they were floating down.

Sol meanwhile said nothing and kept his eyes shut. He was not a fan of the current situation he was in.

After less than a minute, the two touched the ground and Alex let Sol go without saying anything, closing Calcabrina and storing it away in his inter-dimensional armory. Only once he was unarmed, he turned towards him and opened his arms wide.

"Ok, there you go. If you want to hit me for the scare, feel free, I admit that I deserve it."

"Oh sweet merciful ground, you may be a hell illusion, but I will never doubt your wisdom again!" Sol said to the broken street asphalt as soon as his feet touched the ground.

Alex rolled his eyes, and turned, looking around and letting Sol have his own dramatic moment. He had his own, after all. However, he didn't resist the impulse to chuckle a bit.

"Yes, yes, sure. Want to go back to the Punks and see if they have found Rodin's bar? I kinda want to be there the first time they enter. Their faces must be pretty funny."

Sol quickly got up and stated, "Absolutely and I am buying a beer or something for our troubles. Victory Drink here we come!"

And without another word, Sol began to triumphantly walk towards the punk base, his feet planting a touch more firmly on the ground than they did before.

Alex smiled at Sol's retreating back, before following him, his weapon on his shoulder, whistling a happy tune from a Disney movie.

"I can fly, I can fly, I can fly…"

***********************************************************

The Punks' territory was in full activity. A few more people looked a bit wounded, but nothing bigger than scratches and, in a single case, a split on their arm. The Boss was fuming, however, and he locked on Alex and Sol as soon as they came back.

"You better have defeated the demon bird, because we ended up in a fight with the Nazis while searching for your so-called 'portal to hell'. For your sake, I hope it's worth it." His voice was a growl, the unkempt beard, and hair making him look like a ferocious lion.

Alex shrugged. "Well, considering Hraesvelgr's dead as a door nail, I think it was worth it. What do you think?"

The Boss's face went still for a moment before asking "You're serious?"

Sol spoke up in response, laughter in voice. "Oh yeah, dumb bird practically killed itself through its sonic blasts. Though I think I developed a fear of heights as a result." Sol's voice took a more serious turn, "What happened between you and the nazis?"

"We found the circle you two wanted us to find. It's in that building there." He pointed at a building near the edge of their unwritten territory. "There was a patrol of nazis near there. We fought, they fought, we got out mostly unscathed, they came out a bit less unscathed. But we are running low on restoratives and the nazi have the statue near the top of their tower. So, we are going to be royally fucked if you hadn't killed the bird and restored access to the second statue… Which you did. Good." The last words were clearly a threat.

However, threat or not, neither Sol nor Alex looked scared about it. They appeared almost nonchalant.

"It's precarious up there so I'd watch your step… oh and take the stairs, they're safer," Sol said almost as an afterthought.

"Yeah, definitely. Anyway, you want to see what's like at the Gates of Hell?" Alex asked, chuckling darkly, making a shiver run down the spine of everyone around.

The Boss steeled himself visibly, before nodding. "Let's go."

********************************************************

The first words out of Sol's mouth as he stepped foot in the Gates of Hell were "Rodin! We're bringing you new customers and I would like to order a drink!"

"Something sweet for me. Also, if I give you some materials to make a weapon, how much?" Alex followed Sol quickly, sidestepping the circle that worked as an entrance and made space for the others to pass.

"What?" Rodin didn't manage to say much more than that, before the rest of the scouting party that the Punks had sent appeared. One, then two more, then four, and the Boss all strode out of the circle, before stuttering to a step when they saw Rodin and the bar.

Alex and Sol were smirking, and Rodin was blinking, surprised. Then he noticed the limb replacements.

"What the fuck." It wasn't even an exclamation, just a flat delivery of disbelief.

Sol approached them and quietly told Rodin, "Alex wasn't the only one to take back a body part. Many of them have arms, legs, and other parts replaced. Sorry, we couldn't give you a warning, sir. Been a bit crazy out there.

Rodin didn't say anything, only gave a long look at Sol, before shifting his eyes towards Alex, who was smiling sheepishly. On the surface. On the inside, he was clearly enjoying having managed to fluster - even if only a tiny little bit - the ancient being.

"Yeah, sure. Take a seat while I deal with the other customers." The admonishing look he gave to Alex was ignored, while the duo sat down at a table, waiting.

******************************************************

"So, how much business do you think we just gave Rodin?" Sol asked while looking at the crowd of punks exchanging Red Orbs for various weapons.

The flow of red went on for… a while. "I'm guessing a lot. A lot more than recent times, anyway, considering how empty this place had been the entire time we were here." Alex waved his hand towards the area around them.

Alex was right in his observation. The survivors that made up the punks were buying various weapons from Rodin at an alarming rate. This ranged from pre-made devil arms to creating new ones based on various body parts that they had had on their persons upon entering the bar.

There was also a not so small degree of warnings given by Rodin about the nature of hybridization, the potential health problems that it was going to eventually lead to, and the method of fixing them through complete hybridization. The punks took it well enough. There was some cursing, slight arguments, and attempts at bargaining but there was a general consensus of what they needed to survive.

Which was good, Sol thought to himself. The punks weren't a bad crowd per se. They were just caught up in the madness like the rest of them.

"I wonder if Rodin's going to give us a finder's fee for all the customers we brought him." Alex mused, resting his chin on his hand. "I hope so. I don't have nearly enough Red Orbs to make a new weapon and I want one really badly, even if I still need to master this one." He was, of course, referring to Calcabrina. "Having more options is never a bad idea, after all."

"I'm going to be honest, he better. That's a lot of people we just brought in. That both weapons, drinks, and anything else Rodin has…" Sol trailed before looking at Alex.

"What do you want to do with those parts from Hraesvelgr anyway?" Sol asked.

"Hoping for another Devil Arm. Something with a good AOE, to diversify a bit. Calcabrina is all good and well, but it's not all that good in a group, as you have seen." Alex twirled the umbrella in his hand, before making it disappear back into the inventory.

"Well, I think you have gained that." Rodin appeared from his position at the bar, now that the Punks were busy drinking and showing each other what weapon they had gotten. "So, I'm gonna offer you a free weapon and… let's go with 10 Thousand Red Orbs each for the customers you have brought me."

Sol was silent for a few moments, his mouth opening and closing. "Thank you! Ummm… I … we weren't expecting that but again thank you!"

"Yeah, it's… Honestly, it's great. Since we're talking about weapons…" Alex shrugged and let the materials that he had taken from Hraesvelgr - basically everything from the throat down on the table. And the ground. And the booth near.

The punks fell silent a moment later, watching with surprise the giant bird parts just… lying there. Especially because Alex, no matter how behaved, always had that feeling of being a good boy, one of those that never broke the rules. It wasn't as true as it looked.

"Can you use this? I know it's not the most powerful thing that we have met, but…" He shrugged again. "I think it would work well with something that uses sound. Or something. You're the smith, I'm trusting you."

Rodin looked at Alex with an inscrutable look, before nodding. "I can whip up something. Wait here." The whole parts vanished before Rodin himself disappeared in one of those red magic circles.

And the bar fell silent.

Sol turned and looked at the punks before easily saying. "He killed it, he can do what he wants with it. Besides, you all should have seen how he pulped its head." Sol said with a shaky laugh before turning to where Rodin had disappeared. "Any chance we can get those drinks before you work your magic?"

A couple of glasses, filled with smoking liquid, appeared in front of them. Alex nodded towards the bar. "Thanks!"

Then he took his cocktail and started sipping it. "Persephone's Kiss. How… Appropriate."

"Hey," Sol said as gestured to his glass. "Kinda tastes like pomegranate."

"It does." Alex smiled and sipped his cocktail, ignoring the punks. They were looking at the two of them with a more… wary look, now that they had demonstrated something they could do.

***************************************

After Rodin had given them the weapons they had required - Sol had giggled like an idiot while swinging Vendetta around and Alex wasn't really far behind, twirling his new weapon like a majorette's baton - and they had returned to the Punks' territory, both of them opted to ask for a room to sleep in. And maybe a place to take a shower.

"Before you go." Richie stopped them with a few words. "I want to know how strong you really are. How about sparring with one of my boys?" He gestured to one of the Punks who looked like he didn't have any kind of prosthetic.

"Do you really think that's a good idea? What if someone gets hurt in a bad way?" Sol asked before gesturing to himself and Alex. "I mean we've just been trying to survive, there was never a need for that."

"True. But, from what I understand, you two have mostly fought against demons, not humans." Richie waved his hands towards the tall tower where the nazis had made their base. "Humans and demons fight differently from each other. As for wounds, don't worry about it." He pointed at the large white tent that Alex and Sol had seen when they had reached the Punks' base. "We have a doctor."

"Okay… well… we're not getting out of this are we?" Sol asked a nervous edge to his voice.

"Not a chance." Richie said with a grin.

"Well, fine by me. I'm not one for unnecessary fighting, to be honest…" Alex proclaimed, although everyone around him was looking at him with disbelief. "But it does sound like a spar could be a good idea. But I do want to take a shower later. So. Which one of you wants to spar with me and who wants to spar with Sol?"

"I'll take the armored one." One of the punks said. Emerging from the group was the punk that Sol and Alex had first met when they had arrived at the punk's initial base. His limp was a little less pronounced than before but what drew Sol's eyes was the large scythe that he had propped on his shoulders.

He looked at Sol briefly before fully introducing himself, "Sol, yeah? Name's Romero."

"I hate to say it like this, but are you sure you want to fight with that limp?" Sol asked.

Romero smirked, "Trust me, I haven't lasted this long without getting used to it. Let's go."

"Alright then." Sol responded, not quite sure of how to handle the situation.

"Then…" Romero suddenly kicked the ground, soaring above Sol, his scythe already extended and aiming for his shoulder, his grin bloodthirsty. "Let's start!"

Apparently, his limp wasn't as big of a handicap as it looked like.

Without conscious thought, Sol raised his pistol and Gevauden across himself to block the scythe. The weapons caught the blade's edge and before Sol could react, Romero kicked down into Sol's forward-most leg. The strike sent Sol to the ground and Romero used the momentum to launch into another attack. Descending downward, Romero aimed at Sol's back. Sol dodged to the left and the scythe carved a deep gash into the asphalt below.

As he rose, Sol unfurled Gevaudan and wrapped around the scythe's handle, attempting to pull it away. The two struggle for control briefly before Romero leaped again. The loss of ground contact made Sol stumble briefly, losing the grip on the scythe. As he came down again, Sol began to back step and released Gevaudan again. This time the bone whip wrapped itself around Romero before it constricted around the punk. Before Romero could react, Sol pulled and the punk was sent forward to the ground.

The sudden movement winded Romero and as Sol moved forward with his gun, Romero kicked up again, this time angling his bound scythe towards Sol's neck. Sol while managing to raise his right gauntlet and Gevaudan's handle to block the blade only served to bring the scythe blade closer.

"Enough!" Richie shouted, halting the two. If it had gone on any longer, Romero's scythe would have easily found Sol's neck, and Sol's gun was aimed directly between Romero's eyes. Both men were panting greatly, and Romero began to smirk.

"Not bad, but you're not as strong as you look."

"No… But I haven't been juicing or grafting body parts… yet." Sol responded before tilting the gun up and slowly releasing the hammer. Unwinding Gevaudan from Romero, Sol took a step back.

"You could have attacked me more during our fight. Fired that gun of yours too." Romero said as he adjusted a screw on the scythe.

"Too many people around, couldn't risk a stray shot." Sol said quietly.

"Well be prepared too, those nazi bastards won't hesitate to kill you. So next time just pull the damn trigger." Romero said sharply

Alex didn't say anything, but he kept his gaze on Romero and Sol, as he had done the entirety of the fight. His grip only now was relaxing on the handle of his blade, still sheathed inside the umbrella.

Seeing that the two of them were cooling down, although both of them were breathing heavily, he took a couple of steps forward, patting Sol on the back. "Congrats on your win. So, it's my turn now, right? Who's gonna fight me?"

The smile that he was wearing was rather thin, but it wasn't some kind of threat or anything. It was just his resting face: a Mona Lisa smile.

"I'll take him." A female voice called from the crowd. The woman who stepped out of the crowd had for the most part the typical punk look. However, aside from the obviously enhanced physical characteristics, it was evident that there had been serious changes to her body just under the skin as made evident by the blackened veins that crisscrossed across her more visible sections.

She took something from her back and placed it in front of her. It was a golden wheel, beautiful in its creation and work but still an evident tool of murder. She leaned forward across and batted her eyes at Alex.

"What do you say? Think you're strong enough for me?" She asked with a coy smirk.

Alex looked at her, before starting to chuckle, until it turned into a full-on laugh. That… didn't help with the woman, whose expression soured more and more, until she grabbed the wheel and shot forward, fury etched on her face.

"Don't look down on me!" The golden wheel described an arc in the air, coming down on Alex. The cloud of dust that rose from the titanic impact obscured the visual of everyone for a moment until it stopped.

Alex wasn't there anymore. Instead, he was standing where she had been a moment ago, his smile on his face, but he wasn't laughing anymore.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm not looking down on you, I promise. I was just amused by your attempt at seducing me. You see, I'm gay, so… You cannot distract me like that." And he shrugged, even going to put his hands in his pockets.

Her face twisted in anger before she shouted, "Well someone should have fucking told me before I showed OFF!!!"

The woman lunged forward at Alex, swinging her breaker wheel across her body in an arc. In mid-swing, part of the wheel disengaged and swung out further increasing her reach.

Alex didn't move. He didn't even take out his hands, really. And yet, the weapon never reached him. A bubble of gray air appeared in front of him, grabbing the weapon and stopping it in mid-air, uncaring of the strength or the momentum. After all…

When someone told time itself to stop, anything else was meaningless.

"Well, this is Strike Two. Go for the third attempt, let's see if you can do better." Yes, he was provoking her. But that was because she was clearly easy to provoke and, the angrier she got, the easier it was to see how she would attack.

The woman tried to wrench the breaker wheel from the time bubble before pausing and taking a breath. As she did, the blackened veins seemed to darken in color, before she turned to Alex and adopted a boxing pose. Without a word, she lunged forward and unleashed a series of jabs and crosses against him.

Alex disappeared again, but she was ready, this time, and turned on a dime, already punching towards his probable point of reappearance. She was right, but he was just a little bit faster, reacting with a magical barrier made of interconnected magic circles covering the entire front half.

"Well, you adapted way faster than I thought. Congrats." Alex half bowed, showing his respect for her, the Time Bubble vanishing and letting her weapon fall on the ground. "I think it's time for me to counterattack."

The weapon that appeared in his hand was not Calcabrina, but what Rodin had just made for him. "And this is the perfect situation to try my new weapon. Thank you, really." He was smiling wider, now. Before the staff in his hand started glowing a little.

With a snarl she pressed forward, moving around to Alex's off-hand side before…

"Uh!" She gasped for a moment as her leg locked itself in spasm. The sudden stop halted her momentum briefly, causing her to fall forward at an off-angle. Mid-fall, however, she leaned further in, pressing her hands against the asphalt and using her strength to launch herself forward into Alex.

Alex would have been surprised by her sudden recovery, but the constant situation of danger, the fights against demons, and the bosses had taught him a lesson: no matter what, don't give your enemies any chance.

He twirled the staff like a baton, the ribbons and strings of pearls echoing like bells in the air, before he slammed the butt of the weapon on the ground, the fan of feathers at the top opening slightly, the air making the vibrate.

"Seraphim…" At his name, the gem on the top of the staff - It was made from the heart and the larynx of the Hraesvelgr, a sort of core that housed what power Rodin could recover from the corpse - shone brighter. "...Sing!"

The woman was near enough to hit Alex with her punch, but a wave of vibration - it was sound, pure sound, so strong that it was basically a physical wall - slammed against her and sent her tumbling back. The ground under his feet cracked in a radial spread all around Alex, the air booming from the attack.

A moment later, he had blinked near her, the sharp tip at the butt of the staff aimed at the throat of the woman, his smile firmly in place. "Want to continue?"

She made to get up and as she did so, her arm spasmed, causing her to fall down once more. "Dammit, not yet. It's not over yet!" She shouted as she quickly rose and flung out her spasming arm.

"Maggie! Enough!" Richie shouted over the crowd. The name, 'Maggie' drew her ire immediately before she clutched her arm to still the slight tremors. With a glowering look, she trudged over to her breaker wheel and tore it loose from the time bubble. She didn't bother to look at Alex, instead, her eyes were locked firmly on Richie as she went back into the crowd.

"Don't ever fucking call me Maggie!" She hissed as she left.

Richie watched her leave before sighing. He approached Alex before looking back. "Don't mind Mags. She hasn't had the best of times here. But then again who has?"

Alex answered with a wide and empty smile. "Not me!" Then his expression returned to normal, Seraphim in his hands.

"So, what about that shower?"

Sol removed his helmet before asking. "Wouldn't mind a chair to have a good sit down while we plan our next move. Would you all mind if I do?"
The Punks all around were now suddenly much more wary of Alex and Sol, considering that neither of them was fighting to kill. So, they were guided to an empty building where they could sit and take a breather. Or a shower.

And a few hours of sleep, considering the amount of time since the last time they slept.

****************************************

The edges of the map, a paper one, were ruffled, with a few heavy paperweights keeping it flat. Richie pointed at a drawn line on it.

"This is the edge of our territory. The tower is here…" His finger stabbed a point where there was a small x made in gold. "And the nazi's territory covers more or less from the line to this point here." Another line, this time in black, that marked the place where the roots were.

"They have been trying to expand during these last days. Pushing and pushing without stopping, especially after they got their new armor." The expression on Richie's face was a thunderous one, but a smirk replaced it soon after.

"Now that we have access to some weapons ourselves, though… They are gonna taste the concrete!" A rather loud cheer came from the other Punks around him, while Sol and Alex kept studying the map.

"You were the first other group that Rodin met outside of us, which means…" Sol taps the location of the nazis on the map several times. "Which means that they only have the basic equipment and armor from the statue."

Sol looked at Alex before looking at the rest of the crowd. "One of our first meetings with Rodin, he lambasted me for wearing, what was it Alex, 'cheap armor only there for looks'? Maybe I got that wrong, but you guys get the point."

Sol brandished Gevaudan. "We have better weapons and armor than they do. We're stronger than they are, and you guys have already bled them a lot."

"Assuming that they haven't found something like an upgrade item list or something, anyway," Alex muttered, before looking down at the map. "How many of them are there? If it's a precise number, that's good, but even a rough one works."

Richie hummed for a bit before one of the Punks whispered something in his ear. "In this camp, we are around fifty. Three died since the start. I know for sure that four more of the people who appeared with us were killed by demons. The rest are the nazis."

Alex nodded. "So, around… what, fifty-five? More or less. Not as good as I hoped, but it is what it is. Do you know when they tend to attack? Morning, noon, or evening? Night?"

Richie took a moment to think before responding. "Whenever the clocks read morning or noon. They'll only attack in the evening hours if they're desperate. They won't fight in the night. Demons tend to come out more around those times."

"Makes sense, I don't want to deal with hordes of demons while tired, either. So, have they attacked yet today?" Strictly speaking, there wasn't a 'night' in the city where they were. But according to Richie and his group, there was a dark period, when the light of the sun was obscured by… something big and slow. That tended to rain demons down, for some reason, and it only seemed to happen in this area.

Yeah, neither Sol nor Alex knew how or why this occurred.

"Not yet." Richie's answer made Alex nod again.

"Ok. Do you know where they are going to attack?" Alex asked.

The boss looked at the map for several moments while placing his finger on a portion of the map. It was a building almost right next to the roots and the boundaries of their expansion.

"That was the location where we last had our last big fight, just before the bird destroyed our first major headquarters. It's an apartment complex. That means lots of food, lots of general materials, clothing, you know, everything one could ever ask for. Now the area is exposed which means they have an easier time getting in and looting. We could trap them there, prevent them from getting out, and get rid of them entirely."

"Would it work? How good are their weapons and armor? You said something about them, right? What did they look like?" Alex asked, gazing at the map like it contained the secrets of the universe.

"Usual things we'd pull off the street, blades, bats, cudgels. Think the most impressive weapon was a shotgun or two. Dangerous as hell you know, but…" The boss taps his replaced limb with a smirk before continuing. "Armor was mostly medieval stuff too, though it seemed their big wigs got that stuff. The rest were in the white uniforms with red patches. I think the physical enhancements are the only things that have kept 'em around this long."

Alex sighed in relief before Richie frowned.

"Although…" His expression turned pensive, while his fingers started tapping on his leg. The bad one. "Some of them seem to have gotten a new set of armor. All white. With helmets and spears. Apparently, they can make them appear from nowhere like you two do." His frown was more than expressive enough to show Alex and Sol what he thought about that power in the hands of literal nazis.

"That might be a problem. But, we have better weapons than they do for the most part. So… So, I guess if we win the numbers game so to speak, and gang up on the armored ones or just get lucky, that issue will resolve itself. And who knows, maybe you guys could salvage that stuff for yourselves and use it going forward." Sol stated, taking in Richie's words as he did so.

Richie nodded, and that was that.

************************************************

The group that had gone with Alex and Sol to the cratered apartment building was composed of ten people. The reasoning was that the nazis never moved in groups smaller than three and bigger than twelve for… some reason. So, with the addition of Sol and Alex, they were enough to deal with any group one-on-one.

That was the plan, at least.

Sadly, you know what they say about plans and men and mice.

The ambush Punks were hiding in the remains of a flat in the building, waiting and observing any possible entry into the apartment building until one of the sentinels hurriedly alerted the group that they were coming.

Indeed, a group of ten people, all dressed in white and holding what looked like long-swords or zweihanders were walking towards the building. Their stride was full of swagger and confidence, even when one of their members was something like sixteen to seventeen. Oh, he was tall enough to pass for older, but the way his face was still soft with baby fat made his age all the more apparent.

"Well it's an even playing field." Sol said quietly, as he checked his gun. He doubted it would do much to an enhanced person as it normally would but he figured it'd do some damage if up close and personal. Clicking its safety off and drawing Gevaudan, he spoke once more.

"I figure we hit them hard and fast, that way we take a few out and help anyone else out if they need it. Cool?" He asked the rest of the group.

The Punks nodded, their new weapons ready, while Alex looked out of the window first. "How do you want to do this? Shock and Awe, Fake Wanderer, Stealth Run?"

"Well, turnabout is fair play after all. Kinda wish we had some big-ass stereo so we could shock and awe with some Ballroom Blitz. Beggars can't be choosers I guess." Sol stated absentmindedly.

"Yeah. Unless there's a boombox or a stereo around here." Alex stopped and looked back at the Punks, who were suddenly pinned under his gaze. "Is there a boombox or a stereo around here?" His question was normally curious, but all of them seemed to freeze.

One of the punks made a face, "Damn!" She hissed, "I knew we forgot something!"

Sol smiled at that, before schooling his features. "Guess our blitz has to be accompanied by our voices and arms." He looked back at the nazis. The group of ten had just begun to enter the building, while also trying to remove some of the rubble for easier access. Sol would have referred to that as removing 'ankle biters' or materials that would always seem to trip you up.

"They're focused on clearing the front entrance of rubble. Everyone ready?"

"I suddenly have Genie flashbacks. Any chance you're going to yell Geronimo! or something while jumping out of here?" Alex asked, Calcabrina already in his hands, while the other Punks looked unsure of what to answer. Well, beyond two that were trying to not fall into laughter, their shoulders shaking and a hand covering their mouth, even if everyone could hear their muffled snickers.

"I mean now that you mention it…" Sol trailed off before pausing, putting his pistol and Gevaudan away, and drawing Vendetta. "Time to emulate our boy, Brooklyn."

"Okay, operation Aladdin in 3, 2…"

*********************************

Neil was a believer through and through, but that didn't mean he enjoyed moving blocks of broken bricks and asphalt away. They shouldn't be doing this, this wasn't their job. This belonged to…

He was so caught up in his own musing that he didn't notice the sound of footsteps getting closer behind him until it was almost too late.

"Geronimo!!!" A voice shouted and he turned to see a man in blue armor swing something in his direction. Neil instinctively brought a large brick that he had just been picking up to protect himself, only realizing at the last moment that he should have gone with his sword. The brick shattered under the strike and while he was cursing his decision, Neil's last thought was.

"That's a big sword."

*********************************

Sol struck down as hard as he could, letting Vendetta's weight and sharpness do the work for him. He had made it halfway across the street before picking out a target, a guy whose back was to him. The man tried to block the strike with a large brick, but Vendetta broke right through and lodged itself in the man's head. Sol stopped for a moment, realizing what he had just done, before taking a breath, pulling the massive blade out, and bringing it back down. He could deal with crossing that line later, right now he needed to keep it together and help the others clear the building.

"No Quarter!" He shouted with a shaky breath while holding Vendetta above himself.

"Arapaho!" One of the older punks threw himself from the first floor's window, the heavy club coming down on the second nazi in the area, who managed to twitch out of the way. Twitch, because he definitely didn't avoid the hit, as the bones in his left arm were broken almost instantly.

"Navajo!" The second older Punk charged from the other window, a mallet that looked like it belonged to Harley Quinn in her hands, the side that tried to splatter another nazi's head filled with spikes. Sadly, the group had managed to recover from the surprise and was regrouping back all together. At the very back, the one that looked like the leader of the small band.

"Activate your armor! Don't let them-grk." The blond, officer-looking guy choked on the blade that had suddenly appeared from his throat, severing his spine and pushing all to the front. A movement and the blade was yanked to the side, revealing the funereal face of Alex from behind the leader.

"Pocahontas." His voice was as grave as the tomb, no matter what he had just said.

With two of the ten dead and one grievously wounded, the front entrance and foyer became a sight of chaos. Sol, steeling himself, had charged the nazi that dodged the spike mallet earlier. His strike sent the other directly into the path of the mallet's follow-up. The spiked mallet didn't miss this time, and the nazi's head detonated in a shower of gore.

Sol dismissed Vendetta and drew Gevaudan in its place, in order to not get his blade caught on anything within the interior.

In the meantime, the attacked nazis started to… change. Plates of white armor started to appear on their bodies, as helmets made of the same material, but with a strange, halo-like attachment on the back of the head, covered their faces. The swords in their hands turned white, too, alongside growing in length, while a small, circular shield appeared on their off-hand, a cherubic face on it.

Alex took a step back, his face an expression of shock. "Bianco Angelos?"

"So some of Agnus's work found itself in their hands huh? Well, that armor won't save you all from us. It's 10 on 7, we got this!" Sol shouted as he released Gevaudan and sent it towards the nearest Pseudo Angelo. The wearer blocked the strike with their sword only for Sol to constrict it and pull them forward. Dismissing Gevaudan mid-pull, he summoned Vendetta again and swung. The swing sent the Pseudo Angelo skidding across the floor. At first, Sol thought the wearer had tanked the hit. However, as the wearer got up, Sol noticed that they were clutching at their side. He couldn't see the wound from that angle but the heavy stream of blood and the gurgle in the voice told him that Vendetta had bitten deeply.

"A useless fuck like you won't stop us… Gah! We are the pure, we are the future!" The wearer shouted, struggling as they did so.

Sol readied Vendetta, before stating "And your future ends here."

"Listen to my friend there." Alex lazily answered as he twirled his umbrella, before pointing at the group as a whole. "He knows what he's talking about. Not like me. I'm just your garden variety homosexual."

That was enough to stun them for a moment, as they didn't expect anyone to say that to them. Then, Alex smirked.

"Well, your usual homosexual with a magical laser beam." And, from the tip of the umbrella, a beam of magical energy shot forward, sending the group skidding back, while the demon-human hybrid moved his attack from side to side.

While Sol focused on his opponent, the rest of the punks descended on the Pseudo Angelos in pairs of roughly two each. Sol's Angelo made to turn and help their fellows but was stopped by Sol's voice.

"Your fight's with me, and if you are as pure as you say then you could take me easily right?" Sol said in a low voice but audible tone. The Pseudo Angelo seemed to growl under his helmet before charging at Sol. Sol's opponent opened with a fast thrust, and as if on an instinct he didn't quite realize, Sol Time Stepped aside. The world slowed for a brief moment, long enough for Sol to reposition himself and strike down at the sword. The sword held but was driven into the floor, and Sol followed through with a horizontal slash that the Pseudo Angelo dodged under. Before Sol could react, he felt a sharp kick into his knee and was forced into a stumble. Turning he realized that Pseudo Angelo had retrieved their sword and was readying it for the next strike.

"C'mon asshole, let's get this shit done!" Sol hissed.

The Pseudo Angelo growled, before jumping upwards, a round shield firmly attached to his wrist and sword's handle safely held in both hands. He slammed into the ground with the strength of a meteor, cracking the concrete and sending a small shock wave all around him.

Seeing this, the others started doing so, trying to escape the beam that Alex was still using to keep them pinned near the Punks.

"Scatter!" The hybrid's shout was loud enough to be heard above the cacophony of the combat, at least for those who needed to hear it. Either by diving or rolling away, the punks avoided being hurt by the falling nazis. Well, hurt too much.

"Coward!" Sol roared as he rushed his retreating foe. The nazi realizing what was coming rose their shield in defense. Vendetta wedged itself deeply into the demonic metal and Sol actually took a moment to relish in the sound of the nazi crying out in pain as the blade bit into their hand. That moment ended when Sol felt a sharp pain bit through his arm. As he had struck the Pseudo Angelo, so too did the Pseudo Angelo strike him. Their sword, already weakened from the previous clash, snapped off, with a large portion of demonic steel lodging itself deeply into the exposed part of Sol's left arm.

Sol bit back the cry of pain, and with great difficulty, ripped Vendetta out of the shield, Time Stepped backward and thrust forward. The Pseudo Angelo couldn't jump away fast enough, and took the blade head on… directly in the abdomen, dropping their blade in the process. With a shout masking his pain, Sol pushed forward driving the angelo into the wall behind them. Upon impact, the blade sank further, releasing a torrent of blood. In a last desperate act, the Pseudo Angelo's uninjured hand shot up and closed around Sol's throat. There was a moment of struggle between the two before Sol scrambled for his gun and leveled it.

Seeing what was coming, the nazi tried to push the gun away with their injured hand and Sol fired. The first few shots bat the hand away while remaining struck the helmet at point-blank range. At first, the shoots didn't do much, merely denting the articulated metal, but soon enough the rounds began to pierce it until eventually the head of Pseudo Angelo snapped back and the hand around Sol's throat relaxed its grip.

"Retreat!" One of the armored nazi shouted, after seeing that three of their forces had died and several more were already wounded. "Retreat! We need to alert the Gen-" And then he fell silent.

A bubble of gray had enveloped him, while Alex stood there, the tip of Calcabrina tapping on the concrete, his head cocked to the side. "So, your leader calls himself a General. How.. quaint." He was, of course, acting, as he didn't really behave like that. But, as the saying goes, fake it until you make it.

"What do you think, friend of mine? Leave one of them to go back and alert them that they aren't going to survive our coming?" His voice had turned vaguely lilting, almost like a cantilene, before Alex smiled grimly. "Well, if I don't change my mind, anyway."

Sol wrenched the hand free from his neck before taking several breaths and rubbing at his throat. When he looked at Alex, his response was in a distant and pained tone.

"We can't… we can't let them go back… they'll… tell, fuck!" Sol bit out clutching at his arm, in pain. "They'll tell the others what we have and what we can do. We gotta make this quick."

"As you ask of me." Alex was definitely acting, as he made a mock bow that made his duster flare outwards, before getting up. The gray bubble vanished, letting the nazi inside drop to the ground before he slammed the tip of the blade against the joint between the neck and the head.

It yielded under the Devil Arm, cutting the throat of the nazi in moments. The remaining six nazis took a step back.

It didn't help them.

Alex was in front of them, umbrella in his hands, the blade swirling in a quick arc, sending splatters of blood against the ground. The moment after…

He was at their back, the tip of the blade already pushing against the armor of the back most nazi. Which then exploded, his Running Stitch skill charging the blade enough to send him flying forward and bowling his companions like pins.

Sol took another breath, swapped out Vendetta with Gevaudan, and tried to desperately ignore the noise of a body sliding down from a wall, before looking at the punks and pointing them towards the six survivors.

One the nazis had skidded close enough to Sol, where he forced them back down with his foot. They clutched at Sol's leg before he drove Gevaudan down on their neck. Sol closed his eyes and twisted the blade, feeling and hand that was gripping his thigh slacken and fall to the floor.

The punks wasted no time in falling upon the remaining nazis. Their armor might have been effective in keeping them safe in more favorable conditions, but after repeatedly getting hit with the force of a magical Mac truck courtesy of Alex, their armor couldn't hold under the blows of eight demonically enhanced people with a bone to pick.

Alex didn't say anything, he just stood there. Motionless. Brina sheathed once again, the canopy of the umbrella closed and tied together tightly. A faint, fake smile on his face. A Mona Lisa one, even.

And yet, if someone were to observe him closely, they would have been able to see the minute tremor of his hands, his knuckles white on the handle of the weapon. His arms and legs had an unnatural stillness in them, denoting that he was keeping them locked together like steel bars, probably to not collapse. Finally, his smile and eyes…

His smile was fixed in place, without the natural motility that came from the true ones, while his eyes were empty. He seemed to be looking at the carnage, but he wasn't, not really. He was just looking in that direction.

Sol walked up next to Alex, his gait slow and heavy. He stared at the carnage briefly before turning away. "I feel like I'm about to throw up." He said simply. He was still holding his arm, his hand the exposed part but not touching the sword shard that was still embedded there.

"We'll raid this place for everything that it's worth, raid the bodies for their armor and weapons, and just… just rationalize it all." Sol finished quietly.

Alex's answer came without him moving his lips. "I'm feeling bad that I'm not really feeling bad. Like there's something inside me that's saying, 'What's the big deal? They are only human,' And it makes me want to puke."

"I understand that. These weren't demons… pieces of human shit sure, but they were human. Now… they're just…" Sol trailed off before shaking his head.

Rolling his left shoulder in discomfort, Sol continued, "I wonder if that's how demons really see us? Just, meat and energy to be used and discarded?"

"I don't know. I'm still human inside, no matter how many parts of my body are demonic." Alex's answer didn't help alleviate the fears that both of them were feeling. But was there really something that could alleviate those fears? That, the more you fought with the monsters outside your body, the more the monsters inside were going to eat at you, at your sanity and morality, until all that remained was just another monster wearing the skin of a human?

In the end, the two companions stood there, watching as a mix of old and young Punks, all with a replaced limb or body part, beat to death the remaining nazis.

And, like a choreographed explosion, the corpses vanished, leaving only red orbs that started swirling around, going to those that had helped kill them.

Sol felt the red orbs for a moment before giving a soft sigh. With his good hand, he lightly punched Alex in the arm to get his attention. "Think about Dante man. He was born with it all and despite some seriously unhealthy dietary choices, he turned out alright. Although, I wouldn't mind getting some of that particular biology. Eating pizza all day every day sounds like a dream… Or, think of yourself as a would be Naoki Kashima, body of a devil, soul of a human. Just don't cut deals with blondes who have heterochromia." Sol said with a shaky laugh that didn't convey any real joy.

Alex barked a short laugh, surprised by what Sol had just said. "Be it a tall gentleman with blond hair or an elegant girl with a white sundress, uh? While I admit that I often used Cyphre as a surname in fiction, I'm not that foolhardy to do so here." The smile on him was now looking a little bit realer. "Still, I'm… I don't know where I would be without you, Sol. Thank you."

"You're welcome brother, hell I'd be dead several times over without you knowing my fucked up luck. So anything I can do or say to keep spirits up, I'll do. No matter how silly it is." Sol responded in kind, legitimate joy peaking through his voice.

"Awww, how cute! How disgustingly human!" The voice came from behind them. It was utterly unremarkable and plain. It held a faint tone of fake sweetness, like that old aunt you only met once per year at a family reunion. It was like molasses was poured directly into their ears.

And all that completely failed to mask the utter disgust that filled it to the brim.

The two turned around as fast as they could, only to be met by a man who looked like an office worker: immaculate shirt, leather shoes, black suit, black tie. Even his black hair was cut short and typically styled back.

The only things that marked him as completely unnatural, were the black whip in his hands and the burning eyes that were glaring malevolently at them.

Red Eyes.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So, I had some personal stuff to deal with over the weekend, and over the last few days, I was going through final checks and time got the best of me.

Now, later today I will start posting Sol and Alex's shop and skill list for a better understanding of what is available. Not everything, because... things are about to go down.

 

[InZodwetrust]

Please can we get a picture for the staff. You can make an index for devil arms and bosses

 

[sentricknight]

She made to get up and as she did so, her arm spasmed, causing her to fall down once more. "Dammit, not yet. It's not over yet!" She shouted as she quickly rose and flung out her spasming arm.

Click to shrink...

Liquid?

The weapon that appeared in his hand was not Calcabrina, but what Rodin had just made for him. "And this is the perfect situation to try my new weapon. Thank you, really." He was smiling wider, now. Before the staff in his hand started glowing a little.

Click to shrink...

The link for the staff doesn't work.

 

[Atma]

Please can we get a picture for the staff. You can make an index for devil arms and bosses

Click to shrink...

A new link has been made and I am currently working to update the various indexes.

Liquid?

The link for the staff doesn't work.

Click to shrink...

Snake!

Not an intentional reference but a welcome catch. We were going with a more neurological disorder that results from demonic limbs replacing human ones.

 

[Atma]

Sol's good arm rose instinctively, his gun aimed right at the red-eyed man.

"Everyone, get out of here! We'll hold him off. Go!" Sol shouted to the punks. They responded quietly by grabbing as much of the armor and weapons as they could before leaving through the opening.

"Ah, the imperfects. They'll, like you, have their place in this world." The Red-Eyed man said in an insultingly warm tone while looking at Alex. His eyes flicked to Sol briefly before returning to Alex. "Leave the human, baggage."

Alex blinked. Then blinked again. "Can you repeat that? Maybe in a way that makes sense?" While his words were… not polite, but adequate, his tone was anything but.

The Red-Eyed man grimaced a bit before his expression smoothed out. "Ah, yes, a remnant of your previous… state. Very well. I will explain." His tone, in contrast to Alex, was incredibly nasal and uppity.

The Red-Eyed man began to squat down, dragging his coiled whip across the ground like a cat, before raising it and pointing it at Sol. As he spoke, he began to slowly point the whip at Alex. "We were like this fool. Uselessly human, living meaningless lives and grabbing at scraps."

In an explosion of motion, he stood up. "Then we were pulled here, and it was like an epiphany! A calling from an angel with blackened wings! We could become so much more, we just had to kill, to hunt. Yet there was still something holding us back, a last remnant of the weakness that plagues us in the world above." He paused, a hellish sneer blooming on his face.

"No matter how much power we gave ourselves, we would never reach the high of the demons of yore. Our… human forms would always be there as a reminder. And then it happened! Our leader, the one who set us on the path of strength, lost his eye to a demon! A stupid, simple demon took it from him. Well, he couldn't have that, no… He plucked out its eyes and took them for himself. An eye for an eye, and then it became clear to us. The only way to shed our weakness was to shed our old bodies. Haha! Don't you see!?" His gaze now boring down on Alex.

"You're already on the path of power, an imperfect blend of majesty and chafe! Shed your humanity from your body and become greater than anything else you could have hoped to become!" He shouted, arms spread wide and the whip began to slowly unfurl itself.

Then he looked back at Sol. "Take him for example, weak and hesitant. Oh, I saw there was some fire in you, but you choked up on the first kill of these wastrels and their little toys." He looked back to Alex, "Like I said before, leave the human, he's just baggage."

Alex, once again, blinked. Then…

"You do realize that you killed demons to take part of their bodies as a human before hybridization, right?" Alex pointed out, unsure if his words would be well received. "Also, What do you mean by shedding my humanity? I'm already doing that. Exhibit one." He finished as he tugged at his tri-colored hair before asking sharply. "Or do you mean me to join you and your merry band of murderers?"

"You could join us or fight us, it doesn't matter. Either way, your life will give us proof of strength. What I mean is to finish it." The Red-Eyed man hissed. "Nothing to hold you back, the full body of a demon is the only way to go forward for power!"

Alex would have blinked again if he wasn't just staring at Red Eyes. Full-on staring, without even blinking. In complete silence.

That went on for long enough that even the Red Eyes was starting to get a little bit creeped out. "What?!" He snarled, suddenly on the defensive.

Alex just shrugged. "Look… What do you want me to call you, by the way? I can't keep referring to you as Red Eyes in my head for much longer before the words start losing any kind of sense."

There is a quiet moment that seems to stretch far longer than it should before a truly furious look blossoms across the red-eyed man's face. He took a breath and steeled his expression.

"Allan, that's the name I was given." He stated, his voice strained and angered.

"I just asked what you want to be called, not what your name was. I'm not an asshole that's going to dead name someone, be them because they are trans or because they have decided to throw their humanity away and turn into a demonic entity." Alex crossed his arms and glared at Allan. "Now, are you fine with me calling you Allan or do you want to be called something else?" He asked again, pointedly.

"Do names matter? In this world only strength and the legacy that carries their worth!" The Red Eyed man shouted.

"I didn't realize that you shed your manners along with your humanity." Alex's reproach was dry and on point, something that someone would say to a child who was throwing a tantrum.

"Oh don't tell me you care! Manners are just a nice way of reminding our old selves of our place in the world. Here? They have no meaning. Strength is the only measure of worth here and demons are the only things worth a damn!" The Red-Eyed man hissed.

Alex's expression turned into a frown, before smoothing out in a placid lake that was cold enough to freeze the air around him.

"Fine by me. Then, Allan, here's what I think about your philosophy." The way he had hissed his name was cutting enough that Allan should have started bleeding. "Taking parts of the demons to gain their powers, I can understand. I did it to survive, the Punks did it to replace what they had lost, I don't see anything wrong about it. I'm not a religious fanatic or one of those nazis that are in the tower. But discarding your humanity in pursuit of a higher power?"

He scoffed.

"Don't be daft. The most powerful demon after Sparda was one of his sons. A son that he had with a human woman. That son killed Mundus, before killing the second one, I don't even remember the name. Then he killed a fake savior that had the power of Sparda. Now, that was a whole other mess…"

"You mean Argosax? Oh and don't forget Abigail and Lucifer." Sol said, his tone trying to be light.

"Yeah, those too, and you know what the kicker is? The final nail in the coffin of your piss-poor excuse for a life philosophy that falls apart if you think about it for more than ten seconds?" Alex took a single breath before continuing. "He did all of this by embracing his humanity. By crying, by being defeated, and by helping other humans rise above their station. He rose above countless trials by forgiving and moving forward, no matter what."

Alex sneered at Allan. "So, do me a favor and go fuck yourself somewhere else. I'm not in the mood to deal with your fanaticism. Shoo." Alex finished as he waved his hand like he was dismissing an unruly cat.

Allan was silent again, but where he didn't verbally speak, his body spoke for him. Any part of his body that was exposed, bulged with veins that moved like serpents under his skin. His face strained itself as his eyes flared with open fury until an unseen boiling point had been reached.

"THEN DIE WITH YOUR VAUNTED HUMANITY, YOU IMPERFECT SCUM!!!!"

With his roar, he cracked his whip and two bloody portals manifested revealing new demons. Their red and white undulating skin and flaming scythes clearly identified them as Abysses.

ALLAN GRABACER – PERFECTED DEMON HYBRID SCOUT ​

And, while two demons didn't sound like much, Abysses were demons that made it count. A lot.

Alex smiled thinly, before a metal staff with a feathered top was in his hands, the long ribbons that trawled behind it dancing in the wind.

"Seraphim, sing!" The area around him - and the two demons that had tried to rush him - were blasted by a wall of sounds that turned everything into rubble.

Sol fired his gun at Allan who easily batted the bullets away with his whip. "Useless!" The Red Eye shouted before calling out to the two demons. "Get up you bags of blood, and kill this pest! I'll deal with the other."

Before Sol could say or do anything else, the Abysses surged forward, singed from Seraphim's attacks but only a little worse for wear. They were on Sol nearly instantly and he was doing everything in his power to fight defensively.

"Don't try to interfere. The red orbs you and that hanger-on have will be put to better use once I kill the two of you!" Allan roared as he charged Alex.

Alex smiled, but it was more of a baring of teeth than a real smile. "I believe you." And then, it was a fight.

Allan's whip came down on where Alex was standing the moment before, only to hit the cracked concrete, shattering it even more. Then, the Red Eyes was sent careening forward, his back feeling like he had been hit by a truck going full on the highway.

Alex was at his back, Seraphim in his hands, a flinty look in his eyes. He wasn't smiling anymore.

Allan spun, bringing the back of his hand against Seraphim, and attempted to strike at Alex, whip wrapped around his fist like a demonic knuckle duster.

Meanwhile, Sol fell back further and further into the lobby. He was tiring, and he knew it. The Abysses were relentless in their attacks and Sol was forced to move to the collapsed floors, trying to get the high ground as much as he could, using Time Step to eke out a few moments of precious time.

"Come on Alex, kill him, kill him quickly!" He shouted slashing at the closer of the two Abysses.

The metal of the staff slammed against the hand of Allan three times at quick speed before Alex had to Blink away from him, reeling in pain as a lance of fire coming from Allan's eyes struck him.

"I'm trying!" His answer to Sol was quick and hurried, before he Blinked away once more, gaining some distance. Then, pointing his staff towards Allan, he unleashed a beam of energy that the Red-Eye answered with another ocular fire lance, the two forces colliding in mid-air in a brilliant and terrible display of demonic power.

In the meantime, the Abysses had changed their attempts at killing Sol. Now, instead of going all out against Sol, they were darting towards him, trying to strike him a couple of times with their scythes, before going back, like two cats playing with a mouse.

Sol realized it shortly into the change With a snarl, he activated Time Step again, and again just to get something, a second or two of breathing room, a chance at the very least of survival.

*Clang, Clang, Clang*

He batted away more strikes but could feel the blades grazing his arms and legs.

"I don't want to die." He thought.

*Clang, Clang, Clang*

"I don't want to die!" He thought frantically as he watched the two demons move in tandem, watching their scythes bob and arc. A wild idea came to him and in a moment of desperation, he activated Time Step once more.

"I don't want to die!" Sol roared. Dodging a scythe, he came up on the side of one of the Abyss' and held it in front of its fellow, mid-strike. The burning scythe buried itself deeply into the chest of the Abyss and Sol half-stepped backward before swinging Gevaudan at the impaled Abyss's neck. The demon's head came off cleanly, and for a moment, a brief moment Sol felt hope. It was dashed almost immediately.

The remaining Abyss swung upward, pushing Gevaudan and Sol's sword arm high and opening his guard. Sol tried to raise his gun on instinct before the Abyss swung down. The world momentarily went white, and all the sound became muffled… Sol could hear something in the distance, a small, shrill howl cutting through it all.

"ahhhh!!!"

The world moved slowly, and his arm felt weird. Why hadn't the Abyss attacked him yet?

"Ahhhh!!!"

He looked down briefly and realized that his left arm was missing at the elbow. Small flickers of flame licked at the stump. The noise began to become clearer and Sol realized that it was his voice. His voice screaming in pain.

"AHHHHH!!!"

Sol howled in agony as he fell backward, collapsing down the broken remnants of the building before landing in a bloody heap. Still screaming, he never realized that his severed arm and gun flew into the air and clattered to the floor below next to Alex and Allan.

The Red Eye sneered before attacking Alex again. "Like I said before! He's human, just baggage!"

Alex wasn't listening to Allan. Sol's scream had rent the air apart, a bone-chilling sound that made him lose any kind of focus he could have on his enemy. He turned, his hair arcing behind him, the speed and suddenness of the movement making his hair tie fly away.

"SOL!!" His voice was raw and filled with emotion, his eyes wide and almost unseeing. He had lost his sight of Allan, his weapon vanishing back into his inventory in his grief.

That was his mistake.

A spike of pain hit him, the whip that the Red Eyes was using turning into a long spear, impaling him from behind, straight through his kidney and out of his bowels, around the navel.

"That's what human trash brings you!" Allan's glee was almost palpable. Alex wasn't listening to him. He was transfixed on what was happening. The Abyss, behind Sol's prone form, was raising his scythe once more, this time aiming for his head.

Alex didn't think anymore. He just… disappeared.

Blinking forward, Brina out and impaled the Abyss's head, before slashing away three or four times, ignoring his wounds. Once the Abyss had completely lost his head, Alex dropped to his knees, his hands hovering above Sol's shoulder.

"Sol! Sol, answer me! Try to stay awake, you can't go to sleep!" He was pleading and he didn't care how he looked in doing so, tears dripping down his eyes. His friend was more important.

Then from behind, Allan's transformed spear had found his heart. Alex's breath hitched and he turned his head to the side, only to see Allan sneering at him from above.

"Die like a human, then." Even now, the Red-Eyed man was so assured of his superiority and disdain.

Alex… blinked. Once.

*******************Alex PoV**************

I was in a featureless gray plain. There was nothing to see, in all directions. Just gray mists, gray sky, gray land.

A blink more and there was me in front of myself. The me of before the Geryon, before the Statue, before being abducted by a demon with dreams of grandeur.

"So, that's how we die?" Human-Me asked, looking at me with a sort of… resignation. His words were said in a quiet, almost placid tone, his expression neutral. I looked at him.

"I don't want to die." My words were visceral. The Human-me in front of me nodded.

"I know. I wouldn't want to die to that madman, either. Considering." He shrugged. I nodded. It made sense.

With the sound of clopping and a deep, demonic neigh, the Ancient Geryon came, from my left. Human-Me moved a bit to the right so that he was farther away from the demonic horse. When it stopped, they were equidistant from me.

"I'm guessing you know what this is, right?" His question was not a question at all, as it was pretty clear what he meant. I nodded anyway.

"You do know that you haven't been using your abilities to the max, right? The way you fight, the way you move… It's still human. You are not human anymore."

He was right. And yet…

"I'm not completely human. Yes, I took demon bones and a liver into my body, that is true, but I still have a human heart and mind. I'm not going to renounce what I was for what I became."

That seemed to surprise Human-Me, an expression finally appearing on his face. "Why? While what Allan said was horrible and the way he said it was absolutely offensive, he wasn't completely wrong. Demons are stronger, demons have magic, demons are free."

I frowned. "And? Demons don't have friends. Demons don't spend time reading or watching movies, or playing video games, or talking, or doing anything that isn't either resting or fighting. A pretty bleak life, if you ask me."

Human-Me smiled. "So, I'm going to assume that you aren't going to discard me to embrace demonhood fully, then?"

I shook my head. "Not on my life."

Human-Me, then, just shrugged. "Half-demon it is. Now, to be clear: you DO know what this whole trip inside your head means, right?"

I nodded. "I… have a rather good idea, yes." The Geryon neighed, showing teeth that definitely weren't the ones of a herbivore. On his back, something that looked like a Bianco Angelo, but with a strange, haze-like quality, appeared, bowing his head to me. Human Me sighed softly and walked the few steps that separated him from the horse.

"Then, let's go. Think of wings, it's cooler that way." His hand touched the flank of the horse, the armored hand of the Bianco Angelo covering his own a moment later.

Silver light made me blink.

And I was back.

**********************Third Person PoV***********************

When Alex returned to his body, Allan was kicking the still-present corpse of the Abyss, a scowl on his face.

"Stupid pieces of trash! Useless! And you are some of the strongest demons? Bah! Not even managing to kill a human…" His last word practically dripped with disdain.

The spear was still in Alex's heart, the muscle trying to beat even with the metal piercing it through. Anyone else in his place would have been dead. Any other human in his place would have been dead.

Sol, in his place, would have been dead.

Alex wasn't a human. Alex wasn't Sol. Alex wasn't anyone else.

Alex was Alex.

His left hand grabbed the spear from the back and tugged it up, the shaft smoothly sliding out of his body. The wounds left behind bubbled and closed over, leaving smooth skin behind, and no sign of the previous injury.

Then, he got up. The movement was stuttered, like an old VHS tape that missed some frames: Alex went from kneeling on the ground to standing up to grabbing his weapon and turning towards Allan. The Red-Eyed man was still kicking the Abyss's corpse. It was only the metallic clank of his whip spear that made him turn to see Alex.

"How are you still alive?!" His shout bounced from crumbling building to crumbling building, his eyes wide in surprise and shock. While Alex spoke, he didn't answer the question.

"I'm GOinG to KilL You nOw."

His voice wavered and jumped around, the pitch changing randomly before he took a step towards him. Allan, feeling a jolt of fear, unconsciously took a couple of steps back before the whip spear returned to his hand.

Steeling himself, Allan roared. "You couldn't kill me before, and you won't kill me now!" With a powerful thrust, Allan charged forward, the gleaming tip of his weapon aimed at Alex's head. Only, Alex wasn't there anymore.

"I cAN. i WiLl. I am DoINg it NOw."

The voice came from behind Allan. However, upon facing Alex, Allan noted with horror that Alex's face was now hidden by what looked like bony scales, that rapidly covered his form. There was a burst of power that sent Allan skidding backward, and that dreaded and when his eyes found Alex's form once again, dread wormed its way into his heart.

Alex's head looked like he was wearing an incredibly sleek and slim helmet made of bone, with grey glass-looking material covering his eyes. His body was covered in scales that were so tiny and interconnected that looked like shiny leather, including boots and gloves, tipped with claws. Behind him, two leathery wings opened, throwing a black shadow on Allan's terrified face.

"How did you!? Only Zeke can do something like that!" Allan cried out.

"FaNCy THat! EmbRaCIng HUmanITY heLPEd!" Alex's laugh was chilling, making Allan shiver down to the bone. Then, a blade was suddenly in his hand, shimmering and shivering without rhyme nor reason, there for a moment and gone the next.

"Now Die."

Allan turned to run, only to stumble. The next step brought his leg forward but left everything beneath the knee behind. His attempt to bring his weapon up only brought up a stump, the hand, and his whip falling on the ground. The other arm was cut at the shoulder.

He opened his mouth to shout, but Alex was there a moment later, a finger on his lips to shut him up as Brina was driven into Allan's heart one, two, three times in succession before it was removed and drawn across Allan's neck.

A moment later, Alex was back where Sol was, a hand on his shoulder and the other hovering above his wounds. Behind him, Allan's head fell free, thumping on the ground. For several seconds that mouth moved, silently cursing Alex. It was a testament to the Red-Eyed man's augmentations that he was still alive, even if it was only for a few more moments. Until a bullet made of silver energy slammed against the head, pulverizing it.

"Sol? Sol, can you hear me? Can you stand? We need to reach… The Statue, or Rodin or... or... I don't know. I'm... I can't think. Please, Sol, answer me. Don't leave me alone." His voice was not distorted anymore, but it was… pleading. Quiet. Subdued, almost. Desperate.

Eyes wide, and body trembling, Sol's right hand had wrapped itself around the stump of his left arm in a vice-like grip. Beyond this, the only thing that showed there was still life was the fact that Sol kept muttering the same phrase.

"He took my arm, he took my arm, he took my arm…."

The flash of light that signaled Allan's absolute end dragged enough of Sol's consciousness back to the forefront to be vaguely aware of his surroundings. He tried to move, to brace himself on both arms only to collapse. The pain from the light fall shocked him that much further. He rolled onto his back and screamed in agony, before beginning to mutter incoherently, half-formed and thought-out questions intermixing the screams.

"Shh, shhh, sh. It's fine, it's fine. Look, he's dead. I killed him." Alex was still covered in that strange armor, but his voice had stopped doing that strange shifting tone of voice. "I killed him and his demon. The one that took your arm. Look, he's there. I killed him for you. Please, stay calm, ok? It's… It's going to be ok." His words were still hurried and his hands were hovering over Sol, almost as if he was afraid of touching him.

"I killed him. I can't.. God, your arm… I can't.. The.. it's cauterized, I.." His head - as his eyes were covered by the strange, helmet-like growth around his head - swiveled around in a panic, before landing on the still-present corpse of the Abyss. A corpse that still had two arms and was slowly vanishing, starting from the feet.

"I can get you a new arm. Like Nero, yes? You like Nero." Scratch the previous situation: Alex was going into hysterics.

Sol grew still for a few seconds, his dazed eyes slowly turning where Alex was looking. Slurring and muttering he spoke.

"Took my arm… I'm… I'm going to take its… I'm going to take its..."

"Yes, sure, whatever you want. Let me help you." Alex's transition from standing near him to him supporting Sol upright was instantaneous and, as almost all of his movements since his transformation - his Devil Trigger, to be perfectly clear - like someone had skipped some frames on a video. The moment before, Alex was hovering near Sol as his friend was slowly trying to get up, the next Sol was up, while Alex had an arm around his shoulder and was basically keeping him up.

"Here. Can you stay up? I can… Let me…" Calcabrina appeared in his hands before he wrapped Sol's hand around the handle. "Use this. As a cane, I mean. I'm going to… I'll fight. Don't worry, ok? You just. Stay up. Give me…" Alex said before clipping forward, halfway to the Abyss, and then back, his arm around Sol, the other hand, dragging the corpse of the demon with him like it weighed nothing.

Sol gazed at Alex before smiling dumbly. "You… took... a Tin man armor? That's some... poemmy juste right there… let me... my own" He said before shakily raising Gevaudan and slashing down. It wasn't perfect, and Sol wound up falling forward, taking one of the Abyss's arms off halfway up the bicep. Sol stabbed Gevaudan into the ground in an attempt to steady himself before bringing the arm to his stump. Sol looked at the limb like a deer caught in the headlights, turning the limb over several times before looking back at the body. "This is a right arm… Give me my... left... arm back." Sol muttered to the corpse before dropping the limb and grabbing Gevaudan again.

"This time I'll do it… right." He gasped, before hacking at the proper limb. The cut wasn't clean but it was serviceable. The exertion however seemed to take on him and Sol fell once more.

"Just… just have to find a statue…" Sol muttered in a daze.

"Sol, Sol, stop. I said I'll take care of it and I will, ok? Let me…" Uncaring of the blood that he was getting on himself, Alex linked the Abyss' arm to Sol's stump, noticing - much to his relief - that it was a bit longer than it should have been. Sol's cut hadn't managed to hack away at the right point, so out of it as he was.

Deciding that he could adjust the length once they were near a statue, Alex grabbed Sol and moved him to a fireman's carry, letting him hang on the arm. The Abyss corpse was still in his other hand and he didn't let him go for… some reason.

To be fair, he wasn't really going on all cylinders. He had probably just forgotten about it. Still, like this, he had a way to move faster than walking or running.

"Calcabrina! Fly!" The umbrella shot away from Sol's hand and started moving towards the position of the statue, passing under Alex's feet. He jumped and, a clipped movement later, he was on the weapon, flying towards the Watcher of Time.

"I'm gonna bring you to the Statue, don't worry, ok? I'm going to bring you there. And you'll be fine. You'll be fine."

"Yeah sure… just flying high and touching the sky… " Sol mumbled.

"Later. When you have your arm back. You'll touch the sky, I'll bring you up there, I promise…" Alex was rambling, as the helmet-like thing on his head started to vanish. He was going fast, his flight far faster than what he would normally be able to do, but desperation and his first transformation pushed him forward like a drug.

The helmet was the first to fully vanish. Then, the gloves went away. The sleeves, the entire upper part of his transformation.

After three minutes of desperate flight forward, the entire thing vanished and Alex stumbled on the ground, barely managing to turn just enough to take the impact instead of Sol. Cracked concrete and rubble would have broken a few bones if it wasn't for his supernatural body. And still, it was his own body that was betraying him right now. The pushing of his powers to a mature state before they were ready, entering Devil Trigger, and then expending his energy without care was playing merry hell on his organs and nerves. It was only the incredibly powerful regeneration that came with that state that had managed to keep him standing for so long.

Now that he had used all the energy just to reach the intersection before the nest, where the Divinity Statue was located, his transformation undid all of a sudden and he was back in his mostly human body. His mostly human body couldn't withstand the amount of demonic power still in him. Alex howled in pain, as his kidneys began to rapidly fail. His hands dropped everything he was holding on the ground and he hugged himself, curling in a fetal position. And yet, through gritted teeth, Alex struggled to a standing position. With what could only be described as a Herculean effort, Alex grabbed Sol and the Abyss's body and carried them that final distance. Going as far as to ignore the fear of crossing the lone beam leading to the statue. Just as he reached it, his vision swam as pain took over his consciousness. As Alex's vision faded, he felt himself collapsing against the statue.

*******************************

For the last few minutes, Sol's world was filled with pain and confusion. Something had changed. The haze that had been present since... since... had begun to lift from his mind. Sol quickly realized that he was in the familiar white void belonging to statue. He rolled himself onto his knees, attempted to stand, and fell, before fully realizing the extent of his injuries. Where his left once was, was a golden, translucent version that he could feel but couldn't move. It was like last time, like what happened with that damn horse. And lo and behold, what lay next Sol, but a demonic arm slowly sizzling and fading away.

Sol stared at the arm for what felt like an eternity, before using his remaining hand to grab it. Holding the limb toward the statue, his voice hissed, as his frame shook in fear. "You know what I need to do… I have the orbs. Let's just get this over with!"

The menus opened up and Sol gestured to the hybridization. A part of him wanted to go with a perfect fusion, but he had a feeling that Alex needed the intact parts more than he did at this time, and selected Imperfect Hybridization. He watched his Red Orb Count drop by 75,000 and the Abyss's arm flew out his hand and overtook the golden mimicry.

Sol expected pain, but he didn't realize just how painful it would really be. The Abyss arm began to worm its way onto and into him, twisting and spasming as it did so. It felt as though a blinding and burning cold was rushing from his left arm into the rest of his body. He screamed and dropped to his knees, not noticing how the arm pulsed and surged, first rapidly expanding and contracting before shortening in length to match his original arm. It pulsed for a few moments longer before its fingers began to curl and twitch. With one final cry, Sol blacked out from the pain and collapsed into a heap, heedless of the new limb.

Only then Alex did manage to move enough to act a little. The pain hadn't subsided, but he had grown accustomed to it, at least enough that he could distinguish what was in front of his face. And it was hard to mistake the area where the Divinity Statue stood supreme.

"Sol… He...I need… To…" Looking around with as much energy as he could use, he finally noticed the body handing off him and his friend, sprawled on the ground, a new crimson and white-clawed limb where his left used to be.

A huge weight that he didn't think about vanished from his shoulders and a few tears dripped down his eyes, relief etched in his features.

"You're ok. You're ok. You'r-gh!" A lance of pain made him stop, and he had to keep on breathing for several minutes before managing to regain control over himself. He could feel himself grow nauseous by the second, his limbs shaking as his heart began to beat, louder and louder in his ears. So, he turned towards the Statue.

Perfect Demonic Hybridization (Kidneys): 75.000 Red Orbs or Imperfect Demonic Hybridization (Kidneys): 35.000 Red Orbs.

It was not even a thought passing through his mind before he chose the first option. The corpse of the Abyss near them shuddered, convulsed, and then, in streams of liquid light that looked like blood, streamed from the demon to Alex, perforating his body at the kidneys. He shrieked in agony before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Fainting from the pain, and dead to the world, neither of the two noticed the approaching figures converging on the statue.

***************************************

Awareness came to Sol slowly. He was aware he was being dragged and more importantly, he could feel his left arm. Someone had him by the wrists.

"Al… Alex, thanks for…" He was cut off as he was backhanded. It shut him up and woke him up fully.

"Shut it, you trash!" A voice, a male voice shouted before someone else, a woman, spoke up.

"That's enough, he's more valuable than you are at any rate."

"You bi!.." The voice shouted again before something happened and Sol felt himself being thrown across wherever he was. When his vision cleared he realized that he was familiar with the female voice. It was the businesswoman from his group and she was different, very different. Her pantsuit, while obviously tattered, showed off her body. He'd have been attracted to her if not for the obvious look of insane cruelty that danced across her eyes and… the blood of the male speaker that was splattered across her side. Sol's eyes looked to the ground and saw a white-clad man with a familiar armband slumped on the ground, his head pulped.

There was someone else with them too, another nazi who took one look at the carnage and ran.

The businesswoman snorted before easily grabbing a piece of rubble and launching it at the fleeing nazi. It smashed into the back of their head and the nazi dropped to the ground, still. "Cowards honestly, can't take the heat when they need to. Not like us. Look at you! You and that.. other one, whatever the hell his name was. You and he were survivors, and now with that arm, well…"

Sol cut her off as he got to his feet. "What the hell do you mean by 'were'?"

The businesswoman laughed, "Ahahahaha! I can't have you taking all the demons and red orbs for yourselves. Besides, I want that arm of yours." With that, she threw two items down, Vendetta and Gevaudan. Sol picked them back up with shaky hands, staring briefly and with no small degree of horror at the undulating crimson and white patterns that danced across his left arm, before meeting her eyes.

"Now! Let's see how you do!" She shouted, raised a massive stone club, and swung it towards Sol.

CASSANDRA STEVENS: DEMONICALLY ENHANCED HUMAN ​

*********************************

When Alex woke up, he was in a cell. Dark stone, a small sliver of a window high in the wall, chains on the walls - that luckily weren't wrapped around his wrists - and a small door made of heavy wood and metal barring his way.

From the small opening in the upper part of the door, a couple of eyes and a little bit of face could be seen. Icy blue eyes, cold, arrogant, and devoid of anything resembling empathy.

"So you are the one that has the secret to reaching perfection? I can only see a pathetic wretch, but I did also see your transformation." His voice was cold in tone, although his accent could be called somewhat alluring. "No matter. The Leader commanded me to be sure that you won't escape, so you won't. And, once you have told us what we need to know to rise above the masses, your utility will come to an end."

Alex coughed, before, slowly, getting up and looking at the door. He didn't say a word for a long moment, before he croaked something out, his voice dry and raspy.

"You are one of the nazi's that must have been brought here, am I right?"- One couldn't say that his voice held a note of disdain, seeing as - to keep up the musical metaphor - there was an entire orchestra of disdain and disgust in his words.

The man on the other side of the door didn't care.

"Some may say so, yes. Oh, and…" The handle of a certain umbrella could be seen from the slit, before being replaced by the smirking face of the man.

"Thank you for your generous donation to our armory. I'll be sure to put this weapon to better use than you would have, rest assured. Don't try to escape, either. The cell is enchanted with magic to suppress you."

With a laugh, the man closed the eye slit and Alex could hear his feet thumping on the stone as he walked away.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I'll be perfectly honest, this chapter was supposed to be out on Sunday and I am really sorry about that. The Xbox Live Store on the 360 was closing on Monday and I had to move on that to make sure everything was updated the way I wanted and to capitalize on the sales. Bit of an end of era you know? The benefit, I think, with that decision was that it gave me extra time to clean up this chapter, and uh... wow there were some glaring issues from my side of the writing that needed to be addressed.

That being said, I do plan on completing the Hraesvelgr (I've been having a lot of issues posting the picture I want to use as a visual reference) and Allan entries in the next few days with the next chapter to be released on Saturday. I am also going to post the Shop entries for Alex and Sol very soon, as we have reached a bit of a turning point here regarding their physical states.

Till next time and I hope you all enjoy!

 

[Atma]

Sol immediately switched to Vendetta and brought the flat of the blade to protect himself. The strike from the club sent him skidding backward. Cassandra lunged again and while he was on the defensive, Sol began to realize something.

"She's slower… I could do this. I can survive this."

Upon the next strike, he forced her stone club away with greater force than he realized he could and went to swing at her exposed side. Instead of landing, she ducked under the swing and Sol felt a shot of pain in his side. Looking down, he saw her fist buried into his armor. Staggering, he swung Vendetta in a wide arc to create some distance.

"So you are stronger! I should have aimed lower!" Cassandra said with a demented laugh.

Breathing heavily Sol muttered "Bitch."

Her smile widened "That's the spirit, come on!"

This time Sol forced the offensive and let loose a Stinger. Cassandra just barely raised her club in defense and had to twist the club around to remove the blade from her weapon. Recovering, she swung wildly and Sol Time Stepped to the side. Getting into her blind spot, he struck her in her side.

Recoiling, the smile was whipped off her face. "You…!"

"Hurts, doesn't it!?" Sol shot back.

With a growl, Cassandra dropped all facets of joy and charged at Sol. After deflecting a series of wild strikes, she kicked out, landing a hit on Sol's leg. Hearing a creak in his leg, he reacted instantly and landed a left hook on her face…. with his new arm. The result, was an explosion of blood and viscera from her right eye. Barely missing the retaliatory strike, Sol backpedaled enough to get a good look at his opponent. Half her face was a mask of blood and the snarling look made her look far more like a demon than it had right to.

"Fucker!" She roared before charging again.

Sol met her strikes by trying his best to deflect them. Each time the stone club began to chip more and more until eventually…

*CRACK!*

The club shattered in half. At that moment, Sol steeled himself and was prepared to strike her down, to end this threat to himself and find Alex. However, in the moments between making the conscious decision to kill her and landing the hit, his hand painfully spasmed.

"Gah!" Sol gasped as a shock of pain and the jerking of muscles twisted his aim. The strike was not a kill strike… but it did take an arm.

"AHHHHHH!!!" Cassandra howled in agony, before leveling a kick at Sol's midsection. Knocked back, winded, and in pain, Sol could only watch as she tore the arm of the body of a previously slain demon that he neglected before. She forced the limb against the stump and growled in anger when nothing happened.

"How did you do it!? HOW!?" She roared in fury as she discarded the limb.

"More mysteries under heaven and earth than you know, you bitch!" Sol spat, finally standing up and clutching his waist.

**********************************************

Alex was busy. Since the nazi lieutenant had left, he had been busy inspecting the cell, as much as he could.

And he did find out something that lent credence to what he had said, that this cell was 'suppressing' him. The inside of the walls were painted with gray-black paint, barely visible in the low light and already gray-black stone inside. If it wasn't for his eyes, that had changed from being turned into a half-demon, he would never have managed to find them.

But, now that he had…

"It's not Enochian, but I can delete them." He traced the runes with his index while thinking. "I can… If I do this…" His habit of talking aloud was more for clearing his mind, nothing more. But if it worked, it worked.

"This will hurt like a bitch. But I did promise myself that I would embrace what I am, instead of limiting myself." With a shrug, he uncovered his left forearm and dragged his right hand on it, sharp nails slicing the flesh for a few moments, blood bubbling up.

It lasted barely enough for him to dip his fingers in it and start painting the wall, before the wound closed by itself, demonic regeneration not impeded by the runes on the wall. Any kind of internal effect wasn't impeded, as whoever had applied these runes was using a rather limited subset of knowledge.

"Purify here, on this wall. Break goes to the north. Dissolve above the door and I can put Cleanse on the west wall, to complete the square." Painting in blood was painful and not as easy as using paint, but he managed.

When he was putting the last symbol over the door, however, the eye slit in it slid open, with a different pair of eyes appearing.

"What are you doing, prisoner?" The harsh voice made Alex chuckle a little, much to the confusion of his jailer.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, nazi. I'm just bringing your entire operation down to the ground." The last stroke was done and he took a couple of steps back, returning to the center of the cell.

"Ha! As if! You are just a lowborn that lucked out with something we need to know. It's the only reason you are still alive!" His boasting lasted until Alex spoke a single word in a language that would have made a normal human's ears bleed.

"[ ]"

The blood runes that he had created shone a virulent red-purple-gray, before dying down. And the entire spell over the cell shattered, with the sound of a thousand glass panes breaking apart. THAT shut the jailer up.

"Coming through." Silver and purple light shone in Alex's hand before he shot a beam at the door.

The metal-reinforced wood lasted exactly three-fourths of a second before it caved outside. The whole thing flew away, taking the jailer with it, both the man and the door crashing against the wall and landing on the ground in pieces. Alex strode outside his cell with a Mona Lisa smile on his face.

"What's this… Chaos…" That voice came from the stairwell upwards, where the lieutenant that had taunted Alex when he was still trapped had just reached the hallway, only to see his prisoner free and the jailer dead.

"I think…" The hybrid demon said, almost as if he was lost in thought. "That you have something of mine." Then, his eyes sharpened.

"I'm going to take it back, now."

The lieutenant turned and ran away, the umbrella clutched in his hands.

Alex Blinked forward, already in pursuit.

*********************************************

Cassandra POV

Cassandra was furious and was seeing red in more ways than one. "Damn you! This isn't over!" She roared before throwing the remains of her club at Sol.

Sol barely managed to raise his blade in defense, but the force of the broken weapon launched him backward. She didn't bother to look back.

"I should have just killed him, killed him, killed him!!!" She thought, her mind racing as she leaped away from the site of their battle.

"This isn't over yet! I'll kill you! Kill you! KILL YOU!!!" She roared before leaving. She'd figure out his trick, she had to. It was the only way she could survive this place.

********************************************

Sol, struggling to get back on his feet, could only look on at the retreating figure. "Yeah, same here bitch. Gah!" He finished with a gasp as his side let him know the strength of that last kick.

"Yep! That's probably a broken rib or three. Okay… okay, let's take stock, you're missing your gun, but have the rest of your weapons and armor. Alex is somewhere and you don't know where he is…" He paused mid-thought as he fully stood up. "Knowing my luck, he's probably either in the building or in the complete opposite direction of where you're going to look… so might as well check the building first."

Sol entered back into the large building with a cautious gait to his step. He knew the nazis were involved in this fresh serving of bullshit and figured they'd be prowling about, but couldn't be sure where. However, knowing that space would be an issue, he swapped to Gevaudan and was prepared to go up the flight of stairs.

"Maybe they're on the roof?" He questioned aloud before an impact rocked the building. Losing his balance, Sol fell down the short distance of stairs and as he tried to stand, was forced to roll out of the way of falling debris from the ceilings and foundations.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Sol didn't manage to check it out, as a man dressed all in white, with blond hair and blue eyes ran past him, an umbrella clutched in his hands. His face, for the brief moment he managed to see it, was a mix of dark anger and desperation.

A moment later, Alex appeared from the hallway that the man had come from, a frown on his face and without his weapon.

"Sol!" He skidded to a halt, leaning down and grabbing him by the wrist, before lifting him like he weighed nothing. "You're okay!"

Sol looked at Alex, then at the floor, and then back at Alex. "Reasonably, that psycho Cassandra broke some of my ribs I think. You look… a helluva lot better than you did before. Though that could have been the blood loss talking." Sol said with some strain.

"I feel a lot better. Thanks to you! You saved my life again!" Alex smiled widely, before moving his arm and moving Sol into a princess carry position, so as not to aggravate his ribs. "Now, sorry for the speed, but that nazi has my weapon, so I need to go fast. Don't… try to not get scared, ok?" His expression turned sheepish for a moment, before pivoting on his feet and shooting down the hallway, following the path that the lieutenant had taken.

The one from where Sol had just come from, by chance.

"Not Cool, Not Cool, Not Cool!!!" Sol shouted as the two flew through the building.

The lieutenant didn't make it as far as he would have liked to before Alex and Sol zoomed into the room where he had fled to.

"I've already taken a few lives and an arm today, drop the umbrella and leave. I'm willing to be the better angel here. My friend here, not so much." Sol said as he offered Gevaudan to Alex.

Alex didn't say anything, he just put Sol gently on the ground and grabbed the weapon.

The Lieutenant turned towards them and unsheathed Calcabrina, clearly ready to fight for what was his, but a new arrival interrupted the stand-off.

"You're still alive?!" The shrill voice came from above, where a one-armed woman was standing on a balcony, with what looked like a piece of a column in her hands. "You lied to me!" She also looked even more crazed than the last time.

Alex looked at her without recognizing her for a moment, before he blinked and his eyes went a little wide. "Ah, the businesswoman from the start." Then he frowned, recalling what had happened between them.

"I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you that I had been cured. The Statue can do a lot of things, haven't you learned this by now?" His tone was chiding, like he was talking with little children.

Sol looked between Cassandra and nazi Lieutenant. "You two really are working together… Scratch that, mercy has been rescinded right now." Sol gestured at the lieutenant with Vendetta.

"You first, and then…" He pointed at Cassandra "We'll finish what we started."

"Fuck you!" The Cassandra hissed before leaping away.

"I guess it's 2 on 1 now you nazi prick," Sol said with a shaky shrug.

"I'll take care of him." Alex smiled darkly, taking a few steps forward, silver light shining from his eyes. The Lieutenant, to his credit, didn't take a single step back. Instead, he sneered back.

Then, a boulder the size of a car went sailing from above his head, Cassandra having tossed it towards Alex and Sol with a single arm.

Sol leaped backward, looked in the general direction of the car's path, and muttered. "You just had to get the last laugh didn't you?"

He made his way in between Alex and Cassandra and felt her fist strike against the flat of Vendetta.

"You!..." She hissed.

"Let's finish what we started." Sol interrupted her.

"Out of my way!" Cassandra didn't even care about Sol, she was so completely focused on Alex for a strange reason, who just cocked his head to the side, faintly puzzled, before smiling. "Yeah, sure. Sol, can you recover my weapon?" He cracked his head to the sides before he took a few steps forward and squared against the woman, energy seeping from him.

"Alright… She'll try to hit below the belt if you catch my drift." Sol said to Alex before turning the lieutenant.

"Now if you don't drop the blade, you'll be missing those arms before the battle is done." Sol continued.

"You think I'm afraid of you!?" The Lieutenant roared with bravado.

"I honestly don't know nor do I care," Sol stated simply.

The Lieutenant didn't say anything more, he just slashed the sword toward Sol, an arc of energy projecting from the blade and screaming forward.

In the meantime, Alex was jumping and skipping around Cassandra, always keeping slightly farther than what her hits could reach. Mostly was thanks to her lacking an arm and that fact screwing with her balance, but she still had that monstrous strength behind her attacks, so she was still a danger.

"Stand still and let me kill you!" Cassandra's roar was followed by a slam of a heavy club where Alex was a moment before. He didn't say anything, only smirking, before he blinked behind her and, with a roundhouse kick, sent her slamming against the wall.

Sol used the flat of Vendetta to deflect the blast before advancing forward. He knew he couldn't just go ham on this bastard. He needed to take back Calcabrina, not destroy it.

As Sol deflected another blast, he heard the Lieutenant bark out. "A half-breed like you can never defeat a perfect human!" Before the Lieutenant thrust forward with Calcabrina.

Sol, pushing the blade away, backhanded the man with his left arm before responding. "That's offensive on two fronts, but it won't matter in the long run!"

In the meantime, Alex was doing something that he had never done before fighting hand-to-hand with Cassandra, who was still wielding the piece of broken rock like a club.

"How could you be so strong!? I killed and killed and gained those Orbs! More than anyone else in my group!" She was clearly on the edge of being unhinged, but Alex wasn't really touched by it.

"Oh, I just had to almost die and lose a couple of organs to demons. Then replace those parts with demon parts." He shrugged while leaning back into a bridge to let the attack pass over him. Then, he transitioned into a handstand, kicking her on the chin and sending her stumbling back.

Meanwhile with Sol…

The Lieutenant staggered back, clutching at his jaw while pointing Calcabrina at Sol. Blood was dribbling between the man's lips and Sol could see something shifting between his cheeks.

"Busted some teeth there, didn't I!? Come on, I'll show you the power of this arm!" Sol taunted before charging the man. While he deflected several more strikes with the flat of Vendetta, Sol's real goal with it was something else entirely. While mid-deflection Sol spun, letting the momentum carry him and Vendetta forward. The Lieutenant tried to capitalize with a thrust but between the pain of missing teeth and his anger, he overshot… showing his back to Sol. The flat of Vendetta struck the lieutenant between the shoulder blades, throwing him off his feet and to the ground. Seeing where he fell, Sol began to approach, Vendetta raised on high.

"He's so much weaker and slower than she was… Guess in a twisted way Vergil had an okay idea there about power." Sol thought before bringing Vendetta down. The Lieutenant dodged the strike and lashed out with Calcabrina, cutting a line just across the upper part of Sol's left arm. Recoiling from the strike, Sol unintentionally allowed the Lieutenant to recover and stand up. As he did, he leveled quite the death glare in Sol's direction.

"Ah should have figured, my left side has always been weaker than my right, let's end this." Sol said as he readied Vendetta again.

The Lieutenant raised the blade once more and got back into his stance.

Alex, in the meantime, was harassing Cassandra, who was getting more and more frustrated with her inability to hit him. Finally, he moved forward, Blinking behind her, and tried to grab her by the neck, to snap it. That didn't happen though, as she threw herself into a roll forward, only a few strands of her hair getting caught in Alex's nails.

"You have played enough," Cassandra said darkly, once she was back on her feet, her voice was filled with fury. "BURN!!"

Flames jumped from the ground all around Alex, in an attempt to restrict his movements and hem him in. They also served to separate the two parties from each other.

Ignoring the flames, the other two fighters stared each other down for a moment before lunging. The Lieutenant thrust Calcabrina at Sol, who reflexively deflected the blade. However, the Lieutenant was counting on that, as his free hand went to grab Vendetta's handle. Sol grabbed at the offending hand by the wrist with his left hand, and the two spun, each trying to get a dominant hold of the battle while caught in a cross lock.

"Not content with Calcabrina!? Trying to steal something else!?" Sol roared, his grip tightening.

"Y..u don… de…vr it, ba…ta..d!" The lieutenant tried to shout through broken teeth.

"Well fuck you too then!" Sol shot back before twisting Vendetta slightly for some extra space and headbutting the Lieutenant. As he did so, however, Sol's hand spasmed once more, increasing the strength of its grip significantly. In most other circumstances, the Lieutenant's wrist would have been snapped by the sudden increase in strength. It did not, as something under his sleeve protected the bone and kept it stable. This something did not, however, survive the crushing effect and cut deeply into the Lieutenant's wrist.

With a sharp cry, the Lieutenant released his grips and reeled away before reflexively grabbing at his now bleeding wrist, dropping Calcalbrina in the process. Sol, acting quickly, snatched the blade up, and began to advance on the Lieutenant.

"It's over!" Sol shouted before attempting to swing Vendetta down. In response, the Lieutenant raised his bleeding arm forward and something happened… There was a wave of demonic energy that pushed Sol back. He was about to question what that just was until he heard the screaming.

"GAHAHHHAHHAHHHHHH!!!!!" The Lieutenant howled as his voice became distorted and the energy wave warped the air around him, making it hard to see what exactly was happening. The metal piece that Sol had unknowingly destroyed was the control piece for the Pseudo Angelo armor. In a broken state, it would have been already dangerous, but when activated and embedded into one's flesh, the demonic energy had no place to safely go and so it went to the only viable vessel it could: the wearer's body.

As the Lieutenant screamed, the armor that comprised the Pseudo Angelo began to form and fuse into his very flesh. He writhed in agony, his features beginning to warp as more demonic armor grew from his body. The end result, still screaming, stood taller than the Pseudo Angelos from before, looked more organic, and bore only a small shred of the human face just visible underneath the visor but locked in a frightful visage.

"...You… You're like Nelo Angelo. No, that's not right, is it? What the hell did you do to yourself? What the hell did I just do?" Sol asked in horror.

The warped Lieutenant howled, before charging at Sol, missing completely, and impacting into a wall behind him. Sol could only watch in horror as this parody of man and demon tried to free itself.

In the meantime, Alex was still between the flames and his enemy, unaware of what was happening with Sol and the Lieutenant. But the screams were very clear to hear.

"Hear that? It's the herald of your defeat." Alex cocked his head to the side, a Mona Lisa smile on his face. "And I tire of playing with you, to be honest. I find you pretty…" He chuckled. "Eh… H-armless."

Cassandra roared in rage, as Alex's reminder of her missing arm sent her charging furiously toward him, her existing arm covered in fire and a new one formed by the very flames she was wielding. Alex didn't move. He just raised a hand and she slammed against a bubble made of stopped time, instantly freezing, even the flames moving in slow motion. Then, Alex's second weapon appeared in his hands, the metal staff gleaming under the flickering light of the fire.

"Seraphim." The feathered fan atop the staff opened slightly, the feathers vibrating imperceptibly. "Sing!"

A wave of sound sent Cassandra flying back, beyond the opened arch, and onto the other side of the garden, quickly extinguishing the flames that she had haphazardly produced.

Meanwhile, the Lieutenant writhed within the broken wall before twisting out and throwing a large piece of rubble at Sol. Still processing the horror before him, Sol was barely able to raise Vendetta in time to block the attack before being thrown back by its force. Quickly righting himself, Sol was forced to dodge as the warped Lieutenant charged again, this time turning on its heels to avoid trapping itself again. It stood there for a moment, watching Sol with an animalistic fury, and Sol could see the sheath of Calcabrina hanging from its hip. He tried to quickly slot Calcabrina into his inventory before hastily diving to his side and slicing the warped lieutenant in a blind strike. The creature made its pain known and Sol could see that there was a deep cut in its side.

"Before that would have probably bisected him… Alex! Finish her now! We have bigger problems to worry about!" Sol shouted over the battle.

"I think she's still… alive… what the fuck did happen while I was behind the curtain of fire?" His voice wasn't shouting, but it was definitely pretty high in pitch. The Lieutenant growled.

"Oh, forget it!" He Blinked forward and the lieutenant was enveloped in a bubble of stopped time.

It worked, momentarily, as demonic energy roiled from the Lieutenant, quickly destabilizing and destroying the bubble.

Then, Alex turned towards Sol. "Did you manage to recover Calcabrina? I'm kinda attached to it." His voice wasn't snarky, but it wasn't completely normal, either.

Sol quickly withdrew Brina and tossed it to Alex.

"He still has the sheath… did he hybridize himself without anyone knowing? No… no there was something, I'm sure I felt something break when we grappled. Was that it?" Sol asked more to himself than anyone else.

The warped Lieutenant began to stalk forward, growling like a rabid beast. The umbrella part of Calcabrina still hung from his waist, but the belt that kept it there was damaged, both from the imperfect transformation and the slash that Sol had tried to use to kill him before.

Alex turned towards him and held the blade in his hand, in a loose hold. "Go deal with the woman. I may have accidentally told her that you can fuse with demon parts at the statue. I'll take care of the angel reject here." His voice was frigid.

"Alright, he's fast so watch out for that. Remember, you've still got Gevaudan." Sol cautioned before looking in the direction that Cassandra had been sent and running after the presumed dead woman. Running over the scorched stone and glass, Sol found himself in an open-air garden.

"Must be a lunch spot for workers or families…" Sol questioned aloud before catching the sight of something. A small trail of blood stemming from a broken window and a vague human-sized dent on the other side. Stepping into the opposing hallway quietly, Sol noticed a further trail of small blood stains leading from the area and deeper into the building.

"Okay… where are you now? Where would I go if I got a vague idea of how and where to boost myself and I was hurt, pissed, and insane." Sol was quiet for a second before a dawning sense of horror began to manifest. He looked up before muttering, "The elevator."

While Sol was pursuing the woman, Alex was dealing with the nazi turned angel/demon/thing.

"You will pay for this!" The Lieutenant hissed, speaking for the first time, his voice distorted and garbled. While he was starting to regenerate some of his teeth, he wasn't anywhere near top condition, while Alex, on the other hand, was in significantly better condition.

"Sure. Send the bill to 'Who Cares', at 'Nowheresville'. I'll receive it on February the 30th." The snark of Alex was the drop that made the dam break. So, the Lieutenant shot forward, a blade manifesting in his hand, made of brilliant white energy.

They clashed, blade against energy, several times, the air being torn apart by the speed and the strength both of them were displaying. Alex tried to spear his head, only for the lieutenant to jerk it to the side and retaliate with a horizontal slash that would have removed Alex's legs at the knees. So, Alex jumped and then Blinked forward before slamming against the Lieutenant's back with a tackle, his hand going to the umbrella. When the lieutenant managed to buck Alex away from him, he let himself be thrown away, only to flip in midair and land a few meters away, the sheath back in his possession.

"Ah, owner and weapon back together, as it should be. Now, do you want to get killed quietly or do you prefer the hard way?" Alex's grin was downright evil and the nazi stopped for a moment, apparently trying to reassess the situation. Then, the Lieutenant lowered his head and a new blade appeared in his off hand.

"Hard way it is." Alex smirked, only to have to roll to the side, as the Lieutenant shot forward in a charge, aiming at Alex's midsection. Before Alex could do anything, the Lieutenant continued moving, straight toward the entrance of the tower.

"You fucking coward! Don't think you're going to escape!" Alex threw himself in pursuit, teeth bared and magic sparking around him.

******************************************************

Sol quickly followed the trail to the main hall of the tower, noting that it stopped in front of the elevator he and Alex had accessed earlier. He began to press the call button frantically in an attempt to bring it down.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

A few minutes earlier…

Cassandra's fist smashed into the elevator panel... She was in such a rage that she was uncaring of the damage she caused, more concerned over the shards of glass and steel that peppered her body. Using her remaining hand to pull the pieces from the spots she could reach, she felt the elevator rise.

"The Statue is on the roof, I need a demon and…" Her musings were interrupted by the elevator coming to a rest. She looked at the floor light.

"28? But, dammit!" She hissed as the door opened. Walking onto the 28th floor, she overlooked the tightly packed cubicles with no small degree of disdain until a blur of motion flashed across her vision. At first, she assumed it was just eyes or in this case, eye. She was having difficulty seeing out her right side no thanks to that bastard with the arm, but the blur happened again on her left and it dawned on her.

She squared her shoulders and balled her left fist. The third time the blur came, it was coming towards her, and she struck upwards. Her fist connected with something hard and scaly. The blur solidified into a large, reddish demon that recoiled from the blow. Landing on its feet, the demon shook itself, slightly disoriented.

A twisted grin manifested on her face. She had found her demon alright. It charged her once again and she backhanded it. The strike sent the Fury into the cubicles and she watched it quickly get up and come at her again. She struck it back down, but this time she began to kick the demon before doing it again, and again until her foot went through its chest. She ignored the cuts and wounds she received from its thrashings and brought her heel down on the right arm before removing one of its eyes and ripping out the arm that she was currently lacking.

She smirked as she looked upon her bloody rewards before she heard the noise of the elevator pinging.

"Dammit, not now!" She snarled before throwing the remains of the demon at the Elevator. The body sailed through the doors and slammed into the back wall of the elevator. The force of the impact, combined with the downward motion, caused a chain reaction that sent the elevator crashing down to the ground floor.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

There was a moment where Sol considered just running up the stairs before he heard a shrieking noise of metal on metal and very quickly moved away from the elevator. With a loud crash, the ground shook, sending Sol falling onto the floor. Quickly getting back up, he spied the remains of the elevator and noticed the dissolving body of a demon he knew to be a fury resting inside.

Looking around, his eyes spied the stairwell entrance and he muttered, "Dammit all… stairs it is."

It took Sol a few minutes of traversing the stairwell to realize something. "I should be using Time Step shouldn't I?" It wasn't perfect, but each step managed to speed up his ascent by a decent degree.

As he reached the impromptu roof access door, Sol heard the sound of a female voice shrieking from somewhere above him. As he opened the door, he could see a red light coming from the area where the Statue was located. Whatever was happening wasn't good. As he navigated the broken stone, steel, and glass, Sol drew Vendetta, and quietly surveyed the area.

The wind seemed to howl more intensely than he remembered. Sol looked up towards the Statue and saw Cassandra getting up, putting weight on… both arms as where the right arm should have ended, a red scaly arm began. Cassandra stood at her full height and flexed her arm before hefting a new weapon. Looking more like a hunk of roughly formed iron, it was a large spiked iron club that seemed weightless in her hands. Her head leaned forward and turning, Sol saw that even from that distance her eye was different.

She looked at Sol and a cruel smirk blossomed on her face. "I understand now, understand how the hell a weakling like you survived this long. Ethics? Laws!? I was already sick of all that bullshit! I'll kill you, that other one, and anyone else who stands in my way, even Goode!"

"Goode?" Sol began to question before Cassandra threw herself at him, club raised high.

CASSANDRA: FURIOUSLY IMPERFECT HYBRID

******************************Sol POV***************************​

I quickly rose Vendetta to block the oncoming strike and felt my entire weight shift back from the blow. Before I could do anything else, I felt her foot smash into my right shoulder and watched the world spiral as the impact sent me sailing through the air. The moment I hit the ground, I half stood and swung Vendetta around, I felt the blade strike something and heard the hiss of pain. Cassandra recoiled, and I saw another thin line of blood slowly ebbing from her new arm. She glared at me and I was genuinely unsettled by the new eye that was looking my way.

No words were exchanged between us as we attacked each other, but I began to realize something very quickly, I was going to lose. Each time she swung, it was all I could do to bring my weapon to bear for defense. Each time I attacked, she would move with such speed that I just missed, that eye of hers flashing as she did.

"Hold on, could that be it? Could it be that simple?" I thought as I parried another one of her blows. "When Alex first started using real demonic power, it was all internalized, it was literally in his bones, but with her, it could be her eyesight… And at the speed she's going, she may be causing more damage to herself than she realizes. But I can't last that long for a kidney or two, or her eye to fail. I hope this works."

I managed to kick away from her and for a moment saw that wicked smile on her face. She took a breath and surged forward, and I swung… down, across, and upward. Vendetta kicked up a massive amount of dust and debris and I saw her blurring form solidify into her full body. She was trying to get the crap I just sent her way out of her eyes. I made to swing and had to watch my distance as her demonic arm lashed out, claws just barely missing my throat. As I recoiled, I spun and swung, letting the momentum carry me and add extra force to the strike.

Cassandra had just managed to clear her vision briefly before she saw the blade coming her way, and tried to bring her club around. The weapon just barely made it, but the force of the impact still sent her screaming into a part of the collapsed roof. I was pissed at her luck with blocking that strike, but then I heard her scream. When the dust around her had settled, I could see that Cassandra had landed between a section of collapsed wall and support beams, smack dab into a mass of exposed rebar. The rods had pierced her in the back and I could even see some of them protruding out the front of her ruined clothes. She stopped screaming, gasped, and pushed herself forward. I'd be lying if I didn't feel sick looking at this.

She fell forward, head bowed low as her demonic arm snatched up the club, and then began to violently shake and spasm.

"After all I've done, everyone I've killed, I can't let this end here. I WON'T ALLOW IT!" She roared.

I couldn't speak, didn't even want to. I had no idea who she was before all this and would be the last person to make an informed statement of her character. Yet I knew right then and there, that she was too far gone to stop once we left this hell. I had to stop her, here and now. A stupid, wild idea came to me then and I took off my helmet. Feeling the dust-filled air across my face, I hoped beyond hope that this stupid idea worked. It might have been my only shot at ending this now.

"GRAHHHH!!!!" She roared once more and I could practically feel power flooding off her. As she squared herself, I could see black wisps dancing off of her body and I readied myself. She charged with the club raised high, and I threw the helmet as hard as I could toward her, hoping that it would fly straight. Without waiting to see if it did, I met her charge. She smashed the helmet to the side and in that moment, her entire midsection was wide open and I was already in mid-swing. She tried to bring her club to bear but was already so committed to the previous motion that she couldn't do it in time. I felt Vendetta bite and then felt the parting of flesh and bone. The death scream that came next would haunt me for the rest of my days.

I took a breath, held it, and released it to steady myself. I turned to look at Cassandra. Vendetta's cut had bisected her at an angle and I could feel the bile rising in the back of my throat as I took it in. I approached her body cautiously and realized that the only sign of life left was her glassy eyes staring up at me hatefully. I noticed something else then, a small thing. It was a business card, partially soaked in the growing pool of blood. Reaching for it, my hands brushed against her side and she broke apart into a large mass of Red Orbs. Trying not to notice the absurd amount of orbs, and looking at the card instead, I read it aloud.

"Cassandra Stevens, Business Consultant…. Ryder Industries." I closed my eyes briefly, flicked the card away, and then looked at where she once was.

"So… who the hell is Goode?" I asked aloud before the sounds of battle drew my attention to the other building. Grabbing the club and my helmet, I could only think that it must have been Alex and Lieutenant finishing what they started.

*************************Alex PoV****************************​

I was running up the stairs with an ease of movement that was still incredible to me. I was fat before, and rather mild, as a person. Since I had come here… My eyes sharpened, just barely taking in that I was passing through level 33 of the Tower and had literally no problem in keeping up what was basically an all-out sprint.

Sadly, the nazi/error of nature that was in front of me didn't have a problem, either. While he didn't have wings, he could manage some sort of strange, power-assisted jumps that allowed him to skip entire sections of the stairs. Not fast enough for me to not simply Blink forward and catch up to him, but never reach him. Damn.

"Stop hunting me!" His voice shouted from the top of the stairs, at level 35, a place where we had to pass through a room to go forward. It was the third room placed like that, and while he didn't try anything in the first one on floor 25, he tried to cave the floor behind him and made me fall on the second one, on floor 30. Sadly for him, I managed to Blink forward before he could do it.

Thus, my caution in approaching him right now. Still, he looked as cautious as I was. I soon discovered why.

Inside the room, chained to all heavens on the floor, walls, and ceiling, was an Alto Angelo, still alive, with parts of his body missing: the wings had been reduced to spurs coming from the back, the left leg from the knee down was only bone and the right arm was just a stump at the shoulder. On the torso, part of the armor and skin underneath had been removed, exposing the muscles to the air, while his eyes had been removed rather cleanly. At least, they were bobbing in a jar on a nearby shelf, practically untouched.

Cold blood ran through my body, while a wave of pure disgust and nausea crawled up my throat like a swarm of bugs. The sound of a door closing and steps running away made my blood boil in fury, the previous coldness replaced with something I hadn't EVER felt in my entire life, be it before or after my summoning. Rage. Pure, undiluted rage.

Pivoting on my foot, the closed and locked door didn't oppose me in the slightest, a kick making the whole thing explode in shards of crudely reinforced wood. The sight of the lieutenant turning the corner on another flight of stairs made me sneer.

I Blinked forward, turned my head, and Blinked again, this time reappearing in mid-air, my foot impacting the head back of the Lieutenant and sending him crashing through another door. The last floor of the tower.

Where there should have been hallways, rooms, and another set of stairs to the roof, there weren't. There was, instead, a big, circular room, made of stone that was completely different from the rest of the room, with a 'throne' at the opposite end of the room from the door, with a Divinity Statue on the side, near a hole in the wall - the one me and Sol saw from the top of the mall - covered with a tarp.

On the throne, a man dressed in what looked like a cobbled-together military uniform with a swastika on a band on his left arm and two other men, both at attention.

They turned towards me, a shocked look on their faces, before the lieutenants that I was currently trampling - my kick had sent him on the ground and I was standing on his back - groaned in pain, his altered form's voice sounded even more cracked.

"The intruders… I tried stopping them… My armor's malfunctioning... I'm sorry Leader…"

And then he stopped talking. Mostly because I had driven Calcabrina in his skull, splattering his brain matter on the floor.

"Allow me to introduce myself: I'm a man of wealth and taste…" My voice was humming a little and I physically couldn't resist making that pun.

The Leader, a blond man, with black eyes, pale skin and a strange aura that demanded attention despite his average looks, only rose, masking any form of surprise he had. His helpers though, couldn't really cover their shock at me having killed one of their lieutenants with what looked like no problem at all.

"But don't let me stop you. What were you talking about?" My smile was devilish, and I knew that, while my twist of the blade was enough to swing away the blood and re-sheath it in a single move. I was extra like that. The Red Orbs were a nice touch, tough

"I don't know who you think you are-!" The lieutenant on the left - from now called 'Lefty' - took a step forward, white armor crawling up his arms, but I didn't care. The Leader, however, cared. I think. Well, either he cared or wanted to insult me.

"I can see that you are a strong man. A man with conviction. The way you handled one of my men was… impressive." His voice was oily. I've met a couple of convincing men in my life, but this guy oozed oil like an industrial tanker. It was disgusting.

"You could become great in my operation. After we have conquered this city and grabbed the means of controlling the demons, nothing is stopping us from returning to the real world and conquering the city. We could secure a prosperous future for our child-"

I had to interrupt him. "Blah blah blah! I don't care!" My shout seemed to surprise him more than my killing did. "Look, tinpot tyrant, let me explain things to you: you are a Nazi. That means that you choose, deliberately, to be cruel, uncaring, and racist towards anyone and anything that is not a narrow subset of humanity. Which means that you are worse than a demon. Wanna know why?"

I didn't even let him answer, the question was more of a hook for me to continue. "Because demons are born cruel and uncaring of human lives. They don't hate them, they prey on them like a cat preys on rats. It's natural for them. You, on the other hand, are an allegedly human being who is actively choosing to hate and attack other humans." They weren't stunned by my speech, per se, but they were clearly taken a little aback.

The leader, then, slowly sat again. "I see. You are one of those who choose to betray their race. Like that rabble that came here with us." He sighed and made a show of shaking his head. "So be it. Kill him."

His two lieutenants shot forward, one with a heavy hammer and even heavier armor and the other with a rapier and a gun at his waist, wearing lighter armor. And yet… They were so slow. I Blinked forward, Calcabrina already slashing at Righty's, knee, severing the tendons and cracking the bone, before turning and aiming the tip of the sheath towards Runner, shooting three bullets in a moment. The two lieutenants crashed on the ground, their shouts of pain signaling that I had hit deep enough to hurt them.

NOW the Leader was starting to get worried and my smile was all teeth.

********************************************

The fight with the Helpers was a bit… underwhelming, to be honest. They were good and strong, but they were humans, even with their armors.

Righty was a tank through and through, his armor stopping even the strongest bullets that Runner shot with his demonically enhanced gun. The maul he wielded sent cracks spider webbing on the ground at every hit. Runner, on the other hand, was fast as the wind, darting to and fro the room, the rapier slashing and swinging around surrounded by cutting winds. Runner's gun shot bolts of lightning that electrocuted anything that it hit unless it was protected by a thick layer of armor.

Sadly for them, the left knee of Righty was cut, and the armor around Runner had several scorch marks from my bullets. So, they started with a handicap. And I was… Well, let's just say that I was singing a song that I had heard while trawling the internet while fighting. And I was still kicking their asses like there was no tomorrow.

"Locked in a cage with all the rats, I've slipped through the cracks…" I had to twist my body to the side to avoid three shots, before retaliating with a charged one. Then, double jumped over Righty and kicked him to the ground - that damage to the knee was really a BIG handicap - and slashed at Runner, the line of energy following my swing and carving a part of the wall.

"And now I'm stuck with the scraps and I can't seem to find my way ba-ack…"

I found killing humans horrible, I mean I really, really hated it.

"Oh, get me out, get me out of here…"

Lucky me, Nazis weren't humans, so I had no moral quandary to trap in a Time Bubble Runner, before Blinking to the side and letting Righty smash him with his maul. The result wasn't pretty and the corpse of the nazi fell to the ground, while I could somewhat read the horrified stance of the armored helper.

It didn't last, as I Blinked behind him and thrust Calcabrina right in his neck. The armor managed to resist for a moment before my magic blew a hole in it, wide enough for my blade to take the neck on the next swing.

***********************Third Person PoV**********************​

It took less time than Sol realized to make it up the adjacent tower. The only thing that really did slow him down was the, well what he was mentally referring to as 'that fucked up autopsy room'. Still, the sounds of battle were close and he did steal the eyeballs that were carefully set aside. Better in his hands than the nazis any day of the week. As he got to the door where the sounds were coming from, he quickly kicked it down, shouting as he did so, or he would have…

"Alex! I come to provide hel… Oh! Oh… what the fuck happened here? How did his body fall that way?" Sol asked, gesturing at the Runner.

"Got trapped in a time bubble and his ally smashed his head to a pulp." Alex's unflappable answer was somewhat at odds with the atmosphere of the room, with it having three fresh corpses in it. "And now, there's only the leader."

"Congratulations." His voice, however, was incredibly cold. He seemed surprised by the death of his helpers, but his recovery was swift. "You are indeed a threat worthy of me."

Sol paused to look at the leader before saying, "The Lion, The Witch, and the Audacity of this Fuck. Look, I just bisected a woman who could move at damn near super speed after running up 20+ flights of stairs, and Alex here just fucked your guys up in record time. You're an upjumped nazi with delusions of grandeur and the only one that was an actual threat was the… uh… what should we call him, Deformato Angelo?" Sol asked Alex.

"Eh, sure. I mean, I've been calling him a Cooling Corpse, but that works." The hybrid answered, not removing his eyes from the Leader, who merely chuckled. That sent the two of them on high alert.

"True. As much as I loathe to admit that, I let myself be assured that my only enemies were this abomination called demons and those heathen Punks down in the gutter. I can now see that there are stronger enemies around. Still, I wonder…" He started glowing a pale gold, the air around him lighting up. "How are you going to deal with my entire army? You are strong, sure, but can you deal with more than forty enemies? Without dying?"

The sound of feet running up could be heard from the stairs behind them. A lot of feet.

"I really shouldn't have kicked down the door." Sol grumbled before turning on his heel. "Alex, leave them to me, if there are any left after you've dealt with this cowardly ass, they're all yours." Sol finished before hefting a large club that he most definitely did not have before, and chucking it down the hallway he came from.

Walking out into the hall, Sol took up Vendetta once more and swung around the people gathering, some clearly wounded by the thrown club. "Listen up you screw heads, unlike you all I still keep in touch with my humanity. So in respect to that humanity, this is my only offer of mercy. Drop your flags, leave now, and you live. Don't, and you die. What's it gonna be?"

The sound of weapons being drawn and armors donned greeted him.

"Can't say I didn't offer you all a way out." Sol muttered before charging into the horde.

In the meantime, Alex was facing the Leader with his weapon drawn and his face set into a scowl.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" The Leader chuckled, as his form grew both in mass and stature. "There was a time when I thought that personal power was all that mattered. However, having underlings and helpers is a big power in itself." The armor covered him, gleaming white and with something that the others didn't have: wings. "Especially when you gain powers from them and them from me." His voice was now thunderous, while a giant broadsword made of light appeared in his hands.

Then, he was in front of Alex, swinging down. Only the appearance of his Barrier Spell saved the hybrid from being hit rather severely.

"You won't last against me." The Leader's voice was downright demonic. "I have the strength of my army behind me. And the more they believe in me, the more they grow stronger, too."

Speaking of his army… Sol batted a few of the nazi flunkies away, with Vendetta taking at least one head on a back-swing, before intercepting a Pseudo Angelo and grabbing the unlucky bastard. Using them as a shield, Sol began to make some distance between himself and the group as a whole. He didn't have as much space as he'd have liked. And then like before, he had a stupid thought. A really stupid one that could have made some breathing room.

"The Lieutenant's control module was like a watch, right? So, left wrist? Oh fuck me this is gonna get bad." Sol thought before using his demon arm to grab the left wrist of the Pseudo Angelo and apply as much pressure as he possibly could. The Pseudo Angelo tried to escape his grapple before a horrendous cracking noise filled the air and the outpouring of demonic energy soon followed. Kicking the bastard into the crowd, Sol watched with barely-held horror as the Pseudo Angelo warped into a Deformato and thrashed among the crowd, sending them flying. Some fell among and against the various walls and tables, and others… well it was going to be a long fall and a short stop.

Meanwhile, Alex and the Leader kept up their duel, both physically and verbally.

"So, what happens to your army if I kill you?" Alex asked, silver light surrounding him. The Leader laughed, before vanishing into a burst of speed, slamming the flat side of the broadsword against the back of Alex, sending him flying to the other side of the room.

"It's not going to happen. But it's simple: the backlash would kill them all." He could feel the smile in the Leader's voice while he said that. Alex frowned.

"No skin off my nose, then." And he shot forward, Blinking around to try and confuse the Leader, who answered with broad swipes of his weapon and a series of short dashes.

Sol watched the Deformato Angelo swing wildly around before it turned and stared at him. There was stillness from the crowd before the twisted human howled, "What did you do to me!?"

Sol gave the Deformato a sharp glare before responding with a hiss. "Down, down to hell, and say that I sent you there!"

The Deformato lunged at him and Sol, already somewhat acquainted with its speed, twisted and let it move across the flat of Vendetta, sending it into a wall. The wall naturally collapsed, but the Deformato managed to cling to what little outcropping it could.

Sol could feel his arm beginning to spasm again, a deep tissue sensation that made his grip on Vendetta tenuous. "Come on Alex, finish the bastard will you? I'd rather not be the scorpion to their ants."

Alex was attempting to do exactly that. With, sadly for him, poor results.

Oh, the Leader of the nazis was not strong enough to suppress Alex, not a bit. But still, he was sturdy enough and fast enough that the blows that Alex had managed to score on him were nothing more than glancing, not deep enough to do anything. It didn't help that the Leader's taunts were starting to grate on him.

Oh, Alex knew that this was a tactic to make him lose control, but that didn't mean that it wasn't working. That was quickly becoming a serious problem. In the end, Alex had no other choice.

"SOL!" His bellow was loud enough to actually confuse the Leader for a moment, before he moved, avoiding several bullets aimed at him. "I HAVE A PLAN!"

"This should be good!" Sol hissed as batted away another nazi with his sword. "WHAT IS IT!?"

"COME HERE!" Alex smirked at the suddenly worried face of the Leader, before Blinking towards the door, ready to block the entrance to the room once his companion had entered.

Sol, without directly responding to Alex, looked at the crowd. "Enjoy your new friend assholes!"

"DAMN YOU!" The Deformato howled as it managed to clamber over the rubble.

"Alex, make it fast because I just made another Deformato and I know that was a bad idea!" Sol said as he made it through the door.

Alex smirked, only to create the largest bubble of stopped time that he had ever created until now, completely blocking the door and the walls into a locked, gray area.

The Leader quickly flashed backward, taking as much space as possible from Alex and Sol, eyeing them warily.

"So, I'm guessing you want to know what we are going to do, right?" Alex muttered, keeping his glare on the Leader, blade unsheathed and ready to bite.

"Does it follow along the lines of fucking him up?" Sol asked, worry tinting his voice.

Alex smiled, showing all of his teeth. "No."

"We jump."

"WHAT!?" Sol asked in horror.

"We JUMP!" Alex didn't wait for him to move. He just grabbed Sol from the back of his shirt and started running towards the tarp and the statue.

He had another plan, beyond jumping, of course, but he'll have to see if it was doable. Using his speed, he reached the other side of the room before the Leader had managed to take even a step, wind whipping his hair into a frenzy, before he extended his hand and his fingers brushed the statue for a moment.

But, in the timeless space of the statue, a moment was all that he needed.

"What… we're in the void? Why?" Sol asked when looking around the void.

"Because the nazi have moved the statue near the bird's nest. We need to gather all the strength we can use." Alex said. "Also, no one else can hear us here. So, there's that, too."

Then he turned fully towards Sol. "And while I need to be somewhat careful with the amount I use, you have no excuses. Buy something good." He wasn't asking. "Go first. I need a moment to think about what to choose."

"Alright," Sol said before the menu popped open. He looked at his red orb count, 167,850.

"That's a lot…okay what do we have to work with." The menus scrolled through and he made an effort to avoid anything marked with an L, he already had demonic blood flowing in his veins now, he had no idea nor desire to see what that tainted power would do to him. But, he did notice something new in his abilities.

"Demonic Arm? Oh… that would make sense."

There was only one option available, 'Abyssal Punch'. Upon reading the description, Sol couldn't help but laugh and make the purchase. 20,000 Red Orbs were taken and he felt power flood his arm.

"Of course something like that would be here." Sol said with no small degree of smugness.

Looking into abilities though, Sol realized that he couldn't just rely on Vendetta's weight and size, he needed Gevaudan again and purchased two more abilities. He watched his count drop another 50,000 and saw two more skills be added, Thriller and Breakaton.

Finally, he made one more purchase, something to have on hand so that maybe Rodin could work with later. An enchanted shotgun, something with a little bang for the buck.

"That's… 72,000 gone. Hope it all works." Sol said to himself before closing the menu. Turning to Alex, he simply said. "Can I have Gevaudan back? I want to try some new things."

"There you go." Alex quickly returned Sol's weapon to him, before starting to check his own options.

"So, I have… 146.800 Red Orbs. Quite a bit. Lucky me, I know where I want to put these."

Rapidly scrolling through his options, he stopped in the knowledge section to buy the missing Magic options that he had seen before.

Spells:
Enochian Magic Level 3 – Advanced: 5,000 Red Orbs
Enochian Magic Level 4 – Master: 10,000 Red Orbs
Magic Knowledge Level 3 – Advanced: 10,000 Red Orbs
Magic Knowledge Level 4 – Master: 20,000 Red Orbs

"And that's 45k gone. I want to keep at least 50k, so…" Instead of going for the techniques or something like that, he chose to empower himself a bit more. As he had seen, while his turning into a hybrid had done wonders, he could always get better.

So, he turned towards the Orb page. He had bought a single Blue Orb, the one that healed his own problems. Two Purple Orbs, he had found, which meant that the first one he could buy was still discounted.

"I always had money burning a hole in my pocket." A wry smile graced his lips before he started mashing the button to buy those orbs.

He quickly bought the Blue Orb. That brought the price up to 3.500 Red Orbs. He bought that one, too. 6.000 Red Orbs. Then 9.000 Red Orbs. After that, it was 18.000 Red Orbs, so Alex stopped and moved on to the Purple Orbs.

Those, he had to focus and calculate them a bit better. 1.750 for the first one, the discounted one that he had never bought. Then it was 3.500. 6.000. And 9.000, stopping him when the next one would have cost him 18.000 Red Orbs.

With his wallet substantially lighter, he lazily looked down at possible options for his new weapon, but beyond deciding to upgrade his basic attack to the next level with 7.500 Red Orbs and buying the single target - more or less: it was more like a cone of attack instead of a full circle like the one he had now - attack for it for another 10.000 Red Orbs, he decided to stop there. He would need the Orbs for when he had the parts needed to heal himself and remove his affliction. Already, he was down to 50.950 Red Orbs.

"I'm ready. Do you have to do anything else?" He turned towards Sol, the various Blue and Purple Orbs melding with him, giving a rather strange, cold glow.

Sol had been practicing with Gevaudan and the Abyssal Punch. It felt good, real good, and when he heard Alex's question he responded with, "No, I'm going to save my Red Orbs for now… rather keep them for a worst-case scenario. Still, I don't think they'd expect us to come out swinging like this."

"Yes, 'swinging'." Alex's smile was strangely empty before he blinked. "We're almost done with the time we had here." He looked out, towards the direction where his body was. The space within the Watcher of Time's domain was more mental than physical, after all. "The momentum of my run will push us out of this space in moments. So, you have to get ready."

There was a visible amount of demonic energy gathering in Sol's arm, "Absolutely."

"Good. Get ready. Three, two, one…" The gold-white light vanishes and the duo return to their previous position in the room, with the Leader looking at them with wild eyes, the shrunken bubble around the door still shrinking and Alex… still running towards the tarp?

"So, now we… JUMP!!" And, without stopping, he shot forward, hitting the tarp fully and going through it like it wasn't even there.

They started falling from the thirty-eighth floor. Sol was still held in Alex's grip.

"What THE SHIT!!!???" Sol screamed as he felt the ground fall out from beneath him.

Alex, instead, was laughing loudly, his voice being ripped away by the furious wind of their fall "TRUST ME!!".

From above them, the Leader and the rest of the nazi looked down by the hole, curious about what the duo had done.

A cloud moved and a ray of light made them blink. When their eyes opened, the falling duo had disappeared.

"Where… Did they go?" The Deformato Angelo asked, his voice clearly hesitant, even through the strange alteration to his voice. Everyone around him, even the Leader, answered with a questioning silence and more than a glance of unease.

Then, they started hearing something. Something that sounded a lot like… singing?

"So if you care to find me, look to the western sky!" It came from the opposite direction of the eternally fixed sun. And it was coming closer and closer.

"As someone told me lately, everyone deserves the chance to fly! And if I'm flying solo…" Not strictly true, but Alex - because it was him that was singing, that was no mistake - was nothing if not faithful to the original material. "At least I'm flying free!"

Moments later, something came spiraling up from the direction of the ground, twisting around the tower. "To those who would ground me, take a message back from me!"

Finally, he reached the height of the hole, where the whole group of nazi was watching him. Alex was standing on his umbrella, riding it like a surfboard, while Sol was hanging onto the bottom.

"Tell them how… I am defying gravity! I'm flying high, defying gravity!" He belted the song, with a wide smile on his face, literally emanating happiness. Almost like he was daring the nazi to do something to stop him from being happy and joyful about being alive, of being himself, no matter what.

"And soon, I'll match them in renown!" With his eyes closed, he raised both of his hands and gave the nazi group two middle fingers.

"What are you waiting for?! STOP HIM!" The Leader yelled, almost hysterical, to the rest of the group, who looked at him without comprehension for a moment.

"And nobody, in all of Oz, no Wizard that there is or was." At this, he pointed at the Leader, his meaning fully clear: a challenge. "Is ever gonna bring.. me… DOWN!"

Almost as if in defiance of his words, Alex started falling - along with Sol and his weapon - downwards, starting with an almost timeless moment, hovering where he had first stopped, before slowly going down, Alex with his arms spread, Calcabrina in one and the other skimming the winds that were whipping his hair behind him. And he was still singing, while Sol was clearly not having a good time.

"Bring me dowwwn!! Ooohhhh!!" And, with the last line, he re-cast the flight spell on Calcabrina and vanished, in a burst of speed, away from the tower and the nazi territory.

Sol had stopped screaming, being somewhat used to Alex's high-flying plans. It didn't stop from feeling somewhat unsteady as a result of the moments between recasts.

"That… that's why you bought the other purple orb… at this rate, I think I really will develop a fear of heights!" Sol yelled, his eyes shut tight.

"Yeah. But you have to admit, it was awesome." Still grinning, Alex kept flying for as long as he was able, towards the Punk's territory.

***************************************************

Sometime later, the two were in the tent with Richie, talking about what had happened. The location of the second statue, the Alto Angelo they had bound and surgically removed pieces from, in an attempt to replicate its armor, and their plan to conquer the world once they were done with whatever had brought them here.

Sol had taken the time to sit down and reflect on the day, or what passed for one here. He was slowly massaging the knuckles of his left hand, occasionally feeling a spasm and moment of weakness while occasionally giving his interpretation of the events. "So, like we said before, they still have a good amount of people up there. But, the rank and file aren't too difficult to take out, especially now that they might be more leery of using their fancy armors." Sol said absentmindedly.

"Conversely, the Leader is a bigger problem. He gains strength and speed while near the army - or when they are fighting for him. The specifics are unclear." Alex continued, pacing to and fro in the tent in front of the map. "His armor makes him resistant to more glancing blows and he has wings, although I haven't seen him use them yet."

Richie nodded, looking down at the map. "I see. It's going to be… difficult. The tower only has one entrance and it's guarded. The area around it is bare, too, so reaching it in secret may prove difficult."

Sol paused and let out a long-suffering sigh before posing a question, "We could try from the sky?"

He got up and pointed at some of the buildings on the map. "We may not be able to get on the roof per se, but we could get from one building into a midpoint of theirs. Though, that runs the risk of dividing our forces between them."

"Note that I can only bring one other with me while flying. And I need them to be… somewhat my size." Alex pointed out, before frowning at the map. "There aren't any underground passages that reach the Tower, are there? You said something about it, I think?"

Richie tapped the map briefly, smiling. "Sort of. There's a sewer line that runs throughout this area. City plans had these lines wide enough for multiple people to travel inside for maintenance purposes. It's not pretty and it'll probably be noisy but, we could probably find a wall that connects to a basement there and punch on in through there."

"I think I have an idea." Alex piped up, a spark shining in his eyes. "It's going to be a bit complicated, so listen to me. We're going to start with…"

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So, yeah a lot of things happened in this chapter. Boss fights, new enemies, body horror, and even medical horror! Without getting too much into things, we're almost done with this arc, with one more chapter to go. I said earlier this week I was going to post the item shop menu for Alex and Sol, but I think with this chapter, it would be more appropriate. Plus... and unfortunately, life and technology got in the way. Seriously, the sites are being a pain with attaching pictures.

Enjoy everyone.

 

[Atma]

Over the next few hours of planning, darkness had descended on the copied city as a demon of truly gargantuan size slowly moved across the sun. As the new 'morning' rose, the nazi that had been tasked with watch duty gave his report to his supervisor and went to catch some sleep.

Sadly for him, he wouldn't get to sleep at all. In fact, the alarm sirens started echoing through the tower a few minutes after the light of the sun had reestablished itself onto the city when the new watcher saw that there was a veritable army moving towards the Tower. Well, an army was a big word to use, but it was most of the Punks, along with Richie, that was coming towards the Tower like a pack of hell hounds. Ten more were jumping from roof to roof with Alex at the helm, proudly flying in front of everyone else, as a massive 'fuck you' to the nazis in the tower.

In the depths of the building, Sol and ten more punks blasted their way in. With the sounds of battle manifesting on three fronts, the nazis scrambled to their defenses. However, it wouldn't be enough. Alex started the assault with a barrage of bullets, before finally managing to destroy the gate with a charged bullet. The resulting explosion was the first signal for the underground team to be ready.

The nazis scrambled to their defenses, but they didn't manage much before Alex hit the outer doors. The doors were sent flying inside, now mere twisted remnants of what they once were. That let the group of Punks stream inside, meeting the nazis face to face. While they could have met the punks with some degree of success, the nazis quickly faced another problem. From behind their ranks, Sol and the punks with him had arrived.

"Abyssal Punch!!!" Sol roared as red demonic energy flooded from his arm and charged his punch. The chest of the nazi he targeted detonated and they fell back into the crowd in a boneless heap.

"No Quarter!" Sol shouted to the ten punks with him before joining the fray.

Alex smirked before he bellowed out a challenge to the Leader, his voice roaring, displaying his whole might since the start of his summoning. "COME AND FACE ME, IF YOU DARE!"

The shout was so powerful that made everyone in the room cower a bit and cover their eyes, while the glass windows vibrated from it. Sol had just slashed the throat of another nazi before looking up to where the noise came from.

"Alright everyone, finish them off and make your way upstairs. Avoid the elevators, they could cut the cables." Sol shouted over the din before turning to the stairwell and ascending. He had climbed several flights of stairs, hearing several punks trailing behind him before a door was thrown from its hinges in front of Sol. Before he could react, a clawed hand grabbed him by the neck and threw him into the room.

"What did you do to me!? I can't turn the armor off! I can't do anything with it!" The figure raged.

Sol recognized the second Deformato he created. He then spotted several punks looking in, before he quietly signaled them to continue on and faced down the Deformato.

Raising his arm, Sol stated hotly "We're both pumping demonic power into ourselves, I just made you honest about it."

"Damn YOU!" The Deformato roared and charged at him.

******************************

While the inside of the Tower turned into a battleground to rival an ancient war, the outside was… increasingly calm. Alex had flown upwards, as fast as he could, until he had reached the roof. On it, as he had expected, the Leader was waiting for him, already shining a pale gold, his wings extended and floating there.

"So, you've come. What, you don't have enough people? Your running away yesterday has filled you with bravery?" His tone was obviously mocking, but Alex simply smiled and stepped down on the roof, Calcabrina back in his hands.

"I remember singing a serenade for you before getting away. Not exactly the behavior of someone that's running, now, is it?" Alex asked mockingly.

******************************

Sol was forced to use Time Step to dodge the strikes by the Deformato. It wasn't that it was faster than the one Sol had inadvertently created earlier. It was that the pain had faded and the Deformato was fueled by directed anger and rage, focused directly at Sol. This didn't prevent Gevaudan from carving a deep gash in its side.

"Gah!!! Stand Still!" The Deformato roared.

"What and make it easy? This is a world where you try to rule without humanity. Deal with it." Sol stated before raising both Gevaudan and his new shotgun.

******************************

Alex kept the staring contest between himself and the Leader going for a few seconds more before he vanished from sight in a spontaneous Blink and tried to land on the Leader from above. Alex only managed a long scratch on the armor, but he also didn't fall down from the Tower, so there was that.

"Mutt! Insolent traitor! I will skin you and burn you alive!" The nazi shouted while taking the long way around and attempting a flyby on Alex, a giant sword made of light firmly in his hands.

Alex just smiled and shot forward, his feet easily finding the flat side of Calcabrina.

*****************************

The shotgun blast didn't do much to the Deformato, but it was enough to blind it momentarily. With the opportunity presented, Sol loosened Gevaudan and wrapped it around the Deformato's neck, and tossed it through a wall.

In the ensuing dust cloud blinded Sol for a moment, but a moment was more than enough for the Deformato to leap up and tackle him through the opposing wall. Sol managed to free himself through a punch that left a sizable dent in the Deformato's skull. It thrashed backwards and the two eventually squared off against each other.

******************************

Alex and the Leader clashed several times in succession, the larger blade of the nazi hitting the cane-sword that Alex was brandishing. Each meeting caused a ringing of steel to echo in the air, but neither of them was gaining any advantage over the other.

Alex was in a slightly worse position, though, because of his lesser maneuverability in the air. Still, he was more than a match for the leader.

At least, until he started blasting down with rays of light that easily pierced the stone that made the tower.

"Stay still and die like the bug you are!"

******************************

Sol glared at the figure and decided it was time to end this. He raised the shotgun and fired. The Deformato tried to dodge but the wound to its eye slowed it down. The pellets threw it off its game, partially spinning it to the side and Sol was on it. Using the knowledge that the statue gave him, he unleashed Thriller. The resulting series of slashes tore through Deformato's armored body leaving weeping wounds. Sol took a step back and leaped up before coming down.

"Breakaton!" He shouted and he slashed down. Gevaudan cleaved through the Deformato from head to groin. Tearing Gevaudan free, Sol watched the Deformato collapse into a mass of red orbs. Content with the end of the fight, Sol rejoined the rest of the conflict.

******************************

Alex managed to avoid several shots from the Leader, seemingly waiting for something. Then, that something did finally happen.

The glow around the Leader started to diminish. Only a little bit, at first, before falling rather rapidly.

"What…" The nazi choked out, before falling toward the roof, his wings suddenly not working anymore. He slammed against the concrete, leaving a deep imprint on it, and then stood there, motionless.

"What… happened…" He managed to choke out, while Alex simply walked to him.

"Simple: your soldiers are being slaughtered. I was a distraction, the army outside was a distraction, the true attack came from the sewers. A pincer maneuver, with a twist: there were three parts to it, not just two." Calcabrina vanished inside the inventory, before Seraphim appeared in his hands.

"You see, I'm not so arrogant to think that you are stupid. You are the right kind of smart that can control a bunch of nazis, after all." Without taking care of what the Leader was attempting to say, Alex put the tip of the staff right on the forehead of the nazi leader. "So, you must have some kind of intelligence. I just banked on your arrogance and superiority complex. I mean, your enemies were punks and two people that ran from you just the day before. It was obvious that they would join forces and attack you. It was obvious that they would go for the full frontal attack. And it was obvious that they would have something in reserve, like an attack from the roofs." He placed the bottom tip of his weapon against the forehead of the nazi leader, his expression a mask of coldness.

A moment of silence. Then…

"You… played…. me…." The Leader rattled out, his breath going fainter and fainter, the glow around him now completely gone. Alex chuckled.

"Like the cheap kazoo you are. Now, goodbye forever." Seraphim's feather fan opened and vibrations traveled down the ribbons and the shaft, until it exploded out from the tip at the bottom in a tight cone of sound that splattered the head of the nazi leader in red and gray paste.

"And so it ends."

**************************************************

Sol followed the signs of battle, passing several punks tending to their wounds and bodies of nazis that had been patrolling the upper floors. He made it past the Alto dissection room and came across Alex.

"It's done?" He asked simply.

Alex didn't say anything, he just remained on the floor, his torso propped against the wall and his head thrown back, eyes towards the ceiling. Not that it matters, he had his eyes closed.

Still, he answered Sol's question. "He died like a dog."

That was probably one of the harshest sentences that he had ever said. Even then, unbidden, he kept speaking.

"It was just a simple game of keep-away. I had only to stall for a few moments, you and the punks did the heavy lifting. He literally fell on his back like a beached turtle." One of his hands waved in the air. "I did basically nothing. And I got Fifty Thousand Red Orbs for playing at being an executioner." Alex then lapsed into a pregnant silence for a moment as he said nothing else. Only a little hiccup escaped his lips before his expression smoothed back down into pallidness.

Sol didn't say anything when he heard the hiccup, merely looked at his left hand, clenched and relaxed it several times, and moved past Alex to look at the skyline.

In an attempt to put the inevitable discussion aside for a little while, Sol began to speak. "I guess now that that has been handled we can move on, maybe find our way to the next ring or level through the sewers. I doubt it'll be a nice trip, but I don't know about you, but I really want to meet the son of a bitch who sent us here and deliver a formal complaint."

"I can imagine what you mean by 'formal complaint'. And I'm in favor of it, no doubt." Alex answered, still not looking at Sol. "But I need a couple of moments more. Before... Before we take the Alto Angelo, put an end to his suffering and use his parts as replacements. I do want to be free of the risk of killing myself with my own power. And the Alto Angelo is the only other humanoid demon that I have found lately."

He lapsed into silence for a long moment, before exhaling. "But… give me a few minutes. I need to… I need to… I need... I need a moment."

Silence.

Sol put his hand, his human hand, on Alex's shoulder. "Take as much time as you need. I'm feeling... okay with this. They would have I'll be with the Alto, and I still have the eyes if you need them." Sol said, his voice choking up ever so slightly before he attempted to leave the room.

Alex's hand on his own stopped him.

"Talk to me. I need to be distracted. You need to unload. I need to unload. Choose a reason, I'm not picky. I don't want to be alone with my thoughts right now." His tone wasn't pleading, but almost.

Sol was quiet for a few moments before lowering his arm. "You know when… when Geryon struck you, I damn near lost it. People used to joke that I have a martyr complex about things. I guess it manifested there. I made a promise to myself then and there, that I wouldn't let you be alone in the process that saved your life… I'd have wanted it on my own terms, but we can't change the past, no matter how much we try…"

Sol raised his demonic arm to Alex. "This is a test… a long-term test of our humanity, and unlike these fucks." Sol spat, "We're not letting this place warp us, and we're not being Arkham's vying for stolen power, losing our humanity like that fuck Allan. At a basic level, like I said before, I'm okay with what we had to do today. If we prevent people like this or the Red Eyes from escaping here and wreaking god knows what sort of havoc on the world, I can live with that. I could look at myself in the mirror and I can live with that."

Alex shivered. "You are right. Without a doubt. And he was a nazi. And I have tried to not kill anyone. And I still did it, I'm not making excuses, I'm offering explanations, no matter what others might say. But it still… It's… It's not like Red Eyes or the demons or even the guy that attacked me while in the mall. He was… I made the plan that ended with him being killed. With all the people down there killed. And I'm… I have… Can I really go home like this?"

Sol took a moment to think the question over before he responded. "I guess we're going to have to… We're not chosen ones sent to battle a great evil, we're the sacrifices to it, or at least we're meant to be. If we don't stop it here… then it'll just keep doing it again and again. I think all we can really do is just move forward and hope that our actions save more lives than destroy," Sol paused for a moment before finishing with, "Or at the very least avenge those that were lost."

Alex stilled for a moment before he exhaled all he had in his lungs and nodded. "You're right. Also… I have an inkling that we are not going to be able to go back home. I… You know how I got the latest Magic Knowledge that the statue offered, yes? Well…" He seemed rather choked up, but he tried to continue.

"Where we are from… it sounds like… The dimensional barriers. The Qliphoth is… Look, I'm trying to say that…." The more he tried to explain, the less he managed to say.

"This demon fucked us in more ways than one." Sol finished before looking towards the skyline.

There was an expression of anger on his face, a quiet fury that seemed to seethe as he looked onto the mimicry city. As if reciting a line, Sol began to speak. "Be you angel or demon… you will regret giving us this accursed power."

"Was that a quote?" Alex asked, his mood broken by the sudden sentence, a bewildered look on his face.

"Yeah… Gale of the Embyron..." Sol replied while beginning to hold his left arm before continuing. "We're going to kill that bastard, one way or another."

"I find myself in perfect accord with what you just said: whoever or whatever brought us here… will not escape with a house on the head. There's no ruby slippers for them to send us back home with them unscathed." Alex's face was now back into his bland smile, but his eyes… they were cold, a silver light that shone like a torch in the darkness. Then, as that coldness came, it went, leaving him looking a bit more normal. "At least we didn't end up in Shin Megami Tensei. I mean, it's not like Warhammer 40k or Worm or similar, but still…"

"I'm with you. I'd rather not be dealing with nukes, psychotic angels, or any of the other cornucopia of nightmares that could exist there." Sol finished before giving Alex a look. "Are you feeling better?"

"I'm feeling like myself." Alex's answer was a non-answer, in truth, but still better than before. "I'm feeling like I need to eat a crapton of chocolate in various forms, pizza and soda and candies and whatever else comes to mind. I want to sit in front of a computer and read for hours. I want to go back home. But I cannot. I know that I cannot. And I also know that I - and you, I'm so sorry for this - will not be able to return."

His expression was somber. "There's only one way for us to go back home with a hundred percent success rate: eat the Qliphoth's fruit. That alone - unless you want to sacrifice the entire population of New York or London - would give me enough power to rip open the dimensional membrane, create a passageway that can stay solid for enough time for us to travel through it and not destroy us when the physics of reality reassess themselves upon our bodies."

Sol gave a mirthless laugh, "We're not taking that option. I want to go home, I truly do. But I'm not about to kill innocent people en masse for that to happen. I truly couldn't live with myself if that's what it took."

He turned to Alex. "If preventing more of this happening means I stay here in this world then so be it. There's always other options, we'll just need to find them. Dante made it to SMT, maybe we could hitch a ride on the Amala Network?"

Alex blinked at Sol for a moment, before something seemed to… click, for lack of a better word, inside him.

"The Amala Network… no. No offense, but I want to stay as far away from that specific iteration of YHVH as possible. But…" He seemed to sketch something in the air with his fingers, something that shone silver for a moment, the air itself shivering and twisting slightly.

"At the end of Devil May Cry Five, there's a dimensional rip right at the top of the Qliphoth, after the duel between Dante and Vergil, remember? I can use that. It's gonna be rough, but I can use that." Alex began before smiling. "It's not going to be precise or anything, but I can… basically throw us somewhere else than here. Somewhere where the edges of the dimensional barriers are less solid."

Sol snapped his fingers "Yes! Yes, that could work!" Sol responded, matching Alex's enthusiasm. He turned back to the skyline, "We're going to beat you! We're going to win!"

"Suck it!" Alex joined Sol in his shouting, laughing like madmen all the time.

The Punks that had just reached the entrance and were choosing what to do stopped moving for a long moment, before looking at each other and, silently, stepped back, closing the door and leaving the two madmen alone.

*************************************************************

The duo standing in front of the bound Alto Angelo were mostly silent while studying the chains that kept the angelic-looking demon tied down.

"So…" Alex started, looking at the places where the chain connected to the wall. "Do we break the wall and bring the whole thing with us? Or just kill the demon and sever the chains?"

"I…I guess." Sol said while looking at the body with no small degree of horror. "It's best that you do, though… how much do you think is left?" Sol asked.

"So, here's a little tidbit of nightmare fuel for you." Alex's tone was far too cheery. "You see the Alto Angelo in front of us? The one that looks like a torture victim? It's still alive."

"And they called themselves human." Sol said bitterly before looking around the room. "I'll see what else I can find here… end that thing's suffering."

"While it would be the humane thing to do - and isn't it ironic, coming from my mouth - a dead demon starts to vanish and we need it as intact as possible. So, we'll search together, then we will move to the statue as fast as we can." Alex kept his tone light, but he still moved, starting to look around the shelves and the crates all around the room. "Let's get a move on: I'm tired of this."

Sol nodded before sorting through whatever he could find. There were files catered everywhere but he managed to find a few that were still relatively together and he began to read some of them.

<Date Unknown, Location Red Grave City. The city name was provided to us by a resident who had joined the cause sometime prior to arrival. Time and date are difficult to get an exact read on, as a large demonic entity seems to move across the sun at irregular intervals. We will be referring to these day-to-night transitions as cycles.>

Sol paused and searched the papers for more information on the Alto Angelo. He didn't find anything on it per se but he discovered more.

<Cycle 5, Location Redgrave City. The subhumans, both full-blooded and tainted, have fully sullied their bodies through demonic prostheses. Proof of their weakness, both physically and mentally. We have found a means to circumvent that weakness through our own superior intellect. We have discovered several demons clad in armor and with the power of the statue, we could harness that armor safely and surely…>

There was more.

<We have successfully created an armor system based on what we have taken to calling the Great Angel. We may have lost some members of our burgeoning empire to capture it, but their sacrifices were needed. Unfortunately, our enemies have tainted their lesser bodies too much for proper testing, so we'll test the system on some of our weaker members. Should the control device work, it combined with the power of the statue will assure our victory over this realm. A new future is ahead of us, we must take it for the pure. D. Ofnir.>

"You did all that, and we still ripped you guys to pieces," Sol muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

"Alex," He began, still looking at the note. "May have found something, but nothing concrete as to how they did it, just how and why they captured the Alto Angelo here," Sol said while handing Alex the files he found.

"Whoever this Ofnir guy is, I hope he died painfully." Sol said quietly.

"I'm going with him being the scientist that did all of…" Alex waved his hand towards the bound demon. "This. On my side, I haven't found anything. Lots of tools and… assorted equipment, probably something to make those armors, but nothing particularly… Oh." Alex's sudden silence was louder than any word that he could say.

"Yeah, no need to say…" Sol began before Alex interjected.

"No, not… Look." He took a few steps to the side and showed the spidery runes that formed the magical circle on the wall. They were glowing, for some strange reason, a menacing white that instilled in them a strange feeling of terror.

"They are different. I don't know how, but they are different." Alex pointed out.

"Let's look around for more files, maybe they could explain something about this array," Sol said, trying to shield his eyes from the runes.

"I hope." Alex answered before they started looking all over again.

However, it appeared that scientists had either found nothing, or the runes were a recent development. Considering the situation and effort in the room's set up, the last one was the more probable.

"I haven't found anything. You?" Alex asked, moving another crate of useless mechanical trinkets to the side.

"No… wait hold on." Sol said as he began to read a series of papers.

<Cycle 7, Location: Redgrave City. We've been having a difficult time keeping the Great Angel contained. Yes we have used physical cages to maintain a sense of separation, yes we have 'given' it lesser demons to consume for sustenance, but it is too willful. The Great Angel must learn to bow before its betters! We have some time, but the subhumans are whittling our numbers. We need this demon's armor and we need it now! D.Ofnir.>

Sol kept reading.

<Cycle 8, Location: Redgrave City. We may have had a breakthrough. One of our middle-ranked members, a Karl Raines, recently purchased the magic capacity. While I believe that science is a more stable and proactive method of our progression, the results have begun to speak for themselves. Raines utilized his new capacity with runes he had been learning, rather he had been reading from the Edda, and the tale of Fenrir's imprisonment. It is no chain, but it is keeping the Great Angel in a consistent location. D,Ofnir.>

<Cycle 11, Location Redgrave City. Extracting material from the Great Angel has been an exhaustive affair. Not in the actual removal of said material, but in keeping the demon docile enough to do so. Breaking the runic line seems to cause an immediate and violent reaction. This shouldn't be a problem, but the materials used to create the line are flimsy and fragile, hence easily broken. Raines has also become a problem himself, demanding that he be given greater access to the Great Angel for his efforts. I have studied medical sciences for years, endured humiliating circumstances, and I will not let this up-jumped street performer upstage me… Since he is such a fan of the Poetic Edda, I think I should expand his knowledge of it. There was an old ritual known as the blot. Most of the time, animals were used but there were occasions where a human offering was given unto Odin. I'm sure that in this place, blood will act as a more permanent binding material, and besides, no one said that I couldn't buy that capacity either. D.Ofnir.>

"Alex," Sol called out. "Looks like this Ofnir started using blood sacrifices for his work… and stabbed his aid in the back." Sol finished while handing Alex the files.

"He does mention runes… Do you think that the runic circle there is the remains of that ritual? It would explain the location, why it was hidden, and why there weren't any mentions of it in the files…" Alex mused, looking at the white runes.

"Still, the main question is… Do we attempt to use them?" His eyes searched for Sol's eyes, waiting for his answer.

"You need that demon alive, and considering its current state even if it were to attack we could still kill it easily. So I say we wipe the runes away and end its suffering." Sol said grimly.

"Makes sense." Alex touched the runes, ready to wipe them away. And then the duo of them were in a white space, on a circular platform made of white stone, with thirteen pillars around it. In front of them, a man in a white doctor's coat, his face a disfigured mess of blood and cuts, with hands ending in talons, two white bat-like wings sprouted from his back, and a series of snakes sprouting from a hole in the place where his navel should be.

"Ahahahahah… Other sacrifices? Other test subjects? Yes, yes, yes, more tests… AhahahahAHAHAHAHHA!"

Sol let out a sigh. "So that's why we didn't see or know of you?" Sol looked at Alex, "Alex, I think we just found our Arkham."

"Or equivalent, yeah." Alex's answer was filled with sadness. "We're going to release him from this prison, I'm guessing? Well, how do you want to deal with him?"

"End him, better we do it than have another potential Red Eye out about," Sol said in resignation before drawing Gevaudan and his shotgun.

"Eh, true. " Seraphim appeared in Alex's hands, while his face settled. "I'll give you ranged support, you go in close. Let's do this fast."

"Alright," Sol said before whipping Gevaudan at who he assumed was Ofnir.

"You fools, how could ever hope t…Gurk!" The deranged man was cut off as Gevaudan's coils wrapped around his neck. Sol pulled the man closed and struck up.

"Abyssal Punch! Blast him now Alex!" Sol shouted as Ofnir went into the sky of the void, with red, demonic, energy burned off him in waves.

Alex just aimed Seraphim, and a tight beam of sound shot toward the demonically altered human soul, hitting him straight in the chest and perforating it. He didn't bleed, though, as only more snakes came out and tried to bite Sol wherever they could reach.

"Do you have to call the name of the attack every time you use it?"

"Absolutely! It's no Falcon Punch, but any super punch deserves to pay homage to that move." Sol said while slicing several more serpents that slithered out from Ofnir.

"What manner of inanity is this!?" Ofnir shouted as he got back to his feet.

"It's a highly important conversation for people who did not become weird snake-batmen," Sol said simply.

"Also fuck you." Alex answered, shooting three more waves of sound, before charging a bullet on the top of the feathered part of the fan. "Sol, dodge when I give the signal."

"Understood." Sol responded.

The battle continued for a few moments more, the demon-soul completely outclassed, until Alex shouted a sudden "NOW!" that echoed even over the chaos of the battlefield.

Sol dropped and rolled out of whatever attack Alex had planned without hesitation. The bullet that Alex unleashed was bigger than his usual fair. As a result, the explosion was much more powerful. Whatever that soul or demon was, it ended up shattered into thousands of pieces, that soon were starting to smoke and vanish away. Then, a moment after, the two of them were back in the lab, with a purple orb floating in front of them.

Alex blinked. "I didn't expect this. Anyway, you want it?"

"No, you better take it. You may need the power with our friend here." Sol said, gesturing to the Alto Angelo. Or he would have if said Alto Angelo hadn't collapsed on the floor in front of them in a heap of twisted limbs.

'I think we should get him and you to the statue now." Sol said quickly.

"Yeah." Alex grabbed the purple orb - which melted into his body - and went to the other side of the Alto Angelo, grabbing it by the shoulder - what remained of it, anyway - and started sprinting up the stairs.

"Let's get moving on!"

**********************************************

The sprint up the stairs while carrying a demon that was clearly dying was a strange sight for the punks milling about. For Alex and Sol, the situation didn't even rate a four on the strangeness scale. Still, they entered the top room with a screech of soles on stone, making the group that was around the Divinity Statue jump in fright.

"What the hell?!" "Is that another nazi?" "What is that-holy fuck!" "The nazi tortured a demon?" "What is even happening…?"

"In that order, it's us, no it's a demon, there is nothing holy about this, yes, and he's using it to finish his hybridization." Sol finished while pointing at Alex.

"Yeah, so. I need the statue." Alex's words were calm and polite, but all the Punks in between them and the statue moved to the side, forming a parade for them. They didn't wait a moment more.

With a simple touch, the white gold space of the Watcher of Time manifested around them. "Ok, so I need the internal organ. I think you can empower your arm some more, but let me do this first." Alex nodded at Sol's demonic arm, before he started tapping at the screens in front of him, dismissing the ones that called on the demon's loaned power and found the option rather quickly.

Alto Angelo Perfect Hybridization (Lungs, Part of Stomach, Part of Intestine) (This option will completely Hybridize the subject): 75.000 Red Orbs.

Alex started smiling. "It's here. It's really here!" He didn't start to laugh, but it was a near thing. Without waiting, he tapped on the option and, gleefully, saw his Red Orb counter drop by the required amount.

Then, he stepped back and let Sol do whatever he wanted to do.

"Take it all and finish what you need to do first, I've still got the eyes and I think I could get Rodin to do something with them. Besides, I'm not in that bad of a condition… I'll probably grab some Blue Orbs and Physical boost. while I'm here." Sol said easily.

"Nah, I'm done. I want to see what happens after the hybridization is complete and I don't want to risk anything else. You know that changes are delayed until we are out of the Statue's space. Go finish what you need to do." Alex encouraged Sol to go on, smiling warmly.

"Alright," Sol said before opening the menus. The purchases came easily and Sol watched as 9,000 and 25,000 Red Orbs bled away respectively.

"That's two Blue Orbs and one Advanced Physical Enhancement," Sol said as the feeling of strength and vitality settled in. His arm began to spasm again and he clutched it tightly.

"I'll try to hold off on 'that' as much as possible. I'll want a stronger demon before I make that final change." Sol said with some strain.

"Stronger than an Alto Angelo? Remember that they need to be humanoid." Alex reminded him, his expression morphed into a worried one. "Don't wait too much: remember what happened to me after the Red Eyes attack."

"Yeah…" Sol said before something seemed to click with him. "Alto Angelo, a being evoking light… Maybe, maybe go the opposite route. There was a basis for them, right? Kinda feel like it would be Karma to use one of those demons." Sol said with an odd smirk. "Figure a certain white-haired man obsessed with power should pay some of it back right?"

"I seriously doubt you are going to be able to get Vergil to give you one of his limbs, but feel free to try." Alex's answer was dry as dust, but a bright spark of amusement danced in his eyes.

"Nelo Angelo was Vergil. That means… Well, we either find a Proto Angelo somewhere or you take the Alto. Choose, though, because I don't know how much more the demon will resist, especially after part of its inside has been removed."

"Nah that deadbeat took a limb and still lost, I'll take from the Proto though. It's relatively strong and even a failed copy still holds an echo of power." Sol said with a slight flourish.

Alex smiled, before shaking his head. "And where are you going to find a Proto Angelo? Here, specifically? I was surprised by the appearance of the Alto Angelo when Rodin…" Then, Alex lapsed into silence, looking at Sol.

"You want to ask Rodin to find a piece of music that will attract a Proto Angelo." Notably, it wasn't a question.

"You know, that's not a bad idea. But the question remains where would be best to do so? Maybe the next level will have it." Sol responded.

"No, the question is: HOW is Rodin going to craft such a CD? He doesn't have anything for it. Except…" His eyes dropped on the Alto Angelo. "I may have an idea."

"Shoot." Sol replied.

"The Alto Angelo. It is a crafted demon, after all, and it possibly came from the Proto Angelo. So, if we bring this…" Alex gestured at the demon still held in their hands. "... to him, he may be able to do what we are asking. Do you think it's worth a try?"

"Yeah, yeah no that could work. Hell maybe to attract a Proto all Rodin would have to do is invert the track? Let's try it." Sol said, a grin creeping on his face.

"May as well try. You do know what it entails, though, right?" Alex smiled, wickedly. "The entrance to Rodin's bar is pretty far and the Alto Angelo has already started to degrade. If we want to reach it in time, we'll have to fly, and I cannot balance the Alto Angelo, keep myself stable, and guide the flight alone."

His smile was a thing of beautiful wickedness.

"I hate you so much now," Sol said with a suffering tone.

********************************************

The shape of two guys balancing themselves on an umbrella, flying in the air, while holding the slowly disappearing corpse of a demon between the two of them, was a rather odd sight to see. What made the scene stranger, was the fact that one of the figures was screaming at the top of their lungs for the speed the umbrella was going and the sudden stop and starts that, every now and then, made the whole thing dip dangerously.

*********************************************

The entrance to Rodin's bar flared red and Sol and Alex landed inside, with only the upper parts of the Alto Angelo remaining.

Rodin turned towards them with a surprised look on his face. "You did it, I see." He nodded at Alex.

Sol collapsed into a chair and rubbed his face, muttering along the lines "Sweet merciful ground, your wisdom is absolute."

"Drama queen," Alex muttered towards Sol, before smiling at Rodin. "Yeah, yeah, I did it. Anyway, Sol wanted to ask you something. It's tied to this." He raised the remaining parts of the Angelo, before kicking Sol lightly to make him move.

"Gah! What? Oh, right… So, uh I lost my arm, I think a day or so ago and replaced it. But I've been experiencing muscle spasms and I'm looking to take on a certain demon to perfect the process. We thought that you could use the leftover parts of this Alto Angelo to make another CD and attract a Proto Angelo." Sol said while lifting up his left arm.

"Mmhh…." Rodin grabbed the remains of the demon and moved it to the counter, observing it carefully. "Tricky. Not impossible, but tricky. You're saying that this… 'Proto Angelo' is a more powerful version of this one?" His question was mostly rhetorical, but both Alex and Sol nodded.

"I can do something like that… But it will cost you." Rodin's white teeth shone against his dark skin, his eyes gleaming momentarily ruby red.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So, this chapter was supposed to come out on Wednesday and due to a variety of personal issues, I was unable to post on that day, and the next few days to follow. As such, I will try to post the next chapter tomorrow, that way we can get back on track with the posting schedule.

Enjoy Everyone.

 

[Atma]

Sol looked at Rodin and nodded. "How many red orbs you want, I'll pay it forward. Besides that's not all I want." Sol finished before placing the canister of the Alto Angelo eyeballs on the counter along with the shotgun.

"I lost my old handgun with my arm… I probably should find it but… Maybe it could throw some people off the trail. I guess it doesn't matter at this point, what matters now is that I want a little more bang for my buck. Any chance these could be integrated with the shotgun?" Sol asked, gesturing to the eyes.

Rodin eyeballed the jar on the table and the corpse of the demon, before sighing. "You'll send me into debt. 30.000 Red Orbs for both."

It was pretty clear that he was selling at a discount, but he had decided to do so for some reason.

Sol wincing, handed over the red orbs with much complaint. "It'll pay for itself in the end."

"Definitely. A good weapon is worth more than its weight in gold. Now, sit down and drink something. I'll be back soon-ish." Rodin rose into the air, before vanishing inside the red circle that had manifested behind him.

Alex took his words as true and started pouring himself something that smelled strongly of chocolate and sugar.

"Want anything?" His question was directed straight at Sol.

"Eh… I would have gone with something alcoholic but I'll go with whatever you've got. I'm not sure how I'm doing internally and would really not want to suffer at the wrong time if I don't have to." Sol replied, looking at his hand and slowly massaging the knuckles.

"You know what's weird? I keep looking at it and I tell myself that it's not my hand. Yet… if I don't tell myself that, I wouldn't even realize it unless I mentally tell myself that… I'm going to have to invest in long gloves to hide it." Sol said.

Alex passed him a glass of the same thing he was drinking. When Sol tried it, he would discover that it was more than a bit alcoholic.

In the meantime, the full hybrid swished his glass in a small circle. "Mhhh... Well, I understand how you feel. I always expect to see my old gut every time I look down. And the nails… Or the hair. Really, just the fact that I'm slim it's a huge adjustment. And that's without speaking about the other physical changes."

Alex gestured at all of himself. "It will take time. But it's still my body, it feels like my body and I'm happy with it, all things said. I still wake up in the night with nightmares about what happened - well, when we can manage to sleep more than a couple of hours, anyway. And that's how it is." He downed the rest of his drink with a long pull, before pouring himself another one from the bottle.

"There are other things that have changed: I react faster than before, much faster. I can break a stone wall with a hand and not feel any kind of pain. But, in the end, I'm still me. The reading-obsessed guy that you found when you woke up on the floor, in that room."

"First." Sol began raising a hand. "That's kinda strong, but it is nice, so a very good choice. Second, now that you bring it up, I'm expecting to be cleaning my glasses every five seconds, and… I just feel strong. I can see how the others became so… addicted to that." Sol finished before drinking a large amount of the glass.

Savoring the taste, Sol raised a finger, "You think we have any of that stuff still inside of us? I mean we haven't used it or bought into it but, well outside of Rodin, Sparda, and several other demons, most are self-serving and deceitful or just attack dogs with extra steps."

Alex stopped for a moment. Then raised a finger, mouth half open, and lowered it instantly after.

"I…. I don't know. Give me a few minutes, I need to meditate. You drink. I have the feeling that you need it. And I will after I'm done meditating." This said, Alex stalked towards a small couch on the side of the bar and sat down, starting to breathe slowly and deeply.

Sol was slightly alarmed by Alex's response and didn't even hesitate before topping off. "Oh I really hope I didn't just kick over a mental hornet's nest," he said before taking a sip.

***********************************

Rodin reappeared with a flash of red light, a few scratches on his arms that were healing as he got up from his slightly crouched position. "It is done. The CD is-"

"OH, THAT ABSOLUTE SON OF A BITCH!" Alex's shout shook the entire bar, his fury so strong that the very air was tinged silver. And the glass that Sol was holding was suddenly full again, as time was rewound.

Rodin only raised a single eyebrow. "What happened to him?"

Sol looked back and forth between the two before addressing. "I think the great voice in the sky just pulled a fast one on the Statue of Infinity."

Sol looked at Alex, "On a scale of One to ten, how bad is it?"

Alex didn't even answer, he just marched straight to Rodin with a scowl so deep on his face that he was leaving afterimages behind him. "Rodin. Would you be able to take out the power that a demon has left inside someone else and how much would it cost?"

He wasn't shouting. Yet. But it was hovering on that edge.

"Alex, what's going on?" Sol asked, concern evident.

"Whatever summoned us here lent us power, remember?" Alex's voice was vibrating with restrained fury. "And we never strengthened it. But the power didn't go away, as I thought it would. It's still there. Still inside me. Still inside you. And it's too dangerous to leave it there, so I want it out of me. And of you."

His eyes found Rodin's own. "How much to remove it and can you use it to craft a weapon? I'm not going to get used to it."

"You never used it?" Rodin seemed to ask again before continuing, "5,000. It should cover the costs and holding fees of that power." Rodin continued.

Sol tapped the bar briefly before saying, "That parasitic power shard of mine, use it for whatever Alex needs. I think I'm pretty well-rounded at this point."

Alex frowned. "You sure? You could strengthen a weapon or even… I don't know. I don't want to take something from you."

"No, it's fine. For one thing, I took that Geryon horn and blended it with my armor, so this is my way of paying you back. Second," Sol said while lifting the new weapon. "I have this, and I think I'll have a lot of fun with it."

"If you are sure. But I'm paying for both." Alex turned to Rodin and, before Sol could say anything, he nodded towards the fallen angel. "Do it."

The taller man pursed his lips for a moment, before bringing his hand back. "This may sting."

Then he drove the palm, the hand, and the entire forearm in Alex's chest, around his heart. It exploded from his back in a shower of red light, but there was no blood whatsoever. Instead, in his hand, there was a squirming red thing that looked a lot like a snake made of crystal.

"What in the goddamn?" Sol asked horrified, before killing his drink and nearly but not quite shouting to the fallen angel. "Get… that thing out of me!"

Before anything else could happen, Rodin performed the same maneuver on Sol. Sol dropped backward and clutched at his chest. "Fuck, that hurts! Gah! How… how long was that thing there?" Sol asked while sitting up.

"From the start, it seems. It has signs of long-term possession. But not a lot of strength." Rodin remarked before he dropped the two things in a jar, a pickle jar.

"Whatever you did to starve it, you did well. Even just a little bit of power and it would have sprouted like a seed. Grown inside you, until you would need to rely on it to even survive, no matter what power you had."

Alex growled an inhuman sound that made everything around him age rapidly, visibly decaying into wrecks of former furniture.

"Hey. You break anything, you pay for it." Rodin's admonishment was enough for Alex to snap back to normal, the time effect around him resetting and all the furniture returning to their normal look.

"Yeah, sure. Sorry."

Sol sat up and took at the two shards, "My demonology is a bit rusty but do either of you recognize what those could be from?" Sol asked.

**************************************

In the Heights of The Qliphoth​

The demon that resided in the shadows of battles long since passed stirred from its monitoring briefly. It had grown bloated and powerful from the human lives snuffed out within the depths. Yet for all that growth, there had been a disturbance. Brief and sharp, it noticed that two of its 'gifts' were cut off from the hosts they were attached to.

It normally wouldn't have cared too much though, they were weak hosts after all. However, the orbs that it should have received didn't manifest, and that concerned it. Its vision scoured over the depths that it had called its own. It passed over those who were well on their way to becoming demons but not quite there, the bodies of the slain, its lovely little pet project that it had molded so carefully and subtly, and any other remaining humans that existed.

However, it couldn't see what caused the disturbance. It would have to look harder, but that would come in time when it was stronger. After all, the Lusachia could already feel a second face growing alongside its body.

*******************************************

Alex shook his head. "Nothing. I would like to say something like Malphas or… I don't know. But it doesn't look like a part of them." With a frown, he put back up a stool that he had knocked down before. "I'm guessing we'll have to deal with it when we reach them. And kill them."

Rodin nodded, unconcerned, before tapping the CD that was still on the counter. "Your CD. Works like the last time, but I suggest you find a large space where you can maneuver."

"Thanks, I really mean it. You could have left us to rot. I know business is business, all that jazz and the bag of chips to go with it, but again thank you." Sol said before looking at the disc. It wasn't the gold disc from before, it looked more like a regular CD with an all-black finish. He put the disc away and grabbed the new weapon before considering something.

"This shotgun is looking more angelic than before… hmmm… maybe." Sol seemed to be lost in his musings before he began to hum something. He smiled as if remembering something.

"There was this old song I used to listen to. Haven't thought about it in years but… It was always nice. It was called 'What a Beautiful Sunset' by a band called Angelwing. The song itself was from an album called Nymphaeum… So I think that's what I'll call you, Nymphaeum." Sol said almost reverently before holstering the new weapon.

Alex smiled, before nodding at Rodin. "Thank you. I don't know what I can do to repay you, but, sincerely, thank you."

Then, the duo walked out of the Gates of Hell with their prizes, Rodin's eyes on their backs as he smirked at them.

*******************************************************

Making their way back to the Punks, Alex turned towards Sol, a dark look in his eyes. "Do you think we should…" And he jerked his head towards the Punk's current base of operations.

The silent question, coupled with the tap he gave to his own sternum, was pretty obvious.

Sol nodded before opening the lid to the manhole and descending into the darkness. It didn't take the two long to get to the planning room, exchange a few pleasantries, and find Richie. There was an expectant look from the older man and Sol began to try to find the best way to explain their next major complication.

"Listen we uh… we have something we need to tell you about."

Richie's expression, which had been one of contentedness and relief changed when he heard the tone of Sol's words, and gave the other man a hard look before wordlessly motioning him to continue.

Sol paused before continuing, "You've bought abilities with an L prefix, haven't you?"

Richie's eyes narrowed before he responded. "Yeah, everyone here has. Before we needed prostheses, it was the only thing keeping us on anything close to even footing with everything else here." He responded.

Alex winced, very visibly, which only made the entire group of people around the two look at them with a rather hard stare.

"What is it?" Richie asked, voice stony, a sort of tiredness weighing him on his shoulders.

"Yeah, ok, the problem is… Well, anything with that L that costs outrageously low… It's basically a trap from the demon that brought us here. We can't be completely sure..." Alex admitted for the first time, but he didn't let himself stop. "But, considering the clues that we have managed to put together, we are pretty sure that it works like a parasite: the demon offers us power at a cheap price and then takes it back to grow himself. A literal soul-sucking pyramid scheme."

Sol spoke up at this point, "We had ours removed a few minutes ago. It didn't really cost much for us, but I hate to say it, but for you all, that price is going to be higher."
The crowd began to curse and bicker among themselves, a few even addressed Sol and Alex, demanding why they hadn't told that sooner.

Sol looked at them all before sheepishly shrugging his shoulders. "We only just found out recently, and besides there is a silver lining to this. After that payment, no more demonic parasites wrapped around your hearts."

That got a few nods and stares from the crowd.

"Now I get that you're angry and believe us we were livid too, but knowing our collective troubles, there'll be more than enough demons to go around, and fingers crossed, you'll all rack enough orbs to cover the… exorcism, let's call it that." Sol finished.

"I mean…" Alex continued, a self-deprecating smile on his face "If I managed, you all can definitely do it."

That lame joke managed to steal a ragged cheer from the Punks, who started to plan all while bearing shaky smiles on their faces.

***************************************************************************

The Punks were waving at them. Well, those that had come to see them go, anyway. Most of the others were busy putting the Tower back up in place and, a few of them were leading an 'expedition' towards the Mall, to see if they could help the kids, and the rest were planning. It was something that Alex had said to Richie to try and shift things towards the better. It was a long shot, but better than anything else.

"So, where to now? We could try and fly up, try to see if we can see anything important. Or we can just go and travel at random, maybe we're going to get lucky. Or unlucky. I'm pretty sure that there isn't anything particularly different in this place."

Alex was walking without care, hands in his pockets, a strand of red-gold hair - he had gotten a streak of hair tinted red and gold from the Abyss and the Alto Angelo parts, right to the left side of the head, near the eye - having escaped from his ponytail and hanging near the side of his head.

"Well the only way to go is up, so down I guess. See if we could use the sewer system to find out if there's a route further down?" Sol asked, as not only was it their best option, but also because he'd rather not fly again.

"You know, I'm pretty sure that your Devil Trigger will have wings. Considering the Proto Angelo parts you want to use." Alex, 'casually' mentioned his theory, strolling down the street. "So, if you are saying no because of fear, you'll have to think about it."

Sol paused in mid-step and looked at Alex critically "Man, I will freaking hate that if you are right on that one." He said glumly. Yet as they walked, Sol switched back to the earlier point. "I figure we could use the sewer system and see if it connects to - I don't know - a subway or something, maybe a collapsed tunnel that is geographically impossible. You know, something like that."

"I mean, that could work. Considering how much logic has gone into the city, I'm kinda surprised we haven't found a subway station yet. Still, the city itself is a maze and the starting voice mentioned something about a center. We're going to need to go towards it and, if I'm correct, it will be near the main trunk of the Qliphoth."

Sol nodded and looked around till his eyes seemed to land on a point in the distance. "Guess we'll have to follow the roots then. At least they'll be consistent." He said with a shrug.

It was then that Sol saw something out of the corner of his eyes. At some further distance, he could see the tattered remains of a pant leg peeking out from a corner. Sol quietly pointed out to Alex and placed his hands on Gevaudan and Nymphaeum.

"Well, interesting." Alex simply said, before nodding towards it. "Shall we check it out?"

Sol didn't really wait for an answer he already knew of, he just started walking, only to the corner of the next building, where the street kept going for a while until it reached what looked like a small plaza packed with people. People that, even at a distance, they could recognize.

"Talk about the devil and here comes the tail. Aren't those people from the businessman and businesswoman group?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, they are…" Sol said while trailing off. He looked at Alex, a very worried look on his face before he spoke again. "Cassandra mentioned something around the time I killed her… Something about someone called Goode, you think that may be the businessman's name?"

Alex didn't move for a moment, before nodding slowly. "I mean… It's a possibility like any other. To be fair, not a single one of them had said their names, so…" And then he shrugged, before pointing at the street.

"What do we do? Search for another street or try to pass them?" Alex asked.

Sol began to count them up in his head before stopping and quietly said, "I think we should head back to Richie and his group. Let them know what we found and then make our way around them. We're good, better than when we last saw them, but I think I remember Rodin saying something in the first Bayonetta about quantity being a quality of its own."

Without much else, Sol began to turn, before stopping dead in his tracks. There, watching them with a strange and unsettling gaze, was the businessman. His hair was a mess and his suit hung off his frame in tatters exposing large swathes of his body, now heavily corded with lean muscle. The Bloody Mari dagger was clutched in his hand so tightly that his knuckles were white. His eyes seemed to lose focus briefly, before glancing between the two and he made a step forward.

"Sol and Alex, right?" He asked, his voice hoarse and strained, before his face bloomed into a sickeningly saccharine smile. "I'm so glad I saw you too, we really could use the help. After all, we're all part of the same group, right? It's only right that we all… stick together." He said with a slight hitch in his voice.

"If I remember correctly, both you and the other two groups left me and Sol behind to find… what? I don't even remember. I just remember you all leaving us behind because we couldn't be useful to you all." Alex responded in a hard tone.

"Oh, I know, yeah. I remember that. I'm going to put that under bad business decisions because look at you two now. You survived, you've changed too." The businessman said while taking another step further.

"I think in our case it may have been for the worse," Sol said in an attempt to mislead and deflect the businessman away from the more prominent differences.

"We almost died. A lot of times really. VERY bad business, that one." Alex added, changing his expression into a smile, with his eyes partially closed. So that nobody could see that he wasn't really genuine about the smile. Not that the subtle movement behind his back wasn't a hint about it, either.

The businessman nodded at that, his eyes slightly widening before he slowly pulled out a strange device from a pocket that had miraculously survived this far. "Speaking of bad business decisions, and please don't try to deny this, a friend of mine and I made a deal with some people that were around here. I know they're dead, I could hear the battle from a ways away, and there were plenty of demons that tried to reach it. Good red orbs source they were." He said with an unhinged chuckle, before his expression stilled, shifting into a venomous look as his gaze drifted to Sol.

"Cassandra was a good friend of mine, we studied together and dealt with the same deals. She was the heat and I was cold… And YoU KiLLeD HEr." He stated, his voice warping. "I could hear her scream aS yOu cuT HEr iN HaLf!" He finished.

"Now…" His voice seemed to level out… "Now, I'm going to kill the two of you. I'll make this slow." He said, his coming out like a serpent's hiss as he raised his long dagger.

Alex stopped him. Not by doing anything strange or attacking, but simply by… laughing. Once his fit of mirth had passed, he turned fully towards the businessman, tears still in the corner of his eyes. "Oh, please! You are all angry because we killed a woman that sold us to the nazi and tried to kill us before even trying to talk! She reaped what she sowed, and you're going to end the same way."

Something… something seemed to snap in the businessman. The look in his eyes changed ever so briefly as his eyes flashed a deep crimson. Then in a sudden motion, his neck seemed to jerk itself to the right as he lunged towards the two.

Alex didn't even take out his weapon: he just created a Time Bubble right in front of him and the Businessman plowed into it without a moment of hesitation, stopping right in the middle.

"That was… easier than I thought it would be." The hybrid looked at the enraged face of the businessman, before turning towards Sol. "What now?"

"Kill him, and warn Richie, that fifty-some-odd people who've been juicing up on demon power aren't too far from them." Sol responded with a weary look before turning to Alex.

"I mean, I…" Before Alex could say anything, the businessman had managed to escape from his confinement, in his place, was a replica made of ice. As the businessman stumbled to a standing position, his eyes started to shimmer the color of blood, and he looked far calmer than before.

"I see. I see. I see. You gave in to the demon inside, didn't you? It's whispers?" His face morphed into a crazy grin. "That's why you killed her. That's why you killed the group that was in the tower. It was you two that killed the other kids that came here with us, and my poor subordinate that went to the Mall and never came back." The more he spoke, the more he grinned. Alex and Sol blinked at each other, in confusion.

"I'm sorry, what?" Alex was straight-up bewildered. The businessman was now smiling so wide that it showed all of his teeth, slightly open.

"So, I can do that, too, right? I just need to sacrifice power to the demon to evolve like you two?" He licked his lips, eyes vacant, the shimmer of red coming and going. "I can do that. But where do I find the power? Where do I find the orbs to…"

His eyes, crazed as they were, landed on his own group in the small plaza. His grin turned even more crazed and an unhinged laugh escaped his mouth. "Yes. Yes, that will do nicely."

Then, he turned back towards the duo. "Thank you, my fellow kidnap-pees. I can now see that my actions were… hasty. Truly, I am sorry." Then, before either Alex or Sol could do something, he vanished in a flurry of snowflakes.

"I'm not the only one that was creeped out by that, right?" Alex said, wide-eyed and looking around, a sense of wariness settling in his bones.

"No, I'm creeped the fuck out too… wait, he mentioned demon inside. Oh fuck, remember what Rodin said about those parasitic shards? That's possession with an added Faustian pact right there!" Sol all but shouted.

"Look, I know, but we don't know what he really wants to do. He's a creepy fucker, but that doesn't mean that we should go and kill him. He's still human, and he's not actively attempting to attack us anymore." Alex answered, waving one of his hands in the air, frustration clear on his face.

"We cannot be judge, jury and executioners. That's a slippery slope that NEVER ends well." Alex continued.

"I get that, trust me I get that, but our hands are already stained with blood, he just tried to stab us, his head just did a head snap thing which was creepy in its own right, and his eyes turned red briefly. That's a problem." Sol responded.

"I'm not contesting that. I'm saying that it's not enough." Alex shook his head. "Look, I understand that I'm coming out as a sort of hypocrite, considering the whole mess with the nazis, but he's... I don't know. It feels like we are already slipping because we know the underpinning of this reality."

Sol raised his arms in a placating manner, "Ok, ok we'll… we'll take this as it goes and maybe we won't have to do too much. Maybe we could talk him down." Sol said.

"Thank you. I know how it sounds." Alex stopped and took a deep breath for a moment, before releasing it with a sigh.

It was in the moment after that they heard it. The silence. Before, there was a small background sound of chatter, breathing, moving, and people living. The plaza where the remainder of their starting groups had congregated wasn't that far from them. There were more than forty people together in a city that was otherwise empty. They were aware of the group while dealing with the businessman and could hear them in the background. Now… Now, only silence remained. Heavy. Cold. Like a wet quilt tossed over them.

Sol looked at Alex, uncertainty clear on his face before readying his weapons and quietly walking toward the area where the chatter had been. He didn't go too far before stopping dead in his tracks.

"Wha… what the fuck?" He asked aloud, horror clear in his voice.

The area where the remaining group members had been was now a frozen hell with bodies partially frozen, some being shattered completely, and a few were whole, throats slits and cooling on the icy floor. Among them was the businessman only... he had changed. The remains of his jacket and shirt were gone, torn away by two large tendrils that grew from his shoulders and dragged on the ground, each capped by a worm-like mouth. His skin had taken a mottled, frostbitten appearance. Whatever he was before, was gone, utterly consumed by the power he so coveted.

Alex was speechless, his gut twisting in guilt: if he had listened to Sol, probably they could have killed the businessman before he caused this massacre. But, no. He was right when he said that they couldn't become judge, jury, and executioner. It was just that, this time, the man they had decided to spare was a monster in human skin.

"What did you do?" In the end, Alex's voice was as cold as the air around them.

"EmBraCEd tHe SaME DEMONS YOU HAVE. THIS POWER, WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS FROM THE START!"

"You are an idiot, that's what you are." Alex's words were harsh and sharp, his scowl something worthy of ballads. Calcabrina was suddenly in his hands.

"And me and Sol are going to free you from this mortal coil."

TERENCE GOODE: COLD HEARTED PRODOTES​

Sol raised Nymphaeum and fired. What he expected was a blast of buckshot striking Terence dead on, not twin scatterings of demonic energy that forced the warped businessman back.

"Damn… I really have to thank Rodin for this one." Sol said in shock.

"Best demonic smith since Machiavelli." Alex agreed, grimly, before he Blinked forward, his blade already falling on one of Goode's arms. The tentacle coming from the back stopped it, frost and ice starting to creep up the blade.

Without waiting another moment, Alex was already back, near Sol's side, shaking Calcabrina.

"Ice aura. Not a good sign." Judging by his face, Alex was thinking that this was going to be a problem. A big one.

"Then we stick with range!" Sol shouted as moved along Goode's side and fired another blast. The demonic energy scattered along his back eliciting a roar of pain from the businessman. He turned swiftly towards Sol and the two tendril began to emit beams of cold that streaked Sol's way. Barely dodging them, Sol continued to fire until he eventually slid on some ice. Letting the momentum take, he wound up getting behind the frozen remains of several individuals.

Alex, in the meantime, decided to use another approach. Exchanging Calcabrina for Seraphim, he started releasing a wave of sound that cracked the ice underneath the man-turned-demon, before he had to move, a series of sharp icicles being sent like needles from the two tentacles where he was just moments more.

"Why are you running? I only want to give you a business proposal, like I did with the others." The smile on Goode's face was incredibly genial and charming. If his face wasn't a mess of blackened flesh and crystalline scales that looked like they belonged on a lizard.

"Oh, sure!" Shouted Sol from behind his cover. "A lifetime guarantee for cool air all year round. I'd say pull the other leg, but it seems you did that with everyone else!" Sol roared before moving again and firing. This time though, he aimed for the tendrils on Goode's balance. The demonic energy missed mostly, but a few pellets struck one of the tendrils sending it back before it shook itself out of a demonic bullet-induced daze.

The demon slithered forward, leaving behind him a curtain of snowflakes that danced in the air before the entire thing turned into a series of floating spheres of ice that shot freezing rays.

Alex had to take time out of his attack to hit them with his sonic waves, to remove them from play.

"That and much more. You see, in my company, we all are a great, big family! WE take care of each other! We cover each other's weaknesses to rise upwards in the world!" Goode declared.

Sol peeked out from his next set of covers when he heard those words. "The hell kinda corporate doublespeak is that?" He asked himself before realizing something. His shots wouldn't hit reliably at this range and he could easily hit Alex if he wasn't careful. He could... His hand rested on the frozen remains of his cover and let out a long suffering sigh. "Whoever you were, I'm sorry. I hope that wherever you are, you can find it in yourself to forgive me." Sol thought before pulling his left arm back.

"Abyssal Punch!" Sol's voice rang out before the jagged and broken remains of one of Goode's subordinates struck him dead on the back.

"Well if you were all one great big family, then maybe you should have treated them as such!" Sol hissed.

Alex Blinked forward, using the distraction that Sol had caused to reach Goode and unleash a wide-area sonic attack, sending the demon hissing back, with his hands on his ears. That was a direct hit.

His tentacles, however, didn't react that way. No, they elongated and burrowed in the ice underneath him, before exploding out where Alex was a moment before, having managed to escape the ambush with a quick sidestep, although the demon had scored a long cut on one of his arms.

Sol reared his back and lashed out with Gevaudan. The weapon, in bone whip form wrapped around one of Goode's back tendrils and Sol began to pull back.

"Time to really try this out," Sol gritted out before channeling Geuvadan's power and invoking Binding Life. There was a pulse of demonic energy as the tendril began to spasm and wither slightly.

Goode whipped around, sending Sol flying through the air and through another frozen person, releasing Gevaudan's hold on the tendril.

"You! You would never be accepted in the company. No one with any brains would accept you into their team!" Goode howled at Sol's slowly rising form.

"You say that like it's a shame." Alex's words came right from Goode's right ear, the blade of Calcabrina sprouting from the demon's chest, the hybrid having blinked forward and buried it from behind, using the moment of distraction that Sol had caused.

Goode's blood dribbled down his chin, but he didn't die. A hit like that wasn't enough to kill a demon, sadly.

The tentacle that wasn't ensnared by Gevaudan rose and smashed against Alex's flank, sending him and his blade flying back. He managed to get up with a roll, the slick ice taking a precious second to regain his balance.

Before Goode could make another move, he felt himself be pulled backward. Geuvadan's grip was still there and Sol was only making it worse. Sol pulled back on his weapon before dropping his knee on the whip to hold it down before firing on Goode with his gun.

"You know that might have hurt, but that's the beauty of a well-made weapon made with a clear mind," Sol said in a slurred manner, visibly disorientated from being thrown through the frozen form of someone.

"I see that you keep trying to apply to my own company. I'm sorry to say that you are permanently rejected and banned from interacting with me ever again." Goode's words were soon followed by twin rays of frost that targeted Sol fully, coming from his hands, while the tentacles turned towards Alex and shot a volley of needle-thin and razor-sharp ice shards at a speed that resembled a bullet.

Alex managed to open Calcabrina just in time for the storm of shards to slam against the barrier on the canopy.

Sol released Gevaudan and tried his best to flee, before slipping and sliding away. Recovering, Sol shook his head before reaching to adjust his helmet and quickly pulling his hand away. One of the horns had been covered in frost.

"That's some potent stuff… Okay, get your head in the game." Sol said to himself before firing on Goode and yelling "You can take your protection order and shove it!"

His shots hit empty air: Goode wasn't there anymore.

The entire arena was completely empty, only the frigid air kept whistling around the two companions, bringing the temperature further down.

"Where did he go?" Alex was looking around - and even upwards - trying to find the demon.

Sol looked around the area before he saw... something. It looked like a shadow cast against the ice. He motioned at it to Alex, before he saw something else. There was something attached to the shadow. It was Goode, he was inside the ice! But how!?

"He's in the Ice!" Sol shouted.

Alex blinked, unable to understand what he was saying for a moment, before he looked down, seeing the shadow move underneath - or was it inside - the layer of ice on the ground.

"Oh no, you don't!" Calcabrina exchanged for Seraphim, a wave of sound exploded from his staff, all around the Hybrid, the ice cracking and shattering from the vibration of the sound.

The shadow roiled briefly before Goode launched himself from the ice with a scream. His body was covered in a series of deep gashes courtesy of Seraphim's blast.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit! This shouldn't be happening!" Goode yelled.

"And who's saying that? You?" Alex asked, eyes blazing, before another wave of sound shot from the staff in his hands and towards the demon, the ice in its path cracking apart in diamond dust.

"Grah!" Goode shouted in pain as he grabbed his ears in the resulting sonic before he jerked backward. Gevaudan had wrapped itself around one of his tendrils.

"I told you! You weren't to interact with MEEE!!!!" Goode began to speak before screaming in pain. Sol had drawn Nymphaeum again and fired it as much as he could at the tendril. The resulting damage had left the tendril dangling by only a few shreds of muscle and skin rendering it useless.

"And I told you to shove it. But I guess based on the fact that you victim projected yours and Cassandra's bullshit onto us before killing your own people, you're not going to listen!" Sol shot back.

Alex stopped to avoid the two tentacles that had lengthened and tried to spear him in his midsection, Blinking to the side and shooting another wave of sound.

He seemed to be saying something, but the sonic attack was too loud and no one could hear what he was saying.

Meanwhile, Sol wrenched Geuvadan back, severing the tendril. He couldn't do the same with the other as the remaining tendril began to fire a stream of ice at him, forcing Sol to slide away.

"If the circumstances were different, I'd actually be having fun." Sol thought as he let the momentum take him while he fired some more.

Goode vanished into the ice where he had been standing. The moment he did so, a series of ice spikes shot upwards, each one as big as Terence's arm.

"He's trying to run!" Alex's shout was clearly aimed at Sol. "He's in one of the shards!"

"Of course he is!" Sol shouted angrily before firing on as many shards as he could.

"Ok so Elder Geryon pulled a jojo with a time stop and now this asshole too? Where's a psychic Frenchman with cigarette hair when you need him? He can't exist in all the shards at once, he has to come out… That's it!" Sol thought as he continued to blast away.

"Alex! Time bubble around the shards!" Sol shouted.

Alex Blinked to the side, flashing in starts and stops. The silver bubbles of stopped time appeared one after the other until they had covered an entire circle around the shards. Due to the speed at which they were traveling, some escaped, but not all. Around half got suspended, while a third of those that had managed to pass shattered as soon as they hit the ground.

"Okay, unless he moved between the shards and the floor, he can move between the shards, right? So you gotta figure that he's moving faster than we can visibly track him. Hence the Time Bubble." Sol said, attempting to explain his idea.

"That's… an assumption that we have no way to confirm." Alex pointed out, breathing deeply. "We have NO idea how his powers work. For all we know it's like Mirror Master from the Flash."

Before he could say anything else, a ray of frost hit him from the back, sending him stumbling forward and freezing him to the floor. Goode had emerged from one of the shards that had passed the encirclement and had attacked while the duo was distracted.

"Sorry, I need to freeze my assets before the situation gets the better of me. But don't worry, I'll invest heavily into it, and make it have a return. Not like you, who's wasting the occasion." Goode's smile was unhinged, showing all his teeth, before the remaining tentacles - the other one had sealed over, but wasn't done regenerating - rose from behind him, a giant icicle hovering above it.

"You motherfucker!" Sol roared as he charged. Sound seemed to die around him as he charged demonic energy into his arm. He was going to smash that shit-eating grin right off this fuckers face! He… he… he felt something snap. There was a flood of power, and… and a voice… Someone was talking, no singing?

"T e Man o t Sh w r s e h w l. Tell m u dreams a d fanatical n s."

Without realizing it, Sol's fist had connected with Goode. The demonically charged punch shattered Goode's jaw, and before he could say or do anything, Sol grabbed him by the neck and just kept punching, completely oblivious to the armored specter that not only mimicked his moves but added to each punch.

"Talk about wasting occasions! How can you freeze your assets when I waste your FACE!" Sol roared as each punch pulped Goode's face further and further until he punched through the demonically mutated man's head, shattering the ice beneath it in the process.

The feeling of ice shattering under his blows dragged Sol from his moment of rage, and he staggered back, looking at the body like he was in a dream.

"Alex… fuck he's still trapped under the ice," Sol mumbled before trying to approach Alex's downed form. He only made it a few steps before he felt his arm spasm wildly followed by an intense wave of sickness. He lurched forward and coughed into his hand, revealing a large mass of blood, and a spectral hand following his movements.

"Dammit all…" He trailed off before collapsing onto the ice.

While Sol was falling towards the frozen-over form of his companion, something happened: a silvery light shone from under the ice, only for two wings made of shiny metal feathers to punch through the ice and shatter it apart, before Alex rose, floating above the ground, seemingly without a scratch.

He was clearly in Devil Trigger, only unlike the streamlined version that appeared when he was wielding Calcabrina, the one that manifested when he had Seraphim in his hands was more ornate: a long, toga-like armor, two wings behind his back, face covered in what looked like a bridal veil.

"Sol!" His voice reverberated through the air, the ice around him shattering in dust, before the transformation ended and he crashed on his knees in front of him. "Are you ok? Can you breathe?"

"Is… he dead?" Sol's voice croaked while his arm began to spasm wildly.

Alex's head turned towards the corpse of the businessman-turned-demon, who was currently missing a head.

"Yes." He declared with absolute certainty. "He's surely dead. Want to use the body to create a weapon?" Alex offered, clearly saying the first thing that came into his mind. Then he winced, embarrassed by that.

"I already have Nymphaeum, he's alllll yours." Sol began to say while trying to sit up, only for his arm to spasm and him to fall on his back. "Besides, I'm a stand user now. I have a magical punchy ghost that punches with me and stuff." He finished deliriously.

Alex's face twisted into a disgusted frown. "Ew. Who knows where it's been? No, thank you. I'll use whatever demon brought us here to create a new weapon, don't worry."

He then turned towards the corpse and, Seraphim in hand, blasted it with all he had.

"Ahhhh… I feel tired man… really tired. Is this what it felt like when you used that armor before?" Sol asked while gazing up at the sky.

Alex stopped his onslaught of sound, breathing deeply, before turning towards Sol with a puzzled expression. "The armored form? You mean the Devil Trigger?"

"...Wait what?" Sol said, his voice sounding more clear as tried to sit up, somewhat.

"You mean that, and the stand… Oh, oh…" He trailed before grabbing his left arm to try to stifle its movements. "I don't feel so great at the moment but please correct me if I'm wrong. You're in devil trigger mode now?" Sol asked.

"I was. Can you actually see or are your eyes closed? I stopped that when I saw that you had already killed him. It costs a lot of energy to stay in that mode, using it willy-nilly is not a good idea." Alex grimaced.

Then, he pressed his hands on Sol's forehead. "You don't feel warm. Look at me. Pupils seem normal…"

"Yeah I can see, it's just I never thought that was an option. It's my arm. It spasms a lot more than I'd like and… I just feel awful right now, just a really sick feeling." Sol said as the arm jerked in his grip as if to express this sentiment.

"Mhh… Let me try something." Alex gently moved his hand to Sol's demonic one and gripped it gently.

"This may sting a little bit. Tell me when you're ready." His voice was trying to be as soothing as possible.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Sol said wincing in preparation.

Alex took a deep, deep breath, and called upon his own power until there was a visible aura around him, silver streaked with gold, red, purple, and black. His eyes were blazing.

"Ready? Three… Two… One…" And nothing happened, exactly as Sol tensed in anticipation. After a few more seconds, he blinked his eyes open, to look at Alex and see if something had stopped him. THAT was the moment when a river of demonic power poured into his arm and Sol SCREAMED.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This chapter was honestly, a lot easier to edit and check for any last-minute mistakes. So, beyond that, a new weapon has been introduced, we've seen a few more of the things going on behind the scenes, Sol's physical issues with his new arm have been more greatly expressed, and a partial... goodbye to one Mr. Goode. More on that in the next chapter.

Enjoy Everyone.

 

[InZodwetrust]

What a masterpiece chapter. I hope the students and their teacher will make another appearance.

However, it couldn't see what caused the disturbance. It would have to look harder, but that would come in time when it was stronger. After all, the Lusachia could already feel a second face growing alongside its body.

Click to shrink...

With how ugly Lusachias are, I would have thought it would try to evolve to something else.

T e Man o t Sh w r s e h w l. Tell m u dreams a d fanatical n s."

Click to shrink...

Please what was being said here? Or is it intentionally vague as part of the plot.

 

[Atma]

Please what was being said here? Or is it intentionally vague as part of the plot.

Click to shrink...

It's intentionally being vague, we'll get to the complete text in a few chapters don't worry.

 

[Yuki no Yue]

With how ugly Lusachias are, I would have thought it would try to evolve to something else.

Click to shrink...

I don't think that the Lusachia care a lot about how he looks.

 

[Atma]

"GRAHHHH!" Sol tore his arm away from Alex. His arm seemed to stop its spasms in the meantime. "Wha… What the hell just happened?" He asked with shock.

"I gave you some of my energy. But foreign energy is painful, as you have experienced." Alex answered, shaking his hand like it was stinging. "Sorry for hurting you. But you felt way too low for my taste."

Alex winced apologetically, before shrugging, not knowing what else to say.

"How does that ev… No! I was hacking up blood earlier, so I'll treat it like blood. It'll make more sense if I think of it that way." Sol said while massaging his hand.

"I really should be pacing myself then… was it the emotion or the power I drained off Goode?" Sol asked more to himself than Alex.

"I honestly have no idea. My own Devil Trigger works a bit differently than yours, I'd wager. With me being a full hybrid and you only having one arm… And an incomplete one, at that." Alex shrugged, before looking down the street, where the ice was starting to vanish into mist as the demon's corpse was slowly evaporating, leaving behind a massive amount of Red Orbs.

"How many people had he killed to get that much…" His voice was barely more than a whisper, but it was audible to Sol, as close as he was.

"Too many, far too many," Sol said gravely.

"I know our hands aren't clean of this… but at least. Hell, there's no way I could say anything that makes this situation better. Let's, let's just take the orbs and go." Sol continued, bitterness heavy in his voice.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't... I don't know what to think, honestly. It's just… Why would he do something like that…?"

"You heard him before he turned right? He thought we were bad and had given into some sort of… inner demon…" Sol said trailing, horror. "Son of a bitch! It was right there in front of us the entire time!" Sol shouted out.

"What do you… me- Oh, come on!" Alex shouted a moment later, suddenly angry. "The demon that brought us here! He gave the Red Orbs he gained from killing the other members of his group to him to turn into a demon!" With a frustration-filled cry, Alex kicked the nearest rock, sending it flying against the wall and shattering it into pieces.

"Not only that!" Sol began in agreement. "But remember what Kurt and the other high schoolers said back at the mall. The people who were with them went crazy after buying enhancements. And, if we add to that, what Rodin said about those parasitic shards, then it very could be that Goode taking all those red orbs boosted it to untold heights."

"Fantastic. So, it's either him turning into a demon by selling his literal soul to the parasite inside him or him being consumed by the demonic parasite inside him." Alex didn't shout, but his voice was definitely on edge.

He started pacing to and fro in front of Sol, like a tiger in a too-small cage. "We can't know for sure. And it doesn't even matter! What's next, more demons?!" As the hand of Murphy manifested itself, several Marionettes pulled themselves into view.

Sol looked between them and Alex. "You just had to tempt Murphy didn't you?"

"Shut. Up." Alex already had Calcabrina in his hands, a shining point of energy on the tip.

*******************************

He felt himself fading. It started just behind his eyes and had been happening ever since he confronted those two murderers. Then… then that power hit him. So what if he killed his lackeys? They'd never amount to anything, they lacked ambition, talent, and luck. They were worthless, beyond being good, little workers.

The power felt so amazing, he could feel himself become stronger and stronger… and… and... then... then something... smothered him. Buried him in waves of might. His mouth moved without his command, and his arms and legs powered through despite his attempts to exert control. This… this wasn't him, this wasn't what he wanted. He wanted power and control, dammit!

They had come and seen and his body moved. He tried to direct it and end the battle quickly. Kill them for Cassandra's sake, but it just wasn't working. He… he managed to take some control back and freeze the murderer with longer hair, but the other one charged him, and then… He could see his body reflected from the ice. He tried to move it, to fight back but h..e…j..st….c….d………………..

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

At the top of the Qliphoth, Lusachia paused in its machinations. It felt a great source of its power being snuffed out, and a fair degree of power returned to it. But something was strange about the event, It couldn't have been just another demon. Even untrained, its personal enhancements would put weak humans leagues above most rank-and-file demons. It thought back to the anomalies it had experienced earlier. There must be a connection it realized. Yes, something had caused that. Lusachia could feel anger welling up within itself.

"Interlopers and scavengers, my faithful shall make them into excellent sacrifices."

Lusachia smiled to itself, and deep below a figure resting in a large ornate chair mirrored that same smile.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
*******************************

The Marionette's remains were slowly vanishing, and Alex sheathed Calcabrina once more and made it disappear inside his inventory.

"And that's that. At least it was good to remove some stress, that's for sure." Alex let himself rest, sitting down on a nearby rock, before asking.

"What do we do now? I have no idea where we are or where we need to go to find the demon that brought us here."

"Well, I say we hit the sewers and see where that leads. Up is down and down is up right?" So it's either that, a subway, or that watery whirlpool we saw back at the mall. However, I'd rather not see how long I could hold my breath." Sol while resetting Gevaudan.

"Ah, yeah, let's try to avoid adding drowning to our possible death…" Alex's laugh was more of a sarcastic chuckle, but he still steeled himself and rose to his feet. "Ok, so. Sewers. It's a shame that we don't have that map anymore, but I think we can just find a manhole and move down there."

Almost as if he expected to notice one, he looked down. But, contrary to the demons, no manhole appeared.

"Figures. I'm checking that side, you check that one?"

"Sure," Sol said while lifting a manhole cover on his side of the street. He climbed down a few rungs of the ladder and looked around. It was much more expansive than he thought it would be.

"Well, I guess we're dealing with either really well-thought-out sewers or video game sewers."

Alex followed Sol down the hole, grumbling while putting the cover back. "Of course, he finds what we are searching for instantly, while I only get demons…"

The tunnels inside the sewers were, in fact, extremely spacious. Which was strange, but not unwelcome. There was no light, but that was solved by Alex writing something in the air and summoning what looked like a ball made of light.

"So, I have magic. It's not gonna be a lot useful in combat, it's more of a… ritual kind of thing, but it works. Now!" He turned fully towards Sol. "Which way?"

"Down I guess, or really in any direction that has directions to an office for a map or diagram of the place," Sol said while looking in either direction.

"I mean.. we're in a sewer. I can't see any kind of direction on the walls, to be honest, and the floor looks level." Alex made a complete turn on himself, before returning towards Sol and shrugging. "Choose a direction and we start walking?"

Sol began to move his index finger left and right several times, mumbling "eeny meeny miny moe," before eventually settling on left.

"Left it is," Sol said with a shrug.

Alex followed his friend down the tunnel, the sphere of light bobbing above their heads, throwing in stark relief the fact that the place was empty. No water, no sludge, no smell, nothing. Just stone, some cracks and pebbles, and various side tunnels.

"Yep, still as creepy as the first time we came down here," Alex commented while looking around.

"Well then let's make sure we leave this place as quickly as possible," Sol said as they continued forward. The tunnel was beginning to go down a decline so that was good for its given value. However, in the soft glow of Alex's spell, Sol began to notice something with walls.

"Hey Alex, do you notice anything off with the walls here?" Sol asked.

Alex looked around for a moment, before stopping. He backtracked for a few steps, before walking forward once again, very slowly.

"Yeah. The walls have changed, look."

The uniform slate gray walls of the sewer had given way to carefully laid brickwork. The path kept leading down until there was a large gate that had a somewhat small degree of standing water in front of it. Beyond that gate was what appeared to be a large garden, a gentle misty light illuminating the trees.

"Alex… my brain is hurting trying to figure this out," Sol said while taking off his helmet and massaging his temples.

"I'm not even trying to figure this out. The logistics of the whole thing makes no sense." Because, although it looked like a simple change of brickwork, the main problem was that the two of them had kept going downwards until they had reached that garden. And yet, clear as the day, they could see the city beyond the garden. Specifically, down the cliff. By going down, they had ended up.

Sol looked around quickly before spotting a door hidden in the gloom. Opening it, he saw that there was a large lever in a panel just opposite the door. He pulled the lever and heard the noise of a gate opening.

"Well, this is not where a sewer is supposed to end." Alex's voice was rather puzzled. "Why is there a garden here? Shouldn't there be a landfill or a trash yard or... something else?"

He gestured towards the lush garden in front of them.

"I'm guessing, as we go further up, 'Should' will be a word we'll probably be using more often," Sol said as he looked around.

The garden was more than likely beautiful in the past. The presumably neat and orderly rows of plant life had been overgrown and the metalwork that was visible throughout the garden was rusted by exposure. Alex shrugged, before taking the first step into the garden, then paused, as nothing happened.

"Well, it seems that there aren't any traps, at least." Alex blinked, before looking around: overgrown plants curling around each other in a stunning display of green. Metal that should be rusted, but it was clearly made like that, with red spots that were just different coloration in the metal.

Here and there, flowers in various states of bloom, white, yellow, blue, red and orange, like miniature fireworks.

Sol began carefully nudging a few of the flowers. He wasn't knowledgeable of flowers, or really gardens in general, but just by looking at how they were arranged, he could tell that they were set up with no small degree of love and care.

"I guess, still whoever owned this place previously must ha…" Sol was cut off as a shriek of terror and pain ripped through the air. Sol quickly looked back at Alex.

"That… Do you think another group got here before us?" Sol asked as quietly as possible.

"Who?" Alex asked, face set into a grim expression. "The kids at the Mall? Doesn't sound probable. The Punks are entrenched and the rest of our group is kaput. So, it's either the Red Eyes, but I don't think that someone would scream like a kid in a horror film, or it's the next group. The sixth one, I think. Probably the last, if my theory is correct."

Then, he grimaced. "I mean, this is all speculation. But I can't think of anything else. You?"

"It's the only explanation that makes sense." Sol looked at the house doors that opened to the garden. "Looks like the only way to go is forward. You ready?" Sol asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Alex nodded before the duo made their way out of the garden and towards the sound. Considering how overgrown the whole thing was, they were able to only see a part of the house from where they were.

When they eventually got to the door, Sol gave the door a surprised look. "This house definitely belongs to someone who sold their soul." The door was extremely ornate and well-carved with meticulous detailing and design work. Upon opening the door, the sunroom inside matched the door's opulence in design and detail. In better times, sunlight would have naturally poured into this room but the overgrown plant life had stopped that. Still, there was something odd about the room and by extension the whole location. Sol couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was definitely off here.

"Or at least several organs. Possibly not their own." Alex commented with a small grin before he moved to the door towards the inside of the place. "Ready?"

He raised a hand, with three fingers extended. "On three. One, Two… Three!" And he opened the door.

The air was still when the two entered, and a fine coating of dust could be seen on the furniture.

"Someone has not been in for a long time," Sol said before looking to see if he could find any other clues in the room. The only thing he could see were some smashed picture frames. However, the associated pictures were removed.

"Then, who screamed?" Alex asked, looking around: even under a heavy coat of dust, the place was clearly upscale: wood paneling on the walls, marble floors, tasteful furniture, gold and silver on the chandelier…

"And, more importantly, where are they?"

"Further in, I guess," Sol said uneasily. "Okay, so I don't like to make bets but… it's either a haunted mansion with Sin Scissors, or one big demon and the screams are bait for us."

Alex sighed and Calcabrina appeared in his hands. "I really want a third weapon, you know? I thought of using Goode, but it felt… wrong." He said, while stalking towards the door to the rest of the house.

"If we find another Red Eyes, however, I'm going to carve them up like a Thanksgiving turkey."

"No issues with that one man," Sol said before opening the adjacent door and stepping through. It led into what Sol had guessed was an equally lavish hallway of dark woods and tasteful ornamentation. Drawing Nymphaeum, Sol began to walk down one end before stopping. On his left was a medium-sized painting. It… looked like a painting of a castle, but warped and twisted as its predominantly red and blue colors gave the painting a hellish vibe. For some reason, Sol swore he recognized the castle in some way.

"Alex, I've got a weird painting here and something about it is bugging me," Sol called out.

"What? Oh. Well, I can see how it would bug you out. Me, it kinda creeps me out, but it's just.. Well, I mean, this place was made by a demon. I expected some kind of horrendous painting, sooner or after." He kinda shrugged after that, before looking down the hallway.

"My main problem was this hallway, to be honest. It feels too long to me."

"Almost like it's being stretched too far?" Sol asked calmly

"More like…" He trawled off, before he took a few steps forward, looking at the wall. He was counting under his breath.

"Nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen… Ah. Yeah, I got it." Alex turned towards Sol and called him towards himself. "Come here. Count your steps until you reach me. Or, more accurately…"

And he pointed at the wall. "Until you reach the painting here."

"Huh?" Sol said before counting off.

"Ten, eleven, twelve… What the hell?" Sol asked aloud

The painting on the wall had changed. It was the same size but depicted a different scene. Sol looked at Alex, and then back at the painting before walking an additional thirteen steps.

"It changed again, this is going to be weird, isn't it?" Sol asked from his new position.

"Considering the wall from this painting…" He pointed at the one near them. "Change from wood paneling to square-cut gray stones, along with the floor moving from parquet to more stone, I'm going with yes." Alex sighed.

"I'm not even going to try and guess about what is happening. I have no idea and, to be honest, I just want to stop and eat something." He patted his stomach. "It's been a while, after all." Alex continued.

"Yeah, you're right, back to the sunroom area for a bit then? Any hallway that arbitrarily stretches on and on may not be the best place to eat." Sol said while massaging his temples.

"That's definitely true. Still, I would feel a bit more safe if we could find a room that didn't have that much glass in it. You never know when something is going to smash it and use it as a weapon." Alex grumbled a little, looking around the hallway for doors to a room that failed to materialize.

"Bah. Let's just move." He turned to walk back before a scream of fear made both of them freeze on the spot. The sound came from further down the hallway. Near the end of it, in fact.

"Well, I guess we can wait on that, rather not get attacked while eating thank you very much," Sol said before looking down the hallway and sighing. "This is gonna suck isn't it?"

"Definitely." Alex sighed with Sol, before turning towards the end of the hallway and starting sprinting towards it.

"Well might as well," Sol said before running after Alex.

The hallway was, in fact, longer than it should be. In their frenetic run, they passed at least six different paintings, with accompanying changes of walls and floor. A few doors passed by their sides closed and made of either heavy wood or the same panels as the walls and floors. Finally, they reached the end of the corridor, finding a single double door at the end, once they pushed it open, they saw what was clearly a dining room, big enough to host at least a hundred people inside.

And with the exception of Sol and Alex, there were more than a hundred people inside. There was a mix of men and women in their late teens to early twenties. As Sol looked them all over he began to notice something common among all of them. Greek letters.

"Oh… fraternities and sororities… not exactly what I was expecting." Sol while slowly lowering Nymphaeum.

"And that's a Divinity Statue. Wait, how many…" Alex lost himself in counting the people around, ignoring the way several of them had stiffened at their entrance, before approaching them with a hostile swagger to their steps.

"Just who the hell are you two?" A rather square-jawed-looking guy asked them. Sol blinked slowly at what he realized was an on-the-spot intimidation check and gave a sheepish look.

"Two people who aren't going to fire at first sight? We thought someone was in danger and came to help. Guess not…" He said trailing off.

In the meantime, Alex was still counting... "Sixty, sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-three… Move a bit, thanks… Sixty-four…" He grabbed one of the boys that had moved in front of him and lifted him, moving him to the side without even stopping counting.

"Wh… what's he doing!?" The guy who spoke first asked in shock, finally noticing Alex's counting.

"Proving a theory we developed. If he's right… well, it's best you all try to stay alive for as long as possible. Best to not give the, uh… what would be the term, uh… mastermind behind this nightmare an edge." Sol said simply.

"Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, One Hundred, One Hundred and One…" Alex wasn't listening. He was just… counting.

"Watch," Sol said to the lead, well he was going to say jock before wincing at that memory, before continuing. "Your group will probably have 111 people in it."

"One hundred and Ten, One Hundred and Eleven people. Yep, as I had guessed." Alex nodded, before turning towards Sol.

"Yeah, these are the last batch. When did your group get summoned here? How much time ago, who used the statue, have you been attacked? Anyone heavily injured?" He turned towards the lead jock, asking without worrying about the fact that he was large enough to be two of him side by side.

"He…hey, we asked the questions first?" The jock stammered a little taken aback.

"We understand that and we answered them. But for the sake of you and your fellows here. That information is really damn important." Not just for your physical safety, but your spiritual as well." Sol responded.

"Are you some kind of preacher!?" The Jock asked loudly.

Sol paused for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "Absolutely not, but if you got the whole kill the demon lord speech, then whatever power was forcefully gifted to you is… parasitic."

"Well, what were the questions? Who are we, where we are, what is happening? I'm guessing, nothing more. Anyway, in order…" Alex cleared his throat, before assuming a tone of voice that sounded like he had mentally rehearsed what he was saying.

"You have been summoned by a demon to try and reach the center of the city we are in. Except that the power that the Voice said it has given to you is just something the demon has lent to you, not given, so if you grow it by using the statue, you'll just feed the demon's power. If you don't, however, your growth will be restricted to what you can do. That doesn't mean you can't become as awesome as we are. Also, it is a parasitic power that will consume you from the inside. No, we don't know where we are, my best guess is a pocket dimension. No, we don't know if we can escape, I'm guessing we need to kill the demon that brought us here. Other questions?"

"Uh…" A voice from the crowd began to ask in a sheepish tone. "How do we get the parasite thingy out?"

"Excellent question!" Alex didn't really shout, but he swirled with his index finger raised. "There is a portal around here: a circle, completely red and glowing. If you step inside it will bring you to a bar called The Gates of Hell. The owner, Rodin, is a blacksmith of incredible power and he can remove the parasites from you… for a price."

He shrugged. "Those Red Orbs that you got at the start? You'll need those."

"It's 5,000 to remove it from yourself. For now, until you can reliably get that, buy blue orbs and weapons and avoid anything marked with an (L). Those are the trap options, and we've seen what that can lead to firsthand." Sol said while shivering at the memory of Goode.

"Full on possession and demon-hood. Not a good look for anyone, and not good for anyone back home."

The group of people was white as a sheet and the rest of the group was chatting with each other, clearly worried. Until someone, from the very back, shouted something.

"Why should we believe you?!" A female voice, high pitched and with a rather high-class accent asked, cutting through all the noise.

Sol let out a sigh and looked at Alex before raising his left arm. The crowd recoiled.

"See this!" Sol said in a loud voice. "I lost my arm to a demon known as an Abyss and took its arm as recompense. Now before you all start having wild and crazy thoughts, know that I am having a lot of problems with it. Guess you could label them under dystonia and that's without getting into what the blood flow is doing to my internals." Sol said as he lowered his arm.

"I'm not even going to start explaining why I have tri-colored hair and silver sclerae. Let me just say that it was exceedingly painful and I almost died… three times? Four? I honestly lost count." Alex deadpanned, before pointing at the statue. "Now, if you will, I need to go shopping."

Sol shrugged at the crowd before letting Alex go first. Looking at the crowd he began to say, "If any of you have any other questions, I'm free to answer those questions."

Alex ignored the voice that rose behind him and strode towards the statue, eyes mostly blank. With a touch, the dining room vanished from his sight, to be replaced by the white-gold empty space of the Watcher of Time. Only then, did he let go of the breath that he had been holding. "The sixth group. This… either proves my theory or disproves it completely. But I'm thinking that 6 groups of people of One Hundred and Eleven each makes a lot of sense. Ahhh, not the moment!" With a shake of his head, he focused on the screens in front of him.

And the first thing he noticed was that this time, the option to buy things from the demon that had called them there… wasn't present anymore. It took him only a few moments, but the image of Rodin removing the corrupted power from inside himself and Sol was still vivid in his eyes.

"Finally… Now, how much do I have in store?"

When he checked, his eyes turned wide with surprise.

Red Orbs: 173.650

"When did I… no, it's not the moment to start and think about this. I have a wallet to empty."

The windows of possibilities opened in front of him. Almost literally.

Calcabrina (Combined Form)

• Float (Keeping the umbrella open, it will slow down any fall to a gentle float) - 2.500 Red OrbsBought
  • Levitate (As long as the Umbrella is open, the weight of the user is reduced to almost nothing. Higher jump, can walk on fragile and liquid surfaces) - Require Float,5.000 Red OrbsBought
    • Fly (Glide/flight for a short distance with directional momentum chosen at the start of the movement) - Require Levitate, 10.000 Red OrbsBought
      • Defying Gravity (Unlimited flight, cost Magical Energy) - Require Fly, 300.000 Red Orbs
• Tar Beam (Only combined form, charged.) (Charge the entire surface of the Umbrella and shoot a giant beam.) - Require Beam Spell to be bought, 25.000 Red Orbs
  • Improved Tar Beam (Can charge the beam for longer. Damage is increased) - Require Tar Beam, 50.000 Red Orbs

• Calca (Sheath)

  • Rainproof (Require Barrier) (Strengthen the Barrier and extend it beyond the Umbrella's edge) - 5.000 Red Orbs
    • Waterproof (Require Rainproof) (Barrier is strengthened and extended more) - 15.000 Red Orbs
      • Impervious (Require Waterproof, Require Funeral March for a Marionette) (Extend the shield further, the barrier is strong enough to block any attack once. Cooldown after this use) - 50.000 Red Orbs
  • Puppet Waltz (Require Beam Spell) (Lasers come out of the tassels hanging from the spokes of the umbrella, can be kept active during movement) - 15.000 Red Orbs
    • Funeral March for a Marionette (Require Puppet Waltz) (Calca gets thrown up in the air, lasers come down from the tassels and it starts turning on itself, the lasers hitting all around in a casual pattern) - 35.000 Red Orbs

• Brina (Sword)

  • Running Stitch (The tip of the sword is charged with magical energy and, on hit, releases a thin beam of energy in the enemy) - 8.000 Red OrbsBought
    • Cross Stitch (Require Running Stitch, Require Beam Spell) (The tip of the sword can now leave behind up to two trails of energy that will shoot forward. Charged) - 20.000 Red Orbs
      • Cross Stitch (Require Cross Stitch) (The number of trails of energy that can be used is now unlimited, but need to be continuously chained) - 40.000 Red Orbs
  • Back Stitch (Require Barrier Spell, Require Beam Spell) (Enlarge the size of the sword by overlaying cutting barriers on it. The size can change from slightly bigger than normal to greatsword size. Weight is unchanged) - 25.000 Red Orbs
    • Blanket Stitch (Require Back Stitch) (Can now enlarge the sword to bus size. Weight is unchanged) - 50.000 Red Orbs

• Seraphim

  • Sing! (Basic attack)(An area attack that uses sonic waves to hit everyone around the user. Short range.)
    • Contralto (The Sing! Attack rise in power and pitch, shattering hard materials and flying back the enemies around the user) - 7.500 Red OrbsBought
      • Mezzo Soprano (The Sing! Attack rise in range, now reaching until middle-range from the user, sending the enemies even further away.) - 20.000 Red Orbs
        • Soprano (The Sing! Attack is now at the strongest it can possibly be, rising in both strength and range, turning every material around to dust in an even wider range.) - 75.000 Red Orbs
  • Solo: (A single wave of sound erupt from Seraphim in a narrow cone forward, with greater strength, but lesser area, than Sing!) 10.000 Red OrbsBought
    • Acuto (Solo now gains greater penetrative power and hits enemies behind the first one with piercing sound waves.) 25.000 Red Orbs
  • Choir: (Summon a sphere of light with wings that shoot sonic projectiles at the enemies in range.) 30.000 Red Orbs
    • Choir 2: (Summon three Choirs to help the fight, instead of only one.) 55.000 Red Orbs

Even just the weapon techniques were something that he wanted. He really, really wanted them. So, he took them.

Rainproof (Require Barrier) (Strengthen the Barrier and extend it beyond the Umbrella's edge) - 5.000 Red Orbs

• Waterproof (Require Rainproof) (Barrier is strengthened and extended more) - 15.000 Red Orbs
  • Impervious (Require Waterproof, Require Funeral March for a Marionette) (Extend the shield further, barrier is strong enough to block any attack once. Cooldown after this use) - 50.000 Red Orbs
• Puppet Waltz (Require Beam Spell) (Lasers come out of the tassels hanging from the spokes of the umbrella, can be kept active during movement) - 15.000 Red Orbs
  • Funeral March for a Marionette (Require Puppet Waltz) (Calca gets thrown up in the air, lasers come down from the tassels and it starts turning on itself, the lasers hitting all around in a casual pattern) - 35.000 Red Orbs
• Tar Beam (Only combined form, charged.) (Charge the entire surface of the Umbrella and shoot a giant beam.) - Require Beam Spell to be bought, 25.000 Red Orbs

It was overly focused on his main weapon, which made him a little uncomfortable. So, with a look of indecision on his face, he decided to take a step back and reevaluate. In the end, he decided to change a couple of things.

Rainproof (Require Barrier) (Strengthen the Barrier and extend it beyond the Umbrella's edge) - 5.000 Red Orbs

• Waterproof (Require Rainproof) (Barrier is strengthened and extended more) - 15.000 Red Orbs
• Puppet Waltz (Require Beam Spell) (Lasers come out of the tassels hanging from the spokes of the umbrella, can be kept active during movement) - 15.000 Red Orbs
• Choir: (Summon a sphere of light with wings that shoot sonic projectiles at the enemies in range.) 30.000 Red Orbs
• Tar Beam (Only combined form, charged.) (Charge the entire surface of the Umbrella and shoot a giant beam.) - Require Beam Spell to be bought, 25.000 Red Orbs

Then, after choosing what techniques he wanted, he moved to the non-weapon skills. Specifically, his half-demon powers. And he immediately chose one that would be invaluable, going forward.

• Blink (Move from one place to another without any time in between. Limited to five seconds of movements, only places that are physically accessible): 7.500 Red Orbs- Bought
  • Blink 2 (Time of movement is extended to ten seconds): 20.000 Red Orbs
    • Blink 3 (Time of movement is limitless, depending on magical energy consumed): 75.000 Red Orbs
• Time Bubble (Create a bubble of slowed time in front of you that lasts for three seconds): 15.000 Red Orbs - Bought
• Haste (Speed your personal time up, moving faster and doing more things in less time): 35.000 Red Orbs
• Slow (Slow down a target's personal time, making them move like they are in slow motion)(Consume Magical Energy): 50.000 Red Orbs

"Yeah, I'm taking Haste and Slow. It falls precisely in my budget."

The final tally ran him exactly 175.000 Red Orbs. Precisely inside his own range.

"Back to being a pauper. Oh well, I can always kill more demons." And, with a smile, he bowed to the Watcher of Time and let the white-gold space vanish.

In the meantime, Sol was being asked a lot of things. Some were smart.

"What exactly do you mean by demons?!"

And some were…

"What do you mean there's no open shop where we can buy booze?!"

…less smart.

Sol paused, pinched the bridge of nose, and pointed to the person who asked the smart question.

"Yes, demons, the forces of hell, led by…" Sol paused, before continuing, "Not sure, there's been some inter rivalries that have spilled over topside and dragged us all in. Now there's some demon who's looking to capitalize on a power vacuum left by the proverbial dead beat that ruined all of our respective days. There's a very long story with that one, that probably involves at least twenty years' worth of tax evasion. Hence why you don't take anything with the L prefix, unless it's a denotation of size for healing items. Stay clear from the life restoration option." Sol said, partially reiterating an earlier statement.

"Still there are a lot of demons here, we're basically in a pocket of hell right now. The good news though, there are dedicated businesses that perform demon hunting at a fee, So I'll be sure to give you all referrals when we get out of here. Due note that at least one of the businesses is run by a man who's addicted to pizza and strawberry sundaes. I guess if you are in the business that long you start to pick up eccentricities."

Then he turned and gave a withering stare at the idiot who asked him about the booze.

"I meant what we said, there is a place that sells liquor but that's called Gates of Hell and booze is much less of a concern there than you'd like. It's a wholesale arms dealership with nothing, but demonic weapons on offer. Bonus points if you bring your own scavenged demon parts for trade. If you are really desperate to get drunk, then scavenge around for whatever ruined store or house for your fix. Just don't come crying to me when you bring a horde down on yourself because of your poor life decisions."

"Are you scaring the kids, Sol?" Alex's voice was a little bit rough but steady. He was smiling, a faint silvery aura slowly vanishing from around him, his eyes glowing visibly for a few seconds more.

"But, yeah, whatever he said to you all is true. Or a well-focused theory. Anyway, I'm done with the statue, Sol, you can go on. You all will take turns later, so start thinking about what you want to get."

That drew some puzzled stares from them. Alex rolled his eyes. "What do you want as a power? Do you want to be stronger, do you want to shoot fireballs, create barriers, or heal wounds? Start thinking about it."

Sol took in what Alex said before ruefully shaking his head, "No, just one of them asked a really stupid question and it kinda ticked me off."

"Hey, I thought it was a smart question!" The voice that asked before Sol responded indignantly.

"And now the whole crowd knows your college major if they didn't already." Sol shot back before looking at Alex.

"Got what you needed?" Sol asked easily.

"Yeah. I prepared as well as I could. My suggestion is to not be stingy with your funds, we are entering the endgame. I fear." Alex answered, before casually walking towards one of the doors to the side of the room.

"I'm feeling a bit hungry. Where's the kitchen?" He asked one of the college-age students around, who just blinked and pointed at the other door. "Thanks. Well, I'm going to go and make a snack. You all remain here and if something or someone appears and starts trying to kill you, shout."

"Wait, wait, are you going to leave us here? All alone? While there are demons around that want to hurt us?!"

The person who spoke was a girl, one of the stereotypical ones that could be seen in a horror movie. Alex blinked, almost not believing in his eyes. "Well, yes. I am hungry, after all."

"Can't I come with you?" She asked, trying to come off as sultry, blinking her eyes and pouting. A guy behind her didn't like what she was doing if his expression was any indication of it. Maybe her boyfriends?

"Eeehh…" Alex took a step back, his demeanor turning rather unsure all of sudden. "I mean…"

Sol found himself in the realm of the Statue of Time and Space and began to open the menus.

"I know Alex said to splurge but… I need that Angelo… So let's see what I have and we'll work our way down." Sol said before checking his wallet.

"194,550 Red Orbs… how the… oh…" Sol said, horror creeping into his voice. "Right, let's… let's put these to better use."

He scrolled down through the menus and paused at one of the options. It was expensive but, better to grab it now than later. He selected a skill called Demon's Dance for 60k and watched his wallet drop in value.

"Leaves me with 40k or so left to work with. Let's continue." He said more to himself before buying the skill Sequence Life for another 30K.

"That leaves with just above 100K, okay fuck it, might as well." Sol said before moving down the list and purchasing Restrictive Centrifuge and Restrictive Suffering for a combined value of 45K. He then returned Gevaudan's sword state and purchased Faultline for 40K. Then he paused and looked at abilities. His finger, his demonic finger, hovered over the option briefly. Sol, remembering the pain he was in before, purchased the option Trigger Heart and watched as his wallet dropped to 12,050. He looked back at the Items and purchased Two Vital Star Larges and Two Devil Star Larges, depleting his wallet to 6,050.

"I think that does it for me for now. Really not looking forward to what sort of conversations are awaiting oh the other side." Sol said with a slight grimace.

What awaited him on the other side was a rather high degree of commotion. A young woman and a young man were arguing, loudly, in the middle of everyone, while Alex was near them, in the middle, trying to take a few steps back from them. Sadly, the crowd was so closed off that he couldn't move away unless he forced his way out. Which wasn't something he wanted to do.

Sol grimaced, before drawing Nymphaeum and almost firing. He realized that would be incredibly stupid for a multitude of reasons and decided to move through the crowd on his own… by placing his demonic hand directly in peoples' faces.

As the people recoiled from the visibly demonic limb, Sol simply began to say, "Excuse me, pardon me, trying to get on by, thank you," before quietly grabbing Alex and making his way out of the crowd. The two who started the argument, were oblivious to what just occurred.

"Why the hell shouldn't I talk to him!?" The girl shouted to her male compatriot.

"I wouldn't care, but you were clearly coming onto him!" The male shouted back.

"Well, at least he's obviously down more than you!" She hissed.

"Yeah!? Well, I'll show you what I can do!" He roared before turning to where Alex had been only to stop and gaze at the empty spot. "Hey uh… where'd he go?"

"Good grief." Alex's voice came from above them, where he was floating above the couple. "Are you done with your lover's spat?" His voice, now that he had recovered, was only barely amused, instead of surprised or unsure. Then, he let himself drop down, the umbrella vanishing into his inventory.

"Look, it doesn't matter if she was coming onto me. I'm gay, so it won't work. Either way, I'm hungry, so I'm going to eat. Sol, take care of them for a few minutes, I need to not be here for a bit."

And then, before anyone could say anything else, he Blinked away, vanishing from where he was standing a moment before.

Sol wordlessly looked back between the spot where Alex had been and the crowd, before stating simply, "My brother in all but blood, people. If he ever offers you a flying ride, don't. I am now thoroughly acrophobic as a result. Real speed demon if you catch my drift… Ah hell, I gotta answer questions again don't I?" Sol asked with a weary sigh.

Silence.

For only a moment, though. Then the questions started to come: How they were here, why they were here, could they really get powers, what about the demons, could they survive, would he protect them, do they need to offer something to Sol and Alex for their protection, there's anything that they can do to survive better, what were his suggestions for a power to choose, what did he mean with loaned power…

Sol groaned before muttering to himself. "I really want to punch the shit out of demons right now… Okay! Since all you seem to want are twenty questions, demon edition! Let's begin!"

The deluge of questions didn't stop. If anything, it had turned faster and louder. Sol tried to answer as many as he could, but soon he realized that the people here were not only asking while he answered, but they were also talking over him. He paused, spun on his heel, and walked to the closest wall before he began to slowly and deliberating, smack his head against it.

"I. Really. Want. To. Punch. A. Demon." He said between each hit.

After a few moments, he realized that the flood of questions had stopped, but not the whispers. People were now looking at him like he was mad.

Then, after a minute of hushed whispers, one of the guys took a step forward and asked, his voice trembling slightly. "It's… everything ok?"

"I have dealt with scared teenagers and some kickass punks, both of whom were way more on the level and willing to listen than you lot. So no, everything is not okay. I want to go home, I replaced my arm with a demon's, watched someone I vaguely knew turn into a half-man, half-tentacle monster thing that wouldn't look out of place in the Umbrella Corps' reject pile, and now I'm dealing with you all who can't be bothered to actually listen! So, I'm fucking fantabulous right now." Sol said angrily.

The slightly nervous man looked confused for a moment, before asking another question. "What's Umbrella Corp?"

Sol's mind stopped for several sections before he turned and smashed his head into the wall, denting the wood. A few seconds later, an answering whisper saved Sol from having to respond. Sadly, the one who asked - the same one who asked about the booze - took a step back with an expression of both fear and disgust on his face.

"There are ZOMBIES now?!" His voice was a little shrill from the shout.

Sol removed his head from the wall. He almost responded immediately before he stopped and considered the universe. "No, Yes, Maybe? Probably not, but… wait I mean technically Arius counted but his corpse was possessed by a demon so, no? Look I've had a day and stupid questions are really only serving to piss me off."

"Wait," Another voice asked. "You said Arius, like Arius Vogel the former CEO of Ouroboros Corp. I have an uncle who used to work at a London branch office before the CEO died. You're telling he was possessed by a demon!?"

"Finally a good question! Okay, so it was less a possession and more of a demon wearing his skin like a meat suit after he suffered a deadly case of .45 Auto poisoning and terminal velocity. So, uh from here on out, don't trust mega-corps, 'cause they're probably like Ouroboros or Umbrella." Sol said before leveling a glare at the human booze hound.

"Holy shit..." was the response before the target of Sol's ire spoke up again.

"What? It was a valid question! You can't come here and glare at me for asking if there are zombies when you said that we have to deal with demons!" The guy half-shouted, crossing his arms in a defensive position. He seemed to be vaguely offended by the glare that Sol was giving him.

"No, it was not a valid question, nor was the question about booze. Demons do not always equate with zombies. If they did we'd have already seen them by now!" Sol yelled as began to devolve into a rant, listing every demon he and Alex had encountered to that point, while wildly gesturing with his hands.

While Sol was loudly explaining the differences between a Hell Caina and a Hell Antenora, Alex returned with half a sandwich in his hands, already chewing a mouthful, and stopped at the door.

"I did hear shouting, but why are you holding class?" His question was just loud enough to cut through the chaos, making everyone turn towards him.

"They think zombies exist here because I equated Goode's appearance with something from Umbrella and one of them didn't know what Umbrella is. Booze Meister over here jumped on that train of thought real quick." Sol responded sharply.

"My name is not Booze Meister!" The now-nick-named individual responded angrily.

"Well, it is now!" Sol shot back.

"I mean, I'm not going to discount the appearance of zombies. Not anything from a virus or anything, though. You do remember the flaming corpses, right?" Alex's question was aimed more at their shared knowledge about the game than any specific enemy they had met personally. Still, it was a good point to make.

Yet, before the panic could spread, Alex clapped his hands loudly. "Ok, everyone listen!" His voice echoed around the room with a weight to it that made it clear that everyone needed to listen to him.

"I want you all to divide yourself into two groups. For simplicity, we're going to divide you into male and female, to start! Male on this side, Female on the other one!" He waved his arms in two opposite directions, to keep everything clear. There was some grumbling but unlike with Sol, the group seemed to actually listen to Alex, as they began to move into the separate groups.

"Good! Now, to simplify things even more! Starting from you!" Alex pointed to a random person in the Female group. "Start counting! Starting from one, then the next one will raise their hands and say two and so on and so forth, until there are no more. Be orderly!"

And so they started doing exactly that. The girl that Alex had pointed at raised her hand and shouted "ONE!" Then there was the second, the third, and so on until the last one lowered her own arm and then shouted "FIFTY-FIVE!" Died down.

Alex nodded, then pointed at the Males. "Do the same thing!" They grumbled a little bit, before shutting up and starting when they saw the expression on his face. That group was fifty-six.

"Good, good. Ok, now. Divide yourselves into groups of five people! No more, no less! Get a move on, I'm trying to save your lives here, people! Except one group will have six, for obvious reasons! No, I won't accept arguing!" Alex stated.

Sol looked at Alex perplexed. "What's going man? Feels like I'm missing something." Sol asked.

"I'm dealing with a problem before it gets worse." Alex answered, a serious frown on his face, before he pointed at a group of ten people clustered together.

"I don't care about your reasons! FIVE people! Not more! MOVE!" His voice reverberated around the place for a few seconds after his shout was done and everyone was now moving faster.

"Sol, go eat something. The kitchen is fairly well furnished. And… there's something you need to see." He pointed the tip of his umbrella towards the door from where he had come from. "Beyond the kitchen, the door on the left. There's a parlor with something interesting inside. Go."

"Alright," Sol said quietly, any irritation gone from his voice.

Walking away from the room, Sol passed through the kitchen, pausing briefly before snatching up an apple and continuing forward. He could always return and grab something more substantial on the way back. Entering what Alex had called the parlor, Sol began to look around. The room was vaguely familiar as if he had seen it once before but he couldn't quite place it. The sense of vagueness died when his eyes fell upon a large portrait hanging in the center of the room.

Now, Sol was more of a modern art kind of person, but he figured that classical would be the best term to apply to the painting's style. It depicted four figures against an, admittedly unappealing to Sol, dark background and setting. The first figure to draw his eyes was the woman in the middle. She was... a picture of beauty, with long blonde hair that stood out against the dark reds and blacks of the middle and foreground. Then he looked down and froze. In front of her were two boys, both with white hair that was styled differently and showing body language that somehow perfectly expressed their attitudes. He felt ice form in his chest and he looked to the final figure on the right side of the painting. With his stark white hair that almost affected the downward curvature of a pair of horns, it was clear to see where the boys had inherited their looks.

The apple dropped from Sol's hand. "That's the Sparda family portr... This is, this is, this is.... oh fuck!" Sol said before hastily picking the apple backup and returning back to Alex. Once there, he saw what Alex was doing. With a stern face and a sterner tone of voice, Alex was directing the group to buy their own upgrades at the statue. Starting with a Blue Orb, at a minimum, and then talking with them to decide what they wanted to learn. Alex was not forcing anyone into making certain purchases, just using his own knowledge to make suggestions. And, to speed things up, he was alternating between males and females, so that they could talk with the rest of the groups and make the subsequent decisions go faster.

When he noticed Sol's appearance, he raised a finger to his lips for a moment, making the universal sign of 'Shhhh', before choosing another group to go.

Sol watched the group briefly before getting close to Alex and whispering, "This is 'HIS' house!"

"I. Know." Alex's whisper was barely more than a movement of his lips, but he still managed to say it. "Don't say anything. Take over the counseling part, I'll finish ordering the groups. The faster they are organized, the faster we can move on."

Sol moved to the newest group and began to make suggestions. "Uhhh, right! So, you want to get yourselves a Blue Orb for increased vitality and physical capabilities. It's not going to be on the level of the L prefixed items but it won't drive you insane. Next you want to…" Sol's voice began to trail off as he explained which things to get, which to avoid, and which to save up for.

By working in two, the whole thing sped up, and soon, everyone was lined up in front of the statue, touching it and getting away a few seconds later, quietly amazed by the changes.

***************************************************

After a little less than an hour, everyone in the room had had their turns. Some, those that didn't want to fight, had taken healing powers. Many had taken physical power. Around the same number had chosen ranged magic attacks. It was fairly balanced, all things considered.

Alex was sitting on a chair, head thrown back and staring at the ceiling. "I hope it will be enough." It was just a whisper, but Sol was more than good enough to hear it.

"If we clear the way forward then it should be safe for both them, the punks, and the teens. We probably got pretty lucky with our location. They? not so much." Sol responded in turn before finally finishing the apple he had taken from the kitchen.

"To think we're in their house, in a pristine condition. That's… I never would have imagined that." Sol said quietly, a slight hint of awe present in his voice.

"I kinda didn't want to imagine it. But it happened, and that's it. Now…" Alex sighed, before getting up. "Now we have to prepare."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Oh yeah, the location has changed to one of greater importance and the last group of survivors has been encountered. Now, that doesn't mean that things are any safer. We've seen what happened to the original manor after all. There's also the matter of Lusachia, and that's only going to well... well we'll cross that proverbial bridge when we get there.

Enjoy everyone!

 

[GrimmSoul]

Now, Sol was more of a modern art kind of person, but he figured that classical would be the best term to apply to the painting's style. It depicted four figures against an, admittedly unappealing to Sol, dark background and setting. The first figure to draw his eyes was the woman in the middle. She was... a picture of beauty, with long blonde hair that stood out against the dark reds and blacks of the middle and foreground. Then he looked down and froze. In front of her were two boys, both with white hair that was styled differently and showing body language that somehow perfectly expressed their attitudes. He felt ice form in his chest and he looked to the final figure on the right side of the painting. With his stark white hair that almost affected the downward curvature of a pair of horns, it was clear to see where the boys had inherited their looks.

Click to shrink...

Ohhhhhhh shiiiiiiiit. They're in the Big Man's house. The good thing is that there might be some very fancy shit laying around that could help them, like weapons, magic tomes, healing items, hell, even clothes. The bad thing is that there are probably demons in there that thought the same.

Great chapter. Really liked that they are trying to educate this new group.

 

[Yuki no Yue]

Ohhhhhhh shiiiiiiiit. They're in the Big Man's house. The good thing is that there might be some very fancy shit laying around that could help them, like weapons, magic tomes, healing items, hell, even clothes. The bad thing is that there are probably demons in there that thought the same.

Great chapter. Really liked that they are trying to educate this new group.

Click to shrink...

Thanks. And, without giving away any spoiler, there is something inside that can help them. But I'm not saying anything else.

 

[InZodwetrust]

"Interlopers and scavengers, my faithful shall make them into excellent sacrifices."

Lusachia smiled to itself, and deep below a figure resting in a large ornate chair mirrored that same smile.

Click to shrink...

Is that Urizen that just had a cameo?

 

[Atma]

Is that Urizen that just had a cameo?

Click to shrink...

No no no no, that is not Urizen. We'll eventually meet that character as time goes, but consider that moment a brief respite from bloody battles. The next they're seen, they'll be on the move.

 

[Reven]

To think we're in their house, in a pristine condition. That's… I never would have imagined that." Sol said quietly, a slight hint of awe present in his voice.

Click to shrink...

So did Vergil take advantage of something already going on or something else? Cause I remember the house being in pretty rough shape when Vergil did his split.

Honestly I would get away quickly or make that main base cause the rest of the gang ends up there eventually.

 

[Yuki no Yue]

So did Vergil take advantage of something already going on or something else? Cause I remember the house being in pretty rough shape when Vergil did his split.

Honestly I would get away quickly or make that main base cause the rest of the gang ends up there eventually.

Click to shrink...

The situation is a bit more complex than that. We tried to foreshadow the whole thing in the previous chapters, but I dunno if it landed correctly

 

[Reven]

The situation is a bit more complex than that. We tried to foreshadow the whole thing in the previous chapters, but I dunno if it landed correctly

Click to shrink...

Reading what I am assuming is this is an Au were another demon set up the tree or it's Before Vergil takes over. Either way considering if Virgil doesn't take over then he dies due to his condition.