CRYMSON X DAWN

The desolate expanse o the demon realm, stretched like a twisted, nightmarish canvas. The air reeked of charred rock, smoke, and the acrid stench of brimstone. Crimson rock formations, like jagged teeth, pierced the smoldering skies, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground below. The rocky outcroppings seemed to twist and writhe, as if alive, their tortured shapes a testament to the unforgiving power of the realm. There was a chain of three mountains which all had holes blown through their side in a single line as if a powerful object had shot through.

‎The terrain itself was scarred and battered, bearing the fresh wounds of a recent battle. Craters pockmarked the ground, their edges still smoldering, while shattered boulders and splintered trees littered the ground. The once-molten rock had cooled, perhaps from the recent battle that took place here ,forming frozen, glassy sheets that reflected the sickly, orange glow of the sky. Every sound echoed through the stillness, as if all the beings in the area had fled in order to escape whatever rampage had happened there.

Faust found himself lying in the middle of this place. He was conscious enough to notice the things in his present environment but couldn't muster the strength to do anything. There was a line that cut through the entire terrain bisecting it into two with Faust lying in the middle of the large cut that split the ground under where he lay. This was the only mark left if Sasha's attack as the rift that had been opened to other planes was abruptly closed by another power.

Faust couldnt see with his left eye. He tried to turn his head but couldn't so rather opted to view it from the corner of his eye. All he was was a black must but still nothing.

" Am I on fire?" He wondered." But I don't feel the burns."

Infact now that it was mentioned,he couldn't feel the left side of his body. He mustered up strength and tried to ascertain the damage that was done by touching his shoulder. His hand went through air and touched the ground which was covered by a warm liquid. He brought his hand back to his face to get a better look. The liquid was red. It took him a few seconds before he finally realized it. This was blood,his blood. He tried to see how far the damage went but only touched nothingnes. He then brought his hand to his head. Half of it was gone. His eyes widened with the realization. Sasha's slash handnt cut off his arm as he had thought. Instead,the attack had deleted the left half of his body. The blood that was coming out of his missing half slowly turning black before turning to black smoke leaving the dark mist that was still emanating.

Faust mind races as so many thoughts filled his head all fighting for attention but the biggest one caused him to go numb of everything and become unfeeling.

"Am I going to die?" He asked himself. His heart,or rather something akin to that,raced with an emotion he had Surpressed with all his other feelings in his quest to achieve his goal.

FEAR.

He touched his neck and felt something. It was the locket. It was in bad shape and the cord holding it together would snap at any moment. He heard footsteps approaching from the right. Two figures appeared.

" Honestly. Where do you go off cutting space. Doesn't she know it's dangerous." A familiar voice said.

" Now look it my job to make sure that nothing was able to breach through into another plane. A being as dignified as myself shouldn't stoop so low. I have more important things to do. I'm a ruler . A ruler shouldn't handle such mundane tasks."she said in an annoyed tone

" Worry not mistress I Searched the area and didn't sense the entrance or departure of any beings through the rift." A male voice said.

" And yet we're here to deal with whatever was stupid enough to come to my realm without permission."

" I apologize for my complacency mistress." The man said with a boy. They stoped and the woman turned noticing Faust laying on the ground.

" Oh,what a surprise .Faust.Its been a while. You doing good?" Nefaria asked looking down at Faust.

" Ne...fa...ria". Faust struggled to say reaching out with his right hand.

" Oh I see. So your the breach I sensed earlier." She said.

" If you really wanted to visit you could have used the Gate. Why'd you feel the need to come here in such a pompous manner. And where's your other half." She asked noticing his missing half.

" Is it a new fashion trend or something? Aren't you a bit too old to be fooling around like that?" She tilted her head

" This is no time for jest. Help me and we'll go report this to Lord Minatori."

" I do t know...." Nefaria said acting as if she was considering it.

" What?"

" No" she replied with a sweet smile.

" I don't think I'm going to do that. You failed the mission assigned to you by Minatori. Do you think he'll welcome you back with open arms?"

" You bitch! I'll make you pay for this. Just you wait." Faust yelled. He suddenly coughed and blood trickled down the side of his mouth,his eyes and nose.

" Wait for you to do what die? It's clear that your not going to recover from that fatal wound." Nefaria said squatting and touching the blood with her fingertips then raised them up to her face.

" Disgusting." She said straightening.

" I'll use my power to recover then I'm coming after you. Mark my words I won't forget this!"

" Oh please, that power was never yours to begin with you simply stole the power of a Progenitor demon by trapping him in your prescious locket and cursing your own soul by using it's power, using your own body as a Point Of Contact." Nefaria retorted

" I've never seen anyone so desperate for power so as to sell themselves so thoroughly and all for an empty husk."

She snickered turning away from him.

" The things men do for Love."

" I'm going to kill you!!!" Faust yelled.

" You already tried," she snapped her fingers.

Xappa through Echo's severed head at him. It landed upright right Infront of Faust's eyes. It had been reduced to a battered, grotesque parody of its former self, with crushed cheekbones, a shattered jaw, and empty eye sockets that stared like dark, vacant wells. Tattered flaps of skin hung from the skull revealing holes in the bone, like ragged curtains, and a twisted, macabre grimace seemed frozen on the lips, a permanent scream of agony.

" Another one of you failures." She said engulfing the head with flames. The flames turned into maghits and instantly consumed the head then slowly turned their attention to Faust.

He raised his hand and attempted to use magic only managing to burn a few of them but more just slowly crawled towards him. At that moment his magic failed him.

" Using borrowed power. What a coward." Nefaria said turning away from him.

" Do you think your safe? Lord Minatori will deal with you."

Nefaria laughed.

" Minatori huh?" She said,a smile on her lips.

Faust was puzzled. This was the second time she had addressed him without using "Lord". As a Deamon she was bound to use lord to address her master. Unless.....

His eyes widened as he realized it. She was working with Kojo. Wrong,she was working under him.

" You traitor." He yelled burning up all the maggots. Nefaria clapped feigning that she was impressed.

" Oh for an Inferior being you still have fire."

Faust was about to respond but a portal opened and a feeling of Dread washed over him. He was so mortified that he was unable to speak.

" Oh,it seems the rip at this end has already been dealt with." Ned said in a low voice as he walked out of the portal.

" Hmmm." He noticed Faust.

"Based on Dona's narration you're the one who caused all of this" his eyes narrowed.

" Or rather used to cause this."

" What are you talking about." Faust demanded.

"Hello. Former elder sister." He nodded his head at Nefaria in acknowledgement.

"Even if you've become more powerful than me,I'm still your elder sister." Nefaria.

" You're a fallen angel. Dear sister Lucifer."

Nefaria's eyes narrowed.

"Since when did my cute little brother grow this rude."

" I'm not being rude. I'm simply saying things as they are."

" Hmm where did I go wrong in raising you. Sariel."

" As a Demon Lord I go by the name Ned Necro. Please Honor my wish in calling me that." He said.

" I just did one little thing and now my brothers and sisters all act like ik evil." Nefaria said.

" You left the Fallen to usurp the gods and killed one,the one I ended up replacing and got corrupted and turned into a half Demon hybrid if I recall correctly." Ned said.

" All I wanted to go was liven things up. You can't tell be that over a billion years of doing the same thing wasn't boring."

Ned stared at her.

" You nearly caused a Crimson Dawn to reset the universe. Anyway I've not come here for leisure." Ned said turning his attention to Faust.

"Are you going to keep hiding or are you going to come out?" He said.

The locket around Faust's neck snapped and he instantly fell into a world of pain as the power that was keeping him alive suddenly left his body.

" Your such a killjoy." The Demin Saiyans he manifest on a nearby tick sitting down.with one of his legs on a small rock for support.

He wore ripped leather pants with spiked boots. He also wore a leather jacket which had been ripped at the sides and was opened to expose his bare chest and he wore fingerless gloves on each hand.

Asmodeus's face was ridiculously handsome, with smooth, pale skin and sharp features that seemed chiseled from marble. His dark hair framed his face in messy waves, and his full lips curled into a sly, mysterious smile. But his eyes were the real showstopper - piercing yellow with streaks of red and orange had horizontal pupils with two short vertical lines in the middle that seemed to gleam with a malevolent inner light.

" It was fun while it lasted" he said in a smooth silky voice.

" You thought you trapped me didn't you? Well a non magic user like you couldn't dream of holding the power I wield. I only used you so I could feed of the desires of those you made contracts with. I didnt think someone else was the one playing you a tune to dance to."

" Mephisto?" Faust said weakly.

" You knew and yet remained ?" Nefaria asked.

" Of course. I could have chosen to leave at any time but Id rather fuel his Lust and see how far he went till he self distructed."

" Hmm I care not of your ploys. Order. Must be maintained." Ned raised his hand over Faust's body.

" You have been tainted and mustn't be allowed to reincarnate. Even after undergoing trails in the Abyss.

Mephisto grabbed his arm.

" Let go of my hand." Ned ordered.

" I'm the one who made a deal with him. If anything his soul belongs to me." Mephisto said while his eyes gleamed with malevolence and his aura flared. His grip tightened on Ned's arm.

" Asmodeus." Ned mentioned his true name looking him dead in the eye. Mephisto froze.

A daemon's true name is believed to be a critical vulnerability. Knowing this name grants the speaker significant power over the daemon, allowing them to assert control and dominance. This is because unlike with the Seraphs whose true name gives them power ,the true name of a demon is thought to be a focal point of which the daemon's inherent weaknesses and limitations can be exploited. Ned operating on a higher existential level was able to fully assert dominance on the Progenitor Of f Lust, Asmodeus. Anyone of a lower level than the order Deamon who would attempt such direct usurpation of will would instantly e killed off because Deamons value thier Freedom above all else. A stark contrast to the Seraphs who were created to serve. Only skilled practitioner, such as an experienced exorcist, can use the knowledge of true names to their advantage, binding the demon and limiting its ability to cause harm through the use of spells,rituals and Pledges. Though the rate of success is very low since Deamons are crafty and keep Thier names hidden. Even to thier own kin.

Mephisto tensed up. The with a sighet go.

" Arh well it was fun while it lasted."

Ned pulled Faust's essence out of his body which manifested as blue energy that crystalized into a ball. He then crushed the ball shattering his essence and destroying his being erasing him. Permanently.

Mephisto began to walk away.

" Asmodeus. I don't know what schemes you have but try to be if your best behavior. Otherwise you'll meet the same fate." Ned ordered in a serious tone.

The Deamon grit his teeth. Then turned as smiled exposing his white teeth,two fangs sticking out.

" Oh of course not. All I'm going to do is spread a little Lust. That's all." He said suddenly turning serious.

The two men eyes each other before turning Ned walking into a portal and Mephisto disappearing in a flash of light.

Nefaria just sighed.

" Well at least things won't be boring anymore. Id better go inform master about what follows from here in." She said.