Dancing In The Void

Mephisto watched Azazel's hands closely, as his fingers, cloaked in demonic shadows, drew numerous symbols around Uriel's head.

Once he was finished, like the ticking of a clock, each symbol rhythmically pulsed. With each pulse, a wave of darkness washed over Uriel's body, each wave slowly bringing color back into her skin, each wave slowly hiding the cosmic starlight that her body emanated, each wave slowly undoing what she had done until she looked human again. Her fractal horns slowly receded back into her head. Her skin turned back into a pale white, stained with the blood of her wounds. Her black wings hung gently down her back, now only a single pair. Lastly, the golden flaming hair was back to its deep, albeit dirty, azure shades.

"Here she is, good as new. I can't heal any wounds she didn't heal herself, but the divine and demonic powers she displayed today… are sealed." Azazel said, wiping his hands on his suit with a satisfied smug smile. "Oh don't be so glum Mephisto, in time when she'll learn to control it she will be able to draw upon it. God save us then… but hey at least that won't be for a long time. Oh… and her eye, its a self-inflicted wound so… I could not reverse it."

Before Mephisto could open his mouth to speak, a furious Asmodeus floated close, reaching to strike down Uriel's unconscious body.

"Hey!" Mephisto shouted. "Get away from her you son of a bitch!"

"Easy there…" Azazel stopped him with a hand against Asmodeus' chest. "You're not thinking of killing her, are you?"

"After w-what she did? I'll gladly rip her apart, one string of flesh at a time." The blind demon called out.

"Alright drama queen, relax." Azazel said, patting his friend on the shoulder. "The fighting is over."

"By what right do you command me, Azazel?" Asmodeus lashed out, opening his eyes and revealing a new pair of orange-colored eyeballs.

Azazel did not answer, instead he stared at him with his own emerald green eyes. "You don't want this fight." He said after a while.

Asmodeus floated closer, not yielding just yet. "You are still in my house."

"It wasn't always yours, remember who gave it to you." He threatened back.

Sparing either of them the shame and humiliation of having to back down, Mephisto interfered with a cough, calling the attention to himself.

"Hello again Mephisto. I'm curious how you followed me here so quickly?" Asmodeus asked.

"I've been around this schmuck enough to recognize when he's creating a summoning portal. I simply replicated and followed it. But anyway, there are matters to be discussed." He said.

"Of course Mephy!" Azazel, the schmuck in question, gleefully spun around. "What'cha wanna talk about? Lovely weather here in the cold abyss, no?" He turned around, looking over Mephisto's shoulder towards the bridge. "I see the fuckers have all run away. Damn."

"Not about them. I want to talk about you, Azazel. You broke our pact. I did everything that was required, I handed you another angel on a silver platter, yet you broke it."

"I've done no such thing. I did not lay a single finger on your darling daughter…" He said, and then flicked a few strands of Uriel's blue hair with his index. "...Except that one, but come on. And neither has anyone under my control or any of my orders. What Katherine did, she did on her own. I just pointed her in that direction."

"No you idiot, you killed Constantine!" Mephisto spat coldly. He shook his head, disappointed and angry. "Killing the kid was a stupid move, Azazel."

"Eh, fuck him." Azazel shrugged. "He was not part of our pact, and don't give me weah, weah emotional harm bullshit, that was also not part of our pact."

Mephisto just quietly chuckled. "You gonna tell him?"

"Tell me what?" The demon said as he spun around to the other.

Asmodeus sighed and shook his head. "After the events of Gausville, a piece of Uriel's soul permanently bound itself to Constantine's soul. When you killed him, you killed off that piece… which does in fact, count as harming her."

Azazel was stunned. His mouth hung slightly open, and his eyes stared unblinking. He turned, indicating Uriel with his hands, then he turned to Mephisto, then back to Asmodeus. All the while his mouth opened and closed, but not a sound came out. Finally, after repeating the motions several times, he was able to bark out: "You knew this, Deus?"

"I noticed the similarities of their souls when they first arrived, and confirmed it later by reading both of their minds." He answered.

"You didn't think it was important to fucking tell me?"

"You summoned me after you killed him."

"FUCK!" Azazel shouted. "I need a cigarette…"

"By right…" Mephisto began. "...I now have the choice to demand a new pact. One in which I get to decide the terms."

"Yeah yeah yeah, get it over with already." Azazel said, clearly annoyed and irritated at this point.

"Not just, Asmodeus, you are also part of this pact." Mephisto continued.

Both demons turned and stared at him, confused. "Why?" Azazel asked, bewildered. "He wasn't part of our first."

"Like he said, it's his house. He can act as broker and witness. And he will be… interested in what I'm offering." Mephisto said, with great difficulty. His voice trembled as he resigned himself with a heavy heart at what he was about to do. At that moment, Mephisto felt like a wounded, vulnerable lamb, stalked by two hungry wolves. This was the only way out that he could see, and both demons could sense the blood in the air.

"I agree." Asmodeus said, floating forward and placing his gloved hand in the open. Azazel sighed, shrugged and placed his palm on his.

"Very well." Mephisto said, placing his hand on top of theirs. Immediately, a burning purple flame enveloped their hands, glowing with strange, insect-like lights and an ethereal whisper. "My terms are simple, neither of you are allowed to harm Uriel or anyone she cares about. Emotional, or otherwise." He said, staring death daggers at Azazel.

"For how long?" Asmodeus asked.

"Forever."

"Not possible. Nothing you can offer can create such a limit."

"Fine, fifty years."

"How about you present what you are willing to give Mephisto?" Azazel intervened. "Then we'll judge."

"Fine." Mephisto sighed. "I'm giving you Camael's soul."

"She does not belong to you!" Said Asmodeus.

"She does. I killed her. Not Baphomet. You might have her corpse, but her soul belongs to me."

"That's… cold Mephy." Azazel smirked. "Ripping the woman you love out of her rightful, peaceful death and giving her to two sick fucks. Sticking her back into a tortured, mangled physical form. Would you give your soul for your daughter? Would she?"

"Of course I would, but you idiots wouldn't take it since its not as valuable. I… can only hope she would do the same… and that she might understand why I'm doing this."

"From what I remember, you don't have it anyway." Asmodeus smiled trying to strike back.

"Exactly." Mephisto nodded.

"You would condemn yourself, or the love of your life for a child whose existence you've barely learned of?" The demon continued asking, perplexed.

"She's my daughter. I would die for her, and nothing will ever change that. You freaks could never know what it truly means to sacrifice yourself for someone like that!"

Asmodeus stared at Mephisto with examining, ponderous eyes. His words had given him something deep to consider. It would have to be considered deeper later however, as Azazel pulled Asmodeus' attention away. A moment of contemplation then passed between the demons, with Mephisto inferring that they were having some sort of telepathic debate over the nature of Camael's soul.

"Ten years." They both said at once. "You are not allowed to attempt to save her soul in any way." Azazel continued.

"Should any one of us break the pact without offering a renegotiation, their soul shall be cast in the deepest pit of hell." Mephisto said solemnly.

"Not much of a threat, considering your soul is already… absent." Asmodeus said, unsatisfied. "How about this, let us make it personal. If I break the pact, I will permanently allow myself to be sealed off from ever touching the red door. If Azazel breaks the pact, he shall be cast into the void of Baphomet's hell, forever denied entry into this world again. And if you…" Asmodeus' eyes stared at him, bloodshot. They might have been a new color, but his intense, dreadfully intimidating stare was still very much present. "...Mephisto, break the pact, your dear Camael's souls is forfeit, an eternity of suffering woe upon her. And we can harm whoever we wish as we please. How does that sound?"

"I accept." Azazel said smugly.

"I too… accept." Mephisto said softly, defeated. The flame around their hands erupted like a pillar, and as Mephisto saw his reflection within it, he could only think of asking for forgiveness. I am sorry… Camael…

Once the deed was finished, Mephisto passed the demons, picking up his unconscious daughter from the ground and cradling her in his arms. He made his way back across the bridge without addressing either demon.

"Where are you going?" Asmodeus asked.

"Leaving." Mephisto said calmly. "I cracked your stupid phylactery, and in your absence, I'm sure Damien completed the task. I can walk out of here just fine."

"Would you like me to teleport you out?" Asmodeus continued, his grin bridled with a terrifying smugness. Somehow, the notion that his precious collection had been damaged did not bother him, given the incredible exemplar he had just been gifted. And that fact made Mephistopheles' blood boil.

"No. I'll take the elevator." He said.

As he walked away, he heard Azazel turn to his friend and say quickly "Take us down."

Damien found it difficult to believe that there was not a trap waiting for him. His intense and deadly duel with Asmodeus had been suddenly interrupted, with the demon yanked, seemingly against his will, into a vortex of spectral energy. He sat there stunned for what felt like hours, clutching his hammer tightly expecting some sort of rebuttal. But nothing happened. Instead, Mephisto dashed out from the library, having felt or heard the seeping energies. The inanimaliat rushed past him, screaming something about 'recognizing it!' as he tried to reopen the vortex. Damien did not catch much of his incoherent babbling, either he had taken one too many hits to the head during his battle, or Mephisto was truly speaking nonsense. Right as he succeeded in his endeavor however, he turned to him, the demon's face wrack with utmost severity.

"Destroy the phylactery!" He screamed as he jumped away, vanishing through the demonic circle.

Damien was stunned. He stood alone for a while, confused and bewildered, but suddenly the pain surged through him, waking him back to life. He propped himself up against his hammer, taking stock first of himself, then, the hallway in which they fought. His wounds were minor, largely internal from the looks of it. A few cuts and slices here and there, but his body ached deeply in numerous places, patches of skin and muscle bruised blue.

Nothing I've not endured worse before… I'll live. He assured himself. The arena itself was much less unscathed. Soaring waves of frozen flesh stood motionless throughout, tearing into the walls, floor and ceiling. Blood and bile covered and spewed around and through it, and the signs of destruction only became more apparent with each second spent inspecting. Damien sighed. It was a sigh of great relief but also one of sore dissatisfaction. I am disappointed, Archdemon. He thought, as he turned and walked towards the broken doors of the library. I was expecting a proper fight, one worthy of being written into song. Very well, perhaps I just was not important enough for you, or you are truly nothing more than a coward. I'm sure we will meet again someday. When that day comes, there will be no escape from death for either of us.

Damien walked through the gate and found himself in the vestibule of a massive enclosure. The library immediately greeted him with three separate grand staircases, each leading to different winding corridors of the library. The walls at the top of these stairs were all filled with books upon books upon books of varying colors and sizes. Damien quickly rushed forward up the main set of stairs, trying to find the precious object.

As he explored for a few several minutes, he was amazed just how enormous the library truly was. What really struck him was the sheer beauty of the library. Each shelf was ornately constructed, lined with silver and gold frames against the brightly colored walls. The books were all meticulously organized by topic, categorized in rigid order, each in their proper place. It drew him, pulling on his desires to touch a book and open it, reading the wealth of knowledge within. But Damien refused, quickly pulling his hand back.

I could spend several thousand lifetimes reading everything I can in this place, and I don't think I'd get through one tenth of it all… He pondered. As much as I would like to learn all I can from this place, I'm not here for the books.

"Ah, I was wondering if you would arrive as well." A shrieky voice came from around a dark corner. "Your friend came in here making quite the mess." The being soon emerged. A hideous mutated man whose lower half was reminiscent of a hairless caterpillar. It carried a book in one hand and a staff in the other.

"You must be the librarian." Damien said calmly.

"Indeed. And you must be the ruffians that invaded this peaceful place. Do you also seek my Lord's phylactery?"

Damien nodded.

"I am no guardian, nor a protector. I am not a fighter, I have no reason to stop you." The Librarian sighed. "But I am neither obligated to help you."

"I can envision an obligation or two…" He answered, smacking the head of his hammer against his open palm. "Like, how obligated is a demon like you when it comes to having a head? Truly?"

The Librarian gulped. Its stern facade quickly faded into mewling fear before the cold eyes of the demon hunter. "F-fine. It's not like you can do anything to it."

"Lead the way and be quiet."

The monster turned, and quickly slithered away. Damien rushed after him, careful not to lose him from sight. His hand was tightly wrapped around his warhammer's grip, ready for any possible ambush or trap that this demon might spring upon him. True to his words however, The Librarian led him to the heart of the library, and to the phylactery that rested upon its center. A spherical vial of black glass with no opening or decoration, resting upon a pedestal. Within it, Damien could see the swirling essence of those that had stepped foot in this accursed prison and became eternally trapped.

"You cannot break it. Nothing can. If your soul is within it, you cannot even so much as touch it. It is the embodiment of the ultimate rule of Dudael, 'No one leaves this place.'"

"If its so unbreakable, why is it already cracked?" Damien said.

The Librarian's face was immediately drained of blood. Horror. Horror and fear was present in his eyes. "T-the demon, the soulless one… he… he found it?" He said, and as he did his body twitched and moved forward.

In response, Damien unveiled his hammer, in a brutal swing of it he smashed the demon's head into the wall, crushing its skull and splattering the contents within all over the nearby books. As he pulled his hammer back, the demon's body fell to the floor, its muscles still twitching and giving the slight impression of movement. Damien lifted his hammer and brought it down onto its pulpy flesh, pulverizing whatever bits of the demon's brain still remained.

"Ugly thing…" He spat, wiping some of the blood and guts that spattered onto his clothes. He turned, making his way towards the phylactery. Like the library that enclosed it, there was a strange tender beauty in it. Damien watched it closely, carefully working out his next move. "So Mephisto was able to harm it, hmm? I guess it really was fate that of all people, I encountered another like me in this dreadful prison…" He said, pulling up his sleeve and staring deeply at the gem embedded in the center of his blue palm. "If your soul is within, you can't touch it… well good thing I lost mine a long time ago."

With that final statement, Damien Caramel grabbed his hammer once more, this time only in his right hand, and arched himself back. He brought the hammer down upon the glass, but it endured the first strike. A deafening sound echoed out, as if the entire prison cried out in pain. His hand shook, his muscles trembling, but he collected himself, and swung again. He brought the hammer down a second time, and still, the phylactery endured. The crack carved by Mephisto was now much larger however, and this fueled Damien with a sense of triumphant glory. He composed himself once more, breathing deeply and closing his eyes. The fury of the winds billowed around him as he lifted his hammer one final time, and brought it down upon the glass, shattering it into a million dustlike shards. The damned souls of Dudael all cried out with freedom.

Asmodeus lifted his hands, and the portion of the bridge he and Azazel were standing on broke away from the rest and slowly drifted downwards into the abyss. Darkness surrounded them as the rock made its descent. The two stood in silence, getting comfortable as the hours drifted by.

"Can you make me a cigarette, Deus?" Azazel asked after a while.

"No." Asmodeus responded plainly.

"Come on."

"No."

"Fine…" He said, ruffling his hair. Moments later he opened his mouth again. "Did you have to bury them so far down? You couldn't teleport us down?"

"You buried them. Not me. Remember?" Asmodeus answered, unconcerned. "Also the angelstone prevents all magical attempts at transportation."

"Ah right, I forgot, It's been a while… Did you modify them like I asked you to?"

"Of course."

"What about the others, did you summon the rest of them?"

"Yes. Those that answered await us at the bottom." The demon said. A few seconds later, as the bridge began to slow even further, he finished his earlier statement. "Speaking of. We passed by Fraus earlier, and we've now reached the final layer of Dudael. Welcome back to Deceptia, Azazel."

Azazel stepped out, arms wide as if he expected some grand party. Instead, nothing but pitch black, featureless darkness awaited him. He and Asmodeus could see each other clear as day, yet there was absolute nothingness surrounding them. To compliment the nothingness however, was the constant sound of a damned, howling scream. It ensnared and enveloped them, yet neither seemed bothered by it. A horrific screaming of man and woman, muffled as if behind a great gateway.

"Those that answered?" Azazel turned, pouting.

"Give her a second, you know she moves slowly." Asmodeus said with a sigh.

From the darkness came a difficult to discern shape, trudging slowly from its ethereal crypt. The being advanced with agonizing slowness through the cavern, walking on living yet rotten plant roots which carried her as they sprouted from underneath her long white dress. It was not one made of rags or cloth, but putrid leaves and petals, long spiderwebs draped like silk, and layers upon layers of flat mushroom caps, between which the insects and the bugs made their home. Her arms were bare, skin colored an ashen amethyst purple and cracked like a tombstone after too many long, harsh winters. As she moved them, her bones made snapping and fracturing noises, as if walking through a forest on the first days of autumn and stepping on the dead leaves. Her dress ended over her chest, around the midway point of her ample bustline. Small red corpse-flowers grew between the fungi and crawling insects on the skin of her bare shoulders and collarbones.

As she turned her head, the demons were greeted by the frightful sight of her face. Her chin and mouth had soft, womanly features, despite the grime and dusty marks that stained her face, but starting from her nose and moving upwards the whole of her head was one giant sunken devil's-cup fungus. The top of her head bloomed like a flower, with pistils and buds dangling like the arms of a jellyfish over her face. She had no eyes, but that did not matter to her as she unfolded her abnormally thin and long branch-like fingers. In the centers of both palms were two bulbous, staring eyes with sickening green sclerae and bright yellow irises. She placed the back of her hands against her face, allowing her to see clearly.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"I sat… immobile… and… sleeping… for so… long… I almost… thought I died." Her raspy, throaty yet elegant voice echoed through the air, a cloud of spores and rot blowing from her lips.

"Grisette! My beloved Queen, how have the centuries treated you?" Azazel bowed, then walked closer with arms wide open. He moved in to kiss her on the lips, and she seemingly obliged. As Azazel turned and walked away, a spider crawled out of his mouth. He bit into it with a sickening crunch.

"Good… it is… good, good… to see you both… again after so long." The queen said, her voice slowly gaining speed and confidence, as if the chords in her throat pushed past their rust. All the while, the skin in her cheeks turned a slightly deeper hue of violet.

"Queen Grisette." Asmodeus said courteously, placing a hand on his chest and taking a deep bow.

"Deus… are your eyes different? Why have I been summoned, dearies? Is it just… us three?"

"Yeah… Deus…" Azazel said, concerned. "Where're the rest?"

"Cain, the traitor, is… dead. He let Constantine kill him." Asmodeus said solemnly. "Aramia is… also dead. Uriel killed her. How disappointing. But do not worry about her, I will… attend to the nature of her demise."

"That's something at least. What about Maria?" Azazel asked, hopeful.

"Maria… fled. She hid among the other prisoners of Dudael, pretending to be a human, and escaped with them."

Azazel stepped back. This news seemed to hurt him particularly deeply, and those around him could read the grave disappointment on his face.

"So many are absent… I guess our little soiree… isn't as tightly knit as we once believed it to be?" Grisette whispered softly, yet her voice carried on a regal echo throughout the chamber.

"Yeah that kinda went out the window when Cain killed a bunch of us." Azazel sighed.

"Did Baphomet die too…?" Grisette asked.

"No, he's just… betrayed us and our cause." Azazel answered leaning on his forehead against a wall. "Y'know from someone like him I expected as much, he always was an envious slimefuck. But why would Maria…"

"The great Thirteen Knights, reduced to a measly three…" Grisette poetically sang. "Quite pathetic really."

"Do not trouble yourself Gris." Asmodeus floated next to her. "Not all of us were still within Dudael. Many things happened while you slept, there are still some outside beyond the borders of this land. I could only call upon those few that were still inside."

"And of those… only one answered… me." Queen Grisette said. "Why was I called upon?"

"There are many things to be discussed, my beloved." Azazel said, striding into a diverging tunnel. "First! We must wake up our big friend…"

The strange trio walked through the darkness, with Azazel at the lead. Walked, being a generous term given that one of them was floating and the other was being carried by roots and branches. Their trip however was short, as they soon found themselves before the source of the incessant screaming. A massive black gateway in the depths of Dudael. Here, where the barriers between worlds were most thin lay an accursed tomb.

"And the Lord said: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness.' …hmph. And here I am, back into the darkness." Azazel pontificated.

"May I do the honors, dearie?" Grisette asked.

"But of course!' The demon said, bowing and making way.

"What is the password?" She asked again.

Azazel did not answer, instead he reached into his collar, pulling out a necklace. A pendant dangled from it in the shape of a broken pentagram. The Queen nodded and slithered forward, reaching her long thin hands towards the doorway. Tree-like branches began to grow at abnormal speeds between her fingers, moving and twitching in delicate, wistful ways as they etched the demonic password into the gateway. It trembled, as the symbol turned into rivers of blood that flowed across the entire height of the door. The screams within stopped, and the doors cracked open, revealing a blinding light from within.

Katherine rushed headfirst into the cavernous mountain tunnel, her torch held high above her head. The others were trudging along slowly, but they were still overall moving at a good pace. Dudael seemed eerily empty as they passed through its long fractal tunnels, almost getting lost in the strange and abnormal architecture of Violentia. They encountered no resistance, no creatures of the night or traps of any kind. Not even the odd lost fleeing prisoner could be seen anymore. That way, they quickly made it to the hidden tunnel through which Katherine and Azazel had infiltrated earlier. The torch he had used back then, disguised as Octavian, was still there, and able to be ignited. Katherine shared what he had done to gain entry into Dudael, and why the child's decapitated body lay on the ground, much to everyone's horrified expressions. The walk back up the stairs through the heart of the mountain was quiet, with the trio keeping their distance behind Katherine, who led the way. After some time however, Insect walked up to her.

"What… d-do you want?" Katherine said, her wheezy voice echoing with irritation.

"You're bleeding. Moving like a snail." Insect signed. "Let me close your wound."

"Oh… a-alright." She said.

"Do not take this as mercy, I don't want you dying on us and us getting lost because of you!" Insect signed, fast and with melancholic anger in her eyes.

"Ah… f-fair…" She said, looking away. She could not even bring herself to thank Insect for the act of kindness. Once her cousin finished the task, she hurriedly turned away, sulking up the steps.

The rest of the walk was monotonous and quiet. Evan and Wrath talked to each other occasionally, with Evan making some off-tone jokes here and there in an attempt to lighten the mood. But even his eternally positive attitude could not overpower the unbelievable grief that he felt at that moment. Katherine glanced at him and she could tell right away how shattered he was over the death of his life-long friend and brother.

I… brought nothing but misery and death upon them… Upon everyone… Katherine thought, trying to fight against the heavy guilt that clung to her. But she could not shake it, no matter what she tried telling herself, what reassuring hope she tried instilling in herself. No, nothing she did worked, but it was not her words that pushed her forward, that allowed her to make another step after tiresome step, but Constantine's. Caitlyn… he knew my name… he remembered after all this time… long after I'd forgotten it… He kept me alive because somehow, despite everything he believed in me… I did not kill him… despite Azazel's control. She pondered. Was it a fluke? Did I really move on my own, or did my hands just tremble and miss?

The question haunted her as the indistinguishable hours ticked by. Despite there being those walking behind her, she was all alone with her thoughts. But her trance was eventually broken, as the first rays of moonlight began to creep into the horizon of the tunnel. She gulped, and then a rush of hope overwhelmed her. She ran forward, much to the dismay of the others as the shadows intensified around them. But their annoyance soon turned to sheer glee as they saw the light at the end as well. Katherine soon reached the doorway, and hesitated before stepping outside. She took a careful step, then another, and then she was fully out upon the mountain, bathing in the cold rain. The others soon followed, with Wrath breaking into a fit of laughter and tears when the raindrops splattered on her weary skin.

"You really… did lead us out." Evan said, amazed.

"I've done many horrible things Evan, but lying was never something I particularly enjoyed doing." Katherine answered gloomily.

"You lied pretty easily when you said you were gonna protect us and train us. Then you smashed me over the head and ran away with Uriel." He spat.

"That was not a lie, not at the time, that was just panic… I never did want to hurt any of you."

"Tell that to my missing hand!" He said, lifting his arm stump.

"If I apologized for that, would that even do anything?"

"It would be a start!"

"Then I'm sorry. I know it doesn't mean anything to you, I know it won't bring your arm back, but… I truly am sorry. A start at least, like you said." Katherine said quietly but sincerely.

Evan was silent, taken aback by her words. He had no quip or clever insult ready, and that day had taken a heavy enough toll on him so he just nodded and let it go.

"D-do I g-get an apology for my n-neck?" Wrath asked followed by a genuine chuckle.

"No. You were a bad guy at the time." Katherine said plainly. "Besides, I still don't like you."

"Hey girls." Evan said, pushing past them towards the mountain cliff and looking down. The plateau of Dudael stretched below them, and on it, chaos reigned. Thousands of human and not-so-human beings had poured from the doors of the prison, and now scattered out into the desert. Lupine and animalistic creatures, eldritch beasts, and monsters of all shapes and sizes scurried hungrily across the planes. Even something that initially everyone thought to be a pale shadow, but soon realized to be nothing more than another foul creature of the night. Different packs and groups of humans and demons banded and ran in different directions, fighting for survival against the deadly monstrosities that prowled and hunted. The corpses of those unfortunate enough to get caught in a pair of deadly jaws littered the battlefield, piling upon the cadavers of Octavian's vanguard and Aramia's monstrous beasts.

"Rats that have been caged for time beyond time, finally let free." Katherine said ominously. "We should try and make it down the mountain, the path that Octavian and I came through is this way. Hopefully the pandemonium clears by the time we reach the desert."

As Katherine turned and walked away. Evan leaned over to Wrath and whispered in her ear. "Are we the rats?"

She shrugged.

The group continued following Katherine down the perilous path through the mountains of Dudael. Occasionally, when they could find a clear view down to the desert they would pause and check. Katherine's prediction came through, as slowly most of the humans fled into the desert, and the creatures either followed, went on their own paths, or lingered for easy pickings on the cadavers. There was however a group that still fought and stayed, unwilling to move on for some reason. They pressed onward, the rain slowing them down and making their descent even more treacherous. The difficulty was only intensified when the walking path ended, and they all had to begin climbing down the rocky faces of the walls. Evan found himself cursing and swearing the loudest, being necessitated to climb down a frayed rope one-handed. Eventually however, they all persevered and found themselves standing on the wet desert mud. It felt good to be back on somewhat solid footing again.

"What n-now?" Wrath asked, a while after everyone rested and caught their breaths. She began scanning the horizon.

"I believe this is where we go on separate paths." Katherine said walking away a couple steps. As she herself also peered back towards Dudael, she saw a small dust cloud being kicked up. "They're still fighting out there…" She said, moving to inspect it closer. She noticed that the larger group was taking refuge from some creatures, and during the intense battle, she was shocked to see the flash of a flaming steel chain that indicated to her who it was. "It's Kaidan!" She shouted.

"It's n-not just him!" Wrath said wholeheartedly. "There are o-others w-with him! M-..." She paused, shocked. "M-Mephisto? And, AND! HE'S GOT URIEL!"

"WHAT?" Evan shouted, nearly breaking into a sprint in that direction. "COME ON, WE HAVE TO HELP THEM!"

The others did not need much convincing to follow. Katherine quickly ran past him, unleashing her halberd upon the hellish creatures, untouched by the bullets of the dozens or so soldiers that accompanied Kaidan. They were being led by Damien, whose mighty icy hammer sent waves of billowing winds towards the abominations, encasing them in frigid ice. Insect joined them, pure joy and glee on her face from seeing Damien once again. She rained spears of blood upon the foes with deadly precision, leaving a trail of impaled corpses in her wake.

Evan also got caught in the excitement, and fired his Death Rose, immediately learning just how painful it truly was. His blood poured into the weapon through its thorny vines, erupting in a helix blast of pure holy fire that incinerated everything in its path. The pained screams of the creatures hit were accompanied by his. Insect, Katherine and Damien did their best to avoid it, their eyes going wide at the intensity and suddenness of the blast. The number of beasts dwindled like the last leaves on a tree come winter, as large chunks of them died, or tucked tail and ran. Once the last threat had been neutralized, the groups came together in a mood of victory and celebration. They took a quick shelter next to the skeletal corpse of an executioner titan, though not the same one that Uriel had killed. They hid away from the rain beneath its ribs and its massive shoulder blades.

"Am I glad to see you again, Insect!" Damien said between deep heaves, stepping forward. She rushed to him, and they embraced each other tightly. "I knew you'd make it…" He whispered softly to her. Once they broke away, Damien turned to the others. "You must be Evan and… Wrath I believe it was. I am Damien Caramel, leader of this mission to rescue you two."

"Caramel, heh? Nice meeting you." Evan said with a chuckle, shaking his hand. Wrath just nodded and kept her distance.

"Katherine?" Damien continued. "Did not expect you here. Your presence is most welcome."

"Damien. Didn't expect to see you with demons of all people. How did you all come together like this?" Katherine nodded respectfully, then asked.

"Well, almost all the prisoners in the lower levels tried escaping through the main elevator." Kaidan explained, overshadowing Damien as he pushed past him. The demon-hunter just shrugged and shook his head. "Hello Babe, glad to see you made it out! Ron will be pleased to hear." Kaidan sarcastically grinned.

Katherine smiled at him, but her smile immediately faded once he mentioned Ron. "Damn, you're alive Kaidan? I'd hoped you got eaten by a crocodile or something."

"Elevator, the big one right, pentagram seal on it?" Evan asked, still whinging from his self-inflicted wrist-wound.

"That's the one. Lots of fighting and chaos on it. Just like out here, Asmodeus' goons and creatures were hunting people. Mephisto was already there, carrying…" He turned, pointing further away towards the unconscious Uriel that the inanimaliat was carrying tightly in his arms, still protecting her from any that would harm her. "...Her. I recognized her immediately and helped keep them both safe from the other prisoners and Asmodeus' freaks."

"Is that true Mephisto?" Evan asked. The demon just nodded from a distance.

"You recognized Uriel, Kaidan?" Katherine asked, surprised.

"Oh babe, have I got some stories to tell you." Kaidan said, excitedly pulling his shirt down and revealing the eyed feather that Uriel sealed upon his skin. It still pulsed with intense heat. "The angel and I fucking worked together, we took down the damn Snake Demon!"

"You two slayed Aramia the Viper? That's… incredible." Damien remarked, clearly impressed.

"YOU KILLED SNAKETITS?" Evan shouted over him. "Oh I could kiss you right now Kai-Kai, what'd you say your name was? Kaidan?"

"G-good. F-fuck her!" Wrath added. "I hope she r-rots!"

"Woah there big guy." Kaidan said, stepping back from Evan and grabbing his chain with a chuckle. "Yeah it's Kaidan. And yeah, we did. Though… she did most of the work after I got stabbed."

"Impressive. Anyway…" Damien intervened, finally getting his turn to speak. "Katherine, after Asmodeus vanished, destroying the phylactery Mephisto cracked was easy. Once it was in pieces, I made my way to the elevator as well and I found them…" He nodded towards Mephisto. "And this, valiant fighter." He said, nodding towards Kaidan, and clearly holding back a spiteful insult for the demon. "We climbed through the levels, making our way to the surface. At each level, more human prisoners and even a few demon ones joined our resistance, as well as some of my men here." He said, his voice beaming at the sight of his squad. "Once we reached the surface, it was just a war of attrition, we had to outlast all the… things that were waiting for us here. We've been fighting for hours before you showed up. Thank god you showed up when you did, I don't know if we could have held out much longer. How did you all make it out?"

Katherine stepped forward. "There is a secret tunnel into Dudael. I used it to infiltrate alongside…" She did not finish, thinking that perhaps that information was better saved for another time.

"Ah…" Damien nodded. "I suspected you were working alongside the demons. Kaidan here was the vanguard distraction we found when we arrived, and you were the true threat?"

"What's done is done, Damien." Mephisto intervened. "No one here is innocent of sin, but today, we all bled and fought together, shoulder to shoulder, trying to escape the horrors of this accursed place. What we shall do to each other in the future is yet unknown, but for now, for just a few minutes longer, let us still be allies."

Everyone nodded in agreement. even Wrath who was still deeply scarred by what Mephistopheles had done to her. She yielded when Evan grabbed her by the shoulders reassuringly.

"Thank you." Katherine said kindly.

"Well said, Mephisto. Of all the demons to run into in this place, I'm glad I ran into you." Damien said.

"I'm glad you didn't crush me when you had the chance. Here, Damien." Mephisto said, handing Uriel to Damien to carry. He dispelled his hammer and took her in her arms. "Please take care of my daughter."

"You're… giving her to me?" He said, confused.

"No I'm not giving her to you just… its… she would want to be with her friends. With the ones she cares about. The ones she risked her life to save." Mephisto said, nodding towards the group. He made eye contact with Evan and Wrath, and the sadness in his eyes said it all. "I won't be coming with them. Here… Evan, this is yours." He said, handing Evan a dagger. He soon realized it was the second half of Constantine's holy dagger, the knife he thought he had lost.

"I… thank you, Mephisto." He said, unsure of himself.

"Alright… Speaking of friends though, I just noticed…" Damien began, his voice trembling with concern. "I thought they were wounded after the battle but there's someone missing isn't there. Where is Constantine?"

Those that knew immediately slumped their shoulders and heads in unison. Evan was still the longest, frozen like a statue. He broke first however, unable to take the grief any longer and burying his face in his hand, crying loudly. Wrath wrapped her arm and wings around him, pressing her head against his shoulder. Insect also began tearing up, wrapping herself tightly around Damien's chest so he would not see her cry.

"The man that I came with…" Katherine began. "...The one that controlled me, Octavian, was actually the demon Azazel. Hidden since the auction." Even she seemed distraught, on the verge of tears, though if it was due to Constantine's death or the fact that Azazel had been controlling her all this time, it was impossible to tell. "Azazel killed him."

Damien nodded, taking off his capotain and pressing it against his heart. "I see. I did not wish for you to learn the face of death so soon, kid…" He added somberly.

"It should have been me." Katherine whispered, anger fueling her voice. "Why didn't… why…"

"C-Constantine made t-that choice for a r-reason, Katherine." Wrath began. "He believed i-in you for a r-reason!"

"He believed… I could change. That fate itself could be changed. But how could he know that?"

"You said it yourself, Azazel controlled you, no?" Damien asked.

Katherine instinctively reached and touched her cheek. She looked up at Kaidan, who gave her an understanding and knowing look. "No. I will not press the consequences of my actions on him. Yes, he controlled me, he made me do things I did not wish to, he made me kill innocents and toyed with me as he pleased. But… there is much more that I said and did that I did of my own desires. Mistakes that cannot be erased. Everything that I've ever done… I only ever did it for the sake of others. At least, I thought I did. I realize now that I was blind and selfish. I had forgotten what that meant. Constantine gave me a chance, I intend to take full advantage of it."

Silence lay over their small gathering, before it was broken by Evan reaching his hand out to her. "Come with us." He said. "If you want redemption, come with us. Help us undo the royal fuckups you've done."

Katherine looked at him, smiling. "You can't hold a grudge to save your life, can you Evan?"

"What can I say, Constantine's bad habit of forgiveness must have worn off on me."

"I understand. But I must refuse. I…" Katherine looked over at Uriel's unconscious body. "She'll kill me when she wakes. She won't believe me. She'll blame me for Constantine's death, that is a certainty."

"I will talk to her, make her understand."

"No. I have hurt you all too much. No, I must tread another path. I must… find the parts of myself that I have lost. The love and memories I cherished most…" She said, finding it difficult to not choke on her emotions, especially as she caught a glimpse of Insect looking at her. "My sister is somewhere out there, alone and scared. And she is going down the same damned road I walked. I cannot allow that to happen. Death will not have her like she had me. Not again." Katherine finished her statement with defiance in her heart. At that moment within her heart, the chains of fate that bound her began to weaken and waver, a link nearly breaking before her newfound determination.

"Very well. I guess it is decided then." Damien concluded.

"Kaidan, can you bring your trucks?" Katherine turned and asked.

"I'll go get Sam… if he's still alive, we leaving?" He asked back. Katherine nodded.

"Oh yeah, good question. How are we getting out of this desert, Damien?" Evan asked, suddenly even more concerned.

"Madame assured me that she knew the exact date and time we would escape. A convoy will be coming for us soon. That's why we're waiting here, instead of trying to cross the desert on foot. You should see the smoke of their cars on the horizon within the hours." Damien nodded, turning to Katherine. "What about you, you riding with the demon?"

"No, I got my own ride. Should be here somewhere…" Katherine said, then whistled.

At first, nothing happened, and everyone just stared blankly at each other, but soon, the sound of a roaring engine could be heard. Their eyes went wide at the grotesque sound. It was almost animalistic, like a stampede of enraged, galloping beasts made of steam and iron. Then it appeared, the hell-horse motorcycle. It rushed towards Katherine and the group, slowing to a halt with a drift once it got close. Flames and smokes erupted from its metal frame, hissing in the rain, as if the spirit within it was pleased to see its master once again.

"Flaming sentient demon motorcycle, sure. I don't expect anything less from you at this point, Kath." Evan said, impressed and fascinated.

"Its got in-built heating too." Katherine joked. At that same time, Kaidan's trucks rolled up from around the titan's carcass.

"Can I join you two, Katherine?" Mephisto asked sheepishly as he broke from the crowd.

"You want to come with us?" She asked.

"Sure pops, you got my vote." Kaidan answered in Kath's stead, earning himself a death glare from her.

Katherine sighed, then nodded towards the truck. "My back still hurts from when you knocked me off that speeding van but, sure. Hop in a truck. You're not riding on the bike, the horse doesn't like others riding it."

Mephisto nodded thankfully and obliged. Katherine turned to the others, preparing herself for a somewhat emotional goodbye. It was difficult for her to find the words to be open like that, so she just awkwardly stared at everyone for a few seconds. "Um… I guess this is good-" She began, but abruptly stopped. Her senses were suddenly on edge. She looked around at the others, and those more sensitive like Wrath and Damien had a similar look in their eyes, confirming her fears. There was an extremely quiet yet undeniable trembling in the earth itself. Then there came another, this time noticeably louder.

"Everyone, get in the trucks NOW!" She screamed.

"Do what she says!" Damien ordered, rushing alongside everyone towards Kaidan's trucks.

Everyone piled inside, trying to find a spot and not get crushed in the process. Thankfully, they were not quite so numerous, so the three military pick-ups were more than enough. Fear gripped everyone as the tumultuous trembling of the earth began to turn into a full on earthquake.

"EVERYONE INSIDE?" Kaidan shouted after a few moments.

"YES, GO!" Katherine answered, her engine roaring to life as she rode away alongside the rest of the cars.

The quaking intensified with each passing second. The very mountain screamed as chunks of it began to fall. The plains of the desert began to crack and buckle, all while accompanied by the sheer thunderous boom of the earth moving. Katherine looked back, and was the first to see the cause of this catastrophe. The massive dome cupola of Dudael shook most violently, and then, once enough of the surrounding mountain had shattered, it began to rise.

The convoy rushed out into the desert, the farther away they drove, the less the shaking of the earth could be felt. But that did nothing to quell the sheer dread everyone felt as the mountain itself rose above the ground. Layer by layer, the pyramid-like structure of the prison floated higher into the air. The mountain itself surrounded it, encasing it like a protective layer. Miles away from the mountain range, Katherine ordered the stopping of the trucks. They were on a little hilltop, and the earth still shook under their feet, but they were now far enough away to be out of sight of any danger.

The absolute enormity of Dudael however, was still plenty visible even from this distance. This was no human-made building. This was an entire city, built within a mountain. Everyone watched in horror and disbelief as this city continued higher into the sky, breaking past the cloudline. After what felt like an eternity, all ten layers of Dudael were fully above the ground. The quaking paused for a moment, and then continued as the entire prison began to turn. It tilted slowly in the air, the pyramid that pointed down soon piercing up towards the moon itself.

Then, came a dreadful howling scream that pierced their minds and ears even from such a distance. Those with lesser fortitude could not endure it, screaming back as they covered their ears, trying to drown out the noise. Those that were stronger however, endured and were able to see the hands that reached out from the yawning abyss that Dudael had left within the mountain. Gigantic arms pulled against the rock and sand, until a horrific, malformed being emerged.

It was shaped like a man, but without any human features. Its skin was a deep blue like the night sky that surrounded it. It sparkled like diamonds in the starlight, and it had three feature-less, blank faces placed like the points of a triangle around its neck. From its shoulders sprouted not one, not two, but six pairs of unnaturally long arms each. Four pairs were pushing up against the bottom of Dudael, as if it carried it above its heads. As the being continued to float higher and higher in the sky, lifting Dudael along, everyone could see that instead of legs, it had nothing but wings. Gigantic fluttering wings, too many to count at first glance. Once it had fully emerged, everything became terrifyingly quiet.

"T-t-thats… Shemhazai." Mephisto managed to say after a while. "An… an… angel."

As if it heard, one of the heads turned towards their direction. Nothing happened at first, but then a massive eye opened across the entirety of the angel's chest. The enormous pale white eye of a dead goddess. The light of the eye propagated across the desert, and Mephisto realized the undeniable, nightmarish truth. He fell on his knees in the sand, a blank, catatonic stare on his face.

"An... an-and… t-that is… C-Camael… my… l-love…" His voice was empty, numb. All life and vigor completely drained from it.

The amalgamated angelic being cried out in agony. Its terrifying voice destroyed the mountain and earth around it as it echoed out. Its skin began to glow, as it began absorbing the light of the moon and stars themselves. Darkness spread across the sky from it and soon it stopped. In a singular blinding flash like a bolt of pure lightning, the angel vanished, and Dudael vanished with it.