FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A decade later, most of Hell had been restored to order... and Zerrex wandered slowly through the Central Spire, touching marks here and there that he'd left on the wall and remembering the terrible â€" and short â€" war he'd experienced. If nothing else, he thought it was more ferocious than anything else he'd ever seen... and he made a face, shaking his head and murmuring: "And so many questions, still left unanswered... such is the nature of Heaven and Hell..."

He sighed, resting back against the wall and looking up quietly towards the ceiling. After things had settled down, the surviving Scholars had decreed that Zerrex must be the new High Prince by tradition of usurption, and that had made him want to start cutting them in half again before the Sisters had smoothly stepped in and suggested some changes be put in place to prevent a bending of the rules like what had just happened. Hell, after all, had nearly been taken over by not demons, but a terrible, evil Goddess and a fake-Az'Iriel that had been an Unworld monster given intellect and fed power... and it meant there was a very real possibility there was a third party that had masterminded this whole scheme somewhere in existence.

Their only hope had been to track Beatrice, but she had vanished completely from Hell, possibly escaping through one of the few remaining portals to the mortal plane... or worse, she had found a way around not only the Scholar's searching for her, but the spells of the Sisters... which was a very bad omen either way. Many of the Black Holes still hadn't closed entirely, and agents of the false Az'Iriel still paraded through the physical plane, causing trouble here and there... but Zerrex thought that would likely be cleaned up soon enough, once the officers were unable to hide from their soldiers that their big poobah was dead.

On the bright side, Lily was now a High Princess, as was her rightful place... and Zerrex had run through most of his list of candidates before he'd forced Selena, Sanbock, Sin, and Alastor to work as advisors to her. Lily was in charge of all of Hell, with lesser duties for each Province handed down to each of her advisors... and although it was a daunting task, Zerrex was glad to do what he could to help her... but he was too afraid of what he'd do if he ever took power to take up the position himself. The Sisters also were glad to help, each of them taking jurisdiction over a Province's decisions... until Zerrex had finally mumbled that perhaps they really did need to rule Hell not in separate divisions, but as one entity.

That had been five years ago, and now Lily was serving as High Princess still, refusing the title of Queen or Empress... and Zerrex, meanwhile, refused to be elevated any higher then being referred to as the Boss like old times and put in charge of training or leading soldiers on missions. He refused to think of himself as being built for any of this work... and he constantly nudged Selena, Carmen, Sin, Alastor and Sabnock towards taking on a higher rank. There were other Prince and Princess positions available, after all, and Hell was still divided into Provinces... but no longer did each Province have a bevy of separate rules and laws: instead, they all adhered to the same thing, as they had originally been meant to do when Lucifer had sat upon the Center Throne.

The Drakkaren's favorite thing to do these days was to sit around with Vampire and the rest of the crew who would put up with him, and ignore his ‘royal duties,' as he referred to them as. He had been horrified when he'd discovered that Blake had been the traitor, but he guessed it made sense, in the end... Blake had always seemed a bit... edgy when it came to talking about what was going on in Hell and the rebellion, and the Drakkaren had always noted a strangeness about him in those last few days...

He shook his head and sighed, looking down as he rested against the wall and dug in the pocket of his plain black pants for a silver coin, flicking it slowly and mumbling: "We never used these in the raid after all... but at least they make okay transponders." A pause as he caught it in midair, and he looked at his normal-looking right arm, remembering the corrupt, warped, unnatural arm beneath the stretched scales, and he made a bit of a face before looking up towards the sky, adding quietly: "Hell is Hell, is Hell, is Hell, right? Yeah..."

The reptile turned back down the hall and wandered slowly towards the doors, opening them and listlessly wandering into the Hall of Knowledge, a Rakshasa bowing to him as he passed. The Drakkaren made a face, then created a portal and stepped through it into the Ravenlight Estate... and he coughed and tried to step back through the portal as he came face-to-face with Selena, but she grabbed him by the shirt and threw him into a nearby chair, glowering at him as she crossed her arms over her usual corset and assortment of ‘clothes.' "Sit, shut up, stay still."

Zerrex decided it was best to do so, and she held up a scroll, waving it back and forth and asking irritably: "So tell me, Zerrex. I found this law measure about permitting certain demons who have done certain extraordinary things out into the mortal world at their own convenience through a ‘government-regulated' portal. Would you happen to have anything to do with drafting this bill up?"

"Technically, Amiglion was the one who wrote that law." Zerrex said mildly, and Selena's eyes turned black, the Drakkaren swallowing and leaning back against the wall as he rose his hands. "Okay, okay, yes, but come on, I'd come back!"

"Zerrex, you can't leave Hell right now when we need you most." Selena said after a moment in a strained voice, sighing and stepping forwards to take one of his hands. She turned around, sitting back in his lap and closing her eyes as Zerrex softened, the Drakkaren holding her tightly as she laced their hands together, softening and murmuring quietly: "We need you here. I need you here. I know you want to go back and see your family, but... for now, have patience."

Zerrex glanced down and nodded a bit, holding her against his body for a few moments before they both looked up as Sin knocked before stepping into the room with a faint smile, murmuring: "I thought I felt your presence... Lord Zerrex... I... can we talk for a moment?"

The reptile nodded curiously, glancing at Selena, and she nodded grudgingly after a moment, slipping away from the Drakkaren and half-bowing to him. Zerrex smiled a bit and climbed to his feet, then he walked over to Sin, following her out into the hall. He paused as she blushed and half-offered her hand, and Zerrex took it, holding it tightly and squeezing it firmly as he gazed over her softly.

The two walked down the long hall in silence for a few moments before Sin lowered her head and said quietly: "Something's not right about everything that's been happening, Lord Zerrex... I don't trust Celestial, and I don't think that the real war has even begun yet in Hell. I was amazed to discover that Tir'Vanna has been dead and gone for so many years, replaced by the Goddess... but I don't know if I was... was surprised."

Zerrex nodded, looking slowly over Sin as she flushed and looked away, hugging her stomach with her other arm. This was the first time she'd spoken about those events by herself, without the subject being brought up... and Zerrex only listened as she continued in a soft murmur: "Tir"Vanna studied all the ancient books, the ones detailing God's journies and the battle with the Goddess... and we knew she'd become mortal, but none of us ever dared to think that after she had died on the physical plane, her spirit had made its way down to Hell and that she had reformed here. We had no knowledge of such a transformation or journey taken by deities, after all, so she was likely able to even slip past the Scholars... and it wasn't hard for her to hide her face and form from all of us.

"I... I fear that perhaps Tir'Vanna was lured by the Goddess, then slain and consumed entirely by her... and it explains the terrible abilities of our thought-beloved Princess. We were all fools..." Sin hung her head quietly, and then she squeezed Zerrex's hand tightly, sighing softly as she opened the door leading into her room, and she shook her head quietly, murmuring: "And now Princess Lilith sits upon the Throne, but we have no one else to fill the other places... and no one to sit upon the Central Throne still. And the Prophecy says that Hell will remain in chaos until that throne is filled-"

"Screw prophecies." Zerrex said mildly, and Sin glanced up at him in surprise as he shrugged a bit, looking mildly amused. "Well, I think we're all basically in charge of our own fate, in the end. Sure, some things might be destined to happen, but... we get a choice when these challenges come along. I dunno, maybe I'm just fated to say or believe that, though..." The reptile paused, then coughed and rubbed the back of his head, looking lame and mumbling: "Then again, maybe I choose to believe that I'm fated to believe that we have free will..."

"I understand, Lord Zerrex." Sin said softly, smiling faintly as she reached up and touched Zerrex's face, the reptile laughing quietly and leaning forwards, closing his eyes as her fingers pushed lightly along his face. She hesitated, then drew her hand back, brushing his hair gently aside as she murmured: "You push yourself so very hard to prove that... you should at least stop hating yourself with all you've done..."

"I know... but... I can only continue to hate myself because of everything I've done..." Zerrex said quietly in return, looking down and shaking his head slowly... and Sin released a soft sigh, shaking her head a bit as the Drakkaren cleared his throat and asked: "So what's bothering you, Sin?"

She frowned and looked down, taking his hands quietly... and the reptile felt a tremor run through his body before she glanced up at him with her violet eyes worriedly. "Just... that worse things are yet to come. The idea that there might be someone else behind this entire mess bothers me, weighs heavily on my soul... and I only wish I could go to God, ask him for help..."

Zerrex made a face and shrugged a bit, then he said hesitantly: "I know how you feel about yourself and your punishment... but why don't you go to Him? You're powerful enough to, and maybe it would do you good... let you apologize in person and clear your mind and soul of all this guilt that's built up in you for countless years..."

Sin flushed deeply, looking down and stuttering excuses, and Zerrex hugged her tightly after a moment against his chest. She stiffened, then sighed and relaxed, pressing tightly against him and resting her hands on his chest, listening to the beat of his hear as he held her close... and after a moment, he murmured quietly: "I'd go with you, and I'd still hold your hand... I'd even go for you, but I have to admit, God kinda scares me..."

Sin laughed faintly against his chest, and then she drew back, gazing up at him quietly and murmuring softly: "There's nothing to be scared of there, Lord Zerrex... you have to walk into your fear. It's an involuntary reaction... but he respects those who can understand his overwhelming might instead of just flee in terror from it... but I'm sure you understand that yourself, with the way demons treat you here."

Zerrex nodded and looked down, shaking his head a bit before he mumbled: "I really wish it would stop. Sure, it has its perks... but I want to go back to being a nobody. You know, sitting around in a bookstore, banging the occasional person who thinks I'm hot, and..."

"And enjoying your private time with your family... your friends." Sin said quietly, and Zerrex nodded slowly again and sighed a bit, and she hugged him gently around the neck, her other hand rubbing down his side. "I'm sorry, Lord Zerrex... I sometimes think you deserve Hell least of us all."

"I sometimes think I deserve it most." The Drakkaren replied mildly, looking up towards the ceiling, and Sin sighed, shaking her head a bit as she hit his masculine breast lightly with one hand, Zerrex looking down at her with bemusement. "Come on, power like this shouldn't exist. And I don't deserve to wield it, either... I think sometimes I should be sealed away, like the Terrors or the freaks in the deep Abyss."

"Zerrex..." Sin said imploringly, and she wrapped her arms around him protectively, before letting out a surprised yelp as Zerrex swept her off her feet and picked her up, holding her against his chest. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, shrugging a bit. "You need to stop doing things like that. One day the Seethe Hounds might attack you."

"I'll survive." Zerrex said mildly, and he carried her over to her bed, laying her down in it and flicking one of the straps of her dress down. She flushed a bit at this and fixed it immediately, and Zerrex smiled slightly before leaning down and kissing her cheek gently, saying softly: "Get some rest, you look like you need it. I'm going to go see Lily, see how she's holding up under pressure."

"Alright..." Sin hesitated as Zerrex drew away, then she looked up at him and asked softly: "Could you please stop in after and see me? I'd... I'd like to see you before I go to sleep. I like it when you say goodnight to me."

The Drakkaren nodded and smiled to her, and he bowed his head to her as he slipped backwards towards the door before heading out, the reptile rubbing absently at his right arm. He looked back and forth, then decided to check in with Selena first, walking down the hallway... before staring as Ixin bounced out of the room, yelping as Selena leapt out after him with a furious yell. "You little bastard! Get the hell out of here before I rip your balls off!"

"You need a sense of humor!" Ixin wailed as he ran down the hall, shooting past Zerrex before he leapt around in a circle, bouncing backwards on one foot and waving at him before the mage winced as Selena created a fireball, turning to a side door and leaping through it. The Drakkaren turned his eyes back to his second wife in Hell, and she huffed as the fireball turned to smoke in her hand, clenching it into a fist.

She glowered at him, and Zerrex shrugged a bit, looking nonplussed before wincing as she grabbed his wrist and dragged him into their room, throwing him on bed and jumping up beside him to begin playing through his hair, mumbling: "Some people have no tact. The fucker wanted to watch me while I changed clothes... probably... has the whole room set up with all sorts of vision charms or something so he can jerk off while leering at me from multiple angles..."

"Your body isn't that good, Selena." Zerrex said mildly, and then he winced as she growled at him and hammered a fist down on his head, twitching a bit and adding sulkily: "Well, no matter what I say you're going to hit me, so, you know, I might as well be honest."

"I hate you." Selena muttered, then she squeezed him a bit closer, and Zerrex winced again, flailing a bit. He had to admit, Selena was getting more and more overprotective and clingy... and then she sighed and let go of him as she carefully tightened the braided ponytail his hair was tied back in, adding quietly: "Are you going to go and check on Lily? Maybe you could drag her back here or something, we could hang out together for a little while."

Zerrex looked up in surprise at this, and then he nodded slowly, rubbing at his muzzle. "Yeah... I'll see if I can make her understand the problems of Hell will wait a few hours to a day or so for her... but I think part of it is that there's no one else in any of the Thrones. I wish we could find someone to rule, but... no one wants to rise to the occasion. Even the children of Memnon and Az'Iriel won't do anything... and the Princess... I mean, the Goddess didn't even have any known sexual partners."

"Black fucking widow is what she probably was. Likely ate their head and their soul after she got a cheap thrill from them." Selena muttered, shaking her head a bit and glancing up at the Drakkaren, asking sourly: "You didn't ever fuck her, did you?"

The revolted look on the reptile's features was enough of an answer for her, and she grinned slightly, crossing her arms and shrugging. "Hey, never hurts to ask. You've certainly made your way around Hell, after all... but alright, go and drag her out of wherever she is, although I'm sure it's some... committee meeting in the Central Throne room or some shit."

Zerrex nodded and grunted, creating a portal as he slid off the bed, and Selena gazed after him lovingly, smiling to him as the reptile stepped through the portal. He watched her over his shoulder with his own faint smile as he stepped into the darkness... and a few moments later, he sighed and looked forwards morbidly as he stepped out onto the Eastern Balcony, and the Amazons at the doors bowed deeply to him. I'm sure this'll go over well... last time Selena got into a screaming match with her... fuck, I don't know if she's more Cherry or more Marina some days, seriously.

He approached the double doors, pushing them open and stepping into the throne room, and Lily paused in mid-speech to the group of assembled officers and monarchs gathered at a long table in front of her. Her handmaidens looked up curiously as well, and Carmen grinned brightly from her new spot at Lily's left side, grabbing her naked breasts and posing for Zerrex before Lily cleared her throat and tapped her, and Carmen settled backwards with a huff.

Lily stood up and bowed towards Zerrex, and the other dignitaries did the same, the Drakkaren looking embarrassed as Lily smiled. A tiara adorned her head in place of the traditional mask that was supposed to cover the monarch's features, and a long satin dress flowed around her, with golden edging that matched her scales as well as plates that sat over her shoulders and a long sash of the same topaz color, and in one hand she held what had once been her father's Smiting Rod loosely, asking softly: "Lord Zerrex, my husband... we're honored by your presence. I was just finishing up informing the monarchs about the new plan to share power more-equally in Hell, and the way we're going to reform punishments over the next century and the following several thousand years..."

"And I'm sure you've made your point very clearly and eloquently as always, but come on, we're going to have a... barbecue cook-out. Or fish. Or some mortal dinner." Zerrex said mildly, jerking his thumb over his shoulder, and Lily winced before the reptile paused as he looked over the monarchs and other royalty sitting at the table, and then he frowned and walked over to the group, reaching up and squeezing the shoulder of a sleeping Nightmare and adding dryly: "And I'm sure they all understand and agree, isn't that right?"

"Sure, definitely!" The stallion looked back and forth for support, and other monarchs and generals mumbled their assent and nodded, looking nervously at the Drakkaren. Lily looked downcast for a moment, and then Zerrex shook his head a bit and stepped backwards, bowing and motioning for the door, and the group of dignitaries quickly stood and bowed towards Lily before making their way out.

"They never listen..." Lily murmured, putting the Smiting Rod aside as her cluster of handmaidens looked up at her sadly, Zerrex sitting on the end of the oak table as she looked at him imploringly. "Why is it, Zerrex? Why don't they listen to me or any of the diplomats, even though we freed them from tyranny, even though we're not just talking, but actually working to make Hell a better place?"

"Because people don't like change... and people are stupid." Zerrex paused, then leaned back and added reflectively: "And your long speeches might not help things, either."

"I hate you." Lily mumbled, and Zerrex smiled a bit, looking amused. I seem to be getting that a lot lately. "Anyway, I... I really can't, there's a meeting with a very-important ambassador from the Northern Province and... I mean, um, no, I'm free tonight. Now. Dinner?"

Lily grinned stupidly at him as he glowered at her, and Carmen immediately hopped cheerfully to her feet, nodding several times. "That sounds great to me! I think I'll crash with you... we'll stuff our faces and then have a nasty threesome afterwards or something."

Zerrex looked mildly entertained at this notion, rubbing the back of his head a bit as he glanced over Lily, before holding up a hand and muttering a quick incantation as she picked up a logbook from beside her, and it vanished from sight before reappearing in his hand in a burst of blue energy, and the Drakkaren promptly tore it in half and threw the pieces out to his sides as Lily gave an indignant squawk. "Come on, Lily, no micromanagement today either. Selena invited you herself, and I think that's more than enough occasion to drop the usual obsessive-compulsiveness you have with the job."

Lily glanced up a bit at this, tilting her head curiously as Carmen rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then murmured: "So that means we'll have to have an even-nastier foursome. Now that's an awesome thought."

The reptile rolled his eyes, touching his forehead and absently wishing for patience even as Lily giggled a bit and smiled. Half an hour later, however, he was sitting outside at a mortal barbecue, flipping burgers and hot dogs and feeling enthralled at the fact that apparently he was the only one both patient and knowledgable enough to cook food the oldschool mortal way in the backyard.

Zerrex thought there was no better symbol of peace than sitting around with your friends, laughing and enjoying a good, cold Frost cola â€" or demonic substitute â€" while you just relaxed and talked. Selena sat sipping at a glass of wine, and Lily was sharing his bottle of Frost with him as Carmen bounded around, Ixin and several of the handmaidens-slash-concubines chasing her around in the background. Sin sat embarrassedly beside the Drakkaren, learning how to flip burgers and looking intent, her cup of tea in her lap: she wouldn't eat anything, but Zerrex was glad to have her out here nonetheless.

Peace. It had been too long since there had been something like peace in Hell: there were still Inquisitors whipping special cases, still prisoners toiling and crying and dying, still injustice, sure... but the great wars between the thrones had ended, and Zerrex planned to keep things that way as long as he was down in Hell... and he knew that Lily, Sin, and even Selena would carry on his legacy. The reptile glanced skywards, then closed his eyes with a soft soft as he looked towards the swirling sky and the enormous central spire... and he had to wonder just how long it would last before something else happened.

A century passed with Lily on the throne, toiling away and working to fix up everything she could in Hell, as Zerrex travelled throughout all four provinces researching possible throne candidates. His journies took him across bold warriors and shy priestesses, strong and brave knights and weak and cowardly fools as he stopped to aid a village in driving off a Terror here, or helped banish a powerful demon tyrant there.

He counted roughly as many assassination attempts on him as he suffered in Baskin's Grove, which he guessed wasn't too bad when he was travelling for seventy years... and while on the one hand, he was glad for the exercise to keep himself limber, all he really wanted was to be left alone. But everything from angels to abominations seemed intent on preventing that, until Lily finally assigned a group of Royal Guards and Wentakus to accompany him everywhere, despite how miserable it made the Drakkaren.

The reptile learned a few more tricks here and there and further built-up his knowledge of the demon realm and the creatures inside the plane of torment, and now he sat in contemplation in the penthouse of the Ravenlight Estate: a place that he oddly thought Marina would love as her private rooms. He shook his head a bit, then looked out the windows towards the ‘night' sky of Hell, absently wondering what the hell he was supposed to do with himself now that he'd managed to trek all back and forth through the Provinces without finding one suitable candidate for the High Thrones.

They had built up an appreciable Council of Hell under Lily, at least, who was managing the people of Hell fairly well: they'd had to kick out a few monarchs and execute one or two others â€" not exactly Lily or Zerrex's thing, but the Drakkaren did have to admit it got attention damn fast â€" and now they had taken away some of the powers of the dignitaries to ensure they didn't go too wild over their powers and their own nations. It had nearly caused another uprising, but a very pissed-off Raze and his personal company of angels had halted anything from getting too serious and minimized the casualties.

Heaven and Hell were now working together in tandem, although communication lines and understanding could sometimes be sketchy with the Metatrons and some of the ambassadors. The Metatrons tended to be very direct, forwards, and cruel: they reminded Zerrex more of demons than of angels in many ways with their uncompromising, unbending way of ‘negotiating,' and their haughty, egocentric demeanors. They were also unafraid of using shows of magical power and brute force to make a point or force their views on someone else, and worked off an inflexible routine: they could be expected to show up on Slae, Mal, and Lok in the demonic week, and they almost always were interested in talking about trade tariffs on demonic goods and the ridiculous notion of ‘Hell under Heaven,' or a Heaven-ruled Hell.

Zerrex fully-supported the idea of an alliance... but he knew by now that Heaven was nowhere near the perfect place it had been passed off as. After all, there was a rising trend of fallen and rogue angels attacking both Hell and the mortal plane, and even rumors of disruption in Heaven... and the Drakkaren sighed before frowning a bit and pushing his thoughts away, looking down to the floor as he said quietly: "Hello, Celestial."

"Hello, Zerrex." Celestial said gently, and the Drakkaren glanced over his shoulder at her to see her smiling lovingly at him, her eyes soft as she sipped a teacup in one hand, holding a saucer delicately in the other. Her eyes were glowing green, but the reptile had learned over the years it was only so-good a tell: sometimes he'd say or do something, and she could fly into an immediate rage, her eyes flashing from beryl to crimson in an instant. "I have something to show you today, my son... something I think you'll like very much..."

Zerrex's frown darkened, tilting his head curiously as he stood up and turned around, and Celestial's smile didn't waver as she put the teacup down on the saucer, then gently tossed it aside, the saucer and cup floating through the air without so much as a slosh of the remaining tea inside until it finally settled on a table. She stepped forwards, her dark robes flowing around her as she said softly: "Today, Lord Zerrex... we're going to visit your father's prison."

The reptile tensed and blinked at this, and then he asked slowly: "But... I thought that Narrius had escaped the Prismatic in the Abyss, you told me that yourself..."

"And then I found the slain guards and ripped-apart demons littered around it, and sensed his energies... he must have run away and thrown himself back inside to get away from me..." Celestial looked to the side, her eyes turning red for a moment before she shook her head in distaste, waving a hand absently. "Either way, it doesn't matter. I'll take us there through a rift, since portals are disabled in the Abyss..."

She turned without waiting for confirmation, then rose a hand and poked a finger through the fabric of reality like it was cheap plastic, ripples flowing through the air before she ducked and tore her hand downwards, ripping a long gash through the very fibers of reality and time like it was an everyday chore. Zerrex stared in shock, and Celestial looked at him impatiently as she stood in front of the purple-and-black haze... before softening and extending her hand, her eyes turning emerald again as she said quietly: "There's no need to be afraid, son, as long as you hold on tight to Mommy. I love you. I won't ever let you fall... that's a promise."

Zerrex didn't trust anything she said or did... by now, had started to even hate her with the way she treated everyone around her, with how she had become Narrius so solidly... but her words still tore at his heart and made him feel like a child, as he bowed his head and reached out to take her icy, strange-feeling fingers. Her grip was like iron, and her eyes turned red as they looked at each other before she said softly: "That's my boy."

She stepped into the rift and dragged Zerrex after her, and the Drakkaren winced as he stepped into a strange and terrible world of flesh walls and rusted metal plating, the surfaces of the passage pulsing and groaning as Celestial dragged him down the corridor at a quick sprint, grinning viciously as gates slammed down out of the sick, repulsive flesh behind them to bar their passage back, Celestial blasting apart thin walls of skin and goo in front of them with bursts of psychic force and dark energy. Zerrex felt like a useless child or an extra cast member as he ran along behind her, breathing hard in the musky air and wincing as Celestial jerked him through the dully-lit dimension-between-dimensions as if this was a run through the forest, laughing as they turned a corner and shot towards a dead-end wall of flesh.

She made a splitting motion in front of her with one hand, and the wall tore open with a splatter of blood and pus, revealing a terrible, pulsing darkness beyond... and Zerrex's eyes bulged before Celestial simply dived through it, yanking her son painfully along with her and sending them both crashing through a rift on the other side, Celestial laughing and clapping her hands as she struck the ground and rolled gracelessly, leaving several smoldering dark flames behind her from her robes as Zerrex landed heavily on his stomach and skidded along the rocky, dark ground.

The Drakkaren winced and stood up, rubbing at his head slowly as faint light pulsed only from glowing orange orbs embedded in the walls around them... and the reptile frowned slightly as he turned around towards the largest source of light, his back to a sloping ramp that went up the entire width of the circling room and likely spiraled into a path that went all the way around the entirety of the Abyss... and he stared for the first time at the Prismatic Prison.

It was a massive, three-sided pyramid of glowing gold and yellow, the surface both solid and yet somehow now, with a strange, upside-down pyramid inside the translucence, and something deeper beneath that... and a dark shape was bounding back and forth through the strangely-shaped magical prison, howling and raving as it clawed at the walls every so often. It looked like a Dragokkaren covered in dark flames... and Zerrex narrowed his eyes, remembering Narrius as he'd last seen him â€" a terrible, monstrous beast with much akin to the few Unworld Beings he'd met over his years in Hell.

"He doesn't feel exactly right, though... perhaps it's only a ruse to fool us... but either way, I feel your father's energy all the same." Celestial said gently, walking forwards as her eyes glowed red, and she rested her hand on Zerrex's shoulder, leaning past him with a lunatic, hungry grin. "I've feasted on so much of his energy already, made him so deep and true a part of myself... and yet I still don't have the strength to tear through the walls of this Prison and get inside to lick and scrape his essence off the walls and add it to my growing collection... how I hunger for your father's energy..."

Zerrex didn't reply for a few moments, and then Celestial grunted at him, her eyes shining brighter before she blinked as he asked quietly: "Do you do the same to me? Feast on my energy and revel in it?"

"Only the spare, silly. Why do you think I enjoy fucking you so much?" Celestial said dismissively, stroking a finger lightly under his muzzle as she pulled away, her eyes turning back to the prison after a moment as the creature inside cursed and stood up from all fours, beginning to slam its fists against the walls. "But I thought this would set some of your concerns at ease... either way, your father has expended much of his energies, and he's been leaving bits and pieces of himself around here and there that I've been lapping up... your father, he's always been so very... disorganized is the best word for it, despite how orderly and neat he is."

She sighed and spun around in a circle, and Zerrex stared at the monstrosity consumed in dark fire inside the prison before looking up towards the faint speck of light in the distance, and Celestial smiled as she followed his gaze, sighing and gazing over at the reptile lovingly. "I come here sometimes when I'm in need of a quick but... healthy snack. I like the quiet, the ambiance." She paused at Zerrex's look, then said thoughtfully: "You could absorb some very powerful energy yourself on the floors just above, you know... there are some delightful Gorgons and Gigataurs and Wrath demons not very far from here that would give you a lot of energy if you beat them up a little before tearing out their essence."

"I'm not a vampire." Zerrex said stiffly, and Celestial's eyes sparked before he turned away, looking down at his hands and adding quietly: "I don't like feeling their energies inside me... I don't know knowing that part of the Princess... the Goddess... is now part of my body."

"And yet the techniques and abilities you learned from doing so..." Celestial cooed, sliding towards him and grasping his shoulders, her eyes burning down into his before she leaned forwards and drew her tongue slowly along his muzzle, murmuring: "Come. You've seen what you need to see... I'll make you feel better..."

Celestial grasped his hand and led him back into the rift, and they stepped back into the fleshy passage... and Celestial didn't need to do more than look ahead to cause the gates that had slammed behind them to all raise back upwards into the ceiling, as a chill ran down Zerrex's spine. She led him slowly down along the passageway, before halting halfway to the Ravenlight Estate, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him hungrily.

Zerrex didn't know how it happened... but suddenly she was naked, her robe on the ground and his pants down around his ankles as he thrusted into her again and again, her back pressing firmly into the flesh-and-metal wall with a sick squelch with every movement, and Celestial cried out over and over, rocking her hips against him as he took her like an animal, growling and panting as he slammed viciously into her again and again. He could remember rapes that had been less savage... but Celestial only screamed for more, and Zerrex was more than glad to supply it to her. Over and over he pumped into her, countless minutes passing before he reached orgasm... and she laughed and clung to him, milking him for all he was worth before he collapsed backwards... and saw Celestial was gone.

The Drakkaren stared stupidly back and forth... and then he carefully adjusted himself, looking back and forth nervously as he stood up and forced himself flaccid, carefully pulling his pants back up... before staring in horror as the fleshy passageway began to close. The Drakkaren turned and ran, shooting a glance behind himself as claws and hands began to tear out of the flesh, reaching for him... and then he turned around and sprinted as fast as he could down the passage and through a rift, reappearing in the penthouse and almost knocking Sin sprawling as he charged past her and into a wall.

The rift shuddered violently, then closed as Sin staggered backwards, staring in horror as a fleshy hand reached through it before it was sliced off as the rift sealed shut... and the hand bounced and spasmed on the ground before Sin winced and pointed a finger at it, and the flesh burst into flames before vanishing from sight in a crackle of lightning. Zerrex, meanwhile, was picking himself up from the floor with a groan, grabbing at his bruised muzzle as he looked stupidly at the large dent he'd knocked in the wall, and Sin quickly approached him, grabbing one of his shoulders and frowning down at him as she asked: "What happened, Lord Zerrex? Are you alright?"

"Yeah... I think so..." Zerrex rubbed at his head a bit, glancing over at her embarrassedly as she touched his face and then his chest gently, looking carefully over him before he shook his head with a mumble. "Celestial created a rift... I followed her through to the bottom of the Abyss, where Narrius is supposed to be imprisoned... and there's something in there but... I don't think it's him."

"What?" Sin frowned, leaning forwards and tilting her head quietly, and Zerrex made a face and shrugged slowly. "I don't understand but... I wish we could talk more, except Sir Francis is here on urgent business, along with Lord Raze. They're currently speaking with High Princess Lilith, but your presence has been requested at the throne room..."

Zerrex nodded with a sigh, mumbling: "The fun never really ends, does it, huh?" He paused, then hugged Sin gently with one arm, causing her to blush deeply even as she nestled against him for a moment. "Thank you, though, Sin, for coming and telling me. I'll head there now and we can discuss this more later."

Sin nodded, then created a portal for him, and the reptile smiled slightly before he stepped through it with a nod in return as she mumbled a goodbye. He stepped out into the Eastern Balcony a moment later, and the Amazons at the doors bowed deeply to him and pushed them quickly open for him, the Drakkaren nodding in retun as he headed inside and over to the single occupied throne, where Lily was seated and frowning, resting her muzzle on her fist as several angels gestured and rambled, Raze standing to the side and looking cold... but his eyes betrayed a nervousness the reptile didn't like.

"Lord Zerrex!" Francis rose a hand to him, nodding, and Zerrex grinned slightly as he walked up and traded a quick handshake with him, before the lizard smiled at Raze and winked, the cold godling grunting and clearing his throat. Francis rolled his eyes, but then quickly turned things serious again as he said quietly: "There's a problem that's spread to Heaven. I've brought several witnesses with me, but we don't know what's going on just yet... but there have been sightings of Beatrice, and we know that a group of angels turned to Az'Iriel... we're thinking one of them struck a deal with the two false demons, and is now trying to bring their plans to full fruition even with them gone."

"An attack on Heaven? It doesn't make sense... even with a full cadre of demons, you couldn't hope to take down the gates with you, Raze, and the other angels guarding it." The Drakkaren replied with a frown, and Francis grunted, shaking his head slowly. "Don't tell me you think there's going to be another split in Heaven's ranks?"

"Heaven's always been far-more chaotic than people think." Francis replied quietly, shaking his head slowly and rubbing along the side of his skull before he looked over to Lily, who was trying to calm down one of the angels. "We're here under orders from God Himself to ask for help from the demons... we only have a few days to assemble a small battalion to assist Heaven, but... I don't like it. It seems too much like we're just using Hell to gain conscripts and boost our own military power..."

"Your enemy is our enemy." Zerrex responded firmly, shaking his head slowly and raising a hand before he paused, looking up thoughtfully and murmuring quietly: "You know what? Give me some time to gather up some of the officer demons, we've got enough Royal Guards to hold fort for a long time to come, and a whole council to ensure things stay straight for at least a century or two... but I'll see if I can snag some other useful people for this little escapade after I pick up my sword and stuff."

Francis nodded, and Zerrex left, raising a hand to Lily as she stared and beckoned at him madly, but he ignored her as he ran back out to the balcony and created a portal, heading back into the Penthouse, where Sin was carefully fixing the wall with magic, and she looked at him curiously before staring as he asked quietly: "Can you create a Rift that'll let me pass into the mortal realm? Preferably somewhere close to Valise City... I want to call on emergency measures so I can go and get some members of my family to help out with something going on in Heaven. I don't know what it is, but Marina is an incredibly-powerful psychic, and Cherry is a demoness herself, while-"

"I'm sorry, I can't..." Sin said quietly, shaking her head slowly and glancing down in embarrassment, turning beet red as she whispered: "Selena and Lily both asked me to refuse... I... I have an executive order, and I'm especially not permitted to allow you to bring mortals to Hell... I... I'm so sorry... please don't be upset..."

Zerrex looked away for a few moments, and then he shook his head slowly, murmuring: "No, I... I shouldn't be so childish, or expect so much. Besides, what right do I have to drag them into conflict again, this time between Heaven and Hell? They're probably still clustered in the safehouse right now, wondering what to do with themselves and... it's okay, Sin." The reptile glanced back at her with a faint smile, but he couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes as he created another portal behind himself, murmuring: "But please, at least come with me... we can canvass Hell, then head up to Heaven ourselves in a peace gesture... I... think it would mean a lot to God, if you showed your dedication to Him like that..."

Sin looked down for a few long moments, then she finally sighed quietly and nodded slowly, looking humble and humiliated... and she and Zerrex interlocked their hands tightly, and they stayed that way for the entire day as they wandered Hell, picking up people they knew here and there, many of them original demons who had helped out the rebellion cause a hundred years and some ago now, when they had fought and defeated the Princess... and twenty hours later, Zerrex returned to the Central Spire with a fair force of people, all equipped with the best gear they could snag on short notice, bringing them into the Central Throne and asking Francis mildly: "How's this to start with?"

"Any more and I'd have to ask you to weed out the ranks." Francis said mildly, crossing his arms and smiling slightly before he paused as his eyes traced over Sin, and he bowed deeply to her, murmuring quietly: "Raze, show some respect."

Raze grunted, but bowed anyway after a moment, looking embarrassed: Sin had a penchant for walking in on them every now and then when they were in the middle of enjoying each other's company in the most physical of manners, although once she'd confessed that she enjoyed seeing the way Zerrex interacted with him... on all levels. Then Lily stood, picking up her Smiting Rod and saying clearly: "I'll be joining you as well, Lord Zerrex. Sin... I'm honored that you'll be at my side, as will be Carmen and so many of you others who helped start the long fight to return Hell to a place where justice is meted out. Everyone, I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my heart and-"

"And whenever you're ready, Francis, we're ready to leave ourselves." Zerrex said, earning a wide grin from Selena as Lily blushed furiously, covering her muzzle. She really has to work on those long-ass speeches though, seriously... well... at least we're moving out now. "This is only my second time in Heaven, though, so... you know, be gentle."

Francis smiled slightly and gave him a look, then he glanced back over the angels, saying clearly: "Fall in line with the demons, and prepare to move out. Everyone here..." Francis turned, looking towards the demons as angels began to line their ranks as well, some of them looking nervously back and forth at the different forms and different auras as the mouse looked over them all slowly... and finally, he said carefully: "As you've likely been informed, there are rumors abound in Heaven that something terrible is preparing an attack. I am sorry to drag you all into this conflict... and I humbly thank you all for your assistance in fortifying our boundaries."

Francis dropped to a kneel, Raze looking down in surprise from beside him before offering a short nod to the group of at least fifty demons and ten angels, and then Francis led the group out to the Eastern Balcony, Lily stepping up beside Zerrex and falling in line beside him with a smile, Selena pushing to his other side and Sin following nervously behind as Raze closed his eyes and concentrated, creating an enormous vortex that floated in the air of swirling white and grey. Francis waited for Raze to nod, and the two angels walked into the rift between planes, the rest of the group following into the massive distortion.

They stepped out onto a large, round platform in front of a long street that cut straight through one of Heaven's larger cities, passing through a glowing circular ring as six spear-wielding soldiers saluted them from either side... and a Metatron glanced up, his eyes glowing through his silver mask in an almost sinister way. Zerrex felt a chill roll down his spine before the Metatron rose a hand as Francis moved to step down from the large round platform, saying quietly: "Halt. Lord God Himself is coming."

A white portal appeared a moment later, and God stepped out of it with another silver-masked Metatron... and immediately Zerrex felt that same terrible chill as God looked back and forth slowly, his long robe flowing around him, the cloak of darkness surrounding his body as Selena frowned and winced, and Lily swallowed thickly... and Zerrex reached back behind him, carefully grasping Sin's hand and feeling her cold to the touch and shivering violently. He heard her breathing harder, and the reptile felt the other demons reacting in the same way as Francis and Raze stepped to either side of the platform, the mouse saying quickly: "We brought the battalion you asked for, and the High Princess of Hell herself, Lilith, is here to-"

"Be silent." one of the Metatrons ordered icily, and Francis looked like he'd been struck before his eyes narrowed as the gold ring behind them cracked as the Metatron rose a hand. The vortex immediately spun to a close, vanishing from existence as the demons shifted awkwardly, mumbling to each other as the Metaron said in the same cool tone: "You have arrived much sooner than expected, and-"

"I'll speak for myself, thank you... you two are excused for the moment." said God, and his voice was charming, charismatic but filled with a strange malice Zerrex hadn't expected as he looked over ther demons before reaching up to grasp his mask... and the reptile heard Sin whisper two words that confirmed all the fears that had suddenly struck into his soul at that last moment, at seeing God grasp his mask: Not Him.

The imposter-God pulled off his mask, and the darkness fell away from ruby scales... and Zerrex went pale as Ifret Ark Narrius grinned coldly at him, his crimson eyes flashing as he tossed the golden mask away. It clattered across the ground as Raze drew his massive sword off his back and Francis snapped both his handgun and knife to his hand, the latter bursting into a saber of fire â€" and both were immediately sealed inside massive prisms of blue crystal as the two Metatrons held their hands out towards them. The other angels yelled and panicked, several of them flying away as the guards looked back and forth in horror, not knowing who to side with as Narrius's gaze went to Zerrex, asking mildly: "Now come on... you can't be that surprised, can you?"

"Where's God?" shrieked Sin, as she shoved forwards past Zerrex and Selena, knocking them both staggering. She was breathing hard, her usual illusionary shell fading out of existence and leaving her Naganatine form visible as she looked over the Dragokkaren, and then Narrius rose a hand with a cold smile as she screamed: "Where's our God?"

"I am your God now." Narrius said coldly, and a moment later Sin was blasted backwards by an explosion of dark energy, sending her crashing through the crowd and knocking many of the demons over as Narrius's crimson eyes traced slowly over the group, the Dragokkaren lowering his hand as his eyes settled on Zerrex, sprawled on the ground and snarling furiously. "Look at you. Disgusting, repugnant filth, mixed with the rest of this... mess. But I knew you'd come here... just as it's all been planned out from the start. But come, Raves, if you want a good story... you'll have to earn it." Narrius grinned coldly as he spread his arms and shouted: "See if you can fight your way through my new vision of Paradise!"

He vanished from sight in a flicker of dark energy, and all of Heaven rumbled as angels flew into the air like a flock â€" murder, it's called a murder, isn't it? â€" of ravens... their wings turning black and grey, their forms distorting and becoming ugly as they screamed and twisted... and several of the spear-wielding angels and remaining angelic soldiers that were standing with them fell over, howling in agony as their wings tore from their backs and flapped hard, knocking others over as claws ripped out of their hands and their faces warped and distorted...

Zerrex pulled Blackheart off his back as he jumped to his feet, stepping forwards and chopping off the head of a corrupted angel as a snarl of fury twisted over his muzzle. It all made sense now: the Goddess, the Unworld, the strange feelings he'd been having and the warped creature they'd come across in the Prismatic Prison instead of Narrius... but this time he'd finish him off for good and make sure he stayed down, as he roared: "Rally to me and form up! Protect Lilith, kill the corrupt angels, save as many people as you can!"

The Drakkaren snarled, turning towards one of the Metatrons as it rose a hand and began to chant a spell, one hand still out and keeping Raze sealed tight inside a blue gemstone... and then the sapphire prison shuddered before exploding into pieces, and Raze tore forwards, slashing the first Metatron in half before leaping towards the one holding Francis hostage and cutting its head and one arm off in a splatter of blood, the black-scaled Drakkaren godling roaring as he turned around and shouted furiously to the sky: "Cowards! Fucking sons of bitches, come out and fight, whether you're enemy or friend!"

The gemstone prison holding Francis shattered a moment later as the demons and remaining angels quickly gathered together in a group, and he pushed his way out of the stone, panting hard and grasping his chest as darkness pulsed down one of his limbs, his body shivering as he muttered: "Goddammit... it... it has to be a curse poison or toxin of some kind we've ingested, it... I feel sick..."

"Get out of my way." Sin muttered, shoving her way through the crowd from the back of the group before she dropped to her knees beside Francis, and she grasped his chest, her hand sinking into him like he was liquid and causing him to spasm and gurgle, and a moment later she tore out a sick, black goo, tossing it aside and whispering: "A Forbidden Art, some sort of alchemy... this wasn't prepared in Heaven, this had to have been prepared in Hell... or at least a place with enough demonic influence to make it seem like Hell."

"We have to get to Narrius and kill him!" Zerrex shouted after a moment, losing his usual demeanor and looking back and forth in frustration, waving a hand around and snarling before he grabbed his forehead, forcing himself to calm down as the others stared at him in shock. He motioned a moment later at the corpses of the twisted angels on the ground that had quickly been dispatched by the group, saying coldly: "Angels are weaker than demons, and that corruption doesn't seem to be helping them much. If you rally the angelic soldiers together, you can fight back with this group here, especially if they all go full-demon. Narrius's best weapon against us is our confusion... we have to get in line fast and get things organized and moving. Let me go after him, I'll kill the fucker myself and end this whole conflict now! He's playing a fucking game with us, there's no way to know what else he'll unleash if we don't fucking hurry!"

"Zerrex, calm the hell down!" Selena shouted, grabbing at his arm, but Zerrex shrugged her off with a snarl, and she winced, looking at him helplessly before whispering: "Please... I... I know how you feel about him, but-"

"No one knows how I feel about him." Zerrex muttered, and then he brought Blackheart up and smashed it down into the ground in frustration, snarling: "Haven't I killed him enough times by now? How does he keep getting stronger and stronger, how does he keep coming back to haunt me, to rip the world to shreds?"

"Zerrex is right. Narrius has to die." Sin said quietly, and the others looked to her in surprise as she shook her head slowly, clenching her eyes shut before saying in a calm, cold voice: "We'll take the city, kill off the warped angels and the Metatrons and other angels that have rallied to Narrius's cause. Zerrex, I'll accompany you to the building and keep you safe."

Sin walked forwards, reaching up and tearing her dress off, throwing it aside as she lowered her head, the terrible wound visible in her body... and a moment later her tail began to thicken and lengthen rapidly, growing out by the meter into a long, black and purple snake body ridged with spikes. She was lifted up by it as her upper body became muscular and powerful, the Seethe Hounds leaping out of her stomach to bark and yelp as they danced around her form as it grew and warped. Massive, upwards-curving spikes shot out of her back that grew smaller as the went down her spine, forming a V along her back until they turned into the parallel ridges down her long snake body, as a pair of burnt, skeletal wings tore from her shoulderblades, without feather and instead only long, twisted spines with no flesh between them for flight, and a moment later her draconic head roared, her horns lengthening out to either side of her mohawk-shaped mane of bristled dark hairs.

She turned slowly around, the wound in her stomach and the ripped flesh over her large but flat bosom torn wide, leaving her insides clearly visible. Her arms were now huge and muscular, ending not in gentle hands but massive, rakelike claws, and her eyes glowed violet as she looked down at Zerrex, half-seated on her own gigantic snake body with her feet melded into the flesh of the tail, but her small legs left still defined and visible. Zerrex stared up at her in shocked amazement, and Sin swallowed before saying quietly: "I... I will do whatever I have to, to help you, Lord Zerrex. I am yours to command."

The other demons stepped back, taking this as a note to undergo their own transformations. Selena, Lily, Carmen, Alastor, and others increased in size, their demonic characteristics pushing out, and Zerrex grinned coldly, his own horns and spikes pushing out of his body, the scales crumbling away from his arm as his inorganic, twisted limb pushed into existence, almost glowing red as the not-flesh beneath it twisted and burned with the battlelust and growing rage... and then he snorted as an explosion went up somewhere in the city, shouting: "We've already spent too long here, we need to move, and fast! Disperse through the city, exterminate the twisted angels and save the ones who haven't been corrupted!"

"Raze and I will move with you while you tell us what the best course of action is." Francis said firmly, and Zerrex nodded, feeling his clothes grow taunt against his body before they turned and ran down the center street that split the city, towards the silver-and-gold palace that was at the very end of the long road: a place where Zerrex somehow knew Narrius was waiting for him.

The city came alive around them with corrupted angels as they ran through it, monstrosities staggering or leaping out, many of them with rotten wings that had turned almost into an extra set of limbs that clawed and ripped through the surface of buildings and roads as they ran forwards on all fours, naked and with their entire bodies distorted and warped with moving, ugly darkness. Most of them they were able to ignore, however, as Francis and Raze flew beside the sprinting Drakkaren and slithering Sin, the mouse shouting: "This is our fault... we knew something was wrong the moment all mortals that entered Heaven were granted wings! Under normal circumstances, mortals cannot become angels, unless God Himself wills it... but Narrius, I've seen him once before, but he said his name was Kalelot! He claimed to be a Seraphim, and he had several audiences with God, but no one ever knew he was actually-"

Francis halted to spin to the side, blasting three shots into the chest of a corrupt angel that leapt at him with a howl from a building, and it was slammed backwards into the concrete, screaming even as it burst into dark flames and all-but-evaporated. He snarled, then fired several more shots into several other monstrosities, flying above the group to get a better angle around them as Raze continued in a disgusted voice: "God changed, but no one noticed, since the fuck was always a bit broody to begin with, kept to himself. The Metatrons were also always so ordered, so cold to begin with, too... but one noticeable change was that there were suddenly fruit trees in all the gardens, and free fruit being given out at the street vendors... I never touched any of it myself, but it looks like they've all been poisoned..."

"Forbidden Fruit, a Forbidden Art..." Sin said darkly, her voice rumbling. A pause, and then her eyes narrowed as they reached a large, circular square with a fountain in the center, and several silver-masked angels appeared through white portals, leading groups of corrupted angels that were screaming and chattering, but all of them armed with golden shields and weapons. Zerrex cursed under his breath even as Francis shot a hail of white lasers down into the group, but the corrupted angels hid beneath their shields, the shots deflecting harmlessly off them as the Metatron rose his hand, and the white laser turned into a rippling distortion that travelled around his body before he looked forwards as Sin suddenly shot towards him, hissing and baring a set of massive fangs.

He rose his hands... and Sin swept away most of the line of corrupt angels with one hand before smashing her palm down into him, squishing him flat into the pavement before looking up as another Metatron threw a ball of white fire at her... but Sin only smiled coldly as the white fire swept uselessly over her body, rearing back to her full, massive height of at least twenty-five feet as she rose her hands in front of herself, palms only a few feet from each other.

A dark, crackling purple and black ball of energy appeared between them, and a moment later a laser of blue energy shot out of the sphere and ripped through the next line of corrupt angels and the Metatron, cutting them into pieces. Zerrex and Raze, meanwhile, shot past Sin, Raze ducking under the laser and leaping up the fountain of stacked cement dishes, his feet barely splashing the water before he kicked off the top of it and came down in a vicious slice that cut another corrupt creature in half from head-to-crotch.

Zerrex, meanwhile, slashed through one corrupt angel before catching a spear in his other hand as it thrusted towards him, his stony, warped hand settling around the tip and simply snapping the the spearhead off. The corrupt angel staggered, and Zerrex punched it hard enough to snap its neck a moment later with a snarl and a cruel grin, before Raze charged past him and stabbed his blade through the chest of the nearby Metatron before it could chant an incantation.

Francis dived down, then he spun around and shook his head, saying quickly to Zerrex: "There shouldn't be this many Metatrons... there were originally only two, and I know more formed over the years, but... Lord Zerrex, I think I've supplied you with everything I can. What do you suggest I do?"

"Form up a cadre of angels and start burning the gardens where the fruit is produced, and see if you can bind down a Metatron and find out where they're being trained or anything he knows." Zerrex said coldly, then he made a disgusted face. "Just don't expect to get too much: Narrius doesn't like to share with what he considers his inferiors."

The mouse nodded, then flew up into the air as the Drakkaren looked over to Raze now, who was snarling and looking back and forth. "You can put your bloodlust to use later, Raze. Find the Archangels, Lucifer and Lord, and find out what's going on here. Form your own battalion and march on warehouses, supply areas, suspicious places, anywhere Narrius could hide something."

"Fuck, I hate this shit. Fine, I'll talk to Lord." Raze looked disgusted at the prospect, then he shook his head, creating a portal as he muttered: "Good luck, Zerrex. I'll be waiting for you, so stay alive."

"You do the same." Zerrex said quietly, watching Raze vanish through the portal before looking to Sin, smiling slightly as he asked quietly, flexing his demonic arm. "Can I get a lift from you and use you as a potential battering ram to get to that palace?"

Sin nodded and smiled coldly â€" a truly terrifying expression on the usually-shy female's face. "You can climb on my back... or inside me if you're daring enough. The Seethe Hounds don't like to be inside me when I'm in this body... they'll stay back from me unless I order them forwards."

Zerrex nodded as he placed Blackheart back on his magnetic holder, glancing over his shoulder and noting the hounds in the distance, ripping apart the corrupt angels lurking behimd them, and the Drakkaren snorted before running forwards and leaping up on Sin's back, grinning slightly as he slid forwards and ran up along her bumpy spine to grab her shoulders tightly and look past them, tentacles extending out from his shoulders and wrapping tightly around the female's body to secure himself. "I'll take you up on your inside offer later... but for now this'll do fine. I'd rather not hurt you with my spikes and Blackheart."

"You're so sweet." Sin murmured, and then she reared back, her long body-tail twisting behind her before she shot forwards, snarling: "I'll get you to that castle in the distance as fast as I can, Lord Zerrex, just hold on tight!"

She shot forwards, moving at an incredible speed as her body flexed and she leaned forwards, her claws shoving against the ground every now and then to give herself an extra boost. Corrupt angels howled and screamed as Sin plowed through them, and spells from Metatrons bounced uselessly off her body, and even the small statues or stands they came across every now and then were crushed or knocked aside by one of Sin's massive arms, the female roaring as she tore down the road.

As they drew closer to the palace, the corrupt angels seemed to grow smarter and stronger, some of them firing golden arrows from the rooftops and others running out with long spears... but no matter what tore into her body, Sin only roared in fury and smashed them aside until she rammed into a magical wall, howling and twisting backwards to crash onto her back as Zerrex leapt free of her, tearing his sword off his back and lashing viciously out with it to knock back several charging corrupted angels.

Sin rose up quickly, slamming her hands against the glowing faded-purple wall and shoving her energy into it, fighting the five Metatrons on the other side in silver masks and white robes, and the wall trembled for a moment before exploding backwards as Sin shoved hard into it in a throwing motion, turning it into a liquid wave of blue plasma that sent the Metatrons and angels beyond falling and screaming in agony. She looked back and forth in frustration as the lake of plasma bubbled in front of her, ripping a spear out of her arm almost absently before her eyes settled on a building where a group of corrupt angels were positioning themselves with javelins. "Need materials."

She slammed her fist into the side of the building, and a massive shockwave tore through it, the entire structure collapsing forwards before Sin smashed in the building on the other side as well, and as they fell forwards, she threw her hands out, the plasma vanishing under a bridge or concrete and rock. Zerrex glanced over his shoulder in surprise, and then he grinned as he wheeled his sword back and forth, snapping it through the chests of two twisted angels before he leapt back onto her and shouted: "Ready!"

Sin nodded and shot over the bridge she'd made, and then she hissed and skidded to a halt with a wince as archers fired from the windows of one building into another, forming a row of glowing silver string. Zerrex immediately ran up Sin's back, however, then leapt off her head to slash downwards, chopping through the string with Blackheart and landing neatly... and Sin scooped the reptile up, ripping gouges in the earth with her claws before shoving him into the wound in her stomach, and her intestines snapped around him like tentacles, holding him tight as Zerrex stared in surprise, watching as they shot down the road towards the palace even as several massive golden meteors hailed down from the sky towards them.

Sin covered her face, her eyes glowing violet as a silver shield of energy appeared overtop her... but the first meteor smashed through this, shattering it into melting shards that hailed down around them before the next two hammered Sin's body, the female screaming in agony even as she forced herself forwards, her arm tearing out of place as other glowing comets pelted the ground around her... and then a final meteor smashed into her head as she leaned forwards, and it snapped her neck back, blood exploding from her muzzle as she fell on her side and skidded forwards until she struck the small curb surrounding the grassy grounds of the palace, and Zerrex was ejected from her innards as her intestines twitched and flailed. The Seethe Hounds howled and screamed as they ran forwards through the golden fire towards Sin, and Zerrex snarled as he looked up towards a window of the beautiful, rounded architecture of the palace, where Narrius stood with a cold smile on his features... and then a final meteor appeared in the sky through a vortex and shot down towards them. Zerrex's eyes burned as he drew a hand back, creating a sphere of energy as it fell towards the two demons, before charging it with all the feelings of raw hate and wrath flowing through him, forcing his emotions into the sphere as he snarled in fury.

The sphere became a terrible, pulsing orb of darkness, and Zerrex stepped forwards and threw it into the falling golden comet: the two collided above their heads and the sphere exploded in a torrential blast of darkness that knocked Zerrex to the ground, the shockwave released from the explosion shattering the windows of the palace and causing Narrius to cover his face in disgust... and bits of rock hailed down around the two as Sin's body twitched and slowly reverted to her small, lithe form, panting hard and bleeding heavily, before she screamed as her arm fell off, left hanging from her form by only a few strings of flesh and scale. Her intestines spilled out of her stomach, and the Seethe Hounds encircled her with mournful howls as Sin grasped her limp forearm... and then screamed again as she tore her arm off, Zerrex kneeling by her and snarling up at Narrius... but he had vanished from the window.

The reptile was torn by two needs... and then he clenched a hand into a fist as the corrupted angels began to swarm forwards from not only the road, but either side of them as well. He looked down to Sin, at her terrible wounds and heaving chest... and then she smiled faintly and whispered: "I think I fell in love with you too late."

"Shut up, don't say that... I've still got one or two tricks up my sleeve." Zerrex closed his eyes, digging deep inside himself, touching different memories and thoughts, remembering incantations and feeling through his energies, tearing out spells and powers he could feel laying useless and broken, or perhaps only dormant in some cases... and finally, his eyes snapped open and glowed green as he rose a hand and shouted the incantation for a vortex.

Energy sparked in midair... but nothing happened, and Zerrex cursed, unable to handle the spell as he clenched his fist instead before looking to Sin and grasping her shoulder, saying instinctively: "Hold on tight."

The reptile closed his eyes, trying a different tactic as he touched her essence: it was weak and twisted, beginning to fade out as Sin whispered: "Please... just leave me, go on ahead... I'll... I'm sorry..."

"Never." Zerrex murmured, and he pushed his essence into her own. Sin arched her back immediately, her eyes bulging in shock as the Seethe Hounds growled and snarled... then whimpered and whined as Sin twitched back and forth, and Zerrex winced, cursing under his breath as a bit of blood ran from his muzzle... but a moment later, Sin pulled away and he stumbled backwards, looking around as the corrupted angels drew closer, hissing and snarling... and then Sin rose a hand and waved an arm outwards.

A circle of golden fire blasted outwards from around them, driving back the dark, corrupted angels with screams of terror and agony, before Sin looked to the Drakkaren and smiled weakly, bowing to him deeply as tears leaked down her muzzle, her breaths coming hard in and out as she whispered raggedly: "Thank you... thank you, Lord Zerrex... I... I'll be fine, I'll find the others... you need to run, you can't waste any more time!"

Zerrex nodded to her, not bothering to argue... but before he left he grabbed the back of her head, sharing a fierce, passionate kiss with her out of the terror he'd never see her again... and she clung into his hair, then shoved him away and shouted: "Run!"

The Drakkaren nodded, spinning around and charging forwards before he created a platform of energy under his feet, then another ahead of him, leaping back and forth as he made his way towards the window Narrius had been at... and a moment later, a white-armored knight with a rocket launcher appeared in the window, resting it against his shoulder and taking aim at the reptile as Zerrex paused and snarled.

The angel fired the rocket after a small moment of indecision, but it was all Zerrex needed to leap forwards and over the explosive, landing on another platform of energy he created in midair under his feet right in front of the window before throwing himself forwards, tackling the knight to the ground and rolling past him to leap to his feet in the red-carpeted, narrow hallway. He cursed, the low ceiling making it difficult for him to draw Blackheart... so instead he shot a blade out of his wrist and stabbed it viciously forwards into the chest of the knight.

The soldier spasmed and howled... and Zerrex stepped forwards, asking furiously: "How many of you are there? What the hell are you doing?"

"All must defend Lord God to the death!" The knight replied in a strangled howl, and Zerrex snarled before tearing the blade downwards as he pulled it free, and the soldier fell in a lifeless heap as most of his innards clunked against his armor. The reptile shook his head in disgust, then spun around and ran quickly down the hallway, looking back and forth wildly as he felt Narrius's energy all around himself, feeling himself drawing closer and closer to him before he shoved a side door open and stepped out onto a large balcony that encircled the top of what looked like some sort of throne room.