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Scientists yelped and screeched, one of them ducking under his desk as the other two rose their hands, looking terrified as Zerrex motioned for Cherry and the others to move in past him... and then the door slammed shut behind the Drakkaren and locked itself. The reptile snarled before his eyes flicked up to the half-constructed machine hanging from a large chain on the ceiling.

It was a robotic Dragokkaren, with a mechanical head and glass eyes that were now glowing red. The machine was covered in gleaming steel plates shaped like musculature, and its jaws were huge and filled with sharp metal teeth... but only one of its arms was complete, the other half-finished. The same was true for the body: it was only an upper torso, with several wires and cables hanging out towards a pair of incomplete legs laying on the floor below.

It laughed with Ultima's voice as is rose one hand, screaming: "In the name of the Patriarch, I will destroy you! The Master's plans must not go incomplete... even with my body unfinished, I am still more than strong enough to destroy you, Prince Zerrex!"

"Marina, flank him. Cherry, check for security systems and traps. Cindy, get the scientists into a safe corner." Zerrex instructed immediately, raising his sword and making a face at how cramped the room was. Computers and related systems lined three walls, and chairs were pushed out here and there, adding more of a disorder to the jumble... and the center of the room was covered in wires, tools, and pieces of the incomplete robot. The ceiling wasn't that high, which gave the Drakkaren an advantage... but the android was on an X-shaped track and could move freely around the room, meaning this likely wouldn't be as easy as he hoped it would be.

Ultima laughed, and four small metal balls dropped out of him, each with a glowing orange dome sticking out of the top of the device. They surrounded the machine, then began to gyrate and rotate around him as Marina ran around to his other side and Cindy grabbed two of the scientists, yanking them over to where the third was hiding under the table. Zerrex snarled a bit, then winced as a field of translucent energy burst into life around the robot, Ultima howling: "Go on, Lord Zerrex! Come and put a stop to me... but have I ever got a special surprise for you!"

"Marina, tear him down!" Zerrex shouted, and Marina nodded, raising a hand and snarling... but the machine only laughed and spun around, barely wobbling even as Marina's eyes began to glow violet with her rage. He must have a demonic power source... and there must be some sort of psychic deflection going on to resist her powers...

The Drakkaren sprang forwards, and Ultima spun around, spreading his arms as the Drakkaren's sword bounced off the shield, electricity sparking down it and across the reptile's body as the creature screamed: "Worthless and useless! You can't harm me! Die, all of you, die!"

Panels in each corner of the room slid open, twin-barreled rifles with enormous drums of ammunition attached to the bottom of the body lowering out of each, and they immediately began to trace towards the closest target, opening up as Zerrex ducked to the side and slashed through the ammo drum of the nearest, the rifle almost immediately running on empty as bullets and a long belt of ammo fell out of it like the guts of an eviscerated metallic monster.

Marina, meanwhile, was deflecting the two guns firing at her towards Ultima, before one of the rounds smashed into one of the orbs protecting him and shattered it, the shield flickering out of existence as the other three orbs spun wildly through the air. Bullets began to smash into the machine, bouncing off his armor as the robot covered his face and squealed in pain, and then the guns retracted as Cherry shouted: "Boss, it's a rotational system! I disabled this one but there might be other shit coming at you!"

"Try this!" Ultima screamed, as his metallic orbs spun back towards him and reformed his shield, and now three grenade launchers lowered out of the panels. Zerrex stared in shock as two of them turned towards him, and then he winced and leapt to the side, hitting the ground in a roll under the desk as a pair of grenades flew towards him.

They exploded and released a burst of metal pellets, Marina screaming in pain as several collided with her legs and body, knocking her flat with a wince... and Cindy immediately shot out of the safe corner, wrapping Marina's arm around her shoulders before staring as the third grenade launcher pointed at her... but Cherry snarled in fury and shoved her hand towards it, and it exploded in a blast of flames, the ceiling around the panel cracking and something above clanking and blowing up.

The other grenade launchers clicked as they reloaded, Ultima laughing as they fired into the computers on the desks the Drakkaren was hiding under, blowing them apart before the robot howled: "Fine, I'll take care of you myself, Lord Zerrex, if you're going to hide like a child!"

The three orbs sailed away and under the desk the Drakkaren was hiding under to find the reptile in a crouch with the sword cocked back, and the lizard slashed viciously outwards with the flat of his sword, knocking all three of them flying backwards in useless chunks of scrap before he leapt up to his feet and threw a sphere of energy at Ultima... and the robot swayed with a grunt of surprise as it bounced uselessly off his chest and collided with the ceiling instead, the reptile covering his face as dust hailed down around him.

Cherry ran forwards behind the machine, and Ultima spun around, creating a sphere of his own... but the energy was glowing red, and he cackled viciously as he threw it hard towards Cherry. She immediately spun out of the way with a wince, snarling as the sphere missed... then staring in horror as the red orb collided with a computer, spreading rapidly over it before it seemed to simply blink out of existence. "Boss, don't let that shit touch you!"

Zerrex ran forwards... and Ultima spun around as he rolled to the side on his tracks, the Drakkaren's slash barely missing as he cursed before the robot spun around and backhanded him across the face, sending him staggering before Ultima screamed at him and sent him flying backwards with a telekinetic blast. The Drakkaren whacked the back of his skull painfully off a desk and stared stupidly as Ultima laughed, before it screamed as Cherry hurled the Great Diviner at it and tore through its shoulder, the demoness snarling as she yanked hard backwards as the sword glowed white.

Ultima flailed at the air, turning away as his red eyes glowed brightly before he created a sphere of red energy... and Cherry immediately twisted the chain and yanked the blade free as she spun the robot on his own clamp, the sphere going wild and instead colliding with the ceiling. Red energy quickly spread across it, and then a large chunk of the roof above vanished, Zerrex wincing at the now-thin surface above himself before he returned his eyes to Ultima as it halted its spin and screamed: "Then die!"

A hissing filled the room, and toxic gases began to pour in through the broken panels in the ceiling as Ultima laughed, and Cindy's voice rose as she argued with a scientist before running for a computer. Ultima's eyes immediately narrowed, and then he howled: "I won't let anyone ruin my fun!"

His eyes glowed brightly, then red lasers shot from them, tracing two deep trenches in the ground as they raced towards Cindy... but Zerrex rushed in and slashed viciously into Ultima's back, and he howled in agony as his head twisted the side, the twin lasers cutting through the desk beside the female and up towards the ceiling before he snarled and punched hard towards Zerrex's head. The lizard caught his metal fist, however, then crushed it with a grunt, and Ultima screamed and drew his broken hand back before the reptile slammed the hilt of the sword into one of his glass eyes.

Sparks flew and terrible light burst out of it, red lighting coursing along his face as he grasped at his head and shook back and forth, howling in agony and fury. As he twisted back and forth, the Drakkaren created a sphere of energy, snarling before he ducked as Ultima swung wildly out towards him... and then he shoved it into the gaping hole in the underside of the robot's torso.

Ultima burped, a strange sound coming from a machine as his body arched... and a moment later he exploded, knocking the Drakkaren backwards as several large chunks of metal lodged into his body, Ultima shrieking in pain and rage before his voice filled with static and fizzled out, and the reptile grinned stupidly as he mumbled and tore a large chunk of shrapnel out of his chest: "You've been downgraded."

"You're lame." Cherry said admirably, walking over to the reptile and yanking a nasty spike of metal out of his shoulder, and Zerrex winced before she grabbed his hand and pulled him up to his feet, glancing over her shoulder at the twisted line of metal that was all that remained. The others were coughing hard now, however, but a moment later Cindy managed to reverse the system, and the poison gas began to clear out of the room as she muttered: "Some computer. Fucker didn't even know toxins can't kill us."

"I think he was more worried about the scientists." Zerrex said mildly, as he began to pick other pieces of metal out of his body. Thank crap this is a possession, or I'd be in a lot of pain right now. "Which means they might actually be valuable. I think it's negotiation and intimidation time."

Cherry grinned cheerfully at this, then waltzed over to the three huddled scientists as Zerrex walked over to kneel in front of Marina, who was wincing and flushed with shame as she removed pellets from her body, the reptile asking quietly: "Are you badly injured?"

"I'm okay, Daddy." Marina said softly, gazing up at him adoringly before she reached up and hugged him tightly around the neck, pulling Zerrex down a bit as he winced. "I love you, Daddy... thank you for everything, I knew you'd come back..."

"I love you too, Marina." Zerrex murmured quietly, and then he straightened as Marina shakily stood up, wincing a bit but otherwise standing fine on her own two feet. As Cherry berated the scientists, the Drakkaren tilted his head curiously, asking: "Did you learn anything from them?"

"Yeah, that Ultima has indeed emailed himself to everyone and everything on the internet, but that we can modify the Core AI here to chase himself down and kill himself." Cindy said mildly, walking over and slapping Zerrex on the back before leaning against him lightly, grinning up at him a bit. "I already started, and our friends here are going to finish the program, right?"

She glared at the scientists, one of them already crying and the female staring in terror at Cherry, who had likely made some vulgar rape comment, and all three of them nodded rapidly. Zerrex glanced over them, then sighed and looked at Marina pointedly... and she smiled brightly before turning to the three and narrowing her eyes. A moment later, they twitched... then one of them whispered: "Without fail..."

"How do I get out of here?" Zerrex asked mildly, as Cindy looked at him softly: but she had never liked using the sometimes-necessary mental manipulations Marina was capable of. "And what's the fastest route out of this facility?"

"Down that hall, there's a lab room... you need to use one of these keycards and an indivualized passcode to get in." one the scientists murmured, and he held up a plastic ID card, glancing down at the floor. "The code is the last six digits of my personnel number..."

Cherry took this, then half-squatted, hands on her knees as she batted her eyes at him. "Well, aren't you just the most helpful little bugger!" She reached out, ruffling his headfur and causing him to wince. "Better than little-tits, anyway... but come on then, let's move our asses and get ourselves gone!"

She pranced cheerfully off towards the door, and Zerrex rolled his eyes before nodding to the group of clustered techies, Marina clinging to him as the followed Cherry out, Cindy trailing behind and offering a faint smile over her shoulder. They headed down the hallway, Cherry still leading the way before making a face as a Glutton wandered out of a door, drooling stupidly, and she muttered: "Where are all these fuckers coming from..."

It lunged towards her suddenly, and Cherry winced as she threw her sword hard into its stomach, then snapped the chain upwards... but the blade was lodged tightly, and the Glutton seemed to be attempt to eat it with its gut, sucking in convulsively. She cursed, now seizing the chain and trying to drag it free, but the Glutton grunted and pulled backwards, wrapping one of his wing-like claws around the chain and holding on firmly.

Zerrex made a face as he rose his own sword, running towards the Glutton and bringing his sword around in a reverse C-shaped slice, the blade twisting over its head before slashing into the back of its knees, and the demon groaned before falling slowly over onto its back. It began to twitch a bit as Cherry managed to tear her blade free, and Zerrex spun his sword around before sinking it firmly down through the Glutton's head, leaning over it before he drew back, and the creature gave a last hiss before beginning to steam lightly.

The reptile covered his nose at the smell that rose up, and Cherry gagged and ran down the hallway, flailing stupidly. Cindy and Marina followed at a fair pace, both looking disgusted... but Marina was glaring at Cherry, apparently not as bothered by the smell. Zerrex followed, feeling morbid as he rubbed the back of his head and shouldered his sword, and then he let out a sigh of relief as Cherry opened the locked door at the end of the hall without trouble before glancing up nervously at the automated turrets... but they had been still and silent the entire time, and since Cherry wasn't freaking out... I guess Ultima must have suffered a backlash of some sort that knocked him out of the system. Lucky for us.

They stepped onto a small metal landing and strode down a short staircase onto a grated metal floor, and Zerrex looked back and forth with a frown at the scattered papers and dead bodies that greeted them. Then he paused and glanced up, holding out a finger to Cherry as Selena said in his head coldly: The renegade angels are fleeing the scene, and other demonic soldiers are pulling back. With Beatrice dead and a large portion of their troops wounded or defeated, word is they're going to abandon operations and evacuate, while destroying the base and breeding facility. It sounds like the PMCs plan to make a living off hunting down their former comrades and the Cubbas that escaped, as you called them.

Zerrex nodded, then he glanced over to Cherry and muttered: "We have to get out of here. There's something bad heading here, and we can't be nearby when it goes up... it sounds like they're evacuating and planning to destroy the base." I hope Reia's okay...

He shook his head slowly, then headed for the open gate of the elevator, ignoring the corpses around the room as he hit the call button... then he made a face when the bloodstained, large-size lift rose slowly up, the Drakkaren looking nervously back and forth down the large, open shaft and at the corroded pipes behind it before stepping slowly onto it and motioning for his girls to follow, Cindy hammering away at a computer for a few moments before snagging a printout and running over to join the others and wincing as several of the dead bodies stirred and began to climb to their feet. "That's pretty."

"Yeah." Zerrex said distastefully, the zombies looking slowly back and forth as the Drakkaren pressed the button to lower the elevator... and then he winced as one of the undead charged towards them and leapt over the edge, the Drakkaren swinging his sword out to spear the zombie through the chest on the end of his blade, and it shivered before the reptile snapped the sword outwards as they passed the second floor, hurling it through the shredded gate and into a Glutton, which caught it... and as the lift lowered past the floor, there was a loud, sick crunch.

"Anyway..." Cindy now looked slightly-ill as she looked down at the computer printout, summarizing: "It says here a pair of dragon twins were captured because of their demonic heritage, and their blood was drained into the third body of the stillborn brother after he was experimented on: in essence, they gave him life and created an artificial demon. There are a few other major projects at the base, but most of them centered around the Cubbas and Ultima... and the body you stole from them, of course."

Zerrex nodded, rubbing at his arm as the lift reached the ground floor and locked into place, making a face as he reached forwards to draw the gate back and step into a room beyond. Before he could reply, a terrible sensation washed over him... and the Drakkaren looked up to see a pulsing Black Hole near the front of the room, the floor and ceiling beneath it torn to shreds and all manner of cables and wires ripped apart around it, several capsules laying in shattered pieces and dead Cubbas scattered around the room.

A Cubba leapt at a tall, black-scaled demon that had its back to them... and it ripped a scythe through its body, sending it crashing backwards with a whine, spasming once before dying. Zerrex snarled as he stepped into the wrecked room, and the creature turned slowly around, a pair of hellish black eyes with burning red pupils glaring at the Drakkaren from the sockets of a skull shoved tightly in place over its own head, and the others quickly formed a line behind Zerrex as he rose his sword, the monstrosity hissing: "Raven... light..."

It rose up to its full eight feet, showing off the bone plates melded into its chest and sticking out of its shoulders, and Zerrex noted how it formed almost a breastplate. More plates of bone hung over its crotch and hips, and similar spiked plates were tightly melted into its shins, wrapping completely around the lower leg and curving up over its knees as it breathed hard. One hand was normal, although the forearm was covered by again, a vambrace of bone, and thick fingers gripped the large, grim-looking scythe... but the other was a twisted, gnarled claw that was covered in blood. It pointed the straight-poled scythe towards him, the long blade sparking in the light as it whispered: "Ravenlight... son of the Master... you must die..."

Without another moment's hesitation, it charged stupidly, roaring loudly... and Zerrex stepped forwards and past the creature, ducking under the vicious claw and it swung at him and slicing his own blade outwards in a hard counterattack at waist level... and a moment later, the beast fell in two pieces, gargling once and reaching a hand into the air before falling still and bursting into dark flames.

Zerrex snorted and grinned as Cherry clapped and whistled behind him... and then they all stared as the same monstrosity leapt out of the Black Hole, snarling furiously. At first, the Drakkaren couldn't believe that the same creature had just emerged... and then it roared: "Ravenlight must die! I will kill you!"

It threw its scythe forwards in an exaggerated motion, and Zerrex ducked out of the way as Cherry snagged Marina and Cindy, shoving to the ground with her as the scythe spun in low and cut overtop them, spinning violently around the room and returning to the monster's hand before it charged forwards again... and Zerrex leapt to meet it, swinging hard downwards with a snarl and smashing into the scythe as it attempted to block. The monster stumbled backwards, and Zerrex immediately stepped past it and spun around, cutting it once more into two pieces... and this time flicking his blade upwards as it fell to the side to cleanly decapitate it.

The demon burst into dark flames, scythe included... and a moment later it again appeared, whole and carrying its scythe, through the Black Hole. Zerrex snarled in fury, feeling his head pulse, and then Marina stepped forwards and rose a hand, blowing it backwards through the Black Hole and shouting: "Daddy, we can't kill it!"

"It must be drawing power from the Black Hole, seal it!" Cindy added, glancing at Cherry, and she nodded, jumping forwards as the creature leapt through the hole. It ran towards Zerrex, taking the pole of the scythe in both hand and gnarled claw, and then it slashed viciously downwards... and Zerrex stepped forwards and reached a hand up to easily catch the pole, holding it firmly in place as the monster snarled and strained... before the Drakkaren swept his sword down with his other hand and cut through one of the monstrosity's legs at the knee.

It screamed in agony and toppled, and Zerrex spun his blade around, ready to deal a deathblow... but then he only leapt backwards as the monster flailed and slashed wildly at him in awkward swings with the scythe, the reptile standing just out of range and looking down at the creature with disgust. It snarled up at him, then howled: "I will destroy you!"

"Shut up." Zerrex said sourly, and then he looked over to Cherry as she knelt and concentrated, taking a deep breath and pushing her hands out towards the Black Hole... and it almost immediately began to shrink. The monster dropped his head back to stare at this... and then he snarled and threw his scythe at Zerrex, the reptile jumping too late out of the way and cursing as it struck him in the arm, before the beast twisted towards Cherry and threw a blast of dark energy at her.

Cherry looked up with a wince... and then Cindy slid in the way, her arms crossed and snarling in pain as the blast struck her, burning the scales off her arms as black fire licked over her face, her eyes clenching shut before she stood firm... and she didn't scream, even as blood dripped from her skinned arms, shouting instead over her shoulder: "Goddammit, close it!"

The monster hissed, then rolled back over and held a hand out towards the scythe, and it spun out of the wall it had been buried in before shooting violently towards Cherry... but this time Marina stood up, snarling and catching it with her telekinetic powers before looking towards the Black Hole, her eyes glowing as the scythe tried to press forwards towards her... and then she stepped forwards and shoved it violently to the side, and the scythe spun in a wide arc and through the rip in reality just before Cherry clapped her hands together and grinned, and the now-small tear between the dimensions sealed shut.

The monstrosity howled... and Zerrex stepped forwards to slam his blade through the creature's bone breast and into its heart. It gargled and slumped... then burned away a final time to ashes and embers in dark flame, and Zerrex looked over at Cindy with concern as she slumped, but she shook her head and waved the others away, whispering: "They hurt like hell, but it's... it isn't as bad as it looks. Let's just get out of here."

Zerrex nodded, looking nervously down the room and hoping that was the end of it... after all, I hate monsters like that. Reapers... the perfect vision of a Reaper. And I'll probably meet Reaper again in Hell... goddammit, it's getting harder to concentrate... "Good idea... I can feel my own energy dwindling. I need a few moments of calm to solidify my Possession of this body again."

Cherry nodded, standing up and heading to the front door, reaching out to grasp the handle... and Zerrex grabbed her shoulder as Marina quietly and awkwardly helped Cindy along with a hand around her waist, the older female trying to fight back her tears as she slowly loaded rounds into her grenade launcher. "What, does this mean you're taking point?"

"I'm just checking!" Cherry retorted, looking lamely at him before she opened the door and peered down a gently-sloping hallway, the lights flickering as she muttered: "You take point, I'll protect the rear... they won't be able to see as well in that light."

Zerrex nodded, striding down into the tunnel, then peering carefully around a corner as the girls followed behind him... before he frowned at a PMC that was resting against the wall, breathing hard and badly injured, bleeding heavily from a stab wound to his stomach. The Drakkaren walked over and knelt beside him, motioning for the others to wait, and the dog blinked up at him stupidly before murmuring: "Angels... angels betrayed us... my... my unit went on ahead but... demons... angels..."

"He's delirious... let's leave him alone." Zerrex said mildly, and Cindy nodded a bit, passing the word back to Marina, who was still looking quietly at her with a strange sort of worry. They headed down the hall towards an intersection, and Zerrex stared as a group of five PMCs ran by, ignoring him completely despite having their assault rifles at the ready, and they slammed through a metal door down at the end of the hall, the Drakkaren noting the sign point in that direction labeled: "‘Garage access.' Looks like we might have a quick way out of here after all."

Cherry grinned widely at this, and the four ran down the short hallway, Zerrex quietly wondering how Mahihko would have taken to all of this as they ran through the doorway... and into a mostly-empty underground garage that was littered with PMCs hiding behind overturned and burning transports and tanks, as angels in cloaks flew back and forth, returning fire with mortal weaponry as they protected Wentakus throwing the occasional spell, the two sides shouting and yelling at each other.

Someone threw a grenade, and a Wentaku covered his face at the explosion, staggering backwards before throwing a fireball into a transport's turret and blowing it into pieces, and Zerrex grinned slightly as he spotted a small jeep a fair distance away, safely past the carnage and near the access ramp: it was facing the wrong way, but the soldier who had driven it in were attempting to sneak around towards the back of the seven or so opponents... and the reptile motioned for Cherry to take point.

She nodded and ran forwards, then quickly led the group through the confines of the underground parking lot as spells, projectiles, and explosives hailed down in the skirmish. More PMCs ran down the access ramp, but they ignored the group commandeering the jeep before the fight became more complicated as someone blew a hole in the ceiling and several Cubbas fell inside, immediately beginning to howl and rampage.

Cherry hopped in the driver's seat, Zerrex making a face as he leapt in shotgun and the last two Drakkaren the back, and then Cherry grinned widely as she shifted the idling jeep into reverse and stomped on the gas pedal, the tires squealing before it shot backwards up the ramp, Cherry leaning backwards as several PMCs coming down the ramp scattered, leaping out of the way with yells of shock before the demoness grinned as she spun the wheel and hit the brake, twisting the jeep around and then immediately stomping the gas pedal again to shoot out of the open gate in the side of the building and out onto the rocky terrain of the ground, roaring onto the road and twisting around to shoot down the side of it, making a face as several armored humvees gave chase.

Marina glanced over her shoulder and concentrated, and the front humvee suddenly spun sideways and halted, the other two vehicles crashing into it, and Cherry cackled gleefully as she shot past a tank, gunfire pelting the front of the jeep as they roared past a brigade of PMCs. A bulldozer rolled in front of her, and Cherry grinned, shooting straight towards it as the heavier machine growled towards them, plow lowered... and a moment before she hit it, Cherry hit the brakes and half-spun the jeep to the side before shooting straight towards the chainlink fence surrounding the facility and plowing through it to roar up the side of a rocky hill.

A tank fired its main cannon at them, but the massive round only pounded uselessly into the crest of the hill as the jeep flew into the air, sailing free and high with a burst of dirt and rock behind them... and then they crashed to the ground and shot out over the rocky tundra, PMCs yelling angrily at each other as some brave soul attempted to run up the same hill with a humvee, but then crashed into the crater that the tank's cannon had left and slid back down, rolling over a jeep and landing with a loud crunch on top of another armored vehicle.

Cherry, meanwhile, was cackling as they shot across the hills and rocks, the jeep bouncing crazily before she winced as they flew over another cliff and over a dusty, abandoned highway... and then they crashed down into the ditch on the other side, and Cherry whacked her head off the steering wheel as both Marina and Cindy were thrown clear, while Zerrex was hurled through the windshield to land painfully on a fallen road sign and a jumble of rocks.

Cherry began laughing stupidly as she sat up, a large bruise on her forehead as she grinned stupidly and beat a tattoo against the steering wheel with her hands, and then she shrugged amiably before staring, her color and joy fading as a large-size missile flew over their heads, Zerrex staring at the smoke trail it left before it arced down towards the facility behind them, and Cherry dived free of the jeep to cover her head in the ditch as it exploded, Zerrex seizing Marina and Cindy and throwing them forwards beside Cherry, then leaping out to wrap his arms around them as a shockwave rolled over them, the Drakkaren snarling as he created a dome of energy around his daughters and himself as the massive blast followed shortly after.

The shield cracked from the fury of the blast, rocks, parts of the hill, parts of the highway, and the jeep flying through the air before several wheels and the turret of a tank crashed loudly to the ground beside them, barely visible through the dust and smog... but as it slowly cleared, the Drakkaren let the shield vanish, standing slowly and staring back and forth at the desolate wasteland that was now aflame here and there, charred parts of bodies, armor, and building laying around the field... and the reptile swallowed a bit, lowering his head and murmuring quietly: "Now this... this looks more like Hell, doesn't it?"

"At least Hell has a point." Cindy whispered, as she stood up and looked down at the small, undamaged part of land they had been crouched on, before she reached down and touched the side of the ditch... and it felt hot, and the air smelled of acrid death as she turned her eyes towards Cherry, who made a disgusted face as she climbed to her own feet and grunted her agreement.

Marina stood up last, looking out over the carnage... and finally she simply closed her eyes and rested her head against her father's arm. Zerrex took her hand quietly, and then Cherry waved her arms wide, flapping them several times and concentrating at the same time to use her abilities to blow the smoke away, the female grinning stupidly as she said: "Well, enough thoughtfulness! Come on, let's get out of here!"

"Do you know how long a walk it is to the road?" Zerrex asked mildly, before he made a face, glancing up at the cliffs. Reia... you better goddamn well be safe...

He was startled out of his thoughts by a hard punch to the bicep from Cherry, however, who looked moodily up at him. "I don't like walking, so don't talk about it. Tell you what: if we're still walking after like, an hour, we're so taking a fucking portal back to Valise. Just don't blame me if you end up inside a wall, because you're smelly."

"You're smellier." Zerrex glared at her, and then he glanced at Cindy, who was trying not to rub at her wounded arms, the reptile adding quietly: "That might be a good idea... come on, we'd... we'd best get out of here. At least that's over..."

Beyond Hell, but before the Unworld, Narrius struggled hard in the Rift, snarling and then grinning as he managed to finally nudge a shackle out of place... and then he frowned, tilting his head slowly as the walls changed and twisted around, becoming dark and fleshy from the stone and metal they had been a few moments ago. He hasn't learned much, but he knows that it's a bad sign... and he growled as he looked back and forth, before looking up as a moan tore through the air, and he can smell sickness clogging the air and... and something else.

In the other room, Celestial staggered slowly to her bed, panting hard and clutching a terribly-deformed, grotestque stomach, her eyes glowing red. Her robes twitched and shuddered with every movement, and her body looks horribly like she's swallowed a massive sphere, or that she's pregnant with a monster... and a moment later, she fell backwards on her bed as the latter proved true, a terrible, black arm ripping out of her vagina, thicker than than of the average adult Dragokkaren already, the claw at the end of it vicious and warped.

Her robes merged with her scales, twisting and liquid, and then her belly tore open from crotch to breasts as her stomach heaved... and a moment later, her legs fell off with a sick squelch, her tail going with it and most of her innards spilling out... and a terrible monstrositiy flopped to the floor with it as Celestial screamed in agony, her head twisting back and forth. Her body bucks several times... and then she smiled, tilting her head grotesquely at the monster that rises up... a slavering Dragokkaren with burning black scales, his chest thin and his arms a bit too big for his body... and his eyes glow red as he looks slowly over at Celestial. "Yes... yes... I'm... I'm your mommy... I found you in the Unworld, only a quickly-vanishing, torn-apart fetus... but you had such a powerful mix of energy, that of my husband, my son, and my son's youngest daughter... I put you inside me, I fed you, I made you strong..."

She raised a hand to him, trembling violently... and the monstrosity licks its muzzle before reaching down and picking up a chunk of her intestines from where they've spilled out onto the ground, and he bit into them eagerly. Celestial's smile froze on her muzzle at the terrible sight, then she slowly crawled backwards as the monster turned towards her, growling and hungry, licking its muzzle slowly, a thick mane of tattered white hair hanging down to the middle of its back as it raises a clawed hand...

Celestial screamed again, and Narrius tore harder against his shackles, not caring about her but wanting to be free and sensing weakness as the walls began to bleed around him... and then he stared as a monstrosity staggered out of the archway, looking down at him. Narrius tilted his head back, and then he twitched, whispering: "You... you..."

"Father... you'll be my second meal..." the monster whispered, and his eyes burned as he stepped forwards, and Narrius snarled as he drew away, unable to defend himself as his eyes widened in horror, watching as the creature leaned down so he was only inches away from his muzzle, the power burning off this beast making him feel weak and negligible... "My name is Crow."

Narrius snarled, then bit towards the monster... but it drew back too fast and seized his head, twisting it to the side before biting into Narrius's neck and beginning to suck out his energy, his memories, his powers... and Narrius howled and bucked uselessly before the light finally began to fade from his eyes, and he fell apart into nothingness as Crow arched his back with a roar, body bulging as he grew larger, the dark fire burning over his black scales growing thicker as his musculature bulged and increased... and then he grinned viciously as he lowered his head and whispered: "Father has gone to the physical plane... I must go and meet Father and I will devour all in my way..."

Zerrex sighed as they continued to walk along the dusty ruins of the highway, before something tore at his senses, and he winced, rubbing at his head slowly as they passed the ruined hulk of a humvee, several long steel pipes sticking out of the side of this... and Cherry frowned, looking up and muttering: "I felt it... like some sort of demon... Cindy, wait up!"

Cindy glanced over her shoulder curiously from where she had been walking ahead, and then her eyes widened as a net of white light covered her body... and Cherry and Zerrex both stared in horror before Cindy's body simply exploded into hundreds of different pieces, cubes of the female Drakkaren splattering all over the road as Marina screamed and Zerrex looked back and forth, letting out a furious, agonized howl... and then the eyes of the three settled on a burning dark figure at the end of the road, standing at least eleven feet tall and with long, ragged white hair twisting around its head... and Zerrex stared in horror as he froze up, thinking for a moment that he was staring at the nightmare version of himself before Cherry shot past him... and the monster rose a hand, rasping: "Begone!"

Cherry covered her face and skidded to a halt in midair before she exploded into dark flames that blinked out of existence a moment later, taking even her weapons with her as Zerrex and Marina charged the creature next... and the male Drakkaren was slammed off his feet by a telekinetic blast before Marina was hurled to the side with a flick of his muzzle and a cruel laugh, the youngest daughter of Zerrex slamming into the humvee and gasping as a pipe tore through her stomach, slumping against the vehicle and trembling weakly as she lay against it, pinned like a bug as a tear rolled down her muzzle. And just like that, Zerrex's entire family had been destroyed... and the monster dived forwards to pounce on the Drakkaren, pinning his hands with incredible strength as he leaned down and whispered: "Hello, father... my name is Crow. You took my life before I could even be born... and now I'm here to take yours before I kill mother over there."

Zerrex snarled, then he brought both feet up and slammed them into Crow's stomach, knocking him flying backwards with a grunt as he jumped to his feet, sword in hand. "You... the rape-baby of Narrius and Marina? I won't let you touch her, I won't let you do anything else to my family! I'll kill you!"

Crow laughed raucously as Zerrex charged, then he easily blocked a hard downwards swing of the sword with his forearm before slamming a palm towards the Drakkaren... but Zerrex slid to the side and swung his hand out, creating a sphere at the last moment and slamming it into Crow's face to send him stumbling backwards with scream before the reptile stepped forwards and released an unfocused blast of white energy, the shrapnel ripping into Crow's body and sending him staggering backwards with another howl before the reptile ran forwards and slammed both feet into the monster's chest, refusing to let up the attack as he swung the sword downwards at the same time.

It crashed into Crow's skull but didn't cut in, barely leaving a mark even as it knocked him to a kneel, before Crow reached out and grabbed his leg, simply beginning to smash the Drakkaren against the ground over and over again before throwing him away, and Zerrex hit the earth and rolled several times, dropping his sword and covered in blood. Crow charged forwards as Zerrex stood up slowly, his skull cracked and senses reeling as he tried to lock his spirit into the body... and then the monster snatched up the Drakkaren's sword and plunged it through his chest, Zerrex vomiting blood as Crow screamed: "You have can't win, why even try when you can't win? I deserve life, and because it was taken from me, I'll destroy the whole world, just like father wants!"

Zerrex slumped forwards, and Crow grinned slowly, hesitantly... before the Drakkaren reached up and grasped his shoulders, glaring his eyes and snarling: "Not if I take you to Hell first, son!"

Crow tried to twitch away, howling... and Zerrex clenched his eyes shut, shouting mentally: Selena, Sin, anyone, everyone! I need you to channel your powers forwards through my spirit and drag him down as far as you can!

There was no response... but almost immediately Zerrex felt a burning agony grip him as the ground around them turned into a black vortex, spinning slowly as they were both sucked slowly downwards, Crow grabbing his sides and ripping his claws easily into the Drakkaren's body... but the pain of the monster beginning to tear apart his guts was nothing compared to the pain that was in his heart and mind, from both what this terrible creature had done and the spellwork being forcibly channeled through his spirit.

Marina looked up, and her eyes glowed quietly before she whispered: "Daddy... kill... kill him... don't give... in..."

As she fell into either unconsciousness or death, Zerrex howled in rage and shoved Crow downwards... and a moment later both of them were plummeting from the very sky of Hell. Crow shoved him away, ripping out his stomach with a triumphant scream... and Zerrex immediately twisted the body he was still possessing forwards and landed several hard punches into Crow's face before slamming him under the muzzle, knocking his body into an awkward flip as they shot towards the ground of the Northern Province at a tremendous, unnatural speed, and Zerrex looked down before diving towards Crow, twisting his body around before he slammed both feet into his back, then caught his arms by the wrists and twisted them forcibly upwards as he shoved Crow down, and the monster howled, his eyes bulging as they screamed through the air, the ground approaching faster and faster as he struggled-

They slammed into the floor of Hell, sending up a blast of dirt and leaving a deep crater in the stone from their impact as Crow went facefirst and Zerrex felt his body's legs snap into pieces beneath him, his spine cracking after that before he fell slowly to the side... and Crow stood and swung a claw up in a hard uppercut, ripping his lower jaw off as he howled and tackled him, then tore his hands through his chest, ripping the Possessed body into pieces as the Drakkaren's spirit finally tore free of his physical form and shot immediately back towards the Ravenlight Estate, Crow howling and roaring as he continued to shred the body in an uncontrollable, feral rage.

Zerrex didn't dare waste a second or glance back, however, as the world snapped by him before he slammed into his own body... and after a few moments of vertigo, pain, and the twisting sensation of locking firmly back into his real form... the Drakkaren struggled against the gemstone imprisoning him before Selena, Sin, Carmen, and the Sisters scattered away from the plant as blue light shone up from the stone, cracks spreading through it.

It exploded, sending out a hail of fragments and spreading plant matter all over the walls, and the Drakkaren snarled as he looked back and forth in fury, jumping towards his pile of clothes and sliding into his pants as he shouted: "We need to move, and fast! Crow is far, far stronger than I am, and-"

"Don't leave without this, Boss." said a familiar voice, and Zerrex spun around to see Cherry holding out Blackheart, the demoness grinning darkly as her eyes flashed. She stood with the Four Sisters behind her and Carmen on one side, Selena on the other as Sin reached up and grasped his shoulders... and the reptile looked at them all gratefully before he took the enormous sword with a nod. "And no, you ain't doing this alone, because that motherfucker out there killed my family too... and I know that everyone here gives a shit about you, and he's just way too goddamn strong."

"But Lord Zerrex is right, we shouldn't waste time." Sin said quietly, and she created a large portal, Cherry making a face at her, then staring around the room as everyone looked at the Naganatine with reverence, the female glancing up to Zerrex and blushing as she said softly but firmly: "I... I'll stand by you, Lord Zerrex. We all will."

The Drakkaren nodded with a faint smile... but before he could step through the portal, Ixin barreled past with a cackle and jumped into it, and the Drakkaren made a face as he followed quickly. He stepped out a moment later into the Northern Province, and in the distance he could see Crow ripping his way through Royal Guards... before his eyes widened as he saw Lily, Alastor and Vampire charging forwards... and Lily smashed Crow across the face with her Smiting Rod, the monstrosity staggering before Alastor swept its feet out from under it and Vampire slammed his spear through the beast's chest, and it screamed and flailed before knocking all three of them flying with a wave of darkness. It's insanely-powerful... but it has zero fighting experience. I have to use that to my advantage...

Zerrex ran forwards, Cherry leaping into the air and flying behind him as the Drakkaren snarled, his body pounding with adrenaline as his eyes locked on Crow's back... and the creature turned a moment too late, Zerrex slashing Blackheart upwards and outwards in a vicious, far-too-hard slash that sent the creature flying through the air like a rag doll to crash on its back some fifty feet away, and the Drakkaren sprinted towards it, seizing his sword by the handle in both hands as the other demons formed a tight circle around them, Crow looking back and forth in shock as more and more portalled in, from soldier-class demons to White, standing between a wincing Anubis and the badger's angelic counterpart. "This is my turf, Crow! Stand down and surrender, and you'll be put to trial for your crimes... resist and you'll be destroyed!"

"I'll rip you to shreds!" Crow screamed, leaping at him... and Zerrex stepped forwards and twisted to the side, swinging Blackheart out and upwards in one hand in a graceful swipe that knocked Crow's muzzle back and plunged his throat down onto the point of the blade. The monstrosity gagged, clutching at the sides of the sword for a moment and kicking its feet uselessly as it hung in the air... and then Zerrex snapped his other hand out, wrapping a tentacle tightly around its neck before he grunted and jerked hard over his head, yanking Crow into the air and pulling him in a long arc to slam him headfirst into the ground on the other side of the Drakkaren.

A moment later, the reptile's tentacle burst into dark flames, and it fell apart in pieces as Zerrex cursed and waved his arm several times, the reptile turning around as Crow lunged towards the crowd and in particular, Amiglion... but the Naganatine snarled, swinging Grim's butt up and slapping Crow across the face with it before Sabnock froze the beast in a block of ice, and Lily stomped forwards and smashed the block into pieces to send Crow flying with a hard swing of the Smiting Rod, the golden armor she was wearing over her dress glinting as bits of ice pattered off it.

Crow flew through the air, flailing his arms... and Zerrex stepped to the side before slamming the pommel of Blackheart into the monster's head, sending it crashing into the ground before he kicked the beast hard in the side, knocking it over onto its back before snarling as he swung the sword in a large arc and slashed it hard downwards in an executioner's strike, the blade glowing white-

The beast caught it with a hiss... then he grinned viciously at Zerrex, and the reptile's eyes widened before he was blown off his feet, dark fire covering him as Crow leapt up to his own and caught Zerrex's sword... and the blade shuddered as it glowed black instead of ivory before exploding into pieces. The chunks of metal floated eerily above the hilt, dark lightning shooting back and forth between them as they gyrated and hovered... and Crow spun around, lashing the blade in a vicious arc through the air and releasing a blast of dark lighting that knocked almost half of the circle flying backwards, before Crow spun around and smacked Vampire away with the back of his hand, then stabbed the blade towards Lily, releasing a shockwave of dark energy that sent her hurtling away with her armor cracked, landing hard on top of Alastor and knocking him sprawling as she rolled several more feet with a groan of pain.

Selena and Cherry both leapt in, Cherry throwing the Great Diviner before Selena snapped her whip into the chain, a blast of red fire rushing down the weapon and over the blade as the blade twisted towards Crow's face... but the monstrosity simply caught the weapon and threw it hard at the Inquisitor, knocking her over as her own flames rushed over her body, Selena letting out a shriek of agony. Then Crow charged towards Cherry, and the demoness snarled furiously before the Four Sisters dropped in front of her, Earth punching the ground and sending a shockwave through the ground towards Crow as Fire threw her sword, the weapon bursting into golden flames as Air propelled it faster with a blast of wind.

It hammered into Crow, sending him staggering before he fell to one knee as the shockwave rushed under his feet... and a moment later the ground beneath him turned into a deep pool that swallowed him whole, Fire's cleaver flying up into the air as the ground closed and returning to her hand as she shouted: "Get the wounded out of here, loosen the cordon and back off, he's-"

Crow ripped out of the ground, the silhouette of warped, skeletal and black-ashen angel wings behind him as he screamed: "Stop interfering, I have to kill my father! I have to rip him apart, I'm so very, very hungry!"

He twisted through the air, then dived down towards Zerrex, the Drakkaren standing ready with a snarl as Crow drew back the shattered-Blackheart... and then a white light shone down over the creature as a vortex opened behind him... and Crow looked over his shoulder a moment too late before Raze shot down, hammering his sword into Crow's back and knocking him flat into the earth, before Zerrex stared as Cindy followed him, a pair of large, long wings spreading out from her back and holding a golden spear in her hands as she shouted: "Daddy, use this!"

She threw it hard towards the Drakkaren a moment before Tinman and Francis rushed out of the vortex, flying towards her to grab her arms and try to uselessly pull her back towards the rift. A moment later, Francis realized she no longer had the spear, cursing and looking down in time to see the Drakkaren reaching a hand upwards... "Zerrex, wait, demons can't use that weapon, it'll-"

Zerrex caught the eight foot spear regardless of Francis's warning before he spun around, noting the L-shaped claws surrounding the central spike... and how it burned in his hands, the reptile wincing before he revolved it rapidly into a ready position. It glowed with terrible white light, and a moment later the reptile's own wings burst free from his back as the angels hovered in midair and the demons stood in a loose circle, most of them staring in shock as the weapon responded to Zerrex's touch despite the holy runes covering it... and the Drakkaren snarled before saying coldly to the monstrosity across from him climbing to its feet: "Give up, Crow!"

Crow screamed and charged... and Zerrex stabbed forwards several times, Crow immediately skidding to a halt, then staggering backwards with a look of horror as he barely managed to deflect the blows with the twisting, dark-lightning sword before howling as he swung hard at Zerrex's feet... but the Drakkaren jumped over the first swing, then blocked the second neatly with the spearhead before shoving the sword into the air, and he lashed Crow hard across the stomach with the blade, leaving a white, thin cut. The monstrosity screamed and staggered backwards, leaving himself open as he looked down at himself with horror, and Zerrex immediately stepped forwards, stabbing over and over in short, elegant movements into the creature's chest as he was drove forwards and sent the monster staggering backwards.

Zerrex leapt away as Crow slashed the sword down towards him before he snarled as the beast throw a bolt of dark energy at him... and Zerrex slid to the side, batting it hard back at the monstrositiy with the head of the spear. It collided and knocked Crow stumbling, and he let out another roar of fury before running forwards and lashing viciously back and forth with the blade, but Zerrex easily parried each strike, letting himself be driven backwards before spinning at the last moment and swinging the spear behind himself in an awkward chop, shoving the spearhead against Crow's throat and drawing backwards to cut it open before stabbing hard into the side of his neck.

Crow gasped and grabbed at his throat uselessly with one hand, and Zerrex spun around and slammed the spearhead down into his head, Crow screaming as he fell to his knees... and a moment later Crow leapt to his feet and slashed viciously out towards him with the sword.

Zerrex winced and tried to block with one of his wings, but the sword tore through it and then slashed through the Drakkaren's arm, sending him staggering before he was knocked into the air by a hard upwards slice, and Crow finished off by stepping forwards and ripping a claw through his chest, sending the Drakkaren flying backwards in a burst of dark fire. He rolled at the last moment as the monster staggered back and forth, randomly firing waves of dark energy at the angels and demons surrounding them, and the lizard snarled, panting hard. This is too dangerous... even if I have the advantage in terms of experience, his raw power is enough to let him get a blow in now and then... that and he's just not staying hurt... and everyone else, he's lashing out at anyone and anything he can... I have to bring this to a different environment and hope for the best.

Zerrex braced himself as he jumped to his feet, one wing still outstretched behind him and the other shattered, several skeletal pieces of white energy hanging uselessly... and the Drakkaren snarled before charging forwards suddenly, and Crow turned around with a look of shock before lashing outwards with a scream, releasing a massive wall of dark energy... but Zerrex covered himself with his single wing, wincing even as black fire began to eat through it before he burst through the other side of the dark haze and charged up Crow's body, the creature looking horrified as Zerrex's wing shattered, feathers and white energy hailing down around them as the Drakkaren arched his back, spear held with the point straight down... and then he plunged it viciously through Crow's chest, driving him to the ground and pinning him in place like a bug as Crow screamed in agony.

Immediately, Tinman flew down and clapped his hands together, and thick strings of metal shot out of the ground, binding the monstrosity to the ground as Zerrex held the creature tightly in place, and other demons stepped forwards, piling binds and seals onto the monster before Zerrex shouted, struggling to force the spear deeper and hold Crow's screaming form in place: "Send us to the Unworld! Do it now!"

"Zerrex, no, you can't!" Selena shouted, shaking her head in denial as she staggered forwards, but Zerrex silenced her with a glare before shoving deeper, and she cursed under her breath before looking at Cherry, who snarled at her before finally shaking her head ever so slightly. "Fuck, you... come back!"

"Son..." whispered a ragged voice... and Zerrex looked up in shock to see Celestial staggering towards them, clutching the front of her robes as she looked deliriously over Crow, who halted and stared back at her... and she winced away from him before rasping: "Crow must be destroyed... he's... he's too strong..."

"Mother!" Crow screamed, looking back at her helplessly, and Zerrex looked up in shock... but it explained everything as Celestial winced away, and the monster howled: "Save me, mother! Save me! Don't let me die!"

"Shut up!" Celestial's eyes turned ruby as she glared at Crow, then she held up her hands, palms out towards the pair, and energy crackled over Crow's body as she said furiously: "You killed my handsome husband... you strike out at my son... you deserve nothing but death! Go, Zerrex kill him, his body cannot tolerate the Unworld!"

"No, no, not there, anything but there! Not that place again!" Crow began to spasm and flail, shaking his head wildly as he screamed for pity and mercy, and a rip slowly opened in the fabric of reality as Sin stepped forwards as well, concentrating as Zerrex felt energy wash over him, looking up at her before she smiled grimly and nodded... and Cherry dropped to a kneel, Fire and Air on one side of her as Carmen took the other side with Water and Earth, all of them beginning an incantation.

The spear began to lift... and a moment later Raze threw down his sword, the blade sinking into the ground beside the Drakkaren as he said coldly: "Just in case you need it, Zerrex... bring it back in one piece!"

"Go, Daddy, go!" shouted Cindy, bouncing in midair as Tinman and Francis nodded to him... and Zerrex looked around at all the other faces depending him before Ixin threw a red potion at him, and Zerrex caught it automatically as he took one hand off the spear, staring as the mage only waved and winked.

A moment later, dark tentacles shot out of the ground and wrapped around them both, and Zerrex arched his back in agony before he felt himself being thrown downwards, the weapons falling around them as they plummeted from Hell into the Unworld, both of them crashing to the ground, the glass jar in Zerrex's hand shattering into pieces and spraying its contents over the ground, which greedily lapped it up.

Zerrex skidded down a narrow slope on his stomach, the spear clattering beside him before Raze's sword smashed into the ground, point-up, only an inch or so from his muzzle... and the reptile forced himself up to his feet, feeling the energy already beginning to be sapped from his body as he picked the sword up... and then a dark blade cut across his back and sent him staggering, and the Drakkaren spun around, the sword pulsing with dark energy in his hands as he blocked a hard strike from Crow, the creature howling miserably: "Mother hates me now, and it's all your fault, you son of a bitch! I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you!"

"You did that yourself!" Zerrex shouted back, and the Drakkaren slipped out of the way of a hard slice from the monstrosity before wincing as it grabbed the holy spear... but it almost immediately fumbled the weapon with a howl of pain, steam rising up from its hand. Zerrex took the opportunity to slide around the monster's side, and he quickly smashed Crow across the face, knocking him to the ground in a heap.

Crow slowly looked up at the pieces of Blackheart scattered across the ground in front of him... and he slowly scraped them towards his body before he picked one up and stuffed it into his mouth, screeching in pain around the metal even as he swallowed it, dark blood hailing from his muzzle... and Zerrex stared in horror, staggering backwards before his eyes widened as Crow began to shove the broken chunks of sword into his body, and then he grinned viciously as he ripped his own stomach open and shoved the hilt of the sword into it, and he shivered before whispering: "So much blood shed with this weapon... including father's... I... feel so... yes..."

Zerrex backstepped as crow fell to his knees, and a moment later the monstrosity roared, the dark fire burning over his body growing and expanding as Crow's body did the same, until the beast doubled in size. He roared and immediately charged towards Zerrex... and the reptile backstepped towards a pool of terrible-looking water nearby before he sidestepped at the last moment and slapped Crow hard into it with the flat of the dark sword.

Crow fell forwards with a scream and vanished beneath the still surface of the water, only a few ripples travelling through it, and the reptile made a face at this, staring at the pool before another ripple rolled over the surface of the pool... and a moment later a massive claw ripped through the surface and Crow's upper body pushed out of the water, the monster howling as he slashed outwards with a hand almost as large as the reptile as Zerrex leapt out of the way, staring in horror: from the waist up, the monstrosity was almost forty feet high... and his lower body was still completely buried in the pool. He's not getting weaker at all... what the hell am I supposed to do?

"Father!" Crow screamed... and he leaned forwards as he swung both hands downwards, but Zerrex leapt out of the way before jumping forwards, stabbing the blade down into the back of Crow's hand. Immediately, Crow screamed and raised his hand high into the air, waving it back and forth above his head, and Zerrex winced, holding tightly onto to the handle of the blade before he tore the sword free and slid down his forearm as Crow clawed at his own hand.

The Drakkaren landed in the mess of ugly white hair on Crow's head, and the Drakkaren speedily leapt down to his muzzle and spun around, stabbing the dark sword into one of the beast's eyes and ripping upwards to shred his eyeball and leave a long scar up his forehead, Crow leaning forwards to scream in agony as he grabbed at his face... and Zerrex ran down his muzzle, leaping off it to land on the ground as the monster twisted back and forth, waving his hands wildly as he shrieked: "Stop hurting me and die!"

Crow leaned down and vomited a massive haze of dark energy, and Zerrex winced as he created a shield... but the blue was faded and weak, the shield cracking rapidly before it shattered and black fire rushed over the Drakkaren, eating at him greedily as he tumbled backwards several times with a howl of pain. Immediately, Crow leaned forwards and slammed a hand out, crushing Zerrex into the ground before he lifted the reptile high above his head, beginning to squeeze with a snarl as rocks and dirt leaked out around his fingers... and Zerrex spasmed before his rocky arms burst into life, and the lizard snarled before tearing to the side as blade shot out of his wrist and spikes formed a jagged line from forearm to shoulder.

Crow screamed in pain, immediately throwing Zerrex hard at the ground, but the Drakkaren caught himself on all fours, skidding backwards as Raze's sword bounced past him. The lizard backpedaled as Crow looked down at his damaged hand, and then the reptile's eyes seized on the spear... and the reptile picked this up in his rocky hand before he stepped forwards and leaned into a throw, the weapon glowing bright white in his hand.

It shot like a lightning bolt from his grip and tore through Crow's neck, and up into his skull, the creature howling in pain, his arms spasming outwards... and a moment later, he fell forwards and slumped, the spearhead sticking out of the back of his cranium. Zerrex stared at the slumped, fallen body of the monstrosity... and then he looked slowly back and forth as Unworld beings staggered into sight through the dim haze of the madness around them, and the Drakkaren winced before turning and staggering quickly away up a hill, muttering: "Let that be it, Crow... let them feast on your remains..."

He crested the hill, looking back and forth... and then he stared miserably around, realizing he was screwed: the only way in and out was through a rift, and he simply didn't know how to do that... and so instead the reptile slowly wandered away, walking down the hill and towards an open field where several fallen Unworld beings were rotting away in flames as he watched... and the Drakkaren stared at them morbidly, asking quietly: "Is this my fate now, too? Am I going to die, alone here, and-"

He halted as he heard a howl... and then spun around to see a much-smaller Crow standing on top of the hill a moment before the spear collided with him, the Drakkaren falling flat as the holy weapon tore through his corrupted shoulder. His entire stony arm immediately pulsed with pain, and Zerrex cursed before reaching up to grab it, jerking it free as Crow charged down the hill, once more wielding the shattered Blackheart as he rushed towards Zerrex... and the Drakkaren stood with a snarl, a terrible fury burning through his body as he felt his rocky arm falling to pieces and scales covering the remains, the holy energy dispelling his terrible claw. "Crow...

"Haven't you learned..." he started, then he ducked backwards under several wild strikes, the ripped-apart, one-eyed abomination staggering as he slashed madly at him, before the Drakkaren caught a strike in midair with the spearhead, the reptile shouting: "That spear beats sword!"

He knocked the sword of dark lighting and broken blade to the side, then he stabbed viciously forwards thrice into Crow's chest, the creature staggering backwards with a scream before Zerrex slammed the butt of the spear into the monster's foot, and Crow jerked his foot away automatically with a yelp, losing his balance before Zerrex rammed the spear up through his throat, ripping it through the back of his neck before he spun around to put his back to the beast and reversed the angelic weapon to stab it backwards through the beast's heart, and Crow gasped and gargled, dropping the shattered Blackheart as the dark energy connecting the broken pieces of blade died out, the monster grasping uselessly at the pole of the spear... and a moment later, he slumped forwards as the dark fire covering his body died out, and his body slowly crumbled away like ash, leaving only a bloody, long-dead child laying on the ground with its mouth agape and eyes sightless white orbs.

Zerrex made a face, kicking the remains of the creature away bad-temperedly, and then he looked back and forth as several Unworld beings began to walk towards him. He spun the spear around his body, standing ready to defend himself... and then the reptile winced before looking down in shock as a portal appeared beneath his feet, and a moment later, he was rushing through darkness...

He blinked as he slowly rose upwards... and he stared back and forth as he found himself standing on the black tiles in front of the Central Spire, the shattered pieces of Blackheart around his feet and Raze's sword laying on the other side of him, holding the golden spear in one hand... and he frowned a bit at the procession of people lined up on either side of him, looking dumbly back and forth as Sin walked down from the large, smooth cylinder of stone inside which was sealed the Center Throne... and Sin walked slowly down the middle of the spire with a faint smile, bowing to him and leaning forwards as she murmured quietly: "I'm glad you're safe, Lord Zerrex... but please, come here. This is urgent."

The Drakkaren nodded a bit, following slowly behind Sin before she stepped up beside the wall, and Zerrex looked back and forth in surprise at Raze and Francis. They stood to either side of the pillar, watching him intently... and Sin whispered softly, as the faces of many other demons watched: "Touch the pillar."

"I did before, it didn't-" Zerrex started nervously, looking around at the group as he absently reached out a hand to touch the stone... and it shook violently as azure runes formed over it, before they turned into large cracks that spread quickly through the column of rock. Zerrex staggered backwards, staring in horror as the stone turned slowly transparent as it broke apart, and chunks of ghostly cement fell in every direction, spilling outwards as the demons and angels gave a collective sigh, and Zerrex shook his head dumbly as he found himself staring now at a staircase leading up onto a rounded stage at the very top of Hell, surrounded by four pillars that supported an X-shaped ceiling inside which glowed what looked like a massive Heartstone... and below it, upon a red carpet, sat a throne of silver with black cushions, and Zerrex trembled as he whispered: "No..."

"The last thing the Princess declared before she died was that you should be punished... and although you defeated and ursurped her, law in Hell is that punishments for violations must be carried out. You are our savior: you have destroyed the Goddess, Narrius, and Crow... and the Scholars decreed that you must sit on the throne." Sin said quietly, lowering her head as Zerrex looked at her with panic in his eyes, and the female grasped his wrist as she met his eyes, a tear sliding down her cheek as she whispered: "I will be with you every step of the way..."

"And so shall we all!" shouted Lily, looking down the crowd, and the demons that Zerrex could see had completely encircled the now-broken pillar echoed this as the Drakkaren trembled violently, shaking his head in fear... but Sin continued to look up at him with tender sympathy... and the two hugged tightly as Zerrex turned towards his greatest fear and slowly walked up the first set of three steps to a small landing, only two or so feet above the ground... but when he turned around, everyone knelt to him, and Lily called: "Praise to the High King!"

"No..." Zerrex cleared his throat and swallowed, holding up his hands, and demons murmured to each other as the Drakkaren tossed the spear aside. He looked over the group, terrified and trembling, his features pale as he whispered: "No... it's only because of all of you that I've survived... that I've come this far. Please. Rise up, everyone... don't cheer for me... cheer on yourselves."

Demons stood up, looking nervously at each other... and then Zerrex turned and walked up the last three steps to the landing, slowly approaching the throne... and then his fingers traced over the smooth silver arm as Lily and Sin followed quickly up onto it, standing on either side of the reptile as he looked apprehensively from one to the other. Then he slowly turned around... and the Drakkaren sat quietly down in the throne, even as terror rolled through his body.

Cheers rose up again, and as Zerrex opened his mouth, Lily murmured quietly: "Let them celebrate, Lord Zerrex... let us all celebrate. I know how scared you are... I fear the same thing, every single day. But it's only once you stop being afraid you need to start worrying... it will be a long, long time until this punishment is over... but you will rule us all well..."

Zerrex lowered his head, looking down miserably as Sin and Lily both strode away... and then the Drakkaren looked up and said clearly: "Sin..."

Voices quieted as Sin turned around, bowing quietly to him and walking into the center of the platform... and Zerrex smiled faintly at her as he whispered: "I'll make one good thing out of this rulership, at least... Sin... you are free of your punishment."

Sin stared at him disbelievingly... and then she let out a cry of shock as the Seethe Hounds tore out of the front of her dress, leaping back and forth with snarls and yips as all four of them grew almost to the size of Draybeasts, roaring and howling before all four formed a line in front of Sin and bowed to Zerrex... and the female reached down hesitantly before she quietly traced her hands along her now-smooth, woundless stomach, a tremble rolling through her body as a hand reached out and stroked through the bristly fur of one of the adult Seethe Hounds, and it whined quietly... and a moment later Sin threw herself on Zerrex and hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back as he clenched his eyes shut and leaned over her, both of them crying hard even as the crowd cheered and roared, the two clinging to each other for comfort and joy.