Events were winding down with the very brutal branding of the Templar extremist. Akoni had the lingering thought to observe the rest of the event, but thought against it. The citadel awaited, and with it a series of "amenities" and "faculties." Would there be an armory with devil and angel arms? A healing well? A library with knowledge and eldritch lore untold? There was only one way to know for certain. The entire experience made Akoni feel like he was in his twenties again, or at least it would if his attitude were somewhat more optimistic and he didn't have that pain in the ass arthritis. That dumbass Snider may have been, well, a dumbass, but between the two of them Snider had the better body. Lucky him. Or maybe it was the 15 year difference. Akoni was still a whole generation older. Either way he began heading to the citadel in hopes of being the first to find its secrets.

Naturally that meant someone else had the same idea. Wrath walked with him, keeping pace, and even started with small talk. Just... Why? Did the nephilim confuse Akoni's gratitude for friendliness? Bah. The old Mage decided, for now, to humor the creature by his side. Didn't mean he had to be happy about it.

"If you'd have asked me that more than twenty years ago, I'd have told you I was destined to be here. If you asked me this morning, I'd have ignored the question and told you to get out of my face." Never breaking stride, Akoni snapped. The book hanging from his side floated in front of both their faces, turning to a page depicting the World Tree, the Tree of Life. "I developed my Gatewalk Magic by studying this. From a book, in captivity. I never had the chance to study the real thing. The Third Kingdom is the only realm in existence the Tree does not reside in. When I think of what I can do with the real thing... Ah, you don't want to hear an old man's ramblings."

The book ceased to levitate, falling back to his side. He then gazed up at the citadel in the distance and growled deep in irritation and impatience. "If you want to get there fast, put your hand on my shoulder. Train's leaving the station." Akoni only gave Wrath a couple seconds to decide, then set himself upon the shortest path to his destination. At hyper speeds he propelled through the air using Surge.

Gene shrugged. If Antonio was cool with being cooked to a delicious golden brown, then Gene was too. The less problems he had with his current predicament, the better.

Gene front-flipped onto Rocinante's sidecar, made a semi-circle rotation in mid-air, and landed ass-first in the sidecar to rousing applause from his own ego. Confident that he'd done this simple act with as much needless flair as possible, Gene put his feet up and leisurely leaned back in his seat.

"Let's blow this armpit of a city and haul ass to greener pastures! Kick it, crispy!"

Rocinante started up as smoothly as it always did, and soon enough they were cruising down the wartorn streets of Barlour. The dudes who want this place could have it, Gene considered, I just need to find a good, safe place to get back to Paradiso from. If those asswads in the Council were right about the endtimes coming, I'd better see what those asswads in Heaven want me to do.

Wrath had the briefest time to decide, but he decided to trust the old man and clasped his shoulder about a second before he increased his movement speed to inane levels of speed, arriving much faster than they would have walking. "Right, well, I know who to look for if I ever need to make a quick get away." He looked around for a moment before patting Akoni's shoulder and heading down a hallway. "And on that note, I bid thee adieu. Gotta report back to Uriel or I'll be in a small bit of trouble with her. Enjoy the Citadel."

And with that, the Nephilim set off at a brisk pace down the hall, setting about trying to find the World Tree and return to the White City. In his mind, at least, it would make sense for the Angels to have access to it after all. As he walked, he tried to come up with ways to break the news to Uriel that he now not only stood with the Angels of the Army of Light, but also with the Charred Council, which meant they'd have a chance of having to fight his former brothers in arms. And no matter how he put it, it usually ended in the older and more experienced woman angelic warrior kicking his ass up and down the briefing room.

The mark left on the demon hunter was nothing compared to the various different injuries he had accumulated throughout the years fighting otherworldly beings. Snider winced. As quickly as he entered the world, it seemed he had left. The old man gave a nod, apparently in appreciation, before moving his right hand in front of his chest and sticking out his middle finger.

The next thing he knew, Snider was back in the ambulance. With his working arm, he checked to see if all the bandages he had were still doing their job. Snider hopped off the ambulance and stretched his neck out. He bent over to pick up the hearing aid he had left there on the ground where the demon was, and wiped it off on the surface of one of his bandages before placing it back firmly into his ear. As soon as he did, he detected the sound of motorcycle engines revving up. He was unsure whether it was human or demon, though using the sonic image generated by his hearing aids, he determined that it was two individuals.

The veteran grumbled, both in pain and vexation, limping toward the sound of the vehicle. It wasn't the worst day he's had, but it was definitely up there.

“Hah... smokey, I've seen enough of the world to know that if something can go wrong... it WILL go wrong.” Kosara replied as she was branded.” I bet by the end of this, we will be fighting demons, angels and who knows, maybe even humans.” She said as she stretched after being branded.

“Ohhh?” She perked up, when an improved demonic form was mentioned. Her demon form would also be boosted? Now that's was something interesting! To heck with the castle... She wondered what were the changes of her demon power.

She was finally torn out of her thoughts when an obviously insane person denied the council's 'request' for them to join. Well this templar or whomever that was, just got the bad end of the stick. They got powerboost, the ability to travel around the worlds, the permission to fight powerful beings(When told to, but who cares really. She was sure things will escalate way more before they get better.) and they get that really nifty looking castle to hang around! She could feel all them interesting books inside that called out to her! She just giggled as the stupid templar was dismissed and quickly turned towards the castle, not waiting for a second invitation from the watcher.

In her way, she noticed she was being put in second place as the old man and the nephelim seemed to move at unnatural speeds! She smirked as she also dashed afterwards, but she was by no way equal in speed for the moment. In her demonic form, she was going to be able to compete, but she was not pulling out that right now. She wasn't as hot headed to do that.

Eventually she reached the castle and stormed the front gate like a hurricane as she moved inside. With excitable glee, she ran down the corridors~” Books, books, books. Where are all the books~?” She wondered, dashing through the corridors without slowing down.

Mary's self-righteous speech was almost interrupted by the booming voice of one of the head of the council, who addressed a paladin. He seemed like he would almost fit at the Order of the Sword and briefly, she wondered if he was actually a member of the organization that she was unaware of. Quickly, it was confirmed he definitely was not. The Council seared his flesh before sending him back to earth, apparently still alive.

Very quickly after, the Head-Watcher regarded Mary. He seemed to have a very poor opinion of her, insulting her and mentioning her vile blood. At this point she honestly wanted to cry a little, but held back her rage and tears with a terrifying fake smile. So she did need a mark, the Council were a petty bunch for omnipotent, and she could not be transported without one. She sighed, and shook her head, but stepped forward like her associate Lily. Another fake smile graced her pale face, this one masking her grimace. She really didn't want to do this, but it was for the fate of the world. After this she could relax for a few hours, at least.

Silas stood for a moment after being dismissed by the Council, staring up at the trio of molten visages. He raised a hand to his forehead, where the mark he'd been branded with still glowed with warmth. Despite some lingering misgivings, it seemed he was correct about choosing the lesser of two evils, at least if that Templar's "branding" was any indication of what had awaited him given his refusal. He grit his teeth, trying to expunge the memory from his head. Another delusional idiot who assumed reality catered to his beliefs alone, and all others were to be trampled underfoot. He'd been of a mind to put the Templar in his place by telling him of the realities of his precious "Jesus," but the Council had very quickly done so already. He didn't suppose he'd be seeing much of the fool after such a trauma. So he decided to turn his thoughts to more interesting subjects, such as the benefits of his newfound partnership.

It all was such an intriguing prospect- he hadn't expected the rewards to be quite so... fruitful. The citadel and its facilities were all well and good- a structure so large had to have a library at least, which, being a scholar, would be beneficial to him. And if they had a forge, as well? All the better; he'd been wanting to make a match to Pleiades for about a century now, and the idea of using gunpowder weaponry as a template was tempting, especially after getting a glance of that half-demon's weapons of choice. The World Tree was also convenient, if unnecessary- he already had means into Purgatorio and Paradiso, though the latter required a bit more effort, and some cajoling of his familiars. And it wasn't as though he intended to storm Inferno any time soon. Still, a simpler method of traveling was appreciated, if only to save him some extra effort. All of these benefits, however, paled in comparison to the most tangible gift he'd been granted.

A transcendent form phenomenon that I can call upon myself. To use and study at will... how marvelous. Ever since coming into contact with demons and half-bloods, he'd been intrigued by the ability of some to engage such a phenomenon in times of duress, greatly amplifying their powers. He'd heard even of some of the old Sages and even Umbra Witches being able to engage a similar phenomenon themselves, though it seemed such knowledge was, for the most part, lost. Even Father Roderick lacked such an attribute. Apparently, knowledge of the means of doing so had died with the Exile. But now, he had it in his grasp. With it, he might be able to regain such lost knowledge, to spread this power among his Lumen brethren. It wasn't a sure thing- he hadn't even tested his powers out yet, and he was unsure what parallels, if any, there would be with the transcendence of old. But it was a start.

Of course, this led him to... darker thoughts, as he was reminded of the decision he had made, and how his brethren might react. Especially what that elder Watcher had told him.

”Very noble of you, enlightened one. I hope you keep your word no matter what we tell you to kill. Heheheh…”

He was well aware of the... unpredictable nature of the Council, and moreover the capricious nature of the Hierarchy. A trait that some among the Sages shared, to his chagrin. Some of the Hierarchy might not take kindly to him seemingly trading their authority for the Council's, and neither might his brothers. It might indeed lead to conflict, now that he thought of it. Which was infuriating.

Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic, he thought, still tracing the line branded onto his forehead absentmindedly. I am still a Lumen Sage, first and foremost. And while under normal circumstances, this might be construed as unfit for the oaths I have taken, the very fact that the Council has called me shows that these are not normal circumstances. The seals of Armageddon are being destroyed. Someone means to bring about the Endwar, or something worse, considering what that... thing was cackling about at the Cairn. He shuddered again as he thought about that creature, then continued on with his thoughts.

Even demons can see that the situation is too dire to allow petty differences to separate us. Surely I can convince the other Sages and Heaven to see sense. If we allow presumptions to divide us, we will all fall. He nodded to confirm this to himself, then turned and followed his new comrades toward the Citadel. Still, despite his logic, doubt still darkened his thoughts. Perhaps he would keep this between himself and Roderick for now. There, at least, was someone he could trust not to react too harshly.

He caught up to the group wandering toward the castle that now loomed above them. Save the Nephilim and a strangely-familiar mage, who rocketed ahead using some sort of enhancement magic. Silas frowned. He'd wanted to speak to Wrath further. Particularly about why Lady Uriel would hide the creation of a Nephilim from her allies in the Sages. He shrugged as he shifted into his Wolf Within, loping toward the doors and shifting back into his human form as he entered the massive structure that he supposed was now their headquarters. He'd get back to the Nephilim sooner or later. As he dusted himself off after returning to human form, one of the others, a sword-wielding girl, dashed into the castle past him, running down another corridor, chanting about books.

Ah. A kindred spirit. An excellent starting point for associating with his new compatriots. He followed after the girl, at a more leisurely pace, certainly. She was hard to lose track of, as exuberant as she was.

The pondering of Lily, though expansive, did not occupy much time. As such, Panoptos –after approaching her- could only make one lazy revolution around her before she voiced her reply. Huffing in acknowledgment, the Watcher reached out to mark Lily’s forehead, only to find her leaning back slightly to avoid his reach. Narrowing his eyes, he leaned forward and again the demoness recoiled somewhat. ”Hold still, you.” Quickly he emblazoned the Council’s firebrand on her head before moving on. If not for his aptitude for the sarcastic and disingenuous, Panoptos might have thought Mary overjoyed to step up and be branded. He implanted his masters’ insignia upon her smooth, pale skin and then rose up. By his count, everyone who remained but for the miserable dog now featured a mark. Good, good, he thought, sniggling, and he flew off toward the citadel. With the Council’s audience over, the other Watchers scattered, most following the route taken by several of the Firebrands already toward their new base of operations.



Still feeling overwhelmed by just about everything he could conceive of his current situation, Souta dimly followed the general movement toward the great stone fortress in the distance, but only stopped to realize where he was going when the cyborg accosted him. ”Hi, yeah,” he replied absently, rolling his shoulders to bring himself back to earth. ”Sounds about right. If we’re working for the Charred Council now, we oughta get to know our workplace.” Souta’s mind drifted back to his little office at the Regalia headquarters in Japan. At first it had seemed alien, though not nearly to the degree as this place, but in time it seemed like more of a home than where he went to sleep; everything that challenged and intrigued him he did in those four walls. Would he ever come to feel like a castle in the middle of a broiling lavascape could become the same? There would be only one way to find out.

Of course, a few individuals beat him to the Charred Citadel. First inside –or rather, above- was the sorcerer Akoni. From his birds-eye view he could no doubt see a largely bare yet inhospitable series of roofs, all slanted and spiked, but there also lay a trio of tall towers just perfect for aerial landings. Wrath, meanwhile, after entering the grand portcullis, found himself in an entry hall with ornate bas-reliefs but little else. Many of the nearby chambers contained similarly little of note, though one did sport a distinct lack of floor, with a pool of lava replacing it. His path through the nigh-labyrinthine passages took him through a fountain room, a large chamber replete with statues of all kinds, and finally a disused chamber filled with the remains of what may have been a trading post. The power of the thing he sought drew him near, however, and he arrived at the World Tree chamber.

In the center of the great domed room, with gnarled roots blanketing the floor and twisted branches lining the ceiling, stood the Tree itself. Without a leaf to its name it looked utterly dead at first glance, but in the hollows of its massive trunk lay clotted masses of arcane energy, dormant and unusable. ”Looks like you and the tree were made for one another, savage. You’re both sad and disused.” Panoptos hovered a distance behind Wrath, his arms crossed. ”Except for a few squatters, the Citadel has been neglected for a long time. Suppose it’s time we kick everything into shape, though. Follow me: it’s high time you made yourself useful.”

Panoptos lead the way through the Citadel to a large square chamber with many adjoining hallways. At the room’s center hung a structure that appeared to be, for all intents and purposes, an enormous heart. It hung, an inert sculpture of hollow glass filled with soot: dead. The Watcher swept his hand toward it. ”Behold! The Molten Core. Does the lights, the Tree, the forges, ovens, you name it. It’s a little on the not-molten side right now, though, as I hope you can see. Why don’t you warm it up? Let out the Firebrand inside you and massage that heart into beating again.”

Meanwhile, Kosara’s intrepid dash through the hallways , which never failed to provide a challenge thanks to the sharp turns and winding paths, did deposit her in the library at last. Alas, a disappointing sight lay before her: the library lay in tatters, with only a few books not even organized onto shelves. In fact, most of the books lay in one pile in the rooms center, upon which lounged a odd, beaked creature reading a book upside-down. He noticed Kosara immediately, and set down his book to stare inquisitively. “Oh, my my!” he crooned. “A new visitor to the Charred Citadel! I didn’t know we were having guests. Oh wait…no, I lied. I knew it all along, yes!” He pushed himself up into a proper sitting position. “My name is…Eeliot! You aren’t going to kill me, are you? No, no, us nice-looking folks are never evil. Tell you what: help yourself to my books! I’m not the King of Knowledge for nothing. My only regret is that so little of my property has survived…” Holding a claw up over his eyes, Eeliot wept dramatically, but before long he peeked between his fingers. Clearly he enjoyed having a guest to give him attention.

Slowly and methodically, Souta made his way through the Citadel interior. Each room he took note of in a perhaps foolhardy attempt to memorize the layout, and it did not escape his notice that nearly everything lay in a state of disrepair. He expected that the Watchers would get everything working soon enough, but even still the facilities seemed meager if meant to support a small army meant to save the world. Of course, what did he know? More than likely, the Council missions would be opportunities to gather more resources. To his satisfaction, he found what appeared to be a smithy, and through one of its adjoining rooms he discovered an odd workshop. The aesthetic of this chamber totally disregarded the precedent set by the hewn igneous stone of the rest of the Citadel; it was all metal, with unique furniture and tools that seemed more ritualistic than functional. Nevertheless, the room gave him a good vibe, not unlike the promise of good things to come. He decided to claim the empty room between the workshop and the smithy as his own.

Once Akoni had dropped off Wrath, he went exploring throughout the entire Citadel. The rooftops were one thing, but he really needed to see the inside. Knowledge was what he sought. Books, scrolls, a library. The Tree as well, but that would be secondary to the library. No need to reinvent the wheel.
As luck would have it, he did come across something like a library. First though he found a smithy. Then the Tree. After that, a large chamber with a... Was that a heart?! Akoni was reminded of a dungeon based computer game he'd heard of. That would merit additional study later. He zoomed out, barely missing Wrath and Panoptos entering, when he finally found his destination... Only to arrive second.

Akoni's Surge left him directly next to Kosara, near some beaked creature squatting about the books like some sort of bird nesting from the paper. The Mage immediately face palmed.

"No no no no, this room doesn't need you tearing it apart, cricket!" he exclaimed to Kosara in a weary fashion. "And you... Eeliot. Why is this sacred lore in such a disheveled state?"

Wrath, upon finding the Tree, had set about trying to bring it to life so he could get back to Heaven, when the ancient Watcher's voice sounded behind him. ”Looks like you and the tree were made for one another, savage. You’re both sad and disused.” Grimacing, he turns to find Panoptos floating several feet behind him, his arm folded and a sneer evident on his face despite the lack of a mouth. Wrath growled in annoyance.

"If I wanted to be insulted, I'd have sought you out, Panoptos." But the Watcher continued speaking, ignoring what the Nephilim said.

”Except for a few squatters, the Citadel has been neglected for a long time. Suppose it’s time we kick everything into shape, though. Follow me: it’s high time you made yourself useful.” Wrath didn't argue, but he did find a way to grimace deeper. Oh I'll make myself useful alright, by turning you into a green smear first chance I get. He followed the Watcher through many more hallways to another chamber, with a large, for lack of a better word, heart in it's center. Wrath, despite all he'd seen in his last three hundred and thirty years of life, stood in awe of it. He could feel the dormant power lying within and knew that he was looking at one of the most important parts of the Citadel he'd ever see. At that moment, Panoptos decided to speak again.

”Behold! The Molten Core. Does the lights, the Tree, the forges, ovens, you name it. It’s a little on the not-molten side right now, though, as I hope you can see. Why don’t you warm it up? Let out the Firebrand inside you and massage that heart into beating again.” Wrath would have argued, but he didn't feel like wasting the time. So, after focusing a moment, he released his Firebrand Trigger, growing a couple of feet in height and gaining a lava monster-like appearance. Flexing everything to make sure it still moved right, he reached up to the heart and started massaging it, changing where he had his grip every few minutes so that the heat spread relatively evenly.

As he worked, he wondered what the full implication of the benefits of working for the supreme authority of all reality would be, as this new form was most definitely a positive. Well, guess only time will tell in the end. Still hoping Uriel isn't too mad at me...

KYL-9XX

The cyborg made his way to the citadel next to Souta. Even after everything that had happened in the last few hours, Kyle still had trouble getting used to this alien place. Other agents had already entered the imposing building, probably discovering everything there was to see. They had a clear advantage over him: Most of them had studied the supernatural, knew about things like the Charred Council and the Tree before the audience took place. Kyle had been briefed on the basics, angels and demons were real, the apocalypse could happen, the seals had to be protected; but that was nothing compared to what he had experienced as of late. Once they arrived at the hefty gates made of stone, the cyborg and the kid split up. Souta wanted to find a forge or something like that, Kyle just wanted to walk around their new residence and take in everything he could. The more he could learn from this place, the better he would be prepared for things to come.

It didn't take long until Kyle was completely lost. The halls and corridors resembled a labyrinth more than anything else, changing directions constantly and full of intersections. Tired of walking in circles, he decided to try something out. "Watcher...I need your help" he stated, hoping the sarcastic entity would show its face. The cyborg would not be disappointed, as briefly after he could hear a chuckle behind him. "What is it tinman? Not even 10 minutes into your service for the Council and you already need my help?...I weep for the fate of humanity..." If the entity had a mouth, Kyle thought, it would be sporting an arrogant grin. "I want to see the Tree. Can you guide me too it?" He asked, having decided that the best way to handle the watcher's jokes was to simply ignore them. Its eyes gawked at Kyle for a moment, until it sighed and swirled around in midair. "Follow me..." the entity simply stated, and hovered away around a corner.

When they arrived, the cyborg felt...disappointed? Kyle had expected a lush, green environment, with a majestic old tree ruling over it all. But the tree looked dead, no foliage and no flora surrounded it. He could feel something emanating from it, which meant it was more than just a dead sad tree at least. "The Tree has not been used in quite some time" his watcher explained, as if it could read Kyle's every thought. "Someone will have to jumpstart the old thing back up...here, follow me" and his guide floated off back where they had come from. A few corridors and sharp turns later, they arrived in a massive square hall, this sight a lot more interesting than the Tree they had just visited. Two things immediately caught Kyle's attention: First of all, there was a gigantic heart thingy hanging from the ceiling. And if that was not enough, what appeared to be a creature made of fire and stone was...massaging the heart? "What the hell is this...?" was all Kyle could manage to stutter. His watcher let out another sarcastic chuckle "Seems our little Nephilim has beaten us to it...and he is already using his new form. He seems to be managing a lot better than you Robocop" it was trying to provoke the cyborg, great. "How about you give it a try yourself, tinman? Or are you scared?" the entity teased, its eyes full of mischief.

That is our new form? he was still trying to process what was happening before his eyes. He was scared, yes, but he didn't want to give his watcher the pleasure of being right. Kyle concentrated, trying to blend out everything around him, looking for that flame that he felt kindling inside him after he received his branding. He found something in there, a feeling of fire and power...and the cyborg tapped into it. Kyle believed these sorts of transformations would surely hurt, but once again, he was proven wrong. He could feel warmth radiating from his body, and decided to open his eyes. As he looked down upon himself, Kyle recognized he had become an amalgamation of steel, fire and stone. Looking at his watcher, it was the cyborg who had the luxury of being arrogant for once. "Doesn't look like tinman fits anymore...you need to come up with a new nickname"

"Your reports have been recorded", the morph's words as it was spoken, echoed both Blair and Gideon's voices momentarily, before normalizing into it's usual polite mannerism. The one before them bowed, before disappearing into darkness, likely returning to it's dark master and creator. One of the ones that currently surrounded the pair stepped forward to take it's place. Although this one seemed to have fancier clothes, like the officer.

"General Gideon, General Blair, I am Spymaster Morph No. 3409. Pleased to make your acquaintance, I will be the one to give you tasks that I have found that may need tending to. You may refer to me by my number", it began. If memory serves right, this was number 3409 because the other 3408 were killed out of rage by Mundus, or killed in the line of duty. It was clear that these special morphs were often bearing some form of bad news for the dark lord.

"For now as your humble servant, I ask that you follow me to a suitable place to rest. Our journey to the next place of interest will be a long one I assure, the rest will be much needed", with another bow and then turning, 3409 led the two through the woods to a small cottage. As they stepped in, they found dead bodies, those of humans, but also those of demons, but standing among them was several morphs with pitch black blades being put away. It seems this small cottage came under attack of demons, the humans were killed, and then the demons were killed by the morphs. Still, the place despite that seemed to still be quite cozy. The morphs were already disposing of the bodies as Blair and Gideon would find a spot to rest.

"We shall stand watch. If there are any preparations or things you require, do not hesitate to ask", with a bow, 3409 stepped outside to leave the two to their own devices.

Kosara's gleeful run through the castle ended with a sudden halt when she finally found the library she was searching for. The place looked like it had seen better days... actually that was an understatement. It was a mess... a mess lacking in the book department!” Where are all the other books...?” She asked in shocked voice, at first not registering the beaked creature.” Hey... bird dude why are there no more books?” She asked him with questioning expression before, tiling her head.” Eel..iot... Eeliot? Fine... what happened with all the other books?” She waved her hands to indicate all the scattered destroyed paper around. Hell this place seemed so wrecked that even if they spend days cleaning it up, they won't be done!

“Akoni gramps, I've never destroyed any books, I like books!...” She said to the older man who appeared and pointed at him.” Well I did burn a few... with instructions to summon demons... yeah... and I've never destroyed any libraries! Besides that one... where all the books were part of a demon...yeah... ehh...”She said making a confused expression as she realized she did have recorded history of destroying both books and libraries after all. She finally shrugged and began pouncing around the destroyed library.

“Say bird guy, where can we get more books and maybe some tools to fix this place?” She asked, picking up some torn up, burned out remains of books and piling them in the corner. Well the furniture was mostly destroyed, but they could probably salvage some of it. Take the destroyed furniture apart and use the still okey parts to build a few workable chairs and the like.

@Sho Minazuki@I-am-X


The half-demon was silent throughout as Spymaster Morph No. 3409 came into view. After he decided to transport he and Blair through the woods, they then came to a small cottage. It's been sometime since he entered a cottage... not since way back when of course. When they entered, the whole floor was covered in dead bodies, both human and demon alike. Standing over them were several morphs with pitch black blades being put away. It seems this small cottage came under attack of demons, the humans were killed, and then the demons were killed by the morphs. Regardless, Gideon didn't mind the bodies, even as if they were being disposed of by the victors.

It has been quite a busy day at Balour City, with the mysterious destruction of the Second Seal and the collapse of the antichamber, and must not we forget the 5 on 1 battle with those coming from the Order? No doubt will he encounter them again, and on that day, he'll make sure they won't survive that encounter. But for now, it was time to rest up. Gideon finds a bed near the corner of the room. He takes off his boots and simply flops down on it with a sigh. He looks up at the ceiling for a bit, until summoning a dagger of his and inspects it. It was clear that he was already quite bored, but secretly didn't want to have anything with Blair. He doesn't say anything.

---

Deep within the quarters of the Hierarchy of Laguna's main palace, a lone figure enters a dark room. The figure was pale, with a white formal shirt, black pants, smokey-grey hair, and four wings extending from his back. The angel's dark red eyes looked forward as he slowly walks straight ahead into the room. It was almost pitch black, with only a glowing green stripe streaming horizontally down the void. Even that didn't show most of the path beyond. Suddenly, the Angel stops and pauses for a second and slowly gets down on one knee, placing both of his hands on the knee. He closes his eyes and waits before the void beyond.

"I have come." the angel states calmly, "What is thy bidding, Master of Laguna?"

His patience would be awarded as a deep, almost ominous, groan was heard from the blackness, almost shaking the entire room. Two giant black tendrils, each almost paper thin, wave lazily as they flank the angel's sides as if they were ribbons. Then, two small star-like flashes reveal two glowing yellow eyes, which stare at the person. It would then move several meters towards the angel, until stopping just a few meters from the viewer's face, revealing an unworldly-looking face. The closest thing one can compare to is that of a skull, only twisted in a way that was simply alien.

"KUSHIEL." booms the being as it looks down upon the Angel, "YOU'RE LATE. YOUR JUDGEMENT OF TIME IS IRRELEVANT WITH THE URGENCY AT HAND."

"With my apologizes, Lord Zeruel." replies the Angel we now know as Kushiel, "I was pulled into some... uninvited conflict. You see, these demons have been rather~"

"NO MATTER." interrupts Zeruel as he resumes order back within his power, "I BELIEVE YOU HAD FELT THE SHIFT WITHIN THE BALANCE OF POWER. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND SEAL."

"I have felt it." Kushiel simply responds.

"INDEED. AND IT IS AT THIS TIME WHERE HELL AND ITS FORCES ARE ALREADY ON THE MOVE. THEY ARE AFTER THESE SEALS. THEY MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO DESTROY THEM."

"What are your orders?"

"A REPORT HAS JUST COME IN, STATING THAT A DEMON FORCE IS ATTACKING TZION HILL, WHERE THE FORCES OF THE ARMY OF LIGHT ARE FIGHTING VALIANTLY TO REPEL THEM. THEY ARE IN DIRE NEED OF REINFORCEMENTS. YOU ARE TO HEAD TO THE HUMAN REALM AND HELP THE ARMY DEFEND THE HILL. PREVENT THE INVADING FORCES FROM PUSHING FORWARD AND CRUSH THE RESISTANCE. LEAVE NO ONE ALIVE."

"What about the Seals? Shouldn't I be at least guarding one of them?"

"YOU WILL DEAL WITH THEM LATER. FOR NOW, YOUR PRESENCE IS REQUIRED AT TZION HILL. NO MORE, NO LESS. IS YOUR MISSION CLEAR?"

"Yes, my Lord." bows Kushiel, "It will be done."

"VERY WELL. YOU WILL LEAVE AT ONCE. YOU ARE DISMISSED."

With that, the Angel gets up from his bowing position and begins to walk towards the exit. As Kushiel walks away, Zeruel's eyes begin to dim as his tendrils slowly recoil back into himself, as he fades back into the dark void. It was time for the Angel of Judgement to cast his power over the forces of Hell. It was time for his arrival.

MISSION SELECTED: DEMON ASSAULT

The mark itched, Lily decided, absentmindedly rubbing at it. She had used the near-fluid shape of her current body to hide it, but that did not mean she could not feel it. She turned on the spot, molten eyes focused on the far-off citadel. Most others, including Panoptos, had already started down the various paths towards it. She wondered how much of the citadel would actually be in livable conditions. She doubted that this realm had a lot of visitors, considering just who and what resided here, so it would be very unlikely that their accommodations would be anything near what the humans’ hotels were like. Most likely they’ll be year one thousand standards, she mused.

She shrugged, glancing back at Fenn and Mary, motioning them to follow her. “Come on,” she said. “I don’t know about you, but I want to at least see what’s inside that big pile of rock over there.”

Fenn wrested his gaze from the lead Watcher, wordlessly turning to move. He had a deep scowl set in his features, but that could mean a number of things when it came to the old demon. Sometimes it felt as though the dog only had four separate expressions to describe his every mood.

Mary, too, looked unhappy. Her expression wasn't a scowl, but a deep tiredness prevaded from her, even though her thin lips didn't move in any meaningful way. Her hair was frizzed and messy, and her bonnet looked like it could fall off her head at any moment. Her recent branding seemed to make her skin more pink. Mary too, followed Lily without making much of a noise, probably hoping to find a bed or shower.

“You two look like the walking dead,” the demoness observed, moving backwards in a hover while facing her two companions. “Or, well, Fenn just looks like a big grumpy puppy, but Mary… Something the matter?” It hadn’t been that tiring of an ordeal, and while she was certain Mary felt hot, it couldn’t be so bad as to completely drain her of energy, right? She had seemed very lively just before the Watcher had met up with them just a handful of minutes earlier.

A small smile could be seen on Mary as Lily asked about her. The half-human seemed to have no apprehension when she said, "How odd, a demon asking of a human's health?" with a small chuckle. She wiped some sweat from her brow, and walked at a brisker pace to get closer to Lily. "Humans aren't built… I'm not built like a demon. I haven't had a chance to sleep in a day or more, and you two and the council are a lot to take in." She explained.

“‘A lot to take in’,” Fenn repeated with a distracted chuckle, as if only half-listening. “A good way to describe you, Imp.”

Lily all but snorted in response, playfully twirling in a circle even as she continued moving closer to the citadel. “She hasn’t even seen half of me, let alone a quarter.” She turned to Mary, an expression that could almost be described as amused. “And I mean that in the most literal sense there is.”

A more awkward smile replaced Mary's honest but strained one. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that…" She mumbled audibly. Her voice became more clear and loud as she stated, "Well, I hope we both get to know each other better either way. Even if you have no intention of doing so." After a brief pause, Mary seemed to have had an idea. "You seem to be on fire… what happened to the clothing I allowed you to borrow?" She asked, apprehension clear in her tone. It seemed even Mary knew she wasn't going to be getting her clothing back.

A thoughtful expression took the place of Lily’s amused one. Mary’s words made her think, wonder, what actually happened to the clothes when she transformed. She knew that whatever clothes she wore, were still intact when she used this particular form. She did not, however, know where they went. As if to answer Mary’s question, she shrugged, giving her an apologetic look. “I’m afraid they went up in flames,” she said. A lie, of course, but if Mary’s reaction to having seen her nude earlier was of any indication, this would prove entertaining. “Sorry about that.”

Mary moaned in anguish as her favorite pair of dress pants had been lost to her forever. She placed her hands on her face. "Even though some demons can be reasoned with, not many are nice," she muttered under her breath. She looked up from her palms again, only to have what seemed like a stunning revelation. "Does that mean that you're…" She drifted off, before face palming. "Fern, could please tell your partner to put some clothes on? I understand this is regular for demons, but humans wear clothes," she pleaded, her face becoming paler.

“Fenn,” he snapped. His tail lashed behind him, as if irritated by his inclusion in the conversation. The motion was feline enough to be jarring. “And why? They will go up in flames again.”

Lily beamed at him. Good boy! If there had ever been a time that Fenn deserved a treat, it was now. She turned back to Mary. “It’s not like it looks as if I’m wearing anything either way,” Lily pointed out, making a motion as if to indicate her entire body. “Not a problem, I hope?”

Mary sighed again, this time in annoyance. Her face became just a tiny bit paler again. "I guess not," Mary responded, though to who was unclear. She deftly avoided staring at Lily's body for too long, and tried to make her way ahead to the rapidly approaching castle entrance. A mix of discomfort and annoyance emanated out of her. "And sorry for getting your name wrong, Fenn. If you spoke more, I'm sure I would remember." She mentioned, Her tone indicating she genuinely did want to hear him more.

The group was almost at the entrance. The door was already jarred open, most of those summoned there already in its interior. The three moved past it to gaze at the entrance hall. Plain, and rather… empty, it felt, but it was large enough to grant passage to even the largest of them unimpeded.

“What would you have me say, halfblood?” Fenn asked as they moved into the large room.

"Certainly not that…" Mary growled, her hand slowly reaching for her blade. But as quickly as she snapped, she seemed to regain her composure. "Could you just call me 'Mary' please?"

Fenn continued walking as though he had not noticed the momentary hostility in the woman’s posture, but his words seemed to suggest otherwise. “Are you ashamed of what you are?”

Mary completely stopped in her tracks for a moment, as if the question itself was a blade pierced through her heart. She looked down at her hands with an unreadable expression. It was clear she was pondering herself. "What's your opinion on humans, Fenn? Of Angels?...Demons?" she finally asked with a stoic look.

The demon paused in his walk, but the answer came surprisingly swiftly. “I suspect,” he said, “that if someone were to strip all of them into their basest components, what remained would be just as ugly.”

“Avarice, lust, pride, wrath, gluttony, sloth, envy…” Lily lazily hovered around the two of them, an unreadable expression on her face. “We’re all made of the same, Mary. Seven sins. Seven paths of life. Have you ever noticed how few differences there are between humans and us demons?” Her tone was solemn, her posture mirroring that. “Have you ever wondered why we demons are considered evil?”

Mary stared at the both of them, her stoic look forming slowly into one of thought, but also distrust. It seemed she was honestly considering them, but their natures as demons made it so even she wouldn't be persuaded so easily. "I am surprised by your level of maturity, both of you." She commented, with a tone that said she was unhappy, anxious, angry, sad, all in one. "It has always been a demon's nature to be evil, as is an angel's nature to bring judgement, and a human's nature to survive," she explained. But even as the words were coming out of her mouth, it was obvious her resolve wasn't made of steel.

Fenn grunted. “Were it that things were so simple.”

Lily nodded along with his words, quickly supplying her own. “If truly the purpose of demons is to sow chaos, and to be evil, then what is your purpose? And who decides what the purpose of anyone is?” She fixed Mary with a penetrating gaze, on that demanded attention. She wasn’t angry, but there was no doubt a gravity behind both her look and her words. “You are a half-blood, Mary, so according to you, you should be both someone who is evil and someone who survives. But you are not evil, are you? Am I?”

An orb of fire flashed into existence above Lily’s open palm. “You say that I, as a demon, am evil. So should I not turn you to ashes this instant?” The orb extinguished as Lily clenched her fist. “I am nearly three thousand years old, Little One. I have seen humans commit atrocities that would make even the cruelest of demons proud. Mass crucifixions two thousand years ago. Slaves pitted against each other in gladiatorial fights, two thousand years ago as well. Attempted genocide of jews, seventy years ago.” She paused, letting the words sink in, before continuing. “The Yangzhou massacre, China, in sixteen forty five. Eight hundred thousand lives lost.” Lily stopped moving, staring down Mary from her elevated position. “Can you truly call demons evil, when you humans commit atrocities like those?”

Mary stood in the middle of the room with a sneer mixed with a grimace planted firmly on her face. When Lily demanded Mary's attention, the human briefly thought of grinning and looking away, but that was immature, and surely what the demon wanted. Still, there was that hint of hesitation in her, some fear that she was wrong, before returning the steely gaze. A slight frown interrupted the grimace, but Mary quickly reset herself. "Your logic is flawed, demon. You stand to benefit once you've drained me dry of my vile blood, if you are as smart as you seem. And you forget the humans that stopped those atrocities. We may be good. Sparda is the only demon who has ever helped a human out of his own kindness, and you slaughtered him!" She exclaimed, her voice rising. "Besides, my form is proof enough that I am evil. This is a curse for wanting power. My own avarice." Now tears were forming in her eyes, and her face grew strained, close to snapping.

Lily frowned, crossing her arms. A form? One bestowed upon her by her blood, no doubt. An appearance she is not proud of, it would seem.. “You blame me of faulty logic,” she mused, “and yet present the appalling argument that beauty is somehow tied to morality? Fenn must be patron saint of all evils in your eyes.” Her musing expression turned into a mask of neutrality. “Fairy tales love playing on that theme. The princess is always beautiful and pure, nothing like the evil witch with her green skin, patchy hair, crooked nose and assorted warts. But this is no fairy tale, and to think of the world in such terms shows astounding ignorance.”

"My form is not evil for its appearance. Only a fool would believe that." Mary mocked, a fake grin on her face. It was becoming paler now, like she was going to explode into light. "My form is made to kill, to destroy. It does not offer me much but new toys to slay people like you with! Do not regard someone with so much knowledge as a child, idiot!" she commanded.

Lily rolled her eyes. She mused at that, wondering how that would look in her current form. A mirror was in order. But first, she regarded Fenn. “I thought there was hope for her yet, but then she goes and mistakes capacity for intent. As if the one behind the tool was a different person. I would be offended if I were you, Fenn. You are built for the things she abhors, it seems, so you must be abhorring.”

“It is the same for you. Or anyone who gathers power. Such is its nature. If her form thrives on death and destruction, she found exactly what she set out to look for.” The dog rolled his shoulders, the chains on his arms rattling. “Let her believe what she will, then,” he said, before turning to Mary, “but heed this advice, halfblood. If the shame of being is too much, make it into a banner. Bear it like a standard. To do anything else is to drag with you an open wound for all to exploit. It is… unsightly.”

Mary's teary eyed face scrunched and glared at him, as if deeply offended by his words. "As if you'd know anything about shame, hellhound! You know nothing of humanity!" she yelled, gesturing wildly. Her breathing was becoming erratic, and it seemed as though she might grab her blade at any moment.

“Show me one who knows no shame, and you will show me a corpse,” the large demon growled. He shook one arm, gazing coldly at the woman, and the metal links clinked, as if in answer. “I was not born with these, whelp. They are my standard. Calm yourself, and do not presume to know me.”

Mary's face softened as her eyes were directed towards Fenn's chains. Her mouth opened, as if to mumble something after he finished, but she quickly closed it, and looked down at her hands again. Her expression was not unreadable this time, it was one of pain. Pity and sympathy for the both of them. She began walking out of the room, head held low and dropping occasional tears. Her breath hitched once, but she managed to mumble something. "I… I'm just so tired…"

Lily’s gaze followed Mary as she left, unblinking. “Reflect on this, Mary,” she said, speaking loud enough that Mary could hear her even from a few metres away, “what have you done with your evil form, as you call it? Have you drenched your hands in blood? Or have you chosen not to commit evil with it?”

Silence answered her as Mary left the foyer.

After a moment, Fenn grunted, muzzle twisting with distaste. “We have turned self-righteous with age.”

“You can’t really say that we’re wrong, can you?” Lily countered, hovering idly at his side. She turned her attention forwards, down the hallway leading further inside the citadel.

The dog followed in her wake. “We would not admit it were it so.”

---

Mary wandered the halls of the citadel aimlessly, absorbed in thought and sadness. Why had she even made the deal with those demons anyways? They clearly had no respect or any some such for her. Why should they? Mary was a frail being compared to full-fledged demons. Still, even if she tried to push them out of her head, the two's words came up again and again. She couldn't help but go over them and try to rationalize, try to argue, try to do something. Fenn especially, she thought of. Though she wasn't sure exactly what he went through, she couldn't get the image of his chains out of her mind. Something had happened, and the devil beast was ashamed.

She turned another corner and found herself in some sort of mineshaft. It ran deep into whatever realm they were housed in. Still, it looked as if the place wouldn't be able to effectively harvest much ore. It was rusted and broken, and there seemed to be no tools at all. She passed over the room, it being useless currently. Both her feet and her mind ached for rest, but she walked a roundabout path until, eventually, she had made it to a small room. There was nothing there, no people or tools to speak of. It seemed a fairly useless room as well, but for Mary it was a savior. She would rest here, for now.

Her blades and gun quickly fell onto the floor, dropped recklessly by their master. Mary also took her bonnet off, allowing her beautiful hair to fall to her shoulders. She sat down on the brimstone and rested her head against a wall with a relieved sigh. It was uncomfortable and hot, but she was just glad to be away from everything and everyone. Normally this would be Mary's time to reflect on the day, but so much had happened, and she refused to think on the matter. She simply sat there, trying to become ready for whatever lay next.

With the reports now out of the way, the morph leaves, to deliver the reports to Mundus, only to be replaced by another morph, this time with fancier clothes. This time it was a Spymaster morph, No. 3409, and apparently he'll also be the one that would be informing them of their next task. Ah the spymaster morphs, Mundus's own special own information corps. While they had a key position, one would agree they held a more special role for the Lord. That being as a punching bag, yes, they were like one of those stress relief balls you'd see people have.

One that has seen the 3,408 before him die in all sorts of gruesome ways, mainly because they didn't exactly deli ever the news he wanted to hear, not exactly what one would call a dream job. Well, to be fair, a good deal of them were killed in action but you get the point. Anyways, before time comes for their next assignment, it seems like 3409 would be leading them towards a place where they can rest up before the task. Given how the day went, a rest is probably what was needed.

Following 3409 to a cabin, she glanced at all the corpses that littered the place, both humans and demons, the latter having been disposed of by the morphs. Some spring cleaning, hmm? she thought as she glanced at the morphs disposing the bodies. Stepping over a body, she headed towards a room on the opposite side of the cottage from Gideon and laid down on the bed. Having made contact, it was only time now. With this, she went to sleep.

The birdlike being before Kosara and Akoni shrugged nonchalantly when the latter demanded an answer from him. Neither the half-demon nor the human sorcerer ruffled his feathers, though their arrival marked the first non-Watcher presence Eeliot remembered in years. Twiddling the fingers of one hand, he bemoaned, “Alas, there is nobody to love them. I, as their sovereign, may do with them whatever I please! Though wouldn’t it be just fantastic if things were all nice and orderly? Someone should get on that.” Eeliot rose to his talons, coming to a head shorter than Akoni, and his eyes showed the smile that his rigid beak did not. “Hey, how’s the weather up there?” Making a show of looking up at him, the self-proclaimed King of Knowledge circled around toward a table. On it lay a multi-pack of juice boxes, absurd in their normalcy, and from which Eeliot selected one. Either not caring or not remembering the visitors, he pecked a hole in his juice box before sticking his beak inside to drink. Finally, Kosara’s question regained his attention. “Find books?” he mumbled into his juice box before slurping and licking his beak. “Ah! Scrumptious. Anyway, you find books in a bookstore. Or a house. We don’t have any here though. Terrible luck! And it’s so far to the Third Kingdom…”

If anything, Panoptos expected Wrath’s Firebrand form to be released with an explosion and surrounded at all times with a blazing firestorm. Instead, the Nephilim surprised him by keeping a very firm grip on his powered-up form, and then by physically massaging the inert Molten Core thereafter. Oh, dear. Looks like he took me a bit too literally. Say, maybe that’s something I can use. Out loud, the great Watcher commented, ”That was just a turn of phrase, you know. A good charbroil would work better than patting it down.” That said, the transformed body of Wrath positively beat with heat. The air itself distorted for several centimeters around the lit parts of him, and even the red or brown stone seemed apt to permanently burn an unwise hand. Wrath’s efforts began to show in the core; the black dust clogging its arteries like fatty plaque visibly heated up, sparking like fireside embers.

The arrival of Kyle soonafter, accompanied by a servant Watcher, drew Panoptos’ attention. He watched as the cyborg, coaxed by his companion, transformed in a fearsome industrial blaze into a monster part magma and part metal. Perhaps even more so than Wrath, Kyle radiated intimidation and fortitude. By Panoptos’ estimation, only the strongest of blunt weapons would be able to crack that exoskeleton; any sort of cutting edge would merely slide off if it did not break or melt immediately. He called, ”Yes, yes, we’re all very proud of doing the thing everyone can do. Get over here and kickstart this heart, would you? The savage has been keeping it warm for you.”

With two firebrands working on it, the Molten Core did not take long at all to blaze to life. Its first beat resounded through the dungeon, afterward becoming a rhythmic undertone, and magically-charged lava flowed through the great transparent veins to every room in the place, providing light for the citadel’s new tenants and power for the various machines littering its halls.

”Well! Looks like the blessing worked at least. Enjoy the heat while it lasts,” Panoptos told the two, who were both no longer transformed and most likely exhausted. ”Your first mission starts in less than eight hours, I’ll bet. Find some corner in the castle to call your own. The Watchers can fetch basic furnishings for you if stone floor’s not to your taste. So long!” After a patronizing bow he floated off.

”That was just a turn of phrase, you know. A good charbroil would work better than patting it down.” Wrath had figured as much, but wasn't in the move to do things the quick and easy way, despite the temptation that had existed when he'd shifted forms. He continued working, though he did step back and opt to use a small flame to start trying to rekindle it instead. He heard someone else come in, that cyborg from before by the sound of it, and rolled his eyes when Panoptos spoke again. ”Yes, yes, we’re all very proud of doing the thing everyone can do. Get over here and kickstart this heart, would you? The savage has been keeping it warm for you.”

If he heard the word savage from that green pain in the ass's mouth again, they might very well have issues. Or more than they already did at the very least. However, with the cyborgs help, the heart was beating once more and Wrath returned to his normal form, albeit more tired than when he'd changed, looking around at the suddenly much brighter area. The Nephilim decided to ignore most of what the elder Watcher said, taking a few seconds to regain his composure. Now that he'd gotten an idea of what way to go, he wasted no time setting out for the tree once more, about the same time as Panoptos did. ”Your first mission starts in less than eight hours, I’ll bet. Find some corner in the castle to call your own. The Watchers can fetch basic furnishings for you if stone floor’s not to your taste. So long!” He gave them a mocking bow and left one way while Wrath left another, finding a room near the tree that had, as of yet, been claimed.

"Watcher." The Watcher that had retrieved him and Akoni appeared and before he could let off some snide remark, Wrath cut him off. "Snide remarks can wait. I need a bed and a weapons stand, nothing more. Clear?" The Watcher looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded and disappeared. A moment or two later, the requested pieces of furniture were there and after thanking the Watcher, much to it's surprise, and putting Rage Bringer on the weapons rack, Wrath collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep, hoping to replenish whatever energy he could before their first mission.

Akoni shook his head at the antics of Kosara and Eeliot. "Chirp chirp chirp chirp. Noisy crickets never shut the hell up." He took a moment to stretch his neck out, rolled his shoulders, and popped the joints. He then lifted his hands upward, and the books strewn about lifted into the air with his motion, each contained within a small blue bubble of semi-transparent magical energy.

"I claim this as my personal quarters within the Charred Citadel. Now to organize these tomes. If anybody misplaces a single molecule of paper or ink, I will tear their body apart from the inside with a gate. Am I understood?" Without waiting for an answer, Akoni created two small gates. One above an open hand, and one directly beneath one of the juice boxes of the bird creature. Without paying Eeliot any attention, he sipped bits from the box while books lazily floated in front of him and he directed each to a spot on a shelf to be studied later. Thanks to the rejuvenation provided by Panoptos, Akoni could organize and study for hours without tiring. Sadly, the amount of literature left wouldn't take nearly that much energy.

"Watcher!" the old man called out, casually yet very curt. A moment later and one of the creatures appeared, but Akoni was in no mood for its lip. "What is the story behind this Eeliot creature?" he asked the watcher, never taking his eyes away from his sorting work.

"Archangel Kushiel, it is an honor to have you with us this day", the Angel Champion, commanding this force of Army of Light angels greeted the young-looking archangel, though this individual looked nothing more than a young boy. In actual fact, this was Kushiel. He came here on news that they detected a demonic force, and would like assistance in defending this position. The archangel happened to be passing by, and expressed willingness to lend a hand.

"I see, we are in your debt. Our scouts report a small force of demons, some of our men have come into contact with them already, but some of our other scouts say that much more powerful foes are coming too, and they seem more coordinated", he informed. Soon though, from behind the champion, a young man was being dragged to the front by some angels, he cursed a little but eventually gave in.

"That... I am sorry, that is Gene. He belongs to the Heirarchy, but seeing as he 'appeared' in this city, we thought we could ask for his help, although he seems to be reluctant... In any case, I will lead the defense here, bring Gene with you and try and intercept larger threats if you can. Me and my men will be counting on you", he said.



"We have detected a contingent of angelic forces in this area, Vigrid... Normally in our operations, we would ignore them, however... Vigrid is a place where both heaven and hell reign strong. If they get a hold of this place, they will have a strong near-permanent foothold, should our realms eventually come to blows", the words played through Blair's mind as she continued on through the forest, and out into the city. It wasn't hard to find the angels, some demons that were running loose decided to rush in as well... That was becoming a normal occurrence, demons were almost like part of wildlife now. It was startling how quick that was happening though.

Still, she best push on. Based on the direction of troops, both demonic and angelic, the main outpost looks like it might be the skyscraper in the center of the city... Though just as her thoughts were about to move to thinking about getting there, two Light Angels and three Affinities swooped down from on high trying to attack her, but to no avail their surprise attack was thwarted by a series of agile acrobatic flips.

It looks like she wasn't going to get there uncontested.



Their mission was simple, as the Watcher had told them. Stop the angel influence. They can see why after arriving to this city. The Angels were mounting a very solid and organized defense against the random demons that jumped out from the forest, plus Lily and Fenn were both standing on top of a position they held until just moments ago, essentially making a hole in their perimeter. This was going to be their entry point, it looks like the large skyscraper in the center of the city was the source, as if the angels stationed facing directly away from it wasn't a give-away. The humans down below didn't seem to realize there were angels flying in the sky too, but they did notice the demons. Still, those were just minor details. Their job here was simple. Find that angel general, and silence him. As they were informed, this won't completely stop their influence in this city, but it will certainly set them back.

The two were currently able to freely choose their path... Should they take to the ground? There seemed to be a fair number of Affinities patrolling down there, quite numerous, but it would avoid the Light Angels, who were patrolling the rooftops. This was obviously not all their defenses, but for now they would need to consider their options, and should they split up or stay together...?

---

The four were on assignment by the Charred Council, but for Kosara and Roughneck, this was a bonus to them, since there was a job for an extermination here by the DHO, so the two gladly accepted. Kosara on the other hand might have accepted for pleasure reasons, she did enjoy slaying demons after all. Still, the four would find that the forest was big, random Assault demons would appear occasionally, but in small packs of two or three... Occasionally a Chimera would appear and seed some of them, turning them into opponents difficult to approach.

The demons were fairly numerous here in this forest... Plus they seemed to be working together, almost like they were in service of something. There definitely was something big here in this forest. They can decide whether they should split up, or stay together for this mission, if they split up, they might have a better chance of finding their goal more quickly, but that would lend them to being put in more dangerous situations with less people around them... It would be up to them.



Just some lowly Assault demons, but as Gideon has observed, they wouldn't let him advance, they didn't seem to attack him immediately, only when he got close, or went a certain way, but they were no challenge in these meager numbers. As he got to a clearing in the forest to decide his next course of action, the morph's words echoed in his mind regarding this mission.

"Our scouts have found something rare, and that is, a demon born here in the human world. Identified as Gorgon, she commands demons of the forest and acts as their queen. She is yet educated on the demon world, so we would like to send someone here as soon as possible. According to our sources, she is a powerful demon too, and would be a fine boon for our campaign here in the human world",

A demon born here in the human world... And not just a half demon, but a full demon. There was more information when he inquired, 3409 said that Gorgon was a child of another demon named Echidna who briefly lived in the forest some years back, before being slain. The forest was huge, and Echidna spread her seeds and her children far and wide, so this was a believable prospect. The Order of the Sword had no trouble travelling through it until recently. It looks like Gorgon may be on the move for one reason or another...

In any case, all he had to do was following the line of demons to her, and see if he can bring Gorgon to his side.

---

As one of the four would put it, this place was rather atmospheric. Their footsteps quietly echoed, the light of their torches would show the way forward as they managed to observe their surroundings. Roots had grown well into the structures in the entrance area as they descended, shelves seemed to be carved into the wooden and dirt walls, and they even observed some roots to be used as shelves. They lit the torches as they made their way through this dungeon, until finally, they arrived at some kind of hall. Large and circular, in a dome structure, and the center with a skylight, sunlight pouring down into the middle. As the four walked in, they would realize that this is the library that they were looking for. Books lined the shelves and curved aisles that made the room, tables and chairs were strewn about the center, but as they stepped in they would notice that there were a few books on the ground. It looked like they were touched recently too... Maybe one of the scouts...? Well in any case, this looked like a good place to start their search.

This hall was connected to three other areas. Currently they were trying to figure out what the runs over their respective doorways said, before they would make the walk down each of the long hallways, although one of them, Mary managed to figure out. It said roughly "Study". This was the door on the far left. The door on the far right though seemed like it was used more often, so maybe it was a more public area, but there was a giant double door in the center, plus what Mary could recognize as some seals... Maybe a forbidden library? It looked risky, so perhaps they should attempt that area after they were done with the others.