[IC] The War of the Three

[Flood]

Henry Pearl Avaritia The 2nd

@Banana@Lonewolf685@TheWindel

Henry was dumped in front of Hell's throne room by Mephilius, he continued throwing his tantrum alongside Luci. After a while he tired himself out and rolled onto his back to look at the ceiling. "This is so fucking pointless. Everytime I go out into the battlefield I do nothing. I run into some crazy powerful jackass that I have no chance of beating. I get my ass kicked. Than I end up here again. This war is so fucking pointless!" He cried out as he sat up.

Luci was crying about a puppy or something and Henry turned his head towards her with a look of pure disdain. The precious daughter of the new Queen of Hell. How long would this ruler last? A week? Henry could already hear her throwing a tantrum similar to his in her throne room.

Frog dropped by, asking Luci about the dog. "Don't bother asking, she said she can't even remember the dumb dog." Henry sighed as he got up finally and walked to the doors of the throne room. He banged on the door loudly with one hand and held his sword in the other, no idea what might get thrown at you when the ruler is in such a foul mood.

"HEY, I'M HERE TO MAKE MY REPORT! LET'S GET THIS SHIT OVER WITH!"

[Gardevoiran]

Bonesword

~ Intermission ~

Bonesword, with his journal tucked away in his knapsack, sips away at his kamikaze (with extra salt and on the rocks) as he watches the renovation crew fix up the bar from the nonsensical fight that broke out there. Although it wasn't irregular, to say the least. He'd been in this bar enough times to see more fights than he wished, and he participated in a few of those too. To be honest, him fighting in those fights probably resulted in him having his own reserved seat in the bar. Either that or the simple idea that he comes here to get kamikazes all of the time. It was one or the other.

Curiously, the bartender proposed a question to the skeleton, refilling his glass as she asked. "If you don't mind me asking, what's it like being a demon in a city against your life?" Calmly, Bonesword responded to the question, his eyes slowly climbing up to look at the bartender. "It's rather annoying, since I fight for you guys and all and I'm still treated like dirt, but at least people like you don't seem to judge." The bartender cleaned off a few glasses as she continued the conversation with Bonesword. "As long as you pay, you're free to sit at this bar and drink away your cares." Hyperion needs more people like this bartender.

[Awesomoman64]

Omega

As per the norm, word of heavens defeat spread quickly across the Celestia. Knowing his allies would be feeling the sting of defeat, Omega decided to see if there was something he could do to help boost their morale. Anything to keep his fellow angels from losing all hope of victory.

As he roamed the halls he heard the familiar voice of Diana talking to herself about how soon only the harpies would remain to fight. “Hey now, we're still here aren't we?” Omega said as he walked over to Diana, “And last I checked you and I aren't exactly sporting feathers.”

The ghost leaned against the balcony gazing across the celestial landscapes. “My apologies for intruding, but you sounded like you could use some company. Though I take I’m not exactly the company you were hoping for.”

@KoL

---

Wolf

Twice. Twice now Wolf was to appear before Queen Eos only to find she was occupied with other matters, and once again it was unknown when she would be available. So for the second time he found himself wandering the streets following a magical essence. Though it wasn't the same grand source of magic from before, (that lady was actually with the queen at the moment.) It was one he had felt previous.

Continuing the deja vu, the trail led Wolf straight to the Kareoke bar he had a scuffle in before. Without hesitation Wolf entered and approached the demon sitting at the bar. Taking a seat next to Bonesword, Wolf spoke in a low gruff tone. “The last time I found you in here, demon, you nearly impaled a man with a sword. I’m assuming that’s one event that won't be reoccurring?”

@Banana

[TheWendil]

“No, I do not,” the Imperator answered to Juno’s words. She followed the warrior’s gaze to the boundary of her chamber walls, wondering what the snake was pondering about. In the end, it wouldn’t matter if no one possessed the answers. “However, I suspect you do Juno. Even if you aren’t aware of it, you and Iona both know what’s going on. Or has she not spoken to her special friend lately.”

The Imperator watched for Juno’s reaction, hand unconsciously stroking the ears of the sleeping Beastkin on her lap. Unfazed by this conversation, the blue wolf-girl merely grumbled lowly as her tail twitched. “It’s my understanding that someone just like the two of you has woken up from a deep slumber after the battle at KC-00032. I want you two to investigate it,” she said simply.

Within Hell, their own ruler was approaching the results of the last battle in their own special way. The door to the throne room nearly flew off its hinges by the speed of how fast it was slammed open. On the bright side, Henry wouldn’t be hit by anything but whether that could account for the foul stench of irritation boiling in the air was another thing.

As expected, the entirety of the chamber was in shambles and overall torn apart. While Rufus would have no doubt approved of these decorative decisions, it was a testament to how little patience the current leader had for failure. Yet in a stroke of surprise, the actual throne was perfectly intact and remaining in the back facing the door. Probably because its ruler was sitting in it.

“Report,” Lucille said, legs crossed and a narrowed glare placed on Henry. She didn’t have time to waste on idiots and it was by her own concentration she didn’t hurl something at the demon right then and there. But judging from how her one hand clenched the arm of the throne, she was very much imagining doing so. Or at the very least, counting the options of which how to make Henry living fertilizer.

[Gardevoiran]

Bonesword

~ Intermission ~
@Awesomoman64

Bonesword placed his glass on the bar as he answered Wolf's question about if he was to impale someone again. "Depends, on if anyone here wants to assume that I'm a punching bag for hate." It probably wasn't going to happen, although he could already hear the smarmy voice of Mark in the back calling him out for faking the idea that he could drink. Fuck Mark.

Eh, Wolf being there wasn't the worst thing in the world. If anything, it gave Bonesword a chance to try and become acquainted with someone else in the Machina ranks. He thought that Ni-Mu was trying to offer friendship, but she mysteriously... vanished afterwards. Odd. In any case, Bonesword spoke to him with a slightly more relaxed tone. "You fightin' in the next battle?"

[Lucius Cypher]

Endian-01

"Thank you very much, Queen Eos."

Endian stood paciently, as she often does in Eos's presence. Unlike how she previously was as Mu-01, Endian seemed more... Obedient. Perhaps it was because the original Endian was upmost loyal to Endian. or maybe Krieg was just maturing. Either way she showed no emotions, not even happiness, as Eos granted the golden eyes back. Of course internally Endian was absolutely jumping with joy. Despite her new body coming with a calmer demeanor, she was still a fight happy maniac and was glad to have her power back. And just to put the cherry on top, Eos granted Endian back her power in front of Hibiki, the one who removed the same blessing not too long ago. Endian, and by extension Krieg, didn't really care if her demotion was due to her own failures in battle. She'll prove her worth time and again for as long as she exists, and show everyone why she is the strongest fighter in the Machina forces.

Of course if this was all, Endian would have bowed and left. However they seem to have some new mysterious guest. Endian was no stranger to mad scientist coming around and offering great power at a price. That was practically the modus of the Machina, something they do with more success than demons do. At least you can be sure that the Machina won't go back or double-cross you when it came to power deals. Endian turned her head towards the black-and-white newcomer to hear what she had to say.

In the back of her mind however, Endian had a thought she never had before. A dream really. With the golden eyes all she could think of was battle, but now with her new mechanical mind she thought bigger. Not just of battle, but of conquest. IN her head Endian started to wonder what it would be like if she could rally soldiers under her banner and not just crush her enemies, but take over parts of the Nexus. She knew that she lacked the infrastructure to do it on her own, but that was why she would conquer in the name of the Machina. Take over parts of the Nexus, and have Eos send her army to occupy the lands. At the same time, Endian would "manage" these conquered territories on behalf of Eos, but also use the chance to grow in power. Make Grafdakka stronger. Make herself stronger. Endian wanted power, and these GOlden Eyes certainly packed a punch. But Endian wanted more. She didn't want to just fight now. She wanted to win.

@KoL@Lonewolf685@Ryonara

---

Francisca Labrys Seax Luxuria

Fran hopped and skipped over to the hellish castle, sensing the horror and pain within. Just another day in hell of course. It didn't take long for Fran to reach the throne room and saw that they repaired and even reinforced the walls. Fran could tell because she heard loud violent banging and nothing flew towards her yet. So Fran wandered on over to see Henry about to speak his report about the last battle. A battle which Fran barely remembered happened. She knew that the demons had gone over to some Machina fortress or something, but she couldn't remember if she was involved or what happened. "That's weird. I've been all fucked up before, but usually I remember those with vivid memory. I wonder what happened? I gotta have been at that battle, but something must've happened to make me forget..." Fran thought outloud as she walked over into the throne room.

The door nearly hit her as it was flung open. As the other demons filed in Fran took a seat on a large piece of rubble to hear what happened yesterday. She'd really like to know, considering that Fran lost all memories of what occurred. "So Henry, how'd the battle go? From the decor, I'm guessing we flunked it."

@Banana@TheWindel@floodtalon

[Lmpkio]

Zeruel

As soon as it was known that Heaven was defeated in the Battle of KC-00032, everyone in Celestia heard about it in rapid succession. Zeruel was one of the first to have heard the news and he wasn't quite happy about the outcome. The Angels seemed to have been lacking in their morale against both the demons and the Machina, which was indeed disappointing. He'll make sure he'll be entering the next battle whenever it would be. In fact, during the Battle of KC-00032, he had begun assembling various other Laguna Angels that are loyal to him and that they support the War. He plans to deploy them in future battles to come and hopefully bring back the power of Deva's might.

Yet as he does so, like Deva, he too feels a disturbance in the Nexus. An ancient warrior, a sleeping dragon, has risen from its slumber. While he considers that Deva will deal with the problem with the help of 'special forces' Iona and Juno, no doubt will he have to get involved in such a task to tame the beast. He knows it won't be easy, in fact, it'll be anything but easy. Yet with the Laguna Angels being assembled right in front of him, he'll be bringing divine justice and order to the battlefield soon enough.

He also smells the scent of those two characters that he encountered during the Battle Of Arcadia... he isn't too happy about that either.

[Flood]

Henry Pearl Avaritia The 2nd

@Lucius Cypher@TheWindel

The door slammed open at mach speed, not startling Henry but giving a clue to him as to the rulers mood. Bad, but not bad enough to try and throw something at him reflexively. Which meant she would be logical at the very least. Henry sheathed his sword and walked into the throne room, immediately feeling the tension in the air. Francisca totally ignored this and asked how the battle went like a complete retard, wow Henry really wanted to bisect her right now. But now was not the time for that. And so his report began.

He went over his infiltration of the factory, the attempts to kill the Meido sisters who were unfortunately wearing an experimental Machina armor, judging by the similarities it was likely a set of either 2 or 3. He also brought up how the Machina now had technology to inhibit portals for brief periods of time, which caused trouble when he was attacked by a Heaven harpie. Henry glanced at Francisca when he mentioned her joining the fight.

And then they got to the not so fun part, where the Machina leader herself was there. "I will be frank here. She destroyed Mephilius and I. I put up my strongest defense and she wiped it out like it wasn't even there..." With this being said Henry flinched and rubbed his head as he failed to grasp at a memory. His head hurt now. "She did something else. I don't know what, but that bitch Eos did something else that I can't remember." He groaned as he felt his anger spiking once again.

"We were outclassed from the very start. I don't know why I even showed up, I had no chance of beating the leader of the Machina. Nobody did..." There it was again, a flicker of something. Something just out of his reach that waa bugging the living shit out of him. Henry shook his head and groaned. "She threatened to wipe us out of existence so Mephilius and I exfiltrated via one of his portals. It was humiliating but we weren't gonna take the chance that she could back up her claims."

[Lonewolf685]

Luci

Her tantrum was curtailed by the arrival of demons returning from afield. The Hell Knight passed by without a word, clearly understanding the message Queen and Princess were conveying to Luci's gratitude. Frog at least posed a question to the slime, one she hadn't much of an answer for yet didn't even get the chance to answer before a really rude demon not only regarded her with the same disgust as the former bullies of her school and then barged into the throne room without regard for respecting Momma.

Former, because she melted their flesh in an acidic pulp and force feed it to their parents.

Then adding insult to injury came the hussy who smelled like Poppa but wasn't Poppa. While she may have been acting civil this time, there was little to mollify Luci when Henry was so darn disrespectful!

Scowling bitterly at the backs of the brazen losers, she leaned against the doorway with arms crossed and hands still curled into trembling fists. Like Mother, like Daughter, though anyone close enough may detect a slight glow to the slime girl that was uncomfortable for any demon within arms reach to be awash in.

"So only a Puppy, a knight, and this whiny bully are there to confront Uncle Eos? Doesn't sound like anyone cared to help anyone else along. Did no one teach you about teamwork, because my teacher only covered that last week...in Kindergarten."

@floodtalon@Lucius Cypher@TheWindel @Banana

---

Ananta

"Do either of you mind the company of one more without feathers?"

It wasn't hard to imagine that a serpent would make little sound going over polished marble, and Ananta was courteous enough to post her question several feet away on the approach so as not to startle the dragon and the spectral cowboy before she settled in atop her coiled tail.

"I'm afraid to report that my outing in the last battle was rather abysmal, considering Grafdakka's life was worth rather little on that battlefield. It was...disappointing to find such a prolific figure would sooner detonate himself them try to combat me, but the efficacy of the move is undeniably Machina in it's styling."

The Serpent settled her cheek in her palm and released a world weary sigh, even if the aches of incineration were only a distant memory now, before seeming to register that she wasn't familiar with present company.

"Ah, forgive me my complaints. I'm aware of your reputations but I have yet to develop my own. I am Ananta, and it would be my pleasure to commiserate in the company of other combatants if you would abide."

@Awesomoman64@KoL

---

???

Will post tomorrow with Rewards for Endian, Shizuka, and Hibiki.

[Gardevoiran]

The Frog

~ Intermission ~
@Lonewolf685@Lucius Cypher@TheWindel@floodtalon

The Frog was just as confused as this started. He didn't know what the hell was going on, and to make matters worse, he still had that feeling in his 'gut' that someone was missing. The only thing that he could remember was that the missing person was that they were related to a dog of some sort, but that's it.

As Henry and Fran explained what happened, Frog couldn't help but piece together another part of what was missing, and how it involved Eos. Of course someone like her had enough of a godly power to wipe someone out of existence, and how... overpowered. With this new knowledge, the Frog felt a surging anger within his soul as he entered Hell's throne room, taking a seat in front of the throne, but on the ground in front of the throne is where he sat.

"Eos did it? That's why I can't remember them?! Ohhh, if that doesn't make my anger for the Machina grow!"

[Lonewolf685]

---

???

The collaborator smiled pleasantly and bowed before the monarch of mankind as she was introduced and given the floor to bequeath the fruits of her union with the Machina.

"Thank you your majesty. If I may have the floor," With a snap of her figure the throne room door opened and admitted a trio of ornately armored figures, the design of which was as much Machina as it was Angelic, with embellishment woven atop a matte black across a humanoid form. They were tall by humanoid standards and walked without a sound to their steps to stand directly before the intended recipients.

"What you see before you are the first test models in a collaborative effort between her Majesty Eos, the Alchemist of Genesis, and myself. I present to each of you a second skin, the armor of Eos' own Chevalier!"

The bizarre woman snapped yet again and the theatrics continued as the armor peeled apart at the back, flowing as though water off the backs of its occupants and reforming in their passing without a seem out of place, to reveal herself, or rather, three duplicates of herself, whom emerged and returned to the first's side. It was by some small miracle they didn't start speaking in stereo though the multitude of identical faces made a disarming smile appear a touch unhinged now.

"The Chevalier are heavily customized and tailored to particular aesthetics and skill sets, but they do share basic core attributes. Personal energy shields, magnetic weapon ports along the back, arms, and legs, greatly enhanced stamina alongside a boost to your reflexes and cognitive functions exceeding the current limitations of our most advanced STLTH units in the field. You may have picked up on the sound dampeners already, and if it wasn't obvious, it sports your required life support systems...Oh, almost forgot the best part. They passively create fields in a 50ft radius to negate attempts at subverting the fabric of reality, IE, teleportation, portals, etc. You can thank me for that one~"

"It'd be rather underwhelming if I assailed everyone present with the tiniest of operating specs, so I'll save it for later if you require." The monochrome quartet wouldn't want to start boring Hoho or Eos after all. "Let's get onto the individual aspects, starting with...ah, unit Shizuka!"

While your nature as a Holy Spirit has made for some difficulty in ingratiating yourself to the Machina- And trust me, I know aaaaaaaaaall about that process- you've proven your devotion to Mankind time and time again, so I proudly present to you the first of it's kind, the Unity Chevalier.

"You'll find that while the moniker of Iron Maiden won't be leaving you, though the restraints will have been removed with this. Holy power is still power, and it shall suit in augmenting this armor's role as a healer and defender of Machina on the battle field."

As one monochrome woman finished her sales pitch to Shizuka, yet another stepped up to address Hibiki in regards to the armor standing before her.

"Unit Hibiki, while no less accomplished then your sister, you are also the least physically inclined of those present. A weakness you've compensated for with a sharp mind and an ample array of equipment. With that in mind, we made the Lillie Chevalier." If there are any so foolish as to charge against your ramparts, Lillie will serve to remind them KC-30002 was only a taste of what's to come for your enemies.

And lastly was Endian, whose armor was meted out by the last monochrome woman.

"And last but not least, Unit Endian. This was a rather difficult decision given your symbiosis with Unit Grafdakka, but should the need arise for you to operate separately then the Nikola Chevalier." To counter the cumbersome attributes of your primary mecha, this is specialized in speed and wide area offensive ability. You shall find that in conjunction with your existing hard light implements, the Nikola will make you no less deadly then Grafdakka, and rather effective should you need to function in a Commissar's capacity in regards to corrupted Machina.

With the last of the armor introduced the monochrome snapped together, causing the Chevalier to peel apart from the front to show onto the recipients the snug, empty shell within.

"I'm afraid that's all the time I have introduce them to you. If you wish to learn more we have training facilities in place, and I strongly advise you do, as the alterations to your physical and mental capabilities can be rather jarring. But anywho, please do don them so the Queen can see her new knights in shining armor."



@TheWindel@KoL@Ryonara@Lucius Cypher@Lmpkio

{Details heading to shadow lists later.}

[KoL]

☽☾ BGM ☽☾

While everyone else seemed to be able to feel the tension in the air of the Nexus, no matter where on it they were, one being was seeking for answers on the only place she knew that she could find them. This being was none other than Iona, the Dark Archangel that normally served as Celestia's guard dog, or rather, it's constable. After a walk that seemed far longer than it actually was, she finally arrived at her destination. Sure, Iona could have just teleported into there, but the being she was seeking to was someone she was far too much dedicated to, she would never do something as uncivilized as coming in by teleportation while unannounced.

"Master, excuse my unannounced return," Iona said, bowing to the being before her. "I have come in search of answers."

"You have come to the right place, my disciple."

As darkness faded away to reveal light, Iona would find herself standing in the presence of a grand viewing. A realm of twisting blacks and whites that morphed and reflected off the very surface of the air. And rising high in a united circle around the woman were thirteen great thrones, although only eleven inhabited these seats. Figures of different sizes and stature sat in place, all of them looking down upon the Dark Archangel. Although they varied in attire and aura, they shared one common trait; the masks that concealed their features. The one who had spoken to Iona was adorned in blackened battle armor highlighted with colors of orange painting its details. A crimson fabric of sort was draped over his shoulders and split to each of his sides, as if resembling wings. He turned his masked face once more towards Iona. "You come here seeking clarity. We are happy to provide."

"There are many unknown movements happening on the Nexus at this moment. I believe that they have found their way in after all this time and seek to harm our cause," Iona said, regarding the recent invasion of the Nexus by Helena and her group. "Furthermore, a being that may or may not be related to them has recently risen up again, her very existence is a threat to the fabric of Nexus' reality. It shall not be an immediate problem while the Snake of the World remains on our side however, how long will it last?"

"The Wisdom I seek is regarding this crisis. If it's not properly dealt with, all of the Nexus stands on the way of a massive battle that will likely lead it to its destruction," she added before going quiet once more.

"Pfft, so what? If this popsicle stand blows up, we can just move our little experiements somewhere else," said a voice to Iona's left from one of the masked beings.

"And waste all of that time and effort? No thanks! If anything, we need to preserve this piece as long as possible to yield the results we want," said another voice.

"Fufufu, I don't see why we can't just blow the whole thing up," snickered yet another.

However, all bickering ceased when the masked being residing in the highest throne raised a hand. Even Iona's master turned to hear what their Superior had to say on the matter. "Indeed, we have put much time and resource into this project of ours. However, if those who inhabit the Nexus are not powerful enough to deal with Helena's tactics, then they are not worthy of our actions as saviours," the deep voice said, echoing throughout the chamber. "Do not fret Archangel. For as long as the Snake and the Eel are under our thumb, this excursion will not be in vain," the masked man finished, turning to face the two empty thrones among their number.

"The creature you speak of is the same as you," Iona's master said once their Superior had spoken his piece. "I'm sure you can see that her...rudimentary nature is more akin to Helena's liking. That does not mean she can't be swayed to our side. Even if the Nexus is to be destroyed, those we have observed will be able to obtain their reward in the end."

"Indeed, I have faith in your words, Master," Iona said, raising her head. "Though I cannot guarantee the being's cooperation, I can assure that, if she doesn't join our cause, she'll not become one of Helena's lackeys as well. I have prepared the most efficient stage for this to happen. All factors considered, we will be able to manipulate the Triumvirate to our use and, if it comes to it," Iona summoned her swords besides her, before gazing towards her master with a smile of anticipation that was rarely seen by anyone else but he, the only being who knew Iona's true nature.

"I'm willing to become your blade once more," she said.

[KoL]

"Oh, Omega? And... Ananta too, right? Don't worry about it, I don't think I'm that much better either, if you want to, we can stick together."

Diana looked surprised but in a good way as she was approached both by the Ghostly Gunslinger and the Celestial Snake. The questions coming from Omega made the Dragon Girl's face assume a slightly rosy tint. "So, you heard me, hehe? I'm sorry, I didn't want to sound depressive or anything like that. It's just that this place is... empty, I guess?"

Indeed it was. After all, there were all that people missing, from Tartys to Torag and all the way between, Celestia had been suddenly depopulated.

"By the way, do you guys plan to come for the next battle? I'll probably go as well, and it would be good to have someone I know there as well. I don't even know where it'll be happening but I guess that— Oh well, we probably don't need to wait anymore, do we?" Just as Diana said so, the bells of Celestia would begin to toll, announcing that those with the will to join in battle once more should go to the Imperator's Chambers, where they would be informed of their next destination.

A similar call was issued by Eos, calling all the Machina who weren't already in her chambers. And no doubt, Lucille would soon be issuing an order of the similar kind. It seemed like something that shouldn't be disturbed had been opened once more.

The Oblivion Dungeon

Somewhere in the vast, unfathomable reaches of the Nexus there exists a place where those deemed to be so vile and unstable for even this word of eternal warfare are locked up to be forgotten for all the eons to come. That place is called The Oblivion Dungeon, trapped in the border between the real and the imaginary, a place where delusions and truth weave together in a complex lattice. Even one's mind or memories cannot be trusted. Once you are banished to that place, there's no coming back, ever.

Or so it should be...

An azure mist rose deep within the inscrutable darkness of the maze like ruins, the roses grown by Victore's magic filled the ruins' corridors and halls, no where was left where their fragrance hadn't reached. The culprit for such an intrusion was None but Helena who managed to gain access to it, setting up a temporary base of operations where no one in the Nexus would dare to come. Or, they wouldn't dare before the vampire sent a message to all corners of the Nexus:

"Rejoice, daughters and sisters of the Nexus for the time to end the farce within which you dwelled for so long has come. Those who seek the truth come and meet me in the realm of the souls who were imprisoned for defying the tyranny of the Triumvirate and those which they serve.

Test your hearts and your alliances if you want to know the truth, for I'm the only one who can provide it. I can show you what is it that lies beyond the border and the reason why you are shackled on this prison without walls. With the power granted to me, in this place, bringing back what has been lost is just a matter of wishing it.

Free yourselves and join my cause, or keep on being slaves and meet your final fate. The choice is yours. Nevertheless, I urge you to hurry, unless you want the evils within this prison to spill back on your world of lies."

As soon as Helena's message was transmitted, three portals to the sinister prison would be opened, one at each of the faction leader's audience chambers, enabling access to it. From there on, the fate of the Nexus was, once again on the hands of its inhabitants and their rulers. What they would choose was yet to be seen.

[The 42nd Gecko]

Miyu, Traitor Angel Honorless Blade

Previously, why Miyu's spirit got crushed:

"Um! Hello, Iona, may I have a moment of your time?"

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"I've been picking out gifts for everyone, and I don't know a lot of the higher ranking people very well, so I wanted to run what I've been thinking about by you, specifically for Deva, Juno, and Ananta. I got Juno this snake kigurumi. It's green sadly, but when the light shines off the scales right it's got a purplish tint, so there's that." Miyu held it up and tried to get the light to shine off it correctly before putting it away. "For Ananta, I was thinking an electric rock. Well, boulder more in her case. I'm just guessing she would like that on account of being fairly snake. For Deva, I was thinking about a wing grooming kit, but then I realized that I'm not sure those wings I see in the pictures of her are actually hers, or attached to her body, and they definitely don't have feathers on them. I'm not sure why I thought that was a good idea in the first place."

"The World's Serpent is not the most exigent of being, you probably would be best served by giving her something she can eat, but other than that anything might do; it's not like she will teleport you to the void for talking to her. Ananta is a little more complex, but to my understanding any gift you give her with a sincere intent will be well received; she has been the caretaker on many an infant, if you care for something more specific. In doubt, I think you can bring her something edible as well. As for the Imperator, probably icons of adoration, I think the best on could be anointed oils, for her feet which are quite special for her. If there's anything you may wish, don't hesitate to make it known, please."

"So, erm, Iona, I've been planning to send out invitations to my Birthday Party along with the gifts, but I've been having trouble coming up with a location that would suit all the maybe potential guests. I wanted a beach with catering that's neutral, and all the results I've found so far are either glaringly dangerous, or not neutral. One person I talked to told me about a nice place on their home plane that would work, but I don't exactly know how inter-dimensional travel works."

"If you mean to leave the Nexus," Iona replied without breaking her meditation or turning to face Miyu, since she already knew who had come in her sanctum, "I must say you cannot. Not without the power of a being like Juno, the Eel of the Machina, or I. Much less invite your foes for a party unless you are willing to trust to go to their own territory. My mission is to keep those who are in the Nexus from escaping without permission. Asking me for means, or help, to do that is paradoxical in and of itself. The Nexus is a world of war, endless and boundless, such is how it was created. To ask for unity is to stand against the very purpose to why this world was built for. I'll not do anything to stop you from pursuing your cause, but neither will I offer my help since it violates my role and oath to my Lord. If that helps, I wish you luck in your task." Was all that the dark archangel would say before going back to her vigil.

Miyu paused for a moment. Not in a sort of "waiting patiently, taking a breath before continuing" but the "Sorry, Nexus Browser has an encountered an error and must restart" sort of way.

"Let me get this straight. We're not allowed to leave without permission, implying we're imprisoned or else not generally free. Final victory is also theoretically and not just practically impossible, because this world was created for endless war, and such a victory would end that. I need to go drink a lot, maybe before my next long term memory write. Later, thanks for the assistance." Miyu seemed demoralized. And in a hurry to leave. And go drink, but she said that bit.

Currently, inside Deva's Audience chambers:

"So, what's with the big hullabaloo about her saying she's gonna twist our loyalties with dark secrets? I mean, it isn't much of a secret that you're intentionally jerking us around with an eternal war. Iona just flat out told me. It wouldn't bother me at all at this point to learn that the secret of the Nexus was that it was all just a game by you, Deva, to strengthen up some warriors to then eat the souls of. Of course, I don't think any of us have gotten stronger in any significant ways except by your blessings, so that doesn't really make sense. My money's on it being some higher being's game of amusement." Miyu showed up to Deva's audience chambers. At least she wasn't drinking this time, which was a slight improvement, instead she appeared to be.. eating soup in a bowl made of bread. After pausing to take a bite, she continued.

"I mean, are the details at all interesting? I might go along to hear, but it's not like I'm worth a damn in a fight. If anyone's gonna prove the worth of lower class beings, it's going to be someone with skill, power, a blessing of a higher class being, and spirit, of which I only ever had one and I gave it back because I'm the worst person to give it to."

@TheWindel

[Flood]

Henry Pearl Avaritia The 2nd

@Banana@TheWindel

Henry was boiling at this point, his headache was worsening by the second, the memeory he sought only grew further and furtherout of his grasp, the slime brat was talking nonsense and pissing him off- did she just say uncle Eos? Henry turned towards her slowly with a dangerous silver glint in his eyes, he wasn't gonna take this bullshit from a fucking 6 year old. "You're glowing... With a distinctly holy light. Your uncle is the leader of the Machina. Your mother is the leader of the demons. You have some sort of connection to the angels obviously. I would say your mommy has a lot of explaining to do, but quite frankly I don't care anymore." Frog walked by and was very angry as well, but for all the wrong reasons. He liked the frog at first, he really did. But now that childish naivete was pissing him off.

Suddenly a voice echoed across the Nexus, communicating a message of despair to all. A message informing everyone of their foolishness and an offer to fight for a better cause. His headache was reaching a climax as the words spoken by this mysterious figure echoed through his skull over and over. "Rejoice, daughters and sisters of the Nexus for the time to end the farce within which you dwelled for so long has come. Those who seek the truth come and meet me in the realm of the souls who were imprisoned for defying the tyranny of the Triumvirate and those which they serve.

Test your hearts and your alliances if you want to know the truth, for I'm the only one who can provide it. I can show you what is it that lies beyond the border and the reason why you are shackled on this prison without walls. With the power granted to me, in this place, bringing back what has been lost is just a matter of wishing it.

Free yourselves and join my cause, or keep on being slaves and meet your final fate. The choice is yours. Nevertheless, I urge you to hurry, unless you want the evils within this prison to spill back on your world of lies."

A portal opened in the middle of the throne room and suddenly the pain was gone. Time to channel all his anger into something productive. Henry started walking towards the portal with an almost casual air as his usual cocky grin spread itself across his face. "Here's the deal fellow demons. We're being played for idiots, obviously we've been played from the start of this damn war. I'm gonna go find out what's happening in this prison of traitors. Honestly, I'm likely not gonna come back, there are secrets being hidden from us that I just don't like." He stopped in front of the portal and looked over his shoulder at Lucille. "To sum it all up. Go fuck yourself." With those final words he stepped through the portal quickly to head to what would hopefully be the truth.

[TheWendil]

The next battle had been called forward among those residing in the Nexus; it was business as usual then. Such was life in this plane of constant strife and warfare. Yet it would seem other forces at place beyond the three Factions were starting to call shots and put stakes of claim to those within this sphere of influence. And as the voice of Helena echoed far and wide among the deep reaches that were the Nexus, it would invoke a myriad of reactions.

“That arrogant creature of the dark,” the Imperator said with high disdain, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. Helena interfering would set them back of course, but it also meant risking the ire will of those who saw fit to oversee this entire operation. And she would not present those beings with empty results and a failed game, not when they’d been at it for so long.

“Iona. Go towards the Oblivion Dungeon and deal with this disturbance personally,” the Imperator said aloud, contacting the Dark Archangel across distances. With luck, Iona head to the battle immediately after her meeting with her masters; though to call in Iona of all people? How much was Helena going to gambit away if the Imperator saw fit to summon her instrument of doom to the battlefield?

And then there was Miyu. Miyu, who at this point was proving to be more of a hindrance to keep at her side than anything else. The Imperator was honestly surprised the Angel had not yet defected from Heaven to become a rouge of sorts among the Neutral Areas. “If you’re so concerned about the details, you should go towards the battle and seek your answers; pair yourself up with Zeruel. If you’re not , you can stay here,” she said. "What will you choose Miyu? Indeed, what will you choose,” the Imperator mused, wondering what Juno, who still stood there, would do about all this.

Back in the depths of Hell, Lucille listened to Henry’s report with a frown. In truth, she couldn’t blame him for backing out. That pesky weapon Eos had brought out at the last moment sounded like a certain tool meant to erase things forever; and she couldn’t do with an erased army now could she. But in the end, it winded up not even mattering because Helena’s projected message changed the game for everyone.

With that said and done, the effect on Henry was clear. As he ranted and raved, Lucille slowly turned a predatory stare onto him. She said nothing as he made his intents to defect known, said nothing to his bold claims of finding out the truth, and nothing even to the words he said to her daughter earlier. Instead, she watched; because as he stepped out of the portal, he’d find a parasol jammed through his back and out his stomach, sticking in there.

“Go ahead and fight,” Lucille announced to the rest of Hell, lounging back in her thrown and already considering the options of obtaining a new parasol.

[Lmpkio]

Zeruel

As the devilish Helena announces to the Nexus about the Oblivion Dungeon, Zeruel can feel another familiar aura coming from just the words themselves. Like the bull in the Battle of the Foundry, this voice must belong to the other vampire-esque character from Arcadia. These two voices, these two (plus one specific other) auras, it was clear that they came from a higher calling. These Vassals are finally reappearing after eons of inactivity and lurking behind the scenes. He knows what they speak of, the Nexus being an entire lie in of itself, but the Laguna High Angel is bound to keep to his position as the Head of the Hierarchy.

And he otherwise had no desire to retire from his position anyways.

No matter. While he may not have a chance to battle the Bull, there's a chance he can battle the Vampire. And if he does fight her, he'll learn directly from his mistakes in Arcadia and fight smart. His haughtiness caught the better of him that battle. This time it won't be the case. And he's not fighting this alone...

As the portal to the Dungeon opens, behind Zeruel forms an army of valiant warriors, with multiple classes taking the form of different units. Upon closer inspection, one can tell that they are in fact human-sized clones of the Laguna members. Michaels can be seen wielding their swords in the front, Sachiels preparing their elbow-lances, Ramiels spreading their wings as lightning cackles around them, Gaghiels floating as they clatter their jaws, this was an army forged by the Laguna King himself. While the units are clearly not as powerful as their original counterparts, they still can each hold considerably against reasonably-trained opponents.

How were they made to combat the hells of the Nexus? This is a secret Zeruel will keep to his grave.

"ARISE, SOLDIERS OF GOD." he booms as he faces to them, "THE BATTLE AWAITS. YOUR LEADER COMMANDS THAT YOU GIVE IT ALL YOUR ALL. DO NOT HESITATE. SHOW NO MERCY. ERRADICATE ALL WHO OPPOSE YOU. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, DO NOT FAIL YOUR QUEEN, THE ALMIGHTY DEVA."

"TO WAR."

And with a flash of his eyes, the units obey him unconditionally as they enter the portal into the dungeon.

[Lucius Cypher]

Endian-01

Endian marveled at the new equipment she would be given. Not only did she get her Golden Eyes back, but this upgraded suit? Sure, like any Machina created equipment, there was likely some drawback she didn't know about. But one can't find out the weakness to something if they never give it a try. Endian suited up almost immediately, and the suit soon began to fit around her. The armor felt heavy and thick at first, but once everything went online she barely felt the weight of the armor. Energy crackled from her body and Endian could feel the strength surging through her. Almost immediately she would have activated her Golden Eyes and destroyed something, but fortunately she remembered her place and merely looked at the electrical energy charging through her hands. She couldn't wait to see what she could do.

And Endian wouldn't have to wait long. Soon a portal opened up in the middle of Eos's throne room and Endian was poised to attack, aiming an electrically charged fist towards the portal. But nothing came out. Nothing but a message. Some sort of warning or threat about how they've all been in a mental prison shackled by lies or some such sophistry. While Endian may have made Krieg slightly more intelligent, it didn't increase their patience for nonsense. Whatever the message's importance was, it was plain to see that this portal would take them to some dark underworld to be tested once more by the forces of the Nexus. Whether it was another being similar to Hoho who just wanted to screw them over, or perhaps an ambitious demon wanting to prove a point, Endian would face the challenge head on. She needed to test the suit anyways.

"Another trial from the dark forces that dwell within the Nexus. A fine opportunity to test our new suits out." Endian briefly considered returning to her factory to pick up the Grafdakka Armor, but decided against it. He was still being repaired and upgraded and besides, Endian couldn't test the suit if she was inside a mech. And besides that, Endian felt that with this new power, and her new body, there was so much more she could do than just kill her enemies. She decided that for this war, she needed to be more than just a weapon. She needed to conqueror and dominate not only in the field of battle but the field of the mind as well. No doubt those who will go into this portal are those who are dissatisfied or at least wary of their loyalties. Endian would exploit these moments to gain allies and bolster the strength of the Machina.

If this mysterious voice wanted a rebellion than she'd have it. But not in the way she'd think. Endian was going to rebel against her old way, her old self, and revolutionize the future her way. For once she'll try to take control of her life and the life of others. It'll be difficult and she'll probably fail, but for once in their entire existence, there was more to Krieg than just heading to the next battle.

"Unit Endian-01, prepared to engage."

---

Francisca Labrys Seax Luxuria

Fran listened to Henry's report on the sideline and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. All demons were built with sin, and some are more complex than others. Some are so full of sin it can even turn around into a virtue of sorts. Henry probably had a lot of sins going for him, pride and greed being a common two. But with his sin he had a certain amount of concern and self-respect that allowed him to realize the problems they face, and give him the courage to speak about it. Indeed, if Fran realized the same thing she probably would've just have found more slaves to rape instead of going to Lucilie or whoever was in charge of the demons at the time. After all, what could Fran do, and what does the concerns of a single succubi have on the demons as a whole?

Pondering it, Fran did wonder just what did she contribute. She knew in the back of her mind that she resigned herself to be nothing more than further proof of the evil and corruption in Hell. All she did was kill and rape like a stereotypical monster. The fact that she was a futanari succubi wasn't even going to be odd to anyone who has a slight idea of what hell was like. She was a dime a dozen, a drop in the bucket, a pebble on the beach. Fran would like to think that she was someone important but in truth all she was is someone who is there. Practically a by standard.

Fran didn't want that. Sure she enjoyed the simpler things in life, and while she considers her life meaningless and uncaring she still knew there were things in life she could enjoy. Not to mention that she hasn't have all of life's pleasures yet either. While she's broken the minds of many angelic soldiers before, what Fran wanted the most was a consensual, even loving encounter with an angel who wanted Fran. Something that has never happened before even in the chaotic structures of the Nexus. The closest thing to that was when Fran used her illusions to trick an angel into thinking she was freed and having sex with her loved one back at home, but mind control just wasn't the same as genuine love.

More importantly Fran not only felt her life was pointless, but also this entire war. She doesn't understand the politics or intrigue, but surely there's no real reason for any of them to fight. The Nexus was chaotic, sure, but also constantly expanding. They'd never really run out of resources. They could always fight for fun instead of territorial conflicts considering they're all immortal anyways. These thoughts made Fran think that perhaps she could change things somehow. Maybe she could talk to Henry into finding peace his own way instead of going to battles he won't enjoy. Maybe she could talk to the forces in Heaven and let them know that the demons are just sad and want love. Perhaps she could even meet the Machina and show them that not all that is dark is evil, and that not all that is light is good. Give them a chance to make things right.

It was, of course, all just hopes in dreams in Fran's mind. "But don't let your dreams be dreams. Just do it! Hopping to her feet Fran walked up to the portal that appeared. Some ominous voice called out from the other side asking if they wanted to know the truth and some other such. It did pique Fran's interest, but more importantly she saw this as a sign that her vision could have merit. Summoning her axe to her hand Fran walked up towards the portal, but not before stopping by Henry. She took out her wand of Infernal healing and poked him with it, allowing it's magic to heal his wounds. "Hey Henry, I got a crazy idea. Why don't we go into this place and see if there's a new home for us? Hell's nice and all but I think it's high time we find a new neighborhood." Henry either ignored her or quietly considered her words as he went through the portal, and shortly thereafter Fran followed suit.

@floodtalon

[KoL]

Juno wondered why was it that the Imperator stared at her so intensely after Helena made her declaration. For a Vassal such as she, the reasoning behind all of this was obvious, even if Juno wasn't that much of an strategist, she knew what force drove their actions at any single time.

The choice of who the Imperator commanded to join the fight was interesting to Juno. In fact, she could swear that Iona wouldn't be sent down to fight unless an unprecedented crisis was happening— Oh, wait, this is an unprecedented crisis, right? Perhaps, she could do something help as well, even if she couldn't join the fight properly said. With this thought in mind, Juno turned to Deva, just as the forces of Heaven began to pour in to traverse the portal, and said, "Do you want me to eat it?"

The question, no matter how ominous was it was said, was said as Juno looked at the portal, making it clear that what she was thinking about eating was in fact the whole of the Oblivion Dungeon. Whether it was a joke, or something to be taken seriously, only those who knew the truth about Juno could tell.

The Oblivion Dungeon

Probably the most challenging battle to have ever been fought in the recent story of the Nexus, the battle at the Oblivion Dungeon has a simple concept at its core: fight, kill you enemies and be the last one standing. However, thanks to the insidious nature of Oblivion itself, as well as the presence of Victoire's reviled roses —targeting all in the prison, regardless of alliance, thanks to Helena's meddling— the Oblivion Dungeon became a place where reality and imagination are mixed. Illusions become real and your very own memories are both your worst enemy and the key to one's freedom.

"Here, to gain is to lose and to lose is to gain."

Helena

To put it simply, the longer the characters traverse to the Oblivion Prison, the more their minds shall suffer degradation, progressively losing their memories until all of their sense of self is lost. At any moment, some of these memories might some to life and either fight or try to interact with their bearers and, allegiances soon enough shall mean nothing in the winding tunnels when you can't tell friend from foe. The key to the recovery of the damaged memories lies with Helena, but... everything has a cost.

For a practical example of how this works, the first image that would greet the Demons as they crossed their respective portal, landing in front of the gates of the arcane prison would be the sight of a certain wolf girl that seemed eerily familiar to most of them. The skittish being scampered around excitedly, running in a carefree way before dashing inside of the dungeon's gaping maw as soon as she caught eyes of the Demons who arrived at the dungeon's entrance, along with both Angels and Machina only to be greeted with the sweet fragrance of azure haze which filled the air.

Extradimensional movement, if anyone attempted it, was allowed inside of the Dungeon, but not to its outside, meaning that the portals were a one way road and no feasible methods of escape seemed to be at anyone's power. A perfect place to set up a prison, naturally. Portal creation inside of the Dungeon was also possible, meaning that powers like the Gates of Tartarus were fully functional unless someone else blocked them. Of course, a certain inmate of this prison had the power to escape this dimension, however, his praised stone laid even now safely in the Oblivion Dungeon's vaults, exactly the place in which Helena made her temporary sanctum.

With all of these variables at play, even the most lucky of the gamblers would be hard pressed to place a winning bet. It was almost as if Helena were challenging someone to a game... perhaps?

[Lmpkio]

Zeruel

As Zeruel's army of Laguna clones began marching from the portal, the mighty Zeruel slowly peers out of the portal. However, instead of being his 50 meter tall giant, he was in his 9 foot tall humanoid form. Perhaps if he didn't make himself look like a massive and easy target, it could at least help him participate longer in the fight. As the army continues marching into the dungeon, the Laguna Leader senses a erie figure moving somewhere within...

---

Titanica

(1:14)

Within the darkest shadows of the dungeon prison, one may see a faint blue glow emitting from the shadows. Out of all the figures to be teleported into the prison, it can be arguably implied that Titanica would be the most logical character to imprison. However, it's not that easy to actually capture her, and even if you do manage to capture her, it isn't easy trying to keep her imprisoned. Did she get captured right after the Foundry by some unknown force?

Well... no.

If anything, it wouldn't be surprising that she would allow herself to enter the portal into this god-forsaken dungeon. Yet what would she be doing in a place like this? Perhaps time will tell, but several familiar scents began to plague her senses as she smells a battle coming into play. While there is no sign of her scent being recently in here, Titanica does smell other familiar figures within this dungeon...