Book 2/41 - War and Death

Ring - 6th
Realm - NETHERHEIM

A Few moments earlier


Abel tossed a Wraith Wolf's corpse away. Turning away from it he stared up a mountainside where Melody sat watching and waiting.

"None!". He yelled up at her. Melody had an I told you do face in answer and Abel coughed into his left palm avoiding her gaze.

"I told you killing them was a waste". The sound of wings beats made him grumble knowing she has descending. She had indeed told him that Shardoways wouldn't be gotten from such weak ones.

Pain shot up his right leg and he spun grimacing. Melody's leg was retracting now. Abel was torn between a pour and a smile. At least our relationship has gotten better and she's more herself. Yet again he reminded himself to keep her safe. Her presence in the game was doing wonders for her and he knew it.

"Fine fine. You were right. Atleast it got us more essence orbs". He grinned. Melody winced and he frowned. " What?".

"Maybe cut down on the smiles". She had a sheepish look. Abel rolled his eyes.

"Alright. What now?. We know the Shardoways come from those bigger monsters at least the ones that have the higher ranks. Our domains though are more fickle". Grimcrusher vanished into his storage and an essence orb took its place. It was quickly drained.

"I doubt there's anyway for us to get our domains without facing something like that Dragon again". Another essence orb was drained as well.

"Are we going to search of one of those?".

The essence orb completely drained was released and Abel turned back to her. ", I don't know. What do you think?. I mean that dragon hunter is not the other way round".

" I could find one if it was within the dark".

" Your domain?". She nodded. Abel drained the last essence orb..

"See if you can find one then. Not necessarily a dragon. Just something that looks or seems powerful"

" I'm getting one for the body this time".

"Sure".

Melody nodded and shut her eyes. She found it better to not see when trying to sense with the darkness. Abel went around sending the wolves into his storage. Clothes would be good.

The last one was gone when Melody opened her eyes. Abel found it crazy how he could still understand the emotions in their eyes. The Devil stepped forward, stopping only a good five feet away s he watched Melody try to understand what she saw.

He waited patiently as she looked up at him, purple dots locking. " I think I can get us to the Black Throne". Her eyes looked to the side and back.

"Your domain?". Abel asked trying to ponder what the problem was. She nodded. He squinted looking around for a moment. "Sid you find any monster for us to kill?".

She looked up at him, then away. He frowned.

"Was there any close to hr Black Throne?". She shook her head again. Abel furrowed his brows in confusion. " What did you see then?".

Melody turned back to him. Her lips parted for a moment then shut. She stared at him for another moment then spoke. "The other three are there".

Abel hissed this time around. He wanted to know if the Throne wa taken but he was sure they'd get a notification or announcement of something important like that. No. The throne must still be free. "You want us to head there now?".

She nodded. "No point in going for the other shards or domains now if we lose the Throne".

Abel frowned then grunted. I still don't get why we all have to fight for a single throne. "We may lose".

"Fire and Darkness?". Melody tilted her head. " I doubt it".

"They may have two domains. It could be why they're going for the Throne already". He pointed out.

"True. But we don't know what happens if they get the Throne. We have to try for it or we might just be elder devils in the Abyss".

Abel didn't look convinced. His eyes going from Melody to the ground and back.

"Can you take us directly to the Throne?. I don't mean around it or below it. I mean right on top of it". Her smile reminded Abel of his Amah's cute smile as a kid.

----

Cain landed atop the pillar folding his wings behind him. His grin was infectious and mad as he took in the top of the pillar. It was everything he'd imagined me yet nothing like he'd imagined. The edges of the pillar were sharp and had various crystals he knew nothing of. Little tunnels carved into the ground from the center of the pillar and along its sides.

They go all the way down..His brain ignored their purpose as he set eyes on the throne. Worth it. Killing Four Elders would be worth it. Being the single ruler was all he could see. Slowly he stepped forward, left arm outstretched as he eagerly for to touch the throne.

It was forged from the Blackest of Obsidians. He'd not seen many Obsidians but he just knew. The edges and tips were sharp, the seat was wide and large. Enough to lie on, the back rest was long enough to protect the head from behind. The base was literally the pillar itself.

His purple eyes ran over the similar tunnel.kine son the Throne as he finally touched it. A rush of energy flooded his essence, his mind suddenly knew all. Suddenly sensed all. From the tip of the Throne to the far reaches of the realm. His gaze, his view spanned it all.

Not all at once but like a high up satellite view but with zoomed in and clear features. Enough to see the darkness around the Throne writhe and spit out two figures. Enough to know that one was female and the other male.

Greed!!.

It was the only sensation and feeling he felt. Cain tugged on his weapon, essence flooding his scales arm as it shifted and morphed. The sword appeared in his palms even as his claws morphed to long talons and black flesh stretched his arm out. The Maw of the Depths, Fangs of the Predator spawned in his grasp twisted and grew. One end becoming serrated and the other a thin edge so sharp it sparkled.

The first one, the Deviless vanished back into the darkness. His blade swept through the black wind left in her wake and smashed into the shaft of a Mace. Cain clicked his tongue as his blade sparked off the Mace holding him in place.

The Devil before him was large, not as big or huge as the Emissary of Desolation but definitely big nonetheless. "Is that how you welcome your siblings". The Devil grunted and pushed him off.

Cain let himself step back well enough and feigning a stumble set his side on the throne. HE grinned. Fanged teeth glinted in the low light as he dashed forward.

"No". His sword cut through the air in an overhead slash. The Mace caught it once more. His feet lashed out and the Devil side stepped. Dragging his Macedwon the edge of his blade a fist struck his side. Cain stumbled back and leaned on the Throne again. His lips stretched once more in a grin while nodding to his right. "That's how we welcome siblings".

The Devil looked and from the Deviless popped out another Deviless. Cain grinned even wider. The other Devil seemed to stagger backwards the forward. The Deviless in turn sneered.

Both watched as the Devil stared not at them but the head the Deviless held. At her feet shadows gathered and spawned the headless corpse. A blade buried in its chest, another similar blade held in the Deviless hand dripping with black ichor..

"Now. For your welcoming". Cain pushed off the throne and spun. Mae of the Depths cut through existence itself, reality sliced and pushed apart as it cut through the air. Cain grinned as he watched a form stick it's hand through the rift, while combatting his rapidly draining essence with Orbs.

The hand reached through the slit for the Devil standing behind. Cain stayed in place watching with a grin as the arm reached and got close enough to the Devil. Then it gripped and squeezed trapping his foe.

The hand retracted dragging the Elder into the slit. Cain turned to Eve with a grin. "Now all that's left is that hulking brute". He scratched his cheek.

"Why didn't you use that one him?". The Deviless asked , her hand tossing the pale Deviless he'd off the pillar and moving towards the Throne. Cain's gaze twitched as he watched her near his Throne.

"He moved too fast, unlike this one that just watched himself get taken". He felt so amused. " Did you see his face?". A full blown laughter escaped his lips.

"Doesn't beat hers". Eve nodded to the headless corpse. "She looked so sad".

Eve didn't reply or look back as she set a palm on the Throne and felt the energy that washed through her.

Her sight expanded and she could see all. Her palm left the Throne and she spun with an alarmed cry. Cain felt it before he turned. The heat. It wasn't just hot, it was like the sun was right behind him.

An otherworldly screech shook the realm and rang in his ears. Then there was the sound of bone crushing and squelching.

The Devil was on fire. The red and black tongues licking up his form like liquid. At his feet right on the pillar lay the dismembered arm of the rift creature. Bloodless and just lying there. Cain didn't know why but he took an involuntary step back.

His eyes. There was something in them. They were distant and yet here. Like they were battling an unseen force.

----

ABEL'S POV

Things went to shit the moment we set foot on solid ground again. The darkness made it hard for one to know how high up they were. But I wasn't interested in that. My eyes found what I was sure was the Throne. The next series of events flew by in a flash that felt more like a vision.

A deviless stepped out of the darkness with her head. My limbs shook as my mind tried to understand how. Melody rules the darkness, if not due to her Domain then because of her trait. I barely felt it saw the large arm dragging me forward. My eyes not leaving the girl's wide eyed face. Blood dripping from the severed neck.

She was beginning to enjoy the game too. Smiling. Speaking more. The head moved. I followed her eyes with mine as she vanished into the darkness. Even as she dropped out of sight I was able to see her for a while. The purple glow of her eyes unwilling to die out.

Like a Dark One. The moment the glow vanished I blinked. Slowly I turned to de the large arm of black gas and smoke pulling me. The arm was at its elbow now.

"She looked so sad". I stiffened at the words. She won't be able to play anymore because of you. I had not been able to confirm my suspicions on Melody's life outside the game but I still feared my thoughts to be a possibility. She just wanted to play. And if it was them the girl wouldn't be able to play again. To try to immerse herself in the nw reality.

It's just so unfair. So...so...ahhh. Why, why, ...ahhh. Couldn't there have been a better wsy to earn the Throne, another source of merit. Did it have to be a fight to the death. It annoyed me that killing each other for one throne was the only answer. The fact that it led to this angered me even more than the rules themselves.

It reminded me of several tours. Several inmocnwts that command would not save. Of cities and places where we had to clear out terrorists and an order that bound our actions came. It reminded me of the fires the deaths, the carnage.

Always out of my control. Even in a fucking game. Fire erupted from my body, the air boiled and I focused it on the arm. The otherworldly screech that came from the being made me grin. Grincrusher appeared in my arm as th thing's hold relaxed and I raised the weapon up.

I smashed down with an Infernal Strike that crushed the spot. The thing tried to retract the arms and I grabbed the large fingers. I struck down again and again. I'm in control. It's just a game. It's meant to be player controlled and affected and yet I can't even keep a child safe in here.

Flashes of memories gripped my brain, deaths, fires that I wished would just stop burning, casualties, bleeding out, men dying. If I had shot I had shot faster, shot better. Protected the civilians better. If I had moved faster, blocked the strike before she entered the darkness.

The sound of something popping didn't alert me until the pressure of holding the arm slackened. I stared as the rift slammed shut and a large arm dropped on the pillar. No. If that player had not been Mad. I turned slowly and my eyes found him. If she had not killed a player you just met for a Throne which no one knew shit about. My gaze turned to the Deviless. Then it would have all been fine.

I squeezed Grimcrusher harder. They won't have it either. None of us will. The fire on me roared brighter. The next thing I saw was me being tugged up and away from my body.

No!!!. Put me back. Now. I screamed and thrashed as my consciousness was thrown into a vision. I didn't pay attention I didn't care. What was the use of the domains now. When I had entered this game I had not expected to make much friends due to the age gap.

Then I saw the little Deviless who looked like a pale moon and smiled little. At first it had been my solider and detective instincts that kicked in but along the journey it had become clear that I saw my Amah in her. We had so much fun too. From her stealing my fairy, which she never admitted, to the both of us storming and lording it over the Spawns. Meeting the Primordial. Battling a True Abyssal Dragon and travelling the leagues we did.

It felt like I had suffered a profound loss. Snef me back.

I crashed into my body, vision refocusing on the Elders. A box flashed into my vision and I noticed enough of it before waving it off. Something about War. I spread my wings and the fires of my hate burned when brighter. Yes, hate. There was no mincing the words. I hated the two players. It felt stupid, childish, a tantrum from loss. But it was there.

I felt myself growing lighter and even more powerful. My gaze sweeping over the two as I accounted for their stance and how they would act. One knew combat , had seen combat. The other had seen none. True combat, not the massacring of monsters here but a true fight in reality.

The Madman with the long sword was the first to move. A horrendous cry escaping his now twisted mouth. The sword sliced down at me and I stepped to the side making mure my wings were not in the way.. Untrained. Weak. I hovered off the pilar and inch. He turned to face me and I kicked. My sandal snak into his chest and he went flying off the Pillar.

"No!! Don't". The pale face of Melody appeared before me. I blinked surprised. Looking to the side I didn't find the corpse. How, she didn't die. Wait...there was no notification. Her arms stretched out and I didn't even realize I was grinning stupidly as I dropped Grimcrusher and grabbed her head.

"How. She ..she killed you". I turned her face around checking for any marks. Her cheeks stretched intina wide Cheshire smile.

"Yes". I felt pain. Then a horrifying suction from my body. "I did". Melody was gone, in her place was the Deviless. Her cheeks a twisted grin. "Sorry. But it was you or me".

I didn't get it. I understand why the suctioning pain was paralyzing me. I hated it. I do hated it. Was this how she got Melody. Tricked and paralyzed her?. I shivered in pain and rage. The rage built,fire washed up my body and the deviles shrieked.

The feeling vanished and I shot out my arm grabbing her by the throat. She thrashed and slashed me with the blades she held. Pain lanced up my torso and I could still feel the one at my torso.

I'll kill you first. Then kill him. I turned to the side. Where was he?. Fled?. No. A creature like that would not leave the throne. Then where?. My eyes scanned the darkness, seeking the dots of purple I was sure to see.

Another blade plunged into my arm and i tightened my hold once more. Her face contorted, and the pale Deviless cried at me. "You're hurting me". I narrowed my eyes. Pain spiked up my back and I turned to see another Melody there dagger sinking deep into my back.

"Stop hurting me". She cried. Another stab in front madw me hiss. "It hurts".

I growled and flooded when more essence into my flames. It became an inferno burning around me and burning awaythe illusions. You won't deceive me. Angered I focused more of the fire on the real I held and she screeched returning to her true form..

I went back to looking for the Madman. Where is he?. I didn't have time to find him and wait for him. Fine I focused, I wanted him to feel anger, hate, spite, greed and more. "The Throne will be mine".

Still no sight of him. Grimcrusher slammed into my palm. I raised it and eyed the Deviless. It seems you will die here abandoned. Then i will kill him, and then I will seat in that throne". I kept pouring even more essence into my newest domain of war.

Even without seeing the portfolio or completely reading the words I knew what it gave me. Like I had control over the hearts of mortals and entities with the Passion portfolio. So too did my Hateful Conflict give me hold on conflict, strifez hate, anger, vengeance, greed. All the reasons mortals would go to war for.

And what else was this situation if not a conflict. He brought his mace down. The strike rattled him, the Grimcrusher meeting the Maw of the Depths. Purple eyes blazing with an eerie purple flame met a gleeful glare.

Grimcrusher vanished and I grabbed his hand. My fie roared and leapt to him. He hissed and black water began leaking from his skin as he fought my flames off.

I felt more than I saw the change of location. Water dripped off the Devil as he fought my flames while the other one kept muttering things. I could feel her trying to grip me in a way that wasn't physical. I was too livid to care for thinking about it.

The longsword vanished as well and the devil's right hand became a massive of squirming tentacles. The grabbed me trying to curl and tighten snuff out my flames. Hahaha. Does he think my fire is relegated to my body. My anger has been keeping me from thinking straight but no more.

Fire sparked into existence behind their heads and blasted out like beams. I let go of both as the fire smashed them down trailing a long beam that brightened the Abyss. I watched the ground shake as I dove below.

My entire body wa wreathed in fire. The Deviless vanished into the shadows as I crossed beams of fire scorching the ground. The Devil roared up at me and I could see frustration in his eyes. His sword reappeared and henleapt up to engage me.

I dodged his slashes. Sometimes I got out Grimcrusher to stop close blows them went back to burning him. The water didn't let me. A particularly powerful fire beam sent him flying to the ground only for me to get a large slash to my back.

It was him. I snarled in anger as I remembered the Deviless. She bid her time and used her illusion to give him a chance. True to my thoughts the Deviless appeared angrily berating the Devil for missing.

A beam struck her behind the head. I watched calmly, or as calmly as I could when the bean struck her. Shadows. She was using shadows to block off my strikes.

The Devil reappeared next to me and slashed. Flooding essence into my arms I caught the blow. His eyes widened and breathed fire at him. The water was yet again a nuisance but I already knew. I spun using his sword to fling him straight at the Pillar..

Dust and trembles filled the realm. I clapped creating a burst of fiery walls that chased the Deviless. I dove down catching the Madman as he rose. I punched. His head sunk into the pillar again and it shook.

Fire coated my fists as I pounded his face. My arms were stronger, my hits harder. With each hit I gave her remained standing and my hate grew. It empowered me more and incrrased my beatings strength.

He the Deviless wa next to me. Six of them wearing Melody's face. The jumped me and tried pulling me off the Madman..I shook with rage. An essence orb was drained quickly to top up my dwindling essence and I tugged all the flames burning around me back.

I saw the clones seem unbothered as they stabbed me countless times. The flames incinerated all of them and gathered around me like a vortex. The Madman was staggering to his feet. I directed all that fire to my palm. Condensed it into a ball so small cracks formed on it.

I leapt forward. His eyes moved fast from me to the ball of fire on my fist. I watched his body change in real time. Scales unlike any I'd seen rippling into existence over his body..I grity teeth even as I struck.

BOOM!!!

Fire, light, heat and pressure lashed out from the point of connection and spread in a 180 degree wave. The land scorched, the air dried up and even caught fire.

The Madman was thrown so far up in the air I had to follow with he trail of fire he went with.

Then a roar split the air and the ground rumbled.

----

MELODY'S POV

The pressure or pain from loosing my head faded quickly. I was stuck between shock and denial as I floated in a sea of darkness. The only light here was the bright almost chiding text.


**You have been slain**


"Figured". I sighed.

I stayed in place staring at the text for the longest time. Not like I could move if I wanted. I was technically dead. I was already dreading stepping out of the game. Thinking of things I could fix should do. Maybe I can go back and try out that Helm Crusade again. There really wasn't much to do now.

I shut my eyes to block out the mocking text. Yet it seemed to just ignore me. Did the game glitch? Shouldn't I have been logged out by now?

The darkness vanished. The text was gone and I was standing inside some village. I blinked and I found myself amongst a yelling crowd. Not telling. Chanting.

I could barely make our the entities around me. It was such a a blur. All of them had formed a ring around something. People. I stepped to the side and snuggled myself through the folks. Up front I stared..

"Undule". I was watching a battle. Two of the four eyed mortals I had met before my ascension clashing in a fierce fight. Ooooh. I winced as one was slugged so hard I saw blood fly. More like a beat down. Wait, why am I still in the game. Didn't I die.

I tried scratching my head in confusion but I couldn't move. Infact I couldn't even look away from the fight. It was like tunnel vision had gripped me. Highlighting nothing but the blood flying from the Undule before me. I could see it.

What can I see?. The way this game poured knowledge I to our brains was kind of frightening. It didn't necessarily pour the knowledge into our brain more like it seemed to be things we just couldn't forget quickly.

My mind discarded the former thought and focused on what was happening before me. The more brutish Undule now had the other on the ground and was pounding away at his face. Blood, flew, skin was ruptured.

The scene blurred then overlapped. Big brother on top, father below. Blood pooling. I blinked and the scene was back to the Undules. Mortality. The inevitability of life. All shall die. None can avoid it.

I shivered.

Blood pooled on the ground, life force slowly drained from the Undule. Dying breaths expelled. He was weak, so weak. He wa fading. Just rest. Rest now.

The Undule went slack beneath the other. The slow or intense loss of life force. The final moments of once breath.

The thought slipped in like a thief and with it understanding. The victorious Undule rose, black skin rippling with muscles as he moved back. I turned back to the loser and watched his corpse ignite in black and purple flames. Breaking down to ash at a speed that was otherworldly.

Divine matter will return to TORHEIM.

I bent over as a splitting pain , replaced immediately by pressure gripped my brain. Like an axe bypassing my skull and reaching my brain itself.

The scene faded away. Back to the void. I floated there as the pressure to my brain lessened and then vanished. What happens now?. Am I dying or not?.

A new text appeared in the darkness.


**Flame of Life erased**
**Embers if Death gained**

**Title Achieved**: Lady of Death
You have known death, understood mortality and suffered its fleetness. You alone bear the burden of Death. A gift or a curse remains unseen. This Title grants True Immortality. For what is dead can neither live nor die.

**Title Achieved**: Beloved of The Leghna
Created in spite the Leghna understand the burden and suffering of Death. Now you bear this burden with them. There is none more loved than you amongst them. For you bear their burden with them and so your burden, theirs shall it be.

**Achievement gained**: True Immortality
You can never die. So long as there is death, and the beautiful end of a chapter you will never know die


The last text winked out the moment I read its words. I didn't get it. Why would I have those achievements or titles. Why would I even not die?. Everyone had been strictly warned to not die before getting to the monoliths.l and connecting to it. I failed.

So what's happening?

The Darkness around me was nothing like the one in the abyss or my shadows that I slipped into. I always saw through those ones. But this one. All around me was just darkness. The kind I didn't command over. I had not really thought much of it , considering I died. I had assumed that meant I didn't have my domain anymore.

It was like the darkness had been a wide and expensive fog. One second it was there the next it vanished. Five feet from me, floating in rings around me. Spread wide as far as my eye could see were winged and dark silhouettes.

I stared. We're these...

I flinched as all the entities raised Scythes, Massive swords, axes and bows into the air with a loud outcry.


**Boon Achieved**: Bane of Light
The Host of Death have granted you a Boon. In the face of light your might shall surface. And when Life Threatens your Demesne the Host shall answer.
- 50% increased lethality against entities of the Light or Life.


The darkness returned and the Host were gone.


**True Immortality**:activated
**Soul Now Leaving The Nothingness**


"Ehh".

I felt myself get tugged roughly.


**Now Crossing The Bands**
**Now Entering NETHERHEIM**
**Elder Devil Vessel Detected**
**Now Disposing Elder Devil Soul**

I gasped, my eyes flew open and I was bombarded with more texts.

**You have gained Domain - Death**

**Domain - Death**
Those who fear Death as the end of all things are not entirely right. Death is not merely an end but a necessary transition. It is the great equalizer, the force that balances life, ensuring its cycle continues. Death is the quiet keeper of finality, not out of cruelty, but to preserve the natural order, to make way for new beginnings. Through Death, life is sustained in its eternal cycle, ensuring that nothing lives forever, and nothing remains static. Death is not destruction, but transformation.


I scowled. After all the Bane of Light thing, you can't convince me that this domain is not gonna bring me problems. I didn't know I was smiling though. "But I can't die now. Which means I won't have to bother about getting perma killed or something. Yes".

I picked myself up going through the portfolios of my domain.


**Mortality**: The inevitability of death for all living beings. Melody governs the life span and the moment of death, controlling when and how life ceases. Mortality is the unavoidable fate that all creatures must face, and Melody ensures its timely arrival.

**Decay**: The process of decomposition and rot. Melody accelerates the decay of physical forms, breaking down bodies and structures as they return to the natural elements. This authority can also affect the vitality of living things, causing them to weaken over time.

**Endings**: The conclusion of life, events, and cycles. Melody is the force that brings closure, marking the end of existence, whether in individuals or larger entities. This portfolio allows Melody to finalize and solidify endings, ensuring that nothing persists beyond its time.

**Fading**: The slow, inevitable decline toward death. This power represents the gradual weakening of life force and vitality. Melody governs the process of fading, whether it be the weakening of individuals, the dissolution of empires, or the decline of natural resources. This slow erosion of life and strength leads inevitably to death.


"Hopefully this doesn't cause much problems". Nightblade appeared in my right hand and I raised it up. I could feel the weapon has been affected too. It felt like an executioners blade. Just not for me. Death at the tip.

My left hand touched my neck. I didn't want to think about it but I was still human and this was just a game. Getting your head cut off was not cool. Something to have nightmares about now. I sighed.

An explosion of fire to my right showed me Abel. His attacks were powerful and chaotic. I could sense the anger in them. For someone who can direct and control the passions of mortals you sure do care a lot old man.

I turned to my left where something new caught my eye. The third one I saw. And ...HER. I stepped off the pillar and vanished into the darkness.

The Throne we've all been hunting for. Right behind us and yet none of us cares. I knew why, but it still was ironic. Ignoring the price.

I appeared behind the big guy. He is big. Atleast he's not green. I grabbed his elbow. Wide purple orbs at the center of a black abyss locked on me. I felt an interesting Kinship with him. My domain was gleeful around him. Since the one parent I had was thrash I didn't figure that my domain acted like a parent who just found their child.

I stared at HER. I could see it. Her vitality fading, her mortality even as an Elder Devil.

"I killed you. I got the notification". She muttered her voice in panic.

"And I thank you for that". I was truthful. If she didn't kill me then maybe I'd get some other domain or not get my domain at all. Who knows. I raised my blade up. I looked and I saw two things. A long rope. Blood red descending. My sight followed it. Like a camera trailing the length.

A realm of tablets and mists. Of lights and magic. It trialed all.the way to a lone male. An Elder. I just knew it.

I looked away. I had a choice. I could cut that thread and kill her myself or just let it be. No. You have control now. I could see no thread between us. Or between her and the big guy. Or even between her and Abel. Atleast not now.

"Gruesome people like that deserve to live and know that you won where they lost. That's why he'll spend he's days behind bars knowing we have a better life and he is wasting away".

I inhaled. I swung down. She tried to teleport away, create an illusion. Surprisingly I ended any attempts her essence made to activate.

Nightblade bit into her left shoulder and sliced through the bone. She screamed and lightning flashed above. "You fucking bitch".


**Elder Devil - Slain**
**Elder Devil - 4/5**
**Elders - 48/48**


The Big Devil and I turned. Abel flew down next to a dead Devil. I turned back to the Deviless. "If you wish you can join him". I didn't need to point as she wasn't under pain anymore and already watching the dead devil descend.

Her eyes said it for her. She was tired.