The Holy Man of The Church Creek

26

Memories fade as if like water on a barren ground, but some things can never be forgotten even if one would rather forget.

The desolated hills and pieces of land around a single valley were strewn with lingering fires of unearthly magic that crackled with embers that billowed in a still wind. There was a certain muskiness to the surroundings that denoted the eeriness of the area, as if one could still feel that those that had caused the destruction were still present.
Great beings that dictated the course of the Great War between the Factions. The leaders of two of the three opposing forces.
Heaven and the Underworld.
The Valley of Revelation, the battleground of God and the Four Great Satans shrouded in mystery.
It was littered with numerous cervices and deep depressions that seemed to lead into dark chasms without an end in sight, the powers of the four Great Satans combined almost unfathomable. Yet perhaps even more so was the one individual who could combat them all without losing ground.
God, King of Heaven.
The hated adversary of all devils in the Great War between the Factions. For his words were the very will of the world. Let there be death and then there was death. Let there be light, and then there was light, the greatest natural killer of devil kind.
God was practically invincible, and the undisputed lynch pin that maintained Heaven's morale for the war. For God was with them, and there was simply no greater power. Not one of the Great Satans or even Super Devils could oppose him individually. Even the original Seventy-Two Demons had to tread carefully when God was at his prime. This was why God's death had effectively rendered Heaven in a state of turmoil and panic. No one had expected it, for him to meet an untimely end.
This was why many in Heaven considered it a ploy or refused to believe it. However, God's absence was undeniable, and this absence would later be described as his death. But in the current era, many in Heaven were still adamantly opposed to such views, including its current leader, Michael of the Seraphim.
Regardless of what the true outcome was, the marks left behind by the clash of the powers was undeniable proof that something did occur.
And Euclid Lucifuge believed that this place was the only place he would ever find his answers.
He trudged through the magic laced battle field, warry of activating any unknown magic seals or stumbling upon the lingering buds of potent light in the vicinity. He knew that his chances of death would be exceedingly high should he run into any. The light would burn him, incinerating him to the point of no return. The skin would first blacken before quickly peeling off into flakes that faded like dust in the wind, not even a scent to be left behind.
Euclid swallowed as he maneuvered through the area, hands feeling out and grasping for any holds to hoist him up the next elevated platform for he dared not fly. The buds of light were potent, and would surely kill him, but he was wearier of the other magics left behind. Those used by the Great Satans, including the original Lucifer.
They weren't as strong as the light, but their effects were more lasting. Curses, poisons, and an untold number of restrictive and paralyzing effects. It was true that God was the undisputed strongest, but the Four Great Satans together made up for that in versatility. Where God had devoted his time for the Humans with the creation of the Sacred Gears, the Great Satans spent their time on the formulas derived from their magic seals. As such, their effects became more evident, more prominent.
It was why Ajuka could be counted as a Super Devil. For although Ajuka possessed the strength of an Ultimate-Class Devil, it was far from enough to be counted as a Super Devil. It was his superior intellect that ran on the same principle of altering the formulas of magic to create his very own destructive and intuitive brand that allowed him the leap between classes.
Euclid grit his teeth, found a hold on the narrow crevice, and hoisted himself up with the tensing of his forearms.
The answer he wished to find could only be found here, therefore, it didn't matter the danger.
His mind was still in turmoil; just like the many of the Old Satan Faction members that suffered defeat at Kalinse Plains on that day and lived to tell the tale. Unlike them however, Euclid's mind wasn't plagued by fear, but indecision and moral dilemma as he had fled in a panic. His major driving force, his conviction, shaken.
Grayfia Lucifuge.
His older sister, had she known something that he had not?
Had he been too quick to judge and condemn the figure he adored the most?
The Crimson Legion and a Demon itself opposing him on that day were more than enough for him to doubt and to think. Yet it was driving him crazy, for no answer could satisfy him. For all answers simply begot more questions.
Just like the majority of all devils, Euclid too believed that a Demon had all rights to lead the Underworld as its next leader, but the Last Demon of the Underworld had views opposing Lucifer's will. As a loyalist, this was the thought that plagued his mind. Was the last Demon of the Underworld worthy of supplanting the faith he had in the original Lucifer? Or was it impossible to acknowledge another despite the individual being qualified?
He didn't know.
The hope he clung to for an answer was his initial speculation. That he and everyone from the Old Satan Faction had neglected a message Lucifer had left behind and the that the New Satan Faction knew to garner the help of Marbas.
If this speculation was true, then he could finally accept everything; to make up to his sister and to fight for a true purpose without any doubts and indecisiveness.
For that, he would risk it all.
An arc of magical light sailed above him as he made his way down the path that he was following, briefly illuminating the darkness around him and revealing the jagged edges of the slope leading down into a bottomless chasm. He would certainly die if he fell, but regardless he had trudged up platform to platform, increasing his elevation. It was a path that he had made upon careful consideration. A path entirely different from the other Old Satan Faction members that were also in the area similarly looking for answers.
His fingers were growing numb after several hours of climbing, dirt digging beneath his nails and causing the skin near them to redden.
He put up with the pain, even scoffing at the other members of the Old Satan Faction he could see from his vantage point. They were taking a safer approach; not daring to venture forth where there was danger of death. The fools. Where danger lied was where fortune was to be gained.
In this case, he pulled himself up the final plateau, his goal was right before him in a fissure hidden at the highest elevation; a glowing mass of light surpassing anything he had ever seen but was able to detect due to his proximity.
Beneath the energies of light, and contained within, was a black and murky taint that seeped into the surroundings.
The energy all too familiar.
A malevolence and evil that permeated in a manner almost identical to Marbas. He who was worthy to lead the Underworld.
It was the energy of a Demon.
Serafall had been quiet during the course of the journey to the Valley of Revelation, her expressions hard to read. Then again, he chose not to pay much attention to it, for he had no words or answers to give that he thought would be able to comfort her. Thus, silence became the best medicine.
Shirou had confidence that she would return to her former self given enough time.
His eyes scanned the area around him before stopping at a small outpost that he knew that Sirzechs and the others were staying at partly for reconnaissance and strategy planning.
It was situated just outside of the Valley and far away enough that the Old Satan Faction members within wouldn't know of their presence unless by coincidence. Then again, the chances of such a thing were rather miniscule with the security placed around the outpost.
He and Serafall were soon upon the area, stopping just by the entrance before voicing their arrival.
The fabric of the tent that made up the outpost rustled before Falbium opened up the flap, his eyes filled with unwillingness and making it quite likely that he was forced to be the one to receive them.
"And they call me lazy," Falbium muttered before gesturing for Shirou and Serafall to follow him into the inner chamber.
The outpost was rather large for a tent, long fabrics strewn together into a meshwork that could only be described as art. For despite the plainness of a tent, the devils seemed to bring a certain elegance to it with superior decoration. Fibers of gold coloured thread sewn together to highlight the moderately placed furniture within. Tables, chairs, and recliners all spaced evenly and facing a warm crackling fire. It all seemed so luxurious despite Shirou knowing that it was the opposite in a time of war, but the devil's sense of aesthetics appeared to be on another level.
Serafall didn't seem to find anything wrong with it, but Shirou was always left at a loss each time as he stared forth at the sheer grandeur made from simplicity. Regardless, Falbium soon lead them towards the location where Grayfia, Sirzechs, and Ajuka sat waiting.
"And they have arrived, your majesties," Falbium grumbled sarcastically, drawling out as he then slunk back into his own seat and rested his head on his arms.
"Serafall, Marbas," Sorzechs greeted with a smile.
Ajuka simply nodded as Grayfia remained in the back, her hands held together on her lap.
The two greeted back before taking an offered seat.
Ajuka leaned forward and clasped his hands over the table.
"The time is at hand," Ajuka said, his expression neutral. "We have located all of the Old Satan Faction members within the Valley and need only deploy ourselves before we can end this war."
Everyone nodded, for they had all gathered for this very reason.
"Although the Old Satan Faction members within the valley are few, the reason this task requires us all is because those few are the traditionalists. Those with unwavering devotion to carry out Lucifer's will and the strongest core members of the Old Satan Faction." Ajuka's eyes gleamed.
"Generally, we would not have had been able to bring them out in the open so soon, but things have changed."
All eyes shifted towards Shirou, the Last Demon of the Underworld who stared back impassively, his bronze coloured eyes revealing his decisiveness.
It was because of him that the core members of the Old Satan Faction surfaced so soon. Even if they had unwavering devotion towards Lucifer's will, when facing the next worthy leader of the Underworld, they too had to reconsider some things; the fact, that they may have had neglected a vital piece of information that had put them on opposite sides of the Crimson Legion and Marbas's will. Therefore, like Euclid, they had all ventured towards the Valley of Revelation searching desperately for a missing link, and thus providing the New Satan Faction an opportunity.
"If we can apprehend all of them, then this day will mark the end of the civil war," Ajuka concluded.
Sirzechs grinned as relieved expression flashed across the room. It was only Serafall's that remained neutral and truthfully, a darker part of herself wished for the war to last for an eternity.
Her eyes glanced at Kuro, a bitterness welling from within her at the unfairness of it all. Her lips thinned and all she could do to keep herself from doing something irredeemable was cling onto a single hope. The hope in his words. Yet,
"M-Maybe not all of them came here," she couldn't help but stammer out an excuse. "T-Then that means that there's still the possibility of the war not ending."
"Unlikely," Grayfia immediately shot Serafall down, missing the subtle stiffening of her face. "As an individual who was of high rank in the Old Satan Faction, I can guarantee that the majority, and likely all of the core members will show up looking for answers. Admittedly, even I would have had been no different with the sheer impact created by the reappearance of the Crimson Legion and Marbas."
"Then this makes everything easier," Falbium yawned as he lifted his head to address everyone. "We route them, encase them in a perimeter focused more on maintaining our defensive position, and then send in the heavy hitters to oust any form of resistance."
Serafall swallowed, her brows knitting together.
"Even still, aren't we carrying things out too soon?" She insisted, trying to buy as much time as possible. After all, her argument was valid.
As the core members of the Old Satan Faction, a majority were of the Ultimate Class, beings that would be able to defeat most devils single-handedly. Of course, she was also of the Ultimate Class and they did have Sirzechs and Ajuka, but even still, the Old Satan Faction had strength in numbers. Not withstanding, the other Super Class Devil that had yet to partake in the civil war. Thus, she concluded that there was indeed merit in her argument.
She felt a small burst of relief that was quickly extinguished at the next moment.
"Even if we are, we still have Marbas," Grayfia said flatly, back leaning against her seat in a show of the confidence she had in her conjecture.
It was a harsh truth that seemed to pour cold water over all of Serafall's thoughts. Indeed, they had Marbas, she thought miserably. She had seen how his presence alone was enough to get even the most loyal of Old Satan Faction members to submit, and even if they didn't, Kuro had more than enough strength to force them to.
"I'll do my part," Shirou said simply when everyone turned towards him in confirmation of Grayfia's words. "The only thing now is when we begin."
"Gladly," Sirzechs said before handing a small pile of papers to Shirou. "Ajuka has already theorized where the majority of the Old Satan Faction members will gather and has explained it in this intelligence report. Any stragglers will be dealt with through Ajuka and myself, while Falbium, Serafall, and Grayfia, will help coordinate our members in the defensive."
Shirou glanced at Sirzechs and then back down at the papers in his hands. "You've thought this out," he commented.
"Naturally," Ajuka spoke before Sirzechs could even open his mouth, causing a small smile to play over Grayfia's lips as she knew Srizechs personality well enough.
"That being the case," Ajuka's gazed through the small opening at the roof of the tent used to let out smoke, mouth curving. "The day is approaching its end; shall we get a move on?"
Shirou stood standing in the location he was specified to be in and made sure that no one was near him before discretely allowing a holy aura to suffuse his hands.
"We are close," God's voice spoke. "If you are to head north past the crevices and small fissures, you should arrive at an elevated plateau. It's there that I recall using up all of my remaining power to attempt to contain the taint of the Grail. Unfortunately, it didn't work fully, allowing segments of it to seep out and survive until the modern age. In this era, we will be able to follow that trail to discover where it is that seeped energy had gone to."
Shirou nodded his head, but there were still things he had to do first. With a thought, the holy aura around his hands vanished, leaving in thin trails of white wisps that were no different from the energies of the buds of light in the distance.
He walked forward, his steps carefully placed to avoid the magical seals laid sporadically across the ground. He could tell from a glance with Structural Analysis that the magics within them were enough to even cause him some damage without the expenditure of his powers.
His moves were careful, the slightest action only done after some consideration. Soon he arrived at a suitable location behind a pile of loose boulders and waited.
Minutes passed followed by hours, and it wasn't until he felt the vibration in the ground that he knew that his adversaries had arrived.
He peaked from behind the rocks and stared to assess their numbers. There were around several hundred Old Satan Faction members congregated together and treading carefully across the area. They were speaking in low mutters, but he could understand them nonetheless with his reinforced hearing.
"This is getting us nowhere," one spoke.
"You may think that, but we must persevere regardless," another older and wizened voice spoke. "The things we seek are of vital importance."
They continued to murmur to themselves, discontent and opposing views creating a disharmonious drabble.
Shirou pressed himself against the stone face of the rocks he was hiding behind and motioned forth with his hands towards Ajuka and Sirzechs in the distance, signalling for them to prepare themselves along with the others.
The defining moment was when he would step forward and reveal himself. Yet, he chose to wait until the Old Satan Faction members were in the heart of the veritable land mine of magical seals before stepping out from behind the rocks.
As expected, he was recognized immediately.
"M-Marbas!" The shout resounded, startling everyone.
It was the devil who had been complaining earlier. A beauty of a woman with a buxom figure wound tight by a slim dress that revealed her slender curves. Her black hair was tied and cropped at the sides, a pony tail extending from the back.
A wave of the power of all the World's Evil then stifled her and everyone else thinking of fleeing, even causing them to be at a loss for words. Reports were one thing, but experiencing it was another matter entirely.
The Old Satan Faction members had described Marbas's presence and energy to be exceedingly overbearing to the point where it was almost impossible to even breath. Yet those reports had come from the mouths of mid and high-class devils, causing those of the Ultimate class to simply view the reports with a grain of salt. Clearly though, they were too lax.
Marbas.
He was terrifying.
There was a skin tingling sensation that passed over them the longer they were subjected to Marbas's pressure. It was almost as if something was crawling up their arms and legs, causing black legions that festered with puss to spring up from unblemished skin.
A curse.
One powerful enough to affect even Ultimate Class devils.
Panicked, it was almost a certainty when an unmindful Old Satan Faction member stepped upon a glimmering magic seal and activated it. The devil's eyes widened before filling with an undisguised horror as a swarm of shadow-formed locust bypassed his magical defences and directly began to feast upon his flesh.
The devil's screams were the only sound to play in the eerie silence of the Valley.
None dared move any further, but some did dare to flee into the skies unhindered as they moved in a direction without any signs of magic circles. But even before they could get far, a flash of crimson and green blocked their path.
"I suggest you stay," Ajuka spoke confidently as Sirzechs stood imposingly by his side.
The two Super Devils of the New Satan Faction had made their appearance, blocking the escape path of any Old Satan Faction members. It was then that Grayfia, Serafall, and Falbium lead the devils of the New Satan Faction to surround the vicinity effectively trapping everyone.
To put up a fight was futile, the Old Satan Faction members were already sure of their defeat. For even though they had confidence in dealing with Sirzechs and Ajuka using certain measures, but they had no way to deal with the Last Demon of the Underworld. Nor could they garner enough courage to oppose he with the right to rule. It was against their very principles as traditionalists.
Surrender was the only option as it could be said that the Civil War had ended the very moment the New Satan Faction had garnered the support of a Demon.
One by one, the expressions of the Old Satan Faction members fell in defeat. None would question Marbas power, for he had displayed it all in Kalinse Plains. The blackened grounds and the authority to command the Legions of the Underworld being more than enough to quell any thoughts of battle. For even if they succeed in escaping, they would never be able to escape the pursuit of the Crimson Legion should Marbas order it.
"O mighty demon," an Old Satan Faction member fell upon the ground on his knees. "We will serve you, but you must accede to us at least one request. To answer us one question."
Shirou raised a brow.
"Do you act upon a will left behind by our predecessors, the Four Great Satans?"
All attention fell upon a single individual. One who didn't seem to care at all about anything as the expressionlessness of his features caused one to shiver.
"Think of this as you will," Shirou said after a moment, his thoughts filled with the images that God was sending him during his clash with the Great Satans.
"One to rule many, two to rule a land,"
His voice was low, barely above a whisper, but they were enough for shock to instantly spread throughout the older generation of the Old Satan Faction. Specifically, those that had participated in the Great War between the Factions alongside their rulers.
"Three to unite the depths of purgatory,"
Stronger now, loud enough that all could hear.
The images and sounds preserved in the memory of God during the clash between factions.
The creed known only between the Four Great Satans of the Great War and their close associates.
"And four to conquer the Heavens and the Earth."
Silence.
Not one Devil spoke, both in the new Satan Faction and the Old. Yet the Old Satan Faction members had lights in their eyes that spoke of their astonishment and awe. Some even kneeling on the ground.
Shirou already understood the risk of saying such words, but he also understood that without saying them, those loyalists in the Old Satan Faction's Side would never truly submit. By saying the creed, it was like openly admitting that there was indeed something that the Old Satan Faction didn't know about their deceased leaders, but at the same time it gave rise to new questions on the New Satan Faction's side who couldn't understand how he could have had known such information. For all they had known, Serafall coincidently stumbling upon him was what brought him to their side. Now it appeared as if there was another story. As such, he would have to explain further, and in such a case, he was fortunate that God had a reasonable answer.
"I am Marbas of House Marbas, and I," he paused. "I was the final weapon of the Four Great Satans. A trump card whose purpose had died long ago."
All Devils, Angels, and Fallen who fought in the Great War Understood that it would never end without an overwhelming advantage. As such, the common point in each faction was to devise a means to surpass the other powers. The Four Great Satans were no different. Just that he was using this reasoning as an excuse.
"I am a Demon, perhaps the last of my kind," he continued, expression shifting to narrowed eyes as his fists clenched. "The strongest Pillar of the Underworld."
His eyes scanned across the frozen expressions of all those around, many not knowing how to react.
"You are all free to decide what to believe, but in the words of your own past leaders, the military overseer Asmodeus, a scattered Underworld is a defeated Underworld. The entire Civil War was a joke that shouldn't have had happened."
The Old Satan Faction members felt a pang of shame well up from within them while looking at those unblinking bronze coloured eyes.
"We, we…" the Old Satan faction members fell silent, no more words needing to be said; the legitimacy of Marbas's heritage and actions causing no further room for protest.
At that moment, all present knew that the Civil War was truly over.
Cheers resounded, loud joy filled bellows that stemmed from the very gut resounding out in the desolated Valley of Revelation.
Sirzechs and Ajuka nodded at each other as Falbium sat on his but intending to relax only for Grayfia to pinch his ear and force him back into work.
"We did it," Sirzechs announced brightly.
Another wave of excitement befell the area, but perhaps the one least affected by the excitement was Serafall. While the others were too excited over the end of the Civil War to think over the words Kuro had said, she was different. She had been listening attentively from the very beginning.
A final trump card in the Great War.
One whose purpose had died long ago.
Then what did Kuro have left?
Nothing.
An existence without purpose.
Someone that wasn't meant to exist.
She bit her lips, her body moving her closer to him but freezing the very moment a light stronger and more overbearing than any other filled the area.
A Holy Aura.
Enough of it to bath the entirety of the underworld twice over if spread out.
"T-This feeling," a veteran Old Satan Faction member stuttered out. "The light that shines within all Darkness."
The Light of God.
Shirou's eyes narrowed, staring at the form of the sole devil he could see at the highest point in the Valley of Revelation and nearest to the source of the dazzling light.
It was none other than Euclid Lucifuge who had tampered with the unstable energies holding the powers at bay.
"Sirzechs!" Ajuka's calm expression distorted, revealing an expression of urgency. "We have to suppress that power fast!"
Sirzechs frowned, his power of destruction raging around him before spiraling towards the growing source of light, the energies colliding in a storm of red and white that generated winds which upturned gravel and rocks.
Yet it wasn't enough. For God's Light was the power of creation. That of life.
No matter how much destruction Sirzechs's power brought, it wasn't enough to overpower the other energy. In fact, the longer the confrontation continued the more strength the light was gaining.
Ajuka's expression turned grim. The power and aura that the light before them was emitting was too great to handle and had the potential to cause apocalyptic type damage to the Underworld in the long term. What would have had generally dissipated over time was released all at once by Euclid Lucifuge, creating catastrophic effects. Yet, if that were the only concern, Ajuka wouldn't have had lost his composure due to certain countermeasure that they could take. Instead, he had grown unsettled on another prospect.
Heaven and its forces.
Should they sense this familiar power, and knowing Heaven's current instability, they would arrive in full force in hopes of seeking out their Father. Any and all obstacles in their way meaning nothing in their pursuit.
The Great War would recommence, bringing disaster once again.
Knowing this, Sirzechs grunted before his form began to shift to utilize the full extent of his power. His features blurred, the clothing of his body glowing with an ethereal red glow that masked everything behind a torrent of dense destructive power.
Sirzechs, the Crimson Satan and Super Devil of the Underworld unleashed his full power.
The world shook, the earth trembling, creating cracks that lead into a fiery abyss of flowing magma and suffocating soot. Rocks fell like rain, disintegrating into nothing upon contact with the tendrils of destructive energy that spread out like threads in the wind that avoided the devils below.
Yet in the face of that, all it was able to do was contain God's Light, unable to destroy it while God's light was unable to engulf it. It was a stalemate, doing nothing to suppress God's Light from being sensed by the Heavens.
Ajuka was left at a loss and Falbium had long ago stood with his back straight and expression grim. It was the end of a war, but now it appeared to just be the beginning of another.
"Damn it," Sirzechs's cursed, his voice distorted by the raging energies around him.
He needed far more power if he wanted to destroy the source of light before him.
And in that moment, the Kankura Formula appeared, large rotating magic circles creating a box like shape that attempted to aid Sirzechs. The magic circles amplifying the intensity of Sirzechs power of destruction using sheer calculation and numerical factors to alter reality. The Kankura Formula wasn't the only one.
A gale force of ice.
The greenish hue of energy of the Glasya-Lobalas family.
And the auras of both the Old and New Satan Faction.
The Underworld once again stood united.
For all knew that if this power was released the Great War would start again. It was true that the Old Satan Faction members had desired a recommencement of the Great War, but the position they would be left in due to the effects of God's light was far from desirable.
They gave their all, the light of magic and power illuminating the skies with complex magic circles and the characteristic abilities of the descendants of the Seventy-Two Pillars.
Bael of the power of Destruction.
Sitri of Water Affinity.
Agares of Time Manipulation.
Balam of Super Strength and Resistance.
However, it wasn't enough.
God's light was overbearing, and at the end of the day, the descendants of the Seventy-Two Pillars were no where near the level of the Seventy-Two Demons that had once stood as God's equal in the Underworld.
But there was still one.
A dark and malevolent power unlike any other clashed against the Light of God. It seemed minuscule in comparison and shouldn't have had as much of an effect as everyone else. However, a ripple formed in God's light, travelling throughout the entire mass and causing it to tremble.
All eyes widened in shock, turning towards the sole Pillar amidst the white.
He whose power was unfathomable.
He who had the right to command the Legions.
Marbas, the Last Demon of the Underworld.
A Guardian Nobility of the Seventy-Two Pillars, A Demon of the Ars Goetia.
The Lion of the Underworld roared, fangs bared and standing at the very forefront. A magic seal stretched out, fortifying all others, the rallying effect of a Demon amongst devils. The energies that the devils had used up were gradually being restored; Sirzechs's power of destruction intensifying.
They pushed forth with renewed vigour, yet even then it wasn't working. The only power proving effective was the demonic energy of Marbas. Nonetheless, there was a reason for that.
Because unlike Sirzechs and the others, he wasn't opposing God's energy but absorbing it, and it wasn't long before all would be able to understand that.
God's light broke off into numerous trails of flickering iridescences that struck against his body, causing the form of All the Worlds Evil he had been maintaining to waver. His skin flayed, and the black tribal marks fading along with it, his body constantly bathed in the light.
It appeared as if he was dying.
For light was both a Devil's and a Demon's bane.
"Marbas," Sirzechs mouthed in realization. "Y-You can't mean to-"
"I won't allow it!" Serafall forcibly placed herself between Shirou and the trails of light, her skin beginning to redden as the light threatened to burn her into ashes.
Her intentions were clear. She would bear the burden too.
Her powers erupted around her in an attempt to shield her from the light, her power manifesting in the form of a crystalline ice barrier that was breaking fast. It was simply impossible for her to maintain it, but she still pushed on.
The memories she had of him.
The values he had shown to her.
She didn't want to lose him.
"AAHG!" She yelled, the temperature of the Valley of Revelation dropping dramatically such that frost and snow steadily began to coat the scenery. A frozen hell, a world of white, and she at its center.
In the midst of it all, a hand placed itself on her shoulder.
"Serafall," Shirou spoke, feelings of guilt hidden within his tone. "I'm sorry."
The hand pulled down, forcibly sending her flying far off into the distance. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't moved that she would do so much for him, but he couldn't allow her to die. She was too important to the future. She would become a Great Satan, the older sister to a bookworm of a younger sister who was too intelligent for her own good.
He had already changed the past, he didn't wish to do so any further.
Left depleted of power, Serafall couldn't stop herself immediately in midair and crashed into an underbrush of foliage.
Shirou turned his attention elsewhere, towards the two individuals he knew could stop Serafall when she eventually recovered enough strength to beeline straight back.
"Sirzechs, Ajuka," he called.
The two and everyone else were no longer using their powers to contain God's light as there was no longer a need, the entirety of it flowing towards Shirou.
"You can't possibly ask us of this," Sirzechs attempted to deny.
However, there was something in Shirou's gaze that caused him to falter. It was the determination behind those bronze coloured orbs.
"If you take me as the rightful ruler of the Underworld, then please do as I ask. This will be my first, and final request," he said.
He never had any plans of ruling the Underworld, but the opinions of the others had already placed him in a position of power.
"B-But,"
Shirou raised a hand.
"This is something that I must do," he said before then turning to Ajuka whose lips were thinned. "Ajuka, you should understand the need for this more than I."
Although the members of the Old Satan Faction had submitted, there was still those in both the New and the Old who knew what the presence of a Demon in the Underworld entailed. God was dead, and although the Underworld lost its Four Great Satans, a Demon had returned to lead them. As such, the Underworld was currently at an advantage, and many didn't even have to think to understand this. The War would be favourable. All it would take was a single instigation by a nameless devil and the Great war could begin anew.
This was the reason why Ajuka was able to draw his own conclusions when Shirou had said that he wasn't supposed to exist. For his presence was detrimental in and out of itself. It wasn't because of the danger he would bring, but the potential of something substantial occurring.
Ajuka was generally a logical person, analytical and far seeing, yet even he had emotion. Being a tyrannical and overbearing ruler was one thing, but a benevolent and protecting ruler he had the pleasure of calling friend was another. His feelings strongly told him that it was wrong to follow through with the most logical decision.
As such, Ajuka's brows knit together.
"There are still other ways," he said. "There is no single solution to a problem, just a means that has yet to be discovered."
Sirzechs was quick to agree, but a single sentence forced their mouths shut.
"And at what cost?"
If they were to abandon the current set up, then that would mean that Marbas would stop drawing God's light into himself and release it back into the Underworld. An untold number of lives would be lost, and Heaven's intervention would only be a matter of time.
"We can not afford another start to the Great War. The risk is too substantial," Shirou concluded.
Ajuka and Sirzechs spoke not a word.
They could see it in Shirou's eyes, his mind had already been made, but even still, they were caught in indecision. From a leader's perspective, Shirou's words made perfect sense, but Sirzechs more than Ajuka wasn't the type of individual to condemn another. He was kind for a future Great Satan.
Shirou shook his head.
"It's the only way," he said indifferently, expression unmoving. "I've already decided on a course of action and no words the two of you say can stop me. You all knew as well as I that I planned on leaving from the very beginning. Might as well make it a grand exit."
But leaving didn't mean dying.
The words both Sirzechs and Ajuka thought were left unsaid, their minds unsettled.
"The only thing I ask of you two is to stop Serafall. She will die if she attempts to intervene again, she doesn't have enough energy to shield herself a second time."
He bowed. "Please. I don't want her to die."
From man to man, Sirzechs and Ajuka could understand what this request meant, Sirzechs more so than Ajuka for he had Grayfia. When a man lowers his head to another, there could only be one of three reasons. One for acknowledgment, another for paying respects to one's fathers and mothers, and the last for a life's request that could only be made once.
It showed his conviction, his will, and his desire to keep Serafall safe.
Sirzechs placed a hand on Ajuka's shoulders and shook his head. There was no point in arguing any further. In respect for the one who would sacrifice himself for all, it would be a slight not to follow through with a last request.
Sirzechs expression grew rigid, taking on the impassiveness required of a leader in the New Satan Faction. He had resolved himself, his eyes glancing one last time at a true ruler of the Underworld, one worthy of the title.
"I will see it through," he said.
Ajuka could only frown before following in Sirzechs example, the two disappearing in the direction Serafall had landed.
Left to his own devices, Shirou focused the entirety of his attention on absorbing God's Light, the turbulence generated from his rate of absorption muffling the hate filled yell that soon echoed within the sky.
"Sirzechs! Ajuka!" Her voice was hoarse, on the verge of breaking down. "Get out of my way!"
She could see him in the distance, the light eating away at him. He was going to die. He was going to die.
The thought continually played within her mind along with the promise he had made. It made her current fury towards Sirzechs and Ajuka reach levels unheard of, causing even the indifference on Sirzechs face to falter from her stare alone.
"Serafall, we-"
"SHUT UP!"
Sirzechs sighed as he dodged to the left, the power of Serafall's attacks a far cry from the strength of the woman he knew at her peak. With Serafalls reduced reserves, it was all too easy for Sirzechs to hold her back, let alone Ajuka who was helping from the side.
A burst of cold air spiralled towards Sirzechs, but a flash of magical light revealed Ajuka's Kankura Formation which shifted the trajectory of Serafall's attack directly towards the ground.
"Serafall, enough is enough," Ajuka said, Kankura Formula coming to a halt as feelings of guilt delaying his actions.
"It was you," Serafall accused in her anger, fully knowing that it was far from the truth yet saying so anyway. "It was you who instigated him into this."
Ajuka shut his mouth before simply shaking his head.
Serafall was in a state that couldn't be reasoned with. The carefree girl he knew in his childhood had never displayed such a side to her before which goes to show just how strongly she felt on this matter.
Still, he had given his word to Marbas, even if he had remained silent at the end.
Serafall continued to attack again and again, every attempt halted by Ajuka's Kankura Formation and Sirzechs physically blocking her.
"Please!" She pleaded, her gaze then shifting onto Kuro's form.
By now, Kuro had already absorbed over three-quarters of the light. It would all be gone soon and she didn't wish to imagine the conclusion of such a thing.
She didn't have much time left.
Her sudden plea had left both Sirzechs and Ajuka frozen for the two were both Serafall's friends. Her pain and anguish were only fueling their guilt and remorse.
A gap was formed, and Serafall took it, expending all of her power just to do it.
However,
She was too late.
She could only watch helplessly as the last vestiges of God's Light entered Kuro's body and lifted him off the ground, sending him tumbling. The other devils watched in silence, the memory of Shirou trading his life for theirs etched into their minds. This was even more so for Euclid who had been the cause of everything and should have had died.
"Kuro!" Serafall yelled, reaching him as soon as she could.
Her hands trembled as she didn't know where to touch him. H-He was fading away, his skin and bones flaking into mots of black light that drifted into the sky. She swallowed, her mouth dry and no words leaving it.
"Y-You promised," she eventually forced out, forgoing her reservations and picking up Kuro to hold him in her arms.
She stared down at him; at the face of the man she understood had a place within her that could never be replaced. "You are a fool," she said, moisture welling up into her eyes.
"First time I've heard of that in a while," Kuro's voice caused her to stiffen.
He was staring up at her, his eyes not leaving her own even as she sobbed.
"Why?" She eventually asked.
Why had he pushed her away at the last moment? Couldn't he understand that her actions were a result of her own desires? Her lips quivered, her complexion pale.
Shirou didn't respond right away. There were many reasons. One to fulfill his purpose and find out just where the taint of the grail had gone to in the present era, and two because he didn't wish for anyone to die. Most of all, it was for another reason entirely. The one that he would voice out.
"For the sake of an Underworld that all Devils could be proud of, a place without Demons," he said, completing the words that he had not spoken before, his expression relaxing. "For the time of Demons has long since passed."
Serafall shook her head, a hand moving to brush across Kuro's face, but pausing mid way as she feared that her touch would speed up the process of his fading. Already his hands and feet were vanishing.
"It didn't have to be this way," she argued, voice breaking. "You didn't have to die alone."
Shirou's gaze sharpened, expression growing serious. "Serafall Sitri," he said sternly. "Have you forgotten for whose sake you fought for? Would you condemn your younger sister to a life without her elder sibling? As for me," he trailed off.
He didn't have anything left in the Underworld.
But this was a reasoning Serafall would never agree with. If he had nothing than she would have had given him so many things that his hands would grow full just from holding them all. And even if he wasn't satisfied she would do all in her power to make him feel as if he belonged because Kuro deserved all that and more. What kind of life must he have had lived to willingly give his life for others without hesitation? This wasn't fair.
Serafall's teeth clenched together.
"You are a fool," she gritted out, her hands balling into fists that drew blood from her palms.
Tears streaked down Serafall's cheeks, but Shirou hand no hands left to wipe them away, watching silently as they trickled to the bottom of Serafall's chin before dropping over his face.
"I am a fool," he admitted, the feeling of Serafall's tears wetting his face. "But perhaps the Underworld needed a fool."
A wry smile cracked itself over Serafall's face, one filled with wistfulness.
"I never took you for a comedian," she said.
"And I never thought that this was how it would end. Goodbye Serafall, I'm glad to have had met you."
And I'm glad to have had loved you, the words remained in her mouth, unable to leave for she didn't want to give Kuro any regrets. Nonetheless, she broke down sobbing in despair as his figure disappeared completely from her arms.
It was the final sight Shirou would see as God used the power he had regained to bring them back to the present: the figure of a woman who would cry for him in his death.
He with a life he considered lower than any other felt for the first time that he may have to reconsider some things. Nonetheless, there was another matter to attend to. The solemnness in God's presence that Shirou could feel.
"T-The trihexia. I-It went to the seal of the Trihexia."
Those were the only words he had herd God say, but something told him he would understand the reason for God's solemnity sooner or later.
With that thought in mind, Shirou completely disappeared from the Underworld, leaving behind Serafall who remained alone staring off into space, her tears long since dried an hour ago.
Sirzechs and Ajuka slowly arrived behind her, Falbium and Grayfia arriving next after organizing all the Devils present in the area into orderly groups.
"I won't forgive you," were the first words out of Serafall's mouth directed towards Sirzechs and Ajuka.
"Didn't expect you to," Sirzechs said remorsefully.
Ajuka just remained silent, not saying a word for he knew that there were no words that would fix things.
A silence resounded, Grayfia reaching a hand out towards Serafall but thinking better of it and remaining where she was.
"He's gone," Serafall said after a long moment, the despair and unwillingness in her tone stronger than any magical attack against Sirzechs and Ajuka.
"He's gone yes," Falbium was the first to speak. "It's the passing of a notable leader, the army standard calling for a grand ceremony in his honour."
"Honour?" Serafall said spitefully. "Kuro never wished for any of that. He was a simple man, one who didn't even mind lowering himself to those whose standings were far too minuscule for him to even greet. And he's gone."
"No Serafall," Grayfia interceded, feeling pity both for Sirzechs and Ajuka who couldn't meet Serafall's gaze, and Serafall herself. "Its true that he's gone, but his legacy is not."
Serafall didn't react, Grayfia simply continued.
"The Lands of Marbas."
"The devils he saved."
"And most importantly. You," Grayfia's words finally caused a reaction from Serafall, her shoulders squaring along with her back. "He saved you for a reason Serafall. He was unwilling to see you die. There must have had been a reason for that. Will you simply wallow away as you are now, or will you stand for the Underworld he fought to create?"
Serafall swallowed audibly, but Grayfia's words had given her a purpose. To protect what he helped create.
She stood on her feet, her figure unmoving as she stared unblinkingly at the location of his passing. She would protect it. His Underworld.
"I stand here today as Serafall Leviathan," she said taking on the name of one of the Four Great Satans. "And I vow to protect this Underworld."
Ajuka and Sirzechs stared at each other before coming to a decision.
"I stand here today as Sirzechs Lucifer, and I vow to protect this Underworld."
"I stand here today as Ajuka Beelzebub, and I vow to protect this Underworld."
Grayfia cleared her throat before kicking Falbium forward, prompting him to speak.
"Fine," Falbium murmured, patting the dust off of his clothing before moving to stand in line with Sirzechs, Ajuka, and Serafall.
"I stand here today as Falbium Asmodeus, and I also vow to protect this Underworld."
It was the emergence of the Four Great Satans of the future, all standing proudly at the face of the end of the civil war. Yet there was no happiness to be found.
Slowly, Serafall erected a gravestone, one which she took careful consideration in making directly by hand, her fingers etching the words in the stone.
-He was Marbas, Hero and Last Demon of the Underworld.
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