The Holy Man of The Church Creek

50

His name was Rizevim Livan Lucifer, a Super Devil.

He was one of three that existed within the Underworld despite never being too well known. That was how he had always preferred it. He saw no meaning in petty squabbles or vengeance, and was thoroughly disillusioned with the world.
Nothing could excite him.
Nothing could challenge him.
He was the son of the original Lucifer and born to his mother Lilith. His magical power, intellect, and capabilities dwarfed anyone of his age group.
There was practically nothing that he could not have if he so much as wished for it. In which case, perhaps it wasn't entirely his fault that he grew up with no motivation to do anything. However, his personality was of his own making.
He believed in the concept that Devils should be 'Devils,' evil and reviled creatures.
No matter how hard he tried to wrap his mind around the concepts that the New Satan Faction was propagating about co-existence and alliances, he just couldn't accept it. Devils were not meant to be allies of justice or righteous to begin with. They were the monsters that killed in the night and swindled away the souls of humans.
Freischütz and the Seven Bullets.
The legend of Faust.
Devils were never supposed to be kind, so why act against one's nature?
Those that spoke otherwise were fools better dead than alive.
Rizevim would see to it.
He was no longer the same as before.
The hazel coloured eyes that had once seemed so lifeless were now suffused with vitality and vigour. There was purpose in his actions, and for once, he felt the joy of living. He was alive.
Dark silver-coloured shoulder-length hair swished in the Underworld breeze as Rizevim stared out across the tranquil purple horizon. He was wearing the armoured outfit of a Satan, the white cloak beneath a decorated chest-piece swaying over the ground.
The time had come.
Unleashing the Evil Dragons into the Human World itself was nothing more than an elaborate ruse. One in which it did not matter if the Dragons unleashed world-wide destruction or not.
Rizevim's objective had been something else entirely.
A smirk found its way onto Rizevim's bearded face which resembled his grandson's; a small stubble resembling a goatee over his chin being the main difference. Regardless, it wasn't as if Rizevim treasured family anyway. He'd killed his own son because his son was an annoyance.
The only one still alive from his family was Vali, and that was because Rizevim didn't care about the brat in the least.
In a single breath, Rizevim tossed a motionless body onto the ground in front of him.
This was his true objective born from the inspiration of observing the war path of Lord Marbas during the Civil War. One can not rule anything without the support of an army.
Annihilation Maker.
A Sacred Gear of creation.
Ranked among the top four Longinus, it was a Sacred Gear known to possess one of the greatest rule breakers in the system.
It alone had the strength to destroy any world.
The more powerful one's imagination, the more powerful the summoned creatures. It was the ability to give form to thought, and that aspect alone was dangerous in the wrong hands.
The One God gave this ability to humans?
Rizevim scoffed in derision while bending down and placing a hand over the body's chest.
It was wasted in their hands.
No longer.
Rizevim pried off the Sacred Gear through a special means from the half-dead body before him. He'd incorporated the same methods learned from the development of Sacred Gear extraction tools that the Fallen Angles and Devils had researched. It only made sense that he had his own intelligence networks pilfer the key information.
A silver orb manifested in his hands which he then absorbed into his own body.
Annihilation Maker was now in Rizevim's possession.
Disinterestedly he kicked the corpse in front of him away.
Leonardo of the Hero Faction was dead.
The true 'operation' started now.
Annihilation Maker's power stemmed from the imagination of the wielder.
Ever since Rizevim was born, he'd never had a motive for anything. He simply wasted his days away doing nothing and growing complacent. Time was the one thing that he always had, and in that time, his mind had been constantly active.
'Come.'
The shadows stretched beneath his feet, elongating and propagating into large monstrosities with the properties of Anti-Magic. Different from Leonardo, Rizevim's creations radiated power beyond normal means.
Many were towering behemoths with the capability to spawn more monsters at their feet.
Leonardo called them Bandersnatch and Jabberwocky in reference to the legends and folktales of old. Rizevim made them so much more.
They were death and destruction, towering giants imbued with the properties of chimeras.
The stronger Rizevim imagined the them, the stronger they became.
He felt a noticeable dip in his magical reserves, but not anywhere close enough to be debilitating.
'Go.'
It was a simple order as Rizevim unleashed his creations into the Underworld, but the glee and anticipation on his face were entirely genuine as the screams and fires of distant settlements began to spread.
Chaos and madness. This was how the world ought to be, and he would be its harbinger.
Ever since he'd found a goal, he'd become a different man.
Like a child, he'd found his calling.
And yet, there was still a single obstacle left that had to be dealt with.
His brows furrowed, the first traces of apprehension making their way onto his features.
No matter. He would no longer hesitate at this point.
Rizevim walked off, his wings behind his back spreading open before he took flight.
The world would burn, and the Trihexa released.
That was all that mattered.
By the time that Shirou arrived into the Underworld, the Underworld was already plunged into a state of emergency. Clouds of smoke and the acrid scent of iron were wafting in the air accompanied by a chorus of maddened howls.
Death.
Death everywhere.
The subtle orange flames that sprang up from town to town were like torches that reflected their light over his irises. Weak and fleeting before extinguishing in the after glow of a city reduced to charred cinders and bloody streets.
Destruction and despair.
Grief stained screams filled the air as low-class and mid-class devils scrambled for safety under the trampled rubble. High-Class Devils were moving in relief teams to escort civilians and other Devils out, but there was simply not enough of them.
Tear stained faces, pained faces, he was seeing everything in full view as monolithic monsters spread across the region, the tallest heading for the capital.
He was hovering in the air, his gaze shifting with the subtilty of a growing storm.
Home.
A place to protect.
Honour and Duty.
The rings over his fingers thrummed with hidden meaning and intent. Magic seals sprung to life one by one, urged on by a growing rage not of his own. Energy swelled from within him, channeled through the means of a pact.
He was a Holyman, the possessor of the second bestowal of a miracle: The second coming of a man who'd made a contract with Demons.
Solomon and the Ars Goetia.
Seventy-Two made the pledge.
Seventy-Two hear the call.
The magic seals that had manifested twisted and distorted into specific crests and designs.
The twin crosses.
The malformed gates.
The mark of knowledge.
They were the insignias of the supreme overlords of Hell.
The energy within Shirou swelled and propagated before rapidly expanding outwards to blanket over the entirety of the Underworld.
Shirou could bear to see the atrocities before him no longer.
'Release.'
The ten rings of the King of Mages shone in response.
Riser Phenex of house Phenex of the Seventy-Two Pillars was fighting much like the other heirs called back to aid in the catastrophe of the Underworld.
The situation was tragic and the Phenex house was burdened with the most responsibility. The regenerative properties of their Phoenix Tears were heavily required to deal with the unending outflow of injured. The Phenex family stock pile of Phoenix tears was quickly dwindling as a result. Worse, one of the wandering Bandersnatch had directly made a bee line towards House Phenex as if directed to wipe out of the bloodline of the immortal bird. Without House Phenex, there would no longer be any Phoenix tears.
The miniature versions of the Bandersnatch spawned at the monster's feet were like a veritable flood with no end.
No matter how many enemies House Phenex burned to death, the Anti-Magic properties of their enemies were mitigating the damage.
Only the flames produced by High and Ultimate-Class Devils seemed to have any effect, and even then, the burns were only skin deep. The healing factors that their opponents possessed was only making the situation worse.
"Damn it, get back Ravel and take the rest of the peerage with you!" Riser felt his skin begin to crawl while urging his younger sister to do as instructed. "You're not strong enough to handle these things so go help mother and father evacuate the house's members!"
Riser grimaced when it looked like Ravel would ague, but Riser's elder brother Ruval, the next in line of House Phenex ended the matter.
"Listen to what Riser says, Ravel. This isn't the time to be stubborn," Ruval looked much like Riser, but his features were softer and more defined. "Riser means well. He's different when he's actually serious."
"…" Riser had no response, and acted as if he didn't hear Ruval's jab at his character. He'd always been a womanizer, and it was only after his defeat at the hands of Issei Hyoudo that he began to reflect on himself and his sudden fear of Dragons. Yet now wasn't a time for fear.
Pursing her lips, Ravel looked like she had words to say, but thought better of it before nodding and leaving.
The Phenex estate was almost entirely leveled.
Ruval looked dazed and disheartened.
No one could understand what had happened.
One moment the underworld was at a peace, and in the next, it became utter madness.
"Die!" Riser placed his hands forward and scorched the enemies in front of him with his flames.
Riser and Ruval were currently distracting the flood of enemies as their family evacuated along with the estate servants and remaining Phoenix tears.
"It's not working." A sheen of sweat formed over Riser's brows, his magical reserves waning. In front of him, the flames that he had conjured were only keeping the enemies at bay rather than killing them.
Ruval did not reply, but his anger could be seen from the torrent of hellfire spewed from his hands. Together, the heat of the brother's attacks finally began killing the enemy. However, it wasn't a solution to the problem.
Ruval furrowed his brows while staring at the massive form of the Bandersnatch standing over the main wreckage of the main house.
"We have to kill that," Ruval's observation was astute. "This will never end unless it's taken care of."
Riser gritted his teeth while flying into the air to avoid being smothered by the enemies that had surrounded him. "But are flames can't burn it and father and mother are to preoccupied to help," He argued. "There's even been news that the 'Emperor's' team has been having trouble with these things."
Ruval took in a breath and slowly breathed out. "We have to try anyway. Our house is the house of immortals. We burn the brightest and emerge from the ashes. Stake your attacks with the pride of House Phenex."
Riser's eyes widened. "Brother, y-your arm?"
Ruval had been hiding it beneath the long fabric of his mantle, but his right arm was missing. If not for the fact that moving in the air caused the fabric over Ruval's missing arm to wildly flutter, Riser would not have had noticed.
"How low are you on energy right now?"
At any other time, members of house Phenex could have had easily regrown lost limbs. Everything depended on reserves.
"It doesn't matter," Ruval bluntly replied. "We must fight."
No. You'll die.
Riser had a feeling that the only reason that his strong elder brother was running low on reserves was due to him and his lack of ability. If only he had been stronger.
Riser balled his hands into fists and inwardly berated himself for his past actions. Instead of training to become better, he'd wasted his time away indulging in material pleasure. When his strength mattered the most, he was finding himself unable to produce adequate results.
"Go." Riser pulled on Ruval's shoulder. At any other time, Ruval would not have had even budged, but Riser could feel the instability of Ruval's stance. There was hardly any resistance at all and Ruval was already swaying on his feet.
"Don't you dare," Ruval was glaring.
Riser visibly trembled, but spoke nothing more.
He could see the persistence in Ruval's eyes, but at the same time, Ruval could do nothing to stop him in his weakened state. Riser grabbed Ruval's body and hurled him in the direction where Ravel was still watching from the distance. "Take him and go!"
Riser was a Phenex, even alone he still stood for what he cared for.
His peerage was behind him.
His family was behind him.
Was that not reason enough?
Ash and cinder, embers and flame, like Ruval had said, House Phenex burns the brightest.
The moment that he exhausted his energy and sustained fatal damage would be the moment that he dies, but he no longer cared. Fighting with your life on the line and fighting for cherished ones were entirely different.
Life would have no meaning without others to share it with.
So therefore, Burn. BURN.
His figure caught flames, waves of heat radiating from off of him with no regard to preserve any power.
He directly charged in and began shining the brightest within the hottest flame.
Trash. He was nothing more than trash.
An appendage stabbed through his chest and bisected his body. Immortal or not, the pain directly assaulted his mind.
Cut it off.
He no longer felt. There was no need. He bled puffs of embers.
Tongues of flames soon sprouted forth and reconnected his upper and lower halves in an instant.
"You GODDAMN IDIOT STOP!" There was no way that Ravel and Ruval could not tell what Riser was doing.
His strength was soaring, but similarly, it would be fleeting. Just like a firework exploding into the sky.
He had always been a second rate and not even fit to contend for the position of heir.
His body rapidly expanded into a furious blaze that forced back the enemies around him. He had to buy as much time as possible. A part of him wondered what his disappointed parents would think when they heard that their waste of a second son died while buying them the time needed to save everyone else?
Would they be happy?
Would they be sad?
Or perhaps they would scold him?
His family and peerage never gave up on him, and in turn he would not give up on them.
If there was meaning in his actions, then that was all that mattered.
"More, stronger!" Riser gritted his teeth as he felt the last vestiges of his energy funneling through him.
It was then that he froze into a stagger.
A figure hovered in the air several miles away. It was to the point that the figure that Riser had seen in his concentrated state was nothing more than spec on the horizon.
And yet, that figure was unmistakable.
"L-Lord Marbas." Riser swallowed audibly.
Suddenly Riser felt it. Everyone felt it. A sheer wave of energy beyond anything that Riser had ever felt before.
Moreover, Riser looked down at the glowing crest of house Phenex displayed over the back of his right hand. Stunned, he could distinctly feel his energy swelling in volume. Similar scenes were happening everywhere throughout the Underworld and the remaining noble houses.
Demons were the progenitors of Devils. Their power bolstered the strength of their kin.
The inherent power of Demons to bolster the strength of Devils.
The Lesser Keys of Solomon were the symbols of the original pact between man and Demon.
Demons that commanded their Legions of Red.
It didn't matter if they were from separate worlds or if their forms were inherently different, their legends were the same, a resonance reached through the ten rings of Solomon.
The memories of one became the memories of the other.
The Phenex Crest of the Seventy-Two Pillars rapidly expanded and engulfed the entire estate, the magic sigils rotating in a clock-wise fashion.
The Bandersnatch causing havoc within the magic circle had no choice but to falter. Elsewhere, the scene repeated itself over and over again until the forms of Seventy-Two magic crests became visible throughout the Underworld.
That power. That presence.
D-Demon.
Riser felt a chill travel down his back.
A pair of fiery red slanted eyes emerged from the ether. At first the creature possessed a twisted branch-like form, but it quickly shifted into the shape of a resplendent bird of flame.
'Do not cower. If you be mine kin, blaze forth with the pride of mine blood.'
The voice echoed within one's mind.
The energy that rapidly swelled though Riser was a common feature shared by all member of house Phenex.
Ruval's arm grew back, and the wings of flame on his back erupted into unending torrents.
Lady and Lord Phenex were no different.
The Bandersnatch reeled in panic as blue flame began to crawl its way up its legs. Its Anti-Magic properties were insignificant against the being known to create the hottest flames of the Underworld.
'Ash born from flame. Embers of rebirth.'
Riser's fists were shaking in both awe and excitement. There was no longer any doubt. His blood was roaring within his veins.
'Rise, immortal birds of the Underworld, your patriarch has returned!'
A flap of wings, and the flames that Riser and the members of his family produced became a deep azure.
'Take to the skies and release the true flames of Purgatory!'
-Meanwhile.
This wasn't the time to stay still; the ground itself was shaking beneath Serafall's feet and she was still clueless as to what was going on outside of her room. It was driving her crazy, but the matter with Grayfia still took priority.
Serafall had no idea if Euclid was an enemy or not, but she could tell to be careful due to Garyfia's weariness.
"Milicas, use the magic circle and return back to house Gremory," Grayfia said sternly, her tone unbending. It was an order. There was no room for refusal.
Milicas who was clinging onto Grayfia's leg hesitated, but was ultimately cowed into submission by the strength of his mother's gaze.
A magic circle was activated, and Milicas was soon back in house Gremory, leaving Serafall, Grayfia, and Euclid behind.
No one was talking.
The two siblings from house Lucifuge seemed able to convey a hundred words with just staring alone. Serafall did not have this ability.
"What's going on out there?" Serafall couldn't keep silent any longer while Grayfia and Euclid confronted each other.
Euclid broke eye contact with Grayfia and straightened his back gracefully. "It seems Lord Rizevim has started," he said.
Grayfia's eyes dilated at Euclid's words.
"He's taking personal action?" She asked to clarify, stepping forward with one leg in order to better pressure Euclid with her magical energy.
Euclid simply nodded.
"Wait, who's Rizevim?" Serafall felt like she was missing something important.
"A true descendant from the original bloodline of Lucifer. A Super Class Devil equal if not stronger than Sirzechs or Ajuka," Grayfia's tone was severe, her brows knitting together.
Serafall grunted before crossing her arms beneath her chest. "Yeah? But my Kuro's still stronger." She nodded firmly.
Grayfia and Euclid glanced in Serafall's direction, their silent monotone mirroring each other.
For her part, Serafall didn't even seem to realize that she'd said anything wrong. It didn't matter if Kuro was stronger or not. The assumption itself should have had long since been considered by someone of Rizevim's intellect and accounted for. Serafall should have had known this too, but that fact seemed to have had completely gone over her head.
Serafall blinked, a hand over her waist. "What?" She pulled back somewhat defensively while Grayfia and Euclid continued to stare at her. "I'm not wrong."
You aren't right either.
Love was definitely blinding.
Euclid directly chose to ignore Serafall and consciously excluded her from the conversation. If anyone could understand the gravity of the situation that had befallen the Underworld, it was definitely Grayfia.
"Where is Rizevim now?" Grayfia pursed her lips and eased the pressure she was placing on Euclid so that he could speak better.
Euclid shrugged. "It's hard to say. I've never been one to meddle in Lord Rizevim's business as my sole duty is to just work on Lord Rizevim's interests."
"Yet by coming here and telling us all this, clearly you are not." Grayfia crossed her arms and stared at Euclid hard. "What changed?"
"The return of Lord Marbas," Euclid admitted with a straight face. That, and the fact that he was beginning to question if his hatred for his older sister had been misplaced from the beginning. In which case, it changed everything.
Grayfia fell silent. She knew her younger brother well enough to see that he wasn't lying. "So, what now? Do you plan to tell us what exactly Rizevim has planned?"
"That is so," Euclid looked torn, but he quickly composed himself. "My life is something that Lord Marbas saved. Though my loyalties remain unchanged, it is the truth that I respect and admire both Lord Marbas and Rizevim. To show favour to one but disregard the other is not something that I can do any longer."
Therefore, Euclid had actively sought out a way to convey the information across. It just so happened that by delivering the intel to Serafall, he could not only ensure that Lord Marbas would hear of it, but also have a talk with his elder sister at the same time.
Two birds with one stone.
"Then what does Rizevim intend on doing?" Grayfia got straight to the point. Her brow was creased and her hands felt clammy from sweat. She shuddered, the hairs over her skin raising.
There weren't many things that could cause Grayfia to become apprehensive or concerned, but Rizevim was definitely at the top of her list. He was evil for the sake of being evil. He fully believed that the role of Devils was to be the scum of the earth and as such, Devils should thoroughly eliminate any nuisances as they see fit.
Euclid's reply did nothing to alleviate Grayfia's concerns.
"Chaos. Chaos and nothing more," Euclid did not mince his words and spoke as if he was just talking about the weather. His hands were in his pockets and his back was leaning against the far wall. "Lord Rizevim never had much interest in seeking revenge for the fall of the original Four Great Satans, nor did he consider world domination to be anything worth doing. Of course, you should already know this by heart. You called him 'hollow' when you first met him while fighting on the side of the Old Satan Faction."
Grayfia grimaced at the reminder. She did many things in the Civil War that she regretted, but no amount of remorse or guilt could ever change anything. She fought on the side of her family, then betrayed her family in the very same war. It was why she felt no true hatred for Euclid when it was she herself that had cast him out and left him for dead all those years ago.
Grayfia's brows noticeably furrowed while suddenly finding it difficult to stare Euclid in the face. More so when it appeared that Euclid was misunderstanding something about the motive of her defection. She'd defected long before Lord Marbas was verified to be on the side of the New Satan Faction, but Euclid had no clue.
Should she tell him?
No, Grayfia could not bear to. Sometimes white lies were better to be taken as the truth rather reality itself.
Grayfia inwardly flinched, her body stock still on the outside.
Serafall who stood at the side did not comment and just allowed Grayfia the time to collect herself.
"Rizevim had no drive." Grayfia recalled her memories of Rizevim. "As our allies died at that time, he showed no concern whatsoever and refused to take to the field." It was a far cry from how Sirzechs and the New Satan Faction had treated their own. "Why are you bringing this up now? No, wait," Grayfia's eyes widened. "You can't be insinuating what I think you mean?"
Euclid simply nodded his head.
"Lord Rizevim has obtained ambition. 'Hollow' is no longer an appropriate word to describe him. Like I've already said before, he's already on the move."
"Then hurry up and tell us what he's planning on doing?" Serafall entered the conversation as Grayfia fell into apprehension. "That's why I don't understand why you Old Satan Faction members have to be so roundabout with your words."
"It's called eloquence." Euclid straightened the tie of the business suit that he was wearing while grunting derisively. "Clearly you lack it Lady Serafall."
"Are you going to speak or not? You won't be smiling if I call Kuro over." Serafall placed her hands over her hips and puffed out her chest. A part of her felt that she could take on Euclid in a confrontation, however, an even greater part of her refused to do so for the safety of her own child. Maternal instinct would guarantee no risk whatsoever. Still, Serafall was thrown off by Euclid's answer.
"That's precisely what I hope you'd do," Euclid smiled charmingly. "We don't exactly have much time and Lord Rizevim has already unleashed the Evil Dragons on the Human World while disguising his true objective. By now, if his mission was successful, the Underworld should be facing its greatest catastrophe yet."
The ground shook once more, causing particles of dust that had collected over the ceiling to float down over the floor. "In which case, it appears that Lord Rizevim has already succeeded."
"All the more reason why we have to do something," Serafall pressed a hand over her temples. She could already tell that something was already going in the Underworld and didn't need Euclid to bring up this point. Fuck 'eloquence.' Was it too much to just ask for a direct answer?
"Why are you even here?" Serafall couldn't help but blurt out.
"Oh dear, you still haven't caught on?" Euclid sighed exasperatedly. His tolerance was never high to begin with. "There's always a motive for every plan. If causing turmoil in the human world was only to complete a single objective, then what other purpose is there by bringing chaos to the Underworld?"
"…" Serafall did not know how to respond. She'd never considered taking the perspective of a villain before to interoperate a plot, and it didn't help that she'd immersed herself in the light-hearted themes of magical girls in her down time.
If the Underworld was in danger, then naturally that should have had been it. What more was there?
"Alright, this is getting nowhere," Euclid resisted the urge to sneer in disdain and opted to forcibly prevent his facial muscles from moving instead.
In order to get Serafall to understand, then perhaps Euclid really did have to take a different kind of approach.
"Out of all of Lord Rizevim's adversaries, who stands to reason would be his greatest foe and is also considered a Guardian Protector of the Underworld? The answer is simple. 'Seventy-two stand, and Seventy-two will fall. So long as one is left remaining, the Underworld will never perish.' It was the oath of the Demons of the Underworld. In times of crisis, the noble Pillars are the Underworld's true bastion of defence. For the Underworld to fall into ruin, the last of the Demons must be dealt with."
Euclid gave a moment for Serafall to think, her expression giving her away. You could see it in the way that her pupils gradually began to dilate.
"K-Kuro," It just clicked in her mind, a hand moving to cover her mouth.
Euclid would have had applauded if not for the way that Grayfia was staring at him in reproach. He inwardly faltered before promptly choosing to keep his opinions to himself. "Lord Rizevim is after you to use as leverage against Lord Marbas, Lady Serafall."
Euclid could not have had been any blunter.
"We can't stay here," Grayfia suddenly stiffened, her complexion paling.
Euclid shook his head.
"Sorry, but it's already too late." Euclid glanced up at the ceiling as if looking through it rather than at it. "How long have you been listening for, Lord Rizevim?"
The roof of the Sitri Family estate was suddenly pried off to reveal a figure hovering in the air with a light grin. The defensive magic circles and fortifications that House Sitri had placed around the room may as well have had been worth nothing with how easily they were disposed of.
"I always did appreciate how well you understood me, Euclid," Rizevim lowered himself to stand across from Serafall and the others. He looked at Euclid with a hint of amusement. "Your vague speech was on purpose, was it not? If anyone so much as tried to leave this room, then you knew that I would take action. The cloaking spell that you placed on your nephew was also quite ingenious. Even I had failed to notice Milicas Gremory's departure in time to intervene. Pity. Did you not wonder what sort of expression your elder sister would make if I appeared now with the headless body of her child?"
Grayfia felt her blood run cold. She could hear her heart thumping from within her chest, and see the way that her hands were trembling. Just imaging what Rizevim had just said, and how close it was to becoming reality nearly drove her insane.
Yet Euclid had aided her?
She looked at Euclid, not knowing what to say or how to feel.
For his part, Euclid did not deny or say anything.
"No need to answer, I already know," Rizevim shrugged while walking toward Euclid's direction. "I also know the meaning of your presence here. If you already knew my objective, then why would you still come? The answer is obvious."
Faster than anyone present could react, a fist landed squarely on Euclid's chest and propelled him into a tumble across the room. Grayfia's breath hitched while Serafall began to cautiously back away. Her war instincts were kicking in, and if there was one thing that Serafall knew, it was to never give the enemy what they wanted.
"You are betraying me, Euclid?" Rizevim showed no change in his facial expression. He was paying no attention to Grayfia and Serafall as if the two were not even there. However, neither Serafall nor Grayfia could think of escaping lightly. The air was suffused with Rizevim's magical energy.
Clambering from out of the wreckage of broken furniture and torn cloth, Euclid silently wiped away a trail of blood from his mouth.
"I am a Loyalist." Euclid was unperturbed as he stood up and dusted off his coat. "My allegiance lies with the true heirs of the Underworld which is why I will not attack you Lord Rizevim, but I will not allow you to harm Lady Serafall either."
Euclid winced and forcibly evened his breath to maintain his dignified bearings.
"She is carrying the Underworld's future in her body. A child of Lord Marbas. That reason alone is enough."
"Then what of your older sister and her son? Did you not used to detest them?"
Euclid's expression froze before his mouth began to move in accordance to the thoughts that he'd always kept bottled up inside.
"Perhaps there was once such a time, however, I know now that this was not the case. My sister was loyal all along, it was just I who had been too blind to see it." Grayfia had been on the side of Lord Marbas. Even if they were in opposing factions during the Civil War, both sides had been legitimate heirs of the Underworld.
When Euclid thought about it, he could no longer hate Grayfia for choosing a Lord that she wished to follow. Love and hate were two sides of the same coin. The blood of Lucifuge still ran through Grayfia's veins. She was still the elder sister that Euclid had always admired.
He released a breath before narrowing his eyes.
"I will protect them," he said sternly.
Grayfia had no words to say. She glanced down at the ground, unable to look at Euclid straight.
"Do you really intend to oppose me while fully knowing the extent of my power?" Rizevim remained unperturbed while he raised a brow.
"Do you really need to ask at this point, Lord Rizevim." Euclid loosened the tie around his neck with a finger, and then took off his tailored dress coat. "I stand on the side of my House and my beliefs. I will not yield even to you. I will not play a part in hindering Lord Marbas. It is against my loyalties."
"And obstructing me is not?" Rizevim expression became blank.
"No," Euclid was frank. "I believe that the matters between rulers of the Underworld should be left to themselves on equal ground. No matter how sly or effective a ploy, strength will always be supreme. If we as Devils are beings of evil, then what of Demons? For once, I believe that I've finally found the reason for my sister's defection."
Rizevim shrugged.
That was it.
He'd had enough.
"So be it then. You know full well what happens to those who displease me." Rizevim's magical energy began to skyrocket.
Euclid's knees buckled under the strain. "Then I suppose I'll just have to grin and bear it."
"Not alone." Suddenly, a hand was placed over Euclid's shoulder before several layers of ice and frost mitigated much of Rizevim's passive pressure.
Grayfia stood by Euclid's side for the first time in many years.
They were the siblings of House Lucifuge.
Euclid did not know what to say, but a part of him finally felt at peace.
Serafall moved to help, readying her magic to bolster Grayfia's own ice magic.
Euclid stopped her.
"If you care for the safety of your child, then you will not interfere in this battle," Euclid spat out a glob of blood from his mouth while he spoke. Rizevim was strong. There was no denying this fact.
Just because Rizevim's target was Serafall did not mean that he would not harm her.
Moreover, it was definitely better for Serafall to run or stay put rather than come to the enemy.
Serafall faltered, looking to Grayfia for advice. However, Grayfia did not speak up to counter Euclid's words.
For the time being, Serafall chose to trust in her friend's judgement.
Go.
Faster than any average devil could see, Euclid and Grayfia moved to defeat Rizevim. True to his word, Euclid never actively attacked Rizevim, but he impeded Rizevim every time the man tried to strike at Grayfia.
Showers of ice and snow broke apart the inner chamber of Serafall's room, but to little effect.
The battle had just started, and Grayfia was already feeling the pressure.
It was like she was facing a mountain. No matter what angle she attempted to climb at, the peak still seemed impossibly high to reach.
This was the gap between Ultimate-Class Devil and Super-Class Devil.
Yet she couldn't give up.
Gather.
She willed her energy to converge over her hands where a magic circle manifested to produce a hailstorm which trapped Rizevim within. There would no escape, and she'd been luring Rizevim to his current location since the start of the battle.
Euclid remained vigilant behind Grayfia's back in case of an emergency, but Euclid had been right about single a concept regarding the competition between Lord Marbas and Rizevim.
It didn't matter how clever or tactical one was against absolute power.
Rizevim snapped his fingers, and the surge in malefic energy thoroughly obliterated the hail storm Grayfia created. At the same time, the shockwave sent Grayfia and Euclid tumbling.
"Grayfia!" Serafall moved and caught Grayfia mid tumble while Euclid ground himself to a halt by digging his feet into the floor.
"The both of you stand no chance." Rizevim looked amused, as if relishing in the disparity between them.
Grayfia's countenance turned grim, but there was no denying Rizevim's words.
Only Euclid seemed unaffected.
Euclid himself had always been intelligent. More so than even Grayfia who'd focused more on personal strength.
He panted for breath, but soon forced out a smile. "You are correct that we don't have the power nor means to defeat you, but it was never that kind of battle to begin with."
Euclid communicated to Grayfia even without words.
Grayfia's eyes widened in relief while staring at a location passed Rizevim's back and up towards the sky.
Rizevim suddenly felt an ominous premonition.
"Found you."
A voice echoed within Rizevim's ears, a baleful pressure surrounding him and pressing down over his shoulders. It was unrelenting, like the waves of water over the sand. Weak at first, but growing ever stronger at the day's zenith, it was a presence Rizevim had not once felt before.
He who had threatened the sanctity and well being of the Underworld had trespassed across a certain line of no return.
The pillars existed for a sole reason.
They were the foundations of the Underworld; its strongest protectors and nobility.
Evil. Malefic. Destructive. Malevolent.
The Demons existed within the worst nightmares of man, and in the bowls of recorded history. Even then, they still had their oaths which bound them.
Contracts, spells, geas, it was an obligation not done through force, but from willingness. The Underworld was home. There was no other place. Just as Heaven was the sanctuary of the Angels and Archangels, the Underworld was the stronghold of the Demons and Devils.
The Underworld's sanctity, should never have had been tarnished.
Thus, was the promise of Seventy-Two.
It was one thing if the Demons of the past were dead, but it was another thing entirely if they had manifested once more. Even if they weren't whole or as they had truly been before, their vows remained even still.
The air began to distort, horrific images of brutality and bloodshed passively pervading the sanity of all the weak-minded.
It was the power of the collective strength that opposed the might of the One God.
Rizevim dared not turn around.
Was the Demon Marbas behind him?
No. It was different from before.
The feeling wasn't the same.
Rizevim could see it at the edge of his vision despite feeling that there wasn't anything there.
The silhouette of Seventy-Two shadows were looming over him.
A jury and a judge.
"Guilty."
A jumbled mesh of voices directly spoke into Rizevim's mind, figures gradually forming and aggregating into a single entity.
The strength of the progenitors of the Underworld was presently held within the power of one and the ten ring rings of the Lesser Keys.
Together, it formed the aura of the strongest Demon.
That which was born from the pact of Solomon in another world.
Bringer of the World's End.
Goetia.
Thanks for reading and sorry for delays! I caught a fever this weekend and it made it difficult to do anything but rest. From here on I'm going to be doing some catch up work for the missed updates to get everything back on schedule
Next Update: Hero and Sword
P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious