Daniel's Dangerous Dynasty

by Justin Daniels

Rating: mature
Tags: Violence, Pinkie Pie, Death, Alternate Universe, Human, Anthro, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Comedy, Other, Sex, Profanity, Adventure
Length: 82033

A series of episodic tales involving a man named Daniel and Mina, a clone of Pinkie that became the Queen of Tartarus. His life is a literal living Hell as he embarks on adventures with Demons, Angels, Monsters, and even Death, himself!

A series of episodic tales involving a man named Daniel and Mina, a clone of Pinkie that became the Queen of Tartarus after being exiled for countless brutal murders, cannibalism, and turning her enemies (and some of her friends' enemies) into knit statues and/or cupcakes and other baked goods!

His life is a literal living Hell as he embarks on daily adventures with Demons, Angels, Monsters, and even Death, himself!

Published 2020-07-09 08:40:00 UTC
Last updated 2020-07-18 03:03:21 UTC

Prologue, Season 1

Mina was an Equestrian Outcast. A murderer. She was the embodiment of evil in the eyes of Equestria... and so, after she was found guilty of numerous gruesome crimes, she was banished to Tartarus, where she would be bound for Eternity...

... this proved to be a costly mistake. She quickly broke free from her chains, defeated Lucifer in a battle, and became the new Queen of Tartarus.

Then, she was found out and defeated by a heroic warrior from Equestria, then teleported to a new plane of existence... Terra. Upon arriving there, she fell far above the skyline, and landed in the middle of a dirt road, late at night. Gravely wounded, she was soon found by a man named Daniel, who owned the house near the dirt road which she landed on.

Now, Daniel wasn't a Knight in Shining Armor, nor was he the strongest man around. However, being a Programmer for a major company, he was definitely among the smarter men of his age. And even though he was no doctor, he at least knew the basics for treating an injured person... even if said person was some sort of anthropomorphic pony.

Once she came to, she was in shock at first, before anger kicked in... not of the man, nor the fact that he treated her wounds, but rather, that she was even forced into the situation to begin with.

She was physically, and emotionally, drained, though, and could do nothing but listen to this feeble human go on about how she should get some rest, or that she should smile a bit, and that she is lucky to even be alive. That, plus he kept giving her the nickname "Mina", when she addressed herself as "Pinkamena".

"Are ALL humans this fucking talkative?! And WHY THE FUCK DOES HE KEEP CALLING ME MINA?! I SWEAR, IF HE NEVER GETS MY NAME RIGHT, I'M JUST GOING TO FUCKING KILL HIM!" she thought to herself.

Then an idea struck. She got closer to him, smiled seductively, then kissed him on the lips. She offered to take him in as her boyfriend, and gain many perks with it. Powerful perks. Things like immortality, power within her "magical kingdom", and the usual perks that come with a girlfriend, while in exchange, he wouldn't worry so much about her while she was over there.

However, he turned her down, much to her shock. She knew that she was quite a looker, as before becoming the Queen of Tartarus, she was able to seduce even the most noble of knights, only to slay them in their sleep!

So, then... why was this human not falling for her? And... why did she feel the urge to take it up as a challenge?

Soon weeks passed. Then a few months. Before she knew it, she was on this dreaded planet for a little over a year, when she finally confessed her reason for being there to begin with. She told him that she was the Queen of Hell (as the Humans called Tartarus), and that she was not worthy to be his friend.

But then, she once again was caught off-guard when he told her that he didn't care what she was. She was a good friend to him, and that she meant so much more than the worlds above and below to him.

Then, her final surprise came upon her... she was the one who became attracted to him!

Eventually she agreed to give him the powers and the deals she promised... even going so far as to allow only him to address her as "Mina"... and yet, she feared for his safety in Hell, as there were too many dangers that no mortal man should ever have to face. And so, she summoned Death to his home, and made him Pinkie Swear that Daniel would be on his "Exempt List", just as Elijah and Enoch did... but also, that he was her soul.

It took very little to convince him, as Death knew of her power, and ~~feared~~ respected her for it. He let her have him, and together, they went to Hell to face off against the warrior who thought he had won the day.

This time, with newfound confidence, and both Death and Daniel by her side, she won the day, and became the Queen of Tartarus once again. Her first rule of thumb... she had it officially given a new name: "Hell".

And so, after their victory, she had to send Daniel home, but gave him a whistle to call Death, who could teleport him back and forth between worlds and planes of existence at will. She then gave his phone an upgrade, allowing him to call her at any time.

And thus, did their adventures of reclaiming Hell came to an end, and Equestria was soon to be taken over with the blood of their heroes, the death of their rulers, and their... wait, what?

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I SHOULD SPARE THEM?!" her voice boomed through The Devil's Castle, as she spoke over the phone with her boyfriend, Daniel.

"... Fine, but YOU OWE ME FOR THIS!" she shouted, before hanging up her phone and placing it on her throne. Glaring at the servants who looked up at her, she sighed, placing a hand over her forehead; her hooves crossed as her left one hung in the air, bucking up and down. Her blood pressure was getting too high at that point.

"Fuck, I need a drink." she finally said, before standing back up and heading towards the cellar, where Lucifer once kept eons' worth of the finest alcohol she ever tasted.

...

I suppose Equestria will live, after all... for now, at least...

Episode 1: "All's Well That Ends in Hell!"

Mina's been feeling bored, lately. And so, she gives Daniel a quick visit. Perhaps it's time they finally went out on a date? Naturally, she'd have to make special preparations in Hell, since Earth isn't quite ready for its Equestrian Neighbors just yet...

It was a long, stressful day of work... but magically, Daniel managed to pull through. He combed his dark brown hair over with his hand as he finished typing in the last bit of code, then submitted it to his boss, who would receive it the next day, and likely bitch and complain about how five or more lines didn't function properly once so-and-so happens, or that he completely broke something on the website... or both.

Regardless, though, it would be Future Daniel's problem. Straightening out the collar of his button-up shirt, he grabbed his laptop and made his way out the door of the office, where he would go to his cheap, run-down rusty car and hop inside, tossing the briefcase in the back seat.

Soon he made it home. The drive there was uneventful, save for a couple red lights and a few speeding cars beside him.

He entered his room, and threw off his button-up shirt, revealing the white t-shirt underneath with the words "IF IT HURTS, IT WORKS!" written on it.

After brushing his teeth and hopping into bed, he was finally ready to sleep the whole weekend away.

It was midnight, and he still couldn't sleep. He groaned, before reaching over on the desk and turning on the light. Upon pulling the switch down, however, he heard a hiss come from the string.

Turning his head, he was met face-to-face with a snake hissing at him, attached to a skull that was piked on the table. More snakes were attached to it, but only the one in his hand was pissed at him, and he quickly jerked his hand away, yelping.

Then the walls began to pulse, like the inner walls of a heart beating, and the doors within the room became shuttered, stitched wounds that leaked blood around the edges.

The one at the foot of his bed began to bleed out the most, as a blade cut in the center of it, and tore downwards to the foot of it. The blade then went back in, and a pair of pink, fuzzy fingers emerged, pulling the cut open.

There, standing on the other side of the now opened wound, was none other than his marefriend, Mina. She was dressed in her favorite attire: a red lacy sleeveless gown and red panties.

Having been raised in a world of furry and fuzzy inhabitants, whose genitalia was covered by both fur and magic, her race were naturally nudists, so wearing revealing clothing was all the more natural-feeling for her.

Daniel seemed completely unfazed by the graphic scenes of horror around him, and smiled brightly at her, while she, in turn, frowned at him with her usual scowl. "Oh! Hey there, hon!"

"I'm bored." she blankly said to him.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well, I've still got my game system, if you want to play a bit!"

She sighed, pinching the gap between her glowing red eyes. "No, dear. I'm bored, but not hopeless."

He frowned at that, looking away and pressing his fingers together. "But... games don't make you hopeless..."

She deadpanned at him again, before approaching his bed. The wound behind her remained open, so long as she was in the room. She also created a trail of pink fleshy muscle matter below her hooves with each step she took.

After becoming the Queen of Hell again, her magic practically corrupted anything nearby at this point, save for one individual, who smiled again as she got closer to him.

She took a seat beside him and groaned. Comforting him was, by far, the least of her concerns on a regular day, but this time she felt it was important. "Look, I'm not implying that hopelessness is bad for you. Being hopeless is just a natural skill of yours that you've... come to master."

"Love you too, hun." he said, causing her to smack him in the back of the head. "Oww! Okay, okay, what did you have in mind?"

"First, you're going to get a shower. Second, you're going to put on something nice. Third, you're going to wait for Death to come pick you up. Finally, we're going on a date!" she said, as if reading straight out of a script.

This made Daniel do a double-take. "Wait, for real? Like, you and me, on a date-date?!"

Her deadpan only intensified. "Yes. Now get going! And don't you DARE wear that shirt, or the one that you went to work in!"

He paused as he was, at the time of her saying that, holding the button-up shirt that he worked in.

"But... this is my only button-up." he whined.

"Well improvise!" she demanded.

He nodded his head and tossed the button-up in the basket. "Alright, alright... how about this one?" he asked, pulling the top shirt out of the dresser. It was similar to his white shirt he wore, but it was a black one with white text that boldly stated "DON'T LOOK AT ME, SHE'S THE BOSS!" on it.

Upon her seeing the shirt's text, however, he sighed in relief when he saw a slight smile form on her lips... something that he rarely got to see, unless he did something really impressive or flattered her... the last of which being a 50-50 of either resulting in said smile, or a pop in the back of the head.

"It'll work." she simply said with a shrug. "And your pants. You can re-wear those."

"Alrighty, then! See you in about an hour, hun!" he said.

She rolled her eyes and stood back up from the bed. "Don't be late." she replied.

Before she left, though, she pulled him towards her lips and kissed him on the cheek. It was enough to at least make him smile like a fool in love, while she deadpanned again and returned to the wound.

Upon crossing the wound, it sealed shut again, and in an instant, the whole room returned to normal...

*HISS*

... except for the lamp, which was still a skull with snake hair.

After sprucing himself up, Daniel was ready with still thirty minutes to spare. He checked his watch, before deciding he would probably do best to go on ahead and wait for her where she knew he would be.

And so, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, skull-shaped whistle. Lifting it up to his lips, he blew on it, and it made no sound at all.

Then he slid it back into his pocket and waited.

It only took a few seconds, and a knock came from his door leading to the closet... the same one that was at the foot of his bed.

He opened the door, and inside stood none other than the Grim Reaper, himself, dressed in a rather unusual attire this time: a tuxedo.

"Well holy shit, Daniel! You already ready and everything?!" Death said, sounding surprised.

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? Couldn't keep the skeleton in my closet for long, could I?"

Death deadpanned at him. "Not funny."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, wanna hang out while we wait for Mina?" he offered Death, who was quick to decline.

"Oh, hell no! Not after what happened last time!" he said, remembering the time they drank a little too much, and ordered pizza. The pizza man was in for quite a start when he saw that Death was the one who got the pizza for them.

They say he is still having nightmares to this day.

Daniel shook his head. "No, no heavy drinking this time. Besides, that's a Friday Evening thing!"

"Friday Evening was just a few hours ago, dude." Death retorted.

"My point exactly! That time's passed! And besides, I'm sure Mina would kill me if I were completely shitfaced during our date tonight." Daniel explained.

Death thought about it for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders. "Eh, what the hell, might as well. Besides, I still have to kick your ass in that fighting game we played!"

"Oh, fuck off! You were still sober when you lost, and you know it!" Daniel taunted.

"I'll finally rest in peace when you rest in pieces, motherfucker! Now game on!" Death challenged.

They were entering the bedroom again when the alarm on Daniel's watch went off. He was ready, and empowered over his recent 5-0 victory in Street Fighter against Death, who was still feeling a bit salty over it.

"Swear that game cheats..." Death muttered, before drawing his scythe from the Void. "Anyways, where to?"

"The Devil's Castle, please. Main Entrance." Daniel requested.

WIth a nod, Death placed the foot of his scythe on the ground, causing the blade to retract into the stick. He then pushed the stick to the side, as if drawing a line with it. Trailing behind the stick was a black rift that stood stiff, like a doorframe, and on the other side of it, Daniel could see the halls of none other than The Devil's Castle.

"After you!" Death said, waving his hand towards the entrance.

Daniel nodded his head and patted him on the shoulder, before entering the portal. Death followed behind him, pulling his stick inside the rift, which closed it almost instantly.

The inside of the castle's Main Entrance was pretty standard, for a place in Hell. Black crystal walls, red carpets that moved like lava (and was, surprisingly, warm to the touch), and numerous portraits of Mina in various poses: each of which bearing her signature scowl and/or frown towards the viewer.

"Ugh. It's about damn time!" Mina said from behind them. Both Death and Daniel jumped at her voice and turned around, while she stood there, tapping her right hoof on the ground; her arms crossed and her face as grumpy as ever. "What the fuck were you both doing for the past thirty minutes?!"

"Uh..." Daniel and Death both began, but she cut them off with a simple raise of a hand.

"You know what? Nevermind. At least you were responsible enough to keep track of the time. But still, if you're ready early next time I'm bored and waiting, I expect you here early! Is that clear?!"

Daniel nodded his head, while Death saluted her. "You got it, boss!" Death said.

"Crystal clear, hun. I'll be faster next time!" Daniel added after Death.

"Good." Mina said, before her expression softened a tiny bit. "Now come along, you two! We need to find a place suitable for Daniel, that isn't complete shit."

As they made their way out of the Main Entrance, and into the Front Court, Death teleported in front of them and whistled. Then, from beneath the surface of the black crystal road, a pitch black limousine rose from the ground, bearing four exhausts that emitted green flames, chain-like skirts, and spikes on each wheel. Its license plate had "D3SPA1R" embedded on it.

He opened the back doors and bowed his head, as Mina entered first and scooted over a bit. Daniel entered next, while Death closed the door behind them. Finally, Death entered the Driver Seat, and shifted the gear, which had a skull emblem on its knob.

Then, they were on their way into Purgatory Road.

Their first stop was a drive-in Movie Theater. It was parked in a large open plateau with lava surrounding it, and floating roads and crevices leading into the plateau from all directions. On the screen, the tortured souls that were given some free time, the Demons, a few Monsters, and even some creatures of Mythology, all parked their cars on each chunk of rock that then started floating over the lava below.

They were all sitting either on or in their cars, and watching the large screen, which was playing a generic horror movie made in some backwater plane of existence. Needless to say, the movie sucked horribly, but Daniel and Mina still got a good laugh at how shitty the piece was, while Death was, secretly, wiping tears from his eye sockets from inside the car.

Despite his reputation, Death actually scared quite easily. Especially in Hell, when his odds were evened out with beings that could perceive him without the need of magical interference... or Death being drunk enough to accidentally radiate his presence to the area around him, like that incident with the pizza man.

After the movie was over, they headed to a few restaurants, which was really, really hard to find for Daniel's and Mina's taste. Despite being Equestrian, Mina was all for eating meat, but she and Daniel preferred their meat cooked carefully, not charred to a burnt husk like most Demons preferred.

Then she decided on a particular place that caught her eye earlier.

"You're shitting me!" Daniel said dumbfounded, as they stood out in the Parking Lot of none other than "The Lost Soul"... a Tavern that's been notoriously horrible for Hell according to the Cosmic Rating Boards... which basically meant they were giving lost souls peace and solace for even the briefest of moments. It was surprisingly empty most of the time, but today was an exception. It was Friday Night not too long ago, which meant sinners were flooding the gates much more than the sleep-deprived souls of a Monday Morning.

Mina shook her head. "Nope. Since every restaurant is shit around Purgatory Road, and I'm too tired to go to The Ninth Circle, I need a drink. And besides that, I sensed that you wanted one earlier, too."

Daniel nodded and chuckled a bit. "Well, yeah. After that shitty bar scene in the movie, I figured it would be nice to go to a real bar and wash that horrible shit out of my mind."

She grabbed him by the arm and practically carried him in. "Well come on, then, dear! You're finally speaking my language for once!"

And so, they went inside for well over an hour.

They were laughing as they sat at the barstools inside the black-wooded building. Daniel was telling another one of his stories about his, his coworkers', and his boss's screw-ups at work, and Mina was too drunk to give a shit. She just enjoyed watching him try to mumble more than a few slurs at a time before falling over onto the counter.

Truth be told, Daniel was quite a strong, hardened drinker. That much was established since she was rescued by him last year. However, no mortal should be able to withstand booze from Hell, itself, so naturally, he would've died at the first drop that touched his tongue... had it not been for Death's Magic keeping him alive and somewhat well enough to stand... for a few seconds, at least.

But Mina was a different story. She was able to down more than eight flagons of Hellish Froth, their strongest, and still only feel a slight buzz. It wasn't until her ninth one, however, when the laughter started... and for the briefest of moments, Daniel could've sworn that he saw her mane and tail curl up and turn a bit puffy... before it straightened out again in an instant.

He then raised his hand to say something, but before he could even muster a word, he leaned just a tiny bit too far back and fell over, where he bumped into a tall minotaur, about twice his size.

"Hey!" the minotaur roared, before looking over at the now fallen Daniel.

Daniel quickly snapped back to reality and stood back up, waving his hands defensively. "Ah, crap dude. I'm... look, I'm so sorry, I-"

The minotaur huffed then shoved him in the chest, sending him toppling onto the counter, where he struggled to catch himself with his arms spread out.

"Looks like I've gotta teach this little fuckboy some man-" the minotaur began, before a pink blur rushed into him, fist connecting directly into his nose.

He reeled back as Mina grabbed his horns and swung around his head, until she was behind him. Then she leaped up and kicked the wall behind them, forcing the minotaur to fall to the ground, pinning his horns into the wooden flooring, and cracking his snout completely.

He yelped in agony, while Mina paid his cries no mind, and leaned closer to him, hoof-to-back-of-head.

"There's fates worse than Death, you know." she whispered to him with a twisted smile on her face.

He whimpered and mumbled, "Y-your Highness! I... I-I had no idea!"

"You're right... you didn't." she said before removing her hoof from his head and backing up a couple steps.

Then she raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. A massive cleaver appeared from the void, and she used it to slice his head clean-off, executioner style. His blood began to pour from his body, and his head made a choking expression, while Daniel looked at it curiously.

"Don't worry. You can't die twice... he's just gonna have a really hard time breathing for the rest of Eternity." Mina said to Daniel.

Daniel nodded his head and rubbed his neck at the sight of the dismembered victim.

"Well, come on!" Mina said, gesturing for Daniel to follow her. Daniel nodded his head and followed her out the door, while the other customers paid the headless minotaur no mind... save for a couple imps, who began picking his pocket for any valuables.

After the bar debacle, Daniel and Mina agreed it was time to call it a day. Once Death drove them back to The Devil's Castle, they stumbled their way into the bedroom.

"So..." Daniel began, as he stood in the bathroom, washing his face. "I guess there's no excuses here, hun. Listen... I'm... I'm sorry that I ruined your day." he began, shaking his head, which was starting to ache a bit, both from the minotaur and from the booze.

Mina sighed. "Daniel." she said, but he continued.

"I should've managed my alcohol better, but I didn't. I guess I just wanted to impress you." he added, wiping his eyes with the water from the sink. It was red, like blood, but he knew it was mostly just an illusion, due to the atmosphere.

...

... at least, he hoped so, seeing how he was too drunk to truly tell.

"Daniel!" Mina said, this time a bit more sternly.

Daniel turned around and was about to say more, but paused when he saw that she was already out of her clothes, and lying seductively on her king-sized bed.

"Quit being a little bitch, and come fuck me already!" she ordered, no, demanded to him. She glared at him, but this one was different... almost like she was pleading with him. She was itching down there, and could already tell that her estrus was upon her. It wasn't due for another week at least, but after her recent rush of blood, it seemed to escalate entirely... that, plus her boyfriend's innocent antics back at the bar didn't help, either.

She was, after all, the apex predator in the room. And a predator in heat, well... once they have their mark, they will go through Hell to get it. And this one, quite literally.

He gulped, and approached her slowly, as if caught in a trance. His eyes were, no doubt, focused a bit lower than her eyes at that point, and he was only able to mutter two words to his beautiful marefriend.

"Y-yes, ma'am."

Author's Note

So begins the newest story to add! This one was a bit of fun to write, and I was determined to stretch my writing juices in an area that wasn't there before.

And thus, I figured, "Why not make a story about Hell and Earth, but set in an alternate MLP Universe?"

Thus, Daniel's Dangerous Dynasty has begun!

And don't worry, I haven't abandoned my other stories. They're just a little more tricky to write with coding classes and family time with my niece thrown into the mix. Next chapters might be shorter in this one, as most of this was to kinda-sorta open the scenes up, and allow y'all a chance to see where this one might be going!

... And for the record, yes. Mina is basically "Cupcakes Pinkie", but from a distant town. This means that Rainbow Dash and the rest of the Main 6 were never harmed... just a few unfortunate side-ponies that were at the wrong place in the wrong time, who will forever remain anonymous for the sake of not crossing someone's boundaries out there.

Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed this little taste of my own personal take on Hell! And no, Daniel isn't a weakling. He's just a sad drunk on occasions. He totally could've taken that Minotaur on... kinda.

Episode 2: "Hangover Blues!"

Daniel is a bit hung over after his date. Perfect time for his boss to call him into work! And so, he quickly gets reminded of one thing that perhaps every working man could relate to... Saturdays freakin' suck!

Daniel snored himself awake and groaned in pain, as he felt the soreness of last night on his throbbing forehead. He heard the alarm ringing, and reached over to it, but paused and looked at the nightstand. Once more, it was back to normal, including the lamp this time... and yet, he found this unsettling, because last he could remember, off the top of his head, he was in Hell.

Then he noticed a note on the other side of his bed. Despite the blurry vision, he smiled and recognized Mina's signature and handwriting on the sheet.

"Aww..." he cooed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "... oh." he then added as a follow-up, as his smile quickly turned into an embarrassed frown when he read the note over.

Hey, hun.

Wanted to let you know why you're back on Earth, and not cuddled with me here in Hell. Well, for starters, you fucking puked all over the bed last night! Then you shat yourself and fell right to sleep into said puke before we could even get to third base! For fuck's sake, man, what did you eat before crossing that portal?! It might take weeks to get this shit off my fur! And don't get me started on how fucking hard it is to smuggle water into fucking HELL of all places! You DO know there's only a select few here with the luxury of having running water, right?!

Anyways, we'll try that again if I'm feeling up for it when Estrus hits me full-circle. But for fuck's sake, you BETTER not bring alcohol!

... Surprisingly, I still don't want to kill you, though.
Mina.

He then noticed the smell in the room, and lifted his blanket. He was still in his pants, and they certainly felt quite squishy around his ass, which was also feeling a hefty rash coming on.

"Oww..." he groaned when he twitched, before he started to slowly rise up from bed. He quickly went to the bathroom to try and freshen himself back up again.

He started by taking his pants off and throwing them in the washer.

Then his phone rang from inside the washer, and he had to hurriedly shut the machine down and grab his phone from it. He was lucky it was at least enchanted with magic, or otherwise it would've been toast.

To his dismay, it was his boss.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Heeey, David!" his boss said, to which he deadpanned at the wall.

"Daniel." he corrected.

"Right, whatever. Anyways, listen, I need you to come into work in an hour!"

"What?! B-but sir, I just-"

"Aah! No excuses, David! Get in here, or you're fired!"

*Click*.

Daniel stood there, as the water continued washing his only pair of work-approved pants that still reeked of manly fecal matter.

He shook his head and groaned, planting his face into his palm. "Well, shit. Can this day get any worse?!"

"You're fired." came the response of his boss, Mr. Noisebane. Mr. Noisebane was a short, stubby, middle-aged man with gray hair and a gray mustache.

He was sitting at his desk when he heard a complaint that one of his employees was working in improper condition... and lo and behold, he saw that it was Daniel, who was wearing a soaked pair of pants, his old shirt from yesterday that he still didn't wash, and he smelled horrible, meaning he wasn't hygienically prepared for this important day.

"Please, Mr. Noisebane, I can explain!" Daniel plead, only to get the door slammed in his face.

Daniel trudged his way to his car with his box of desk supplies in his arms. He was still wet, smelly, disheveled, and his box was getting heavier to carry. Not to mention the migraine was still fresh, and he was nauseated beyond belief.

Then, once he was halfway to his car, rain began to rapidly pour down on him, and his box. The box quickly broke, and his desk supplies fell into the road.

"Oh, come on!" Daniel complained.

Then a Street Sweeper quickly turned from the corner he was at and quickly swept away his supplies. He heard the crunching of his laptop, his case, and the photos of his family, including one with a hidden picture of himself and Mina, during one of their nights of stargazing.

Oddly enough, she actually seemed to find solace in the darkness during those cold nights on her stay on Earth.

"Great... guess I'm being punished." Daniel said, now worried that Mina might've actually put a curse on him in his sleep. He was about to reach and grab his phone to give her a call, when it started to ring.

He then pulled it out of his pocket. A bolt of lightning struck it immediately, causing an explosion where he stood. He flew right into a wall and coughed out some smoke, before looking at his screen again.

It was from an Unknown Caller... a 50-50 it was either Mina or Death. He answered his phone.

"Hello?"

...

"Death? Hey, man! Look, now's really not the time to explain, but can you come over to my place here in about thirty minutes?"

...

"Uh-huh."

...

"Right, thank you bud! See you in a bit!"

He hung up his phone and stood back up, brushing the dust off of his soaked clothes... which only got nasty gray muck to cover his hands and spread all over his jeans, anyways.

"Fuck." he swore with a deadpan. He then looked over at a homeless man who was safe and sound underneath an umbrella. The homeless man looked at him with pity, then shook his head before returning to his nap.

Daniel went to his car and fiddled around his other pocket for his keys. When he pulled the key ring out, it slipped from his fingers and fell down a sewer drain that was, ironically, placed next to his driver side door.

At this point, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He yelled out in anger and kicked his front tire.

The alarm immediately began to ring loudly.

"SERIOUSLY?!"

"FREEZE!" came a man's aggressive voice behind him.

He quickly raised his hands up and turned around, only to find an officer much taller and stronger than him glaring down into his eyes.

Daniel smiled sheepishly.

Daniel was in Prison Cell 3 for about five minutes, when his cellmates began to gather around him. All five of them. And he was looking panicked at this point.

"Heh... well, what have we here? Fresh, new blood!" their ring leader said.

Daniel closed his eyes and shook his head. "Guys... please, don't do this. Please, don't hurt me!"

They chuckled, while the leader pointed at him. "Hear that, guys? Short of five minutes, and already he's begging for his life!"

Daniel shook his head and looked over at them. "No, I'm not begging for my life! I'm begging for yours! You really don't understand!"

"Whoa, hold up! Y'all hear this shit?!" the leader gawked, before their laughter intensified.

"Kick his ass, Erin!" the thug at Daniel's left said.

Erin grinned at Daniel and gripped him by the collar of his shirt.

"No, really guys! If you hurt me, then she will know, and she will be pissed!"

"She?!" Erin said, before raising his hand over his forehead in mock terror.

"Oh, shit guys! His girlfriend's coming! And she's gonna be angry at us!"

"N-no, she'll be angry at me! She'll just kill you guys for fun! I mean it!" Daniel practically begged them.

They only continued to laugh at his warnings, while behind them the cell wall started to pulse and transform into muscle matter. A lighter fleshy door appeared in the center of it, but the inmates paid it no mind... but Daniel did, as his demeanor changed from a quivering mess to a solumn frown. He already knew what was bound to happen at this point. The barrier was crossed, and these guys were, for lack of a better word, completely screwed, now.

"So, one angry chick's gonna show up, get past security, break in this cell, and kill us? Just for fun?! Ooh, God help us!" Erin mocked, before Mina's angry, demonic voice echoed behind them.

"God can't help you now..."

They turned around and quickly dropped Daniel upon seeing Mina standing there, glaring into their souls with her piercing red eyes.

The inmates couldn't believe their eyes, and Erin mouthed silently a well-earned "What the fuck?!"

As she stepped into the room from the opened wound, the floor began to corrupt, turning into the same fleshy surface as the wall. This time, however, the wall began to bulge a pimple out, which split in the center and opened up, revealing a large red eye.

Then the inmates screamed in terror, while the warden of the jail rushed into the hallway, and stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing the carnage taking place inside Cell 3.

She looked at the warden and smiled wickedly at him, flashing her white teeth through the shadows that covered her upper face.

"Hello, Warden... if I were you, I wouldn't get involved."

The warden didn't hesitate at this sight. He drew his pistol and raised it up... but his finger was far from the trigger. He quickly ejected his ammo magazine and pulled the chambered bullet out, then dropped his gun and held his hands up in defeat.

"Good boy." she said, before turning towards the inmates who, at this point, managed to arm themselves with small makeshift shanks, shivs, and clubs.

She rolled her eyes and snapped her finger. They lost all color to their eyes, and blood dripped out of their noses. They fell to the ground, save for Daniel, who was just standing there smiling nervously at his still-pissed girlfriend.

She then glared even more fiercely at him, which made him lose his smile.

"What... happened?!" she demanded for an answer.

He raised a finger to answer casually, but lost all composure the moment she slammed her hoof down on one of the dead inmates' heads, cracking his skull open, and sending brain matter across the floor.

"W-well... I kinda lost my job today..."

"WHAT?!" she roared, before growling. "Ugh! Why the fuck did they fire you, then send you to a prison?! I know you, Daniel. You're too soft to be like me, and that's why I fell for you to begin with. No, you must've been set up!"

"It's... a bit more complicated than that." he added.

Then he told her everything that transpired throughout the day. How he was met with one unfortunate event after another. It almost seemed like he was cursed. Naturally, he voided that part where he thought she might've done something, seeing how she was apparently just as confused as he was.

Finally, after coming to a conclusion of his tale, she pinched the bridge between her eyes and sighed. "Fine, then... I'll look through Hell and see if one of those drinks you had was spiked with a Misfortune Curse. Those can be easy to fix, and I know someone in Equestria who might be able to help."

He sighed in relief, before she gripped him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer to her. "But Daniel?"

"Y-yes, hun?" he gulped.

"I vowed to protect you. That means I would never curse you, even if you pissed me off to the point of begging for the gods' help. And so, don't you ever think like that again, no matter how shitty your day is! And even if you did, don't you dare try to hide it from me again! Understood?!"

He quickly nodded his head, and that was enough for her to release him from her grasp.

"Good." she said, before pulling him in for a kiss on the cheek. He smiled and rubbed the cheek she kissed while she, in turn, walked over to the Warden.

The cell door opened itself up, and the warden fell to his knees.

"Want to live?" she asked.

He nodded his head and gulped, sweating profusely.

"Then escort us to the exit. I want to make sure he's safely brought back home, and cleared of all charges. Understood?"

He nodded again and hurried back up to his feet. Then the warden lead them over to the nearest officer on a computer.

"Okay, Mr. Daniel Banks. You're cleared of all charges. So, uh... Miss Pinkamena?" the officer on the computer looked at Mina.

"Yes?" she asked her.

The officer looked at the computer and frowned. "C-can you please tell my computer not to try eating my arms, now?"

The computer monitor opened its screen up, and fangs of glass shards snapped at her, but the cord keeping it plugged in was turned into a chain that was attached to the wall.

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "Not my problem. But don't worry, it's only temporary. Once I leave, it might go away... if you're lucky."

Without paying the worried officers in the room any mind, she dragged Daniel out of the Police Department and into freedom again.

"So, uh, Mina?" Daniel began, as the two of them sat in the back of an all-too-familiar limo.

"What?" she responded, still a bit grumpy.

"How, uh... did you find out I was in trouble?"

She rolled her eyes before slipping on a pair of earbuds. She wasn't in the mood for talking. Daniel was about to inquire a bit more about it, until he noticed a bottle of pills next to her seat between them... painkillers.

"Oh... so you too, huh?" he asked.

She sighed, nodding her head. "Yeah..."

They were about halfway to his house when she finally spoke up.

"I had Death dig around. He found out that you were not at work, so I called. You didn't answer, so I tracked you down using my senses."

"Pinkie Sense?"

"Yeah... Pinkie Sense. Look, I had a stressful day, alright? Just... let's just enjoy the silence."

He nodded his head and looked down at the floorboard. He was wanting to add something to the conversation, but he feared that now wasn't the best time. Truth be told, he was feeling a lot of regrets over his drunken stupor.

Thankfully, though, Mina was already aware, and spoke a bit more.

"By the way, don't blame yourself over last night. Honestly, it was probably for the best."

"W-what?"

"I'm not repeating myself." she said, glaring slightly at him. "Anyways, just forget about it. It wasn't really that bad of a mess, and it's been cleaned up in less than a minute. Don't forget, I have Lucifer's magic. He was... surprisingly good at cleaning, actually."

"But-"

"And no, you couldn't have done better. You did your best to impress, and it was cute, but not necessary. You pushed yourself for my sake, but you were also just following orders. And that's why it was also my mess to clean up, not physically, but mentally."

"..."

"And no, you didn't blow your chances at me. In fact, I have a proposal."

"... Y-yes, hun?"

She looked him in the eyes, no longer glaring, but looking casually at him. "How about we try that again when we get home?"

"W-what?!"

"You heard me." she deadpanned. "Or do I have to spell it out for you?"

"Uh..."

She rolled her eyes and pulled him closer to her, where his ear was just inches from her mouth.

"Sex. You and me."

The car stopped, and they were back at his house. They entered quickly, and she dragged him by his hand into his bedroom.

Daniel opened his eyes and yawned, as the alarm clock woke him up from his sleep. He reached to turn it off, only for it to hiss at him. Turning around, he saw that it had eyes, and it was staring back at him with a slight glare, as his finger was on where its nose would've been.

"Oh! S-sorry..." he stuttered.

It growled at him before closing its eyes again.

"That was... odd." he said, before placing his hand down, only to feel a soft leg beneath the covers. He turned to his left, and saw none other than Mina sleeping next to him.

Then it occurred to him. He was shirtless, pantsless, and actually cleaned up, while Mina was in his bed.

"S-so it was real..." he mumbled.

Her ear twitched as a response. This made him smile, as he lied back down and cuddled with her.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked back at him, before sighing and closing them again. She brought her hand up to his, and together, they fell back asleep. The day was awful, but at least it got better in the end for both of them...

... and though she'd never admit it to him, he actually lasted much, much longer than she did in bed. She came six times by the time he finished. And this, at least, made her content.

Maybe Estrus won't be as much of a problem with him around.

One Week Later...

Having become a freelance programmer overnight, Daniel quickly became the talk of the town, since their previous company shut down after their boss's mysterious disappearance. It was almost like someone cast a miracle spell on him, and cursed his former boss with the same misfortune... a hint he received from his loving girlfriend that following Sunday morning.

And now, one week has passed, and he got yet another ten thousand dollar check from a well-paying client.

He smiled brightly as he turned the check into his bank account, while driving his own personalized vehicle... a red sports car with skull-like rims on the wheels, fancy skirts, and four exhausts that shot a flame out every now and again.

Life was, actually, going very good for him. He looked towards his passenger seat, where a black box rested. Within said box, of course, was the ring he had special-made for someone very dear to him.

Then his phone began to ring, and he looked at the caller. "Unknown Caller".

"And speak of the Devil!" he jested, before clicking on the green phone icon. "Hello?" he answered.

...

"Oh, hey Mina! How was your day?"

...

"... Wait, hold on. You're what, now?!"

Episode 3: "Unholy Matrimony!"

"No." Mina said plainly as she sat on the couch in her living room. A massive television hung on the wall across from her, and the channels were being flipped constantly, showing numerous news reports in several different worlds. Plenty of chaos going around... her old pal Discord would be proud.

...

"Again, no. I'm not doing it." she deadpanned at the phone on her ear. Ever since she announced the news of her pregnancy to Daniel, he was literally hell-bent on marrying her to make things right. This was his third attempt this week.

...

"Look, Daniel. I appreciate the gesture. Really, I do. And you know my heart literally only goes for you, now. But for fuck's sake, didn't you know that marriage is something that can't just simply be done for, y'know, the Queen of Hell?!"

...

She sighed, pinching the bridge between her eyes. "Again, that's not the point. Marriage is more than just some lovey-dovey ceremony. It's also a sacred spiritual pact that must be approved by a god... you know, the ones who kinda hate us the most?"

...

"Because it would just be empty words, and nothing more! Isn't our upcoming child enough proof that we're more than just friends, now?!"

...

"Invent our own kind of wedding?! Why do you think ANYONE in Hell would want to attend a wedding, anyways?!"

"U-umm... Your Highness?"

"Ugh, hold on a second." Mina said, before turning to face the little imp servant that interrupted her important phone call. "What?"

The imp bashfully held his hands together behind his back and shyly brushed the carpet with his cloven toes. "I-if it means anything, uh... I've never actually seen a wedding before... a-and I would be honored to see one for the first time!"

She rolled her eyes and was about to just decline, when her senses picked up a presence behind the doors that lead to the Servant's Quarters. "For the love of, JUST COME IN!"

Several more imps, including a few bulky demon butlers, all piled in upon hearing their master's shouting, and each carried a bashful smile that practically plead for her to allow them this extremely rare, if not unheard of ceremony in Hell.

Then she rolled her eyes and sighed, tapping the arm of the couch with her fingers in thought.

A strand of hair from her mane fell over her eyes, and she blew it out of the way, deadpanning at the building crowd of demons and imps that would like to attend her wedding.

Finally, she brought her phone back up to her ear and said, "Fine. But you do all the arrangements! And so help me, if it's too sappy or fucking stupid and pointless, then I will end it abruptly! Understood?!"

She didn't even give him time to reply when she hung up the phone.

Then it rung again.

"WHAT?!" she shouted, only to pause for a moment and sigh.

"Oh... the cake? Jalapeno Red Velvet."

...

"DON'T FUCKING JUDGE ME! IT TASTES GOOD ONCE YOU GET PAST THE HEAT, YOU FUCKING WEAKLING!"

She hung up again, now a bit more pissed.

"Your Highness, your Chocolate Milk has arrived." one of the demon waiters said.

She took the glass from him and began to drink. Then she reached into a bowl next to her, which contained extra extra buttery popcorn, and ate a few handfuls of it at a time.

"Damn, this shit's boring." she said. At this point, there was a rather large crowd of servants in the living room, who gathered around the couch, but remained ducked low to allow their master her TV.

She looked over at them, who seemed to be looking at her like puppies begging for a treat, and rolled her eyes. "Yes, you're all allowed to attend, now GIVE ME SOME FUCKING SPACE!"

Immediately they were all happy, and hurriedly rushed out of the living room to prepare for the big day.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Daniel was probably the happiest man alive.

Daniel was an absolute train-wreck. He was pacing back and forth in front of his couch, while Death was sitting there, staring at the TV, and watching a cheesy Soap Opera.

"Man, you've got to relax." Death told Daniel. Daniel, on the other hand, did the exact opposite, and sat down next to Death.

"Relax?! Dude, I didn't even think this through all the way! I honestly didn't even expect her to accept! Now I don't even have the slightest clue where to start!"

Death shrugged his shoulders. "Google, my friend."

"Google isn't the answer to everything, Death!"

Death chuckled. "Answers my questions pretty well."

"Alright, then. What is the meaning of life?" Daniel asked.

"42." Death replied quickly.

"That... doesn't even make sense, dude!" Daniel said.

"42, man. It's the answer to everything! Number of the beast looks like three sevens, but translated as three sixes, making it both the number of COMPLETION and DESTRUCTION simultaneously, which gives it 2 meanings, one for good and evil. Anyways, add the three sevens together, and you get 21. Multiply it by two, one for the good, and one for the evil, and it equals 42. Plain and simple. 42 is everything. Didn't even HAVE to look it up!"

Daniel just stared at Death confusedly, before shaking his head. "Alright, I stand corrected. It doesn't make sense, and now I have a headache for trying to understand that shit."

Then Daniel went back to panicking. "Oh, shit... oh, SHIT! This is bad!"

Death deadpanned at him. "Alright, fine, I'll bite. Why is this so difficult? I mean, look, I'm sure that cake isn't as bad as you say it is! And the preparations won't be a one-man job. Just hire some of the staff, they'll likely be DYING to help!"

"First off, you don't even have taste buds!"

"Eh, that's fair."

"And second off, it's not just about preparations. Something else just crossed my mind!"

"Oh? And what would that be, exactly?"

"I..." he gulped. "I have to tell my parents."

Death just stared at him for a bit longer, before looking at an imaginary watch. "Well, would you look at the time? I guess I better get going, now!"

"Death. Let me look at their hourglasses." Daniel said.

"What?! What hourglasses? I don't have any-"

"Death..." Daniel said with a deadpan.

Death sighed, then reached into the void, drawing out two hourglasses: one with the name James on it, and the other with Elanor on it. They both have the words "1 Day" on the top halves of the glasses.

"Great. My fiance is going to kill them!" Daniel said in a panicked tone.

Death waves a reassuring hand at him. "Now, now! I'm sure it's not that bad!"

"Death, cast a spell on the glass, please. Tell it, 'What if Mina doesn't show up at their home?' for me, please."

Death sighs, before doing as requested. He then rotates them around, and through his magic, the sand pours down quickly, but slows once it's at the present time. It shows "42 years" for them both, with a slight difference leaning towards his mom's side.

"Yep. Called it. My fiance is going to kill them!"

"Unless you can convince her not to, man." Death says.

Daniel places his hands over his face. "It's not just that, Death. You see... there's one huge thing that makes this so much more complicated!"

"Seriously, dude. The suspicion thing is getting old. Just spit it out!"

Daniel took a deep breath, before explaining. "Okay, fine! You see..."

A day passed, and Sunday Morning was upon the town of Diamond Peak. A large crowd gathered inside a sacred church, while a man with gray hair, dressed in a black suit, preached upon the crowd.

"And then it says, 'Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the Earth! Blessed are the Merciful, for they shall obtain Mercy!'" The preacher, however, paused upon seeing the church doors open up, and Daniel entering the Sanctuary. "And..."

The preacher paused a bit more than he intended, which caused a few heads to turn towards Daniel, who gave a sheepish smile and wave at them, before taking a seat in the back row.

Then the preacher continued the final verse for the day, looking directly at Daniel the entire time. "Blessed are the Pure in Heart... for they shall see God!"

And the church said, "Amen!"

Daniel continued to sit there, while the crowd left, giving their approval and words to the preacher, before finally, the crowd dispersed. Daniel then stood back up and approached his father slowly.

The preacher looked at him and smiled slowly, while he, in turn, smiled back at him.

"... Hey, Dad."

Daniel found himself sitting in the passenger seat of Father James's, car. It was a long, silent trip to his parents' home, and he felt awkward, given the situation.

After all, it's totally going to be easy to earn the blessing of a devout preacher to marry off his own son to the Queen of Hell, right?

... Sarcasm aside, he took a deep breath and looked over at James.

"So, Dad... you're probably wondering why I showed up out of the blue." he said.

James nodded his head. "I am... not that I'm unhappy to see you, of course. It's just... unexpected, after what happened last time."

"I know, Dad, and I'm sorry. I've learned that she was a b... just an absolutely horrible person, and came past that breakup years ago." Daniel said, recalling the breakup with his Highschool Sweetheart before he met Mina. Truth be told, though, she was the reason why he became a Hardened Drinker beforehand, and it led to a horrible fight between he and his father, that might've resulted in him moving out on his own.

Now, though, he felt guilty for putting his parents behind him. It's been five years, now, since that incident... and two years since he's met Mina. Not once has he mentioned her to them... so this would be both, a shock that he found someone else, and a shock on who said someone else is. Naturally, he was very, very tempted to just pretend he was only there to apologize, but he already made arrangements.

He told Death to let Mina know what was going on, and that he would like her to show up when he calls her, on account that she Pinkie Swear to spare his parents. Luckily, she accepted, and the sands shifted to their higher times, though a year shorter... possibly because of the massive load of stress coming up soon.

James patted him on the shoulder. "Son... you walked a dark path... but I, too, fell that day. And I felt like I had failed you. You... you know I... I love you, son. Your mother and I both love you, with all our hearts."

Daniel smiled and looked over at him. "Thank you, Dad. I, uh... I'm guessing you both'd go through Hell for me, wouldn't you?"

"Absolutely." James said, unknowing of the weight of his own words.

"That's... that's good, Dad. Because there's something big I need to ask both you and Mom."

"Of course, Daniel. I know these things are hard to tell us, but know that we will be as open-minded as we can be. But of course, I will restrain from asking you what it is until we're home." James said.

He then turned on the radio. It started playing some classic Christian Music, and James began bobbing his head with the tune, singing along with teary eyes.

"Praise you, God. Our son has come home."

Daniel sighed and leaned against the door, quietly mumbling to himself. "Yeah, this was a terrible mistake."

"DANIEL! OH, PRAISE THE LORD, YOU HAVE COME HOME!" his mom practically cried upon their arrival. She rushed over to greet him with a big, warm hug, as they stood inside the living room entrance.

She then released him and looked between both men of her life. "Oh, my goodness! You both must be hungry! Why, I've got just the thing for you both... Spaghetti with Meatballs! Oh, and Daniel, we also have your favorite Garlic Bread! Mmmmm!"

Daniel was practically blushing at his mom's warm greetings. Out of both parents, she has always been his favorite... but he'd never tell his dad, of course.

"Thanks, Mom, it's good to see you, too. Umm... but actually, I would like to make an announcement before we start eating."

James nodded his head. "That's right, Elanor. Daniel here would like to tell us something. Something big that's been bothering him."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Wait... how'd you know it was bothering me, Dad?"

He chuckled. "Ha! Oh, my boy, you were troubled the whole trip up here! But really, son, it's alright! Tell 'em, Elanor!"

Elanor nodded her head and smiled warmly at him. "Yes, Daniel. You can tell us anything! It won't bother us at all, and I promise, we'll still love you, no matter what!"

Daniel nodded his head, but wanted to make a quick confirmation. "... You'd even go through Hell for me, wouldn't you, Mom?"

She nodded her head quickly, and replied, "Of course, Daniel! I'd go through Hell a thousand times for you! And you know it!"

He lightly chuckled at that, while his parents smiled warmly at him, with James wrapping his left arm lovingly behind Elanor, as they both waited for the announcement in anticipation.

"Well, uh... you both have no idea of the weight those words mean on me..." Daniel began, and they both nodded their heads at him.

Then he took a deep breath. "Okay, so... the thing is... I met this girl."

His parents gasped.

"And... w-well... it was a bit of a rocky start, but eventually, we... kinda-sorta fell in love."

James raised his free hand to stop him. "It's not that Darla girl again, is it?"

Daniel shook his head and chuckled. "No, Sir. It's... someone else, this time."

"Oh, thank God." they both said.

"Yeah, I doubt if you'll be thanking him for long." Daniel thought, as he continued.

"Anyways, so... it gets better."

James's mouth dropped open. "Daniel, are... are you telling us that you..."

Daniel nodded his head and smiled weakly. "Y-Yes, Dad. I... I asked her to marry me."

They both threw their arms up and cheered for their son, and took a step forward to wrap their arms around him, but before they could take another step, Daniel raised a hand and stopped them.

They paused, then corrected their posture, as James motioned for him to continue. "Right, sorry, son. You weren't done, yet, were you?"

"Yeah, there's actually a bit more."

"Well please, Daniel, don't keep us in suspense! What else do you need to tell us?" Elanor practically plead for an answer.

"I... uh... w-well..." he took a deep breath, then closed his eyes. "I know it's too late for me, but if you're still listening to me, then... please, at least grant them peace through the news."

"Well?" James asked.

Daniel opened his eyes and frowned, which didn't go unnoticed by his parents. "I know what you're both thinking. That this is a Blessing of God. I, uh... would like to start by saying that that statement is... far from true."

Then his parents' smiles began to falter.

"In fact... it's... kinda the opposite, really."

Silence filled the whole house. His parents started to grow more concerned for their son, and Elanor raised a hand to cover her mouth in shock.

James looked at him a lot more sternly... like the father he once knew. But he sensed it. He wasn't angry at him. Just... concerned, and now completely using his Paternal Instincts to protect his son.

"Daniel... is she hurting you?" Elanor asked, while James pitched in.

"Daniel... be honest with us. Did she do something terrible to you, my son?"

"No, Mom, no, Dad! Gosh, she's been the most wonderful person in my life! And... a-and that's what makes this so difficult for me to explain!"

Then his parents sighed in relief, before a slightly weaker smile returned on their faces. James walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Daniel... it's okay. You can be honest with us. I promise, I won't be mad at you. In fact... I absolutely will not judge you, either, no matter what sin it is you've got hiding behind us."

Elanor approached Daniel as well and wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug.

"That goes for me as well, Daniel... we're your parents. We love you... we always will love you, no matter who you decide to love!"

Daniel then looked at them confusedly. "Wait... what?"

James shook his head and looked him in the eye. "Again, Daniel. You can be honest with us. If God can love a murderer, surely he can love you as well. I know it."

"Wait, Dad... Mom... are you thinking that..."

His mom only confirmed his fears.

"Daniel... you can be honest, now. Is she actually a man?"

He was silent for a moment, before he started to smirk... then he burst out laughing.

His parents released him from their grasps and weakly smiled at him, wrapping arms around each other, instead, as they let their son get the sudden burst of laughter out of his system.

Then he raised a hand up before they could get any more wrong ideas, and said, "N-no, guys! She- HAHAHA! She... s-sorry, I just... I just... no! Absolutely not, guys! She's definitely a girl!"

Then his parents looked confusedly at each other, then at him. James then asked, "Oh... then, uh... is she an older woman?"

Elanor pitched in, "W-with gray hair, perhaps?"

This only made Daniel laugh even more, shaking his head rapidly. "O-ho-ho, definitely not that, either!"

Then his parents frowned a bit, while Elanor plead, "Please, Daniel... just tell us! Why is this so difficult for you? What part of it would we not understand?"

Then Daniel started to calm his breathing. He took a few deep breaths, before finally regaining his composure.

"Okay, okay... I... well, obviously, you both won't believe me at first." he said, frowning slightly as the reality kicked back in.

"Son... we told you we'd keep an open mind." James said to his son, once more placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, but... I know it won't be as open as you think." Daniel added, which made his dad tilt his head confusedly. "Okay... you want the absolute, Hand-On-The-Bible Truth?"

"Please, son... I'm begging you, now... just let it all out." James said.

Daniel had to take another few elongated breaths, and closed his eyes. "Well... here goes nothing."

He then opened his eyes and confessed to them.

"... I'm getting married to the Queen of Hell." he said in as serious of a face as he can muster up.

The silence in the room was so strong, one could almost hear a pin falling from a mile away.

Then his parents started to chuckle lightly, albeit out of unease.

"Son-" James began, but Daniel shook his head.

"No, Dad. I'm serious. I'm marrying the Queen of Hell. The Devil Incarnate. The one who lives within the Realm of Fire and Brimstone."

"Daniel, that's enough. My Lord, how can you say such a thing about this girl, and you haven't even married her, yet? Have you no shame?!" James said, now starting to feel a bit more agitated, not just on the buildup, but the entire mockery of what all he believed in. "And last I checked, Hell doesn't even have a Queen!"

"Listen, Dad. It's... you know what, it's probably better if I just introduced her to you both, instead of this." Daniel said, also feeling a bit annoyed.

James nodded his head. "Yeah! And with God as my witness, you will give her an absolutely well-deserved apology for saying such horrible things about her, while you're at it!"

Then James began to storm off, until Daniel raised a hand up to stop him. "Wait, Dad! Stay in here, please!"

James turned around and glared at Daniel. "Why, so I can listen to you speak so lowly about your fiance?! Forget it! I need to go say a long, long prayer so that God may forgive you for speaking such blasphemy, and terrible words about one of his beloved daughters!"

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose, before finally glaring back at his dad. "You know what, then? Fine. She's actually close by, now. I guess you'll just miss the chance to greet her warmly into this house!"

This got James's attention. He crossed his arms and raised his nose up in the air in an aggressive stance. At this time, Elanor was covering her mouth with both hands, looking back and forth between them, and silently praying that they not get in yet another fight like last time.

"Guys, please stop! C-can we just settle this peacefully for once?!" she begged.

Daniel looked at her with sorrow. "Yes, ma'am, Mom. I'll call her in now, and then we'll both explain everything... together."

James then nodded his head slowly. "Call her, then."

Daniel nodded back at him before pulling his phone out of his pocket and calling Mina.

...

"Hey, Mina. It's... it's time."

They both looked at each other briefly, before looking back at their son.

"Yes- I mean, no! I mean... well... they're as ready as they can possibly be at this point."

James leaned forward and called out, "Yeah, but a little upset about some choice words he said about you!"

Daniel deadpanned at his dad, who only smirked back at him in response.

Then Daniel sighed and said, "Anyways, so can you swing by the Front Door, please? We're all gathered in the Living Room now."

...

"Uh-huh... thanks, hon. Oh, and please, please don't forget about the promise."

...

"No, I don't take you for an idiot. I just... Idunno, I'm just a bit nervous, that's all. I mean, this is my parents we're talking about here."

...

"Right, I'm sorry. Touchy subject... no, I know you didn't have parents."

This made Elanor gasp.

"Oh, you poor dear! Please, come on inside! We're happy to have you as our guest!"

"Son... there better be a damn good reason why you said such things about her just now." James swore... a rare thing, for sure. Daniel knew that he was now on very, very thin ice with his dad, as the last time he swore at him, it was during that horrible fight they had years back.

"Alright... love you too, hon. See you in just a bit." Daniel said, before hanging up and turning around, facing the front door.

Elanor quickly hurried towards the door, only for Daniel to stop her quickly.

"No, Mom. You don't want to get too close. Not... not yet, at least."

"Why not? Daniel, I have to go greet her, at least! We need to be hospitable!"

"Mom, listen, she-"

"And plus, the door is locked! Can't we at least unlock it for her?!"

"That doesn't matter, Mom." Daniel replied, only for James to slam his foot on the ground, causing all eyes to focus on him.

He raised his finger up sternly at Daniel and pointed angrily at him. "Alright, that's it! No son of mine is going to waltz into this house, and... and..."

But soon, Jame's eyes drifted over towards the door, and his jaw dropped open widely. Elanor stared at him confusedly, while Daniel smiled, knowing fully well what his dad was witnessing.

Elanor turned around and just stared blankly at the scene before her, while Daniel turned around, keeping his "I-Told-You-So" Smile on.

Once again, the walls around the house have turned into fleshy, Hellish, pulsing muscles, and the door was a brighter tone. The blade was already stabbed into the door, and tore a wound down to the ground level, then vanished behind it.

Mina then opened the wound up and stepped into the room, turning the bit of flooring below her into exposed muscle as well.

Her piercing red eyes were closed upon entering, but when she opened them, they first laid eyes on Elanor.

Everyone was silent at that point, until Mina raised her hands up towards Elanor. Mina began to weakly smile at the shocked human woman, before she finally leaned forward. and wiggled her fingers.

"... Boo." Mina simply said.

Elanor fainted at that point, falling backwards and landing on the soft carpet, with a fleshy pillow that was conjured up behind her head for safety.

Daniel planted his face in his palm, while Mina started to laugh hysterically. She didn't really expect to have this much fun at the start, and seeing such chaos before her brought a single, solitary tear to her eye.

Then she turned her attention to James, who was so dumbfounded at her presence, that he forgot his finger was still pointing, albeit now at her instead of Daniel. She smiled wickedly at him, which made him reel back a few steps.

"So let me ask you, James... when you said my fiance had some choice words about me, I have to ask... were they at least fitting for the Queen of Hell?" she asked, blinking rapidly at him with her Cheshire grin held strong.

James closed his mouth and opened it again, but only mumbles came out.

Mina then looked at his hand and deadpanned. "You know, when you point at someone, three fingers usually point back at you, right?" She then shrugged her shoulders. "Unless, you know, you were an Amputee, of course. Like, say, someone rude enough to point at their guests?" She placed her hands on her hips and leaned towards him with annoyance now on her expression, and within her tone.

James quickly dropped his hand down and backed into a counter separating the Kitchen from the Living Room... it almost looked like he was reaching for something, but Mina paid it no mind, as she turned towards Daniel and she weakly smiled at him.

"Hey, hon!" he told her with a casual wave.

She waved back at him. "Hey, dear."

Then she crossed her arms together. "You know, I didn't think your family would be this much fu-" she began, before a large splash of water went up into her face... Holy Water, to be exact.

She slowly turned towards James, who was holding a now empty bucket in his hands, and staring at her like a fish out of water.

She deadpanned at him for a few seconds, as the contents fell onto the floor, which simmered with each drip, before she turned away from everyone and spat some of the contents out of her mouth. Then she looked at James again.

"Being the Queen of Hell doesn't make me a Demon, you know."

James backed up several paces, then turned towards Daniel, who looked at him as well with an amused smirk.

"Son... get the hell away from that thing!" James ordered.

Daniel shook his head and crossed his arms. "No, Dad. You said you'd have an open mind about this."

"Son! I'm not in the mood to repeat myself! Now, GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THAT CREATURE!"

Rather than listen to his dad, however, Daniel walked even closer to Mina and wrapped his arm around her. She looked up into Daniel's eyes, and felt an inner sense of pride and comfort when she saw, and sensed, his determination to stand by her side, even against his own parents.

"Dad. What good is a man's worth if he can't stand true to his own words?"

James quickly glared at Mina, then reached behind the Counter and pulled out a Kitchen Knife. He pointed it at her and threatened, "What did you do to my son, you monster?!"

"DAD!" Daniel shouted, pointing at his father angrily. "DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

"Don't worry, son. I'm gonna break you out of that spell!"

Daniel quickly turned to Mina and begged, "Mina, please don't hurt him. I swear, he's just-"

Mina raised a finger up to his lips and silenced him. Then she replied, "I know, Daniel. I gave you my word, and I meant it. Besides, I'm actually kinda entertained by this!"

Daniel sighed, shaking his head. "Hon, please... I know it's fun to you, but they're... they're afraid, and this is causing them enough stress to kill them in the long run."

Mina sighed, before shrugging her shoulders. "Fine, then. James... you can put the knife away. I'm not here to hurt any of you, nor will I even try to, even if you tried to hurt me."

"As if I'm going to believe the words of the Devil, himself!" James threatened. "I can see the deceit within your eyes! I know you're actually Lucifer, himself, here to taint this home with your foul magic! And by the Grace of God, I will-"

Mina rolled her eyes. "Oh, bla bla bla. Look, if it makes you feel any better, I killed Lucifer, and took the crown as a result."

"As if I'd buy that load of crap, as well!" James shouted at her.

"Jeez. You know what, Old Timer? 'Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.' Fuck, I'm the Devil, and I understand your god more than you do!"

James gritted his teeth. "The Devil spoke Scripture to Jesus Christ when he was tempting him... it shall not work on me!"

"Shall? You know words like that aren't of this Century. I should know. I read it all out of boredom during my stay here last year!"

James bowed his head and began to pray for strength, while Mina just rolled her eyes and let him finish.

Then he opened his eyes and placed the knife on the counter. "Alright, then... answer me this. Why are you after my son? What good does this family have of you, other than to torture and kill us?!"

Mina giggled, before giving him her Cheshire smile again. "Oh, James..."

Then the entire room was instantly engulfed in the flesh and bloodied walls, floor, and ceiling. Numerous fires started to surround James, and he quickly recoiled in shock.

"If I wanted to kill you, I would've just done so already. If I wanted anything from you, I could just have taken it from you. And yet, I didn't take your son from you... no, he took me from myself, and I agreed to marry him for his benefits. Not mine. Personally, I don't give a fuck about weddings, and lovey-dovey bullshit, but for him, and my subjects, I gave it the benefit of a doubt. And so, your son's and my wedding is on, with or without you!

"Now, you have two options! Either you give us your blessing, and keep to your word that you'll go through Hell to see him happy, or we have the wedding without you or your wife, and your son loses any and all shreds of trust he has left in you for letting him down, and not being there for the happiest moment of his life!"

After getting her point across, Mina snapped her fingers, and the house went back to normal, save for the door and a small circular area surrounding her.

James was shaken at this point. He was very, very conflicted. He wanted his son to be happy, but he couldn't bring it to himself to let that happiness be towards... well... the Devil, Lucifer or not.

Elanor groaned and slowly opened her eyes. She had missed out on essentially everything, but when she looked at Mina, her panic soon returned.

Mina looked at her with a deadpan. "You know, your choice of husband is... kinda terrible, actually. Dude only made one good choice in his life, and that's to have Daniel with you."

Elanor looked at Daniel, who was still holding Mina's back in his arm, then slowly brought herself back up to her feet. She then slowly, shakily, approached them.

James held a hand out. "Elanor, NO!"

But instead of listen to her husband, she reached out and gently touched Mina's face.

Mina raised a confused eyebrow, while Elanor looked into her eyes. "Uh... I mean, sure I can swing both ways, but I don't think your son would like that."

Elanor paid her jest no mind, however, and shook her head. "No... you aren't the same Devil we read about... you truly love our son, don't you?"

Mina blinked at that. Then, for the first time in her stay there, she sincerely smiled at her and nodded her head. "Yes... I really do love him. It's... it's not something I normally say to just anyone, either."

Elanor nodded her head then moved over towards her son. She placed her hands on his cheeks and looked closely at him.

"D... Daniel?" she asked.

Daniel weakly smiled back at her, and replied, "Yes, Mom?"

She just stared at his eyes for a bit more longer, before shaking her head. "No malice... no tricks. No... you really are Daniel."

"Yes, Mom... it's really me." he replied with a confused smirk. "What, are you suddenly some kind of Mind Reader?"

She chuckled, before gently bopping him on the forehead with her palm. "Oh, you're definitely him, alright... and you're still in control of yourself?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She was silent for a moment longer, before she decided to back away from them, and turned to James.

"James... we have to see it through."

James gawked at her. "Are... ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKIN' MIND, WOMAN?!"

She slapped him across the face immedately, and glared at him. "No, but you are! You've just been so lost in your own selfish desires, that you didn't think about your own son!"

Mina whispered to Daniel, "You know... I think I'm starting to like your Mom. Almost feel bad for scaring her first... almost, at least."

Daniel chuckled at her as he saw his parents have a slight, one-sided argument.

"But the Bible says-"

"AND LOOK AT THE FACTS FOR ONCE! Yes, we are God's children, but his feud was with Lucifer! NOT this poor young lady, uh..." she looked back over her shoulder.

"Pinkamena." Mina said, which won her an appreciative nod.

"Pinkamena, of whom has done nothing to threaten us!"

Her eyes then started to water.

"In fact... the only one who appears to have been a threat here is you!" she shouted, slapping James in the chest.

He looked at her confused. "Me?!"

"Yes, you! I know that knife wasn't on that counter before!" she said, pointing at said knife.

James sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm just trying to protect you... both of you... from this... this..."

Mina raised a hand up. "Equestrian. Pony. Earth Pony. Queen. Devil. Take your pick."

"... this thing!"

She crossed her arms and deadpanned at him. "Jeez, aren't you the charmer?"

But Elanor shook her head and glared at him. "I see how it is, then... if that's the way you want it, that's the way you'll get it!"

"Honey, what are you-" James began, only for Elanor to raise a hand up and stop him.

"I'm going with them, and keeping my promise I made to our son!" she stated.

"To hell you are!" James stated, which only won a laugh from both women in the room.

Elanor then chuckled at him. "That's right! To Hell I am going! And if I had anything to say about it, to Hell with you, too!"

She then slapped him again across the face, before turning towards Daniel and Mina.

"So... when exactly is the wedding, dearies?"

Daniel cleared his throat. "Uh... does three days sound alright to everyone here?"

"Try never!" James stated.

*Slap*

"Oww!"

"Three days sounds wonderful! And don't worry. I'll make sure he minds his manners, while we're there!" Elanor said, gesturing towards her husband.

Mina chuckled. "Good to know. I'll make sure you both are at least safe... for the most part. Just, uh... tone down the Religious Theme when you're there, please. Don't want any of my subjects being uncomfortable in the wrong kind of way."

Elanor waved a dismissive hand at her. "Oh, not to worry, Dearie! We'll be sure to only bring regular jewelry and clothes for the trip. No Holy Water, no Religious objects!"

"Good. I kept my word, so I'll trust you both to keep yours." Mina said. Then, she looked over at Daniel. "Well, guess that part's done. I'll see you at the wedding in three days! Master Room's off-limits until then!"

Daniel nodded and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "See you at the Altar of Blood, hon!"

And with that, she left through the wound. In the blink of an eye, the house was back to normal.

"So... who wants Spaghetti?" Elanor offered.

Daniel waved a dismissive hand. "Thank you, Mom, but I really do need to get going. I've got a whole wedding to plan out in three days."

"Oh! Will you need some help with that, Dearie?" she offered.

He was about to decline, when an idea struck. "Actually, Mom... didn't you plan yours and Dad's wedding?"

She smiled even brighter at him. "Oh, I most certainly did! Did you know I was actually a Wedding Planner back when I graduated High School?"

"Yeah, you told us back in school. Then... hey, Mom. How would you like to take a quick trip with me?"

It was Day 1 on the Planning Routine. Two more days until the big celebration! Daniel and his parents (one willing and one reluctantly being dragged by his wife) were standing at their front porch when the black limo appeared. Daniel opened the back door and let his parents in first, before following behind them.

Elanor smiled and looked up at the driver, but nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw a skull looking right back at her, and the driver apparently already out of his skin... literally.

"O-oh! Uh... y-you must be..." she began, only for Death to chuckle.

"Don't worry, Miss Elanor. It ain't time for y'all, yet! Heck, your son even guaranteed y'all a few extra years!"

"Oh, did he now?! Well that's a... relief, I guess!"

Daniel laughed and motioned towards them. "Yeah... hey, Death! Mind taking us to the Shopping Center, first?"

"Oh, sure thing Daniel! Whatcha have in mind? Hellish Desires, or the Sea of Blood Stylists?" Death asked.

"Um... actually, I was thinking more along the lines of us shopping here on Earth for a bit." Daniel replied.

"Oh? Alrighty, then!" Death agreed.

Daniel's mom was surprisingly quick to decide on the decor and doodads. While Daniel initially thought of grabbing red things, Elanor decided on a mixture of red and blue.

"Really, Mom? Blue?" Daniel asked.

"Well, duh! Pinkamena strikes me as a blue type of gal!" Elanor stated matter-of-factly.

Daniel decided not to question it. To him, understanding women's taste was an entirely different language he was initially born to fail at.

Next up, they grabbed some lunch. It was quick and easy takeout, though, and they managed not to scare anyone off, since Death came extra prepared... by wearing a mask and gloves to put over his suit. He was greeted with suspicion, however, and he was a bit worried about the stares he got.

Finally, they booked a hotel for Hell using Daniel's phone. He figured his parents should at least get a good feel of the place, so that they know for certain that they would be safe during the ceremony.

"Welcome to the Dead Man's Landing! How can I help you fine souls today?" the red-skinned, yellow-eyed incubus asked the group.

Daniel smiled and told his parents, "Trust me, this place is actually really cool! Just, uh... don't ask for Room Service or Meals."

"Don't worry, Dearie. That's why we got extras from that Takeout." Elanor replied to her son.

James just grumbled angrily as he avoided looking at anyone during the whole trip.

Daniel then looked at the incubus and told him, "Hey, Dave!"

The incubus blinked owlishly before squinting his eyes. Then he gasped and smiled widely. "OH! Daniel, it's you! Heeeey, man! Been a while! What've you been up to?!"

"Ah, you know, I've just been busy with work lately. Couldn't have much free time. So how's everything been up here?"

"Oh, it's been terrific since that COVID stuff kicked in! Heaven's been too occupied to wage another brawl with us, and we've been getting more and more customers coming in! Though... I'll be honest with ya, it seems we're BOTH kinda getting close to a shortage of space here..." Dave then looked over at Elanor and whistled. "Whew! Well hello there, beautiful!"

Elanor giggled and waved a dismissive hand at him. "Oh, stop it, you rascal~."

"You know, maybe I can show you the sauna sometime? They've got gentle hands, and they won't go down too hard... unless, of course, you want that~."

She blushed and looked at Daniel. "Oh, Daniel! I didn't know you had such a gentleman for a friend!"

This time, James actually reacted by staring at Dave dumbfounded. "Uh, excuse me?! That happens to be my wife!"

Dave looked over at him and blinked confusedly, before gasping in shock. "Oh! OH! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

He then leaned towards him and wiggled his eyebrows, staring half-lidded at him. "Naturally, you can join us too, handsome~."

"Mother of God, I'm going to be sick..." James and Daniel both thought to themselves simultaneously, James for obvious reasons, and Daniel because he couldn't get the image of his parents in the sauna with Dave out of his mind, now.

Daniel then quickly broke the awkwardness by clearing his throat. "Uh, actually, we're just here for a room for two nights."

"YES! JUST ROOMS! NO WEIRDNESS. NO SAUNAS. NO DAMN THING EXCEPT A COZY BED AND REGULAR, HUMAN-FRIENDLY, NON-SINFUL THINGS!" James shouted, actually agreeing with his son for once.

Daniel planted his face in his palm at his dad's loudness, but nodded his head nonetheless.

Dave nodded his head in understanding. "Aww, that's too bad. Well, lucky for you-hoo guys and gal, we've got two rooms open right now! Of course, with Daniel here being under Royal Guidance, you all don't have to pay a single Soul Fragment! Can I get a woo-hoo?!"

"No. You can not." James deadpanned at the incubus.

Dave just harrumphed. "Hrmph. Party-pooper."

Then he passed them their keys: one for Daniel, and one for Elanor. They made their way over to their rooms, which was thankfully not far from the lobby, and right next to each other.

The walls were mostly made of brimstone, which gave it a beautiful yellow hue. The floors were made of pitch black crystal, however, and red carpets similar to the carpets in the castle gave the floor a nice touch. The beds were also surprisingly soft, with blankets that emitted a slight steam from within.

And to James's and Elanor's surprise, there was also running water, courtesy of a deal Dave made with Mina, involving a few competitive sirens. Needless to say, said sirens would no longer haunt the Seven Seas on Terra.

Mina, in exchange, gained a powerful ally for Hell's Army that day, seeing how the incubi and succubi were among the more cunning Demons of Hell, considering their natural art of seduction and disguises.

Daniel, in his room, hung out with Death for a bit. Death was excessively happy about the whole ordeal. For once in his existence, he was given a go-ahead from both halves of the Cosmos to take a few days off, so he lent his job to some random sap who'd likely screw things up a bit more, but he didn't give a shit, as he was finally free for a moment.

"So, Death. I've been meaning to ask you something." Daniel began. Death cut him off quickly.

"Whoa there, dude! Those words should be used on hot ladies, and not moi!" he replied.

Daniel playfully punched him on the shoulder, while he laughed in return.

"Yo, for real, dude. I need to tell you something."

"Aight, shoot." Death said, crossing his arms over his chest, as he plopped down at the foot of the bed.

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "I know you're free from your job for a bit. And, well, thank you for that, by the way."

"Hey, you're the only friend I've had since my brother Abel. You know I'd be willin' to be there for ya during this important time of your existence!"

"Right, right... but listen. I'd hate to ask you to do work, but... well... my mom could really use the help. And... well... I was wondering if you would... like to be the Best Man?" Daniel asked.

Death gasped. "Oh my gosh... you didn't realize that I am the best until now?!"

Daniel deadpanned at him for a moment... but couldn't hide his amused smirk for long.

"Eh, yeah yeah, fuck you too."

"Looked like Dave wanted to with your paren-"

"Death. Remind me to lobotomize myself after this whole thing's over."

"Heh. Your fiance wouldn't want that, would she?"

"No, she wouldn't."

Death then patted him on his shoulder. "But for real, man. You can count on me."

"Thanks, man. And, uh... I know my dad's not going to want to marry Mina and I off, so... we may also need you to put on two hats here, as well."

"Ah... yeah, about that... I don't know if I can marry you two off."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Why not? Isn't marriage a major life step?"

"It is, yeah, but... well... my domain is usually around breaking the relationships. Not joining 'em together!" Death admitted. "I mean, they even have the saying, 'Till Death Do Us Part'. Clearly gotta mean something, right?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Well, yeah, that's true... for Normal Weddings. But need I remind you that we're having a Hellish Wedding?"

"Hmm... point taken. Well, I can't promise excellency, but eh, what the hell. I'll give it a shot!" Death agreed to it.

Daniel fist-bumped him before Death went to his own bed across the room.

The rest of the night was uneventful, save for the sound of arguing from across the wall.

James was not happy about Elanor's antics with Dave, and Elanor was not happy with James for not taking a little crude humor every now and then.

After calling him a prude, she went to sleep on her own bed, while he grumbled himself to sleep separately.

The second day, Daniel, Elanor, and Death went into the castle to decorate. They had numerous imps and demons who each volunteered to help out.

It had its ups and downs, some natural and unnatural disasters here and there... but to Elanor, it was the most fun she had in years!

James, on the other hand, was being a stubborn grouch, and refused to leave the hotel room, wishing it would all just be done and over with already.

By the time night hit, the castle was ready for the following morning.

It was midnight, and James was standing there at the railing of the hotel's roof. He sighed, staring up at the red hellish sky, where the blood-colored moon shone.

This was an unnatural, unholy place of sin and despair. The land of damnation and torment... and yet... why did his wife and child have to fall victim for its evil charm? Why were they actually enjoying their time here?

He heard the door to the elevator close behind him, and he turned around. Mina was standing there, dressed in her usual red attire.

He scowled at her. "What do you want, huh? You've already taken everything from me. My wife. My child. Now have you come to take my life?!"

Mina said nothing. She lifted her hand up and snapped her finger, summoning her cleaver from the void.

James sighed, before turning back around, looking at the sky again.

"Fine... go ahead. Just get it over with... not like they'd miss me, anyways." he finally said to her.

Then he heard the sound of the weapon hitting the stone surface. He turned around again, only to see that she dropped her cleaver where she stood, then approached him unarmed.

"What? You're just gonna use your fancy magic on me? You gonna choke me out with your bare hands?! Go on, then! DO IT!" he shouted.

She stopped walking. At this point she was face-to-face to him, and within reach.

His fists shook, but he remained glaring at her, as he tried to read her expression.

Her eyes were half-lidded, and she was frowning at him.

Then, she closed her eyes completely, and shrugged her shoulders.

"I just came to say I'm sorry."

This caught James off-guard. "Excuse me?"

She opened her eyes and deadpanned at him. "You heard me."

He just stood there petrified, as she walked over to the rail beside him and leaned over it.

"I don't say it often, so I guess relish in this moment... but yeah... I'm sorry." she said again.

"Why... are you apologizing to me?!" James asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Eh... for being me, mostly."

"For being... you?" he asked, scratching his chin confusedly. "I don't follow."

She sighed. "Well, think of it like this. You inherit a title, gain immense power. The world is your oyster, right? But then, when you think you've won, you lose it all shortly afterwards. Now you're powerless, and saved by someone... someone who actually trusts you for being you, and not for being who you were remembered as."

"Okay... so what are you implying?" he inquired.

Her eyes turned towards his own, and her pupils glowed a feint red color.

"You have every right to fear me. After all... before becoming the Queen of Hell, I was a serial killer. A murderer. A seductress that killed guards, an assassin that murdered Nobles... and I didn't do it just for money. I did it because I found it fun. I enjoyed watching them bleed."

James felt his grip on the rail tighten. Hearing this was just making him feel even more uneasy.

"... Then I was captured, finally, and sentenced to Eternity in Hell." she said.

"Eternity?"

"Yes... they cast a spell that made me Immortal. They said that, rather than taking my life, they'll watch me never be able to end my own. I was then beaten senselessly, and tortured. I was cut, bruised, stabbed, maimed... and every time, my body would regenerate. Eventually, though, I grew to savor the pain."

"Hmm..." James said, thinking to himself. "You savored the pain?"

"Yes... I never knew feeling such agony could make me actually feel more... alive."

"Then how come you escaped your torture if you loved being in pain so much?"

"Because after they realized I was enjoying the pain, they decided to inflict a different kind of pain... one I didn't enjoy at all."

"And that was?"

"... Isolation."

"..."

"That's right. They left me alone after a week of endless pain... only to be given a month of endless torment. And that's why I escaped the cell."

"You escaped the cell because you were alone?"

"Yeah... and that's when I realized that I was stuck in Hell. Eventually, I found my way to the more populated areas, but in that circle of it, was a seemingly endless prison."

"How did you escape it?"

"Heh... I guess I have my original to thank for that."

"Your... original?" James asked.

She nodded her head. "It was about five years ago. I was created by the original Pinkie Pie, as a means for her to be in two places at once. I learned everything about her, her friends, and all kinds of things about myself. How much my body was able to physically handle, how much my spirit could handle... and I was the first one she made out of hundreds, so I held a special place in her heart.

"Because of this, she taught me the most... and one key thing she mentioned was that we were actually part Nephilim."

"Nephilim?" James almost seemed a bit surprised.

"Yeah... we were descendants of a hybrid between a Pony and an Angel. However, we were the most mortal of the line, as the ancestry was lined back up by thousands of millennia."

"So you were immortal before they immortalized you?" James asked.

She shook her head. "Like I said, we were the weakest. This meant that we were the line where immortality ends, and mortality begins. However, because of our closeness to such abilities, magic flowed through our veins as naturally as breathing."

"Hmm... so that's why the world around you corrupts?"

"Heh... partially. But that's not relevant right now."

"Sorry... go on." James said, looking back at the sky.

Mina nodded her head and looked at the moon.

"Unlike the other clones she made, I actually studied up on my lineage. And from there, I learned the truth... that we were more than capable of becoming the equivalent of gods... but all it took was immortality, and we'd be a force to be reckoned with."

"Is that why you started killing people?" James asked.

She nodded her head. "Yes... but then, after the first one, it became a Cold Case, so I needed another. Then another... and before long, I guess I got lost in the swing of things. I started to make murder an Art Form, and... well... as I mentioned earlier, I began to enjoy it a lot."

James sighed, shaking his head. "You know... this is starting to sound a bit like a Confession."

Mina chuckled at this, which caused James to blink in surprise. Did... did he make her genuinely chuckle?

"Yeah... I guess you can call it that. Something like it, at least. Not religious-themed. I'm not asking for Forgiveness, after all."

"But you said you were sorry."

"Yes, and I meant it. Whether you forgive me or not isn't in my interest, though. Basically, I'm giving apologies, without asking forgiveness as a return policy."

"Ah... I... guess that actually makes sense."

"Good... anyways, so I eventually got caught mid-process of skinning a victim, when they finally put the clues I left together.

"Then, they immortalized me, and banished me to Hell. Once all was said and done, I took some odd jobs around the place. Put some lost souls in their place, give an idiot a taste of poison so they can't do anything for Eternity... it was still fun to me. But then... I heard that Lucifer was the one in charge of this place. I challenged him for the crown, and being the challenger that he was, he accepted."

"A challenge? What kind of challenge?"

"A duel to erasure, of course. Whoever can find and erase the other's soul would become the next Monarch of Hell... and, well, as you can see, I emerged victoriously. Using the innate powers I learned from my Nephilim Blood, I was able to absorb his powers before erasing his soul. Thus, the Corruption Aura you usually see around me while on Earth."

"Ah... I see, now."

"Anyways... so, after I succeeded, I was bested by a hero from my home world, Equestria, and banished to Earth after being drained of most of my powers."

"And that's when you met my son?"

"Yeah... after falling a bit too high, Daniel came to my aid. At first, I tried to seduce him to shut up about me, but he just kept on, even resisting my charms."

"Heh..."

"Yeah... laugh it up, Grandpa. Anyways, so I even got really close to just wanting to kill him. Not out of fun, this time, but out of frustration."

"Hmm... how come?" James inquired. He felt uncomfortable again after hearing this. Paternal Instincts, and all.

But he was relieved after hearing her response.

"Because he just kept on calling me 'Mina'. Not Pinkamena, which I repeated to him over and over again."

"Oh... hah! Well, he's always been one to give those he cares about pet names."

"Hmm... I see..." Mina said, thinking about something. "I'll have to talk with 'em about that, then... but anyways!

"So he resists my charms once again, but this time I kissed him and offered to be his girlfriend... and he rejected me!"

"Well, I mean, you are kinda-sorta not human."

"I've seduced humans before, you know. I learned the arts of seduction by a few succubi, so I knew it wasn't a thing about me... it was something about him, instead."

"Hmm... maybe because I raised him?"

"Pfft. Nah. I've even been able to seduce a priestess who was straight... that was a fun kill, actually."

"That's... not helping."

"Right, sorry... too soon. Anyways, as I was saying, so I spent a year with him, living in seclusion while he worked to keep us both fed, groomed, and cared for in a home... and during this time, I learned something."

"And what was that?" James asked.

"... He wasn't just the only one able to resist my charms... he was also the only one in my existence to ever treat me as... well... as more than just a killer, or a monster. Even after I confessed who I was to him, he told me that he didn't care. He still saw something in me. He saw that spark of life in my eyes... and at that moment, I really fell for him."

"Huh..."

"So, yeah... after we had our little heart-to-heart confession of our feelings, and all that sappy crap, he helped me go back to Hell to reclaim my kingdom from that hero who, might I add, became its new queen during my absence. I wasted no time on her, but I had Daniel and even Death on my side. I, uh... made Death swear in my name that he not allow Daniel to die. He agreed, of course."

"Wait, so my son's immortal, now?"

"Yep... don't worry, he's still very much human. He just... can't die, basically."

"Hmm... that's... a lot to take in."

"I know... anyways, so bottom line is this. I want your son to live Eternity as happily as he can. And for some unknown reason, he fell for me, despite knowing who I was. I admit, I'm not perfect. Far from it, and will absolutely fucking deny ever becoming perfect. I have the right to be flawed... but even still... I guess you can pat yourself on the back."

James raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how come?"

She released the railing and turned to leave. "Well, simple. You sired the man who tamed the Devil, herself... and now, he's slowly making her a better figure."

With that, she picked up her blade and returned it to the void. Then, she vanished into thin air, leaving James to look at the rising sun.

He was still very much a man of God... but now, he was confused, conflicted... he didn't want to say it out loud, but he felt like he and the Devil, herself actually... had a decent connection there.

If anything, despite the horrendous sins, and the ungodly title she claimed, no, sought for... he also felt a bit sorry for her.

He looked towards where she was standing one last time, then sighed.

"Oh, Lord... what should I do?" he prayed.

But he heard nothing more than the wind's silent breeze as a response.

The moment was finally there. Daniel and Death were both standing there at the Altar of Blood, with Death holding his own copy of the Necronomicon, which emitted a slight purr as he began to pat it like a pet cat.

Daniel also snuck in a slight patting, which made it hiss in delight. The eyes on its corners were squinting happily.

The aisles were filled to the brim. After a bit of rumormongers managed to gain word of an actual wedding taking place in Hell, starring none other than their Queen, herself, they were almost out of chairs. As such, some of the taller Demons offered the Imps a free shoulder seat... by which, they let the imps sit on their shoulders... just this once, at least.

A ghost was playing the piano, so none of the regular human guests could see anything but the organ's keys moving... however, occasionally, they'd hear him humming with the tune.

Daniel was looking a bit worriedly through the crowd, though. Not because he was nervous about the wedding day, but rather, because he could see his mom... but not his dad.

He frowned a bit, and looked at Death uneasily. "I don't know, man... it's not like him to just walk out on something. Especially when mom's around."

Death reassured him, "Look, he's probably just gotta go use the toilet. I'm sure there's a logical explanation behind it!"

"Well, the logical explanation is that he refuses to accept this day, and decided to pack his bags."

"... Correction. I'm sure there's a rational explanation behind it!" Death corrected.

"Rational isn't even in dad's book." Daniel replied.

Suddenly, the doors slowly opened, and Daniel looked over to see a sight he didn't expect to see.

Pinkamena Dianne Pie II... the Queen of Hell... was approaching them in what was a beautiful, long white Wedding Dress with a blue ribbon tied around her stomach.

And she was smiling... she was smiling like she was genuinely touched in the heartstrings for once.

Daniel just stared as she made her way down the aisle, behind the imp who was tossing small pebbles and charcoal bits down the center from a basket made of Crimson Stone.

Then, when she reached the staircase, next to where Daniel stood, he could barely compose himself as he lifted the veil up over her hat.

"Whoa..." Daniel began. "Umm... wow... Mina, you..."

She smirked at him, before winking. "Like what you see?"

He could only manage a nod, before Death cleared his throat.

"Ahem!"

They both turned to look at him, as he began.

"Umm... right, so... as we move on to remember the days of- oop!"

Death coughed a bit.

"Sorry, everyone. Force of habit. I'm mostly in the Funeral Business!"

A few chuckles emerged from the crowd. Mina only rolled her eyes, while Daniel smirked at his friend's antics.

"Anyways, so... Friends, Family, Enemies, and Acquaintances! Today, we all set aside our differences, at least for a moment, to bear witness to, what can only be described as, the FIRST Miracle to be done within Hell, itself!"

A few nods in the crowd.

"For it is on this day, that two souls, despite being Existential Planes apart... make vows to forever love one another, from the day they met, to the end of Eternity!"

Several imps, demons, and Elanor, all wiped tears from their eyes, while one imp grabbed a hold of a demon's jacket beside him and blew his nose. The demon, of course, still wearing the jacket, glared at him before crushing him with his fist... then, he looked back at the couple, and started to tear up, himself.

"And now... I guess it's time to exchange your vows!" Death continued, looking at Daniel.

Daniel took a deep breath, before looking Mina in the eye.

"Mina... I know I promised you that we wouldn't make this wedding sappy, but... well, I want you to know that I love you. Now, and forever. I'm not the brightest. I'm not the strongest. But I'll bet my soul that I'm one of the most determined men in Existence who will always strive to be by your side, not to change you, but to embrace you for who you are... who you choose to be. Whether good or evil, I vow to be on your side, no matter where we end up. I... uh... thank you, Mina, for everything."

Several imps clapped for him, followed by Elanor, and finally, the demons.

Mina closed her eyes, and remained silent for a moment.

Then, Daniel noticed a single tear fall down her cheek... followed by another.

"Oh, no... Mina, I'm... I'm sorry if I-"

She raised her hand to stop him, before her piercing red eyes opened up, looking into his dark green ones.

"Daniel... you're right. I didn't want sappiness in our wedding. I didn't want any of that nonsense... but... well... I didn't hear any sappy words coming from you this time."

A lone demon d'awwed at her remark.

"You see, Daniel... you're actually a bit of a knucklehead. That much is certain... but now, you are my knucklehead. And I, as Queen of Hell, itself, wouldn't want you any other way. And the reason why, yes, might be selfish of me. But to Hell with it, the truth is... I want you to be mine. Not as a servant. Not as a tool. No... I want you to stand at my side, as my equal. To love one another in these unforgiving lands below, as well as the far more forgiving lands above... and who knows? Maybe one day the even LESSER forgiving lands above that one."

A few demons cackled at that one.

"But I can't say it's sappy to tell me that you love me... because for you, Daniel... I feel the same."

Daniel smiled at her, and lifted a hand up to wipe a tear that was about to break itself from his eye's dams.

"Daniel... I, Pinkamena Dianne Pie II, Queen of Hell... confess my undying love for you. Now, and forevermore. Until the end of Eternity... and beyond even then."

With that, the entire room began to erupt with applauds from each member.

Daniel couldn't hold it anymore. He began to cry, feeling like the luckiest man to live for that one moment in time.

They both turned to face Death again.

Death was hugging the Necronomicon and crying small blue flames from his eye sockets, while the necronomicon in return rolled its eyes at its holder.

"Umm... Death?" Daniel quietly said.

Death froze before shaking his head and straightening back his posture.

"R-right, then! Now, for, uh... the rings! Yes, yes, the rings!"

An imp quickly rushed over, holding a pillow made of the red lava-like cloth. Tucked onto the pillow were two matching rings: each made of solid black gold, with red engravings written in Ancient Equish that read "Eternally Yours".

As the imp stood idly beside them, Death cleared his throat again. "Now, then! Before we give out the rings, does anybody here object to the binding of these two souls? If so, please speak now, or forever hold your pieces! Heh... get it? Because objecting to the Queen of Hell will, like, definitely get you cut up into pieces!"

A few chuckles, but nothing more.

"Right, then, little fella! Go ahead and pass 'em those rings, so they can finally be-"

The doors immediately slammed open, and at the top of his lungs, James shouted, "I OBJECT!"

Immediately, numerous gasps came from the crowd, and Mina began to shiver.

Daniel's pupils became pinpricks, as he turned to face his glaring dad from the opposite side of the aisle.

James, holding up his glare, raised a finger at the couple, and declared loudly, "This wedding is, without a doubt, IMPROPER! UNFAITHFUL! And most of all... NOT A REAL WEDDING!"

Daniel, Elanor, and Death pinched the bridges of their noses, while Mina slowly looked at her shaking hands. Something was up, and she wasn't able to control it.

"D-Daniel..." she whimpered.

Daniel quickly looked at her, and gently grasped her hands. "Don't listen to him, hon. Please, just ignore him. He's..." He was beginning to panic, as his dad approached them, now at the middle of the aisle.

And then, a dark thought began to fill within Daniel's mind... a deep, inner desire to just let it happen at this point. His dad was ruining his life... and so, what good was he to the family?

But James continued on. "And I, of all people should know!"

Daniel gasped. "He's not really going to... is he?!"

"And that is because... I... am a PREACHER OF GOD!"

Numerous demons and imps gasped in shock and terror.

"W-what is a Man of God doing here?!" one of them asked their neighbor.

"I-I don't know... something must be wrong!"

"Perhaps it's a Declaration of War?!"

"Or... w-what if he's actually here to assault our Queen?!"

James closed his eyes, ignoring the numerous glares and mixed expressions he was getting, and spread his arms out widely.

"And as a Man of God, I declare this wedding to be improper! By that regard, it can not go on like this!"

"Dad... if I were you, I'd stay the fuck back." Daniel thought... and Mina picked up on his emotions.

She lifted her head up and cleared her throat. "EVERYONE! HEED YOUR QUEEN, AND OBEY!"

Then, all attention was brought to her.

"BY DECREE... HE OBJECTS TO THIS PROPER! AS SUCH, HE IS ALLOWED TO SPEAK HIS PIECE!"

This confused everyone there, except James, who nodded his head. Daniel even stood shocked, hearing that his soon-to-be wife was actually allowing his dad to practically tarnish their hopes and their dreams, here and now of all times.

"But hon, he's-"

"Shh... as I said before, it doesn't matter if we get married or not. Our love holds true, does it not?" she asked, looking him in the eyes.

He then found the courage to weakly smile at her again, so long as he was in her eyes.

"Y-yeah... you're right..." He then looked at his dad and frowned. "Then... go ahead, dad... tell us what you need to say."

Again, James nodded, already expecting this reaction.

"Very well, then." he said, before clearing his throat. "As I was saying. I am a man of Faith. A man of Truth. A man of Justice. And most of all, a man of God. And here, I stand, in the land of which my entire FAITH has been tested! And here, I see a wedding... a wedding that is, without a doubt, BLASPHEMY!"

More demons began to glare at the middle-aged man.

"A HORRENDOUS LIE!"

"Oh, James... why?!" Elanor was deeply crying, not just out of shame, but embarrassment. She was seriously regretting bringing her husband into Hell at this point, and was even praying for God, himself, to shut him up before someone else does in other ways.

"AND BECAUSE OF THIS, I CAN NOT LET IT GO ON!"

Mina's shaking only intensified.

"AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF ONE SIMPLE THING!"

"And what, Father, is that, exactly?" Daniel spat.

James, again, paid the hatred no mind, as he raised his point even more.

"IT IS BECAUSE A WEDDING CAN ONLY BE TRULY MADE BY A MAN. OF. GOD!!!"

"Okay, THAT'S ENOUGH! WHY NOT JUST RIP A FUCKING HOLE INTO MY HEART, HUH?!" Daniel shouted at his dad.

Several Demons stood from their chairs and gave a loud, "YEAH!"

James kept his composure, before calling out, "BECAUSE I AM NOT HERE TO DO THAT, MY SON! I... AM HERE TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT!"

"Like Hell you are!" Daniel spat, only for Mina to raise a hand up and stop him from lunging at his father. "Mina! At this point, I won't hold you back. Do what you wish!"

"I am." Mina replied casually, despite her shaking. She then turned towards James, took a single step down the stairs, and folded her arms over her chest. "So... you've made a valid point. This whole thing is, in fact, wrong."

Several gasps filled the room, while Daniel looked away from everyone, closing his eyes.

"And so... what is it you have in mind, then, Old Timer, to fix it? Far as I know... you wanted us to not be together."

"You'd be correct, Pinkamena." James replied coolly, folding his own arms. "I didn't want you both together. Hell, part of me still have doubts about it... but even still, what must be done, must be done."

Mina nodded her head in understanding. "I agree... and so, we shall call this so-called 'wedding' off!"

Many demons felt a sudden pang in their hearts. Here was their queen, being strong, and putting on a brave face, and taking on the abuse from the Man of God that somehow found his way among them... and despite their anger, they also felt a touch of fear for the man. After all, who's to say killing him wouldn't upset the Divines, and force a war upon them?

She then looked at Daniel sorrowfully. "Daniel... I'm sorry. I know this was really important to you, but... well... it is what it is. I'm the Queen of Hell... and... well... I just can't be married to anyone, because of that. It... it goes against everything we believe in!"

Daniel didn't respond. He only kept looking away from it all, questioning why this kind of heartbreak had to happen to him.

He felt Mina's hands gently caress his chin. She turned him to face her, and he saw that she, too, was crying deeply, despite her calming voice.

"Your dad made it very clear. And... I may be Queen of Hell, but... even I know to respect our limits, at least. He doesn't want us married... and so, we'll just have to live with that."

...

But then, James cleared his throat.

"Ahem... actually, I had a different proposition in mind."

This made Mina look over at him confusedly. Her shaking intensified at this point, and she couldn't explain why, for all that is Unholy, she was doing so.

"A-and... w-w-what i-is it, the-e-e-n?" she asked curiously and shakily.

James looked at his son, took a deep, deep breath, and replied:

"... I want to be the one... that marries you both off."

Again, there was a collection of gasps.

Daniel's blood went cold for a brief moment.

And suddenly, Mina's shaking came to an abrupt stop.

"You... you what?" they both asked in unison.

James sighed, before closing his eyes and placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder.

"Daniel... you're my son. I've always wanted what's best for you. And... well... I believe I owe you an apology... both of you."

Mina blinked surprisedly, and the entire chapel went silent.

"You... you're apologizing to me?" Daniel asked.

James nodded his head again. "Yes, son... I'm sorry."

"What... are you apologizing to me for?" Daniel inquired.

"Well... as a surprisingly wise person told me not too long ago... I'm sorry for being me, mostly."

Mina looked slightly amused by that comment, but she remained silent.

"You see, Daniel... I've watched you grow into a fine, strong, smart young man. And, well... I've never really noticed it until now. The lady in your arms right now, though... she noticed it long before I did. She... well... she actually loves you, son... and so I, not as a Man of God, but as your Dad, personally... I give you both my blessing."

Daniel couldn't believe what he was hearing. He looked between his dad and Mina, who looked equally as confused, before motioning towards her. "Dad, I... I-I don't know what to say... uh... y-you're really my Dad, right?!"

James smiled brightly at his son, then nodded his head.

"Yeah, son... it's really me talking."

"And... y-you're actually offering to marry me to the Queen of Hell?!"

He nodded his head again and chuckled.

"Yeah... I am."

"But... that goes against everything you've raised me for..." Daniel said, to which James waved a dismissive hand.

"Yeah, well... to Hell with the details."

Daniel smirked a bit, then started to cry again. Here he was, wanting to kill his dad about five minutes ago... and now, he wanted nothing more than to hug him.

And so, he did just that.

As father and son reconciled with a hug, the demons and imps calmed down a bit, with some even aww'ing at them. A few, however, were still confused about what was going on.

James closed his eyes, as he too began to cry on his son's shoulders. "I love you, son."

Daniel nodded his head. "I... I love you too, Dad."

Then, after they broke from the hug, James looked at Mina. "Pinkamena Dianne Pie II... Queen of Hell... I, James Richard Banks, would be honored to allow you into our family, and to be the one who properly marries both you, and my son, together in Hol... erm... Unholy Matrimony."

Mina was speechless at this. She certainly didn't expect something of this caliber to happen... especially given the details she told James this morning.

She had to give it a moment to think... but then, after what felt like eternity, she looked over at Death, who was wiping the flaming tears from his own eyes... then, ushered him to move.

He saluted her before backing up, and blending into the crowd.

Then she looked over at James and, with the lack of words available to mind, gave him a sincere nod and smile.

He smiled back at her, before walking over towards Death, who in turn, lent him his necronomicon.

The necronomicon began to growl fiercely at the Man of God, but a quick, subtle snap of Mina's fingers, and it behaved itself... for the time-being, at least.

James then walked over to where Death once stood, and cleared his throat.

"Whether by the Grace of God, or by the Will of my Family... I hereby pronounce you both... Husband... and Wife!"

The entire room shook with applause, as they witnessed Daniel and Mina exchange their rings.

"And Daniel... you may now kiss the bride." James concluded.

Daniel looked lovingly into Mina's eyes, before reaching his hand behind her back and pulling her closer.

She gasped in surprise, as he brought his lips onto her own, kissing her passionately.

James gently patted the necronomicon to calm it down himself, but it tried to nip at his fingers, so he decided to just give it back to Death immediately.

Death sighed in relief upon taking the cursed living book back. "Yo, Mr. James! Gotta tell you, I took a peek at your Sands of Life. Whew! Lemme just tell ya, you dodged a major bullet on that one!"

James rolled his eyes, before retorting, "Yeah, well spare me the details."

"Hah! Whatever you say, Old Timer!" Then Death looked at the crowd, who were still seated, before approaching Mina after she and Daniel finished with their kiss.

"Hey, yo! Boss!"

She rolled her eyes and, once again, returned to a grumpy deadpan. "What?"

"I'm, uh... still the Best Man, right?"

She scoffed. "Oh? When were you ever the best at anything?!"

He lightly frowned at that, feeling a bit downtrodden. "Aww, come on, man, that... that just hurts."

She looked at Daniel, who rolled his eyes and smirked. "Yes, Death, you're still the Best Man."

Death perked up at that immediately. "Oh! OH, SNAP! YO GUYS! I JUST GOT APPROVAL BY THE KING OF HELL! I'M STILL BEST MAN! I'M STILL BEST MAN!"

He ran down the aisle cheering, while Daniel and Mina paid him no mind, as they were lost in each other's eyes.

Then, loud booming music began to play from the Main Room. Mina's ears twitched, and she sighed.

"Well... I guess I better explain the situation to our subjects." she said, before clearing her throat and standing up at the center of the Altar of Blood. "ALL ATTENDANTS AND ATTENDEES, REPORT TO THE MAIN ROOM FOR THE AFTERPARTY! THAT'S AN ORDER!"

The demons and imps, of course, cheered as they were dismissed into, what would likely be, Hell's most lively party out there.

Daniel raised an eyebrow at her. "Huh... I thought you'd be against a party in the castle."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Need I remind you? I'm also the clone of a Party Planner. Now come on, let's go before Death tries to sing Karaoke again!"

Daniel winced at that remark. "Ah, jeez. Hell's got enough torture in it as-is! We'd better hurry!"

To their dismay, however, they were too late, as Death had already been marked by numerous targets: gunk of various colors marked his once pitch-black robe as he continued to sing with his eye-sockets closed. Because he couldn't feel anything, naturally, he just kept on singing.

James and Elanor were standing at the balcony of one of the Castle Towers. Elanor had a lot of things on her mind, no doubt... and James knew it.

She then cleared her throat and began. "So... I don't know whether I should slap you, or kiss you right now."

James shrugged his shoulders. "I, uh... feel like I deserve the slap more, to be honest. After all, I've been a bit of an asshole these past few days."

"Yes... you have been." Elanor remarked, before finally deciding to give him a warm hug. "However... after what you did back there... among that crowd that honest-to-God looked like they were going to kill you... including our son..." she couldn't really say much more without choking out on her own tears.

He sighed, before returning the hug, rubbing her back gently. "I know, I know... and honestly, El... after how bad I've been treating our Daniel... I would've let 'em. I would've let 'em all have at me, knowing I died loving my family, even to the point of going through Hell for 'em..."

"Oh, James..." Elanor sighed, before lifting her head up from his chest, and planting a loving kiss on his lips.

He returned the kiss with a tender brush of her hair. He trailed his hand down her cheek, before Daniel cleared his throat from behind them.

"Uh... should we get another Balcony?" he asked.

They both looked at their son, who was arm-wrapped with their new Daughter-In-Law, and shook their heads.

"Uh... no, actually! We were about to come speak with you two!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Mina asked, as she and Daniel stood next to the other, older couple. "How come?"

"Well, we mostly just wanted to congratulate you both on the wedding... and most importantly, to welcome our newest member!" Elanor said, to which she rushed over and gave Mina a hug.

Mina's eyes widened at the sudden contact, but looked over at the back of Elanor's head, which was leaned over her shoulder, and smirked, before gently tapping the back of her shoulder in a pat-styled hug.

James, on the other hand, looked at Daniel and smiled. "Well... you treat her right, you hear me?"

"Heh... don't worry, Dad. I will. Always have."

"Good... you know, there's something that's been bothering me, though." James began.

Elanor and Mina regrouped with their men, leaning against the railing.

"And what would that be, exactly?" Mina asked.

"Well... you both were already content together. That much was a given... but why'd you both want to push on marriage of all things? Did you just want it to be official?"

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "Oh... well, honestly, it was Daniel's idea for the most part. He had lots of reasons why. Y'know, like the whole 'Love' thing, the Diplomatic Position I promised him... oh, and the baby, of course. Can't forget that."

"Wait, wait, wait..." James began, as Daniel's and Elanor's eyes widened. Alarm bells began ringing in their heads at once, as James was, once again, about to go on a tangent.

"You mean to tell me you're pregnant?!" James asked, staring between Mina and Daniel.

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "Uh... yeah?"

His face was starting to turn red with anger, as he stared daggers into his son. He then lifted is finger up and pointed wrathfully at Daniel.

"Y-YOU BOTH HAD... B-BEFORE YOU EVEN..." he began, as his wife, Elanor, quickly wrapped her arms around him and dragged him towards the exit portal behind them.

"Well, look at the time! We really should get going before the portals close! Thank you both for this wonderful time!" Elanor said to her children.

"H-heh... y-yeah, I should probably spend the night here in Hell... you know, where it's safe!" Daniel added.

Elanor mouthed, "Good idea." to him as they made their way next to the portal.

"Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! Love you both!" Daniel called out.

"We love you too, Dearies!" Elanor called back, before James finally erupted.

"THAT DOES IT! WE'RE SAVING THIS FAMILY, AND CLEANSING IT IN THE NAME OF GOD! EL, GET MY BIBLE, WE'RE GOING TO FAST FOR A WHOLE WEEK! THEN WE'RE GOING TO DEVOTE OUR-"

Then, the portal closed behind them, and they were back at home on Earth.

Daniel sighed in relief, after having dodged yet another one of his dad's many bullets he had for his son.

And then, there were only two.

"So... your parents were nicer than I thought. Especially your mom." Mina said, breaking the silence.

Daniel nodded his head and smiled. "Yeah... they're a bit overzealous at times, but my mom's likely the only reason my dad never got kicked out of the church."

"Heh... I wonder why?" she playfully asked.

Mina had quite a few things on her mind. For one, how she felt blessed, despite being an entity of curses and death. Someone like her, who murdered and maimed... now a happy wife, and soon a happy mother.

"... This doesn't mean we have to get all mushy, now, does it?" she asked Daniel.

He smirked. "Here in Hell? Nah, fuck that!"

She laughed, before gently resting her head onto his chest, as they cuddled beneath Hell's full Bloodmoon.

"Good..." she said in response. "Because I have an image to uphold, after all. Which means I'm whipping you into shape once all this bullshit's done and over with."

"Heh... well, if there's a whip involved, we should at least develop a Safe Word, huh?"

"Daniel... just enjoy the silence for a bit, will ya?"

"Ah, okay..." he said.

She then closed her eyes and, for once in her life, decided to give whatever spirit, whether Light or Dark, Good or Evil, a single word she didn't think she'd ever tell them.

"... Thanks."

Episode 4: "A Day in the Life!"

A simple glimps of an average post-marriage day between both sides of Earth and Hell, starring none other than the King and Queen of Hell, themselves!

It's another bright and early morning in Daniel's home. He's sleeping soundly, yet snoring loudly. After spending one week in Hell with his wife for some much-needed "Post-Marriage Activities" involving the two of them, he was just happy to be home. Soon, another week passed, and everything was back to normal again... well, as normal as being the King of Hell can be.

*Beep! Beep! Beep!* the alarm rang next to him.

Daniel yawned before gently reaching his hand over to the alarm and gently patting the top of it, cracking one eye open. "Five more minutes, please, okay bud?"

The alarm opened its eyes and purred, before tilting down in a nod, and silencing itself for said request.

"Thanks..." he said gratefully, before drifting back to quiet, peaceful slumber.

It was another shitty day in Hell... and yet, Mina was content with things. She was sleeping soundly in her king-sized bed, with her arms splayed out, and her hooves tucked away beneath the comfortable warm blankets.

Since her Estrus had passed, and her husband having fulfilled his sacred duty of scratching that "itch" of hers for a week, she was overwhelmingly exhausted.

Then the alarm beside her bed started to ring.

*Beep! Bee-*

Suddenly she slammed her fist on it, and it widened its eyes, as she glared at it from beneath her blanket. Only her glowing red eyes were visible within the shadow.

"Beep one more time, and I will rip your cord out of the front end, and strangle you with it!"

It yelped before silencing itself immediately... and perhaps indefinitely.

She yawned, then closed her eyes once more, returning to her dreams and fantasies. Naturally, it involved murder. This time, though, the victim was a very, very annoying alarm clock.

Daniel opened the fridge and smiled. "Oh, good, I remembered to stock up last night!" he said, as he saw the beautiful, beautiful sight of foods, booze, and drinks that would ooze in beautiful sparks of carbon and juice.

"Man, it's good to be home." he said with a smile.

Mina opened the fridge and scowled. "Fuck. Empty again." she said, as her fridge was, as stated, spacious and empty, but loaded with air. Her child-bearing stomach needed much more care.

"I miss my old home." she said with a frown, recalling her memories of always having plenty of food back in Equestria... even if most of it was of questionable origin.

Daniel finished a bowl of cereal. "Ahh... that hit the spot!"

Mina finished the last of a small bag of chips, and her stomach growled a bit. She glared at it. "Oh, fuck off! You're the one eating all the food, you little shit!"

Daniel flushed the toilet, after handling his morning business.

Mina glared as she used her cleaver to slice through a tentacle monster that somehow found its way through the drains, and into her toilet. "I'LL BAKE YOU INTO A CRISP, YOU UNSAVORY SWAMP-JUMPING FU-"

Daniel stood there dripping in water as he finished with his shower. He stood still, holding his hairbrush, as he checked himself out in the mirror. He smiled, and his pearly whites let out a nice little shine.

Mina stood there dripping in blood as she finished slicing the creature up into pieces. She stood shakily, and breathed heavy, as she held her blood-soaked cleaver, and checked herself out in what's left of her broken mirror. She glared even deeper at it, and the rest of the mirror shards shattered and fell into the cracked up sink.

Daniel checked out the shirts in his dresser, before pulling out his newest shirt: a t-shirt that says "#1 HUSBAND". A shirt that was fine-tailored by none other than his beloved wife... or rather, an associate of hers from Equestria that owed her a small favor for something she refused to speak of.

"At least I have you." he said.

Mina opened her dresser and pulled out a drawer. As she went to grab another one of her lingerie pieces, however, she stumbled upon the white and blue dress that was picked out by perhaps the second human in her life she didn't want to kill. This made her smile a bit, as said human made her recall her husband's smiling face in her mind.

"At least I have you." she admitted.

Daniel finished working on another website, and turned it in to his client. They responded with their appreciation, and forwarded him the payments through digital purchasing.

He was happy to have helped yet another satisfied client!

Mina sat on her throne and sighed, as she heard two demons bickering back and forth over who is in possession over what. She raised a hand and silenced them.

"Guys... just fight to the death over it. Next!"

She was bored as hell, as she knew she'd have to deal with yet another unsatisfied subject.

Daniel sat there on his couch and played video games. Player 2 joined in about five minutes ago... and Daniel was winning against him. Upon winning the race, he heard his competition groan.

"Dammit, man! Best five out of six, then!" Death shouted.

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Game on, bitch!"

Mina sat on her couch and flipped through the channels, as more and more deaths were reported from the COVID Situation.

"Ugh... bored..." she said, flipping the channel. Then something caught her eye... a cooking channel, where an angry blonde man shouted insults at his workers who were slacking off, with colorful language and aggressive reactions.

"Heh... here's a good one." she said, as the name of the show flashed on the screen... a fitting name, of course.

"Hell's Kitchen... will be right back!" the announcer said. She frowned, as she knew commercials were incoming.

"Damn."

Daniel and Death bumped glasses as they drank bottles of cheap beer. After the incident with Hell's brand, he was at least learning to drink in moderation this time... and that he'd stick with Earth's brands from now on.

Mina glared at the bartender and tapped on the counter. "I SAID ANOTHER DRINK, DAMMIT!" she slurred, flailing her cleaver around in the air wildly.

The bartender held his hands up in defense, standing a good distance away from the massive blade. "B-but you've already had twenty, Your Highness!"

"Yes... and you'll be missing twenty cubic inches of your stomach if I don't see my cup filled back up in the next five seconds!"

"Y-yes, Your Highness! Understood!" he shakily said before quickly pouring more Hellish Froth into the flagon.

After wrapping things up, Daniel sat on the side of his bed and looked at his phone. Then he smiled, before dialing Mina's number.

Mina was glaring at her phone while lazing on her bed.

"I swear, that husband of mine better call me before the stroke of midnight, or I will drag him into Hell, myself!" she shouted.

The phone began to ring immediately, and she finally smiled again. "Good boy."

"Hey, hon... so, how was your day?" Daniel asked, ready for their exchange of stories for the remainder of time they had.

Finally, after the call was over, they rested up, ready for another average day to come... that is, until the occasional break of routine.

Episode 5: "Welcome To Equestria!"

Mina wants Ice Cream... and living in Hell, that's kinda impossible to achieve. So, she decides to invade Equestria, on an urgent conquest to quench her child's inner cravings.

"Hon. You know I love you, and I will forever trust your instincts. That's why I'm telling you now that it's a great idea! And now that that's off my chest, I would also like to point out... that it's a horrible idea!" Daniel said on the phone, as he paced back and forth in his bedroom.

Mina was having another one of her episodes, naturally, and her mood has been swinging a lot more frequently than usual. He supposed one month of pregnancy was enough to do that. And now, her request was not just outrageously random, but also beyond risky, due to the very, very fragile cease-fire alliance that Hell and Equestria were under, ever since she made a hostile takeover with it.

"Yes, hon, I'm serious! You know what would happen if we were to get caught! They'd send entire armies out to investigate, or they'd send more heroes... it wouldn't be safe for our child. All that stress on your body would be... yes. Yes, I know we're immortal, but is the baby? ... Oh, it is? Huh... okay, that's a little bit more reassuring."

...

"I know. But then there's another thing to think about. They'd send huge amounts of people after you. I, uh... kinda don't feel comfortable about you hurting them. I mean, they're just following orders, and protecting their families from what they think is a threat."

...

"Okay... you Pinkie Promise that you'll only try a peaceful approach?"

...

"Okay. Thank you, hon. Yes, I'll be right over. Uh... should I call Death, or..."

Before he could even finish his question, however, the wall to his closet quickly turned into its fleshy counterpart.

"Oh... alright, then. Just, uh... let me run to the kitchen and grab a knife, alright?" Daniel said.

He then smiled. "Love you too, hon. See you in a second."

With that, he hung up and hurried to the kitchen. From there, he grabbed a Kitchen Knife and brought it into his room.

"Right, then. Let's do this." he said, as he lifted his knife up and gulped. Truth be told, this would be the first time he's ever carved his way into a Flesh Door.

Mina stood there on the other side of the doorway, as she watched the small tip of the Kitchen Knife puncture the door.

Immediately, she heard her husband from the other side. "Ugh! Holy fucking shit, this is so... fucking... gross! H-how do you even stand this shit, hon?!"

She shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Eh, you get used to it as it becomes a habit. Now come on, put your back into it!" she ordered.

Then the knife slid back in on the other side, and punctured another part of the door.

"No! You've gotta cut it in a straight line down, and in a solid, fluid motion!" she said.

"Oops... sorry, hon."

"No, it's fine, just... well, cutting chunks out will cause some residue to leak, which can damage the door. So... not a huge loss, really, from my end, but you'd have to get a replacement, or deal with a few missing chunks in your closet!"

"I don't really use my closet anyways, so it's not a big deal here, either, hon!" he replied.

She smirked, nodding her head. "Alright, your loss. Wait, NO! You almost had it!" she shouted, as the knife made a quick tear to the side, causing a strand of flesh to lean downwards. The portal was still somewhat full of muscle, so shouldn't make out the other side clearly, as blood dripped down the door.

"Oh, fuck, I got some of this blood on my shirt!"

"Don't worry, it'll wash off when the portal closes! Now hurry the fuck up, I'm dying over here!" she shouted.

Daniel tried to turn the knife over and cut downwards a bit more, causing her to plant her face in her palm.

"You know what? Fuck it, stand back!" she shouted, before reaching her hand up and snapping her fingers. Her cleaver appeared from the void, and she lifted it up.

"Hold on, hon! I've almost-" he began, before she sliced the door open in one clean cut.

Daniel stood there on the other side, knife still in hand, and eyes open wide, as he just narrowly avoided getting cut in half by his pissed off wife.

"- got it..." he finished, before blushing and tossing his knife on the dresser. He then walked into Hell, and wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, hon!"

"Hey." she replied, pulling him in for a kiss. Then, when they broke the kiss, she frowned at him and placed her finger on his chest. "As King of Hell, you're going to really need to work on that, you know!"

"Yeah... sorry, I'm not really much on the Butchery Department." he admitted with a shrug.

She shook her head. "Well, we'll just have to fix that some other time. Now come on, we're going to be late!"

She was already dressed in her lingerie, and he was wearing his "#1 HUSBAND" shirt she made him, and his favorite pair of blue jeans, so they were both ready.

Then they both made their way out of the castle, with Daniel giving some of the demon and imp servants a friendly wave, which they responded to in kind.

Truth be told, the servants absolutely loved their king for his friendly nature towards them, despite their reputation for his kind. He was one of the few humans they wouldn't mind seeing again, for sure... especially since he keeps their queen in line from her usual angry behavior.

With Mina and Daniel in the back seat of Despair, they had a brief moment to catch up.

"So... how's life in Hell been treating you lately, hon?" Daniel asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Well... it's been getting boring as of late without you here... but eh, other than that, it's been shit. Like usual."

"Hmm... that bad, huh?" he inquired. "I'm sure once our little bundle of joy is out, things will get a lot more lively!" he said, hoping to cheer her up a bit, at least.

But she kept her stoic demeanor, and casually shrugged. "Eh... maybe, I don't know."

Then he hummed, trying to bring up more conversation pieces up... but Mina beat him to the punch.

"So, uh... how was your day, dear?" she asked, looking coolly at him from the corner of her eyes.

He leaned against his door. "It's been... pretty good, actually! I've managed to make some more websites for my clients, and they've been paying me well as a result! I'm... thinking of buying another house, actually."

"Oh?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's... that's good, actually. I'm happy for you." she said.

He nodded his head. "Thanks, hon... and you know something... I was thinking of buying a home in the country. A place with big, open fields, and barely anyone in sight from all around."

"Huh... how come?" she asked. This actually piqued her interest. She remembered when she was killing for fun, she had plenty of bases in country areas, so she could relate for its privacy functions. Being far from civilization, her victims' screams were easily muffled and fell on deaf ears in the off-chances that they could even uncover their mouths. After all, it was pretty hard to pull duct tape from your mouth if your hands were nailed to a wall.

He shrugged his shoulders, before turning towards her with a smile. "I just... think maybe you could use some fresh air every once in a while."

"Me? Wait... so you're saying you want me to come visit you?" she raised an eyebrow.

He nodded his head and placed a hand on her thigh, rubbing it with care. "Well, yeah, hon! Once we've got the whole family routine settled, I figured maybe you can spend a few days with me on Earth! You know... you, me, and our child!"

She weakly smiled back at him. Truth be told, she never really wanted to live such a sappy life, but... deep down, she at least wanted her child and her husband to be happy.

Then she frowned, as reality kicked in.

She placed a hand on his hand, and sighed. "Daniel... I appreciate the offer. Really, I do, but..."

He sighed as well, nodding his head. She knew he was smart enough to know it can't happen.

"I know, I know... Hell needs at least one of its leaders to keep it in check. Otherwise, the chaos could leak out beyond its borders, and cause unwanted consequences."

"Right... I've already adjourned the court early, so that we could do this... but tomorrow, it will have to proceed as usual." she said.

He nodded his head. "You know, I could always come in and take the load off for you."

She laughed a bit, to the point she had to cover her mouth in embarrassment. "Ha! Sorry, but... you'd have to have a heart of obsidian if you want to run a court. Especially in Hell, of all places!"

"Heh... try me, hon." he challenged.

And try him, she did.

"Alright, then. Two demons walk into the courtroom. One had a segment of land first, but the other has no land, and has a pregnant wife who's about to go into labor. The landowner doesn't have enough room to share for the birth of the child. What would you suggest?"

He thinks for a moment. "Well... what about an escort to the nearest hospital?"

"COVID Cases have skyrocketed. The hospitals are all full, now. And even still, we're in Hell. There are no hospitals here, so... try again."

"Oh... then how about we temporarily move the family into the castle, while the other one delivers the baby?"

"No can do. Servants' Quarters are for Staff, only. And even then, the Staff have to keep their families out, unless given direct permission by me, which means another case of requests to open up, after the hundreds behind the current one."

"Then... what if we got the staff that's already present to share a room to help deliver the baby in?"

"Sorry, but... again, Staff only. If we allowed that to happen, the castle would be swarmed every second of the day with commoners trying to deliver a baby on someone else's bed."

"Then... what do we do to help deliver the child?"

"Well, there's only one option that would work, and that's the least safest way to guarantee the child's successful delivery, or the mother's survival. They deliver in the streets, in an alleyway so that they don't get run over, or distracted. No supplies to assist them. No tools, except maybe a knife owned by the family, or anything they could get their hands on. That, or if they have claws, they could just use their own claws to either cut the umbilical cord for the child... or if the mother can't contract properly, they'd have to just claw the child directly from her stomach, and almost guarantee the mother's death, and the child a critical, maybe even fatal or permanent, injury."

"Isn't... isn't that a bit ruthless, though?"

"Yes, it is. Welcome to the life of a Leader in Hell... so tell me, dear... would you have the heart to tell the one who's begging for land that they have no other option?"

He was silent for a moment, before shaking his head. "No, I... I guess I wouldn't have the heart for that. Or the stomach."

"Exactly. Believe me, this job gets a lot worse. That's just an easy case. And there are several more of them backed up, so we can't even offer the court room to be temporarily put on hold while we personally help them then and there. Once adjourned, everyone else behind them are dismissed until tomorrow, including those who may not even have a tomorrow to reach a solution."

"Yikes... okay, fair enough." he said, now feeling a bit down about the thought of that situation. Sure enough, he was married to a powerful queen, and to keep such a stoic face while making those harsh decisions... he would be lying if he said he didn't at least gain a lot more respect for his lover right there. She was more than just looks alone, and a lot more than just an everyday psychopath with a pension for blood and death. She was cold, but calculated and very, very smart.

"And yes, before you wonder about it... I think about what would happen if I were in their shoes." she said, drawing his attention towards her once again.

She looked him in the eye. "It's a pain that even I wouldn't want. To lose a family member... maybe even two. I think about it every day, and have nightmares of them. Their souls haunt me, and I feel their pain and suffering."

"Wow... how do you put up with it?" he asked.

"Simple. I endure. You break a bone, and it grows back stronger. You break a soul, and it grows more powerful. By the time I spent being tortured, I've been physically and spiritually shattered... in the end, though, I guess some of us were just meant to be strong enough to endure it."

He nodded his head and looked out of the window. "... I understand."

The rest of the ride went by quietly. Even Death, having heard all of that, wasn't really going to make a comment on things, as it had him personally thinking of the scenario, as well.

Once they reached the Equestrian Gates, they saw Cerberus in their position, and approached the three-headed dog.

"Oh, Cerberus!" Daniel called out, causing the three heads to turn towards them. The ground around them quaked, as the Hell's personal Guard Dog approached him with a growl from each head.

They leaned down, as he lifted his hand up, and sniffed him.

Immediately, the growling was gone, and they all began panting happily, licking at their master, who in just mere seconds, was now covered in head-to-toe with Hellhound Saliva.

"Ack! No, Cerberus, hold on! Sit! Sit!" he called out, but Cerberus did more than sit. They lied down on their belly and pulled him in for a hug, while continuing to assault him with doggy kisses.

As he kept Cerberus busy, Despair floated in the air behind them, and managed to sneak out without being spotted.

The plan was simple... Daniel would keep Cerberus occupied, while Mina went to visit an old "friend" of hers. Not that she feared Cerberus, as they were technically her dogs. Rather, she knew that Cerberus was still bound to report everything to the leaders on the gates between Major Realms... and of all the ponies in Equestria, she definitely didn't want to have to deal with explaining things to Queen Twilight, or the former rulers who recently went into retirement.

As the black limo made its way down the simple roads of Ponyville, a few cars were seen parked near the homes and buildings that were still made up of light wood and straw roofs.

Mina rolled her eyes at the sight. "Ugh... these simpletons really need to upgrade their Architecture. It's too fucking simplistic here."

And soon, they arrived in their destination: Sugarcube Corner.

A happy couple was sitting at a table, eating cupcakes with a smile on their faces. They were staring lovingly at each others' eyes, and failed to notice the groups of customers running outside the door behind them, as the door's framework grew razor sharp teeth that leaked blood.

As Mina walked towards the door, a trail of dead grass and coal replaced the once living grass and stone blocks that she walked over.

She then crossed the doorway, and from the front counter, the yellow stallion smiled and waved at her for only a brief moment. "Oh, hey Pinkie Pie! Didn't you and your husband just go out on... vacation... or something?" he began to stutter, as he saw the chaotic aura surround her, and immediately, he realized what was standing before him.

"Oh, sweet Celestia, you aren't Pinkie... you're... y-you're the..." he stuttered.

She sighed, rolled her eyes, and folded her arms. "Yes. I'm the former Cupcake Killer, Pinkamena Dianne Pie II."

He quickly rushed towards the door, but Mina sealed it shut with a snap of her finger.

"Please, Pinkamena! I have a family! A wife, two kids, and... a-and..." he began, but she silenced him with a raised hand.

"You have nothing to fear of me, Mr. Cake. Even if I were still doing that kind of work, I... respect you too much to harvest from you, or your family." she explained.

He started to calm down a bit at that, before looking around the corners. "W-well, uh... everyone else are out right now, so... w-what did you need, exactly?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Simply put... I just came to order some Ice Cream."

"Some... Ice Cream? But... why do you want Ice Cream, exactly?" he asked, now completely confused.

"I live in Hell, Mr. Cake. Even more, I rule Hell, now." He gulped at that, but nodded his head. He read on the news of the time Lucifer was defeated by an Equestrian... he just didn't know that it was her who inherited the crown.

"I... I-I see... then, uh... I guess you're also going to need more for later, too?"

She shook her head and sighed. "As much as I wish I could just smuggle it into Hell, the fire and brimstone would just melt it as soon as I crossed the Gateway. Magic or not, they made sure to ward the entrance to keep this world's basic magic from entering."

"Right... s-so, uh... h-how long do you plan on staying, then?" he asked.

"Just for a few minutes. I only want to get in, eat some Ice Cream, then return to Hell so that my husband doesn't end up as Cerberus's chew toy." she replied.

"Husband?!" he asked, before looking down at her stomach and gasping. "Oh! Oh, I, uh... c-congratulations to you too, then!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying that I'm fat?" she asked.

He took a step back and rapidly shook his head and his hands defensively. "N-no! No, n-not at all! I j-just, uh..."

Then she burst into a fit of laughter, before raising a hand and placing it on the counter. "I'm kidding... yes, I'm pregnant." Finally, one of his statements caught her attention. "Wait... me too? So you're saying my original is also with child?"

He nodded his head and smiled warmly. "Yes, ma'am. I've seen her smile every single day that she was in here, but... when she broke the news to us, I swear, the smile she had on her face was just... so much more real than I've ever seen. It was a wonderful day for us all!"

"Uh huh... well then, please do give her my congratulations on her own success. Address me simply as 'Her Other Half'. She'll know it was from me, then." she requested.

He quickly jotted a sticky note and pasted it on the wall behind him. "There! I promise not to forget! I'll tell her as soon as I can!" He then crossed his heart and tapped on his eyelid with his palm.

Mina caught the gesture and looked at the Ice Cream station. "So anyways... I've been starving lately. It's pretty difficult to find suitable foods in Hell, so I've had to make do with sending my husband out on some shopping trips from his world."

"His world?" Mr. Cake inquired, but Mina raised a hand up.

"It's complicated. Just go with it."

He nodded his head. "Understood. So, then... are you interested in Pinkie Pie's usual Ice Cream Combo?"

"That depends. Ten layers, or twenty?"

"Thirty, now, actually. Twenty layers for her, and ten for her child." he replied.

She then actually smiled back at him.

"Mr. Cake... you know us too well."

When she left Sugarcube Corner, the environment within and outside of it returned to normal. She stepped into Despair and was about to wake Death up from his sleep, but then she heard him mumble something.

"Dad... no, dad... I... I'm sorry..."

She sighed before shaking her head and relaxing on the doorway.

It was another one of his flashbacks he was having. He had to live it through. It was part of his own personal Hell he brought himself in eons ago, after all... and she knew that, even though she wanted to help him with it, she couldn't due to obligations with the Laws of Nature.

Or basically, the gods cursed Death, and if anyone broke said curse, they'd be waging war against them... and Hell isn't quite ready for that, just yet.

"Maybe someday you'll learn to forgive yourself, Cain." she said, staring at Death's reflection in the mirror.

He was running... running from Divine Punishment.

His brother's blood was still on his hands. He knew that he had done something wrong... something that he couldn't put a name to, yet something he heard from his parents. Something they warned him of.

And he knew that by being the first to bring it upon the world, he would be condemned to inherit it for all eternity.

His brother's crying only grew louder, as he hid in the bushes. He was being chased... and his pursuer was a wrathful entity he came to know as Abba... the Creator of Man.

Soon, he was discovered, and he bowed down in fear.

He then found himself banished to the Land of Nod, where he would spend the rest of his mortality in isolation... forever alone.

On the day he was supposed to die, he waited painfully for Abba to call him into his kingdom...

...

... but Abba never came. Soon days turned to weeks, to months, to years. His body became decrepit, and his flesh began to peel, until all that was left were his bones.

A great flood washed over the lands, and he found himself floating on a fallen tree, as the rain poured onto his bones... and he remained sitting there, staring into the water... wondering why he couldn't find peace. Why he couldn't just... be strong enough to resist his jealousy over his little brother.

He then heard a demonic snicker nearby. Turning around, he saw a snake crawl out of the trunk of the tree he was sitting on.

"Lucifer..." he muttered with grit teeth.

The serpent materialized into a shadowy figure resembling a man with glowing red eyes. "Hello, Cain... or should I say... welcome to your new life... Death."

Death's eye sockets shot open and he gasped for breath. Looking around, he noticed Mina sleeping in the back seat through the mirror's reflection.

"Oh... crap, what time is it?" he mumbled to himself, before checking the sky. "Yeesh... guess we better get back to Hell, before someone shows up..."

And so, he drove his way back into the Gates. After making sure the coast was clear, he floated his car into the Gates secretly.

Cerberus was still preoccupied with Daniel, who at least was now gaining control of the situation... by sleeping on top of the sleeping dogs' chest, and using Cerberus's paws as a blanket.

Death looked over at Mina and cleared his throat. "Uh... hey, Boss? You, uh... might wanna go get your husband."

Mina grumbled, then opened her eyes. Looking over to the side, she nodded her head and stepped out of the car.

With a bit of magic, she was able to levitate Daniel out of Cerberus's paws, and into the car without waking any of them up.

Finally, upon re-entering the castle courtyard, she and Daniel began making their way back towards her bedroom. She figured it'd be best that he slept there with her, and returned home tomorrow morning. Naturally, he agreed wholeheartedly.

As they stepped out of the limo, she took a look at Death and knocked on the front passenger window.

He lowered the window and saluted. "Yes, Boss?"

She was about to say something, but paused, before rethinking her words.

"Just, uh... thanks for the lift."

"Oh, uh... any time, Boss! Happy to help!" he said with a smile.

She smiled back at him and tapped on the door, before turning to leave.

As she was no longer in view, Death rolled his window up and hummed.

"Huh... she never really thanked me for anything... wonder what's up?" he asked himself. He then brushed it off with a shake of the head.

"Ah, well... guess I better get back to work, then. Souls ain't gonna ride themselves to their destinations!"

With that, he drove off, while at the door to the castle, Mina stood there, watching him go.

"Hmm... maybe Daniel can help... nah, I shouldn't get him involved in it." she said to herself, before finally entering the palace. The doors creaked slowly, before closing behind her completely.

Episode 6: "Our King Who Art In Hell..."

Mina is now three months into her pregnancy and she, the Queen of Hell, and Embodiment of Evil... is feeling sick. No, not like the average, every day, "sick of having to deal with this shit" kind of sickness, but rather, the "fall asleep for sixteen hours a day and execute whoever fucking gets between her and her bed" kind of sickness.

And so, she asks Daniel to spend a few days in Hell to help her get through it.

Mina was sitting there on the throne, as the Royal Diplomat began reading out the list of subjects she would be addressing for the day... the same old Pre-Court Routine that she's been doing for a bit over a year and a quarter, now. It was beyond dull just listening to him ramble on about them, though... it was dull, boring, and had she no obligations on restraining herself for the sake of her kingdom, she likely would've just drawn her Cleaver out to shut this fucker up for good.

He was an Imp Noble, and a Stereotype. He valued wealth over life, possessions over family, and long lists of things to do over the freedom to just do whatever the fuck you want to do.

She might've been a psychopath in her time, but she still at least valued life! She loved watching it be drained from her victims' eyes very slowly. She loved ruining it for everyone that crossed her in the wrong way. She savored the threats of her own life brought up by pissed off individuals that she can harvest with her Cleaver.

This guy, though? He just plain sucked at everything! Including being Evil!

Then again, he was evil enough to bore the Queen of Hell to the point of falling asleep, so she guessed she would give him some credit, at least.

Luckily for her, Death was by her side this time. Ever since the past three days ago, she's been having trouble sleeping. As such, on the second day that she fell asleep during court, she decided to adjourn it early, and seek out some help. To her relief, Death was on vacation, so she asked him to help keep her awake.

She wanted to ask Daniel first, but then she remembered that he's been super busy with a huge project that he had to finish up... and she'd damn herself if she got in the way of something big to him. His happiness was her Kryptonite, she swore.

Then the sound of her Diplomat's annoying voice... Harold's annoying voice... began to make her ears start twitching.

"... and then later on in the evening, there's a shortage of Soul Fragments in the Everstream Forest Inn that we must deal with. After all, they agreed to pay their taxes, yet they've fallen 5 whole fragments short of their agreement! Why, the nerve of those rabscallions, I swear! Your Highness, might we go ahead and raise the taxes for the town surrounding it by ten fragments to raise their awareness?!" he asked, only to pause and look at the sleeping form of Mina. "Erm... Y-Your Highness?"

"Zzzzz..." she snoozed, as a stream of drool started to fall from her lips.

He straightened out his monocle and cleared his throat. "Your Highness!"

"Z-wha?! Oh, fuck off, Harold, I'm trying to sleep here!" Mina whined, before reaching around for her nonexistent blanket.

"Wait... this isn't my bed." she said out loud, causing Harold to deadpan at her.

"Your Highness, please. We must ensure that in order to keep the Chaos in check within Hell's Border, you must be in peak, prim, perfect condition!"

"Jeez, you sound like my Math Teacher... I hated that woman." she murmured and deadpanned.

"Your Highness! Listen, I know that you've been having trouble sleeping these past three days, but that's no excuse for utter rudeness! Master Death, mind explaining it to her, since you're more appreciated by Her Royal Highness?" Harold asked the skeletal man next to her.

He just stood there, leaning against the throne's backrest, with his head tucked away on his fist.

"Zzzzzz..."

"Humph! Well, I never!" he said, before wrapping his list and holding his nose up high in disdain.

Mina sighed, before standing from her throne. "Look, dude, just hand me the list. I'll put a check on the things I might slightly give a shit about, and make your life easier."

He thought about it for a moment, before nodding his head and handing the list to her.

"Okay, so... we'll go over the case here on the Devil's Bread Cafe first, since it's a hundred fragments short. While personally I don't give a shit about fragments, we do still kinda need it for the repairs on the bridge to Grogar's Graveyard." she said, before her eyes grew a bit half-lidded, and she wiped some sweat from her forehead.

"Oof... okay, I'm okay..." she huffed, as her breathing began to intensify.

This caught Harold's attention, and for a brief moment, he started to look concerned. "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

She started to breathe even heavier, before her eyes rolled up on top of her head and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

"YOUR HIGHNESS!" Harold shouted, snapping Death back to the waking world.

Upon looking around, he first saw Mina on the ground and gasped loudly, rushing to her aid. "BOSS!"

He knelt down to help pick her up, but failed to do so. He then turned towards the guards who were rushing in at once to help their Queen in her time of need.

"SOMEONE GET HER TO HER ROOM! NOW!" he ordered. They saluted him before doing as instructed, having never actually heard Death actually give serious, concerning orders like that.

As the strong demon guard hurriedly carried Mina to her room, Death quickly pulled out his phone, and called Daniel.

"Daniel? Hey, man, it's urgent! The Boss, she... she fell unconscious!"

...

"Man, I wish I could say she is alright, but she really, really needs you here, like, right now!"

...

"Aight, I'm on my way to pick you up now!"

Mina's eyes slowly opened up. She groaned in pain, as she felt the impact from her head crashing down on the floor earlier... but to her relief, she also felt the comfort and warmth of her bed below her right now.

Though what was odd was that she felt a weight on her hooves. She looked down and saw Daniel sleeping there with his head in his arms.

"D... Daniel?" she mumbled, which was loud enough to make him raise his head up and stare at her. Red rings could be seen around his eyes, where he had been crying for quite some time.

"Oh, thank goodness you're okay, Mina... we were all so worried about you!" he told her, rushing up to give her a warm hug.

"Daniel, what... what are you doing here? Shouldn't you... shouldn't you be doing your project?" she asked.

He shook his head and frowned. "Fuck the project, Mina. Death told me everything."

She sighed and looked away. "Great... fucking great..."

"No, it isn't, Mina! Why didn't you tell me this was happening to you?! You know I would've come in to help you!" he said, raising his voice in anger.

"Yeah! I do know you'd come to help! That's why I didn't fucking tell you!" she spat back, raising her own voice in response.

"Why?! Do you just want to hurt yourself?!" he asked.

"Your damn right I love to hurt myself, but that's irrelevant!"

"Then what about me, huh?! Are you trying to hurt me here, too?!"

"WILL YOU JUST FUCK OFF, ALREADY?! I DIDN'T WANT YOU HERE, ANYWAYS!"

Then they went silent. Daniel just stood there, while Mina's glare soon dropped, and she started to look worriedly at him.

He smirked and shook his head, looking away from her for a bit. "I see, then..."

"Daniel, wait, I... I didn't mean it like that!" she said, as tears fell from her eyes.

He raised a hand and looked at her. To her shock, he wasn't even crying back at her. "I know, Mina.... I know. You're just... under a lot of pressure, right now."

Her lips quivered, and he walked closer to her. When he was within reach, she quickly wrapped her arms around him and cried.

"I... I-I just didn't want you to worry, that's all!"

He rubbed the back of her mane. "Shh... I know, I know... but you missed an important detail."

"W-what was that?" she asked.

He rubbed her chin and gently pulled her head up to face him. "You didn't call in three days. I was already worrying about you, before I even knew what happened."

She sighed. closing her eyes. "Oh... right..."

"Mina... you need to just rest. Let me take the reigns for a bit. Okay?"

"Daniel, like I said, you need a Heart of Obsidian to run a court here in Hell. I asked you what to do, and you basically screwed it up!"

"You're right, Mina. I did, and I still don't have the heart for that. That's why I have a different idea in mind."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"

"How about I just sit on the throne and address the subjects, while you tell me what to say over the phone?"

"That's..." she began, before she hummed, rubbing her chin in thought. "That's... actually pretty clever, not gonna lie..."

He smiled. "So... are we in agreement here?"

She thought about it for a moment, before weakly smiling back at him. "Y-yeah... I guess we are."

Harold soon burst through the door. "Your Highness, are you alright?!"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Harold, I'm fine."

"Oh, thank goodness! Because the subjects have finally arrived, and are awaiting your response!"

She nodded her head, while Daniel stood up and approached him.

"Good... let's get this over with." he said, to which Harold raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Uh... begging your pardon, but... who are you?" he asked, having not been invited to the wedding prior.

Mina was quick to reply, "He's your King, dumbass... bow before his glory, or else!"

Harold yelped before quickly falling to the ground. "OH! A thousand pardons, Your Majesty, I had no idea!"

Daniel smiled and reached a hand down to help him back up. "Eh, hey, no sweat, bud. Just, uh-"

"Daniel, if he pisses you off, I give you every right to kick his fucking ass!" Mina interrupted. "And for the record, he's a fucking tool, so use him up as much as you can!"

Harold harrumphed before pulling the list from his suit jacket. "Humph! Well anyways, Your Majesty, shall we get going, then?"

Daniel nodded his head. "Sure thing, Harold! Lead the way, please!"

As they made their way through the hallway, Daniel couldn't help but admire the scenery. There was a series of portraits of various figures of different species and gender... but each one had something in common... glowing red eyes.

"Hey, uh, Harold? Who are all these people in these paintings?" he asked.

Harold looked up and smiled. "Ah, why this is the Hall of Devils, of course! And these are all the ones who came before our present Ruler, and the ones who came before them, as well!"

Daniel looked at the last few pictures. One was of a shadowy figure that almost looked human. "And who's he?"

Harold adjusted his monocle. "That, Your Majesty, is... or rather was... Lord Lucifer, himself."

"Lucifer... huh... not gonna lie, I kinda pictured him to be red with horns." Daniel admitted.

This made Harold chuckle. "Ha! Oh, my dear King, I didn't know you were such a jester! Why, it's such a basic misconception, really, that so many thought Lucifer to be a mere Demon! The truth is, he was even clarified by Abba himself to be one of the most handsome, powerful Angels of his creation!"

"I see... guess I didn't pay enough attention in Sunday School." Daniel admitted.

The next three were Equestrians: two of which being his wife, and the one in-between being a yellow mare with a fiery orange mane. She was wearing a blue and yellow jumpsuit with lightning patterns on it.

"And who's that?" he asked. To be honest, he already knew she was the one that defeated his wife the first time, but he kinda curious to know who she was, at least.

Harold looked at the picture and shook his head. "Ah... that one is Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts. She was only a ruler briefly, and not by choice. You see, after defeating Lady Pinkamena, the powers went into her head, and caused her to lose control of herself, seeing how she wasn't truly evil enough by nature. Upon being bested by our Dear Leader and her companions, she was freed from the curse, and sent back to her world, wounded and drained. I hear her memories of the encounter were wiped from her head, and that she doesn't even realize she was, for the briefest of times, a Devil!"

"Yeah... I'm just glad she could at least be freed from it." Daniel admitted, remembering that fight all too well.

Daniel looked up at the cracked crevices of the battlefield, where he finally managed to reach the top of the plateau-like ground. Once there, he saw the two mares fighting heavily against each other, while Death was staring at the scene in shock.

"Dude... I know that look... she ain't takin' no prisoners!" Death told him.

Upon hearing that, Daniel rushed ahead, in an attempt to hopefully save an innocent life from his friend, Mina.

"Mina!" he called out, as the battered, bruised, and horribly cut up mare limply hung in Mina's grasp.

Mina smiled her Cheshire smile, as the redness in her eyes glowed brighter, with the powers once stolen from her now restored into her body.

"Hahahahaha..." she laughed, before reaching her right hand up, and snapping her fingers. Immediately, her signature Cleaver appeared from the void, and she held it up to Spitfire's throat, while Spitfire coughed up blood, and made choking sounds.

"P-please... d-don't..." Spitfire began, only for Mina to pull her victim's face even closer to her own.

"Yes... beg for your life! It makes it all the more delicious, while I watch it drain from your eyes!" Mina replied, pressing the Cleaver even deeper into her opponent's neck. A small stream of blood trickled from her neck, and she hissed in pain.

"MINA! STOP!" Daniel suddenly called out. This caught Mina off guard, and she pulled the Cleaver back a bit, then looked at Daniel dumbfounded.

He was panting heavily, and looked like he was worried... concerned... scared.

She savored fear, yes... but now, when she saw him in fear... she felt a sudden pang in her heart. Here stood her true love... and for this one moment, he was actually afraid of her... afraid FOR her! She was losing him... she was losing him!

"Daniel... I... I..." she began, only for him to shake his head and weakly smile at her.

"Mina... it's alright, now! You've won... you did it! You... you've gotten your power back, now! You don't need to kill her, though... she didn't know what she was doing... please, Mina... please spare this one person, at least! Just... just look at her!
She can barely even walk, now!" Daniel clarified, pointing at the figure in Mina's hand.

Mina looked at Spitfire again, and saw the tears in her eyes... her Pinkie Senses began to go off, with loud alarms in her head.

Spitfire... a mare who was expecting so much in life... and she was cheated of it, by a false promise made by someone... or something. Mina could sense it... and she knew, right there, that in a strange way, they were both in the same boat. And so, she released her throat, causing her to fall to the ground and cough, as she breathed heavily.

Mina then glared at Spitfire and pointed her Cleaver inches away from her neck. "You will forget this ever happened, Spitfire... but you better remember this, at least! Should you ever return to Tartarus again, then so help me, I will not hesitate to harvest your limbs, and feed them to Cerberus, until you're nothing more than dog shit by the end of the day! Then I will get Death to reap your soul, and throw you into the Pits of Endless Fire, where you'll burn for Eternity! Is that understood?!"

Spitfire could only manage a weak nod.

"Good... then by my decree, you will live. Know that I don't say that very often... so leave, before I change my mind!"

Spitfire quickly got up and limped her way into a nearby portal, where she escaped back to Equestria.

Daniel sighed in relief. It looked like the Spitfire person would live to see another day, after all...

"I wonder how she's doing now..." Daniel wondered out loud.

Harold cleared his throat, causing Daniel to look over at him while Harold, in return, just blinked owlishly.

"Erm... Your Majesty? You've, umm... you've been staring at that painting for about a few minutes, now... shall we proceed to the Throne Room?"

"Oh! Uh... of course, Harold! Sorry, I was just, uh... lost in thought, that's all."

And with that, they made their way over to the Throne Room.

Daniel sat there and relaxed, with his hand on his head, and a focused expression on his face, while the imp approached him cautiously. Then, the imp bowed his head quickly, while Daniel listened to Harold explain the situation. Mina was on the phone, and the phone was on the left arm of the throne. Daniel had an earpiece in his left ear so that he could hear Mina clearly.

"Here stands Dui, owner of the Devil's Bread Cafe, who was summoned here because his company failed to bring up an alarming ONE HUNDRED Soul Fragments, which was promised by the end of last month!"

Daniel raised a hand up and ushered, "Dui, rise." he said, to which the imp complied. "You may speak."

The imp tapped his claws together and frowned. "W-well, Your Majesty... we were short a hundred Soul Fragments, simply because business was slow!"

Mina whispered in the phone, "You know COVID cases are going strong on Earth, which means several more souls are coming in by the day. He's lying, and trying to deceive you!"

Daniel nodded his head and made a stern face to the imp, before slamming his right fist on the throne's arm, which made the imp jump back.

"Dui... you are speaking not only to your King, but your Queen as well, you know. I understand slow days, but this? Have you forgotten that COVID is going around on Earth?"

Dui began to shake, and cowered in fear. "I-I'm sorry! Y-you see... t-the thing is..."

Harold glared at the imp and pointed at him. "Guards! Seize him, at once! He has lied to the King, and must be punished!"

"W-wait! I'll talk, I'll talk!" Dui begged, but Harold crossed his arms, as guards approached Dui.

Then Daniel raised a hand up. "Wait." he commanded.

Mina asked on the earpiece, "What is it? He just committed a crime against us, and does actually have to be persecuted!"

"Just trust me on this." Daniel replied to her.

"Okay... but remember! You have to be hard on them here! It's a requirement!"

"Understood."

He then looked at Harold. "First of all, Harold isn't your King here... I am. And Mina is the one in charge, not him. As such, the guards will obey her, and me, only. Understood?"

Harold glared at Daniel. "Sir! To allow him to speak a lie to you is an insult, and a major crime to Hell's Laws!"

Daniel glared back at him. "Yes, and I'm not going to let it slide... but he still has some explaining to do, and I intend to hear it out, before making a Judgement Call!"

"Humph... very well, then, Your Majesty." Harold agreed. He and the guards all backed down, and Mina listened intently.

"Dui. Why do you claim that your business was slowing down, when we know that many souls have arrived due to the COVID Outbreak? According to the list here, it says your place is usually one of the first few that the souls arriving from Purgatory Road could see. Hell, I even saw it myself once!"

"Y-yes, Your Majesty... a-and I promise you, it's not a lie! T-there have been strange disappearances going on in the Ninth and Seventh Circles, the ones between where my business is!" Dui explained.

"Circles? Uh... Harold, care to elaborate, please?" Daniel asked.

Harold nodded his head. "The Circles of Hell, Your Majesty. The Seventh and Ninth are, in that order, the Circle of Violence, and the Circle of Treachery. However, might I add that between them would be the Circle of Fraudulence, of which lies and deceit are the customs? How are we to trust one who is an innate liar, anyways?"

Daniel rubbed his chin in thought, before replying, "By looking at the evidence, and comparing his claims."

"Evidence?" Harold asked.

"Yes. For instance, he mentioned missing souls. How many are there that have gone missing?" Daniel asked.

"Hundreds, Your Majesty! Thousands, perhaps, though I wouldn't push my luck that far!" Dui replied.

"Again, he's a liar, Your Majesty." Harold added.

"I am, but only where I work, honest! I agreed to drop the customs of my circle at the entrance of this castle, so that Her Majesty would hopefully understand the seriousness of the situation!"

"HER Majesty?! You're talking to your KING here!" Harold shouted.

Daniel raised a hand up. "Wait... he isn't lying about that."

Harold and the guards looked confusedly at him. "Umm... pardon?"

"He said her Majesty, only because he wasn't expecting me to be the one on the throne. He was expecting Queen Pinkamena. That's why he said her there."

Harold stood down once again.

Daniel then tapped on his earpiece. "Mina, what do you think of this?"

Her voice showed concern. "Well, he's talking about missing subjects from within the Violence and Treachery Circles. If, Hell Forbid, he is telling the truth, then it's a really, really bad sign."

"How bad are we talking?" he asked her.

"Like, someone's raising a Rebel Army kind of bad."

"Damn... that's not good." Daniel said, before looking at Harold.

"Your Orders, Your Majesty?" he asked.

Daniel then looked over at Dui and pointed at him. "Dui... I will give you the benefit of the doubt this once."

Dui smiled, while Harold gasped. "What?! B-but Your Majesty!"

Daniel looked over at a guard and motioned towards him. "You there! I want you to send a message to the General. We want two small groups sent into the Seventh and Ninth Circles at once! Bring as many 'Missing Persons' Reports and any potential witnesses here, for immediate questioning."

They soldier saluted and bowed his head. "Yes, Sire!" He then hurried out of the Throne Room quickly.

Daniel then looked at Dui and gave him a determined look. "Dui. If what you said is true, then you'll be excused of your debt this time, and will continue with the normal payments after. Furthermore, you will also be rewarded for your efforts, and commended as a Hero among the people. However, you will be punished and prosecuted by the law's decree if you're caught lying."

Dui smiled at him and bowed his head. "Th-thank you, Your Majesty!"

Daniel nodded his head. "However, until we have a definitive answer, we will hold you in until the investigation concludes, then release you if all holds true. You are to be treated as a Guest of Honor until then, and will be given free meals and a Guest Bed."

"Y-yes, Sire! Th-thank you for g-giving me the benefit of the doubt, Your Majesty!" he said, bowing his head once more.

Daniel nodded in response, smiling a bit at him. He then motioned for the remaining guard to escort him to where he needed to go.

Daniel then tapped on his earpiece. "So, how was that, hon?"

She replied in a casual tone. "Eh, a little too nice for my taste, but hey, it's fair enough, at least. Though maybe the 'Hero' bit was a stretch..."

"He seemed legitimately worried to me."

"Yeah, but don't forget you're in Hell. Lots of 'em can convince a loving mother to sell them their first child for a dollar."

Daniel nodded his head. "I'll be careful, don't worry."

Harold sighed. "Your Majesty, while it's admirable that you take a stand for our sake, you need to be a bit more ruthless! After all, the Devil mustn't be kind and gracious like the opposition!"

Daniel nodded his head. "You're right... but I'm not the Devil. I'm just the King. The 'Devil' title goes to my wife, need I remind you?"

Harold harrumphed, before going through the list again. "Humph. Of course, Your Majesty..."

The rest of court went by without a hitch. Most of it was just complaints and arguments that Daniel and Mina had to fix up. By the end of the session, he had to follow Harold into the Royal Winery.

Though tempted, Daniel decided against drinking any of it... albeit mostly because his wife was on the line and kindly told him that if he drinks a single drop of it without her, she'd castrate both he and Harold with a rusty spoon, then force-feed both of their nut sacks to him, with a noose tied so tightly on his neck, they wouldn't be able to go all the way down his throat, and he'd have to spend eternity tasting them.

"Umm... she was kidding, right?" Daniel asked Harold, who shuddered to think about it.

"Personally, Your Majesty, I wouldn't test it with a thousand-foot pole." Harold replied.

So all they did was check the supplies, and to their relief, they matched the previous chart to a T.

After exiting the Winery, Harold sighed in relief. "Well, that about wraps things up for the day, Your Majesty!"

Daniel chuckled, before tapping on the earpiece. "Hear that, hon? It looks like that's it for the day!"

"Good... now get your ass back in here! I need to talk to you about something!" she ordered.

He smirked. "You got it, hon." Then he looked up and saw Death approaching him with a smile. "Oh! Death, hey, what's up?"

Death shushed him and motioned for him to follow. This made Daniel raise an eyebrow, until he noticed a note in Death's hands, which read, "I've got something for you to give Mina!"

Daniel mouthed an "Oh" before adding, "Actually, hon, Death's here. He wants to show me something real quick."

"Heh... typical. Alright, but tell 'em that he better not keep me waiting long, or he'll have to answer to me!" she threatened.

He chuckled. "Don't worry, he's got it."

And with that, he hung up and followed Death outside the castle.

Mina placed her phone on the nightstand and sighed, before closing her eyes for a moment. Then she heard a knock on the door.

"What?" she asked.

"Just me, Boss!" Death's voice called out.

Mina raised an eyebrow. "Death?" she asked.

Death opened the door and smiled brightly at her. "Surprise!"

"I... am surprised!" she said, before leaning over to look behind the open door. "Where's Daniel?"

"Daniel? Ain't he still doing your work for you?" Death asked.

"No, he just... left with you..." Mina said slowly, before a look of realization dawned on both of their faces.

She quickly threw the blanket off of her hooves and rushed towards the door while Death, looking confused, followed behind her.

"Boss? What's wrong?!"

Daniel crossed the front gate, and saw the black limo sitting there in all its glory. Death opened the back seat and motioned for him to enter, when something quickly caught Daniel's eye.

The chain details, for instance, was missing.

"Hey, hold on a sec." he said, as he leaned over to check the license plate. It read "DESPAIR" on it.

Then, things started to finally click in Daniel's mind.

Death was sitting next to Daniel on the couch at his home. He just lost another game.

"Ah, dammit! Come on, again, man?!"

Daniel smirked, before his phone rang.

Death then asked, "Is it the Boss?"

Death was hurrying past the portal and leaped onto Daniel's bed.

"Hide me!" he squeaked.

Daniel looked confusedly at him. "What is it?"

"I... might've pulled a prank on the Boss!"

"DEATH! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE, OR ELSE!" her angry voice echoed through the house.

"I've got something for you to give Mina!" the piece of paper said, mere moments ago.

Daniel took a step away from the car and pointed at him. "... Who are you?"

Death tilted his head confusedly. "Daniel, it's me! Death!"

Daniel shook his head. He sounded just like him... but no. The evidence points otherwise.

"No... I know Death. He's my friend!" He then glared at the figure. "Again! Who are you?!"

Death sighed, before taking a step forward. "Again, I am Death!"

Then he gripped Daniel's mouth and lifted him up. "... Just not your Death."

"DANIEL!" Mina's voice called out from behind him.

Death's eyes glowed with a blue fire, and Daniel felt his energy draining rapidly. Everything became a blur, before his arms fell limp. Then, he slipped into unconsciousness, as he heard Mina's voice echo in the distance.

Mina rushed towards the impostor, followed by a platoon of twenty well-armed Demon Guards.

The Death Impostor quickly raised his free hand, and exposed his palm, which emitted a blue fire. Immediately, the guards and Mina felt a heavy sleep spell, and fell to the ground instantly.

Only one continued to rush towards them, as the impostor tossed Daniel's sleeping form into the back of the limo.

Death was glaring daggers at the impostor, and snapped his fingers, conjuring his scythe from the void.

"ABEL! STOP!" he shouted, but it proved pointless. His brother, and the car, vanished in a black smoke, taking Daniel with them.

Death stood there for a moment, before roaring in defeat. He slammed his scythe on the ground, and fell to his knees.

Then he began to search the spot for any tracks, clues, anything he can use.

He touched a particular spot, and stopped his movements. There, he sensed an increase in temperature, as the area around his hand started to emit steam.

Then he leaned closer to the spot, and noticed a strange liquid on the road. No doubt, due to its temperature, it can only be one thing.

"... Holy Water..."

To Be Continued...

Episode 7: "...Unhallowed Be My Name..."

One restless night has passed, and the forces of Hell are still searching through the Nine Circles, and even beyond that, all to find the whereabouts of their King, and secure his safe return to his beloved wife.

With the only link being Holy Water and the known culprit being Abel, however, the truth seems all the more inevitable... they will have to go above and beyond Hell, and scout through the territory of their biggest enemy of all time... Heaven.

The courtroom has been very heavily crowded the past week, with servants and guards alike all gathered around, doing their part in searching for any clues and whereabouts of their King.

Mina wasn't sitting on the throne... she hasn't during her awakening yesterday. She was walking back and forth, pacing impatiently for an answer by the scouts she sent yesterday to search the ENTIRETY of Hell and Earth.

Ever since Abel vanished with her husband, she was no longer under the sleep spells... a small detail she was even more angrier that she couldn't just use her Pinkie Sense to notice earlier. But even still, she was starting to get tired naturally again, due to her restless night of searching.

As for Death, though... he was nowhere in Hell. Being the only one of them that legally stands as a Neutral Entity between Good and Evil, he personally excused himself and went to Heaven to investigate from that side.

He's been gone all night ever since, promising he'd call Mina as soon as he found something new out... and as her pacing explained, she was still waiting for that call.

"Your Highness... I don't think that we should delay any longer! The longer we wait, the more danger His Majesty could be in!" one of the servants suggested.

She glared at him, and he yelped, before bowing his head. But rather than yell at him, she sighed and nodded her head.

"As much as I want to start this whole thing off, we can't risk his safety. Sure, he can't die because of that spell, but that doesn't mean he can't be tortured, or put to sleep permanently. No... we wait on Death to give us the signal, and proceed as the situation calls."

The servant stood back up and nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."

She then looked at one of the scouts that rushed in and asked, "And any sign of that worthless Diplomat, too?"

The scout only shook his head silently.

"Figures. When shit actually hits the fan, who's usually the first to cower?" she asked nobody in particular.

"Your Highness... do you think he had something to do with it?" another servant asked.

She shook her head and sighed. "No. No, the dog wouldn't bite the hand that feeds it... and though he may be annoying as fuck, he's at least loyal to our cause. If anything, I'd wager he's on the same boat as Daniel... a victim on this whole fiasco."

Suddenly, her phone started to ring. She answered it immediately.

"Death! Any signs?"

...

"I see... thank you." she said, before hanging up and looking at the scout. "It seems that Heaven's Army has begun marching towards the Pearly Gate. Why, he wasn't sure, but I am."

"A-and that is?" the scout asked, saluting her.

"This isn't some random abduction... no, it was planned from the start... they mean to start a war." she began, before a commotion began to erupt from outside the castle.

She approached the entrance, followed by a platoon of guards, and looked up at Hell's red sky.

Numerous rifts in the sky and ground were forming, showing various major places on Earth. From the blue skies on the other side of it, she could see rifts coming from Heaven. The armies of Heaven were staring through each rift, while Hell's Armies quickly gathered forward, blocking their sides of the rifts.

Mina glared at the sight, before turning towards the scout, who saluted her again.

"I'm going to the armory... don't wait for me. Evacuate all servants and civilians to the palace, then get to Earth and protect the humans from the angels' summons!"

"Y-yes, Your Highness!" he replied, before hurrying out of the palace.

A frightened servant hurried to her, while she began moving to the hallway that lead to her personal armory. "D-does this mean we're at war, Your Highness?"

As they began to rush through the hallway, she shook her head. "No... not just war. Armageddon."

Daniel slowly began to open his eyes, and was met with the sight of a clear, blue sky. He was lying in a beautiful, lush field, with grass and flowers surrounding every nook and cranny he could see.

"Oh, my head..." he mumbled, before turning to his left. There, he saw Harold also waking up from sleep. "Harold?"

Harold groaned. "Oh, dear... I'm afraid my head is spinning, Your Majesty. Please... I... I need a moment to concentrate."

Daniel nodded his head and stood up, before approaching the imp and offering him a helping hand. Harold took his hand and stood back up, rubbing his head.

Then his eyes widened. There were numerous trees in the distance, with fruits of all kinds, some of which Daniel has never even seen before.

Harold started to hyperventilate. "N-no... no, this can't be right! It's impossible! Nobody should be able to..."

"Harold, what's going on here?" Daniel demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Harold looked up at him worriedly. "Your Majesty! We... we've been abducted, and taken beyond Heaven, Hell, and Earth, combined! We... we're trapped in the Garden of Eden!"

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "The Garden of Eden?"

"Y-yes, sire, but... but it's not right! We shouldn't even be here!"

"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock."

"N-no, I mean... it was sealed away permanently by the gods! There's literally no way we should have been able to get here... unless... oh, no..."

Daniel frowned a bit more. "Harold, don't do the suspense crap. That's my job."

Harold gulped. "Y-Your Majesty... someone has triggered Armageddon on Earth!"

"Wait, WHAT?!" Daniel shouted, now starting to panic. "YOU MEAN MY WORLD'S ENDING, NOW?!"

Harold nodded his head. "Y-yes, Sir! By now, it must be a battlefield over there... and... a-and there's no telling how long we've been out for, so for all we know, it may have already ended..."

Daniel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh, fuck... we... we've gotta get the hell out of here!" He then pointed at Harold. "Open a portal to Hell. We need to warn Mina!"

"I... I can't, Your Majesty." Harold replied. "My magic only works in Tainted Lands... and Eden is basically the PUREST kind of Holy!"

Daniel growled, placing his face in his palm. "Great... then we're stuck here forever..."

"I... I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. I really wish I could be of help, but... but these grounds are pure, and have been untouched and untainted by man for eons! No land marked with sin for endless miles around!"

This made Daniel open his eyes and gasp. He then waved a finger in thought, and looked up. "That's... not entirely true, actually."

"I... wait, what?" Harold asked.

Daniel then smiled. "The bible... my dad read the whole thing to me. Sure, I didn't pay attention to most of it, but I at least heard of the beginning."

"Yes, Sir, but how is that relevant to this situation?" Harold asked.

"Eve. She was in the Garden of Eden when she committed the First Sin!"

This made Harold's eyes widen in realization. He snapped his claws. "The Tree of Knowledge... of course! If we can find the Tree of Knowledge, maybe we can find the spot where sin was first made!"

Daniel smiled, and nodded his head. "And if we find that spot, you can get us out of here, right?"

Harold looked up at him with determination, and saluted. "It would be my honor, sir!"

"Great! Then let's go!" Daniel said, before taking a single step and stopping, then groaning. "Well, shit..."

Harold raised a confused eyebrow. "W-what is it, Your Majesty?"

Daniel pointed at the forest ahead. Harold looked there as well, and frowned. "... Oh..."

Sure enough, almost every tree in the entire forest bore fruit of various kinds and qualities.

"I, uh... hope you're hungry, Harold, because we've got a lot of fruit to try."

To Be Continued...

Episode 8: "...My Kingdom Come..."

With Daniel and Harold trapped in Eden, Mina occupied with War Efforts, Death still nowhere to be seen, and an all-out war between Heaven and Hell going down on Earth, one can only assume that all hope is now lost!

In Diamond Peaks City, several cars have stopped moving, and the drivers have all gotten out to see the strange rifts in the sky and various other spots near the land.

One massive rift then opened up above the Town Hall, and from within said rift, a massive metal human-shaped construct fell down, crushing the building into rubble, before standing up and drawing a huge white-beamed blade from its back. It carried a huge tower shield in its other hand.

The people on the ground immediately started to panic and run away in terror, while a huge volcanic crack split the road in front of the construct apart. Then a huge clawed hand burst through, and out from the newly formed hole, rose a huge, bulky archdemon that stood as tall as the construct, albeit a bit more broad-shouldered and muscular-looking.

The archdemon wore a harness over its chest, and on the back of the harness, one might barely be able to make out an Equine-like figure, clad in black and red armor from head to toe. The helmet was shaped like a pony, but with two horns on the sides of its forehead that resembled a ram, and the eye sockets of the helmet glowed a bright red color. The breastplate was feminine in shape, and she was holding the harness's brindle with her left hand, and a massive black cleaver in her right, which was propped up against her shoulder.

Rather than be seated, the black-armored mare was standing on the harness, and braced for impact as her ride used its left arm to deflect the handle of the sword from the construct's hand once it took a swing at them.

The archdemon then clashed its hands on the construct's shoulders and held on tight, while the figure standing on it leaped up high in the air towards the construct's forehead and jabbed the cleaver into it.

The construct started to pulse with light energy as the mare ran across its head, dragging the cleaver through it, and causing a massive scar to follow suit. She then used her cleaver to drag herself down its winged back, until there was no other metal to cut. Then she used her hooves to propel herself off of it, and braced for an impactful landing below.

Upon landing, the land around her started to wither. She stood back up and assumed a hostile stance as the archdemon lifted the damaged construct up, ripped it clean in half, and threw both halves left and right of it. It let out a huge, Earth-Shaking roar.

Meanwhile, in front of the mare, a group of two angels landed, clad in white and gold armor, and carrying spears and tower shields.

They said no words, but lunged at the mare, whose cleaver vanished into the void with a snap of a finger. She then leaped up in the air and landed on one of the angel's backs, gripping onto his wings, and ripping them clean off with her armored hands.

The other angel attempted to swipe her off, but she flipped and dodged the blade, then landed on his shoulders. She snapped her finger again, and her cleaver re-appeared, which she used to slice the second angel's wings off.

Finally, she did a backflip off of the second angel's shoulder and twirled around in the air between them, then landed on the ground, as the angels' heads rolled off their shoulders.

Their bodies fell limply on the ground, and she stood back up, wiping the Angel Blood off of her blade with the grass.

More angels and a pair of more huge constructs appeared from the rift, but behind the mare, her Demon Army emerged, and a second archdemon rose from the ground. She pointed the cleaver forward, and the two armies rushed each other, weapons drawn, and battle cries heard for miles around.

Harold's face was practically green, as he let out a sickened "Urp!", holding the bile in his mouth, and his mouth with his free hand.

"Ugh... h-how do you humans even stand this foul taste?!" he asked, as he tossed the next bitten fruit into the huge pile of refuse that rested between he and Daniel.

Daniel took a bite off of another fruit of his own and sighed, before tossing that fruit over into the pile. He didn't reply to Harold's whining, and instead tried another fruit.

"I mean... couldn't there at least be a Blood Orange that actually tastes like blood, for example?" he asked, before taking another hesitant chunk from a different fruit, which he spat out immediately and gagged from.

Daniel shook his head and bit into the contents of the last fruit in the testing pile: a fruit he had to peel a bit from, first. "Dammit... okay, guess that does it for this batch of trees." He then points ahead. "Let's go try these ones out, next."

Harold put a hand on his bulging stomach and let out a gurgling burp. "Ugh... b-but Your Majesty..."

"No buts, Harold. We need to find that tree!" he stated matter-of-factly.

Harold groaned before letting out a weak salute and hobbling behind his king.

Daniel then stopped and sighed, shaking his head. "You know what... fuck it, this isn't getting us anywhere. We need a better plan than this."

"Oh, thank you!" Harold said, falling onto his back and sighing contently.

Daniel then sat down on the grass and gently pressed onto his brows, as he tried coming up with a better solution than 'tasting every fruit in Eden until he finds one that makes either him or Harold feel even slightly smarter'.

Finally, something pops up.

"I got it!" he called out. Harold looked over to him, but remained lying down.

Daniel then stood up and started pacing back and forth. "The Tree of Knowledge produced the Forbidden Fruit. Right?"

Harold mumbled, "Mm-hmm..."

"So... if it was forbidden, while everything else was allowed... wouldn't it have made sense to have the tree grown separate from all the others?" Daniel asked.

Harold's eyes widened and he sat up a bit. "That's brilliant, Your Majesty! So... so maybe the Tree of Knowledge isn't even in the forest at all!"

Daniel thought a moment, but shook his head. "No, it wouldn't be that simple. They were able to see it clearly from within the forest. Chances are, it might be deep within... perhaps the center of it all?"

Harold gulped. "You mean... even DEEPER in the forest?!"

Daniel shrugged. "Well, why not? Think about it. The center is a huge focal point in most religious frameworks. It's worth a shot, at least, isn't it?"

Harold groaned. "But Your Majesty... the forest spans across hundreds of miles at least! It could take us ages to reach the center on time!"

"Well, then... let's start walking!" Daniel said, before taking a single step deeper into the woods.

Suddenly, though, he stopped in place once a loud roar echoed from nearby, behind a few bushes.

Harold jumped to his feet and hurried behind Daniel, hiding near his legs.

Daniel assumed a defensive position, as from behind the bushes, a huge, fierce lion emerged.

Harold then yelped. "Eek! A l-l-l-LION! YOUR MAJESTY, RUN! I'LL... I'LL SERVE AS BAIT!"

Daniel held a hand down in a calming gesture. "Wait, hold on Harold. I... think I read about this one, too."

Harold shivered in fear, but Daniel took another step forward, towards the lion. The lion, in return, took another step towards them.

Then Daniel held a hand out towards the lion, and pointed at it. "You... you're the one from the parable, aren't you? The Lion and the Lamb?"

The lion stood there for a moment... then nodded its head.

Daniel sighed in relief. "Whew... alright, then... and you're the guardian of this place, now?"

Again, the lion nodded. From behind the bushes, another creature emerged... a much shorter lamb, almost as tall as Harold.

Daniel smiled. "Well... it's an honor to meet you." he said with a polite bow.

The lion bowed its head back in response... a respectful gesture from one king to another.

Then Daniel had an idea. He looked between the lamb and lion, and asked, "Hey, uh... you wouldn't happen to know where the Tree of Knowledge is, would you?"

Daniel cheered in delight, as he bounced up and down, from the back of the mighty lion. From behind him, he heard Harold screaming in terror, as the lamb followed close behind the lion, while they ran outrageously fast through the jungle. The trees were all a blur at this point.

"WOO! THIS IS AWESOME!" Daniel called out.

Harold screamed a bit more before regaining slight composure. "W-with all d-d-due r-r-respect, Y-Your Majesty, I... I think I'm going to be sick!"

He held his mouth again as his face turned even greener.

At this rate, it would only take them about an hour to reach their destination.

Elanor was in the kitchen, ready to cook up a pot of soup. She already had the pot and the Cooking Oil on the counter, and was reaching into the cabinets for the rest of the ingredients.

Her husband, James, was in their bedroom, doing a crossword puzzle that was in the newspaper, while listening to the chaos on the radio.

"El, I'm telling ya! Soon as we get a call from either Daniel or his wife, we'll be on our way to Hell! There ain't enough time for you to cook some soup!"

Elanor rolled her eyes. "Oh, hush up, you. The world may be ending, but that doesn't mean we can't at least give Miss Pinkamena something to snack on when she gets back from the war!"

Then, the door started to knock.

"Oh! Well shoot, it's probably some more scared people coming in for shelter!" Elanor said.

James groaned. "Well, let 'em know to come back in about thirty minutes or so!"

She rolled her eyes before answering the door.

Death stood on the other side, smiling at her. "Oh! Well if it isn't Death, himself! Come in, Dearie! Please, make yourself at home!"

Death shook his head and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Well thank you for the hospitality, but actually, Miss Elanor..." he began, before raising his other hand up, hovering it inches away from her face. "... I've come to pick you up."

To Be Continued...

Episode 9: "...My Will Be Done!"

Armageddon continues around the world. For better, or for worse, though... someone is bound to eventually win, and someone is bound to eventually lose.

And the wages of war, at this point, could go no higher for both sides... or so they thought...

From the United States to Australia, China to the Open Seas, numerous death tolls have been made, all within an hour. Bodies of man, angel, and demon, littered the streets of Diamond Peaks, and all cities and towns around the world. And yet, the battle still raged on.

Demons and Angels continued to fight with all their might, and within the field of battle, stood Mina. Her helmet has been discarded, and blood practically covered her entire body and face, while another angel, one much stronger than the others, stood opposite of her. His blonde hair and blue eyes radiated power, and his sword, his armor, and his face, was coated with Demon Blood. This angel was none other than Michael, himself... the leader of Heaven's Army.

Mina rushed towards him, while Michael rushed in kind, before their blades clashed loudly.

The lion finally reached a clearing, and stopped where he stood. The lamb followed right behind him, and together they lowered their backs, allowing Daniel and Harold to get back onto the ground.

Daniel landed on his feet when he slid off, while Harold, not used to this kind of transportation, fell flat on his face.

"Thanks, buddy... don't worry, we'll be out of here in no time, and you and your, uh... friend there can get back to life as usual." Daniel told the lion.

The lion looked at the lamb, then back at Daniel and opened his mouth.

"You can return here at any time, Lord Daniel." the lion said. This caught Daniel off-guard, and he did a double-take.

"You, uh... you can speak?!" Daniel asked. The lion nodded his head.

"Indeed... and please, just call me Aslan." he replied to the confused man.

"Aslan... wait, you mean 'Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' Aslan?!" he asked. Again, Aslan nodded his head.

"Indeed, I am."

Daniel blinked owlishly, before tilting his head in confusion. "But... what are you doing out of Narnia?"

This made Aslan frown, as he turned towards the lamb. "In truth... my kingdom has fallen."

"Oh... I'm, uh... sorry to hear that. What happened to it?" Daniel asked.

Aslan looked back at Daniel and replied, "The same thing that is happening to your world, I'm afraid... Armageddon had been called forth, and it was the battlefield between Heaven and Hell. On the day the trumpets were blown, the kingdom was no more, and Heaven had won the war. The rifts swallowed it whole, and it became one with Heaven... and I, King of Narnia, lost my rights to bear its crown... for it was no longer in my jurisdiction."

"And you just let it happen?" Daniel asked, to which Aslan shook his head.

"No. I fought for my kingdom, most certainly! We sided with Heaven, and together we drove the forces of Hell back. However... we didn't know the consequences of our alliance, and by the time it was over, the rifts of Heaven expanded, swallowing everything up."

"So basically, God betrayed you?" Daniel asked in shock. But again, Aslan shook his head.

"No... he had no control of the rifts. Armageddon is a one-way thing. By the time the rifts open up, they can not be removed... only grown by the power of the winning force. Should either Heaven or Hell win the war, your world will be swallowed by the winning side." Aslon concluded.

Daniel shook his head, frowning at the thought of it actually being the end. "Damn it... so Earth is screwed regardless! Heaven wins, and it becomes purified to where everyone loses their free will. Hell wins, and it becomes a new Circle, and everyone lives in Eternal Darkness and Damnation! I just... I just can't sit by and let that happen!"

"I'm sorry, Daniel, but... you can't undo that which has begun." Aslan said.

Daniel then thought for a moment, before raising a finger up, having an idea form in his head. "Then... if we can't undo it... can we at least stop the war from advancing any further?"

"It... has never truly been done before. However... I believe there is a way." Aslan said, before nodding his head. "Though in truth, it is only a theory."

"And what is this theory of yours?" Daniel asked.

"Well... in the day of the Apocalypse, there shall be four horsemen that lead Heaven's Army through to victory. Should one no longer be present, however... then the Army would have nobody to lead it. And... I believe you've met face-to-face with one of said Horsemen, already. I saw him carrying you within the forest, after all."

Daniel's blood ran cold, as realization dawned upon his face. "Death..."

Aslan nodded his head. "Indeed... you must find a way to defeat Death. Only then, shall the war reach a Stalemate, and the war, ended abruptly in your world's favor. However... there's a catch to it."

"Lemme guess... you can't just go and kill Death." Daniel guess, but Aslan shook his head.

"No... you already know that. What I'm saying is this: though the war will be ended, the rifts can not be dispelled. Armageddon is, after all, a one-time calling. I'm afraid your world will have to adapt to life around said rifts."

"That... kinda complicates things even more, now." Daniel said. "Humanity is kinda on the weaker side of things... it would probably take many generations before they come to terms with this level of change. Not to mention, it kinda stands out against everyone's beliefs."

He thought for a bit longer, before shaking his head. "Oh, well... as long as everyone ends up safe, and the war is over, that's really all we can hope for, at this point."

Aslan nodded his head. "Then I shall wish you the best of luck, Son of Abba. May you, and your family, prevail in this coming conclusion."

"Uh... thanks, I guess?" Daniel said, before looking over at Harold, who was patting the lamb on the head, much to its happiness.

"You know... you're starting to grow on me, now..." Harold told the lamb, to which it let out a pleased "Baa!" in response.

"Come on, Harold... we've got us a war to stop." Daniel said.

Harold looked over at him, and saluted. "Of course, Your Majesty!"

Then they headed over to the Tree of Knowledge, while Aslan and the lamb turned the opposite way, and returned into the forest.

Daniel and Harold both looked around the tree for any signs of corruption... but it was surrounded by grass and white roses.

"Your Majesty... where should we search, first?" Harold asked.

Daniel rubbed his chin and looked around the field. Suddenly, a particular spot near the tree caught his eye... a large circle of grass that bore no roses at all. He pointed towards it. "Right there... that's gotta be it."

Harold followed his direction, and stepped into the area. At once, his pupils shrunk into serpent-like pinpricks, and he smiled wickedly.

"Y-yes... taint of the PUREST form! I... I-I feel it, Your Majesty!" he said with glee, before raising a claw up and snapping. A spark of fire flickered, before vanishing.

Daniel smiled, and approached him. "Good... now, then... let's get out of here!"

Harold gave him a salute. "Of course, Your Majesty! But... where should we go? We don't know if Earth is still around, and Hell could be sealed off from anywhere else!"

Daniel paused there, and hummed. "Damn... good point."

He thought a bit longer, but growled. "Fuck! If only we knew where..." he then stopped and looked over at the Tree of Knowledge again.

"... Unless..." he thought out loud, before approaching said tree.

"Harold... mind getting me one of these fruits?"

"What?! But Your Majesty! No mortal must ever eat the Forbidden Fruit, or they will perish!"

Daniel nodded his head. "You're right. No Mortal can eat it... but who said I was mortal? Remember, I was immortalized, so it shouldn't work on me."

"But... it's too risky, Your Majesty! I can't just let you risk your life! The wrath Her Highness would bestow upon me shall know no bounds!"

Daniel shook his head. "Harold, you know as well as I do that there's no other way. And besides that, I'm a human. And we humans are stubborn as hell. Now, please... pass me a Forbidden Fruit, or I'll have no choice but to draw my Title Card."

Though confused about the last phrase, Harold reluctantly agreed. He hurried over to the Tree of Knowledge and, using his claws, managed to climb up to the branches, where he plucked a Forbidden Fruit from it. He then climbed back down and held it up for Daniel to take.

Daniel held the fruit for what felt like a good five minutes, though. As he stared into the fruit that looked like an apple of solid gold, he saw his reflection in its shining coat, and had a long moment of hesitation.

He was about to eat the Forbidden Fruit, after all... the same thing that cost humanity its immortality the first time. Perhaps this time will be no exception. Perhaps it will make him just a regular human, again? Perhaps it will kill him on the spot? Perhaps, because of it having been done once before, it won't even work at all?

Then he remembered, he's running short on time. And so, after taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, opened his mouth, and took a bite.

...

Nothing happened, though. He kept his eyes closed and swallowed the fruit. It was an odd flavor, to say the least... it almost felt like chewing on soft ice, with no distinguishable flavor.

Harold looked up at him and asked, "Your Majesty?"

Daniel sighed, then opened his eyes. "Nothing." He glared and threw the fruit at the tree, angry.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE! WHY DIDN'T THE FUCKING FRUIT WORK?!" he shouted, before suddenly, out of nowhere, hundreds of visions rushed into his mind, forcing his eyes open widely. He gasped, and saw the battlefield in his mind.

He saw hundreds of thousands of people falling victim to the war.

He saw Mina fighting Michael.

He saw her surrounded by numerous angels, as they readied to strike her down, while she was breathing heavily, almost ready to pass out.

Then, he saw his mother answer the door, and Death was standing on the other side.

"Mom?! MOM, NO!" he shouted.

Suddenly, his vision returned to reality. He looked at Harold with worried eyes.

"Diamond Peaks, we... we have to go to Diamond Peaks!" he ordered.

Harold saluted him. "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Then they ran over to the Tainted Land, and Harold stood near the center. He closed his eyes and waved his claws, making the grass within the taint wither and die, until there was nothing but a dirt circle. He opened his eyes, and they glowed red. Finally, he plunged his claws into the dirt, and spat a large gust of fire into the center of the taint.

The fire landed on the ground, split on both sides, then rose up in a firing ring that connected at the top.

Once connected, the inside of the fire shifted and changed, until one could see James's and Elanor's house in the view. There was a lot of yard to cover, but it was there.

Daniel sighed in relief, before hurrying there. "Come on, Harold. We have to hurry!"

Harold nodded his head and stood back up. Then Daniel picked up the pace, and ran into the portal. Harold followed shortly behind him, and it closed behind them as soon as they were both on the other side.

Daniel landed on his feet upon entering the portal. Harold, like before, landed on his face, having not been that used to traveling by portal. They then rushed closer to the house, until they were finally on the asphalt, in the driveway.

They stopped in their tracks, however, and Daniel felt his heart rate spike, as he saw his mother lying in front of the open door. She was not breathing, and her skin was unusually pale.

"MOM!" he shouted, running faster than he ran before... but Harold's pointy ears flickered, and he gasped, reaching out for Daniel.

"Your Majesty! WAIT!"

But it was too late.

Suddenly, agonizing pain filled both of their heads, stopping them in their tracks, and causing them to fall to their knees, gripping onto their heads.

Daniel slowly looked up, and saw Death appear from within the house. His hand was raised, and he was smiling wickedly at them.

He stepped down the steps of the front porch, and stopped... then lowered his hand, and clapped excitedly.

"Daniel! My man! Oh, this is definitely... definitely... not expected! Not expected at all!" Death said in amusement.

Daniel growled and retorted, "You bastard... you'll pay for this!"

But Death only chuckled. "Oh, Danny boy, how do you plan on making me pay, exactly?! Not like you can kill Death, after all!"

Daniel stood back up and rushed towards him again, but he fell to the ground, once more grasping his head in pain, as Death raised his hand up again.

"Ah-ah-ah! Sorry, I'm not really much of a touchy-feely guy. Not since your best friend, y'know, kinda-sorta killed me with his bare hands!"

Daniel yelled out loud as Death raised his hand a bit higher, and continued.

"But I guess I should thank 'em as well. I mean, who'd have thought that by playing Victim, I'd be rewarded the title of Horseman, of all things?!"

When Death took another step forward, Daniel felt blood starting to rush out of his nose. He wiped his lips, but on the next step, he fell to the ground, covering his entire head and curling up in sheer agony.

"I know you're still Immortal, Danny. I can't kill you... but hey, even I know there's some fates that are far worse than Death! Allow me to show you one!" He snapped his fingers, and Daniel felt something similar to daggers stabbing into his brain.

He was on the verge of passing out, as his vision blurred. Death only laughed at the sight of this.

"Hahaha! Oh, wow! Still even conscious after that?! You really are a Miracle, ain't ya?! Just like your parents always said!"

Daniel opened his eyes and glared at Death, as he cried out blood from his eyes.

Death merely cooed. "Aww... don't cry, Danny. Once I'm bored enough, I'll stop and send you back to Eden. But this time, you'll have some company to play with!"

He took another step forward, which only intensified Daniel's pain. It felt as if the daggers started to twist around in his brain.

"I'll just hire some Angels to watch you... maybe toy with you. Oh! I know! We can crucify you! Yeah, you can spend eternity on a cross, just like the last Miracle Child this world gave! Only you won't have the courtesy of dying!"

Daniel's vision began to darken, as consciousness was starting to finally fade from him.

"Yeah... and I may even pay you a visit every now and then! That way, you can remember this moment, and-"

Suddenly, a huge torrent of water splashed all over Death from behind him, causing him to lower his hand and deadpan.

The pain immediately stopped for Daniel, and he was able to see clearly again. He looked up and gasped.

Death wiped some of the water from his forehead and looked at it curiously. "Huh... Holy Water?"

"With a hint of Olive Oil, you bastard." came James's reply, as he stood on top of the staircase, with the cooking pot still in his hands. He was wearing kitchen gloves, so as to keep the liquid from touching him.

Death smirked, then turned around completely, so that he was facing James. "You know... I may be Death, but I'm technically one of the Holy Figures, right? So, uh... I guess you've skimped out on your own lessons."

There was a moment of silence. James then tossed the pot down, and removed his gloves, while Death only shrugged his shoulders and looked between he and Daniel. "Well, isn't this one Hell of a Family Reunion, huh?! The Prodigal Son, and the Fallen Preacher!"

"F-Fallen... Preacher?!" Daniel stuttered in confusion, as he slowly lifted himself back up to his knees. "What... what are you...?"

Death backed up a tiny bit, so that James and Daniel were able to see each other more clearly. "Go ahead, Old Timer! Tell 'em!"

James sighed, before nodding his head and looking at Daniel. "Daniel, I... I renounced my faith."

This caused Daniel's jaw to drop. "You... you what?!"

James only smiled at him. "Like I said, son... I would go through Hell for you. And I meant it. Your... your mother was going to tonight, so that we could live in Hell with you, should Earth be lost, but... well... this asshole got to her before she could." he pointed at Death, who playfully put his hand on his chest and muttered his thanks. "Go fuck yourself." James added to Death.

Death only smirked at the remark, then walked back between them.

"Yeah, yeah... well you know what? As touching as this reunion is, I've got a bit more vengeance in my head! And so, speaking of heads..."

He raised his hand towards Daniel again, and the sharp pain returned instantly. James quickly began to cry, hearing his son's suffering, before yelling.

"STOP! STOP HURTING MY SON!"

Death kept his hand up and feigned thinking. "Hmm... nah."

James then began to reach into his coat pocket, but before he could get his hand inside it, Death raised his other hand, and the pain began to surge through James's head as well, causing him to lean down and cry out, with blood starting to fall from his nose, as well.

"Oh, please, James... do you take me for a fool?!" Death asked. "I know you better than you realize... you and your old Holy Tricks!"

Death then continued to hold them in place, before he lowered his hands and yawned. James and Daniel fell to their knees, with James puking out a mixture of bile and blood.

Daniel looked up at him and cried a bit more. "Death... stop, please! Don't..."

Death looked over at Daniel and smiled wickedly. "Oh, fine then... I'll stop."

"You... you'll what?" Daniel asked in surprise.

Death shrugged again. "I'm bored of this. Frankly, it's clear you're too stubborn to fall unconscious, and being immortal, inflicting physical pain is just gonna make you stronger, now that I think about it."

Death straightened his posture out and stretched his arms widely. James began to slowly stand back up behind him, glaring at the horseman.

"And so... I guess I'll do you a favor, and balance things out."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Balance... things out?"

Death nodded his head again. "Yeah... I've practically broken your body, now... and I haven't even touched the spirit, yet!"

Then Death snapped his fingers, and his scythe materialized from the void. Daniel's eyes widened in realization.

"So... time to fix that!" Death cheered, before turning around and plunging his scythe into James's chest.

"ACK!" James shouted, spitting a large chunk of blood from his mouth. He lifted his hands up and gripped onto the handle of Death's Scythe, as he heard Daniel's scream rapidly go more and more silent by the second.

Then Death lifted the scythe up, forcing James's feet to rise above the ground, as he was hanging onto the handle for dear life.

Then, Death swung his scythe towards Daniel, hurling his father through the yard, until his body crashed and rolled towards his son, stopping only a couple meters away from him. A long, think line of blood trailed from the house.

Daniel stared at his father's widened eyes and glared, before gritting his teeth and rising back up to the ground. Then he lunged towards Death, and yelling in bestial rage.

Death then raised his hand again, and once more, Daniel was on his knees, yelling in agony, while gripping onto his forehead.

"AAAAAAH! I'M... I'M GOING TO..." he began, but Death burst into laughter again, now walking even faster towards his victims.

"You'll what? Kill me? Oh, that's hysterical! As I said it before, and as I'll say it once more! You. Can. NOT. Kill. Dea-"

*CRASH!*

Before Death could finish his sentence, a black limo crashed into him at full speed, sending him flying into the field, and forcing his head off of his shoulders, and his jaw from his head.

Daniel looked up at the limo, and immediately recognized the chains on its skirt. The license plate read "D3SPA1R" on it, and at once, he knew that the Death he knew... the Death that was his friend... had finally arrived.

The limo vanished in a puff of black smoke, leaving its driver standing there, dressed in his signature black robe. The new Death looked towards Daniel and James, then ran towards them.

"HANG IN THERE, OLD TIMER! I'LL GET YOU BACK UP ON YOUR FEET!" he yelled, before an unseen force shoved him several meters back.

Death looked around confusedly, before his eyes set on the floor... where a huge line of salt formed a ring surrounding the yard, just barely away from where James landed.

"Himalayan Salt Ring... motherfucker..." Death swore, as a menacing chuckle echoed behind him. He turned around, and saw the other Death's body pick his head back up and prop it on his shoulders again. Then he snapped his jaw back on, and rubbed his chin.

"Heh... careful what you say there, big brother. After all, she was your mother, too!" he asked.

Cain glared at his brother, before gritting his teeth. "Abel... now you've just taken things way too far!"

Abel chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "Oh? Says the least favorite grandchild!"

Cain snapped his fingers and his scythe returned to his hand. This made Abel's sly smirk to only grow even more.

"Well, guess I struck a nerve, huh? Oh, right! Those kinda peeled away while you rotted on Earth!" he taunted, before raising his hand in the sky. A portal emerged, and a large volcanic stone flew towards Cain.

Cain lifted his scythe up to his left shoulder and sliced diagonally. The stone split into two and vanished into thin air.

Abel clapped his hands proudly. "Impressive aim, brother! Now, let's kick things up a notch, shall we?!"

He pointed at Cain, and immediately, another stone lunged at him, followed by another. They were going twice as fast as the first.

Cain sliced upward then to the side, piercing through both stones with ease, as they vanished into the sky once more.

Abel then lifted his other hand up, and shoved at the air. Two massive portals emerged behind him, and two meteors emerged, crashing into each other in front of him, and merging into one. It flew towards Cain at four times the speed of the last.

Cain quickly placed his scythe at the ground and ran forward, before slicing up and leaping into an uppercut.

The meteor was sliced in two, and vanished.

Cain then landed on his feet and began running towards Abel, ready to slice at him next.

Abel shrugged his shoulders and snapped his own scythe back into his hands. "Tch. Typical Cain, always taking the Hands-On Approach! Very well, then!"

He lifted his scythe and began running towards Cain, grinning wickedly. "TIME FOR ROUND TWO!"

And then he sliced downward, while Cain sliced upward. As their scythes' blades clashed, the ground shook below them, and a sandstorm emerged within the Salt Ring.

Daniel crawled towards his dad and placed a hand on him. "Dad... Dad, answer me!" he cried. Harold crawled over on the opposite side of James, looking sadly at his king's father.

James coughed out a bit more blood, making Daniel briefly smile when he saw that James was still breathing, somehow.

"Daniel..." James mumbled.

"Dad, it's okay... it's okay, the real Death is here! He'll... he'll fix this!" Daniel said.

James moaned in pain, before lifting his hand up and placing it on Daniel's shoulder. Daniel quickly placed his hand on it, and the tears streamed from both of their eyes.

"Daniel, I... I need tell you something... something important." James weakly said, before coughing out another bit of blood.

Daniel shook his head. "Not now, Dad... it can wait. We'll talk about it when you're better!"

James shook his own head in response. "No, Daniel... I... I need to tell you now... before... before it's too late."

Daniel exhaled deeply. Deep down, he knew that there was no talking back to his dad this time. "O-okay, Dad... w-what... what is it?"

James reached into his pocket with his other hand.

"Son... you... you know how your mother and I always called you our... our little Miracle?" he said with a smirk.

"Y-yes, sir... you... you said it's because when Mom gave birth to me, she couldn't give birth to anyone else. I was her first, and last, child."

James shook his head and sighed. "That... th-that was all... just a... fabrication, son."

A look of confusion adorned Daniel's face. "What? W-what do you mean? W-was I adopted?"

James shook his head, and smiled. "No, son... you weren't adopted."

He then coughed a bit more, before continuing.

"Your mother was sterile before we even married, Son. We were happy to be together, though, just the two of us... but over time, we grew lonely without a child to call our own... and so... a-and so one night, we said a prayer."

Daniel listened intently at this. It was huge news to him... neither his father, nor his mother, ever explained this to him this way.

"Th-then... the next morning... y-you showed up at our doorstep, wrapped in a basket, with a... w-with a beautiful blue cloth around you."

Daniel recalled seeing that cloth in their house... it was his childhood favorite, that made him feel a deep sense of comfort and warmth every night... like it held a special connection to him.

"But... th-there's more to it than that, Son."

Daniel looked back at his dad and nodded his head. "W-what is it?"

James smiled at him. "We... w-we took you to a lab the next morning... got your blood tested for any... any tracks of who your real parents were..."

He shook his head.

"B-but... but they couldn't find anyone. They checked the records from across the world, but... n-nobody could match your blood. It... i-it was almost like you..."

Daniel nodded his head in understanding.

"Like I just showed up out of thin air..." he said for his father.

James nodded his head. "Daniel, I... I'm so sorry... I... I couldn't ever tell you this, because... w-well... we wanted you to still be our son... t-to be our-"

"Dad." Daniel said, brushing his father's hair with his hand gently. "Blood doesn't make a difference. You and Mom took me in. Raised me like I was your flesh and blood. You treated me the best you could... you... you helped me when I needed it. You shielded me from danger when I was close to it."

James let out another tear as his lip quivered.

"You are... and always will be... my Dad."

James then cried weakly, before pulling his son in for a hug.

Daniel returned the hug, being mindful of the wound.

Then, he felt Jame's other hand press on his chest. Daniel looked down, and noticed that something was in James's hand.

He held his hand below James's, and felt the strange object fall into his palm. James pulled his own hand back, then, and Daniel saw the object clearly, now... a tiny blue bottle with a wooden cork made of Acadia.

"Dad... what... what is this?" he asked.

James smiled slyly at his son. "Spirit... Jar..."

Daniel looked confusedly at him, before turning towards Harold. "Harold, what... what's a Spirit Jar?"

Harold wiped a tear from his eyes and replied, "A... a Spirit Jar, Your Majesty, is a tool for capturing spirits. To capture one, you must anoint its body with oil, then open the jar near its presence."

Daniel's eyes widened in realization. He weakly smiled, then looked back at his dad. "Dad, I... t-thank you..."

James nodded his head and looked towards the sandstorm.

"You're welcome, Son... n-now... I believe you... you've got a war to end... and a world to save."

Daniel nodded his head determinedly. "Yes, sir."

He stood back up and pointed at Harold. "Harold... watch over him, please. Try to... idunno... do something. Just keep your eyes on 'em."

"Y-yes, Your Majesty." he replied.

Daniel then turned around and hurried towards the Sandstorm.

James watched his son vanish into the storm, and looked up at the sky. Deep down, despite renouncing his faith, he was thankful to God for granting him his Miracle Child. He held his hand up and balled his fist.

"The... the torch has been passed, now... I've... I've done my part..."

Harold looked towards him in confusion, but he continued regardless.

He then slowly closed his eyes, muttering one last phrase.

"It... is... finished..."

His fist uncurled... then his hand fell to the ground. His eyes glossed over, and he let out one slow, drawn-out breath.

James Richard Banks... was no more.

Howard bowed his head and sighed, not knowing how he would break the news to his king. Looking towards James's body, he reached his hand up and closed his eyes for him.

Abel flew back several meters, as Cain kicked him in the stomach. Before Cain could strike him again, though, Abel threw a pile of dirt at his brother, which emitted a heavy gust of wind as a result.

Cain flew back in kind, but used his Scythe to stop him from going more than just a few meters.

Abel chuckled. "You know, brother, we can duke it out for Eternity if we wanted to!"

Cain grit his teeth and stood back up. "Yeah, well... as much as I appreciate the opportunity to beat you senselessly for Eternity, I've got other plans! Like, say, ending your madness! Right here, and right now!"

Abel shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, well, face it Cain. You've been gone too long! You failed to find the truth in time, and now... we get to watch this world burn together!"

Cain's grip on his scythe tightened.

Abel smiled even more. "Oh, right... burning would be if Hell won. It would be purified once Heaven's won! Face it! Whether you win or not, there's no victory to be gained here! In the end, you're just wasting your time, brother!"

Cain growled before lunging at his brother again. This time, his scythe punctured Abel's stomach, but Abel was unfazed by it.

He smiled, as he gripped onto the handle of the scythe, keeping it locked in place. Cain lifted his fist and punched at Abel's head, but he caught it with his other hand.

"Speaking of winning... how do you even plan to win this fight, anyways? I mean... need I remind you? You can't kill Death!" he taunted.

"Then maybe you should listen to your own words, buddy!" Daniel called out from behind Abel.

Abel turned around and his smile soon faltered, as he saw Daniel holding a Spirit Jar in his hand, which was only a few meters away from him.

Cain released his scythe and quickly grabbed Abel's wrists, while avoiding touching the oil that still covered his brother's body.

The gears immediately clicked in Abel's mind.

"Need I remind you... that there are some fates far worse than death?!" Daniel quoted, as his thumb pressed on the cork of the bottle.

"N-no... NO!" Abel lashed out, but could do nothing with his brother holding him in place.

"Here... allow me to show you one!" Daniel said, before popping the cork off.

Suddenly, a huge wind tunnel emerged, sucking in the sandstorm. Cain moved to the side and kicked Abel several meters back.

Abel fell to his knees and lifted an arm up, studying it carefully.

The oil on his fingers began to glow a golden color, and melted his hand down, with the golden liquid flying into the jar. He reached his other hand up to pull his scythe from the Void, but before he could, his other hand melted as well. The glowing oil engulfed his arms, and he fell to the ground, screaming.

The oil engulfed his chest, and separated his waist from his stomach, as he was literally melting before Daniel's eyes.

His legs were finally gone. As he was still a skull, he continued to scream, while the glow began digging at the back of his head, and tearing through him rapidly.

Finally, his entire skull was melted, and the pieces flew into the air, caught inside the torrent. As it did, Daniel could somehow still hear his screaming, as the last of the oil flew into the jar. Then his screaming grew more silent, as if he were falling down an endless tunnel.

The sandstorm was completely gone now, and the salt was the last to be lifted up. It circled through the torrent, and flew into the jar, before the cork shook wildly, then flew up on its own, sealing itself back onto the jar.

Then, as quickly as it appeared, the torrent ended. Once it was done, a huge pulse of air flew from around the jar's edges, stirring the dirt around them up for a brief moment, and the dirt rose into the air.

Miles away, a group of thinly built Demon Scouts clad in black and red leather armor, rushed through the city streets, searching far and wide for something... or someone.

Then, they heard a deep-pitched boom, and turned to face the dirt rising from the mountain beside them. The leader of the group nodded his head and pointed forward.

The others tapped their chests twice, before they all leaped into the air, and bounced from building to building at blurring speeds.

Upon reaching the top of the trees that covered the entrance to James's and Elanor's wooden house, they squinted their eyes to get a better look through the dirt in the air. Then they covered their eyes in goggles, and stared briefly at the carnage, before a look of realization dawned upon them.

The group looked at the leader for orders.

The leader signaled a few blurry signs with his right hand, and they saluted again, before vanishing into the trees, unseen.

The leader, however, rushed backwards, and hurried back towards the city.

Mina gripped the back of her cleaver and blocked another strike from Michael's sword, while Michael pulled back and glared at her. They were both breathing heavily, having grown exhausted by the others' unusual power.

Mina's ear twitched, as more angels approached her with their weapons drawn. Michael smiled slyly at her.

"It's over, Satan... we have you worn down, and surrounded!" Michael stated.

Mina gripped her handle with both hands and smiled back at him in return. "Oh, yeah? Well, come at me, then!"

"Know that you will not enjoy this pain, Devil." Michael spat, now growing more annoyed by her.

"Enjoy it?! Why, Mikey!" She giggled, before her eyes glowed even brighter. "I'll savor it~!"

The angels crouched down in an attempt to lunge forward... when suddenly, the sound of a massive horn filled the air.

This made all eyes look up and around the area, as this sound literally came from nowhere. Even Mina was caught by surprise at this unexpected sound.

Michael closed his eyes. "Yes, My Lord?"

...

"What?! But... but we're very close to... to..."

...

"I... I..."

He then slammed his sword's blade into the ground, and gripped his chest in a salute.

"I understand, My Lord. Thy will be done!"

Mina looked around at the angels confusedly, before Michael opened his eyes and glared. "Know that this is no victory to you, worm! We shall find a way! Our Master foresees it!"

With that, Michael spreaded his wings out and took to the air. From around the world, the rest of Heaven's Army followed suit, and they flew back into the rifts towards Heaven.

Mina looked around, even more confused, until she saw white orbs falling from the sky slowly. She knew their scent from miles away.

"Spirits?" she mumbled.

The spirits fell into some of the humans' bodies, and their wounds were sealed shut. Though not all bodies returned, and those who were brought back were in for a shock, at the death that surrounded them.

But Mina paid them no mind, and sheathed her weapon back into the Void.

"YOUR HIGHNESS!" came a loud voice from behind her. She turned around and saw the Scout Leader blurring towards her from the mountain.

"Your Highness, we... w-we..." he panted, then knelt before her. "We've found him, Your Highness!"

Mina's eyes widened, and she turned her full attention to him. For once, her face was full of hope.

"Where?!" she asked.

"Midway atop the mountain behind me, near a secluded wooden homestead." he replied.

She nodded her head and said no more. She quickly hurried towards the mountain, with the scout leading the way for her.

Daniel breathed heavily as the jar came to a close. He stared at it in shock, as somehow, through some miracle... it worked!

"We did it..." he whispered, as Death stood back up on his feet and approached him... though despite Daniel's mouth forming a smile, he, however, was not.

"We did it!" he repeated, laughing. He looked at Death and smiled. "Death, we've won! We-"

But then, when he saw Death not smiling, he frowned. "Wait... what's wrong?"

Death looked down and shook his head, before pointing out in the distance. Daniel followed his finger, and immediately, his attention fell towards his dad's lifeless body.

"Oh, no... no, no, no, Dad!" He quickly ran to his dad's body and placed a hand on his forehead. It was cold.

"Dad, NO!" he called out, as once more, tears fell down his face. "Come on, Dad! Don't... don't do this to me, please!"

Death knelt down behind Daniel and placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Daniel... I... I wasn't fast enough..."

Daniel shook his head. "No... no, it's fine. It's alright, Death! You... you can fix this, right?! You can call his spirit back to his body, right?!"

Death closed his eye sockets, and shook his head. "Daniel... he was killed by a Reaper's Scythe. There's... there's no way a spirit can return to a body with that kind of damage done to it."

"Bullshit! That's BULLSHIT!" Daniel snapped... but Death only pulled him into a hug.

"I wish it was, Daniel... I... I really wish it was..." he stuttered.

Daniel breathed heavily, but calmed his anger down. He then returned the hug, and cried on Death's shoulder.

From the distance, unbeknownst to them, Mina stood behind a tree, with the scout a short way behind her.

"Orders, Your Highness?" the scout asked.

Mina placed a hand on her heart, and looked down. She closed her eyes, and let knowing tears fall from her eyes.

"... Regroup with the others, and... give him his space. He... he needs this moment to himself."

The scout saluted and rushed back towards the city. Mina then opened her eyes and looked towards her crying husband.

She wanted so much to hurry there... to give him a hug, and comfort him, but... she felt she might get in the way if she did.

And so, she turned around and left. She had a lot of cleaning up to do.

In a way, this war ended in a victory... and yet, it still came at a hefty cost.

To Be Concluded...

Episode 10: "Post-Apocalypse?"

Daniel stabbed the shovel into the dirt, lifted another pile up, and slid said pile into the filled hole. Above the patch of disturbed land, two headstones were erected... one that read "James Richard Banks", and the other, "Elanor Anna Banks".

He wiped the sweat from his brow and stood back up, smiling weakly. "Thank you... thank you both. I... I couldn't have gone through with this without you."

He felt a pair of hands touch his shoulders, before James's voice replied, "Any time, son."

Elanor's voice then followed. "We are so, so, proud of you, dearie! You... you've saved the world!"

Daniel looked over at their spectral forms, and smiled back at them. "Yeah, but... you've got him to thank for that." he pointed at his dad, who rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, well, I figured it's time you became a real man, son, and did something for society." he said with a smirk.

Daniel rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, well guess what? You still deserve the credit for it, Dad!"

James was about to retort, when Elanor cleared her throat. "Guys, no fighting at our funeral, please?"

Daniel and James both sighed and slouched their shoulders in defeat. "Yes, Mom."

"Got it, dear." James said in-sync with his son.

They stood there in silence, when Daniel then looked back up at them. "So, uh... does this mean y'all both want to move into Hell with me, still?"

His hopeful smile faltered when they both looked at each other and, supposedly, hesitated.

"Actually, Daniel... your mother and I were thinking..."

"No, don't worry about it! I'll make sure y'all both get rooms in the Royal Palace! We'll make it as comfortable as we can get it!"

James, however, shook his head. "No, it's not that, Daniel. We've, umm... we've got some unfinished business to take care of, before we can go."

Daniel tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

James smiled at his wife, before replying, "Well you see, Son... El and I have lived in this old town our whole lives. We... we kinda wanted to go on vacation at some point, once you were on your feet."

Elanor nodded her head and added, "And with your father and I no longer limited to our bodies, or our old age... well... there's just so much more opportunities for us!"

"Yeah!" James said. "We practically feel as spry as a kid again, Daniel!"

Daniel just stood there speechlessly for a moment... then smiled at them again, nodding his head in understanding.

"Alright... I guess that's fair." He then raised a finger up. "But those rifts are gonna be open for Eternity, so I expect you both to visit, at least!"

They both placed their hands on his shoulder again, nodding their heads. "You can count on it, my son." James promised.

Daniel chuckled, as a single tear fell from his eye. "I'll... I'll miss you guys."

Elanor shook her head and smirked. "I won't. I'll be sure to haunt you as much as I possibly can, while dragging this grouch with me also!"

"Hey, I was only grouchy because of my bad back!" James whined.

They three then laughed a bit more, before James patted his son's shoulder a bit more. "Anyways, Daniel, don't worry about us. Instead... worry about your Dynasty. Your new family you've got on the way!"

Daniel nodded his head, before looking to the side... or more specifically, to Mina, who stood there near the entrance to the Graveyard, no longer covered in bloodied armor, but rather, a black dress fitting for a funeral.

He smiled at her, which made her smile back at him. "Yeah... you're right, Dad."

He motioned for her to approach, and so she did. The ground, like usual, withered around her every hoofstep, but it didn't matter to them, as they knew she was a good Devil.

"Don't worry, you guys... I'll make sure nothing ever happens to your son... I promise." she vowed to them.

"We know, Miss Pinkamena... we know." Elanor said, giving her daughter-in-law a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"Please, you two... just call me Mina." she told them.

They nodded their heads, before turning to face something behind them... it was a spectral train that whistled loudly.

"Well... there's our ride." James said.

Elanor held his hand tightly, and they both walked into the train. They turned around and waved at Daniel and Mina, who in turn, waved back at them as the train's doors closed. Then, it floated into the air, and began to move away, until it was completely out of sight.

Daniel then looked Mina in the eyes and smiled warmly at her. "Hey, hon."

She wrapped her hands around his, and smiled back at him, also lost into his eyes. "Hey, dear."

Then he smirked at her. "So, uh... whatever happened to 'wanting to kill whoever calls you Mina', anyways?"

She deadpanned at him, before swatting him in the chest. He only laughed at the contact, though.

"Oh hush, you. They're already dead anyways, so I guess they get a 'Free Pass'."

He nodded his head and calmed his laughter down. "Eh, fair enough."

Then he pulled her in for a much-needed kiss. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss in kind, while from outside the graveyard, a group of demons and imps wiped the tears from their eyes.

Eight Months Later...

The NEWS Reporter on the TV was sitting at the desk, staring directly at the camera with a composed expression on her face.

"Exactly eight months in, since the Apocalypse hit, and yet the answer still remains a mystery! 'Who truly shot first? Was it Heaven, or Hell?' And who truly are the 'Bad Guys'? Whatever the case, more and more tourists travel between Earth and Hell freely, be they Demonic or Otherwise, learning more about Themselves, Their History, and even... Their Love! We're now going to Hollywood, LIVE, at Tom, who has more to say. Tom?"

The screens showed three figures: a human male wearing a suit and holding a microphone, a red-haired gothic girl in a purple and black dress, and a tall, muscular demon, who had his arm wrapped around the girl.

"Thank you, Dianne! Now here, standing with me today, is one of the first reported marriages on Earth, between a human and a demon, in what they addressed as, and I quote, 'Unholy Matrimony'. They are none other than Mrs. Stephanie Brown, and her husband, Mr. Talion Brown. Mr. and Mrs. Brown, how are you both getting along with your marriage?"

Stephanie leaned towards the microphone and smiled. "Well, Tom, so far everything has been going really great, believe it or not! The moment I broke the news to my parents, they were, of course, not very supportive at first, but now that a month has passed since we've been married, he's been helping them with so many problems they didn't even realize they had!"

Tom nodded his head and smiled. "Well that's wonderful! Now, Mr. Talion, what kinds of problems have you been helping them with?" He held the microphone up high, while Talion had to crouch down a bit in order to be able to speak his response.

"Well, Tom, they were having relentless nightmares every night. I did some digging around, and uncovered a Lost Spirit that was tormenting them, and reported it to Hell's Army. They then sent in a few soldiers, and together they subdued the evil spirit, and dragged it to Hell, where it was then cast into the Pits of Eternal Torment."

"I see... and they couldn't see the spirit, yet they believed you?" Tom asked, to which Talion nodded.

"Yes, sir. Once I left their home, they no longer had the nightmares. The following week, Mr. Samuel called me... well, called her, since I don't have a phone, yet... and asked to speak with me. He then taught me about this 'Golf', which I find great enjoyment and relief playing!"

"Amazing! Thank you both for your time!"

"Thank you, Tom!" they both replied with a polite bow.

"Furthermore, the Rifts of Heaven are still being watched, and the kingdom, Locked Down. However, we did get a response from a Fallen Angel, saying they just didn't want to, and I quote, 'Spoil the Surprise' of going to Heaven. That's all from me, here in Hollywood. Back to you, Dianne!"

Dianne returned to the screen, and nodded her head. "Thank you, Tom. And now, for the weather!"

*BZZZZT!*

A preacher stood on top of a podium, yelling at the crowd with his bible held high.

"THE END... IS UPON US! THERE'S NO EXCUSE ON WHY WE SHOULD TRUST THESE MONSTERS, WHEN THEY ARE LIARS, CHEATERS, AND THIEVES! THEY NOW WALK AMONG US, BUT WE SHALL STAND STRONG! AND SO NOW, MY CHILDREN, NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND FIRM! WE WILL NOW TAKE UP ARMS, AND CHOOSE. YOUR. FACTION!"

"AMEN!" came several shouts from the audience.

*BZZZZT!*

A black man with a red t-shirt and a black cap pointed backwards was speaking to a hidden reporter, whose hand was on the side of the screen with a microphone held towards him.

"-And then I met my girl, Emma. For sure, she might be an imp, but man, fuck it! They ain't that bad, and they know what's up with the world today! And all these haters gonna hate, but man, fuck the haters! We gotta go hard, go strong, and let 'em all know! Demon Lives Matter, ya know!"

*BZZZZT!*

An animated angel in white armor slung a massive sword over his shoulder.

"HE IS AN ANGEL OF GOD!"

A Holy Cross fit the background for a brief moment, while an angelic choir hummed for a second.

Then a red-skinned succubus grins with a fireball in her long, black leather gloves.

"SHE IS A SEDUCTRESS OF SATAN!"

The background had a muscular red Demon laughing over a boiling pot.

Then the two main characters stood back-to-back in the foreground, with the background being Earth.

"AND TOGETHER... THEY FIGHT CRIME!"

*BZZZZT!*

Daniel continued to flip through the channels, now growing increasingly bored with each passing second. Death was sitting next to him on the couch, eating a bowl of popcorn, and tapped on Daniel's shoulder.

"Ooh, wait a sec, man! That one actually looked pretty good!" he said, almost sounding like he was pleading.

Daniel rolled his eyes and looked back at him, smirking. "For real? I thought you wanted to watch that corny Soap Opera, though?"

Death deadpanned at the TV and slouched against the couch, groaning. "Ugh... ever since they replaced the old actors with the new ones, it's just gotten more dull, man! I mean, now I'll never know if the real Gerald got to marry the real Helen, and I never will know since they fuckin' KILLED THEM OFF!"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, that's fair. But even still, you've gone from trying sappy shit to stupid shit like that cartoon!"

Death gasped. "Wait, are you hatin' on anime, now?!"

Daniel shook his head. "Uh, HELL no I'm not! I fuckin' LOVE anime! Just... y'know... not the stupid as fuck kind!"

"I'll have ya know that it's got good features to it, just from that trailer alone!" Death objected.

"Name one good thing about it." Daniel said, to which Death raised a finger and opened his mouth for. "That doesn't involve the Demon Girl looking hot."

Death lowered his finger and thought for a moment... then glared at him. "Man, fuck you!"

Daniel smirked. "That's my wife's job."

Death grumbled before taking another scoop of popcorn into his mouth.

Daniel then raised an eyebrow at him. "By the way, how's your old job going?"

Death sighed. "Well, ever since Armageddon was called prematurely, and didn't exactly end, technically, Heaven's been a bit backed up on space, lately. But they said they're building a few more places for the newer souls, so I should be getting a call back into work in another four months, or so."

"Damn. Four months, huh? Guess that means you'll be mooching off Mina and I for a bit longer, then."

"Dude, money's tight, okay? Both Dollars and Soul Fragments don't grow on trees, ya know?"

Daniel raised a hand up to stop him. "Paper comes from trees. Soul Fragments come from the Tree of Souls. So, uh... yeah, they kinda do."

Death deadpans at him. "Still doesn't mean shit, ya know!"

Daniel then looked at the bowl of popcorn in wonder. "Come to think of it, why are you eating popcorn?"

Death shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Movies ain't complete without popcorn!"

"Death... who the hell told you that load of horse crap?"

"Google!"

Daniel planted his face in his palm. "Of course, you did... well, listen, you shouldn't have to rely on Google for-"

Suddenly, Daniel's phone started to ring.

Death looked at him and said, "Oh! Boss must be calling!"

Daniel looked at the phone's screen and replied, "Yeah, she is. Hold on a sec." He tapped on the screen and smiled, leaning it against his ear, while he slouched back on the couch comfortably. "Hey, hon, what's up?"

...

His eyes widened, and he leaned forward. Death looked at him confusedly, before gasping once Daniel spoke.

"Wait, hold on... did you just say that... oh. Wait, you did?! Oh, shit! Your water just broke?!"

...

"Alright, stay there, hon! We're on our way to pick you up, now!"

...

"No, we're taking a rift, and bringing you into a doctor!"

He hung up his phone and looked at Death, who was already standing from the couch. "On it, man!"

They rushed out the door, and Death's limo immediately appeared in front of them. Daniel hurried into the back seat, while Death took the Driver Seat. The car then sped into a portal that opened right in front of it.

The doors to the Hospital's Hallway immediately slammed open, while signs of corruption followed suit, as Mina lied on a Hospital Bed that was now made of muscle and tissues, with glaring yellow eyes and four legs in place of its wheels.

She was beyond pissed, she was breathing heavily, and above all, she was practically yelling threats and growls at the top of her lungs, threatening the staff of the Hospital to get the fuck out of her way, as her baby was on board.

The legs stomped on their own as it rushed her to her room, while the doctors, as confused as ever, chased behind her bed that was moving much, much faster than they could go.

A nurse looked at Daniel, pointed at the sight, and began. "Uh... i-is that normal?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Queen of Hell. Don't question it. It'll save you a lot of headache down the line, trust me."

He then ran along with the doctors, until they finally reached the room.

The door corrupted, and the entire room quickly followed suit.

Daniel stood there by her side the whole time. She calmed down after the doctors subdued her with morphine and all kinds of their strongest pain killers... but she was still feeling it.

"Don't worry, hon, I'm here with you." Daniel assured her, to which she smiled and nodded her head.

"Thank you, dear... now please." She reached up and snapped her finger, summoning a potion from the Void and offering it to Daniel. "Drink this."

He didn't even question her. He took the potion and swallowed the contents, but gagged and dropped the vial into the trash can.

"Ugh! What the fuck was that shit?!"

Mina smiled warmly at him and replied, "It's a potion that keeps your bones from breaking for at least an hour."

"My bones from breaking?" Daniel asked.

His answer came in the form of a large tendril that wrapped around his legs, and rose up to the top of his head, leaving his hand for Mina to hold onto.

"Of course, dear! What, you didn't think I'd let you walk out of this painlessly, did you? After all!" She giggled madly, and her Cheshire grin formed. "You're the one that put this damn thing IN me!"

"Oh, fuck me!" Daniel whined.

"Consider yourself fucked, dear." she retorted, as the doctor stepped inside the room to help her with her labor.

"Alright, Misses Pie... it's time for us to begin."

Though Daniel wasn't the praying type anymore, he was silently begging for mercy to whatever deity was watching over him.

His mercy never came, though, as by the time the doctor told her to "Push", both she and himself began to scream in agony, her from the baby, and him from both, her grip on his hand, and the tendril that squeezed the ever-loving life out of him.

...

To his surprise, the worst pain was actually in his hand.

Daniel closed his eyes, as his consciousness began to fade. His ears were ringing from the loud, demonic sounds his wife was making. When his eyes could manage to crack open, he saw that several of the other doctors were covering their ears as well, trying to keep the blood in their ears.

He was barely able to see the doctor who was crouched down, ushering her to keep pushing, but he couldn't hear a single word that was being muttered.

Then, after one more loud roar, another sound emerged... one that made him ignore his pain, and shoot his eyes wide open.

The tendril released him, and Mina's grip softened, while the sound of a crying baby filled the room, replacing all demonic noises from before.

Daniel looked down, and saw that the doctor had fallen onto his back, but to his credit, he caught the baby and managed to stand back up, cradling it carefully.

Then, Daniel was able to see it clearly.

It was a Satyr... a human-pony hybrid, with dark brown hair, a dark brown tail, and pink fuzzy hooves. Its upper body was human, however, and its arms were reaching out for something... anything to grab onto.

One of the doctors tried to get a look at the Satyr, but couldn't determine what to say. "Well, uh... it's... it's a..."

The head doctor, however, chuckled a bit, before approached the waiting couple. Then he bowed his head respectfully at them. Wrapping the baby up in a bright pink blanket, he offered the baby to its mother, who took it upon her arms at once.

Then the baby opened its beautiful, baby blue eyes, and smiled at her. She closed her eyes and, for that exact moment, smiled one of the most honest smiles she ever could muster up. Tears fell from her eyes, not out of pain, but joy.

The doctor walked up to Daniel and patted his shoulder.

"Congratulations, you two... it's a girl."

Prologue, Season 2

Daniel and Mina were in the back of Despair. Death practically cried tears of joy the whole trip up there.

"O-ho-ho-ho, it's... i-it's so beautiful! S-she's so beautiful!" he would say constantly.

Daniel and Mina paid it no mind, though, as they looked calmly at their sleeping baby. Mina was the one holding her, but Daniel had his arm wrapped around Mina's shoulder, so he felt as if he were holding his family together.

He looked at the baby, and giggled. "Hey there, Dina... welcome to the family!"

Then Death parked the car and opened the door for them.

When they made it to the front entrance of the house, however, Death felt something off. "Hold on, you guys... I sense something."

Mina looked at him, before noticing something, as well. She was shivering a bit. At first she blamed her nerves, as she was exhausted, and full of unusual happiness... but no... this was not that kind of shivering, after all.

Especially if Death felt something was off, as well.

And so, she offered the baby to Daniel, who in turn took her and held her carefully.

"Be careful, you two." he said.

"Always am." Mina replied, before nodding to Death. She snapped her finger, and her Cleaver was drawn.

Death nodded his head in return, before raising his hand to the door handle and opening it up.

The room was dark... unusually darker than usual.

Then... a pair of glowing eyes emerged. The left eye was bright blue, and the right one was bright red.

Death turned on the light, and there, in the middle of the Living Room, stood what appeared to be a blonde-haired man wearing a black tuxedo.

Death glared at him and snapped his finger, drawing his scythe.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The man inside said nothing, but took a single step forward... his eyes were locked, not on Death, nor Mina, but Daniel, who quickly leaned back, shielding his infant daughter in his arms.

Then, Mina and Death both rushed inside in a blur, slicing at him.

He only stood there and lifted both arms up, then caught the blades mid-swing... much to everyone's shock.

"W-what the Hell?! Y-you can't just catch a Reaper's Blade! That's... that's impossible!" Death called out.

Mina tried to pull her cleaver from this figure's grasp, but only managed to make it shake. She then leaped up in the air and kicked the figure in the face... but he was unfazed by the impact, and his focus only remained on Daniel.

"Mina! Get Daniel and Dina to safety! Hurry!" Death called out.

Mina nodded her head and released her Cleaver, then ran to Daniel outside, and grabbed his arm, carefully so as to not stir the baby.

They turned around, but froze in place when the strange man appeared between themselves and Despair.

Death's eye sockets widened as he turned around, only to find that the man was no longer inside, and rushed towards them again, standing between the family and the stranger.

Mina and Death then re-drew their weapons and rushed towards him again. This time, though, he snapped his fingers, and a black metallic curve-bladed sword emerged from the Void, with a blade as tall as himself, and as long as his hands.

He raised the blade up defensively with one hand and took a few steps back, placing his left hand behind himself, while Mina and Death sliced at him repeatedly.

His arm moved in a blur, as he blocked every single shot with ease, deflecting each blow questionably accurate, and to rub salt to the insult, his eyes were still focused on Daniel, as if the Queen of Hell, and Death, himself, were but minor background details, and nothing more.

Then he vanished in thin air, emerging behind Death. He swept his foot beneath Death's legs, tripping him in the air, then held his left hand below his back, as if to catch him. A blue glow emerged from his hand, and Death floated in the air before he could even land on the ground.

Mina, however, assumed a defensive position at this point, seeing this figure's immense power, and glared at him. "Alright, spill the beans, you fucker! Who are you?!"

He didn't give her an answer, though, and looked back towards Daniel. Upon taking another step towards the human, however, and Mina made another swing for the man's head.

Then a burst of air shot from below his feet, as a pair of black feathered wings spread from his back. He turned and swung his sword at Mina's Cleaver.

Upon making impact, however, the Cleaver started to vibrate painfully, forcing her to drop it. He then vanished behind her, and repeated what he did to Death; tripping her, but catching her mid-fall with his palm.

Daniel backed up, shaking his head and shielding his daughter with his arms.

"S-stay back!" he ordered the man.

But then, the man stopped in his tracks, holding his sword flatly. He raised it to his side, then curled the weapon blade-down, and pierced it into the ground, releasing it.

The man then stood there awkwardly, staring blankly at Daniel for what felt like eternity, before lowing his head down. He knelt down to one knee, and placed both hands on his elevated one. Then, for the first time since his mysterious arrival, he spoke.

"As you command, Master."

Episode 11: "A Gift From Above."

A mysterious blonde figure with black bird-like wings that come and go at will... has shown up by means unknown.
He was able to subdue Mina and Death effortlessly, and could more than likely overpower Daniel in the blink of an eye...

...so what's stopping him from doing so? And more importantly... why did he bow before Daniel and call him "Master"?

Mina and Death both sat on the couch inside Daniel's house. Mina had an ice pack on her forehead, and Death was just lying there on the couch's right arm, looking back and forth at Daniel, who was pacing in front of the couch with Dina cradled into his arms.

And in front of the TV, knelt the blonde-haired man, who said nothing more after they went inside by Daniel's request.

Daniel then looked over at the stranger, and asked, "Alright, so... now that we're not trying to kill each other... who are you?"

Immediately, the man spoke.

"I am Caim, my Lord. Former Angel of Heaven. By decree of His Grace, Lord Abba, I am now sworn fealty to you, Master, as your own Guardian Angel. By my sacred duty, neither you, nor your bloodline, shall be harmed in my presence."

"Wait... Abba? I've heard that name before, but never could figure it out. Who's this 'Abba' figure?" Daniel asked.

Caim replied, "Lord Abba is the Creator of Man, and King of Heaven."

"Hold on a second!" Mina finally said, before glaring at the angel. "You mean to tell me that He Who Stands Against Hell... basically sent the King of Hell one of his own angels to babysit him?!"

But Caim didn't reply to her. "Uh... hello, am I even here right now?!"

Daniel then asked, "Why aren't you listening to my wife?"

Caim then replied, "I am sworn to you, Master, and your bloodline. She does not carry your blood, and as such, has no hold over me."

Mina's glare only intensified, to the point a small huff of smoke puffed out of her nostrils. Daniel noticed right away, and decided to keep this from getting out of hand.

"Well, then, I give you permission to speak to her as if she were one of my own. No secrets. Just pure, honest, truth."

Caim bowed his head again and replied, "Understood. Then by your orders, Master, I shall now speak freely to her."

"Not gonna lie, the whole Master thing's starting to get old." Daniel thought to himself.

Then Caim looked at Mina for, supposedly, the first time since they've been there, and spoke to her. "I was sent here by Lord Abba to protect Master Daniel and his bloodline. However, I was not, nor am I currently, one of his own Angels."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Wait... you're an angel, but not an Angel of God?"

Caim nodded his head. "That is correct, Master."

"Then... that would make you a Fallen Angel!" Mina said; realization dawning upon both she and Daniel's faces.

Caim nodded his head again. "That is also correct, Master's Wife."

She deadpanned at him for that remark.

Daniel then decided enough was enough. "Alright, look. You can call me Daniel, and her, Pinkamena. Enough of the 'Master' crap, please!"

This time, however, Caim looked up at him with confusion. "But... to disregard your title would be an insult to your glory, Master Daniel! I can not do such a thing, for it goes against my very being!"

"Ugh... alright, fine. You can call me 'Master Daniel', and her 'Master Pinkamena', then. Any rules on that one?" he asked.

Caim shook his head. "Of course not, Master Daniel. Henceforth, I shall take note of this from now on, and address you both properly!"

"Alright, good. Now that that's out of the way, here's what I want you to do." Daniel began. Suddenly, he began to glare at Caim, and cleared his throat.

"I want you to go to this Abba person, raise your middle finger at him, and tell him this phrase in my own words: 'Go fuck yourself.' Then, I want you to dismiss me as your master, and go find someone else who actually wants an angel to babysit them!"

Caim's jaw practically dropped at that. "B-but... I can not, Master Daniel!"

Daniel sighed. "Like hell you can't! Listen. I don't know if he gave you the full story here, so let me elaborate. I'm the King of Hell! And in case you weren't here during the past eight months, he's really, really not been in good terms with us for negotiations or gifts, and kinda-sorta hasn't been for... well... ever!"

"What do you mean, Master Daniel? He has yet to have wronged you."

"Wronged me? Wronged me?! Death, here, hold Dina for me, please." Daniel offered his baby to Death, who took her into his arms. Then Daniel began lifting his fingers up to count.

"So you're telling me he didn't wrong me... and yet, eight months ago, he attempted to assimilate my world into his kingdom! He sent one of his horsemen to kill my mom and dad: one of which right in front of me, might I add! He tortured me! He sealed away Heaven from anyone who wants answers, so he's obviously keeping shit from us! He declared war on my Wife, and sent angels to threaten her, and her people! He threatened my family, dammit! Yeah, he's brainwashing so many people around here, but for some reason, I seem to be one of the very, very few human beings out there who can see right through his bullshit!" He slammed his fist on the wall. "So again, Caim, go to him, and tell him that sending me a little apology slave is far from being enough! And then, go on about your way!"

Everyone was silent in the room after that. Caim just stood there, staring blankly at him, while Death began to gently pat Daniel's and Mina's stirring baby.

Finally, Caim bowed his head and knelt down once again. "I... I understand your frustration, Master Daniel. In truth, I too, have questioned his judgement. It is why I have become a Fallen Angel, after all."

He then looked up at his angry master, and shook his head. "But I can not speak to him anymore, I'm afraid. It is not because I do not wish to, but rather, because he went silent after Armageddon has arisen. Only recently has he spoken to me, so as to speak me back to existence, and granted me a request... but once I've replied to him, asked him why he needed my services again, after what I had done, he was only silent once again."

Daniel's face softened a bit. "So he's giving you the Silent Treatment, huh?"

Caim nodded his head. "He is, Master Daniel."

Then another thought rose up. "So you said he spoke you back to existence?"

Again, Caim nodded his head. "Angels are very dangerous creations. When one loses their way, they are bound by law to remove their wings, then end their own lives, so as to prevent catastrophic consequences. It is embedded not in our minds, but our very beings."

Daniel rubbed his chin in thought. "And where do angels go when they are killed?"

"We do not go anywhere, Master Daniel. We are spiritual beings at creation, and bear no Soul within. In short, we enter the Void, where we simply cease to be."

"Damn... that's... that's actually pretty harsh." Daniel said with a nod.

"It is as it should be, Master Daniel. Furthermore, when a Fallen Angel who was granted a second chance fail to abide by their given duty, they, too, are to remove their wings, and end their own lives, so as to return to the Void."

"Wait, wait, wait... you mean you can't just run around freely once you're dismissed?" Daniel asked.

Again, Caim shook his head. "No, Master Daniel. If I am dismissed from your glory, then I am bound by law to return to the Void, and cease to exist henceforth, unless spoken back into existence by a god."

"That reminds me... what exactly did you do that made you become a Fallen Angel?" Daniel asked.

"I was given an order to subjugate the king of the last world to be brought to Lord Abba for reasons unspoken, but... instead, I sent the king on a different path, by his request. He and his most faithful disciple."

Daniel's eyes widened in realization. "Narnia..."

Caim nodded his head. "Indeed, Master Daniel. When Narnia fell to the rifts of Heaven, I fell with it. Having been found out of my deception, I was cast into the Void."

"And you just went without a fight? Just like that?"

Then, Caim shook his head. "I did quite the opposite, in fact. I was the Slayer of Armies... and so, I fought both Angel and Demon alike for my existence... however, in the end, Lord Abba arrived, and had to speak me out of existence before I could do any more damage."

"I see..." Daniel said, now feeling a bit more uneasy about the whole situation.

"Daniel? A word, if you will?" Mina asked, motioning towards the front door.

Daniel nodded his head and raised a hand towards Caim. "Well, listen, just uh... stay here for a bit, okay? I'll be right back."

Caim saluted him again. "By your will, Master Daniel, may it be so."

"Right, right..." he said, waving his hand dismissively. Then he and Mina went outside, and closed the door behind them.

Mina took a deep breath and sighed. "I can sense your unease, Daniel. You're conflicted."

Daniel nodded his head. "Yeah... I mean, I don't trust the guy, but... well... at the same time, I don't think I can just stop him from existing, either! That's basically worse than death, is nonexistence!"

"I know... but then again, he's only an angel, Daniel. Angels are basically living tools, and nothing more. They don't have a soul. They live off of pure obedience, and nothing more. But then, he's not only an angel, but a FALLEN Angel! A tool that basically said 'fuck it', and chose to do something else on its own will!"

"Yeah... that's kinda why I don't trust him." Daniel said, nodding his head.

She then looked towards the yard and shook her head. "Listen... if I were you, I'd just dismiss him anyways, and let his fate just take 'em. He's only a living tool, after all... but... I know you won't be doing that, because you actually have a heart that cares and bleeds out for others."

He looked over at her, and saw that she, too, was thinking heavily on this.

"Not to mention, you know he can't go to Hell with us, seeing how the Angels and Demons are under a lot of pressure right now with each other. There are still wounds from the war that are healing between us both. This means that this Caim fellow is your problem... not mine. And so, I won't answer it for you. Just... just promise me something."

"Yes, hon?" Daniel asked.

She placed an arm on his shoulder, and looked him in the eyes. "No matter what choice you make, just... just promise me you'll be very careful about it, and actually think strategically. Not with your heart, but with your head. Think everything through, from the advantages and disadvantages he can bring to us, and our family. Then, should you accept having him as your Guardian Angel, you'll have to keep a very, very watchful eye on him. After all, he deceived his master before... who's to say he won't do the same to you?"

Daniel nodded his head in understanding. "I... I understand. They're very solid points. I, uh... kinda wish I had more time to think this through."

"Well... we'll be in the Living Room. Take as much time out here as you need, and come back inside once you've reached a conclusion."

With that, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back in.

Daniel groaned and let out a deep breath. Lifting his left hand, he spoke to himself.

"On one hand, we can probably have someone to babysit Dina while I'm in Hell with Mina. After all, Death won't always be available once shit's cleared up everywhere."

He then lifted his right hand and added, "But on the other hand, I'm the King of Hell. A man who the DEMONS look up to. If they knew I had an Angel on my side, who's to say it won't make 'em feel like their king has betrayed their trust?"

Then he looked back towards his left hand. "One hand, we can have a very, very powerful ally on our side, in case some other crazy shit happens."

Back to his right. "Other hand, though, we'd have a very fucking powerful enemy if he betrays us. After all, he dealt with Death and the Queen of Hell like they were nothing! Not to mention, Mina killed Lucifer of all things, who was considered one of the most powerful Angels around... so by Chain of Power, that kinda... means he could very well be more powerful than Lucifer ever was."

Then to his left once more. "He can hide his wings so that even Death can't sense that he's an Angel... maybe we can convince him to keep them hidden, unless necessary. That way, if a Demon asks, he can just be... idunno... a cousin, or some shit? Or maybe just a sitter that we hired for Dina."

Right hand. "But he's basically a fucking robot. Chances are, his programming could prevent him from lies and deceit, which throws the left hand out the water completely in that regard."

Left. "He's under my control. This means I can probably rely on him to help me out with things that none of the others can help with."

Right. "Although... he seems kinda clueless about things. Like, fish out of water clueless. Plus, there's really not much that I need help with in that regard, since I've got the help of basically Death and the Devil."

He then lifts his hands up even higher. "So, it now boils down to two major things."

He shakes his left fist. "Sworn Protector of the Family."

He shakes his right fist. "Biggest Threat in Existence."

He then looked back and forth between his fists, then looked up at the sky. He glared and pointed his finger at it. "You know... I don't see what everyone else sees in you. I mean, why the fuck did you think opening Armageddon was even a good idea in the first place?!"

The wind only picked up slightly as a response, but no words to respond to him.

"Silent as always... just like you treat your servants, your people, and all that have questions. Pfft. Typical Royalty... hell, even the Devil herself at least has the courtesy of giving her people a straight answer, even if it's a simple 'no'! And so... well, I guess that answers it, then. Thank you, for once again being completely fucking useless!"

He tapped on the railing to his porch, before flipping the sky the bird, turning back around, and entering his house once again.

Upon entering, everyone looked at him in unison. Caim stood there, giving his awkward blank stare, as he awaited his master's orders.

Daniel then sighed, clicked his tongue a bit, and looked towards Caim.

"Well, Caim... I've reached a decision."

Caim knelt to the ground. "Then by your grace, Master Daniel, shall your decision be true!"

Daniel rolled his eyes and motioned his hand up. "Rise, Caim." He did as ordered, before Daniel continued. "Now... I don't trust you very much. Hell, I'm kinda hesitant to say I trust you even a little, but... well... at the same time, you've proven that you mean us no harm. At least, not now. And so, with that in mind... you can stay as our Guardian Angel."

"Yes, Master! I shall not fail you!"

"HOWEVER!" Daniel called out, raising a finger. "As King of Hell, know that having an angel by my side could pose a great risk. As such, you are to hide your wings unless it is absolutely necessary!"

"As you command, Master. Though in hiding my wings do I reduce my true power to a minimum, I shall only reveal them when ordered."

"Wait a sec... you mean your powers are handicapped when you hide your wings?!" Mina asked in shock, noting how he practically caught both her Cleaver and Death's Scythe without his wings even present at the time they first met.

He nodded his head at her. "That is correct, Master Pinkamena."

She blinked owlishly, before humming. "Huh... guess Death and I've gotta train more, then... no way in HELL am I gonna rest well after dealing with that shit... losing to a fucking angel who held back his true powers like I was some kind of fucking plaything... it's bullshit! It's... it's... well... oh, FUCK HIM! I'll fucking get stronger, and wipe that fucking expressionless fucker's face into a fucking paste of fucking fear! I'll be the one who teaches that fucker how to be afraid! I'm the Queen of fucking Hell, damn it! I killed fucking LUCIFER for fuck's sake! This is... this is fucking bullshit!"

Her thoughts turned to frustrated mumbling, and she folded her arms up, looking away with her face practically glowing red with rage and embarrassment.

While she grumbled on in the background, Daniel continued to speak to Caim.

"Okay, then... my wife's complaining aside, know that we don't trust you yet. However, we both share a common thing, in the sense that we are both shunned by Abba. As such, I will take your word... but with a grain of salt."

Caim stood upright and took a step towards Daniel. He then reached his hand towards the kitchen area, and a salt shaker immediately flew into his hands. Then he knelt before Daniel, holding the shaker up like it was some sort of religious artifact that was being offered to someone.

"What... are you doing?" Daniel asked, having lost all composure, and was now staring at him with complete, utter, confusion.

"I am offering you salt, Master, so that you may also take my word, as you have spoken." he replied casually... almost like he was certain that he was doing the right thing.

Daniel just stared at the shaker blankly, then heard the sound of laughter in the background. He turned to face Death and Mina, who were now laughing hysterically on the couch.

He shrugged his shoulders out. "Guys, what the hell! Little help, please?"

Mina shook her head. "Nope! As I said, he's your problem! Not mine!"

He looked back at Caim, who was practically ignoring the laughter. His eyes were closed, and he was kneeling perfectly still.

"You're... you're being serious right now, aren't you?" Daniel asked Caim.

Caim lowered his head even more, speaking as sincerely as usual. "Of course I am, Master Daniel. As you have spoken, you shall take my word with a grain of salt. And thus, as it must be, shall you have my word, alongside the grain of salt which you seek!"

Daniel then practically slapped his own face with his palm.

"Oh, son of a bitch..." he muttered, albeit too loudly. "He's not babysitting us! We're babysitting him!"

"Hmm... a son of a bitch would be a younger male dog. Master, do you also wish for a pet dog to-"

"NO! Absolutely not!" Daniel interrupted. He then rolled his eyes and took the salt shaker from Caim's hands, allowing the angel to rise back up, and look at him in confusion.

"Listen, Caim. It's been an... awfully long day, now. Too long, in fact. I'll explain the concepts of 'Figures of Speech' with you tomorrow, because as of right now, I'm exhausted, my wife is pissed off, and my daughter is spitting up on Death's robe right now."

Death's eye sockets widened and he looked down, only to find that, sure enough, Dina was spitting out a bunch of saliva and half-digested breast milk on his robe. "Eeeeew! Dude, why didn't y'all say anything?!" he whined, as Mina carefully took her daughter from his arms.

She only made goo-ing baby noises as a response, with a smile on her face, as she flailed her arms towards her Uncle Death.

Then Mina stood up from the couch. "Yeah... excuse us. We must be getting back to Hell, soon. It's been... a day, at least. Take care, you guys."

With that, she walked into the hallway, and used a door to teleport herself and her child into Hell.

Death groaned and stood up as well, with a huge white splotch on his shoulder. "Ugh! This is my favorite robe, too! Man, I'm gone, now. Y'all keep it real!"

With that, he vanished into a puff of black smoke.

Daniel then looked at Caim, who bowed his head. "I shall secure the perimeters, Master. None shall enter your sacred domain for as long as I keep watch!"

Daniel groaned, no longer even caring, as he waved his hand dismissively. "Fine, fine. Just, uh, don't wake me up, please, unless it's urgent."

With that, he left the angel to his own devices. After all this drama, he had a bed that was practically calling his name, right now.

Episode 12: "How To Train Your Pet Angel!"

Daniel decides to spend the next day helping Caim understand modern society much more better.

However, such a task is easier said than done. Especially since Caim's point of view may be a tad bit... outdated, due to his time spent in the Void.

*Beep! Beep! Beep!*

Daniel's alarm began to beep loudly. He yawned, before gently patting it on the head, having grown completely accustomed to it.

"Alright, Al, I'm up. Thanks." he mumbled, to which the alarm purred in response. He was then about to close his eyes again, when he saw that a notification was on his phone.

Curious, he picked it up and slid the screen into view.

"Mr. Daniel Banks, your UPS Delivery is currently under investigation due to a delay from your end. Please notify us immediately when you receive your package, as it promptly awaits your signature!"

"Huh... wait, my new Xbox is under investigation?" he asked, scratching his head in confusion. "Why's it under investigation?"

Suddenly he saw the door open on its own. From the other side of the hallway, he could see Caim with his sword drawn, and pointed forward towards something out of view.

"Master Daniel! Impeccable timing for you to be awake, as your presence is urgently needed!" he called out to his master.

Daniel's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh, don't tell me this is going where I think it's going..."

"Oh, it's even worse than I thought..." Daniel mumbled in his hands, which were currently covering his face completely.

The living room was alright. No signs of a break-in, at least. The door was also closed, so thankfully nobody could see what was going on inside. The kitchen was also not dirty.

The thing Daniel was beyond embarrassed about was his Guardian Angel, who still stood there with his blade drawn, and pointed towards a poor UPS Driver with a name tag that said "Hi! I'm Gary!"

"Gary... please explain." Daniel said, already knowing full-well the answer.

Gary was happy. He was a very good man,
and a great, efficient worker to live in this land.
He enjoyed his job, and he enjoyed his life.
He had two kids, and he had a loving wife.

His job didn't really pay much for the guy,
but he was still blessed with enough to get by.
And so, on this one delivery he had,
he didn't even know the situation would be bad.

"Deliver the box" his bosses did say,
until the door opened, and out stood a long blade.
"Halt!" the armed stranger did shout with a glare.
Poor Gary did not even have time to prepare.
So he dropped the box, turned around, and ran with a scare,
until the man with the sword was suddenly there!

"You've nowhere to flee!" the man shouted most scary.
The man with the sword did frighten poor Gary.
And follow his orders, Gary did do,
where he knelt to the ground, and cried through and through.

Then when he thought that all hope was lost,
he heard the door open! It must be this man's boss!
The boss looked quite shocked to see Gary's plight,
and for a brief moment, the boss showed his fright.

He placed his hands on his face and then muttered.
His face was now red, and his eyes were aflutter.
Then Gary was now in much better luck,
as the boss glared at the man, and shouted, "DUDE, WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"I-I was just delivering your order, sir! Th-then this man pulled the sword on me! I... I-I dropped it and ran, but then suddenly, WHOOSH! He was in front of me, between me and my truck! I swear, man, I saw nothing! Just please, l-let me live! I... I-I wanna see my wife and kids again!"

Gary was a mess at this point. He was weeping loudly, and Daniel was frowning heavily at the poor delivery guy.

Then Daniel looked at Caim, who was still looking blankly at the man, and pointed at the kitchen. "Caim! Kitchen! Now!" he ordered.

Caim lowered his sword and saluted Daniel. "As you command, Master!" Then he turned towards Gary and glared at him, before pointing his sword again. "Though I shall keep watch of you, man known as 'Gary'. And should I find any signs of deceit, or should you dare threaten my Master's life, I shall not hesitate to-"

"KITCHEN! NOW!"

"Understood, Master!" Caim replied again, before hurrying into the kitchen.

Daniel then sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose, before reaching into his pocket. Gary remained knelt to the ground, though, as he didn't want to push his luck.

Daniel then asked, "Gary, what's your last name?"

"S-S-Smith, s-s-sir..."

"Gary Smith... right, then. Mr. Gary Smith." Daniel said, as he pulled his checkbook out of his pocket and opened it. He slid the pen out of the top of it, and looked at Gary. "Listen, man, I'm really, really sorry you had to go through all that. Please, name the price, and I'll pay it. I swear, this won't happen again. I'll see to that, for sure."

Gary shook his head and closed his eyes. "I-I c-c-couldn't p-possibly! J-just wanna see my f-f-family again!"

Daniel nodded his head. "And you will. But please, I insist! Name the price, and you will be compensated for this misunderstanding!"

But Gary said nothing. Then Daniel sighed, before putting his checkbook on the end table and approaching the man.

Gary closed his eyes and flinched, before Daniel opened the door and pointed out.

"Fine, then... just, uh... go on, now. And, uh... thanks for-"

Before he could finish his sentence, however, Gary was already in his truck, and driving away in terror.

Daniel sighed, before closing his door and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Well, that's this house blacklisted, for sure... dammit! What else did I fucking miss?!"

He took a single step forward and heard a crack. Looking down, he somehow managed to step into his opened package, which contained numerous dismantled scraps of electronic pieces, which were stripped down to the motherboard, with all chips removed from it and everything.

"M-my Xbox!" he whined.

"Alright! Explain!" Daniel said angrily to his angel, who was standing in the kitchen with his eyes closed, and his sword held upwards. The handle was grasped in both hands.

"I am now tracking his movements, Master. Should he make a hostile move, and I can surely be there in mere moments."

"Caim! Stop tracking him, and open your eyes!" Daniel demanded.

Caim opened his eyes and looked at him in confusion. "Is... is something the matter, Master?"

"Hmm... something the matter? Jeez, let me think about- YES, THERE'S SOMETHING THE MATTER HERE!" He then raised the box containing the scraps. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

Caim looked at the box, then back at him. "The strange Gary person trespassed within your domain, Master, and he was carrying that container, which held that strange device. Worry not, for I have taken the liberty of disassembling it to search for any signs of traps or trickery. You shall be pleased to know that, thankfully, there was not."

Caim concluded, hoping that it pleased Daniel. To his confusion, however, Daniel only grew more and more upset by that explanation.

"Caim... this. Was. My. New. Xbox!" he coldly shouted.

"Xbox? Master, what is an Xbox?" he asked.

"It's a Game System! Or, rather, it was a Game System, until you broke it!"

"Master, you are shouting at me. Did... did I do something wrong?" Caim asked, almost sounding worried.

"Yes! Hell, you did a LOT of things wrong!"

Immediately, though, Daniel noticed Caim's expression change. For once, he saw the angel giving him a look of absolute terror.

Caim placed his sword to the ground, knelt down, and began to weep, which caused Daniel to take a step back and raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"M-Master, I... I offer you my most sincerest of apologies! I have failed you, Master, and have wronged you in a way I should not have. I beg of your forgiveness for these transgressions, as I knew not what I have done... but in doing so, regardless, I... I humbly accept whatever punishment you have for me, and shall never do this again! You have my word, Master Daniel!"

Daniel blinked and, for once, actually felt a bit bad for him. And so, he sighed, before placing the box on the table and motioning his hand in an upward gesture. "Caim, you can stand up, now."

"Y-yes, my Master! How shall I be disciplined? Lashings to the wings, perhaps, or... m-maybe banishment to the Void?" he asked worriedly.

Daniel raised a hand to stop him. "You were right. You didn't know what you were doing. And I fear it was my fault for not clarifying things for you last night, before going to sleep." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Caim, you are forgiven this time."

Caim bowed his head and sighed in relief. "Master, your... y-your mercy knows no bounds! I... I shall never forget this!"

Daniel sighed, shaking his head. "Dude, it's fine. But seriously, though. Times have changed now, Caim. You can't just go around pulling your sword out at anything that moves!"

"Then... how do we know that they are not spies, or rebels out to set a trap for you?" Caim asked concernedly.

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Honestly, we don't know how for sure, but people have gotten more advanced over these years. People can track people down from miles away using technology! And plus, they've got ways to trace things like fingerprints to a suspect, and pinpoint their locations."

"I see... but what of that Gary man intruding on your sacred domain?" Caim asked.

Daniel sighed, before pulling out his phone. "I used this tool to, uh... to summon him here."

This made Caim's eyes widen in alarm. "Wait... h-he was answering a Royal Summons?!"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders and put his phone back in his pocket. He then closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I, uh... guess you can say that. I asked his bosses to bring me my Xbox, and he was the one chosen to deliver it."

Suddenly he opened his eyes, and was met with Caim kneeling before him yet again.

"Master! Though your mercy is graciously appreciated, I implore that you recall it, for I have disrupted a potential alliance, and as such, deserve nothing short of the worst kind of punishment you can think of!"

Daniel groaned and slapped his palm into his face yet again. "Ugh... fine, you know what? Stand up!"

Caim did as instructed, looking at him in fearful determination.

"As your punishment, I command you to, uh... to, uh..." Daniel then looked around, until his eyes were fixed on the box. He pointed at it. "I command you to fix my Xbox back to the way it was! Erm... maybe even better condition!"

Caim bowed his head. "Yes, my Master! And what other punishments do you wish to bring upon me?"

Daniel thought for a moment, until he saw that, despite the kitchen being clean, there was still a fairly sizable pile of dishes near the sink.

"Uh... you can also... wash the dishes!"

Caim knelt again. "Erm... as you command, though... is that not just a simple task for your servants to do, regardless?"

Daniel nodded his head and waved his hand loosely. "Yeah, but, uh... I don't really have servants here, so... I guess it now falls to you?"

Caim looked determined as ever. He saluted him and stated, "Then a servant I shall be! No mess shall be within this house, or anywhere else that you wish to have cleaned!"

Then Caim raised his hand towards the box. Immediately, the pieces blurred and reassembled back onto the motherboard in the blink of an eye. In a mere fraction of a second, the Xbox was back to normal, and the box was resealed, with the tape even restored.

Daniel blinked in surprise, as Caim then walked over to the sink, where he rolled his sleeves up and looked around it. A smile formed on the man's face, as he finally felt a hint of pride for the angel.

"Well, now! Guess he ain't a complete screw-up after all!" Daniel thought to himself, as Caim observed the area curiously. "Maybe having a servant ain't that bad! I mean, hell, teach 'em to cook, clean, and take care of the baby, and all those chores can be a thing of the past!"

Caim then gripped onto the corners of the sink and ripped the entire ceramic device out of the counter. There was a loud crack, as the pipes below it unhinged. Water immediately shot out rapidly, soaking Caim in an instant, and practically flooding the kitchen in mere seconds.

Then he turned towards Daniel, with his expression showing fierce determination, like he was about to investigate a serious crime at hand. His body appeared as if it were unfazed by the fact he was getting soaked up by powerful gushes of water. The stream did nothing to make him flinch.

Daniel, on the other hand, deadpanned and stared at him, now completely drenched as well from head to toe, with an expression that practically shouted, "Really?!"

"Master! There appears to be a strange torrent of water beneath your Cleansing Trough, and it is flooding the entire room! Be on your guard, for this could be a strange, new form of Magic, as I could not sense this water coming from anywhere! I believe these metal tube-like devices are a key factor to this strange puzzle, so proceed with caution while around them!"

Daniel's face was slapped, once again, by his own palm.

"Furthermore, someone may have damaged the trough to release the water prematurely, as there appears to be a hole within its base! Maybe they damaged it with these metal tubes? Master, shall I destroy these tubes for you? They might be dangerous!"

His second palm slapped his face, and he yelled inside his hands, while Caim just stood there like an idiot, holding the sink in his hands, and awaiting further instructions.

Daniel stepped out of the bathroom in fresh, dry clothes. He was still wiping his face off, and entered the Living Room, where Caim was just standing near the couch, no longer wet. The kitchen, however, was still soaked, though thankfully, through some miracle, the new Xbox was unharmed.

"Master, perhaps I can-" Caim began, but Daniel held his hand up to stop him.

"No... no more chores for you. You've, uh... you've done enough."

Caim looked confused. "But Master, the strange water has overtaken the-"

"Yes, but it's fine. I called someone else to take care of it." Daniel replied. He set the box on the couch and cut it open, revealing the mint-condition new Xbox system. "Now, then... if you're gonna be living here, we need some way for you to at least do something normal to occupy your time. And so, we shall start with the basics!"

Caim saluted him, before looking at the box. "Ah, yes, your prized gift from the Gary man. Your Xbox, I believe you said?"

Daniel nodded his head. "Yeah. And you remember what I called it?"

"A Game System." he replied, nodding his head. "A device that holds one's game, correct?"

Daniel raised a surprised eyebrow. "Yes, actually... huh... I'm surprised you knew that!"

Caim nodded his head once more, accepting the praise with refined dignity. "But of course, Master. I am at least knowledgeable of the basics of survival, after all!"

Daniel chuckled, shaking his head. "Well... don't know about that survival part, but yeah, I guess I couldn't have survived long without Game Systems like this one!"

Caim held a hand up over the device and gently rubbed the top of the frame.

"Incredible... to think that technology has come so far ahead... surely it must have taken a long time to develop such amazing tools like this one..."

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Actually, it's been going pretty fast lately! Sure, maybe a few delays because of Armageddon and all that, but now everything's picked up quite a lot since then!"

Caim nodded his head in understanding. "I see... Master, how does this Xbox tool work, exactly?"

Daniel smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "Well you see, Caim, it's actually got a lot of things that work together in order for it to function properly! Like, say, the Disc Drive, for example."

"Disc Drive?"

Daniel pointed at the thin slant on the side. "You see that slant?"

"Yes, Master, I see it."

"Well, you put the game in front of it, and the slant sucks it right in!"

Caim's eyes widened at that. "A slant as small and thin as that can absorb one's game?!"

Daniel patted him in the shoulder again. "Now you're getting it! The game goes into the Disc Drive, and the scanners read what's inside, then the whole process just starts to work on its own."

"Hold on, Master. It also processes the game you put inside it?!" Caim was growing more and more fascinated with this strange new device he has yet to truly understand the power of.

Daniel nodded his head. "That's correct! And then the game appears on the TV Screen. Then we start to play it, and have fun!"

"Play with... Master, surely you jest?" Caim asked, to which Daniel shook his head.

"Nope! We play the game on the TV Screen!"

Caim then looked back at the Xbox, before rubbing his chin in thought. "I... I suppose if one finds pleasure in such activities, then I have no right to judge."

Daniel nodded his head. "Yeah, just don't make it too much of a habit, and you'll be fine. Could get addicted to it."

Again, Caim looked a bit puzzled, but decided to go along with it.

"So, to be sure, one places their game in front of the Disc Drive?" Caim asked.

"Yes, that's correct!"

"Then the Disc Drive pulls the game inside the Xbox?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Daniel was finally looking hopeful at his new angel friend.

"And then the game is processed, then sent onto the TV Screen, where one can play with it for fun!" Caim concluded. Daniel threw his hands in the air and cheered.

"By golly, I think you've finally got it!"

Then Caim smiled weakly, having finally pleased his master. "I am honored that you take such joy on my behalf, Master... though there is something that bothers me."

"Oh? What is it, Caim?" Daniel asked, as he lowered his hands, ready to help answer any questions the angel has on the Sacred Art of Gaming.

"Although it may somehow be able to fit a bird if it were prepared properly beforehand, how is there enough room for one to fit a deer inside it?" Caim asked, to which Daniel ended up looking puzzled.

"They... don't?" he asked.

Caim raised an eyebrow. "But you said one can fit their game inside it, Master."

"No... no, no, no..." Daniel said, shaking his head.

"No? Then what kind of game do you... unless you hunt the game with the Xbox?"

"Dammit, Caim, you almost had it!"

Caim then snapped his finger and gasped. "Of course! Now it makes sense! The Xbox is not the processing tool, but rather, like a cannonball! Master, it makes perfect sense, now!"

"By golly, you've completely lost it!"

Daniel deadpanned, as he sat in a chair in front of Caim, who was now seated on the couch, next to the Xbox. He lifted a game disc up and pointed at the cover.

"See this? This is a game!" Daniel clarified.

Caim tilted his head confusedly and observed it carefully. He then took it in his hands when Daniel offered it to him, and rubbed the cover with his hand.

He then brought it up to his teeth and took a small nibble on it, before spitting it out in disgust.

"Master! This strange 'game' you have is made up of aluminum, oils, and many things one can not digest! One could poison themselves with this!"

Daniel deadpanned at him, having watched one of his favorite games get nibbled on, then his face had a quick reunion with his palm again.

Death appeared at the front of his doorstep and whistled loudly, observing the kitchen.

"Damn, man! I'm glad you called me here, this does look urgent!"

Daniel shook his head. "No, that's not the urgent part, actually." He grabbed Death by the jaw and turned his head to face Caim, who was still staring at the disc curiously. "...THAT is!"

Death tilted his head confusedly.

"Umm... what?"

"So these are the buttons. These are the joysticks. And altogether, it makes the Controller, which as its name implies, controls what goes on on the screen you see, which is the TV!" Daniel concluded, to which Caim nodded his head.

"Ah... I see. So the controller is able to control what goes on on the TV?"

Daniel nodded his head. "Yes! But only when the screen is on the same 'Channel' as the Game System! Death and I will now demonstrate, by using the Controllers to make our characters on the screen move. Ready?"

Caim nodded his head. "I am ready to learn, Master."

And then, Daniel tapped the left joystick left. The fighter on the screen immediately moved backwards, to which Caim gasped at the sight of.

"Incredible... so even a being of such raw power within the screen still heeds to the commands of the Controller?" Caim asked.

Daniel nodded his head, while Death started moving forward.

Caim then watched in fascination, as they made the fighters start fighting each other. He was confused, though, by their methods.

"I do not understand the way they fight, though. Why do they only rely on such basic maneuvers and postures, when they are fighting for their lives? And when the Law man on the screen used his sword, how did it not slice his clone?"

Daniel only sighed, as his Law defeated Death's.

"KO! Player One Wins!" the announcer called out.

Caim gripped the sides of his chair and gasped. "Master! Somehow this 'Player One' figure has stolen Law's victory, yet there's no sign of their whereabouts!"

Death looked at Daniel and deadpanned. "Dude, you're right. This is an urgent emergency!"

Daniel then placed the controller on Caim's lap. "Okay, so now it's your turn to try!"

He had Law in Training Mode, where there was a practice dummy before him.

Caim held the controller and gasped. "Master, do you truly trust me enough to wield such a powerful device? To allow me the ability to control Law of the TV?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Yes. Now, figure out the buttons, and what they do."

Caim then looked at the controller for a few seconds, before nodding his head. "I have figured it out, Master."

"Good! Wait, already?!" Daniels asked, having only turned his head for a brief moment.

Caim nodded. "Of course, Master. By studying it carefully, I have determined that the buttons move down using a spring-like mechanism within, which then returns the button back up to its original position."

Daniel's face was a bit redder with each time he had to slap his palm into it. Death only shrugged his shoulders as he continued mopping the kitchen up.

"Like teaching a child, Daniel. Remember, you're gonna have to do this again someday!"

Daniel responded by raising his middle finger at Death, who laughed out loud in response.

Daniel's hair was practically sticking up from each side, as he almost ripped each strand out trying to teach Caim how to operate a controller.

"Master, I... I wish I could understand it more, but alas, it is just too much without a guide." he told his master. Truth be told, when Daniel said for him to move Law using the Joy Stick, Caim tried to make him move forward by pointing it towards the training dummy.

Law then started jumping in the air, while staying in place.

Daniel then had an idea, though, at the mention of a guide. He reached into the game's box and pulled out the Instruction Manual.

"Here, Caim. Read this. Wait, uh... you do know how to read, right?" Daniel asked.

Caim nodded his head. "Of course, Master." Then he accepted the book and held it up to his face.

He placed a finger on his own forehead, then flipped through each page rapidly, before closing it at the back in less than a second. Once done, he placed it back in Daniel's hand.

"I have acquired new knowledge, Master." he told him.

Daniel blinked in surprise. "Wait... you read through the whole manual just like that?!"

Caim nodded his head. "I can confirm that there are 728 sentences, and out of which, 4,798 words within it have been written. Among it all, I have learned which button does what."

"That's... that's amazing, dude!" Death called out, having witnessed him do so.

Daniel nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, man! Hey, wait over there!"

He quickly hurried into his room, before returning with a Gamer's Manual to "Fighters of Elroth VII", the game they were playing.

"Here, Caim. Read this." he said, placing the book down on the coffee table.

Caim lifted his hand up, and levitated the book into the air. He then placed his other hand on his forehead and rapidly flipped each page in a blurring speed, before sealing it shut and placing it on the table again.

"I have done as you asked, Master." he replied.

"Bullshit." Daniel said in disbelief, while Death rubbed his eye sockets.

"Alright, then, Caim. Hand me that controller." Daniel said, to which Caim obeyed, before Daniel placed the second controller on his lap. "Now, then. Let's see how you do against me with this game!"

"Against?! But Master! I can't just challenge you to-"

"Don't worry, Caim. Just think of it like a spar. You control one of the guys, and I'll control the other. We'll then see who can lead their warrior to victory!" Daniel said.

Caim gulped, before nodding his head. "A-as you command, Master. Though I'm quite certain you should win regardless, I shall do my very best!"

Death tapped on Daniel's shoulder to get his attention. "Daniel, man, mastering this game takes years of practice! Book or not! So, uh... you might wanna go easy on 'em, okay? I mean... giving it everything you got?! Man, it'll be just like beating up a toddler!"

Law flew across the screen, as Goroth the Lizard Man slid below the camera's view. Upon Law reaching the bottom, his head was kicked repeatedly, before Goroth straightened up and did an uppercut, repeating the steps as before, though this time he jumped beforehand for an additional speed boost, launching Law onto the left side of the screen.

"TASTE MY FURY!" Goroth shouted, before shooting a beam of light in the air, which repeatedly drained Law's health to a mere fraction.

Then, before Law could even land on the ground, Goroth shouted, "THIS ENDS NOW, MORTAL SCUM!" and launched another beam, this time across the screen horizontally, which hit Law directly.

Law's defeated yell echoed on the screen, as his flesh and muscles were peeled to the bone... again.

His skeleton fell to the ground, and Goroth hissed at the air in victory over his fallen opponent.

"FLAWLESS FATAL FINISH! Player Two Wins!" the announcer shouted on the screen.

Daniel was frozen, even after dropping his controller. Both he and Death just stared at the screen, slack-jawed, as the household's Reigning Champion bore witness to his warrior's untimely demise...

"Master! Somehow, even though my warrior has achieved victory ten times in a row, this 'Player Two' figure keeps stealing the credit from him! Might I suggest we call a truce and work together to find this 'Player Two' and defeat them, instead?!" Caim offered, before looking at his master's tear-filled face.

... by a fighter who didn't even know what a 'Player Two' was.

"M-my... my Win Streak..." he muttered in defeat.

Death corrected his earlier statement. "Y-yeah, man... b-by a toddler! That, uh... m-might've been raised by an undefeated god..."

After Death had to return to his own home, Daniel turned towards Caim, who had a look of confusion on his face.

"Alrighty, then! So, we've established that you... my friend... are amazing!" he said with a prideful smile.

Caim tilted his head. "You really think so highly of me, Master?"

"Absolutely! Now come on, I've finally figured out how we can make you normal for society!"

He brought Caim into his personal office and had him sit down near the desk.

"What are these strange buttons, Master?" he asked, eyeing the keyboard.

"That's the keyboard. You press the buttons, and whatever the letter is written on it will be put on the screen." Daniel explained.

"And what of this strange thing?" Caim asked, pointing at the mouse.

"Oh, that's just the mouse. You use it to-"

*CRASH!*

The left mouse button flew into Daniel's face, as Caim's fist sat there over the cracked wood of the desk.

"Mice... filthy vermin of Pestilence! No plagues shall befall you, Master, so long as I am here!" Caim said, looking over at his master, who in turn, deadpanned at him.

"... You know what? Maybe the internet isn't ready for you, just yet..." Daniel suggested, peeling the mouse button off of his cheek and sighing.

Daniel stepped into the office again, after making Caim restore the mouse to working order. He held up a large red book and said, "This... is a dictionary." He slammed it on the desk. "You read it to understand words, and their meanings."

Caim nodded his head in understanding. "I see... an excellent source of knowledge, Master! You have my utmost appreciation!"

"Mhm." Daniel said, at this point unfazed by any stupidity or appreciation Caim would bring up.

Caim then did as usual, reading the book by placing a finger on his forehead and flipping through the pages near-instantaneously. He then closed it, and raised an eyebrow. "Master, though I have read through the book, it only tells me of many words I know. However, it... does nothing to teach me of how the words I lack the knowledge of should be used. Perhaps we should go to a library?"

Daniel nodded his head and grabbed the key to his car. "Alright, then... let's get going."

Upon parking the car, Daniel looked at Caim. "Now, remember! No magic! No wings, and most importantly, no drawing your sword out at all."

"I understand, Master. You have my word, I shall not use my sword unless told otherwise." Caim replied with a salute.

When they entered the library, Caim's eyes widened in shock. "Wow... so many tomes... so much knowledge one could gain! Master, this library place is... phenomenal!" Caim said in awe.

"SHH!" several people spoke around him. He looked at Daniel confusedly.

"Master, why do they make such a strange noise with their mouths?"

"Yep. It's official. This was a terrible mistake."

Daniel nodded his head and approached the front counter. Caim followed suit.

"Hello, ma'am. We would like to stick around for a bit, if that's alright? We've, uh... got a few books to read."

The librarian nodded her head and smiled. "Of course, sir! And... oh, hello there! Are you a new customer?" she then asked, looking at Caim, who stared at her blankly, refusing to address her without permission.

"Caim, say something." Daniel said.

"Of course, Master... something." Caim replied.

Daniel planted his face in his palm. He then looked at the librarian and smiled sheepishly, while she looked confusedly at the two. "Nevermind, ma'am. Have a nice day."

After everything that happened today, Daniel couldn't take much more of it. He parked his car at a Gas Station, near the front door, and sighed.

"Just wait here for me, okay? I need to get a few snacks." Daniel said.

Caim nodded his head. "Understood, Master. I shall await your return."

"Thanks... and listen. For the love of everything, do not touch anything in here! Understood?"

Again, Caim saluted him. "Of course, Master. I shall keep my hands to myself."

"Good... oh, and Caim?"

"Yes, Master?"

Daniel sighed, shaking his head. "About what happened in the library... well... I want you to know that it's alright for you to speak to others if they're talking to you. You have my permission."

"I... I understand, Master." he replied nodding his head.

"And you know what? Honestly... you don't just have to do favors for me. If you see someone who needs help, feel free to help them out! You know... like, if an old lady needs help crossing a street, offer to help her. If you see a fight going on, try to break it up. Oh, but, uh... don't break it up by killing them, though."

"Understood, Master. I shall try to be more open for the public, then." Caim said.

Daniel smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Alright... well, I might've not been able to make you normal just yet, but at least we're finally making progress."

Daniel then opened the door and stepped out. "I'll leave the windows open so you can breathe in the fresh air. Alright?"

"Of course, Master." Caim replied.

Daniel then tapped the door a couple times, then walked into the Gas Station.

Daniel knelt down to look through the chips aisle in the back, when the bell on the door rang.

"Hey, there! Welcome to Gas Mart!" the kind old lady said, greeting the customer in a dark brown jacket and light blue jeans. He was wearing a black baseball cap.

The customer waved his hand. "Hey, ma'am! Can I get a pack of papers, please?"

She nodded her head and walked over to grab the man's pack of cigarette wrappers. Daniel noticed the man then pocket a small tin of candy, and shook his head.

"Damn... that ain't a good sign." he mumbled, before crouching down a bit lower.

"Can I get you anything else?" the lady behind the register asked.

He shook his head and smiled. "Nah, that won't be necessary. Thank you, though."

He reached in to his pockets and sighed. "Oh, shoot! I left my wallet in my car! Hold on, I'll be right back."

She shook her head and smiled. "Oh, it's alright, dearie. It's only a dollar."

This phrase made Daniel's blood run cold. Suddenly, this lady gave him a brief flashback of his mother, and how she always called everyone 'dearies'.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. She and his dad were out on their vacation, right now. And he was going to see them again eventually.

She took her own wallet out of her pocket and tapped on the register's buttons. Then, once the drawer opened up, the large stacks of ones, fives, tens, and twenties, all practically glowed before the man's eyes.

"Wow... that's quite a lot in there, ma'am. Don't you think it's a bit too dangerous to have that much money in a register?"

The lady placed her own dollar inside it and closed the drawer, nodding her head and smiling sheepishly. "I know it is, dearie, but because of my bad back, I can't reach the safe down there. So they told me that my replacement could take care of it for me on the next shift."

The man nodded his head. "Oh... is your replacement here, right now?" he asked.

She shook her head and her smile faltered a tiny bit. "I wish he was, but sadly, he's not gonna be here for another three hours. Oh, how I wish I could just do it for 'em instead, since he also has to clear the safe tonight, so that the boss can bring this week's earnings into the bank tomorrow. But sadly, I just have to deal with the high risk."

"Well gee, I... I hate it for ya, ma'am." he told her, reaching his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Well thank you, dearie, but it's alright. This city's very tight-knit, so most of us lend a hand out to each other in their times of need." she replied, giving him a brighter smile.

"I bet, ma'am. I bet."

"And I know why you're here as well, dearie... I can see the gun in your pockets. But I'm sorry, my back isn't in the shape to get you anything."

"Oh... well, then now I really hate it for you. I want you to get that register cleaned up for me, you hear? And if it ain't done in five minutes, I'll have no other choice but to do it my own way."

"Well, dearie, you're just going to have to wait a bit longer."

Then the man drew the pistol from his pocket and glared at her.

"And I said I can't wait, ma'am. Now start packing it, or I'll pack something into you!"

Daniel couldn't just sit there and let this old man rob this poor older woman, let alone murder her. And so, he stood up and held his hands out. "Look, man. There's no need to lose your manners over this."

The man jumped up a bit in surprise, before shifting the gun's barrel towards Daniel. "Where'd you come from?!"

Daniel shook his head. "It doesn't matter, so just... just put the gun away, before someone gets hurt."

"Sorry, kid. I've got a family to feed, and I don't plan on letting this opportunity pass up! They've been starving for about eight months, now, since this damn apocalypse hit!"

Daniel nodded his head. "I know your pain, sir. I've been there before. I know what it's like to be down on your luck. But trust me... I can help you. Please... just put down the gun, and I'll tell you my side of the story."

Caim was sitting in the car, observing his surroundings thoughtfully. He saw a skinny old man step out of the back seat of a green colored van. As he was walking inside, the van drove off. He noticed the man carrying an odd-looking instrument in his hand, with a small barrel on it, which he slipped into his brown jacket.

"Hmm... quite a peculiar object." Caim told himself.

He then looked at the man talking to the woman at the counter. He stared at them for a moment longer, until someone tapped on the door. He looked and saw a young-looking man wearing a beanie over his long, jet-black hair and a red jacket over a black t-shirt underneath. He was smiling at him.

"Dude, nice ride!" he said with glee.

Caim raised an eyebrow at him, before remembering that he was now allowed to speak to people. "Oh, uh... thank you, sir. It actually belongs to Master Daniel, though."

The man nodded his head and chuckled. "Oh! I knew that, man, but still! Your, uh... Master Daniel wanted me to move it over just a bit for 'em. Said something about it kinda looking suspicious to the lady at the counter."

Caim was a bit confused for a moment... but then he remembered that Daniel's orders were to help those in need.

And so he smiled back at the young man and nodded his head. "Oh! Of course! Please, do hop in!"

"Thanks, man! Hey, you wouldn't mind stepping out for me, would ya? I don't wanna accidentally bump into some else's ride, cause that could get us all in trouble, you know?"

Caim nodded his head again and stepped out. "Very well, then. I shall guide you over. Though, uh, how far did he need you to move?"

The man hopped into the Driver Seat and shifted the gear. "Oh, just a little ways away! Hey, thanks man!"

Caim nodded his head and waved his hand at him. "Of course, sir! Just tell me when you're at that point, and I shall let my Master know of your service for him!"

"Will do!" the man said before driving off in the car. Caim looked a little puzzled for a moment, though, when he went out of sight.

He heard commotion inside, and turned around. He saw the man holding the tool at the old lady, and tilted his head confusedly. "Hmm... that odd tool again. But why is he holding it like so?"

Then he turned his head over, and saw Daniel hiding behind the racks. However, upon seeing a bag of chips in his hand, he dismissed it as him simply going through the rack for more snacks.

But then, he noticed a magazine within a smaller rack, with a close-up picture of the same odd tool the man was holding. Curious, he decided to place a hand on his forehead and lift his other towards the magazine.

It subtly levitated, and its pages flipped rapidly, before he gasped and dropped it back into the rack.

"That is no tool... that is a weapon!" he thought to himself, before finally, he saw that the man has already turned the barrel towards Daniel. Immediately, his fists balled up, and he took a step forward.

"Then after that, I had to bury them by myself. I know, it's a bit crazy, but since the Apocalypse began, I've had to endure all kinds of crazy things!" Daniel finally concluded, all while the old man nodded his head in understanding.

"I believe ya, kid... I do. And, I... well, I'm sorry. You seem like a good kid, but again... I've got my family to take care of, and I'll be damned before I let anyone get in my way!" he said.

Daniel closed his eyes and flinched. He was immortal, but the impact of a bullet to the head still might be enough pain to knock him out cold.

*BANG!*

...

... but the pain never came. He opened his eyes and straightened his posture back up as Caim stood between himself and the old man.

The old man stared at Caim in shock, as he saw the bullet he fired grasped casually within his fingertips.

Caim glared at the man and asked, "Master, what are your orders?"

Daniel gulped for a brief moment, before noticing some red and blue lights at the corner of his eye. Then he replied, "Don't worry about it, Caim. The police are here, now. They'll deal with him."

Upon hearing the news, the old man gasped, before turning around. Sure enough, an officer arrived, bursting through the door with his weapon drawn.

"POLICE, FREEZE! DROP YOUR WEAPON!"

The old man then sighed in defeat, before dropping his pistol and holding his hands up. The officer cuffed him, quoted his rights, then dragged him away outside the building.

Caim then turned around and knelt before Daniel. "Master, I... I apologize for allowing him into the building. I saw him carrying the weapon, and could have stopped him, had I known what it was he was wielding."

Daniel blinked owlishly, then shook his head, chuckling a bit. "Caim, it's alright. In fact, I... I should be the one apologizing."

"For what, Master Daniel?" Caim asked, looking up at him confusedly.

Daniel patted him on the shoulder. "For trying to make you human. You see... I guess I've just been so focused on making you plain and normal, that I forgot you're still here on a mission. And that mission is to be my Guardian Angel, first and foremost."

Caim nodded in understanding. "So... what do you plan, Master?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Honestly, I don't know... I've been so busy trying to normalize you all day... so I guess we can just head back home, watch some TV, and play some more games. After all, there's more to games than just senseless fighting!"

"I see... then we shall leave once the man in the red jacket brings your car back."

Daniel nodded his head. "Yeah, when..."

Then, his smile quickly dropped.

"... when what?!"

From the back of the police car, the old man just sat there patiently, with his fingers wrapped against each other. He was looking down, as if in deep thought.

The officer adjusted his mirror and asked, "Not gonna lie, Mr. Clydesdale... if that's even your real name... you seem a bit too old to be in the game. You ever think of retiring?"

The man looked up at him and shook his head. "No... not really."

The officer shrugged his shoulders, before looking back at the old man's Driver's License. "Well you know, I just ran your license number in the system. Showed up negative. Mind explaining where you got it from?"

"My boss, of course. He gave one to two of my brothers, and I." the old man replied.

The officer nodded his head. "Ah, a family business... I see." From in front of him, he noticed a green van and a red sports car blocking the path. They both looked like they were crashed, as they were bent up in the front. He quickly stopped the car. Nobody was seen within any of them, so he figured it must've been abandoned.

"Damn it! Guess I gotta make this call..." he said. He tried to phone the radio, but it seemed to be jammed. "Shit! Stupid car... fine, then, guess we'll have to go around."

He set the car to reverse, but then the engine suddenly died down.

"Well, shit... no radio, no engine... hold on, I'll go check the engine."

The door handle broke off upon him pulling it. "Really? Oh, come on, man..." He looked in the mirror, and saw that the old man was just sitting there casually.

"Guess we're kinda stuck in here, then..." the officer said with a sigh.

The old man nodded his head. "Yeah, but it's alright... I could use the company."

"Well, don't worry. Once someone swings by, they'll pick us up, and take you somewhere where company won't be a problem."

The old man smirked. "Good, good... so!" The old man looked at his watch. "Do you happen to have any more questions for me, officer, before help arrives?"

The officer thought for a moment, before nodding his head. "Matter of fact, I do actually. So you had two brothers that worked with you?"

He shook his head. "No, not two, actually... three. Sadly, we couldn't give him a license because of a bit of a... skin condition he has."

From outside the police car, the wheel's plates began to rust.

"Skin condition, huh? Sounds kinda odd, to not have a license because of that."

"Yeah, but it was a... a pretty bad condition, officer." the old man said, looking sincerely at the officer in the mirror.

The officer nodded his head. "Alright, alright, I'll bite. If he's got a condition, he's got a condition."

The bottom of the car began to rust up at a rapid pace from the outside.

"So did you guys have names, or did you just go by code names?"

The old man smiled. "Oh, we have names, alright."

"Well, since you've been captured already, why not go ahead and tell me yours?" the officer asked. He turned around just in time to miss a bunch of rust covering the front hood of the car.

The old man's smile only grew a bit more. "I guess you at least deserve to know it, officer... you see..." He looked up at the officer. "My brothers... my boss... hell, everyone basically called me... Famine."

The officer blinked a bit, before throwing his head back laughing. "And why, exactly, did they call you that, Mr. Famine? Because of your weight or something?"

Famine shook his head and chuckled back at the officer.

The officer's smile quickly faltered, and became a panicked frown as he saw the hood of the car, with the rust drawing closer towards the windshield. He looked inside the mirror and gasped, when he saw the old man's irises starting to glow a bright green color.

"No... it's because every time I have to get my hands dirty, I do such a good job."

He lifted his hand up towards the officer, who began to cough.

"So good, in fact, that it left everyone involved... breathless." the old man concluded.

The officer could no longer control his breathing, and exhaled sharply, and constantly. He continued to breathe out the oxygen in his body, causing the veins in his head to swell up. His stomach and his lungs rapidly shrunk, and his eyes began to sink backwards, until they fell inside his head.

His lifeless husk of a body slumped down onto the car's horn, which only beeped for a second, before dying out as well.

The back driver-side door of the completely rusted out police car fell down, and out stepped a skinny, young-looking man with dark brown hair, green eyes, a brown jacket, and light blue jeans. He brushed his jeans off a bit to get some of the rust off, and looked over towards the van and the car.

An unseen force straightened them out on the road, and from behind the van, the young man in the red jacket stood. He waved at the brown-jacketed man before hopping back into the red sports car.

As soon as he stepped into it, the body shifted and changed, fixing itself completely. The license plate read, "RU1N" on the back, and as it drove off, a small trail of fire emerged from the road.

Then the green van drove forward, with its front plate reading, "RAMPAG3". Once the van stopped, its back door opened itself up, and slid back, revealing only one seat in the center of it.

Famine then hopped into the back seat, with the door closing itself behind him. He gently rubbed the seat's armrests, and muttered, "See, Rampage? I told you I wouldn't be long..."

The van's motor hummed a bit louder, before it took off on the road.

Famine looked around the Gas Station, but could find no signs of where Daniel or Caim went. He frowned his head, before returning inside his van, where he decided to pull out his phone and, after taking a deep breath, tapping on the screen.

...

"Your Majesty. It's me."

...

"Yes, sir. War and I managed to find him. He told me the signs to watch out for. He was, in fact, the King of Hell. However... that's not why I'm calling you. You see, Your Majesty... something... well... something happened."

He began to grow a bit uneasy. He adjusted the collar on his jacket and, closing his eyes, he shook his head.

"No, Your Majesty. We... we couldn't catch him this time."

He leaned away from the phone, wincing at the roaring coming from the other side of the line, before returning it to his head after it calmed down a bit.

"It's not that we had a choice, Your Majesty! It was literally impossible!"

...

"Because, Sire... he... you may not believe this, but he actually had help with him!"

...

"It wasn't a Demon, Your Majesty."

...

"Yes and no, Your Majesty. It wasn't just an Angel... it was a Fallen Angel."

...

"You will not like this, Your Majesty, but... it was Caim."

...

"But Your Majesty, we can't proceed as planned with Caim on his side! It's... it's suicide, and you know it!"

...

"I... y-yes, Sire, I... I understand."

With that, he closed the call, before tapping a bit more on his phone, and lifting it to his head.

"War... change of plans. His Majesty wants us to take the Direct Approach. His orders are no longer of concern to us. We just need our brother back, so we can end this nonsense. So, I want you to regroup with Conquest. Both of you call me every day for the next seven days. Then, tell him that if I don't answer my phone, it is too late for me, and that you will be in charge."

...

"Don't worry about me, brother. I'm not going to face them alone, and I'm certainly not just walking in there like a fool. Need I remind you? My ride's got my back always!" he said, before gently patting his armrest again.

The van hummed, before passing the sign that said, "Welcome to Diamond Peaks! 5 Miles Ahead!" The sign began to rust up following the van's passing.

Episode 13: "Child... Court... Caretakers!"

Hell's Court must go on, even if, just yesterday, their leader has given birth to the Princess of Hell, herself.

Mina knows this, and a such, leaves Dina under the care of the Castle Staff to trudge her way into yet another boring day of Politics and Problems...

...this will be an interesting day, for sure.

Mina's eyes were closed, but she felt as if she were awake. For one thing, she heard the ticking of the alarm clock near her bed, as it tried to quietly sound out, though not too loud due to her warning all those months ago. For another thing, as she rubbed her fingers together, she felt the fur brushing against each other, confirming that she was, in fact, awake.

Then, of course, there was the lump of weight on her chest, along with the liquid trickling on her neck and her shirt combined.

And yet, despite all of this, she felt the need to try and get some more sleep.

The weight on her chest shifted a bit, but she kept her eyes closed.

Then, something gripped onto her mane and started to tug. It wasn't a bad pain she felt. Far from it, even, but it was still enough for her to open her eyes and look up at the fiend who dared pull the mane of the Devil, herself. Upon seeing the culprit, however, she couldn't help but deadpan in annoyance, rather than anger.

"Well, now... day one and already you're crawling around. You definitely are more Equestrian than Human, it seems." she told her satyr infant that somehow managed to slide itself onto its butt, with her mother's mane in both of her hands, as well as her toothless mouth, which was nomming on its pink hairy contents.

Dina's baby blue eyes looked down at her mother, of whom she was sitting on top of, and Dina smiled upon seeing the eyes looking back at her. She released Mina's mane from her hands and mouth, then leaned over, placing her hands on Mina's cheeks, as more drool fell from her mouth, and onto her mother's neck.

Mina just continued to deadpan at her baby, before bringing her own hands up to Dina's waist. Then she picked her daughter up and sat up on her bed, while her baby made loud baby noises, flailing its arms at her face.

"Hey, hey! Striking your queen is considered treason, in case you didn't know!" she said, to which her daughter naturally took as a challenge to swing even more, plopping her hands on her cheeks even harder, with a wide toothless smile the entire time.

Mina's deadpan turned towards the alarm, who was shaking heavily. "You saw nothing."

The alarm nodded quickly and closed its eyes, while Mina looked back at her baby.

Then, she started to smile even wider, as her mane started to curl out on its own... something she hasn't fully done for years.

"Aww, who's a silly baby girl, huh? Who's a silly wittle pwincess of Hell?!" Mina started to initiate baby talk to communicate, before lifting her baby's belly over to her lips. Then, she started blowing a raspberry on her daughter.

Dina laughed, as her hooves and arms flailed around at the unusual tickling contact. She gripped her mother's floofy hair and started chewing on it again like it were cotton candy, but Mina paid it no mind, and continued to blow on her daughter's belly.

Then, after about a minute, her hair straightened back down and she pulled her daughter back to where she couldn't reach anymore. Her smile instantly dropped, and she deadpanned once again.

"Alright, that's enough baby time for now. Don't make this a habit." she monotonously told her baby.

The baby responded by stuffing her own fist inside her mouth and suckling on her knuckles.

"I'll take that as a deal maker." Mina said with a shrug, before turning towards the entrance of her room.

The door creaked open, and in walked a tiny imp servant girl. "U-umm... Your Highness?"

Mina's cold gaze met her servant's nervous one, before she asked, "What is it?"

"U-umm... Mr. Harold is here, Your Highness. H-he said it's time for Court to start again." the imp girl replied, stuttering nervously at her queen, and avoiding direct eye contact.

Mina sighed and placed her baby on the side of the bed, so that she could stand back up. The baby, in response, tried to crawl down the bed, but Mina caught her before she could fall down.

"Very well, then. Let's get going."

"B-but Your Highness, umm... what about the Princess?" the imp asked, as she followed Mina out the door.

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "What about Dina here?"

"W-well, umm... isn't the Court no place for a baby?" she asked her queen.

Mina paused in her tracks, then looked back at the imp, who crouched down and flinched.

"What's your name, Servant?" Mina asked.

"P-Panic, Your Highness..." the imp girl replied.

Mina nodded her head and forced Dina into Panic's frail little arms. Panic blinked confusedly at the baby, while Mina walked further ahead down the hall.

"Well, Panic, you watch over her for the next five hours. If anything happens, I'll be sure to etch your name on your forehead after ripping your insides out and knitting you into a carpet for the Courtroom." Mina explained.

"W-watch over her?! B-but... but... Y-Your H-H-Highness! I-I can't just..." Panic began to, as her name implied, panic, while Mina vanished behind the corner.

Panic then looked at Dina, who was just staring at her with a wide-eyed smile. She then slowly started to smile back at the baby, before bringing her up to her shoulder and gently patting on the baby's back. Dina's mouth began to bulge out from the contact.

"Aww... it's okay, wittle baby! Nobody here will-"

*BURP!* *FWOOSH!*

A massive flame emerged from behind the imp, whose eyes widened in alarm. She turned around, and saw the carpet and wall decorations now burning to a crisp, then looked at Dina again.

Dina opened her mouth and giggled, as black smoke emerged from her lips. Panic then stared blankly at the damage, and her eye twitched.

"Oh Sweet, Relentless Satan, save me..." Panic mumbled to herself, before Dina's mouth bulged out again. This time, she looked directly at Panic's face.

"So you see, because of my injury, I now need your help to watch her, since... y'know... my eyes are kinda burnt shut!" Panic concluded to a tall, muscular demon butler, who was wrapping bandages around Panic's entire head.

"Well gee, I don't know, Panic. I mean, watching a baby is one thing, but watching the Princess of Hell?! That's just an entirely new level of risk that I don't feel comfortable doing!"

Panic placed her claws on his hand and pulled it down, looking towards the opposite direction of his face, yet he could sense her pleading eyes behind the bandages.

"Please, Pain? I know you can handle it, big brother! After all, you're the one with the biggest tolerance in our family!" Panic begged.

Pain sighed, placing his hands on the temples of his eyebrows. When she started to make whining noises, he deadpanned. "I'm probably not gonna hear the end of this anyways, so... alright, fine. I'll help you out this time, Sis. Just, uh... just follow my voice, and don't get lost!"

"You got it, big brother!" she said, swinging at the air as she turned in the opposite direction.

"Now, then... where did the baby go?" Pain asked.

Panic shrugged her shoulders. "Idunno... I thought I put her over there!"

"Panic, that's the wall."

She turned her hand over towards the right.

"...That's the other wall."

Mina sighed, then rolled her eyes, as Harold read from the long list of visitors once more... he was about halfway through the list, which rolled out about halfway through the room, even while folded. Unbeknownst to them, however, the doors to the Back Halls opened up slowly, and a satyr infant crawled past it, and towards Mina with a smile.

Pain quickly rushed inside and picked the baby up, right as a guard took notice and approached him, ready to draw his weapon.

Pain smiled sheepishly at the guard and grabbed panic's arm before she could walk past him, then stood upright.

The guard glared at them, and spoke quietly. "Hey, what are you doing in here?! Court is about to begin!"

Pain nodded his head and replied, "Y-yes, sir! We were tasked with watching over the Princess, but then, uh... s-she, uh... s-she got a little hungry! Y-yeah, hungry, so we, uh... we were just on our way to the kitchen! Y-you know, to get her some milk!"

The guard looked between Pain and his sister, then at the baby. Pain's sheepish smile soon became nervous, while sweat started to pour down his forehead intensely.

Then, the guard pinched the bridge of his nose and growled. "Ugh... fucking amateurs..." he finally replied, before pointing at the door they just came from.

"Look, you can't just cut through the Court when it's about to begin. Instead, you have to take the hall back down until you see three corridors with the pillar in the center. You take the right one and proceed until you're met with a dead end. Left archway, and you'll see two more pillars in a room. Take the arch in front of the right pillar, and you'll be in the Dining Area. Kitchen's on the opposite end there." the guard directed.

"Oh, the right one! S-sorry, sir, just got a little mixed up, is all!" Pain said with a nervous laugh. He then took Panic and Dina back towards the hallway. "T-thank you for the help, sir!"

"Just get the fuck out of here, before I send you both to the dungeons for interfering with Royal Matters!" he retorted.

They picked up the pace, and were out in a flash, while the guard returned to his post.

"Pfft... fucking newbies these days..."

Pain rushed inside the Servant's Quarters and slammed the door behind him and Panic, making extra sure the baby wasn't in the way for the doors to hit her.

"Unholy shit, Panic, that was way too fucking close for comfort!" he cried out.

Panic shook a bit at that. "W-what happened big brother? I couldn't see anything!"

He placed his hand on his forehead. "This is fucked, sis! Fucked! There's no fucking way we can fucking keep this fucking shit up! That almost fucking cost us our fucking lives! F-fuck!"

"Fack!" came a childish response. Pain looked at Dina, who opened her mouth and giggled. "Fack!"

"Well, fuck..." Pain muttered.

"Fack!"

"No! No, you shouldn't be saying that! W-what if His Majesty found out?! I'm certain he wouldn't want you saying-"

"Fack!"

"Yes, because if he found out, we'll be very facked, so you shouldn't say that!"

"Fack!"

"No!"

"Fack! Fack!"

"No! Say 'Quack' instead! It's more better!"

"Fack!"

"No, Quack!"

"Fack!"

"Big brother, we're in Hell. What difference does it make?"

"Fack!"

"Well, sis, for one thing, His Majesty is a HUMAN!"

"Fack!"

"And your point?"

"Fack!"

"My point is, humans are always very, very specific about what their children can and can't say!"

"Fack!"

"And profanity isn't among them?"

"Fack!"

"Precisely!"

"Fack!"

"That's just stupid, though! I mean, even though it's sinful, it's at least very, very good stress relief!"

"Fack!"

"Yes, but even still, humans require some form of control within their day-to-day routines! Trust me, I'm a Humanologist! I know enough about Humanity to know what's acceptable to their society!"

"Fack!"

"Big brother, that's bullshit, and you know it!"

"..."

Pain looked at the baby and sighed. "Oh, good... it looks like she's done with that shit, now."

"Shit!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake!"

"Fack! Shit!"

Mina sighed as the demon concluded with his plight.

"For the last fucking time, I'm not a charity! If you blew all your Soul Fragments on Pixie Dust, then you should've just fucking listened to your accountant before getting involved in that pointless bullshit! NOW GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY COURT, YOU FUCKING JUNKIE!"

"You heard Her Highness! Now GET THE FUCK OUT!" the guards ordered the demon, who complied quickly, albeit confused.

"W-what?!" he asked, only to be shoved out of the door by the guard.

Mina rolled her eyes and leaned against the armrest, while Harold looked at her confusedly. "Your Highness, he was just asking about a deal he made from within the town of Dixie back on Earth. He said nothing about dust, and instead said the deal was, and I quote, a 'bust', which means it didn't go through successfully!"

She shrugged her shoulders before sarcastically replying, "Oops."

"Your Highness, please. If we are to improve our Human-Demon relations, we must be sure to pay as much attention to the details as we possibly can!"

Mina looked at him, then frowned. "Yeah... yeah, you're right. Sorry, my mind's just... a bit muddled right now."

Harold nodded his head and smiled at her. "Your Highness, with all due respect... it's about the Princess, isn't it?"

Mina deadpanned. "Gee, what gave you that idea?"

Harold paid her quip no mind, and adjusted his monocle. "Believe me, Your Highness. I know Miss Panic well. She may seem a bit scatterbrained, but her family is notorious for their strength and their reliability."

"They are? Huh... I kinda just gave her my daughter to take care of, without really thinking it through." Mina said, smiling lightly. "So you think they're fit for the job?"

"Absolutely, Your Highness! Why, trusting her with your child was probably one of the best ideas at the time!"

"THIS WAS THE WORST IDEA EVER!" Pain shouted as he slapped numerous tendrils with a stone hammer. Each tendril would reach out in an attempt to swipe the laughing baby from his arm, but he remained strong and kept fighting off the monsters of Cthulhu, himself.

Panic was hiding behind him, worrying. "W-what're those noises, big brother?!"

"I. DON'T. KNOW!" Pain shook his head, wondering how in HELL this child just conjured up a portal to an Eldritch Dimension within the center of the Servant's Quarters... by sneezing, nonetheless!

Mina stood up from the throne and stretched widely. Finally, Court was done for the day, so she can return to her baby girl.

Harold took the liberty of dismissing everyone else, much to their dismay, but Mina paid it no mind. They can suffer the wait tomorrow, or the next day, or the rest of fucking eternity for all she cared.

Right now, she had a cute little daughter to go snuggle.

She opened the hallway door and made her way over towards the Servant's Quarters... but paused short of the handle when her stomach growled.

"Fuck it, I'm hungry." she said, before turning and heading towards the kitchen.

"We can not handle much more of these things! I'm just a fucking Humanologist!" Pain shouted, punching one of the Illithid Soldiers in the face. Dina held onto two of the purple humanoid's tentacles on its chin and giggled, while tears fell from its eyes, as it begged for mercy in its muffled up hissing tone.

Too bad for it, they couldn't understand Illithic. To their credit, though, at least the Illithids could understand their languages.

"Don't worry, big brother! I'll hold 'em off!" Panic said, as she swung her claws madly at the air, while a group of Illithids just scratched their heads in confusion, before shrugging at each other and casually walking past her to get to Pain and, by extension, Dina.

Pain decided enough was enough, and ran out, picking Panic up and slamming the door to the Dining Room behind him.

Immediately, he was met face-to-face with Mina, who was munching on a bag of chips casually. "Oh, good. You've brought me my daughter. Though... why isn't Panic the one holding onto her?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Pain giggled shyly, knowing that he couldn't lie to her. "H-heh... y-you see, uh... well..."

Mina held a hand up to stop her. "Eh, fuck it, I don't care right now, just as long as I get my daughter back in mint condition."

He nodded his head and offered Dina back to Mina. He then ran with Panic in his hands as quickly as he could.

Mina smiled at her daughter, who giggled back at her.

"Well, now. You seem to be a bit more excited! Maybe I should just hire them as your official go-to sitters!" she giggled, tickling her daughter and making her laugh even more.

Then she gripped onto the door handle.

"Now, let's get going, you little shit." she casually said.

"Shit!"

Mina smiled even brighter. "Aww, your first word!"

She then opened the door and turned to enter, but paused at the sight of ten Illithid Cultists carrying weapons, and pointing them at her.

Her eyes glowed even brighter red, before she snapped her finger and drew her Cleaver.

"And look, Sweetie! We even have your first official sacrifice!"

The door closed behind her, and in the next five minutes, the Dining Area was out of order. One could hear otherworldly screeches and hisses, alongside the sound of blades being shattered, and limbs being sliced up.

Pain an Panic were shaken when they heard that Mina wanted to see them in the Dining Room immediately. Not more than one hour has passed, and they feared for the worst.

They gulped and opened the door, but were caught off-guard when they saw their queen sitting at the table with her daughter beside her in a high-chair. On the table was a large batch of purple cupcakes, with one of which being in Mina's right hand, and the other spread across Dina's face and hands.

"Oh, good, you both made it! Listen, for doing such a good job, I wanted to actually play nice for once... so here, I baked you and the other servants some cupcakes!"

Pain and Panic blinked in surprise, before smiling and bowing their heads to her.

"Oh, uh... t-thank you, Your Highness! It... it was an honor to serve!" Pain said, taking a seat and grabbing a cupcake.

Panic nodded her head and removed the bandage from in front of her mouth so that she could eat.

Then upon taking a bite, they hummed in delight at the strange taste.

"Huh," Pain said, smacking his lips, "these are good, Your Highness! Almost tastes like squid!"

Episode 14: "A Touch of Fate!"

Sometimes the answer to victory lies in history.

For one individual, however, they decide to tempt fate.

A man stepped inside a Convenience Store carrying a gun. He points it at the man about to buy something, and shouts, "YOU'RE GETTING MUGGED, KID!"

The man quickly turned around and smiled back at the robber, before pointing both of his fingers towards said robber and replying, "No... YOU'RE getting mugged... of all the good looks, my friend!" He winked at the robber, then, while the robber just stared at him blankly.

Then the robber lowered his gun and groaned. "Man, I can't work with that!" he whined, before turning around and leaving the store, while Caim's voice broke Daniel from his concentration.

"Master, I do not understand. How come the man with the weapon did not proceed with his attempt at his assailant's life, if he were intending on attacking him?"

Daniel sighed, before turning away from the TV, and towards the confused angel who was just standing there near the couch, staring at the screen in utmost fascination.

"Death, please answer this one for me." Daniel said, looking to his friend who was sitting on the couch beside him on the opposite end.

Death deadpanned, then sighed. Motioning towards the screen, he replied, "Because, Caim, that's what makes this a Comedy..."

"I see..." Caim said, rubbing his chin. Then he looked at him in confusion. "But when Jeremy told the other man to spill the beans, and the other man did as requested, your explanation for the strange laughter in the background was the exact same, though!"

Had Death his eyes, still, then he would've gladly rolled them at that point. "Yes... because again, that's... what... makes... this... a... Comedy!"

"Hmm... I... still do not understand the concept of this 'Comedy' you speak of."

Death groaned, before turning to Daniel and throwing his arms up. "Fuck it, man. I tried!"

Daniel was about to explain in his own words, when his phone started to ring. The commotion of the TV and his company, however, was too loud for him to be able to speak peacefully, so when he saw his wife was calling, he looked between the two.

"Hey, guys, Mina's calling me now. I'll be outside for a bit." Daniel explained, to which Death made a pleading motion.

"No, man! Not alone with him! Pleeeeease!" Death begged.

Caim, however, saluted Daniel and replied, "As you wish, Master. I shall continue to try and understand this... 'Comedy' you and Sir Death are speaking of."

Daniel nodded his head before stepping outside. Before he answered it, however, he looked up at the entrance of his driveway, and saw a strange green van parked ahead.

It moved immediately after he looked at it, which only made him feel a bit more puzzled.

Then he dismissed it, thinking perhaps that it was just some car troubles, and answered his phone. "Hello? Oh, hey hon! No, I was just getting sonewhere where you can hear me better, that's all! So, how's the baby doing?"

...

"Wait... you want my help in Court, today? How come?"

...

"Oh, right! That Human-Demon Relations thing going on, now! Yeah... yeah, no, it's fine! I'll be right over as soon as possible! Although, uh... mind picking me up, so I can say hey to Dina?"

...

"Yes... no, not now. Aww, c'mon, hon, I can't be there immediately! I... I haven't even showered, yet!"

...

"Your shower? Why? ... You haven't showered yet? Oh... OH! Uh... y-yeah, I guess that's fine. No, I'll bring protection, so you won't get pregnant again. One child's plenty for us for right now.

As Daniel continued speaking on his phone, a pair of green glowing eyes observed him from behind the treeline. The tree he had his hand on was withering fast, and the grass below him was already long-dead.

He glared at the man, and grit his teeth. "I've got you now..." he muttered, as his hand started to raise... but then he lowered it after seeing the door open behind the human, to which Caim and Death appeared from.

Seeing Death made Famine's eyes widen. "Death?! No... no, that must be his birth-brother, Cain. Then, this situation is even worse than I thought..."

He crouched behind a bush upon seeing a Hell Portal in place of the door. Then, after witnessing the blade slice through it, he cursed upon seeing Mina step out of it.

"Of course he'd have that Nephilim protect him as well... wait..." he squinted his eyes and, upon noticing Dina, dropped his jaw.

"No... now there are two..."

His breathing intensified, before taking a picture on his phone. Then, he decided to leave the area before he gets caught.

Famine sat in his van and tapped on the screen.

"War? Just giving you and Calamity an update."

...

"Not only is he heavily guarded by Caim... he's also under protection of Death's blood-brother! And that isn't the worst of it... there are now two Nephilim that threaten His Majesty. One is still an infant, though, but... it will only be a matter of time before it truly makes its mark."

...

"Yes, it shall be done."

...

"No, not yet. First, I have to pay a visit to an old friend."

He hung up the phone, then looked at the picture he took.

His eyes were now fixed on the baby in Mina's arms.

"There's still hope, at least. We'll just have to nip the bud, before it flourishes into a major threat. All it'll take is finding the source of power, and exploiting its weakness."

He growled, then, as another thought bugged him.

"But even if I did have the proper tool for the job, how will I be able to act, though? While the king is under heavy guard, there'll be no way I can get to the infant, without exposing myself..."

The van hummed a bit, getting his attention. He looked up, and noticed that he was now at his destination. With a smile, he put his phone away and sighed. "Thank you, my sweet. She may still be of use, after all."

The door opened, and he stepped outside, where he approached the Gas Mart.

The old lady from before sat on the stool, reading a book, when she heard the bell ring. Looking up, she weakly smiled at the skinny young man and nodded her head politely.

"Hello, dearie! Welcome to Gas Mart!"

Famine slid a pair of black gloves on and placed his hands on the counter. "Hey there, Pamela... I'm ready to cash in on that favor, now."

Pamela chuckled, before reaching her hand out. "I know, dearie. Just let me see the phone, and I'll explain it for you."

He nodded his head and slid his phone from his pocket.

She tapped on the screen and looked carefully at the picture of Dina.

"Hmm... she's two days old, now, as of the picture's date. And her powers have already come into fruition. But... hmm... interesting."

"What is it, woman?" Famine demanded.

She raised a hand up dismissively at him. "Oh, you wouldn't believe it if I told you."

"Try me."

She then placed the phone back in his hand. "Well, maybe if you were to show your Elders a little more respect."

He glared at her. "And you forget what happened to your older sister?"

Rather than buy into his threat, she only laughed even more at him. "Oh, I remember alright, dearie! It was your brother War, was it not? After all... you're the weakest of the four!"

She then gently leaned closer to him. "And what's more... I know you're afraid right now... maybe a bit frustrated. After all, my sister, the one you fools killed... well... she would've been so valuable right now, wouldn't she? Why, she may be gone, but I'd wager she'd still be laughing in her grave right now. Knowing that poor little Famine is shaking in his boots right now!"

He slammed his fist on the counter. "You know he's in town, right? If you want to continue to be, then you will answer me, before I bring him in to beat those answers from you! Then he'll finish the job we stopped him from finishing, in case you, Lady Past, actually needed a reminder of that!"

This made Pamela sigh, as she rubbed her shoulder a bit, looking backwards.

Then, she looked at him and scrunched her lips up. "Alright, dearie, I can take a hint."

A brief moment of silence came up, as she pointed at Dina's picture.

"She is a Nephilim. That much is certain! However... she's more than just a Half-Demon."

Famine nodded his head, and started to look a bit worried. "You wouldn't be so cryptic if the other half were merely human."

With a nod, Pamela added, "You'd be right. She isn't just a vessel holding Demonic Power. Somehow, she has a touch of Holy Power as well."

"Which god, though? Whose blood runs in her veins?!"

This made Pamela smile. She didn't need her older sister Fay to know the outcome of this one.

"Heh... if you knew, then you'd understand you're fighting a losing battle."

"Answer me!"

"Very well, then. It's not just Lucifer's blood running through her veins..."

Famine was sweating profusely when he stepped back into his van. He shakily tapped on the screen, and called War.

"And once again, brother, the situation has gotten far, far worse than we could imagine!"

...

"The infant... it is a mix of both Holy and Unholy combined!"

...

"I don't know. What I do know is this, though! If the signs hold true, then we must act fast, before the human taps into his true powers!"

...

"The signs are clear, indeed, brother. Armageddon has begun, and only one could truly contain our brother with his sheer will alone. It wasn't just because of the Spirit Jar, after all... no, it must be the human! He willed the jar to work, and so it did, just as he spoke, no, merely wanted it to!"

...

"Yes... it's his blood that runs in his veins, and by extension, the child's. Well... to a degree. But there's still something that puzzles me."

...

"His blood matches his father's, but he's not the same as the one that came before! He lacks his mother's blood! No... he's not the Second Coming. Rather, he's a completely new one entirely! No... this human must be his brother!"

Later on that night, Pamela entered her small, wooden house. She was using a wooden walking stick to help her move, for her age was now getting to her.

She looked over at the couch and smiled, as another elderly woman sat there.

"Looks like you were right, sis. He did decide to show up again!" she told the one sitting on the couch, before taking her spot next to her.

Her sister nodded her head, before taking a sip of liquid in a coffee cup. Pamela smelled it, and frowned.

"Vinegar... so now you prepare for the end, Priscilla?"

Priscilla nodded her head. She was crying with each sip, and her breathing heavily. She turned to face her older sister, and saw that Pamela, too, was now crying.

"I'm... I'm scared, sister." she shakily told her.

Pamela nodded her head. "You know it is as it should be... but... I, too, fear what comes next."

Priscilla, having finished her drink, placed the cup on the coffee table, and relaxed on the couch. "... Why couldn't we just be born human? Why must we be tortured so... to be forced to Mortality, so that we may perish to the void slowly..."

Pamela just sat there, staring at the cup on the coffee table, before shaking her head. "No, if we were human, then none could've helped shape the Past, Present, and Future for as long as we have. Many more lives would've been lost."

Priscilla smirked a bit. "Yes, but... a-after so many eons of staying in the sidelines... not choosing to help one or the other... why did we end up the enemies of Heaven? To be judged so harshly for merely requesting that we don't get involved in this mess?"

Pamela sighed, not having the answer for her sister. She simply placed a knowing hand on her shoulder, gently patting her.

"S-so... what did he ask you for?" Priscilla asked, turning to face her sister again.

Pamela smiled brightly at her, which confirmed her suspicions. "I see... he fears the Second Son, doesn't he?"

Again, Pamela nodded.

Priscilla then nodded her head back, before closing her eyes and leaning her head down. "I... I guess then, at least I can go in peace... knowing not that my duty has been fulfilled, but that the world Fay sought to redeem is... is now in good hands..."

She then breathed more slowly, before stopping entirely.

Pamela's tears fell a bit more, as she wrapped her arms around her sister's body.

Her sister was gone, neither to Heaven, nor to Hell. Now... she was officially void.

Pamela slowly opened her eyes and smiled.

"Don't worry, my sisters. Soon I, too, shall share this ill fate. But before I do, at least I still have time... enough time to make things right."

Episode 15: "Double-Agent!"

The following day, Daniel has a strangely familiar visitor show up at his front door, and she carries with her a message that could change his very perspective of things!

A man in a mask was holding a pistol against an elderly cashier lady. "This is a robbery!" the masked man shouted at her.

Rather than comply with the robber's demands, the elderly lady flashed a black card at him with two curved arrows circling one-another. "Uno Reverse Card..." she casually replied.

The robber was now unarmed and holding his hands up in the air. "Oh, crap!" he called out in shock.

The old lady was now holding the pistol up towards the robber. "Now hand me all your money, dear." she told him calmly.

The robber shakily opened up his wallet that he mysteriously now had in his hands. "O-okay! Okay!" he stuttered as he pulled the contents out and offered her.

Caim scratched his chin in puzzlement yet again, as he stood to Daniel's left and tried to understand this strange video his master was showing him on the "Computer" device he spoke of prior.

"Master, I do not understand. Is this card a secret weapon that is more dangerous than the pistol?" he asked.

A loud bang filled the office as Daniel practically slammed his head against the desk. Death, who was sitting next to him in his own chair, shook his head and deadpanned to his potentially injured friend. "Dude, it's hopeless at this point. Just give it up, already!"

Daniel raised his finger up in the air and, muffled by the desk still in his face, shouted, "NEVER!" through the cracks. "I SHALL NEVER SURRENDER!"

Caim saluted his master with respect. "A bold statement, Master. Neither shall I surrender in kind, and shall see your victory through in the end!"

Daniel only growled in response, while Death closed his eye sockets and held his head in his hand, shaking his head left and right out of pity.

Then Daniel's phone started to ring. He straightened back up and looked at it curiously. It was an Unknown Caller. He went to answer it.

"Hello?"

From outside, Pamela held a phone that resembled an old-fashioned rotating phone's upper piece. It didn't have a cord, however, nor a screen hidden away in it.

"Hello, dearie. May I speak with Daniel Smith, please?"

Daniel blinked in surprise, not expecting this for sure. "This, uh... this is he."

Pamela smiled, nodding her head. "Good, good. Listen, sweetie, I was wondering if I could come over for just a few minutes? I promise, it's something important."

"Who is this?" Daniel asked, now full of suspicion.

Pamela replied, "You remember me... the cashier you stood up for at the Gas Mart the other day?"

He thought hard for a moment, before his eyes widened in realization. "OH! Oh, yeah, I remember now! Hey, uh, listen, ma'am. It wasn't that big a deal, really. You don't have to come all this way just to thank me."

Pamela's voice replied over his phone, "Please, dearie, it would mean the world to me!"

He smiled at that, then sighed. "Oh, uh... alright, then. If you insist."

"Thank you." she said, before hanging up.

Daniel looked at his phone puzzled, then tried to call her back. However, the phone only gave out a dial tone in response, and nothing more.

"Huh... that's odd. I didn't even give her my address!" he said confusedly, before a knock came from his front door, causing all heads to turn towards the hallway.

Caim took a step towards it. "I shall answer the door for you, Master."

Daniel quickly threw his hand up, stood from his seat, and shook his head. "After what happened last time?! Hell. No!"

Caim backed up at that, allowing his master to take point. However, Daniel began to feel a bit more uneasy about this, and turned back towards Caim.

"But, uh... stay close by, in case something happens."

Caim saluted him, while Death stood from his seat and drew his Scythe from the void. "I'll keep an eye on the back, in case someone's trying to sneak in!" Death added, now sounding a lot more serious.

Daniel smiled at them and nodded his head, before turning towards the front door.

He slowly reached his hand up to the handle, while Caim remained a short distance behind him. Then, after taking a deep breath, he opened the door.

Standing on the other side, leaned up against her wooden T-shaped walking stick, was none other than Pamela. She smiled warmly at him, and he sighed in relief.

"Oh! Uh... that was... faster than I thought!" Daniel said, blinking the surprise from his face.

Pamela nodded her head and replied, "I was here already, dearie. I'm sorry if I'm intruding."

Daniel shook his head. He just couldn't be mad at this old lady; partly because she reminded him of his mom, and partly because she seemed too old and decrepit to be a threat at all.

But it didn't stop him from at least being a bit on the defensive side, considering someone up there sent a particular Guardian Angel to protect him from something... and said something was, as of right now, completely unknown to him.

"No, no, not at all! Please, ma'am, do come in! Make yourself at home!" he offered before standing to the side, and motioning inward.

She bowed her head graciously before stepping inside. Upon seeing the angel behind Daniel, her warm smile glowed even brighter. "And you were there too, weren't you, young man?"

Caim nodded his head casually, with his blank stare. "I was, Milady."

Then she chuckled a bit, while Daniel nodded his head at Caim in approval.

Her smile then softened a bit, as she started to reach her hand out to gently stroke Caim's face. Caim, in return, just stood there blankly, allowing her to do the gesture.

"Oh, you poor dear... so much time has passed by you since your absence. And yet, even though I can remember you, you can no longer recognize me. My poor little Caim." she cooed.

Alarms immediately triggered in Daniel's and Caim's minds at once. They looked at each other surprised, before turning back towards Pamela, who started to slowly make her way towards the couch.

Daniel then noticed something as she leaned forward... a pair of barely visible black circles that covered the back of her shoulders, and contrasted with her white button-up shirt. He then felt a pang of unease, as he shakily raised his hand and pointed at her.

"Y-you're... you're a Fallen Angel?!" he asked.

She sat down on the couch, then turned towards him and smiled. "Even better, dearie... I'm the Angel of the Past... and I was the one who taught Caim."

As Pamela made her way inside, a pair of green eyes glared at her from high above a mountain, through a binoculars. He lowered it, and through his anger, it started to rust in his hands, despite his gloves covering them.

"Treason... typical. This is why we never should've trusted a damn Clip!" he growled. Once fully rusted, the binoculars was crushed in his palm, as he made his way back onto his feet, and towards the van.

The van revved its engine, as he stepped inside its open door. Then he rubbed the seat and sighed.

"No doubt our target will be on high alert after this. We'll have to delay for even longer, now!"

He slammed his fist on the seat, which made the van hum louder.

"Until we can press further, we'll have to first take care of that traitor... Rampage!"

Its horn honked out loud, and its front lights flashed on. Its front cover cracked across, and shaped up into massive fangs, which curled open. It let out a loud, metal horse-like whinny that echoed in the mountaintops.

"Make way for your next feast!"

It lifted its front wheels and began spinning forwards, before landing back on all fours. It rushed down the mountain, and vanished out of sight.

Daniel had his hands clasped in his lap, and his right leg was shaking. After having heard the news from Pamela, he was now growing more and more uneasy.

"So they aren't finished, yet..." Daniel said, to which Pamela nodded her head.

"Yes... and they come not for just you, but your family, as well!" Pamela said, frowning at his discomfort. Death was now inside the living room as well, seeing how angels were already familiar with him, at the very least. Caim, however, was now standing at the front door with his sword drawn, and placed downward, as he stood guard for the house, even more determined than ever, upon hearing the news.

Death rubbed his chin in thought, before looking at Pamela. "And how exactly do they know about his family, anyways?" he asked.

Daniel's eyes widened and he looked at her, now curious about this, as well.

Pamela closed her eyes and let a single tear fall from it. "Because, dearies... they sought me out."

Everyone was silent at that point. Daniel wanted to feel angry at her, but after seeing the tear from her eye, he knew something else was up.

"I see... so you worked for them, but not by choice?" Daniel asked.

She nodded her head again. "After Lucifer took our wings from the Armageddon of Narnia, we were cast into this world sixty-odd years ago. We lived among humanity ever since, and grew to understand our mortality. However, at the day this world's Armageddon arrived... someone called my sister Priscilla and I... told us that Fey was dead, and that unless we valued our lives, we'd serve he and his horsemen from now on."

Daniel nodded his head. "And did you get this person's name?"

She shook her head and frowned. "No... we asked, but he hung up before we could get an answer. However... he sounded big... strong... and very, very dangerous. His voice, it... it echoed, and... sounded like an entire legion in one body. And though my sisters and I were among the strongest of Angels, this creature, just... just hearing its voice... petrified us with terror."

She then looked at Daniel and gently placed a hand on his cheek, while he looked at her worriedly. "Daniel... your family is in terrible, terrible danger! If the Horsemen were to free their brother from his confinement... if they become Four again... then I fear neither you, nor Caim, could stop the cataclysm that is sure to follow the end of the war."

Daniel nodded his head in understanding. He breathed a bit heavily, and looked at his shaking hands. "I... I..."

He then took a deep breath, before nodding his head. "I understand, Miss Pamela." He looked at her and smiled weakly. "Thank you for going out of your way to warn us... if you hadn't, then I doubt we would've known what hit us before it was too late."

She closed her eyes and nodded her head.

Death reached into his robe and pulled out the vial containing Abel. "Well... for what it's worth, at least they don't know I'm the one with the jar. Daniel... I promise, I will not let them have it."

Daniel looked over at Death and chuckled slightly. "Thanks, Death... you're a good friend."

Death nodded his head and slid the jar back in his robe.

Daniel then saw that the sun was starting to set. He looked over at Pamela and asked, "So, uh... do you want to stay here for the night? I'll let you use the bed as long as you want! I'm cool with using the couch!"

She patted him on the back and shook her head. "No, dearie. You are a good, strong man, Daniel, but... if I stayed here, I'd just bring more trouble into your home. No, I... I have to stand firm, and face what my sisters and I have brought. I only hope and pray that in the end, the future we helped shape comes true."

Daniel nodded again, before standing back up. "Then... can I at least get anything for you before you head out?"

She giggled a bit, before opening her eyes and looking up at him. "Actually, dear, if you wouldn't mind... could I talk you out of an odd request?"

"Of course, Miss Pamela. Anything!" Daniel replied.

She then placed her walking stick on her lap and held her hands up. "Could I possibly talk you out of a small cup of Vinegar, please?"

Though confused by the gesture, Daniel nodded his head and hurried to the kitchen. He grabbed a small teacup and filled it with vinegar, as requested, then brought it to Pamela.

She nodded her head graciously and slowly drank the contents in one go, before handing him back the cup. "Thank you, dearie... but I fear I must go, now. Thank you for your time, Mr. Daniel... and with your new knowledge, may you, and your family, be safe!"

Daniel placed the cup on the coffee table and helped her to her feet. She bowed her head graciously and hobbled past Caim, who was standing oddly still there, with his head faced down.

"Oh, and Daniel?" she asked.

"Yes, Miss Pamela?"

She then smiled at him one last time, before turning towards Caim. "You have my word, that Caim can be trusted. After all... he did learn from me!"

Daniel nodded his head and smiled back at her. "Of course, Miss Pamela. I'll... I'll go easier on him. Of that, you have my word."

She bowed her head once more, before leaving the door, and hobbling her way back over to the street, where a taxi cab sat waiting patiently for her. The driver opened her door, and in moments, drove off with her, back to where she lived.

Daniel then looked at Caim, and frowned after seeing that tears were falling from the angel's eyes.

"Caim, what's wrong?" he asked.

Caim closed his eyes, and shook his head. "M-Master, she... s-she drank Vinegar."

Daniel crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Yeah... what, is it some kind of ritual in Angel Culture?"

Caim nodded his head. "It... it is an Omen, Master." He looked up at Daniel, whose eyes widened in realization. "It means we are prepared to breathe our last."

It was nightfall when Pamela made it back to her home. She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes as she stepped into her Living Room. With walking stick in hand, she hobbled her way towards the bedroom, but paused when she felt another presence inside the room.

She opened her eyes and saw the floor in front of her starting to decay and turn to rust. This made her smile a bit, as she looked over her shoulder.

"You know that trick doesn't work on me, dearie." she said casually, before facing forward again, and closing her eyes, as she seemingly ignored the green eyes glowing behind her in anger, and the hand raised out of the shadows.

Famine spat on the ground, which burnt through the wood, before lowering his hand. "Figures. Though your wings are gone, I can still sense power in you, woman."

She casually shrugged her shoulders, as her grip on her walking stick tightened.

Then he snapped his finger, and drew a long, green-glowing sword from the void. He quickly became a blur, as he lunged towards the Fate, while she did nothing to react.

*CLANK!*

In a fraction of a second, however, his blade clashed with the walking stick, which she casually held over her shoulder, and his weapon was frozen in place. It shook a bit, as he applied more pressure, and she raised her left hand in the air, then wiggled her finger in a disciplinary manner.

"Tsk. Now now, dearie. You know what they say about Tempting Fate."

She snapped her finger, and he was immediately propelled back into the shadows of the wall, where he was pinned in place.

She then turned around to face him, and her eyes were still closed.

His glare intensified, as his arms shook from their invisible bindings. Then he managed to break his arms and legs free from the spell, before curling up. Stretching out immediately after, his dark green wings shot out of his back, breaking the rest of his body free.

He then rushed her again, swinging downward in a speed capable of leaving an afterimage, but she simply raised her stick up and blocked the shot, still with her eyes closed.

With a growl, he swung several more times, which met a similar result, as she merely toyed with him, blocking each and every strike without effort.

Then, after blocking one last downward slice, it was her arm that blurred, as she shifted her walking stick over his head and merely tapped on his skull.

He was quickly knocked to his knees, before she leaned her stick to his left side, and tapped on his shoulder.

He was then shot across the room, and through the wall, where his body ragdolled across the yard, leaving decay with each spot he landed and rolled. Then he angled his sword down and sliced into the ground, tearing through the land, but slowing his movement to a halt, while he looked up in anger.

Pamela casually opened the door, ignoring the hole beside it, and hobbled her way outside, using her stick for support again. She stepped down the stairway and into the decayed grass. As soon as her feet touched the grass, however, the decay reversed itself, becoming the beautiful green grass it once was.

He pulled his sword from the ground and rushed after her once more. She blocked two more strikes, before gripping the middle of the stick and lunging it upward, and into his chin.

Famine was then flung into the sky, spinning out of control for a brief moment. Then he straightened his wings out and stopped himself midair. He made his sword glow brighter green, then sliced into the air, making a green flashing line shoot from the blade, and towards her neck.

She lifted her stick up, and angled the top of the T to where it was in-sync with the line. Once it landed, the walking stick absorbed the shot. Then she lowered her stick to where she was holding the top, and lifted the base into the air, pointing it at Famine.

The tip of her stick glowed white. She then slammed the stick down onto the ground, and Famine shot downward, crashing into the land, and kicking dust into the air upon impact.

He was crouched down with his hands angrily gripped onto the grass, as he looked up and saw her take another few steps towards him.

And then, he stood back up and assumed a defensive position, putting his blade in front of him, as he awaited her to make a move.

"Behind you, dearie." her voice echoed in the wind. He turned around, and she was just standing there casually.

He swung his sword at her, but she was once again behind him, staff in hand. She gently pressed it onto his back, and he flew across the yard again, and into a tree, which shattered and fell on top of him.

At this point, he was beyond angry. He gripped the fallen tree that was lying on his stomach, and pulled it in two directions.

It rotted instantly, then shattered open, as he stood back up and rushed towards his sword, which was now lying halfway between she and himself.

She pointed at the sword with her stick, and it flew towards him. He caught it and took another step forward.

Then Pamela hobbled towards him for just a second longer, before bumping into an invisible barrier. She raised a confused eyebrow, while Famine grinned wickedly at her.

Realization dawned on her. She closed her eyes, and smiled. "Oh... well, that's unfortunate." she proclaimed, before looking down at the Himalayan Salt Ring that she walked right into. She tried to move her staff ahead, but it bounced back into the ring. She was trapped, and couldn't even lift her staff anymore.

Famine straightened out his posture, and pointed his blade at her. "You know you could've been spared from this, Fate."

She looked up at him and deadpanned. "Oh, and for how long? Perhaps only a few more days, at least... I know how you Horsemen work. You'd just send your oldest brother to me, and he'd end me for being mortal."

Famine nodded his head, and lowered his sword. "True... but even so, you've only made things worse, now that you've complicated it beyond my control. And so, I'll happily watch you fall here tonight."

She tilted her head confusedly. "Oh? And how do you plan to do that? In case you didn't know, your Spirit Blade can't go through the ring, if it can't fit properly. Face it, Famine. You've only given me a shield, to where you can't possibly kill me, now!"

Then Famine glared at her, before sheathing his sword back into the void. He raised his fingers and told her, "Now, Past... look back at our conversation we just had. When, exactly, did I say I was the one going to end your life?"

With that, he snapped his fingers. A pair of glowing yellow headlights suddenly flashed behind him, and the green van's engine revved up loudly. Its teeth opened wide, and it let out its whinny.

Pamela's eyes widened at the construct, and she looked down at her staff, trying once again to find some way out of the ring.

Then, after Famine walked to the side, and out of Rampage's path, the truck's wheels burned through the decaying grass, and it roared over towards the Fate.

Time then froze around her, as she realized there was no escaping this. And so, she closed her eyes and smiled. Releasing her grip from the walking stick, she shrugged her shoulders and casually spoke. "Well... at least I did the right thing. So now, I go with a smile."

Then, as time returned to normal, the van sped into a blurring speed, crushing Pamela, and consuming her into its awaiting mouth.

It spun around, before returning to Famine, who was still glaring at the area the Fate once stood. He may have won the battle, but the war was far from over. And now, he had to completely rethink his strategy, knowing that Daniel and, by extent, Hell's Army was now on their trail.

He stepped inside Rampage's opened door, and took his seat. As soon as the door closed, the van drove into the night, leaving behind nothing but dead grass behind it.

And there, where Pamela once stood, was nothing left but a ring of salt, a puddle of blood, and her walking stick, which was now broken in half.

Episode 16: "High Alert!"

It is now common knowledge that the remaining three horsemen are still at work, and that their strings are being pulled by an unknown figure nicknamed "Legion". With he and his family under maximum security, Daniel must accept that, eventually, they can't just hide forever.

To say Daniel was a nervous wreck would be an understatement. He sat on his couch; his legs shaking. His eyes were fixated on the TV, and more news reports of the mysterious famine within the state were emerging.

Several footsteps were heard behind Daniel, and he turned to face the cause of them.

Several men and women were in his house, clad in camouflage armor and carrying assault rifles in their arms. Among them, however, were Demons and Imps alike, who were each clad in Hellish Armor.

Ever since the mysterious murder of Miss Pamela, Mina sent several of Hell's Guards to watch over Daniel and his home, while the local members of the United States Army tipped in a few of their soldiers to aid their allies in this pressing matter. All of which were Pinkie Sworn to not start any trouble with the angel that also stood guard for Daniel.

Though the Soldiers of Hell were reluctant at first, they quickly found the angel to be a useful asset, and for once in their lifetimes, Angel and Demon were on the same side.

His house was surrounded by makeshift outposts, sandbags filled to the brim with salt, and numerous salt circles surrounding his house. Demonic and Angelic symbols and portals were scattered here and there within his yard. Snipers kept watch on the towers and his rooftop, while Soldiers of various race and species marched around on the floor level.

On the occasional event that a Demon would need to cross a salt ring, they'd have a human soldier there to brush a small fraction of it to break the circle, and reform it once said demon passed by.

Death was driving Despair around the house, keeping an eye on the perimeters from outside the rings, with a radio installed in the center dashboard. He kept speaking to Daniel through it.

Daniel looked at his HAM Radio that the soldiers provided him. It was set to their own private frequency, and hooked up in his living room, near the TV.

"Still no signs of 'em... but if he comes, we'll be ready!" Death's voice rang out from the radio. He was not as bright and chipper as he usually was this time. But then again, when his only friend's life was threatened, he knew that it was time to get serious.

"Gotcha... thanks, Death. Thanks, everyone." Daniel replied.

He sat there staring at the TV for a bit longer, before sighing and placing the remote on the Coffee Table. "Dammit... now it just feels like I'm in jail... again."

Daniel then looked over at the human soldiers that came inside, switching shifts, and asked, "Hey, mind if I step out for a bit? I, uh... I just need some fresh air."

The soldiers looked at each other, then frowned, shaking their heads.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Until your safety is confirmed, you have to remain indoors at all times." the one on his left said.

Daniel sighed, then slouched back on his couch. "Ugh... figures... well, can I at least look out the window?"

He looked at the curtains, which were boarded shut for good measure.

Again, they shook their heads. "I'm sorry, but if he gets a visual on you, his powers could potentially reach you, as well."

Daniel groaned and looked back at the TV. "Well... can I at least play my games?"

The soldiers looked at each other, then back at him. "Of course, Your Majesty. If it can help ease your worries."

He nodded his head and switched on his new Xbox. To his dismay, though, he would only be playing it by himself this time.

Without Death by his side, it would only keep him entertained for so long.

"Tower One, all clear. Over." came the first sniper's voice, as he radioed the team.

From Tower Two, the sniper echoed, "Tower Two, all clear. Over!"

"Rooftops are clear. Over!" came the sniper at the roof.

"South Streets are clear. Over!" Death radioed.

"Is... is this thing on? How does it function?" Caim called out. Several groans filled the air.

"Alright, who gave the angel the radio? And Caim, you have to say Over at the end of your broadcast! Over!" Death said with a deadpan.

Tower One took another drink of his water canteen before looking through his scope once again.

Then, out of nowhere, he saw a blue car racing down the street in a hurry. It stopped short of their house, and a troubled-looking black-haired young adult girl ran out of it, dressed in a dark sleeveless shirt and dark purple pants. The sniper lifted his hand up to his radio as soon as he saw her looking towards the house.

"TOWER ONE TO BASE! WE HAVE A VISUAL!"

The girl ran up to the fenced-in house and was screaming the whole way. Armed soldiers rushed out, weapons raised, until they heard her cries.

"HELP! PLEASE! S-SOMEONE! H-HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!" she screamed, as tears fell from her eyes.

The soldier leading the group lifted his hand and twirled his finger around, issuing them to rally his way. Then he approached her, lowered his weapon, and held a hand out for the others to hold their position.

She fell on the ground and held her hands up, begging them, "P-please! Y-you have to believe me!"

The leader lowered his mask and approached her quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be alright, ma'am. You're safe with us here."

She shook her head at him and placed her hands on his. "N-no! Nowhere is safe!"

"Ma'am, you can trust us. We're here to help. Now, what is it you saw?" the leader asked.

She took several deep breaths before replying, "I-I... I was just watering my garden, when s-suddenly the plants just started dying r-right in front of me!"

The leader's eyes widened, and he turned towards his squad. They each looked towards one-another, and approached her a bit more closer at the leader's gesture.

"Ma'am, what else did you see?"

She started to cry again, before shaking her head. "I-it... it was... a man. H-he was just... s-standing there, s-staring at me!"

"Can you describe this man for us, please?" the leader asked.

She nodded her head quickly. "H-he was pale and thin... a-and wearing a... a brown jacket, and... a-and blue jeans. A-and he had these... t-these eyes..."

"What about his eyes, ma'am?"

"They... t-they were glowing! And they were green!"

The leader nodded his head. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "N-no sir. M-my boyfriend ran up to him, and... he shot at him with his rifle, but... the bullets just bounced right off! One of them hit him in the shoulder, and he dropped his gun, then told me to run."

"Where was this?" he asked her.

She pointed at the road where her car was, and replied, "5555 Diamond Ridge Road. P-please hurry! P-please save my poor Tony!"

The leader nodded his head and helped her to her feet, then motioned for his group to follow him, as he helped her to Daniel's house.

When they reached the front porch, the leader told her to stay put. He knocked on the front door, and Daniel answered it.

"Hey, any news?" Daniel asked, before looking to the side, where he stared at the girl in shock.

"Wait... Darla?!"

Episode 17: "Old Wounds."

An old face from the past has emerged, and with it, complications start to rise within the already present complications. Whether he likes it or not, Daniel feels the need to protect someone he didn't think he'd ever have to protect... his ex girlfriend, Darla.

Meanwhile another figure emerges from the shadows... a Hunter from the West. And just like the Horsemen, he seeks Daniel out as his prime target.

The sun was starting to set at this point. From the center of Diamond Peaks City, a homeless man sat there, below his makeshift shelter. A coin jar was sitting at his feet, and his eyes were growing heavy.

Soon, he let out a long yawn, before drifting off into a deep slumber.

However, his slumber was cut short when he heard the sound of his coin jar sliding across the street. His eyes shot open, and immediately he saw a young man in a black jacket, running away from his stand, jar in hand. The back decal had a skull with crossbones on it, and the words "DEATH'S HAND" below it.

"H-HEY! THAT'S MY LUNCH, YOU BASTARD!" he shouted before springing to his feet and chasing after the young thief.

The thief was fast, but the homeless man was determined as ever. The thief then broke into an alleyway, while the homeless man turned to chase him through it.

*WHAM!*

Suddenly, a baseball bat crashed into the homeless man's chest, sending him flying back a few steps, and falling to the ground, now completely winded and in pain.

"Aww... what's wrong, gramps? Running out of breath?!" one of five men asked, as he and his four companions approached from the shadows of the wall. They were all wearing the same jacket, and one of them was holding the baseball bat.

"Yeah, gramps! Can ya tell us what's botherin' ya so much, thatcha gotta get yourself all worked up?!" another one added.

From across the street, a masculine figure stood there with hands on his hips. From the shadows, a pair of dark brown, tan-spurred boots stepped out.

The homeless man curled to his stomach and tried to lift himself back up to his knees, but then the bat crashed into his left ribs, causing a nasty crack to sound out.

He was wheezing at this point, while the thug looked at his bat and frowned.

"Shit, man. That was my only one!" he complained, before shrugging his shoulders and tossing it aside.

"P-please... I beg of you... s-stop... I... I-I won't bother you again, I s-swear! Y-you... you can keep the money!" the homeless man begged.

The thugs only laughed, as they each reached into their jacket pockets.

"You're right, Gramps," the pack leader began, before pulling out a pistol and aiming it at the homeless man's head. "You ain't gonna bother us again."

*BAM!*

A bullet flew across the street, and directly onto the thug's pistol, sending a shockwave that forced the gun out of his hand, and inflicted serious pain to it. He knelt down and yelled, while the other four quickly pointed their pistols towards the source of the unknown shot.

*BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!*

In less than half a second, all of their pistols flew from their hurting hands, and they all backed away, as the stranger started crossing the road, revolver in hand.

The man was dressed in a cowboy's attire, with a long brown stetson, a brown cow-vest, a dark brown shirt underneath, matching brown cowhide chaps over dark blue Carpenter Jeans, and naturally, his spurred, dark brown boots. Over his shoulders was a red shroud. His face, from the nose down was covered in a matching red bandana. He had baby blue eyes underneath his gruff, grizzled appearance, and his long-brown hair covered the sides and the back of his head. In his right hand was a solid silver revolver with smoke coming out of the barrel. His hands were both covered in dark brown full-leather gloves.

He squinted his right eye at them, and muttered one phrase. "Ya live by the sword, ya die by the sword..."

That was the thugs' cue to turn tail and run away in fear, while the cowboy twirled his revolver in circles. He tossed it in the air, then caught it and slid it into the holster on his belt.

He then approached the homeless man and knelt down to one knee, stretching his hand out for the poor man to take.

"Yer gonna be fine there, fella. C'mon, let's getcha back to shelter." he told the man.

The homeless man took his hand and, in one pull, was back on his feet.

"Th-thank you, sir... thank you so much! You... y-you save my life!" he stuttered, shaking the cowboy's hand gratefully.

The cowboy nodded his head at him. "Ah, was nothin' fella. Jus' doin' my part'n keepin' the peace, is all."

He then followed the homeless man back to an old, abandoned office building. Ever since the war of Armageddon, the building was mostly destroyed, save for a few good walls within. With it having been abandoned, several homeless took the place over, and established a makeshift shelter out of it.

The homeless man signaled the cowboy to wait, and so he did. Then the man approached the front entrance and knocked a special way.

The door cracked open, and another homeless man answered. They spoke for a bit, while the cowboy waited patiently.

Both heads turned towards him briefly, before they looked back at each other and spoke a bit more.

The man inside the building then nodded his head, and the door cracked even wider open. The homeless man then returned to the cowboy and smiled.

"Sorry it took so long... we're not necessarily supposed to be in here, but... well... it's a bit cold out, so there's nowhere else we can stay to survive in." the man admitted.

The cowboy nodded his head in understanding. "I know what it's like ta live in harsh conditions, fella. Ya ain't gotta worry, I won't tell a soul."

The man then bowed his head in appreciation, as they entered the building.

"What's your name, by the way?" the homeless man asked the cowboy as they sat around a barrel fire to keep warm.

The cowboy rubbed his gloved hands over the barrel and turned to face the homeless man. "The name's Chris."

The homeless man nodded his head and rubbed his hands to build up the heat. "Well, Chris, my name's Peter. It's, uh... it's nice to finally meet a good face around here."

Chris nodded his head and smiled behind the mask. "Peter, huh? I knew a Peter once... he was a good man, who was a bit down on his luck as well... 'till I showed up and helped 'em out of it."

Peter smiled back at him. "Sounds like you're just a blessing in disguise, Mr. Chris. So, uh... what brings you here, anyways?"

Chris reached into his pocket and pulled out a small photo. "Well... I'm lookin' fer someone around here, actually." He offered Peter the picture then, and asked, "Have ya seen this man before?"

Peter looked at the picture and frowned, before shaking his head and offering the picture back. "Sorry, Chris, I... I can't say I have."

Chris took the picture with a grateful nod, then slid it into his vest again, and pulled out four 100 dollar bills. He handed it to Peter, who stared at it in shock.

"That's too bad... I heard he used ta work here, once. Thought ya might've seen 'em around the block." Chris said, as he turned back towards the fire.

Peter's eyes then opened a bit wider, and he looked at Chris. "A-actually, Chris, I... I..."

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Now that I think about it... I have seen that man before... but only once."

Chris looked over to him again and raised an eyebrow, as Peter continued.

"It was about, say, short of a year ago. He was stepping out of here, carrying a box. Then suddenly, it started to rain on him. His box broke, and a sweeper crushed his possessions. In all honesty... it was just plain unnatural the way how things were going for him! Like from one misfortune to another, side-by-side! I honestly felt bad for him at the time... I wanted to help him... but sadly, I know that there was nothing I could do at the time."

Chris nodded his head and leaned back against his metal fold-up chair. "Then what happened?"

The man shrugged his shoulders. "Honestly, I... just fell asleep. But then, I was woken up by a loud bang! I opened my eyes, and he was flung into the wall... because the poor man was struck by lightning! I was about to jump up and call someone to get an ambulance, until... well... he just stood back up and shrugged it off like it was nothing!"

"Hmm... sounds like one tough cookie."

Peter smirked. "Heh. You can say that again... but unfortunately, when he got to his car, he must've lost his keys because he yelled out in anger, and kicked the tire. However, there was also a cop that just turned around the corner right as soon as the alarm went off! He was arrested then, and hauled away before I could even get there to explain the situation to 'em."

Chris nodded again. "I see... was he a local, or a state?"

"Local, actually, so they most likely went down the station just up the road." Peter said, pointing in said direction. "Just take South Street for a couple miles, and turn right. It should be just around the corner there."

Chris tilted his hat at him and stood up. "Thank ya kindly, Peter."

"Wait!" Peter requested, making Chris stop and turn back around towards him. "Before you go, uh... just why do you need to see that man, anyways?"

Chris then walked up to him and sat back down, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'd tell ya, but... it's sorta a family matter."

Peter nodded his head. "Then... would it be alright if I said a small prayer for you, at least?"

Chris nodded his head and smiled again. "Sure ya can, Peter. Go right ahead."

They both then bowed their heads, and Peter began.

"Oh, Lord... thank you so much for blessing us, and bringing Chris here in our hour of need. Please, oh Lord, watch over us. And most importantly, please, Lord, watch over Chris, as he goes to do that which he needs to do. I pray that you guide him and his family, keep them safe, and bless them in your glory. It is in your holy name I pray... amen."

Chris nodded his head and patted him on the shoulder again. "Amen, brother... that's a good prayer right there. I promise, ya keep that faith strong, and one day, things'll turn up fer you and yer family up here. Of that, ya got my word."

Peter nodded his head, and smiled back at him. "Thank you, Chris. I, uh... hope we'll cross paths again, someday."

Chris turned and started to leave, replying, "We will, Peter. I know we will... y'all be safe, now."

And with that, he left the building, and started to walk towards the Police Department.

Daniel brought a small cup of tea to the couch and offered it to Darla, who was still shaken by the recent events. She looked up at him and smiled briefly, before nodding her head and mouthing out, "Thank you..."

Daniel nodded his head and took a seat next to her. "Any time, Darla. So, uh... you said your boyfriend helped you escape?"

She nodded her head and took a sip of her tea. "Y-yeah... I know, kinda strange, isn't it?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you were one hell of a looker back in High School, so... no, not really."

She seemed to feel a bit better at that, shaking her head. "Oh, you. Anyways, so uh... how's everything been for you lately?"

Daniel lifted his left hand up and pointed at the black ring on it. "I'm a married man, now. I have a loving wife, and even a beautiful daughter with the cutest smile out there!"

Darla's eyes widened, before she smiled and looked away, nodding her head. "That's... that's great! That's great, Daniel! I'm... I'm happy for you!"

Daniel smiled back at her and tilted his head. "You're happy? Why Darla, last time we saw each other, you kinda wanted to throw me out of the window to our apartment... then you decided the door was much better."

She sighed, and her smile was gone, replaced by a frown. "I know, Daniel... I was... well, I was going through a phase at the time. And... despite that, it was no excuse to treat you that way."

Daniel's smile faltered as well, and he looked away from her. "Shit, I'm... sorry, that was a bit insensitive of me."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and shook her head. "No, it's fine, Daniel... I deserved it."

The officer lady was sitting there, staring at the picture. She then looked back up at Chris and shook her head.

"I... I wish I could tell more about him, but... well... we had to clear all records of him." She handed him the picture again, and he slid it back into his pocket.

"Why did y'all have ta clear the records?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, sir, but it's against regulations for me to-"

"That's a beautiful daughter ya got there, ma'am." Chris said, pointing at the picture on the desk beside the officer.

She looked at it and smiled. "Oh, uh... thank you, sir. Her name's Patty. She, uh... she wants to be an officer like me when she grows up, but I keep trying to make her be a teacher, instead."

Chris nodded his head. "I bet. Can't imagine the pain it must be, ta see yer own child get involved in a dangerous business like this, huh?"

The officer sighed, nodding her head. "Whew. You can say that again..." she said, before her eyes looked up into Chris's.

She then closed her eyes and shook her head, looking down and leaning her head into her hands.

"Mrs. Ruby..." Chris began, leaning against the counter. She looked back up at him uneasily. "From one family to another... I have ta know where he went. It's... it's very important ta us."

She thought hard for a moment, before relenting. "I'm probably going to get fired for this..." she muttered, before reaching over to a drawer and pulling out a folder.

"Here... we might've cleared his records from the system, but we still kept his paperwork, just in case something else came up."

Chris nodded his head in thanks before looking at the paperwork carefully. He tapped on his address, and looked at the officer. "Mind tellin' me which way this address is?"

Ruby looked over at it, then nodded her head. "It's right at the base of the mountainside, near the suburbs. Just head back to South Street, then go up North, and keep on for about ten miles until you reach the area."

Chris winked at her and placed the paper back in the folder. He gave it to the officer and turned to leave.

"Yer daughter will be safe, y'know... she's got a bright future ahead of her. More importantly, though... she's got a good mother ta keep her safe, no matter what life she chooses." he assured her, as he placed a hand on the door.

With that, he left the Police Department, while Ruby looked at the picture and smiled, gently rubbing her thumb over her daughter's image. Regardless of what her boss might say at this point, her day just felt a whole lot brighter, now.

Daniel sat there with his own cup of tea and nodded his head as Darla continued.

"And then after Tony told me that I had to deal with my problem, I... well, I went to therapy."

Daniel nodded his head at her and smiled. "And that's when things finally improved for you?"

She sighed and nodded her head, smiling at him. "Yeah... everything was finally getting better for me... or, well, for us, I guess, since we've both gone our own ways."

"Yeah... I guess it was all for the best, after all." Daniel said, placing his cup on the coffee table.

She nodded her head, and her hand slipped towards his own. "Daniel..."

He looked over at her once he felt her hand grasp onto his own. "I... I wish things could go back to the way they were."

Daniel looked down at their hands and sighed, before pulling his own hand back. "No, uh... Darla, it's far too late for that, now."

She shook her head and chuckled. "No, Daniel... not like that! I meant like before all the love and hate! Before we made those dumb mistakes! No, I... I meant like back when we were just kids in school!"

Daniel's mouth opened up. "Oh! Oh, uh... w-well, umm..."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't want things to go back to the lovey-dovey ways... I just want my old school buddy, Daniel, back. The boy who stood up for me when I was being bullied... the buddy who would help me with homework... no ill will involved at all! And definitely no scandal for our new lovers!"

He bobbed his head to the side, thinking on it. "Well... eh, I guess we can at least give that a try." He then raised a finger up and looked her in the eye. "But this time, we go no further than friendship."

She smiled at him and held her pinkie out. "It's a deal, then?"

He nodded his head and locked his pinkie over her own. "Yeah... it's a deal."

She then looked over towards the TV. "So, uh... what games do you have?"

He followed her eyes and smirked. "My friend, it would be difficult to find a game I do not have!"

She then laughed. "Heh... then how about this one?"

"The Fighters of Angalor? Heh... good luck getting past me with my Gorgon Build!"

And then, they both grabbed a controller and started their war on the TV.

Alpha Team consisted of six humans and eight demons. The humans approached the house first, and found numerous salt rings amidst the decayed grass, which they broke for the demons to proceed through.

The demon leader within Alpha Team walked up to the garden and placed his claws inside the ground, then closed his eyes.
Then, he drew his claws out, opened his eyes, and turned to face the rest of the team. "The land here withered abnormally fast... he was here not too long ago."

They nodded and, together, approached the front door. When they were at the sides of said door, they leaned against the wall, before signing to three. Then, the two nearest the door rushed forward and kicked it down to the ground, and they entered the building in formation.

The inside of the living room was decrepit and old... almost like it's been around for one thousand years... including the television and the coffee table.

They looked around with their flashlights, when they saw a trail of blood near the couch. The human leader lifted his fist up to halt the team, before following the trail. When the trail ended at the fireplace, he noticed that the bricks were all loose against it. He lifted his hand to the side and raised two arched fingers, in the shape of horns, then pointed at the fireplace.

The demon leader nodded his head and approached the loose bricks. He raised his claws up and, using his magic, he pulled the bricks of the fireplace away, revealing what was behind it. What they saw made the human soldiers grip the masks over their mouths, like they were going to be sick.

There was a naked man nailed to the wall by his shoulders. His ribs poked out from his chest, and his stomach was sliced open, with his intestines fallen to the floor. His eyes were pale, and his lips were curled up to the top of his wrinkled, dry face.

What's worse... is that he was still breathing.

"N-no... no more... p-please..." he rasped out, looking towards the soldiers. "S-stop... s-stop huh... s-stop her..."

"Shh... it's going to be okay, son... just... just tell us what happened." the human leader said.

The man wheezed some more, before looking at him with his glossed-over eyes.

"I-it was... i-it was a man... I... I..." he wheezed a bit more in what almost sounded like a choking cough.

"It's alright... your girlfriend is safe, now."

"N-no... not... g-girlfriend... j-just... just f-friend..." he choked out, before shaking his head. "O-or... t-thought she was..."

The soldier looked towards his team. They looked towards each other in confusion, before the leader turned back to the man.

"What do you mean you thought she was?"

"M-man... g-green eyes... h-he p-pinned me to... t-to here. H-he c-choked me... made me... t-this way... then... g-gave her a knife..."

The entire Alpha Team's eyes opened wide in alarm.

"S-she... s-she was the one who... who did... t-the rest... t-to... me..." his head then lowered, and his breathing stopped at once. His eyes were too dry to close, though, so they rose up for a few seconds... then fell out of their sockets, only held by the thin, dry, black muscles they were loosely attached to.

Upon hearing the man's dying breath, the human leader lifted his hand to the radio on his chestpiece. "ALPHA TO BASE, WE'VE BEEN COMPROMISED! THE ENEMY IS INSIDE! I REPEAT! THE ENEMY IS INSIDE!"

The radios on the team's armor, however, only gave static, before shutting down. When the soldiers looked at them, they noticed that they were all rusted and unusuable.

Then the door slammed shut behind them, and they turned, guns and swords aimed ahead.

The wall was unusually dark, and the darkness seemed to only spread across the room.

Then, a pair of green eyes opened up from the center.

"CONTACT!" the leader shouted, before all humans opened fire at the figure within the shadows.

The figure's eyes shut, and it fell to the ground, on its stomach.

The solders stopped firing, but held their guns up towards it nonetheless.

Suddenly, a pair of green wings shot out of the creature's back, and the humans' arms and armor rusted to where they couldn't even move in them.

Then Famine was on his feet in a split second, and the demon soldiers rushed at their adversary, swinging their swords at him quickly and simultaneously.

He blocked each shot with ease, however, before slicing through the demon soldiers like butter. In merely three seconds, all eight demons were dead. He then raised his hand up towards the human soldiers, and at once, they began to exhale out of control, as the life was quickly sucked out of them, until they were all nothing but husks.

Finally, after Famine snapped his fingers, they all fell to the ground, completely lifeless.

Famine sheathed his sword and walked past the bodies, staring at the dead man on the wall. He then lifted his phone up, and it started to ring.

"Hey, is the place ready yet?"

...

"Good. I'm on my way. No, don't meet me there. If something were to happen, then I need you both separate, so that you can take over."

...

"Actually, I found a solution already. That solution should already be at his house, by now. When all's said and done, he'll be within our grasp. Then, we can finally get some answers on where our brother went!"

...

"Oh, need I remind you? He can't die, so it won't be an issue. He'll just wake up with one hell of a headache."

...

"I gave her the marker, yes. She'll be there soon."

...

"Oh, don't worry. That won't be an issue, either."

He hung up his phone, before turning towards the shadows. Then, after walking into the door, he vanished out of sight, leaving the carnage behind him.

Daniel finished the game and smirked. "Huh... guess we're at a stalemate, huh?" he asked, looking at the 5-5 victory and defeat board.

Darla chuckled at him. "Hey, just because I was in the Cheer Squad doesn't mean I don't know how to work a pair of sticks up!"

He laughed, before replying, "That's what she said!"

"Oh, fuck off!" she said, playfully slapping him on the arm.

Then the door began to knock. "I'll get it, don't worry!" Daniel said.

She nodded and stood up. "Alright. Hey, can I use your bathroom, please?"

He nodded his head and pointed at the hall. "Oh, sure thing! It's the last door on the left!"

"Thank you!" she said, as she made her way into the bathroom.

Once inside, she pulled a small vial out of her pocket and opened it. The lid was a swab, and the contents were blood red. She puckered her lips and applied the oozing material to her lips, before sealing it shut and sliding it back into her pocket. Then she pulled a small pen-like stick from her other pocket and pressed it against the wall, then drew a large rectangular shape on it, and a circle at the central-left.

The picture of a door opened, and on the other side stood the interior of a large, abandoned warehouse. Famine was standing there on the other side, with his arms crossed.

"Is he ready, yet?" he asked her.

She bowed her head to him and replied, "Almost, Master. I'll bring him in here as soon as the coast is clear!"

Famine nodded his head. "Good... don't fail me, and you may very well be there to see how it all turns up."

She smiled at him and saluted, before sliding out of the door behind her, just in case Daniel or anyone else notices.

When she made it into the living room again, she saw Daniel speaking to Caim.

"Hmm... no, that's perfectly fine, Caim! In fact, I want you to make sure Beta doesn't die out there." Daniel said.

Caim knelt before him and replied, "As you command, Master. No harm shall befall them while I stand!"

Daniel nodded his head at him. Then he closed the door and turned around to face Darla.

"Oh! Hey, Darla, that was fast!" he said. "Alpha Team went silent, so they're sending a few more guys to check on the..." the then raised a suspicious eyebrow and pointed at her. "Wait... is that new lipstick, or something?"

She chuckled, shrugging her shoulders. "What? It's the end of days... doesn't mean I have to look all ragged!"

Daniel nodded his head, then did a double-take. "Wait, are you calling me ragged?!" he then asked her.

She chuckled, shaking her head. "No, of course not! It's just, uh... well... that beard's gotta go, dude!"

He tossed his arms out. "What? I like the beard!"

She rolled her eyes and took another step closer to him. "Yes, but does your wife like the beard?"

He deadpanned at her. "My wife has more facial hair than I do, so... maybe?"

She ignored that statement and gave him a friendly hug. "Oh, I'm just messing with you, Daniel. You look great, really!" she said into his ear.

He smirked, slowly raising his hands up to return the hug. "Uh... Darla, what are you doing?"

Before he could get a response, he felt her lips press onto his cheek, and he immediately pulled back.

"Whoa, whoa, stop! Darla, I thought we weren't..." he began, until his eyes began to grow heavy. He gripped onto his forehead and groaned in pain, as a feverish surge began to pull him to his knees.

Darla walked past him and used a salt shaker to seal the door, before tossing said shaker over her shoulder.

"Darla, what... w-what's going..."

She pressed a finger up to his lips to silence him.

"Shh... don't worry, Daniel. I know you can't actually die, so the Kiss of Death should only be a minor inconvenience for you."

"Y-you... y-you..." he could only whisper at this point, before his eyes shut, and he fell to the ground.

She then grabbed onto his shoulders and started to drag him into the hallway when the door began to pound.

Darla was right in front of the bathroom door when the front entrance was kicked open by a human soldier. The impact brushed the salt away, and broke the barrier for Demons to enter again. Upon noticing Daniel being dragged by Darla, however, the soldier raised his gun up in the air. "YOU! STOP RIGHT THERE! DROP HIM RIGHT NOW, AND GET TO THE GROUND!"

She ignored the soldier's demands and dragged Daniel into the bathroom before he could even open fire. So the soldier, along with five extras and two demons who rushed in behind him, reached the bathroom door, right as the portal was about to close.

Darla waved goodbye at them, and the door drawing sealed shut once again, with Darla and Daniel no longer in sight.

Immediately after that, the wall on the other side of the hallway exploded open. Before the soldiers could even turn their guns around, the green van crashed through the entire house, destroying and killing anything and anyone in its path.

Episode 18: "In The Presence Of Thy Enemies..."

Despite the warning, despite all the defenses, and despite all the precautions that were made, Daniel now finds himself captured once again! Only this time, the enemy took extra precautions as well!

Meanwhile, Diamond Peaks City is in for a rude awakening, as a monstrous van now runs on, as its nameplate implies, a rampage!

A few soldiers and demons fly here across the yard, while others fly there and elsewhere, whether in one piece or several pieces. The snipers fired at the monster's wheels, but the bullets, upon making contact, deflected right back into their foreheads, where their limp bodies fell from the towers and crashed onto the ground below.

A few additional snipers took shelter behind the towers' walls, but the van sensed their presence, and drove into the bases of the towers, sending them toppling down into the road.

"WE NEED REINFORCEMENTS!" a soldier shouted at his radio, shortly before the van was upon him, biting into his legs, then into his neck, silencing him mid-scream, as his head rolled from its metal bladed fangs.

A few more bullets recoiled from its side, so it made a U-Turn and crashed into the soldiers, while demons approached it from the side, weapons drawn. Their weapons, however, shattered upon impact, and the van spun in circles, as its doors opened from the bottom and raised up, slicing through the demons' necks, and sending their heads rolling to the ground.

It wouldn't take long, and the entire yard would be filled with nothing but dead soldiers.

Daniel's eyes slowly opened up, and at once, he felt a massive migraine forming in his forehead. He groaned and moaned, as everything was a blur.

Then, his memories kicked in, and he blinked a few times, while a blurry face emerged from below his vision.

Darla's voice was distant, despite her being so close to him. He tried to move his arms, but quickly found out that he was tied up to something.

Then she spoke again, and he was finally able to make out her words.

"Oh, good! He's coming to!" she said, placing a hand on his chest.

He grit his teeth at her, which only made her chuckle.

"Sorry, Daniel... it's nothing personal." she said.

"Darla... what the hell's going on?" he asked her, now able to see her much more clearly.

She shrugged her shoulders then pinched his cheek and replied, "Oh it's quite simple, Daniel... you see, the world's about to end! If we want to survive it, then we all need to choose our side! And so, I chose the side that's destined to win, while you, sadly, chose differently! I mean, come on! Your dad basically told you that Heaven's bound to win, and yet you still chose Hell, even to the point that you'd marry the fucking Devil of all things!"

She burst out laughing at him, tossing her arms out. "Seriously, Daniel! I've heard of hanging with crazy, but that right there just takes the cake!"

He growled at her, as she continued to laugh at his misfortune... before his lips formed a small smile.

Then, his growling became a chuckle... and finally, he started laughing back at her, which made her laughter halt, and she looked at him confused.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Wow! You know, I... well... somehow, I always knew you were a bitch, but damn! This really takes the cake as well, doesn't it?!"

She smiled back at him and placed a hand on his shoulder, as he continued.

"I mean, let's be real here! Yeah, I might be on the losing side, but you know what?!"

"What's that, babe?" she asked, gently rubbing his cheek.

He then let out another smirk, before replying, "I'm married to the Devil, herself! Now I can actually say with both confidence, and proof, that you are a metric fuckton worse than that!"

She tilted her head and cooed. "Aww..."

Then, she slapped him across the face, making him growl a bit in pain, as the sound echoed through the entire warehouse.

Though the pain surged on his cheek, he shook it off and smiled at her once again. "Heh... and she can slap much better than you, too! Hell, that was nothing more than one of her 'Love Taps'! So go ahead and do it again, if you must... 'Love Tap' me, bitch!"

This time she dropped her smile and pulled her hand back. Then, after giving a casual shrug, she reeled her arm back, balled her fist up, and slugged him directly into the nose, drawing a small stream of blood in the process.

"AAAGH! F-FUCK!" he shouted, as his shoulder twitched, trying to rub his nose, but to no avail.

Now breathing a bit more heavily, he grit his teeth, and looked back up at her.

"H-heh... heh... you know... I can't wait until this is all over. That way, when I'm sitting on the throne in Hell, I get to fucking watch you burn..." he muttered to her.

She punched him in the stomach as a response, making him wheeze in pain. Then, instead of giving him more time to speak, she walked over to the end of the platform she was standing on, and picked up a thick metal pipe with a knobby curve at its end. She gripped it with both hands and walked back up to him, eyes locked on his.

He sighed, closing his eyes and wincing, as he mentally braced himself for its heavy impact. "Great... as if you weren't already giving me a headache by just being here..."

She gently tapped his face with the tip of the pipe, and giggled. "Oh, baby... who said I was aiming for this head?"

His eyes widened in alarm as she reeled the pipe back in a golf-like stance, then swung at full-force between his legs.

*CRACK!*

And that was the breaking point. His screaming filled the entire room, as tears immediately gushed from his eyes. His head, once raised up high upon his screaming, soon dropped down, while his breathing was mixed with grunting, heavy whines, and numerous curses and swears directed towards Darla.

Then the sound of clapping caught her attention. Turning around, Darla looked over the railing on the platform, as Famine walked towards them on the ground-level.

"Alright you've had your fun now, my dear! As entertaining as this is, though, I still need him conscious!" he called up to her.

She chuckled a bit, before bowing her head and tossing the pipe back down onto the platform. Daniel was just hanging there with his head knelt down, still breathing, whining, and crying, as he was now in pure agony.

"Heh... sorry, Master! Just got a little bit carried away there!" she replied to the horseman.

He waved a dismissive hand at her. "No need to apologize. Once finished with interrogations, I plan to do far worse, anyways."

She saluted him, before going towards a control switch and pressing a button that lowered the platform back down to the ground-level.

"Of course, Master! So, is there anything else you need me to do for you?" she asked, as she approached him. Once close enough, she knelt down to one knee and bowed her head to him.

He took a few steps forward, then gently caressed her cheek, which made her look up to him with a smile.

He smiled back at her, and his green eyes began to glow once more, as his gaze was now fixed onto her.

She slowly started to exhale, to the point of choking. Her smile faltered quickly, and her hands shot up to her throat, as she looked up at him pleadingly and confusedly.

"Oh, my faithful little follower... no, that won't be necessary."

She coughed a few times, as her flesh began to dry out. Her stomach deflated, her muscles were starting to shrink rapidly, and her eyes were starting to sink deeper into her skull, while they glossed over the deeper inside they got.

"You've done well enough for me... but as unfortunate as it is, I now have what I need, so your services are no longer required. Furthermore, my dear, I never really said I needed a permanent slave... so with that, I thank you for your faithful services, and bid you adieu."

He then pulled his hand back, and her lifeless husk fell to the ground, completely void of life.

Daniel was in too much pain and shock to truly bother watching the scene... but he heard it, at least, and a weak smile returned to his face. "Yeah... I'll see you in Hell, bitch..." he thought to himself.

Then Famine shrugged his shoulders and looked up at her. "Oh, rest assured, her soul was far too corrupt for Heaven, anyways."

Then his green wings appeared from his back, and he started to fly up to where Daniel was.

"Hmm... ironic, isn't it, that the last Miracle Child suffered a similar fate, huh? Although, the girl suggested spikes, but I decided against it, as I'd rather you still have some form of wakefulness." he said.

Daniel raised an eyebrow, and looked up briefly at his current predicament... then rolled his eyes and grumbled.

"Oh, for the love of... tell me this is just a sick fucking joke..." he muttered, as he realized that he was, all this time, tied up to a long, wooden cross.

Daniel then lowered his head and sighed at the, as Famine simply put it, irony of the situation. Famine now hovered one foot away from him when he continued to speak.

"You know, Daniel, this could actually go a lot better for you, if you choose to comply."

He slowly raised his head up, and his eye twitched. With grit teeth, he then asked, "... The fuck are you talking about?"

Famine then glared darkly at him, with his eyes pulsing for a moment. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Now, where is my brother?"

Daniel's smile then grew, as he looked up at the sky, as if thinking for a moment.

"Oh... is that... all?" he asked. He was still panting between words, as he felt himself very winded from the yelling and crying. His legs were starting to go numb, but the pins and needles between them prevented the numbness from providing any comfort or relief at all.

Famine crossed his arms and nodded his head. "Yes. Tell me now, and I shall consider making this much easier for you. For starters... I may give you a moment or two to actually breathe!"

"Ah... okay, then... that's fair... I'll... I'll tell you where... your brother is..." Daniel practically whispered.

Famine then chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "See, now was that so hard?"

Daniel shook his head and smirked. "Your... your brother is..." he began, as Famine leaned in a bit closer.

"Your brother is..." Daniel began, before gritting his teeth again, ", out of your reach, motherfucker."

With that, he leaned his head back and slammed his forehead into Famine's nose with all his might.

Famine, however, didn't even budge an inch. Blood began to trickle from Daniel's forehead. He reeled back in even more pain than he was in before having the bright idea of headbutting a literal Horseman of the Apocalypse in the face.

To compare, he felt like he would've had better luck headbutting a twelve-foot-thick, deeply embedded, diamond-reinforced floor immediately after leaping from a falling, nitro-boosted MACH-5 Jet Plane, and landing head-first at terminal velocity going downwards, all while breaking the sound barrier in the process.

Or in the three simple words that he would've chosen to use to sum it all up: that fucking hurt.

"Agh... FUCK, that hurt... ahh! N-not gonna lie... I... didn't exactly... think that one through all the way..." he said, before weakly chuckling to himself.

Famine just deadpanned at him, before lifting his hand up one inch from Daniel's face. Immediately, Daniel exhaled sharply, and started to choke as he felt his breath being forced out of his system very painfully slow.

"No... you really did not." Famine answered for him, as he continued to drain Daniel's breath for well over a minute.

Rampage scooped another human soldier up and crunched his legs back, until they snapped and folded against the back of his shoulders. His scream rose several octaves up for only a split second before he flatlined, with his arms, chest, and head falling from the van's fangs, and falling limply to the ground.

A pair of soldiers were on its roof; one demon and one human. The demon was slicing at its frame, while the human was stabbing at it with his Combat Knife; both of which yielding no results. They glared at the beast before looking towards each other.

"THERE'S NO STOPPING IT!" the demon told the man.

The man nodded his head. "THEN WE NEED TO KEEP IT DISTRACTED! AS LONG AS IT TAKES!"

The demon looked at him confusedly. "WHAT?! NO, WE HAVE TO RETREAT!"

The truck then made a sudden stop and arched its back up, flinging the demon and the human across the yard.

They rolled and grunted in pain, as the earth and the sky blurred around both of their visions, until they came to a halt.

The human stood up first, and held his hand out, helping the demon back to his hooves. He glared at the truck, before bowing up his chest towards it.

Its engine revved in retaliation, while the demon, of whom towered over the man by about twice his height, looked at him in shock. "What are you doing?!"

A trickle of blood fell from the man's helmet, and he glared at the beast before them. He knew there was no escaping this. And so, he turned his eyes towards his companion and replied, "I'm standing my ground. Go... open a portal, and escape. But I will stay here, and keep it distracted, even if only for a split second."

The demon's eyes widened even further at this man. He was only a human... and yet, he held up a face braver than most humans out there. To face his own demise with such courage. At that moment, the demon felt respect for the man.

And so, the demon looked at the van and glared, before drawing his sword and holding it between the man and the monster. "What is your name, human?" he asked, not taking his eyes from the van.

The man, despite being addressed, kept his eyes on the van as well, as he replied, "Private Tomas, of the United States Army."

The demon nodded his head. "I am General Shenoba, of Hell's Army."

A trickle of sweat fell from the demon's forehead, as the van's engine hummed a second time.

Shenoba then briefly looked at Tomas, and grinned slightly. "Private Tomas..." the human then looked at him. "... It was an honor to fight by your side."

Tomas looked at the van again, and nodded his head. "And it was an honor to have fought beside you, General Shenoba."

And with that, the van opened its fangs and sped across the yard, towards the remaining two soldiers.

...

Time immediately felt as if it were slowed down. The soldiers closed their eyes and braced for impact, as their lives flashed before their eyes. How their families awaited their safe return, wives and children. How they would mourn for years to come, as their beloved husbands and fathers fell in, what they already predicted to be, their final skirmish.

...

But then, from their left, and just a few meters forward, a crack began to tear into the air.

The crack quickly spread open, and a purple swirling vortex emerged. From within the vortex, a black limo armed with chains on its sides sped through, set on a collision course for the rampaging van, at a blurring speed.

The soldiers stared at the driver in a mixture of awe and shock, as Death smiled cockily at the van. Left hand on the steering wheel, and right hand on the gear, he looked straight at the van and let out a cheer.

"TOOT TOOT, MOTHERFUCKER!" he shouted, before pulling the gear down. Blue fire shot from behind the limo's exhausts, as it plunged right into the side of the van, sending it rolling across the yard, with its wheels and doors scattering across the yard.

It landed on its side, and slowly, its lights dimmed into nothing.

The limo swirled around, until the passenger side was right in front of the soldiers. Death looked at them and nodded his head. "Sorry I'm late, you guys!"

Shenoba's jaw dropped. "Death! Where the hell were you?!" he called out in shock.

Death motioned towards the van. "Well, this asshole had me pinned out of all entrances because of all the fallen towers and the salt rings! And so, I had to take a detour to get my speed ready for a teleport!"

Tomas sighed before saluting him. "Well... you sure picked the perfect time!" he said.

Death then nodded his head. "Yeah... but I also had to make a few extra trips! Y'know... I needed to evacuate the neighbors, from all this carnage! And for a contingency plan!"

Shenoba tilted his head in confusion. "Contingency plan?" he parroted.

Death nodded his head. "Well yeah, man! Before becoming a horseman, Famine was one hell of an engineer! And so, I had to make a backup plan, just in case-"

Suddenly, a loud engine hummed in front of the limo. All eyes and eye sockets turned to face the van, as its parts quickly moved on their own, re-attaching to the van's upturned frame. Its lights quickly shot back on, and it used its left door to lift itself back up. It then revved its real wheels over, until it was facing the limo. Once its damage and its dents healed themselves from a green flame, the beast's fangs shot open, and it let out its metallic whinny, while Death shook his head and motioned his hand towards it in frustration.

"- in case exactly that happens!" he finished, as the van's wheels spun once more. He turned towards the soldiers. "Guys! You might wanna get in!"

They nodded and jumped into the back seat, while Death shifted gears and drove Despair out of the yard, and past the fence.

As his car sped up, he shifted gears once more, and his car levitated up for a brief moment, leaping over the fallen tower, and landing back on the road.

Shortly behind him, the van tore through the debris without slowing down, as it started to pick up even more speed towards the limo.

"Death, it's gaining on us!" Tomas said as he looked out the back window.

Death looked out his rear-view mirror and nodded his head before shifting gears once again and speeding up a tad more.

"There, that should do it!" he replied to the worried soldier. He smiled and took a sharp turn, then sped into the clearing between the suburbs and the city. "Now all you gotta do is just sit back, and enjoy the ri- HEY!" he suddenly made an outburst when his car started to shake.

He turned around, and saw that the trunk of the limo was now impaled by the van's fangs.

Death rolled down the window and glared at the van, before snapping his finger and drawing his scythe from the void. "THAT'S MY RIDE YOU'RE EATING, YOU PRICK!" he shouted before throwing the scythe at the van, piercing it in the front, and causing it to open its jaws and shriek, as it fell behind.

Death then went back into his seat and, at this point, was now furious.

Shenoba looked at him worriedly, and mumbled, "Uh... Death? Are... are you okay?"

Death, however, was now in his own little tangent, and complaining. "... JUST got this waxed last week! Mother-FUCKER!" He slapped the steering wheel angrily as he finished his sentence.

Chris approached the battlefield, where demon and human remains all splayed scattered in the red grass. He knelt down and felt some of the salt, then looked towards where the front door once stood.

He entered the destroyed building, and walked over to where the bathroom was.

Through some miracle, the wall with the drawn-out door still stood up. He gently brushed his gloved finger over the substance, and rubbed it between his thumb and two front fingers, before bringing the strange ink up to his nose, and sniffing.

"Hmm... still in town, at least." he said, before turning towards the sound of footsteps approaching from behind what's left of the corner.

A lone human soldier ran inside the house, rifle drawn, and hurriedly aimed his gun at the bathroom wall... but nobody was there.

He then turned towards the bedroom, and scouted the area. He lifted his hand up to the radio and then said, "Charlie to Beta. There's... there's no survivors here. The Base is all FUBAR and a half. No sign of the King anywhere, though, so the chances are he was taken."

The leader of the Beta Team replied over the radio, "Understood, Charlie. The city is currently under siege by the green van, but it looks like Death has its attention for now. Begin Operation: NEO and get the civilians to safety, Double-Time!"

"Understood, sir!" the soldier replied, before rushing out of the house.

As the soldier left, Chris stepped out from behind the wall, and sneaked his way out the back.

Daniel took a deep breath after once again having some of the life sucked out of him. He was panting heavily, while Famine only continued to glare at him some more.

"TALK, DAMN YOU!" he shouted, raising a fist up at Daniel's face.

Daniel weakly looked at him and smirked. "Lovely weather today... isn't it?" He then exhaled again, as more of his breath was forced from his body.

Then Famine stopped and flew back a few paces, shaking his head in disbelief. "Hmm... you know what?"

Daniel took a deep breath again, and added, "Chicken butt... heh... I bet the... thought of that... makes your mouth water... doesn't it, you... sick bastard?"

Famine raised his fist at him again, but then restrained himself this time. He shrugged his shoulders. "You win... I give up."

Daniel raised a confused eyebrow.

"There's just no breaking you, is there? You've got your whole mind set on saving the Earth! I mean... sure, it'll come at the cost of your family in Hell, but-"

"The... fuck... did you just say?!" Daniel wheezed, as his smile soon turned into a sudden glare.

Famine turned his back at him and replied, "Oh, you heard me. It's a shame, honestly, having to bargain with a few rogue demons, but hey, whatever it takes to secure a victory, am I right?"

Daniel's arms began to shake. "Stay... the fuck... away!"

Famine grinned, before pulling out his phone. He then tapped on the screen, and lifted it up to his ear.

"Yes, I've got him, so you're safe now. No, don't worry, there's no traces left, so you're in the clear. Yes... you should be getting a visitor soon... the lost soul of a young girl named Darla. Just tell her that I needed a diversion, and that she is will be brought back to life once her mission is done, or something..."

*Thump-thump.*

Something else began to pulse inside Daniel's heart... something powerful. It felt unnatural; like a beast beyond his control... and yet, it was very, very tempting for him to unleash.

"... Just tell the guards she's one of his trusted friends, of course! Let them know she's there to take care of the baby! It won't be any problem at all."

*Thump-thump.*

"S-stay away... from... my daughter..." Daniel hissed, as a second voice began to echo behind his own. The upper half of his head began to grow black with the veins underneath, and his eyes started to glow a feint, bright red color on the outside, with a light blue hue in the center.

Famine, with his back turned to Daniel, paid it no mind, and continued with his call.

"And when she has her? Hmm..." He grinned, then started to raise his thumb up to end the call. "Just tell her to throw it in the pits. Chances are, they'll never find it, then." With that, he hung up.

And then, everything went black and red in Daniel's vision. He let out a fierce, bestial roar that shook the whole building, which made Famine's eyes shoot open. He turned around, and gasped at the strange, new creature that was nearing its release from Daniel's body.

He lifted his hand up and made an attempt to absorb its breath, then reeled his hand back as Daniel continued to roar.

"W-what?! H-he's... he's resisting my powers?!" he stuttered. He snapped his fingers to draw his sword, but somehow, it failed to appear. "A-and he disabled my Spirit Blade?!"

Daniel's glowing red eyes fixated on him, and his bound arms started to shake. The arms of the cross, at that point, let out a resounding crack, as the wood was starting to break!

Daniel then let out another roar, and the building's walls started to crack perfectly in the center, followed by the flooring underneath.

Hurriedly, Famine looked around and his eyes came across the pipe that Darla used on Daniel earlier. He reached down, floated it up to his hands, and flew closer to Daniel.

Daniel continued to roar loudly, as his red and blue eyes looked up to the sky. Famine reeled his hand back, then bashed Daniel's head, drawing a large splatter of blood from his left cheek.

But his relentless roaring continued. Reeling his hand back again, Famine bashed him once more, with a little more force.

Daniel spat more blood out, and growled at him, before his roaring resumed once again.

Famine then shook his head, eyes wide in terror, before gripping the base of the pipe with both hands. With all of his might, he then let out a loud yell, and thrashed the pipe onto Daniel's head one last time, and the pipe's tip snapped off.

Daniel's eyes quickly closed, and his head arched down, as consciousness instantly faded from him. His roaring stopped, and the only sound that could be heard inside the building was the heavy breathing that came from Famine, as he stared at Daniel's unconscious form in shock.

Blood trickled from Daniel's nose, mouth, eyes, and left ear, and a hefty bruise covered the left half of his face.

Famine dropped the broken pipe and fell to the ground, sitting to catch his breath. He was beyond confused at what just happened.

"I-I don't understand! He's... h-he's supposed to be a Miracle Child!" he stuttered, before looking back up at Daniel. "B-but... i-if he truly is, then... t-then what the hell was that I just saw?!"

And for once, the horseman looked upon the human in absolute terror, as whatever he saw was something beyond his, nor any of his brothers' control.

Immediately, he began to call War.

"War... it's... i-it's Famine. I... I-I fear we may be in way over our heads here!"

Despair sped through the empty streets of Diamond Peaks City, while Rampage rushed shortly behind it, snapping at its base, with the scythe still punctured into the front of the monstrous van.

"C'mon, come on!" Death said, as he picked up speed. His destination: the harbor.

The soldiers in his back seat yelled in shock, as they feared for their lives, but Death tuned out their yelling several miles ago, for it was very, very frequent.

Then, he shifted gears one last time, and the limo flew over the dock, while the van followed right behind. The limo, however, kept flying, while the van tumbled into the water, where its lights dimmed out the deeper it sunk.

Then, the van was out of sight.

Everyone inside Despair were breathing heavily, until Death shook his head and chuckled. Turning around, he looked at the soldiers and spoke. "See, guys? I told ya there's nothing to worry abou-"

Suddenly the water shot up, and from the depths below the limo, the van emerged, jaws opened wide.

It sunk into the bottom of the limo, and pierced through the doors, crushing the sides of the limo a bit closer, and making everyone inside it yell.

"AHH! FOR FUCK'S SAKE, WILL YA JUST FUCKING DIE ALREADY?!" Death shouted at the van. He stepped on a peddle, and the limo rose up, while the van remained latched on.

"THAT'S IT! YA WANNA PLAY WITH FIRE?!" Death angrily shouted, before gripping the gear and turning the knob clockwise, until the skull was upside down. "THEN LET'S PLAY WITH FIRE! DESPAIR, IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!" He bashed his hand onto the gear, and the bar sunk inside, until the skull was all that stuck out.

Upon clicking in place, the skull's eyes started to glow blue.

The limo's engine hummed loudly, and the chains immediately detached from its sides, and wrapped around the jaws of the van, then pulled the van's grip off and swung forward, sending the van flying ahead of them.

Rampage stopped in midair and turned around, until it was face-to-face with Despair.

Despair's damage was engulfed in a blue flame, and its headlights started to glow blue. Then the exhaust pipes shifted and turned, until they were facing the sides of it, and black smoke shot out from the pipes. The smoke then shifted and contorted, until it looked like a pair of jet black wings. The front of Despair then cracked into its own set of fangs, and once it opened, it let out a metallic whinny similar to the van's.

The van whinnied back in kind, as the two monster cars now faced one-another in a challenging stare-off.

Death turned towards the frightened soldiers and held a hand up. "You guys hang tight, and whatever you do... do not get out of this car!"

They nodded their heads, while Death opened the driver-side door and climbed up on top of Despair, balancing his feet onto the hood.

"Aight, Despair! Let's give 'em the split!"

Despair roared at its master's command, and flew towards Rampage, while Rampage flew after them in return. Both mouths were open, as they were set for a direct collision-course for one-another.

Death crouched down a bit, as he waited for his moment... then, when the cars were within range, he shouted, "NOW!" and jumped.

Despair then opened a vortex directly in front of itself, and disappeared inside it, while Death flew over the portal, and towards Rampage... or more specifically, his scythe that was still stuck on its hood.

He flipped over the beast, and caught the scythe's handle, and held onto it, while the momentum did the rest of the work, slicing through the beast from the center, down to its back. Then, when he reached the back of it, he kicked his legs out, allowing him to slide down its back, while the green van hissed in, what sounded like, serious pain.

When Death reached the bottom of its back, he grabbed onto one of its exhaust pipes and pulled his scythe out of it, observing the strange mechanical devices underneath.

Then he spotted a peculiar-looking tank that glowed a green aura, and smiled. "Heh... now this looks important!" he called out, before taking his scythe and piercing the tank with it.

Rampage let out one last whinny before its damage overwhelmed it. From the top-down, it split clean in half, while the tank, once Death pulled his scythe out, burst into a green explosion.

Death flew back several yards, then sheathed his scythe and shifted his body until he was diving head-first. He took his hand up to his mouth and whistled loudly, making Despair appear from a portal behind him, falling to his level.

Then he gripped onto its roof and kicked his legs into the Driver Seat. He and his passengers let out a loud cheer, as Despair arched up, and just narrowly dodged falling into the water, even kicking some waves up in the process. From far behind it, several chunks and pieces of Rampage fell into the ocean, followed by the broken remains of its tank.

A feint green smoke rose up from the broken tank and let out a pained horse-like whine, before it scattered into the air, and faded into nothing.

Daniel's eyes slowly opened, and he found his consciousness returning to him. He whined a bit as the taste of nickel filled his mouth... his blood was covering his face... almost entirely, while his once white t-shirt was now stained in red.

Famine floated up to him once he woke up, and glared towards the human. "You know it's not too late, Daniel. You can still save them. Just tell me where my brother is, and I'll let you return to Hell... and you can have that 'Happily Ever After' that you humans always desire!"

Daniel closed his eyes and thought for a moment, before looking back up at him and frowning.

Famine was about to ask him again, but Daniel spat blood onto his face before he could even say anything else.

His glare intensified, and he gripped Daniel by the throat. "I will get my answers... either with, or without you!"

He raised his hand up and started to drain Daniel's breath again. Daniel began to cry out more blood, as his vision rapidly started to blur, and darken.

"Immortal or not, you are nothing but a mere human!"

Then, from near the direction of the entrance, someone let out a loud whistle.

"Then why not pick on someone yer own scale?"

Famine dropped his hand and turned around, only to find Chris standing there in the middle of the room. His arms were tucked away at his belt, and he was just standing there, casually looking up at the two of them.

Daniel's vision slowly returned, and he looked over at the new face. "N-no... g-get away... g-go!" he tried to usher Chris, but it was too late.

Famine floated down to the ground level and smirked, before drawing his sword. He then tilted the blade at the intruder, and demanded, "Who... are you?"

The cowboy nodded his head in greeting, replying, "The name's Chris."

Famine nodded his head and rested his blade against his shoulder. "Well, Chris... I know not how you got here, nor what business you even have here, but... this is a Family Affair!"

"Heh... funny ya mention that, cuz I'm here on Family Business, too." Chris replied casually.

Famine tilted his head and frowned a bit. "Hmm... well, that's unfortunate, then. I suppose I'll just have to find your family..." In a blur, Famine then rushed after Chris. "... SO I CAN DELIVER THEM YOUR HEAD!"

He sliced at Chris's neck, while Chris raised a single finger up.

*CLANK!*

Both Daniel and Famine stared in shock, as Chris's finger simply stopped the blade in its tracks.

"W-what the?!" both Daniel and Famine muttered, as Chris raised his thumb up, and snapped his finger.

A massive torrent of wind emerged from all around Chris, sending Famine flying into the wall on the opposite side of the room. He couldn't even move as the wind relentlessly pushed at him, even with his wings present.

Then the wind ceased, and Famine rushed after Chris yet again.

This time, Chris casually side-stepped, and Famine missed his swing, while the momentum kept him flying towards the entrance.

He used his blade to assist in his stop, before turning around and rushing at Chris once more.

Chris shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes, then ducked, dodging Famine's next swing. He then twirled around Famine and lifted his finger up, then gently pressed the center of his back.

Famine flew into the wall again from the mere touch.

He turned around and hissed. "Stop... TOYING WITH ME!" he shouted.

Chris then opened his eyes and replied, "Aight, then. If ya insist."

Famine then rushed towards him with his sword now glowing.

*BAM!*

In less than a fraction of a second, Chris drew his revolver and fired a shot into the sword's blade.

And then, Famine's glowing green blade shattered into dust, and the shockwave stopped him in his tracks, as his jaw froze open.

Daniel's eyes were like saucers at this point. He didn't know who this mysterious 'Chris' person was... but whatever the case, he was finally enjoying the show for once, as he watched his torturer get toyed with by one of his betters.

Chris then twirled his revolver and slid it back into the holster. "Tsk. Ya should've know what would happen if ya brought a sword to a gun fight."

Famine took a couple steps back, as his newfound terror was in the form of this strange figure.

"N-no... NO!" Famine shouted, as he turned around and ran towards the wall. He held his hand out and opened a dark portal, then ran inside it.

Chris, however, raised his hand, and Famine flew back out of the portal, as it shut right in front of him. "Nope... not this time, Famine." Chris muttered.

"N-no, NO! NO! YOU CAN NOT DO THIS TO ME!" he shouted, but Chris ignored him. He grabbed Famine's wrists and forced them behind his back, then held him like a sheriff would hold the one they were apprehending.

"Matter of fact, I can. Father's orders." He then looked over to his left and nodded his head.

When he nodded his head, another portal opened up, resembling a prison with chains wrapped around the solid stone walls.

"Too bad fer you, partner. I happened ta build a cell with yer name on it!" Chris said, before tossing Famine into the portal.

Famine quickly hurried to his feet and held his hand out, but before he could even reach the other side, the chains from within the cell wrapped around his wrist, and pulled him back into the room. More chains wrapped his other wrist, surrounding his arm, his waist, and even his wings. Then the chains pulled him onto the wall, as he screamed out loud.

The chains then wrapped around his neck, his legs, and in the matter of seconds, he was practically chained entirely to the wall, with no way of escape.

"MY BROTHERS WILL AVENGE ME! YOU HEAR ME?! MY BROTHERS WILL-"

Chris snapped his fingers one last time, and the portal shut abruptly, sealing Famine's fate for good.

Then Chris looked up towards Daniel and lightly chuckled. "Well howdy there! Didn't get too banged up, didja?"

Daniel smirked back at him, shaking his head. "Oh, nah... I just... y'know... have a habit of hanging with the wrong crowds these days."

Chris shook his head. "Well, on the bright side, at least they didn't use the nails!"

Daniel nodded his head back at him. "Heh... yeah, I guess that's true!"

Then Chris approached the platform and looked up, tapping on the button to raise it. "Well anyways, just keep hangin' in there! I'm gonna cutcha down!"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Okay, the hanging jokes are starting to get old, now..."

When Chris made it up to the center of the cross, he shrugged his shoulders. "Ah, well. Guess I'm still just a bit too old-fashioned these days."

He snapped his finger, and his Spirit Blade emerged. Rather than an impressive blade, however, it was only a small carving knife.

Daniel took note of this.

"W-wait a second... is... is that toothpick your Spirit Blade?!"

Chris paid his quip no mind and shrugged his shoulders. "Sure is. Was never really much of a fighter, personally."

Daniel raised an eyebrow, as Chris began digging at the ropes around his legs. "And yet you carry a Revolver?"

Chris nodded his head again. "Rubber bullets. Jus' cuz I don't kill don't mean I don't use the hands-off approach every now an' then."

"Oh... wait, how'd a rubber bullet manage to break that freakin' sword into pieces?!"

Chris finished cutting the rope on his legs, and started with his left arm. "It wasn't the bullet that broke the sword, but our father's will. Best get ready."

Daniel nodded his head, then paused, before looking at him even more confused, now. "Wait, our father's will?!"

*SNAP!*

And just like that, the final rope was cut, and Daniel fell flat onto his stomach, on top of the platform.

"Oww... gee, thanks for the... warning..."

Chris shrugged his shoulders. "Said fer ya to get ready."

Daniel rolled onto his back and groaned. "Ugh... well... m-maybe if I had more than just a couple seconds?!"

Chris then chucked a bit, before leaning down to help him up.

Daniel took his hand, and let Chris help him up into a sitting position. He then looked over at Chris, and asked, "S-so, uh... I guess in all seriousness, I owe you one, man. So... t-thank you!"

Chris waved a dismissive hand at him. "Ah, was nothin', Daniel."

"Wait... how do you know me, anyways? And... and what did you mean by our father?!"

Chris sighed, before sitting down in front of him. "Figured you'd have some trouble catchin' the hint... well here, lean forward a bit, please." he asked.

Daniel tilted his head, but complied. Chris then reached his hand over to the left side of his face, and gently pressed his palm up against it.

A sudden surge of energy filled Daniel's entire body, as all pain within him suddenly faded into nothing. His breathing returned to normal. He was, for lack of a better word, completely healed!

He backed up a tiny bit in shock, but Chris remained seated, as he pulled his hand back.

"H-how?! How did you..." Daniel stuttered.

Chris shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "C'mon, Daniel. Ya seriously can't tell by now?"

Daniel blinked owlishly, before shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders. "After all the crap that's been going on... I just can't tell anything anymore!"

Chris nodded his head in understanding. "Well, then lemme show ya in a way I know you'll understand. On the day the Four Horsemen roam the earth, there's one other person who appears, bearing a power greater than their own."

Daniel closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Then his eyes shot open, as he muttered, "... The Lamb of..."

Chris smiled behind his mask, and nodded his head.

Daniel then slowly raised a shaky finger up, pointing at Chris in shock. "Then that means you're... y-you're..."

Again, Chris nodded his head before gripping onto his right glove, and slowly removing it. Then, when he lifted his palm up for Daniel to see, the gears in Daniel's internal clock began ticking immediately.

In the center of Chris's hand was a large, gaping hole that he was able to see through. Immediately, he knew that Chris wasn't just some random hero. He wasn't just a random powerful entity. Neither an Angel, nor a Demon.

No... there, sitting beside him, was none other than the Son of Abba, the God of Man. There, sitting beside him, was Christ, himself... literally a god!

Daniel looked Chris in the eye, and was completely speechless.

Chris slid his glove back on and patted Daniel on the shoulder.

"I'm glad I can finally speak to ya in person now, Little Brother."