Everywhere and Nowhere

The cosmos gradually grew heavy with red, every star and galaxy corroded in smog and smoke, ashes falling down over the rubbles of the library lost to time. Beatrix and Oona hurdled together as the skinless monstrosity leaped forward from the disintegrating rock. Every clop of his hooves left a scorched mark. His hook-like claws dragged along the rocky surface, making a horrible scratching noise.

The Burning King rode around the couple like a prowling predator, taking his time to figure out the best course of action. His steed head panted putrid breath, the singular eye fixated on unicorn and sheep, the former standing in front of her beloved while putting up a brave front.

But that didn’t stop them from rightfully trembling before the primordial horror.

“T̆͞h͊̃̎ͤ̎e̾̂̀ ͢w̴̐ͭ͋ͤ̉̈a̒̍y͗͞w͌͗͊͌ͣa̴͑̾̐r̴͑͐ͣ́ͭ̊dͦ̈͌ͥ ̾̓̔̌̑͋wi͠t̅͂ͬ̎ͤ͐̉chͧ̄̾̃̈́ ̍͆̎̌̄ͭ͏a͒̽ņ̌dͩͦ͛ͮ ̅ͤ͌̌t͐ͯ̈ͫ͌ͦ̀hè͒ ̾d̨͆ͧr̛̈̉̍eͣ̑͘à̉ͭ͐ḿͨ̒͡ ͨ̓̅̾͝ḟ̃̌̔̿̽a̓ͤu̔ͬn͒͆̕,͊͑̌̐̾ͣ” the Burning King presumed. “I̅̿͂̏̒̾ ̎ͪ̋̋͐ͥ́w̄͊̓̆̈́̕a̅ͨ̏s̾҉ ţǫͤ̐̍̊ͥ͊̚l͂̉̑d̍̉̒̀ ͧ͊ab̿̄͂͛҉o̎́̉͊ͭu̕tͣ̍̿̈́̉̃͠ ̨ͬ͋ͥ͋y͟o̵͊͊̾ͧ͂̄u̅̓ͥͩ̚̕ ́t̔͑́w̍̇͝o̵ͯͦͣ.̡̇̉͑̋̃̋ ̉̌̈́̅ͪ̆҉Hͫͭo̶͋̈́w̏ͣͤͭ̆͑͝ ͭ̉̊ͨ̊͝y̏̂õ̸ͦ̾͒ͨu̓ͥͩͨ̿’̍̋ve̸ ̔ͣ̀̍ͯcͪ̿̈́r̅̌̊̌͘ȯ̓͂̉̆š͂̄͌͟ŝ̾ͧͣͣ͐͝e͞dͣ̑̅ͨͪ͘ ̅̐̂ͪ̾̈́̄w̅ͨͩ̐̑̚ő͝ṙͣͯ͡l͞dͪ̋̏ͤͦ͏s͒̽͛̿͛ ̑͑̎̍tͭ̄̄ͨ̀ͬ̽͢oͦͦ̌̋̚ ͩ͌̎g̶̎̎͋̈̊éͥ̈́͌̕t̍̃͒̈͐̾͗ ̴͊̊ͪ̀̀̆ͫt̏ͣ̏̆o̍̽ͥ̍͛ ͗̄̍ͥ͆ͦtͭ͗̐̑̂̒h̍͂͊͆̓ǐͭͮ̉̇͞s̍̒̿ͩ̑ ̅̓̇͊ͦp͒̃̈́̾̓̑l̔ͯ̎̂̓ͯ̀͞ă̢̍ͣ̚c̒͋̓ͫ̄͠e͊ͨ͞.̓ ͧ̌͑͜B͆ͦͦuͪͦ͢t̔́ ̿iͮ̿̄̾͐͟n̔̍̔̎ͮͮ ̐̉̄͗ͫͬ͞d̂̌̎͂ͪ҉ǒͥ̽̐i̊̿͗ͮ͒̈́ͥ̀nͤ͜ġ̋ͩ҉ ͯͣso̵͂ͬ̀̐͋͑,͒ͬ̿̾̇͝ ̄͑͆̉̔̅ͩy͐̍́o͆̔u ͥ̃͌̂͑ͫh̐ͦͥ̿̈́a̽ͫ̋ͤ̓̕v̵͂͛͆e͋ͭ͞ ̶̄̀̏̃̃ͨ̊f͏u̡͛̐̑ͧ̈́l̛͒ͤ̄ͤ̒fi̡̽ͣ̓̒̾l̨̔ͩͩ̓le͊ͦ͌ͨ̉̈d̎̋ͪ̈́̑̈́̚ ͆ͪ͊ͨͮ̈́̑t̿̍̐͐̌̋h͟e͂ ͋p̸̒̍ͥ̀̋͆r͗̎̉ͪͪ̕o͂͑p̐ͬḧ̨̃ͥ̓̾̚ȩcy ̒̎̐̈́͗͒aͣͦ̃̓̃̈n̈́̆̽d̓ͪ͐ͬ ͣͪ̾ͭ͂r̡͗ͩ̏̉i̔̓̀s͏eͪͨ͋̈́̎n̵̅ ͬ̂͜ḿ͐̂͊e͒̓͌̒̌̈́ͭ ̨̽́̊̾̃f̆̇ͪ̐̈̋͘roͮͪͯ̿ͨ̏̚͠m͋̇́ͤͧ̐ ̃͑ͫ̉͠Ṗ̾̈̍ͦ̑͛ăͯ͗͆ͩ̾̅t͐̇͞ho̓ͯͭs̋̈́̓ͮ̊̇̚!̐̌ ͥW͐ͯ̈͘êͯ̀̂l͒͑͋͗͌̚l̸ͨ̌͌ͥ͗͒̂ ̾͗̀̂̚dͬoͭ̃n͑͂̃͊eͩ͌̒͋!̃̊̇́”

His horse-half let out a mocking triumphant whinny before continuing, “A͂̀̎ͨs̒ͧ ̃͊ͩfơ͌ͤͩͬr̨͊ ̄͊ͣ̾ͪy̸oͤ̾̎̎̐ü̡͂ͬ̊r͞ ͆ͤ̔̕r̷e͆͛̓͑ͯͭͫwͣͨ̓̌ͬ̽͘a͊̐̄̚ŗ̊̃́̅ͤ̇̈́d̔ͮ͐̿ͧ̃͢,̴ ̏ͥ̌̃̌̇͋y̔͠ŏ͑͐̀͠u͐ͦ̏̇̋ ̓̈š̔ͦ̒ͤ͛̚h̴̔a̒͘lͥ͑̿ͦl̶͐̽͋ͣ̉ͩ ͧͨ͌͌ḃͣ̒ͨ̉̚e̡͊ͮ̉̅ ̌̉̋̎̀t̸ͨ̀h͘eͬͬͫ͂͏ ̑̅̏ͤ͜fͩͯ̃iͨ͡rͥͮͧ̒̉s̢̈́̅t ͛̑tͪ̊oͬ̓ͩͭ̅ ̸͒̑̿̓d̾ͣ͌i̡̽̓̈̌͒̃͑eͣ̑ͨͧ̊!ͤ”

“No one is dying on my watch!” Beatrix spat, her fearful violet eyes turned into a glare.

Lady Ewe added in defiance, “Ye may roam free, demon. But ye will not see reality burn! Not while we live!!”

“D̷ͩ̽̔ͯ͛o͊ͧ͛̕n̋’̸͒̅ͦ̈́t ͩ͑b̎͒ͮ̆e͛͌ ̽͑ͬ̏n̂͒̄͐̊͊͘a͗̽ͮͫ͂ĩ͗͘vͭͪ͛̌̒̍e̛,̛ͥ͊” scoffed the Burning King, extending his claws out. “Ï̒̏͋͂̔͘ ͫͣͮͬ̔ͥ̒̀à̛̃ͧm̈ͭ ̉̓s͒̅̋͜p̃͌͑͑ͪ҉aͨ̾̕r̢̓ĩ̡ͭ̂nͪ̈́̌̓g̍̌̋͠ ́́̈̔̈ͭ͝y̧ͮ̋̂oͬͮ́̃̂̈ͤu ͫ̋ͭ̃̌f̏̑͒̀̋̆͋͝r̢oͯ̔m̽ͯ́̉͋̋ ͦ̓ͨ̐͂̃͛͘t̡ͫ̇̄̌̍̈h͛͆ͦͦ̍ͯisͤ̍ ̇ìnsͤ̀u̎͊̋͗ͭ͋̚f̑f̡ͪͬ̃͊ę̈́r͂ͬ̅̆ͧͪab̈́́ͯͤ̇ͣ͡l͒͐̿̀̈ͣẽ̶ͮ̓ ̷̆̔̍th̕i̶ͩ̆͆n͌̈g͊̿ cä́͊ll̄̔ͯ̇e̾̐d ̵l̅i͋́f̧͑ĕ̡̆ͩ͐.̽̃̆͐̓ͣ̃́ ̵̍I̓ͨ ̶̈́͌̆͋̈́wͤ̄iͧ͐̋̀͡l̂ͯ̊̔ͧ̆̓̀l͒̏̏̄̐̔ ͗l͗̑̔ͨ̀ͧ̀̀e̽̌͛ͬả͐ͫ̐ͯͣ͢d̔͝ ̾̊m̔̂͗̋͒̓ͤ͜y̒ ̀ͭ͋̏̈́͊ͯaͨ͛̆̆̓ͤr̽͐͑͗̿m̒͗͠ŷ t̃̒́o̿̋̿̍͆ͣ ́̒͒̓̄̐ͤ͘st͗ͯ̑ͯŕi̿͌de̸ ̛a͊ͧ̎̃̚͞c̒̋̌ͮr̸̐oͩ͝s̔̎͂ͬ͊̀s̋̆̍̔͗͊͡ ̉̃̒̈̌͂ẗͭ̌̂͂ͬͮ̀h͊e͌̋ͬ͗̾̉̊ ̉̑̓ͨ͐m̍̅͗̌͞u̵̓̍̎͊lͫͩ̚t̡̏ͣiv̽̓͑̐ȅ̓̂͠r̴̔ͬ͌͐ͣ̌s̈́͑e̸,̃ͦ͆ ̌ͭ̂ͦ́le̾ͧ̑̾͗ͨ͢a̚vͣͫ͐͂ͬ́̚i̾ͮ̽͛̊ͫͨ҉n̐ͭ̿͏g̏̑͗̎͞ ͩnotͦ̏͐ḧ́ͣ͑͑ͫ͟iͪn͐ͫ̄ͩͬ͂̇g̑ͮ̈̓͒́̓ ̢̑̌t̛̆́oͣ͂́̑ͤ̓͞ ͛̆̌ͨͯ̔ͪs̷̔̐uͨͯṙvͮ͐̄ͭ̉iͬ̐̽vͩ̐̍́͂̋ͪeͭ͊͂ ̶ͨi̊̊́n̨ͤ͊͗̓̍̈̅ ̔͘ṁ̂̍ͪ͋͠y͐ͧ̑͊͊ͫ͡ ̡̊ͮ̔ẘ̌̑̅aͨ̇k̵̆͆ͤͣͦe͆ͤ͌.ͮ̉ ̒ͥ̒̈́ͬ͐ͪ͡Ȩ̑ͥ̆̊ͪ̚v͛͒͐҉er͗͒͑͐̀y̵ͮ̽ͮť̂ͫ̾̚͜hͭ̔͋̽i͗̓̎̈́̉̎n̐̉͑͐ͪ͂͡g̿ͥ͐̒́̏́̚ ̆ͬ̈́̒ͨa̴̍͂nͧ͘d͂̋ ̸e̿v̷̇̽̽́eͫͤ̈ͦͣ̀r̂̆y̾͌̔oͮn̊͐̆҉ẽ ͜y̧o̓̏͒̂̈ͩ͞u̇ͯͥ ̎k͗͢n̐͛̐́͒̑ͤ̀oͣͤ́͑̓ͬ̌͡w̴̃̄ w̓i̎l̽l̈͊̆̅ ̿̃̅̅̊ͨ̄͢r̓ͤ̊̌̐̚ěͬͧ̊͒̑̊tͩ̔̆u͌r͒̇̒҉n̍ͤ̉ͦͧ ̴t͆̒͋ͮ̑ͯ͜o̅͌̈́͒ͧ̈́͠ ă̇ͪ͂̑̑s̶hͯ̊͒̌̇e̎̈́̈̽͠s͋͝.͆̑̅ͫ Ả̢̽̄̾͗̚nͥ̊̐̓͐̒dͣ͞ ̸̿ͬ͋ͦͯ̐̚â̸̾ͤl͘lͤ̉͗̾̃ ̨͂̐̒̒̍oͨͬ̓̿̔f͊ͣ̈ͤͪ̃̎͏ ͢eͧ̉͌x̉̊̾̔̂ͧi̔̂ͨ̋̿ͮs͗̆͆tè̐ͭ͐͆̈́͒̕n̨ͭ͑̈́̐ͨͣ͒c̷ͮ́ȇ̷̓,͏ ̸̒̆̄b̈́y̓̐ͪ͘ ͭͭͫͬ̀̽̚͜f̉̐i͢r͋͛e͋̀͡,̅̓͒̀ͧͣ̓ ̌̾̋̾̓w̛iͮ͑̈̿ͧͭ̚l̍̒ͤ̍ͮl̢̐̔͗̒̒ͦ b͑ͤͬ̊̅̈eͤ͂̎͋͋ ̓͛̾̀p͒ͪ҉ȕͥ̍̓͛ͧ̔r̐ͭ̏͌̋͐gͮ҉ȩ͑̉d̓̓ͮ!ͦ̿̈́̈́͏”

His curved brittle horns glowed with omega symbols, a fiery aura igniting around his muscular form as the nuckelavee roared, “Tͩo̧ͯ̌̆̔͗͗ ̇ͯ͊̑̍̈͢ṁe͋ͦ̿ͮ̌,ͮ͐͊͡ ͝mͩͫͭ̄͛͛͞ỷͤ͛͐ͣ ̨̎̐̒́ͯ̐l̿̏͌ͭͬ̂e͛̅̈̿ͧ͠g̢͂ͭ͂ͩ͋͋i̴̊on̷̆͋ͥ!̓”

The entire space rumbled as a vast vortex of flames spiraled beneath the ravaged library, forcing Beatrix and Oona to cling to each other to keep their footing. Out from the funnel came remnants of an ancient, vast colosseum that stretched out. And within the stands were countless numbers of twisted demons, gargoyles, and abominations. Harpies roosted on the rafters, shrieking loudly.

The violet mare gazed terrified at the surrounding forces of Pathos, slamming their fists to the rhythm of a war drum. Some were armed with weapons, dressed in worn armor. Others were disfigured by strange machinery. Even spectral victims of the Burning King’s reign wailed in agony while floating around the fiery tornado. All cursed to serve their demonic ruler in perpetual torment.

The call of his legion thrilled the Burning King, who sighed with ecstasy. “Á̇͛̿ͫh͒ͦ͏hͪ̓ͭ͗̎ͩ̅̕hͤ̿ͯ̈ͤͤ̂…̄̑ ͘C̓͒̉͝a̿r̉̌̃ňͤ̒ͤ̔̊̿aͬͭ̄͛̽̈́̚gê͑̎!̌̿̚ ͂ͫ̌͋̇͝Â̈̽̄̉̿s̄̃̉͐ͫͩ͡ ̧i̸ͮ͊̔t̨̓́̏͗ ̒wa͛s̨ ͫ̎̕m̧̔e̷̍̂̾͊͛̚aͭ̔̀̓ͩn̉͗͛͐t̆̋ͤ̊͢ ͦ͐̀͢t̉̉̽ͪõͨͩ ͮ̂b̐̐ͬ͌̇e͂ͪ̋̄!ͩͩ!ͭ̂̏̆”

“We’re severely outnumbered,” admitted Beatrix, who awakened her Onoma immediately and formed her rapier in hand.

“Ah know,” acknowledged Oona, whose fae form persisted, glowing brightly inside this darkening, bleak realm. "But we mustn't falter. Even in th' face ov our greatest enemy!" The couple intertwined hands, taking solace that they would at least be together no matter what fate befell them.

“My my, what do we have here?” An electronic voice echoed. Both girls tensed up as another portal formed next to the nuckelavee. And out arose an all too familiar figure, cloaked in a black leather apron over his mechanized body. Underneath the hood was a beak-like mask, vermillion visors glowing from the eye sockets. “If it isn’t my old friends.”

“Varys,” mouthed Beatrix, who recalled running into him in a world overrun by advanced technology due to his influence. She and Oona were lucky to foil his plot through banishment. But it was only a matter of time until their paths crossed again.

“I prefer Lord Varys, thank you,” he replied, studying the two with interest. “I must admit, I was hoping our reunion wasn’t so soon. But alas, here we are.”

“An' that pitiful failure is nowhere in sight,” a feminine voice echoed as a curvy silhouette descended down to the nuckelavee’s flank. The unicorn and dream faun recognized Countess Alma, the vampire-esque Vice Lord that butchered Shining Armor back at the Crystal Empire. She strutted closer, a hand planted on her wide hip. She eyed them with scarlet cat-like pupils, a tongue lapping along her curled lips and sharp fangs.

“Good riddance,” she mockingly mused, her other hand flicking her long, auburn curled hair. “Tae think she dared scheme against us. Truly unworthy tae be called a Vice Lord~!”

“Aye! Well, rumor has it, that whole convoluted plot wasn’t e'en her own!” Another Vice Lord added in, appearing beside Alma. He was a stallion drenched in seawater, his pale blond mane tipped with green algae. His eyes glowed an eerie cyan, dark veins bulging out his corpse's pale frame, covered in a captain’s overcoat and trousers. “Figures, th' treacherous cunt didn’t have th' stones. Question is, which one ov ye muckers was it? Ah reckon it was you, cyborg…”

Varys made no comment, keeping his arms folded behind his back.

“Douglas ov th' Kelpie,” called Oona, whose brow furrowed. “Didn’t take ye as a thrall.”

He shrugged and replied, “Wasn’t my first choice, love.”

“What do you mean ‘not your choice!?’” Berated Beatrix, who stalked forward. “You’re choosing the destruction of all life! Why the hell would anyone want to bring about the End of Days?!?”

The three demons turned to one another before Varys stepped forward. “You must consider us depraved for swearing loyalty to his infernal majesty,” the cyber demon began. “But in actuality, we're no more than prisoners. Tools to carry out his insatiable appetite for violence and death.”

Alma broke in, “There are some benefits, believe it or not. A contaminated soul causes th' blood tae darken. It is that corrupted essence that sustains us. An' wit th' Burning King liberated, we would be free tae devour an' consume tae our heart’s content~!”

The cybernetic doctor spoke up. “In a way, the multiverse will be 'balanced' once everything is reset to a more primitive state. The strongest survive, the weak perish. Exactly as nature intended. All we needed was that miracle child's logic-defying capabilities to undo the seal.”

The witch kept her frown, remembering that Doppia tricked Zeloph and Shadow Scythe into following her plan in pursuit of freedom. She then asked, “But why continue to serve the Burning King when you have your freedom?!”

They each looked over their forearms, the infernal mark no longer embedded in their flesh. But they cast a wry glance at the Burning King, who scowled at his followers.

Uneasily, Douglas explained, “Sure, we’re nae longer shackled tae th' brute. But what’s th' point in fightin' back? Everything’s comin' tae an end. An' if prolongin' mah sorry arse is th' only salvation, A’ll take it.”

“Ţ̐̓ͣ̈h͐ͫͥ͋ͯe̐̄͟y̧ͧ̉̊ ̋̀̀̆ͪ͂wͩ̅̉̆̂̍̆i̛ͨ̾̾̓̅͒l͂ͪ̓̕lͦ͆ͨ̃ ̉̃̈́̊̔̓̓s̎̾̃̈́̆͞ẻ̈́̃͐ͭr̶ͨ̇̄̅v̨̈́́̐e̿̂̆͏,ͬ̔ͭ̿̌͌ ̴ö̑͘rͤ̒̀̽̇̅ ̧͒̉̄t̎̑ͧͨͮ̾hͮ̓́̿͋̊ę͆y̓̆̄̍ ̨̔̇̇͛ͫw̾ͩ̀͆̃i̸̾̉̽̉lͪͬͧ̅́ļ͑͗̓̉̈͋̚ ̶̈́̔̈́ͬ̊͑d̉͒ȋ̇́̑ͭe,̓̚” the nuckelavee concluded, his horsehead snorting. “T̡̍̎̽̂h̒ȇi̋̓ͧͪ̀r̈͢ ̐̀҉c̸ͯ̃ḣ̇̑ͮ͑̌̆o̊i͌̃̔̕c͌͋ͩͯe̒̐̈́ ̶͊͊ͦ͌̿m̢̂a͗̎͗̀̓͂̚͟t̓ͣͧ̈́̅ͯͭ͠t̎ͤ̄̊̇ͫ͆e̢͐̊̃͐͛̓̇r̓̆ͫ͒̋̇s̾̒̒ ͝n̎̊ot̀ͮ̄̓͏.̓̉̆ͫ̒̍͘”

The violet mare sneered at the trio with disgust. “Spineless! All of you!”

“Oh, A’d like tae see ye say that when ye're made th' Burning King’s bitch,” the kelpie scoffed, leering at the witch’s semi-nude form. “That is if Ah don’t have me way wit ye~!”

“Ah was here first, lecher,” hissed the Baobhan Sith, who also eyed Oona with lustful intent. “If we’re all goin' tae die, A’ll take every morsel Ah can. Ah think A’ll start wit th' lamb. There’s more meat tae her now that she’s pregnant~!”

“I'll never let you touch her,” swore Beatrix, earning cruel laughter from the swarming demons around the area. Despite knowing the odds were hopeless, she made a flourish and proclaimed, “I'll take on everyone here if I have to!”

Varys shook his head and chuckled, “As bold and foolhardy as when we last met. How disappointing. Shall we dispose of them, my liege?”

“N̾ͤ͊ǒ̽͂̌̽̑͜,͊̋̋̍ͨͮ͑” the Burning King snarled deeply, stepping towards the pair, pure malice radiating off his skinless vessel. “T̔̑͋͝hͨ̏̍ͯ́͝ē̈́͆́ͨ͡y̛̐ͬ̽͡ ̴͌a̷͌̚̚r͗̅̏̍́͢e̿̄͑ͪ͛̔ͯ̚ ̸͂ͥ̔ͧ̍͠m̵ͤ͐ͯ̑̀̈́̏́͝i̵ͧͨ̀n̸̐̅ͥ̀ͯ̈́̊̕e̴̿̌̉̿ͯ!̅̇ͥ̅ͤ̾̊͡”

The two took up a stance as the arena howled with monstrous screams. The three Vice Lords took a step back, watching their master approach Beatrix and Lady Ewe, who tightened their stances. As the half-man half-horse atrocity closed in, the violet witch couldn’t suppress shivering in his presence.

Oona was equally afraid, holding her staff in front of her body. However, she was at greater risk due to Abadonna developing properly inside her belly. And the smell of fire and brimstone made the sheep sage feel nauseous.

Nonetheless, they had nowhere to run. And the Burning King knew this well as he towered over, heat emanating off his hook-like claws.

“S-stay back,” Beatrix warned, her palm sweaty when it wrapped around the hilt of her rapier. “O-or I’ll send you packing through a black hole!”

“S̉uͬͯ̃̆͊͞c̶͐̑̓̐̾ȟͬͫ̐ͮͯ̈́͏ ͪͫ̉̃̂ĩ̴d͛ͨ̂̓ͧ͞l̈ͦeͮ͑ ͧͥͩ͂ͦ͂t̢̾ͯ̅ͩ̅hͣ̐̓͛ͩ̊͢rèat̽̿̈́̊̄҉sͨ́ͪ͟,̋̊͊́̚” crowed the Burning King, his rictus grin spreading. “Y̒̚o͊́u͋̆ͦ̉͗͗͏r̃͌̐ ̸̅͒́s͂͛̓͊̚tr̸͊ȩ͗̇̍n̽̅̐g̨̒͊̾͂̿͆t̛ͩ̄̓̑̐͛̚h̎ ͠ả̆̈́ͤ̋̈͏n̅ͣ̿ͬͩͨ̈́͡d̐́̿͆̎ͧ͜ ͪ̾̓͌mͪ͑aģi̵ͦ̅͛c̎ ̃̒ͯ̈hͯ͑͐ͮͫͧ͑a̛͛ͬ̈́̈́̋͛̉vͭ͂̋ͤ̀ͥ͝ẽͩͩ͂͂͌̃ ͪ̇̈̉d̨ͤi̋m̵ͥiͤ̈́̓̀̓̐n̴̋̂͆i̸̍ͮ͌͒̒s̔̐̀ͤͭ̈́h̡̿eͣͦͦď̈́̌ͯ͋.̎̒̈҉ ̓̔͝Yo͑̎͡uͧ̓́̎́̎̚͜ȓͬ͆͘ ͏a̛ͯ̄̊ͪ̒̐͂bͭ̾ͫͨ͒͛i̕l̓̀͛ͯͥ̍̿͟i̽̒̑̍ͮ͑ͩt̉̈ͮ̊̑͗ͥy͝ ͤ̅ͯ́tͯ̍͗o̷ͭͭ ̸͑̿ͦͨ̈́ͤ̚ṡͫ̃̄ͫ̔ĥ̷r̆ͯ̒e̓͋ͥͮ̓̔͞d̃͟ ͬ̆̓̔̄̎rͩͩeͭ͒̓ͮͭaͩľ͋ͨ̓i̅ͣͭ̉̊̎͋t͋̌̿͋̾y̍̓̔̀ͧͤ ̵̔ͩͦi̴̾̔̌͛ͬ̋͐s̶ͧ̒̓̚ ̍ͮͭ͑ͧͭ̀uͧ̆̾͞sͫ̋̆e̢ͦ̌̎̽lͬ̄̐̈́̄͂e̋̈̅̈s̡͒s̒ͧ͗̉̐̕ ̑͋̉ͬḩͮ̾͛ͯ́e̐r̚e!̾ͯͥ”

“We’ll see about that!!” She yelled back with more boldness than she felt.

Immolation whooshed through the air with a hiss, Beatrix barely able to leap back in time, as the air swirled under heat so intense its mere presence threatened to immolate her. The arena broke into overpowering cheers as she hurtled skyward, trailed by cosmic darkness that crackled with coldness.

Her horn lit when she tossed dozens of spells. But the nuckelavee didn’t bother dodging, absorbing each projectile that fizzled off his skinless muscles. Her eyes turned to saucers as he took a swipe at her head, grazing off bits of her mane.

Oona tried to snare him with another bubble trap, but that only made the Burning King leap forward as his steed head vomited pumes of toxic smog, covering the rocky surface.

“Get back!!”

The duo quickly covered their mouths and ran just as the Burning King ignited the air with a fiery explosion, the force launching them further into the ruined remains of Enock’s library. The audience of Pathos cheered, coveting their demise as their infernal ruler proceeded.

In defense, Beatrix summoned a blizzard that whipped over the area. The stray bits of hail that managed to bypass his barriers harmlessly peppered his form, even when in desperation she formed one the size of an iceberg, and an avalanche rained down on her foe. The coliseum trembled under the impact, dozens of the onlookers buried instantly as it boomed in a sea of mist.

Steam hissed off the Burning King, unimpressed by her command of the elements as he raised; he scraped his claws along the ground, his horse half now galloping on searing hooves. The crown of fire raged into an inferno atop his head.

“Shit,” she cried, propelling herself and Oona backward. The violet unicorn tossed dozens of smoke bombs from the folds of her cape, only for him to easily follow her escape route as a useless colored smokescreen billowed around her. The horse half of the nuckelavee rose up to stomp its front legs at them. Only to be met with a barrier erected by Lady Ewe. The Burning King snarled, slamming his front hooves down with all his weight, each attempt causing the safeguard to crack.

Panic shot through Beatrix like adrenaline. Even if she conjured the most advanced spell she was taught, she doubted they would do any lasting damage against this ancient monstrosity.

The crowd below raised their fists and cheered for their death. Alma, Douglas, and Varys watched from afar, conversing.

“Ahh, buggar,” the kelpie sighed. “Ah was hopin' tae play wit that salem knock-off before she bit th' dust!”

“Ugh, please,” replied the vampiric demoness. “There are plenty more like her.”

“I beg to differ,” the cyber demon dejected. “She's quite the anomaly, actually. Unlike any form of phenomena I’ve researched, Beatrix Belladonna’s spacial disruption is a rare ability not bestowed upon any other unicorn. Truly one of a kind. A pity it shall go to waste…”

When the smoke settled, the couple cowered under the hateful gaze of the Burning King, who collapsed the barrier with one final stomp. “Ÿ̷̎̈́̎̐̑ö̅ͮ͢ùͨ͒ͭ̅ ̡ͨ̑m̀ủͨ͆ͦ̈s͌͞t͆͐͏ ͌ȑ̂ͥe̽̀͊̉̓a̍̆ͩ͌́l̚i̎̇ͫ̽̏z̓̕e ̡̌͛̋ͧ͂̑t͛̅͊ͨͭ̚h̔̄̌͞ë̓̾̽ͯ̄͝r̃͒ė̸̂ ̂͟i̧͋ͧ̑ͧ͛͒s̡͌ ̴̓͌͐̂͋n̓̍o̅ͭ ̐͗ȅs̷c̛ͫ̍ͪͭ̊͋ap̎̉͋̾e̛ͧ̇͋̔͋,̾ͤͫ͐̅̀” mused the nuckelavee, towering over his meek foes. "I̕n͜ ͌͋̽ͥ̈́ͮt̶h̏͐̅͑͜e̽̒͜ ͛͋ͦͬe̵ͣn̿̆̀d͆ͥ̏̽ͬ̏́̚,̌̓ͮͨ̎ ̨̃ͦͦͥͤ̒̅ål̢̂l̅̉ͭ ͟w̷͌ĩ̾̉ͦͯl̓ͤl̾̔͌̋͌̏ͭ ͗̉́̿̇ͬ̎s̑͒uͮ͊̏f̵͂ͣ̃̓̓f̶̔͒ē̏r̃͌ b̄̃ͨ̎̿̃ͫë̴ͫ͛͑͂̾̅f̧ͣ͌̈ͮ̿͐́ö́̓ͬ̂̔̓r̓͐e͑̄͛̄͆̚͜ m̿̓ͪ̿ê̈́ͬ̽̂!͒͗ͤͣͫͯ̀̕" He inhaled breath from both maws, preparing to incinerate his first pair of victims.

All Beatrix could think to do was wrap her arms around her lover protectively, ready to tear open a rift and shove Oona in it. The witch would sacrifice her own life if it meant her lover and child’s survival.

But the harsh flames never touched her as reality crawled into a steady stop. All the screaming demons had fallen silent, causing Beatrix and Oona to jerk their heads back with wide eyes. The Burning King stood motionless, hellfire only a few centimeters from engulfing them. And all around, his fellow Vice Lords and army were entirely still. Worse, they found themselves also immobilized.

Oona shakingly asked, “W-what going on? Why can’t we move!?”

“I've bought you a little more time,” a voice answered weakly. The pair turned to find Enock stumbling on tired limbs towards them. Their cosmic radiance flickered like a dying light. “Consider this my apology for prolonging Abadonna's suffering...”

“Oh, wise spirit, you’re fading..!” The azure sheep noted with a sad expression.

“Worry not,” they assured calmly. “I am approaching my incubation period.”

“Incubation?” The witch questioned.

The owl-griff nodded. “The Child of Lightendark didn’t just undo the damage she inflicted on reality. She reforged it, creating an entirely different timeline we settle in now. I have little presence here until I return to my origin and start over. What you see now are my remnants.”

“Whoa..!! So does that mean there are new regions and worlds to explore?!” Beatrix considered.

“Only if you can prevent the End of Days,” affirmed the celestial curator, who coughed. “But before I go, I will use the last of my strength to help you stop the Burning King. The fate of the multiverse lies in your hands, Beatrix Belladonna!”

“I-I... thank you,” the witch nodded, taking Oona’s hand. “I’m sorry things turned out this way, Enock.”

“As am I,” the owl-griff admitted with a bitter chuckle, bowing their head. “In my arrogance, I helped destroy the very history I sought to protect. But perhaps this was destined to happen. Who knows what awaits us now that a change of pace has begun? Heh… Only time will tell.”

Their form completely evaporated into light before launching into the sky. All the energy compressed into an egg shape before blinking out of existence, a wave of temporal energy rippling through the realm, washing over the wayward witch and sheep sage.

With Enock’s essence completely gone, time began to flow normally. The Burning King’s fiery attack proceeded towards their direction. Except now, something stood in the way. The flames were deflected off an archaic energy shield, its wielder grunting as the heat pushed him slightly back before the projectile was thrown off. The nuckelavee paused; his eyes widened with fury. “W̸ͧͪ́̽͂ͧ̃h́͂ͯ͑̄͝o͂͑̆̎ ̂ͫ̈͛̑d̛ͬ̓̉ͦͨa͐͒͆͂̇rͨ͗̍ͬe̛ͬ͐ͪͦ̍̚s̆ͭ͛̕ ̴́̒sͪ͂ͯt̸ả͐̾̽͆̋̐ņd͛͋͂̎ͬͤ̌ ͊̆̈́̓̋ͧ̈͘i͋̈̓̈ņ̓̐̓ͭͩͧ ͂mͮyͦͧ ͆͒ͥ͂͋ͮ̕w̎̌̒ͥ̈́ayͫ̎̈́̿ͪ̔͝!̉̅ͪͥ̊?ͧ͒ͫͩ́̃”

The onlooking demons gasped while the Vice Lords gazed in alarm. Beatrix and Lady Ewe were astonished and relieved to see the warrior ram stand before them, claymore and shield at hand.

“Dion!?”

He looked behind him to flash a grin. “As if A’d stand by while ye girls fought at world’s end!”

“How did he get here?!” Douglas demanded.

“This must be th' work ov that accursed curator,” suggested Alma, who huffed. “No matter. What’s one more lamb tae th' proverbial slaughter?”

“No,” Varys protested, rising from his spot. “I’m detecting other life signatures within this realm. More are coming!”

The atmosphere behind the trio twisted and rippled, similar to how Beatrix bent reality to travel between planes. Yet she sensed something oddly familiar about it and glanced back to see a massive structure slowly fade its way in. Cries of shock arose from the arena, unable to believe that somehow this eldritch abomination depicted as a gothic mansion had penetrated this realm.

The Burning King released a hate-filled roar while the double doors thudded and windows flew open. A mass of thick tentacles covered in eyes and razor-filled mouths lashed from the building, wriggling around while batting away onlookers.

“W-wait,” Beatrix exclaimed, her violet eyes wide like saucers. “I-isn’t that my house!?”

(Looks like we got here just in time,) a familiar voice resonated through the allies.

The witch gasped. “Sis!!”

Sure enough, the red-skinned she-devil waltzed out with a dagger in hand, eying the fiendish horseman. A sly smile spread her lips as Bellatrix nodded at the violet mare. “Glad to see you’re still in one piece.”

As the succubus came to their side, more of their fellow allies flew out from the manor doors to join the battle. Midnight and Cerise landed right next to Dion, wielding their specialized lances. Shadow Scythe emerged from the shadows, armed with her signature sickle and smirk. And descending next to her was Zeloph, his heavenly blade humming with sunlit energy.

Beatrix couldn’t hold back the tears of joy running down her face, eternally grateful to be surrounded by her friends during this brutal skirmish. But to her shock, they weren’t the only ones coming from the manor.

Wet Nurse and Foal-Bearer ran down to assist their mistress, carrying heavy axes infused with part of the creature’s supernatural power. Dion was the first to notice the single horn and bat-shaped wings protruding from their foreheads and backs. He turned to Bellatrix and asked, “Ye turned them intae succubi?”

“Half-succubi,” the she-devil corrected. “It was the only way to unbound them from their restrictions to the mansion's radius.”

“Mhm! We’re way stronger than before!" One twin assured.

"And we have way more ‘benefits’~,” the other teased before striking a mirroring pose with her sister.

“Save the scandalous affairs until after we’ve won the battle,” a masculine tone commanded as White Shadow Penumbra landed in from the windows, his own men marching out the doors in an orderly fashion.

“Brother!” Squeed Cerise, who flung herself into his arms. “I’ve missed you so much!!”

“As have I,” the pale pegasus affirmed, squeezing the charcoal mare.

“Hey, now,” Moonlight River said once she dropped in. “Didn't you just say to save the sentimental shit for later~?”

“Moonie!” Midnight exclaimed, roping his best friend in for a hug.

“W-whoa! Easy with the squeezin’, big guy,” she laughed. “I missed you too, but we’ve got bigger problems!”

“Aye,” a voice thundered as the lumber spirit of Storbjorn emerged, alongside Gaoth and Suela. “Tonight, we end the reign of fire!”

Spotting the guardians, Alma seethed, “Th' Mystics are here as well!?”

“Did you honestly expect them to stand idly by while their whole world was razed?” Varys asked, earning more contempt from the vampiress.

Oona bowed her head to the spirit animals, asking, “Forgive me fur what A’ve done. Had we been more careful-”

“Ye did what ye thought was right,” reassured the selkie, who laid atop the bear’s vast physique.

“Waaat matters nigh is defeatin' de Burnin' King before he razes de galaxies,” snarled the white wolf.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” came the authoritative voice of Lord Grimmwald, who walked in with his squadron of Paladins on behalf of the Sovereign Witch. “We will mark this occasion for future generations to come. On how we took down the dreaded nuckelavee and stopped Armaggedon!” At the stamp of his cane, his battalion took a stance with a unified cry.

With an entire army of her own now formed, Beatrix turned back to the Burning King, who wisely took steps back as they marched forward.

But instead of fear or discouragement, the avatar of destruction instead cackled madly.

“Iͭ͐͋̈́̍͊ͥḑ̎ͮ̏̂i͘o̡ͦ̽͋ͭͯͬͫt̅҉s͒̒̋͜,̶̽̐̽ͯ̈́ͨ” he mused, scowling at every one of them. “Ŷ̶ͯ̄̔o͘u̽͛̄’̵vͨ̿͑̅̃͑eͮ̂ͧ̓ ̢ͧc̑ͣ̃̿͐̓̚oͬ͡m̡ͭͯͫ̔́e͂͋͡ ̇jͯͧ̀̉̿̂͊u͌̅̚s͌ͪ͑́t͒ ̡̃t͢o ̛̂̽d́̔̿ͥͧ̅͞i̢ȇ̾͟!̵ͨ”

At his thunderous roar, the legion of demons leaped down from the colosseum stands. Beasts, cyborgs, gremlins, hellhounds, harpies, and other twisted variants stood by their king in the growing tension. Alma revealed a thorned whip that snapped at each direction she cracked it, some of her followers coming to her aid. Douglas surrounded himself with murky water that steamed from the blackened earth. Varys summoned a drone to his side while telepathically ordering those infused with his cybernetics to engage.

“This is it, lads an' lassies,” Dion called, gripping his great sword firmly. “Time tae cut loose!” The twins nodded when the maids joined the warrior's side, ready to show him all they’d learned.

“Leave the lesser demons to us,” Midnight requested while he, Cerise, Moonlight, and Penumbra hovered above, the latter with his own battalion.

“Works for me,” nodded the reaper, who focused her attention on the trio of Vice Lords. “I want to carve those infernal bastards into pieces.”

“We’ll draw out the Vice Lords,” agreed Zeloph, who shimmered brilliantly in his splendor.

“Then our target is the Burning King,” the bull-man nodded, looking at Beatrix. “We’ll cover you with all the magic we’ve got!”

“Good. We need tae stay on th' defensive whenever possible,” reminded Lady Ewe, who hefted her staff as her wool rustled around her with arcane magic.

“Then we’ve got nothing left to lose,” Beatrix concluded, raising her sword and pointing forward. “CHAAAAAAAAAARGE!!!”

With a deafening cry, the defenders rushed towards the legion of Pathos as their wrathful leader bellowed, “K̛̄̆͛I̸̡̊̒̀̃͆̅͑̂L̶̶ͣ̐ͤ̎̍̋͜L̸̨̊̏̐͊ͫ͌ ̒͊̕͞T̷ͧ̅̉̒ͧͨͣ̂͘H͗̊͐̇ͪ̊͏̢E͑̔̓̓̍͝M̛̏̏ͧͯ͑̍ͩ ̨̔ͣ͋ͩͦÁ͑ͪ͜͝L̇ͩ̑ͩ͊̅́͠͡L̡̉́̓̍͞!̨ͫ̊̂͗!̛͗̏̋ͥ̃ͫ͝”

Utter war and chaos ensued once the opposing armies collided. Demons were bashed down by shields as limbs and heads were cut off. Soldiers suffered gashing wounds as some monsters piled up on top. Likewise, their winged forces battled the screeching harpies and imps that soared above.

Bedlam beset the ancient coliseum. Joined with the manor entity, it and Bellatrix fed off each other in a symbiotic manner, like a perpetual motion machine that was somehow able to hold off the Burning King himself...for the moment. Unfortunately, the succubus and her monstrous partner were forced to constantly divide their attention in order to protect the allies that swarmed about them.

The Nucklavee slashed and engulfed the confounding tentacles that ensnare him. Many wiggled, oozed noxious puddles, and thudded lifelessly when Bellatrix flew to meet him.

“I won't let you harm any of them,” declared Bellatrix, who pursed her lips in grim determination. She swiped at him with her curved devil's knife, cutting into his bare musculature until he openly caught her jab with his palm. She yowled, feeling his jagged claws dig into her forearm before the Burning King tossed her into the scorched black ground.

“A̴ͬ̄̆́̓ͣ̓l̨ͬ͂l̓̃̆͛̌̉͝ ̨s̢ͫ͐̈́̉̏o̊u̵̅̈̓ͭ̉l̄̏ͯ̔̍̉̒s̴̈́ ͊̾̅ȃrͣ̅e̵ͯ̐ f͗ͣ͆̌o̐̾̓̑̽ͬ̆r̅̔̋fͬͥ̐͋ͩe̓͗ͤͤͯͧ͟i̷͛t̓̊͌̍͑̈́̈!͆ͥͤ̈ͥ” The skinless horseman responded, trotting to trample the wounded she-devil until several ethereal chains shackled around his elongated limbs and horse legs.

“Hold him down!” Grimmwald ordered while his group of paladins struggled to constrain the wildly trashing demon. But a fiery aura burnt off his form as the magical leashes incinerated, lighting all the soldiers connected to him on fire. The unicorns cried in anguish before being reduced to ashes, their souls ignited by the Burning King's aura before being siphoned into the plumes within his chest.

“Mo̐̑ͣͮ́r̽̌̽è ̶ͦf̎͑̆̓̋u̸͐ͯ͛́͊ē̅͐ͬl̃̉̽͋̊̒̀ ̍͝f̊̓̈́ͯ̎̂̚o͢r͂̑̿̽̉̽̚͞ ͡t̒ͣhͪ̽̀ê͗̔ ̆ͯpͦ͢yͨͤ͂ͪ̓̑̓reͯ̂̈̍͂̑͡,̸͒ͭ́” the demon scoffed with a sickening grin. But his insult was cut short when Beatrix snuck under to re-tangle his limbs with Erebus and stabbed him through his humanoid torso.

“Gotcha!” The witch proclaimed, only to see her rapier quickly melt from the fire burning within the demon’s ribcage. Infuriated, the Burning King slammed his knuckles into the violet mare’s face, knocking her back and breaking her nose in the process. Blood sprayed amidst the crunch.

“Ceann Oga!” Lady Ewe rushed to her side. Beatrix whined while clutching her snout, crimson gushing out her nostrils as inky darkness flowed over her.

“Conserve your magic,” insisted Grimmwald, who through his half-mask saw that both were magically weak compared to their forces. “We can’t win this without your strength!”

“Then protect them at all costs,” Bellatrix ordered, who watched as more of the bull-man’s soldiers were slaughtered by their fiery adversary. She grunted, realizing that even with the manor’s tremendous power, she couldn’t withstand an entire fight.

Luckily for her, the Mystics joined the fray as the earth bear tackled the nuckelavee head-on, roaring as the steed head sank its jaws into his shoulder. Still, Storbjorn persisted and slipped the Burning King’s hind legs into stone shackles, allowing Gaoth to apply a stranglehold with his shillelagh. With their foe struggling to reach either target, the wind spirit brewed a whirlwind around the skinless monster, hoping to suffocate him.

Meanwhile, Suela tended to the scorched soldiers, healing their wounds with rejuvenating water magic. But the battle had only begun as more soldiers and allies faced the Vice Lords and their followers.

Dion, Midnight, the twins, and Penumbra tended to the ground while Zeloph, Cerise, and Moonlight fended off the harpies that swarmed in the sky. Shadow Scythe was in a tight skirmish with the Baobhan Sith, using her Onoma and numerous sickles to deflect and retaliate Alma’s whip strikes.

“This is bad,” muttered Brutus, whose eyes fell back to the dusty tornado around their foe. Inside, he could see the monster’s hulking form glowing with hellish red archaic flames. “So much power is emanating from him! How?!”

“Quite simple, really!” Douglas complimented mockingly before delivering a hard punch to send the minotaur flying. Before Beatrix and Oona could flee, the kelpie grabbed the pair with a watery grasp. “Th' more life th' Burning King takes, th' more powerful he becomes.”

“That’s his Onoma-aammuph!?!” Beatrix managed to sputter before her head was enveloped in seawater.

The sadistic stallion nodded. “Named after th' very Kingdom he led tae ruination, Moira increases his pyromancy wit e'ery scorched soul. An' if ye count those helpless saps ye sent tae die, we’re looking at over ten thousand or more,keepin' his belly warm! So congratulations, cunts! Ye’ve helped us ensure th' End ov Days!”

The witch and sheep sage clutched at their throats within their aquatic prison, the need to breathe rising. The kelpie licked his lips with anticipation. “But don’t worry. A’ll put ye out ov yer misery before that happens. Just let th' water fill yer lungs and-h-huh?!”

His smile quickly faltered when he detected a cold chill running down his spine. His body began to shiver before realizing snowflakes began to fall around him, swirling faster and faster. “When th' 'ell d-did it get s-so bloody C-C-COL-!?”

Douglas was instantly frozen in a block of ice, his aquamancy dispelled as Beatrix and Lady dropped into the puddle, coughing harshly. Their eyes found a cold aurora green stare with diamond-shaped pupils under snow-white hair. The cervidae walked towards them, wearing a winter coat over her grayish-blue figure.

“I-Iclyn! You came,” clamored Lady Ewe, who couldn’t hide her shock while accepting a hand up.

“You’re still important to me,” admitted the deighdyr, her brows narrowed at the sheep's stomach. “Even with that thing’s spawn growing inside you.”

“You know?!”

“H-hey!” Beatrix angrily rose up, wiping the blood and liquid off her face and hair. “I am not a-”

“Pipe down, hussie. I wasn’t referring to you,” said the doe brushed her off. “We’ll discuss this later.”

“Aye…” the dream shaman agreed as she weaved her own spells. “And thank you.”

Iclyn only nodded while she conjured a blizzard to flurry around the tornado. But her eyes widened as the vortex erupted with flames and terrible screams emerged. The wolf and bear spirit were repelled outwards, fire eating away at their bodies, both writhing in agony. The group watched helplessly as Gaoth and Storbjorn blackened and crumbled into dust. The whirlwind dissolved, the Burning King releasing a triumphant roar.

“NOOOO!!” Suela cried out, launching a wave at the fiery demon. But the water only sizzled as ashen smoke arose from his singed flesh. His attention locked on the seal woman and galloped at her position. Realizing the mystic was too petrified to react, Brutus quickly erected his magical barricade to block the Burning King’s warpath.

Enraged, the nuckelavee slashed his claws and smashed his body into the barrier, trying to break it down. The selkie spirit tried slipping out of her ally’s grasp, only for the warden to tighten his hold.

“Aaagh! Let me go!!” She demanded.

“Don’t be careless! We can’t afford to lose you too,” Brutus reminded. “You have my word, Sea Spirit. We will avenge their deaths!”

Suela ceased her squirming and instead curled up in the minotaur’s arms, bailing her grief while he cradled her.

The bull-man strained to keep the barrier up until the Burning King gave up brute-forcing his way. Instead, the skinless horseman unleashed torrents of flame to incase the magical barricade, planning to cook his victims alive. But shards of ice were flung into the horse-half's neck as Iclyn launched icicle projectiles to draw their enemy’s attention.

The Burning King chased after the snow doe, who created a pathway of ice and skated away while warding off pursuing monsters with glacial blocks. Beatrix and Lady Ewe aided Brutus and Suela, drenched in perspiration. The witch’s mind ran rampant with ideas on ensuring their victory.

But if what the kelpie said was true, how could they possibly hope to stop a monster fueled by over a thousand molten souls?

Elsewhere, the brawl raged on as Dion, Midnight, and the twins bashed and sliced off every demon grunt standing in their path. As suggested, the blue pegasus went wild with his berserker energy. Taking one monster impaled with his lance, they tossed it into its group that toppled down like dominos.

“Nice shot, laddie! Keep it up!” The burly ram praised while he and his lovers fractured skulls.

“Thanks,” he panted before letting out a loud cry while batting off the gremlins with his large wings.

Moonlight and Cerise fought off the winged creatures above, the military bat mare swiftly kicking one harpy down. With exhilarated laughter, she commented, “Man, it feels great to kick ass again! It’s been way too long since I got in on some action~!”

“Don’t get too excited now,” reminded Cerise, who impaled another scabby winged avian hag by the neck. “We can’t make any rash decisions, or else we might not make it out alive!”

“Well, duh! That’s the basis of all wars,” she grunted in the middle of an elbow block. “Relax, Cerie. Not only are we making it out of here, we're gonna win!”

“I hope you’re right,” the charcoal mare nodded before doubling her efforts in slaying every harpy that soared past them. It was such untempered emotions that nearly cost Cerise her body to Doppia. And the princess wasn’t about to lose it a second time to the fires of armageddon!

Down below in another section, Penumbra had scourged up his small army to tackle the cybernetically enhanced demons. Each trooper was armed with rune-enchanted weapons and armor to protect them against laser beams. The pale pegasus fought back to back with Zeloph, who launched solar rays from his fingers and sliced through projectiles with his sword.

“Gnnh! To think I would fight alongside you of all people!” Penumbra grunted, reminded of how the false messiah nearly wiped out everything in his world.

“The irony isn’t lost to me,” huffed the demi-human, smacking a gremlin away with his wing. “Still, I appreciate the comradery!”

He wiped his turban. “If not for you, my sister would still be trapped in a demon’s body. That’s the sole reason I haven’t removed your head yet!”

Despite their differences, the two performed a synchronized maneuver to split apart from one towering demon, its divided parts collapsing onto the more minor fiends.

Turning to his comrade, Zeloph offered, “Well, when this is all over, why don’t we settle the score? Just you and I.”

Penumbra couldn’t help the smirk curling his snout. “I’ll hold you to that, Fallen One.” His expression shifted as a rampaging ogre barreled towards them, aiming its blaster for an arm.

“Incoming!”

Both swordsmen readied their blades, but something sailed past them to intercept the lumbering goliath. The entity let out a high-pitched screech that disoriented the ogre, its mechanized arm shortcircuiting. Jumping onto and locking her legs around its neck, one sharp twist ended its lifespan short before flexibility, tossing the giant lug off the rocky surface into the infernal abyss below.

The sultry creature approached Penumbra and Zeloph with swagger; the latter instantly recognized her as Moxxi. Hand on her hip, she quipped, “Sorry about the wait, boys. I tend ter be fashionably late~!”

“Sister,” the angelic demi said, noting she had finally taken her identity as Anarchia. An electric blue leather jacket rode over her figure, a fishnet shirt concealing her bare bust and taped-out nipples. Cut jean shorts clung onto her wide hips.

“That woman is your sister?!” Penumbra stammered, his eyes unable to tear away from how voluptuous this creature was.

“Couldn’t ya tell by the good looks? Runs in the family~” Ana cheekily said with a wink. Her focus shifted to her brother, running up to wrap her arms around him. She sighed, “Good ter 'ave ya back, Zell!”

“Yeah…” he admitted before returning her hug.

Penumbra stood awkwardly before clearing his throat. “Ahem! We’re… in the middle of something..?”

“Oh, wite! End of the bloomin' world as we kna it 'appenin’,” the neon demon giggled as she and Zeloph took up a stance as more mechanized demons marched towards them. Smirking at her half-brother, she asked, “'ow long 'as it been since we danced together loike this~?”

With a slight smile, he replied, “Way too long!”

The demi-humans flew into the fray, fighting in complete harmony with each other. High on a rock, Varys quietly observed the development from afar while communicating coordinates for his zombified cyborgs to fight Penumbra and his men. The cyber demon’s drone was entirely locked on Zeloph, analyzing every aspect of him. His hand balled tightly at his side.

“Patience…” he told himself.

Alma cackled teasingly as she made her foe scurry around, avoiding each strike of her whip. “Run around all ye want! Ye’re only prolongin' th' inevitable. You were a fool tae seek this matchup~!”

“I've faced far worse odds,” panted Shadow Scythe, despite her claim not being valid. But she needed herself and her allies to remain confident. To think they were champions capable of the impossible if they hoped to survive this nightmare.

“Don’t delude yerself, wannabe reaper,” the Vice Lord hissed. “Unlike Doppia, ye face a true demon of Pathos! Before ye stands th' Baobhan Sith! Th' maker ov widows an' slayer ov men! An' before th' night is young, Ah will feast on yer heart~!”

A chuckle rose from Shadow Scythe. “Well, that’s too bad. My heart belongs to someone else…”

Her icy eyes briefly look to Zeloph, who unleashed a nova of light to blast away the warmongering demons while his sister and Penumbra toppled over them. The pale unicorn felt his warmth fill her with confidence even from a distance. He'd offered her another reason to live!

Glaring at her vampiric foe, she unleashed a storm of shadow sickles and propelled herself forward. Even with her abnormal reflexes, Alma couldn’t evade all the blades as parts of her flesh were cut off. Shadow scythe seized an opportunity to disarm her, slicing the thorny whip into ribbons.

Enraged, Alma leaped towards a stray group of soldiers and decapitated them all. Using her hemomancy, she directed their blood into herself, assimilating their life to replenish her fresh wounds. But that wasn’t all, as Shadow Scythe soon learned watching the vampire let out feral shrieks.

Her antlers grew larger, her animalistic features taking over her human appearance until Alma's face contorted into a hound-like snout with a flared nose and needle teeth. The Baobhan Sith shrieked at the reaper, who grimaced.

“A beauty and a beast,” she mockingly stated as she whirled her weapons around. But before she could attack, Alma was already in front of her, knocking the reaper away. Back on the defenses, Shadow Scythe was assaulted from all sides, the demonic beastess scuffling around faster than she could blink.

Alma’s sharpened talons secured the reaper’s cloak as she took flight, dragging Shadow Scythe into the rock and rubble before violently tossing her battered and bruised body into a pillar. Upon impact, she spat blood. Her eyes widened before she quickly blocked the vampiress’ next attack, her scythe’s shaft locked between the jaws of the beast.

“Give up already,” Alma snorted, her nostrils flaring at the scent of blood. “Sae long as th' Burning King runs free, ye will never be safe! At least when ye’re mah concubine, yer end will be far more pleasurable~!”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Baobhan Sith!” Bellatrix cried as she drove a hard kick into the Vice Lord’s head, knocking her aside. With Iclyn and Brutus aiding her sister and Lady Ewe, the she-devil focused her attention elsewhere. Roosting by her side were gargoyles straight off the manor’s roof, her personal sentinels.

Shadow Scythe managed to catch her breath and cracked her sore neck. Airly, she muttered, “Thanks…”

“Go help the others,” Bellatrix insisted, shrouded neck down in black leather. “I’ll handle this one.”

With a nod, she submerged into the shadows and rushed to her lover’s side, leaving the red-skinned mistress with the bestial demoness, who glared hotly when she met her cool stare.

“Ye should be on our side,” Alma noted. “Ye’re a fellow demoness, are ye not? Why dae ye oppose th' reign ov fire?”

“Because unlike you, I don't submit to anyone,” retorted Bellatrix, who flipped her dagger into her hand. “Let alone an omnicidal monster!”

Her declaration made the vampiress cackle wicked. “Don’t confuse mah compliance wit submission. Th' moment that bastard shows any signs ov weakness, Ah won’t hesitate tae rip his head off an' use his skull as a chalice!”

“Hmm. Cunning, insightful, and deadly. If not for that treacherous streak, you would make for a great servant in my growing court.”

Alma only laughed harder. “Fancy yerself th' Queen ov Hell, dae ye? Haha! Ye’re quite ambitious, A’ll give you that! But let’s see ye back that claim wit more than just talk!”

The Vice Lord jumped at Bellatrix, who lunged with her sentinels behind her, the two demons locking themselves in bloodied combat.

Sweat pooled down Iclyn as she continued to evade the Burning King’s claws. Aware she couldn’t keep this chase up forever, the deighdyr swirled around to start freezing the atmosphere around the skinless monstrosity.

Steam evaporated off his bare musculature, his horse head panting fowl steam. The Burning King stomped his front hooves into the ground with a frustrated snarl, sending a tectonic rupture to trip Iclyn off her course.

The doe tumbled until she caught herself with shaking limbs. Looking up, her green eyes widened as the nuckelavee steadily approached. Smoke fumed from his panting maws.

“Nͪ͏o͋wͩ͛ͣ̋̈́ͫh̡́ͪ̾ͭͤe͗͑͗̑͡rͧ̅̇̊ė̡̎̓͋ͦ̾ ͠l̔̒̂ͥͮ̕ȇ̡̉̑f̈́tͫ̾͐ ͛̕t͋͘o̎͂ r̨̉̄ŭͣͬ͋͠n̶ͨ́̾̏͒,ͣ̀” he said before vomiting flames. Instinctively, Iclyn conjured a flurry of snow to push back. Fire and ice struggled to repel one another, hissing steam wafting the air. But Iclyn felt the heat melt through her magic, hearing screams cry out from the immolation.

Thankfully, Grimmwald intervened to raise a reflective barrier that repealed the fire back at the source. The Burning King yelled in outrage when his magic blasted into his face, temporarily blinding him. This gave Oona enough time to bind his limbs with bands of light. Beatrix helped Iclyn up and, together, they unleashed a combined blizzard to whirl around the roaring monster.

The deighdyr’s eyes brightened with white, her horns shimmering with auroral light as she cast her freezing spell. When the flurry ended, the Burning King was entombed entirely in a glacial prison.

“Haaah… W-we did it!” Beatrix wheezed, holding herself by the knees while catching her breath.

“All we’ve done is stall for time,” reminded Iclyn, who narrowed her gaze at the droplets leaking down the frozen surface while heat still radiated from atop. “This won’t hold him for long…”

“Then we better use it wisely,” Brutus snorted, eying the violet unicorn. “You’ve reserved enough magic, yes?”

“I-I think I can pull off one big spell,” she considered. “Maybe if we blast him together, it’ll–”

“Won’t work,” Iclyn dejected. “The kelpie said he was empowered by all the people he has slain. Do you really think our abilities can withstand the might of thousands of tormented souls?"

“I’m afraid the deighdyr has a point,” the bull-man agreed. “Even with our combined magic, it wouldn’t be enough to obliterate the nuckelavee. We need a concrete solution, Belladonna! Or else we’re doomed!”

“Beatrix,” Oona spoke up. “Ye boasted about openin' a black hole tae swallow him up. Could ye dae it?”

The witch paled at the suggestion. “I-I mean, I’ve never done something that massive before! I don’t even know if I have the energy to try! What if I lose control, and it consumes everyone!?”

“Well, you better make a decision,” insisted the female deer. “Our problems only escalate the longer this battle goes on…”

Beatrix gulped once she observed their current circumstances. Suela held onto the remnants of her fellow mystics, Storbjorn’s stone helmet, and Gaoth’s woven cloth. The others made a valiant effort in confronting the legion of Pathos. Yet many of their own troops had fallen in battle, some reduced to scattered ashes.

And while the eldritch abomination warded off more attackers, the witch could tell by its movements the creature was waning in strength.

“... Alright, I’ll try,” ultimately decided Beatrix, who balled her fists. “Let me replenish a bit more mana. Then I’ll launch this sucker into the farthest depth of space!”

“I’ll keep the Burning King frozen for as long as I can,” Iclyn acknowledged while unleashing more flurries around the ice block.

Brutus turned to what remained of his soldiers and ordered, “We’ll surround Belladonna. Make sure nothing penetrates our defenses.”

With a salute, the paladins formed a barricade around their general, the witch, and dream shaman. “Focus, Ceann Oga. Ah know ye can dae this!” Oona whispered encouragingly.

Beatrix nodded, resting her head on her lover while concentrating on replenishing what was left in her spell pool into a spell that would turn the tide.

Another demon fell by Dion’s blade as the warrior panted heavily, sweat staining his daunt muscles. Wet Nurse and Foal Bearer were equally exhausted, resting back to back while sitting down. “Mistress–paah… really should have given us… haah… more supplements,” one sister complained.

“We haven’t fully settled with our new demonic urges,” confessed the other, who eyed her burly lover needily. “We hope this doesn’t disturb you, Sir Dion.”

“Nah, far from it,” he reassured, placing his hands on both their heads. “Ye both have gotten way stronger than Ah anticipated!”

The twins smiled, nuzzling his palm. “W-we’re… glad.”

“C’mon, guys, we can’t rest yet!” Midnight called while planting his spear through a gremlin's tiny chest, twisting it to ensure it died. The soldier was soaked in blood and perspiration, veins bulging out his arms and torso. He looked up to find his wife and best friend, still locked in their assault with the harpies. “Hang on! I’m coming-”

He yelped as a claw grabbed at his ankle, turning down to see one of the demonic corpses crawling up, letting out a sickening screech.

“Gaaah!?!”

Midnight kicked the animated torso away, only discovering other dead bodies suddenly rising back up. The twins instantly rose up, aghast. Dion muttered in disbelief, “Ye’ve gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me…”

Every single last demon the group had slain rose up anew. Some pulled together their dislocated limbs and appendages, revealing circuitry in places. Others couldn’t find the right parts and merged with different pieces, creating horrific amalgamations. And that wasn’t even the worst of it.

Penumbra froze when he witnessed his men raise up, their eyes lifeless as cybernetics started overriding their cadavers. His hold on his scimitar trembled as he rallied with the two demi-humans and Shadow Scythe.

Even the harpies and winged fiends Cerise and Moonlight had butchered began taking flight, wires crackling to reattach their wings, branding them in metal.

“Oh, well, that’s just great,” the teal-maned batmare groaned.

“No way,” Cerise panted. “We just finished slaughtering these assholes!”

“At this rate, we’ll be too exhausted before they take any lasting damage,” complained Shadow Scythe.

Ana added, “We're fucked!!”

“Not unless we take out the source,” observed Zeloph, who fixated his glare on the cyber demon watching from afar. Suspecting this was part of the Vice Lord’s Onoma, he spread his swan-shaped wings and took flight, yelling out. “Cover me!”

The zombified corpses let out a war cry and resumed their attack, forcing the defenders to fight. Cerise and Moonlight flew after to block off any pursuing harpies and give the Fallen One a clean path to Varys.

But as he soared closer, the drone levitating next to the plague doctor activated, launching a barrage of missiles at Zeloph, who spun and sliced through each projectile. When that proved obsolete, the cyber demon erected a hexagonal barrier to block his advancing foe.

But the demi persisted, and flash stepped right in front of him, forcing Varys to leap away from his swinging sword. It was Zeloph’s turn to square off with a Vice Lord, maneuvering around the drone’s laser blasts while keeping his opponent on the defense.

“Nice,” the reaper commented. “He’s got him on the ropes!”

“Go get him, Zelly!” Cheered the neon demoness.

But Moonlight noticed the demi-human missed one of those missiles, which headed straight for Cerise, who was distracted by the fury of feathers fluttering around her. Beating her wings, she rushed over crying out, “WATCH OUT!!”

The bat mare intercepted the blast before the princess could realize it, an explosion knocking away all aerial fighters. Moonlight’s body plummeted towards the blackened earth, the membrane of her wings disintegrating.

“MOONLIGHT!!” Both Cerise and Midnight screamed, the latter bulldozing through multiple demons, corpses, and zombified cyborgs to reach her. His green eyes widened to find gremlins on top of her, scratching at her wings, tearing at her back while she hollered in agony.

At that moment, memories of the changelings similarly swarming around innocents flashed before him as he roared in rage. He grabbed the little cretins and pulled them apart limb from limb. Slobber spewed from his mouth as he bellowed, launching at the rest of the demons.

Cerise flew down to aid her herd mate, her hot pink eyes watery at sight. Only broken bones stripped of muscle and membrane remained, blood oozing out the singed flesh. “N-no..!”

“MY WINGS!!” Moonlight bawled, eyes shut as tears streamed through. “I-I CAN’T FEEL MY WINGS!!”

Zeloph had witnessed what happened, and, enraged, he empowered his zweihänder with sun fire, slicing at the cybernetic doctor’s steel-plated body. Even when Varys tried retaliating with his iron tail, the demi-human caught it with glowing hands and tore it straight from his spine. An agonized metal screech echoed before the fallen angel delivered a flurry of punches, followed by kicking him through a pillar, the rubble collapsing on top.

Varys weakly staggered to his feet, wires and sparks crackling from his battered and dented body. The beak mask was significantly compromised, his visors flickering. Nonetheless, he calmly spoke to the winged immortal.

“Most impressive,” he complimented while clutching his malfunctioning arm wear. “Every bit as powerful as I had imagined. You are a magnificent specimen!”

“Flattery will not save you, Vice Lord,” sneered Zeloph, who angled his heavenly blade to deliver the finishing blow. “I don’t give mercy to those who prey on the meek!”

“How bold of you to say that, considering your ‘complicated’ history with terrans. Not that I blame you after all the trauma you’ve endured by the hand of your father.”

His celeste blue eyes dilated at the mention of his parental figure, causing him to tackle the robotic plague doctor. Grasping him by his coat collar, Zeloph yelled, “Don’t ever mention that monster! You know nothing about my father!!”

“On the contrary,” Varys coughed. “I know quite a lot. About him. About you.”

The respiratory filters on his mask unlocked, gas hissing through the canisters. He pulled the damaged visor off with shaking hands, revealing his face to the false idol. A face Zeloph recognized all too well. His eyes became pinpoints with shock, his sword dropping from his hand.

“... N-no… it can’t be… y-you?”

A raspy human-sounding voice spoke, “It’s been a long time, Zeloph. When last we met, you were but a boy. Now, look at you. All grown up.”

From the outskirts, the others couldn’t make out what was happening. Only that the reanimated corpses had all stopped. Dion managed to get a hold of Midnight to calm him down. The pegasus collapsed by Moonlight’s side, bitter tears running down his snout. The twins did their best to ease the pain, where Wet Nurse applied her medical expertise and Foal-Bearer tore strips off her skirt.

“What’s going on?” Penumbra asked with suspicion. “Why hasn’t he slain him!?”

“I’m not sure… but something is wrong,” observed Shadow Scythe, who narrowed her worried gaze.

“Well, don’t just stand there and gawk! After him!” Ana barked, pushing away to take flight while the two ponies followed after her.

Zeloph slowly backed away while Varys stood upright, removing more pieces of his broken metal vessel. He couldn’t believe his eyes, demanding, “I-I... don't understand. W-what happened to you?”

“The Divine Father’s kindness,” he crudely stated. “When I served as his acolyte, I was fascinated with the potential breakthroughs harnessing his divinity would provide for medical science. Back then, I was only a practicing doctor with a degree in robotic engineering. But if I could obtain that power, I could have done so much more! Every ailment that has plagued mankind wiped clean from the cell. All that I required was a small sample of his blood. And… well, you can imagine his response to such a request.”

Tearing off his long cloak and metal torso, Zeloph was hit with the strong urge to puke upon seeing what little remained of the Vice Lord’s humanity. Compressed inside a cybernetic rib cage was a pulsating heart and lungs, both black and sickly looking.

“For all my servitude and dedication to his glory, my reward was a flesh-eating disease and banishment from paradise,” continued Varys, who put on his mask. “Had I failed to reach my laboratory in time, I would have surely perished. Endless days of replacing my decaying flesh until only my vitals remained. Still, the sickness could merely be slowed before fully infecting my lungs and heart.”

“It’s a miracle you’re even alive,” stated Zeloph.

“No,” the Vice Lord denied. “Miracles are for terrans who cling to the idea of a higher power. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Gods do not care for anything that isn’t themselves.”

The demi-human pursed his lips, unable to disagree with that sentiment.

“But the same can be said about humanity. It still boggles my mind how terrans have survived when they have failed as a species. Talking apes that kill each other for such trivial things! Social differences. Religion. Economy. Equality. What was the point in becoming a doctor when your patient refuses to take their medicine?”

Zeloph clenched his fist tightly, having long considered those same questions. Even as he fought against that mentality, he couldn’t shake away those doubts thoroughly.

“That’s when I discovered my calling with robotics,” Varys opened up. “Unlike people, technology is pure and clean. No risk of contamination. No distracting thoughts or emotions to prevent progress. If there is an error or damage, it can be fixed and rebuilt! And then, I had an epiphany; what if I could merge organic tissue with bionic matter?”

The fallen angel’s glare deepened as he said, “You’re insane..!”

“Am I?” Varys countered. “Back in our world, mortals depend on technology more than ever. So not only is transmutation the next logical step in evolution; it is natural! Where man and so-called gods will wither, biomechanical organisms would take over and become the dominant species. And I was to herald that great age… until I mysteriously found myself in Pathos, where my allegiance was forced to the Burning King.”

Both men looked over to where the frozen Nuckelavee stood, clouds of steam hissing through the cracking ice while the Deighdyr tried to maintain temperature. Beatrix had finished recovering and, with Oona and Grimmwald’s help, began channeling her Onoma.

“Instead of fulfilling my grand design, I worked tirelessly into weaponizing his forces for the End of Days,” the Vice Lord stated with a hint of bitterness. “Everything I created would just be destroyed. I was beginning to believe my ambition would forever be unachieved. That is... until I heard that you were present, Zeloph.”

His attention returned to the fallen angel, who nervously took up a stance while asking, “Me? What do I have to do with any of this?!”

“Everything,” answered Varys, whose drone hovered close by, carrying something in its metal arms. His celeste eyes widened upon recognizing the missing crystalline spear from the battle in Canterlot, the head still drenched in his blood.

“For so long, I’ve experimented on various subjects to find the perfect balance of cybernetic and organic components. Regular mortal tissue has proven too weak for that. But your unique genetic properties of both terran and divine DNA might just be the balance I’m looking for! Of course, I had to ensure the Burning King’s resurgence so that I could remove his infernal mark on my soul. Doppia, desperate to usurper her fellow Vice Lords, became a valuable asset at my disposal…”

“So it was you who tricked Doppia into following this entire scheme?” Zeloph declared, “Just so you could get your hands on my blood!?”

“A risky objective,” affirmed the Vice Lord. “I couldn’t rely on someone that incompetent, and I still required the Omega Prophecy to be fulfilled. But fortunately for me, your involvement with Beatrix Belladonna helped push her into pursuing the Child of Ligthendark. Thus, bringing about the End of Days and, more importantly, my freedom. And now, thanks to you…”

Varys broke apart the shaft before holding the spear tip in his hands, aiming it directly at his exposed heart.

“... I can continue my work!”

“NOOOOOO!!!”

Without hesitation, the mechanical demon plunged the bloody edge into his exposed chest, emanating a painful yell. His withered form lurched over, black bile spilling out.

Yet despite the severe wound, Zell’s essence began to take effect.

On a nanoscopic scale, the demi-human's blood was transfused with the Vice Lord’s. The newly formed cells multiplied at an alarming rate, overriding his circulatory, immune, and respiratory systems. New biomechanical tissue replenished his withered organs and limbs. Sparks of lightning wrapped and crackled around the scientist's shape.

Zeloph lunged at the doctor, trying to prevent this transformation. But the high-pitched screech and erupting energy blew him away. The demi could only watch in horror as Varys’ silhouette steadily grew larger, his body reshaping itself. Even his detached tail grew back into place.

Down below, the zombified legion of Pathos stopped attacking altogether. The party stared perplexed as they jerked with sparks of electricity crackling over their limbs before dropping limply. And when Shadowy Scythe, Ana, and Penumbra reached Zeloph, an electromagnetic pulse was unleashed across the entire crater.

Bellatrix and Alma paused their battle to gaze at the pillaring beam of electricity.

“Aaagh!? What’s happening?” The she-devil demanded with a hiss.

The Baobhan Sith responded with a sneer. “That vile doctor! What is he doing!?”

Beatrix, Oona, Brutus, Suela, and Iclyn were also drawn towards the sudden energy spike, their concentration broken long enough for the Burning King to burst free from his icy prison. Flames spewed from his roaring maws.

“Shit!!” The doe cried, trying to reapply her spell. But the nuckelavee didn’t falter, melting every layer of ice wrapped around him. Grimmwald and Beatrix once more summoned another barrier. This time, trapping the Burning King into a magical sphere. Angrily, he thrashed about, growing more impatient with this stalling tactic.

“C’mon, guys,” groaned the witch, her violet eyes locked at the dimming light. “What’s going on over there?!”

Varys stood out from the smoke when the illumination completely faded, static jolting around his upgraded form. His cloak had been bleached white, the tail end singed while tron lines pulsated. His metallic armor darkened, his raven-like mask a new shape. Between joints, internal circuitry glowed a vibrant electric purple. He now stood at three point five meters tall. The cyber demon’s hellish visors scanned over his palms, which he squeezed a couple of times.

Taking a brief inhale through his respiratory filters, Varys sighed out, “Ahhh… I feel much better!”

Shadow Scythe helped her lover to his feet while Penumbra quietly snuck around. Spiteful, the neon demon demanded, “What have you done!?”

In response, he motioned for his drone, which struggled to remain afloat due to the static interference, and requested, “Analysis.”

A brief thin beam washed over Varys from the aperture before it responded. “Scan: complete. Biological and technological symbiosis: successful. All organic tissue: galvanized. Health: stabilized. DNA structure: Demi-human.”

“No,” denied Zeloph, who refused to believe the drone. “That’s not possible!”

“Then you have much to learn,” the cyber demon said as he rolled his wrists. “It is true that you and your sister are the only natural-born Demi humans. But that doesn’t mean others weren’t made.”

“W-what..?!”

Varys gave a cruel chuckle. “Alas, poor Zeloph. Always underneath Deus’ shadow. Your father hid so much just to keep his precious lapdog on a leash.”

Apollo's light flared off the false idol’s feathers as he flew at the plague doctor, throwing down a fiery slash. But Varys anticipated this attack and retaliated by extending an electrical saw from his left gauntlet. Sparks scattered off the opposing blades until they backed off.

The Vice Lord observed this new function before laughing ecstatically. “It's been far too long since I got to carry out preliminary testing!”

Varys took up the offense with his renewed strength and forced those embedded with his cybernetics to resume the attack. Once more, the legion of Pathos came back to life, striking harder and faster at Dion, Midnight, and the twins. Cerise had to fend off more aerial assailants from reaching the cold Moonlight.

Snarling, Shadow Scythe leaped into action, trying to split Varys apart with her blades. The Vice Lord deflected each strike with his circular saw blade; some of the tendrils he sliced through. Ana kicked her way into the fight, trying to keep their foe off balance while working with the reaper. Zeloph channeled his Onoma through his sword and launched solar waves at Varys.

Sensing the incoming projectiles, Varys caught one of Anarchia’s kicks with his claw-tipped tail before flinging her into Shadow Scythe. His buzzsaw glowed with electricity as he slashed through each of the demi-human’s waves. With his other hand, a cannon formed from its gauntlet. Energy particles were sucked into the spinning nozzle as he took aim and fired a lightning ray.

Instantly, Zeloph’s ophanim shield activated to absorb the blast. Thankfully, the electrical stream ended right before his barrier dissolved.

Varys fell to one knee, clutching his short-circuiting arm. His drone scanned him once more before giving another reading.

“Warning: Energy levels depleting due to extended use! Recommendation: Avoid prolonged combat and retreat!”

“Objection,” the cyber demon replied. “Not while the Burning King remains an active threat! All of this will be for nothing if-”

Suddenly, a curved blade sliced into Varys’ back, causing him to screech and jerk his head to find the pale pegasus behind him.

“I’d be more concerned with yourself, demon,” Penumbra grunted, cleaning the oil-like blood off his scimitar. “When I’m done with you, I’ll salvage your parts for sturdier weapons! You will pay for what you’ve done to my squadron!!”

With a battle cry, the commander furiously swung his blade, managing to dent pieces of the plague doctor’s exterior. But before he could deliver the killing blow, Varys clasped his hand around Penumbra’s wrists, twisting it to release his sword’s grip.

“Primitive mindset,” Varys sneered while his talons pierced through, injecting a strange fluid. “Vengeance will only breed more vengeance. Here, allow me to alleviate your burden.”

The pegasus screamed, feeling pain jolt up throughout his arm. His green eyes dilated as binary marking slowly corroded his flesh, turning it into a sickly gray. Then his limb began to rot, his bones and muscles melting to reveal new metal parts and wires forming.

Penumbra stumbled back, crying bloody murder as the pain increased tenfold. Realizing his impending demise, the pegasus grabbed his sword and sliced off his infected arm right above the elbow.

“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUURGGH!!”

“Brother!!” Cerise cried before ducking another harpy swoop.

“Ooh,” Varys sounded while studying the departed arm, which fully became technorganic and tried crawling away. His visors locked back on Penumbra, who tore off his cape and covered his missing limb. “Outstanding tenacity! Most mortals lack the willpower to perform self-amputation in such a dire situa-guurh!!”

A swift kick from Zeloph shut the scientist up, sending him crashing through his drone. He glared at his adversary and, with ragged breath, muttered, “Serves you right for underestimating their limits!”

Quickly, he knelt down to tend to Penumbra, using his solaromancy to cauterize the wound and prevent further blood loss. The pegasus looked to the demi-human in gratitude before surrendering to unconsciousness.

“Don’t worry,” promised Zeloph. “I’ll restore your arm an-hnngh!?!”

But he was cut off by steel pincers securing his neck before being pulled away, hanging before Varys. “Ahh, yes. That superb healing touch. What a marvelous skill you have,” the mechanical plague doctor noted. “But how does it compare to my visceral effects?”

“Let’s find out!” The Fallen One spat, using his wings to slam his opponent back. The two demi-humans squared off in a duel once more, deflecting each other's projectiles and blows. Zeloph’s zweihänder hummed loudly, burning brightly in his hand. Delivering a push kick to the Vice Lord’s midsection, he flipped into the air to bring down his sword with all his might.

Forming his circular saw blade, Varys pushed back. Bolts of heat and electricity scattered around as neither opponent relented.

But the struggling force proved too much as the saw’s serrated edges began chipping away at the blade until the sword snapped in half, launching Zeloph into a crumbled pillar. Celeste eyes aghast at his broken blade, more shattered steel falling apart from the hilt. Before Zeloph could get back up, Varys stomped his foot onto his torso, pinning him to the ground.

“This doesn’t have to end badly for you, Zeloph,” the cyber demon offered. “You'd make such a compelling apprentice. Think of all the work we could accomplish together! The dawning of a brand new era! One where demi-humans and machinery can thrive in harmony!”

Varys extended his left hand and said, “Join me, and all who follow will look to you as-”

“Their savor?” The fallen angel cut him off. “No, I’ve been down that route. All I accomplished was heartache and ruin. I will not be the precipice of humanity. And I will not stand by as you corrupt more innocent lives! You’re not a doctor, Varys. You’re sick!”

The light in his visors narrowed, using his hand to instead grab the demi’s neck, holding him up.

“No, Zeloph,” he told him as he poised his right extended talons, transmutative liquid dripping down the points. “Humanity is sick! I am the cure!!”

With a schling, a sickle sliced through Varys’ hand. Outraged, he threw the Fallen One away before another wave of magic knocked the cyber demon off his feet. Weapon raised overhead; Shadow Scythe floated down to take a defensive stand in front of her lover and spat, “Cure that!”

Oily blood oozed from his missing limb as Varys formatted his buzzsaw blade. But his other arm became crushed under venus flytrap jaws when Ana swooped down, eyes glaring red.

“Keep your nasty claws off my brother!” She yelled before tearing the limb off. The Vice Lord stumbled back on trembling legs, jolts and fried circuits crackling from his gushing wounds. Then he saw the rest of their entourage climb up and rally behind, the warriors and twins covered in bruises, scratches, and demon blood. The reaper lifted the weakened demi over her shoulder while Wet Nurse and Foal-Bearer secured Penumbra.

A harrowing shriek sounded as Alma was tossed next to him, reverting to her humanoid form. Bellatrix and what remained of her stone sentinels touched down, surrounding the Vice Lords. A colossal shadow rose behind them when the mansion emerged, the beast within having eaten Pathos’ army for demonic sustenance. Several tentacles severed from the exterior as discolored blood oozed and squirted from its wounds. Crunches sounded from its mouths.

“It’s over for you,” the succubus declared. “Surrender now, and I’ll-”

A thunderous scream drew everyone's attention back to Beatrix and her group. The barrier keeping the Burning King at bay shattered as the avatar of destruction bellowed with outrage.

“Yͨ̾ͦ́o̍̈̃́ù̇̍́̐͛͒͛ͩ̀’̛̓͂́v͋̔͌͋ͥ͊̑҉̸͠e͑̊̍̌͏̢͢ ͩ̒ͮ͌̈̌̉ͮ̃iͣ̈̄ͦ̓͟n̸̴̆̒ç̧̿̈́̽͗ͮ̑͗a̎̓͏̨͞r̅̌ͩ̆́̀̊̚͏̛c̵̢̆̒e̽́ͨ̾͆̇́͞ŕ͊̋́͠aͬͭͣͭͣ̉́͞tͫ̈͑ͫ͜͢͟e͑ͧͤ̇͒͟d̆͆͒͛͋ ͦͯͤ̅̿ͨ͊̓m̢͋̉̽͒ͬ͊̎e̡̓̑̓̈́ͧ̉ͪ͡҉ ̸̄̐̃f̡ͣ̈͛̃o̽ͣ̀͠͞r̷͒͊ͫ̒̇͞ ̴ͪ͐͂͞t̀̆̈ͣ̌͠ḩ̷̂eͬ̏́͗ͩ̀ ̶̡ͤ͛͊ͧ͞L̅͌͂ͯÄ́̑̿͢͢S̢̨ͧ̀̓͝T͒͋̋̎̓̂҉̸ ̢̉̋ͫ̂̿͋͛̚͘͠T̛͛ͮ̋I̶ͩ̃̔̀ͨ̍̀M̍̒͌̇͐͌̍̕E̐ͥ̿͆̀̄̉̒̍͠͠!̇̂͠” The Burning King declared, his crown roaring with a plume of phantasmal flames. “N̶ͣ̄̃ͪ̏̃̓̈́͘͡oͦ̎̚҉̸͏wͥ̍͑ͯ̽́̚͠.̷ͮ͌.̎ͥ͛̀́.̴́̽!͑ͣ ͦ͆ͨ͟E̴͊͋͂̇̐̊ͫ͒Vͪͭ͗ͯͮ͐ͦ̆Eͥ̾̎͆̌̀̔ͯR̵̶͋̓̈̀͑̅ͧY͊ͥͦ̑́O̧̎ͯ̑̉ͯ͡N͌ͧ̌͟E̒̓̒̑̈ͭ̏̈́ͩ!̈́ͫ̉͆ͭ͗̌̕!̧̊͜ ̷̓̌̋̿͟D̸ͥ̏̎͊̓͂̓ͥ͟I͗̅̈ͥ̈ͪI̶̷̽͌ͤ̓͗̓̃͡Iͭ̍̈́̓͠͝Iͭ͌̽ͩ̈̕Ïͫ͋̎̍͋́̚ȊͫI͐̆ͧ͡I̐̄̓̉ͭ̑̽̕Ȋ̚Iͧͯ͝Ǐ̴̆͡E̴ͮͩ͋̆ͦ̈́̈́҉E̽ͧ̚E̶ͫ͛͒Eͪ͛ͪ̂͐̐́͘Eͣ̔E̸͊̉̚E̛ͪ̐͋ͯĘ̢ͬ́́È̡̊̑̓̒̈ͤỀ̛̓ͫͮ͌͋S̀ͥ̿͑ͧ͂̿͏S̢ͦ̎̉̎̏͆ͯS̵̸ͩ!̡̾͒̓ͪͭͪ̂̇́!ͨ̂͌̄͏͠!̴̛̆̃̐͝”

A pyre erupted from the Burning King as he went ballistic. Ashe and embers rained from the immolated heavens. The scorching heat was hot enough to melt Douglas from his icy prison. The kelpie took in the situation, watching his ruler unleash his unbridled wrath in flames. Aware he was at a major disadvantage, the drowned stallion gave a reasonable response,

“... naw, fuck this!!”

And jumped into the infernal vortex in hopes it'll take him far away from hell’s reach.

Varys observed what remained of the legion of Pathos. Each of their vessels combusted as their ignited souls were sucked into the infernal vacuum spiraling around their master. His visors shifted to his foes, who clutched at their heads from the sudden searing pain. Realizing this was his only chance to escape, the Vice Lord made a leap towards his damaged drone and pierced it with the extraction from his tail.

The machine emitted an ear-piercing squeal before dissolving into particles, flowing through the cyber demon’s body. Varys managed to mend his broken arms with the salvage material, with the addition of bionic wings sprouting from his back.

“Varys!!” Zeloph strained as he attempted to run after him before tumbling down.

“Another time, Zeloph,” the cyber demon swore as he took flight. “Now go, and be a hero!”

“You cowardly swine,” came the angered shriek of Alma, who watched both her comrades disappear into the fiery cosmos, abandoning her. “Get back here or sae help me, A’ll-uuuaaah!?”

Her rant was cut off from the elongated tongue that wrapped around her and dragged the vampiress through the manor’s doors. Her screams were drowned by the sickening belch the beast let out, swallowed into the darkness.

“Can’t let all the demons escape,” Bellatrix stated. “Now hurry! We have to–GAAGH!”

Everyone gasped as the she-devil's chest was skewered by the Burning King, who pulled out her heart and crushed it mid-beat like a bloody water balloon, where it burst into a red spray.

“SISTER!!” Beatrix shouted when Lady Ewe, Iclyn, and Lord Grimmwald chased after the Avatar of Destruction. Bellatrix’s body collapsed, crimson juices seeping out the cavity in her chest. The nuckelavee rose on his hind legs, letting out a horrid cry while on a rampage.

All who were able jumped in to attack their final foe. Dion and Midnight yelled while grappling the skinless demon’s front, ignoring the burns scorching their flesh. Shadow Scythe, Ana, and Cerise lashed at his claws, ducking whenever the Burning King attacked. Iclyn launched icicle shards into his back, at least wounding the monster before her magic evaporated. Brutus erected one last barrier in front of their wounded should things go wrong. Foal-Bearer and Wet Nurse guarded their fallen mistress, axes in hand, while Oona and Suela patched up Zeloph.

This left Beatrix to conjure their coup de grace, mustering as much dark and archaic magic into her hand as she could, aware that now was her only shot to take down the Avatar of Destruction.

“Aaagh!! Hurry, lass!!” The warrior ram yelled, straining to pin the skinless horseman’s front legs, aware he could buckle in an instant.

“We can’t hold him back much longer!” The pegasus soldier seethed as his veins pulsed.

“We’re dying here, Belladonna!!” The reaper screamed when she abandoned her white cloak that caught fire. "It's now or never-!"

“H-Hang on! We’ve got this,” the charcoal princess declared before plunging her spear into the cycloptic eye of the steed head. A painful screech emanated out its maw before Cerise was dealt a heavy blow from the Burning King’s talon, slicing through her midriff. She doubled over to vomit.

“CERISE!!!” Midnight bellowed before his hold loosened enough for the nuckelavee to kick both warriors aside. Shadow Scythe made a swipe at his arm only to get back fisted, knocking her into the deighdyr. The neon demon snarled, slashing at the Burning King’s face to blind him. But she, too, was dealt with brutality, her body raked and singed by his hand before collapsing.

“NO!” Beatrix screamed, watching with fearful eyes as all her battered friends lay motionless on the blackened ground. Then they fell on the Burning King, whose wounded body smoked and oozed with hot discolored blood.

“Y͋͑͡͠o͆͗͢͟u͛̊̊̂̒̆ͭ̚ř͞ ̨ͤ̾̓ͯ͠j́̽ͫ͆͂҉ơ̎̉̉͂ͫ͋̿̑́̕ų̢̓ͫ̃̕r̶ͣͣ͟n̈́̑ͬ͑̓̄ͯ͏eͬ̅̌͗͊͛̆̚͝ÿ̒ͭ̇ ̨ͤͯ̎͢e̶ͬͮ̈́ͬ̓ͤ́͞n̢̅̐͐̂̉̒̚҉̧ď̛̊ͮ̆̑́̚s͌̇ ̀̑̔̈̍͗̿͒h̒ͧ̄̄̽̒ͦ̚͡e͒ͣ͛̕͡r̡͆ͤe͌͊͘͢͝,̵̛ͫ͐ͤ̇͡ ̛̅̈͑ͧ̄͆͘w̵̡̃̽̀i̓̔̅tͥͩ͘cͫͫ͒̔͑͒́h̛̓͊̐ͮ̓ͩ́!ͭ́ͥ͐ͨͨ̆̕!͐͑́̄̿̒̚͏” The Avatar of Destruction roared when he made a beeline for her. Panic escalated once Beatrix prepared to fire her spell prematurely before a storm of prismatic fireworks exploded in front of his face.

Her childish twin floated in between them, crying out, “LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE, YOU BIG MEANIE!”

“MIni-Trix!? No! Get out of here! It’s dangerous!!”

“Nu-uh! You gotta give him everything you’ve got, or our goose is cooked!”

“F̈̔ͯ͒́Ǫ̐ͬ̅ͬ͗ͥͮ̕͢Uͫ̿͡L̢ͮ͊͑ͧ,͗̑͝ ̶ͥ̊ͫ͋͞͝L̡̈́ͪ́͡I̽̅̔͛̃̎̄̎̽́T̶̵ͭ̌ͭ̎ͯ͒͊͠T̢͂ͥ̃Ļ̵̑̎͑ͫ̑ͦ̃̚͡Eͧ̈҉͞ ̶ͤͫ͒ͣ̈C̴̨̔́R̆̐́͡E̛̓ͥ͡T̢̆́̃̇̈̀I̧̓ͤͯ͏N̴̐̔̅ͭͮͨ!͐̂͘!͌̈́́́͝!̆̐̽͐̔͐” The Burning King bellowed as the tulpa pulled his attention towards her, dropping an obscene amount of smoke bombs, rockets, and sparklers to distract him. The wayward witch gave one final push until she built up spell proved fully potent with short breaths.

“I-I got it! Now get out of the way, Mini-”

Beatrix nearly lost composure at the sight of the little mare trapped within the Burning King’s grasp, evaporating into ashes with shrill dying screams. Releasing the blackened dust, he turned his decrepit skull back to her, a rictus grin stretched while he sprinted over to finish her off.

Tears streamed down the witch’s face before she wailed like a banshee, her power fluxing as she unleashed the dark sphere at the nuckelavee’s chest. The Nuckelavee realized too late what had been thrown at him until an unnatural force began pulling within. The black hole expanded, bending the Burning King’s form as his musculature, bones, and flames were assimilated into the dark mass. Outraged, he desperately hooked his claws into the ground, wailing at Beatrix while his stretched flesh and matter were stripped piece-by-piece off his burnt skeleton.

Futilely, he reached to grab the violet mare, which cost him his grip. The witch witnessed the Burning King’s demise with righteous fury, watching the flames extinguish from his head and torso while his skinless body stretched until it dissolved into nothingness. His final drawn-out scream echoed throughout the timeless void.

With what little energy she had left, Beatrix dispelled the black hole before it could grow out of control. Her eyes rolled up into her head when the exhausted witch flopped into unconsciousness. The last thing to grace her ears was Oona’s soft voice, who cried out her name.

When next, Beatrix awoke, dizziness overwhelmed her. It felt like she was being pulled in many directions at once. As her dulled vision became less blurry, she found herself back inside the mansion, at rest in her dim bedroom.

And seated by her side was her beloved Oona, who let out a gasp seeing her marefriend stir. Beatrix was enveloped in warmth and wool, along with gentle tears dripping down the sheep sage’s face. “Oh, thank th' spirits,” she wept. “Ah don’t know what Ah would do if ye didn’t wake up!”

“A-auugh! E-easy, teach! I’m okay,” Beatrix assured, shuffling to sit up and return the hug. “My head is spinning a little, but I’ll be–”

“Not another word,” Lady Ewe shushed, laying the mare’s head down.

“B-but what happened after I blacked out?” She insisted, struggling to push back against her lover’s soft hands. “What about the Burning King?! And all the Vice Lords and his army? Are we still-”

“Shhhhhh,” the azure sheep hushed again before pointing towards the window, revealing a star-filled sky. “While th' prophecy came true, th' End ov Days has come tae pass,” Oona said with a smile. “Somehow, against all odds, the Burnin' King was vanquished during that final attack!”

“So then I’m not dreaming? W-we’re home!?”

Oona beamed a smile and nodded, patting her slightly swelled out tummy. “An' Abadonna’s safe an' sound inside me. We did it, Ceann Oga!”

“W-we did? Hah… w-we did!!” Happy tears streamed down her cheeks before the witch launched up to squeeze her wooly lover into a tighter hug, which she returned. The future parents cradled one another, laughing and sobbing simultaneously before sharing a long romantic kiss, cuddled close in her bed.

When Beatrix pulled away, she asked, “What about everyone else? Are they okay!?”

“They are,” confirmed the dream shaman, who lightly pushed the mare down. “A lot are recoverin' from th' grueling battle, an' only a few can help tend tae th' injured.”

The witch laid her head down, aware that the were many casualties. From the mystic guardians to the brave soldiers. As well as her own little creation being burnt to a crisp. And even then, no one came out unscathed, recalling Bellatrix having her heart ripped out and both Penumbra and Moonlight losing valuable limbs. She glanced at the walls, realizing blood seeped through the crevices. The eldritch creature was so weak it could barely maintain its house-like shell. Groans echoed throughout the labyrinthine corridors in low, eerie wails that sounded alien in nature.

“Fur now, Ah suggest ye rest,” Lady Ewe urged, running a hand through the witch’s platinum locks tinged in violet and placing another tender kiss upon her forehead. “We have much tae discuss once e'eryone is feelin' better.”

With a reluctant sigh, Beatrix conceded and relaxed into the bed. Watching the azure sheep walk away, she sang, “I love you, Oona~!”

“Ah love you, too, Beatrix. Ah always will,” she affirmed before gingerly shutting the door, leaving the adventurous witch to get a couple more hours of well-deserved sleep.

After all the hardships and certain death she and her band of misfits faced, Beatrix Belladonna felt like she rightfully earned a small respite at last.