The screams of the denizens can be heard from below as the ancient demon twists the empire into his own dark image. Obsidian, onyx, and shadowy crystals emerge from the earth and structures, flooding the land with an eldritch darkness. Lavey looks down at the scene with despair and horror as the ancient demon ravages the empire and feeds off of the negative energies festering in everyone's hearts.

"Brother, do you think you can pull him out of his host?" Atrum asks. "If I'm not mistaken, the only way the relic can be powered is by the love and light within the denizens of the empie. So fah, that won't be possible unless they ah reassued"

Lavey looks back at Twilight, who simply nods in correspondence with the plan. Fear and despair eat away at his heart but desperation and the desire to help his loved ones pushes him out of his despondency. He takes a deep breath and releases the fear festering within him. He nods to Atrum’s request and stands with his brother at the edge of the platform, overlooking the chaos.

“Twilight,” Lavey says calmly, “don’t touch the relic until I give you the signal. For all we know, the platform could be rigged.” He doesn’t turn back to analyze his mate's reaction but is certain that she nodded in compliance.

Atrum yanks two chunks of crystals from the nearby wall and tosses one to his brother. The siblings separate their hands, allowing the shapeless blocks to float between their palms. The crystals begin to morph and mold like clay until taking the shapes of deadly blades.

A Japanese ninjato with an onyx grip and a ruby blade is held within Lavey’s claws. Within Atrum’s is an English backsword with an azurite blade and obsidian grip and guards. Both weapons are made entirely of crystal and the minerals found within the earth, but are magically tempered and folded to pierce through steel.

“Regeneration takes up stamina, so we weaken the bastard a bit and you try an exorcism,” Atrum explains. “Brother, do not let your rage get to you. You must have control if you ah to unleash your divine power.”

Lavey rolls his eyes and, despite the oncoming front, smiles at his brother. “Of course, you idiot. Like I’d forget that. Also, if in case things go south, I'm going to need you to use your trump card." He points to his forehead and Atrum nods in comprehension.

The duo leap off the edge of the platform and glide over to the Beast, ready to face him head on. As much as Lavey wants to end the ancient demon now, he can't allow his rage and desire to kill overcome him. Angels are meant to be righteous and graceful, letting judgement fall to God to decide the verdict. If he can't control his anger, there's no way he can possibly win.

"Satan-spawns," the ancient demon growls.

The stench of malice and hatred—like burned, rotten meat—emanating from the fiend is strong, causing Lavey and Atrum to stagger in their flight, however, they continue their advancement. Swords reared back, they both swing in unison, only for the Beast to dodge effortlessly, and their swords phase through his misty body. His shapeless body is impossible to make contact with but, noticing how he moves his head out of the way, the brothers switch targets.

Atrum and Lavey decide to go for the solid head, swinging and jabbing in synchronization and in tune with each other's movements. However, the Beast can read their intentions perfectly and dodges every incoming attack like a weaving serpent, letting the swords cut through the empty air and his ethereal body.

While the brothers attempt to get a single lethal strike in, the Beast begins his own counterassault. Sombra's red horn seethes with dark magic, causing black crystals to erupt from the earth. Atrum manages to evade one of the spikes heading towards him but Lavey isn't so lucky. Three sharp spears skewer the hybrid—one in each arm and one through the gut—crucifying him in the air. Blood and viscera dribble down the spikes as he hangs in agonizing pain.

The Beast grins maniacally at the impaled hybrid and proceeds to summon another attack, but Atrum intervenes. The demon prince raises his sapphire sword and brings it crashing down onto the monster's skull, bisecting it into two equal halves. Blood gushes from the severed organs like fountains, spraying the street, Atrum, and his blade in fresh, crimson paint. However, to neither sibling's surprise, the Beast manages to smile from ear to ear with glee as his head rejoins and becomes whole again.

"Excellent!" the monster hisses with ecstasy. "You truly do live up to your bloodline, Satan-spawns! Entertain me more, boys!”

Unable to just sit around and do nothing, Lavey twists and jerks, breaking free from his crucifixion. As he lands on the ground, he forcibly yanks the spikes from his figure and allows the wounds in his body to easily regenerate, though at the cost of his strength. He watches as Atrum struggles to get another fatal shot on the Beast, only to continue missing through his body. Without wasting a second, Lavey jumps back into the fray.

The Beast ignites Sombra's horn once again and summons a set of floating, crystal projectiles, which he hurls at the approaching siblings, but only manages to pierce Atrum in the left hemisphere of his brain and through one of his hearts, splattering gore all over the street. The god laughs ecstatically over the demon's battered body and the scent of spilled blood.

Fortunately, he doesn't take notice of the ruby ninjato piercing the back of his skull. The blade is shoved in horizontally and, in a flash, Lavey slams his wrist on the grip of the sword, pulling it like a lever, and catapults brain matter and skull fragments from the Beast's cranium.

Unlike most angels and demons, who die when all three hearts are destroyed or when their brains are mutilated beyond repair, the Beast is an immortal god. His brain, despite its mutilated state, is able to regenerate effortlessly while he continues his onslaught.

The brothers continue to fight on despite their draining stamina and the Beast's immortal body. Suddenly, two crystal pikes emerge from the earth and pierce through both princes’ thoraxes. Lavey can feel nothing but unfathomable, burning agony coursing through his body. While one of his hearts are destroyed, the other two are severely wounded, hindering his regenerative abilities.

"I have heard of the current state of Hell," the Beast growls as he floats toward the writhing siblings. "Demons coexisting with one another and the Sons of God. How disgraceful Hell has become! Turning away from your glorious path of destruction and sin just to live righteous lives like the angels!"

He glares at both siblings who glower back at him, still squirming in pain. Suddenly, the Beast sniffs the air, picking up a peculiar scent from the atmosphere, and turns his wrathful gaze over to Lavey, who continues to try and break free from his bondage. The ancient demon hovers over the the writhing hybrid, nearing just inches away from his face. His eyes burn with malice but also some curiosity.

"You... I sense something else from you, Satan-spawn. You are not a full-blooded demon but part...divine. You are an abomination!"

The smoky body of the Beast finally solidifies, revealing his true form. His appearance no longer resembles that of a stallion but of a true demon. His head resembles that of a leopard with the maw and mane of a lion, which flows like sable fire. On his head are ten bony horns and a gleaming, golden diadem on his temple. His arms have developed grasping claws and his feet are like those of a bear. Two sets of leathery, black, draconic wings sprout from his back and a winding reptile tail whips around his legs.

A steel breastplate covers his abdomen and crystal plates line his appendages. A royal red and white mantle drapes behind him and the number 666 is branded in a spiral pattern onto his forehead.

He grabs Lavey by the throat, pressing down on the larynx and crushing his trachea. The Beast peers into the hybrid’s fearful eyes with unfettered malice and bloodlust as he gradually continues to apply pressure in his vice grip. Lavey can feel blood in his airway as he tries to gasp for air, only choking on the fluid. He can feel his mind beginning to blank and his eyes roll into the back of his head as he tries to fight for air. His muscles begin to relax and loosen as blood flow slows down through his body. He beats his fists on the Beast's grinning face but it's like throwing pillows at a wall.

Though asphyxiation won't result in death for the hell-spawn, he can't afford to fall unconscious, lest the Beast tries to finish him off while his lights are out.

“The spawn of a wretched angel and Satan. How polluted has Hell become in my absence? Because of your tainted blood, I’m assuming you were going to try and exorcise me from my host with your ‘holy power’?”

In one swift motion, the Beast tears off Lavey's head from his shoulders, removing a chain of his vertebrae in the process. Despite being decapitated, the prince glares at the ancient demon with fear and trembling. His body attempts to pull itself free from the crystal spike in its chest but it’s starting to lose strength.

“Demon-kind has grown soft over the course of my absence,” the Beast growls as he glowers at Lavey's head. “Your divine blood can not save you child, if you can not harness it to its full potential!”

“If you’re distracted long enough, he can, ya daft cunt!” Atrum refutes.

Lavey watches as his brother manages to break free from his pike and land in a shallow pool of blood. The hole in his chest slowly regenerates but his hearts are severely wounded, hindering the healing process. As the demon's wounds are sealed up, Atrum doesn't charge at the Beast, surprisingly. Instead, he glares at the monster and drops his broadsword, leaving the combatants in confusion.

Lavey silently questions his brother's motives until noticing the middle of his forehead splitting open horizontally to reveal a red eye. It has a ripple-like pattern which spreads over the eyeball, with a red sclera and iris, and a pentagram symbol etched on the iris itself.

The warn-torn battlefield begins to warp as the fabric of reality is altered according to Atrum's desire. With the Eye of Truth upon his forehead awakened, space and time are slaves to the prince's will, making him the “God of this World”.

The spike impaling Lavey disintegrates into nothingness and his wounds are immediately healed without the hybrid having to think about it. Even his head has been magically plucked from the Beast’s grasp and placed back between his shoulders; the vertebrae and muscle sow back together with ease thanks to the power of the Eye.

The hybrid looks back at the castle to see Twilight watching the battle in horror. With the tyrant god distracted, he manages to give his mate the all-clear.

“Twilight, now!”

Immediately, the mare surprisingly grabs Spike in a telekinetic field and throws him at the Crystal Heart. He manages to grab it within his tiny claws while Twilight catches him and the relic in a field of magic. They marvel at the relic for a second before heading back down the castle to reach Princess Cadence. Lavey watches the unicorn with pride and joy as she completes her task with ease—and with help, nonetheless.

"NO!" the Beast roars.

From the ground, a steep crystal pillar emerges with the Beast riding atop it to impede Twilight on her quest. He manifests a spell within his horn and fires a barrage of crystal spikes at the unicorn. Luckily, the attack fades away into thin air thanks to Atrum's Eye, while Lavey knocks the Beast from his pillar.

Both the hybrid and monster tussle in midair as they plummet to the ground, each one attempting to place the other on bottom to cushion the victor's landing . Simultaneously, both beings crash into the crystal pavement, resulting in broken bodies for both of them.

Lavey glances over at the Beast as the demon rises from his crater, his wounds regenerating faster than the hybrid’s. The prince struggles to get back up but he can feel his hearts being punctured by his ribs, hindering the regeneration process. Unfortunately, the Beast doesn't approach the hybrid, but instead, goes for Atrum.

Sombra’s horn bubbles with dark mana as the Beast manifests a pack of crystal beasts from the earth, each of them representing different alpha predators.

"Stop them," the Beast commands. In a heartbeat, the crystal creatures rush towards the castle and to Twilight.

Atrum attempts to destroy the creatures with the Eye but can't act fast enough before the Beast lands a penetrating blow to his abdomen, spilling viscera and gore upon the streets as his fist exits through his back. The prince roars in agony as the Beast raises him above his head, his fist still lodged in his trunk.

"You can not stop me," the Beast growls. "You may be a god at the moment but you have no power to thwart me. Your God has failed you and your abomination of a brother." The monster throws Atrum's corpse into a nearby home before conjuring an ebony sword from the earth and points the blade at the demon prince. "Come at me, child. Once I kill you, I will crucify your brother for all to see. Then the Crowns, then the angels, gods, and finally God Himself!"

Lavey lays on the ground in defeat; his bones slowly heal and his muscles are mended together but he can no longer stand to face his adversary. He has the strength to stand but nothing left to keep the fire in his heart burning. Hatred and malice, a futile drive to slaughter the Beast to ensure he never lays a claw on his loved ones, has gotten him nowhere.

All of a sudden, a strange epiphany sparks in his mind. He hates the Beast with every fiber of his being...yet his love for his brother, Twilight, his friends, Shining, and everyone he's known so far is put at the front of his mind. Plus, he still has to bring the former king out of the clutches of the monster, and he can't do that if all his thoughts are directed by malice. All he wanted to do was help those around him, just like his mother had.

A strange energy begins to flow through his body. It feels cool and tranquil, soothing any negative thoughts or ideas of violence. His mind feels clearer than it ever has before as if thought doesn’t tether him down.

Lavey looks over to the Beast, noticing that he has already put Atrum a few inches in the earth and is currently grinding his skull under his heel. The monster looks back and gawks at Lavey in fear—something the hybrid had yet to see on his face.

The Beast switches targets and charges at the defenseless hybrid, his sword reared back for a finishing blow. Without even thinking, Lavey raises his sword and blocks the tyrant’s attack with newfound strength. He hadn’t even thought of defending himself; it's as if his body were moving on its own in accordance to the Beast's movements.

He stares at his arm in surprise as the appendage glows white with blue markings, the complete opposite of his original arm. It radiates a familiar energy that he hasn’t felt in centuries. The arm moves on it's own as if magnetized with the Beast's opposing energy, deflecting the monster's sword out of the way.

“NO!” the Beast roars.

He brings his sword crashing down once again, only for Lavey to involuntarily retaliate with his and shatter the demon’s blade like glass. Shards of onyx crystal litter the pavement and disappear into dust now that they are no longer a part of the grander weapon. The sword in Lavey's hand, however, is imbued with divine energy, enveloping it in a white aura and provides it with unparalleled might.

The Beast takes a few frightful steps back as the hybrid stands with a newfound flame in his soul. He glares at the Beast but he doesn't project any malice towards him. The only thought running through his mind is his desire to protect the vulnerable souls around him and to save the soul trapped within the Beast's clutches.

"Through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace," Lavey recites as he raises his sword above his head, "and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father..." The hybrid brings the blade crashing down, lacerating the Beast's chest, "...and of the Son..." He rears the blade behind his shoulder and slashes perpendicularly to the first cut to form a bloody cross, "...and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." With his final strike, he plunges the blade deep into the intersection on the demon's chest and into his darkened soul.

The Beast remains petrified with terror and constrained by holy power as his body begins to tremble with energy opposing his own. Deep, glowing fissures originate from the center of the cross, coursing throughout the shrieking god's body. As the Beast roars in agony, Lavey looks upon his withering body without remorse and without anger.

Despite the death and carnage caused by the ancient demon, despite being nearly dragged into madness through the memory of the loss of his mother, and despite having everyone he knows and love nearly killed, Lavey doesn't feel rage brewing in his heart as the demon is exorcised. He simply closes his eyes until the Beast is finally ejected from his host and seizes up on the floor.

"Brother," Atrum calls out from above.

Lavey looks up wearily at his sibling, who flutters down and lands directly in front of the exasperated hybrid. Lavey hobbles over to Atrum and collapses into his open arms, completely exhausted from the holy power flowing through his body. A burning pain suddenly spreads through the hybrid's right arm. Looking down, he notices the white limb losing its power and being flooded with his demonic blood once more.

"I got yeh, bruv," Atrum says. "Yeh welcome, by the way, for yeh thoughts 'n' whatnot."

Lavey looks up at his brother with confusion. "My thoughts? What...?"

"Aye. Sorry, bruv, but I kinda had a feelin' yeh weren't gonna quite make it out alive unless I did somethin'." Atrum points to his forehead where the Eye of Truth was, now hidden away for later use. "I know yeh'd wanna do it yehself 'n' all, but—"

"Understandable, brother," Lavey groans. He pushes himself off his support and steadies himself as his legs regain strength to keep him upright. "Why'd you think I called you in the first place? I knew I couldn't do it all on my own, that's why I had to rely on my favorite big brother."

A trembling groan catches the sibling's attention, tearing them from their heartfelt moment. They look back down with scorn at the monstrosity writhing on the floor. Once the most powerful being in creation that could rival the highest-tier angels and even the Seven Crowns, is now lying on the ground, helpless and broken. He looks exactly the same when out of his host's body, except his armor is battered and the mantle is torn.

Next to him is a male alicorn with a coat of silver and a flowing mane of gold. He wears silver plates along his cannons and a golden breastplate upon his bosom. Upon his head is a broken, golden diadem decorated with various gems.

The stallion slowly comes to, opening his eyelids to reveal shimmering lapis irises. He wearily looks up at the two hell-spawns towering over him, looking down at him with sympathy and a bit of judgement. In fear, he buries his face into the ground and covers his head with his hooves, trembling before the hellish princes.

"Please, forgive me," he sorrowfully whimpers. "I didn't mean to cause so much death and destruction. I just wanted to be with my wife again...but that thing tricked me!"

Lavey raises an eyebrow and looks to the Beast's broken figure, which slowly rises from its resting place. Before the monster can raise his head off the ground, the prince rushes over and plants his foot on the monster's severed chest and glares down at him.

"Don't even think about it," the hybrid growls. "You're going to be taken in and executed properly this time."

Lavey opens a portal above his hand, summoning his cellphone once more. Before he can dial one of the Crowns, though, two bolts of lightning shoot down from the sky and land on either side of the Beast, startling the Satanic princes. Feeling a familiar, calming presence, Lavey tosses his phone back into the portal and slowly moves away from the ancient god.

Two beings coated in gleaming armor stand on either side of the Beast with their blazing swords crossed over his throat. One has gleaming gold hair that reaches down to his shoulders while another has curly brunette hair that reaches down to his ears but is slightly elongated at the sideburns. Both have two pairs of flaming wings and their eyes, though calm blue, burn with authority and power.

Lavey and Atrum instinctively bow before the angelic beings out of reverence and respect; however, an unseen force brings them back up to their feet, leaving them confused.

The brunette angel looks over at the hell-spawns with a warm expression, while keeping his blade over the Beast. "Lavey, son of Satan and Lutfana; Atrum, son of Satan and Anala, it is pleasant to see you again."

"Same here, Uncle Ophaniel, Rikibiel," Lavey responds to the Chrubim. "You plan on having God look at this one?"

"But of course," the gold-hair angel, Rikibiel, replies. "For there is only One lawgiver and judge, He who is able to save and destroy."

Lavey looks back down at the Beast, who still hasn't regained his strength, with disgust. As much as he wants to argue this case, he knows the Cherubim were sent by the Father and that he can't go against His wishes. He knows the Beast will simply be held in captivity or be sealed up again until his trial, whereas the Council in Hell would just administer his punishment swiftly.

Nonetheless, he diffidently gives in to the angels' wishes and steps away from the Beast. "Go ahead and take him, but make his judgement swift, please."

"We shall try but it is not up to us," Rikibiel says. "Farewell, and may God bless both of you."

"Likewise, uncles," Lavey responds with discontent. “But, give me one second.” He glares daggers at the Beast, who begins to chuckle maniacally, despite his wounds. “How did you free yourself from imprisonment after a thousand years? Surely, being awakened from imprisonment once couldn’t have allowed you to regain enough strength?”

The Beast cackles at the hybrid, only infuriating Lavey even further. Fortunately, the monster gladly indulges his audience about the truth of his release.

“Oh ye of such little knowledge,” he mocks. “You have no hope once he makes his presence known to you. Rest shall vanish, for the small hours will be rent with the screams of nightmare. ”

In a flash of light, the Cherubim and the Beast disappear, leaving a scorched cross on the crystal pavement.

"Any clue as to what that bloke is talkin' about?" Atrum asks as he watches the angels disappear back to their heavenly realm.

"'Rest shall vanish, for the small hours shall be rent with nightmares'?" Lavey recites. "I have no clue if that's a prophecy, a warning, or what. Hopefully, dad can make some sense of it."

Lavey looks to the castle to see Princess Cadance leap off of the balcony with the Crystal Heart in a magic field and Spike on her back. As she lands on the ground without so much as a scratch, she places the relic back where it belongs. With their hope restored, the Crystal Ponies' coats and manes begin to shimmer with gem-like luster.

One by one, the denizens of the empire bow before the monarch, sending their love and light to power the Crystal Heart, filling it with a strange energy. Filled to the brim with power, the relic of the Crystal Empire sends forth a burst of energy, flooding the war-torn land in light and peace. A rainbow stream ejects from the top of the palace, flooding the sky with a serene aurora.

As a peculiar side effect of the energy wave, everyone in the Empire glimmer like gems, even the hell-spawns. Lavey's hair is neatly combed back and Atrum's scales gleam like rubies.

"What do you think will happen to the Beast?" Lavey asks as he watches the spectacle.

"Knowing God, the daft cunt will just lock him away until his trial or until some bloke breaks him out,” Atrum answers. "I hope that He erases the twat from existence. Imprisoning him will not be enough for what he's committed."

Lavey nods in correspondence and looks to the trembling stallion that was left behind. "I don't suppose you would be the actual king of the Crystal Empire?" the prince asks.

The pony gulps and nods but remains seated out of fear. "M-my name is L-Lumiere," he stutters. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted my wife to be healed but that thing tricked me, told me it would heal her in exchange for my servitude." Tears roll down his cheeks as he slams his face into the pavement. "I've done so much wrong, my sins can never be forgiven. I'm sure my wife has already perished after so long."

"I understand the pain of loss, King Lumiere," Lavey gently whispers. The king looks up at the kind creature, tears still flowing down his cheeks. "I have lost someone I once loved as well, but...even after centuries, I can never ease the pain, no matter how many times the memory rewinds in my mind. Though, there is a time for everything, even life and death. Because of that, there is no way to reverse it. The best you can do is possibly live for the memory of the one you love and live like they would enjoy it."

Lavey knows it's ironic, considering he has yet to move past his own mother's passing, but he can at least try to help the heartbroken king the best he can.

Lumiere slowly rises to his hooves and wipes away a tear as he looks upon Lavey with thankfulness. "But...will everypony forgive me? The princesses, my subjects, even the dead?"

"That would be something for them to decide," Atrum says.

Everyone looks back to the castle to see Twilight and everyone approaching him, their coats glimmering like crystals and their appearances altered with fancier mane-styles and ornaments. Lumiere bows before Princess Cadance, who immediately lifts him back up to his hooves.

"King Lumiere, you may not know me, but my name is Princess Cadance, Princess Celestia's adopted niece, and daughter of Queen Amore, the ruler who preceded you. I have heard about the creature that took control of you and the grief you have endured, and I want you to know, you are forgiven of your transgressions."

The king's eyes begin to water again and he throws himself onto the princess for a hug. Everyone watches the event with sympathy but Twilight disregards the heartfelt scene and runs over to Lavey, who accepts her into his open arms.

"I'm glad you're safe," Twilight whispers, tears running down her face.

"Did you think I wouldn't be? I'm just glad you got to get the Crystal Heart to Cadance in time."

Strangely, Twilight remains quiet. She should be just as relieved but, oddly, she's not. Lavey pulls her back to see her face, only to find her looking away in shame.

"I didn't bring the Heart to her. Spike did it."

"So?" Lavey asks. "You helped save an entire empire, which I'm certain was Celestia's test this whole time, right?"

"But I was supposed to—"

"We were supposed to," Lavey interrupts. "I couldn't stop the Beast on my own and I had to rely on my brother—not that it was inconvenient or anything." He turns back to judge Atrum's expression only to see him shrug with indifference. "You couldn't complete the task without Spike. I mean, were you just gonna let the Empire fall because you wanted to do things on you own?"

Twilight can't argue with her mate in this exhausted condition, that Lavey knows. She only sighs in exhaustion as she buries her face into the hybrid's chest, closing her eyes and drifting into sleep.

Author's Note

“Rest shall vanish, for the small hours will be rent with the screams of nightmare." What could this mean? Who is the perpetrator behind the Beast's escape from limbo? What do the demons in Hell have to say about the Beast's capture? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z—two chapters later!

Thus, this ends the adventures in the Crystal Empire. The next chapter will be the aftermath of the adventure and a conversation between Celestia and Lumiere, along with an unforeseen character.

I do not and will not apologize or repent for calling God a daft cunt.