For once, the foreboding storm clouds no longer blackened the skies, allowing sunlight to touch the landscape below. While this moment of respite would no doubt be fleeting, everyone was appreciative.

Everyone was hard at work in rebuilding the monastery. Abbess Julianne offered encouraging instructions to her followers, simply to be mindful of strange new visitors pitching in. This was primarily directed at Arron, who grumbled to himself while doing most of the heavy lifting.

Eclipsed Heart finished stacking her third brick wall before taking a short break, sighing, and wiping off some perspiration. Her arms strained, unused to doing this much physical labor. But the end results would be worth it, she felt.

The pop princess smiled, thanking a couple of nuns for assistance. Though that smile soured since not everyone was doing their part. Eclipsed spotted Seb slacking off again, far more invested in balancing his house of cards. His pinstripe suit was restored thanks to Ana's clothing spell, albeit with emerald green threads. As if to further cement what a greedy bastard he was.

With puffed cheeks, Eclipsed marched up to the tacky gambler and grabbed his attention by knocking his stacked structure with her tail, much to the demi’s annoyance.

Hands-on her hips, the diva ranted, “I understand you’ve never worked an honest day in your life. But we're never gonna get this done with you slowing us down!”

“Pft. Like you would know anything about real work,” scoffed Seb, whose magical cards reassembled into a deck for him to tuck into his breast pocket. “You were practically given your life of luxury, you privileged brat. You’ve only built, like, what? Two walls? Compared to the average construction worker, that’s nothing!”

“Well, unlike you, I’m at least willing to get my hands dirty,” huffed Eclipsed.

“I'm competent so long as I get something worth my time. Which, by the way, ain’t gonna be from doin’ no ‘charity work.’” He bent his fingers at the quotations.

“Figures,” the pop idol sneered, folding her arms. “Good to know we agree that you're a lost cause. Why the mother superior thinks she can redeem a selfish murderer is beyond me!”

“Ugh, again, with the murderer prejudice… You do realize your closest friends were assassins, right? They were literally made to ‘86 people for profit!”

“Hey, we were forced into that lifestyle,” interrupted Wispy Willow, who had been eavesdropping from a distance. “How dare you proclaim our lives are similar, you worthless scumbag!”

“Ohoh! So I’m worthless now, eh? So why are you both spending your time and energy hating on me~?” Seb asked amusingly.

Growling, the nekomata scooped dirt between her split striped tail and tossed a dust cloud at the pinstriped devil. However, Seb pulled out his infamous ‘NO U’ card that returned the attack back at Wispy, making her cough and wave it away with eyes squeezed shut.

Eclipsed deepened her glare at the snickering bandana-wearing demon. “The sooner we finish this, the sooner we’ll be rid of you…”

“And how do you plan on doin’ that?” The gambling demi-human questioned, slime-green eyes mirroring her hateful gaze. “Call on Cerise Silhouette’s aid the minute you finally meet up? Or have you forgotten the probability that whoever proves the stronger personality will absorb the other’s existence?”

“N-no, you’re wrong,” Eclipsed spat back. "That won't ever happen!"

“Yeah, don’t let him rile you up,” hissed Wispy, her fur on end. Though it was evident, the bastard managed to get under her skin. While it was true she and her sister, Kitsune, had claimed many lives, the two-tailed tigress mentally justified that they didn’t have a choice! “Fuckin’ Once-ler lookin’ ass…”

“What’s all the commotion?” the angelic voice of Julianne called out as she waltzed towards the group. “There is still plenty of work to be done!”

Wispy pointed accusingly at the pinstriped devil and proclaimed, “He’s refusing to cooperate!”

“Hey, I don’t appreciate being bullied while I collect my bearings,” he brushed off while adjusting his coat collars. “You really oughta learn how to let the past be!”

“You don’t get to say that!!” Eclipsed snapped, unable to hold in her contempt. “You brainwashed and raped Sassy Saddles and Coco Pommel! And thanks to your alliance with ex-President Spike, he almost did the same to Mezzo Soprano! Oh, not to mention you shot Riptide Ruth with a rifle and caused lots of people to be killed! You are beyond redemption, Seb! And I won’t allow you to sweep everything you’ve done under the rug!”

The rosy-haired nun gingerly placed her hands on the idol’s shoulders, alleviating her anger with her joyous touch. “You are justified in not wanting to forgive him,” she said. “He’s quite the remorseless scoundrel. But even he deserves a chance to start anew. If you’re still willing to change..?”

Seb found himself unable to meet Julianne’s big ruby eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “Y-you still haven’t coughed up the goods yet, toots!”

“And you have yet to show me initiative,” the nun countered, smiling widely when his face visibly flustered. “Besides, you all need to get into the spirit! See, even Shadow Scythe and Arron are hard at work~!”

She pointed at the pair tending to the main church walls, the reaper using her aura to lift heavy stones while Arron stretched his muscles to do the same. Zeloph was busy repairing the roof tiles above, whereas Chisana used a spade to rub cement between the cracks.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” grumbled Wispy. “… Hey, wait a minute! Where’s Moxxi?”

"Uh, up 'ere!" Almost caught napping, the little imp innocently whistled as she vanished in a puff of smoke, simply to reappear with a hard hat and pick ax in hand.

The tigress snickered before joining her friend in rebuilding the west wall. Julianne tittered when she looked back at Seb, who, after a moment, sighed with resignation and removed his coat.

“… Whatever you’ve got planned better be worth it!” He threatened, only for the nun’s smile to brighten. The gambler grumbled to himself while heading towards the mares repairing the eastern wall.

Eclipsed Heart sulked, her fury washed away by melancholy. “Sorry about the outburst,” she sniffled. “I just can’t stand that guy! He’s a menace!”

“I believe Cerise felt the same way when she was asked to align with Zeloph and Shadow Scythe,” Julianne said, recalling both testimonies. “Remember, they weren’t virtuous like they are now. In fact, their body count combined likely eclipses that of Seb's. Oh! Pun not intended!”

The pop idol scrunched her snout.

“My point being! If they can be given another chance, surely Seb can be persuaded into straying from the path he’s chosen. When it comes to a life of crime, there’s always a reason behind why they do it.”

“I… suppose,” Eclipsed murmured, though she was still unconvinced anyone that despicable could be rehabilitated.

“Don’t concern yourself with Seb. Just leave him to me,” Julianne assured with a wink. Then, clapping her hands together, she said, “Now! I think we could use a little music! And from what I’ve heard from Wispy, you have the most beautiful voice in your universe! How about it, Eclipsed? Care to weave a duet with me~?" The music note markings on her cheeks glimmered with yellow light.

Eclipsed felt her cheeks burn from the compliment. "Well, not sure I'm the 'best,' but I'd love to!"

The pop diva accepted the abbess’s hand as she gently whispered which song to sing. Taking a moment to recollect the lyrics, Eclipsed opened the first verse song with a soft, childlike voice, whereas Julianne sang the next with her more mature melody.

Everyone paused their actions as their attention was drawn to the soothing sounds the singers crooned. Even Seb and Arron pulled away from their stupor to briefly admire the euphoric beauty gracing their ears.

After the second chorus, Julianna unfurled her wings to gently lift herself and Eclipse into the air. Her Onoma was activated to unleash a sound wave that washed over their audience with a sense of jubilation and hope.

Upon the third chorus, the nuns lent their voices to harmonize with the lovely singing. And they floated back down to the ground when the last lyrics were sung. There was a round of applause and whistles as the two vocalists took a bow.

Shadow Scythe gently clapped her hands, albeit concerned with how helpful their performance was in preparing for Mortis’ impending attack. Zeloph felt the same, gazing down at the two male demi-humans. Arron quickly shook off the feelings and went back to muttering under his breath. Seb at least gave a slow clap before resuming his efforts in restoring the monastery. Tensions had been significantly unwinded for the time being.

A tugging of her outfit pulled Wispy’s attention to the little tanuki girl, an excited smile on her face.

“Watashi to kite,” Chisana urged before guiding the nekomata aside. In a small clearing, away from the woods and construction, the raccoon dog opened one of her palms to form a phantasmal orb of green yokai energy. She then proceeds to ride on top of it around in circles, giggling childishly.

“Wow… you make it look so easy,” Wispy said, a bit discouraged as she had never once practiced magic.

“Kantandesu!” she insisted, demonstrating again with two additional yokai balls she juggled between her hands.

"Er...okay." Wispy took a deep exhale to concentrate, trying to get into a state of complete awareness. From feeling her body and mind as one being to the magic resonating within the land, which had been extinct in her world for a time until Beatrix and Oona helped revive it. Oddly enough, Julianne and Eclipsed's beautiful song helped sharpen her focus to a still point.

A flicker appeared in her palm as she tried to channel the energy through her arm. With each attempt, the flicker lasted slightly longer. Her teeth clenched, face contorting with frustration.

“Tachidomaru na!” the tanuki said encouragingly.

Wispy hissed louder, sweat pouring down her brow. This wasn’t working. She was too uncomfortable making the meditative approach!

So instead, the forked-tail tigress allowed her instincts to take over with a roar. And the moment she surrendered all vexations, she launched a sizeable blue sphere, the twin yellowish trails intertwining.

Chisana yelped and ducked right as the orb dissolved into wisps. Wispy stared in astonishment between her paw and where the yokai ball had diminished.

"I...I did it?”

She tried again, and the energy sphere came out much more naturally. Her slit pupils circulated as she balanced it between her twin tails, laughing triumphantly.

“I did it! Hell yeah!" Wispy exclaimed, raising her arms in victory. While this yokai magic wasn’t near the same level as her plasma balls, she realized they would improve with time!

Grinning ear to ear, she scooped Chisana into a big hug. “Thank you so much!”

“Heehee! Watashi wa sugoidesu~!” the little raccoon dog replied, cheekily burying her face into the tigress’ bust.

“Yaaagh! H-hey, easy with the grabby hands, you little horn dog! We’ve gotta get back to work!” the nekomata reminded while trying to pry the tanuki off her breasts.

“Totemo ōkiku, totemo yawarakai…” Chisana pouted but went along hand in hand as the two yokai returned to work.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Arron to get fed up with this arrangement. The burly demi-human practically dropped the bricks with an angry snarl. “Nah! That’s it, I’m done!” He declared. “This is so stupid!”

“Aww, c’mon,” Zeloph answered, flying down to meet the brawler. “We’re not even halfway there! Don’t tell me you’re gonna tap out early~?”

“Can it twink!” Arron spat, his eyes narrowed behind his shades. “You promised me a rematch! Not this boring construction work where I have to put up with this pansy-ass bullshit! I break down walls, not put them back up!”

“Look, man. There’s more to life than just fighting everything you see. You could be using those glorious muscles for something greater!” The false idol smiled and traced a finger along his arms. “With arms this big, you could do ten times the work of any man~!”

“… I mean, they are pretty glorious, aren’t they~” the golden demi chuckled, flexing one arm to marvel at his sculpted biceps. “Built these bad boys from the ground up. No rest. All drive. One hundred percent grind-”

Arron then did a double take upon realizing what Zell was doing. “HEY! You’re just saying that to weasel your way out of our fight!”

“Don’t look too shocked,” the demi snarked.

“Well, that’s not how this works, twink! Either face me man to man, or you and these saps face Mortimer or whatever the fuck his name is alone!” The bullish demon snorted and stomped away toward the woods. “You’ve got three minutes to get your ass over here, or I’m leaving!”

Zeloph grimaced as the burly demi-human disappeared into the forest, punching the tree branches out his way. Looks like he wasn't getting out of this one.

“Let him go,” urged Shadow Scythe, taking his hand into hers. “We don’t need him! We’re more than capable of handling Mortis and his goons ourselves.”

But the angelic demi-human shook his head. “…No, we need all the help we can get. Who knows how powerful he’s become since we last fought! Besides, I did agree to a rematch. I should be honoring my word.”

“…Okay,” the reaper mare said reluctantly, her lips pursed. “But I’m killing him if he fractures a single bone in your body!”

Chuckling, Zeloph placed a chaste kiss on his lover’s forehead, minding her broken horn. “Don’t worry. He’s not going to land a single punch on me,” he swore before soaring after his cranky opponent.

“Awww, look at you, bein' the big protective girlfriend,” Moxxi playfully teased when she poofed behind her shoulder, cartoon hearts fluttering around. “You’ve gone sof, lov~!”

Atalanta rolled her icy blue eyes. “What is it now, Mox? We can’t afford to waste any more time.”

“Oh, I was just tinkin' you an' I should 'ave a good ol fashion catfight,” she answered, punching the air with fisticuffs. “Can’t let the boys 'ave all the fun~!”

The pale mare stared at the mischievous imp with an arched eyebrow. “You wish to spar with me? I’m not sure that’s a good idea… we just patched things up, didn’t we?”

“Yea, but as you said: death lurks at every cawner! An' I 'aven’' 'ad a proper chance to shah off me abilities. Although judgin' by 'ah you apprehended Smiley, you’ve got some new tricks ov your Jack Jones, aye?”

“Y-yes, but-”

“Then c’mon! Shah me wot you’ve got, edgie! Awer are you fearin' I’ll kick your scrawny lil’ aris into next week~?” she taunted playfully.

Shadow Scythe furrowed her brows and called upon her signature sickle. “Alright, Imp. If that’s how you’re gonna play, then we’ll play. But don’t cry to your brother when I’ve handed you your lashings!”

“Ooh, I knah you didn’t just threaten me with a good time~!” Ana retorted cheekily before shifting to her natural form. A leather mini dress tightly clung to her curvature, the skirt barely able to cover her fat derrière. Stylish fishnets concealed the valley of her breasts, connecting to a collar around the demoness’ neck.

Shadow Scythe felt her cheeks flourish faintly, unable to deny that her pending sister-in-law was equal parts intimidating and alluring. As the pair walked towards a separate area, she self-consciously ran a hand over her own petite rump.

Ana spotted this and assuringly said, “I was jestin’, lov! You’ve got a great ass~!”

The unicorn let out a short yelp when the succubus gave her bum a pat. Still, she did her best to keep her cool edge while venturing through the woods.

Seb took a seat to catch his breath, removing his feathered hat to run a cloth over his forehead. That’s when he noticed that the others had left construction to handle their affairs.

“Oh, that’s rich,” he muttered crossly. “Everyone else gets to abandon this stupid gig at the first opportunity. But when I do it, I get my head chewed off! This is why I never do charity work! Nothing profitable!”

“It’s true you gain nothing monetarily,” interjected Julianne, who sat beside him. “But through generosity, you acquire something even money can’t buy!”

Seb leered skeptically at the rosy-haired nun. “And that’s..?”

“Joy,” she beamed. “Pure and genuine. Good for your soul!”

“Ohh, please,” groaned the card demon. “I sold that a long time ago. Well, before Metatron cursed me with alien juice.”

“Oh?” Julianna tilted her head curiously. “May I ask what you traded it for? And was it worth it?”

“Well… not exactly, I-” But he fought him from speaking further and instead chortled, waving his finger. “Oohoho! You clever minx. You almost got me there~!”

“Whatever do you mean?” the angelic demi asked, her smile innocent.

“Don’t play coy with me! You think that by having me spill about my past, I’ll slowly realize what a terrible life I’ve lived and that I should make amends. Yeah, nice try, toots!”

“Oh, I couldn't care less about what you’ve done in the past,” Julianne giggled, instantly crushing his bravado. “I was just wondering~.”

“Wh-wha!? B-but I thought you… I-I was-drrrh! Enough dodging, angel cakes! Are you gonna tell me why I’m putting up with this crap or not?!”

“Hmmm,” she purred thoughtfully, tapping her chin with a finger. “I could tell you, but… wouldn’t it be more interesting if you played me for your reward~?”

“Oh, so that’s where we’re going with this, huh? You drag me into this morality lesson, wave some nameless ‘reward’ like a dog treat, and then have me rebuild your fancy brick house. And then when I want to know what the hell it even is, you play fucking keep away? What is this, kindergarten?!”

Seb rose up, tipped his hat atop his head, grabbed his coat, and proceeded to match off. “Nah, fuck this shit; I’m outta here!”

“Not even for a game of Liar’s Dice?”

The demon instantly froze and returned his vivid gaze to Julianne, who produced a teacup in her lap. His brow quicked. “… You do know what Liar’s Dice is, right?”

“Your specialty,” confirmed Julianne, her smile unfettered. “A game where the players bet on the amount of dice rolled within the cup.”

“That’s a toned-down version of it, but yeah. How did a righteous dame like you come across Liar's Dice?”

The abbess answered, “On the contrary, I’ve played it~.”

“As in… for money!?”

When Julianna didn’t offer an answer other than her perpetual smile, Seb plopped back down in his seat, a little more than curious. Fishing into his pockets, the gambler conjured five black dice with red spots indicating the numbers. “Alright, doll, I’ll bite. Name your stacks!”

“There will be only one game,” Julianne clarified. “Whoever names the most accurate number of dies within this cup wins. If the winner is me, then you will continue to contribute to my cause without complaints and teach Zeloph everything you know about the secrets of Mikael’s Crucible!”

“Oh, great. More heroic labor?” the demon grunted. Then, with a begrudging sigh, he replied, “Fine, I accept. Now what’s in it for me if I win this bet?”

A blush bloomed when she said, “Should you win, I'll do anything you ask.”

Seb’s eyes widened slightly, a sharp gleam in his green pupils. “…anything?”

She nodded and closed her eyes. “My measurements are exactly thirty-five, twenty-two, and thirty-six inches each,” she offered to further entice the deal. “I do not masturbate, nor have I had sex with anyone.”

That got his tail tingling, its lone eye rolling from the amount of shaking. The gambler was already undressing the nun with his lecherous gaze.

“Huh. A woman of virtue offering up her purity. That’s something you don’t see everyday~!” Seb snickered underneath his bandana.

The holy songstress fluttered her eyelids open. “I should warn you. I’ve bet my chastity several times before…” Her smile stretched with confidence. “…and have remained untouched~!”

“Heh! Quite a dangerous game to play against a natural-born gambler, Julianne. Don’t you know it’ll only make my victory taste all the sweeter~?” the pinstriped devil flirted back huskily, dropping his dice into her cup. “Alright, sugar lips. Let’s play~!”

Nodding, Julianne sealed the top with her hand and shook it around to shuffle the dice within. She flipped the cup down onto a rock and called, “Three sixes!”

Seb was taken aback by how quickly the nun proclaimed her prediction. He had to admit, it was pretty ballsy. Then again, her virginity was on the line, so she might have panicked when calling out that considerable amount.

Unless she somehow already knew which side the dies all faced..?

His slime-green eyes narrowed in concentration. No, It wouldn’t be like her to cheat. Julianne was too honest. Hell, she just gave away her measurements! Then was this all done to psych him out? Preparing him for a crushing defeat.

“Your call~!”

His determined glare deepened on the cup, estimating the likelihood of what numbers would appear underneath. Seb prided himself as a world-class gambler. And not knowing the odds only fueled his high-risk, high-reward play style. By the end of the day, the card demon would either embarrass himself or add this beautiful virgin to his collection of romps. The thought of claiming her untouched flesh for himself made his tail rattle more.

The gambler clenched his fist before declaring, “Three fives!”

But Seb’s composure crumbled when the nun lifted the cup to reveal the results. Two sixes, one four, one five, and one. Since ones were added to the lowest denominator, that would add a second five to the count. But then that means both their guesses were one die short, resulting in…

“A draw!?”

“It would appear so,” observed Julianne, who exhaled seemingly in relief.

“N-no! We gotta go again!”

The abbess shook her head as she stood up. “One game was the agreement.”

“But there wasn’t a winner!”

“Nor was there a loser,” the seraphic nun countered. “You should count yourself lucky. Now, excuse me. I have some business to attend to down in the ville.”

“Wha-hang on a second!” Seb jumped from his seat, fumbling to put on his stylish coat jacket. “We just played for nothing, which is arguably worse than losing! How are you not bothered by this?!”

“Well, look at it this way! I avoided losing my chastity, and you avoided work you consider beneath your pay grade. So, in a way, we both win!”

“But that’s hardly satisfying,” argued Seb. “I wouldn’t mind the work if it wasn’t so tedious! No, there’s gotta be a better way to settle this!”

Once more, Julianne thoughtfully hummed before reaching a conclusion. “Tell you what. Why don’t you accompany me to the villa for the rest of the day? Would that suffice?”

The pinstriped devil scowled behind his facial covering. “… I guess it’s better than nothing.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” the demi-human chirped, taking his claw into her hands and holding it to her chest. “You’ll be spending ample time with me! You can even think of it as a date! Isn’t that worth something~?”

Seb didn’t answer, his bandanna hiding half his glowing blush.

Julianne tittered, releasing his hand. “Don’t take too long to decide, Sebastian! It’s rude to keep a lady waiting~!” With that said, the merry demi-human waltzed towards the stone steps while humming the melody she and Eclipsed had sung earlier.

All Seb could do was stare at her, utterly bewildered by the mother superior. “… Man. I don’t know what’s more bizarre. Her antics, or the fact that I’m falling for them!”

He surveyed the construction behind him, spotting Wispy, Chisana, and Eclipsed hard at work finishing the west and east walls of the monastery. The pop star noticed his gawking and glared appropriately.

The gambling demon brushed off the stern look with a shrug. “Well, at least it beats stacking bricks all day. And who knows… maybe it’ll be fun~!”

Seb smoothly strutted his way to the head nun’s side and offered his arm, which she coiled around while descending the steps. Eclipsed shook her head while glancing around the area, finding most of her allies had gone off too!

“Where did everyone go?” She wondered out loud.

Near the monument of Lilith and Metatron, the pitch-black sphere of the neon void suppressed the sounds of spells casting and steel clashing within. Shadow Scythe took a bit to adjust to the strange gravity, leaving her on the defense of Anarchia’s strikes.

The neon demon would lash out as if a piece of the night was given claws. And each time, the reaper mare deflected with spectral sickles or fired back with her shadow-infused weapon.

Ana swiftly ducked from a crossbow bolt that nearly grazed her, replying, “Damn, you’ve upped your arsenal game! Always took you as someone committed to metaphor.”

“I’ve mastered almost every way to use a scythe,” replied Atalanta. “Figured I’d return to my roots as a monster hunter.”

“I detect familial motivations~,” Ana cooed as she cloaked herself in dark matter.

“When I took the name ‘Shadow Scythe,’ I severed all ties with my parents,” the pale unicorn reminded while keeping on guard. “It brought death to my mother and condemned my father to be Mortis’ puppet. If I’m to save him and fully redeem myself, I can no longer be associated with that name.”

“I feel that,” the demi’s voice reverberated. “Anarchia’s a stupid name! I'm pretty sure Metatron aw whoever gave birth to me named me that out ov spite!”

“For what it’s worth, ‘Diana’ is a more flattering name. Wouldn’t even have to stop calling you Ana!”

“Mmmm! Nah that’s a good name. There’s jus' one small ting…”

The crescent-horned succubus struck from behind, delivering a swift kick to the back of Shadow Scythe’s head. The mare grunted, falling forward.

“… Doesn’t 'ave enough Moxxi~!”

The reaper groaned, pushing herself up to narrow her icy gaze at the cheeky succubus.

“C’mon, edgie! Don’t tell me that’s the best you’ve got?” Ana playfully taunted, looking at her claws with slightly more interest. Her tail even stuck its tongue out of its maw. “You used to be stone taters! One ov the baddest bitches to cross Beatrix! Nah you’re just sad…”

The reaper mare scoffed as she pulled herself back up. “Don’t mistake my softness as weakness, imp. The only reason I haven’t killed you is because it would break Zeloph’s heart. I call that mercy.”

“Pft! Sure, sure,” the neon demon snarked.

“And in case you’ve forgotten…” It was Shadow Scythe’s turn to smirk. “… You’re not the only one who can use darkness as cover~!”

Raising her sickle, the unicorn mare vanished into the darkness, mindful of the void she was breaching. Now Ana was on high alert, her head and tail shifting to every corner.

“Hooh!” The neon succubus crowed, trying to sense where her adversary was within her perimeter. “So you tink the night’s your ally? 'ate to break it to you, lov, but I was bawn in the starless black. You merely adopted it because it looked cool-HAHH!”

Ana whipped her tail to snap its flytrap-shaped maw… only tasting nothing.

“Fuck! Could 'ave sworn she was-BWAAAHH?!”

Spectral chains shot from every corner, seizing her wrists, ankles, and tail before hoisting her up. Ana snarled, wriggling to break free while her confines stretched her limbs. Shadow Scythe reappeared behind her, holding the edge of her sickle to the demoness’ throat.

“Checkmate,” the reaper proclaimed smugly.

But, in typical Ana fashion, she gave an elated titter and said in a suggestive tone, “If ya wanted to play that kind ov game wit me, all ya 'ad to do was ask~!”

Atalanta gave a slight noise of vexation. “At this point, I’m not even surprised…”

“'Ey! You were the one who decided tyin' me up like we’re in a sex dungeon was the way to go,” the neon demon stated. “You knew what you were gettin' into. Da quesshun is… does Zelly knah you wanna be his dominatrix~?”

The mare’s face instantly turned red, and she stammered. “Wh-what?! I-I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

But Ana wasn’t letting up, a naughty smile spreading her painted lips. “Ooh, yes, you do! Girl, ya love bein' in control! An' what better way to keep a 'old ov your man than to 'ang a chain around 'is throat? Shackle 'im wrist to wrist so 'e can’t do anytin' but watch as you claim every part ov 'im faw yourself~?”

Shameful as she was to admit it, Shadow Scythe felt her loins stir from the enticing words and mental images that accompanied them. Of course, she also wouldn’t mind being on the receiving end either, aware of how commanding her partner could be…

Ana took the moment of distraction to break loose from the shadowy binds. But instead of commencing in further combat, she settled behind the reaper to rub her hands over her shoulders.

“Vanilla is sweet but can get stale over time,” she continued in a husky whisper. “I say go faw it! 'e won't say no if 'e loves you, an' I knah 'e does. Maybe a bit shockin' at first, but that’s part ov the fun!”

“I… suppose it couldn’t hurt to ask,” she considered.

Atalanta’s thoughts drifted back to their previous conversation, her hand running over her slim stomach. She understood Zell’s desire to start a family after his grievance with Beatrix and Abadonna. But it was too dangerous for her to conceive children. If she was ever injured and had to regenerate with a baby inside…

Ana noticed the reaper’s lip quiver and sensed her sadness. With pursed lips, the demoness gingerly suggested, “Y’know… There's a good chance Zelly an' I aren’t related, given the recent knowledge about Lilith an' the lilium. An' my body is likely compatible…”

Immediately understanding where this was going, Shadow Scythe shot back a tearful glare and coldly muttered, “You really know how to rile me up…”

“I-I know what it sounds like,” Ana acknowledged. “An'… yeah, it’s a wee bit selfish on my end. But I think it would be beneficial! You both get a bundle ov joy to raise, an' I finally scratch that itch in my snatch! An' we’re even closer than befawe! Everyone wins!”

But the reaper mare jerked away from the succubus, her expression drawn in melancholy. “I don’t win from this, Ana! Do you think I don’t want to give Zell the child he wishes? He is my lover—my future husband! I’m supposed to provide him with kids. But the moment I get pregnant, it becomes a death sentence!”

“That’s why I was suggestin'-”

“Imagine if I did agree to this idea,” she cuts off. “Say I allowed you to surrogate for us and give permission for you and Zeloph to elope. Would you truly be satisfied? Could you even hold off from any sexual contact until labor?”

“Wha-O-Ov course I would!”

“How do you know that?” Atalanta questioned with furrowed brows. “Have you even tried going more than a month without teasing or enticing sex from people!?”

The neon demon opened her mouth to retort but failed to produce a sound. When she couldn’t respond, the unicorn mare sighed heavily. “Look, Ana. I know you mean well. And I appreciate the thought. But I can't go through with it. I want my love to be happy, but not at the cost of him having my child with another woman…”

“I… I understand,” Ana said softly, head down. “I’m sorry.”

Shadow Scythe shook her head and turned to leave. “Don’t be,” she assured. “If anything, I’m more upset with myself than I am with you…”

When the reaper mare exited the neon void, Anarchia sat on a bench as stormy thoughts began to brew in her head.

Did she really have what it takes to let go of her lust-filled desires? Did she even want to let them go?

Evidence suggested the demoness couldn’t. After all, she tried to justify having her brother’s baby at the expense of Atalanta’s inability to bear children.

She was promiscuous by nature. Sinful by design. Ana lived and breathed ecstasy. And no amount of curating from Zeloph or self-disciplinary lessons from Bellatrix could ever fix her passion.

As memories of her earlier encounters with the would-be fallen one settled, she sang her woes through song. Of the many times she lied about getting over her habits just to fall back into them.

Ana lifted herself up during the chorus, doing a slow sensual dance with herself.

She weaved an imaginary life with Zeloph as her lover. If they had never known about being siblings or anything, where they just had each other, it would have been perfect… right?

But as the crescent-horned succubus sang into the next chorus, she accepted the truth.

Not even the warmth of Zell’s love would be enough to set her straight. That was another excuse she used to neglect her fear of being alone.

But she wasn’t alone. Nor was she unloved. The impish demi-human had gained comradery and friends through her wild antics!

She was the only one who could save herself from this bottomless pit of emptiness. And it first started with letting go of this fantasy that she and Zeloph should be together. She had to accept that it would have never worked out. Not then. Not now

The neon void dissolved as she concluded her song and dance number, and the real world returned. Her claws bawled into a determined fist as she marched back towards the monastery.

Ana would exercise her demons. No matter how many times it would take, she would make things right. For her friends and for herself!

Zeloph felt his shoulders tense at seeing his adversary deadlifting a tree he likely tore from the ground. Most would probably walk the other way, but the angelic alien didn’t have that luxury. So, sucking in air through his nose and exhaling out his mouth, he made his presence known by stepping forward.

Arron ceased his makeshift workout upon spotting his opponent and threw his barky dumbbell onto the ground, creating a thunderous thud. Cracking the joints out of his neck, he turned and flashed a toothy grin.

“Well, well, well… look who finally decided to be a man!”

“You made it quite clear there was nothing I could say to talk you out of this,” replied Zell, who placed the Vorpal Blade against a tree. When he took a stance, he said, “So just to be clear. No matter who wins this dispute, I can count on your aid against Mortis?”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” the brawler brushed off with disinterest as he squared up. “But I’d be more concerned about keeping your coat on, boy. Cause you’re about to catch these hands~!”

“Noted,” Zeloph retorted dryly.

Arron bounced on his feet before rushing at his opponent with a battle cry. But in a literal flash, Zeloph evaded the incoming blow by shrinking to his cherub shape. The burly demon’s smile quickly disappeared.

“What the hell is this?!”

“Your fight,” Zell responded with a sly grin. “Go on, hit me!”

“Nu-uh! I asked for a serious fight!”

“Oh, I’m taking this very seriously,” the false idol insisted, throwing fisticuffs that landed across his cheek. Arron swung at the pesky cherub, snarling, only to hit another tree. “Yaaaow!!”

“Aww, what’s wrong,” teased Zell. “Can’t hit someone a quarter your size~?”

The golden demon took another wild swing and missed, the angelic demi a lot more agile in his puny form. Each time Arron tried to connect a punch, he either hit air or brushed his knuckles against more trees.

“You fucking cocksucker! Quit stalling and fight me!!”

“What are you talking about? I am fighting you!” Zeloph declared, avoiding another fast fist to land a light jab to Arron’s neck. While his attacks did little to no damage, he succeeded in annoying the burly demi, who swung a back fist to hit another branch, splitting it into splinters.

This would keep going for quite a while, Arron extorting all his energy to knock Zeloph’s lights out. But the tiny demi-human gave him no chance at landing a single hint, determined to tire his bullheaded opponent.

And it seemed to work as he ducked under another branch that the brawler smashed his way through with heavy pants. Beads of sweat poured down his forehead and musculature. “You can’t… huff… keep dodging me forever! All I need is one clean blow, and I’ll break you in half… aaargh!!”

This was also true. For all his buzzing around, Zeloph was also starting to feel fatigued. His heart was practically pumping out of his chest. Still, he had to keep it up until Arron was too exhausted to-

The cherub yelped when his burly adversary chucked a tree stump, barely able to roll over the swirling projectile.

“Gaaagh! Damnit,” cursed Arron, slamming a fist into the ground.

“This is getting ridiculous,” Zeloph called from above. “You’re destroying half the forest!”

“Fuck these trees!” The wrestler spat. “And fuck you, you coward!!”

“But what do you hope to gain from fighting me? That you're a superstar? No one’s gonna doubt that! Look at you; you’re a monster truck on legs!”

"No! It’s not enough that I fight you,” he growled, lifting a nearby boulder over his shoulders, muscles bulging angrily. “I have to beat you! I’m the strongest there is! Ain’t no one gonna be better than me!!”

“… who are you trying to prove?”

This question made Arron pause from throwing another stump at the airborne angel. “What was that, twink?”

“I can tell by how you’re looking at me,” Zell examined. “I’m not the one you’re trying to convince with this whole machismo pandering. Who drilled this idea that winning was the only solution to your problems?”

He tensed up when the golden demon prepared to chuck the tree in his hands. But, to his surprise, Arron released his grip as the stump dropped to the ground.

The larger demi-human gazed down his hands, bruised and scratched up from wrestling all those trees. Teardrops stained his palm as his bravado slowly cracked. “… Forget it. What’s the point anymore?”

He sat down and turned his body away from the concerned cherub, who glided down and retook his whole figure. He reached out to touch him but reconsidered his approach.

“Are… you okay?”

“What do you care, twink?” a depressed Arron responded. “You don’t want to fight me, so why even bother? Just leave me alone…”

Cerulean eyes narrowed as Zeloph got in front of Arron. “You’re right! I don’t want to fight you,” he stated. “Because it does nothing for me! I don’t get what’s so important about fighting everything you see! Or why your self-image is so valuable!” He then took one of the brawler’s massive hands into his own. “But I can see that something about this makes you miserable. And deep down, you know all that gold and adoration won’t fill that void, will it?”

The burly demi turned his face away, refusing to answer.

“C’mon, Arron, work with me here! Help me understand your mindset!”

The wrestling demi continued to sulk for half a minute before shifting his attention back to Zeloph. “… do you really wanna know?”

The seraphic angel nodded his head earnestly. Exhaling a deep breath, Arron looked back down and said, “Okay…”

Then, to his bewilderment, the wrestler got up and went into a a hip-hop-style rap, preaching about always being looked down on by everyone. In turn, he turned that negativity into motivation to shut them all up through work and battle. And he demonstrated by incorporating some dance moves that were surprisingly fluid for someone his bulk.

Yet Zell felt that some of the verses were directed to someone in particular. Someone who never saw an ounce of worth in Arron. No matter his accomplishments, the golden demon remained insecure about the critic’s lack of recognition.

This individual, whoever they were, drove the beefy fighter into believing he needed to be the greatest that ever lived. And after belting the last chorus with a declaration of making it to the top, Arron sat back down, lifting up his sunglasses to rub the tears from his eyes.

Unsure of what to make of this performance, Zeloph said, “Wow, that’s… quite a lot of pressure to put on your shoulders.”

“My pops,” revealed Arron. “He was against me from day one. Ma was long gone, so I became his punching bag when shit went sideways.”

The angelic demi-human grimaced. “That’s rough. Was there a reason, or was it just anger?”

“Nah, he had a reason,” Arron dryly chuckled. “He hated that his son liked rumbling with other boys if you know what I mean. Hit me daily with slurs.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, it wasn’t easy hiding my sexual preferences until I picked up wrestling. Turn all that mass into muscle. That’s where Metatron came in and gave me the power I needed to express myself. Made my name well-known around the amateur league until a big-name company picked me up. For once in my life, I felt like somebody big! Someone meant for greatness.”

His fist clenched as he continued. “But every time I went back to that drunk bastard to put him in his place, he’d reminded me that it was all showboating. That I cheated my way to success because some god gave me my ideal body. Even when he kicked the bucket, I wasn’t free from him. I can still hear him whispering how much of a worthless failure I am…"

“… I see.” Zeloph’s expression dropped, absorbing the hardships that were Arron’s life. While it didn’t excuse him for his dickheaded behavior and the people he's hurt, intentionally or otherwise, the fallen angel could at least sympathize with his struggles of being accepted. Something he thought impossible due to his own atrocities.

“We’re not that different,” he proclaimed. "I didn't exactly have the best relationship with my father either. He saw me as little more than a pawn for his greater schemes. But I found someone else to fill that role in my life."

Arron wiped his eyes on the back of his arm, sniffling, "Really?"

"Yes. Jonn was more of a father to me than anyone. He taught me how to play music and enjoy life's simplicities even when I was complex. He was my best friend...”

“I wouldn’t know what that’s like. I’ve never made friends before,” confessed the wrestling demi-human.

Zeloph turned to him, casting a gentle smile when he suggested, “You have one now!”

Arron looked back with a widened glance. “You… wanna be my friend? Even after I’ve… e-even though I’m-”

The angelic demi gave a light chuckle. “You don’t have to put up a false front anymore. I want to know the real you. And there’s nothing about that to be a shame about!”

Zell let out a squeak when Arron scooped him into his big, sweaty arms and squeezed him while bawling his eyes out. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!! You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear that,” the burly demon cried. “It’s gotten lonely at the top with no one to share my victories with!”

“H-hey! We’ll have plenty of time to hang out,” The crushed angel assured through a strained voice, patting his muscular bicep. “Just take it easy with the squeezing!”

“O-oh, sorry!” The brawler laughed awkwardly, releasing his newly made friend. “Hard to hold back all this power~!”

“No kidding,” wheezed Zeloph, rubbing his lower back to ensure nothing snapped during that hug. Clearing his throat, he offered his fist. A genuine smile crossed Arron’s face as they bumped knuckles.

“Cool,” the fallen one sighed with relief. “Now, let’s head back to the monastery. The others can’t rebuild the ruins by their lonesome!”

“Ha! Just leave it all to me, pal!” The golden demon exclaimed as he made his way out of the woods, swinging his arms with swagger. He motioned for the nuns to step aside as he took another load of bricks to set up, showing a lot more enthusiasm.

“Looks like you managed to get through to him,” the voice of Atalanta spoke from behind, causing Zell to quiver. He turned around to see the unicorn manifest from his shadow. “That’s a good sign.”

“It is! A little strange how easily he flipped sides, but I ain’t complaining! I’m just thankful we could resolve our issues nonviolently.”

A slight smile formed on her snout. “I knew you could do it. You have a way with words~.”

A soft blush colored Zell’s face as he laughed sheepishly. “So, how are you holding up? Didn't butcher my sister too much, did you?”

“She remains in one piece… for the time being,” the reaper said jokingly before sporting a more troubled expression, avoiding her lover’s eyes shyly.

Zeloph tilted his head. “What’s wrong..?”

“Actually, can I have a moment with you?” asked Shadow Scythe, who clasped his hand. “There’s something I’d like to discuss privately.”

The seraphic angel mustered a warm smile and said, “Of course.”

Retrieving his sword of untold mysteries, Zeloph allowed the gloomy mare to lead him away from the monastery before they took flight. And judging by the way Atalanta squeezed his hand, he had a good idea where she was taking him…

“… y'know what? I take it back. I’d much rather be hauling bricks than sit through this shit!”

Seb was perpetually scowling behind his facial covering, tapping his fingers impatiently. Julianne led him from place to place within the destroyed village before settling at the plaza. Survivors of the attack from Mortis and his followers emerged from the broken settlements, their bodies covered in soot and rags.

He was now helping the rosy-haired nun donate old belongings undamaged by the church’s destruction to those in need. And by ‘helping,’ he sat in his chair, rattling his tail at anyone who got too close to him.

Gifts were handed out from the baskets they carried to ensure everyone was adequately fed and clothed. "Have a wonderful day," Julianna chirped, waving goodbye to the family of three. Her smile faltered a bit when her attention fell on her stubborn cohort. “There’s another box full of things you could be handing out,” she urged softly.

“‘Handouts.’ Pha!” The card demon scoffed, lifting up a set of delicate china cups and a teapot. “Look at this! No cracks, and in great condition! You should be selling these items, not giving them away like Christmas!”

“I am selling them,” the female angel retorted, taking the china set off his hands and passing them to an elderly mare. “And in return, I am given gratitude and fulfillment at seeing how happy I’ve made them.” They both shared smiles before the lady was on her way.

“Oh yeah! I’m sure she’ll still be smiling when she returns to her broken house until she realizes it does nothing to pay for damages.”

“Must you be so petty?”

The pinstriped devil leaned back into his chair, arms behind his head. “It’s the law of nature, doll! There’s no money in charity. And without money, the world can’t keep turning.”

“Rubbish,” chided Julianne. “Acts of generosity will always fulfill the heart more than any money.”

"Keep telling yourself that,” muttered Seb, eying a couple passing by when a light bulb turned on in his head. Raising up, he pointed at them and called out, “Hey! You, my good man!”

The stallion paused, his eyebrow arched when he pointed at his chest to clarify he was being spoken to.

“Yeah, you! Come over here for a second!”

The couple cautiously approached the pinstriped devil while he fished around his waistcoat before pulling out a wad of cash. Julianna placed her hands on her hips, eying the demon skeptically.

“I’ve got a bargain for you, playboy,” explained Seb, who slowly ran a finger through the dollar bills, making a satisfying ruffling sound. “How’s about a good ol game of Blackjack for this stack of fifteen thousand? You look like you and your lady friend could use more than coins in your pocket!”

“Errm, no thanks!” The stallion politely declined. “We don’t need that kind of money.”

“Precisely! And that’s why I… wait, what?!”

“I’m not about to take money from a complete stranger. Especially one as shady as you. Besides, I have everything I need right here~!”

“Awww, sweety,” the mare giggled bashfully before nuzzling his snout. The pair continued their walk, leaving Seb utterly flabbergasted by their refusal to play.

He then turned his attention back to Julianna, who had a knowing grin on her face. “So what was that you said about money being the law of nature~?” the abbess teased.

Seb growled, “Well, clearly, I’ve forgotten that I’m in a backward universe where everyone’s just peachy even when death’s knocking at the door! If we were in the Cyberverse, that schmuck would have fallen in hook, line, and sinker!”

“Perhaps… Or perhaps you’ve been trapped in a toxic environment for far too long,” the angelic nun suggested boldly, leaning close to his face with her hands clasped behind. “Tell me, how long have you used your ‘Collector’ persona?”

To his bewilderment, he had to think a little about the answer. Scratching his cheek, he admitted, “I kinda lost count of the years since my wager with Metatron.”

“Okay, so quite a while. And throughout that time, you’ve chosen a life where nothing is free without a price or nothing is worth keeping without risk. You're a gambler at heart, Sebastian. And there’s nothing you won’t do to increase your wealth. Whether it’s murder, treachery, or lying.”

“Yeah yeah, I'm a morally depraved crook. I already get an earful from that wannabe pop star! What’s your point?”

“Eclipsed Heart is admittedly fixated on what you are and what you’ve done,” acknowledged Julianne. “But I’m more interested in why you are the way you are. And I think I know why!”

“Oh, this outta be good,” snorted Seb, crossing his arms.

The rosy-haired nun‘s smile widened as she continued. “That hole in your heart just keeps getting bigger, doesn’t it? When you think you have enough, you justify wanting more. But no matter what you gain or how much you take, it’s never enough. Hell, it’s why you’re not afraid to lose! Because even if you lose everything, that just means you can start over and gain even more next time, right?”

Seb’s confidence slowly deflated, taken aback by how accurate Julianne’s presumptions were.

“But there lies the problem. Each time you fall, you’re not actually boosting yourself back up. In reality, you slip further into the downward spiral until it’s too late to escape that self-loathing and emptiness. Ultimately, that want for more will become so big it'll eventually crush you. And deep down, you know that, don’t you..?”

It took the gambler a moment to process what she said. It was a simple truth, yet he never once thought about it. “… Well, when you put it that way, it’s kinda depressing.”

“It is,” insisted Julianne. “You’ve been playing this game for so long, you’ve forgotten why you even played it in the first place! And through it, so many lives have been ruined by your hand. When was the last time you gave anything without wanting in return?”

Seb didn’t respond, for the answer was obvious. The angelic demi-human ran through another box before handing him a teddy bear. “It’s not too late to start now,” she whispered encouragingly, pointing at something past him.

The card demon followed her finger to find a group of children playing together, toys in hand. All except a little filly with pigtails, curled up behind a tree, sulking.

Realizing what the mother superior wanted him to do, the demon released a troubling noise before reluctantly getting out of his seat. “Just give the girl the dumb bear and move on,” he mumbled while walking. “Make it quick and painless…”

When Seb was in front of the lonely earth pony, he cleared his throat to announce his presence. Upon looking up, the filly gasped and curled up more, whimpering.

“Wh-whoa whoa, hey! Hey, take it easy,” he insisted softly, dropping down to one knee, so he was head level with the frightened child. “I’m not gonna hurt you! I’m just here to…”

That’s when he noticed the scar across her forehead, likely caused by something thrown at her head. He then scanned the older stallions and mares, watching their children from afar.

Seb gently asked, “Hey, uh… where are parents? Surely, they wouldn’t allow a stranger to-”

But the tears running down her face and blubbering sobs rising from her voice told the gambler everything. This girl was an orphan and likely lost her mother and father during Mortis' attack. She must have been picked on by the other kids because of it. This scenario was all too familiar to Seb, who recalled a specific memory buried in his subconscious…

Taking a deep breath, he tugged his fanged bandana to reveal his scarred face, making the girl ease up slightly. “A lot of people weren’t nice to me either, kiddo,” he confessed. “They don’t understand what it’s like. But trust me! You’ll be tougher in the future. Though, luckily, you don’t have to be alone…”

Seb then offered the filly the stuffed animal, her eyes widening. “W-what’s his name?”

“Oh, are you kidding me? Just take the fuc-erm, I mean..!” He quickly dropped the attitude and recomposed himself, making up a story on the spot. “This here is, uh… Mister Tubs! He’s lived a long life by himself and thinks you could use his company.”

“R-really? He wants… to be with me?!”

“Yep! He’s all yours if you’ll take him…”

Her expression brightened as she accepted the toy bear, hugging it tightly to her chest. “Don’t worry, Mister Tubs! I’ll take good care of you.”

“Heh. I’m sure you will,” surmised Seb, who stood up and brushed some dirt off his pant leg… only to freeze when the little rugrat embraced his knee, staring up at him with big blue eyes and a dopey smile.

“Thank you, mister! You’re not as scary as I thought!”

“Aahheeh… don’t mention it, kid,” the pinstriped demi-human chuckled uneasily. With a giggle, the young filly slipped off with her new toy. And Seb couldn’t deny the warmth in his chest, nor the smile split across his face.

“And some might say that his tiny black heart grew three sizes that day~!” Julianne teased melodically.

“Ohh, lay off,” the demon attempted to brush off. “She’s a cute kid…”

“And didn’t it feel wonderful to help her?”

“… Y-yeah, I… guess it did,” he admitted, pulling up his bandana mask.

The rosy-haired nun tittered. “You know, Seb. You have an unconventional approach when it comes to a child!”

“Well, believe it or not… I used to be a father. And a husband.”

Julianna’s eyes widened with surprise. “Really now?”

The gambling demi nodded as they walked together while he opened up about his beginnings. “I was a family man. Had a beautiful wife and two kids. Not the best-paying job, but I kept us afloat. She often told me how happy I made her, even when we had so little. And that she’d love me no matter what life I chose.”

Julianne pursed her lips into a straight line. “But..?”

Seb looked at her with a forlorn expression. “Well, just like you said: I wasn’t satisfied. I wanted more than what I was given. And that’s when I picked up gambling, studied the art, and learned every trick to guarantee the best outcome. My wife wasn’t impressed, even when I brought in half a million each week. She warned me all it took was the wrong attention and one bad game. And in hindsight, it would have spared them the heartache if I had listened.”

“It didn’t take long for the local mafia to pick up on my winnings and hold a gun to my head, demanding my money. However, thanks to my skills in persuasion, we reached a compromise. I joined their ranks and gave them a cut of my spoils; in return, my family and I were untouchable. Naturally, I got ballsy. And my wife and kids grew more distant.”

His eyes fell to the ground, head hung in shame. “It wasn’t hard to see when it stopped being about providing for my family. I was so drunk on power, taking my first life on the boss’s orders didn’t even phase me. I rose up the ladder, became a real mafioso, and never had to worry about being poor again…”

“Until you made the one bet that cost you everything,” Julianne presumed, listening intently.

The card demon nodded. “When my wife threatened me with divorce, I didn’t take her seriously. ‘She wouldn’t dare leave me,’ I reasoned. ‘Not when I had money and power at my beck and call!’ Then… one snowy evening, I found the apartment empty. Not a single trace of her was there. Took my children without even giving me a chance to say goodbye. All she left was a note on the table, lamenting the death of the man she loved while fearing for her safety.”

Seb breathed deeply, eyes and fists squeezed tightly at the painful memory. “Gods… I still remember the last time I spoke with her.”

The gambling demi then sang a somber jazz number as if to mourn the loss of the life he willingly threw away. Reminiscing about the good times he shared with his wife and children before it came undone by his vices.

The last time they spoke, he confronted her after her work shift, pleading for Seb to realize how much he hurt her and their children. To turn around and walk away from gambling and killing.

And Seb threw it back at her face, denouncing her intentions to leave and saying that she would come to appreciate his efforts in the long run.

Now, older and wiser, the pinstriped devil understood that his ex-wife was better off without him after all he’s put her through. And somewhere, a part of him hoped that she and their children were in a happier place.

Concluding his song, Seb sat on a rock and resumed his tale to Julianne, who had lost her smile upon hearing the extent of his criminal activity. “I was a mess. Each night, I drowned myself in liquor to the point I practically burned all the money I had won. The don took notice and decided it was best to cut me off before I became a liability. Literally cut me off…”

He tugged his bandanna down to trace the glasgow smile forever marked on his cheeks.

“I was run outta town, lost every cent to my name. I hit rock bottom and did the only thing I could think of. I prayed for a second chance. Just one more game to turn all of this around. And, well… you know the rest. Divine Father made me his errand boy; I wound up in the Cyberverse and rebuilt myself as the Collector, where I took more than just debts from the people who owed me. I had a good thing going… until I got involved with those broads!”

Seb heaved a frustrated sigh as he removed his feathered hat. “As much as I can’t stand her, Eclipsed is right. I’ve dipped my hands in too much blood to be worth redemption. Even if I wanted to start over, I’ve completely tarnished my reputation with the Cyberverse! So… just spare yourself the trouble and quit wasting your time on me. I ain’t good to anyone…”

“I don't believe that to be true,” the abbess demi-human dejected with a reassuring smile, gingerly stroking his shoulder. “Not everything has to be seen in black and white, Seb. Morally good criminals do exist, just as there are corrupted cops and lawyers. When I said, ‘I didn’t care about your past,’ I meant it. You could have killed twice the people Zeloph and Shadow Scythe have, and I’d still offer you the same opportunity to change yourself!”

“But why?!” Seb demanded, his heated glare wet with tears. “Why are you so goddamn persistent on making others happy? Especially when they don’t want to be!? Why!?!”

Julianne dropped her grin when she answered, “The world has gotten too cruel. Everyone expects the worst out of each other due to their baggage. But I refuse to allow good morale to die. Because if I do, Metatron was right to take away our free will!”

The rosy-haired nun heaved, doing her best not to cry in front of Seb, who softened his stiff expression. “If I could change one life, even with the tiniest of gestures, then it was worth it.” Her ruby eyes bore into his, full of sincerity. “You may think you could never be a hero, but I believe you don’t have to be a villain.”

Seb looked over to the little filly he had given a teddy bear. And while the other kids still didn’t play with her, she looked happier as she swung around with her stuffed animal.

“I don’t expect you to reform immediately,” Julianne continued softly. “It’s a lengthy process, and you’ll likely stumble into old habits. But promise me you will at least try to make an honest effort should you decide to reform.”

The card demon stared long and hard at the skies, which slowly took an orange hue as the sun began to set. Could he really turn his life of crime and avarice around with noble intentions? The filly was living proof he wasn’t morally bankrupt like he thought.

When the pinstriped devil glanced back at Julianne, who patiently waited for an answer, he offered a slight nod. Her smile returned as she took his hand into his and continued to give out the rest of the boxes to the stallions and mares in need.

Once the pair had finished, they made their way up to the monastery. Upon arriving, they spotted Eclipsed Heart conversing with Wispy Willow while everyone had wrapped up work for the day. Chisana had tuckered herself out, snoring atop the chest of Arron, who also passed out.

When the singer and feline assassin noticed the demi’s returned, their expressions soured. “Well, I see someone enjoyed a nice day around town while the rest of us worked our asses off,” the pop star huffed sarcastically.

"Nice to see you too, sweetheart," replied Seb.

"Don’t ever call me 'sweetheart'! That’s the last thing I wanna hear outta your filthy mouth!"

“On the contrary, he was a big help to me in donating some belongings to the villagers,” said Julianne, beaming brightly. “Quite a lot of progress was made.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Wispy scoffed.

"Look,” Seb said softly. “Can you hear me out? I wanna get this off my chest.”

The duo remained on edge, though nonetheless kept quiet to listen. The angelic nun gently urged him forward, and he took a deep breath.

“I’m… considering this whole 'redemption' thing,” he elaborated with folded arms. “Make no mistake! I’m not gonna stop gambling or taking hits on people. That’s my zen garden! But the prospect of becoming a ‘good’ criminal? Sounds appealing! Now, given our ‘history’, I don’t expect us to get along. But can we at least tolerate each other’s existence?”

Eclipsed deepened her frown. “And why should we?”

“Yeah, I don’t buy it,” hissed Wispy. “Sounds like you’re just trying to sweep all your atrocities under the rug!”

“I’m not asking for forgiveness. I know I don’t deserve it. Not after I did you and your friends dirty! It was wrong of me, and for what it’s worth, I'm sorry how things got outta hand. I plan to return to the Cyberverse and turn myself in when this is over. Take it or leave it; that’s what I've decided.”

They both stared at each other, unable to believe the words out of Seb’s mouth. Eclipsed frowned deeply as she looked him in the eye, trying to find any deception.

“… even if you were remorseful for your actions, I would never forgive you,” the diva seethed. “You deserve to rot in the lowest hellhole possible!”

Before he could carry the argument, Eclipsed left in a huff, skating across the newly paved walkway. The twin-tailed tigress gazed at her friend worryingly. It wasn’t like her to be so vindictive, even when she was justified in hating the bastard that turned their world upside down.

Wispy looked at Seb and told him, “If you really mean to turn yourself in, I hope you follow through. It’ll be the first good thing you’ve done!”

With that said, she raced after her troubled bandmate, leaving the two demi’s alone to their thoughts. And while Julianne reassured him, Seb remained skeptical if this was the right decision.

Returning to her old home with her lover, Shadow Scythe was aghast to find the place in ruins, torn to shreds by the cosmic squall. Planks of wood were ripped apart. Trophies her father once collected were scattered across the hilltop, where a cliff overlooked the sea far below. Her heart ached to see the remnants of her birthplace and childhood desecrated.

A symbol of what she and her family had become.

The reaper’s icy eyes scanned the devastation before giving a relieved sigh upon spotting her mother’s burial sight. The gravestone was slightly slanted in the moist grass and soil, where earthworms crawled, their slimy pink bodies glistening under the fading sunlight.

Moss and grime saturated the carvings. Shadow Scythe wiped the headstone’s surface with her palm, the name of her mother, Quiver Bolt, etched on a worn silver plate above the date of her birth and death.

Zeloph read the epitaph out loud, voice filled with melancholy. “Graceful huntress. Caring wife. Loving mother. Always in our hearts.”

“The barriers between dimensions have weakened thanks to these storms,” explained Shadow Scythe. “I detect souls trapped in the ether, unable to leave the purgatorial plane. Fortunately, this also means it should be easier to make contact. The reason we’re here is that… b-because-”

“Her spirit still lingers here,” the demi-human presumed, earning a small nod from the unicorn mare. He took her hand, giving a gentle squeeze. “Are you prepared for this..?”

The reaper solemnly nodded. "Much as I'll ever be. My actions drove my mother into an early grave. Therefore, it’s my responsibility to give her soul respite." Collecting a breath, Shadow Scythe closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to navigate her way into limbo, where Quiver Bolt’s restless spirit wandered aimlessly after her suicide. And because the former villainess had butchered her fellow psychopomps, she, along with other souls, couldn’t move on from the afterlife. However, she took solace that Mortis had seemingly overlooked her mother’s soul on his quest.

The color drained from the area around them. Grass blades that whipped in a breeze went still; the feel and sound of the wind died, the world around them frozen by limbo. The angelic demi surveyed the landscape with widened eyes, wondering if this was a form of temporal magic.

"Quiver Bolt...mother,” she called out. “It's your daughter, Atalanta. If you can hear me, please! Follow the sound of my voice."

When she slowly opened her eyes, the reaper unicorn sensed a familiar presence that enveloped her in nostalgic warmth. An ethereal shape gradually manifested before taking the form of a beautiful mare. A flame mane trailed down the white gold of the mare's curves, clothed in a simple white shift that billowed around her in contrast to the stillness around them. Zeloph wisely backed away so as not to startle the ghostly unicorn, whose eyes fell on the uneasy gaze of her daughter.

“Atalanta,” Quiver Bolt said, her face unreadable. “Is it really you..?”

“Yes,” confirmed the reaper mare, who pulled off her hood. “It’s me…”

Her fists clenched tightly, bracing for her spectral parent’s judgment. But instead of scorn, the mature mare cupped both sides of her daughter’s face, her wide eyes boring into her soul.

“You’ve changed so much,” she noted with a shaky voice. “You’ve shed your reaper’s cloak. You’re using your actual name! I… this feels like a dream!”

Atalanta trembled in her mother’s tender grasp, unable to hold back tears.

“A-and you’re crying! I don’t think I’ve ever heard you cry before,” exclaimed Quiver, who wiped away the reaper’s sadness with her hand. "Not even when I birthed you! I thought my poor baby was stillborn and wept uncontrollably..."

“Mother, I’m so sorry! I-I’ve done so much wrong. It’s my fault that you-”

“Shhhhhhhhh,” the older mare hushed, wrapping her arms around her child’s head, tucking into her bosom, where Atalanta choked out sobs for what she lost. A sad smile stretched Quiver Bolt’s snout.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hold you in my arms again,” she whispered, running her fingers through snow-white locks.

When Shadow Scythe let out all her sorrows, she pulled back to gaze at her mother wearingly. “I-I thought you would never forgive me!”

“My child. Would I come to you now if I still held resentment?” The former huntress countered.

The unicorn mare rubbed her snout with her sleeve, sniffling, “Point taken. B-but father, he-”

“I know,” acknowledged Quiver Bolt, who frowned. “I’ve seen a lot since my passing. How… grief struck Quicksilver became. I couldn’t live with myself, knowing my daughter had become a murderer. But it was a selfish thing to leave him alone. If I had been stronger, I might have prevented Mortis from taking him..!”

But Shadow Scythe shook her head. “Mortis is too strong, mother. He would have taken your life and used necromancy to make you his slave.”

The mature unicorn scowled but bitterly agreed. “You’re right… which is why you must help him, Atalanta. The longer he serves Mortis, the more he will lose his memories. And once that lich completely erases your father’s mind, his soul can no longer be put to rest. It will just cease to exist…”

Both Atalanta and Zeloph went pale from this horrifying information. “Y-yes, of course! I promise, mother. I won’t let you down again!”

"It'll be okay,” assured Quiver Bolt, a serene smile on her lips. “You’ve become so strong, my child. I couldn’t be more proud! And if he were here and whole, your father would say the same. It’s too late to save his life, but I know you can put him to rest!”

A somber smile appeared on the reaper’s snout as she hugged her mother tightly. Zeloph smiled brightly, delighted to see his lover reconcile with half of her family. That’s when Quiver Bolt glanced at the shimmering angel and slyly asked, “So when are you going to introduce me to your boyfriend~?”

“M-my-Ohh! Crap, I was so caught up with you, I-” She pulled away, face beat red as she turned to her soulmate apologetically. “… Sorry, Zell.”

The fallen one laughed. “No worries! I didn’t want to impede on your reunion,” he insisted as he took to her side.

“Ahem! Mother? This is Zeloph, my… husband-to-be,” she revealed awkwardly. “He’s helped me a lot in rediscovering who I am.”

“I can see that,” surveyed Quiver Bolt, who smiled knowingly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise!” he greeted with a slight bow of his head.

The older mare took in his features, marveling at his lean physique, swan-like plumage, and strange floral-tipped tail. “My, my, aren’t you just dazzling? And to think, my daughter disdained the very notion of romance, let alone marriage! Reminds me of how I effortlessly swooned Quicksilver~.”

“Well, that’s not hard to imagine! I can see where Atalanta gets her elegant looks from,” the seraphic angel purred, earning a sharp elbow jab from the flustered reaper while her mother tittered.

“No, she took after her father, mostly,” said Quiver Bolt. “Always had his face in a book, studying about the latest cryptid in the area and how to kill it. Took a lot of… ‘leverage’ to pry his attention from the pages~.”

“Mother!”

The unicorn phantom playfully brushed her off. “I don’t need to tell you that you have my blessing. I always hoped Atalanta would find love someday and start her own family. And from what I’ve seen, you positively influence her. I can’t thank you enough for bringing my daughter back on the right path. You truly are an angel!”

Zeloph’s cheeks heated up as he replied, “T-the pleasure is mine.”

Quiver Bolt heaved a big sigh. “Unfortunately, I can’t stay here for much longer. The other wayward souls stuck here-”

"-are making the dimensional flux worse," surmised Shadow Scythe. "Another storm is coming. And I fear it will only escalate with Mortis’ relentless pursuit for retribution. But…” She then dropped her head and shoulders heaved. “… It’s too soon! I don’t want to be without you, m-mom-"

"I will always be with you, Atalanta," reassured Quiver Bolt, her smile widened despite her tear-stricken face. "You're the heroine your father and I always knew you could be! But you must finish what has started while there's still time!"

"I...I will...mother. I love you." She squeezed her one last time, reluctant to let her go.

“I love you, too,” the ethereal mare softly replied. “Now go. And take care of each other. My time has come…”

Quiver Bolt closed her eyes, waiting for her daughter to begin the incantation that would unshackle her soul from the purgatorial plane and release her spirit to a peaceful afterlife.

The phantom unicorn slowly drifted out of Atalanta’s arms, and her form dissipated into a spectral sphere of light that floated into the heavenly rift that shimmered across the sky. The reaper mare fell to her knees, teary eyes watching as her mother’s soul finally ascended to paradise.

Limbo faded around the couple, and color returned to the world around them. Shadow Scythe wiped her face, reassured by her mother's words and the knowledge she was at rest.

When Zeloph wrapped his arms and wings around her, she leaned into his warmth and comfort. During the brief moment of mourning, she spoke with a husky whisper, “Thank you for being here with me. I would have been so lost without you…”

“No,” he politely declined while nuzzling her head. “I wasn’t that better myself.”

She looked at him worryingly, noticing wet streaks running down his face. He took a deep breath and explained, “Seeing you reconnect with your mother made me realize how badly I screwed things up in my world. How badly I miss Jonn.”

“But that wasn’t your fault-”

“Yes, it was,” he cut off, voice cracking with grief. “ My creator… Metatron made us watch my mother die and threatened to do the same to him if I didn’t conform. And in a moment of weakness, I chose that monster, who was incapable of love, over the man who showed me nothing but compassion and kindness. Just to save him from annihilation.”

Zell began shaking his head. “But Jonn… gods, he was stronger than I could ever be! I begged for him to flee, and he refused. Because he wouldn’t stand for me debasing myself like that. Jonn defied the divine father and told him, ‘No. He’s not gonna do that, man. Zell’s better than that. He doesn’t need you—we don’t need you. And that frightens you, doesn’t it?’”

His voice hitched as he choked out, “And just like that… he was gone. Reduced to atoms. All those years rejecting my origins. Trying to make myself lesser so I could be like him. And the bastard killed him anyway.”

It was Atalanta’s turn to comfort her lover, bringing Zell’s head to her chest as he quietly cried. Fingers delicately brushed through his midnight blue locks.

“You mustn’t blame yourself for his death, my love,” she assured soothingly. “You are stronger, just like he said. I bet he would be so proud if he could see how far you’ve come!”

Once his sobbing quelled, the reaper mare lifted his face to gingerly stroke his cheek, love, and conviction in her icy blue eyes. “Mourn for him, Zeloph. I’m certain he will hear it.”

The weeping angel took a breath as he steadily rose and approached the cliff. Illumination briefly flashed as the Vorpal Blade took its guitar shape. Once he pulled the strap around his shoulder, he plucked the strings to open with a melodic riff and played a rock ballad in dedication to his precious friend.

Zeloph's voice starts off gently, singing his gratitude, sadness, and love through the lyrics. But it became stronger upon reaching the second chorus until he belted his heart out with power, giving Shadow Scythe goosebumps.

Radiant light glimmered off his instrument, enveloping the guitarist with its brilliance and magic, synchronizing their power as one briefly until the song came to its climax.

As the seraphic demi played the outro, the pale unicorn shifted through the debris simply to see if anything was salvageable. Zeloph looked out to the horizon, noting that storm clouds began to retake the skies with foreboding thunder as soon as the sun disappeared.

As she scooped down and pushed away broken support beams and bricks, something caught the reaper's eye. It was one of her old dolls that her mother often encouraged her to play with. The seams were worn, the fabric of its dress torn and dirty, and stitches were missing in places as stuffing fell out.

Standing back up, Shadow Scythe approached her beloved, cradling the toy in her arms. “Zell?”

The fallen angel pulled away from the cliff’s edge, wrapping an arm around her thin waist. “Yes..?”

Her eyes met his; conflict contorting her face when she proposed, “When we’ve dealt with Mortis, Varys, and everything else… after our wedding… Do you still want a child?”

Zeloph stared back at her, astounded. “Atalanta-"

"I'm not sure I do,” she clarified. “But… I would be willing to try. If there’s a way, we could do it safely, maybe…”

The false idol firmly held her shoulder. “Hun. I’m not even sure we’ll find time for that. There’s still Alma and her followers. And who knows whether Beatrix can reclaim her mansion. Not to mention this other anomaly and the current state of the multiverse..."

“I know a lot is happening right now. But… I value your happiness above all else!” She reached up to hold his head between her hands, a severe gleam in her icy eyes. “I love you, Zeloph. I will do anything to provide for you. A-and If that means-”

Her oath of devotion was silenced by a kiss, one she returned hungrily. Zell ran his fingers through her white mane before pulling away with a heated breath. His cerulean eyes mirrored her loving gaze.

“I love you so much,” he affirmed. “You being a part of my life is all I could ever ask for. Whether that includes a child or not, we’ll let fate decide. But I’m simply happy that you’re with me, Atalanta.”

Moved by his words, the reaper mare wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in for another kiss…

Until a thunderous roar split through the air.

Their head snapped to the horizon, darkness shrouding the world. Underneath the foreboding storm came a massive flying monster, rallied by a swarm of winged arthropods. Shadow Scythe and Zeloph stared aghast as the intrusion got closer, recognizing the multi-headed terror Andrei.

And mounting the dragon’s back was the all too familiar tattered black robes whipping around a skeletal equine, spectral energy oozing from his bones.

“He’s here..!”

Word of an explosion going off in the badlands of Zebrica was quickly caught on by the scouts of the Pundamilia Empire. They arrived in a hovercraft to inspect the destroyed remains of the secret factory of their mysterious benefactor, Varys. Accompanied was the royal advisor, Adila, cousin of the princesses Zuri, Kali, and Tisha. Despite reservations from the emperor himself, she insisted on tagging along on this mission.

‘It'll be an adventure!’ Adila initially insisted, having grown bored of spending her days in the palace. Her cousins always got to go on hunts and expeditions, so why couldn’t she? The young zebress always wanted to see the source of their new technology in person...and also hoped they could make a stop at Noble Savage's tribe. Not only to possibly meet up with her cousins about negotiations but also to dabble in the supposed ‘sexy celebrations’ the tribe was known for.

But it seemed that would have to wait as their levitating vehicle touched down, three male zebra soldiers jumping out with firearms and protective helmets. Adila hopped alongside them with a face covering, scanning the debris, fire, and smoke around her. “Neno langu! This place got totaled!”

“It’s not safe here,” warned one of the guardsmen. “Sensors indicate high readings of radioactivity here. We advise you to stay in the carrier where it’ll be-”

“Excuse me?” Adila interrupted, hand placed firmly on her hip. “Are you telling me what to do? I don’t remember your rank being higher than mine!”

“I-it isn’t, but-“

“Then know your place! If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked.” With a huff, she shoved him aside to start looking around the piles of scrap metal. The scouts only shook their heads, used to such ignorance from a person of privileged status.

While the stallions were busy looking for any signs of life, Adila pulled out her phone, a piece of tech supplied to her land. The royal advisor had accumulated thousands of followers in only a short timeframe, no doubt accomplished by streaming her exploits across the kingdom, which included her tour today.

“So, what do you suppose happened here?” the zebra mare asked half-mindedly, holding up her recording device for the best shot of herself in the ruins. “An explosion? Some sort of meltdown. C’mon, give me something to spin the emperor with!”

With a begrudging sigh, one Pundamilian scout answered, “Well, given the smell levels and the wide range of scattered parts, I’d say it was definitely implosion. Something must have caused the whole facility to rapture from the inside.” He then stepped into something mushy. Looking down, the zebra warrior found his foot had stomped through the chest cavity of an augmented corpse, making him shudder and kick it away immediately.

“Uugh, geez! What the hell was this guy building that required so many bodies!?”

“Obviously, something important,” snorted Adila, who was touching her stripy mane for the final touch. But she frowned when she noticed several cadavers were littering every frame. She couldn’t possibly host a live stream in these conditions!

“Guess I’ll have to settle with a written report,” the advisor groaned, tucking her phone away. “Still need to figure out how and why this happened…”

“Hey, over here!” A scout called over. “I found something!”

Peeking her eyebrow, Adila and the two other zebras ran over to the locations. Gasps stuck in her throat upon arriving to see the remains of a steel vat, broken shards of glass everywhere around the rim. The zebra scout stood over a body adorning a tattered green cloak and, upon rolling it over with his foot, revealed it to be the leading scientist himself.

The female zebra held her neck, a look of disgust on her face at how decrypted and sickly Varys appeared during his last moments. To his right was his signature plague doctor mask, cracks compromising the visors comp and the beak torn off.

The leading officer held his wrist gauntlet over the carcass to fire a tiny scanning light for analysis. The reading quickly concluded with a description. [Zero life signature detected. Subject: Deceased].

“Yep. He’s dead alright,” the zebra man announced, turning to the royal advisor. “Better add that to your report, Adila. The emperor will want to know how our benefactor expired.”

“More importantly, we must inform him that the source for Pundamilla’s future is finite,” added the other scout. “Without Varys to power our machines, this could set us back decades!”

“You worry too much,” dismissed Adila, who bent to pick up the avian mask, studying it with peculiar interest. “We were doing fine before that creepy cyborg offered us his tech. If you ask me, he was holding us back!”

She recalled when the mechanical scientist first approached herself, her uncle, and his daughters. While they were captivated by the futuristic gizmos and machines, the royal advisor remained suspicious of the cyber demon’s ulterior motives.

Still, the zebress went along to appease the emperor's curiosity. And she couldn’t deny the results, both in her popularity on social media and the expansion of their empire! Few tribes and nations resisted merging with Pundamilia, most notably Noble Savage and his people.

Adila’s snout curled into a brilliant smile. “I’ll give Varys this. He left us with a strong foundation upon our kingdom to thrive. And with him out of the way, we can achieve more for the emperor without restraint! I mean, look around you..!” She waved a hand to emphasize the facility surrounding them. “There’s enough metal and hardware to reformat back home.”

“But this technology came from a world beyond our current understanding,” rebutted the scout leader. “Our scientists and engineers simply don’t have the resources to figure out how any of this works!”

“Still don’t remember asking for your opinion,” stated the royal advisor. “I mean, it’s just a bunch of robotic junk. How hard can it be? Besides, do you really want to be the ones to tell our beloved emperor we might be running short on supplies?”

The three zebra stallions looked to one another to try and reason with the pretentious mare but failed to come up with a response, much to Adila’s smug delight.

“Didn’t think so~! Let’s get out of this dump,” she ordered as she strutted off, carrying Varys’ mask as a souvenir. “We’ll need to bring more carriers to haul whatever we can out of this-”

A sickening crunch made the royal advisor halt. Her eyes narrowed down to her heeled hooves, having stepped in a shell fragment. “What the…”

A trail of slimy pieces directed her eyes to the enormous, hollowed-out egg made of organic and inorganic matter. Glowing slime and metallic gunk oozed from the cracks, filling the air with a rank stench that made Adila scrunch up her covered snout. “Yuuulgh!”

“What. The hell. Is that!?” The scout leader demanded, who cautiously approached it with his men.

“It’s putrid!”

“Who cares! I am not sticking around to find out what sorta creature hatched from this!” declared Adila, who nonetheless fished out her phone to take a few pictures of the inner shell. The emperor would surely want to know about this!

“Okay, you got your photos! Now hurry, and let’s get out of he-eeerraah!?”

The zebras failed to notice a shadow swooping out of the smoky fog before it snatched one of the stallions, kicking and bellowing in terror. Adila gave a yelp while the other scouts were on alert, guns aimed at the skies, and the echoing screams sounded from above.

Then the abducted zebra was dropped down onto a broken pillar of scrap metal, the sharp pike piercing his abdomen. His yells of anguish grew loud and terrified as the aerial threat perched onto the iron spike.

His comrades could only watch in horror as it jabbed its claw through his chest and pulled out his heart arteries, somehow still attached. The avian fiend studied the frantically beating organ before crushing it within its grasp.

The zebra’s heart bursted like a bloody balloon, instantly killing him. The last thing the poor stallion saw was a beak-like snout forming an unnerving smile, horrible chartreuse eyes leering at him.

“Kill it! Shoot it down!” Cried Adila as the pundamilian scouts opened fire, blasting plasma bullets at the creature, who deflected the rounds with its large avian plumage. With a beat of its wings, it took off into the smoggy atmosphere.

“I’ve lost visual,” the scout leader growled, trying to scope it out through his helmet vizor.

“We have to fall back!”

“I’ll call in reinforcements,” said Adila, who clumsily tried to dial a number. But she couldn’t punch it in when the monster flew down with a screech, tackling through their defenses to push her down. It stomped down on her phone with taloned feet.

Adila gazed at her attack with pinpoint pupils. It was a being made purely of flesh and metal, a slick metallic tissue shielding its sickly glowing interior. Its arms, legs, and tail were made of denser material, like the large quills sprouting from its back. Despite the gangling frame, its belly was slightly rotund. Full breasts heaved with each breath, purple nipples hardened.

Atop its long neck was an avian-shaped face, a head of shiny white hair that split off into long bangs. Two small black wings behaved like ears, perking up at the sound of rifles clipping, its spines shuddering as if sensing danger.

The biomechanical beast quickly ducked out of the line of fire and glided at the closest zebra stallion, seizing his throat and hoisting him up. It knocked the other officer down with a sweep of its claw-tipped tail, using it to pin him down.

That’s when he felt something sharp poke into his lower back and let out a blood-curdling scream when it impaled his spine. The claw tightened its grip while the extraction needle drained him of his essence.

Adila watched helplessly as her colleague dissolved into a liquified puddle of flesh, bands of rippling light traveling up the creature’s tail into its spine. The cryptid avian let out whimpers when it finished draining the scout leader, now focused on the stallion squirming in its grasp.

A coy smile spread its features. “Mmm… that’s better,” it softly groaned with an androgynous tone.

“S-Shetani! Shetani!!” The sniveling scout cursed in his native tongue.

The demon gave a throaty chuckle, seemingly able to understand his dialect. In response, it extended one of its claws and poked it through his neck. It released its bellowing prey, observing the stallion as yellow veins swelled and spread throughout his body from the puncture wound.

A metallic grey liquid oozed out every pore and orifice until his rapidly decaying form transmuted organic plate armor. The technorganic virus even fused his existing tech and helmet into his arms and head. His cries were layered with digital distortions until, eventually… the sounds stopped.

One touch was all it took for the scout to succumb to the vile monster’s flesh-altering disease. The newly mechanized zombie stood motionless before slowly skulking toward the bodies of his comrades. The creature responsible looked taken aback by how quickly its toxin took effect, quietly marveling over its claws with awe.

“What is this?” It wondered out loud, momentarily looking itself over. “What am I? And why does it feel… good~?” It kneaded its prominent breasts, letting out gentle coos while rubbing its thoughts together.

Adila took this opportunity to crawl behind a pile of iron debris. She hastily looked around to figure out where the hover carrier was. If she could get to it without drawing attention…

The royal advisor poked her head over the scrap pile, spotting the monster examining Varys’ lifeless body, head tilted to the side. Coiling its tail to lift the carcass, it stabbed its needle-like appendage through his cranium and quietly extracted what little essence remained.

Meanwhile, the biomechanical drone it had created hunched over the cadaver of its former comrade, vomiting a chemical substance into his exposed chest. The enhanced disease quickly overtook the deceased zebra stallion, reanimating it into another automatized husk. It pulled itself free from its impalement, corrosive acid seeping out the giant hole in its chest.

The biomechanical beast dropped Varys’ body after siphoning what it wanted, clutching its head as a slew of memories bombarded its psyche. His thoughts, emotions, experiences, and encounters. All leading up to its conception under one name.

“Nephilim!”

That's what it was. No… what she was. The culmination of the Vice Lord's work. His successor and his reincarnation simultaneously. The Nephilim recalled that, during his final moments, Varys performed an incantation stolen from the Vice Lord, Doppia, to merge his spirit into the egg before Quicksilver put him down. And despite Mortis’ pet dragon drinking the soul vat dry, it was enough to sustain the creature during her incubation period.

She had emerged incomplete but alive and intact.

“I owe you much for my survival, don’t I?” The Nephilim considered, stroking the carcass with a delicate talon. “In honor of your sacrifice, I should carry your ambition. Herald the technorganic utopia you’ve worked so hard to achieve…”

She smiled spitefully at the thought and then said, “… I. Think. Not!”

The Nephilim lifted her powerful legs and stomped the cadaver’s head apart, brain matter and blood splattering.

“You had your chance, old man,” scoffed the cybernetic demi-human, twisting her heel deeper. “But I refuse to accept your purpose as my destiny. Besides, you would have never gotten this far without… this!”

Kicking the headless body over, her tail slithered into his cloak and pulled out the flesh-covered tome hidden within. Opening the Necronomicon, she briefly scanned the forbidden texts, its evil temptations whispering into her ear.

“Why would anyone want to wipe out humanity when it can be further corrupted?” mused the Nephilim. “Stripped of their morals. Devoid of sanity. Helplessly addicted to their vices~.”

Her quills vibrated in excitement, already considering what potential devastation she would wreak. Perhaps she should start with something small and visceral?

“Visceral,” she hummed thoughtfully. “Viscera… Hmmm~... It has a nice ring to it. Rolls off the tongue quite nicely!”

Settling on her chosen name, Viscera turned her head to find Adila making a beeline for the hovercraft. An amused smirk crossed her beck-shaped snout as she spread her scabby wings and took flight, leaving the cyborganic zombies to wander aimlessly.

The royal advisor focused only on the carriage ahead, tears streaming down her face. She had to warn her uncle and the rest of the Zebrica empire about this monstrous plight. Conquest would no longer matter so long as that thing was flying around!

But as she crawled up the steps, the steely avian dropped right in front of her, the hovercraft rocking under the ‘thud’ and causing the zebra mare to trip backward, landing on her bottom.

Frightened eyes stared at the predatory creature, a twisted smile stretching her face. “Going somewhere~?”

“P-please! Don’t hurt me!!” Adila pleaded tearfully, shuffling away. Viscera’s nostrils flared at the tang of urine, spotting a growing stain in the advisor’s pants. Pleased with herself, she placed the Necronomicon in her tail claw on the dashboard before lashing it out to clamp around the zebress’ ankle.

She shrieked as she was dragged closer to the cybernetic monstrosity. She flailed uselessly, eyes shrinking at the elongated nails looming near her face. “NO! STOP!!”

Viscera tittered cruelly. Instead of infecting her like the other zebras, she scooped up one tear with the tip of her claw. Then she brought it over her tongue, savoring its salty bitterness.

Adila whimpered. “W-what do you want?!”

The Nephilim groaned before leaning to the advisor’s ear, answering in a slithering voice.

“I want inside you~!”

Her visage contorted with bewilderment about what that meant until her eyes fell over Viscera’s crotch. Above the creature’s dripping snatch was a triangular-shaped slit that widened. And a long, slimy, ebony appendage erected out until it stiffened, shaft bristled with hair-like barbs. Adila’s pupils dilated up, realizing what she was gawking at.

It was a penis. This creature possessed male and female genitalia. And the implications of what she wanted became crystal clear…

“No… not that! Anything but that!!”

Viscera ignored her prey’s objections, claws slashing through the royal zebra’s uniform and shirt, panting huskily at the sight of the zebra’s chest spilling out. It didn’t take long until she freed the struggling mare of her sullied pants and panties.

Adila whined and begged, unable to take her gaze off the prickly cock that pulsated against her mound. The Nephilim then took hold of her legs and spread them apart, the bulbous tip poised at her entrance. And without warning, she stuffed herself entirely into the zebress’ cunt with one thrust, releasing a sultry hiss.

Adila screamed bloody murder, feeling the alien intruder battering her cervix, penetrating into her womb as the vulture-esque demi-human started pounding her pussy violently.

Viscera’s vagina secreted hot feminine discharge, dribbling between the zebra’s buttocks. With Adila’s legs occupied, the cyborganic demoness repositioned her tail to clutch around her victim’s throat, choking her screams and unwanted moans.

“Aaagh! I-It hurts,” she whimpered, tears staining her eyes. The tiny hairs brushed her love tunnel roughly, making the pain ten times worse.

Even if Viscera were listening to her pathetic pleas, she likely didn’t care. Far too fixated on defiling the pretty zebra mare, moaning hotly from how tightly she tried to squeeze out her oversized fem cock. Her hands squeezed and pulled on Adila’s ample tits, which jiggled with each bludgeoning thrust.

The Nephilim let her baser instincts to breed the fertile female take over, the thought of contaminating her womb with putrid sperm causing her entire body to shiver in ecstasy.

With a low growl, the bionic demi-human flipped Adila onto her face, talons digging into her supple ass while she continued to defile her from behind. Her animalistic trills and groans grew gruff, hammering away at the poor mare, who tried desperately to crawl away.

But with her rapist's tight grip around her waist, the zebress was forced into the depraved monster’s hard thrusts.

Then, with a loud shriek, Viscera buried herself fully inside Adila as she hit her climax, pumping the zebra advisor’s marehood full of hot spunk.

Adila cried in disgust as her body betrayed her, squeezing down on the intrusive cock and coating it in mare cum. Her belly swelled from the parasitic seed bathing her ovaries.

Viscera withdrew with a wet ‘schlop,’ causing the zebress’ body to plop to the side and curl into a fetal position. Whimpering as their mixed juices seeped out her thoroughly thrashed fuck hole.

To her absolute horror, Adila looked up to see her violator’s slime-coated cock still erect. With an appalled look, she weakly muttered, “M-Mchafu!”

“‘Vile,’ am I?” The buzzard-faced demi chortled. “Oh, trust me, pet. I’ve barely even begun to get nasty!”

A heated coo rose from her throat, one hand stroking her penis while the other grabbed her chest. Why did she still feel horny? Perhaps something to do with the DNA samples from this ‘Belladonna’ person.

Viscera considered taking another round out of Adila, but fortunately for the zebra mare, one of the cyborganic zombies pulled her attention away as it walked toward them. Her chartreuse eyes lowered into a sultry glare as she approached it with swaying hips. Or as sensually one could be with lanky proportions like hers.

And things only got weirder when Viscera started singing while running her hands over the twitching automaton. Her scratchy voice conveyed sexiness to the otherwise vulgar-sounding lyrics.

The synthetic zombie responded by touching her back, feeling up the Nephilim’s assets while its stallionhood bizarrely became erected. As the song hit its second chorus, she shoved the biomechanical zombie onto its back, pushing her tail through its rectum and tearing it a new hole for her to fuck. She was practically screeching the song while hammering away at her toy.

What made this most perplexing was that Viscera sang as if it was directed at someone. And indeed, someone was on her mind while she moaned out the lyrics,

“Throughout the forest, above the trees…

Within my stomach, scraped off my knees…

I drink the honey inside your hive…

You are the reason I am still alive~♪”

The fallen one occupied the nephilim’s ravenous fantasies, much to her astonishment. She had never met him or felt anything particular to him. Yet through Varys’ memories, the vulture-esque demi-human found the seraphic angel the perfect candidate to sire tainted offspring. The thought of ravaging him beyond recognition brought Viscera to another orgasm, pumping her splooge into the screaming technorganic drone.

Yes. She would cast abominable filth upon Zeloph. Make him vile. Make him a spectacle!

With her libido finally sated, Viscera removed herself from the mewling cyborganic abomination, its own shaft firing its discharge directly into the hole in its chest. The Nephilim pondered how she was going to reach Zeloph.

She tried drawing a circle as the witchy unicorn did, but nothing happened, much to her disappointment. Seems that rare dimension jumping ability wasn’t something she could be born with, despite having Beatrix’s genetic code.

Viscera focused on the high-tech carrier, Adila trying to pull herself back up on the control panel. And through that observation, an epiphany came.

The biomechanical hermaphrodite flew over to her maker’s corpse again, stripping him of his outfit and casting a minor spell to repair the torn seams.

Adorned in the newly tailored cloak, Viscera glided back to the hovercraft, dragging her technorganic zombie on board. She then placed a hand over Adila’s, the mare attempting to make contact with the empire to send a warning about the dangerous Nephilim. But the zebra froze instantly, possible scenarios of how she’ll die running rampant in her mind.

Appeased by her victim’s fearful visage, the vulture-faced demi gave a reassuring titter. “Do as I say, and I’ll let you live in good health,” the Nephilim advertised, guiding her hand to the ignition.

Adila whimpered, sweating bullets. She couldn’t trust this wretched creature to keep her word, but what other choice did she have? Giving a simple nod, the royal advisor placed her command keycard onto the scanner, starting up the machine. She failed to suppress a sob when she felt those poisonous talons stroking up her back. “Good~! Now, take me to Pundamilia. It’s time I take back my technology!”

As the hovercraft took off, Viscera grabbed the busted plague doctor mask off the table, examining the damages. The bionic devil decided to do some mending before she arrived at the zebra empire. She needed her creator's visage for what she had instored...

Author's Note

Just in case the links don't show up within the story, here's a list of all the songs referenced by order

"When You Believe" by Lucy & Martha Thomas (Eclipsed Heart & Julianne's song)

"Alone Tonight" by Digital Daggers (Ana's song)

"Make It" by NEFFEX (Arron's song)

"Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad" by Matt Dusk (Seb's song)

"In Loving Memory" by Alter Bridge (Zeloph's song)

"Closer" cover by In This Moment (Viscera's song)