Undeath and Rebirth

Wiping sweat from her brow, Eclipsed Heart paused between placing another brick on the cement. Her hot pink eyes were drawn to the crimson storm that ominously threatened to break back open overhead.

‘Not to prompt any ill will against Abbess Julianne, but this seems redundant,’ she thought. ‘I mean, what’s the point if these poor people are about to have their lives upended again?’

But when the pop princess turned to the scattered citizens, her soft face hardened in determination, her thick neon pink ponytail tossed back when she resumed work. It reminded her of the many charities planned for troubled communities in her home world.

Eclipsed flushed thinking about her boyfriend, Bass, and how much she missed him.

What she wasn’t going to miss was that bastard Seb, the pin-striped demon currently aiding the mother superior in handing out more donations. It sickened the pop star how a stingy, murderous slimeball like him could look so content when he helped perpetuate ruin in her city!

Standing beside them was the other demi-human, Arron, who was also responsible for significant collateral damage. It didn’t matter if Zell managed to get through to him; that blowhard remained a menace!

“Hmm… Y’know what this shindig needs?” Arron said after looking over the current progress. “Mirrors! Lots and lots of mirrors!”

“Ooh! An interesting suggestion” chimed Julianne. “May I ask the reason?”

The golden demon gave a big grin. “So that when I walk into the room, I can be surrounded by winners~!”

Both Seb and Eclipsed couldn’t suppress the urge to facepalm.

“That’s not the point of a monastery, dumbass,” the gambler said. “You go in to cleanse yourself of pride, not drown yourself in it!”

“Ohoho! Look who decided to grow a moral conscience! Was that before or after you got pussy whipped~?” Arron taunted, making said gesture with his wrist.

Steam whistled out of Seb’s ears before he countered, “Damn, didn’t know Sunny D tasted so good! Got you spouting Sunspot’s better-to-be-human bullshit!”

The bulky Demi-human snarled and cracked his knuckles. “You wanna piece of me, scar face!?”

“As a matter of fact, I do!” The card demon sneered, summoning his revolver from his capture card. “Cause I know pawnshops who’ll make me big money selling every diamond crust off your bones!!”

When a skirmish was brewing between the two demons, the rosy-haired nun broke her smiling facade to end their bickering with a loud “QUIET!!”

The command startled everyone within earshot, Eclipsed Heart, Wispy, and Chisana recoiling from the soundwave. Arron and Seb stared at the angelic nun with astonishment.

Clearing her throat, Julianne recomposed herself and said, “Gentlemen, this is hardly the time or the place for childish banter. If you can’t work together, at least take care of your business separately. Now apologize to one another and move on!”

Not wanting to invoke more wrath from the mother superior, the male Demi-humans cautiously shook hands, muttered “Sorry…” and proceeded with work. Julianne gave a satisfied nod while accompanying Seb with more handouts.

Eclipsed felt her blood boil when Seb slipped his hand around the nun’s waist, face heating up with a red shade.

“Yeesh! Settle down there, Princess Butterbuns,” teased Wispy Willow, who wrapped her twin tigress tails around the thigh of her band leader. “I don’t like him either, but we’ve got bigger fish to fry!”

The diva mare exhaled and confessed, “Dislike doesn’t begin to cover it…”

“It’s not like you to take something this personally,” noted the nekomata. “What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t think evil like that existed until we encountered him! All he’s done is...unforgivable!”

She pursed her lips, knowing Shadow Scythe and Zeloph were responsible for similar crimes. But that hadn’t happened in her world. Nor had she seen their wicked deeds firsthand! The popstar-turned vigilante didn’t want to think of herself as a hypocrite, but...

Wispy shuffled to face her. “Hey, it’s not so bad out here! Minus the sky-gina splitting the skies overhead! And yeah, turds like Seb, Arron, Mortis, and his minions are stinking up the place. But we can’t undermine all the good people we’ve met. Shadow Scythe and Julianne are pretty cool. Moxxi’s sexy as hell… though a bit too extra, even for my taste. Chisana is a lot of fun, too!”

She smiled at the little tanuki girl, who sat cross-legged on a rock to practice on her bamboo flute. The former assassin wouldn’t admit it, but it felt nice being the big sister for once!

“Not to mention Zeloph,” she purred, whipping her tails back and forth. “Man, Atalanta sure bagged such a hottie! Wouldn’t mind spending seven minutes in heaven with him, if you catch my drift~!”

“Wispy, he’s taken!”

The twin-tailed tigress shrugged. “Hey, a girl can dream! I remember hearing her say ‘maybe’ to a possible threesome down the line. Plus, word from Moxxi is that little miss death bringer has a BDSM fetish! You can’t tell me you’re not the least curious about what he’s packing~!”

The pop star couldn’t hide the blush on her cheeks but reaffirmed, “Bass is my boyfriend. And like Shadow Scythe, I’m committed to my relationship!”

Wispy rolled her eyes. “Look, Bass is a good guy… albeit a little bland. But don’t believe for a second that dating a fellow musician will work out in the long run. Take it from me; it’s why I never went steady with his brother, Alto. Gotta keep your options open, that’s all.”

The pop princess smiled and replied, “And that’s fine if that doesn’t work for you. Not your style; I totally get it! But monogamy works great for me! I love Bass, and nothing will ever change that. And I’m sure both Zell and Shadow Scythe share my sentiments!”

The cat woman shook her head, snickering. “Gods, you’re so lovey-dovey. If Kitsune were here, she’d back me up! Probably.” Her smile disappeared as her slitted eyes gazed up at the brewing storm. “I hope she’s alright…”

Eclipsed nodded, took her hands, and squeezed. “I miss your sister, too. Kitsune is the rock that keeps B.A.B.E. on point! I’m glad we could make new friends out here, but I can’t wait to return home when this mess is over!”

“Yep! All the more reason to deal with this fast! I’m sure Kitsune’s doing her part in that other world too!” Wispy hopped to her feet. “Sucks, this place is so primitive. I could use a ride on my motorbike to blow off some steam!”

The band members completed the brick wall and left the wet cement to settle before they wandered away from the monastery. That’s when Wispy’s keen eyes spotted the approach of a figure in the distance. Her ears perked, soft fur standing on end when she hissed.

“Huh? What’s wrong?” Asked Eclipsed Heart.

The nekomata pointed to the silhouettes that emerged from the phantasmal miasma that started rolling in. Dozens of them shuffled and stumbled awkwardly, eerily silent.

Then, at the head strolled in Penny Dreadful, her small beak twisted in a cruel smirk, her crazed eyes wide.

“… oh shit!” Wispy growled, instantly taking a combatant stance. She recalled Beatrix mentioning that in the clockwork world she came from, the griffoness was her city’s equivalent of ‘Jack the Ripper,’ a vicious butcher of women. Yet she was no mere senseless killer…

Her creator, Professor Reginald Kilroy, had ordered her to hunt down specimens whose flesh would be replaced by a synthetic version. Their innards made clockwork like hers, their blood a blue elixir of life born from alchemy. Yet it had all gone awry due to the interference of Esmeralda and Camellia after a small team-up with Beatrix!

Penny tittered eagerly. Sadly, that damned witch currently eluded her vengeance. So she would have to slaughter all of her friends instead!

Triad had saved her. With her father dead, the kitasan swordsman was all she had left. She didn’t care about Mortis’ supposed lofty aims...only that she had another chance to punish her old foes! And unlike the cybernetics that Kitsune and, to a lesser extent, Wispy relied on, the ones that treacherous Varys installed in her and Triad were unaffected by the magical breakdown here...

Varys. Even the thought of the cyber demon made the aquamarine griffoness pale and shudder to the point she threatened to molt!

“So!” She said with a cheery hoot. “Which of you trollops wants to be sliced and diced first~?”

Penny sailed skyward, spreading her plume to its full width, and leveled her lacy parasol at the people below. Eclipsed and Wispy were already on the move, the former skating around the trees and the latter bounding like the cat she was, hoping to reach the others and warn them of the incoming threat.

Chisana stopped playing flute when she detected the undead silhouettes walking through the spectral mist. She hopped off her rock and rushed towards Seb and Julianne, tugging on the demon’s pant leg.

“Hey! Lay off the merchandise, pipsqueak,” Seb snapped with annoyance.

“Herupu,” she cried. “Zonbi! Zonbi!”

“Look, can’t you see we still have-eh?!”

His slime-green eyes dilated at the sight of the walking dead, and the demi-human conjured his weapon immediately. “Y’know, in hindsight, I should have made the assumption that ‘Zonbi’ probably meant Zombie in Japanese!”

“Sweet Mary and Joseph!” Julianne whispered before alerting her surviving convent. “Those of you not fighting by my side must evacuate the premises! Quickly, get to safety!”

“Yes, Mother Superior!” The five remaining nuns sounded off, forming a wall before the two demis while the rest gathered the other survivors to flee.

Arron dropped his load and began bouncing on his feet with excitement. “Finally! All this brick-tossing is about to pay off! Time to crack skulls!!”

Eclipsed and Wispy managed to reach their group in preparation for the undead horde when a distorted roar split the air across the horizon.

“… the fuck was that?!” Arron questioned.

“Wait…” Wispy went pale, her striped fur on end. “I recognize that sound. We were viewing a portal back in the manor and witnessed a triple-headed dragon rampaging across another dimension. Don’t tell me it’s..!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!! Time out!” Seb cut in, distressed. “Nobody said anything about a dragon! That is way above my pay grade!!”

“Oh, it’s true,” Penny Dreadful called from above. “It’s damn true! Andrei’s come to incinerate you~♪ And your filthy friends~♪”

“Oh no!” Eclipsed gasped, eyes widened in realization. “Zell and Shadow Scythe are up ahead! We have to-”

“Hang on, bud! I’m coming,” Arron suddenly shouted before bulldozing through the first lineup of zombies, pulverizing each skull with his meaty fists. “Outta the way, losers!”

Seb angrily yelled, “We need a front line, you idiot!!”

He shouted back, “Sorry, but there’s a dragon who needs to be taught the THINK principle!”

“The what?!”

“Thrash ‘em. Hit ‘em in the jaw. Incapacitate. Neutralize. Then Knock the motherfucker out! Haha!!”

“Oh, no, you don’t, goldilocks!!” The griffoness shrieked while launching miniature missiles from her wingspan, a series of explosions left to leave fiery trails that blossomed across the land.

But Arron hardened his skin with a shiny yellow layer of crystal, absorbing the brunt of the impact without losing his footing. He managed to duck into the forest, disappearing through the trees.

Wispy pulled on her hair buns. “That reckless moron!!”

“It’s fine,” Eclipsed tried to reassure her. “Shadow Scythe and Zeloph may need the extra muscle if they’re dealing with a dragon alongside Mortis.”

Based on where that roar came from, the dragon was already headed to the hut near the cliffside, where Shadow Scythe’s family once lived. And given how fast Arron was going, it shouldn’t take him long to reach them.

Seb grumbled before pulling out a couple more capture cards. “Fine. Guess we’re going with plan B!”

He drew out one card that became an arm full of heart-shaped grenades. Beckoning the raccoon dog over, the gambler told her, “Here. Keep these in your bag and start chucking them at all the zombies you can spot!”

Nodding, Chisana stuffed the explosives and leaped to a vantage point to better throw the grenades, eclipsing more middle fire from Penny Dreadful. Casting her gaze to the two band members, Julianne said, “We’ll have to use what remains of the monastery as a fortress. It saddens me that this sacred place is now a war ground…”

“If you come with us to the Cyberverse, I’m sure we’ll find you a new place to rebuild your community,” Eclipsed proposed with a smile.

“Yeah, that’s if we survive this whole ordeal first,” reminded Wispy, who tugged the pop princess over the front wall. “With that bleach-brained doofus MIA, we’re the front line now!”

“Nothing we can’t handle,” the pop diva beamed, twirling her crystalline staff.

“We’ll provide cover,” the holy songstress said while her devilish cohort pulled out his signature tommy gun.

Eclipsed glared at Seb, reclarifying, “Don’t think this changes anything between us!”

“Sorry, can’t hear you over the sound of wailing zombies coming our way,” the gunslinger quipped back.

The two members of B.A.B.E. lunged into the first wave of undead, with Julianne’s covenant of nuns aiding their side. Wispy conjured the little yokai energy she could, forming plasma balls that bounced and melted their targets. When Chisana shouted, “Soto o miru!” the diva mare saw one of Seb’s grenades whistling through the air. She quickly erected a crystalline wall to absorb the blast while corpse blood and guts blood splattered.

Bullets sprayed through the undead army, ripping through their necrotic flesh and shattering bones. Whenever Seb needed to reload his clip, his Onoma activated to modify his luck, which so far had been fortunate.

But as he was preparing to fire, he noticed Julianne picking up his pistol, clipping the safety off.

“H-hey, careful with that! A pretty lady like you shouldn’t be messing with—“

The pin-striped devil’s comment was swiftly silenced by gunfire, the abbess having landed four headshots with astounding accuracy. Seb could only stare in disbelief as Julianne emptied his pistol of all its bullets. Flashing that perpetual smile, she offered a hand and asked, “More ammunition, if you’d please~!”

It took the card demon a second to register her request before producing a full magazine to hand over. When he found his voice again, Seb stammered, “Wha-Where did you… How… What kind of convent did you come from?!”

His question would go unanswered as Penny swooped into a divebomb and swiped at him with the blade that spun like a buzzsaw from the tip of her parasol in a whir.

“Well, look what we have here,” the griffoness quipped. “Another common criminal in a cheap suit! Ahh! It never gets old when I put such pitiful pillocks in their place~!”

“Didn’t ask + don’t care + ratio + choke on these pellets, you bionic pigeon,” Seb fired back, shooting at the clockwork assassin while she zipped by.

“Looks like I hit a sore spot,” Penny chortled. “I’d wager I have a higher body count anyhow~.”

“Fuckin’ bet?”

“Don’t fall into her whims, Sebastian,” Julianne warned after her bullets failed to get through the shield Penny formed with her plumage. “You’re better than that!”

“No, he’s not, dearie,” Dreadful argued. “This poor deformed freak can’t wash away his sins, and he knows it. So why even try to pretend you won’t turn back at a true drop of a dime! Face it, Sebby. You’re nothing more than a twisted criminal, just like me~!”

“Maybe so,” he admitted, clutching his fist around the gun’s handle. “But there’s a clear difference between you and me.”

“And that’s~?”

His green and red aura flared to form numbers, rolling a high 100 against 39. His bat-shaped wings unfurled, studded with card suits. His tail rattled, and he held a serious glare under his hat.

“I ain’t the one with a screw loose!”

Aiming his tommy gun, Seb sprayed the deranged griffoness with empowered bullets lodged in the metallic sheen of her aquamarine feathers. She squealed and retook the skies, seething at the two demi-humans.

“How dare you compare yourself to a true artisan! I’ll have your entrails for that! Use them to paint my latest masterpiece in my lovely collection!!”

Wispy hissed as yokai fire was tossed by the tips of her twin tails, and her metal claws shredded into zombies. She was supported by Chisana, who threw her own balls of magic when she ran out of grenades.

“Gaagh! Where the hell is Moxxi?!” The nekomata cried. “Her dump truck ass better not be asleep on the clock again! Otherwise, she’s in for a lot of spankings!!”

Eclipse groaned, stabbing through a lineup of walking corpses. “You don’t think she’s still stalking her brother and his sweetheart, right?”

“Fuck, I thought she was over that!”

Regardless of the whereabouts of their mischievous ally, the bandmates would have to hold down the fort while Julianne and Seb dealt with the cackling madwoman. They were on their own.

The couple gazed at their immortal foe as the multi-headed terror landed on the cliff with a loud thunk. Mortis Solitaire levitated from the dragon’s back to touch down in front, his ghoulish green orbs fixated on the reaper mare, Shadow Scythe. Zeloph took a step in front protectively, sensing the presence of his other lackeys hidden behind trees.

The thundering storm was nearly drowned out by the droning buzz of winged scorpions, the mindless arthropods awaiting commands from their master through Kralot Andrei. Mortis conjured his rusted guillotine-styled scythe, raised like an executioner’s ax at his hated foe. A long shadow was cast over the couple, who gripped each other’s hands tightly.

“Today marks the end of your life, betrayer,” the lich declared emotionlessly. “Before dusk, I will have your soul as penance for your crimes against the order of reapers!”

His gaze shifted to the seraphic demi-human. “This is your final warning, Fallen One. Relinquish your love for this traitor or perish by her side!”

“I’m not going anywhere, and neither is she,” Zell announced bravely, his cerulean eyes flaring with light while firmly gripping his Vorpal Blade.

Shadow Scythe, while touched, still silently urged her beloved to step down and flee. She could feel the thousands of souls empowering the lich and his draconic pet. Even with all their recent training, they couldn’t have hoped to surpass Mortis or his minions in time!

The skeletal wraith chuckled mutely. “How noble. Then you have accepted your fate…”

With a clenched fist, Mortis ignited his scythe with deathly energy, his other hand pointing at the couple as he gave the command,

“… Fetch me her soul!”

Andrei’s three heads snapped back to roar, his belly bloated before the maws opened and infernal elements spilled forth.

Shadow Scythe and Zeloph were forced apart to avoid the spray of sickly flames. The dragon’s breath erupted into an explosion that pulverized most of what was left of the battered hut, pillars of hellish fire and smoke left in Andrei’s wake.

The unicorn mare gasped, ducking her head to avoid a cleave from Mortis’ scythe, retaliating with her own sickles born of her shadow to strike down the vengeful wraith.

The fiery angel moved to support his love… simply to be intercepted by Triad and Quicksilver, the former lunging to clash steel.

“Damn you!” he cursed, saber locked with the kitasan stallion’s katana. “Get out of my way!!”

“You will not interfere,” huffed Triad. “Quicksilver! Gun him down!”

“I don’t take orders from you,” the old stallion grunted. Nonetheless, he opened fire on the seraphic demi-human, who maneuvered into the air to avoid the shotgun shells.

Shadow Scythe whirled around the battlefield, overwhelmed by the odds against her. Everywhere she turned, the reaper mare had to fend off Mortis, Andrei, the mutant scorpions, or all three at once! “Damn it,” she muttered.

She was pushing her Onoma to its max limit, summoning an arsenal of weapons made up from her shadows and launching them with the keen eye of a huntress. Several scorpion abominations were skewered while the skeletal unicorn took to his steed’s back.

“Nowhere to run, traitor,” proclaimed Mortis.

“I’d never abandon Zeloph like that,” Shadow Scythe spat back, icy eyes narrowed fiercely. Instead, she sought to distance them, hoping to draw most of the violence away from her future husband.

This was her responsibility, after all. Her broken unicorn horn flared, her features contorted by intense concentration, and innumerable weapons made of darkness launched at rapid speeds.

Yet even the ones she speared didn’t perish so quickly, throwing themselves at her despite the colorless ooze that burst from their wounds. They swarmed the reaper mare, attempting to herd her toward their master, who hovered overhead.

Her icy eyes met Mortis’ hollow, glowing sockets, his instrument of death poised and ready to claim her head. The lich could have ended this at any time, yet it was clear he was toying with her. Drawing this out to make Atalanta suffer as he had. That despite all her power and knowledge, the treacherous wretch was ultimately helpless to escape her fate.

“I pity those you and your lover cherish,” the lich lamented. “For the only celebration your comrades will attend is your funeral!”

Mortis hurtled from Andrei’s back in a billow of a black mantle. His rust-colored scythe collided with her own in a clang of metal, showering sparks and an oscillation that split the air in ripples. Repeatedly they separated and clashed in mid-air; Shadow Scythe reminded of her magical duel with Beatrix near the manor… gosh, that felt like an entire lifetime ago.

And in a sense, it was. The empathy forced on the pale unicorn that day had practically made her a new person. Intelligence is now tempered by wisdom. Strength by compassion. How could she rest in peace, were she to die here before she made amends...?

An invisible barrier cast by Mortis caused scorpions to bounce off. He turned to address Andrei. “She will fall before my blade. Go deal with her lover. I wish to relish his screams of agony as his soul rips away from his-”

“Shut up!” Shadow Scythe shouted, returning a furious swipe that momentarily knocked him back. “I’ve had enough of your delusions. Your acts of ‘retribution’ outweigh the sins I bear!” Yet when she tried to swoop down and support Zeloph, Mortis raced to block her.

Back on the cliff, Zeloph continued his sword dance with Triad, forced to split his attention between him and Quicksilver, who continued to take potshots at him. To keep his lover’s father at bay, he launched fire and light spells to force him to reposition.

What was genuinely vexing the fallen angel was that no matter how fast he flashed around Triad, he could always counter him at any angle. Not helping was the slight smirk on the stallion’s face.

“I must confess,” he said when parrying another thrust. “It’s been a long time since I’ve fought another swordsman on par with my skills. Not even Kitsune could keep up with me!”

“And yet you’re still holding back,” mused Zell, eyes trained on his katana’s glowing essence, reflecting off their bodies. “That katana possesses powerful magic that you’re not using.”

“So are you,” Triad pointed out. “You’ve yet to tap into the true potential of your blade. So why don’t we both cut loose? It’ll be the last time we will get the chance!”

The two sword masters circled one another, the kitasan stallion removing his pin-striped coat, revealing his conflicting tiger and dragon back tattoo and newly augmented arms. Triad took his battle stance and called upon the beasts embedding his flesh, their likeness manifested in electronic shapes.

Zeloph did the same, tossing away his burgundy jacket and activating his Onoma’s solaromancy, blade, and feather tips immolating with sunfire.

Loading more shells into his weapon, Quicksilver aimed for the angel’s head, having a clear shot despite the radiant illumination coming off Zell’s body.

Yet it was clear the old stallion’s heart wasn’t in it. His tired eyes returned to his daughter while she battled his master overhead. By contrast, Triad appeared determined to end this quickly and ran in with precise, rapid-fire strokes while his animal familiars flanked their target’s sides.

The fallen angel’s superior speed enabled him to block or dodge their attacks. He launched a solar wave to knock back the tiger and dragon, just in time to evade more bullets and clash with Triad, who attempted to strike from below.

Sweat and heat bore down Zeloph, trying to control his breathing. On their own, he could handle either of these minions. But his eyes dilated when he felt the whoosh of air behind him when Andrei dove in, barely evading his central pair of jaws.

The dragon spat out feathers he plucked from the demi’s wing before all three heads began sucking in breath. Steadfast, Zeloph bloomed the petals of his sunflower tail, blinding Triad with a brief burst of illumination.

“Naagh!!” The swordsman growled before taking a hard wheel kick from the solar angel, who used the back flip’s momentum to angle and launch a fiery cross attack that exploded against Andrei’s ghastly breath.

Rubbing his eyes, Triad revived his vision and spotted his skyward target. “What a cowardly tactic,” he berated.

“Said the ‘honor-bound’ samurai who needed a mob to support him,” rebutted Zell.

“Wasn’t my choice,” the swordsman said defensively. “If things were my way, we would happily duel you individually. But my master’s desire for your death comes before my own!”

“At least I’ll die knowing I wasn’t somebody’s pawn!”

“We… are not… PAWNS!!!”

It was Andrei who spoke this, much to Zell’s and even Triad’s shock. With an angry bellow, the triple-headed dragon circled to attack the seraphic angel, his attention further divided between the three opponents. And that wasn’t factoring in the number of mutant scorpions now swarming his way!

Even with the freedom to use Apollo’s full might, there was no way Zeloph could handle the odds, let-alone help Shadow Scythe as she and Mortis battled further upward in the distance.

But Andrei’s words gave the fallen one an epiphany. If Mortis didn’t have complete control of the dragon…

His eyes searched for Quicksilver’s current position and found the elder stallion by the cliff. He was clutching his head, face pained while he studied his daughter.

‘If I can get through to him—!’ “Huuagh!!”

That brief moment of hesitation cost Zeloph his opportunity as Andrei seized the angel in his talons, ignoring the flesh melting from the radiant heat his plumage emitted.

“Noo!! Let me go!!”

“Excellent work, Andrei,” congratulated Triad. “Now hold him still…”

The swordsman channeled his familiars into his katana, steadying his stance and making a lunge for the demi-human’s heart with one final strike…

Only for the monstrous dragon to interrupt his charge with a tail whip. Bewildered by the dragon’s defiance, he yelled, “What are you doing!?”

“We do not obey the whims of lowly ponies,” the left head hissed.

“That lich dares control us?” the right head spat.

“His hubris will not go unpunished,” noted the central head. “But for now…”

“This creature’s life is ours!” All three of Andrei’s heads said in unison, steam fuming out their mistrials as they prepared to incinerate their struggling prey.

“Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-WOO WOOOO!!”

Before anyone could discern what that was, a massive blur of yellow zipped passed Triad and propelled himself into the air, body-checking the zombified dragon’s guts.

Andrei’s eyes bulged, and his maws spat out small fumes as the impact sent him flying backward, loosening his grip on Zeloph. The fallen one touched down next to his golden savior, who proudly announced,

“All ABOOOOOOOARD the pain train, baby~!”

“Man, am I glad to see you,” Zell managed to say through uneasy breaths. “Are the others okay?”

“Eh! They’re just dealing with some Mary Poppins-lookin’ bitch and a hoard of zombies,” Arron informed half-heartedly. “They’ll be fine! But that oversized iguana ain’t gonna last two minutes in the ring with me, bro~!”

“Sounds like a plan,” the seraphic angel said, though he wasn’t entirely convinced his friend could solely handle Andrei alone. Still, whatever kept that tri-headed monster off his back.

Arron flashed a grin and a thumbs up before strutting over to the cliff side, raising an eyebrow at the old geezer who ignored him in favor of watching the duel between reapers.

Shrugging his shoulders, the burly brawler gazed down at his scaly opponent, who recovered from the shock of being so easily manhandled.

“You are strong for mere worm,” Andrei hissed.

“But now, you face the apex of dragons!”

“Born from alchemy! Made to be the ultimate weapon!”

Arron chuckled while rolling his shoulder. “Oh yeah? Well, these hands were made for everybody! Especially you!!”

The golden demon yelled, “BANZAI!” and elbow dropped onto the undead drake. The two wrestled in the gallows, the multi-headed dragon taking blows from the brawler’s crystal-encased fists. Arron grunted when Andrei’s flogger-shaped tail ensnared one of his arms, giving the dragon an opening to spout more licks of putrid flames.

Hardening his entire right arm, the demi-human absorbed most of the intense damage while his Onoma flared to life. With a strained smile, he boasted, “Mmm, that felt good~!”

The dragon shrieked when he felt his foe pull him by his entangled tail and twirl him around like he was in a hammer-throwing contest. Arron then tossed him into the cliffside, fissures forming upon impact.

And before he could give his opponent a chance to recover, the burly demon roared and leaped at him, raining down a barrage of punches with intrepid force. The three-headed drake bellowed, feeling his armor-like scales starting to crack under the relentless assault.

“Serves him right for defying my master’s will,” Triad muttered coldly with a sharp glare. “Still, to see one lousy demon give Andrei this much trouble? It’s preposterous!”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” murmured Zeloph, thankful for his newfound friendship with Arron. Now he could focus on reaching Quicksilver.

Again, Triad attempted to bar his path from the gunslinger, his tiger, and dragon familiars launched to intercept. But Zell had a plan and tossed his Vorpal Blade between the chasing animals directly at Triad. When the kitasan swordsman shifted to deflect the incoming blade, Zeloph flash stepped behind and delivered a swift roundhouse kick to the back of his head. Right where the parasyte was attached.

“Nani!? Gaagh!!”

His manifestations vanished instantly, merging with his tattoos. Triad felt his heightened awareness decrease, static crackling from the damaged parasyte. And before he could react, Zell called down light swords to pin the swordsman to the ground.

“Sit!” the fallen angel snarked before retrieving his saber and cautiously approaching the troubled hunter.

“Nnngh! Don’t just stand there, you dolt!” Triad called out. “Shoot him!!”

Quicksilver shook off his delirium and resumed focus on his target. “S-Stand back!”

With each shotgun blast, Zeloph deflected with a swing of his sword. His expression softened as he said, “I’m not going to hurt you…”

“Couldn’t even if you tried,” Quicksilver spat bitterly. “My daughter took everything from me! My reputation! My wife!!”

“Atalanta has done awful things,” admitted Zell. “But she’s come a long way from being the monster you refuse to let go. She’s changed, Quicksilver.”

“Liar!!”

The gunslinger loaded more shells, but the brawl below the cliff caused the ground to shake, making him stumble back and miss his shot. He yelled, his headache getting worse.

“Your daughter is fighting for her life right now,” the demi continued. “Fighting for your life! The life Mortis robbed from you!!”

“S-shut up! Stop it!!”

“You have to remember, Quicksilver Bullet! Deep down, you know this isn’t right!!”

“No… please!” He begged, tears streaming down his wrinkled face.

“Let me help you..!”

Kneeling down, Zeloph gripped the older stallion’s coat tightly, holding him up so his head was level with his. A faint blush appeared when he said, “This is going to be really weird, so… forgive me.”

As he did with Shadow Scythe long ago, the angelic demi kissed Quicksilver’s forehead chastely. The old unicorn froze a spiritual warmth washing over the ache and agony his undead body suffered, cleansing his wounded soul. With a gasp, his head arched back while light poured from his eyes and mouth.

This act also caused Mortis to cease his attack, sensing his mental hold on Quicksilver’s mind breaking.

“No..! That wretched-”

His moment of hesitation gave Shadow Scythe an opening to land an apparent hit, knocking the lich back with a flurry of sickle strikes. Realizing it was too late to regain control over his puppet, Mortis resumed battle with his treacherous foe.

As the light faded, sanity and memories returned to overwhelm Quicksilver, who heaved and nearly dropped his rifle. The spectral glow disappeared from his stone-gray eyes.

“I...I remember,” sputtered the old stallion. “Atalanta, she… she came home. She looked different. Remorseful. It was the first time I saw tears in my daughter’s eyes. But in my grief and fury, I sent her away. Blaming her for my wife’s passing. For ending her life after all the shame she brought us.”

Zeloph nodded, stroking his shoulder while Quicksilver continued to recollect himself.

“There was a sound in the attic. I took my machete and went up to deal with what I thought was a wild animal. That’s when Mortis struck me from behind…” His fist trembled. “He killed me. Made me his undead slave. Made me believe that Atalanta was responsible for all this evil! And I would have helped end her if you hadn’t…”

With a solemn look, Quicksilver rested his hand on Zeloph’s shoulder and mournfully said, “…Thank you.”

A sad smile graced the angel’s features as he helped him back up. “If I could revive you, maybe-”

The old gunslinger shook his head. “Nah, son. Dead is better than this miserable existence. And I may be another dead man walking, but I still have some fight left in me. I can’t rest until I know that son of a bitch is back underground.”

This made Zeloph chuckle. “Well said!”

“So you have betrayed him as well,” said Triad, who stumbled towards the duo after the angel’s light spell had diminished. Despite his hyper-awareness being dismantled, the swordsman still had power reserved. “Like father, like daughter, I suppose,” he scoffed, raising his inscribed blade. “Doesn’t matter. Your end is the same!”

But before Triad could run them down, Quicksilver took aim and pulled the trigger, firing a high-powered silver bullet faster than the swordsman could blink. It tore through the swordsman’s muscled chest and tattooed back in a splatter of black blood.

Triad stumbled back and threw up black bile. “I-Impossible!!” Another shot ripped into his stomach, and two more put him back down.

Quicksilver advanced over to the swordsman, his mustache pulled into a grin. “Never liked machines. Sure, they’re good and reliable at first, but it’s only a matter of time until they wear down and need replacement parts. Or, in your words, friend… obsolete.”

He held the barrel of his shotgun at Triad’s forehead, the swordsman glaring up defiantly before shutting them right, accepting his defeat…

But Zeloph pushed the gun away with his sword, earning a raised eyebrow. “Leave him,” he said. “We need to concentrate on helping Atalanta, starting with this swarm of flying scorpions.”

Quicksilver gave a ‘humph’ but nodded and focused on the surrounding arthropods. Zell was about to follow when a hand grabbed his ankle, turning his head down to Triad.

“B-but why?” He asked, a confused look on his face. “You know I won’t stop coming for you. So why are you—”

“I’m not the one meant to defeat you,” was his answer before shaking him off to catch up with Quicksilver, joining him as he opened fire on the mutant bugs.

Triad couldn’t suppress a light chuckle, well aware of who the angel was referring to. When he pushed himself back up on tired limbs, he shuddered as the voice of his master spoke within his psyche.

‘Withdraw at once and aid Penny Dreadful,’ Mortis commanded, his bony horn flaring with a deathly aura. A black mass of energy, shaped like a hoard of locusts, fled from his frayed mantle to infest the swordsman’s wounds, sealing them up and keeping him animated.

“But master, what about—”

The sudden green flash drew his attention toward where the monastery was, a strange, unfamiliar portal having spawned. “Huh?”

‘That was not my doing,’ the lich continued. ‘Go, now! I will handle the situation here.’

“At once, Master Mortis,” answered Triad, who couldn’t suppress a feeling of concern over what, or who, caused that vortex to open. With his injuries hardened and cauterized, he hurried to the town uphill.

With one minion gone and another wrestling a bull-headed brute, Mortis continued to war with Shadow Scythe, her lover and father occupied with the dozens of mutant scorpions.

Waves of zombies constantly flooded in. Julianne’s hymns echoed across the land, songs to support her allies while also in combat with the clockwork griffoness.

Likewise, Seb’s luck altering Onoma kept flaring while he provided cover fire. When one weapon was out of ammunition, he drew a card to summon another, currently a sniper rifle. And whenever his chances were low, he reloaded those twenty minutes of downtime.

“Fuck me,” he heaved, taking off his bandana to wipe the sweat off his face. A pile of used cards, discarded weapons, and traps were by his feet. “At this rate, we’re not gonna last much longer!”

He observed how his comrades were doing, Eclipsed Heart huffing whenever she skated around the walls and trees to slice through the endless waves of undead. Her bandmate and the tanuki girl decided to go after Penny Dreadful, leaving them to handle the hoard. And despite their valiant effort, the mares who chose to fight did not survive…

A lightbulb sparked above his head, and Seb fished for a pair of dice in his pocket. He clenched his palm, a demonic aura burning around it as his Onoma recalculated his karma.

69 against 56.

“Nice~!” He snickered before taking a pitcher’s stance. Shaking his fist, he warned, “Hey, Princess Butterbuns! Heads up!”

Eclipsed yelped, and ducked out of the way of empowered dice hurled her way. Upon impact, they bounced in opposite directions at blinding speeds, ricocheting through countless undead bodies before returning to Seb’s hand. Half the wave crumbled into dust.

“Boom! Snake eyes~!”

“Watch it, you jerk,” the pop diva snarled. “You almost hit me! And you do not get to call me—”

“You’re welcome,” the pin-striped devil barked back while chucking his cubicle bullets at another wave of the remaining hoard.

Eclipsed Heart was seething but nonetheless focused on materializing more crystal walls.

Julianne belted another chorus at the aerial assassin before fluttering down, panting and precipitating.

“Huff… I could really use a glass of water,” the nun coughed, massaging her throat.

“Maybe now would be a good time to go exalted or whatever you call it!” The nekomata called out, throwing plasma balls at Penny Dreadful, who blocked the projectile with her parasol.

“I can’t,” Julianne refused. “I lost control and nearly decimated the premises last time!”

“Well, it’s either that or we risk getting our asses chewed off!”

“Language!” Nonetheless, Julianne cleared her throat and began humming to draw out her latent power, sacred luminance shimmering around her body.

“I’m a bit bored of the song and dance routine! Why don’t you put a sock in it?!” Penny cackled and shot a sticky adhesive from the tip of her umbrella, covering the songstress’ mouth before hardening. Julianne muffled and panicked, trying to pry the muzzle suffocating her face.

Chisana paused to assist while Wispy growled, “You bitch!”

The griffoness smiled cruelly. “I’ve been called worse things, dear. Try harder~!”

“How abaht ya get your greasy axe wound cleaned wif a cement truck, ya brainless Berkshire ‘unt!”

“See? Like that! … wait, who the bloody hell said tha—”

Penny felt some unseeable force strike her hard in her gut before rattling with hard punches in the face, busting her beak. Her mad eyes shrank when the neon demoness revealed herself out of nowhere.

“Sorry, lov, but I prefer the lights off~,” she quipped before forming her neon void, trapping the squawking griffon alongside Wispy, Chisana, and Julianne. Penny Dreadful struggled to remain airborne with the abnormal pressure weighing down her wings.

“About time you showed up, fat ass,” Wispy snarked with a smile. “The hell took you so long?! And since when could you go invisible?!”

“Since now,” the succubus demi-human replied with a wink. “’ad ter ‘arness me power before the fight. And as it turns aahhht, I can strip off me visibili-y for a short nickle and dime! Plus, ya kna me. Always fashionably late~!”

“Neat!” the nekomata snickered. “And here I thought you were busy flicking your bean somewhere!”

“Oh, Hairy biscuits and cheese! That’s ‘ardly fan wifaht anovver degenerate ter get off with~!”

“Ima wa sonotokide wa arimasen,” barked Chisana, who managed to tear off the substance from Julianne’s nose, allowing her to breathe again.

“Clever trick,” mused Penny, rubbing her crooked beak. “Seems you have me at a distinct disadvantage. But I’m not trapped in here with you…” The clockwork huntress unfurled her wingspan to their full extent, tiny slits opening, and prepared to launch fresh volleys of miniature missiles.

“…You're trapped in here with me~!!”

“Bring it, butcher,” challenged Wispy, flexing her knuckles and striking a martial pose.

“Let’s pluck this pigeon,” agreed Ana, who conjured her neon flame balls and spread her bat-shaped wings.

Penny gave a cheerful twitter and launched all of her missiles simultaneously. A mad, desperate act of someone that didn’t care whether she, too, was swallowed up by the explosions. The femme fatales used one another to maneuver out of the explosive’s range, firing back with their one spheres and projectiles. And when Ana was in range, her tail lashed out to try and take away her parasol.

“Back off; that’s mine!!” She screeched, struggling to tug her instrument from those venus flytrap jaws. With a button press, blades erected out the tip, forcing the neon demi back.

“YAGH! My tail!!” Ana yelped. “I’ll tear ya a new cunt, ya fuckin’... shit!”

She realized in horror that the attack was merely a distraction as Penny Dreadful, her eyes narrowed, and her bladed parasol at the ready, swooped forward to impale Chisana on the buzzsaw tip.

The blade appeared to stab the tanuki with such force that she was lifted and went slack in a messy red spray.

“Gotcha~!” Penny smirked wickedly until she felt a tap on her shoulder. “Huh?”

She spun to face Chisana behind her before using a crane kick to jump off her shoulder. When the griffoness chased after her, she only hit more clones, the real raccoon dog using her bamboo flute as a blow dart to fire a shot at her hide.

“Yaaagh!!” She squawked, glaring at the tanuki girl who waved and batted her striped raccoon tail, another one of the child-like tricks.

“You remind me of that annoying pest, Mini-Trix! Or was it Demi-Trix now..? Agh! Who cares!?! I’ll gut you a thousand times when I get my talons on you!”

“You’ll have to get through us first!” Wispy’s twin tails summoned up more yokai fire in a spectral burst.

“Yeah! Nah touchin’ the child,” Ana laughed as she resumed her attack and defense of Chisana. Penny Dreadful was forced back from overwhelming odds, her vast metallic plume wrapped around her like a shield.

“Not so much fun on the receivin’ end, ‘uh, skank~?” The crescent-horned succubus taunted.

“Cretins! Ruffians! Brutes!” Penny spat back. “None of you understand how much I’ve lost! My father could have made our homeworld a paradise! But those tramps ruined it all! Those bloodsuckers and Beatrix…! I’ll kill them! JUST AS I’LL KILL YOU!!” She shrieked in hysteria, her feathered bosom puffed up. She opened her parasol to spin and use as a shield.

Like her, it was also a product of alchemy enhancement, far more complex than its delicate appearance implied. Nonetheless, it was clear the griffoness had no chance against these united numbers and would soon senselessly perish. But she refused to accept surrender!

One of Ana’s kicks sent her backward. Penny toppled over with a huff, the missile silos in her wings spent. Stuck in a corner, Penny trembled and pleaded, “W-wait! Please, we can settle this!!”

“The fuck are you on about now?” yelled Wispy.

“Yeah, a wee bit late ter be wavin’ a white flag,” scoffed Ana.

“O-oh, come now! We’re a bunch of stunning, sexy killers, aren’t we? Surely we can… work something out~?”

Gradually, she lifted the hymn of her skirt until her garments started to show, her eyes half-lidded and her beak titled in a lopsided grin.

“H-hey! What are you—there are children here, sicko!” The nekomata called and blocked Chisana behind her. “Avert your eyes, kiddo!”

“Watashi wa minasan yori toshiuedesu!” the tanuki girl whined petulantly.

Ignoring them, Penny’s skirt was hiked up to reveal her lacy panties...until the silk suddenly ripped violently. And dozens of moist, metallic tentacles exploded from the griffin’s smooth slit.

Ana gaped. “Wot the feathery fuck—?!”

The clockwork assassin chortled, her womb a nest that housed a biomechanical eldritch abomination. The nectar-slicked coils snapped out rapidly, ensuring the demoness and tigress were held, along with Chisana and Julianne.

“At last! A chance to make up for that dreadful experience Varys left me. Hope the fucker’s burning in hell,” Penny tittered as the tentacles wrapped tighter around the waists, breasts, and buttocks of her seized prey, threatening to crush them. It was the final ‘upgrade’ the cyber demon installed in her core, the serial killer combined with her clockwork ‘pet,’ and while it squirmed in her uterus, she fluttered her eyelashes, pupils rolled into her head from ecstasy, her slick lust left to run down her feathered inner thighs. “Oh, what fun I’ll have with the lot of you~!”

“A-Asshole....!” Wispy squirmed, her stripy tits compressed under the coils.

“A-ahh, please! I’ve taken tentacle beasts wif bigger dicks than this,” Ana tried to boast while she, too, writhed as the slimy coils pinched their boobs and butts. They moaned together and blushed, molested as Penny directed the creature with her will. The neon demon shuddered and felt her void crumble, the darkness diminishing to reveal the red hue of the outside world, where Seb and Eclipse Heart paused their zombie slaying to run after their friends.

“Wispy!!”

“Juli!!”

“Not another step, or I’ll pick them apart piece by piece,” Penny Dreadful warned, licking her small beak. “Lay down your arms if you want to spare their sorry crotches and sternums~!”

The two unlikely allies glared at the avian assassin before dropping their crystalline lance and capture cards.

“That’s it,” Penny tittered. “Now sit there and watch as I eviscerate your—”

Suddenly, a sickly portal opened behind her, causing the fragile dimension to shake violently. The storm above worsened, lightning flashing across the darkened skies.

“Ooh, goodie,” Penny said, unphased by the cosmic calamity. “The cavalry’s here!”

She clapped her hands and approached the newly formed portal to welcome the next wave of walking corpses.

But the visage that greeted her was no ally. Her expression faltered into horror when a familiar avian-masked creature exited from the swirling vortex. It wore tattered robes like her master, dark magenta in color. Spines protruding from its back, a set of dusty wings furled behind with glowing warts and pimples. A long appendage with a corpse flower tip dragged behind like a rat’s tail.

Penny shuddered; several gray feathers molted below her frilly black dress. The tentacles withdrew and rushed back into the serial killer’s nest-like womb with a wet squelch and clatter of machinery. Her captives landed on their feet but held an uneasy glare at the new arrival.

“Varys..!” Ana said with a squirm.

“Oh my,” the disguised nephilim mused, taking in the griffoness’ horrified expression. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost~!”

“N-no,” stammered Penny, taking steps back. “I-It’s not possible! We killed you..!!”

A playful titter sounded from beneath the plague doctor’s mask. “Death had his chance. Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?”

The allies turned to each other, confused by this interaction. Were they not allies like they all thought..?

“I see your new womb is functioning as intended,” noted the cyber demon. “How about we give it a test drive? Surely you missed all the fun we had~!”

Memories of their ‘procedure’ resurfaced as Penny Dreadful uttered a harrowing shriek and took to the air.

“Fly all you want, pigeon. You’re just making this more fun for me~.” The vulture-esque demon said before flapping ‘his’ wings and chasing after her.

With the enemy occupied, Eclipsed and Seb rushed in to aid their friends. The card demon removed the sticky goo off Julianne’s face, who coughed hoarsely.

“You okay?”

The rosy-haired nun smiled graciously and said, “I-I am now, thank you.”

Eclipsed observed the scene above, Penny firing missiles at her pursuer, who evaded their trajectory and retaliated with projectiles of ‘his’ own. “So this is Varys. He used President Spike to achieve his goals and caused a whole pandemic back in the Cyberverse!”

“He’s also indirectly responsible for turning me and Kitsune into weapons,” Wispy added with a hiss.

“Oh, great,” grumbled Seb. “As if Mortis and his legion of the damned weren’t bad enough!”

“I say we let these monsters kill each other,” the nekomata proposed. “That way, we can finish off whoever wins!”

“A comfortin’ thought,” considered Ana, who watched with arms crossed under her bosom, frowning. “But I’d rather Varys not be the bloody winner in that baht. ‘e’s loike bacteria; ‘e’ll find a way ter come back and bite us in the bleedin’ butte!”

Wispy glowered, “Are you seriously suggesting we help her? She was just about to rape us!!”

“Penny’s a cunt, but Varys is a blue waffle if ya catch me drift.”

The fork-tailed tigress did and nearly vomited at the image in her mind.

“We might have no choice,” Julianne lamented, a rare frown on her lips.

While the entourage weighed their options, Penny was gasping hysterically, throwing everything she had to ward off the vile vulture. But their game of chase ended abruptly when the griffoness failed to react in time to an acid blast hitting her shoulder. She let out a shrill scream when the chemicals ate through her arm, now a splatter of blue blood and innards.

The bionic devil moved in for the kill, a far superior predator compared to this more delicate, primitive derivative of alchemy. Gripping her talons into Penny’s metallic wings, ‘Varys’ forced her to crash into the monastery, breaking more of her limbs and clockwork parts.

The beak-masked fiend loomed over ‘his’ squirming prey, reaching out to feel her feathered breasts and pussy. Penny panicked and cried, “N-no, no, no, please! Not again!!”

“Ooh, I love it when their squirm,” the cyber demon crowed. “Makes vivisection all the more titillating. Just relax, dear… it’s about to get much worse~!”

The griffoness’ eyes went pinpoint at the turgid tool erecting from beneath ‘Varys’ robes, wailing at the impending torture she was about to suffer.

Kunai sailed from the side, blocked by a raised wing. For a moment, Wispy’s eyes lit up. “Sister?! …oh.”

The nekomata’s shoulders slumped, for it wasn’t Kitsune that had miraculously arrived, but instead Triad. The kitasan stallion stampeded onto the scene, and more kunai tossed to get the avian-faced monster to back off.

“Varys,” he glowered, his shimmery katana brandished. “How dare you still live!”

“Ahh. If it isn’t Mortis’ lap dog,” the plague doctor presumed. “Come to clean up my sloppy seconds~?”

With a heated yell, Triad rushed the bionic devil with a flurry of strikes. Yet the twisted-looking creature evaded his slashes with surprising agility. Nothing about this made sense! How did this bastard survive?!

“Tr...Triad,” murmured Penny sleepily, a mix of blue blood and black ooze dripping from the stub where her arm had dissolved, shoulder and all. She focused with her closed eyes and controlled her severed limb, which hurled at ‘Varys’ and seized ‘his’ ankle from behind, all the force she could muster exerted on the disembodied limb.

With his target momentarily immobilized, Triad swung from below, cutting the plague doctor’s mask in two. But his eyes widened at what was revealed beneath the surface.

“So that’s what’s going on,” he said, aghast. “You’re not Varys!”

The creature thought to be the Vice Lord gave a throatful chuckle. “Figures that one all on your own?” she replied with a slight feminine tone.

Ana, Wispy, and the others gathered to comprehend this perplexing turn of events. Seb winched at the sight of the horrid monster. “Yeesh! Now there’s a face not even a mother could love!”

The pop princess furrowed her brows and questioned, “If that’s not Varys, then who is this?”

“I’m the upgrade,” the imposter informed proudly. “The crowning achievement in his technology before his indefinite demise. Codename PROJECT: Nephilim… but you may call me Viscera~.”

“Project: Nephilim!?” Triad recalled the egg inside a vat of soul essence that he and Mortis destroyed after murdering the plague doctor.

Ana spoke up. “So you’re… wot? ‘Is donalded up Basin Of Gravy clone wif a sex change?”

“His successor,” corrected Viscera. “That frail bastard knew he didn’t have long before he bit the dust. So he sought to create the perfect biomechanical organism to fulfill his dream of a universe purely technological. Suffice to say, he didn’t succeed.”

“Clearly,” Wispy grimaced.

The nephilim continued, “Since my ‘birth,’ I’ve used everything at my disposal to wipe my cells clean of that cancer! My life is my own, and I won’t spend it on a dead fool’s ambitions… unlike these pathetic scum~” She motioned to Triad and Penny, who glared back.

Seb came in. “So if you’re not aligned with Mortis, what do you want?”

Viscera gave a smile that made their skin crawl and answered, “I seek only an alliance with Zeloph. For he plays a vital part in my plans to further our kind’s evolution~.”

“Over me buttery arse’re ya gettin’ anywhere near ’im!” Ana snapped, glaring hotly.

“We share the same blood,” the beldam insisted. “It’s only natural for us to stand in unity. Especially when dimensional worlds are collapsing into one another. Think about what I have to offer!”

“I know a bad bet when I see one,” the gambler sneered, pulling out his pistol and ushering Julianne behind him.

“For once, we agree,” Eclipsed Heart bitterly spat, her crystal spear raised. “The only thing you can offer is ruin and decay!”

Wispy added, “Yeah! Your predecessor, creator.. father? Whatever! He helped turn my sister and me into freaks! And since he’s gone, you’ll have to pay for his crimes!!”

Viscera leered at the group of heroes, their rally against her predictable. “You’re making a grievous mistake! I’m not your enemy!”

“Bloody wite ya’re,” Ana snarled, claws extended. “You’re thee enemy!!”

Their minds made up, the three heroines sprung into action, the rehatched Vice Lord a greater threat than Mortis’ undead minions. Of course, she foresaw this and straightened her crooked stance.

“I was hoping to avoid getting my hands dirty,” the nephilim tittered. “But if you insist~!!”

Viscera battered the band members away with her unfurled wings, swinging her tail to knock aside Ana. Seb joined in by firing rounds at the vile demoness, who lept out of range. The spadix of her titan arum tail glowed a sickening aura as putrid shots were fired at the two demis, forcing them to flee.

Unfortunately, one projectile grazed his hand, making him drop his gun and yell, skin and tissue deteriorating.

“Sebastian!” The nun cried, quickly applying a heal spell before the gunslinger was a hand short.

Chisana bounced off the wall, flinging yokai balls from behind the avian monstress and pulling out her blow dart. But Viscera flexed her shoulders to eject the spikes from her back, pinning the tanuki girl to the stone wall. One quill nearly impaled her groin.

Chisana gulped. “Kamisama arigatō, watashi wa on'nanoko ni umaremashita!”

When the trio of babes pressed their assault, they were flabbergasted to see Viscera move with a fluidity that even Wispy couldn’t match!

Ana couldn’t land a good hit either, cautiously avoiding the Vice Lord’s spiny quills and sharp talons, aware of the consequence if she got pricked!

Viscera chortled. “What’s the matter, girls? Out of breath~?!”

The vile one released clouds of toxic steam, her wingbeats fanning the vapors at the pair of femme fatales, who quickly covered their exposed faces with their hands.

“Guuagh! This shit’s gnarly,” Ana choked.

“Disgusting!” coughed Wispy.

They yelped when their throats were seized through the thick miasma. Then, Viscera ran them through the monastery walls, bricks crumbling under every impact before chucking them through the last standing wall.

Ana and Wispy whimpered, bodies thoroughly thrashed and bruised while their evil adversary hovered over them, tail poised over her shoulder like a scorpion.

“Such beauty is wasted,” the bionic devil scoffed. “Allow me to fix that~!”

“Oh, no, you don’t!”

Eclipsed roller skated in to raise a crystal barrier that protected her friends from a would-be fatal blow. Viscera turned to glare while the corrosive steadily dissolved the shiny structure into slime.

“I seem to recall someone with your face,” the sickly demoness said mockingly. “But far prettier, who gave the title of princess meaning.”

“Well, aren’t you a petty bitch,” the pop diva huffed before lunging forward. But each swing of her crystalline lance failed to connect with the agile Vice Lord.

“Slow, sloppy, and without style,” observed Viscera. “Just like your taste in music~.”

“Shut up!!” Eclipsed yelled, aggravated by the nephilim’s taunting.

Her aggressive thrusts made the vulture-faced demi-human cackle. “Now that’s more like it! I can actually feel the power behind your attacks.”

Yet it was apparent it wasn’t enough, as Eclipsed detected a grotesque cracking sound from the Vice Lord’s right arm. Then, as Viscera swiped, an elongated topaz-colored bone shot from her forearm with a wet schlick.

The pop princess gasped, the clash disarming her and her neck seized by the monstrous avian. She squirmed, fingers trying to pry open the hand, crushing her windpipe.

The nephilim ‘tsked’ at the struggling diva. “Never even stood a chance,” she tittered. “Care to know why?”

Eclipsed could only respond with hitched breath and soulful eyes full of hate.

“You’ll never be real like Cerise,” Viscera proclaimed cruelly. “You’ll always be an alternate. Just another passing fad destined to fade into obscurity!”

“Y-you… don’t know a damn thing about me,” Eclipsed managed to say, water pouring out her eyes.

The vile one leaned her head close to run a slimy tongue up the pop star’s tear-stained cheek, savoring the salty taste while she shuddered.

“I’ve seen enough to know you’re not meant to last—”

Viscera’s spines tingled at the presence of an incoming threat. She dropped Eclipsed and erected her bony blade to intercept Triad’s katana, the swordsman pushing back with clenched teeth.

“What’s this? The dog fights out of his own volition? Color me surprised!”

“Silence, wench!”

Sparks flew whenever their blades clashed and clanged against each other. Triad was disturbed to find Viscera’s orichalcum bones had a density that rivaled even the toughest steel!

He tried an overhead strike but yelled when the fiend’s rib cage protruded out of her torso to entrap his hands.

“If you wanted to fondle my chest, all you had to do was ask~!” The avian monstress cackled.

But her mad laughter was cut short by gunfire, a bullet penetrating her plumage. Her chartreuse eyes glared at Seb, a bandage over his wounded hand while Julianne wrapped herself around his arm.

The brief distraction was enough for Triad to break his hands free and bash his fists into Viscera’s face. And before Viscera could retaliate, Ana, Wispy, and Chisana were up again to land a couple of kicks and yokai blasts to keep the nephilim dazzled.

Eclipsed managed to pull herself up, leaning on her cybernetic spear to support her weight. She watched while allies and enemies alike encircled the vile demi-human.

Despite being outnumbered, Viscera’s beak-shaped face twisted into a grin. “Look at the lot of you. Working together to stop me. I’m almost touched~!”

“I would never go against my master’s will,” admitted Triad. “But for a freak like you? I’ll make an exception!”

The others nodded in accordance.

“Amusing,” Viscera conceded. “While this has been fun and all, I’m running late on a very important date!”

Without warning, the nephilim unleashed another veil of noxious gas, the rancid cloud enveloping the group. “Sleep tight, my little doves~!”

Ana, Wispy, Chisana, and Triad coughed roughly to prevent too much exhalation. However, Chisana slumped down, and Wispy swayed on her feet; her enhanced sense of smell hit before she’d realized what had happened.

The neon demon collapsed with a groan, and the kitasan stallion was brought to his knee, hand over his snout. Thanks to Mortis’ darkness and his augmentations, the effects were mostly filtered, saved for the heaviness.

When the avian monstress whizzed out the knockout gas, Eclipsed cried, “Stop!”

The pop princesses attempted to block Viscera with crystal pillars but couldn’t catch the maneuvering devil with scabby wings. Nor could the bullets that Seb rapidly unloaded hit the abomination.

“Fucking damnit!” He hissed, still favoring his burnt hand.

Eclipsed ran to her unconscious bandmate’s side, pushing on her shoulder to wake her up but to no avail.

“C’mon, Wispy! Wake up! We have to reach her before…”

She immediately knew where Viscera was heading, her soulful pink eyes drawn to the desperate battle at the cliffside. Where Shadow Scythe strained to hold her own against Mortis Saltaire...

Afterlight flashed as the Vorpal Blade danced across the air and split open the carapaces of the Eldritch-bred scorpions. The dimensional sword was so thin it penetrated the hardest armor. Yet no matter how many fell, Zeloph knew there were more, perhaps hundreds summoned from that desert world he’d once helped take to the brink of ruin.

“Ashen Dunes owes me for this spot of pest control,” he muttered, firing a prismatic beam at one bug’s face. “What about you, old timer? Still got ammunition left?”

“An almost limitless supply,” grunted Quicksilver as his rifle barked more silver amidst smoke and flames. “Got a feed that transforms mercury into bullets whenever I need ’em. Could give us a few more hours, but we’re about to be overrun!”

“You can say that again,” hissed Zeloph. His body started to burn up from overusing his Onoma, keeping those stingers from piercing his flesh with venom.

The more time they spent trying to clear away the mutant scorpions, the more time they spent unable to intervene in Atalanta’s duel. Even with Arron keeping Andrei at bay, their chances of survival, let alone victory, were growing slim.

“Haahn! At best, we’ve broken even!”

“And by the time we’ve settled this mess here...” Quicksilver cast a tired, melancholy look to the squall above, each roll of thunder shaking the entire realm. He also noticed some landscapes were spontaneously changed, such as half of the ocean becoming a sand dune unaffected by the waves!

“Hmm. I think I’ve got a few firebombs in my duster,” he said, fishing his hand inside to pull out said grenades. “Maybe a few explosives will exterminate these varmints?”

“Yeah... Alright, get ready,” told Zell as he flew up to draw the winged arthropod’s attention away from his partner, activating his ophanim shield to protect himself against the incoming blast. The monsters screeched, trying to penetrate the interchanging topaz rings with their pincers, mandibles, and tails.

With most of the swarm surrounding one spot, Quicksilver tossed his firebombs and took his shot, an exploding ball of flames consuming the screaming bugs.

Their charred remains fell into the sea like raining ashes, Zeloph’s sacred shield dispelling once it was clear.

He gave a heavy sigh and smiled at the elder unicorn. “Worked like a charm!”

“We ain’t done yet! Look out,” Quicksilver warned, one straggler soaring at them with blistering speed… only for a strange green projectile to melt its face-off, the mutant plummeting with its brethren.

“Huh? What the-?!”

Their attention was drawn to another creature swooping in, a delighted smile stretching her beak-shaped face.

“There you are~!”

Zeloph’s eyes lit up with a vermillion glow. “Varys!!”

“What?! No, it can’t be,” Quicksilver insisted. “I shot that bastard dead!!”

“You did? So then, who is..?”

In the middle of her skirmish, Shadow Scythe managed to wrap ethereal chains around Mortis, the vengeful wraith rattling to pull himself free. While she held him in place, the reaper mare spotted her lover and father conversing with the new arrival, her brow furrowed.

“You can call me Viscera,” the avian demi-human introduced herself, politely bowing. “And I’m afraid there’s no time to explain myself. We’re expecting company.”

She pointed towards another group of eldritch scorpions buzzing their way. Then, she proclaimed, “Just consider this an alliance~.”

The idea made Zeloph quiver as he sneered, “You look every bit as foul and insidious as Varys. No way would I ever ally with you!”

“We don’t have to be enemies,” insisted Viscera, smiling coyly. “Here. Let me change your mind!”

With a beat of her wings, the vile monstress soared overhead to intercept the incoming swarm, showering them in ghastly vapors like an avian-shaped crop duster.

The infected scorpions suddenly turned on each other, impaling whatever was close to ripping out their mushy innards, discolored blood spilling.

“Hurry,” Viscera called out. “Light them up while they’re discombobulated!”

“Guess we don’t have a choice,” Quicksilver muttered begrudgingly as he tossed another firebomb to shoot at, the explosion immolating many more mutant bugs.

Zeloph pursed his lip as he conjured a fire cross to ignite the lethal gasses and intensify the flames. A hellish inferno enveloped a dozen more scorpions. The monsters smoked, cooked, and writhed, reduced to char and ash within seconds that scattered in the wind.

The seraphic cringed at delighted cackling, Viscera flying uncomfortably close to him.

“You see? There is chemistry between us,” the beldam proclaimed.

“Spare me your putrid spiel,” he adamantly proclaimed while attempting to keep his distance. “You and I are nothing alike!”

“Oh, but we are,” Viscera rebutted. “More than you care to admit.” She made a throatful sound while gingerly brushing her hands up Zell’s torso, her grin deepening when he shuddered. “We share the same disease, after all~!”

Her spine quills trembled, and the avian demi-human pushed back as a shadowy bolt sailed between them. Her spiteful glare met Shadow Scythe’s, who threatened, “Get away from him, you bitch!”

“Hard to sound threatening when you’re on death’s doorstep, honey~!”

Viscera pointed an elongated claw at Mortis, who burst free from his confines with spectral energy. The skeletal unicorn resumed his attack on Shadow Scythe.

Down below, things weren’t going as well as Arron had hoped. The burly demi-human was currently shielding himself from a combined fire breath from Andrei, feet skidding backward against the sheer force.

Despite the wrestler’s excellent damage output, his opponent proved resilient against all his attacks. No matter how often he threw him around, the damned lizard always got up!

His arms were encased with his sacred crystalline layer, absorbing the damage and empowering his Onoma. This would have to be the decisive blow!

When Andrei exhaled all the fiery fumes in his belly, Arron planted his feet and conjured all damage he received in a clenched fist.

“Time to get your bell rung!” The champ declared, jumping with a mighty bound and throwing the hardest punch he could muster into the dragon’s chest. The massive kinetic energy rippled over Andrei’s body, multiple scales coming loose and black blood vomiting out his maws.

Then the bulky demon hoisted his massive foe on his shoulders, rising skyward. As he began to descend, Arron flung the scaly son of a bitch behind while gripping all three of his heads between his arms and shoulders, performing a modified version of the fireman carry cutter.

His finishing move, which he dubbed simply as,

“GAME OVER!!”

Arron executed the maneuver flawlessly, a cloud of dust and debris scattering upon impact. The force snapped Andrei’s necks, allowing him to make a clean rip.

As the dragon’s beheaded body lay lifelessly on the rocky surface, the victorious demi-human roared with triumph before tossing the severed heads into the water.

Unfortunately, his shades didn’t survive the battle. The tinted lenses were fractured and crooked. So he threw them away too.

Fatigue finally caught up to Arron, his sore legs struggling to stand straight. He took a moment to catch his breath before focusing on the battle above.

“I’m coming, twink… huff! Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll—”

The demon’s pointed ears twitched at the grotesque crackle of bones behind him. His violet eyes shrank as he slowly turned to see Andrei’s headless body stand back up, each neck rapidly repairing the missing bones, nerves, and tissue.

Arron groaned with disbelief, “Are you fucking my dick right now..?!”

All three of the dragon’s heads regenerated, leering down at the weakened demi with malicious grins on his snouts.

“… Oh, what a load of BULLSHI—”

The multi-headed monster vomited all the elements in his belly, incinerating the screaming devil. His hardened skin scorched, steam hissing off his second-degree burns.

The roasted wrestler stumbled to the ground, losing consciousness. Finally winning the fight, Andrei secured his fallen opponent in one of his three jaws before tossing him into the air, maws opening wide…

“Arron!” Zeloph yelled, soaring down to blast each mouth with holy fire, making the beast choke on smoke while he intercepted the brawler’s body.

Laying his friend near the cliff’s edge, he laid his hand on his chest and focused on revitalizing the Demi-human. Rippling waves of light washed over Arron, cleansing the burnt skin and bruises he suffered.

But Zell didn’t have time to fully heal as Andrei emerged from the cliff like the dreaded hydra he resembled.

“You’ll pay for that,” the angelic demi-human promised, squeezing the handle of his saber to ignite the steel with his Onoma before charging at the beast.

With the last of the mutant scorpions dealt with, Quicksilver had to sit down and reserve what strength he had left, feeling his unlively vessel beginning to crumble.

As the old stallion watched Zeloph duke out with the tri-headed tyrant, he couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic and chuckled. “Just like my wife and I when we hunted the Jabberwocky… Poor Atalanta was there, too.”

Shadow Scythe’s ears pricked at his words amidst the chaos, the sounds around her skirmish with Mortis dying out. It was her first kill, the unicorn no more than a foal when she’d taken control of the Vorpal Blade with her aura and telepathically maneuvered it into the Jabberwocky’s heart.

When the fabled monster perished, her parents were under the assumption that the Jabberwocky had fallen on the fairy tale weapon amidst its ferocious attack. In truth, it had awakened a taste for blood in Atalanta, the young unicorn indifferent to the world, save for a taste for knowledge, power....and the capacity to harm others.

Be it through physical pain, fear, or humiliation, the suffering of other creatures had made her come alive. Amidst archery practice with her mother, Quiver Bolt, Atalanta had taken aim at a stray snake, her snout momentarily twisted by euphoria with the blood she’d spilled. Its cries of pain while it writhed pinned and expired on her loosed arrow.

Her mother had barely stopped her, but that sadistic side remained, even now, no matter how hard she tried to tame the beast inside her. Instead, the pale mare had wanted to turn it into a positive purpose. To punish and neutralize the wicked. Creatures like she once was.

Another clash between scythes brought the reaper back to the present, her immortal foe staring gauntly through his skeletal visage.

“Is life flashing before your eyes, traitor?” Mortis asked. “Has your heart finally accepted defeat? You know it is true, Shadow Scythe. Your death is inevitable!”

A light beam blasted the lich in the back, earning an agonized yell. Both reapers turn to Zeloph, more wings unfurled from his back, body completely engulfed with solar energy.

Below, Andrei was shrieking, two of his heads severed again. Only this time, the neck wounds were cauterized, which nullified his regenerative ability.

“Time we end this, Mortis!” Zell declared angrily, his Onoma on the verge of going supernova. His Vorpal Blade shone brightly, revealing its true nature as Mikael’s Crucible.

Atalanta murmured softly, “Zeloph..?”

“Couldn’t agree more, all mighty fallen!”

A deathly aura enveloped Mortis Saltaire, unleashing all the power of the souls he assimilated. The tatter-robed wraith blasted disintegration rays from his bony palms, keeping his foes on edge when they battled two-on-one.

The lich sensed that Triad and Penny had been forced to retreat, badly wounded, many of the undead he’d summoned and swaths of his scorpions obliterated by his foes. But none of that mattered, so long as he could finally claim the betrayer’s life!

Eclipsed, Julianne and Seb rushed up the hillside, carrying the unconscious bodies of Moxxi, Wispy, and Chisana between them while the world violently unraveled.

Arron groaned as he came to, his flesh still stinging after suffering Andrei’s wrath.

“That dragon owes me a rematch,” he grumbled as he rose. Spotting the others, the burly demon approached them with a limp leg. “So... I take it we all got our asses kicked?”

“Wouldn’t even call this a fight,” the pop princess said, her soulful pink eyes glaring at Viscera, who was roosting on another cliff nearby.

“Yeeess! Get him, Zeloph,” the vile one praised. “Let your rage take form! Harness the destructive power you’ve been hiding, and do what you must~!”

“Fucking bird-faced freak! I’ll kill her—!!”

“Easy there, partner,” Quicksilver said, pushing her spear down. “She ain’t worth it.”

Eclipsed Heart gasped. “Wait! Y-you’re Shadow Scythe’s father!!”

“That I am,” the old gunslinger confirmed, looking back to the illuminated fight in the skies. “If not for your angel friend, I probably wouldn’t have lasted this long…”

“Man, that is bright,” Seb commented, lowering his hat to better shield his eyes. “Looks like Sunspot’s going all out with the crucible! Outstanding!!”

“You still owe him lessons,” the diva reminded scornfully.

“If you haven’t noticed, we’ve kinda had our hands full,” rebutted the card demon. “But I will say this. Since the legendary Vorpal Blade was initially written as a purely heroic weapon in fiction, it could be the only object in existence capable of destroying the Necronomicon.”

“Wait, really?”

Seb shrugged. “I mean, it’s never been tested. Michael forged his crucible to extinguish all forms of evil and unlocks its hidden potential in the vicinity of something tainted. Y’know, something like, say… a revenge-driven ghost in reaper rags?”

His free hand pointed at Mortis, unable to keep up with the combined forces of Zeloph and Shadow Scythe.

“So… if the Necronomicon is destroyed, then the multiverse would stabilize?!”

“Beatrix’s power was originally tied to the grimoire,” considered Wispy.

“We’ll figure out how it works later,” Quicksilver surmised. “Right now, they need our support!”

“That’s right!” Eclipsed cupped her mouth and called to Zeloph and Shadow Scythe. “You can do it! Beat down that monster!”

“Yeah! Give him the ol’ dick twist,” Arron cheered alongside her.

“He’s nothing but bones, you twit,” the gambler said, rolling his eyes before joining in. “I’ve got high stakes riding on you, Sunshine! Don’t mess this up!”

Julianne clasped her hands together, praying, “O please, thou that art in heaven. Guide our friends to sanctuary on the wings of victory!”

Mortis Saltaire wheezed, unable to withstand the blows of his adversary, who worked in perfect harmony to finish the battle. Dark sickles and light blades tore away at the lich, his ribcage exposed under his torn mantle, where a glow emanated from within. Left vulnerable under the continuous assault, Zeloph heard the cheers from his allies below and, with Mikael’s Crucible, moved in for the kill. He drove the saber into the bony cavity, impaling the glowing orbs within, assuming it to be the necromancer’s soul.

“It’s over, Mortis,” Zell said with tranquil fury. “ You’re done..!”

But it wasn’t the screams of Mortis that rewarded the demi’s ears. It was a sound that filled his racing heart with dread and deafened the cheers of triumph by the cliffside.

The sound of Shadow Scythe gasping for dear life.

His pinpoint eyes turned to see the reaper mare doubled over, blood trickling out her gaped mouth, a crimson splotch gradually staining his love’s thin bosom.

“… w-what? No… No!!”

Zeloph instinctively tried to withdraw the blade, simply for Mortis to clasp cold, bony hands around his wrist. Triumphant laughter arose from his skeletal maw.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” The enraged angel demanded.

“Only now do I remember the day I died,” the revenant elaborated as he recollected. “When I was known as Danse Macabre, I invoked an ancient incantation with dying breath. One that tethered my soul to the treacherous mare who slayed me!”

Emotion poured back into the lich reaper’s hollow voice. “And now, she will die… by your hand!”

“You’re lying!!”

“Then cut me down, fallen one!” Encouraged the wraith mockingly. “Destroy me with your righteous flame… and know it was her undoing!!”

“No! NOOOOOO!!”

Zeloph disenchanted his Onoma and Mikael’s Crucible. But the damage was already done, the multidimensional sword having carved deep enough to split not only one’s flesh but inflict spiritual wounds on its victims.

“Z-Zell… ooph…” Shadow Scythe weakly called for him as her Onoma faded, her bloodied form falling from mid-air.

“ATALANTA!!”

The fallen one ignored the cackling reaper and dove to catch his lover in his arms, the waves crashing and skies breaking, after which the cosmic storm intensified, drawn perhaps by what Mortis had done and the dimensional Vorpal Blade.

Reality fell apart, random structures, buildings, and creatures spawning as the oceans dissolved. The landscapes distorting into abstract arrangements. But Zeloph paid no mind to the chaos, racing towards the cliff, where his friends and allies struggled to remain afoot.

When he landed, everyone gathered around the couple, bewildered at what was happening.

“Come on, stay with me,” Zeloph whispered desperately, trying to heal the gruesome wound in Shadow Scythe’s chest. “Stay with me, please..!”

Eclipsed held her hands over her mouth, trying not to cry. Julianne knelt to assist while Arron and Seb stood over their unconscious allies with looks of utter dismay.

But perhaps the person most devastated was Quicksilver, his eyes wide in appalment. “My daughter… m-my little girl..!”

His hand shakingly reached for his shotgun, aiming the barrel at his former master, finger coiled around the trigger… before falling to his knees to bawl.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaauuughaha!!”

“Best not to take your shot,” informed Viscera cruelly. “She’s barely hanging on as it is. You’d only prolong her suffering~.”

“You shut the fuck up!!” Eclipsed screamed, ready to stab the bionic devil a thousand times, when another violent quake made them stumble.

Mortis and Andrei, whose heads were slowly growing back, hovered over their fallen foes.

“Look what you’ve done,” Julianne cried, her face stricken with anger. “You’ve ruined this world!”

“It was ordained,” proclaimed Mortis. “We reapers are but instruments of fate. And since the betrayer slaughtered the rest of our order, its duties fall solely on my shoulders.”

At this point, Triad arrived back on the scene, Penny Dreadful’s unconscious form carried over one shoulder. He scanned the scene with a look of contempt. His master had won… but at what cost?

“Do not fret, Zeloph,” the lich stated. “You and your company will be joining her soon. Andrei…”

The dragon scowled, struggling to ignore his master’s mental hold but ultimately succame.

“… Finish them off.”

The dragon reeled his head back and breathed a fiery blast that would melt the heroes where they stood. But before the attack struck home, Zeloph rose and cried with anguish, drawing Mikael’s Crucible in a sweep of blinding illumination that swallowed him and his companions.

When the light faded, no trace of them was left, and the projectile scorched only earth.

Triad cradled the slackened Penny Dreadful. “They’ve escaped!?”

“No matter,” announced Mortis. “Wherever they run, reality is doomed to fall apart with them. We will collect her soul in due time. Come.”

Gathering around him, the lich was about to teleport them to safety before pausing.

For once since his resurrection, Mortis felt something other than a single-minded desire for vengeance. Eye sockets met bony fingers and noticed the tattered flesh that had started to adorn them since Shadow Scythe was dealt a fatal blow.

“Curious... Most curious, indeed.”

Likewise, he reached up to touch his skull...and felt the cool touch of pollaid flesh on his cheek. Was it the spell, he pondered? An unexpected side effect since their souls were intertwined?

A reminder of when he was known as Danse Macabre, a humble researcher in his order?

It didn’t matter. Danse Macabre was dead. Only Mortis Saltaire remained. He enveloped them in his dark shroud like a wide shadow, the condemned planet left to crack, crater, and crumble while he spirited his followers away.

The light faded around the entourage, and an empty city was revealed to them. Buildings and skyscrapers long since abandoned, covered in a bizarre botanic matter. Rays of sunlight phased through a cloudy horizon that shimmered chromatically. Avian lifeforms soared through the atmosphere, a strange mismatch of bird, reptile, and metal.

Groans rose from Wispy Willow as she, Chisana, and Moxxi finally stirred awake. “Uuugh...” murmured the nekomata as she rubbed her skull. “My head! What the hell happened..?”

A foul shriek drew their attention to Viscera, detained by Seb and Quicksilver, who held her at gunpoint while Eclipse Heart encased her hands, wings, and tail together in thick crystal.

Arron shoved the vile monstress to the ground, foot planted on her back, quietly grunting, “Stand down!”

Moxxi rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before all color drained from her face. “…No! Not here!! Zell?!”

“Over here,” Julianne called, kneeling beside the fallen one as he cradled the pale reaper.

Quickly, they rushed over to check on the couple. “What’s wrong wif Edgie?! Why is she..?!”

“A horribly cunning gambit,” the rosy-haired nun answered, her cheery demeanor no longer present. “I’ve done all I can, but no matter how many times I try, the wound refuses to heal. I’m afraid what Mortis claimed is true. The Vorpal Blade has split Atalanta’s soul wide open...”

Moxxi clapped her hands over her mouth, tears falling down her cheeks as her brother stroked her lover’s snow-white hair.

“Atalanta… please,” he wept softly. “Don’t die on me!”

Zeloph was utterly helpless to do more than watch while her soul continually bled out. His grief was a thousand times worse, knowing he inadvertently was the cause of this.

Shadow Scythe trembled in his arms, her thin body limp. “Z-Zeloph…” The broken unicorn could barely speak; her slightly open eyes met his own, his hand in hers. “Don’t...blame yourself. Th-this is my...my penance,” she tried to reassure him. “It’s better this way...”

“ Don’t say that!” Quicksilver stalked over. “I already lost my wife! I’m not about to outlive my daughter too!”

“I’ll...be with Quiver Bolt soon, dad,” started Shadow Scythe, then weakly shook her head. “O-or maybe... I’m not destined for heaven after what I’ve done...” She slackened in Zeloph’s arms, who tenderly squeezed her.

“Atalanta,” he murmured. “Please-”

“L-look after my father. Give him a good resting place…” She pleaded almost child-like to Quicksilver, wide-eyed and delirious. “I’m so sorry, I...I...never meant to hurt...!” Desperation filled her muted, hoarse voice, the white fur around her lower snout matted in dried blood.

“No, no, no! Don’t you dare let go,” he babbled, trying in vain to heal her grievous wound with his sacred touch. Yet the light wouldn’t travel past the unmendable gash. “I’m not giving up on you..!”

Her mouth managed to form a sad smile.

“You’re the only one who didn’t… T-That’s why I love you… Zell… Why I-I’ll always love you! Always...”

The pallid mare turned slightly to the babbling coming from the imp and laughed weakly as hot tears hit her cheeks. “Tears, for me, Mox? Heh... Didn’t know you cared...”

“Oh, don’t give me that!” Moxxi begged through her sobs. “Ya can come up wif better last words! Where’s wahn of those old villain speeches ya used to…” She started to shake her until Zeloph took her arm and solemnly shook his head.

Wispy sucked in a heavy breath. “Is...is she....?”

“Just unconscious,” reassured Julianne. “But she won’t survive the day at this rate. All we should do is make her last moments as comfortable as possible…”

Grimly, Quicksilver knelt and held his daughter’s cool, near-lifeless hand. Like her, the old stallion realized his own time was limited. Without one of those mechanized coffins, the black blood that animated him would eventually congeal, and his old, battered body would break down. But he would happily trade those final days to buy more hours for his daughter, determined to reconcile with her before they met their ends.

Eclipsed tried not to think about the poor people they’d been forced to abandon, not to mention Atalanta on death’s bed, which played out before their eyes. She desperately wanted to race back and save more lives but knew it could doom them all; her shoulders slumped in bitter defeat.

Instead of stewing in her perceived helplessness, her wide eyes marveled at the alien beauty surrounding them. It was unlike anything she’d seen, even in the wildest virtual reality simulations she’d partaken in. Most people used them to sate baser needs...but she had played out a scenario similar to what Beatrix and Oona had told her about her counterpart Cerise Silhouette’s homeworld, where Eclipsed temporarily played the part of a pampered, lonely princess for a sizable court.

“What is this place?”

Zeloph looked at the verdant, expansive landscape with utter contempt written across his features, cradling his love tighter in his arms and wings. Moxxi shared a similar expression when she gave the pop star her answer.

“Home.”