Undeath and Rebirth

Bellatrix slept a troubled sleep, enclosed in a coffin. From above, Alma rested upside down, her long curly auburn hair draped like satin curtains. But the Baobahn Sith wasn’t sleeping, aware that she would fall prey to the Nightmare Stag’s magic. So she instructed her followers and allies to avoid slumber.

Fortunately, this did not apply to her prisoners. But the succubus still writhed and stirred, choking on silent sobs. Everyone that took shelter here depended on her protection… and she’d failed them.

No. She did something worse. Bellatrix has betrayed them, driven by a buried lust her sister had proven unable to tame.

The scarlet-skinned woman would gladly sacrifice her life to save them all and take it back. Yet she still tasted her mistress’s sweet, succulent blood on her lips, which filled her with detestable elation.

Her reverie wandered back to the twin maids once in her service, altered by a portion of her’s and the manor’s dark power.

What would become of them now? Could Dion keep them safe? Would they even survive being outside their residence this long?

“We live to serve you, mistress,” crooned the voice of Foal-Bearer in her dream.

“Our happiness is yours,” chimed in Wet Nurse at her sister’s side. They were back in the manor’s basement, where it once trapped the succubus and fed on her life force.

She reminisced on the day she altered the twins into half-succubi. Bellatrix asked, “Do you trust me?” They nodded and stripped away their maid uniforms for her; their underwear followed, rendering them naked. Then, the she-devil bound their hands behind them with handcuffs as drippy tentacles rose from the slippery walls.

These protrusions lifted the sisters upwards, left to dangle, while Bellatrix strode about them. “It won’t be easy,” explained Bellatrix. “But necessary if you wish to become a part of Dion’s strength.”

“Yes! Oh, please,” pleaded Wet Nurse.

“We’ll endure any pain to be more useful to Sir Dion,” confessed Foal-Bearer.

Their inflamed pussies winked in unison to anticipate what their mistress was conjuring. Gushers of their nectar splashed out with each lusty wink to soak the floorboards.

“Trust me. It will mostly be pleasurable,” assured Bellatrix, whose palms smoothed over, squeezed, and kneaded their luscious curves. They mewled in appreciation, especially when she pinched and pulled on their perky, erect nipples. “I won’t lie to you. There’s a small risk it will break you.”

“We can take it,” cooed Wet Nurse, happy tears in her coral pink eyes. “Oh, please-”

“Then prepare yourselves,” warned Bellatrix, a couple pairs of tentacles raised behind the crystal mares. When the crystal twins nodded their consent, the demoness directed the beast by her will to penetrate them. The tips probed their lower holes before they drove deep inside.

They squealed and squirted over the tentacles, pushed womb-deep into their cunts and puckered assholes, their cries of ecstasy cut off when more pliable extensions drove down their throats. The intruders pumped their first load into them until their bellies swelled out.

“You’ll have to be further molded into pure instruments of pleasure,” explained Bellatrix, who fiercely cupped their chins and squeezed. “Submissive sluts, servile to Sir Dion’s whims. Do you think yourselves capable of that level of surrender?” They nodded rapidly, repeatedly skewered by binds that triple-penetrated them.

“Good mares,” mused Bellatrix, who sharply slapped them at the same time across their asses, the cheeks left to wobble under her fierce blow, coral pink marked by red hand prints.

She could see the coiled intrusions in the crystal mares, whose bodies went translucent as their intertwined female symbols cutie marks shimmered, and she felt their skin swell under the intruders. Satisfied, she slapped their suspended, pendulous titties and savored their whorish mewls.

“This is who you are,” hypnotically commanded Bellatrix. “Idle playthings forever tasked to satisfy your stud. Even if it means providing him with healthy heirs.”

“Yes,” said Foal-Bearer, happy tears in her eyes.

“Stuffed...so...full,” whined Wet Nurse, she and her sister’s faces hosed down by tentacles that exited their maws, only to be facefucked anew.

They were trained similarly in secret each day. Taught submission in return for a reward came naturally to the twins, who’d molded themselves to survive their whole lives.

Their mistress succubus would deny them until they could take no more, make them plead...then smother them under multiple climaxes.

Each time, their fun holes were pumped full, left to pant, heave, and writhe in brain-busting euphoria, which would no doubt have broken lesser mares as they were repeatedly fucked silly.

The air reeked of sex. Semen drenched below. Bellatrix felt them up and used her spade-tipped tail to masturbate, building up her raw lusts.

Eventually, solitary horns formed on each side of the crystal mare’s head, their nails and toes became claw-like, and spaded tails emerged from atop their well-rounded, heart-shaped coral pink buttocks. Not to mention a leathery bat wing that adorned each coral pink mare’s arced back.

Bellatrix looked to her hands and, much to her surprise, found she had taken her more angelic shape during the process. A night-black aura, similar to Beatrix’s, rippled around her hands. And she briefly saw the same magic shimmer of the freshly converted half-succubi twins, whose breasts heaved between pants and drool.

But she didn’t have time to discover what this was. None of them knew how soon they would be forced to use this power...and how close mistress and manor would come to death.

The more pleasant part of Bellatrix’s dream was overwhelmed by the confrontation with the ‘Burning King,’ her heart violently pushed out. She would have died instantly were it not for her fusion with the beast that now abandoned her.

“Be safe, my sweet twins,” she murmured teary-eyed in her sleep.

So many eyes were fixated on the strange angelic entity that now took center stage. And Zeloph mirrored the bewilderment of the crowd. His feathery ears picked up the muttering from the boy band whose concert he interrupted.

“Who the hell is that?!” Alto whispered harshly.

“I don’t know! He just fell from the sky!” replied Bass.

“Is he some kind of alien?” Tenor pondered. “I mean, look at those wings!”

“And that sword!” The red-haired singer stared nervously at the shining blade. “W-what should we do? Do we fight him?”

Bass shook his head, noticing how distressed the winged humanoid appeared, like a deer in headlights. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Well, we gotta do something,” the youngest brother insisted. “He crashed our concert right when we were about to expose Seb!!”

One audience member apparently agreed as he hollered from the back, “Play something or get off the stage!” Their comment prompted the crowd to start booing Zeloph, adding further pressure.

“Play something?! I-I don’t even have-“

His words were cut off by the vorpal blade emanating a blinding light, silencing the crowd as they shielded their eyes. The light gradually faded, and the audience collectively went ‘oooh’ in awe. When Zell opened his eyes, he gasped upon seeing an alabaster ESP-style guitar, its body stylized into several wings and a topaz fret board embedding its neck.

The fallen one looked appalled by the instrument. “What the?! Is this some kind of joke to you?!?”

As always, the legendary item didn’t respond, leaving Zeloph completely flustered. He hadn’t played in so long, clueless about what he was supposed to do.

Realizing the opportunity, Bass quickly grabbed a guitar of his namesake and plugged both instruments into the stage amp, which made an audible feedback buzz.

The two blue-haired musicians stared at each other until the debonair boy quietly asked, “Got a love song?”

Repeating the question in his mind, one jam session with Jonn popped up, and he gave a quick nod.

“Okay, we’ll follow your lead!” Bass then ushered his brothers to take their places, which they hesitantly took while Zeloph shuffled to the mic stand.

“What are they doing?!” Carrion Hellfire quietly demanded as she, her bandmates, and Eclipsed Heart watched from behind the stage. The pop idol clasped her hands together, confident her boyfriend knew what he was doing.

Mezzo hoped for the same while watching from the restaurant, her eyes briefly glancing at Seb. The pinstripe devil kept his narrowed gaze entirely on the strange newcomer, recognizing him as the Demi-human from Eclipsed Heart’s memories. The sword he was carrying also looked familiar…

Zeloph took a deep exhale before signaling for the employee at the drum kit to count him in. After giving him a thumbs up, the player tapped his sticks before the stage came to life with light and sound.

Instead of an EDM-style pop single, the crowd was treated to a hard rock song that many would consider classic with how roughly it clashed with the futuristic setting. Yet the audience was spellbound by Zeloph’s excellent vocals, his considerable guitar playing, and backed up by Sixth Measure’s harmony during the chorus.

The fallen one managed to lose himself to the moment, thankful no one picked up the few notes he wasn’t hitting correctly. This level of equipment was more than what he was used to, but the sounds it produced served his style well!

“This isn’t part of our show,” Tenor tried to yell over the loud music.

“Who cares!” Alto answered. “The fans are eating it up~!” He smirked at a pair of nubile women in the front row, stripping off their tops and squealing as they tossed them at the stage. He seized the discarded clothes and blew them a kiss while they shook their bared tits at him.

“Woooooo~! Don’t know who angel boy is, but damn can he sing!” Obrya said, swaying her serpentine body along to the song.

“Yeah! He must be their twink or something,” Carrion playfully jabbed.

“Nu-uh! Sixth Measure is completely straight,” fumed Eclipsed, both hands pressed on her wide hips. “I mean, at least Bass is. Not that there’s anything wrong with being gay, bi, or whatever!”

“Yeesh, relax! I’m just teasin’! I’m sure they’re all swell guys~.”

The pop princess blushed more profoundly at the memory of the night she gave her virginity to Bass, a video preserved on her phone that she’d sent to him. No way a guy that good in the sack didn’t love girls!

“Ooh, wait!” Ruth suddenly exclaimed. “This’ll be a great chance to test some pyrotechnics! Be right back.” Letting down the pop princess, the shark woman excitedly stomped to the control panel backstage as the second chorus finished, and Zell slowed the next bridge down with gentle strums and huskier vocals.

Riptide Ruth reached the control box and flipped a switch right as Zeloph hit the guitar solo. As he took to the air, showing off his brilliant plumage, pyros went off behind him, showering the stage in sparks. The crowd went wild, some holding up their recording devices to capture the imagery.

That was when Seb gave an alarming gasp and pulled out a card from his waistcoat. Mezzo noticed that this particular card differed from the ones he usually played with. The cover was pale, designed with a more astral pattern. And instead of any suites, it depicted a man underneath a gold accented sun… doing the exact pose the angelic guitarist was doing on stage!

“No fucking way..!” She heard him say, almost inaudible.

Before the president could question it, Seb was already moving, slamming a wad of cash on the dinner table. Wrapping his bandanna over his scarred face, he proceeded towards the exit.

“Huh!? Hey! Where do you think you’re going?!” she demanded.

“Change of plans, Mezzo, “said Seb, not bothering to face her. “Go ahead and run my name in the dirt if you want. I’m done with this town. And I’ve got a whole new game to play!” He waved his hand before adding, “It’s been a real pleasure. Adios~!”

Mezzo glared, beguiled as her enemy rushed out of the restaurant. She’d almost be relieved that her life wasn’t in danger if she wasn’t concerned by this sudden change in behavior. The old siren messaged her vice president to ready her ship as she stormed out of the restaurant. Seb was up to something, and she had to warn her sons!

Back at the concert, Zell and Sixth Measure sang the final chorus and ended with one loud strum, the entire stadium applauding the surprise performance. As the angelic demi landed, Bass lifted his hand high, with his brothers raising their fists.

“Bro, they loved it!” the lead vocalist proclaimed under the wave of shrieking women, who were tossing garments and underwear at them. A pair of panties landed atop Zell’s wing, one of his eyes squinting as his face colored. Good thing Atalanta wasn’t present to see this, though he was sure she wouldn’t mind.

Still, Zeloph couldn’t hide his smile at the adoring public, reminding him of the time people looked up to him before his fall from grace.

“We’re taking a brief intermission,” Alto announced as they shuffled their newfound star backstage. “Be back in fifteen~!”

Once out of vision, they pulled the demi-human down the stage, where Eclipsed Heart bounced with joy before jumping into her boyfriend’s arms. “That was amazing, Bass!” She cheered, cupping his cheeks to kiss him.

“Haha! Thanks, babe,” he replied, keeping an arm around her waist while extending his hand towards the fallen one. “And awesome stuff back there! What’s your name, friend?”

“Zell,” he replied, shaking the debonair boy’s hand. “Would you believe it if I told you I was brought here by accident?”

“Not at all! I’m Bass, and these are my brothers; Tenor and Alto.”

“Yo~!”

“S’up!”

“And this is my girlfriend, Eclipsed Heart! She’s-“

“Lead vocalist for the band, B.A.B.E,” finished Zell, having understood where he was, given the advanced structures of the city and the heavy reliance on cybernetics. “I’ve heard about you.”

“And I’ve seen you before,” the pop diva said, her large soulful pink eyes taking in the demi-human’s appearance. “I think some of my memories are from Cerise! She’s a good friend of Beatrix, so clearly, you two are friends, right?”

The question made Zeloph purse his lips. With a skewed chuckle, he said, “W-well—“

“O-oh, wait a minute! If you’ve heard about me, you must know Wispy and Kitsune! Are they okay? I hope nothing bad has happened to them….”

“N-no, they’re alright!” assured the fallen angel, quietly thankful to have dodged the previous statement. “Mostly trying to adjust to the lack of technology where I came from, but I think they’ll manage!”

Her smile widened. “Okay, good! I can’t wait for them to come home, and we can play again.”

“And where exactly did you come from, anyway?” Carrion questioned, her talon hands holding her hips. “You’re one of those Demi-humans, right?”

Zeloph uneasily answered, “That’s correct. I was on a mission with my lover, sister, and your bandmates to stop a wicked lich and his legion of undead from wreaking havoc. All in the name of vengeance...”

“Bro, that sounds metal as fuck,” Ruth said as she stood beside Obrya with her arms folded.

The lamia then asked, “How did you get here?”

“My… ‘sword,’” he motioned his dazzling electric guitar. “It brought me here while trying to unlock its secrets.”

“A sword with magical powers? Neato~!” Tenor marveled.

Bass quirked an eyebrow. “And it just so happened to turn into a guitar?”

“Yeeeah, still trying to figure out that one,” the angel admitted before apologizing. “Sorry for ruining your show….”

“Are you kidding me? You elevated that snooze fest into new heights!” The steel harpy exclaimed, earning a handful of glares. She shrugged them off and continued, “There aren’t that many rock acts these days. Most consider the genre dead with all these pop sensations and avant-garde performances.”

“So if you ever decide to stick around, maybe you could make something here,” said Eclipsed Heart with a bright smile. “There’s also never enough heroes around here! And you definitely come across as a hero!”

Zeloph was taken aback by this alternate Cerise’s compliment. ‘Do I?’ He certainly didn’t feel heroic. For all he knew, traveling here was putting his mission to help Shadow Scythe and the multiverse in jeopardy! The last thing the fallen one wanted was to cause more trouble in another world.

Sensing the demi-human was troubled, Bass said, “Now, guys. Let’s not be so hasty! We still have a show to finish here!”

Eclipsed nodded, her smile disappearing. “And a scumbag to expose…”

Zell’s eyebrow rose. “Expose..?”

The older singer nodded and elaborated, “We put on protest concerts to bring awareness to issues the public doesn’t know about. Tonight is about another demi-human stinking up the place, named Seb.”

“Seb,” Zeloph recalled Kitsune briefly, showing him the dapper-looking demon before they parted to Shadow Scythe’s dimension. He also remembered seeing a second demi-human wrecking a whole police force. Arron, he believed his name was.

“Yeah,” replied Alto as he recovered. “He’s got people thinking he’s here to help the city. But they’ve got no idea about the underhanded tactics he’s pulled to get to the top. That man’s a criminal mastermind if I ever saw one!”

“And we went against that sleazeball Spike!”

The false idol frowned. “Couldn’t be worse than Varys…”

The name drop caused the group to collectively shudder. The pop diva shook her head and asked, “Don’t tell me that freak is still around…”

“I’m afraid so,” Zell begrudgingly confirmed. “We believe our target has joined forces with him to increase their efforts. We find him; we find Varys. And then hopefully end him.”

The sound of ringing interrupted their discussion. Alto pulled out his vibrating cell, put it on speaker, and answered, “Hey, mom! Wassup?”

“Alto! I need you and your brothers to get everyone out of that stadium immediately! Seb is on his way!”

The boy band looked at one another, confused. “But we’re just about ready to head out and-“

“Listen to me,” Mezzo’s voice sternly said. “Something about your new friend has drawn his attention. I’ll never forgive myself if something happens and innocent people are hurt. Call off the show and get out of there! Now!!”

“But mom, we can’t--”

The earth began to rumble, the audience outside screaming from the sudden quake.

“W-whoa! What’s going on?!” Obrya asked, trying to keep her balance on her snake tail, running a hand through her lime green hair, adjusting the crown of tiny skulls nestled atop her head.

“Trouble,” surmised Ruth, her stiff muscles tensed. She turned to Eclipsed and said, “You heard the president! Be ready to rush in; the crowd’s safety comes first!”

“Of course,” replied Eclipsed, since she and B.A.B.E. once served as vigilantes before ex-president Spike and Seb outed them. She readied a knife, which shimmered and expanded when the pop princess called on her crystalline power, where the blade extended to resemble a javelin.

Sixth Measure rushed to the stage with Zeloph following behind. Grabbing the microphone, Bass warned, “Everyone, evacuate the stadium! The show’s over!”

Tenor added, “We’ll refund every ticket! Promise. Just please get out before someone gets hurt!”

The crowd tried to push towards the exits as fissures formed underneath their feet. Then a force erupted from the ground, knocking unlucky attendees aside as a horned figure burst onto the scene. Fortunately, Eclipsed Heart and S.L.U.T. flew in to mitigate the damage.

Carrion Hellfire caught those sent flying while Obyra stretched her long body to secure fans into her coils. And Riptide Ruth took the brunt of the falling rubble by blocking it with her mountain of a body. The pop diva sliced through debris while quietly urging civilians to flee.

All eyes were on the burly demi-human, who leaned back and laughed loudly. “Everyone hold your applause,” he exclaimed, raising his wrestler belt in one hand. “Because the champ! Is!! Heeereeeeee~!!!”

“Oh, god, no…” groaned Zeloph. He could tell he wasn’t going to like this guy.

Everything about Arron screamed ‘egotistical jackass.’ From the purple vest that hardly contained his mountainous bulk, the camo cargo shorts, to the heavy-looking belt plated in jewels and gold, the word ‘BOSS’ embedded in the center. His taurus-shaped horns glittered in topaz, as did the studs resting above his knuckles. His hair was bleach blonde, a pair of stylish shades huffing his eyes. And, like many demi’s, his tail was unusual, the tip shaped like a sledgehammer.

“Hey, dickwad!” Tenor yelled. “You trashed our concert!!”

“Phaha! Boy, this place was hot garbage before I showed up,” retorted the bruiser, slapping his title over his broad shoulder. “If anything, they should be thankingme for pulling the plug on this awful concert! I’ve heard cats in heat screech better songs than you~!”

“Real mature,” called Eclipsed. “Don’t listen to him, guys. He’s just a bully pretending he’s some big, macho man! One with no regard for all the people he almost crushed!”

Arron held his hand to his ear and sarcastically asked, “Huh? Could you speak up and say that again?! So sorry, I’m just having a hard time hearing the part where that’s my problem~!”

Zeloph’s glare deepened a vermillion glow.

“Besides, who asked you?! Your good for nothing ass ain’t going to be relevant soon anyway. When the next hot thing with a pretty voice shows up, everyone in this city will forget you even existed. There are tons of pop singers for the media to cling to! What makes you so special?”

Eclipsed struggled to hold back sobs; her fist bawled tightly as angry tears streamed down her face. “T-that’s not true! I-I’m more than—!”

Not relenting, Arron mockingly added, “Awww, did I hurt your whore feelings? Don’t worry; I’m sure your producer will tell you how good your head game is~!”

“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Bass yelled, irate. “Some champion you are! Putting down women just to make yourself better!”

The golden demon cackled and corrected, “Nah, it ain’t like that at all! Anyone who can’t hustle with me is easy pickings. I’m top of the food chain, baby! Ain’t no one gonna sit higher at the table than me! But if you’ve got the stones, why don’t you step off your podium and prove me wrong? Because unlike you, pretty boy, I’m not just talk and glamor~.”

Bass sneered as he fished out his pendant, ready to defend his girlfriend’s honor. But Zeloph stepped ahead of him, drawing the cocky devil’s attention.

“Ah, yes! The new demi in town,” Arron said, his grin widening. “Quite the cute song you sang there, hot stuff! Certainly got the bitches acting up~!” He pointed at the frilled panties still draped over his wing.

Ruffling his appendage to shake it off, the seraphic demi jumped off the stage towards him. He then retorted, “I bet you feel really strong, carrying that belt around. Where’d you get it? The nearest Goodwill?”

“Ohoho! Quite the lip on you! I like that,” crowed Arron, adjusting his title on his chiseled arm. “As a matter of fact, I had this custom made after I beat every last beta in the slums.” He paused to give the gold-plated belt a kiss. “Competition’s been lousy the past couple of weeks, so you better give me a good fight. I hate disappointments more than I do losers~!”

Zeloph scoffed. “Big words coming from someone who clearly hasn’t been in a fair fight before. Attacking those weaker than you doesn’t make you strong. It just proves how frail and insecure you truly are. You think you’re made of stone? It doesn’t take much to make a paper man crumble.”

This twisted Arron’s grin to an angry snarl. He dropped his title to the ground, sizing Zeloph up by getting in his personal space, several feet taller than him.

“And what gives you the right to tell me how to do things?” He questioned, voice trembling with fury. “You think you’re better than me, boy?!”

“Oh, I don’t think,” Zell boasted with his own haughty smile. “I know!”

The Vorpal Blade flashed in an instant, retaking its saber shape.

“Pft! It’s gonna take more than that cheap butter knife to beat-“the golden demon’s taunt was cut short by a hard backflip kick to the chin. With his opponent staggered, Zell blinked behind for a leg sweep to his calves, forcing him to kneel. Flashing in front, he delivered a left hook that knocked the glasses right off his face. He kept back into a stance, his thin muscles and wings twitching.

“Wooo! Get him, Zell!” Obrya cheered.

“Clobber that asshole!!” Alto joined in.

It took Arron a few seconds to register how powerfully he had been hit, his fingers rubbing over his bruised cheek. His now visible eyes were wide with shock, red pupils pinpoint. Fury shook his hand before he bawled it into a fist, letting out his rage through a mighty roar.

A yellow crystalline substance layered over his arm like a second skin before punching the ground, causing the arena to shake from the magnitude. Lifting himself up, the large demi-human stared down his opponent with an angry smile.

“Alright, twink, it’s on!” he growled. “When I’m through with you, there won’t even be a chalk outline to prove you were murdered!!”

“Enough talk,” the fallen one responded, resting his blade on his shoulder and flexing his fingers in a beckoning gesture. “Just bring it!”

With a battle cry, Arron lunged forth with topaz-covered fists, the pair of demi-humans engaged in combat, sparks flashing whenever crystal clashed with shimmering steel.

“We can’t just stand by!” Eclipsed cried, about to join the battle before Carrion blocked her path.

“Better stay out of it, shortcake,” the harpy insisted. “We’ve got other things to worry about!”

Outside the stadium, police sirens wailed around the block as the enforcers pulled up to secure the area, warning civilians away from the potential danger. But they overlooked a vintage v series Cadillac roll into the parking lot. The side door opened, and out stepped Seb, adjusting his coat collar and hat.

“Looks like I got here just in time,” he observed, watching the two other demi-humans brawl from a widescreen, a helicopter hovering above to broadcast the scene.

Traded blows shook the perimeter, making Seb teeter and almost lose his balance. “Whoaho! Now that’s what I call power! Those boys are gonna be really useful in the long run~!”

The pinstriped devil called back his vehicle into a card as he made his way through the cowering crowd. He knew about Arron, though he never found the time to properly reach out and extend a business proposition. Although now that it seemed the bull-headed jerk would prove challenging to work with, perhaps it was better to bet on Zeloph for his compliance.

Either way, this next gamble would prove worthwhile once the card demon had access to that sword!

Seb disappeared into the corridors before anyone could spot him, aware that Eclipsed Heart would be a problem, despite the absence of her bandmates.

The pop princess’s hot pink eyes took on a blue glow in the dark when she raced up on her skates, making sure no one had gotten left behind. Not detecting any presence, she raced to meet Sixth Measure and S.L.U.T. outside.

“Things are looking pretty dicey for angel boy,” said Carrion, the cyber harpy having dropped off the last of the rescued fans. “When I said I wanted a concert that would rock the house, this wasn’t what I had in mind!”

“I think that’s everyone,” Ruth proclaimed, taking a moment to catch her breath.

Obrya was tapping her thumbs along her phone’s keyboard before stating, “Dillon sent a message. The Komodo saw everything and are coming to pick us up!”

“Mom’s on her way to make a statement,” added Tenor, slipping his cellular device into his pocket. “So much for running Seb out of town…”

“She could still pin this on him,” Alto suggested. “No one’s gonna doubt the connection between him and Arron!”

Bass frowned and said, “But won’t Zell take the fall as well?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” reassured Eclipsed, hugging her boyfriend’s arm to her chest. She then pointed to the crowd gathered in the neon-lit streets, clamoring for the angel’s victory on the titantron. “See that? They love him! He’s fighting to stop that bully from causing more harm! I don’t know much about demi-humans, but Zell’s shown he values the people more than Spike, Seb, or Arron. Everyone knows he’s a hero, just like Beatrix and Oona!”

The lead vocalist of Sixth Measure turned back to the stadium that continued to quake under the immense force exerted from the interior.

“I hope you’re right, babe,” he replied, squeezing her hand tightly. “Because I don’t know what’ll happen if he loses..!”

Kitsune sprinted into the central yard of the monastery, her brows furrowing upon seeing all the nuns gathered on either side. Their mother superior, Julianne, strode over to one side while Anarchia stretched her arms and bounced on her heels, apparently psyching herself up.

Then she spotted Wispy, who waved at her to come over. The fox woman urgently said, “Imoto! We’ve got a situation!”

“Yeah, you’re telling me,” the nekomata huffed, arms folded underneath her breasts, her twin tails whipping about.

Kitsune observed the muttering mares and asked, “What’s going on here? Is this a custom of some sort..?”

“C’mon, dummy! Don’t you know a duel when you see one?”

“A duel? Why?!”

Wispy nodded and explained, “We found a secret dungeon underneath Julianne’s bedroom. She’s been injecting mares with her ‘happy’ touch to enact punishment for temptation. But if you ask me? Ana’s just using this as an excuse to vent her frustrations.”

“Mmm. She’s made it clear how much she loathes this place,” noted Kitsune before shaking her head. “But we have to stop this! Zeloph is missing!”

“What?!”

“In trying to unlock the Vorpal Blade’s secrets, he managed to slip through a space rift. But it sucked him in right as I arrived on the scene!”

The tigress clenched her paw and hissed, “Fuck! You have got to be kidding me!”

The vixen began to tear up and confessed, “I’ve gotten so slow. So sloppy. Too weak to stop anything. Triad was right. I’ve become-“

“Hey! Don’t you fucking dare buy into that bullshit for one second,” growled Wispy, who grasped her sister’s shoulders to shake some sense into her. “You’re better than that!”

“Imoto…” she sniffled.

“We don’t need redemption,” she firmly stated. “We’ve done nothing wrong. Would I rather have been a normal girl instead of an assassin? Hell yeah! But that wasn’t our fault! It was either follow orders or die!! We’re not the real murderers, Kitsune. They are!”

The feline woman pulled her sister into a tight embrace, nuzzling her cheek as she fought back the tears. “You’re not a machine,” she whispered. “You’re my sister, no matter what! Okay?”

“O-okay,” the vixen kunoichi whimpered softly, squeezing her back. Kitsune drew back to wipe away her sorrows. “So then, what do we do?”

Wispy pursed her lips and said, “I’m not sure…”

The augmented assassins glanced at the two demi-humans preparing for battle. Julianne held her hands together in prayer, whispering something before she asked her opponent, “I trust you’re ready?”

Ana rolled her neck around as she replied, “Oh, I’m ready, alright…”

The neon demon unfurled her bat-shaped wings, her hot pink claws extending her fingertips as she struck a pose. Her tail made snapping sounds with its mouth.

“… Ready ter whoop your pasty ass~!”

The head nun giggled at her response before closing her eyes. Her followers did the same. A light gale breezed through the chimes when the rosy-haired nun sang a long note that resonated throughout the monastery.

A jubilant warm hue saturated the place, and a pair of fluffy yellow wings with rose-tipped feathers unfolded from Julianne’s shoulders, lifting her into the air. Her eyes opened to stare down at her opponent, perpetually smiling.

“My friends, let this day be a lesson,” she proclaimed. “May the wicked be smitten for their cardinal sins, while the true of heart pierce the dark veil with righteous joy~!”

“Praise be to the divine,” the nuns sang in unison.

“Quit spewin’ that baptist Jackson Pollock and fuckin’ fight me, ya cunt!” Ana glowered, soaring up for the first strike. But Julianne sang another loud note, the sound waves pushing the demoness back. She held the sides of her head, her ears ringing a bit before it subsided. “Gggrngh! What the?!”

Tittering, the mother superior elaborated, “My exceptional singing isn’t just for holy merriment. It is also my Onoma! Euphrosyne amplifies my magic through whatever sound and phrases I say. But it is most potent when I provide melodies~!”

Ana scowled, not liking the implications that came with sound-based magic. Did her archaic singing have a mind-control effect like that of a siren?

“Bloody hell! As if I needed more reasons ter shut your trap,” the demoness muttered before returning to the air. What sucked was that her own Onoma, Eros, relied on her getting close to her target. And Julianne made sure to keep a distance, either dodging her swipes or belting another note to blast her away.

What’s worse was that she noticed Julianne’s singing’s effect on the onlookers. All the nuns hummed along with cheery grins on their faces. Even Wispy and Kitsune weren’t immune to the giddiness, their bodies swinging to the head nun’s beatific music.

“Haha, fuck! W-when’s the last time we ever felt this happy?” the nekomata asked, her discomforting look contracting her grin.

“I-I can’t even remember if there was such a time!” the vixen answered, blushing feverishly.

“Oi! Leef them outta this,” demanded Ana, eyes burning like hellfire. “This is between ya and me!”

“Don’t you see?” Julianne said. “Look at how happy everyone is! The joy I’ve created has lifted their spirits high!”

“That’s not real ‘appiness, and ya kna it!”

The head nun shook her head, tsking, “Everyone deserves to be happy. Even you! If only the joy you sought wasn’t at someone else’s expense. If you let go of your jealousy and incestuous love, you’d feel all the more-“

“I’m free ter love whoever I want!! So put a sock in it, ya banshee!!” Ana yelled, launching a ball of chaotic energy at the preaching demi. Julianne swiftly dodged before almost colliding with another thrown dark sphere. She spun around and danced around the projectiles, retaliating by summoning light rings to ensnare the neon demon.

Ana struggled and screamed, her bindings inhibiting her demonic powers and magic. The light stung against her wrists and ankles, keeping her immobilized.

“I understand your value for freedom. You’ve made that quite apparent with your actions,” assured Julianne, frowning. “But I refuse to stand idly by while you continue down this path of self-destruction. You must be purged!”

Drawing in a breath, the angelic nun sang a euphoric hymn that echoed across the interior, moving her fellow nuns. It rang across the valley, shaking those who heard it and causing them to openly weep. All except Ana, who stubbornly cling to her anger and strife.

The mother superior summoned a volley of brass arrows, their sharp tips aimed at the neon demon.

“Hail, my arrows of heavenly love. Descend~!” she commanded, waving her hand like a conductor as a wave launched to strike the immovable target. Ana cried as an arrow lodged deeply into her collar, shoulder, and arm.

“Pierce her heart. Open it to repentance,” she sang as she fired another volley.

“Gaaargh! My fuckin’ tit!” Ana hollered, staring spitefully at the spearhead penetrating her right breast. One struck through her tail, keeping its mouth shut.

“Let your aim strike true, and cleanse the evil within!” She finished, waving the last of her arrows. Blood oozed out of her wounds, the searing pain making the demoness wriggle and writhe while she screamed bloody murder.

“Enough! This is too much!!” Kitsune cried out, ready to lunge out, until her sister pulled her back, shaking her head.

“If we intervene, we’ll be punished as well,” reminded Wispy. “The best we can do is hope for Anarchia to endure.”

They clearly underestimated the demi-human; this display of power was a reminder that Julianne and her sycophants had driven away Mortis and his minions without much trouble.

The rosy-haired nun hovered in front of the spunky demoness. “I know this hurts, but trust me. It’s for your own good,” the head nun insisted, softly caressing her face. Clasping her hands together, she asked, “Pray with me, sisters. Pray for Anarchia! Help release the wickedness clinging to her soul and relieve her of this burden!”

The mares joined their voice with hers, the combination of her magical arrows and her archaic singing driving the lustful demi-human mad. Julianne kept her voice firm, knowing this would help the troubled demoness heal…

But instead of Ana’s sins being expunged, Julianne’s brass arrows caught on fire as the chaotic dark flames ignited around the neon demon. The head nun gasped in shock, watching the spearheads melt into metallic black gunk.

A twisted smile spreads Ana’s painted lips, lifting her head to eye her opponent with malicious intent. “My turn,” she heaved as a black wave dispersed, enclosing the whole field in a pitch black sphere. Julianne looked to the alarmed expressions of her covenant, the mares trying to flee until the last light of the outside world vanished.

Kitsune looked around the darkened landscape and pondered aloud, “W-what is this!? Everything looks the same, yet it’s as if night suddenly fell..!”

“Call it a new trick,” answered Wispy with a grin.

Ana finally broke the bindings that shimmered weakly in this blackened zone. She groaned, her horn curving into a crescent shape, with a smaller horn protruding out the other side of her head. They glowed a vibrant scarlet, as did her body patterns and wild blue hair. She slipped out of her catsuit and tossed it aside, feeling up her perky breasts and wide hips, tracing a claw over the puncher marks that slowly sealed. “Aaah, much better~!”

“W-what are you doing?” demanded the head nun, a blush beating her face. The atmosphere here felt heavier, her movements sluggish. And to her horror, she couldn’t manifest any light magic.

“Givin’ ya a taste of your own medicine, pinky~,” Ana purred before propelling herself at Julianne. The demon lashed out, ripping at the clothes concealing the nun’s body. She squeaked and whimpered, trying to hide her exposed chest and crotch until Ana seized her from behind.

The demon’s flytrap-shaped tail enclosed over the angel’s serpentine tail, the snake head squirming in its jaws. Ana’s hands cupped and traced all over Julianne’s bare flesh, running a tongue over her painted lips.

“My, would ya look at that,” she mewled, dragging her hand down to feel at the nun’s panty-clad mound, dipping under the garments to finger at her pussy, earning reluctant moans. “Not a single bit of Barnet Fair on ya! Na, why would ya be trimmin’ the ‘edges if ya ’ad nah plans on gettin’ rowdy~?”

“I-it’s not like that at all,” Julianne insisted, face burning feverishly. A wave of unknown ecstasy boiled with every stroke of Ana’s fingers, causing her loins to ache. “A-ahh! Purely for hygienical purposes!”

“Ah ah~!” The neon demon wagged her finger against her clit, getting another sharp moan. “Lyin’ is a sin too, y’kna!”

“That’s it, girl~! Work that naughty nun,” Wispy called in victory. Kitsune pursed her lips, unsure what to make of this. Julianne proved to be helpful, but she couldn’t ignore the ludicrous efforts she went into trying to discipline Anarchia and her followers.

The neon demon shot her a side-smirk, poised to molest the head nun all over until she was ‘praying’ for her to relinquish her chastity. It appears saints also fell prey to her licentious touching. Even Shadow Scythe hadn’t proven immune!

‘Shadow Scythe…’

She turned her head to where the villa once stood, the reaper still out there trying her damndest to make up for her crimes. Memories of the times she eavesdropped on her and Zeloph, prying into how happy they were together…

Instead of greed and envy, guilt and regret weighed down Anarchia’s heart. What was she even doing this for? To get back at Julianne for calling out her own misery? To prove that her brother deserved to be with her?

No. Zeloph would disapprove of this. If he saw her now, he’d be disgusted that she was assaulting the only other demi-human they’d met. And as much as she hated Julianne’s smile, she couldn’t stand the look of disappointment her sibling gave every night she came to him…

“F-fuck,” she croaked, practically hugging her enemy into her nakedness. “Fuck, I ‘ate this! fuck!! wot is wrong wif me..?!”

“Have I gotten through to you after all?” Julianne wondered aloud through heated pants, her rosy nipples stiff between Ana’s fingers. “How fortuitous!”

“Shut the fuck up!!” the demon snapped, raking her nails over her slim belly. Teary-eyed, she said, “Don’t pretend you’re aw ‘igh and mighty! I might be a two-thirty ax wound, but you’re nah better than I am! And I ain’t abaht ter let ya win!!”

“It does not matter to me who wins or loses,” rebutted Julianne. “Only that you’ve accepted the truth and embraced who you are.”

She sighed, her ruby-colored eyes surveying the neon void. “This power of yours is truly remarkable! Yes, the potential is there. But I’m afraid you’re nowhere near close to achieving Exaltation.”

Ana furrowed her eyebrows. “Exhal-what?!”

“It is the highest level of power for us demi-humans,” the head nun explained. “Only when we’ve submitted to our otherworldly nature can we tap into this form. Normally, I’d never use it unless absolutely necessary. But I’ll make an exception just this once.”

Closing her eyes, Julianne consecrated herself to resist the sexual urges prompted by Ana’s lustful touching. Then, before the neon demon could adequately react, a brilliant radiance shone from Julianne’s naked flesh. Gradually, she became too hot for her to hold onto, and she was forced to back off. Her adversary glowed brightly; the illumination swallowed the nun’s earthly vessel.

The metamorphosis knocked Anarchia away, her dark void shattered by the aethereal energy pillaring to the skies. Everyone on ground level was blown back, partially averting their eyes until the radiance dimmed.

When Kitsune managed to adjust to the sudden brightness, her eyes became pinpoint at the transcendent presence resonating before her.

Julianne’s entire body was corporeally astral, as if a different dimension had taken on a feminine shape. Her feathered ears had become fully fledged wings, spreading wide behind her head. Several smaller detached wings fanned out, each sporting an eye similar to the ones adorning Zell’s wingspan. A misty cloud formed around her lower body like a skirt. Her tail had split into two, rings of light wrapped around the snake tails and her wrists. And her hair was loose, flowing towards the top, save for her swirled bang.

“Holy shit!!” Wispy exclaimed, “She’s shining hotter and brighter than any plasma ball I ever built!”

Both ninjas couldn’t believe their eyes, having always believed angels were a corny myth, at best. And it certainly seemed so after witnessing Zeloph and Julianne expand their plumage. But now, they understood why demons would fear them.

They were utterly alien. So beyond earthly comprehension, merely gazing at her could potentially drive them mad or burn the eyes out of their sockets. And yet, both kunoichi and the other nuns couldn’t tear away at how bizarrely beautiful Julianne was.

Anarchia’s arrogance faltered, staring at the seraphic demi with awe and fear. This was unlike anything she’d witnessed Zeloph do. The mother superior’s rippling aura invoked righteousness and jubilation, washing away the demon’s bitterness. But this strange feeling wasn’t what disturbed Ana the most.

Despite the Exalted no longer having a mouth, she could hear Julianne’s voice whisper with her mind. And not with one voice, but many. Different octaves and languages assaulted Ana’s ears like a schizophrenic episode. All commanding a single word.

“Surrender.”

By this point, Shadow Scythe had rebuilt a good portion of the villa, with plenty of souls put at ease. Icy blue eyes watered when she watched the spirits fade into the ether, sent away to the afterlife where no doubt paradise awaited.

A fate that would be denied her.

Not that she could complain. For as a reaper, she was fated by her cutie mark to be immortal. She believed that only damnation awaited once her body could no longer house her soul. Nonetheless, she continued her Trial of Atonement.

Shadow Scythe took a short break to replenish her reserves, sitting on a short brick wall where she sampled the food Julianne had offered her from a picnic basket. Munching a sandwich, she reminisced over her life to this point. The unicorn’s daily toils beside her fellow reapers in the lower levels near Tartarus, time spent with her parents, and her apprenticeship under Grogar when he convinced her to betray her sacred duty in pursuit of power. Back then, power and the pain of others were all that made her feel alive.

The reaper mare felt her insides twist under nausea, eyes squeezed shut after she vividly recalled her past more directly.

She was mentally back in a stuffy library, surrounded by shelves of books, a building built into the underground caves that led to Tartarus. Her studying was interrupted when a neutral voice called, “Atalanta.”

The death bringer turned to the source, a fellow reaper clad in a black cloak and hood. Bone straight hairs concealed his face like a veil; his snout and green eyes were visible.

“Mortis Soltaire,” she greeted stiffly, pausing between a page she turned by candlelight. Strangely, even her memories now seemed tainted by the Prima Materia’s influence on her homeland, as she and Mortis were anthropomorphic ponies. “How can I help you?”

“I wished to discuss an experiment with you,” he explained while sitting across from her.

“With me? Why?” she questioned flatly. “I’m not exactly the most approachable mare.”

“Perhaps. But you are a brilliant student. That’s not flattery. It’s a simple fact. If there was anyone more capable of solving this puzzle, it’d be you.”

Mortis unrolled a scroll and placed it before the female reaper, who scrunched her snout while analyzing his notes. “Soul binding… is that even possible?”

“Who knows,” he responded with a shrug. “It’s only a theory, but one I believe is possible.”

“Hmm. Fascinating,” she admitted, her usually cold features filled with a subdued warmth. “Were two souls were to be united-”

“-they could influence each other,” he finished. “Could you imagine the potential people with merged souls could possess? They wouldn’t just be understanding each other better. They’d practically live and think as one!” A rare warmth filled his eyes, an enthusiastic grin stretching his lips. “Can I trust you to complete the spell?”

“Perhaps...in time.” In truth, Shadow Scythe had been more concerned with other ways such a spell could be used…, particularly how she could siphon knowledge from others. And with knowledge came power. That’s all she strived for when perfecting her magic.

“I’ll return this to you once I’ve mastered it,” she decided, rolling the scroll and tucking it into her pale sleeve.

“Haha! I knew I could count on you.” Mortis rose and bowed before making his way towards the exit, parting her with, “I look forward to what you can decipher, Atalanta.”

Immediately, the icy unicorn came to life once she researched the implications, eyes heavy with darkness, narrowed in concentration. Over the weeks, she would add and subtract from complicated formulas and runes that made up the spell, aiming to perform, then perfect it.

It subsumed all her time between her reaper duties. One of these would take her deeper into Tartarus, the scroll hidden on her person, where she would stumble upon Grogar. Her first instinct was to attack the known villain, her scythe raised...yet his words made her pause.

The old ram noted the scroll and promised to help her unlock the secrets of the spell. Told her that he could help her achieve knowledge and power beyond her wildest dreams. She’d paused, lost in thought for several minutes, the silence between them, unable to deny her reaper duties were mundane by this point, that they bored her.

There had to be more to life than this...?

“I’ll do it...on a condition. My parents are to remain unharmed.” Grogar agreed, and the pair shook on in. From then on, the name Atalanta was thrown away in favor of a title, Shadow Scythe. She maintained a shadow of affection for her parents, enough not to bring unintentional harm to them. In her own way, she was grateful they birthed her into the world. After they conquered the land, she would ensure they lived a healthy life, untouched by her conquest.

Her betrayal would later end in the slaughter of her reaper peers. Mortis Soltaire had been the last to fall, as the stallion had wept and pleaded for his life before her sickle arced down and separated his head from its body. Greedily, she’d smirked and sucked their spirits into her.

Reflecting on her dark deeds, the tired mare noted a detail she considered inconsequential at the time...Mortis had closed his eyes while he cried, on his knees, and his whispered plea slowly transitioned to a chant, repeated like a mantra...words to the spell he’d come up with.

A soft ringing awoke Shadow Scythe from her nap, jolting up in alarm. The sun bore down on her, the gentle wind in the villa as she returned to reality. “Just...a bad dream,” she told herself as she folded her half-eaten sandwich away. “A memory. The Mortis I knew was silenced by my blade. He’s nothing more than a vengeful ghost.”

She rubbed her breast over her heart. “But in death, he became stronger. And to beat him, I’ll have to train until I’ve matched him.”

Shadow Scythe floated off the bricks, summoned her Onoma, and watched her long shadow materialize a series of sickles under the direction of her will. She sank into the darkness, rose back from another part of it, able to vanish and reappear from any shadow in her line of sight.

The shadowy sickles transmuted into shiny steel at her silent command. Reminded that she was the proud daughter of a hunter and huntress, she pondered...could she forge more suitable weapons to match? After all, she’d once taken archery lessons from her mother, Quiver Bolt.

From her darkness-shaped curved weapons. Halberds and axes with scythe-like blades. Chakrams. Arrows with stylized, sickle-like edges. A wicked smile crossed her dainty snout.

Her broken horn flared when she unleashed a telekinetic storm that scooped up the Thanatos-inspired weapons and hurled them at a ruined building in the distance that needed to be demolished before she could rebuild it. The blades arced throughout the stonework.

“Success,” she murmured as the weapons shredded the structure in a whirlwind of destruction. It crumpled in a cloud of dust on its collapse, land shaken by tremors under the impact.

With these instruments of death, Atalanta could properly honor her family’s occupation as hunters!

Light erupted into the sky, catching the reaper’s attention. Her icy eyes widened, realizing it was coming from the monastery.

Was it Zeloph? Was he being attacked!?

Her lips pursed, struggling with the urge to rush up there. Shadow Scythe wasn’t set to return until her trial was over. There were still buildings left to reconstruct, more restless spirits to help.

But could she really let her friends fend for themselves?

Atalanta’s heart sank, recalling her love nearly drained by Mortis, his precious light almost fading. And, against her moral obligation to complete the task, the reaper slipped into her shadow and swam for the monastery atop the hill.