"That....."
As the army of dragonic demons flew through the air with Gormand and Apathia at the head, a certain chef looked horrified as he covered his mouth.
"How..... no. Forgive me. I shouldn't have asked."
"The past is the past, chef. It's not something I'll ever forget, but the people who did those things to me and Apathia are dead. I'm more concerned about what's happening right now."
Looking forth with thinned eyes, Gormand continued to fly through the skies.
His own crooked wings could be heard as they flapped back and forth.
As he flew, the girl within his hands hung freely, her arms swaying as she lay with her eyes closed.
"Ah..... looks like we're almost there. I can see Huberos and his caravan in the distance. Let's get over there so I can feast on our enemies."
----
An indigo colored demon sat across from a plant woman, both resting in the seats of a luxurious carriage.
The demon was currently using a file to shorten his lengthy fangs and the girl merely watched as he did so.
"Does it hurt when you do that?", she asked.
"Not particularly. It is most irritating that I've been cursed with these fangs, however. They continue to grow at all times, forcing me to shorten them multiple times a day to prevent them from piercing my lower lip."
"I see..."
The girl looked out the window, watching as the rocky fields passed by them.
They were in a land of empty darkness. As far as the eyes could see there was nothing more than a flat plain of stone.
It was then that the two heard a thud on top of the roof of the carriage.
Shaken at the sudden impact, the girl who had hair made from leaves and an outfit made from the petals of flowers grabbed the bench she sat on. The demon who sat across from her was not moved from the impact, though he glared up as he continued to file his own teeth.
"If you lay a finger on my carriage-"
The demon begun to speak but before he could even finish the rooftop was ripped open to reveal the figures of two dragonic demons- a male carrying a female in his arms like a sack of grain.
"Hey, Huberos. We made it. And we brought our forces."
"Why did you have to go and rip open my roof? Have you ever heard of a door? It was the same way with Vex as well."
The dragonic demon jumped into the carriage, taking his own seat at the back bench while placing the girl in his arms in a comfortable position next to him.
"So? Where's the food? I worked up quite an appetite on the way here."
"You...."
The indigo demon was irritated beyond measure, yet he placed his hand on his forehead as he let out a sigh.
"Whatever. This is not the time for such silly arguments. Yes, there is plenty of food- but should you eat right before a battle?"
"I can't focus if I don't at least have something in my stomach. I went all night last night without eating you know."
"A glutton like you went without eating? You must have been quite unsettled.", the demon commented.
"I mean, you were quite the mess last night from what I remember, but I suppose that isn't my place to say?"
The plant girl lightly joked, and the glare of the demon was soon focused on her.
"Don't say unnecessary things, slave."
"It's true, isn't it? You were about to rip your hair out you were so angry. Ah. Should I not have said that?"
Sticking her tongue out playfully, the plant girl winked at the demon, causing him to stiffen up.
"Oi oi, when did you get so close with a humanoid, Huberos? I've never seen someone speak to you like that who isn't a Host. Though we all talk to you like that. What's your name, girl?", the male dragonic demon questioned.
"Ah, I guess I haven't introduced myself. I'm just a nobody. I'm a slave who doesn't know her place.... or perhaps I know my place a little too well? My name is Tera. And I'm the acting General of the forces of Pride."
The girl stood up, taking a light bow as her dress of petals fluttered before she sat down again.
To this, the blue dragonic demon responded in kind.
"I'm Gormand. Host of Gluttony. This here is Apathia, Host of Sloth. If you're one of Huberos' slaves, then we'll be working together for this, so nice to meet ya."
Apathia barely opened one eye, taking a single glance at the girl before going back to sleep.
"Nice to meet both of you. So? Are you Huberos' friends?", Tera asked.
"Friends?"
Huberos seemed irritated at the word, holding up his finger.
"Allow me to get one thing straight. Among us Hosts, we don't have 'friends'."
"But you're united, right?"
The girl ignored the statement of Huberos, continuing to speak without restraint.
Were anyone else to act so rude towards the Hosts of Sin, be it demon or humanoid, they would have lost their head long ago.
Yet Huberos did not take action against this girl.
She truly did understand her place in his heart, even if he did not.
"You're united in suffering and in sin. Those two things are what link the Hosts, right?"
Huberos glanced over to the two who sat in the bench beside him, sighing as he circled his fingers around his temples.
"That is true."
"Then I suppose even calling you friends would be a bit light. Because there is nothing which unites people with one another more..... than suffering."
----
"They're actually made from the earth, you know. They look pretty real, don't they?"
"I really thought they were the real thing. Wow.... these things.... are really just dirt?"
Five beings stood in the middle of nowhere.
The sky was pitch black, and even the moonlight did not shine upon them.
The ground was a rocky plain which spanned as far as the eye can see.
"Hmm..... but I guess they are a bit lifeless? What happens if I just...."
A gorgeous woman with long silver hair, the halo and wings of an angel, and an extravagant black dress with a long collar that would resemble something which an evil overlord would wear currently stood beside a marble slab which was being carried on the backs of a grid of lizardmen.
On top of this marble slab were five horrifying seats- four in the front and one in the center, the central seat being raised above the others and concealed with curtains.
This angelic figure had a single hand which was pitch black like tar, and using this hand she poked the snout of one lizardman, causing the figure to crumble into sand before it regenerated it's nose.
"Uwahhh..... they really crumble just like that!! How did you make something like that!?"
"I just used some equivalent exchange on the dirt. Dirt isn't worth much, so they're not very strong, but they can at least hold up our platform if there's this many of em. After all.... we need to show those demons just how horrible we are to our slaves.... right?"
The angelic woman spoke with a crimson demon who placed his hand on the figure, and as he did so the speed of regeneration increased so that it happened almost instantly.
"So if you wanted to you could make as many of these as you wanted?"
"Well, since this place is pretty rocky I guess they'd be a bit sturdier. Let's try replacing the materials."
The demon bent down, placing both of his hands on the ground.
Soon the earth itself was torn apart, and chunks of rock were sent flying towards the lizardmen, injecting themselves into the bodies of the figures.
"That's a bit better. Well, it's nothing crazy, but I guess they should be able to take a little pounding now? Not from you though."
"Eh? What do you mean not from me? I'm just a fragile angel you know."
"Enough chatter. Both of you get up here. We're waiting."
The one who spoke was an elven figure, dressed in a suit. Sitting next to him was a gorgeous succubus, and next to that succubus was a spirit who could only be described as a mess of a person- if she could even be called a person.
They had already mounted the 'vehicle' and were awaiting the two who had taken their time discussing the inner workings of the object.
"Would you focus and quit being interested in every little detail?"
"I was curious!! Weren't you as well?"
"I'm more curious about what's gonna happen from here on out. Let's get this party started."
The angelic figure began to speak to herself with a second voice- this one a distorted version of her usual cheerful self.
As she argued with herself she ascended the steps which had been made from a bowing set of the golem lizardmen, stepping on their backs without a care for their being.
After all, they were nothing more than dirt and stone.
Garett, the crimson demon, jumped up and landed before falling backwards into his seat, next to the spiritual demon.
As he did this the angel stepped forth, pushing aside the curtain and sitting in the chair which had been prepared for her.
Covered on all sides, only her feet could be seen now.
"I really do seem like some sort of mysterious villainess, don't I? Haha..."
The girl leaned on her armrest, pushing aside the curtain to look outside around her.
"Well? Are those things going to get moving already? We don't have all day."
As the distorted voice asked this question, the elven figure replied with dignity.
"Of course. Then, are we all prepared to move out?"
After receiving nods from the other three members, the crimson demon snapped his fingers, at which the lizardmen began to walk at a moderate pace.
As the vehicle began it's journey, the angel laughed lightly to herself, closing her eyes with a sly smirk.
"Haha...."
The tar which covered her demonic hand began to crawl it's way up the arm of the figure, and her laughter became more demented as time passed.
"Hehehe..."
Opening her thinned eyes, the girl began to draw a doodle in the air with her angelic finger, tracing out an infinity sign.
"Wait for me, dear Hosts.... I cannot wait to see your faces as I show you that no matter how many chances you have..... you cannot defeat something which has already been determined."
----
Gathered together within the capital of the dictatorship, all the people who had witnessed the speech of Claire earlier had been gathered, and were currently waiting.
"Er.... I guess we're just supposed to wait here then?"
Alicia turned to Coran with confusion, to which he sat down as he closed two of his four eyes.
"Yep. Don't worry about a thing. They've got everything handled. Their excellencies and her eminence.... they truly are amazing. They're doing all this just so that we can witness a show."
"A.... show?"
Looking into the sky, Coran chuckled to himself.
"They've gone out of their way more than once to provide some quality entertainment, but this tops everything they've ever done. And this time, they're going to be the stars. Do you know what her excellency Ally told me about a star?"
Alicia looked up into the sky.
It was still daytime and no stars were out, but she looked back at Coran and slowly asked.
"What did she tell you?"
"A star is always brightest.... right before it explodes."
----
"If we cannot count on Ally for her own abilities, then it can be assumed that they will easily be able to find out which person is the most powerful among us, and they will likely use THAT ability to target her. This scenario lines up with Ally's intuition perfectly. If I assume that is the case, then I can assume two pieces are out of play immediately...."
"Theo."
An elven figure whispered to himself, lost in thought as the succubus beside him tapped him on the shoulder, trying to get his attention.
"There is also that ability, which can likely be easily avoided, however it will certainly limit my available movements.... I have to take care not to say anything which could incriminate me, else I'll fall right into his trap. And then there is the other one.... I'm not exactly sure how far his ability use actually spans, but it could be used in a variety of ways.... so many that I'm actually quite concerned that the simulations might have missed something..... the most important thing though is to test if it can be used for THAT purpose.... or more importantly, if he is smart enough to use it for such a purpose...."
"Theeeeoooooo..."
The succubus was now poking the cheek of the elven figure over and over as she attempted to gain his attention, yet he was too lost in thought to even so much as glance to his side.
"That is another aspect.... I can think of so many uses, but just how intelligent is the user? This goes for both that one and that one.... there are so many potential uses, yet it all depends on how much they have tested their own abilities.... well, these Hosts have been around for hundreds of years, so it might be safe to assume that they can use them in unimaginable ways, but then again, these Hosts have also never been to war before. They have only used their abilities a few times in small scuffles, and against opponents who are already far below them. Unless they are meticulous, they would not have ever reached a level of mastery which would border that which is theoretically possible.... but I suppose I should just work under assumption that they have achieved full mastery over their-"
"THEO!!! Where the hell did the Determined go!?!?"
The succubus had grabbed the elven figure by his tie and was now shaking him back and forth. Even as his head bobbled, he pushed up his glasses with one finger before finishing some calculations in his head and then looking back.
"Ah, the Determined left. I see. I didn't take that into account either. Wait. What!? Where did she go!?"
"YOU JUST NOTICED!?!?!? I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU!!!"
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? No, more importantly, why did she leave!? Did she give a reason? She was just here a moment before. For what reason would she leave so suddenly? This is not according to the plan. Did she have some sort of plan of her own which she wishes to enact?"
"Just let her be. She probably knows what she's doing. I saw her leave."
The spiritual figure who was slumped in her own seat looked over with lazy eyes, her own eyelids drooping beyond belief.
"She went that way."
Pointing a finger in the direction which the vehicle was heading, the other three all looked at the spirit as if she was nuts.
"Eh?"
"She.... went right towards the battlefield?"
"Why would she.... don't tell me...."
Facepalming, the elven figure dragged his hand down his face.
"Does she intend to take them all on herself? Why didn't you say anything when she left, Ally?"
"She's not that much of an idiot anymore. She'll be fine. I don't think she was even going to the battlefield. I think she was going somewhere else."
"Somewhere.... else? Where else could she be headed but the battlefield?", Trevor asked while racking his brain.
"The only place that exists in that direction is....."
It was then that a sinister grin came across the expression of the elf.
A horrible expression so evil that he covered his mouth with his hand to hide his own face.
"I see..... Determined, you were..... thinking that far ahead all this time? And I didn't even think of that myself..... how truly foolish I've been..... of course, it makes perfect sense..... hahaha.... how perfect. How perfect indeed. Our chances of failure have just dropped drastically. And if that is your plan..... then I will adjust mine accordingly."
Folding his hands and fixing the wrinkles in his suit, the man dusted himself off as he faced forward.
"Excellent."
----
"Are you sure we should've just left like that without saying anything?"
"Hahaha!! Ah, well the spirit saw us. Creepy, that one. She gave me a glare with those green eyes of hers. How is it even possible for them to have those huge bags? Anyways, it'll be funny to see their faces when we return. But more importantly..... we've got something to do, don't we?"
The angelic figure flew through the skies, half of her body overtaken by the demonic tar which ran through her.
She now had a single horn and one eye which had become red with a black sclera. As she flew her gothic dress fluttered as if she were a witch flying through the night.
"Yeah."
It was then that a horrid grin overcame the split face of the girl.
"We've got a little havoc to wreak. After all.... I'm not going to become the Queen of Demons if I can't even play with the hearts of the devils around me, right?"
The two voices laughed together as a city came into view.
The twisted towers and gothic landscape was truly fit for a demonic city.
It was a place fit for a demon lord to rule over as an absolute overlord.
"What better place is there to celebrate my inauguration than in this city of demons?"
The tar overcame the body of the girl, completely covering almost every inch of her skin aside from her single angelic hand.
Her wings became withered and demonic, and she looked into the distance to see many other demons flying about the airspace.
"How unsuspecting. It looks like they really don't plan on using any demons as their warriors? How arrogant. I'll use that against them then. But first.... ah, would you look at the time? I have a little date to go on."