- Satan and Kut'thar -
The resistance moved back to their initial headquarters. Satan had some of his soldiers help them rebuild the stone huts. He and Kut'thar were in the center of the headquarters playing on a board with black and white pieces. Satan played black, Kut'thar white.
"Do you notice any 'problems?' " Kut'thar asked.
Satan moved his piece. "Three. The one that took the eldritch contract is heavily suppressing his emotions, which means he's not in full control. Not surprising, R'yaarj is a persistent pile of spikes and tentacles."
Kut'thar moved his piece. "The other two?"
Satan spun his piece on his finger. "Who do you think?"
Kut'thar scratched his chin.
(Past)
Kut'thar was on his own in a tavern in Passage drinking out of a wooden cup. He was wearing a thick cloak with the hood pulled low. An illusory disguised Satan sat down next to him.
Kut'thar kept his head down as he whispered. "What do you want from me, Lord Satan?"
"I want to make a deal with you," Satan offered.
Kut'thar's hand gripped his wooden cup tighter, cracking it. He thought this was just some cruel joke that he had experienced before.
Satan lifted his wrapping slightly above his eyes. "That distrust you feel towards me is a good thing, it means you're smart enough to be skeptical."
Kut'thar's mouth trembled at the sight of what was under the wrapping. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Why, why show me that?" Kut'thar stammered.
Satan put his wrapping down. "If one wants trust they have to take the first step. I don't believe any being, runt or otherwise, should be outcasted. If you can't be strong physically, magically, then train mentally. If even that is too much for you, cheat."
Kut'thar lowered his head. "I won't betray my lord for you..."
Satan's mouth twitched with anger. "And what exactly has he done to earn that loyalty of yours?"
Kut'thar wasn't acting out of loyalty. He just didn't want to admit his real reasons.
"You can't hide your fear from me," Satan said.
Kut'thar nearly flinched at the statement. He felt trapped by his circumstances.
Satan sighed. "That fear you feel is a breakable chain. Don't fool yourself into believing it's permanent. I won't ask for you to join me now, it's clearly too soon for that. Instead, until the next time that I visit I want you to try and turn that fear of yours into anger."
"Not that simple..." Kut'thar mumbled.
"I didn't say it would be simple," Satan responded. "Chip away at that fear, piece by piece, and you'll notice the progress you're making. If not, if I'm wrong about you, then all that happens is me wasting worthless time."
Kut'thar looked back up at Satan. "Worthless?"
Satan smiled. "I've lived a long life that shows no signs of ending. In theory, I have infinite time, which makes that time worthless."
Satan walked away after telling Kut'thar to keep their conversation in mind. They would meet many more times after this until eventually, the events of the present would unfold.
(Present)
"The one-eyed mute?" Kut'thar guessed.
Satan placed the piece he had been spinning onto the table. "Good guess, but no."
Kut'thar scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, but I don't have the 'eye' for it like you."
"That's fine," Satan said. "I was just curious to see if you could guess."
Kut'thar stared at the board. It was sixty percent black, forty percent white. He was putting a lot of thought into his move. In the process of thinking he couldn't help picturing a certain demon lord.
Kut'thar placed a piece on the board. "When is that fool's execution?"
Satan smiled. "Soon, I promise. He has his final part to play in this."
- Death and Oliver -
Death had gone towards the front of the headquarters to join the lookouts. He wasn't completely convinced the demons would just stay put while the resistance moved back into Passage. He left Hrom with Lucifer out of courtesy to the resistance soldiers he was working with.
Oliver walked up beside Death. "What did Lucifer and Peter talk with you about?"
Death gave a sideways glance to Oliver. "Satan."
Death and Oliver stood in silence for a moment. Death didn't want to say anymore in case he might accidentally reveal what he actually spoke about with Lucifer and Peter. Oliver was waiting to see if Death would continue speaking.
Oliver broke the silence, "It was an honor fighting with you sir, even though I didn't really fight 'with' you."
Death felt worried by the statement. He knew there had to be something else going on. He knew Oliver wasn't the type to seek out superiors just for the sake of compliments.
"What's going on, Oliver?" Death asked.
Oliver looked to the side. "Rebecca and Julia want to quit the Grim. Losing Alex and Jakob, almost dying twice, it's shaken them."
"What about you?" Death asked.
Oliver turned his head and looked up at Death. "Honestly, I don't think I'm qualified for this. I survived, barely. I made multiple mistakes that led to the deaths of others. I have a dual affinity, but one of the affinities is fucking water of all things...I'll never be Zach or Mary...I'll never be someone worth representing humanity."
Death didn't feel qualified to try and convince Oliver. If he felt it was possible he would have left and asked Lucifer what to say in this situation. He knew his influence would be strongest right now. He conjured his scythe and placed it upside-down.
He handed the weapon's handle to Oliver. "Grab it."
Oliver couldn't believe what was happening. Death's scythe was practically sacred among the Grim.
Oliver put a shaky hand on the middle of the handle. "Why?"
Death released his grip on the weapon. "I don't know if this is the appropriate thing to say, so bear with me. If you swung that scythe at my neck and connected, you would kill me. You, a human, could kill me, an ancient."
Oliver released his grip on the weapon, letting it fall to the ground. "S-sorry, sir, I didn't mean to let it fall."
Death returned the scythe. "It's fine, It's just a weapon. The point I'm trying to make to you is that no one is invincible. Everyone, everything dies. What makes someone strong is how long they can stall that inevitability."
Oliver didn't feel reassured by what Death was saying. It was that lack of reassurance that made him think of something Zach had told him in the past.
Oliver chuckled. "Sorry, just remembering an old joke."
Death smiled briefly before turning back to a neutral expression. He sighed and kept his eyes forward as he spoke.
"If you want to quit, quit. I don't want you to stay out of any perceived obligation. Plenty of Grim have retired early and I'm sure plenty more will continue the trend. I just want you to know that you shouldn't worry about your strength."
Oliver spat to his side. "Before I go, I have to know. Is this resistance, in your opinion, something significant?"
"Not yet." Death answered.
The blunt nature of the response surprised Oliver, causing him to chuckle to himself again. He apologized and walked away.
- Zach and Oliver -
(Past)
Zach and Oliver were in an outside training area.
"C'mon, tell me more about him," Oliver pleaded.
Zach scratched the back of his head. "As I've said to all of the new recruits, it's not relevant to you. He's one of the strongest gods. His past is dark and full of horrors. He uses that past and his strength to defend humanity."
"If I beat you in a fight will you tell me?" Oliver eagerly asked.
"Sure," Zach snickered. "In fact, I'll buy you your own uništi on top of that."
After many failed attempts at a victory, Oliver fell to the ground, barely able to catch his breath.
"I'll tell you this," Zach leaned over and held his hand out, "don't ever expect any wise words from him. He's a fighter above all else."
Oliver grabbed Zach's hand. "Have you ever beaten him in a match?"
Zach pulled Oliver up. "Not yet."
- Lucifer, Peter, Elijah, Yamato -
Lucifer had been walking around the resistance headquarters with Peter, Elijah, and Yamato. Elijah had asked to come along because he wanted to see how Lucifer eats food when he's hungry.
Lucifer was starving and needed something to eat. He asked a resistance soldier to show him where the food was but Yamato had insisted on showing them.
Yamato led the three to a stack of crates.
"Try not to eat all of it," Yamato said.
"I think he's earned all of it," Peter said.
"I would say the Rider did, not that I don't appreciate your help," Yamato responded.
"Funny way of showin' appreciation," Peter mumbled.
Lucifer pulled out a few potatoes and threw them to Peter. Peter quickly roasted the potatoes with his fire and threw them back to Lucifer.
Elijah couldn't help staring. "When was the last time you were depleted?"
Lucifer took a massive bite out of a potato. "About a year ago."
"That recently?" Elijah questioned.
Elijah had assumed Lucifer was a near-bottomless well of mana. He had been surprised by the depletion but justified it by remembering the sheer amount of battles Lucifer had been through in a short time.
Yamato looked at Peter. "Before your team leaves, how about a duel?"
"No," Peter responded.
"Why not?" Yamato's tone started to sound angry.
Peter glared. "I've been fightin' for most of the mission my team has been on. I just want to lie down and do nothin' until my team and I leave this shit-hole."
"Maksh sensh," Lucifer said with his mouth full.
"I'm only requesting a duel with swords," Yamato persisted.
"I don't care!" Peter snapped.
Lucifer quickly swallowed his food. "Peter?"
Yamato walked off in a huff. He hadn't expected Peter to be so adamant in his refusal.
'Questioning ourselves?' R'yaarj asked.
'Keep your mouths shut.' Yamato responded.