- Lucifer, Death, Yvere, Lina, Sig, Lao -
Lucifer had told Death that his most recent conversation with Tsukuyomi had put him in a bad mood and that he felt like getting a drink. Yvere and Sig joined, inviting Lina and Lao to come along as well. The six were outside sitting at a table that was surrounded by empty tables. Lucifer sat across from Death, Yvere from Lina, and Lao from Sig. Death looked up at the falling snow and then over at the nearby beings who were sitting at covered tables.
"I guess it's for the best we're not close."
Lucifer chugged his mug of alcohol. "They don't fucking care what I have to say about their lord. They're all keeping their distance because of Lina. No offense, Lina."
"None taken," Lina replied quickly.
A yokai with multiple arms came over to the table. The yokai was holding four plates with bowls on top of each. They placed the steaming bowls down in front of Lucifer, Death, Lao, and Sig. Yvere spoke to Lina while the bowls were being passed out.
"So what differences can you taste?"
Lina scratched at her veil. "It depends on the flesh. Unlike vampires, my kind can't taste mana, so we are more affected by the state of the actual physical thing we're consuming."
The yokai placed the last bowl and quickly walked away.
"Fascinating," Yvere said. "Still, it seems strangely coincidental that your kind enjoys archangel flesh as much as mine do their blood and mana."
Sig laughed as she broke apart her chopsticks. "You say 'archangel' flesh but really it's just Lucifer selling his body parts to whoever's curious."
Lucifer slurped down a large portion of noodles and quickly swallowed. "Don't put it that way."
Yvere chuckled, "I remember after our first mission together and I returned home, I got bombarded by merchants who wanted to get Lucifer's blood."
"Hmm," Death hummed as he dunked his noodles in and out of the broth. "I recall Gwyn saying she put a stop to that."
"Gwyn's still worried that my blood could crash Sangmara's economy if not handled properly," Lucifer said with a partially full mouth.
The group continued eating and exchanging stories, laughing occasionally. Sig and Lina's body language immediately stiffened when they saw Xiao approaching with a stern look on his face.
- Xiao, Lucifer, Death, Yvere, Lina, Sig, Lao -
Xiao explained the circumstances while smoking.
Lucifer sighed as he stood up. "I wish Kahvis would have told us about this sooner."
Xiao exhaled a plume of smoke. "Seems you two aren't as close with the new god as you might think."
Death stood up behind Lucifer. "I understand your frustration, Xiao, but don't let that ruin this opportunity."
"Of course, sir," Xiao relucted.
Death noticed his echo was receiving a call. He was caught off guard by the timing and answered in a confused tone.
"Hello?"
The caller was Izanagi. Izanagi asked Death if he could come to the main castle alone. Death explained that the team was about to meet with the rebellion leader. Death further explained that, if all goes to plan, the rebellion leader and their forces will leave the territory. Izanagi insisted that Death comes after the meeting. Death agreed and said he would call back. As Death put the echo away, Lucifer's eyes narrowed slightly.
"That was strange. Not a word of gratitude or even surprise that things had been worked out."
Death shrugged. "He's always been like that. What's the saying? 'As happy as an oracle who guessed correctly.'"
Lina was curious, "I don't think I'm familiar with that one."
Xiao put out his smoke in his hand. "It means you feel relieved but never actually happy."
- Izanagi and Izanami -
"Done, hopefully," Izanagi sighed.
Izanami folded her arms. "We need to be careful about Lucifer's suspicion. That boy's ability to sense betrayal-"
Izanagi flinched when he heard betrayal.
"-is equal to his durability," Izanami finished.
"R-right. Go check on Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu. I'm starting to have second thoughts about their loyalty."
"Of course," Izanami nodded.
As Izanami walked away, her mind filled with worries. 'He almost never changes his plans once they've been set. This decision is destroying him. We need this to be over and done with as soon as possible. Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, you two will be reminded of your place if need be.'
- Julius and Salim -
Julius and Salim were walking through the tundra, looking over at the marching army of ice giants, yuki, oni, and orcs. Julius rubbed his wrapped hands together.
"You ready to kill the Devil?"
"Don't call him that," Salim shivered. "I hope once this is done we can finally get an answer as to why the heads are obsessed with killing Lucifer. I still think we're kicking a sleeping beast for nothing."
"Careful," Julius warned. "I...look, I don't hate the man but if killing him gets us closer to our main goal then so be it."
"Mmm," Salim hummed between shivers.
- Lucifer and Devil -
As time passed while the group waited for the rebellion leader, Lucifer spoke with Devil in his mind.
'I've kept you locked away for most of this trip and I can continue doing so if you don't comply.'
'Fuck you,' Devil responded. 'I don't know why I'm cursed to haunt you but I do know that I look forward to watching you die.'
Lucifer, seemingly ignoring Devil's response, kept thinking, 'What were the Shinto gods like in your world?'
Devil growled with anger before begrudgingly responding, 'My world was very different. The gods existed on different planes. I had minimal interaction with those outside of Hell.'
Lucifer looked around at the group. 'Maybe 'world' isn't the right word for it then. 'Reality' might be more accurate.'
Devil laughed in a mocking tone, 'Yes, your 'world' seems much weaker than the one I come from. The gods I know of were world-shapers, or destroyers in some cases.'
'Interesting,' Lucifer hummed. 'Maybe that's why you're able to exist as this apparition? I guess that also confirms that your world doesn't exist anymore, otherwise your gods would have found this world and the humans' by now. What happened to your reality?'
Devil looked at Death, 'I don't know. My most recent memory is of me doing my usual work in Hell. Next thing I know I'm haunting some half-breed knockoff.'
Lucifer looked at Death surreptitiously. 'Why are you staring at him?'
'The Death I knew was a pain in my ass,' Devil gave a surly reply. 'Always bitching and moaning about the souls that I tortured. Fucking guide should have known his place.'
Lucifer was immediately curious, 'You had conflict with your reality's Death?'
Devil rolled his eyes, 'You could call it that. He always complained that the requirements for Heaven were too steep and that Hell was too severe a punishment for the sinful. I told him that his complaints should be reserved for my father.'
'We'll talk more about this later,' Lucifer said before making Devil disappear.
Kija approached the group.
- Kija, Xiao, Lucifer, Death, Group -
"You're the rebellion leader?" Xiao asked with doubt.
Kija stood taller than Death. Their face was pale white with green diagonal stripes. They had long white hair and one tusk. They wore a large brown jacket lined with furs. They took the spiked dark black club off their back and leaned on it as they responded in a raspy voice.
"Problem, Xiao the glutton?"
Death and Lucifer seemed surprised but Xiao was just irritated.
"What's your name?"
"Kija," Kija responded.
Lucifer interjected, "Any relation to the former orc chieftain, Kinja?"
Kija grunted, "I'm his daughter," she turned to Lucifer. "I'd say I'm surprised you remember his name. I thought your kind were above that?"
Lucifer sighed, "How did your father meet a yuki?"
Kija's gripped her club tighter.
"Focus!" Xiao demanded. "We're not here for a history lesson. You have things to answer for."
Kija grumbled as she turned around to face Xiao. She took a knee while keeping one hand on her club.
"I apologize for the unprovoked attacks on you and your own. My soldiers wanted the glory of defeating Grim-"
Xiao and Death clenched their jaws and glared.
"-but they were clearly misguided. My army is compromised mostly of the forsaken. I assume I don't need to explain the various histories of them all?"
"Whatever," Xiao mumbled. "Do you swear to leave this territory without issue?"
Kija scanned her eyes across the group before sighing, "Yes, on one condition."
"Condition?" Xiao said with restrained anger.
Kija stood up. "I want a duel with you. Regardless of the outcome, I will leave this territory."
"Oh?" Xiao laughed in an unnerving tone. "Why is that?"
Kija looked over at Yamato. "I assume you're the strongest human here?"
Peter ducked behind Lina.
Kija continued as she turned her head back to Xiao, "Yamato impressed me with his strength. I can only assume a Grim commander would be just as strong, if not stronger, especially one with a title. This new god, Kahvis, leads the second largest human-based army in the world. I want to see for myself what you're kind are truly capable of before working with them."
Xiao nodded his head in agreement as he pulled out a smoke, "Oh, okay, sure," He walked over to Lucifer and held out the smoke. "Is that all?"
Lucifer lit the smoke.
Xiao walked back to where he was standing while smoking, "That seems completely reasonable after my team and I tore through that pathetic attempt on our lives."
'Shit,' Death and Lucifer both thought.
Kija scowled.
"You want a match?" Xiao pointed his smoke at Kija. "You want to experience the same helplessness that your soldiers did? Fine with me, soft-tusk."
Kija gave a deep belly laugh, surprising everyone but Lucifer. She roared with laughter before tilting her head back with a large smile.
"AS IT SHOULD BE!"
Xiao looked over at Lucifer.
Lucifer looked around at the confused faces. "It's an orc saying. It's used after an exchange of insults before a duel. It means no hard feelings for what's to come."
Xiao grimaced as he dropped his smoke on the ground and stomped it into the snow. "Let's get this over with."
The group moved to set up a proper area for the duel, choosing to hold the match a few kilometers outside of the main city. Death and Lucifer would both be refereeing the match with Death assigned to stop Xiao, and Lucifer Kija.
Xiao wore black gauntlets that covered his hands and arms up to the shoulder with a matching pair of armor on his legs. Xiao held his triple staff over his shoulders as he watched Kija. Kija removed her jacket, revealing red tattoos all over her body that were clearly meant to imitate battle scars.
"Orcs tend to fight dirty," Lucifer whispered to Death. "Be ready to stop Xiao."
"She wanted this match, she can deal with whatever consequences come with it," Death responded while raising his hand.
Lucifer was surprised but didn't respond. Death dropped his hand, signaling Xiao and Kija to move.