After wandering the halls of the large building, both Kaiza and Akumu found the group, making their way toward them.
"You're both safe!" Hikari said.
"Yeah, just barely, the demons here are nothing like the monsters we fought back home, they feel like they are the strength of a single Sinful Seven member." Akumu said.
"But you were able to defeat most of them." Hikari said.
"Yes but it took two or three of us just to defeat one of them." Kaiza said.
"I was able to defeat one without even trying." Malum said.
"You're a fucking demon, you don't have a say in these matters of the group." Kaiza said.
Malum slammed his fist into a desk, yelling back.
"I protect the weak, thank you very much, I protect this village!"
"Whatever, have you found out anything about my marking?" Kaiza asked.
Malum took a deep breath, then he slid a book across the table toward Kaiza, Kaiza caught the book then opened it to the page that was marked.
"While being the Sign of the Devil, it is also part of a Tale known as the Children of Destiny. It looks like the nursery rhyme that children sing is this tale." Malum mentioned.
"There also seems to be some traces of knowledge that dates back to the dark ages." Hikari said, looking over to Akumu. "It may have happened around the time we first met, your family rings may have a connection to these things."
Akumu pulled out the box that he kept all but one of his rings in, the ring that wasn't in the box was the broken Pestilence Ring that was strapped around his neck. He lowered the box down onto the table, the Chieftess walked over examining the rings, moving over to a bookshelf looking through it, until she pulled out a book bringing it over to the table, flipping through it for a while until finding what she was looking for.
Placing the book down so everyone could see, showing them that there were knights that used jewelry to use unique powers different from other knights.
"These knights do look like they have a closer resemblance to us." Kaiza said.
"Or we are actually a corrupt version to them, both Kaiza and my forms look more like monsters, compared to Gishiki and Jan which look more closer to these knights." Akumu said.
"While there are different variations of jewelry, a belt buckle or at times a bracelet, looks to be a more common way to change into an armored form." Hikari said.
"Two differences: the powers of Hell corrupt the user, turning them into a monster-like version of a Warrior." Malum said. "While the powers of Heaven turn them into a knight-like version of a Warrior."
Kaiza was looking back and forth at the two books, growing through something in his mind.
"What if this is deeper than we think?" Kaiza said, speaking up. Asking for the Chieftess to get him paper and something to write with. "Holy based forms are Holy Knights and Archangels, Unholy based forms, are monsters and aspects of the Apocalypse. What if there are more?"
Malum thought for a bit then looked up, speaking aloud.
"The New Samurai!"
Both Akumu and Hikari realized what he meant, Akumu took some paper writing something down.
"Man made forms, knights, soldiers, any type of military unit, are in one way a manmade version of these old Warriors. But the thing is, they are only man made, they haven't had any special abilities."
"Or do they?" Hikari spoke up. "With the right information they could be on par with a basic Warrior form at least."
Malum let out a sudden laugh, shocking most of the people.
"Ryu Roka?" Kaiza asked.
"Ryu's power is quite strong on his own, but if he were to gain, let's say a Pseudo Warrior form, he could be much stronger." Malum said. "Anyway we have gotten off track, the Sign of the Demon, while known as an unholy symbol, some could worship a demon as a holy symbol."
"A messed up holy symbol." Hikari said.
"Ten Children of the Queen, we have to look at this too." Akumu said.
"While Kaiza is the Child of the Demon, this could mean there are nine more people out there. Since it doesn't give a gender, this can't help very well, they could be out there either using their powers, or like with Kaiza and it hasn't even awakened yet." Malum said. "His symbol appeared after learning pieces of his past. Others could have different methods for it to appear."
"I understand with each Sinful Seven has been killed, I learned more of my past, but remember with Sloth, I didn't learn of my past, but the possible Master of the Sinful Seven." Kaiza said.
"It may have been a fake memory." Malum said.
Without saying anything, Malum looked over to Kaiza.
"Are they aware of the side effect of you regaining your memories?" Malum asked.
Kaiza had an almost shocked expression on his face, once he heard Malum's question, he thought he kept this secret from everyone.
"What side effects is he talking about?" Hikari asked.
"Haha he is only joking, this is Malum after all, him and his jokes." Kaiza said nervously.
"Malum isn't one for many jokes, unless they are morbid." Akumu said.
"Akumu hold him down." Malum said.
Akumu got behind Kaiza, keeping him held in place, as Kaiza tried to struggle out.
"Haha hey guys come on you don't have to do this." Kaiza said nervously.
Malum rushed toward them, ripping the front of Kaiza's shirt off, revealing the device underneath, with yellow, white, orange, blue and purple cracks spreading out over his chest. Once Akumu and Hikari both saw this, they were obviously in shock, Akumu let go of him, walking over to Hikari to calm her down.
"How long have you had this device in your chest?" Akumu asked.
"Shortly after escaping prison, Wrath shot this into my chest to keep me from betraying him, but I don't think that is what it really is meant to be." Kaiza said.
Malum swayed his right hand over the device, as it turned into a parasite-like creature.
"It is an energy sucker, it sucks out the life force of the user." Malum said.
"Then how the hell is he still alive?" Hikari asked.
"Demon's have more life force then humans, they can last a year at least." Malum replied. "But his energy has been fluctuating, the cracks that you can see, seem to appear that they can't be contained, they are literally breaking out of you."
"How much longer would he have left with the state he is now in?" Akumu asked.
"Well it can be complicated, with the fluctuating power that is leaking ..." Malum was saying, until Akumu cut him off.
"How much longer!"
"I can say about a month, he has that much longer to live." Malum said.
Kaiza stood there without saying anything, just soaking up all the information that he just heard Malum reveal.
"How much time would he have left, once Lust and Wrath's symbol were added to this energy sucker?" Hikari asked.
Malum thought for a bit then spoke up.
"About a week."
"This information doesn't leave this room!" Kaiza shouted.
Everyone looked at him.
"Oh and what will you tell Sora, you will have to tell her at some point." Akumu said.
"Don't you think I don't already know that!" Kaiza yelled. "I just need to collect my thoughts until I can tell her."
Malum sighed looking at the Chieftess.
"Has there been any signatures of energy similar to the Sign of the Demon?" Malum asked.
The Chieftess nodded, taking out a small map of the area, pointing to a small area circled on the map to the far South East of their current location.
"We have our next location, everyone let's head out." Malum said.
"There is one last thing I must say, I know where Lust is." Kaiza said.
Back at the Dreadnought Crusader
"Any word from the away team?" Sora asked, looking over to Nora.
Nora shook her head, looking over the digitized map that they were able to create with a couple of drones, that they were able to get back online, they were able to 5 miles out from their current position, but with the weird energy in the Chaos Realm, they start having frits if they try to go out any further.
"We will need to do more work on them, if we are going to want a better radius." Nora said, while writing down some notes.
"How do you deal with Jan, as he is?" Sora asked.
Nora sighed, setting down the pencil, looking over to Sora.
"Do you think this is a good time to ask something like this?" Nora asked.
"No, but from seeing how Jan acts and how you handle him …" Sora was saying as she trailed off. "I just get worried that Kaiza could just one day vanish from my life. He always seems to be out of my reach, one moment he is there, then the next thing that I know, he is gone."
Nora smiled softly, setting her left hand on Sora's right shoulder, then spoke up.
"With Jan, he had a troubled past, the man he is now, is a free man, he can do many things, while also forgetting those many things at the same time, mistakes happen, but he doesn't hate himself over them, it just makes him who he is."
Sora nodded softly, taking in the info.
"We are strong on our own, but when we have those we love and want to protect, we can be much stronger."
Sora smiled, then headed off to another part of the ship, to do some more maintenance.
Unknown to the people working in the Dreadnaught Crusader remains, located on a large rock, outside of the drone's range, was a large bat like monster, picking up the sonar sounds of the people talking inside the ship, it slowly opened its mouth, their bottom jaw split in two. The creature's stomach bulged out, then started moving up, bulging in their throat, then it unleashed a large shock wave, destroying the drones.
Each destroyed drone, reverberates to another one drone, letting the shockwave stretch out farther toward the Dreadnought Crusader.
Nora was still in the command room, with other members of the crew. She stretched, looking out the large window, she noticed something outside, seeing small explosions, then the glass to the window started to crack, she dove under the desk, as the glass exploded inwards, shooting toward the crew members, either injuring or killing them.
Nora moved over to the button under the desk, pressing it as a red light started going off, along with an alarm. She kept low to the ground, taking a jacket off a close chair, rolling it up so she could go over the shattered glass, so she wouldn't be cut up, trying to help the injured people the best she can.
The reverb of feet stomping towards the room, as Sora, Jan and Gishiki entered the room.
"What is going on!?" Gishiki, asked aloud.
"I don't know, the glass just blew up, but shortly before I saw some explosions outside." Nora replied.
Sora went over to the computer monitor pulling up anything she could.
"All of the drones have been destroyed." Sora said.
Jan went against the wall, peering over the corner of the window, trying to see anything.
Over by the large rock, the large bat monster leaned their head back, unleashing another shockwave blast into the sky, but this was different from the last blast, this time it was to summon a new swarm of bat creatures.
"Uh guys we have company." Jan said.
He took out Deus Vult, putting it on taking out three Deus Cards, sliding all three through the Deus Vult.
"Henshin!" Jan said aloud, transforming into his Snelheid Heilige form.
"Looks like I better make this fight count." Gishiki said, putting a new card into Heaven's Schiff. "Form Change: Uriel!" Heaven's Schiff chimed. "By the light of God, the Warrior of the Sun, shall read your fate."
While Gishiki, changes into his Arch Form, the coloring was now that of a warm summer orange, his trench coat bottoms turned to that of a multitude of orange and yellows, instead of a normal weapon, his weapon turned into that of a book, called the Lucet Nouvelle. Arch opened the Lucet Nouvelle, he pulled out a piece of paper.
"Gradibus Lucet." Arch said, while throwing the sheet of paper forward creating light panels in the sky.
Arch jumped toward one of them, making his way toward the caution of the sound waves, with Heilige following him close behind. The Bat-like Demon looked in the direction that it sensed movement coming toward it, it proceeded to lift it's large wings, flapping them hard toward the group, creating a large gust of wind.
The two saw the large wind force barreling toward them, Heilige used his thrusters to out maneuver the wind, while Arch, sidestepped the wind hopping around the best he could, but his left leg got clipped and he was spun hard. After tumbling through the air for a little bit, he got his footing, he tore out another piece of paper.
"Fulgurantis Hastae." Arch said, the piece of paper slowing grew into a long 5 foot spear, gripping the shaft into the middle, moving his arm back, then threw it through the air, aiming for the direction of the creature.
The Bat-like demon sensed something zooming toward it fast, it proceeded to flap its wings to get out of the way of the object. Arch watched the spear sail toward the creature, followed by a gust of wind, seeing the creature finally.
"Jan, do you see what I see!" Arch yelled out.
"Way ahead of you!" Heilige yelled, as he boosted toward the creature, lashing his right arm to the side letting the chain extend. "Double up!"
Heilige snapped the chain back toward him, causing the chain to come back, snapping together to form a long forearm blade. Just as the Bat-like demon passed by the spear, Heilige shot through a large plume of dust, slashing the blade toward the creature. The Bat-Like demon unleashed a sonic blast on Heilige at point blank range, knocking him back, but not before he could land a cut on the creature, cutting a bit of the creature's chest.
With Heilige being shot backwards, he tried to steady himself, before he slammed into the Dreadnaught Crusader, he was caught by a group of sand creatures. He looked up toward the Dreadnaught Crusader, to see Puppeteer using her Earth Phase, to create creatures to help him.
"I appreciate the help." Heilige said.
"No problem." Puppeteer said.
Arch made his way over to them.
"Were you able to land an attack on it?" Arch asked.
"Just a bit, also it looks like a giant bat, so are you afraid of them?" Heilige asked.
"Not really." Puppeteer said. "If Kaiza was here, he would have made some bad bat joke."
"Looks like he can take this seriously." Arch said. "As serious as we can at least."
Puppeteer changed to her Air Phase, walking forward, then clapping her hands creating a gust, pushing back the dust cloud, as the group spotted the Bat-Like Demon flying toward them. Puppeteer arched her right arm back, then launched it forward, creating an air cone, to shoot toward the creature, which the creature tried to dodge.
Heilige shot forward, letting loose the chain on his left leg, whipping his leg toward the creature, wrapping it around their right leg, pulling the creature forward, Heilige pushed the blade forward piercing the abdomen, the demon let out a shriek of pain, then looked down at Heilige taking a hold of him, he started charging up another sonic shriek, unleashing the attack point blank into Heilige's face.
Heilige slumped down, the creature let go of him, as he fell toward the ground no longer responding, Puppeteer shouted clapping her hands together, letting the gust of wind take hold of Heilige bringing him back toward the group. She proceeded to check if he was still breathing, she nodded toward Arch, he let out a sigh looking toward the creature, noticing the blade Heilige jammed into its abdomen had broken off and was lodged in deep, he pulled out another sheet of paper.
"Percutiens lucet tonitrua!" Arch shouted, raising his right index finger into the sky, as dark clouds formed in the sky.
"Discharge!" Arch shouted, bringing his hand down toward the creature, as a bolt of red lightning shot down from the sky, connecting with the blade, sending the electrical current through it and frying a portion of the creature.
Puppeteer's armor turned into a greenish brown, entering her Wind and Earth Phase, she got up, walking in front of Arch, raising her hands up, causing small rocks to float up into the sky, then she shot her hands forward, clapping them together.
"Low Level: Meteor Storm." Puppeteer shouted, the small rocks shot forward, clipping the creature, it could barely move to the shock to its system, the rocks cut into it, while some cut into its throat.
The Bat stumbled back a bit, then started to charge up a new shriek blast, but the shriek started to leak up from the holes, Arch noticed this and shouted at Puppeteer.
"Cover us!"
Puppeteer raised her hands up, creating a large wall to cover the three of them, along with the Dreadnaught Crusader, just as the wall shot up, the creature's attack blew itself up, creating a large crater where it once stood. The blast shot toward the slam, severely cracking the wall, as Puppeteer struggled to keep the wall up, once the rumbling stopped, she fell to her knees, letting the wall fall.
The grouped looked on to see, the massive damage that was created just from the messed-up blast, getting out of their forms, they took a hold of Jan, helping him into the ship laying him down, in a side room laying him down on a cot, going back to the center room talking with Nora.
"He keeps pushing himself, if this keeps going, he will most likely get himself killed if he keeps doing this." Nora said, worriedly.
"You're his wife, if he were to listen to anyone, he would listen to you." Sora said to her.
"But this is Jan we're talking about; he won't know how he will handle this." Gishiki said.
While they continued talking, they weren't aware that Jan was awake and standing near the slightly closed door to his room. He was staying quiet, listening to his wife and friends talking about pulling him away from the fight. He looked down at his hands, clenching his fists, crouching down, covering his head, trying to block out the sound.
Back with the other group
Malum stopped their jeep, near a small set of houses, they group got out looking around the place, the houses were either torn down, or slowly decaying.
"Alright, this was the location of the last known location for the Mark of the Child of the Demon." Malum said. "Search for any clues."
The group split up, looking through the still standing building, while there was almost nothing left of those who had lived here, Hikari walked into the only building that was slightly bigger than the other building. She moved some dusty looking furniture, which broke from her touch. In the back of the room, she noticed a sheet, moving toward it, pulling away.
Malum, Kaiza and Akumu all grouped up outside.
"Find anything?" Akumu asked.
The other two shook their heads, Akumu was about to ask something, until the sound of Hikari screaming echoed through the small village, Akumu head shot toward the sound, running toward the large building. He looked around the place until he found Hikari.
"Hikari!" Akumu yelled, going over to her.
The other two walked in, seeing what was going on, Hikari had uncovered skeletons, Malum walked over looking around the bodies, finding a small letter, looking at it briefly then handing it to Kaiza.
"You check it out." Malum said.
Kaiza looked at him, raising his right eyebrow, taking the note, and starting to read it. Malum went over to the other two, helping Hikari stand up, taking the two of them toward the exit.
"What about Kaiza?" Hikari asked.
Right when she did, she heard a thud, seeing Kaiza on his knees, tears running down his cheeks. Malum pulled them out of the room, the last thing she heard from Kaiza was.
"Mother… Father…"