Original Sin (IC)

[Zurvan]

Asher muttered those words to himself as the three thugs reached him. The first thug swung a bat at Asher, but it broke harmlessly against his arms.

"Wha-"

Before he could even finish his exclamation of surprise, Asher struck, his enhanced arm striking against the thug's open chest, breaking his ribs and instantly knocking him out. Before the two other thugs could regain their composure at the scene they were witnessing, Asher struck two more times, each time his attack finding their mark to the sounds of bones cracking.

And in a matter of seconds, the three thugs were subdued.

Now onto his next course of action, whether it be to pursue Loki or to escape-

"Oh ho? What's this? Not bad at all little man."

A voice suddenly came from right behind Asher. Someone had actually managed to slip into his blind spot.

Instinctively, Asher dived to his side. The sound of something whistling through the air, and the next moment, the area Asher had been standing at... exploded. Debris flew every which way as a figure emerged from the mini crater that had formed. Just what kind of weapon did this person use? A sinking feeling grew in Asher's chest as he saw the answer to his question.

The person wielded... no weapons. What she had used to create that crater was nothing more than her fist. She stared at Asher with a cocky grin, and pointed to him with her finger, before gesturing for him to come at her.

"You seem to be a little stronger than most. It's been a while since I had myself a fun fight and really cut loose. So come at me."

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

Another obstacle arose, this one a lot more troublesome than the rabble from before. This one's much smaller, yet infinitely more dangerous.
The chance of getting out of this messy riot and to speak with the Governor of Inferno had become as low as winning the lottery.

But, improbable is not impossible, and as long as there's a faint chance, it's worth trying to grasp it. With that thought in mind, Asher faced the new challenger.
This girl is a problem, with a power like she must also be a Devil Contractor. Perhaps even from the same violent devil. Charging recklessly would be a mistake.
It'd be better for her to do something stupid instead. Maybe I can use that hot headed attitude of her against her."Sorry girl, but I'm not looking for a fight. I don't enjoy fighting and I'm busy right now, there's plenty of idiots to fight around you so why don't you pick on someone in your league."

A small provocation, maybe with a bit more she'd be ready to charge in.

"Besides, you don't honestly think you stand a chance against me, do you pipsqueak?"

Surrounded by strangers both struggling to escape the chaos and those who relish in it, Asher tries to bait the girl in. It'd be best to take her out quickly as well as to not test whatever her powers are. So instead, he'd need to sabotage her attacks, while leaving no time openings for punishment in his.

His limbs were still reinforced, but such a power comes at a cost, soon enough he won't be able to use such might anymore. The next few moments are crucial.
If she's fine after his assault, there's no chance to make it past the police forces in time. If someone else interferes it's the same deal. On top of that, if the girl isn't taken out soon, the tide of battle would be overwhelmingly in her favor.

"So what will it be little girl, will you go and look for some other moron just like you in this hellhole, or do you fancy eating the floor with that pretty face?
If it's the latter you seek, then you come to me."

It's all up to her now, she should be ready to attack by now. A new feeling encroaches on Asher, like something that takes over his mind. However, this feeling isn't a foreign one, he's felt it plenty of times before. It's what comes after activating this ability, one of the powers granted to him by the devil of War. The same devil that granted him the power to pursue his wish.

Once the girl attacks, Asher will interrupt her by harming the girl's mind, and once her attack fails, he will unleash his own barrage on her in her defenseless state.

The stage is set for the man who despises violence to use it again most viciously.

What comes next, will depend solely on Pike's actions.

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

It was unexpected.

That was only natural. After all, was it not her death that had spurned the sequence of events that had led Theola down this path? To meet her again was almost paradoxical- a reunion beyond her wildest imagination.

It was unfortunate.

That was only natural. After all, her opponent was someone whom she had been closely acquainted with for a long period of time. They might not have been friends, but Theola had become intimately familiar with the circumstances she had undergone. If Theola had the option, she would almost certainly rather not be the one to end the life of an acquaintance she had only just found out was alive.

However,
it was not a problem.

That was only natural. After all, Theola existed because she had decided to discard her past. Her history did not matter to her beyond what it offered her in the current moment. That an old acquaintance had appeared before her did not change the task at hand. The situation did not call for confusion over why a dead person was now standing before her, nor compassion for an unfortunate individual. It called for her to defeat the assailant, and return to her guard duty as soon as possible. And so, that was what she was going to do.

And besides, Theola had never really liked her that much anyways.

With only the slightest bit of hesitation, she responded to her opponents’ assault. A swift dodge out of reach of the sword, followed by a swing of her own- aimed at her opponent’s center of mass, intended to end the fight if it connected.

[Tangerang]

Stray Dog
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon


Stray dog shot through the crowd like a silver bullet. Weaving and dodging through the masses of people, he rapidly closed the distance between him and his target.

Before he could finish his attack, Stray Dog would cut him down.

Against the man's unguarded back.

The blade was swung to take off his head entirely.

*Clang*

The sound of steel against steel.

For Harker, it must seem like these two men materialized out of thin air. But that wasn't important right now.

Stray Dog's attack was defended against.

Guard swung his spear, forcibly knocking Stray Dog back, separating the two.

Without any sort of expression on his face, he took his stance as he squared off against Stray Dog.

"Here I thought you would know what's best for you, and flee to safety. After all, wild animals tend to know when they're outmatched and are smart enough to not throw their lives away."

"But if you insist on killing yourself, I'll be happy to oblige."

With those words, he charged forward and thrust his spear, aiming directly to take Stray Dog's heart.

He was faster than Griffin was, and on top of that his spear outranged Stray Dog's own sword, denying the chance of any sort of counter strike. And on top of that, there was that unpleasant feeling that Stray Dog was sensing from him.

This would not be easy.

---

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

"So what will it be little girl, will you go and look for some other moron just like you in this hellhole, or do you fancy eating the floor with that pretty face?
If it's the latter you seek, then you come to me."

"If you insist," said Pike with a laugh.

The next moment a sadistic grin spread across her face. Without waiting another moment, she leapt several feet into the air. Hurtling towards Asher, she slowly rotated her arm, preparing to smash him into the ground.

---

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

The attack made by Maria was perfectly executed. However, the dodge made by Theola was just as perfectly executed.

Moving just barely out of range, dodging by the most minimal of distances. Maria's sword passed harmlessly by mere millimeters from Theola's neck.

"!?"

It was ridiculous. It was absurd. It was the kind of move that a person could only perform if they had absolutely confidence in reading the blade's trajectory. Or perhaps if they already knew the technique intimately somehow-

Maria had no time to further pursue that train of thought. Theola's counter attack came just as swiftly. A flawless strike aimed at her center of mass. Not only that, but she was still off balance from her attack.

Grunting with exertion, she manages to bring her sword back in time just barely to deflect Theola's blade. Instead of striking Maria's chest as she aimed, she only nicked her shoulders as Maria opened up the distance between the two.

Cautiously pacing, wondering to herself. She had no expected her first strike to be dodged, and in such a fashion. And there was something else that was bothering her about Theola's attack, but she couldn't quite place what it was.

Inconceivable. She forcibly breathed out and steeled her nerves. Focus on the task at hand. She could find out the issue later. For now-

She attacked once more. A thrust to Theola's chest- no that was a feint. She would turn the blade and slash her head off. This was one of the more advanced techniques that she had been taught, and one of the most effective in her experience.

[arkturus]

Lukas Ignazio
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

The world erupted in light and noise. From where he threw himself onto the ground, Lukas could feel the ground tremble as fire rained from the sky and people scrambled for safety. His stomach churned as smoke, the stench of charred flesh, and the stink of iron invaded his senses. Amidst the chaos, his mouth uttered a single unbidden prayer.

“Dear Lord, have mercy on us!”

"...oh? You noticed and avoided that? Was that just a coincidence...?"

He turned his head to the owner of the voice and his mind was sent reeling. A nun? A fellow member of the faith? What was she doing here? It was dangerous!

But Lukas saw the way she moved, glided through the anarchy surrounding them. She was accustomed to it, this massacre. He saw the look in her eyes, wholly disinterested, not a sense of compassion or malice burned within them. He could not shake the feeling that she too had made a deal with the devil, the greatest of taboos within society and a grave sin against the Lord.

Is this what will become of him if he continues down his path? Unfeeling in the face of death? Unable to mourn? Unable to join his suffering brothers and sisters in solidarity?

No.

Lukas cannot allow it. He will not let the influence of devils swade mankind from attaining holy union with God. Even if his flesh refuses to obey his spirit, he must try to reason with her.

“Sister! I beg you, please stop this madness!” Knees quivering, the fallen priest struggled to stand. But just then, Lukas had a queer feeling. He did not know how but his body screamed at him to run. Instinctively, he threw himself to the side as far away as he could get from the invisible threat.

[Zurvan]

"If you insist," said Pike with a laugh.

The next moment a sadistic grin spread across her face. Without waiting another moment, she leapt several feet into the air. Hurtling towards Asher, she slowly rotated her arm, preparing to smash him into the ground.

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

The girl soared through the air, ready to devastate her opponent in a single punch. The sadistic grin that she showed off on her face made her appetite for destruction all the more palpable, a girl that lived to fight and cause chaos. Truly a simple minded member of the Pride Faction.

Perhaps too simple minded, as she's already on a streak of bad choices. As soon as she jumped up she forsook a solid defense. She can't dodge while in the air, she's stuck following a trajectory course leading straight to her opponent making it far easier to predict where she'll land.

Of course, her first mistake may well have been to challenge Asher, especially now that he has a goal to achieve and a timetable that's running out. Taking the bait was another mistake, but it's minor compared to her biggest failure.

Her most severe mistake that is, has to be that she's underestimated me. Perhaps a demonstration will show her just how foolish she truly is.

In the fraction of a second, more power was channeled through Asher. Along with it came a different mindset, a psyche that was both new and foreign, yet became more and more familiar with each use.

Yet now, not only were her movements and trajectory clear, but information regarding her streamed in Asher's mind. Enough to know what makes her tick, what trips her up, a truth that hurts, a place to strike.

Yes, the following seconds wouldn't only be a physical confrontation. A mental attack was incoming, and she was woefully unprepared. No place to run, no way to defend, if the mental pain would cause as much as a flinch, it becomes an opening for Asher to strike without mercy.

A savage grin flashed on his face as the girl closed in closer and closer. battle stance he spoke.


"You really are the Ḋ̯͚͇̼̥̄͛U͙͔͚̬ͤ̎ͥͅM̲̲̱B̲̥̙͚̜̣͔́̐̎͢E̞̖̙͗ͦͥ͜S̢͐ͮ̀T̯̳ ̙̻ ̅͋ͫS̞̖͚͐H̳͎́͌ͧ͝ͅI̞̲̮̊ͬ̋͟Tͭ͆͋͑, Pike."


"Of course, what else can be expected of a S͇͇̗̰̐ͯO̧͊̓ͫ͋̄ͭR̺̬̒̓͒̎̅E̷͇̬̲̦̞̼͓̋͗̎͂ͣͤ̒ ͧ̌̌̑̂LO̺͖̗̤͖͈͗ͨ̔ͫ̓͜S̓̈͌͒ͤ҉̟̻̞̗̲͎̖E̟̩̘͇ͤR̗͖̃́̌ͨ ͇͓ like yourself. Ț̶ͧ̂͌O̞͇̦͊͗̋̈̈́̒̀Ó̱͐̌ͥ̆͡ ̴͗ͪͣWĚ̗ͨ̇̓͠A̲̮̗̺̝͔̾́͢Ḵ͔̏̄̓̇ͪ to M̱̹̖̬͇̍͛ͤ͐̾͛ͮͅA͍̣͍͖͌ͭT̛̪̳̖ͨT̏͑͏E̷͇͈̞R͚̻̪̟͔, you'll N̨͋ͦ͗ͫ̌Ẽ̢͎̬̲̐̒̄V̱̭͔͈͖̫ͤ̋E͉͚̘̖̱̐ͥ̓͛̋̏̚͘R͍͋̌̈̃̇̚ ̪̯̲͙͎̲͉̑̽͆͟Ḿ̫̻̬̟̯̹̯̽̎̈́͒E͍͇̮̥̟͍ͫA͑͂̂ͤͤ͊ͣ͡S̛͙ͦͮ̊̉Uͥ ̏͊͌R̥̪̗͇̣̦Ȅ̷̙̰͍̱̗̤̗ͨ̊́̐ ̧̱̼͚͉̰͈̃̍̎̔͐ͪͬ U̜͎͙̜̱͉̺Ṕ̐̆̈́͌ͭ to the top."


And along with the verbal assault in the mind came the flurry of blows with the power to bend steel.
The punches aimed relentlessly on various weak spots, intending to crush her stomach, stomp her neck, break an arm or shatter a kneecap. Any opening given could spell the girl's loss, and all because she couldn't turn down a good fight.

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

Theola’s response had been flawlessly executed, precisely timed down to the millisecond- only natural, given how many times she and her opponent had repeated this sequence of events. It was a deadly dance that had been rehearsed a great many times, to the misfortune of her opponent. After all, if she did not come up with any new tricks, then this recurring sequence of events would only lead to the repeated conclusion of their old days.

Meaning Maria’s defeat.

Nonetheless, Theola did not intend to let herself be at ease. It would be naïve to think her opponent had not changed at all in the slightest- only a glance at the situation she now found herself in was more than enough to remind her how much could change in a short period of time. Her objectives would become drastically more difficult if Maria started using moves that Theola was unfamiliar with.

That was why she intended to finish this quickly.

A slash, camouflaged in the shape of a thrust to the chest. It was another a familiar technique. Because it was effective, it had become one of the advanced techniques that their group would be taught in hopes of improving their performance, and thus because of that same effectiveness it was ineffective.

Moving to the side of the thrust, her sword was already in place to respond to the slash that would soon be coming for her head. But unlike before, this time its target was not an opening on her opponent-

-but instead her weapon. She intended to push her opponent off balance, and use the opening it afforded her to deal a truly decisive blow.

If finesse was not the answer, then she would use force.

Spoiler:

Violence Engine (1 MGI)

[Leftovers]

Gremory
Inferno - Plaza
Afternoon

There was something that had been bothering her for a while, wasn't there? Though, well, many things bothered her in this predicament of hers. It couldn't be helped, while she lived as a human, as such an existence really was an unending precession of inconveniences which all together constituted the great misfortune that was mortal life.

But still, it must have been something truly flagrant to stand out like that, stuck in her mind like a well-embedded thorn. For her to not have inflicted a punishment in return could only be the result of her deficient mental state at the time, and as it was Gremory was so used to doing what she wanted when she wanted it that she had no need for remembering such petty things as slights gone unanswered when any insult on her being was instantly met with appropriate retribution.

Alas, things had changed in a most radical way. If only she could remember...

"Don't you dare leave my sight, got it?"

Ah. Ah-ha. Yes, that was it. Certainly those words had been directed at her. It cannot be denied that someone, a lowly human at that, had once presumed to order her, a Duke of Hell, to become her subordinate, clinging to her shadow like a mere familiar. And she, in her moment of weakness, had not torn the human's impudent tongue from its mouth, had not crushed its body down to compacted meat, had not bound its feeble mind to that broken form to experience a realm of torment known only to Devils.

She had not done any of that. But she had not forgiven it either.

Amidst the fire and blood, at the heart of the unfolding carnage, a young woman looked up to the sky with laughter bubbling from her twisting lips.

A cloak so red it seemed to absorb the flecks of blood spilt on it.
Fine hair glimmering like maddening gold that spurred the warriors to battle.
Beautiful eyes devoid of mercy or humanity revelling in the slaughter.

If anyone present in that pandemonium had somehow taken notice of that vision, it would not be a stretch for them to look upon her as a spectre of death, harvesting the souls of the dying from this sudden battlefield. And, perhaps, one among them would even take an interest in such a sight.

And wouldn't that be interesting?

Ahh, Fatima. You really ought to learn soon.

Contracts are power. Power has consequences. One could not presume to have power over another without proving this superiority. Equally, one could not assume they will always have power if they do not prove this fact time and again.

So come on, Fatima. I have stepped out of your shadow. Show me what you can do.

And I will show you why it will never be enough.

With a smile of inordinate excitement on her face a girl disappeared into the violence.

To seek death out, and to deal it.

[Frantic Author]

Ashley Harker
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

The man didn't move before Harker's eyes. His smile narrowed, and a frown began to emerge. He blinked, and two men clashed in front of him with snarling faces, and his mouth set into a firm line. The pillar fell, and the devil laughed.

And then, Harker's hands rose. He grabbed at the pillar, shoving all of his power at it as it fell, clenching his teeth as the flames licked ever closer to the ground.

"Pardon me," he said with a smile once more, sweat dotting his forehead. He walked forward, towards the man who was condemning so many innocents to hell. His hand went up, to clap down on the man's shoulder.

"Would you mind so terribly if you didn't harm anyone else today?"

It was a harsh world, Inferno. But the land could be peaceful, if everyone worked together. That was the earnest belief of Ashley Harker, a man who wanted nothing more then to save others. It was an idealistic and naive viewpoint, yes, but the attempt was more then enough for him. Because it is a possibility, there has to be at least an attempt. Just because nobody else had tried before made it impossible.

He twisted the pillar with his hand, slowly turning it in the air as he tried to maneuver it to a place where it wouldn't hurt anyone. Such an obvious display of power... It grated at him, a bit. He was trying to be a quiet hero, someone nonchalant that anyone could approach. The kind of person you would see on the street, but-!!

He still had to try.

He had to try to save as many people as possible here. Even if it was impossible, or ridiculous, or absurd, simply doing nothing was an unacceptable outcome. Harker held the pillar off the ground with all the authority of the depraved right that he bore after his bargain with a demon amongst demons.

[Tangerang]

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

Almost as if she could foresee the sword's path, Theola positioned her blade to perfectly counter Maria's upcoming attack. As long as one knows what's coming, lethal attacks can be rendered completely harmless. Furthermore, she would reverse it and counter, disarming her enemy and ending this fight.

A blurring of steel. Two blades flew through the air.

However, the clashing of swords never occurred.

At the very last second, instead of following through on executing her technique, Maria retreated. Theola's blade curved through empty air, perfectly blocking the path that Maria's sword would have taken.

Was it her instincts? Or just her caution from her previous attempt? However, neither of these were the most pressing concern for Maria.

Unease and frustration was etched across her face. What was this? It was another impossible movement. Did her opponent have some type of foresight? Or perhaps some kind of telepathy? Having her techniques seen through twice could not be chalked up to coincidence.

Her anger grew. How dare this mere roadblock inconvenience her so? Was this lowly captain trying to make her fail her mission? She has never failed a mission-

-a random memory flashes through her mind. That single, shameful unsuccessful mission.

Why had she just remembered that? Her eyes narrowed. This was no time to be distracted by the past. And to put it frankly, she was getting sick at looking at Theola's face.

She took a different stance. Theola did not recognize this stance. But more than that, she was getting an eerie, uncomfortable feeling from her opponent. Something had changed. Her instincts were yelling at her danger signals like never before.

For the third time, Maria charged. The moment she entered her range, she swung her blade horizontally, to slice separate Theola apart at the chest. Compared to her previous charges, this was much slower. And compared to her previous attacks, this swing almost seemed lazy.

Yet why was it that it seemed much more sinister and malicious than both the lethal strikes that preceded it.

---

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

"You really are the Ḋ̯͚͇̼̥̄͛U͙͔͚̬ͤ̎ͥͅM̲̲̱B̲̥̙͚̜̣͔́̐̎͢E̞̖̙͗ͦͥ͜S̢͐ͮ̀ T̯̳ ̙̻ ̅͋ͫS̞̖͚͐H̳͎́͌ͧ͝ͅI̞̲̮̊ͬ̋͟Tͭ͆͋͑, Pike."


"Of course, what else can be expected of a S͇͇̗̰̐ͯO̧͊̓ͫ͋̄ͭR̺̬̒̓͒̎̅E̷͇̬̲̦̞̼͓̋͗̎͂ͣͤ̒ ͧ̌̌̑̂LO̺͖̗̤͖͈͗ͨ̔ͫ̓͜S̓̈͌͒ͤ҉̟̻̞̗̲͎̖E̟̩̘͇ͤR̗͖̃́̌ͨ ͇͓ like yourself. Ț̶ͧ̂͌O̞͇̦͊͗̋̈̈́̒̀Ó̱͐̌ͥ̆͡ ̴͗ͪͣWĚ̗ͨ̇̓͠A̲̮̗̺̝͔̾́͢Ḵ͔̏̄̓̇ͪ to M̱̹̖̬͇̍͛ͤ͐̾͛ͮͅA͍̣͍͖͌ͭT̛̪̳̖ͨT̏͑͏E̷͇͈̞R͚̻̪̟͔, you'll N̨͋ͦ͗ͫ̌Ẽ̢͎̬̲̐̒̄V̱̭͔͈͖̫ͤ̋E͉͚̘̖̱̐ͥ̓͛̋̏̚͘R͍͋̌̈̃̇̚ ̪̯̲͙͎̲͉̑̽͆͟Ḿ̫̻̬̟̯̹̯̽̎̈́͒E͍͇̮̥̟͍ͫA͑͂̂ͤͤ͊ͣ͡Sͦͮ̊̉ ̛͙Uͥ ̏͊͌R̥̪̗͇̣̦Ȅ̷̙̰͍̱̗̤̗ͨ̊́̐ ̧̱̼͚͉̰͈̃̍̎̔͐ͪͬ U̜͎͙̜̱͉̺Ṕ̐̆̈́͌ͭ to the top."

Asher's unexpected scathing words caught the girl by surprise. Normally she was completely unfazed by any sort of taunt or provocation, but something about his statement cut through Pike to her core. She inadvertently flinched even as she flew in for her attack.

That singular action slowed her following reactions just a fraction. The gap became a window ripe for opportunity.

Asher threw a flurry of blows aimed with precision. While he may lack the raw power that Pike possessed, his strength was still extraordinary. Each fist connected with her body with a sickening crunch as her bones broke.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG"

Despite the heavy assault she was suffering, she did not falter in her strike. Pushing through, she continued to swing her fist down, landing squarely on Asher's shoulder. A blinding hot pain rain across his nerves as he felt the bone and muscle give way.

The force of their exchange knocked the two away from each other. Asher's shoulder was completely dislocated and useless. Try as he might, he could not make it move.

On the other hand, Pike came out clearly the worse for wear. Down on one knee, with multiple bones in her legs broken making it difficult for her to stand. A shattered ribcage constricted her breathing, and her arm was bent at odd angles. She looked to be in a situation where she could pass out at any moment. No, rather she should have already been knocked out. She wasn't the type of person with the willpower or ideals to power through the pain.

Then how was she still conscious?

She had substituted her willpower with raw fury and hatred. Or perhaps to simplify things, she was berserk. Snarling, she launched her broken body at her hated enemy for one final blow. However, the damage could not be fully ignored, and it possessed neither the speed or force of her previous blow.

---

Gremory
Inferno - Plaza
Afternoon

The girl walked into across the battlefield, into the heart of violence. Surrounding her on all sides was death. Humans who fought one another and killed one another. Savagely. Brutally. Mercilessly.

And yet, strangely enough the girl herself was untouched by the carnage surrounding her. Like a maiden gently skipping down a forest path, enjoying the sights, not one of the combatants paid the least bit of attention to her.

How unnatural. There was clearly something at foot here. While there was technically no reason for anyone to attack her, in a situation like this for her to be completely ignored is unlikely. At the very least, someone drunk on their own violence should have seen her as a vulnerable target and taken a swing at her. But she seemed to be basically invisible to the humans around her.

Her eyes narrowed, as her pace gradually slowed and stopped. Come to think of it, hasn't there been a rather annoying buzzing in her ear for a while now?

"Now this is strange." An unseen voice called out to Gremory from somewhere within the throng of people. "You should have been long lost in a violent madness by now. Is there something wrong with your mind? Or are you perhaps protected by some power?"

---

Ashley Harker
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

"Would you mind so terribly if you didn't harm anyone else today?"

The man paid no attention to Ashley, instead focusing on the pillar floating through the sky, until it reached a location where it could be safely lowered to the ground with harming anyone. It was only at this point that the man took notice of Ashley's existence.

His eyes contained nothing but disdain. Different from the free jubilation earlier, now his expression contained nothing but disgust. Like a child who was having a fun time playing outside before stepping in something unpleasant.

That was all Ashley was to him. Some disgusting insect to be wiped off his shoe.

"Get off me."

Self preservation caused Ashley to leap backwards. This action saved him as the the space he was just in burst into flames.

"Would you mind terribly and allow me to burn you to death? Weakling."

The man stared daggers at Harker. On one hand, now that he had his full attention, that meant that he was no longer indiscriminately attacking innocent civilians. On the other hand, the danger he was in had dramatically increased.

There was no time to ponder this. The man had raised his hand once more, and a ball of fire ten meters away launched itself at Harker.

---

Lukas Ignazio
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

“Sister! I beg you, please stop this madness!”

Rosary tilted her head to one side. But Lukas's pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Heretics don't deserve any mercy."

He threw himself to the side but this time he wasn't as lucky. A sharp pain assailed his side. A shallow cut ran across his hip, but fortunately it was fairly light.

Rosary frowned. The man got lucky a second time. However, at least she connected this time.

Then that was fine. Eventually she would connect and it would all be over. Ah, but perhaps she should step up the intensity?

Several more 'attacks' approached Lukas.

[Zurvan]

She had substituted her willpower with raw fury and hatred. Snarling, she launched her broken body at her hated enemy for one final blow. However, the damage could not be fully ignored, and it possessed neither the speed or force of her previous blow.

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

Her blow had landed and a searing sensation flowed through Asher's arm, soon to become excruciatingly painful. His arm had become wrecked and immovable, even if it was still reinforced to the point of steel. A blow like the one he just suffered, likely would tear off any limb from a normal man.

However, his opponent had lost far more in that one exchange of blows. Not only did Asher's blows break her bones and devastated her body, but her mind had lost its rationale and the ability to form thoughts. Pike hadn't just lost her functionality of her body, but she had lost herself as well. Now all she could do to continue to stand, continue to fight, was to embrace but a singular thought.

Revenge.

"So, that is your decision."

What stood before Asher now was no longer Pike. Not truly. She had become a cornered animal, a rabid dog. One that would fight with fury and hatred to pursue her vengeance as she prepared herself for her final charge.

"That fire in your eyes, very well, I accept your challenge."

With a snarl, the enemy launched herself for the second and final clash with reckless abandon. Asher's body instinctively took a fighting stance as he gazed upon the girl who'd lost her mind. And as he gazed upon his enemy in her final charge, a savage grin formed on his face in full display. His distaste for violence had been discarded for a sinister need to cause it. One that resurfaces every so often. Such is the price of dealing with devils.

She will power through any words I'd say, there's no point in even trying that anymore. Now that she's become like this it's best to end it in a singular blow, cracking the skull or crushing the heart. But I can't use my right arm. Regardless, in her condition any hit will finish this. My legs are reinforced meaning I can dodge whatever attack she throws at me. But, with a charge like that, there's only one thing I can do.

To meet it head on and finish her before she attacks.

Yes, while normally Asher would prefer other means than to fight, if a fight does erupt he would make sure his opponents never do fight him again. The girl's singular minded charge to meet her hated enemy would be met in full force, ending her attack before it even started. In a battle like this, with his blood boiling and his body oozing with pure adrenaline...

...there was no way Asher would back down.

Time to put this rabid dog down.

[Leftovers]

Gremory
Inferno - Plaza
Afternoon

No matter the age, no matter the cause, the haze of bloodlust fell heavy on the minds of men. Inhuman focus was only human nature - animal nature - after all. Kill or be killed; a tightrope walk where life and death were separated by the thinnest of margins. There was no room for error, no forgiveness for distraction. Clearly, understandably, people had very specific things on their minds when they were trying to kill each other. Threats, and perhaps she just wasn't one for them. All well and good, as discernment cannot be expected from mortals, what with their baser faculties otherwise occupied. But even so, even so.

A passing glance. An errant blow, perhaps. Even a wanton instinct piercing through the curtain of red, murder and lust blending together into raw animal aggression in this orgy of violence, would be expected. Yet Gremory had not received attention of any kind, and the disparate image of her strutting through the carnage had elicited no recognition from the fervent actors.

And it wasn't that this offended her; although it did, and those who endured the trial by blood would bear her anger. No, it wasn't that her pride, an incomprehensible structure of values alien to men, had suffered a blow however inconsequential, easily forgivable, it might have seemed to others. When she got right down to it, it was simply bizarre - utterly improbable - that in the fervor of slaughter which seemed to hold all those present in its clutches she would be the only one in the plaza who would be completely ignored.

There was trickery afoot, she just knew it. And if she had noticed it, it wouldn't be long before she would be noticed as well.

"Now this is strange. You should have been long lost in a violent madness by now. Is there something wrong with your mind? Or are you perhaps protected by some power?"

At the sound she cast her eyes into the faceless crowd.

"I would grace your performance with my participation, were it not so dreadfully banal."

Addressing the unseen did not require special accommodation. Gremory's words were directed everywhere and nowhere, the burden of catching them lying with the recipient.

"And you are the architect of this spectacle, or merely the perpetrator? There is a certain timeless quality to senseless slaughter, but you could do with a touch of refinement."

Then, she smiled.

"Shall I teach you?"

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

Theola clicked her tongue in irritation.

It was only natural- had her opponent been an instant slower in their decision to withdraw, then this battle would have already been decided.

For a number of reasons, Theola did not want to see this fight dragged out.

First and foremost, was that every moment spent here meant a moment spent unattended to the governor- and while Theola did not personally care too much for the woman as they were almost complete strangers, she did not forget just how important it was that the woman made it out unscathed from this incident. It might not even be an exaggeration to say the fate of the city depended on it.

Similarly, the longer this fight went on, the more difficult it would become to win. As a certain military strategist would say, knowing was half of the battle- and by that metric, Theola had already won half the battle. But the advantage only applied so long as her old comrade continued to use the same familiar tricks as before, which would only grow more unlikely as their ineffectiveness continued to repeat itself.

And finally, Theola and her opponent were not strangers. She did not want to fight her longer than necessary.

Nonetheless…

It would seem that she had missed her chance to finish this painlessly.

Even though her opponent’s move seemed almost lazy, Theola felt it was the most dangerous one that she had used all day. For once, it was not something that she recognized. Of course, that was only natural- what had been odd was that up until now she had fought with full knowledge of her opponent’s moves. In that sense, it might be appropriate to say that the fight had only started just now.

As for what kind of attack she thought it might be…

Given that it had been revealed in response to an opponent who had otherwise countered or avoided all attacks so far, it was obvious that the strike was trickier than it seemed. But Theola had no clue what it might be outside of that.

So instead of trying to guess at the nature of her opponent’s new skills, Theola opted to reveal one of her own.

Rather than dodge or attempt to again deflect the move with her skills, she opted to launch a strike of her own at her opponent. The power of her contract, rather than her skill, would serve as her shield against her opponents new blow- an imperfect one, cleaved from flesh and blood. And her blade, free from its task of protecting its master, would come down upon her opponent.

Even if it was successful, it was doubtful she would come out unscathed. For regular combatants, it was a move that would probably be regarded as suicide.

But that was fine to her.

Theola was no stranger to dying.

Spoiler:

Dermal Calcification - 2 MGI

[Tangerang]

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

Asher prepared himself to meet the girl's final desperation attack head on, and this time, to make sure to put her down for good.

His fighting spirit was burning at it's very maximum.

However, things were not meant to be.

In contrast, the girl's spirit burned itself out. Willpower beyond one's capability could not be easily maintained regardless, especially for someone like Pike, someone already lacking in conviction.

Her charging body stumbled, and then crashed into the ground but by then she had already lost consciousness from her wounds and the pain.

For now, his battle was over.

He smiled. His battle was over? If only things were so simple.

Besides, what else could you call his current location, if not a battlefield.

---

Gremory
Inferno - Plaza
Afternoon

"I would grace your performance with my participation, were it not so dreadfully banal."

"And you are the architect of this spectacle, or merely the perpetrator? There is a certain timeless quality to senseless slaughter, but you could do with a touch of refinement."

"Shall I teach you?"

In response to her taunts, a man slowly seemingly emerged from the throng of people. His movements appeared to be a bit stiff, but his focus was entirely directed towards Gremory, as if the chaos surrounding them did not exist.

"I'm not the architect's for today's festivities, so I assume by elimination that makes me the perpetrator."

Suddenly Gremory was surprised by another voice. Someone else had slowly made their way towards her from her right. This time it was a woman, but she had the same stiff movements the man did, and the same expression on her face.

"Still though, don't you think that's a bit crude? Not that this isn't crude of course."

"What can I say? I was hired for my talents to give a performance."

"And you get what you pay for. I do aim to satisfy the customer after all."

More and more people emerged from the chaos, surrounding Gremory on all sides. In total, there were around seven people. The buzzing sensation in Gremory's head grew incessant.

It was clear that they were merely puppets. Mere mouthpieces for the puppetmaster to communicate with.

"Still though. My curiosity is piqued. Why are you unaffected."

"However, that is to say, there is no need necessarily for us to fight."

"I'd actually don't really like needless violence that much."

"Although if I were to fight."

Seven voices spoke as one.

"I wouldn't lose to anyone."

---

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

The blades were swung, each aimed at taking down their enemy. The two swords crossed each other, barreling past the point of now return. From this position, there was no way that Theola would be able to parry Maria's attack. However, the same was true for Maria herself. It was nothing more than a double suicide.

However, that was only true in the case of normal swordsmen. Both of these women had made contracts in order to gain a higher power.

Maria was confident in her victory. As the one who had taken the initiative in the strike, her blow would land first. All she needed to do was to obliterate this enemy, and the enemy's strike would be wiped out along with her.

With a surge of power, she thrust her sword to pierce the enemy.

*Clang*

It was as if her sword had struck against armor. Rather than penetrating Theola, it clashed, scratching, sliding away from Theola's body.

And now, Maria herself was left wide open for Theola's counter. There was no hesitation as she swung her blade and cut Maria down.

A spray of blood shot out of the wound from Maria's chest. She gasped as she staggered back and forth, her eyes glaring at Theola.

"You..."

A feeling she just couldn't shake. Theola, this woman before her was a total stranger that she had never before met in her life. Yet, she definitely felt like she knew her from before. A paradox she couldn't solve. And would not be able to solve, as her mind began to slow as her vision went dark. The last emotion she felt was one of humiliation.

She could tell. This wound... was not deep enough to be a fatal one. And there was no way that her opponent would make a simple mistake of that level. In other words, despite going out all to kill, her enemy could afford to take it easy on her-

Maria hit the pavement, the blood beginning to pool beneath her body. The victor was Theola.

She turned around to try to catch up, but a searing pain suddenly brought her to her knees. She could feel it throbbing. The location that Maria's final strike had touched her body, a sickly green scar ran across where the sword had made contact. This was her ability, her 'poison'.

Fortunately, none of it had actually made it inside Theola's body or no doubt, the result would have been much more extreme. Still, she could feel it burn, as it tried to eat it's way into her body.

However, a much more pressing concern rose. The sound of footsteps approached. And from the sound of it, it was a large group of people.

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

Victory…

… but not without its costs. It would seem that Theola had not been the only one to make a contract, as the searing pain from her opponents last blow now alerted her.

It was a price well paid, she thought. Had their battle dragged on, she would have likely had to deal with more of her opponent’s new skills- and her new abilities, from whatever contract she had made. Certainly not an experience to look forward to, given that whatever ability her opponent had used seemed to be a type of poison. It was annoying to deal with even when the fight had finished as cleanly as it did just now, and would have been even more so in an extended confrontation.

On the bright side, it seemed like it spread through contact, and remained mostly contained since its user had failed to penetrate her earlier defense. In that sense, it was reminiscent of natural poisons, which suggested a natural if crude measure of first aid. Turning her sword towards herself, Theola-

-excised the poisoned chunk, chopping it off.

It wasn’t a hard decision to make. Whether or not it worked in full, she couldn’t be sure just yet, but it was better than nothing.

There was now the matter of her own bleeding, but that was not of great consequence thanks to the powers of her contract. Before choosing to use its powers to harden the blood and seal up the wound in her body, she let some of it spill over her now defeated opponent- it would be annoying to have her die of bleeding when Theola had gone out of her way to keep her alive, after all.

Although it might have been in vain, given the series of footsteps that were now approaching their location. She would have liked to take her opponent with her, to question for details of the attack as well as information on the ability she had just been struck by, and perhaps a little because she had once been a comrade… but Theola was hardly in good condition to start dragging a bleeding girl with her back to the scene of the chaos.

Instead, she left Maria where she lay, and stood out of sight of the alleyway, watching for whoever their pursuers were.

If they were allies, as suggested by their direction, then her caution had been for naught… but in case they had been Maria’s reinforcements, then it was time for Theola to retreat. Maria would have to hope that her new comrades were more merciful than her previous ones.

Spoiler:

Shear Petrification - 2 MGI

[Zurvan]

Asher prepared himself to meet the girl's final desperation attack head on, and this time, to make sure to put her down for good.

However, things were not meant to be.

For now, his battle was over.

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

Asher sighed, not out of relief, but rather out of frustration. The girl couldn't keep up in the end. Rather than a final confrontation leading to an end, the battle finished with Pike's collapse and Asher's fighting spirit roused for nothing. Leading to this situation, where the girl is helpless surrounded by battle.

"Pathetic, so this is your limit. You'd never make it far with such a lack in conviction. Arghh, damn you."

Of course the girl couldn't respond. She'll remain there on the ground with her best case scenario being that the police will pick her up and put her with in jail with the other troublemakers. Worse fates went through Asher's head for the girl, had she kept up her charge to the end he would have delivered such a fate himself.

Frustrated, Asher scratched his head while he kept an eye out for other fighters. He was in a weakened state after Pike's blow to his shoulder, and his window to make his way to the Governess had passed him after this little duel. Only thing left to do now was to follow Ash's example and leave the area.

Turning his back to his defeated opponent, he started walking away from the battlefield.

Or rather, he wanted to walk away from this mess, however...

...

......

.........

"..."

A flash of the past, words engraved in the only remaining Bharrant's heart flowed back to memory.
The Bharrant parents found it important that to teach the young the virtues of goodliness and justice, saying that even in this hellish city, you can still do good

"Never forget to do the right thing Asher, no matter how hellish life seems to. Together people can overcome any adversity. You treat people here right and you'll find yourself surrounded by allies. Have a little faith in them. And in return, our dream will surely ▄▄█▄▄█ ▄▓▄▄▄█▓ █▄████

...Damn you Pike. I'm regretting this already.

The more noble heart took over after the adrenaline faded and his boiling blood cooled off. Asher steeled himself while biting his lip. He knew it was a bad idea. That she wasn't worth this trouble. That this would only complicate matters with the Seven Sins. That she'll go into a frenzy again as soon as she woke up.

Even so, Asher wasn't able to just leave her to her own devices. Things would have been different had she been strong in her conviction. He'd have passed the point of no return and would've regretted the ending like he always does. So now, standing on that very point with a choice ahead of him, how could he betray his ideals.

Everyone deserves a second chance, isn't that true?

Carefully and painfully lifting the girl over his one good shoulder, keeping an eye out to his surroundings, he started to leave the battleground and make his way to safety.

Naturally, such a thing was easier said then done. The road ahead would be filled with many more hardships.

[Tangerang]

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

The sound of footsteps seemed to multiply and grow until it reached a deafening roar. This wasn't some small group heading down the alleyway but a large unified force. And judging by the sound of the marching in lockstep, they were quite well trained and disciplined.

Five, ten, one dozen, two dozen... probably close to thirty people Theola estimated from her hiding spot.

It also didn't seem like there was any indication of slowing down. At this rate, Maria would be trampled to death. After all she did to deliberately leave her alive, that would quite the waste. Although with that said, it's hard to believe that these soldiers would deliberately trample an injured person in their path regardless of how robotic they may be.

Peeking from her hiding spot, Theola looked at the place Maria lay. However, she was no longer there. Somehow, she had been moved against the side of the alley, opening the path wide open for the marching soldiers.

"...And who might you be?"

A voice spoke from behind Theola, causing her to spin around in surprise. Somehow, she hadn't noticed this person at all she thought as she tried to forcibly calm down her racing heart.

Before her stood a seemingly young, blonde woman haired with sapphire eyes and an uniform similar to those marching down the alleyway.

As Theola intensely observed this stranger, so too was she being observed in turn.

"A captain from the Inferno police force? In that case, you can be at ease. We're on the same side then. This is the Eden special forces, deployed at one of the Council member's special request..."

She looked up and down Theola's body. Her gaze flickered over to where Maria lay.

"With that said, do you require assistance? You appear to be injured."

Spoiler:

????? - Agent of Eden

---

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

Asher didn't expect his exit to be an easy one. Considering his injuries, considering the fact that he was preoccupied with carrying a person, and considering the fact that this was still an active battlefield, his expectations of escaping without taking further injury were rather bleak.

Or rather, he was already mentally preparing himself to defend from further attacks.

In the distance, a large commotion could be heard. Yelling, and the sound of weapons clashing seemed to renew themselves. Yet there was something new in those sounds.

Looking back over behind himself, Asher saw what had happened. A new group of people had entered the battle, and they seemed to be allied on with the city. Furthermore, their skills and abilities seemed to be a cut above normal. Of course, the attackers still possessed contractors scattered within them, but even accounting for them, the tide seemed to be turning. In fact, as far as Asher could tell, some of them had even begun to withdraw, sensing it had become a losing battle.

Despite being his 'enemy', their appearance was quite a fortunatous coincidence. With the attention shifted their way, his odds of escaping had jumped dramatically by his estimation, as he made his way in the opposite direction, away from the battlefield.

[Leftovers]

Gremory
Inferno - Plaza
Afternoon

Seven puppets wrenched free from the mayhem. Seven puppets surrounded her from all sides. Seven puppets spoke their burning tongues as one.

The message did not matter. Mortals rarely did. What value mortals had was in their capacity as vessels of the ineffable.

Vehicles of cosmic irony. Actors in a chthonic tragedy. Jesters making a ridicule of the world. Agents of unwitting resolution.

Humans were fragments of a supreme design composed at the hands of Devils. But even they did not know whence it sprung forth, nor which path it would take. Artists were not fully in control of their creations. The best between them understood this, and could thus appreciate the most important element of all. The one that enriched the meaning of all that surrounded it, all that it tore down, in paradoxes and contradictions and cruel insensate pitiless utter lack of meaning.

Coincidence.

Tearing apart the most intricate plots, dismantling the most powerful forces, awakening the most perfect symmetry out of chaos, destroying the most immaculate order.

SEVEN

And on occasion, providing a laugh where one expected none.

SEVEN

That was, after all, what Gremory was doing right now. Having a laugh. Not because some grand design had been fulfilled, nor because some ancient plan had been foiled.

SEVEN

It was just, that number. Being brought against her. By a mere human. Against her! He wouldn't lose! AGAINST HER!

SEVEN

She laughed.

SEVEN

She laughed.

SEVEN

She laughed and laughed.

SEVEN

She stopped laughing.

She wiped a tear from her eye.

She spoke, but she did not reply.

“Seven deadly sins."

Blood awakened from the soil.

"Seven ways to win."

It pooled in rivulets.

"Seven holy paths to hell."

It snaked its way along the ground.

"Seven downward slopes."

It formed a magic circle around her.

"Seven bloodied hopes."

It formed a heptagram with the puppets at its corners.

"Seven are your burning fires."

It torched with an unearthly glow.

"Seven your desh—augh?”

It sputtered and died down to nothing.

Not by itself, of course. The ritual was perfect. The connection was almost established. Not even the disturbance from the new arrivals to the battlefield could have disrupted the flow of power. From the moment that Gremory's whim had deemed it necessary to be manifest, it was merely inevitable.

Then, what was the cause for the failure, this spectacular charisma break which had stunned even the man behind the puppets to silence?

That was, simply, nothing other than the cause of the ritual itself.

Coincidence. A misstep of acclimation that should never have happened. A split-second's break of concentration that had brought the glorious moment to ruin.

Human involuntary reflexes could not help focusing on the source of the commotion, the newly arrived reinforcements turning the tide of the battle. Human biology did not allow for concentration to fragment momentarily so that two separate functions requiring the mind's focus could be carried on in parallel.

Neither of these were problems to the Devil Gremory's superior physique, so she had no reason to know about them. Which was why, when the human tide broke through and her control wavered by the minutest fraction....

....she bit her tongue. The Devil of Love bit her tongue. And now she stared at the remnants of her magic circle, hands balled into fists, unsure whether she should rage or cry.

This was her chance to break loose after all this time. To breathe even just a little from within this pathetic flesh suit. To spread her wings again. And this chance was gone, because, because this, this pathetic mortal husk had—!

Heh, serves you right.

A small, insignificant voice rang like laughter in her mind, and Gremory's eyes widened.

"YOU!" She roared out in an unearthly tone at that which did not exist in the outside world, her explosive anger shattering her decorum. "YOU INSIGNIFICANT WORM! AN ETERNITY OF TORMENT TO YOU AND ALL YOU HOLD DEAR WILL BE THE LEAST OF OUR RETRIBUTION! WE WILL CARVE EVERY SYLLABLE OF SUFFERING IN EVERY TONGUE OF DEVILS AND MEN ONTO YOUR UNDYING SOUL YOU PATHETI—kuh."

Her defiance once more proven, Leila did not taunt Gremory again, letting the Devil wearing her skin nurse her abused tongue with a look of mortification so unfitting on her stolen face that it verged on pitiful. All the while, battle raged around them. The puppets were still there, maybe. She didn't notice; the inner battle, the ceaseless struggle for domination and dominion, had immediately taken precedence.

One thing was certain. If those who could perceive the girl in red didn't think of her as completely insane before, her performance had probably won them over.

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

Caught by surprise, Theola had almost instinctively begun to grab at her sword, ready to engage in combat with whoever had managed to sneak up behind her. While she had been pretty annoyed (for a number of reasons) at the idea that Maria might simply be caught up in the march of whatever elite force was now heading to the sight and had begun to move to try and get her out of the way, she did not think she had left herself so unguarded as to enable anyone to sneak up on her.

That meant this woman, whoever she was, was not someone to take lightly…

But it did not seem like they would be coming into conflict today.

With that in mind, she let her hand relax off of her sword.

Eden’s special forces… honestly, she couldn’t say that she knew all that much about them. Considering they weren’t present at the site even though the city knew full well the dangers involved… she couldn’t say that she thought too highly of them, but there was not point in making unnecessary enemies.

“You’re correct. I am Theola August, a captain for a unit tasked with escorting the governor to a safe hiding place. I assume she is the one who called you here today…?”

Noticing that the woman had taken note of Maria, she continued.

“I was preoccupied with fighting off an assailant and let them go on ahead. I’m not that badly injured- although I wouldn’t pass up on any assistance, if you’re offering, Miss...?”

She trailed off, realizing the girl had yet to introduce herself.

[Tangerang]

Gremory
Inferno - Plaza
Afternoon

"YOU! ...YOU INSIGNIFICANT WORM! AN ETERNITY OF TORMENT TO YOU AND ALL YOU HOLD DEAR WILL BE THE LEAST OF OUR RETRIBUTION! WE WILL CARVE EVERY SYLLABLE OF SUFFERING IN EVERY TONGUE OF DEVILS AND MEN ONTO YOUR UNDYING SOUL YOU PATHETI—kuh."

The young's woman's outburst echoed throughout the battlefield, causing everyone who heard it to turn their eyes toward her. Those who had just been locked in bloody brutal combat just moments before temporarily paused their fighting to witness what appeared to be Gremory's insane rant and breakdown.

In fact, those closest to her even began to move away several yards before resuming their previous activity.

As for the puppetmaster who had been communicating with her, he was long gone. The men and women that he had been using had collapsed onto the ground, like puppets with their strings cut. It was uncertain on whether or not he had left before or after Gremory's breakdown, but it might have been less embarrassing to imagine that he was lone gone and missed the show.

Gremory soon found herself surrounded again, but by a different group of people. She had been too preoccupied with her own thoughts, with what had happened that she stopped paying attention to what was happening in the present. As the gangs had begun withdrawing from the battlefield like the puppetmaster said, the government forces took over more and more of the battlefield. And thus, the police took the insane (?) civilian (?) into temporary protective custody.

However, it wasn't as if the contents of her rant was something they could ignore. Whether or not she was just some harmless crazy person or a threat to the peace would have to be determined later.

---

Theola August
Inferno
Afternoon

“You’re correct. I am Theola August, a captain for a unit tasked with escorting the governor to a safe hiding place. I assume she is the one who called you here today…?”

"So you're Captain Theola? Then I'll be pleased to inform you that your squad has successfully accomplished their task. We ran into them a little bit ago, and I had some extra members accompany them for additional safety. They all should have reached the safe house successfully."

She paused for a moment, then gave a shrug.

"I really shouldn't say. That's something you should ask her yourself."

“I was preoccupied with fighting off an assailant and let them go on ahead. I’m not that badly injured- although I wouldn’t pass up on any assistance, if you’re offering, Miss...?”

The woman looked Theola over again, glancing at the scar on her chest. Fortunately it had already stopped bleeding thanks to Theola's ability, but the healing processed hadn't fully finished yet before the Eden forces arrived.

"I appreciate the spirit, but you've done a good enough job already. Go and get some rest and recuperation. The fighting has turned in our favor, but it hasn't stopped so I'll have to be going on now."

She gave Theola a nod and a small salute, and started moving towards the battlefield.

Slowing down for a moment, she turned and looked back at Theola.

"We'll probably be seeing each other soon enough, anyway."

And like that, she was gone.

[Tangerang]

Theola August
Inferno
Night

By the time Theola had returned to her residence, the sun had long since set. But it was to be expected, considering the eventful nature of the day. Even though they had achieved 'victory', the fact that the gang of the underworld would stage so brazen an attack in such a public location, and even employ devil contractors clearly indicated a shift in their methods going forward.

A meeting had been among some of the top brass to discuss future policy in light of this attack, and the chief had invited Theola to attend, even though her rank might not normally qualify her. Either way, it was not something that she should miss.

---

Asher Bharrant
Inferno
Night


Asher checked in on his new 'guest' who was currently still unconscious, laying on a sofa in his living room. He had run into Ash again and ironed out a few further details. Regardless of what the original plans and tests were, for now he was considered part of the gang. Ash himself seemed a bit uncertain, as the unilateral attack launched by Julius had sent the future spiraling into chaos and uncertainty. Things were being set in motion in places that neither of them could see. However, when the future was so uncertain, that is also the period of time that also provides the most opportunity for change and advancement.

---

Gremory
Inferno
Night

Quiet. Dark. These would probably be the two words to describe the place that Gremory found herself in. After her little performance during the tail end of the battle, she found herself surrounded by police officers and city officials and was taken away into this temporary holding cell. Considering all the criminals that were captured, the cells were practically full. And yet Gremory found herself a place all by herself.

The reason for this was two-fold. Firstly, she wasn't seen attacking or really fighting and thus was not labelled a criminal. And it wouldn't be right to send a poor confused innocent civilian to stay with hardened criminals.

The second reason was on the off chance that she was telling the truth, the city would likely have to take... alternative methods. It seems extremely unlikely that this girl was a devil, but even a 1% chance needs to be checked out.

---

Ashley Harker
Inferno
Night

Ashley eventually made his way back to the place that he called his home. And yet, he couldn't exactly call today a success. He thought back to the incident earlier that day. The man who had rained down fire upon innocent civilians, burning them to their deaths, causing destruction and mayhem. Harker had tried to stop him, but his efforts had been futile. No, perhaps they had been worse than useless. After he had tried to convince him to step down, the man had in fact intensified his assault, as if to demonstrate to Harker his own weakness and powerlessness. Just how many people had lost their lives because Harker had been unable to stop a single mad man? For what purpose had he been given power? These were thoughts that he needed to sort out for himself.

---

Lukas Ignazio
Inferno-Plaza
Afternoon

Lukas found himself sitting in the pews inside a church. He had managed to survive the assaults the strange nun had launched at him. Although to term it survive might be a bit too much. She had simply launched a series of attacks at him, before retreating from the battlefield. Soon after she had left, the tides had shifted overwhelmingly in favor of the police. Lukas too had made his own exit around that time, judging that it would be prudent to leave when he had the chance instead of being caught up in the police's counter assault. It's not as if he particularly belonged to either side after all. Then again, considering how much influence both sides had, it's not as if he would be able to completely ignore them either, or so he judged.