19 Winter: Planning; That Which; Turned Into; Action And; Fighting

"I'm going on ahead," I said, glancing back at the four behind me.

"Okay, have fun Erebus!"

"You be safe Eru~!"

I nodded before dashing through the newly made hole we busted open, pulling out my wooden sword from my cloak before taking a glance at my surroundings.

The interior of the building was white, with glowing blue lines inlaid the walls, all pulsing towards something, although I could care less about where at the moment.

"Shadow Slash."

With a singular slash of my sword, I cut open another way through, using the darkness that had enveloped my sword to blast wall open, causing stray guards to get sent flying backwards.

I rushed through the hole, only to find myself surrounded by more guards with various types of weapons.

"Get him, he's only one guy!"

I sighed, glaring at them with my singular red eye. "I don't have time for you fools.

"Shadow Step."

I melted away, causing mass confusion between the soldiers before rushing my way forwards.

"Blunt Shadow Strike."

I knocked all of them out with my sword, reappearing out of the last guy's shadow before dashing forward again.

"If you continue straight Erebus you'll eventually reach him!" I heard through my earpiece, and I nodded.

"Thanks Lachesis."

"No problem, just remember to keep him busy long enough until we all arrive, got it?"

"Right," I responded, and continued onward, slicing through another wall.

"I swear, I will save you King," I said, the darkness starting to grow thicker around my sword as I glared down all the enemies in my path…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh man, he really went off by himself," I said, looking through the smoke. "Well, we should go too, right Nyx?"

"Hold up, why the hell am I going with you yah big ball of sunshine?" Nyx complained, and I only laughed as I patted her on the back.

"Oh relax, we've always been a pair! Why split up now?"

"I thought it was supposed to be divide and conquer," Nyx muttered, messing with one of the rings on her fingers before frowning. "Now that I think about it, where the hell is Aether?"

"Oh, Tae~Tae left already Nyxy~. I'll be going down the right side, since Tae~Tae went left. You should follow the doors, or just follow Eru~," Eros purred out, winking at the two of us before heading right, and Nyx sighed again.

"Well, let's go you ball of sunshine."

I let out a merry grin, literally beaming at her. "Aw hell yeah! Let's go bash the bad guys!" I slammed my two fists together, which were covered in metal gauntlets, before rushing at the enemy.

"Light's Out!"

I threw a punch, causing all the enemies in front of me to pass out.

"It's okay, you'll wake up when it's morning!" I yelled out before continuing forward towards the door.

"Daybreak!"

An explosion of light exploded the door as I threw another punch, and I grinned at Nyx.

"C'mon, we gotta save King yah slowpoke!"

"And The Clock Strikes 1."

Suddenly, all the soldiers in front of me passed out, screaming out in horror as they did so.

"You should pay more attention Hemera. What would've happened if I wasn't here to stop them?" Nyx said, her right index finger pointed down, the ring on it glowing a dark blue.

"But, that's why you're here, isn't it?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion. Nyx sighed and readjusted another one of her rings again before walking forward.

"I guess you may be right about that. Now let's hurry it up, I'd rather not be the last one there."

"I couldn't have said it better myself!" I yelled out, and together we rushed towards the enemy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Everyone seems to be making progress," I said, opening my eyes before looking at the map of the building that was up on the laptop.

The building was shaped in a decagon, with there being a total of eight walls, or layers so to speak, before reaching the center of the building, with each layer being a different shape (the number of sides went down with each layer, with the final layer before the room King was in being a circle). There were three main doors in each layer, all of them facing one another. We had entered in one of the bottom corners, so Aether, Eros, and Nyx and Hemera were all going for one of the door pathways, while Erebus was busting through the walls to make a route of his own (Aether was going to the door farthest away while Nyx and Hemera went to the nearest door). Each layer also had various rooms and pathways in them, and it was my job to guide them through it.

"So, how's it going on your end Necessitas?" I asked through my headset.

"I'm speeding like crazy right now; I wouldn't be surprised if I got pulled over for reckless driving over here."

I giggled. "Well, keep it up. You and Erebus are our Queens after all. Still, imagine my shock when you said you liked motorcycles."

"Yeah, I got my license for it earlier this year. Actually, that was the day I went with karaoke with King and Aether. That was quite fun."

"We'll be able to celebrate like that as many times as we want after we rescue him, so get her."

"Roger!"

I glanced back at the map and frowned. "Damn, didn't know it could do that." Upon closer inspection, it looked like each wall could rotate to make it harder for intruders to invade.

I closed my eyes again, seeing once more…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sir, it looks as if there are five invaders, although we've lost track of one of them."

"OH, MY FAMILY REUNION!" Iapetus screeched out, shaking his head in disbelief.

I frowned, readjusting my glasses. "How did you lose track of one of them already? They've only just broken in."

"Sorry Prometheus sir, but the security team is hard at work to find the last one. However, we know their objective, judging-!"

The entire building shook once more, causing the guard reporting to falter before continuing.

"It seems the person in question has already broken through Layer Heptagon sir! They all seem to be making their way here, probably for-!"

"The key, of course," I said, sighing. I glanced back at the key, who was still knocked out from my father's roughhousing with him, before looking back at the soldier.

"Okay, how much of security is down then?"

"We've lost control of opening the doors and cameras sir!"

"I'm starting to get pissed Prometheus. This was supposed to be damn easy, otherwise I wouldn't have even come to this stupid event," Menoetius growled out, tapping his foot impatiently while having his arms crossed.

"Don't get mad so easily, especially not while Epimetheus is still here," I warned, glancing at my other brother, who was playing in the dirt.

"How about the rotating layer system, is that still online?" I asked, and the guard nodded.

"Yes, I can give the order at any moment."

"Do that, and I'll see what I can do about bringing the security back."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Aether, where might you be right now?"

I was wandering through the hallway in what was Layer Nonagon before I heard a peasant speak to me in my ear.

"Why should I divulge such information to someone beneath me?"

"Because you wanna save King, right?"

"Layer Nonagon, why?" I asked, glancing at the pulsating blue lines that were imbedded into the walls. Now that I think about it, it almost looks like a circuit board…

"You went left, so there should be a security station nearby. I'm gonna need you to disable it for me. I would do it from here, but they have it so it can only be manually accessed."

I stubbed my toe on a box, frowning. What the hell is something so insignificant in my damn way? A small smile arose, looking at the box more closely, and I responded.

"Yeah, where might it be?"

"Keep going straight, take the first right you see, and it should be the second left from that point forward."

I kicked the box forward, nodding before glancing at the walls once more, a rare smile on my face. "Got it, but I know an easier way, so don't worry about your revolving Layers."

"Wait, how did you know about that!?"

"I'm the best, of course I figured it out. I'll head to the security room later," I said, and I snapped my fingers.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A loud boom shook the entire room again, causing the lines around the room to flicker.

"Sir, there's another problem!" The guard yelled out after listening in from his earpiece.

"OH, my poor, poor heart…" My father muttered, sinking to his knees.

"Damn it, now what!?" I yelled out, before a thought crossed my mind. "Wait, could it be that someone destroyed the security room?"

"No, that wasn't it. I don't know how or if it was just dumb luck, but they destroyed one of the circuits for the Layer System!"

Huh? "Are you telling me someone's smart enough on their side to have figured it out!?" That was so highly improbable, that even I didn't think of that.

"I, I don't have an answer for that sir…" the soldier trailed off before listening in to his earpiece. "Wait, what's wrong over there!? What the hell is happening!?"

"What's wrong now?" I asked, holding my head as I ran through all the possible scenarios in my head.

"Someone managed to push the button in one of the security rooms to open up all the doors up to Layer Pentagon sir! It seems it was the one we had lost track of!"

"It was probably him then," I murmured. Who the hell is this guy? But he's not alone, so what groups could there be that either already knows about the Circuit System or is smart enough to figure it out? There aren't too many…

"It couldn't have been them, they have no reason to save him, nor would they show up, especially since they hate science, so who?" I muttered before sighing. "Well, it's not an issue at the moment, so send all the guards you have in Layer Pentagon to cover the three doors, that shouldn't be a problem then."

"And the last one?" The guard asked, and I clicked my tongue, glancing over at my siblings.

"They're in Layer Hexagon right now, right? Send all the guards in that layer to him. I don't want him busting through anymore layers as fast as he has been."

"Sir!"

I looked over at my father, slightly biting my lip. Well, I guess it'll depend on my idiot Father then…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Aether, thanks for the assist. By they way, how did you disable the Layer System so easily?"

"Oh, I kicked a box of explosives and almost died, but it seemed to have blown up something important along the way, so I guess it's alright."

"Are you an idiot!? Do you wanna die or something Aether!?"

"Oh, I also pushed a big red button in the security room-!"

"Wait, don't you not push big red buttons? You're a funny guy Aether!"

"More importantly, what did that cause!? A company wide call out to tell them we've intruded!?"

"Um, actually, it opened all the doors up to Layer 4, so you don't have to worry about that anymore," I said, looking at the map.

"… Really? He really did that? I call dumb luck."

"I call smart genius. Anyway, I have to run away now."

I giggled to myself while I heard Nyx sigh. "Well, thanks for the update Lachesis. Let's hope that idiot doesn't die."

"Nah, he's too stupid to die Nyx! Now let's go beat up more bad guys!"

"… I'm just surrounded by idiots in this damn group."

I readjusted myself, looking at the map again before frowning. Now that I think about it, it's been a while since I've heard anything from Eros.

I closed my eyes once more before quickly opening them again, gagging to myself.

"E-Eros, what the hell are you wearing right now!?"

"Oh, so you found out so soon Lachy~? I haven't even shown my lost sheep yet."

"Okay, you just have fun for now," I said, and I saw a sparkle materialize itself in front of me as he responded.

"But of course~! For Love and Peace~!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Come here already! Damnit, why can't we catch this guy!?"

"Frolicking Tendencies!"

I danced my way around the enemy, weaving through them until I reached the next door.

"Hmm, that should be plenty~!" I yelled out, ripping off my cloak.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" All the guards yelled out, and I let out a wink.

"Admiration Prevails!" I yelled out, showing them my all but naked body, wearing naught but a speedo that really accentuated my privates.

"Now come my lost sheep, and let us save our King!" I yelled out, and I got a roar of triumph in response as the next door opened, my newfound followers attacking their very own.

"We come here not to fight, but to save! Join me to save, so we can all have:

"LOVE AND PEACE!" My followers yelled out with me, and I turned to the swarm of enemies in front of me, watching them slowly turn into allies as they witnessed my form.

"Now come Followers and let us Prevail!" I yelled out, and I let myself be carried by my newfound army of followers as we entered Layer Heptagon…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sir, it seems our own men have turned against us!" The reporting guard reported before another boom, this one louder than all the others, thundered throughout the building.

"Are you sure that's what happening?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Hey Promie, why does the building keep shaking so much?" Epimetheus asked, and everyone in the room tensed up, except for Father, who was still lamenting to himself. "My dirt sculptures keep getting knocked over."

"Some people want the key Epi," Menoetius growled out, and Epi frowned.

"Uh, what key? For a door?"

"No, so we can get our family back again," I said, kneeling down next to him.

His face lit up at my words. "Oh, so we can get Atlas back?"

"OH, MY POOR SON ATLAS!! IF ONLY YOU COULD BE HERE TODAY TO REUNITE WITH YOUR BELOVED FAMILY!" Father yelled out before returning to his quiet mutterings.

"No, Atlas isn't coming back. He still has a duty to do, remember?"

Epi frowned at my words, sighing. "Yeah, I remember. If only he would come back, then Atlas could come back to us…"

"Yeah, I prefer Atlas compared to you Promie," Meno said, glaring at me. "He's the best big brother around after all."

"Yep, Atlas is the best!" Meno yelled out cheerfully, and I was loathe to agree with him. But…

"I really do miss that reliable twin of mine... He would know what to do better than me," I murmured, before shaking my head. "No, I can do this."

I turned to the guard, who was awaiting my orders.

"Don't send out anymore people where they're getting afflicted. Instead, send out drones and other non-human weapons against them, got it?"

He nodded before issuing the commands. I let out a sigh before looking up at the clear glass ceiling above.

"Damn, it looks like it's gonna be one hell of a long night today," I said, readjusting my glasses as I started to strategize once more…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Blunt Shadow Slash."

I slashed in a crescent shape in front of me, hitting them with the back of my blade, the darkness sending dozens of soldiers flying backwards, knocking them out. Even so…

There are just so many of them around… I thought as I leapt up to the ceiling, stabbing my wooden katana into the ceiling so I could survey the battlefield.

I believe I'm in between the fifth and sixth layer right now if I've been counting right, I thought as I watched the soldiers take aim at me. Did they send all the people to this floor to me?

I clicked my tongue as I moved back down on the floor, glaring at them with my single red eye through my Purple Kabuto, the one me and King picked out together…

I shook my head internally, closing my eye before relaxing my body. "Now is not the time to reminisce Erebus." I opened my eye, letting out a growl.

"Shadow Roar!"

I let out a ferocious roar, blasting an aura of darkness off of me, knocking out the majority of the enemies around me.

"Wh-what the hell is this guy!? How strong is he?"

I turned to the one who said that, getting into my sword position, which was two hands gripped on my wooden katana, pointed straight at the enemy.

"Blunt Shadow Thrust."

Using the guard of my katana, I effortlessly knocked out the enemies in my path before letting out another slash, causing a resounding boom as I kicked away the metal from the wall.

"You can reminisce with King after all this is over after all," I murmured to myself before moving forward.

"Shadow Step."

And I disappeared as I stepped through the newly made hole, melting away…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Nightfall!" I yelled out, causing about half the guards to collapse.

"When Daybreaks you'll wake up," I yelled out, following after Hemera, who had just finished bashing people up by the front.

"There sure are a lot of them Nyx!"

"Nothing we can't handle. We've dealt with demon hordes way worse than this back in the day," I said, letting out a small smile.

Hemera laughed, starting to grow brighter. "You got that right! Oh look, it's the last door that's open Nyx!"

It was true. Once we crossed through here, we would be in Layer Hexagon, or Layer 4 as Lachesis puts it. "Damn is this place huge though. I feel as if we've been fighting for at least an hour now."

"It's actually been an hour and 10 minutes," Lachesis said through my earpiece, and I let loose a sigh.

"We're gonna be here forever at this rate, you know that."

"Lights Out!"

Hemera knocked a couple dozen more people in front of her before turning back to me, grinning. "Well, we're way stronger than we used to be! Otherwise, it wouldn't be feasible to do what we're doing right now!"

She's got a point, I thought as I felt the necklace around my neck before sighing. "You're right yah big ball of sunshine, now let's hurry up already, since we have to blow open the doors now."

She gave me a salute. "Roger! I've got your front, and you've got my back!"

"And The Clock Strikes 2!"

I swung my right index and middle finger down, causing the guards around us to start swinging at opponents that weren't there.

"Demons, what the hell are demons doing here!?" One guard yelled out, shooting at the wall with crazed intent. It was comical in a morbid way.

"Let's go, while they're distracted," I said, catching up to Hemera before we moved on to Layer Hexagon.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Necessitas, how about you, are you doing okay?" I asked, looking at the progress our infiltration team had managed to get to, a little less than halfway there.

"The police tried to arrest me, but I gave them the slip. I'm glad there isn't a license plate on this thing, cause otherwise you guys would be screwed."

"We planned pretty far ahead you know," I said, watching Aether reach Layer Hexagon, him being slightly behind the others. "The last thing we need is unwarranted attention."

"I can see that, but back on topic. I should be almost there, give me like 30 more minutes okay?"

"Alright, just don't go and crash. And tell me if they're not there, got it?"

"Yep, you'll be the first to know Lachesis."

I glanced at the map again, frowning. Erebus seems to have slowed down considerably ever since he's reached layer Pentagon. He had just now reached Layer Square, although it took him quite a while.

"Hey Erebus, you okay over there?"

"Yeah, tell the others it was no problem."

No problem? I closed my eyes to see before quickly opening them again. "You didn't, did you?"

"I'll be there soon enough. I'm gonna slow down though, since I don't wanna, well, you know."

I nodded, remembering the plan. "We have to cause enough chaos to split them up, I know. Then, wreck absolute havoc on that Layer, got it?"

"Oh, it'll be my pleasure," he said, and I frowned at his statement. Hopefully it's nothing, but I can't help but be a tad bit worried about him…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"FOR LOVE MASTER EROS!" My newfound compatriots roared out, rushing what was once their allies with newfound strength.

"Damnit you guys, get ahold of yourselves!" One of the guards yelled out, and I chuckled, letting out sparkles all around me as I spread open my arms.

"Now come to me, and let us all have the love and peace we deserve!"

"Eros, just a warning, they're gonna send drones and robots your way," Lachesis said, and I flicked my hair back, a broad grin on my face.

"That shall be no issue! After all, all things have a heart, whether it's beating proudly in their chest or made of cold hard steel, a heart," I exclaimed, pointing towards the newfound enemies of drones and other mechanically powered opposition, "IS A HEART!"

"Lover's Embrace!"

A barrage of sparkles darted through the air, and each time they hit one of the mechanical guards, they opened their own hearts to me…

"Be it flesh and blood or wire and steel, none is able to resist the absolute power of love!"

My lost sheep let out a roar so loud it shook the very walls itself, and we continued on our way, our army of flesh and steel growing steadily larger the more guards we faced. Even so…

"An army this size is not yet sufficient," I murmured, my ranks growing to a number of at least 1000. "For my King, I will need much, much more to save him."

"Love Master Eros, we have reached a door that is not open! What will you have us do?"

I looked towards the door that would lead us to Layer Pentagon, smiling at my subordinates.

"I will take care of it~!" I said, leaping off the ones carrying me before rushing towards the door.

"Passion's Rush!"

I barreled through the door, blowing the set of double doors flying into the opposing wall before stopping, turning back to my comrades.

"Let us move onward!" I yelled out, and the rush of my lost sheep followed after me, and it was only then that I noticed the gift dear Eru had left us.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh wow, he really went all out here!" I exclaimed, looking over the massive amounts of damage he had caused.

Inside Layer Pentagon, all the enemies had been defeated, lying unconscious on the ground, over the rafters in the ceiling, some even getting stuck within the walls around us. The bright white lights that lit up the entire building without fail were also flickering constantly, leaving a mist of darkness around us.

Nyx walked up next to me, frowning.

"Night Rend."

The heavy mist around us vanished, and Nyx sighed, her white eyes turning a light grey at her words.

"Ugh, he's really going all out with this. Well, at least the way forward is clear."

I gave her one of my merry grins, lighting up the place around me. "Oh, look at you! You looked on the bright side of things for once!"

She scowled before rolling her eyes. "Whatever, the more energy we save the better right? We've been here for damn near two hours already you know."

"Yeah, and it's been so fun this entire time!" I yelled out, the lights now permanently back on before I walked forward, apologizing to the unconscious bodies I was walking over.

"Sorry about that! Erebus get's so serious when he fights, it's really funny considering how he normally acts!" I yelled out, bowing down to all the groaning bodies in the vicinity.

I suddenly felt myself getting dragged away by the shirt, and I looked over at Nyx, who was sighing to herself. "No need to apologize to them Hemera; after all, they are the one's who kidnapped King after all."

"I know that! I can't help but feel a little bad for them though, since they keep getting their butts handed to them so easily."

"Sometimes, I worry about you, you know that?" Nyx muttered, and I let out a cheery grin.

"Really!? Then we're the same, since I always worry about you!" I finally stood back up before running ahead, slamming my gauntlets together.

"Don't you worry King; we'll be there in a jiffy!" I yelled out, taking the charge up once more.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I see, so that didn't work either then?" I grumbled to myself, messing up my short hair.

"Oi, I'm just getting pissed off by not doing anything. Let me have a go at them," Menoetius growled out, cracking his knuckles.

"Yeah, I'm tired of having my sculptures being torn down all the time," Epimetheus said, frowning as another boom took down his dirt sculptures.

I sighed, looking back at the soldier reporting. "Alright, what else did you have to say?"

"Right, all the guards in Layer Pentagon have been taken out by the one rushing through here!"

My brothers and I tensed up at his words, and I narrowed my eyes at the one reporting. "You're serious? One person took out all those guards by themselves?"

"Uh, yes sir."

Damn, if this group is that strong, no wonder they've been busting through our defenses so easily. Who could they possibly be, especially since there are only five of them here? I glanced at the key, his long hair covering his face. "Unless, could it be that there are more of them doing other things? And if we take into consideration that the key might be one, plus one giving orders, that just leaves seven…"

"But, I do have something that could help identify who they are," the soldier reporting offered, and I waved my hand at him to continue.

"They seem to all wear headgear."

My eyes widened at his words, and I quickly turned to the soldier, grabbing onto his collar. "You're not joking are you!? You're being absolutely serious right now!?"

"Promie, what's wrong?" I gritted my teeth before turning to our Father, who was still lamenting to himself.

"Father, allow us to handle them immediately."

His mutterings suddenly stopped, and he looked over at the three of us before a broad grin appeared on his face.

"WHAT EXCELLENCE!" He roared out, shooting to his feet. "Very well, this is what family does after all, take care of one another in times of great need! This counts as great need, would you not say so!?"

We all nodded, and he slammed his foot on the ground, causing the entire building to rumble.

"Now go my sons, and take care of the intruders! After all, nothing can bring family together like good entertainment and fighting!"

"Fucking finally!" Meno roared out before running ahead to one of the three exits in the room. "That damned prick who's been blowing through the damn walls needs to be taken out right now, and I'm the motherfucker who's gonna do it!"

"Oh, I can't wait for the fighting to stop! Then we can all have a nice family gathering, with all of us being friends at last!" Epi yelled out, also going out of one of three exits.

As for me. "I'll go see if I can find that damn bastard who keeps on disturbing the security system. I need to know if he's actually smart or not."

I started to walk towards the exit, bringing the soldier with me. Besides, if it's the group I think it is, then we might actually be in trouble…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"YES!" I yelled out, pumping my arms in the air, the first part of the plan finally going well.

"What happened?" Aether asked, and I managed to compose myself before speaking.

"They split off from King guys, so you know the drill!"

"I see, it's about time~!"

"Aw hell yeah, let's do it Nyx!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself Hemera!"

"Then, I'll proceed with my part of the plan," Erebus responded, and I glanced back at the box, two more sets of headgear within the box.

"Yep, go ahead, and I'll tell you who'll be fighting who!" I turned back to the map, everyone except for Aether reaching Layer Square.

I closed my eyes shut, seeing the battlefield once more…

"You damn fucker, you've been rampaging fucking long enough. I think it's about time for you to die!"

"I don't have time for this bullshit, so get out Of MY WAY!"

A terrible boom echoed throughout the building, and I could only watch as Erebus barely avoided the blast, watching him drop his wooden katana.

"Why the hell am I always stuck dealing with weirdos. Well, I at least have a plan for you two."

"We gotta move yah big ball of sun-!"

"NYX!"

"Eh, who might you be? Oh, I know, a friend right? If you could please stop fighting so we can all be friends, that would be absolutely wonderful!"

"Oh my, it appears I can't move~. This is most definitely your doing, my-!"

I opened my eyes, frowning at the outcome. I glanced at the map once more, looking at everyone's relative positions again.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A loud boom echoed the Layer I was in, and I stopped, sensing someone strong rapidly approaching.

"Oi, you motherfucker, I finally found your ass!"

I turned to a boy who didn't look much older than myself, with brown skin that was a similar color to his frizzling afro. He bared his teeth as he saw me, wrapping one of his fingers with something.

"You damn punk, ruining my damn night out. It's bad enough I was forced to come to this fucking family reunion, but having intruders really makes me pissed, especially since I have to take care of it, just like that older brother of mine does."

"Shadow Slash."

The boy easily dodged out of the way of my strike, and I scowled, narrowing my red eye at him.

"Honestly, what an absolute pain in the ass. But it's an order from Father, so I'll enjoy killing you!"

Suddenly, the wall next to him exploded, and amidst the dust came forth Aether, who was surveying the place.

"Huh? How did you do that one then, yah fucker?"

"I accidentally set off another box of explosives. Can't believe I didn't die again," Aether said, readjusting his red baseball cap.

"Oh, it was you who was blowing up those damn circuits then! Hey Pro, I found the guy you've been looking for this entire fucking time!" The boy yelled out before shrugging to himself. "Ah well, who the fuck cares. I don't give a damn about a person who hides himself away, so beat it."

Aether walked over to me, ignoring everything the boy said. "I got this, you shouldn't get held up when you have your own task to do."

I nodded, and right when Aether reached me, he stopped, looking at my Kabuto.

"You should be wary about that eye of yours."

I tensed up, putting my free hand to my eye. "Ah, I didn't realize, thanks for the warning."

"Did I just get damn ignored?"

"As a matter of fact, you did. Normally, a peasant like you wouldn't be worth my damn time, but today's a special occasion," Aether said, looking down at the boy.

"I'm only here for that strong one, who the fuck cares about a guy who relies on his damn head!?" The boy yelled out, slamming his foot on the ground, causing the entire building to shake and rumble.

"Thanks for this Aether," I said before turning back around, making my way to Layer Triangle.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Wow, look at all those bad guys Nyx!" I yelled out, knocking out a couple dozen before turning back to the one who had my back.

"Shut up and keep fighting already!" Nyx yelled out, before a loud explosion followed by a wave of darkness overcame us, sending the majority of the soldiers flying into the wall.

"Oh, it's you guys," Erebus said, coming out of the darkness. "What's up with you two?"

"Oh hey! Wait, did you come all this way to say hi!? Aw, we missed you too buddy!" I yelled out, nearly tackling him with my hug.

"No, Aether is just fighting someone trouble-!" He got cut off as the entire building shook to its core, some of the rafters falling from up above.

"Hmph, not what I was expecting, but oh well, this should be fine."

We turned to a boy, who was walking amongst the falling rafters, readjusting his glasses as he peered at the three of us. The boy had light brown skin, with short brown hair that had red tips, and he let out a sigh.

"Well, this should be-!"

"Shadow Step."

And then he was gone, along with Erebus, and instead there was another boy, with dark brown skin along with his big afro with white tips, who frowned as he looked around us.

"Huh? What just happened? I thought I was talking to a strange man who was almost wearing nothing, but oh well." The boy turned to us, his brown eyes practically glowing at us with happiness.

"Let's all be friends, okay?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh, wow Eru~, didn't realize you were around."

I watched as he came from the darkness, and with him a boy with red tipped hair and light brown skin.

"Sorry, but I was told to do this. Anyway, I have a place to be."

"Oh, leaving me so soon~? Ah well, I already have plenty of lost sheep to play with, why not one more?" I said, winking sparkles his way before Erebus vanished once more into the darkness.

"Ugh, the hell?" The boy grumbled, picking his glasses off from the ground before looking at me, scowling. "Oh great, it's the charmer."

"Oh, you know who I am~? I'm so honored to hear that~!" I said, looking back at my followers. "We have one more person to join us!"

"LOVE MASTER EROS!" They chanted back, and I gave a wide grin before turning back to my opponent.

"Well now, I shall be your opponent! For I am Love Master Eros, Charmer of Incubus', The Most Sexual of Deviants, right at your service!" I said, winking at the boy.

"So, it is true then. You're a part of that group," the boy said, glaring at me. "Well, I'm quite different from the others. You'll find it hard to charm me Eros."

The Stage, Layer Square in a hallway much untouched by fighting.

Target, Prometheus.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"People like you piss me off the most, so I'll kill you quickly you and go after the troublesome one!"

I scoffed at him, a rare smile on my face.

"If you think a plebeian like you is worth effort, you are sorely mistaken. After all, I am the greatest of all, Menoetius."

"Huh? The hell you know my name for?"

"Even if you aren't worth my time, I still have to fight you. Of course I would at least know a name that I will forget soon after this forgettable battle."

I watched as his veins bulged out from his forehead, and he reeled his arms back as he let out a wicked grin, a look of pure rage on his face.

"I'm gonna kill you quickly you motherfucking piece of shit!"

The Stage, Layer Square in a hallway that was nearly falling apart.

The Target, Menoetius.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, let's not all fight now, I just wanna make sculptures and have fun!" The boy said, grinning at us, and the remaining enemies all tensed up as he made our way towards us, an innocent and pure look on his face.

"Oh, so that's it then!? You must be Epimetheus!" I yelled out, pumping my fists in the air. "I don't really know who you are, but let's have a great ole brawl!"

"No, fighting is bad!" He said, pouting at us. "I really, really hate fighting. My biggest bro hates it too, so much so that he would fight to stop the fighting. It seems like I have no choice but to make sure you all stop fighting."

Nyx tensed up next to me, and I frowned at his words. "Hmm? What's wrong Nyx?"

"Seriously yah great big ball of sunshine, he sounded so creepy saying that it wasn't even funny!"

"Oh, I thought he just didn't wanna fight, and was explaining it too us!" I let out a cheery grin before smashing my gauntlets together.

"Sorry, but we have to fight you anyway! Please forgive us!"

The Stage, Layer Square in a hallway with the roof starting cave in.

The Target, Epimetheus.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I pumped my fists, successfully changing what I had saw. "Alright guys, go ham on those three!"

"Right!" Everyone except Erebus and Necessitas yelled out, and I looked at the time before nodding to myself.

"You almost there Necessitas?" I asked through my headset.

"Yep, I can see the target now!"

"Good, make sure she knows what's happening on the way here, got it?"

"Of course, leave it to me!"

I focused back on the map, watching their fights unfold within my "sight" …

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Come back here you motherfucker!"

I watched a wall get blown away right next to me, making a hole that led all the way to the outside. Just how strong is this guy?

I looked back at the boy named Menoetius who was chasing after me with all his might before stopping.

"Huh!? Finally decided to let yourself die yah punk?"

I shook my head. "No, I just needed to catch my breath."

I watched as more veins bulged out of his body. "Stop screwing With ME!"

He let out a vicious roar that shook the entire building, sending a blast of wind hurtling straight towards me.

"That was unexpected," I muttered, watching the blast narrowly miss me before going up towards the ceiling, blowing out the debris it caused into the night sky.

"What the hell is up with you!?" He roared out, his brown eyes glaring at me as he cracked his knuckles once more. "How the fuck did that miss yah!?"

"You just can't aim, like the peasant you are," I said, glancing at my surroundings. The walls had faint blue lines pulsing through them, fading in and out due to Meno's rampage. There were plenty of boxes around, although I couldn't use any of them to my advantage, however.

Ah well, back on the run I go, I thought before running away once more.

"You little son of a bitch! Stop running around and fight me!"

I started to run backwards, looking at Meno. "You're just not worth my time. If you really wanna fight, actually hit me with those hits of yours."

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Hey Lachesis, how far away am I to the security room on this layer?"

"Eh? Shouldn't you be fighting right now?"

"Nah, I'm running away right now," I said, another one of his hits barely missing me, sending its way through the other layers like a boxer punching through cake.

"I told you he wouldn't be able to do anything Lachesis! He's useless!"

"Nah, I'm the greatest. I'll get to King before anyone else does Nyx. Now, answer please."

"Oh, just take a right down the hallway, then the next two lefts should take you too it."

I nodded, sticking my tongue out at Meno.

"FUCK OFF!" I tensed up as he slammed one of his toes into the ground, causing the ground around us to rupture and split off.

I leapt to the right, just barely making inside the hallway before the building fissured into two.

"As much as it pains me to say this, this guy is ridiculously strong. He's just tearing through the building like it's nothing." I commented, looking back at him. He was practically glowing with anger as he wrapped something around one of his fingers.

"If I can't even take you out, how the hell am I meant to help big bro!?" He roared out, causing sharp gusts of wind that tore through the metal in this building as easily as a hot knife through butter.

It once more narrowly missed me, only tearing up my shirt as I went left.

"Just a little bit longer King. This peasant ain't nothing to me."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, let's all be friends here!" Epimetheus said, walking around to all the guards that were fighting us.

One of them tried to rush at us before stopping, a glassy look on his face as he started to bang his weapon on the ground, babbling to himself.

"See, we can all be friends!"

"Damnit, I tried to warn you," one of the guards muttered, looking at his comrade.

"We absolutely can't have fighting here anymore! Fighting is bad after all, so let's all have fun!" Epi said, clapping his hands together, an aura of innocence coming off him. And yet…

"Why do I feel so creeped out by this guy?" I thought aloud, holding onto my necklace in angst, glancing at Hemera.

"Oh, it'll be fine Nyx! He doesn't wanna fight us, so all we have to do is just go around him!" Hemera said, giving off her own aura of innocence.

"If it means no fighting, then go ahead!" Epi said, and all the guards gritted their teeth as they moved out of our way.

"Yay! We can just go save King now!"

"King? Who's that?" Epi asked as Hemera started to walk towards him.

"Oh, the guy who's trapped here! We're here to save him!" Hemera said, pounding her gauntlets together.

"Does that mean you'll fight my Father?"

"If he tries to stop us, then yeah!" Hemera said, stopping in front of Epimetheus.

I suddenly tensed up. Something is most definitely off about this kid, but what? His demeanor hasn't changed along with that baby face of his, but…

"So, you have no intention of not fighting?" Epi said, frowning at Hemera.

"Nope! But don't worry, we won't fight you!" Hemera said, patting his shoulder.

"Biggest Bro, what would you do?" I watched as a faint white aura appeared around him. "I don't like violence, so everybody just stop!"

Oh no. "Hemera, get out of there now!" I yelled out, raising my right hand up.

I watched as all the guards around him turned into similar states as the first guard, and Hemera looked back at me, frowning.

"What's wrong Nyx?"

"Wait you two, don't attack him!" I stopped at Lachesis' words, lowering my hand.

"Whatever you do, don't attack him!"

"Then what the hell are we meant to do then!?"

"I'm working on it! Just don't do anything, got it!?"

I gritted my teeth, looking at the boy named Epimetheus.

"Damnit King, you're just gonna have to wait a little while longer."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Stay back my lost sheep~!" I yelled out, blocking the oncoming blows from Prometheus.

"You're quite tough, aren't you?" He said, putting in another clip of bullets into his specially made gun.

"You really should take those glasses off~," I purred out before he unloaded another clip into me, bullets made entirely of flame nailing into me.

"My, those really do burn," I murmured, brushing off the ash that had collected on my body.

"I have no intentions of falling for your tricks. I know exactly what'll happen if I look at you without my glasses on," he said, putting his gun away before pulling out a flamethrower.

"Love Master Eros, please let us help you!" I glanced back at my newfound comrades and gave them a warm smile.

"Alas, I cannot do such a thing. You are my lost sheep, and I must protect you with all my might! Please, allow me to do that!"

"Idiot." I felt the flames engulf me, and I gritted my teeth as I slowly moved forward, feeling my hairs get singed off.

"You really are a fool," Prometheus said before turning his flamethrower off, frowning as he saw me. "How are you not dead yet?"

I put out a fire that had started in my blondish-pink hair and winked at him, sparkles darting all around the hallway. "Love shall always prevail over trivial attacks such as that!"

He sighed, changing the mode on his flamethrower. "Fine then, your body can't last forever, and I can do this all night."

I felt lances of fire get impaled into me, and I let out a small gasp, watching the flames disappear before taking out the little needles that accompanied them, only gaining small puncture holes all around the front of my body.

"You really should try something different~," I purred out, flicking my hair back.

"Lover's Embrace."

The sparkles all darted their way towards Prometheus, and he pulled out three grenades, pulling their pins before tossing them towards me.

Ad explosion of fire embraced me, and I gritted my teeth, blocking it so it wouldn't reach my lost sheep behind me.

"EROS!" They all yelled out as they watched my sparkles and I get engulfed into the flames.

"What a pain. If it was Big Bro, you would be dead already," Prometheus said as he readjusted his glasses, frowning as he watched me emerge from the flames.

"I am absolutely smoking today, aren't I King~?" I said, smoke pouring off me as my hair was left singed and frayed.

"Die already," Prometheus responded as he pulled out another weapon, a minigun, before it started to whir to life.

"Oh my, you really know how to treat a guy, don't you~?"

Just a bit longer and I'll have him King. I swear, I will save you…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What the fuck is up with this punk? I thought as I sent off another punch using only my right middle finger, blasting a hole through the walls once more, leading all the way to Layer Nonagon.

"Are you actually strong you fucker?" I asked, the punch narrowly missing the boy once more.

We were right outside the security room, the hallway around filled with boxes of explosives that we could set off just in case anyone made it this far.

The boy finally stopped running, frowning at the sealed door. "That's a problem."

I could feel my rage growing again as he continued to ignore me. If it was Atlas, he would've beaten this boy up to a pulp way faster than me. I gritted my teeth, letting out a growl as I wrapped my middle finger.

I'm not strong enough yet, to bring him back. But once our family is reunited, then I'll finally be able to…

"But first is you, yah motherfucking piece of shit!"

He sighed, finally turning around to me. "Looks like it's about time then."

"So, you're actually gonna die for me here? I'm glad, absolutely can't fucking wait to kill that bastard who's been tearing through this building, thinking he can just go after us immediately."

"No." His entire demeanor changed as his light blue eyes looked down at me, causing my rage to grow once more.

"Huh? All that running, and you think you have what it takes to actually beat me you motherfucker!?" I roared out, causing sharp gusts of wind to tear down the hallway, about to tear the boy to shreds.

"Oi, how are you doing that?" I watched as his shirt got torn to shreds, showcasing his ripped upper body and abs, and he continued to glare at me. However, the boy in question wasn't even hurt.

"Peasants like you should know their damn place. You're far too weak to be facing someone of my caliber."

I felt a drop of sweat fall from my face, and I gasped, glaring at the boy. What the hell is going on here?

"There's absolutely no way I'm gonna lose to a fucking punk like you!" I roared out, throwing a punch with my left middle finger this time, and he narrowly avoided it once more.

"That was close, but you should try harder," he said as the blast blew upwards into the ceiling, causing his silver-grey hair to fly upward.

My breathing started to grow heavier, as all the boy did was glare at me. I clutched my shirt, gasping.

Am I actually afraid of him?

I shook my head, my rage growing to it's highest yet as I took a step forward letting out a ferocious roar.

"I'LL KILL YOU, YAH MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF GODDAMN PATHETIC SHIT!" And I threw a punch with all my might.

The entire hallway exploded from the force, the ceiling ripped apart, the floor torn asunder, all of the debris hurtling straight towards the boy along with the wind that could level entire towns in its wake, slamming through him, bloodying him to a pulp, nothing left of him, not even a drop of blood.

And yet…

"How?" I gasped out, all the bones in my right arm broken as I looked upon the boy, the debris going around him, the wind blowing around him, leaving only the security room left intact, the rest of the building blowing through the surrounding hills, causing the ground to rumble in its wake.

"Because you're a peasant who can't aim at anything at all."

I couldn't catch my breath, hyperventilating at the sight of this terrifying monster, fear taken ahold of my heart as I collapsed onto my knees, my vision hazy as the boy turned around.

"Still, I guess I'll tell you who I am." He said, putting his hat back on.

"I'm Aether of the Sky, Embodiment of Perfection, Ruler of Those Beneath Me."

I guess I'm still not strong enough, Atlas…

I fell forward, blacking out as he told me one last thing.

"Thanks for opening the door for me. At least you can aim for that at least."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What's up with this guy? I thought, throwing out more grenades at Eros. Despite getting burned countless times by my many weapons, all he had was a singed look, with some of his hairs alight.

A loud boom shook the building as my grenades exploded, and I frowned, feeling the ground rumble beneath my feet.

It looks like Meno is going all out. How strong is his opponent? I thought as Eros remained standing, that stupid look still plastered on his face.

"Is that really all you got Prometheus~?"

I can't help but admire this guy's durability though. Seriously, just how tough is he? He must have some sort of weakness, but all I'm able to come up with are countermeasures. If only Atlas were here…

I shook my head, sighing to myself. My twin isn't here, and that's all there is to it. But soon, soon we'll be able to…

I tossed another grenade at him, an explosion of flames engulfing him once more. At this point, the once white halls were blackened beyond repair, the pulsating blue lines now a darkened purple. And yet…

"You really treat a guy rough~!" Eros said, his entire body steaming as he let out a cough of smoke.

"I'm tired of this. Why the hell did I get stuck with you?" I grumbled. It seems like just fire won't cut it, nor my spears of fire. It looks like I've gotta use something more physical…

I pulled out a mechanical whip, landing down on the ground with a loud thud. He frowned, the playful look in his eyes now gone.

"Masochistic Tendencies."

Something new this time? And what the hell is that even meant to mean? I readjusted my glasses, hoisting my whip in the air as I flipped the switch, it roaring to flames.

Guess there's only one way to find out then.

I swung it overhead before it snaked its way towards Eros, flames filling the hallway before it hit him with a loud crack followed by a scream.

"Damn finally!" I yelled out, continuing to whip him over and over again, his screams and the flames licking off my whip filling the air alike, raising the temperature higher and higher with each crack of my whip.

I narrowed my gaze as I continuously whipped him, frowning. Something feels off, but what?

I focused in on his screams of pain, before realizing that they weren't screams of pain at all.

"You bastard, you're enjoying this, aren't you!?" I yelled out, reeling the whip back as the flames turned off, and I was left to face a red-faced Eros, who was breathing heavily, holding himself tightly.

"Oh my, when was the last time I was played with so ferociously~? You can keep going, it turns you on too doesn't it~?"

"Fuck off," I said, sighing to myself as I looked at his body. He had welts from where I whipped him, his skin turning bright red. Despite him enjoying it, it looks as if I can actually hurt him this way, so I might as well keep going, despite me being entirely creeped out.

I swung my whip overhead once more, alighting itself as I flipped the switch back on, and Eros let out a smile.

"Lustful Infatuation."

Before I could stop myself, I had already sent the whip flying towards him before I heard the inevitable crack and the scream that followed.

I collapsed onto the ground, gasping as I felt a searing sensation across my chest. "The hell was that?"

"Oh my, you really are quite strong Promie~. If those two girls had faced you, they surely would've lost," Eros purred out, winking at me.

I pulled out my gun and shot my bullets of flame at him before screaming out in agony, the burning sensation growing worse.

"Oh dear~! You know, you should stop now. After all, there's no way you can beat me now."

What did he do to me? No, beyond that, how am I able to feel everything he's feeling right now? I got to my feet, bringing the whip back towards me, turning off the flames.

No, I haven't lost yet. If I can feel what he's feeling, then surely it works both ways then! I pulled out a flaming knife before stabbing itself within my arm, crying out in pain.

"Oh wow, didn't think you would try that one," Eros said, glancing at his arm, brushing off the ash that came from my attack. "But I already told you, it's no use."

I gritted my teeth, my mind racing through all the possibilities. There has to be a way, some way for me to win against him!

I felt someone take one of my grenades, and my eyes widened as I watched Eros walk back away from me, giving me a warm smile.

"It was fun, but all good things must come to an end."

He pulled the pin out, and what followed was searing, white hot pain that engulfed me, pain that hurt so bad that I didn't know what to do with myself, pain I wanted to go away.

"H-how?" I managed to ask, steam rolling off me as I collapsed onto my knees, gazing at his figure.

"Love, dear Promie~. It's all Love~!" Eros said, picking up his hat.

My eyes widened at his back, filled with scars of many kind.

"If you honestly thought those attacks could hurt me, you're sorely mistaken." He put on his pink beret before turning back to me, giving me a warm smile.

"After all, those cold flames don't have an ounce of passion in them."

What an idiotic boy, I thought before falling forward, passing out…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"STOP, FIGHTING ALREADY!"

"Hey Lachesis, come up with something already damnit!" The girl named Nyx yelled out, watching as everyone gave up their will to fight.

No violence, no fighting, if there weren't those things, then everyone could get along, right, Biggest Bro? You did what you did so there would be no violence and no fighting, and I wanna do the same.

"NO, MORE VIOLENCE!"

The girl named Hemera looked between me and her partner, thinking to herself.

"SO, WILL YOU KEEP FIGHTING!?" I asked, pleading at her.

"Hmm, yeah, but I'm not gonna fight you, so it's okay!" Hemera said, beaming at me.

"Hemera, get out of there already! What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"But I can't disagree with him. He doesn't wanna fight. Not many people want to willingly fight you know."

"SO, YOU AGREE!? THEN, GO HOME!"

She frowned at my statement. "I already told you I'm here to save someone silly. Of course I can't go home yet."

I hate fighting. I hate it so much, why must everyone fight so much. My Big and Bigger Bro's fight, Father fights, even Mother fights as well. If everyone could be as carefree as I was, then we could all be happy together.

"SO WHY MUST YOU FIGHT!?" I roared out, causing the building around me to rumble, the roof just about to cave in.

"We fight to save our King!" Hemera responded.

"IF YOU WON'T STOP, I'LL MAKE YOU STOP!" I pointed a finger at her, and the other girl's eyes widened.

"Aw, I really don't wanna fight you, but okay then!" Hemera said, banging her gauntlets together.

"Wait Hemera, don't-!"

"HAPPINESS, PUNCH!"

I got nailed with an uppercut that sent me crashing through the roof, flying up into the night sky.

"Huh? I got, punched?" Wait, that wasn't meant to happen. I crashed back down into the floor, gasping out in pain.

"Why did I get punched? Why did I get hurt? Huh?" No, why didn't she give up fighting? Fighting, violence is bad, but why didn't she stop?

"Duh, because I have to!" Hemera said before throwing another punch at me, slamming me into the wall.

"I see, so that's how it is," Nyx muttered, her light grey eyes locked onto me. "Fine then, hit him up into the sky one more time yah big ball of sunshine!"

"No, you can't fight BACK!" I roared out, and Nyx shrugged.

"I have no ill intent towards you, so you can't do anything to me."

"HAPPINESS, PUNCH!"

Huh? Before I could think further, I got sent flying up into night sky once more.

But, how can you fight without being bad?

"NIGHTFALL!"

I was surrounded by the night sky on all sides, no moon in sight, falling endlessly down.

"I, don't understand at all. How?"

"We mean you no harm, but stay here until Daybreaks, got it?"

So, you can fight without harming? Is that what you would do too, Atlas…

And so, I fell for what was an eternity until Daybreak, passing out sometime between then.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I slowed to a stop, kicking down my stand before glancing at my surroundings.

I was all the way out on the other side of the city, near the hills that were on the way to the beach on the north-east side of the city.

Standing atop one of the hills, gazing out at the sea, was the person most crucial to our plans to save Depra.

I walked up to her, lifting up my visor so she could see my face. She noticed me coming, glancing at me before looking back towards the sea.

"I know why you're here."

I stopped next to, frowning. Lachesis didn't tell her anything as far as I know, right?

"It's must be about him again, it always is. Not that I mind that I always save him, but it would be nice if every once in a while he could do the saving."

I waited silently, and she sighed before her regal purple eyes gazed into my different colored brown ones, her purple hair blowing to her side.

"Take me to him. Take me to see Depra, so that I may save him once more."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You got Pandora then?" I asked over my headset.

"Yep, on our way back now. Hopefully we'll get there faster this time."

"We're counting on you, Necessitas." I said, sighing as our plan was officially halfway in progress. Now just comes the hard part.

I watched as Erebus reached Layer Triangle, just one more Layer until Layer Circle, the others still busy fighting their respective opponents.

"I'm counting on you too Erebus. Make sure he doesn't do anything to King, got it?"

"Understood, just leave it to me."

In fact, it's almost time for me to leave as well… I thought, glancing back in the box, only two more pieces of headgear remaining; one being King's crown, and the other being…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Still, are you sure you're alright? You're not overexerting yourself, are you?"

"Shadow Slash."

I once more slashed through the guards, sending them scattering as they slammed into the wall from the darkness.

"I'm fine, I have it under control. I've been training for quite some time you know."

"Yeah, using your full power against demons. I'm just worried that it might be a bit difficult to, you know, contain it."

I walked up to the final wall before I would be met with my King, steeling myself for the long fight to come.

"Like I said, I've been training so it doesn't get released. That power within my right eye won't come out so easily, so have some faith."

"I just don't need you to become a murderer."

I chuckled. "Why'd you think I brought the wooden one instead?"

"Shadow Bomb."

An explosion of darkness was released as I put my hand against the wall, and I walked past the final layer, Layer Circle.

It was quite a spacious room, with the ceiling being open up above to the moonless night sky. There was no metal floor beneath me, instead being replaced with brown dirt, not a plant in sight. The walls had the same pulsating blue lights around them like the rest, although they had dimmed considerably since we had entered this place. However, there was something different about these walls, having large metal protrusions inlaid in them, alternating between the faint blue lights.

And sitting in a chair on the far end, his face down as his unkempt black hair covered his face, was none other than my King.

"King," I said softly, gripping my wooden katana tightly within my right hand.

"Shadow-!"

"Well, looks like Meno wasn't able to do anything about you. Did he get caught up in some other fight?"

I watched as a tall man, a little over 7 ft tall, walked out from behind King, his hand on the chair as he gave me a grin that showcased all his teeth.

"Well, no matter. There were too many of you for my sons to fight you all anyway, so as the Father, I'll pick up their slack." He placed his top hat down on the corner of King's chair, his brown eyes gazing upon me.

"That is, after all, what family is for."

"Shadow-!"

"I wouldn't do it if I were you, unless you want to die."

I stopped myself from appearing next to King, glaring at the man.

"I'm here to take him back."

"Honestly, kids these days. Don't mettle within my family affairs. This is, after all, 'our' family reunion, right, Depra?" The man said, speaking directly into King's ear.

"E-Ere-bus…?" King mumbled, and I found myself walking along the dirt, gritting my teeth.

"I'm here to save you King. Just hold on!"

"Why, are you here?" he asked, looking up at me with wide eyes. "Stop, wait, no, go back, I'm fine, please."

"See, even our Key here is saying he's fine. So, why must you try to interfere?" The man said, and I stopped, about a quarter of the way across from the room.

"I'm here cause I wanna be, King. I'm here because you saved me all those years ago, King. I'm here, cause you need rescuing, King!"

"Well, that's no fun, is it, Depra?" The way he said his name sent chills down my spine, and King started to shake his head, horrified by the man.

"After all, you want them back too, don't you? Your family. Together, we can have a big family reunion together, and you can bring them all back at last."

"No, wait, it wasn't meant to happen, I don't know what you're talking about!"

The man sighed, scratching his afro.

"Pierce."

And then King went limp as the man went away, patting him on the shoulder.

"Give it some thought, as you are the one who can truly bring them back."

"What did you do to him!?" I roared out, making my way towards the man once more.

"Tell me, what do you think about family?"

I stopped once more, a third of the way there now. "What about it?"

"Isn't your family worried about you? Going off on late night excursions to infiltrate an armed base to save your friend, shouldn't you be having fun with your family instead?"

My right eye ached with pain as painful memories of the past dredged itself back to the surface.

"I have no need for my family. My birth parents are dead, and my other family only care to use my gifts."

"I see, so you don't understand."

"The only family I need, is King, the boy behind you."

The man stopped ten steps ahead of King, planting his feet firm.

"Useless."

Huh? I could only watch as the man started to scrunch up.

"Family that isn't blood is useless! Friends who consider each other family only run away from what they have. Family is the only one that'll accept you, friends will betray you, family will love you, friends will despise you, FAMILY IS EVERYTHING, FRIENDS ARE NOTHING!"

I tensed up at his words, thundering throughout the room.

"You boy know nothing! I will not allow you to take away 'our family' on this day, the day of our long-awaited Family Reunion!"

Damn, is this guy crazy or something? "I'm taking him back, whether you like it or not."

"Family triumphs over all, Family is the most important thing to a man, and the fact you cannot understand that simple fact is a tragedy," The man said, glaring at me.

"Dodge Erebus, now!"

I tilted my head to the right, feeling something whizz past me as a giant boom echoed throughout the building, and the man let out another grin that showcased all his teeth.

"EXCELLENT! THE SOUNDS OF BATTLE THAT ECHO THROUGH HERE, THE THUNDEROUS BOOMS THAT RATTLE THE VERY EARTH BENEATH OUR FEET, ALL OF IT IS BECAUSE OF WHAT WE CONSIDER OUR 'FAMILY!'"

I pointed my wooden katana at him, gearing up to fight.

"MY NAME IS IAPETUS!" He thundered out, the entire room shaking with his presence as he stood firm against me.

"Shadow Step!"

"PIERCE!"

I was just about to appear next to King, whizzing through the shadows before I was stopped, getting tossed out as I melted back into existence, now on the right side of the room.

"Shadow Slash!"

"Pierce!"

I rushed towards him as I slashed a wave of darkness towards him, only to be stopped mid-slash by an invisible force, canceling out as I get sent backwards, landing on my feet.

"Erebus-!"

"Lachesis, I'll be fine. Focus on the others," I said.

"Pierce!"

"Shadow Step!"

I narrowly dodged out of the way of his attack, still unable to see what he was sending my way as I appeared back in the center, about halfway from King.

Well, not as if this is all I got.

"Pierce!"

"Shadow Block!"

I made a slash upwards with my arm at a right angle, creating a barrier of darkness that protected me from his attack.

I rushed towards him again, leaping up in the air as I let out another move.

"Shadow Bomb!"

"Pierce!"

A large explosion of darkness made its way to Iapetus before getting ripped to shreds as he let out another grin.

"Pierce!"

That's not good, I thought, still midair from previous attack.

"Shadow Dodge!"

I made it back to the ground, his attack piercing through an afterimage.

"Pierce!"

"Shadow Thrust!"

I thrusted my katana towards him, connecting with his attack before ripping through it, sending a thrust of darkness coming at him.

"Pierce."

Once more, my attack was ripped to shreds, this time from the side, and I scowled as I stared at him, Iapetus not having taken a single step since the battle started.

"Is that all you can do, boy?" He asked, a wide smile as he spread his arms wide.

"Pierce!"

"Shadow Dodge!"

I narrowly avoided his attacks, it piercing through my afterimages as I made my way closer, fading in and out of darkness.

"Pierce!"

I leapt backwards as the ground where I was just at got torn to shreds by his attack, once more halfway there to King.

"Damn, if I could just kill him, there wouldn't be a damn issue," I grumbled, encasing my sword in darkness.

"Pierce!"

"Shadow Slice!"

I sliced upwards at his attack, my blade facing upwards as I ripped through his attack with the darkness encasing my blade.

"Pierce! Pierce!"

I tensed up as I ran around him, the ground behind me once more tearing into shreds, leaving large holes in the way as I was once more unable to make any ground.

I ran back some, about a third away from King as I let out breath of air before I kicked forward, my steps causing the ground to rumble beneath my feet.

"Pierce!"

I leapt up in the air before I started to flip faster and faster, the darkness around my sword growing heavier.

"Shadow Slicer!"

"Pierce!"

I ripped through, about to nail him before I was stopped by a spear he had conjured up. Even so…

"I WILL SAVE YOU, KING!" I roared out, using gravity to my advantage to try to push him back, even if only a little.

"You're far too young to face me, boy!"

I got sent flying back, skidding atop the ground before landing on my feet, slamming my katana into the ground as I slid to a stop.

It didn't work, I thought, gritting my teeth as I glared at him with my singular red eye.

"You are quite strong, I will admit that much," Iapetus said, twirling around his spear made of dirt. "But it looks like you are not strong enough to save your precious 'family' after all, boy."

I let out a growl, tensing up my muscles once more.

"Shadow Step!"

"Pierce!"

"Shadow Slash!"

I outmaneuvered his attack, slamming my wooden katana against his spear once more, darkness almost overflowing from my attack.

But once again, I was sent backwards, losing the progress I had made to reach my precious King.

"I'm quite surprised. It's been a while since I've faced an opponent I have yet to hurt at this point in battle," Iapetus said, slamming his spear down into the ground.

"Shut it," I growled out, the darkness around my sword growing even heavier.

"But still, you are thousand years too early to face someone like me, boy!" Iapetus yelled out, reeling his arms back before thrusting them forward.

"PIERCE!"

"Shadow[dark] Absorb!"

I swung my sword in a circle, and all his attacks got absorbed within the circle of darkness I had created. And then…

"Shadow[Dark] Reflect: Pierce!"

His attacks got sent flying back at him, encased within darkness…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is with this boy?

"PIERCE!"

I cancelled out his reflected attack with my own, and I frowned as I looked at him. For the longest time, his left eye had been glowing red; his right eye, however…

"Shadow[Dark] Step!"

He appeared in front of me, raising his sword high, and I let out a grin.

"Pierce!"

I stopped his attack once more, and he was sent flying back, and only then did I notice.

The darkness that encompassed his sword was now surrounding him and the entire area, and his right eye was letting out a constant stream of black from his helmet.

"[Dark] Slasher!"

"Pierce!"

I tensed up in surprise as I blocked his slashes with my spear, almost catching me off guard.

"You've been holding back on me, boy," I giggled out, starting to laugh to myself. "That's okay, it let's me have more fun!"

"Pierce!"

"[Dark] Slicer!"

He once more sliced through the air like a buzzsaw, whizzing around the room as he sliced through my attacks as I once more blocked it with my spear, my muscles tensing up as I let out a grin that showcased all my teeth.

"EXCELLENT! USE THAT TO SHOW ME WHAT YOU'RE REALLY MADE OF!"

"[shut up.]"

It's as if another being is talking right now, I thought as I finally sent him flying back.

"[Dark] Thrusts!"

"Pierce!"

He sent out thrusts of darkness towards my piercings, which cancelled out with a loud boom that shook the very foundation of the room we were in.

"THAT'S MORE LIKE IT! MORE, SHOW ME MORE!"

"[i said shut-] ROARGH!"

He clutched his right eye, roaring out as the darkness in the room started to fade, and it was only then that I realized I had felt heavier from the darkness' presence.

"That was unbecoming of me, forgive me," the boy said getting back to his feet as the darkness once more only encompassed his sword.

"You really are strong. Tell me, what is your name, boy?"

He held his wooden katana with both hands before pointing it me, his red eye glaring at me.

"My name is Erebus of the Blazing Red and the Billowing Black, Slayer of Demons."

"Ah! So, you're with the Demon Slayer Corp then! How excellent, Clymene Corporations has been on great terms with you all! Tell me, did they send you here to save the key?"

He shook his head. "I am not here on business with them, despite how much I despise Clymene Corp. I am here simply because he is King, nothing more, nothing less."

"I see, so that's how it is. So, if I kill you, my wife won't be upset that it'll ruin relations between the two of us! Excellent, most excellent information you have offered me today!" I gleefully let out, clutching myself as I could feel my face flushing red.

Suddenly, one of the three doors opened up, and out walked out a boy with silver-grey hair and light blue eyes, and he glanced around the place before he looked at me.

"Peasant."

"Huh? Who the hell are you? Why isn't my one of sons taking care of you?"

"Oh, you mean that Meno guy?" The boy asked, picking out earwax from his ear. "Yeah, I defeated him."

Huh? "I guess he did not place his faith within his family. Very well, I can fight the both of you."

Before I could, another door opened, and another boy walked through with singed blondish pink hair, sparkles darting all around him.

"Oh my, look at you all. I see Tae~Tae beat me here it seems."

Again? "Did my sone also lose to you?"

"Oh, you mean that cutie Promie~!?" he exclaimed out, grinning. "He lost to the power of love!"

So, Prometheus as well… "Three on one, when was the last time I was able to have this much fun in a fight!?" I yelled out, reeling my arms backwards.

But once more, the third and final door opened, and out came two girls, one with skin as dark as the night and hair even darker, the other with golden-yellow hair, who locked onto me.

"Oh look, it's a super tall dude! And how convenient that the doors were open for us too!"

"I can see that. And thanks to you, we're the last ones here!"

"What the hell did my sons do to lose to people like you?" I thought aloud, gazing at the ragtag band of misfits who managed to reach the final layer with barely a scratch on them.

"Oh, that guy? He was freaking out about we were gonna fight, even though I wasn't even gonna fight him. What a weird dude, am I right?"

"He was an idiot who couldn't tell the difference between good and bad fighting. Absolute dumbass."

I see, so my family lost in the end. "Ah well, no matter. Five on one, yes, this will be the greatest fight I've been in such a long time!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It looks like everyone's done with their fighting then," I said, glancing at the map as I watched everyone except for Erebus enter Layer Triangle.

"Guess I better head there myself as well," I said, grabbing my silver piece of headgear before putting it on my head.

"Right, let's go on then," I said to myself, getting out of the vehicle before making my way to the hole the five of them had caused hours earlier.

It was a massive hole, about 20 feet high and 30 feet across. I hopped across it, glancing at the building.

"It's practically falling apart," I murmured, looking at the falling rubble and debris caused from their fighting. "I know I said to hold back, but did they actually listen?"

Inside the building proper, there were tons of holes that led deeper inside, with one looking as if it had ripped away about a fifth of the building away. There were plenty of holes in the ceiling, and the amount of guards' unconscious were more than I was willing to count.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to see if there were would be any problems on my way.

"They really did a good job then," I thought aloud, opening my eyes as I continued on my way, using the holes Erebus had made to walk straight there while also looking at the carnage our group had caused.

In the distance, I could feel rumbles as Erebus continued to fight with Iapetus, dust falling from the ceiling as their fighting continued.

"If only I was stronger, than I could fight on the front lines with them," I muttered, sighing to myself. I was never meant to fight on the front lines; my ability was never suited for that. Even so, I wanna be there too, to save Depra as well.

"Ah, I'm almost there," I thought aloud as I had just passed through Layer Square, and the rumblings only grew louder as I continued to walk past the destruction they left in their wake, not a dead person in sight.

Until…

"Ah well, no matter. Five on one, yes, this will be the greatest fight I've been in such a long time!" Iapetus roared out, showcasing a grin that showed all his teeth.

"Make that six on one!" I yelled out, walking out onto the battlefield.

"Huh? Were you the one giving orders then?" Iapetus said, frowning at me as I walked into the room, glancing at all my teammates before his brown eyes seemingly pierced through me.

There he is, I thought as I saw Depra behind Iapetus, bound, unconscious, but seemingly unharmed.

Thank God. We still have time then.

"Yes, I was, but I have no need to hide from you any longer!" I yelled out, the future of my death visible within my mind.

No, it won't happen. I'm here to change that outcome, no matter what!

"L-Lachesis?"

"Depra, you're awake!" I yelled out, and he looked up at us, a horrified expression on his face.

"No, stop, why the hell are you are here!?" He screamed out, looking around at us all.

"We're to save you Depra, no, King!" I yelled out along with the others, and Iapetus let out a giggle.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but laugh at your ridiculousness. Honestly, you should know that you've only been led to your deaths. Therefore!" Iapetus yelled out, giving us an awful grin that sent chills down my spine before continuing. "I will allow you to leave with your lives intact, so hurry on home to your families; after all, they must be worried about you guys!"

I pointed at King behind him, glaring at Iapetus. "We're not leaving without him. After all, he's a part of our family!"

"No, please, leave now, leave before it's-!" King froze as Iapetus turned around to him, and he slowly walked towards King before lifting his hair forcefully.

"Take a good, long look at these people; this will be the last time you get to see them alive. In order to bring back our family, it seems your 'family' must die."

He started to shake his head; a pleading look on his face. "Wait, please, don't-!"

"Do you know why we brought you here, the one they call King?" Iapetus asked, and King shook his head, the same look on his face.

"It's so you can be closer to your roots; the dirt beneath your feet so you can feel Mother, the mountain in the distance so you can feel 'yourself,' this facility you're in, all of it, is for the sake of our glorious family reunion!"

"Please-!"

"Pierce."

And King fell forward, his hair covering his face once more.

"And that's why, when you wake up, this 'family' of yours will be dead and gone to usher in our family reunion!"

Iapetus started to cackle as he took ten steps away from King, picking up his spear of dirt.

"Now come, you band of misfits, with everything you've got!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Pierce!"

"Masochistic Tendencies!"

Eros jumped in the way of his attack, letting out screams of pleasure.

"Oh my, those pack quite the punch~!" Eros purred out.

"Happiness, PUNCH!"

Hemera managed to get right next to him, slamming her fist directly into his dirt spear, disintegrating it.

"Shadow Step."

I took Hemera away, bringing her back next to Nyx.

"Aw, thanks for the assist buddy!" she said, patting me on the back.

"Pierce!"

"Shadow Slash!"

I slashed horizontally, colliding with his attack before getting sent backwards towards Lachesis.

"He's quite tough, isn't he?" Lachesis muttered, her eyes surveying the battlefield from the back.

"Indeed, but we'll get him yet," I said before rushing towards him.

"If you think you six will be enough to beat me, you're surely mistaken!" Iapetus roared out, reeling his arms back once more.

"PIERCE!"

"Night Rend."

The night sky swallowed up his attack midair before it vanished as quickly as it appeared, and Nyx let out a grin.

"I think you're the one mistaken here! Go now you three!"

"Nightfall: Night Pierce!"

"Pierce!"

A barrage of his attack covered with the night sky came raining back down at him from the literal night sky, but not before he sent out an attack of his own to cancel it out.

Thanks for that Nyx.

"Lights Out!" Hemera roared out, punching him square in the chest.

"You'll have to do better than that brat," Iapetus said, raising his hand up in the air.

"Lustful Infatuation!"

"Pierce!"

Eros managed to block his attack once more, letting out a cry of pain before a shocked look overcame his face.

"It, didn't work?"

"If you think that puny love of yours could overcome the love I feel for my family, then you're a bigger fool than I thought."

"Shadow Thrust!"

I thrusted right at him, only to be sent aside by another spear of dirt he created.

"Hmph, is that really the best this group of you can do!?" He roared out.

"PIERCE!"

"Shadow Step!"

I managed to get everyone away, bringing them all back to Lachesis in the back, watching his attacks rip up the ground around him as he cackled with laughter.

"Whoa, you were fighting this guy by your damn self?" Nyx muttered, standing back up.

"He is indeed quite strong. I don't think we can beat him unless we pull out some higher-octane attacks," I agreed, glancing back at Lachesis.

"Just don't kill him," Lachesis warned, and we all let out a collective cry of relief.

"Finally! It's on now, Mr. Tall Man!" Hemera roared, getting back to her feet.

"Oh my, I can't wait~!" Eros purred out, winking at us as he too got back to his feet.

"I still can't use the power in my right eye, it would kill him; but I shall use other moves instead now," I said, getting up, and we all looked towards Iapetus.

"Honestly, how did a no-name group of misfits like you even manage to get this far, let alone beat my sons?"

"That's because we're not a no name group!" We all yelled out, and we collectively rushed towards.

"Pierce!" Iapetus roared out, but nothing happened as his eyes grew wide, looking over at Aether, who also hadn't moved at all.

"I'm Aether of the Sky, Embodiment of Perfection, Ruler of Those Beneath Me," he said, glaring at him. "Peasants like you should know better than to make spears of air while I'm around."

"Damn brat, how did you-!?"

"Nightfall: Darkest Night!"

A mist of darkness enveloped him, probably from when Nyx took my darkness in earlier, which tangled around him, causing him to tense up involuntarily.

"If you think the love we feel for our King is shallow, you are surely mistaken!" Eros yelled out, running ahead of me and Hemera.

"Passion's Rush!"

Eros rushed towards Iapetus, slamming into him, causing him to take a single step back.

"And if you think we can only be happy with our own family, you're dead wrong Mr. Tall Man!" Hemera agreed, pulling her arms back as she too ran ahead.

"Daybreak!"

And explosion of light enveloped Iapetus as she slammed both her fists into him, causing him to take another step back.

"And if you think that the family we have with him is any less than what a real family has," I started, leaping up in the air as I started to spin.

"THEN YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S BLIND, IAPETUS!"

"SHADOW SAW!"

He just barely managed to block with his spear, and yet I continued to spin even faster, cutting through his spear, my sword finally making contact as I sent him back another two steps before he fell onto his knees, breathing hard before he glared at us.

"Who, the hell are you?"

"I'm Aether of the Sky, Embodiment of Perfection, Ruler of Those Beneath Me!" Aether said, readjusting his red baseball hat.

"I'm Eros, Charmer of Incubus', Love Master and Sexual Deviant Extraordinaire!" Eros purred out, picking up his pink beret before putting it back on his head.

"I'm Erebus of the Blazing Red and the Billowing Black, Slayer of Demons!" I yelled out, slamming my katana into the ground, glaring at him through my purple kabuto.

"I'm The Daytime Beauty Hemera, Bringer of the Sun and Optimism, Princess of Happiness!" Hemera yelled out, readjusting her yellow cowboy hat before slamming her gauntlets together.

"I'm The Mysterious Beauty Nyx, Denizen of the Night and Dark, Princess of Pessimism!" Nyx yelled out, her tiara glowing a bright blue.

"And I'm Lachesis, Seer of the Future, Changer of Fate, Foreteller of Life and Death!" Lachesis yelled out, the jewels in her silver diadem glowing.

"And Together, we are-!"

"And our group name shall be-!"

A name that King shall no longer forget…

"THE NELNEHATS!" We roared out together, and Iapetus's eyes widened.

"That's impossible! That legendary group of 8 demon slayers who managed to kill one of the archdemons almost a decade ago, is just a bunch of brats like you!?"

"Believe it or not, but that's who we are!" We yelled out, and Iapetus slowly got to his feet, chuckling to himself.

"HOW ABSOLUTELY FUCKING EXCELLENT!" He roared out, causing the entire building to shake.

"This is absolutely perfect! How wonderful, what glorious entertainment you all will offer on this glorious night of our long-awaited family reunion!"

He created another spear, this one metal, that shot out of the wall into his hands before slamming it down onto the ground.

"Allow me to introduce myself once more, for it is truly an honor fighting a group such as yourself!"

"FOR MY NAME IS IAPETUS, IAPETUS THE PIERCER, PROGENITOR OF MAN, THE TITAN CRAFTSMAN!"

He pointed his spear at us, his grin the widest it had been all night.

"NOW COME AT ME, NELNEHAT'S!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How long have they been fighting now?

It was a thought that continually crossed my mind as I zoomed across the roads ahead, my passenger holding on to me tightly. 3 hours now? 4 hours maybe?

The only thing I can do is get there as fast as I can. So close, just a little bit farther, I thought as I went off-road to go atop a nearby hill, rumbling in the distance before I stopped at the peak of the hill, my eyes widening at the sight of the facility they had infiltrated.

Many holes covered the facility, to the point where their may have even been more holes than the facility itself. About a fifth of the facility had been blown away into, causing massive holes in the hills nearby, some of them causing landslides that just barely missed the facility. Smoke was pouring out overhead, and in the center of the facility, was something so bizarre it was hard for me to understand.

The night sky literally raining down on the center of the hole, a light as bright as the day itself lighting up the facility, darkness that overshadowed even that, a wind so fierce that it could tear trees to shreds; all of it coming out of the center of the facility, pouring out of the hole up above into the surroundings.

I shook my head, trying to get a grip. They're fighting down there for the sake of one boy, a boy precious to them, one they considered family.

And yet, why is that I feel just as strongly as them, despite remembering nothing of the past?

I started up my motorcycle once more before racing down the hill, hellbent on completing my task that which they asked of me.

After all, it was possible all this was my fault. The me of the past couldn't have known it would've gone to this, but it's not an excuse I'm willing to make.

To fix the mistake of the past, that was why I was doing this, or at least, that was what I originally thought anyway. But, this nagging feeling deep inside won't go away, no matter how hard I try to convince myself it isn't there.

I want to see.

That was the real reason why I was doing this, although I've always been scared to admit it.

I want to see them, fighting for Depra.

I want to see Depra, in that state.

I want to see the madman who would go against my crazed friends.

I want to see it to its conclusion, no matter how bitter it is

But more importantly, I want to know.

I want to know, if I could find it here, where I made this awful future come to be.

I want to know, if I can get it back.

I zoomed through the trees before reaching the hole they had busted through to get in, skidding to a stop. I motioned my passenger to follow me, and we walked through the crumbling building together to both see with our own eyes what was unfolding in the center.

We passed by guards, all of them unconscious. We passed by three unconscious boys, one with steam rolling off him, one with their eyes rolled back, one foaming at the mouth.

We passed by debris and rubble, and walked through the many holes it took before we reached the center.

And in the center was absolute chaos.

Spears of dirt erupting from the ground, a dark mist that hung heavy all around, flashes of the brightest lights, falls of the darkest nights, a boy whose clothes was ripped at the very seams, a boy who was letting out pleasurable screams, and finally, a girl with the hair of summer shouting at the top of her lungs, leading them in battle with her silver diadem.

My passenger hesitated, looking at me and the battlefield, and I nodded, putting my hands out.

Now, please, let me see it, the end to this awful outcome I brought.

I watched the girl walk through the battlefield, her focus on the boy bound in a chair, behind a man who was the one bringing in the despair.

Naught a thing touched her pretty little head; not the explosions, not the mist nor the pierces, not the spears of dirt, none of it all.

And then…!

She passed by the man, the man noticing too late as she finally reached the boy, kneeling next to him.

The man looked at the girl in shock before turning to me, as did everyone else, and I let out a grin as a faint memory came to view as the man yelled out:

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"

And with a smile on my face, collapsing onto my knees, I brought forth the long-lost memories at last, finally changing this fate:

"I am the Dark Empress Necessitas, Balancer of Ruin, Enforcer of Events, Bringer of Unquestionable Catastrophe," I looked upon the others before saying the final line from my memory:

"AND I TOO, AM A PART OF THE NELNEHAT'S!"

The last thing I remember is a voice calling out to me, a voice I cherished with all my heart.

"You did well, Necessitas. Now rest." I watched Erebus stand up in front, pointing his katana towards Iapetus.

"You can leave it to us."

And so continued their battle, and the start of their King's…