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Zerrex didn't go back to the Ravenlight Estate right away: instead, he retired to the hot springs, deciding to wash himself off in the energy-laced waters to heal some of his wounds and see if he could fight off the wave of tiredness that had washed over his body. He yawned as he stripped naked, knowing that by now Lily and Selena were organizing cleanup crews together that would be prepared for the Parasites before being sent into the mines to completely eradicate every bug they could find... and they had also decided that afterwards, they would seal the mines closed to prevent any curious wanderers from going in and perhaps even making it all the way down to the facility in the deepest caverns.

The Drakkaren yawned again as he stretched out a bit before stepping into the spring, looking exhausted as Sin's words weighed on his mind. He knew that well... he didn't really know what he was doing, and he was admittedly nervous himself about making Heaven and Hell and life and death all seem like trivial things... but he knew that part of what Sin was worried about was him going to the mortal plane and never coming back. And he also knew it was a bit of a lecture about him never letting go of anything, but he still didn't feel anywhere near mature enough to... and he smiled a bit, sliding down into the hot water until only the top of his muzzle and head were sticking free of the water. Then again, if I refused to let go of anything, she and most of the other people still in my life would be dead.

He laughed a bit to himself, then tried to push the thoughts out of his mind as he wondered absently how Mist and Shine were doing. It had been a long time since he'd seen them combine together like that, and he was still a bit shocked that they had done so... mostly because he'd never seen them manage to do it while they were both in such abysmal condition, or so quickly. But as the years had worn on in Hell, Mist and Shine had stuck ever closer together... and in some ways it had made them both even more into one instead of two distinct entities.

Zerrex mused a bit on the whole phenomenon, then his thoughts broadened to demons in general: the abilities they developed and the strange transformations and mutations they often underwent as they went from being mortal to becoming something else, something... different. In a way, when a person became a demon, it was like their bodies became a reflection of their soul... but in other ways, perhaps it was what drove them into becoming demons that also warped and shaped their body. The punishments they endured, the corruption that ebbed and flowed throughout all of Hell, the mortal lives they had lived and the suffering they had endured... and that was all without getting into pureblood demons. They, after all, had never been mortal... and thus they did not so much reflect the way they had sinned as they did personify a particular sin they were often driven towards committing.

He thought for a moment about what the Wentaku had said, about biological drives, and he wondered absently if that meant no Wrath demon could really be blamed for its violent acts, and no Lust demon could be blamed for its sexual hungers and rapes or manipulations. Then he made a face, muttering as he splashed the water childishly: "Well, I want to act like a two-year old all the time and spend all day in the Cuddle Room, but I don't. I feel a huge urge every now and then to like, rape something or beat something down, but I don't. Hell, I often do the opposite. I think I can understand to a point but... I think it's also becoming more and more important for us to learn discipline and self-control."

"You think too much." A voice said softly in return, and Zerrex looked in surprise to see Celestial smiling and standing on the ceiling, her shadowy robe flickering around her as she gazed down at him, defying gravity in every possible way. Her eyes were emerald, but the Drakkaren thought he could make out thin cracks of red throughout her irises, as she said gently: "You haven't visited me yet... you should come and see me soon, Lord Zerrex my son... oh, how I've missed you..."

She laughed a bit as she turned right-side-up, then she sank slowly down through the air until she touched the water, standing on it as if it were glass. Veins of darkness spread out from her feet as Zerrex sat up higher in the water, wincing a bit before he felt the shadows crawling over him as the entire pool turned dead black. "It's so strange to see how you've grown, how philosophical you are... oh, I feel so lucky when I look at you..." Celestial smiled, walking forwards towards him, and Zerrex felt like the water had turned to cement around him, barely able to even bring his arms out at his sides before he withheld a wine as she leaned down to stroke his face delicately. "You're nothing like me... and nothing like your father. You are your own handsome person... you somehow conquer love, pain, and every other emotion and feeling imaginable. And you have grown into a strong Incarnation of Hell, even if you worry as you do that you are no full demon yet... but I can help with that."

She knelt down in front of him, grasping his shoulders before she kissed his forehead softly, then she leaned back as her eyes flashed to blood red, whispering: "Yet you always reject my gifts. I don't know why... I will never understand why. Power, Zerrex Ravenlight Narrius, is the only thing truly important in life. Power... that's what living is all about. Becoming the most powerful, gaining control, taking over the lives of others and savaging them until they obey only you and your whims... that is what's important."

Zerrex looked at her for a few moments, and then Celestial shook her head, closing her eyes as she straightened and crossed her arms. Her eyes opened, and now they were emerald again instead of ruby, far calmer and quieter as she mumbled: "But I know that is not your way." A long pause as she glanced away, clearing her throat. "I... I'm sorry, Light. My mind is... lately, everything is so strange, and it's like I cannot control my mouth... oh, how I wish we had lived together, forever, as mortals..."

She sighed softly as she stepped backwards, then she smiled faintly as she fell to her knees and quietly tapped the black water, and it rippled as Zerrex looked down to watch as an image formed on the surface of the hot spring, of a small house away from everything else. Then he saw himself standing with his mother, her in a long dress and him in plain clothes, holding hands... before the image vanished as Celestial sighed quietly again and shook her head. "Strange. Strange... the feelings we have after death. All my life I loved you, my son, as one of the most precious things I had ever possessed... but still, I lusted for Narrius's companionship almost more than yours once I had passed. And now he is gone, and you are still alive, and I find that I do not miss him in the slightest... instead, I feel gratified that he is gone."

A pause, then her eyes flickered as she looked away, clenching her hands into fists as she snarled: "And the hatred! The anger I feel for that scum, Crow, that betrayed you and me and Narrius, that did us the favor of devouring Ifret but also tried to kill me, me, me, his mother! I was the one who saved the draggled fetus from the Unworld, I was the one who took him into my body, I was the one who gave him the strength and godlike powers he had... and he turned on us all, all of us who fed him our powers and energies..."

She shook her head in disgust, and then rose a hand in front of her face: for a moment, Zerrex saw a terrible claw of ivory bone instead of scale, but then he blinked, and her hand was normal again and her eyes were soft green as she looked down at him benevolently. "But you killed him. Destroyed him, sent him back to the Unworld, and dissolved his very soul. You proved your strength and took over the rulership of Hell... you slew a monster even more terrible than the Red Beast and earned a just reward that at the same time, was a cruel punishment.

"I should go now, my son... the voices..." Celestial shook her head after a moment as she rubbed at her head slowly, and then she smiled down to him, whispering: "Come to me. Love me. See me. I'll be waiting for you."

With that, she simply vanished, and the darkness slowly faded from the hot spring... but the reptile felt cold now instead of warm and comfortable, swallowing a bit as he looked anxiously back and forth. Sometimes, Celestial would appear again out of nowhere, or worse, didn't actually leave... but after a few minutes of nervousness, he finally climbed up to his feet and stepped out of the water, using a cleansing spell on himself to get rid of the excess water before he quickly climbed back into his boxers and pants.

The Drakkaren stretched carefully before he created a portal, picking up his dirty, bloody shirt and glancing over his chest, making a bit of a face as he muttered: "This is all getting too damn complicated again. I really wish that... things would just work out nicely for once. Or you know. That maybe like, we could go a few years without having to worry about all sorts of horrific problems."

Zerrex shook his head slowly, then he created a portal before stepping through it and into his room... and a moment later he squawked as Cherry greeted him with a bone-crushing hug that lifted him into the air, the reptile's eyes bulging as he flailed his arms stupidly at his side with a wheeze. "Boss, fuck, there you are!"

"Yeah, I am." The Drakkaren winced, before he finally relaxed with a groan as she set him down, rubbing at his head dumbly as he looked across at her. She looked embarrassed, then she grinned stupidly as Sin sighed from the other side of the room, where she was reorganizing Zerrex's books. "Hey, you haven't been causing trouble for Sin, have you? Because we've all had a pretty stressful day and I'll have to beat you if you have."

"No, I've been behaving. Damn tummy hurts." Cherry pouted a bit and grasped her stomach, before she made her way back to Zerrex's bed to sit down with a grunt next to several crumpled, empty bags of chips and a few empty bottles of cider. She coughed at the look Zererx gave her, then quickly brushed these off the bed, saying genuinely: "Well, it's no big deal, right? I mean, you guys can just cast a cleansing spell, easy as pie, and get rid of any litter... right?"

"I don't think that's the point of the matter." Sin said mildly, as she picked up a book from the reptile's dresser, then she walked towards Zerrex and bowed her head with a bit of a blush, murmuring softly: "I'm sorry if I spoke out of turn earlier, Lord Zerrex... and that I haven't finished cleaning up here. The room was quite a mess when I first came in and I figured I should clean it up right away."

"You worry too much." Zerrex patted her quietly on the shoulder, then he gave her a gentle hug, and she sank against him, closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest for a moment. "Go get some rest, Sin. I'll come by and see you once I get a chance to get away from Cherry and whatever mess she tries to pull me into."

Sin nodded with a faint smile, then she kissed Zerrex's cheek quietly before she headed for the door, letting herself out as Zerrex turned his eyes back to Cherry with a glower. The female winced, then she leaned quickly backwards, saying quickly: "Hey, I'm pregnant, you can't do anything to me!"

"I can do plenty, just not physically." the reptile huffed, then he pointed at her, saying flatly: "Like not giving you sex. And I know that when you've got a baby in your belly, there's only a few other people who are all mostly too scared of me who you'd screw too."

"That sentence totally made no sense." Cherry retorted, then she paused and pouted as Zerrex walked over, gathering up the empty chip bags to shove them into the trash basket, before he made a face at how it was already overflowing, the reptile sighing as he picked it up in his other arm. "Anyway, that's totally playing low. I know that you don't bang half as many chicks as you like to think you do, anyway... the only reason you ever got so popular in Hell in the first place was 'cause of that propaganda shit the Princess spread around. Sometimes I think you killed her because less people know you now than they did when you'd first stepped foot in here."

"I'm old news, and I like that." Zerrex replied morbidly, then he created a portal and stepped through it. Cherry grunted, hopping to her feet and quickly following, and as they entered a utilities hall together, he asked mildly: "By the way, did you see Sammy?"

"Oh, yeah, I saw the little bastard. He was carryin' some crystals so I made him a portal to the magical artifacts room. Figured he was too small to disturb any of the real crazy shit you keep locked up way down in there." Cherry said absently, and Zerrex grunted in half-agreement as he approached a sliding panel on the wall, opening it and then pouring the garbage down into the incinerator below, before the demoness added morbidly: "Are you throwing me in there next?"

"Oh, stop acting like Mahihko." Zerrex said flatly, and Cherry looked offended as the Drakkaren rolled his eyes. "Well, you are."

She mumbled something as she crossed her arms, then huffed and glowered at him as the male turned around, looking back at her dryly. For a few moments, they glared at each other, and then she finally said sulkily: "Why do all the other pregnant chicks get babied and you just like. Treat me like I'm getting fat and... wrinkly?"

Zerrex rolled his eyes, then he stepped forwards and hauled her up over one shoulder, creating another portal as Cherry squawked and flailed her arms wildly as they emerged back into his room, and he dropped her unceremoniously on the bed, the demoness glowering up at him moodily and apparently still waiting for an answer. So Zerrex rolled his eyes after a moment and sat down beside her as he cast a cleansing spell over the mattress, saying finally: "Because I'm tired. Because... you and I function best when we've got a bit of friction between us. Because I worry a lot, I guess, about us both... and, you know, you're grouchy enough when you aren't pregnant."

"I am a serene image of serenity. Motherfucker." Cherry shoved Zerrex firmly, and he snorted amusedly before she hugged him tightly around the neck, half-choking him as the male flapped his arms. "Anyway, Boss, I get what you're saying, don't you worry about that, at least. Even if you are batshit insane, I appreciate that weird, weird way you care enough for me to treat me like a dirty hoe, oh pimp of pimps."

Zerrex rolled his eyes as he managed to pry her arm free from around his neck, and then he sat up, clearing his throat and rubbing a hand through his hair slowly. "Well, I'm glad you do, Cherry. But in any case, we need to set you up a better room than mine that... is not mine. Because I have the feeling I'm going to want to retreat to some personal space every now and then during your little mood swings."

Cherry snorted at this, laying back on the bed and sprawling herself out stubbornly as she said mildly: "Oh hell no. I'm staying here, and there ain't no way I'm moving out. Your room is like... perfect. It's got books and shit for me to read, and personal stuff for me to meddle through when I get bored of that, and the bed is big and comfy and I can totally rearrange this place to suit my every need. You can go room with Sin or one of your other bitches, but I demand that you stay with me as much as possible, fucker."

Zerrex looked at her for a few moments, then he attempted to quickly leap to his feet and escape, but she shot a hand out and snagged his tail, jerking him firmly back towards the bed before she pulled him on top of her and wrapped her legs in a vise around his waist, grinning as she put her hands behind her head and winked, the reptile squirming a bit as he was held in place on top of her body. "Boss, you got a real pretty mouth. It's too bad I can't shapeshift so much anymore, 'cause otherwise I'd put it to real nice use."

Zerrex winced, then he coughed when Cherry shoved him off suddenly, holding up a hand as she asked clearly: "By the way. You mind goin' down to the kitchen and makin' me some food? I'm getting hungry again and I wouldn't mind something to chew on. You should feel free to make yourself something while you're down there too or whatever, I ain't in no rush."

"I hate you." the Drakkaren said flatly, but Cherry only shrugged and looked at him benevolently. The male crossed his arms, but then, as she squirmed her way to sitting up against his pillows, he finally sighed and nodded, heading for the doors and letting himself out as he called: "I'm going to check on some things then, and I'll come back in a little while."

"Don't be long!" The female shouted, and Zerrex rolled his eyes as he walked down the hallway, pausing to knock quietly at Sin's door before letting himself in. He smiled a bit as he saw the Naganatine glance up curiously, sitting on her bed and reading with a Seethe Hound sitting near her feet, panting a bit as it looked up at her adoringly. The demonic hound was quadrupedal, but sitting as it was it was still large and powerful enough to come up past Sin's waist, with glowing eyes, big teeth, and spikes standing out of fur that was had mane of grizzled gray around the neck, the same-colored fur much shorter and stubbier over its face, and yet an ugly gold that was riddled with streaks of grey over her body, long and shaggy.

Once upon a time, four of these creatures had inhabited Sin's body, eternally puppies and ripping and eating their way through her insides, a terrible, severe punishment upon her for siding with Mephistopheles and allowing him, at the beginning of time, to use her as a breeding experiment. When her punishment had been ended, they had left their body and matured... and now all four of these rare demonic beasts answered solely to Sin, and they were capable of devouring anything in their path if they were called into action, but Sin treated them more as pets than as battle-partners.

Zerrex stepped into the room, and the canine beast looked up at him and growled for a moment, before it sniffed at his hand as he held it out and licked it, leaping up with a bark of joy to place its paws against his chest and push him down to the ground. The reptile grunted in surprise, and then he laughed as it licked his face sloppily, Sin laughing even as she called the Seethe Hound off in an ancient tongue of demonic Zerrex could barely make out, let alone understand. "I'm sorry, Lord Zerrex... they're all just very fond of you."

"It's perfectly fine." Zerrex laughed quietly as he sat up, reaching out and rubbing the huge beast affectionately behind an ear, before he recognized the crescent slash of black over one eye. "Basil, it's been a while since I've seen you or your siblings... I hope you've all been well."

The Seethe Hound barked and seemed to nod as it licked his hand, and the Drakkaren laughed softly as he climbed up to his feet and gazed at Sin with soft affection. She sat with the book closed, her eyes warm as she looked at the reptile, wearing her long, but now tattered and dusty dress... and then he leaned in and kissed her forehead gently, murmuring softly: "How do you get more beautiful every time I see you?"

"You're more charming than you like to say." Sin said softly, as she put her book aside. Zerrex sat down beside her, and their fingers locked together as she gazed across at him, asking quietly: "So Lord Zerrex. What can I help you with today? Or are you just here because you have something you need to get off your chest?"

"I dunno." Zerrex said after a moment, and then he closed his eyes as he rested his head on his shoulder, adding quietly: "I guess your words have been weighing on me a lot. It's strange, but... I have to admit, it is true. I don't want things to change... I don't want to let go of the past and I don't want to move on. And I don't understand why it's such a bad thing... to want to stay young, to want to be able to always be there for my family, my loved ones... and I'm so confused." He paused, shaking his head quietly. "I mean, after everything I've done and been through... and at the same time, with everything I'm told by so many different people."

Sin nodded slowly, then she squeezed his hand as she rested her head against his own, saying quietly: "I have my biases too, Lord Zerrex, despite how infallible you think I am... I have my lusts and needs and many terrible sins weighing upon my soul. I think... I think, though, sometimes I get scared... because of this."

She squeezed his hand quietly, and Zerrex looked down as his arm slowly became warped, the scales peeling off, the metal and rock pushing silently, slowly forwards, as a faint blue light pulsed in the cracks between the stony substance. "Mephistopheles, or rather, what is left of his power, resides inside you. So does the Princess... so do many other terrible things that you have destroyed and absorbed bits and pieces of over the years. I can only imagine what nightmarish powers are in your body... and I fear that one day, they'll use your wistfulness against you. Even if Mephistopheles is dead, even if he has completely vanished... his powers are vast, and vast powers tend to have a mind all their own. And power attracts power."

Zerrex nodded quietly, and then Sin squeezed his hand again and his arm returned to normal, bit-by-bit. She shook her head after a moment, before she finally she smiled a bit over at the Drakkaren. "You know, I worry we still have secrets from each other, after all these years. I know I've never told you many of the stories about my life, even if I've shared my lusts with you in improper ways that you nonetheless seemed delighted by... and you have yet to tell me many things about your past, Lord Zerrex, and exactly why you and Lady Cherry are always so nervous around one-another when it comes to love, and not just kindness. Yet you're so affectionate with the rest of us... so willing and glad to curl up here in my arms or hold any one of us tight to your chest, protective and compassionate... but deep inside..."

"There is darkness." Zerrex said quietly, looking down as he rested against Sin, and she pulled him a bit closer as the Seethe Hound whined softly in its throat, before it looked up curiously as Sammy appeared out of nowhere on the bed and hopped quickly up to land on the Drakkaren's shoulder, nipping at his hair quietly as he smiled a bit at the little beast. "We have company now."

"We do... and you have many people waiting for you, Lord Zerrex, anxious to see you healed as much as you can be." Sin paused, then she glanced down, saying softly: "Maybe we are all just like bandages. We can never totally heal you and your wounds... we can only stop the pain for a little while every now and then. I understand that... I can never totally understand that rip in your heart of hearts."

The Drakkaren nodded after a moment, and then he sighed softly, standing and stretching a bit, his fingers still laced with Sin's for a few seconds before they slid free, and they looked at each other as Zerrex said softly: "But you do help me, and in ways I can't begin to express my gratitude for. I'll come back soon, Sin, but for now, well... I have to go bring a meal to Cherry."

He grimaced, and Sin smiled a bit, nodding to him quietly as she picked up her book and began to read again, the Seethe Hound barking a few times as he exited, and Zerrex threw this a wave too before the door closed behind him, and he was left standing in the hallway with only Sammy on his shoulder. The dragon squeaked at him quietly, then the reptile asked softly: "So did you put them in the proper storage unit, then?"

Sammy nodded, and a moment later Zerrex saw an image of an egg-cart like box with runes covering it, the lid propped open and some twenty or so crystal orbs sitting inside it, glowing with various intensities in their own perfectly-shaped holders. Then the vision faded, and the Drakkaren nodded, gently stroking the pseudodragon's chin as he said softly: "That's excellent, then, Sammy. Thank you very much for doing that for me... it means I can count on you for larger tasks in the future."

The dragon chirped contentedly, curling up around him as the reptile made his way through the Estate, passing servants every now and then who helped tend to the household and nodding courteously to them, but otherwise doing his best to avoid conversation or any interaction at all. He felt tired and out of sorts, as he reached the enormous kitchens, ignoring demonic and mortal machinery both as he made his way towards the walk-in pantry, murmuring: "You know, I always wanted to live in a log cabin, not a giant house. I admit it has its advantages... but having to portal back and forth if you want to prepare something as simple as a small snack quickly gets draining pretty fast."

The pseudodragon nodded on his shoulder, and Zerrex sorted his way through the various goods on the shelves, finally picking up a loaf of bread, a few cans of soup, and a box of crackers. He shook the last to make sure Cherry hadn't already gotten into them, eaten them all, then put them back, and then returned to the empty kitchen, marveling for a moment at how large it was and how little it was actually used by anyone other than Sin. Then again, I get the munchies every now and then myself for something or another... and Cherry's certainly in that kind of state where she devours everything in sight... "Here, Sammy, I'll teach you how to work a microwave. Thank Gods these things actually work in Hell."

It took the reptile roughly half an hour to get everything in order, from finding bowls and plates and a tray to actually preparing the food. Then he created a portal, not quite daring to walk through the catacombs of the enormous mansion while laden down with three bowls of soup, two sandwiches, and the box of crackers, and he stepped through it to appear outside of Sin's room. He glanced at the pseudodragon still sitting on his shoulder, and Sammy twisted his long, flexible tail outwards to rap firmly on the door three times with the heavy end of it, before he leapt off Zerrex's shoulder to cling to the handle with his front claws and twist his body, opening it.

Sin was still reading on her bed, the Seethe Hound now snoozing quietly beside her, and she looked up with a smile when Zerrex entered, saying softly: "I made you a bowl of soup and a sandwich. Just some plain meats, nothing from the mortal realm, but I hope you like it nonetheless... and take some crackers, too. You know, because Cherry will eat everything else that you don't take."

"Thank you, Lord Zerrex." Sin nodded to him, gazing at him softly as she gladly picked up one of the sandwiches and a bowl, putting them aside on the small table beside her bed as she looked up at him fondly. "You're too kind to me."

Zerrex only smiled slightly, then he murmured: "I'll be back soon." before he stepped back into the hallway, Sammy walking along beside him. The door leading into his room was half-open, and the Drakkaren booted it lightly, stepping inside... before he stared at Cherry, the female grunting on the bed with her legs spread and a grin on her muzzle, her shirt and bra pulled up so her breasts were exposed, one hand on them and the other between her legs.

Then her head tilted towards Zerrex as her eyes half-opened... before they bulged as she stared in shock, almost convulsing as she rolled to the side and fell off the bed with a grunt. Zerrex rolled his eyes with a groan, and Cherry stood up a moment later with a huff, saying in a strangled voice as she did up her pants: "Goddammit, knock next time, Boss! I could've been jerking off in here!"

"I thought you already did." Zerrex said dryly, and Cherry coughed, glancing away awkwardly as she pulled her bra and shirt down, wincing as she adjusted her breasts beneath the fabric, her features flushed. "Besides, haven't you lost that ability?"

"Uh. Only major shape-changing. I can still bring out a cock pretty damn easy, which makes me glad 'cause nothin' says masturbatin' better than jerkin' your own big thick dick in your hand." Cherry responded with a grin, before her eyes lit up and she bounced over to take the tray away from Zerrex, licking her muzzle hungrily as the pseudodragon growled distrustfully at her. "But sweet, food! The only thing I want right now more than sex. You are way too kind to me, Boss."

The Drakkaren shook his head amusedly, walking over to pat her on the back as she dropped the tray on a dresser she had cleared off and dragged over to the bedside: Cherry hadn't been exactly shy about rearranging his furniture to suit her own desires. It was cute, though, because the reptile could see her awkwardly rubbing at her 'II' collar with a blush, as she almost gingerly tasted the soup before giving him a bright grin, and he knew that in a moment, if he asked, she would gladly return to the role of his bitch, no matter what pain it would cause her or how she would have to fight those weird maternal instincts of hers. In some ways, he knew she'd be glad... because he knew when Cherry started getting bitchy or bossy, it was just her way of hiding how embarrassed or undeserving she felt. Yet she does deserve it... just as she deserves to have the children she was never able to have on the mortal realm...

"Stop staring at me." Cherry said after a moment, peering at the Drakkaren distrustfully over her soup. The male coughed, rubbing at his forehead, and the female huffed before she tossed her spoon aside onto the tray and greedily brought the bowl up to her muzzle, slurping loudly as she drank it down hungrily. Zerrex rolled his eyes at her behavior, and then she lowered the bowl and grinned stupidly again at him, soup dripping off her muzzle. "This is some seriously good shit though."

"It's just microwaved beef stew." The reptile looked at her with faint entertainment, and Cherry shrugged before she drank down the last of the stew, then grabbed the sandwich off the tray and gobbled it down in three massive bites, crumbs flying everywhere as Zerrex stared. Then she looked at the last bowl, then awkwardly glanced at the reptile before he rolled his eyes and waved a hand, smiling despite himself as Sammy leapt up onto the bed beside him, huffing but nodding a bit as well. "Go right on ahead, since you seem to like it so damn much. It isn't salty enough for me." He paused, looking morbid. "I miss salt."

"Me too." Cherry grunted as she picked up the bowl, and then she daintily placed the spoon aside before going to work at guzzling down the soup. The reptile watched thoughtfully as she did so, wondering how any salted foods would affect the baby in her belly; salt, after all, worked well as a basic demon and spirit repellant. Higher-tier demons such as himself and Cherry could still ignore such barriers - unless fortified further by runic magic and other methods - but eating it, on the other hand... well, too much salt in their bloodstream could weaken them and make them nauseous and feverish.

Zerrex had discovered this after one fateful day of gobbling a... large quantity of rock-salt chips with Cherry, until Sin had stopped them with a horrified look on her face. The two had then spent most of the week either puking or mildly delirious, random bits of their demonic form popping out now and then. They'd both recovered fully... but it was certainly a lesson neither of them would ever forget.

The reptile decided to strike all salty foods off Cherry's diet from now on, to protect the baby, since it would likely take a much-lower salt quantity to make it ill... and he knew he'd also have to find a room in the house to redecorate for the baby. And all of a sudden, it hit him, that he and Cherry were going to be parents again... and even though it was his hundred and... something... son, and his second child with Cherry... it still felt like it was the biggest moment of his life.

He smiled at her quietly, as she wiped her muzzle with the back of her hand before belching and patting her belly... and then she paused as he caught his look, blushing a bit and seeming awkward. He coughed after a moment, then glanced at him and asked hesitantly: "You uh. You okay there, Boss?"

"What are we gonna name my little girl?" Zerrex asked gently, as he touched Cherry's belly almost gingerly. His fingers ran over abdominals that were powerful and chiseled, that formed a protective, solid wall that sheltered the developing fetus inside... and Cherry leaned back with a wide smile, a faint smile spreading over her face even as she tried to keep her expression stony.

"Dude, it's going to be a little boy, for one thing." Cherry snorted, reaching out and snagging Zerrex's shoulders, and then she dragged him down beside her. His hand left her belly for a moment, but then she caught his wrist and gingerly guided it back down, as she closed her eyes, nestling her head against his neck and breathing softly as she whispered: "And either way, we're gonna give this kid a kickass name, 'cause it's gonna be a kickass little kid. You saw how Priest turned out, after all..." She paused, hesitated, then said suddenly: "I want Priest to be here with me. I want him to... I want him to help out. I trust him, just like I trust you and Sin and Lily... and well... Selena too, I guess."

She added the last grouchily, and Zerrex smiled a bit before he nodded, asking curiously: "Where's Priest stationed, anyway? He's taken after you and he's working with the Special Infantry, isn't he?"

"Oh fuck off." Cherry snorted and bit at him lightly, and Zerrex winced before Sammy leapt up between them, fluttering his wings before he curled up next to the male's head. His tail swung out and lightly slapped Cherry's cheek, and she huffed before sitting up, muttering: "Well, I sure as hell ain't giving you oral now, little pet freak thing. But yeah... he's working with the mortal weaponry, picked up a real knack for engineering and modifying it, and he ain't a half-bad sniper. I think he's staying at the Silver Ridge... that is, if he isn't in the Barred City, much as you hate that place."

Zerrex grunted at her in return, then he sat up, absently reaching a hand out to pet the quiet pseudodragon before he looked into Cherry's eyes with a slight smile. "Could be worse, at least... he could be in one of the renovated bases at the Northern Province." He paused, then he gently rubbed a hand along Cherry's side as she leaned in against him, closing her eyes and mumbling something. "What?"

"I said, shut the fuck up. We'll deal with getting him once I start turning into a fatass." Cherry responded, mumbling a bit as she slid closer and curled herself against him, closing her eyes with a bit of a smile. Zerrex looked down at her with amusement as he encircled her waist with an arm, and she wrapped her own around strong, muscular limbs around his shoulders, saying quietly: "Priest was one thing, Boss. But this is a whole different ballgame... we never talked about this, we both just... apparently wanted it badly enough that it happened. Fuck am I ever scared, really really damn scared. How do you deal with this, Zer?"

"You take it as a blessing." Zerrex replied quietly, kissing her forehead gently, and Cherry muttered something about naivety, making him roll his eyes. "Cherry, look. Priest is a Hez'Rannan Luskopa D'atree, a Nature devil... pretty much a demigod. Here in Hell, they use pretty much the same name for him, an Elemental Archfiend. If anyone could have become corrupted with power or gone crazy-evil, it was him. But he never did." The reptile stopped, then he said quietly: "Maybe if I was as good a parent as you were, Cherry, Marina would be better-adjusted to the world... and we never would have been forced to deal with my evil offspring."

But the female shook her head at this, snorting amusedly. "Fuck that. Who was the one who was always ready to talk shit out with Priest? Who was the one who got him interested in crazy shit, and helped him out when he needed it? It was you, Boss... I admit, I protected him from a lot of stuff, but I was never no good at the whole talky-thingy. And you can't blame yourself for Marina... or for Aether."

Zerrex closed his eyes at the name of his son: a son who had not just gone insane, but gone evil and turned against everything that he believed in. And Aether had been powerful, and caused all manner of havoc and destruction in Hell before he'd finally been stopped by Sin and Zerrex fighting together... but neither of them had been able to bring themselves to kill him, and so instead, Aether had been sealed away forever in a pocket dimension, where even to this day he was left alone to rot, for more than nine million years.

Cherry nudged him quietly, and then she murmured softly: "You gotta stop livin' in the past, Boss... it ain't healthy for you, and it doesn't help anyone else, either. I know, fuck, I know that you feel guilt and all sorts of shit about what happened, but it ain't your fault at all, and nor is it Sin's fault." She paused, then kissed his cheek quietly. "You fixed me, after all, and I was a goddamn douchebag in the past."

The reptile nodded a bit, and they sat quietly together for a few moments before both of them glanced up as Sammy growled at them before nipping Cherry firmly in the base of her tail, and she yelped and half-jumped in the air as Zerrex laughed and shook his head. The female huffed as she slid off the bed, then the demoness grinned a bit as she hopped up and down and threw a few punches lightly through the air. "You know, I'm still healthy enough to spar and shit, and my powers ain't totally gone... what do you say that we have ourselves a little fight? Or hell, maybe just go to the shooting range and blow shit up?"

"I think I'm kinda tired of that for the moment, Cherry... besides, Sin is feeling pretty down and low on energy, and I could admittedly use some sleep." Zerrex paused at Cherry's downcast look, and then he said softly: "How about this? You can go and get Vampire and some of the others together, and we'll form ourselves a little hunting party to see if we can track down where this Wulfe stuff-"

"What?" Cherry looked at him sharply, and Zerrex that no one else had filled her in on exactly what had gone on: Sin had probably given her some broad details after some nagging, and he'd planned to tell her about it after he stopped feeling so goddamn tired... but now she walked over to him, asking in a serious voice: "Tell me what happened. Don't leave out a goddamn detail."

The reptile looked at her for a few moments, and then he nodded as Sammy leapt up into his lap, stroking slowly over the pseudodragon's lap as he began to speak quietly. He stumbled here and there with his words, but Cherry was a good listener when it came to things like this... and like it or not, Zerrex could recount a story fairly well, if only because he'd done it so many times.

He told her about the Parasites being mostly females, and he went into detail about the males they had found and just what they looked like; he told her about coming across the barrier, and how it had been so out of place... and he told her about the nest, and the great battles. She was enthralled with Mist and Shine's combined form, even though she'd seen it in action before... but the fact that the Twins together could become such a powerful singular being never failed to amaze.

And of course, he told her about the drama, too... Cherry was always entertained by their arguments and planning sessions gone wrong and when Selena and Lily had a bitch-fight. Then he talked about the machinery... and he went into great detail about the research facility, which made Cherry become serious again, listening intently.

He talked about the capsules, how they had been modified HC-21 units; very close to the same kinds of capsule, in other words, used to make Dragokkaren clone soldiers. He also made sure to mention the Wulfe crates and all the crystals they had found, and he did his best to remember his conversation with the Wentaku before it had unleashed the plant beast on them. Cherry was disgusted by this last part, and when he ended abruptly, there was silence except for her slow pacing in front of him.

Then she finally looked up and said darkly: "Dude, this is some serious shit. Genetic samples and production of crystals outside of Hell... that stuff is real dark magic, and it ain't supposed to even work on the physical plane without a special setup. Like... how the fuck did big bad Mister Wulfe even find out about this? And fuck, what the fuck are we gonna tell poor little Mahihko? He and Lone, it'll break their goddamn hearts!"

"I don't think there's any chance of a tearful reunion happening, anyway..." Zerrex said mildly, and then he sighed and shook his head slowly, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Look, you are... still healthy enough to help out, and you're a huge asset to us. And you're probably my best friend." Zerrex looked up at her plainly, and Cherry looked surprised before she blushed, fidgeting awkwardly as she rubbed at her huge biceps. "This is pretty sensitive information, so the first step is to put together... a hunting party. Me, you, Vampire, some other people we can really trust... goddamn me for wanting to say we should just get everyone else from the Goth Legion. I mean, we certainly can't trust most of the bastards, but on the other hand..."

"Ain't no one who can keep a secret for money better than Ghost and Silverfish." Cherry looked disgusted, nodding slowly as she crossed her arms. "Bastards are mostly useless anyway... I mean, Ghost would be swell, but Silverfish spends so much time lazing around and fencing illegal imports that he's gotten fat and sloppy. I say we pay his casino a visit one day and bust the fucker's operation, just because I don't like his face."

"I'll think about it." Zerrex murmured, rubbing at his head slowly, then he glanced up and added quietly: "We can't bring in any of our big-league crew, though. It would look too suspicious if Lily and Selena and Sin tagged along. I want this to look like an actual hunting party... hell, I want to do some actual hunting in whatever area we go to, just to really throw anyone who might be watching or listening off the trail."

Cherry grinned at this, winking at him as she rubbed her belly slowly. "Well, here's two people you can trust." A pause, and then she coughed and blushed, adding awkwardly: "Not that. You know. I'm already attached to little kiddo here or anything. Hell, fetuses aren't even people. They're tasty delicacies you whip up in a blender or serve southern-fried. I ain't sensitive or caring or compassionate at all."

"Not one bit." Zerrex said amusedly, shaking his head slowly before he leaned back, adding mildly: "Of course, the other thing you can do to me is go down to the Greed Circle and check out the usual backwater places for someone willing to spill the whereabouts of any big import operations for some cash. You've always had a knack for finding the right people and making them squeal."

At this, the female grinned widely, punching the palm of her other hand as she winked at him. "Now you're just flattering me... you always know just the kinds of things that help me de-stress." She paused, then rubbed at her belly slowly, adding mildly: "And not to be a bitch or anything, but like. I just wanna say that... you know. Me and Zerrex Junior here are only gonna be able to do so much for so long. Once my belly starts bulging up, I think my protective motherly side is going to kick in and I'm going to start wanting to stay in bed all day."

The male snorted amusedly as Sammy leapt up onto his shoulder from his lap, and then he tickled the pseudodragon gently under the chin. "Like you don't already, unless it involves hurting someone else. Thanks though, Cherry... report what you find to Selena, Lily, and Ami, and then you can go find a good hunting crew. If Sin and I are still asleep when you get back here, feel free to wake us up whenever... and make everything look casual. Considering how fresh the last shipment looked, it's probably only been a few minutes up on the mortal plane since they were brought down, and I want proof that they've been shipping in illegal goods, wherever and whoever they are."

Cherry nodded firmly, then she threw Zerrex a salute before creating a portal and jumping through it. It stayed open, and then Cherry ducked her head back through, saying mildly: "By the way, Boss. Thanks for lettin' me do this."

With that, she withdrew back through the portal, and it vanished as the reptile laughed quietly and shook his head slowly. To most, it probably seemed stupid... sending the pregnant chick out to dig up information in the seediest clubs in the most crime-riddled Circle... but even if Cherry had to deal with some very dangerous individuals, Zerrex knew she was more than capable of protecting herself. Besides, Cherry was no simple girl - she was a muscular behemoth, and in full demonic glory, an unstoppable wrecking machine. If the reptile felt sorry for anyone, it was the people who dared to cross her.

He stood up and stretched, yawning a bit as he walked towards the door, Sammy cooing lightly to him before he nibbled at his hair. It made Zerrex smile as he exited into the hall, and then he let himself into Sin's room without knocking this time, and was unsurprised to see her laying on the bed in black lingerie that covered her breasts with tight cups, a silky black fabric hanging down from this and the strap around her back that held it in place to just past her thighs, like a miniature dress. He looked at her and wondered for a moment if there was anything beneath that fabric... but he was too tired to find out, and Sin gazed up at him as she curled herself against a pillow, her glammer gone and the Seethe Hound snoring on the floor.

Sammy leapt down from the reptile's shoulder to inspect the huge, snoring animal, and he sniffed at it daintily before nipping gently at its fur, and the Hound barely stirred in its sleep. After a moment, the pseudodragon curled itself up against the huge beast comfortably... and Zerrex shook his head with a quiet laugh before he headed to Sin's bed, climbing in beside her with a long sigh of contentment, looking into her eyes as they rested with their noses almost touching, and then she said softly: "Sweet dreams, Lord Zerrex... and thank you."

"No... thank you, Sin." The Drakkaren leaned forwards, resting his head against Sin's small yet comfortable bosom, and he breathed softly as he automatically curled forwards against her as they both reached down to grasp the blanket, pulling it up over their warm bodies. As it settled, the reptile already felt himself falling asleep, as Sin wrapped a leg around him and they took on a pose that was almost sexual... but before he could even remark on it, he was asleep.

Zerrex woke up alone, frowning a bit as he looked back and forth, confused and lost... and after a few moments of taking in his distorted surroundings, he realized he wasn't in reality any longer, but instead, somewhere else. Somewhere... likely inside my head.

He slipped carefully out of the small bed he had awoken in, and a hand shot out from beneath it, grabbing his ankle as red eyes glared from the darkness and something slavered and snarled... and as Zerrex leapt back in horror, everything went silent and the hand and eyes vanished like smog, the reptile breathing a bit harder before he shook his head and concentrated, muttering quietly: "No, it's a nightmare, that's all. I just have to wake up. Gotta wake up, wake up... goddammit, wake the hell up!"

But nothing happened... and he was still here, in a room that had swirling black and red walls and a single solid wooden doorway leading out... and it swung open as Zerrex looked at it, and he saw himself walk slowly by before pausing, sharpening a katana in one hand, the heavy black combat armor he was wearing glinting in the light. But the face was young and unscarred... handsome, callous, and cruel, the same and yet so very different from Zerrex's own features. "The fuck are you waiting for?"

"Are you going to try and kill me again, Ravenlight? Gods above, what the hell did I ever do to deserve a shattered brain on top of everything else?" Zerrex looked at the ceiling, and then he turned his attention back to the doorway, but Ravenlight only snorted as he finished sharpening the sword, tucking it away in a black steel sheath at his side. Two swords, and two handguns... Ugh, I've always been so damn showy. "Well, where's the snappy comeback?"

"Listen to me, jackass." Ravenlight snarled at him, then he pointed down the hall, towards something Zerrex obviously couldn't see. "You've got a real nasty tenant in the basement. She's a huge bitch, and she's fucking with me and your brain in ways you can't even understand, because you're too fucking retard to even notice them. Listen, you... we... have got to deal with her and her psycho power trips. Either get her in line, or rip what remains of her to shreds, but for fuck's sake, do something about her!"

"You brought me here to tell me that?" Zerrex cocked his head, looking sourly amused. "You know, when there's a problem in my brain that needs solving, it's one of the others that calls on me... or should I say, the other chemicals in my brain induce a reaction that creates a delusion in which I have to solve a problem or-"

"The delusion is that scientific bullshit." Ravenlight shot back, scowling. Then he snapped his fingers, and something smashed into Zerrex's back before he was knocked outwards and into the hallway, whacking his head painfully off the wall to leave a large dent in the plaster, before he fell heavily on his ass with a grunt and a glare. He looked over his shoulder after Ravenlight only looked at him with disgust, and he was unsurprised, somehow, to see that even the doorway had vanished. "Look, shithead. Here's the simple explanation. If you live, I live. If you die, I die. If she takes over your brain, I die. Call me egocentric, but I'm really big on staying alive and all that bullshit. So seriously. Go and deal with her."

The moment Zerrex got to his feet, Ravenlight shoved him hard towards the other end of the hallway, and the reptile glared at him before Ravenlight simply shrugged and stalked away, going through another door that promptly vanished when he slammed it. Zerrex shook his head slowly with a sigh, and then he turned around, wondering just what the hell the Princess was up to in his brain if it was so urgent that even the nasty-ass third of his split-up mind was calling on him for help. Usually it's my more pleasant side... ugh, if we look at this all... psychologically and crap... is Ravenlight my ego, my id, or my superego? Or is he just a freeloading douchebag from my past?

I heard that. Ravenlight said sulkily in his head, and Zerrex rolled his eyes before they settled on the ancient-looking elevator at the end of the hall. He approached it slowly, then grasped the iron gate in front of it and rolled it slowly open, before he stepped onto the brown flooring of the lift beyond. The control panel was enormous, but it had only one button lit up, the others either dark or missing... and that button was 'B.'

"A fitting place for a bitch like her." Zerrex muttered, and he pressed it... then stared as the lift warped around him, the wooden walls becoming metal as they shattered, the cubical format becoming an ugly dome, and a huge gate slamming over the open front before the elevator began to clunk its way downwards, shaking badly enough to knock the reptile jouncing back and forth like a pinball.

Finally, it came to a halt, and the reptile landed heavily on his knees, wincing as the gate slowly slid open... and from inside, the Princess laughed loudly, the tall, lithe Dragokkaren adjusting her golden bird-mask as she said in a playful yet sinister voice: "No need for formalities, Lord Zerrex... do come inside and sit down."

Zerrex's face tightened as he stood up, stepping onto a floor he thought at first was marble... but he realized a moment later the tiles were made of ivory, just as the walls were made of bones and skulls. Two large chairs made out of femurs and other longer bones sat in front of a raised platform of - who would guess? - bone, and her throne that sat upon it was built entirely of skulls. Her 'home' was larger than Zerrex remembered, however... and there were sparkling gemstones floating through the air that glowed with energy, and strange cracks in the walls that pulsed a soft blue every so often. It was all more than enough to make Zerrex nervous... and he made a face as the Princess half-bowed to him mockingly, her long white dress flowing around her as she stood beside her throne on the platform. "So I take it you got my invitation?"

"I didn't know Ravenlight worked for you, now." Zerrex said mildly, and he glanced at one of the bone-chairs before sitting down in it, knowing full-well it could be a trap. Nothing happened, however, and the Princess's emerald eyes glowed with delight as he looked slowly back and forth. "There's a lot of energy here."

"I like to experiment." The Princess paused, before she narrowed her eyes as she added softly: "And yes, Lord Zerrex. I can put you in very real danger... and even trapped inside you, whether this is your mind or your soul, I can destroy you utterly... or better yet, possess your body and force it to destroy all those people you hold dear. Only fools have so many friends, Lord Zerrex... they're all just people I will be delighted to use against you."

"Maybe it was your lack of friends that made you into such a bitch." Zerrex retorted, but he could see the Princess's smile in her eyes as she only chuckled softly. Then he closed his eyes and calmed himself down, before he opened them, meeting hers and asking coldly: "If you can do all this, why haven't you?"

"I could ask you the same question... despite all my threats and my efforts to annihilate you and those you hold dear, why haven't you destroyed me?" The Princess tilted her head, and her amusement faded as Zerrex only smiled and put his hands behind his head. "You know what I am. I am the Goddess. I am your Goddess. And I was powerful enough to drive God back up into his filthy Heaven. Even among the other Old Gods, I was strong... and you, you are nothing but a reject, a half-breed Drakkai that became a demon through experimentation gone wrong, and still hasn't achieved the greatness or fulfilled the legacy of his demonic heritage, like the other Incarnations. Compared to the true Incarnations, you are weak and pathetic."

Zerrex looked at her for a few moments, then he held up a finger, saying plainly: "Doesn't that make you more pathetic and weaker than me? Because I kinda killed my way through the entire Central Spire to get to you, beat not only a Terror but Beatrice Blossom - who, by the way, was an Incarnation herself - and then I kicked the ass of... who was it..." Zerrex put on a thoughtful frown, whatever anger he'd had awakened vanishing at the utter hate and rage he could see the Princess bristling with, before he brightened and said: "Right, it was you! The uh. The Duchess!"

"I am a Goddess!" she thundered, slamming her hands into the arms of her throne hard enough to shatter them, and then she leapt to her feet and jumped off the platform, a magical, silvery blade forming in her hand before she held it up to Zerrex's throat as she leaned over him, her eyes glowing like green spotlights down at the Drakkaren as he leaned back with a bit of a wince of distaste... and then she recovered herself, stepping backwards as the blade vanished, closing her eyes as the arms of her throne reformed as if they had never been damaged... and then she said in a quiet, dark voice: "Don't push me, Lord Zerrex... or I'll throw my theories to the wind and crush you out like a bug. I have always had the power to do so, and you very well know it... when I ruled Hell, for hundreds of thousands of years, you feared me... you were terrified of me. And you served me as loyally as a pet."

The Drakkaren only shook his head slowly as he stood up, however, looking squarely into her eyes as he said calmly: "My father was your pet. And he tore your throat out at the end of the day, when you tried to sacrifice him. A betrayal for a betrayal, Princess... and to me, you are no 'goddess.' God wounded you and you fled, don't forget that... you were made mortal, and you died like the filth you are. And even here in Hell, after you slipped the chain and bided your time until you killed Tir'Vanna and pretended to be her for all those long years... you were the one hiding. What kind of goddess hides? Not the kind I'd ever worship..." Zerrex snorted in disgust, then he reached suddenly up, and it was like his arm lengthened or she was pulled forwards, because a moment later his hand seized her mask before he tore it off, and she screamed as she covered her face and staggered backwards, the reptile throwing the golden full facemask to the ground as he shouted: "And you can't hide how weak you are any longer or use your stage magic to intimidate me!"

The Princess slowly turned back around, her hands dropping away from a face that was ugly and torn, covered in scars and burn marks, her scales dull and listless and bruised, and then she leaned forwards, snarling with a mouth that was missing several teeth. What remained was yellowed and ugly, set into rotten gums that were black and bright red. Then she recovered herself, looking grimly down at him as she said darkly: "I will never forgive this insult, Zerrex Narrius... now give me back my-"

The Drakkaren stomped on her facemask, crushing the helm portion under one foot and hopelessly warping the muzzle section, and the Princess shook with fury before she suddenly rose a hand, and the floating crystals above glowed before everything went dark. Zerrex looked back and forth blindly, shocked... before something smashed him across the face, and he felt agony before he stumbled into a wall, clutching at his bloodied muzzle as the Princess whispered: "I've had enough of you. I've already figured out how to manipulate some of your basic senses, oh mighty Lord Zerrex... let's see how well you fight blind!"

The Drakkaren shook his head with a curse, and then he quickly dodged away from the voice before he heard a loud clatter of footsteps, followed by a hissed spell and a grunt. The reptile immediately went into a dive, but he struck the platform in midair and collapsed with a groan - fortunately, however, the fireball the Princess had thrown exploded past him. The reptile felt the heat of it, heard the boom... but then he heard a different sound, before he threw a foot out on instinct in a wild kick.

The Princess cursed angrily, staggering... and a moment later Zerrex swung his leg around and hooked her heel with his own, and she screamed as she toppled backwards, crashing loudly to the ground. Immediately, Zerrex got to a kneel, feeling out the platform and building an image in his mind as he hid behind it, hearing the whistle of several things flying through the air and the crunch of them smashing into the wall above his head, and he took the moment to put his hands together, concentrating and remembering all the training he'd done... not just in Hell, but in his mortal lifetime, with Requiem.

And when he thought of Requiem, discipline suddenly took over and wiped out the shock and the panic, and Zerrex quickly slipped around the other side of the platform as the rain of whatever-it-had-been stopped and the Princess shouted in his general direction: "Stop hiding from me and just die, scum! Oh, I've waited so long for this moment... I'll kill you inside your own mind, and you'll never wake up again. Oh no, I'll be the one in Sin's arms... and I'll rip the traitorous bitch to shreds before I hunt down your whore and tear her baby out of her stomach before I kill her in the most delectable way I can think of..."

Hearing. Touch. Taste. Smell. And even though I can't see, I still have my inner sight... from touching this platform, I can build an image in my mind... and I remember the room... Zerrex concentrated, and simplistic black and white images, like drawings on a chalkboard, appeared in his head. I don't know if she's right or not about me dying if I die here... I don't know if I even can die here, since this is my turf. But even if she's turned out the lights... maybe I can still give her a surprise.

But the Princess was approaching now, even if she was trying to be quiet, and Zerrex knew before he tried anything big, he'd have to stun her or pin her down first. He also knew that between her magic and her sheer ruthlessness, she was not a foe to be underestimated... but if she came in close enough, he was pretty sure he could give her a hell of a surprise. So instead of reacting to her presence, he simply glanced back and forth stupidly, muttering nonsense words to himself before she screamed triumphantly: "Got you!"

Someone, he knew what was coming... and he swung both hands up to snag her wrist as she tried to smash in his skull with a death blow. She let out a shriek of surprise, and then Zerrex twisted her arm upwards before he slammed his fist into her elbow... and she struck herself hard in the stomach, screaming in pain. It made Zerrex grin as he felt blood splatter over his face, feeling her double-over as whatever magical enhancement she had added on top of the strike work against her... and then he leapt into the air, arching his back before he slammed both feet into her stomach, sending her flying through the air to crash into a wall with a scream of agony.

He landed heavily on his back with a grunt, then he rolled quickly behind the platform before kneeling and pushing both hands into the ground, concentrating hard and ignoring the howls of the Princess. Then, bit-by-bit, his vision began to fade in... and in the air above him, a gemstone shuddered violently before cracks spread through it, and it exploded into pieces that hailed down over the reptile, making him wince as the crystalline shrapnel pelted him, but then grin when he opened his eyes and he found his vision had fully returned. So that has something to do with it. So obvious I never even wondered what the hell they were...

"I'll kill you!" The Princess snarled as she stood up, her eyes blazing with fury. Her anger, however, was outweighed by the terrible wound in her stomach: her dress had been torn away there, and her insides were hanging out of the gaping, twisted hole in her body. She clutched her side weakly below the wound, panting hard as she rose her other hand, and lightning twisted over her arm before she fired a blue bolt of lightning at the Drakkaren... but Zerrex simply rose a forearm, wincing as the electricity contacted with it and drained harmlessly into the ground, the reptile feeling like his body was sizzling before the magic drained away, and the Princess coughed hard before she vomited blood and fell over, her expression suddenly weak and dazed: "W... why..."

"You're nowhere near your full strength." Zerrex paused, then he created a sphere of energy and threw it hard at one of the floating, glowing gemstones. The resulting explosion was enormous, blue light filling the room for a moment before it faded slowly away, and the Princess moaned in disbelief, shaking her head weakly. It was an almost pathetic display... and the Drakkaren snorted quietly before he quickly disposed of the other gemstones in a similar manner, making her scream in outrage and denial.

Finally, he walked over to her, then he glanced up with his hands on his hips as several bones fell out of the wall and ceiling, a rumble shaking the room before the environment seemed to flicker... and then another rumble shook the area before several large tendrils of ivy ripped their way through the walls, the ivory tiles of the floor shattering as ferns and small trees tore upwards, several of the trees growing so high that they pieced through the rooftop. It made the Princess shiver... and then she looked at the ground, whispering: "It can't end like this... it just can't. I have lived since the dawn of time... why is it that when I die... I always die at the hands of my own... failed experiments... playthings that I should have easily been able to control... why is life so cruelly ironic, why is Fate so wicked?"

"Life sucks." Zerrex shrugged a bit, feeling a strange sense of compassion for the once-superior being before he extended a hand to her... and she looked up at him with surprise, then at his hand. She hesitated, then finally took it, and Zerrex helped her up, the Princess grunting quietly as she grasped his shoulder and leaned heavily on him, closing her eyes in pain. She trembled, and then half-shoved herself away from him with a grimace as he said quietly: "You're dying, Princess. Do it with some dignity."

"What dignity is there in death? In becoming..." She shivered in distaste. "Part of you and your wretched soul? I'm being absorbed into you, my worst of enemies ever since Narrius fell... and you will inherit powers that you do not deserve." She looked at him with disgust, before she held out her hands, asking harshly: "If we traded places, tell me, oh benevolent Lord Zerrex... how would you handle being so weak, and this fate far worse than annihilation?"

The Drakkaren looked down thoughtfully, and a long few moments passed before the Princess grunted and waved a hand at him with disgust, walking past him to a chair of bone: the only chair of bone left, Zerrex saw, as the other seemed to have been destroyed during the fight. She sighed as she sat down, but now her wounds were healing, and she gazed at him with disgust as she said darkly: "Since this is Hell and we're supposed to be famous for our deals, let's negotiate. You call back your damnable... tentacles that are seeping into my domain, and I'll share my powers with you instead of binding them so tightly that when I die, you'll be given nothing." The Princess's eyes burned, and she smiled coldly as she leaned forwards, tenting her fingers. "It's a deal you can't resist, Lord Zerrex... not only because of your thirst for power... but you know how much abilities like mine can help you in your... idiotic quest for justice or whatever you're searching for."

Zerrex looked at her squarely, and for a few moments, the only sound in the room was their breathing: his measured, and hers pained, rough pants. Then he looked down at his hands, whispering softly: "I have enough power as it is, Princess... and you and I both know that when you do dissipate completely, even you can't bind yourself tight enough that none of your powers seep into my being.

"I don't want any part of you in my spirit." The Drakkaren said finally, looking at her darkly, and she snorted with disgust, looking away... before she glanced back with surprise as he said: "But alright. I'll keep you alive... and you'll give me some of your abilities. But if you ever try to kill me again, then I'll drop the nice-guy act and rip you into shreds, Princess. I will kill you."

She looked at him for a few moments, judging his words... before she finally nodded, looking around with a grim smile as Zerrex closed his eyes and concentrated, tilting his head upwards. Bit-by-bit, the ferns and trees vanished, leaving only blue, pulsing cracks in the bone that made up the surfaces of the room... and then when he opened them, he found himself staring at the Princess as she grasped his skull and leaned down, saying softly: "Maybe you'll find yourself in my position one day, Lord Zerrex... because you may find that powers like these... twist your whole world view around."

And before he could react, the reptile's back arched, the lizard's hands convulsing uselessly at his sides as his eyes bulged in agony, purple lightning zapping over his body... and then the Princess leaned down into his face and shouted: "Wake up!"