***The Netherrealm, The Olympians***

***Celes***

“It’s right over there,” one of our guides points out, indicating a castle which is very similar to Nix’s stronghold in size and design. There is one major structure in the centre, easily recognizable from our elevated position. Surrounding it, is an impressive wall, enclosing a central courtyard.

The succubus looks at us, then at the other gods in our company. She and her sisters got very quiet when we met up with the rest of our task force. The three succubi may be demons and mortal by our definition, but they recognize power when they encounter it.

Apart from Katrine and Angrod, we took Arthur, Nicosar, Rose, and our friends, Sandra, Margerie, Gabriel, and Tanja. Which means that we have ten major deities in our group.

Power-wise, that’s equal to an invasion force which could take on several dozen demon lords working together – a scenario that’s as good as out of the question, given demonic nature.

“We go with the same drill?” Margerie asks, holding up one of the six inhibitors which are supposed to dampen the pathway signatures, therefore mimicking the effects of a Void Zone in a localized area once they are set up in a pentagram around the target area.

The inhibitors are long staves, similar to Angrod’s staff. The difference is that they only fulfil one purpose and are meant to be rammed into the ground at their destination. Once set up, they generate an inhibitor field that should prevent anyone from using the pathways or teleportation.

Their weakness is that they can’t prevent anyone from leaving the relatively small zone with speed alone, but that is what our friends are there for.

“I suppose.” Angrod nods. “No point in changing things. Our main priority remains to keep anyone from getting away. It will be harder, though. We didn’t expect that there is a whole group of deities hanging out on in this dimension.”

“Shouldn’t we retreat and get more people?” Gabriel asks. “Not that I want to waste time, but are we sure that we can take them?”

I knock my knuckles onto the crystal breastplate of my armour. “You forget that we are armed and armoured with something the rest of the multiverse doesn’t have access to. This is a major game changer.”

“Okay.” Tanja gestures for us to get going. “But make it quick. We promised Iris a girl’s only evening and I don’t want to be late.”

Oh, right! There was that. I am sure that she would have joined us, but given her very pregnant circumstances her staying behind can be forgiven. Absent-mindedly, I pop a small piece of Mana Crystal into my mouth and swallow. “Well, let’s get going. Time doesn’t stop for us.”

Angrod, Katrine, and I levitate a few metres into the air, then speed directly towards the castle. Our friends won’t take long to set up the inhibitors, so we can go knocking while they do their job.

Approaching the castle quickly, we set down in front of the outer gate and just like before, I am the one to announce our presence by giving the whole thing a light tap. At first, there is no reply, so I repeat the process twice before we can hear some strange noises from the other side. Like some heavy gates rising and falling.

I have to sigh when a similar scene to the one we are used to plays out, a small door viewer opening just in front of me.

“Who goes there!?” a muffled voice from the other side asks, the tainted glass of the viewer making any identification impossible.

I clear my throat. “I am Cel- Isabella, and I would like to have my daughter back, Nix is her name. I was told that you have her.” Multiverse! This old-identity business is getting on my nerves, but if I introduce myself as Celes, nobody would know who I am.

“We don’t have anything for you, demon! Get lost before I call Ares and the others to take care of you,” the voice replies from the other side. “Hahaha, All you succubi are good for is to lie down and take it.”

I frown. “Listen, we aren’t your average demons, you retarded doormat! Get me someone who is in charge, and this castle might still be standing tomorrow!”

“Who are you calling a retarded doormat!? I am Hermes, the Messenger of the Gods! I wanted to give you a chance, but I guess we will just add you girls to our entourage, Aphrodite might take the guy after the others-”

A spear shoots past my face, only a centimetre away from scratching my cheek. It stabs through the door viewer, sinking deeper in until Angrod’s hand comes into view. He reached over my shoulder, attacking whoever is on the other side of that door.

“Hurrgh...” a strange noise comes from the other side.

Angrod twists his staff – which somehow turned into a simple-looking spear – and pulls it back out, blood covering the crystal blade. The weapon must have been imbued with some kind of spell, because where it penetrated the gate, only a perfectly round hole remains, the edges smooth like they were cut with a laser.

I slowly turn around and cross my arms in front of my chest. “What was that!?”

He looks away. “That guy said too much.”

“I wasn’t done talking!”

“You said I could have them,” he tries to defend his deed.

“After I talked to them!”

“You didn’t specify how long you intended to talk.” Angrod gestures towards the gate. “He was about to call his buddies.”

My mother cuts in, “Children, it’s fine if you want to have a domestic quarrel, but this isn’t the time nor the place for it. I doubt that this castle is as poorly staffed as the previous one. We should get going and learn as much as we can before they realize that we are here.”

“Multiverse!” I curse and turn back to the gate, gesturing for Angrod to get going.

“Yes!” He pumps his fist and steps past me, blowing a human-sized hole into the gate with some kind of spell. “Time is up! Everyone who didn’t hide well enough, I am coming!” He whistles and steps through the opening. Katrine and I remain outside, relying on Angrod to clear the path.

“You know...” my mother comments. “You shouldn’t be too harsh on him. It feels like there is a lot of pent up anger in him… and the way you just let him off the leash totally felt like an owner commanding her dog.”

I turn to look at my mother. “Please excuse me. You may be right, but you have no idea what he is capable of if he is left unchecked. You may have known him for a long time, but you haven’t truly known him as I do now. I only allowed him to do his thing because the doormat did a pretty good job at convincing me that I want nothing to do with these Olympians. We just want Nix and then we are done with this place.”

She purses her lips. “Then let’s go and make sure that Angrod doesn’t go overboard. I really don’t understand how you two can love each other...”

“Oh, I love him, never doubt that,” I explain while following her through the hole which Angrod made. “But there is unconditional, stupid love, and then there is practical love. I am glad that Angrod and I favour the latter of the two.”

On the other side, we find an almost naked man who must have been the doormat I talked to earlier. His only piece of clothing is a white blanket with some golden clasps holding it in place. And of all things, he is wearing sandals… sandals in hell! Did the man have no common sense at all?

Angrod’s spear stabbed right through his throat and severed the spine – perfectly aimed.

I take a moment to admire the skill it must have taken to guess the doormat’s position just by his voice. Or rather… it is Angrod who I am talking about.

Surely, he used some kind of cheaty wall-hack.

“Uh, no wonder that he didn’t open the door,” my mother complains while studying the corpse. “He didn’t even wear proper clothes.”

I shrug. “They must have integrated a little too well with the local demons… or we just caught him at an inopportune moment.” Glancing from side to side, I survey the surrounding demons. They are watching us, but none of them dare to move a muscle. At first, I am surprised that they didn’t run off to get their masters, but then I realize that there is no way out of this room.

Only ten meters after the first gate there is another one and probably another after that. Angrod already went ahead and blew a hole into that one too.

The gender and type of the present demons varies widely, but none of them are armed. They look like the average menial servants. In fact, they seem like they were the doormat’s entourage.

Probably the strangest thing is that someone forced them to wear the doormat’s white napkin outfit. Maybe some kind of uniform?

One of the three succubi who played our guides pokes her head through the opening behind us. “Hey, guys!” She waves at the demons. “Seems like this place is going down, so you probably want to be out of here.”

That is something the enslaved demons do not even question. Dropping frond, writing utensils, food, and lute, the demons tear off their clothes and file out of the opening, quite unashamed of wearing their birthday suits.

I turn to the three succubi who followed us. “I thought you guys would take off. Why are you still here?”

The leader points at us, looking at me specifically. “We thought we would stick around. You killed our Lord, so technically you are our new Mistress now.”

Just what I need; more idiots to take care of. “Make sure to take care of yourselves. You are among people who could end you with a stray blow.”

“It’s only good to have a powerful leader,” one of the trio chimes, proving to me that the three are certainly not the brightest demons I have ever met. Not that I met many of them. In this lifetime at least.

Well, maybe Rose will take them in as maids in training. What can go wrong? … I probably shouldn’t have asked myself that.

We follow Angrod’s path deeper into the stronghold, quickly catching up to him. The thick wall was equipped with several gates in a row, turning the entrance into several segmented antechambers. The design should have made it impossible for the average intruder to break into the castle, but Angrod isn’t the average intruder.

Just like with the first gate, he cut clean holes into each subsequent door.

Finally, we reach the inner courtyard, startling the demons working and idling there.

Realizing that our entrance wasn’t sanctioned, ten demon guards come running to defend the castle. The first one arriving strikes Angrod’s chest plate with his axe, yelling a warcry while my husband just stands there, ignoring the attacker who is at most at the demi-god level.

Making contact with the crystal armour, the axe-head shatters into a thousand pieces, leaving the befuddled attacker with nothing more than the handle.

“Out of my way, small fry. I am only here for the gods.” Angrod makes a shooing motion while releasing his aura and therefore announcing his status. Doing so would have fried most mortals of the lower dimensions, but the inhabitants of the Netherrealm take it in stride. Surprisingly enough, the demons obey.

The trio of succubi repeat their spiel and seeing their chance, most of the demons – some of the guards included – beat a hasty retreat.

“Seems like these Olympians didn’t exactly instil loyalty in their followers,” I comment, noticing the slightly raised pedestal in the centre of the courtyard.

“From what I remember”–Katrine waves her hand–“it isn’t exactly uncommon for demons to switch their loyalty quickly when it looks like the wind’s direction has changed. It’s a trait that’s bred into them by survival of the fittest.”

My attention is drawn to the pedestal. On it, is a genuine pillory: a wholly metallic framework with holes for the arms and head to be held secure. The naked succubus who is held by it gets off her knees when she notices our group coming closer. Facing away from the entrance, she couldn’t spectate what was happening.

“Another contender?” She curls her tail and waves her butt enticingly around. “Come on, I wonder when you will give up. Is it you, Hermes? Didn’t get enough after I almost sent you off to the next reincarnation?”

I clear my throat.

“A woman?” The succubus tries to look at us, but the pillory prevents it. “Aphrodite? Or gods forbid, Hera? Do you want to try your luck?”

Propping his now-staff-again-staff on his shoulder, Angrod walks around the pillory.

Katrine and I follow, frowning at its inhabitant all the way.

The succubus on the pillory has straight, black hair which wasn’t cut in quite a while. It’s so long that it reaches the ground, piling up there like a mane. She isn’t too well-endowed, but nonetheless perfectly shaped like all of our kind.

Nix smiles and flexes her black-nailed fingers when she sees us. It's clear that she didn't get to take care of herself since her fingernails are long enough to compete with claws. “Oh, new faces! How refreshing! Especially that manly demon lord.” She smacks her lips, looking at Angrod’s groin. “Don’t know of any demons who reached godhood. Do you want to give me a try?”

I feel my left eye starting to twitch in irritation. “Nix, what are you doing up there? I thought I taught you better.”

She frowns, looking from Angrod to me, and then to Katrine. She brings forth her tail to scratch her head. “Do I know you?”

“Have you forgotten everything I told you about breaking enchantments?” Angrod taps his staff onto his shoulder piece.

“Wait! By the burning pits!” Nix gasps. “Dad!? Mom!?” She looks at Katrine, taking a moment. “Grandma!? I thought you were dead!”

I sigh and jump onto the pedestal. “Yes, we were. Therefore we go by different monikers now.” Ignoring the enchantments on the pillory sending sparks of energy into me, I dig my fingers into the metal and rend the thing asunder, freeing Nix.

At first, Nix doesn’t get up. Wincing, she slowly straightens out her body, joints popping all the way. “Pits! That feels much better. After the first century, I thought I would have to take it from behind forever!”

“Language!” Katrine admonishes Nix.

The freed captive only frowns and looks at me, gesturing at Katrine. “Is she for real?”

I force myself to smile. “You will learn that we’ve had our own issues while you were… bent over. Reincarnation changes people.”

She bites her lower lip. “So you and dad…” she gestures between the two of us.

“Are together, again,” Angrod answers her question.

“Oh.” Nix looks at the ground, mumbling, “The last time they were just demons… poor multiverse.” Done with her self-loathing, she looks up again. “Soo… what are you doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I cross my arms. “We are here to get you. Originally, we also wanted your knowledge, but it’s likely quite outdated. Which means that it’s only about you by now. What were you doing on that pillory?”

“Oh.” She waves her hands. “Hera was pissed when I ensnared Zeus three days after Ares abducted me. You probably heard the story from Iraxar. They had me in there ever since, though for the first month I was in a private room.” Her expression turns evil. “Which didn’t stop them from taking turns. Although, once I almost managed to drain Apollo dry and Poseidon had lost his junk, they decided that I am a safety hazard and that putting me in a public place with ‘supervision’ is the better solution. They wanted to ‘tame’ me.”

“Oh, I am so sorry.” I step closer and hug her. “Now we are here to make everything better.”

Nix stiffens in my embrace. “Isa? What are you doing?”

“Giving you a hug?”

“I am a demon… and several millennia old,” Nix clarifies. “I am too old for hugs. And I am a succubus queen.”

“Sure, child.” I look at the pillory. “Quite the queen you are…” I let go of her and pinch her cheek. “That’s just like you. And just so you know, children are never too old for hugs.”

Nix touches her cheek, looking at me with a genuinely horrified expression. “Just what the hell happened to you after your reincarnation?”

We get no time to talk because that’s the moment when several gods dash into the courtyard. A quick glance tells me that most are lesser deities. None of them are stronger than mid-level and only one seems to be a major god.

I curl my lips. “Why are they all wearing diapers?”

Nix coughs. “It’s their thing, and they call it a toga. We should probably get out of here.”

“Naw, it’s okay.” I pat her shoulder and push her behind me. “This is the perfect opportunity to upgrade you.”

“Wha-”

Nix doesn’t get any further, because a bearded fellow makes his way to the front of the new arrivals, demanding with an imposing voice, “What is the meaning of this!? Intruders, where is Hermes?”

“Killed him, took his soul,” Angrod replies unashamed, then grins, revealing his sharp canines while Katrine makes her way onto the pedestal to my side.

The bearded man narrows his eyes. “I am Zeus, leader of the Olympians. What is a god like you doing in the Infernal Planes?”

“Originally, we just intended to pay our daughter a visit.” Angrod takes his staff off his shoulder and twirls it through the air, the weapon changing smoothly from a mere staff to a halberd with a wicked point at the tip. “But now I get to slaughter you before I go home.”

I roll my eyes. He faked it perfectly, but my husband didn’t even bother to master spinning a staff. He cheated by using telekinesis, just like he controls the rest of his weapons. He performed his deception fast, but not fast enough for my eyes.

“Is he insane, father?” One of the deities points a short sword clad in golden light at Angrod.

“I think so, Apollo. Quick, get his wenches while I deal with him.” Zeus raises his hand, imperiously waving it at us.

Didn’t he realize that we are gods too? Ah, I guess not. Katrine and I had our auras contained.

Angrod activates his armour, his horns flowing into a featureless mask covering his face. Then he charges right into the midst of his opponents. The blades on his back detach and fan out like deadly, crystalline wings, cutting left and right.

Nix gasps behind me, but I have no time to reassure her.

Instead of fighting a proper battle, the one named Apollo charges right at us, clearly intending to take hostages.

Stepping into the path of his approach, I reach out and grab his blade-hand, twisting it around and pulling forward while increasing the angle until there is a ‘pop’. The joint springs out of its socket and the weapon slips out of Apollo’s fingers.

The god’s eyes widen with incomprehension as I continue to twist his arm, forcing him to his knees in front of me.

With my other hand, I take hold of his jaw and let go of his maimed hand. He struggles, but I hold his head with an iron grip. Once his face is beneath mine, I force his jaw open and spit into his mouth. Pushing it shut, I force him to swallow while he writhes like an eel, impotently trying to free his head and unleashing the full power of his aura.

Katrine steps forward, having kept track of Angrod’s battle. Raising her hand, she summons a barrier to block some sort of lightning attack.

I ignore it, too concentrated on not killing my opponent. By twisting his overtorqued neck just a little further, I snap it. It should be enough to incapacitate him for the time being.

Letting go, I let him collapse to the ground.

Lying on his back, he blinks and drools a little, showing me that I applied my medical knowledge perfectly. Nudging his dysfunctional diapers with my foot, I reveal his pole which stands to attention thanks to my body’s chemistry – despite his injury.

I turn around and look at Nix who gapes at me speechlessly. “What are you waiting for? Hop on and take a ride. Make sure not to leave anything of his soul behind.”

She points at herself, then at Apollo, shaking her head. It’s probably the first time that I got to see a succubus forfeit sex.

“Do I have to show you how it’s done?” I turn around, counting Angrod’s opponents. “We have ten more tries to have you ascend to godhood. That is if you are willing to try the women too. If not, then you have only six tries. Oh, isn’t six a favoured number in hell? What fortune!”

Angrod dodges an opponent’s attack which has enough force to blow a hole into the outer wall. Normally, that would be quite the unremarkable feat for a god.

But on this plane, the rules are a bit different. The saturation of energy means that what would blow apart a mountain has quite the mitigated effect in this realm. Attacking with enough force to take out the castle’s wall means that our enemies stopped joking around.

Laughing insanely, my husband brings the halberd around, impaling his opponent through the guts. Angrod lifts him up into the air like a flag on a pole. The spinning blades which were occupying the rest of the group converge on the poor fellow from all sides. Taken together, they are a human-sized meatgrinder.

I wince as bits and pieces of the deity cover my husband with blood and gore, including his surroundings. “Make that five.”

“Oh, no.” Nix bites her fingernail. “That was Hephaestus. He was the only one of the incestuous bunch who actually had a decent dick!”

Looking down at Apollo, I have to admit that Nix is right. There isn’t much fun to be had with that one.