Dominion Capital Eslet, Royal Mansion, A few hours earlier.

Empress Caitlyn sat at her dinner table as she went through multiple scrolls that lay stacked in front of her, a common sight for her since the death of her father ten years ago. Becoming the empress of a young and broken kingdom at the age of fourteen wasn’t what she had envisioned for herself but in the end she had little choice. For the past ten years she had tried to lead, tried to make the people follow but the corruption that lay within the city’s walls was rooted too deep.

The room she sat in, marble brick walls, yellow painted marble pavement along with a blue carpet beneath the whitewood table that held her family’s crest. A golden hydra with intertwined heads. No windows were part of the room, no windows were built into any part of the mansion for privacy’s sake.

“Ma’am?” the voice cleared her out of her thoughts as she glanced at her most loyal advisor, the cloaked woman that kept watch and guided her as her mother never could. Her mother also having past at her birth.

“I am fine Darkness” Caitlyn replied as she opened another scroll.

“Dozing off as you drown in paperwork? As normal as that may be it is still unusual for you to do so.” Darkness stood behind her as she watched Caitlyn go through the many requests of wealthy merchants, military officers and other lords.

Suddenly Darkness spun around as the light around her seemed to form a dark aura, her senses alerted her making her activate her defences. A crimson rift tore open along the wall behind them, Draxxer stepped out of it carrying someone over his shoulder.

“Excuse me for dropping in unannounced, Darkness I require your expertise.” Draxxer announced urgently as he walked over to the table and lay the unconscious wolfkin down on top of it.

Darkness turned to study the young man but immediately stepped back with wide eyes “What…have you brought us…”

Caitlyn stood up and stepped to stand behind her as she studied the scene.

Draxxer glanced back at her confused “He’s the same as you Rin, he’s Nephilim is he not?”

“Can he hear us?” Darkness asked as she glared down at the wolfkin.

“I forced him into the state with mana pressure, yes he can still hear us” Draxxer replied.

“Ma’am watch over this one for a moment, I must speak with this stupid fool” Darkness stated before she grabbed Draxxer by the ear then pulled him towards the double doors and out of the room.

Darkness stopped the moment she closed the door and let go of his ear, “What is-” Draxxer went to speak but was cut off as Darkness swiped her hand and he was slammed into the wall by her magic.

“Fool!” She exclaimed again, her expression angry and annoyed.

He continued to stare at her confused “Have I done something unnecessary? Surely you know what danger an unwatched Nephilim can cause” he explained defensively.

Darkness sighed and held her face “That…thing. Is no Nephilim, surely…you must have detected the difference?”.

Draxxer raised an eyebrow “He is of a fallen, I sensed the darkness yes?”

She groaned in annoyance at his answer “Angels fall for a reason, the darkness devours them from the inside and changes them entirely. Do you know what other than Fallen Angels they are called?!” she hissed at him trying to keep her voice down.

Draxxer shook his head “You are the lore keeper, I did not spend the hours you do within the library.”

“Devils! They are called Devils you moronic jackass!” She finally shouted out with frustration “That thing is the descendant of a Devil! I can feel the corruption emanating out of it!”

Draxxer’s expression darkened “That is the hero of the dagger” he stated as the pressure holding him to the wall ended.

Darkness gazed at the door as she spoke “Coincidences truly bring out the stranger, you brought it here for me to seal it’s power? I cannot do so, what flows through that thing’s soul is not Astral but it’s warped counterpart.”

“What?” Draxxer asked, his instincts making him unconsciously grip his blade’s hilt.

“Abysmal” she spoke the word with as much bitterness as she could muster “Astral mana so corrupt that it echoes the evil of the abyss itself. It is not a matter of if that thing’s soul will awaken to it’s affinity but of when, the Abysmal mana will devour anything else within it and take over. What other mana has it processed so far?”

“Aura and lightning” Draxxer quickly replied.

Darkness closed her eyes to meditate into deep thought “Aura will slow it down and elemental will simply be devoured along, it won’t be slowed down for long though.”

Draxxer grimaced “What will happen to him when it does take over?”

“The Abysmal affinity will have corrupt every drop of mana within him first, that takes time and the more Aura it processes the longer it will take but when it finally does and it will…It’s bloodline will truly awaken, the Devil within will shed it’s skin and emerge.” She explained solemnly.

“What do we…what can we do? We need every hero on our side that we can possibly get!” Draxxer exclaimed angrily.

Darkness shook her head “You know very well what we must do, it is saddening that it was brought to this world without knowledge of what it really is or what will happen to it once it gets into contact with mana but in the end we have no choice. We must destroy it Draxxer.”

“I couldn’t agree more” The voice reverberated from behind them as the snake that spoke it emerged from the shadows they hid in. A human man wearing a priest’s black robes and cloak with his hood down, short blonde hair and friendly light brown eyes did not hide the grin he wore.

Draxxer drew his sword “Priest Nolin, this is private property and not even the church of night can enter unannounced!” he raised it towards Nolin.

Nolin chuckled coldly “After today? Oh old hero that will not matter anymore!” he opened his arms wide “The empress and her most trusted advisor along with the military’s very own left’s general! Conspiring with Devils!? This blasphemy will see you all locked up!” he exclaimed happily.

A scream from the other room sent Draxxer into action, kicking open the doors he dashed into the room “Caitlyn!?”.

Five cloaked figures stood around the room, black cloaks trimmed with deep crimson red and wearing masks depicting a different animal each. The one wearing a Monkey’s mask held the Empress with a short single edged blade to her throat.

Darkness continued to glare at Nolin, trusting in her comrade’s abilities she faced the powerful priest herself “How long Nolin…for how long have you been keeping watch?”

The priest laughed hysterically “Since the start of course! The fools at the church of day wanted a clean ruling, maybe even guide the royal family through the piss and shit they brought upon themselves! Us?! We don’t care for you mongrels! The people may have not yet, but they will. They will speak out and it will carve the end of the royal’s rule.”

Draxxer glanced around at the masked assassins, each wielding the same weapon. The numbers did not matter to him, he could easily kill every single one of them alone within a matter of moments but the proximity of which they held the empress kept him from moving. “Release her!” he growled the order at them, his sword ready at his side as his aura pressed upon them.

The masked figures trembled slightly but did not move “We do not take orders from the likes of you” the one wearing a tiger’s mask spoke.

Draxxer frowned “You are adventurers? Why are you doing this? We are on your side.”

Jax chuckled at his question “You are, but your side is too broken to help us. We do not need a weak and indecisive ally. The churches hold just as much military power as the royal military itself, along with the citizenship on their side the military will stand with them and so shall we.”

“You’d sell out one of your own?” Draxxer grimaced as he could barely stop himself from cutting him down.

Jax pointed his sword at him “Whatever it t-”

“One of his own? His? This blasted dolt couldn’t tell the flat side of a frying pan less friend from foe.” Sly stated as he sat up, his body still feeling numb for some reason.

“You…shut it!” Jax exclaimed angrily “It would be my pleasure to see you removed!”

Sly chuckled, standing up on the table he glanced around the room “Why so salty tiger? It was just a little bit of fun back then…Ah empress mind if I borrow your homework?”

Jax stepped forward as he clenched his sword with both hands “YOU SPAWN KILLED US FOR HOURS OVER THREE WEE-!” his fit of rage cut off as a scroll flew into his gut.

Sly kicked up multiple scrolls and briefly grabbed them before throwing each one, one per figure and four at the one holding Caitlyn. The monkey masked adventurer groaned in pain as one flew straight at his jewels, a second at his sword arm, a third at his wrist and the last again at his jewels just for spite.

Draxxer burst into action as he dashed forward at blinding speed, in the time it would take to slash once he did so three times as he disarmed the adventurer, cut off his arm and deeply cut his left leg before stabbing his sword deep into his chest. He stepped back as he pulled out his sword just as he dragged the trembling Caitlyn away from the falling corpse.

Nolin smirked “Lay down your weapons heroes, you’ve already lost” he spoke condescendingly.

“Defeat is indicated by many factors, it seems you are unlearned to the ways of battle Nolin” Darkness stated as she raised her arms “This is simply a tactical retreat”. Absolute darkness took over the whole room blinding everyone within, as if the light had been switched off entirely. The sound of something tearing open reverberated through the darkness before the light returned, Darkness, Draxxer, Caitlyn and Sly were gone.

Jax rushed over to his guildmate, crouching down he watched as his body dissipated into mana “What now?” he asked glancing up to the approaching priest.

“Now? We spread the news. The royal family is conspiring with the Devils, the old heroes of Darkness and Blade her associates.” Nolin smiled wickedly “The Dominion is within our grasp.”

---

Dwarven Mountains, New Ruk, Dungeon Under

Kyle took a deep breath as he fell back into sitting, resting his back to the fallen tower he calmed his nerves.

“Everyone take two” Birse told them all as he himself crouched down to rest “Ch and Skill keep watch”.

Kyle focused on seeing his progress and the notifications flooded in.

Level up! (x14)

Assist EXP for multiple dungeon [Raid Party] kills received

Level up! (x13)

The skill [Ooze] has reached Tier 3 level 0!

Attribute upgrade is available!

The skill [Core Overload] has reached Tier 2 level 0!

Attribute upgrade is available!

The skill [Slime Armour] was created!

Through keeping constant control over mana you have gained stats! + 1 INT (x4)

Kyle smiled weakly at his progress “Level 93…”

“Gratz” Death congratulated him as he took a seat to his left, he was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily “Fuck that took a lot outa me…”

“Yeah…that Lich could have been a pain but they displayed it like some trophy above that…this tower.” Kyle pointed at the building he had recently used as a bat.

Death glanced at it “Yeah” then entered a fit of laugher, joined by many others in the party who had sat around them.

Kyle stared around at them, their joyful yet weary expressions refreshing but the hollow feeling in his gut lingered. The feeling of losing someone, no matter how close or how little you knew them it still never changed. (“The emptiness they leave behind, how can they laugh? How could I laugh?”) he thought as he looked at them in disbelief.

He turned as Death lightly punched his shoulder “Lighten up, you really think Silv wished us depression on death?” a knowing smirk on his face.

“Mourn him, remember him, take pride in what we built together” Birse spoke as he stared up at the ceiling “Wasting away your life feeling guilty won’t help anybody, it will only hold you back Kyll. ” He looked down “You too Skill, you hear?” he shouted at the ranger as he stood alone watching one of the entrances to the hall.

“Yeah yeah” Skill replied as he wiped his face while giving them his back.

Kyle stood up “You’re right” raising his arm in front of himself he summoned some (Elder Frost) slime “This feeling won’t disappear but that doesn’t mean I should let it hold me back” he forced out a smile “Let’s go, let’s save our brother.”

They all rose up “Wipe those stupid smiles off your ugly mugs” Birse told them as he himself grinned “Looks like you don’t need a break after all huh? Form up, we’re moving.”

After taking their previous formation back up they moved together through the rest of the hall, the destruction they left behind them just another day going by.

Kyle activated his sight, his silver eyes taking a bright blue hue as a circular rune formed around his pupils. “Three up ahead, two very large ones.”

They crossed to the other side of the hall then stopped to study the entrance, in front of them stood two large pitch black wooden doors. Cherry walked up to the doors and pushed “It’s not locked” he pointed out and pushed further.

Suddenly the doors crashed open towards them, the force sending the whole group to the floor. The doors were sent flying from the power of whatever forced them open, the doorway now lay fully open and door-less. Shadows slowly oozed out of the unlit doorway, black smoke covered in a red aura.

“Reform!” Birse shouted as everyone stood back up, some having been sent flying back a couple feet more than others.

They watched as a small humanoid form stepped out engulfed in shadows, it began to grow taller and wider as it approached. “I should have noticed, why else had it been so difficult for me to even rob one of you of your souls?” the feminine voice echoed out of the expanding form “If it wasn’t heroes, why else would I be forced to fight myself?” before completely changing.

The shadows suddenly exploded outwards revealing the being underneath. Even taller than the Lich with leathery dark purple skin covered in red glowing tattoo like lines, a curvy feminine body, bone like black armour and two long bat-like black boned wings with crimson red skin, the Devil appeared. Long locks of black and violet hair fell down her back as she glared at them with her yellow slits surrounded in black.

Kyle Inspected the Devil.

{Devil} Abaddon Venus (Grimoire Keeper) (Devil Knightess) [Level 180]

Abaddon snarled at them revealing her needle like fangs that lined her mouth, she raised her right hand forward as the long blade like claws she had for fingers slowly rose “Go my new minion, assist me in this fight” her voice a serpentine hiss that brought a chill to their bones.

---

Author: These are called old? Really? Damn kids and their electric music…

Battle music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PseenibjruQ

---

To her left the shadows stirred then burst outwards as a second figure leaped out. Silv landed next to Kyle and Ch wielding his dual pistols, dark brown wood and forged iron with mana crystals embedded to them. His armour worse for wear, his scales darker than before and his eyes an empty red glow. He raised his pistols to their faces, too surprised to act. He pulled both triggers sending bolts of red energy flying towards them, the attacks missed as the undead leaned back to evade the flaming arrow.

Skill nocked a second arrow and took aim just as Silv leaped out of their formation, his reptilian body too nimble to land a shot on. “Snap out of it!” Skill shouted at them “That isn’t Silv!” he fired the arrow just as Silv landed next to Abaddon, raising his left pistol he shot it before it reached him.

Birse began barking out orders “Jacky, CH, Death and Skill! Get Silv! Cherry! Soren! Kyll! With me! Rest support!”

“Through the power that courses through my veins, envelop me in your embrace! Slime Armour!” Kyle rose as the (Elder Frost) slime enveloped him, a thin layer of red formed around it and black scales grew over it all. He put most of his mana into the spell but with his mana regeneration and decreased cost of moving the (Elder Frost) slime cancelled out the upkeep cost entirely, his mana had actually started to regenerate slowly.

Even so he was still only two thirds the size of the Devil he then rushed at, nimbly Abaddon evaded his charge and grabbed him by the armour’s shoulders as the scales cracked under her strength. “Such a fragile little fox, I cannot wait to take you apart” she giggled making a horrifying sound, she pulled him back and threw him at the others forcing them to scatter as the body of slime landed with the crunching of scales.

“I’m fine!” Kyle told them as he moved to stand. Off the corner of his eyes he saw Silv firing away at Jacky who evaded the attacks, Death ran around trying to keep up with their speed while CH and Skill provided ranged support. He stood up and glared at the Devil before slowly approaching it.

“Ah learned your lesson have you? Unfortunately you still have much more to learn!” Shadows engulfed her body as Abaddon charged forward, within a moment she stood in front of Kyle. The Devil formed a claw with her right hand and lunged at him as a mana barrier appeared between them. Her claws collided with the barrier shattering it but slowing down the attack, with her free hand she grabbed hold of Kyle’s slime body and continued her lunge. The black claws shattered the scales and dug into the frozen slime as if it wasn’t even solid, reaching deep she smiled wickedly before gripping tightly.

Kyle screamed in agony as the claws gripped his body and passed through. Abaddon pulled out her hand after having ripped him apart even inside his armour “Too fragile”.

Chains found their way around her left wing as Birse’s shadow arms pulled her away “Bitch fight someone your own…I’m at a loss with that saying now…”

“Aww the doggy wants attention” Abaddon hissed as she lunged at his position, her hand closed in as the claws were pointed like spikes at him. She roared in anger as Cherry leaped in between slamming his Warhammer down on her wrist, the claws crashed down and shattered stone as she stopped and raised her right to claw away at him.

“Hey slut, we’re not done yet!” Kyle shouted as he grabbed her raised arm with both of his armoured hands.

She glanced at him “Haven’t I chopped you up somewhere?”.

He grinned “Guess again” his body was stitching back together as slime inside the armour, courtesy of his [Slime Shift] passive.

With a snort she pushed him away freeing her hand and turned to her other only to notice Cherry had already moved on, him and Soren stood behind her as they swung their weapons at her feet. “Pesky rats!” she growled as the attacks landed when suddenly Birse pulled on his chains, the shadow arms had let go of them and dissipated as he flew at her.

“Drop kick bitch!” The shadows formed around his legs as the attack landed kicking her back and tripping her over. Cherry and Soren stepped out of the way as she fell with a loud crash, the stone pavement shattering beneath her weight.

She looked down at the wolfkin between her breastplates “That wasn’t very polite!” she moved to stand up. Suddenly a shadow covered her as the form of Kyle in his slime body leaping over her came into view.

“Reverse Flying Press!” Kyle crashed down onto her abdomen with his armour’s shoulder and elbow, the attack sending more pavement flying and stone shattering beneath them.

“On me!” Birse ordered as he leaped up, briefly he hovered above her head as he sent down his chains into the floor around it and pulled. Soren and Cherry rushed to each side of her head with weapons glowing bright and blazing hot. As Birse crashed down onto her forehead with his gauntlets Cherry bashed his Warhammer into the side of her head and Soren chopped sideways into the jaw.

The sound of bone fracturing reverberated around them as the Devil lay still with it’s eyes closed.

“Did we get it?” Soren asked as he pulled his battleaxe out of the scaly head.

Suddenly her mouth cracked open wider than it should have been possible as an ear piercing scream sent all three of them flying back, she grabbed hold of Kyle and pushed him off before looming over him “I'll pluck you out this time around”. Abaddon ripped the slime armour apart with her claws as she dug Kyle out, she grabbed him in one hand and rose to stand.

Kyle struggled to push the hand open but his strength was nothing compared to the Devil’s, barely needing to fight back to keep him there.

Birse threw his chains at her wing again but Abaddon intercepted them, she grabbed hold and threw him back sending him crashing into Soren. “Little fools, you are no match for me” she giggled while gazing down at Kyle within her grasp, she raised him to her face “Now aren’t you an unusual find, I have seen and studied many species but you…”.

She briefly stopped as she swatted away Soren’s battleaxe, looking back she continued to speak “What an unorthodox hybrid, the body of a fox and powers from the void? Ah…what did the texts call your kind again? Kitsune? No no those are the common ones..” quickly she blocked several blasts of light with her free hand as she kicked Birse away who had grabbed her leg with his chains.

“Ah! Yes! I remember now!” she gazed down at him, her yellow slits shrinking as she stared “How rare, perfect for my collection. You will replace the one you destroyed very nicely, little Void fox.”. Suddenly she clenched her hand tighter “But first Yako…you will have to die so I can rob you of your soul!”.

Abaddon’s hand began to slowly shrink as she crushed Kyle, he screamed in agony as blood began to leak out of his mouth, nose and ears. She suddenly reared back and hissed in frustration as a blast of fire hit her straight in the face followed by Cherry bashing his hammer into her elbow and Birse punching her wrist.

Kyle dropped limply to the ground as he formed slime underneath himself to cushion the fall, he groaned in pain the moment he landed and thereafter. His sight was blurry as he looked up at the Devil swatting away the three melee combatants, their constant harassment dealing them more damage than they dealt to her.

Slowly he glanced away and looked for the others, coughing up a bit of blood he blinked and spotted Wood, Seren and Steph chanting buffs and healing. A warm feeling engulfed him as he felt the magic slowly regenerate his broken body, his bones painfully moved into place as his muscles and flesh took back their normal shape.

Looking away from them he saw the rest still engaging with Silv, Jacky was badly bleeding from the shoulder where he was shot as Skill and Death engaged the undead Silv in melee combat while CH buffed them and gave ranged support.

(“We won’t last…”) he thought as he glanced back up at Abaddon, his vision clearing up he watched as the Devil flapped her wings and charged after Birse who leaped around using his chains (“They’re too strong…I’m…I’m too weak…”). It took everything he had for him to stand up, his body ached all over from the smothering he had received.

Health 126/680

Checking his health it reflected his predicament (“That was close…too close…”) he coughed up a bit more blood and gazed at the monstrosity that chased after his clan. “How…” he whispered “How do I even compare?...”

Birse was leading the Devil around as Soren and Cherry waited on the cooldowns of their ranged attacks, a blast of light and fire. But nothing could be seen on it’s body that indicated damage, no cracked scales, no bruises or even any blood.

“No…I can’t give up now…” even clenching his fists hurt but he endured through it “My story won’t end here…This world…I’ve only just arrived…I can’t… I won’t!”

(“Then wake up young Void”) the voice echoed through his mind as with every word it spoke a new wave of pain jolted through.

“Wha-What are…” Kyle reared back from the new pain, his eyes becoming bloodshot from the agony. His vision blurred further as the sound of static filled his ears, he felt dizzy as he took a couple steps to stop himself from falling.

(“Focus Void, prioritise your enemies.”) the voice continued to barrage him with pain as he tried to understand it through the static (“Find yourself, break away from the shell you’ve built around yourself. Release your true nature.”)

Darkness suddenly engulfed his vision as he continued to move, not knowing where he was going Kyle still kept moving fearing he’d fall and never get back up.

(“Break Void! Release it Void! You know the words! Remember! Cast away the illusion!”)

Briefly he stopped moving as red light filled his vision, he looked up to see the blurry outline of a large mass of bright red “Rem…Remember…” he repeated the word as a sudden jolt of pain sent him screaming in agony. Kyle held onto his head as he fell to his knees, screaming as his eyes shone a bright blue.

His consciousness moved as his memories flooded in, the scenes shifting to be different from how he remembered them.

His kidnapping. The shards of glass on the floor, the shards of ice on the floor. The bloodied bodies lying around him, blue fire upon the burning bodies lying around him as the room burned down.

His friend’s deathbed. The sickly white boy as he smiled back at Kyle, the burned and bruised child as it stared back horrified at Kyle.

His outburst on the two students. The two boys beaten and bruised as they gazed up at him scared, the two boys burned and covered in frost as they screamed with wide open horrified eyes.

His worst memory. His vision blurring as he was beaten while Alison was being pulled away, his vision blurry from the smoke and ash as the street burned down around him. The blue hellfires devouring anything in their path as corpses charred down to ash around him.

Kyle blinked back out of his mind and stared up at the dungeon core “It…it was all me…wh-why?”.

(“It’s in your nature Void. Now do what you do best, do what you were born to do.”)

He stood up and placed his hand on the core “Do what?...”

“DEVOUR!”