Sitting in chairs made from molten rock, four figures awaited the arrival of the people of Volaciophus- the city of magma.

The first- an elf with well groomed black hair that spiraled into a singled spot, wearing a black suit and tie and glasses sharp enough to cut ones finger on.

On one wrist he wore a watch and on the other he wore a bracelet strung with human toes and the fang of a snake.

Next to this man sat a woman in a demonic dress which she seemed to have changed at some point, her teal skin run across with purple veins. Two fangs poked out of her mouth which bore a sinister and seductive smile, and her hair was tied up into a bun- that bun which had a human finger as a hairpin.

Around her wrist as well was a bracelet which matched the elf, as if they were a pair made in hell.

The woman tapped her clawed finger on the seat of the chair, impatiently glaring around the city.

"Is there anything else we should do while we wait?", she asked.

"Actually, yes. Now that I've taken into account the developing situation, I believe that there is merit in allowing a certain group of people to finally enter the playing field.", the elf responded while he tapped his fingers on a screen.

Next to this demonic woman sat a ghastly spirit with dark lines under her dead green eyes. Her hair was a ragged mess yet it now fell straight down from her head, covering a large part of her face. She looked forward with a slight grin, laughing creepily to herself.

"Hehe....."

This woman's skin was transparent and pale, and she spoke with a grizzled yet somewhat cute tone, though only in a very strange sense of the term. Wearing a grimy nightgown which would even further enhance her terrifying spiritual appearance, one might believe they had encountered something straight out of a nightmare if they witnessed her.

Next to this woman was a crimson demon whose horns twisted almost as much as his expression. He looked around the city with a malevolent interest, crackling to himself as he imagined horrendous things.

This demon wore a necklace of human fingers with the eye of a snake as the centerpiece, matching the spirit next to him- thus increasing the number of hellbent matches to two.

With a red suit and tie and nicely cut hair, this demon folded his hands together in his seat.

These people were the antiheroes, and right now they were in the midst of taking over the city of flames.

It was then that four people appeared in front of the beings.

A young man with brown hair and a dark blue labcoat which covered the span of his tall body.

A young woman with short cut blonde hair, her bangs of which were left to grow out, who wore a suit of leather armor and a red cape behind her back, bearing a sickle at her side.

Another young man with long cut blonde hair wearing a frilly white long sleeved shirt and black dress pants and shoes, wearing a silver whip by his belt.

And another young woman, this one with long red hair the scarlet shade of blood, who wore a strangely futuristic set of armor.

These four people all closed their eyes, immediately kneeling before the demonic figures, smiles on their faces.

"We await your order, antiheroes. Give the word and we shall throw our lives away in your service.", the redhaired woman stated with complete fervor and reverence.

"I stated beforehand that you all would one day take our own forms, acting as ourselves in order to prevent us from having to risk our own lives. However..... it would seem that we have already put our own lives at great risk in taking on the Host of Lust, the Host of Envy, and the Host of Greed. Furthermore, the Determined has already dispatched of the Host of Wrath, therefore I apologize for this oversight, yet it seems there is not as much left for you to do."

"Oversight? Hahaha.... you're just soft, aren't you? You didn't wanna send them anywhere dangerous so we headed out ourselves."

Not reading the mood as usual, Ashley made a statement which threw Trevor's argument out the window.

"Your intuition is something else as usual. No matter. Ignore everything she just stated, slaves."

The four before the antiheroes were the human mercenaries who had taken the roles of the military commanders of the Dictatorship- Lance, Charlotte, Pierre, and Melody.

"The fault lies with ourselves for our own relative weakness. Surely if we were as great as you all, we would have been able to do as much on our own.", Melody stated apologetically.

"Ahem..... there is no need for such apology. After all, we have taken measures to allow you all a chance to step onto the field yourselves. I will be teleporting you to the city of ice, where you will perform negotiations with their leader."

"Negotiations? And what exactly do you wish us to obtain?"

Trevor grinned as Melody asked this, sinisterly rubbing his hand on his chin.

"Everything."

"I understand, your excellency. We will not return unless we have obtained at least that much."

Trevor nodded, and Samantha raised a hand, waving it over the four.

As she did so, their appearances changed to mimic the antiheroes.

Lance took the form of Garett, Charlotte took the form of Samantha, Pierre took the form of Trevor, and Melody took the form of Ashley.

"Now then.... be off."

Trevor snapped his fingers and the four disappeared, having been teleported away.

"I am certainly interested in their own actions from here on out.", Trevor commented.

"I am hopeful that the ice elemental will not disappoint. I hope that she is able to give our little human toys a slight challenge.", Samantha stated with a mature laugh.

"The cameras have already been spread around the city. We'll be able to watch the feed later, but for now we better focus on what's in front of us.", Garret stated. "After all.... it looks like people are beginning to arrive."

As Garett said this the plaza began to fill with people.

Not only the soldiers who were fighting just earlier that day, but many of their family members and others who did not take part in the battle. Regular workers, businessmen, and all sorts of people showed up in the area.

"Isn't it strange how these demonic races have such normal societies? Well, I suppose the haunted tower was a bit different, but it intrigues me that their own cities could be so.... normal.", Trevor commented as he watched the people gather.

Many were terrified, particularly the ones who had been killed earlier that day.

The others had looks of concern on their faces, uncertain of what was happening.

"That's right, isn't it? The insects seem to have some sort of order to them. Hahaha.... well, we are about to destroy it either way, so it's not like it really matters.", Samantha laughed.

"I suppose so.", Trevor replied.

Soon enough, all the people of the city had been gathered.

Thousands of flame and molten elementals as well as metal, rock, and other earthen elementals lined the crowds- all of them either confused or worried.

The people chattered quietly with one another, yet these quiet whispers collected to form a large amount of noise, and so the area was anything but silent.

"Greetings, people of Volaciophus."

Trevor stood up as he spoke, a beaming smile on his face.

The smile of a businessman about to seal a deal.

"Would your leader please step forward so that we may begin negotiations? Avarco, FORMER Host of Greed- show yourself."

These words caused a ripple of confusion among the people, causing large amounts of whispering and debate.

'Hey....'

'He just said former, didn't he?'

'I thought that if one became a Host of Sin that it was for life.....'

'I thought that only by dying would they no longer be considered the Host....'

'Is that not the case?'

Walking through the crowds, an elemental of molten rock and flowing lava with the face of a good looking young man and the demeanor of an experienced businessman walked forward.

On his head was a tophat and he wore a kingly robe, both made from quartz. He tapped his cane as he walked, slowly making his way through the crowd before finally exiting with a bow.

"Avarco, former Host of Greed- present."

This statement caused even more gasps of surprise from the crowd as the man himself confirmed that the words of the elven figure were true.

"Wonderful. Now then..... why don't you have a seat?"

As Trevor said this, Garett held up his hand and the molten rock molded itself in such a way to form a chair, which soon cooled into hardened rock.

"You are too kind. Don't mind if I do."

Sitting down, the two forces appeared to hold just as much pride as one another, yet Avarco understood well his own position.

This was nothing more than a theatric.

He had been clearly shown this beforehand when he tried to push his own deal before, and had been killed alongside each and every soldier in response.

'And that was nothing more than a warning..... how truly malicious this mans sense of humor is.'

"Then, what is it you wish to negotiate?", Avarco asked.

"Before I say that, we should introduce ourselves. No? After all, there are many present who do not know of our identities."

"Ah, how rude of me. Please, by all means."

Trevor stood up, and out of a pocket dimension pulled a flag.

The flag wavered in the volcanic wind, furiously fluttering as it displayed the demonic hand which was crushing the very heart of the world.

"We are the antiheroes, the leaders of the Dictatorship."

----

Gathered in the auditorium, almost every person within the city of Iciclaris had one way or another squeezed themselves inside. Many elementals floated in the air, which was completely filled with rows of people.

A few knights who had been informed of the emergency had taken care of the cleanup within the auditorium before heading to the frontlines, so while the damage had not been repaired, the bodies of those who had been killed in the incident no longer remained.

"I have failed as a Knight. I was unable to protect this city."

These were the words which Evelyn, the Captain of the Knights, had just uttered.

From her birth she was raised to take the very position of Captain, yet at some point she lost her way.

As a result of the death of a loved one and the loss of her sister, Evelyn had become indifferent to her duties.

Yet with the death of her childhood friend who could be considered a second sister to her, she was filled with invigoration once more to take her duty as the Captain seriously, and that she did.

For decades she had served the people of Iciclaris, and under her leadership not once had an incident on this level occurred.

Criminals were arrested and swiftly punished. Corruption was rooted out, and those who hated people for their appearance were not tolerated among the Knights.

This was the work of Evelyn, who never knew of the work which her mother performed to the same respect.

After realizing her duties following the death of Melissa, it came to Evelyn that perhaps the reason for the suffering of the people was something within the system.

Perhaps the reason her sister went insane and killed Misticia was due to this.

Perhaps this was the reason why that lightning elemental turned to drugs and killed those who went against him.

Perhaps it was her fault, or the fault of those she was supposed to lead.

As such, Evelyn spent her entire life trying desperately to do what was right.

Yet right now, before all the people of the city, she had stated these words.

"I have failed as a Knight. I was unable to protect this city."

The meaning behind this was blatantly obvious.

It filled the people with confusion and concern, their hearts wrenched as they wondered just what could have possibly happened for this scenario to come about.

"I am the only Knight who lived through the attack."

Evelyn spoke gravely, bluntly telling the people exactly what had occurred.

'My goodness....'

'The Knights....'

'They've been.... wiped out?'

However, with every cloud was a silver lining of hope.

And the people clung to that hope, grasping desperately for it.

'But..... Evelyn is still alive. Even if all the other knights were wiped out.... she is still alive, and here before us!!!'

'It's true.... it is a tragedy that the knights have been wiped out, and their sacrifices were honorable ones!!! We'll never forget their deaths, but the very fact that Evelyn is before us can only mean one thing!!'

'After a long and hard battle, she emerged victorious!!!'

'The city has been saved!!'

The people could never possibly comprehend the backwards nature of their logic.

Their logic was not flawed.

Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for the leader of a military unit to return after defeat.

To put it simply, defeat would mean that the enemy would be running rampid through the streets, and those protecting the city would have been completely wiped out.

"Do not think such things. I am sure each and every one of you is thinking at this moment that the attacks are over, and that we have won at a cost.... but that could not be further from the truth."

Evelyn spoke without holding back, bluntly dishing out the bitter news.

"We lost. The flame elementals were.... powerful. They easily wiped out.... each and every one of our Knights, myself aside."

"Captain Evelyn!!! What are you talking about!? If you lost, then why would you be here?"

A man shouted out in confusion, clearly unable to understand what had happened.

"After we were wiped out..... they appeared."

Holding her head in anguish as she remembered the horrible smiles of those beings, Evelyn almost laughed to herself.

'How truly pathetic I am.'

"The antiheroes appeared."

"The....."

"The antiheroes!?!?!?!?!"

"Those beings from the legends!?!?!"

This statement sparked a number of conversations, however Evelyn continued speaking, quieting the people down.

"Yes. The antiheroes appeared. They..... were beyond anything I have ever seen. Our men were wiped out one sidedly by the warriors from Volaciophus.... no, I don't even think they were trained warriors."

Remembering back, Evelyn recalled that the people under the command of her sister and Avarco were regular civilians who had been rounded up without a lick of training or preparation.

'How were we so much weaker?'

It was enough to make Evelyn want to throw everything to the wall.

Her entire life of training and practice was nowhere near enough to even so much as face her sister.

"And yet.... even that army of flame elementals was wiped out in mere seconds before the antiheroes..... with two Hosts at it's head."

As Evelyn made this statement, the people who were present were unable to so much as comprehend it's meaning.

Those selected as the Hosts of Sin were known as the most powerful demons in the realm.

Furthermore, one of these hosts, Envidia, was a Monster King- one of the three highest demons in the world.

This fact wriggled it's way into the hearts of the people, slowly penetrating their own emotions and fears.

"W....what....."

"Two.... Hosts of Sin.... and an entire army....."

"Were..... defeated...."

"In mere seconds?"

"Where? Where are they now!?!?!"

"Captain Evelyn!!! What happened after that!?"

Evelyn closed her eyes as the people before her were finally informed of what had happened.

"They will come here soon to negotiate the terms of our futures and our lives."

It was at that moment that the people of Iciclaris were truly and utterly thrown into the depths of despair.

----

Minutes passed, and not a person said a word.

The utter despair in the people of Iciclaris could not be put into mere words.

It was as if their very hearts had been ripped out, shred to pieces, shoved down their throats, and then forced to continue pumping blood through their bodies in such a wretched state.

It was then that their worst nightmare came true.

Before Evelyn, as if appearing out of thin air, the four beings showed up on the stage before her.

'Ah.... they've arrived.....'

With a gulp, Evelyn stood forward.

Even before these beings of terror, she had still been given a chance to negotiate.

Due to the odd whim of the succubus, she was able to at least sit at the same table of discussion- and that she would.

"Please have a seat."

A number of seats had been prepared beforehand, and Evelyn sat nervously across from the four.

'I cannot allow my nerves to show..... I cannot show weakness....'

The four beings sat down, however Evelyn noticed something was off.

There was something strange about their demeanor.

It was ever so slightly different than before.

Even so, Evelyn couldn't say anything for certain. She had only met these people once before and in a different scenario. It was likely they were trying to make a better impression on the people of Iciclaris than the ones on the battlefield there.

"I see that you have prepared a grand reception for us. Thank you for that.", the elven figure stated.

"You are very welcome.", Evelyn replied, barely able to get the words out of her throat.

'I.... don't feel as much pressure as before, but they are certainly concealing it due to the massive amount of people here.....'

"Now then..... I believe we are here to negotiate the fate of your city, no?", the spiritual menace asked.

"That is correct."

With a sinister grin, the spirit smirked and spoke up in a terrorizing voice.

----

Before the people of Volaciophus, Avarco sat across from the antiheroes- the beings of terror who had defeated his own army in mere seconds, even after they were strengthened with the fervor of his demand enhancing skill.

With a sinister grin, the spiritual woman smirked, and spoke up for all to hear as her own voice shattered the eardrums of the people around her.

----

"What can you offer us?"

With identical smiles and the flames of destruction in both sets of green, exhausted eyes, the spiritual girls crackled as they asked the same exact question.

"Should I put it in simpler terms?"

Both spiritual figures stood up from their seats and approached their respective opponent, grinning horribly as their voices pierced the ears of the people around them.

"Give us one good reason that we shouldn't kill everyone in this city here and now."