The school was completely overrun by the Sulfur Bloods, there was no doubt about it. As Cobalt crept his way towards the entrance to the storage basement in the main school basement, he was horrified to see that Diate had ordered the Oni gangsters to hold the various students hostage in their classrooms. They'd stand at the doors with their guns pointed at them as they cowered on the floor, and though it seemed like some of the braver delinquents tried to fight back, those same troublemakers lay bruised and bloodied on the classroom floors. More Sulfur Bloods roamed the halls and courtyards, forcing the Incubus to duck into toilets and lockers in order to avoid being seen. He had spent too much of his energy with that first guard; to be caught now would certainly spell his demise.

Sneaking past the teacher's lounge, he peeked through the crack in the door to see that all of his colleagues had been rounded up and held at gunpoint as well, though it seemed that Mistress Viola was not amongst their number.

"I hope she got out..." murmured the Incubus, scuttling away before the guards could notice his shadow beneath the door.

Sweat slicked the Incubus' forehead as he slipped down a small side corridor, his heart pounding as he heaved open a heavy metal door. Beyond it was a large darkened staircase, leading down to the basement below. As far as he knew, the basements didn't contain anything tactically important to the Sulfur Bloods; just old desks, chairs and other items of furniture. Why would Diate take them here...?

"Hold on, I'm coming...!"

As he descended the staircase, the clammy heat gave way to an oppressive chill that dried the sweat slicking the Incubus' body and drove him to shiver uncontrollably. Beyond the first few steps, the light waned significantly, forcing him to feel his way along the wall until he stumbled out into the main basement.

It was deathly quiet, saved for the muffled sound of clinking metal.

Though he was terrified down to the marrow of his bones, Cobalt took a deep breath and swallowed his fear, feeling it reach his stomach where it began to boil into something much more wrathful.

"Alright, I'm here! Where are they, you monster?!" the Incubus roared into the darkness, clenching his fists.

The splitting pain returned as he heard the Devil laugh.

"Why Cobalt, there's no need to shout. They're right here," Diate hissed cruelly.

The lights all flashed on at once, nearly blinding him. Blinking a couple of times, he brought his hands away from his face and looked around, horrified.

Karazelle, Jelli, Izzbelle, Whitney, Elya, Lottie and Quinn. They were all there, just as Diate had promised. Each of them stood on their toes atop a rickety old schoolchair, their hands tied behind their back and their mouths covered with duct tape. Coarse iron chains were wrapped tightly around each of their throats and linked to the support beams high above, like cruel mockeries of a hangman's noose.

"Wh- What...?!" Cobalt gasped.

"Seven pretty little striplings, tied up just for you in nice iron bows. I'm sure you're dying to get them down, but I'd be careful were I you. One slip or fall, and those pretty little striplings are going to break their pretty little necks," Diate warned, taking great delight in the girls' suffering.

Karazelle choked out a muffled cry for help whilst her classmates struggled against their bonds to no avail. Jelli was crying as her whole body shook, and Elya hissed and screamed through her tape as she struggled to rip her wings free from the bindings on her back.

"You're a monster..." the Incubus breathed, feeling the ball of rage burn brighter in his gut.

"Don't think of this as a wanton act of cruelty. Think of it as a test. I want to judge your characters before you face me; to see if you really are Brass' kin. Take a look at the table in the middle of the room."

Raising his hands in a futile effort to calm the bound demons, Cobalt slowly crept over to the very centre of the basement. There, between all of them, was an old school desk, upon which lay a worn snubnose revolver.

The colour drained from his face.

"There are eight demons down in that basement. Only seven are going to walk out."

His hands shaking, Cobalt lifted the gun. It was heavy despite its size, and he felt sick to look at it.

"No..."

"Oh yes. Because if you don't make a decision soon, then I'm going to snap my fingers. Those chains will suddenly get a lot shorter, and you're gonna have to watch your little girlies choke."

"Y- You can't be serious...!"

"I'm deadly serious. Either seven walk out, or only one does. Make your choice."

The pain in his head died away as Cobalt dropped the gun back onto the desk. His heart was hammering impossibly fast, only growing more frantic as he listened to the panicked breathing of Elya and his students.

Turning away from the desk, he grabbed another old school chair and dragged it over to Whitney. The Nymph's ears were pointed almost straight down; a sure-fire sign of absolute terror. Standing atop the chair, he gently brushed her electric-blue hair out of the way and peeled the tape from her mouth, clenching his teeth every time she winced.

"S- Sir...!" she gasped, gasping as she wobbled atop the chair.

"I- It's okay, Whitney, j- just stay calm..."

"H- He told us what he was gonna make you do... P- Please... no...!" she whimpered, screwing her eyes shut.

Cobalt took a step back.

Whitney... such a talented soul. He remembered when he first saw her; surrounded by other popular students, preening herself, taking pictures and making herself a nuisance. She never attended class and constantly made fun of him. And those images she tried to bribe him with... it invoked an odd kind of anger in him at the time.

But then, that night in the bathroom, he saw the real Whitney. Not a blonde, giggling exhibitionist with a legion of 'friends', but a unique, artistic girl with a love of music. Her decision to be herself lost her many friends, but she seemed happier and started to regularly attend class, relax, and explore her own self. He couldn't help but be proud of her for that.

And he wasn't going to let that bastard Devil take away all of the progress she had made.

"It's alright... It's alright..." he muttered as he turned away, more to himself than to her.

He dragged the chair over to Lottie, who was silently panicking atop her own chair. She was struggling to keep herself upright upon the edges of her hooves, and as the Incubus pulled the tape away, she gave a shocked gasp.

"What? Wh- What's going on, Mr. Traya?" she asked in a confused, pleading tone

Lottie... Her bubble-headed obliviousness often caused a lot of trouble in class, and her frequent naps left her taking nothing away from the lessons. As if that wasn't bad enough, her telekinetic abilities ran rampant as she slumbered, disrupting class further. Teaching her was an uphill battle, and he was ashamed to admit how frustrated the Golem made him feel sometimes.

That was what made her so special, though. Her constant optimism and cheerful quips never failed to get a smile. And despite her intellectual failings, she was dependable, never once letting someone down. The girl was an emotional bastion, always in tune with how others were feeling even if nothing was said to her directly.

She wanted a normal school life more than anything, and she more than deserved it.

"N- Nothing Lottie, nothing at all. Just stay still, okay...?" murmured Cobalt sorrowfully, forcing on what he hoped was a reassuring smile before stepping away.

He dragged the chair over to Izzbelle and reached up to pull the tape off her face, only to have the Oni try and headbutt him. Keeping his distance, he freed her mouth and stumbled back off the chair.

"What?! I rip my fuckin' heart out for you and you're just gonna kill me like I'm nothin' to you?! Is that how it is, dumbass?!" she roared, furious despite the tears running down her face.

Izzbelle... Arrogant, brash, headstrong and overconfident. Those traits alone caused Cobalt enough trouble. Trying to teach her anything was next to impossible, and the constant retorts and insults were slowly wearing down his patience. Not to mention that she flipped into a rage with the most minor of provocations, sometimes injuring others, but mostly hurting him.

But still, beneath her tough exterior, Izzbelle was a sweet girl, simply twisted by the pressure exerted by her family. On the day of their wedding she announced her love for him, and later confirmed it that night in his room, opening him up to a side of the Oni that he had never seen before.

He wanted her to live a life free of familial obligations, like she always dreamed of doing.

"No, Izzbelle... That's not going to happen." he breathed, shuddering as he turned away.

"And what is?! Are we all gonna fuckin' die then?!"

He didn't answer and just dragged his chair over to the next demon.

Arriving at Quinn's chair, Cobalt removed the duct tape covering her mouth to reveal her bloodied face. Diate had hurt her badly, no doubt because she put up a fight.

"O- Oi oi, blood brother... Hell of a way to end the year, huh...?" the Imp spluttered, forcing on a smile despite the pain she was in.

"Quinn, I-"

"Don't pick Lottie. Please. I don't care if you decide to cap me in the end; just don't hurt her," the Imp suddenly pleaded, the corners of her eyes glimmering.

Quinn... She often stole from Cobalt, be it money from his wallet or food from his fridge. Her knowledge of lockpicking has allowed numerous break-ins to occur in his room over the year and she often found his mistakes amusing. As well as that, she only ever did the bare minimum in class. Because of her, he suffered a serious fall that would have permanently crippled him, were it not for Alison.

Despite all that, however, she was a sound ally. She always had Cobalt's back and offered him advice on more than one occasion. She kept a level head in most situations and was extremely loyal to her friends, Lottie most of all. Even with lives on the line, she was doing her utmost to protect the Golem.

There were budding feelings between them, and he was not going to be the one to put them out.

Cobalt shook his head and sighed shakily.

"It's alright... You and Lottie are going to be fine, I promise..."

This decision was killing him. Diate was a monster for putting him through this. With every step he took towards Elya, he felt himself growing weaker. He couldn't do this... He couldn't!

The Incubus pulled away the Fallen's tape, who simply stared at him with her deep purple eyes.

Elya... What had happened? He could barely remember himself. For the longest time, she was his only friend; quiet, bookish and sweet. They got along well, until... until what? Something that happened in second year that caused her to clam up. And then the year after that... she changed altogether. She changed into a manic, knife-wielding psychopath that didn't flinch at the sight of blood; be it her own or another's. She grew so possessive and unhinged that he couldn't take it anymore and was forced to cut all ties once he graduated and left Hell.

But... she was still a valuable friend to him. She was willing to protect Cobalt to the point where she sacrificed herself for him after the Sulfur Blood wedding. Though her methods were questionable, she kept him safe from the shadows, and even though she cursed them with her every breath, Cobalt could tell that deep down, she cared about his students too. Why else would she have helped him with Izzbelle's issues that one night? Why else would she still let them be around him?

No. He couldn't lose his first friend. Not like this.

He left her in silence and stepped over to Jelli. The Glutton was sobbing uncontrollably, and cried out in pain as he pulled away the duct tape. Her tail was tucked tight between her legs, which shivered and shook with every sob.

"C-C-Cobalt... P-Please... N- Not by you..." she blubbered, gazing up at her teacher.

Jelli... She was always a nervous girl, Cobalt knew that from the day he arrived at B.I.D.. Her constant stammering often led to disruptions in class, and she always seemed to be on the verge of tears. The girl's huge appetite and tendency to stress-eat also lead to her snacking during class, something that even other Gluttons refrain from doing.

Still, she was Jelli, an undeniably sweet and kind-hearted girl. Life had dealt her a bad hand, yet she still soldiered on despite all that's happened to her. Not to mention that she had confessed her feelings to him, feelings that Cobalt was still having trouble accepting, but appreciated all the same.

She was blameless in every misfortune that befell her, and yet she shouldered the burden of it all. Jelli deserved better.

"Shh... It's alright, Jelli..." he whispered reassuringly, wiping away her tears.

Finally, he pulled the chair across and stepped up to Karazelle. The Succubus gazed up at him with sorrowful eyes, not even bothering to struggle against her chains.

Karazelle... From day one, she had been trouble. Despite Cobalt taking every precaution to prevent her actions, she still managed to break into his dorm room almost every night, sleeping beside the Incubus and attempting to coerce him into all kinds of forbidden acts. Even in class she constantly made bedroom eyes at him, ignored her studies and riled up the other students. She was nothing but trouble.

But... Deep down... Cobalt could feel that there was something special about her, something that set her apart from the rest. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but Karazelle Terna was just as important to him as the others, despite some of her actions.

Reaching out, he gently pulled away the tape.

"Cobalt...?" she whimpered, gazing into his eyes.

"Y- Yes?" replied the Incubus, nervously tossing the tape aside.

"Me... Sh- Shoot me..." whispered the Succubus, drawing a few gasps from her fellow classmates.

"What?! Karazelle, no! I couldn't!"

"You have to, Cobalt! You have to or we all die! I'm the only one who's been of no use to you! I'm the only one you see as a nuisance!" she retorted, shaking her chair.

Cobalt staggered back, every part of him shaking like a leaf in the wind.

"You have to, alright?! I'm not important! I'm the one you won't-"

The pit of rage in the Incubus' stomach suddenly flared, filling his entire body with white-hot anger for a split second, enough to cause him to firmly grasp the Succubus' shoulders. She stopped talking, eyes wide.

"Don't you dare say that! Don't you ever, ever say that!" he cried, his voice cracking up.

His grip tightened even as his legs grew weaker.

"Karazelle... You are worth no less than everyone else here!"

She turned her head away, her lower lip wobbling.

"B- But I haven't done anything for you..." she choked.

"Wrong! You were my first friend! You sought me out and befriended me for no other reason than your own kind heart! And even then, you have done something for me! Look!"

Darting his hand into his pocket, Cobalt pulled out a stainless steel pen, it's surface only slightly scratched.

"You gave this to me, remember?" he said, holding it in front of her.

"I- I guess... But it's just a pen..." replied Karazelle sullenly.

"True, but it's also a symbol of friendship. It's a little gesture, but a gesture that means a lot to me. You cared about my comfort when I wrote. Just like how you care about the others, enough to be willing to sacrifice yourself for them. But you're not going to, Karazelle, because you... you are the centre of this group, you know that? I've never seen someone show as much kindness and selflessness to their fellows as you have. Even when you bicker with Whitney or stand up to Elya, I can see the love you bear for them in your eyes. You are worth so much more than you think you are, and you are not throwing your life away now," continued Cobalt, tears leaking from the edges of his vision.

Casting her gaze downwards, Karazelle sniffled as tears began to pour from her eyes.

"S- Sugar... Cobalt... I..." she said, her choked-up voice barely more than a whisper.

Staggering back, Cobalt sat atop the desk and slowly lifted the gun into his hands. It felt heavy. So, so heavy.

"G- Get... Get it together, T- Trayer..." he whimpered, paralysed with apprehension.

"Sir...?" asked Whitney, shivering in the cold.

He looked up.

Cobalt scanned the seven women all around of him, each staring at him with a look of terror. Each was his friend, each had gone through so much, and each were in this mess because of him. If it weren't for Cobalt, they would still be safe, excitedly waiting for the Summer Festival.

This was all his fault.

All his fault.

He had to save them somehow.

And yet here he sat, shackled by his own fear, doubts and unwillingness to make a choice.

Shackled...

Chained...

Fettered...!

"N- No..."

Making up his mind, Cobalt stood up, his eyes blazing as he held the gun aloft.

"I WILL NOT STAND TO BE FETTERED AGAIN!"

They each saw the glint in his eyes. That maddened flash of irrationality.

"COBALT, NO!"

But he was deaf to the collective cry. The cold steel of the barrel pressed against the roof of his mouth as his finger grazed the trigger.

He took a short, sharp gasp of breath and pulled it hard.