Whitney had never seen a dry storm grow so violent so quickly before. As she peered out the window, she gazed wide-eyed at the sky as the dark red clouds swirled together into a wine coloured maelstrom, summoning winds that buffeted the BID campus and threatened to tear trees right from the earth. Far above, she could feel an intense electric charge building, strong enough to make her horns tingle.

"I don't like this..." she murmured, stepping away from the window.

At the end of the hall, Karazelle glanced back and frowned.

"Well it's not exactly a fun situation for any involved, Butterskin. Now hurry up; the coast'll only be clear for so long," the Succubus whispered urgently, gesturing for the Nymph to follow.

Swallowing hard, she nodded and skittered after her companion.

They were close to the staff room, but it had been a nerve-wracking journey. Sulfur Bloods were patrolling the school's corridors, constantly on the lookout for errant students and possible escapees. If they were caught unaware... she didn't want to think about it.

"Is that it there?" she asked, ducking behind a wall.

At the far end of the hall, she could see the door to the teacher's lounge lying slightly ajar. A pair of burly Oni were posted outside, and she could hear the stomping boots of more within.

"Yup, that's it. So, how do you wanna play this?" said Karazelle, sticking her head out in order to get a good look.

"Why are you asking me?"

"You've got better Applied Demonics grades than me. I figured you'd be more tactically minded."

Whitney pulled a face. Was that a compliment she just heard?

"Well, um..."

The Nymph looked back at the two men guarding the staff room. One of them appeared alert, whilst the other was distracted, looking around as he lazily clung to his weapon with one hand. An outright assault would probably end badly, especially if the gangsters within were alerted. No, they needed to get a proper look at how many guys they were dealing with, but that was easier said than done...

"You can charm people, right?" asked Whitney, glancing back at Karazelle.

The Succubus raised an eyebrow and scoffed.

"I'm almost insulted that you have to ask that."

Rolling her eyes, Whitney nodded at the alert guard.

"We should draw him over here where you can ambush him with a charm. Then we can grill him for information."

She puffed out her chest like she usually did when she was going to make a snide comment, but after a moment's consideration, Karazelle pursed her lips and nodded.

"It's something, I guess. How do we get him over here, though?"

"Leave that to me. Just hide over there and be ready."

As the Succubus flattened herself against the wall and crept back into the shadows, Whitney took a deep breath and hid behind a set of lockers. Carefully, she eased one open before slamming the door, loud enough for it to echo throughout the school's hallways.

She heard someone stir down the corridor.

"What the fuck was that?" spoke the heavily-accented voice of one of the guards.

"Hm? I didn't hear nothin'," the other said.

"Of course you didn't, you're damn near half asleep!"

"Hey, cut me some slack, alright. I'm tired."

"Well make yourself useful and go check out that noise!"

"I told you didn't hear a fuckin' noise!"

"Gah, never mind! I'll do it myself!"

Whitney tensed up as she heard the heavy clomping of boots thunder down the corridor. Biting her lip, she flattened her ears against her head and slowly peeked out from around the lockers. One of the guards was standing just a few feet away, his scarred brow furrowed as he searched for the source of the noise. Behind him, cast in shadow from the lack of light, she could see Karazelle crouching with a fistful of psychomantic magic swirling from her readied hand.

"The fuck...?" the Oni murmured, turning around.

Oh shit. He was going to see her...!

Panicking, Whitney instinctively brought her head back, clanging it painfully off the side of the locket. In response, the Sulfur Blood whipped around, his gun raised to his shoulder. He began to advance, coming dangerously close to the Nymph's hiding place. Her sensitive ears could hear the obscenities he was murmuring beneath his breath, as well as the creaking of the trigger as he came perilously close to pulling it...!

"Excuse me, does this smell like a charm spell to you?" piped the sudden voice of Karazelle.

The Oni wheeled around, ready to fire, only to be met with a fateful of pinkish mist. At once, he fell to his knees, his gun clattering to the linoleum floor beside him. Whitney let go of the breath she was holding and stumbled out into the middle of the hallway, where her companion was already standing.

"That was close. One wrong move and you would have been a big streak of butter splattered all over the wall," the Succubus remarked, prodding the dropped gun with her foot.

"That's not funny, Whoretits!"

"I'm just trying to lighten the mood. Alright, lemme do my thing."

Taking a deep breath, the Succubus mumbled a few words in Tongues, different to the incantations that Whitney was used to. Pink vapour began to spill from her mouth as her eyes glowed, causing the Oni to stare at her, open mouthed.

"Now then, listen close. Would you be a dear and tell me a few things?" she whispered in an enchanting tone.

The pink mist wafted into the gangster's face, causing him to groan.

"Hunh... yeah, I- I guess..." he murmured, sounding half-awake.

"Wonderful. How many of your friends are in that room over there?"

He furrowed his brow.

"There's, uh... There's... wait, I shouldn't... agh...!"

Unexpectedly, he grabbed his head and began to shake. Karazelle jumped back, alarmed.

"What's happening?!" Whitney cried.

"I- I don't know! This has never happened before!"

"Is he resisting it?! Can people do that?!"

"I think?! Shit, do something Butterskin!"

"Um, um...! M- Menidutitrof ihim ad! Rugluf!"

Stumbling over the words of the elemental incantation, Whitney curled her middle and ring finger inwards, causing bolts of electricity to leap between her index and pinkie. She gritted her teeth and jammed them against the Oni's neck, flooding him with thousands of volts. His entire body shuddered and shook before the Nymph finally pulled back, smoke rising from her fingertips. With foam bubbled from his mouth, the gangster flopped over, completely unconcious.

"Anything other than that, would have been ideal," Karazelle sighed, shaking her head.

"You told me to do something, so I did!"

"Yeah, but now we're back at square one!"

"J- Just hold on, I might have an idea. Flip him over."

Even with the both of them working in unison, it took them a few moments to roll the hefty demon onto his back. Looking him up and down, Whitney took in every detail of his clothes and his face.

"Care to let me in on this plan of yours?" Karazelle asked impatiently, folding her arms.

"Shut up and let me concentrate," the Nymph snapped back, shutting her eyes.

Steadying her heartbeat, she blocked out the world around her; the sights, the smells and the sounds. She envisioned the Oni's body in her mind's eye, before allowing herself to grow acutely aware of her own appearance. Opening her mouth, she uttered the word of the incantation.

"Oissuli."

Golden plumes of electric energy shot from the Nymph's body, wrapping her in a veil of lightning that forced Karazelle to step back. When the magic dissipated, she looked down to find herself veiled in an illusion of the Oni, complete with suit and scars.

"There we go," Whitney said, reaching down to pick up the gun.

It was heavy and uncomfortable in her hands, but she'd need it to pull of the disguise.

"Yeah, but you still sound like you. No-one's gonna believe you're a gangster if you have the voice of a valley girl."

"Then I'll just keep my mouth shut!"

Karazelle shrugged.

"Can't argue with that. I'll keep an eye out, and come rushing in to save you when you need it."

"Oh, go fuck yourself."

"Why, too afraid to fuck me yourself?"

Grimacing, Whitney clutched the submachinegun in both hands and took a deep breath. Most Nymphs were capable of creating illusions around their environment, but it took a skilled magician to be able to cast an illusion around their own body. It was tricky and could be dispelled by a lack of concentration or an errant smattering of salt, but as long as no-one looked too hard at her, she should be able to pull it off.

She stomped back towards the staff room, her illusory boots echoing off the floor. The other Oni guard was lightly snoozing against the wall, drool leaking from the corner of his mouth. Figuring that she ought to stay in character, the disguised Nymph jabbed his chest with the butt of her gun.

"Wha- What?! No, I wasn't sleepin'! I was just restin' my eyes!" the guard cried, jolting awake.

She furrowed her brow at him.

"Oh fuck off with your mean looks, man; none of us want to be here," he scoffed in reply, reaffirming his grip on his weapon.

Whitney just shook her head and pushed open the door to the staff room.

She had never actually been inside during both of her years at B.I.D., so she was dimly surprised to find that it was laid out almost like a little café. However, all of the coffee tables and comfy chairs had been shunted to the edges of the room or thrown clean out the windows in order to make room for the hostages; the teachers themselves. Most of them sat on the floor with their hands behind their head, although some had been bound and gagged with duct tape, likely those that offered resistance. Around four other Sulfur Bloods loitered around the edges of the room, pointing their guns at the teachers. They just grunted at Whitney as she entered.

So far so good. Now to actually get them free.

She glanced down at the gun she was carrying.

She could probably cause enough of a ruckus with this.

-----

Jelli flinched as she heard the terrifying sound of bricks shattering, wood splintering, and gunfire rattling. She clamped her hands over her ears, yet she could still hear the fight ensuing in the other room. Just as Cobalt had predicted, there were a fair amount of Sulfur Bloods stalking the outer buildings, and it was up to them to clear them out. They had already emptied out the old science building and had made a start on the sports building. However, she just couldn't bring herself to fight. Izzbelle said that it was okay, but...

She just felt so useless...

The wall next to the Glutton abruptly exploded in a shower of dust and broken masonry, causing her to scream and dive for cover, tears streaming from her eyes. Izzbelle, with the haft of her Bronze Axe pressed against the throat of yet another Sulfur Blood, crashed through the hole, roaring triumphantly as she smashed the man's head off the floor. He tried to reach for his gun, but with a swing of her fist, she obliterated it into a dozen bits of splintered wood and twisted gunmetal. Laughing, Izzbelle raised her fist and delivered a devastating punch to the other Oni's face, breaking his nose and knocking him out.

Gasping for breath, she rolled off him and unsteadily got to her feet.

"Jelli? You okay? You can come out now; he's outta commission," she called, wiping the blood off her fists.

Shaking like a leaf, Jelli crawled out from behind the old vaulting horse she took cover behind.

Despite her bravado, Izzbelle was looking rough. The Oni's uniform was torn - moreso than usual - and bloodied from her many skirmishes, and soaked through with sweat. She bore a couple of bruises and bullet grazes, as well as a nasty gash on her right forearm from when one of the Sulfur Bloods pulled a knife on her.

Holding a hand to one bleeding nostril, the Oni put on a smile for the Glutton.

"Hey, you feelin' alright?" she asked, as though she were completely unaware of her own injuries.

Sniffling, she pointed to her various injuries.

"Y- You're hurt," she breathed, her finger wobbling.

Raising an eyebrow, Izzbelle raised her bleeding forearm to her face.

"Huh, so I am. Didn't notice," the Oni said casually, wiping the blood away only to smear it across her arm.

"I- I- I'm sorry...!"

Eyes widening, Izzbelle dispelled her axe and hunkered down to her companion's level.

"Hey, what's wrong? What're you apologisin' for?" she asked in a soft tone.

"I- I'm useless! I can't even help you!"

Frowning sympathetically, the Oni opened her arms wide, prompting Jelli to rush into a hug. Her strong arms closed around the Glutton, holding her close, but not too tight. Despite the blood and sweat, Izzbelle was warm and firm; just the kind of rock to lean on that she needed when she felt herself slipping. For a few moments, she just cried in her arms. In response, Izzbelle just gently patted Jelli's back.

How many times had they gone through this routine, with her breaking down over the smallest of things? It was pathetic. Izzbelle really shouldn't have to deal with this...

"It's alright, Jelli, really. I can handle myself, and I really don't want you gettin' hurt, y'know?" the Oni whispered, pulling her back.

Jelli sniffled again and looked up at her face. People always said that she had a mean face and a cutting glare, but to her, Izzbelle's face was as kindly as they came. She truly was a beacon of strength. Even last year, before they properly got to know each other, she had the feeling that there was a softness behind her flinty exterior.

She didn't deserve for her to be her friend.

"I- I'm sorry... I'm pathetic..."

"No, don't say that. Ain't no-one here pathetic, except that Diate fuck."

Diate. Just the mere mention of his name caused another wave of panic to wash over the Glutton. The way his blood red eyes gouged deep into her...

"I... I'm scared..." she murmured, clinging tight to Izzbelle.

The Oni took a deep breath and nodded understandingly.

"I know. And that's alright. I'm... I'm scared too."

Eyes widening, Jelli looked up at the Oni's face. She had never heard her say that before. She was always fearless in the face of everything, no matter what.

"You are?"

"Yeah... More than I'd like to admit..."

She pulled back and scratched the back of her head, streaking her fiery red hair with dark red blood.

"I'm scared that we ain't gonna win this. I'm scared of losin'. Losin' you, losin' the others... losin' that dumbass..." she murmured, looking unusually unsure of herself.

Cobalt... Jelli's heart squeezed painfully every time she thought of him. The man that first befriended her when she was beset by her tormentors, who remained friendly and stood by her side in her darkest moment... If it weren't for him, she would have never been able to get to know Izzbelle.

He was always so kind and sweet to her. It's what she loved about him, but seeing him put that gun in his mouth so recklessly...

She had never felt fear quite like that.

"M- Me too... Do you think... D- Do you think we'll get out of this okay?" Jelli asked, looking sheepishly up at the Oni.

"I... I dunno, Jelli. I really don't."

She stood there for a moment, silently staring at the dust-covered floor. She then shook her head and conjured her Bronze Axe back into her hands.

"But that ain't gonna stop me from puttin' up a Hell of a fight," Izzbelle said resolutely, hefting the weapon onto her shoulder.

She put her other arm around Jelli's shoulder. Despite the fear cloying at her heart, the Glutton felt a little spark of warmth deep down. If there was one thing she could count on, it was that she'd always be safe with Izzbelle.

"Look Jelli, if there's one thing I've learned this year, it's that you don't gotta be all that tough to be brave, y'know? You're scared. I'm scared. But we're still gonna see this thing through despite that. And there ain't nothin' braver than that."

The Glutton blinked the tears out of her eyes.

"O- Oh... you're right," she breathed.

"Hah, of course I am. You can thank our favourite dumbass for teachin' me that one!"

She cracked her neck and stepped out into the hall, ready to track down the last of the gangsters patrolling this building. Glancing back at her companion, she gave her a wink.

"Now c'mon; stick behind me, and let's go crack some skulls! GORAH!" she cried, raising her fist.

She gazed at Jelli expectantly.

"C'mon, say it with me! GORAH!"

Feeling put on the spot, the Glutton nervously raised her fist.

"G- Goh... rah?"

"GORAH!

"Gorah!"

"GORAH~!"

-----

Red lightning flashed outside, briefly outshining the muzzle flares from the trio of gangsters down the hall. Shielding her eyes, Quinn swore beneath her breath and reloaded her Lead Revolver. The gangsters had holed themselves up in a forum area up ahead, and were currently pinning her and Lottie behind a tipped-over locker that they were using as cover.

"Ah, shit shit shit...!" the Imp grunted, blind firing over her cover.

Beside her, Lottie crouched down and covered her ears.

"Quinn, it's too loud!" she whined, wincing painfully as she covered her ears.

"I know, just bear with me! These wankers are dug in like ticks!"

Running dry, she ejected the spent cartridges and conjured a fresh sextet from the magical vines sprouting from her other hand. They had made steady progress clearing the Sulfur Bloods out of the main building's second floor, and judging by the sounds of chaos emanating from downstairs, Karazelle and Whitney had fulfilled their duty with explosive panache.

If only she could say the same for her and Lottie. They had managed to liberate a couple of classrooms, but only barely. The Sulfur Bloods were tough bastards to take down, and the whole situation was starting to wear on Lottie.

"Just keep your head down, okay?!" she called to the Golem as a fresh salvo of bullets rattled off the front of the locker.

"O- Okay!"

Swearing as she once again ran out of rounds, Quinn brought the gun to her chest and hastily reloaded it. She wasn't getting anywhere like this; she needed to get a bead on at least one of them.

Sensing a break in their firing pattern, the Imp steeled herself.

"No guts, no glory...!"

Quinn stood up from behind cover and took careful aim-

"Shit...!"

- and was met with another salvo of bullets.

She tried to duck back down, but not before she felt the hot sting of a lead round bury itself into her shoulder. Crying out in pain, the Imp toppled backwards as blood splattered from the wound, spraying both her cover and Lottie's face. The Golem looked on, horrified.

"Q- Quinn!" she screamed, scrambling over to Lottie's side.

"SHIT, FUCK, GAH! MOTHERF- AGH~!"

The Imp rolled back and forth on the floor as her companion tried to hold her still.

"Quinn, what's wrong?! Are you hurt?!" Lottie cried, tears welling behind her spectacles.

"Agh, I- I'm okay, Lottie! J- Just hold on...!"

Despite the agony she was in, Quinn propped herself up and fired her Lead Revolver down the corridor a couple of times, just to keep them back.

"Oh fuck, it hurts...!" she hissed, wincing as she fell back down onto the floor.

"C- Can I help?! Where does it hurt?!" babbled the Golem, clearly panicking.

"Lottie, calm down love!"

"Quinn I'm scared!"

"I- It's okay, it's just a- GAH!"

In her efforts to keep Lottie calm, she had left her wounded arm exposed. Another round grazed it, ripping through Quinn's jacket and leaving an angry red mark on her arm.

"FUCKING WANKERS!" she cried, clutching the wound.

Beside her, Lottie was starting to hyperventilate.

"Hey, hey! Stay calm, love, alright? I'm okay, I'm here!" she hissed through he pain, clenching her teeth tight.

"I- I... Quinn, I'm gonna...!"

Suddenly, Lottie stopped shaking as her eyes rolled back into her head. Letting out a long sigh, she crumpled to the floor, where the gentle rise and fall of her chest told Quinn that she had fallen asleep.

"What?! Lottie, no, wake up!" the Imp cried, shaking her comatose companion to no avail.

Behind her, she could hear the sound of the Sulfur Blood's bullets begin to pierce through the badly damaged locker. It wouldn't be long until her cover was destroyed entirely.

"Shit, shit...!"

Quinn squeezed her eyes shut. This wasn't how she wanted to go, all things considered. In that moment, she just felt regret for not being able to carry out her promise to Cobalt.

"Gah... Sorry, blood brother...!"

"Hmf. Non sireirom cih, siverb te sivaus."

Her eyes snapped open. Looking to her left, she saw Lottie sitting bolt-upright, her eyes wide open. They were both glazed over, and she wore an unusually stoic expression on her face.

"L- Lottie...?" Quinn breathed.

The Golem shook her head.

"Non sitas. Menidutitrof ihim ad. Arret. Oidisearp," the Golem stated in fluent Tongues, raising her hand and snapping her fingers.

In a miasma of dust and tiny stones, a huge wall of rock suddenly erupted from the floor of the school hallway, shielding them both from the Oni's gunfire. Beyond it, Quinn could hear them cry out and stomp towards it.

"What the fuck...?" the Imp murmured, watching as Lottie stepped out from behind cover.

She was carrying herself differently, marching bravely towards the wall she created. Judging by the sounds of cracking and scraping, they were trying to break through from the other side.

Lottie raised her hand.

"Ocov et! Amra ilobaid!" she cried.

At once, her Granite Shield formed upon her arm in a flash of brown dust and gravel. Unlike Lottie's usual weapon of choice, however, this one was edged with what looked like crystalline diamonds.

Quinn was plenty used to Lottie casting spells in her sleep, but never like this. Just what the Hell was going on...?!

Raising her other hand, the Golem snapped her fingers again.

"Arret. Murtsac."

Dust swirled around her arms before coalescing in front of her chest. It formed into a solid plate of stone that stuck to her front. One by one, more stone plates emerged, covering Lottie's body piece by piece. They formed pauldrons and gauntlets, greaves and sabatons, and before Quinn realised, she saw her best friend standing before her in a suit of stone armour. She looked back and smile.

"Etaligiv te eticiseputsbo, siverb te sivaus," Lottie quipped as a helmet formed around her head.

She stomped her foot, causing diamond crystals to form along the edges of her suit's many interlocking plates. With another snap of her fingers, the stone wall crumbled, revealing the attacking Sulfur Bloods.

"What the...?! Sweet hellfire, open fire!" one of them cried, prompting all three to raise their guns.

The barrels of their tommyguns lit up as a thunderous roar of gunfire filled the hallway, coupled with metallic clinking as dozens of bullets bounced ineffectively off Lottie's stone carapace. She laughed and raised her shield.

"Supmet idneirom, serum selibongi...!"

With a wheeling backhand, she smashed the jagged shield directly into one of the Sulfur Blood's faces, knocking out some of his teeth and throwing him back against the wall. One of his comrades tossed his gun aside and drew his Bronze Axe, but before he could swing it, Lottie roughly slammed her shoulder into his chest. Grabbing the third by the throat, she swung him around into both of his comrades, bowling all three Oni over like they were little more than skittles.

Amazed, Quinn just watched on, open-mouthed. Suddenly, her ears pricked up as she heard the sounds of heavy boots from behind her.

"Shit... Lottie, there's more coming...!" she cried, waving her good arm at the armoured Golem.

She turned the visor of her helmet to face the Imp. Looking up, she saw a quartet of suited Oni pounding down the hall, guns at the ready.

"Non sibecon mae...!" Lottie cried, rushing forward.

Right as the Oni let loose with a storm of lead, the Golem scooped Quinn off the floor and held her close. Mashing the Imp's face against her breastplate, she raised her shield to protect her as the leaden rounds rattled off her armour, tinkling to the floor all around them.

"Erenam satilliuqnart, siverb te sivaus. Oge mus mutucs muut," panted the Golem, wrapping a protective arm around Quinn.

Though she couldn't understand a word her best friend was saying, the Imp's heartrate increased dramatically as she was held tightly.

As the gangsters stopped to reload, she set Quinn down and splayed out her free hand.

"Tucis sivlup tetanrepus."

Dust began to circulate around her armoured horns as the four gangsters began to rise through the air, flailing their limbs helplessly and dropping their guns to the floor. Not one to remain a bystander, Quinn dove for her satchel and fished out a pile of bundled fireworks. Pulling out her lighter, she ignited them and lobbed them at the levitating Oni.

"Eat this, you limp-horned wankers!" the Imp yelled.

Right as they landed beneath them, the fireworks abruptly exploded, flooding the hallway with light. Lottie, raising her shield in front of her face, rushed forward. Quinn heard the sound of four quick, brutal impacts, followed by the sound of four heavy bodies crumpling to the floor.

When the light faded and the dust settled, she saw Lottie standing triumphant amongst the felled Sulfur Bloods.

"I think that's all of them for the time being..." the Imp gasped, staggering to her feet as she clutched her wounded shoulder.

Groaning, she stumbled and nearly toppled over, were it not for Lottie rushing to her side. As she held Quinn steady, her armour crumbled away into nothingness.

"Ni muito. Sutarenluv se," she said gently.

"Lottie, I can't understand a word you're saying. Since when did you ace Language?" Quinn asked, amazed.

Rather than answer, the Golem sighed and stepped over to the Imp's satchel. She rummaged around and pulled out the phial of smelling salts she kept in there for sleep casting emergencies. Unstopping it, she held it beneath her own nose and took a deep whiff.

Almost immediately, Lottie's entire body shuddered and shook as her eyelids fluttered. As her eyes deglazed, her posture subtly shifted, and she promptly fell onto her backside.

"Ew... what is this...?" the Golem babbled, blinking the sleep out of her eyes as she threw the smelling salts away.

She rubbed her eyes and looked around, shocked by the carnage all around her.

"Quinn, you beated them!" she gasped, jumping to her feet.

"You what? Me? No, that was-"

"YAAAAAY~!"

She surged forward and wrapped Quinn up in a very constricting, very soft hug. Held close enough to hear the Golem's excited heartbeat, the Imp couldn't help but go redder in the face than she already was.

"A- Alright, that's enough canoodling," she coughed, squirming out of her grasp.

Clearing her throat, she walked back over to her satchel, pulled out the first aid kit and began to medicate her injuries.

"Let's just get these poor sods out of their classrooms, yeah? Then we'll rendezvous with Cobalt."

"What's a rondyvoo?"

-----

Elya perched atop one of the buildings on the edge of the school campus like a gargoyle, staring out at B.I.D.'s perimeter. All around, Sulfur Bloods and police officers were exchanging gunfire beneath a turbulent sky. The wind was hot and electric. It tasted like ozone and copper. This storm was going to get worse before it got better.

THEY CANNOT BREACH THEIR DEFENCE.

The Fallen glanced down at Immoderata, which was tucked into her stocking.

True enough, the policemen's service revolvers were no match for the Oni's submachineguns.

OBEY HIS WORD. IT IS THE LEAST YOU CAN DO FOR FAILING HIM.

Elya swallowed hard. It took a lot to shake her these days, but seeing Cobalt attempt to blow his own brains out really stuck with her. Almost as much as hearing that he didn't remember-

ENOUGH.

A sudden pain tore through the Fallen's head, forcing her to stop thinking back.

No, she couldn't dwell on the past. Not while her future was at stake.

REMEMBER WHAT YOU WERE PROMISED.

Yes... He promised to be hers forever. He as her husband, and she as his wife. They would work side by side, and retire every night to their home. They would spend many nights of passion with one another. He was a gentle love; she, stronger so. He'd enjoy her hands at his throat. They'd have many children. Six.

SEVEN.

Seven children. It did not matter if they were boys or girls or whatnot. They'd grow old together. They'd be a happy family.

HAPPIER THAN YOURS.

Happier than hers.

KILL THEM.

But Cobalt wouldn't want that.

HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE WANTS.

He's a pacifist.

EVEN AFTER WHAT HE DID TO THE MATHERS GIRL?

Elya... could not answer that.

KILL THEM.

Fine.

KILL THEM.

Fine!

KILL THEM!

"FINE! OCOV ET, AMRA ILOBAID!"

Conjuring her Obsidian Bow into her hand, Elya nocked an arrow and took aim at a Sulfur Blood as he ducked behind an SUV for cover. She let it fly and watched as it struck him in the back, knocking him to the ground. She fired another, striking a second Oni in the shoulder. Another hit his comrade in the leg. She shot him in the other leg before he could limp away, before incapacitating him with a third shot to the back.

YOU'RE SPARING THEM.

"I cannot hit their vitals accurately from so far away," Elya mumbled, taking aim once more.

LIES.

"There is law enforcement present. I cannot kill without falling afoul of them."

COWARD.

"I am not a coward."

WHAT WOULD MOTHER SAY?

Elya's entire body tensed.

"... Good girls didn't show mercy..."

EXACTLY.

Taking aim, Elya fired another glassy arrow at an unsuspecting Sulfur Blood. It hit him in the head. He crumpled to the ground as a puddle of blood seeped into the earth.

HE CANNOT FIGHT FOR HIMSELF. YOU MUST KILL IN HIS STEAD.

Elya took a deep breath and nocked another brace of arrows.

"That I must..."

-----

"MEPS MENMO ETIUQNILER IUQ CUH SITARTNI"

Cobalt gazed up at the words inscribed above the doors of the Headmistress' office. The doors themselves had been smashed open, the ebony wood having crumpled like paper under some great force. Beyond it, the office lay in ruins; furniture smashed, painting torn, and walls riddled with bulletholes.

Swallowing hard, the Incubus stepped inside.

Almost immediately, he heard a loud gunshot as something whizzed past his ear and buried itself in the wall behind him. He raised his hands and cleared his throat.

"Mistress Viola, it's me!" he called aloud.

There was a moment of silence as someone coughed from the far side of the office.

"... Of course it is, boy..." spluttered the voice of the Headmistress.

Looking up, he saw Viola laying against the shattered remains of her desk. Her hunting shotgun lay smashed by her side, and she was limply clutching one of her revolvers in her hand. She looked badly wounded.

"Sweet hellfire... Did he do this to you?" Cobalt cried, rushing forward.

He was halted in his tracks by the sound of her gun recocking.

"Give me a reason, boy. Give me a reason not to put you down right now," she growled, bearing her bloodied teeth.

"M- Miss...?

"I never should have hired you. You lacked the grit, and you lacked the skill. The only reason I brought you on was my own damn guilt...!"

He swallowed hard.

"You mean my father, don't you?" he said, shaking all over.

One of her eyebrows raised, but her face remained stony.

"So Jezebel finally told you."

"She did. She told me everything."

"Then you'll know what a damned disappointment you are, boy. Brass was a pain in my ass, but he still held true to his beliefs. But you... you were nothing but trouble," she hissed.

This time it was his turn to quirk an eyebrow.

"Were?"

"Durnall, Harriet, Cherry... They showed you cruelty, but what you reciprocated with... would be enough to make your father sick, were he still here."

"What are you talking about?"

"And of course you can't remember...!"

Her gun fell limply to her side.

"But I am partly to blame as well. I was so hopeful that you would follow in your father's footsteps that when everything finally went awry, I..."

She took a deep breath.

"... So he's back. The Devil on the rooftop," she muttered, her voice devoid of all emotion.

Cobalt nodded and gestured to the door lying beyond the destroyed desk.

"He told me to meet him up there, yes," he said resolutely, feeling his stomach smoulder at the mere mention of Diate.

"He nearly killed Brass, you know. Almost split him in two. I had to help stitch him back together."

"How did you beat him before?" Cobalt asked, clenching his fists.

Viola smiled humourlessly.

"Through teamwork, luck and sheer recklessness. Three qualities you lack, boy."

She coughed, splattering a little blood down her front.

"I suggest you run, boy. It took powers beyond your own to fell the Devil that day, and even then he still lived. He wants you, no-one else; he wouldn't have ever threatened this school had you not been here," she said, glaring directly at the Incubus.

Thought the worm of guilt gnawed at him from within, he held his ground.

"... I know. But I'll set it right. I'm done running," he sighed, more to himself than to the Headmistress.

"Then at least you'll die braver than most believe you to be."

"I won't let him hurt anyone else, miss."

"Right."

Her eyes slid shut.

"Your father told me those exact same words once before. Though that time, I actually believed them," she said quietly.

Shaking his head, Cobalt marched towards the door. As he placed his hand on the handle, he heard Viola speak one last time.

"Brass lost two close friends before the day was won. How many are you willing to lose before you realise the impossibility of your plight?"

He took a deep breath.

"None, miss. None at all."

With that, he shoved the door open and made his way up the rooftop stairwell.