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The reptile reached out and grasped the bronze, snake-head-shaped handle... and he felt another strange chill run down his spine, twisting it slowly and pushing the door open to reveal a massive, circular room beyond. Zerrex narrowed his eyes, glancing back and forth as he stepped slowly inside, gazing around at the red carpets and the curved walls mounted here and there with trophies â€" heads, antlers, and body-parts of great Hell-beasts in, other words. He made a bit of a face as he saw no exit... and then the Drakkaren blinked and looked over his shoulder as the door slammed.

Beatrice stood in front of where the door had once been, sighing and looking up towards the low roof for a moment, and then she turned her eyes back down to Zerrex, the reptile snarling and setting himself as he rose both hands. She only smiled at him, however, then blew him a kiss as her eyes glowed... and Zerrex's body fell limp, his breaths quickening as she strutted over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering quietly: "Such heat... such intense power... such a strange, corrupt body, a wonderful mix of power and desire, hatred and passion..."

She slid a hand down his chest, and then grasped his stony, stiff arm, running her hand along it and causing spikes to jut out wherever she touched, pushing slowly up from the metallic, armored surface as blue light pulsed dimly through the cracks in his limb. Zerrex tried to turn away, but Beatrice easily nudged his muzzle with her other hand back towards her, their eyes meeting as she said teasingly: "Lovely... those green eyes of yours compliment mine perfectly... wouldn't you want to be my pet, or maybe I could play as your slave for a while? Either way, I'm appeased... we're Incarnations, Zerrex, we're the true rulers â€" no, the true Gods of Hell. I know you know it inside of this big, pulsing... heart... of yours..."

Beatrice pushed a flat palm against his chest, and warmth spread through the Drakkaren's body, the reptile breathing a bit harder and closing his eyes tightly as lust, desire, need, compassion, love, and other forced feelings rushed through him... but even as he tried to pull away from her, all he managed was to whisper: "Why did you do... what you did to Cherry..."

"Forget her!" Beatrice said angrily, stepping away and throwing one hand up in disgust, and Zerrex felt the pleasure break long enough for him to regain his senses and stumble backwards, trying to put some sort of forcefield up around his mind before she spun around and snarled: "I'm promising, willing to be yours! It's not my fault Cherry was born a girl... had she been born male, she would have been doing the enforcing and raping around the camp! It was our culture, our traditions... we were gypsies and nomads with a long line of psychic and demonic heritage, our blood condensed over time... it's not my fault she couldn't handle it!"

"You started selling her as a sex toy when she was only a child, made her a slave to the whims of whatever lucky pedophiles came across your tent, while you gorged yourself on fucking!" Zerrex shouted back angrily, and the blue light pulsed bright red through his arm, the Drakkaren snarling as his eyes glowed green... and Beatrice's burned blue as she glared at him in return, her hands clenching into fists. "Her and Cynterra... don't you have a soul? Didn't you care about them?"

"It was the will of the old tradition... the lusts would have come one day anyway, and I know they conquered her quickly even as a teenager... I was just making sure the males she'd rape and suck the life out of would enjoy it." Beatrice said acidly, and then she looked away and snorted, adding coldly: "The lusts come with the gifts, there's nothing I can do about that. Besides, we needed something to compliment our act... and I figured her and her sister's tight little pussy would help us out a bit. The useless scum I always ended up with as a partner certainly couldn't satisfy either myself or the girls, after all... even as children, they had lusts and needs you wouldn't understand...

"But come, Zerrex..." Beatrice rose a hand and smiled charmingly, her anger vanishing as she cooed in a sweet voice: "Angry sex, to... heal us, perhaps? We can fuck right here, like animals... I'll let you dominate me however you want..."

But her magic only washed over him uselessly this time, and Zerrex shook his head slowly, saying softly: "You're pathetic, Beatrice Blossom. Now that I've figured you out, the allure's gone..." Beatrice stared, and then the reptile added quietly: "You're just a sleazy, tenpenny whore on the corner, selling everything for your crack... your kids, your family, your life... and all for sex. The one who never learned control was you... which just makes me think being what I am is more of a curse than anything else for my own failures in life."

A pause, and then he turned away from her, the female looking shocked as he added darkly: "So if you'll excuse me, I have a date with the Princess... and time is getting short."

The reptile began to walk away... and then something fleshy and hot snapped around his arm, and the Drakkaren looked down in shock at the tentacle that had laced around him before glancing back at Beatrice with a snarl, who was holding tightly onto the other end with one hand, the rest of the long tendril wrapped around her arm and feeding out of her back as she said coldly: "You don't leave until I say you can leave, you piece of shit."

She jerked backwards, and Zerrex was torn off his feet, the reptile cursing before he rolled in midair, and Blackheart â€" still firmly on his back â€" tore through the flesh of the tentacle, Beatrice releasing a shriek of rage as she leapt backwards. Zerrex landed neatly in a crouch in front of her, his stony arm shoving down into the ground and other hand grasping Blackheart's handle, and the two snarled at each other before Beatrice retracted the tentacle with a shrug, raising her arms out to either side and adding darkly: "Someone's in need of some discipline, it looks like... I can do that, sure. We'll call it foreplay."

Blue fire sprouted to life down her arms, then leapt into the air above her hands and spun violently before turning into a pair of burning metal hoops. Beatrice caught them as they fell, then crossed her arms over her body as Zerrex stood and yanked Blackheart off his back, grinning viciously as she hissed: "You're such an average, silly male, favoring such a déclassé weapon... grace defeats stupid brute force any day."

"Shut up." Zerrex said irritably, and Beatrice snarled before snapping one of the hoops out at his head, but the Drakkaren easily rose Blackheart up and twisted the blade so that the hoop bounced harmlessly off the flat. He grinned, and then stared as the hoop circled around and launched in for another attack even as Beatrice created another hoop and threw that one as well, and the reptile muttered under his breath as he ducked under the first hoop before sidestepping the next, running forwards towards the female as both of the hoops spun around for another pass at him.

He swung Blackheart downwards, and Beatrice flicked her hoop out, catching the blade of the huge weapon easily and spinning her hoop rapidly, loosening the sword in Zerrex's grip as the Drakkaren staggered forwards and attempted to keep pace with her before she snapped a kick out, knocking the sword flying to the side to bury into the wall before she spun around and snapped her heel across Zerrex's face.

The Drakkaren staggered backwards, grabbing at his head... and both flying hoops crashed into his back, knocking him sprawling with a curse of pain as Beatrice threw her head back and laughed. The reptile snarled furiously as he pushed himself off the ground... and then he stared as Beatrice leaned forwards and released a jet of blue fire from her mouth.

The reptile created a wall of energy in front of himself, and the blue flames washed uselessly over it as Zerrex stood quickly... but the blue fire turned into a haze that obscured everything. As it cleared, the reptile could see that Beatrice had vanished... and then three hoops shot at him from the side, and the Drakkaren barely leapt back in time, the wall of energy vanishing as they shot by to bounce off the wall in different directions.

He ran quickly over to where his sword was buried in the wall, ripping it free and looking back and forth for Beatrice... but although he could hear her laughing, he couldn't see her... and Zerrex concentrated as one of the hoops shot suddenly towards him, batting it firmly away with his sword as he looked back and forth. His eyes locked on a strange, floating blue mote in midair, and he remembered that she had been famous for psychic stage tricks... and the reptile drew his sword back as another hoop shot towards him, muttering: "Looks like she still favors the same thing..."

He lashed out with the sword as hard as he could, and the hoop shot towards the blue mote before Beatrice flickered into being, one of her hands held out and the hoop halting in midair, spinning slowly to a stop. The burning blue mote had been one of her eyes... and she smiled coldly, tilting her head and asking as she grabbed the hoop out of midair: "Did you really think you could hit me with my own weapons?"

Zerrex snorted, then ran towards her... and both hoops still flying through the air shot down towards his feet. The reptile snarled, then stabbed his sword down at the last moment and caught both hoops on the blade before it speared through the floor, and he arched his back as he kicked off the ground, flipping over the hilt of his huge weapon and flying towards her as Beatrice stared in shock, then lashed out with her hoop.

Zerrex slapped it away with his stony hand, then swung out with his other fist towards her... but four tentacles lashed out with lightning speed, curling around from her back and wrapping tightly around the Drakkaren's limb and body, beginning to squeeze him as she snarled in fury up at him. She took a deep breath, her eyes burning with rage-

The Drakkaren reached his own tentacle around from his back, wrapping it tightly around her muzzle, and Beatrice's eyes widened before blue lightning blasted out of her muzzle and she gagged several times, her own tendrils snapping the reptile to the side as she grasped her throat and vomited blue smog, stumbling back and forth. The reptile grinned widely as he leapt to his feet, tentacle withdrawing into his body, and then he ran forwards and shot a long blade out of his wrist, going in for the kill.

He ran into a wall of psychic force, and time itself seemed to distort, the reptile suddenly moving at ten times less his normal velocity as Beatrice turned towards him and rose a finger, flicking his nose and at the same time releasing a blast of telekinetic force powerful enough to send him flying all the way into the wall, bouncing off it and falling to the ground with a groan of pain. He grasped at his skull, shaking his head slowly as looked up blearily, and then he stared as Beatrice gathered her three hoops around her body, crossing her arms as three more burst into existence and began to spin around her in all directions, blue fire crackling into life over her body as she whispered: "Enough play... I'll break your spirit yet, Zerrex Narrius..."

She snapped her hands out, and all six hoops shot towards the Drakkaren, the reptile snarling before he created a spherical shield of energy around his body. Beatrice blinked, and then she stared in shock as her hoops bounced off, harrying it and spinning violently â€" but uselessly â€" against the azure surface even as Zerrex began to roll the sphere forwards towards her.

She snarled and snapped out both hands, four tentacles tearing out of each arm as four thicker, larger ones tore out of her back, wrapping around the sphere and lifting it up above her head as Zerrex tumbled onto his face, the sphere cracking as the six hoops continued to crash against it... and then the Drakkaren grinned as he dropped straight down through his own energy as if it had become air, and Beatrice stared in shock before the reptile punched her in the muzzle as he passed.

She staggered backwards with a curse, her tentacles falling aside as the giant sphere vanished and her hoops halting and wavering in midair... and then Zerrex leapt forwards and stabbed the blade on the end of his stony arm through her stomach, and Beatrice released a keening wail, arching her back and releasing a shockwave of psychic force as her tentacles flailed and twisted around her body. The Drakkaren was sent crashing backwards onto his back, rolling several times and cutting a nasty gash in his own leg with his own stony blade, and then he grunted as he managed to slam his rocky fist down into the ground, using the same blade to anchor himself against the floor even as another pulse of force shot through the room.

This one had enough force to send Blackheart flying through the air, and Beatrice's tentacles withdrew as her hoops dropped and began to spin violently around her. The female snarled, grasping at the wound in her stomach, her eyes flashing... and then she whispered: "No one hurts me, Zerrex... no one lays a single fucking finger on me unless I say they can..."

She held out her hands, and three thin, triangular knives appeared in front of each before she closed her hands into fists, holding the knives tight between her fingers as her hoops spun and twisted around her. Another pulse of psychic force travelled through the room, and the Drakkaren winced away before cursing as Beatrice stepped forwards and lashed out with one hand, throwing one set of knives at him before she gracefully spun and threw the others through her own hoops.

The reptile's stony arm turned into a crude, circular shield, and four of the knives slammed into this, one of them striking into Zerrex's shoulder and the other hitting the ground in front of him... and the Drakkaren cursed as he waved his stony arm, the knives popping out as the shield melted back into his form before he ripped the knife buried in his shoulder free and threw it immediately back at Beatrice... but she only glared at it and shot it back, and it tore through Zerrex's hair, ripping a gouge down his cheek as the Drakkaren fell to the side with a grunt, blinking stupidly a few times.

He rolled up to his feet and ran to the side... and Beatrice rose a hand, Blackheart tearing out of the ground as it came alive with blue fire. It began to spin violently, then circled quickly around the room towards the Drakkaren as Zerrex stared over his shoulder in shock before the blade shot towards him and rammed through his stomach, and the reptile let out a gargle as he was pinned to the wall by his own enormous weapon. Beatrice smiled coldly at this, watching as Zerrex fell limp, and she slowly walked towards him before grasping the hilt of his sword, shoving it slowly into the wall and through Zerrex's body, causing him to spasm as she whispered: "Does it bring back memories, oh vaunted Lord Zerrex? Didn't Prince Az'Iriel... or rather, the Unworld wretch who played his part, no need to play games about that now... do this to you? Isn't this how you died last time..."

"Beatrice..." Zerrex murmured, and she leaned in close, looking almost hungry before staring in shock as Zerrex rose his head, grinning coldly. "Didn't you say..."

He grasped the blade of the sword, then tore it forwards, slamming the pommel of the blade into Beatrice's body before he tore upwards with a snarl of pain and exertion, blood flying from both his wound and his hand as he tore sword across Beatrice's chest, knocking her backwards with a howl as the weapon flew free from his body and his spasming, bloody hand. A moment later, Zerrex fell on her and shot the blade of his stony wrist, slamming it through her heart, the demoness screaming and staring up at him, blood running from her mouth as the Drakkaren snarled: "‘You can't use my own weapons against me?'"

Beatrice gurgled... and then turned into blue fire beneath him, Zerrex cursing and staggering backwards as she quickly twisted back and forth along the floor, retreating towards the center of the room and reforming in a kneel as she panted hard, one arm across her stomach and the other flat against the ground, glaring at him furiously as the reptile tore his stony blade out of the floor. A shudder ran through her body... and then blue fire burst over her form as she whispered: "This isn't over... I'll come back for you and finish you off later, Lord Zerrex... and don't think I'll make the same mistake twice!"

With that, she vanished in a pillar of blue fire that faded away to a thick mist, her cold, distant laughter ringing through the air as Zerrex forced himself to his feet, muttering under his breath: "Yeah, yeah. Run away, bitch... you find me or I'll find you. I'm fine with chasing you down and killing you if I have to... but wait, if she can escape, it means the portal wards have been broken..."

The reptile grunted and twitched a bit as his wounds visibly patched themselves closed, and the reptile sped up the process with his own energy. Surprisingly, the damage from Blackheart looked nasty but felt minimal... and the reptile guessed because it was both a sword forged with his energy and still technically a mortal blade. But Beatrice was on a whole different level than half the demons I've fought... I've never seen anyone recover from a heart-stab like that so fast... which means I'll probably need to either halve, decapitate, or really wear down the Princess...

A shudder ran through his body as he looked down, and then he walked slowly over to pick up his sword, attaching it to his back as he closed his eyes and rubbed his hands together slowly, before murmuring: "Well, time to get to work, either way..." A pause as he glanced to the side and created a portal, and he added quietly: "Princess... don't think I'll back down."

With that, the reptile turned towards the shifting darkness of the portal... and he stepped through it, ready to meet his destiny head-on.

Outside, Ixin was sitting with his legs crossed, resting with his back against the Central Spire and breathing slowly, ‘regenerating his magical essence,' as he called it. Every so often he sipped from a bottle of blue liquid held in one hand, and he watched mildly as Bondage ran by, shouting for reloads, before muttering: "Guns. So... vile, somehow."

"Try picking one up and shooting something, you'll feel better." muttered Vampire, as he carried a massive green rocket launcher towards an open archway in the crumbling ice wall. He dropped to a kneel, taking careful aim towards the enormous construct of dead bodies and bones lumbering across the field, then fired towards the top of it, where the ‘brain' and power-source of the corpse-creature likely was. The rocket struck it squarely and exploded, and the monstrosity stumbled, screaming in agony... and although it didn't die, the enormous red crystal filled with frozen demon bodies was clearly left visible and vulnerable. "Shoot that fucking thing, don't let it get any closer!"

Gunfire rang out towards the abomination as other officers patrolled back and forth. Constructs and golems had begun to appear with the hoards of demon soldiers, and Celestial â€" their top mage â€" was still nowhere in sight. Sabnock cursed as she paused for a moment to regenerate the ice platform beneath her, then she pulled another silver arrow out of her quiver, drawing it slowly back and pausing a moment before adding a bit more draw and firing straight ahead. The arrow arced through the air, then fell like a meteor and ran through the skull of a Gigataur in silver armor, and it staggered backwards in mid charge, crushing soldier demons under its feet before it fell backwards and took out a golem or two as well. "Sin, how's the barrier coming?"

"Not well." Sin replied meekly from below, and Sabnock turned to frown at her, the Naganatine bowing deeply before mumbling: "We simply don't have enough mages to power it, and with half the soldiers deployed outside guarding the ice walls, and the other half inside, waiting for orders, its impossible to write out a protective circle..."

"Wonderful..." Sabnock muttered... and then she blinked and looked to the side in shock to see Celestial floating nearby, looking disgusted. "You! Help with the protective barrier, it's-"

"It's pathetic, is what it is." Celestial said distastefully, and then she floated slowly to the side, her robes curling and twitching beneath her as her eyes glowed red... and a moment later she grinned cruelly, looking out to the side and adding in a mild voice: "I've been scouting around Hell... and oh my, you should see the riots. But go, order a full out mage attack..."

A pause, and when Sabnock only looked stony, Celestial leaned forwards with a snarl. Her features warped, the outer skull tearing out of her head and the elongated bone plate forming from it, her hands turning skeletal and white as she roared: "Do as I say!"

Sabnock stood in the face of Celestial's rage, but a tremble of terror went through her all the same as she whispered: "We... don't have the resources to waste..."

"Fine..." Celestial floated into the air, then flipped and laughed cruelly as she spun violently downwards, diving towards the earth before pulling herself out of the g-spin at the last moment, knocking soldiers flying backwards with the waves of raw violence emanating from her body. She spread her arms with another dark laugh as soldiers stared in shock at her, and then she crossed her arms over her chest as her eyes burned bright red, calling out: "Let me show you the true spirit of battle!"

Massive tentacles of Unworld energy tore out of the ground, glowing purple pillars that bent and swayed, sweeping through soldiers like scythes and setting whatever they touched into dark flames that greedily leapt back and forth from soldier-to-soldier. Celestial cackled as she jetted to the side, tentacles of energy ripping out of the earth behind her every dozen feet or so as she encircled the tower, and then she simply dove into the cluster of soldiers, knocking demons flying and screaming.

Ixin stared in shock... then leapt to his feet and chugged the rest of the jar of liquid before smashing it against the ground, holding up a hand and shouting: "I shan't be outdone!" He paused a moment later, then pranced forwards and drew a small disc out of his belt, bouncing it once in his hand before grunting and muttering: "So long as I can still remember how to do this..."

He leaned forwards and threw the disc hard, and it spun through the air before crashing into the skull of a soldier, knocking him flat as runes appeared over the silver disc... and Ixin muttered: "Got the medium, got the idea, got lots of dead bodies... kaboom, motherfucker!"

Ixin clapped his hands together and bowed his head forwards with a grunt, and corpses throughout the field bloated before exploding, releasing waves of flame and pulses of electricity as demons panicked and screamed, other soldiers halting to stare in shock at Ixin as he grinned widely... and then he winced as a bit of blood dripped out of one nostril, mumbling: "Crap. Didn't do the spell properly after all."

The immortal Drakkaren staggered backwards, pinwheeling his arms until he hit the wall, and then he slid stupidly down it as Selena walked by, glowering at him before shouting: "I need assistance to the east, we're being flanked by necromancers... Ixin might have gotten rid of the corpses, but they're still putting together plenty of skeletons from the remains!"

"I can't afford... wait, what's that?" Sabnock frowned, scanning the horizon... and a moment later Celestial appeared beside her, once more normal and gentle, her eyes a lovely green as she grasped Sabnock's shoulders... and the female swallowed thickly as the creature leaned in close.

"It's your reinforcements." she whispered... and then she floated slowly away and smiled, lacing her fingers together beside her head and twisting around in a circle through midair with a tender sigh, the reaching tentacles of Unworld essence all exploding in globs of black fire that hailed down through the enemy troops, even as more demons and constructs continued to press forwards. "How romantic... my son fighting inside, all of you protecting him and fighting outside, horribly outnumbered... but isn't it a sight for glory?"

As Celestial continued to float happily around, Sabnock turned her attention away with a wince and closed her eyes, concentrating for a moment and running through battle tactics... and finally she turned and shouted: "Stage two! Everyone, go stage two!" A pause as she looked down at Sin, who was flushed and looking away... and she softened, adding in a murmur down to her from the platform, even as Dius, officers, and other demons scrambled for the archways: "It's okay, Sin. You can stay back."

"Thank you..." Sin whispered, looking humiliated as she stepped quietly through the rushing soldiers towards a window in the crumbling ice wall, staring out as Selena and Lily ran side-by-side at some distance into the scorched battlefield... before both of them roared and flexed, their bodies warping and distorting as they unleashed their full demonic forms, spider legs ripping out of Lily's back and Selena's clothes stretching taunt against monstrous muscles.

Other Dius were increasing in size and warping in shape, too, along with the succubi and incubi... and the other shapeshifters that had come with them â€" from Gorgons to creatures like Vampire, and Vampire himself â€" also grew and warped, roaring and howling as the normal soldier demons that had been out fighting ran back towards the safety of the ice wall. Sin had quickly turned back to helping people, creating several massive portals to let them take the wounded and a small contigent of troops and mages into the Central Spire to recharge and heal... and Sabnock's features were stony, watching as winged demons took to the air to try and snipe the giants from above, and the remaining cavalry on the other side mounted their steeds, while mages prepared spells and constructs of equal size to the terrible creatures now facing them... but likely not with the same monstrous power.

A pause, and the entire army on the other side shuddered... before Sabnock looked up as a succubus flew down towards her, bloody and with several arrows buried into her body despite her white-painted wings and blue-splattered body... a clear sign of a noncombatant. It dropped to the ice platform and knelt, then looked up and whispered raggedly: "Mistress... Mistress Sunia sends... her regards, she will attack the flank... of the enemy in twenty minutes from the mage unit... I... she apologizes profusely for... weakness... and news..."

"It's okay, breathe." Sabnock urged, kneeling by the succubus, but the creature shook her head quickly in denial, clutching at the gold-headed arrows as she grit her teeth, and the wolverine quieted, instead grasping her shoulder and deciding it might be better to allow her to finish her message instead... either way, this is close to the end of her life...

"I... the prisoners are rioting... they're being led here, many of them, supplemented by imprisoned mages... and several Terrors are loose, ripping through the far East and North... the Princess's vast army is breaking up..." The succubus shuddered, then she smiled weakly and fell forwards, murmuring: "Li'Tania... tell Lord Zerrex my name..."

She trembled, then her eyes glazed over before her body turned to ashes and blew away, and Sabnock cursed before looking up towards that disturbance at the horizon... and she muttered a spell, closing her eyes before opening them and forcing them to focus at the distance, her pupils dilating as she was given a telescopic view of the far area.

A wolf in shackles was staggering over the horizon, howling and roaring... a giant wolf with a black-diamond of fur over otherwise white. His hands were soaked red with blood, and several tattoos dotted his form... and Sabnock watched as he batted away a charging Slaver like he was nothing. He was followed by a group of other prisoners, a ragtag band of them armed with all manner of weaponry... and then the naked wolf picked up the nearest weapon at hand â€" a huge battle axe â€" and held it above his head, howling so loudly that Sabnock could hear it from where she stood.

She closed her eyes and snapped her fingers, and her vision returned to normal as she looked down and watched as a gigantic, spike-covered Alastor swung forwards with a Smiting Rod increased in size to match his height, knocking several golems flying like toys as arrows bounced uselessly off his body. He spun the Smiting Rod around himself, then leapt forwards and smashed it down into a charging Gigataur in Royal Guard armor, crushing its head to pieces and sending out a shockwave of electrical energy at the same time, and Sabnock murmured: "We have no choice... everyone, hold your positions and keep them at bay for just a little longer! All soldiers, provide cover for our friends, I want groups of archers and gunners covering the sky at all times, get moving! Down with the Princess!"

"Down with the Princess!" roared the army, and the Central Spire seemed to shake violently behind them as Sin closed her eyes and crossed her arms on the sill of the window in the ice wall, dropping her head on them and starting to cry quietly.

Zerrex stepped out onto the Southern Balcony, and he was immediately charged by a pair of Amazons wielding spears and wearing heavy, full body armor... and the Drakkaren winced before leaping out of the way of one, and the butt of the other's spear cracked him across the jaw and knocked him stumbling. The Drakkaren snarled at both of them, grabbing at his bloody jaw... and a moment later, one of the Amazons tried to charge him, and Zerrex simply grabbed her and threw her over the edge of the balcony.

The other Amazon stared, wincing at the sound of her companion's screams... and the Drakkaren snapped: "If you don't want to join her, then get the hell out of my way!"

Immediately, the Amazon created a portal and retreated, and Zerrex let out a sigh, looking moodily back and forth and wondering how much damage he had taken... and judging himself at about fifty percent strength. Climbing the Central Spire had been a long, hard slog... and the reptile hadn't expected them to be so well-prepared for his arrival. It meant at least one someone was a traitor... but he didn't want to think about who it could be. I'm too gullible...

He shook his head, walking to the edge of the balcony and looking over it... and all he could see below was darkness and the occasional gout of flame that looked like a distant, flickering candle far below, but with the distance they were at, promised to be a massive explosion at the very least. The reptile shook his head slowly... and then he turned and walked towards the closed double doors leading into the Central Spire's throne room.

They opened as he approached... and the moment Zerrex stepped through, the doors slammed behind him and a heavy silver gate shut, locking him inside. The reptile didn't bother to look back, instead grimly facing forwards towards the Princess, sitting primly in her throne... and around her was a collection of six Amazons, two massive Gorgons in Royal Guard gear, and two Lamias â€" creatures with the long, trailing bodies and tails of snakes, and the upper bodies of some other being: in this case, a pair of vixen twins wearing minimal armor in the form of black corsets made from dragon scales and golden shoulder armors, coronets around their heads. Both of them held twin swords... and a pair of smaller arms that extended from their middle backs held smaller daggers, half-concealed in the long blonde locks that fell around their bodies as they smiled charmingly with oversized snake fangs at the Drakkaren.

"So you've come..." The Princess paused, then nodded to the Dius at her side â€" Laurel, the same female that had led the earlier attack. She held up her sickles with a grin that was half-obscured by her large helm, and the Princess added in a bored voice: "Laurel insisted that she form a nice welcoming committee for you... I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself, Lord Zerrex. Go ahead, Laurel, try and kill the magnificent warrior before you."

"In the name of the Princess, you shall die!" Laurel shouted gleefully, her eyes burning as she straightened and pointed one of the sickles at him, and the six Amazons immediately charged with their long, barbed spears, all of them snarling furiously as the Dius stayed back. Zerrex's eyes narrowed... and then one of the Amazons leapt forwards and stabbed her spear down, and Zerrex slipped just to the side, ripping it out of her hands and spinning around to stab it through her armor and into her lower spine as she stumbled past.

She screamed and staggered forwards, her legs spasming beneath her, and the Drakkaren tore the spear out of her to throw it hard into the face of another Amazon, her helm flying off as she toppled backwards and turned to dust. Another Amazon thrusted in with her own barbed weapon, however, cutting a thin gash through Zerrex's body as the four continued their rush, forcing him backwards and all of them stabbing viciously towards the reptile... and Zerrex created a semisolid wall of energy, catching the heads of their spears in it before he tore Blackheart off his back and chopped down through the neck of the clustered wooden poles.

Several of them staggered backwards, and Zerrex leapt forwards, stabbing towards the stomach of the one who didn't. The Amazon attempted to block with the body of the now-pole, but Blackheart tore cleanly through, then thrusted through her stomach, and she gargled before the reptile tore backwards and spun around, lashing out and upwards in a decapitating slice. The other three Amazons looked back at Laurel helplessly, and the Dius whistled loudly, the Gorgons and Lamias charging forwards as she howled: "Destroy him, kill the traitor!"

The Drakkaren snarled, switching Blackheart to his left hand and shooting the blade out of his stony wrist before he rushed towards the Amazons... and at the last moment, he turned and dived for one of the rapidly-moving Lamias instead, stabbing his corrupted hand forwards three times and leaving three deep stab wounds in her body. She reared backwards, screaming in agony and rage, and Zerrex followed up with a hard rising slash with Blackheart, knocking her into the air and sending her sprawling on her back before he turned and slashed hard downwards into the massive trident of a Gorgon as she stabbed forwards.

The weapon was knocked into the ground, and Zerrex leapt past the silver prongs to land on the thick pole, running easily along it and keeping his eyes focused on the shoulder of the Gorgon instead of her lethal eyes, even as she jerked the weapon free... and the reptile stabbed hard outwards with Blackheart as he passed her throat, sinking the blade through it. She gargled and collapsed backwards, her body turning gray even as black blood exploded out of the lethal wound, and the reptile leapt free to crash down onto an Amazon's shoulders, crushing her beneath his feet and crunching bones and armor beneath him with a series of loud cracks and snaps.

Before he could straighten, another Amazon snapped her pole out and caught him in the chest, knocking him flat before smashing the weapon down into his stomach, and the surviving Lamia twin hurled herself on top of him with a snarl, stabbing her weapons downwards. Zerrex snarled and managed to kick a foot into her stomach, however, and she flew backwards, only managing to nick his leg before an Amazon swung her weapon down into his head and knocked the Drakkaren senseless for a moment.

The other Amazon dropped her pole and grabbed Zerrex by the shoulders, but the Drakkaren quickly snagged her and flipped her on top of his own body as the other lumbering Gorgon approached and stabbed downwards, and the Amazon screamed in agony as the trident tore through her body. The end of the weapon gouged into the reptile's stomach painfully, and he winced before the Gorgon cursed and drew her weapon away... and Zerrex immediately rolled backwards and shoved off the ground with his hands as he kicked his feet up and out into the face of the remaining Amazon, snapping her jaw like a twig and knocking her flat on her back before he gracefully landed on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

The reptile spun around and stabbed the blade at the end of his corrupted arm through her chest, finishing her off... then he created a sphere of energy and spun around, whipping it into the face of the Lamia quickly shooting towards him over the ground. It exploded, ripping most of her head off, and her body was flung backwards into Laurel, who had finally decided to join the fight.

The Dius howled as she was knocked sprawling by the thick corpse of the Lamia, and a moment later the Gorgon stepped down on her by accident, crushing her underfoot as it lumbered forwards. Zerrex looked up and met its eyes, and he winced as he felt his body beginning to stiffen as it glared down at him... and the reptile glared back, fighting it for a moment before he roared and channeled a raw blast of Wrath forwards into the gigantic, monstrous female, and the Gorgon staggered backwards with a howl, grabbing at its bleeding eyes.

Zerrex took the opportunity to run to the side, yanking Blackheart free from the corpse of the other Gorgon before he ran in a wide circle around the survivor, who was looking back and forth in confusion, vision blurred with blood... and then Zerrex slammed Blackheart into the back of one of its knees as he passed, and she screamed and fell forwards to one knee. The Drakkaren immediately shot around to her front and slammed the blade into her stomach, and the Gorgon was knocked back upwards, rising to an awkward sitting position as Zerrex circled her again and jumped upwards, kicking off her back and landing on her shoulder as he spun Blackheart around and stabbed down into the back of her neck.

She screamed... then her eyes rolled up in her head and she fell forwards as Zerrex leapt off her and landed beside the petrified corpse of the other Gorgon, watching as she fell... then froze in place halfway to the ground, a few pieces of armor slowly falling off. The reptile looked over the dead wreckage of the attack group... and then he turned slowly around to see Laurel crawling towards the Princess, whispering: "Please... please help me, save me... I... your Highness, I need your help..."

"You failed." The Princess said mildly, standing up and stretching. Her purple dress floated around her, the golden cups over her shoulders glinting, and the black cape that attached into them rustled before falling still over her back... and she shook her head in distaste, asking softly: "How could a fool like you hope to win against my greatest weapon... Lord Zerrex, my most powerful asset..."

A pause, and then the Princess waved a hand, and the gurgling survivors and corpses were consumed in golden flames, including Laurel. The Dius screamed in agony for a few moments, then fell silent and still... and a moment later, the Throne Room was left empty and clean, only Zerrex and the Princess left facing each other as she said coldly: "That was an impressive display, Lord Zerrex... but you aren't strong enough to face me. Back down now and admit defeat... surrender, and I promise that one day, I'll let you out of the cells and put you to good use doing the things you do best, and letting you kill and fuck to your heart's desire..."

"I'm stubborn." Zerrex said simply, and the Drakkaren grasped Blackheart in both hands as the blade retracted into his corrupt arm, the reptile's eyes narrowing as the Princess laughed and shook her masked head slowly. "Maybe you're the one who should surrender... except we both know how this is going to go, so enough talk..."

"But you have no idea..." The Princess whispered, and Zerrex frowned before she laughed coldly again, her green eyes burning out of her mask as she said in a terrible, smiling voice: "Not all the Scholars are dead... they're gathered in the tower in the Undersea, waiting until the time is ripe to move out... and then they'll seal the abilities of all your friends out there fighting so valiantly against my test army... and when their powers are closed-off, then I'll move in my real forces to annihilate not only them, but every single prisoner in Hell. Soon our plans will be complete... and soon we'll be prepared to invade the mortal realm and destroy all life there, cleanse the world for a new beginning... a new coming of a new god..."

The Princess threw her arms wide, laughing again as the lights flickered, a terrible static filling the air before she looked at Zerrex and said coldly: "You have lost. The only option is to fight and die now, Lord Zerrex."

"Bitch!" Zerrex snarled and charged forwards, swinging Blackheart downwards... but he collidied with not only a purple barrier, but a strange, translucent sphere that surrounded the Princess, and he staggered backwards as she laughed, staring at the dent he'd left in the sphere... but before he could swing again, the Princess swung a hand out and sent him skidding backwards with a blast of telekinetic force that made his insides feel like jelly.

He set himself to charge again, and the Princess vanished from sight... before all four thrones rose into the air and floated around the pillar in the center of the throne room to hurl themselves at him, Zerrex leaping to the side as the heavy, golden-metal thrones crashed one-by-one into the ground and exploded into fragments of metal. He ducked under the third chair, then swung Blackheart forwards with a grunt and knocked the fourth to the side, sending it crashing into the wall before he charged towards the Princess as he caught sight of her at the far side of the room.

She let him get in striking distance before she blasted him with another powerful wave of telekinetic force, and she threw her head back and laughed again, grasping her mask even as Zerrex leapt forwards and swung back and forth into the shield surrounding her body, ripping gouges in it before he reversed his sword and stabbed hard forwards into the grey shield... but it rippled and rejected him, knocking him staggering backwards as Blackheart was torn out of his hands and thrown away. It hit the floor and skidded several feet... and the Princess leaned down towards him, asking coldly: "What's wrong? I thought you were going to kill me, Lord Zerrex... except this is the most pathetic display of combat I've ever seen."

She rose her hand again and blasted him backwards, sending him flying through the air... and Zerrex snarled before arching his back, reaching his stony, corrupt hand out and snagging Blackheart off the ground more by luck than anything else as he flipped, and he spun his body and kicked both feet out, landing in a half-squat with the massive sword held in reverse position, his other hand pressing into the ground and body leaning forwards as he snarled... and the Princess laughed before throwing a hand out and firing a sphere of golden energy at him, radiant and beautiful as the sun.

Zerrex spun Blackheart around his body, then slashed forwards as the blade glowed white, hammering the sphere back at the Princess, who was laughing again and looking away... and the sphere collided with her, the grey, dented shield covering her body exploding into pieces as golden energy shot over her form, her laughter dying off into choked screams of shock, rage, and pain. The Drakkaren saw his chance and took it, sprinting forwards with a roar and leaping up into the air, the purple half-dome of Divine Protection still shielding her from attack-

He slashed viciously downwards, and Blackheart's blade glowed ivory as it tore through the purple shield, shattering it into pieces even as the Princess recovered her strength, and she stared in horror before Zerrex stepped forwards and flicked Blackheart upwards gracefully as he hit the ground in a surprising show of grace. The Princess twisted out of the way, but the blade still tore through her dress and into one of her legs, before it swung upwards and ripped a long scar through the golden mask she wore... and the Princess vanished from sight before reappearing with a snarl several feet away, looking down at the black blood spilling out of her leg before back up at the reptile as he slowly stood.

Her breath quickened, and her body trembled in fury before she reached up and tore off her cape, throwing it aside as she whispered: "I didn't think I'd have to get serious with such scum as yourself... but fine, Lord Zerrex... if you want to stop playing nice, we'll get serious."

She held a hand out towards the central pillar... and it trembled violently before cracking apart and shattering into pieces, the thick black stone flying across the room to crash into one of the gated doors and collapse in a pile of sharp rock... and from the center of the pillar floated a staff made of silvery metal, covered in strange runes and crenellations. It levitated over to the Princess as Zerrex watched... and then she caught it and it went from a large, ridged and bumpy wizard's spell staff to a smooth quarterstaff, the size decreasing to a perfect height for her emaciated but fifteen-foot frame, and she looked coldly down at the Drakkaren before holding the staff out in front of her, a long, spade-shaped spearhed pushing out of the top of the staff. "Come."

Zerrex ran forwards, and the Princess swung the bottom of the staff at him, a massive scythe blade ripping out of the silvery, shapeshifting metal, and Zerrex ducked to the side before swinging it at one of her legs, but the Princess jumped backwards. She shifted her grip on the pole, then shot forwards suddenly, slashing out in a vicious reaping-slice with the scythe, but the Drakkaren jumped backwards and swung hard forwards into the liquidine silver metal.

Blackheart bounced uselessly off it, and the Princess snorted before shoving the top of the scythe blade towards him as it became serrated... but Zerrex leapt over it, stabbing Blackheart into the ground and using that as an axis before he released the handle of the sword and landed neatly on the pole of the shapeshifting weapon. The Princess stared in shock as the Drakkaren drew his corrupted arm back, his warped hand turning into a massive, double-edged sword blade, and then she snarled and blasted him backwards with a glare and a powerful telekinetic wave.

She held a hand up, and before Zerrex hit the ground, a silver bubble wrapped around him as she said coldly: "I think someone's been abusing their powers... so let's have a time out from them, shall we?"

Zerrex winced as he looked back and forth, floating inside the bubble... and then it quickly began to gyrate in all directions, the reptile cursing before he arched his back as lighting shot over his form, clenching his eyes shut as visions of neon clocks running rapidly in reverse filled his mind. He flailed uselessly even as his corrupted arm slowly melted off, the original flesh-and-blood one replacing it and his tattoo writhing, a burning pain filling his body as his horns pushed out of his skull, only to snap off and fall uselessly away... and a moment later the Drakkaren fell to the ground as the bubble vanished, his hair once more cut to shoulder length instead of in a long ponytail and his right leg aching terribly... and the reptile stood slowly up, asking hoarsely: "What... what did you do to me?"

"I've given you what you've always dreamed of... you're mortal again, at least for a little while." The Princess replied in a gentle but venomous voice, her eyes filled with fury and lunacy as she spun the scythe around herself, then pulled the shapeshifting weapon apart to form a pair of large falchions, the thick blades gleaming as she held the twin weapons out. "What's wrong, scared of the big bad demon all of a sudden? Come to me, Lord Zerrex! Show me that mortals are more than hot air and strong language!"

"You bitch!" Zerrex snarled and ran forwards, his body moving awkwardly... and then he winced and ducked as she swung one falchion over his head, before catching her leg as she tried to knee him in the face. Immediately, she brought the hilt of her other sword down into his head, and the Drakkaren was knocked forwards, his grip on her leg loosening enough for her to bring a knee up into his muzzle before kicking him hard in the stomach, and she spun both blades out at her sides before switching them to reverse position and raising them high to deal a finishing stab to the stunned reptile kneeling before her with both hands around his gut.

Zerrex leapt forwards through her legs and skidded on his stomach along the floor, grunting and wincing before shoving off the ground and scampering to his feet, running for Blackheart as the Princess laughed behind him and slowly turned around, allowing him to reach his weapon and tear it free from the ground, watching as he set himself before she rushed forwards, spinning once on the spot before slamming a sword forwards in a rising slash, the blade still held point-down towards the floor. Zerrex deflected it, then stumbled backwards, wincing as he deflected another strike from her other sword.

She forced him backwards with a flurry of blows before she spun and bent forwards at the same time, lashing one of the swords out at head level... and Zerrex slashed hard upwards at the same time, parrying the blow and knocking the sword to the side before jumping upwards and twisting to the side to slam both feet into her gut, knocking the Princess skidding backwards with a grunt of surprise. The reptile landed heavily on his side, and the Princess snarled before leaping forwards, slamming the hilts of the swords together as the shapeshifting weapon transformed into a massive maul.

She slammed it down towards the Drakkaren, but Zerrex rolled out of the way, the hammer instead crashing through the floor before Zerrex kicked the head of the weapon hard as she drew it back, and the weapon was jarred loose from her hands, the Princess stumbling as Zerrex kicked up to his feet and brought Blackheart forwards in a hard downwards slash at the same time. The Princess snarled and met the physical attack with a telekinetic shove, however, and the Drakkaren's immense physical strength fought against the terrible psychic force of the female before the reptile let her shove the blade backwards, instead spinning around and turning the downwards slash into a horizontal cross-cut that ripped through the Princess's forearm.

She staggered backwards with a howl of fury, then vanished from sight and reappeared at a distance, holding up the hammer by the middle of the huge weapon, and Zerrex stared as it turned into a bow. He wondered stupidly for a moment whether or not â€" and how â€" she was going to shoot him... and then she created an arrow of white energy and nocked it on the silver string, and Zerrex winced before ducking as the arrow of energy shot just past his shoulder.

He rose his sword as the Princess rapidly fired off several more arrows, and the reptile knocked arrow after arrow out of the way before she teleported to the reptile's side, firing another arrow at him from a shorter distance, and Zerrex barely ducked before she vanished and reappeared to his left twenty feet away.

Another arrow shot at him, and Zerrex deflected it with Blackheart before he turned as the Princess teleported again, anticipating her movements... but staring in shock as she reappeared standing in midair, firing several arrows down at him at a forty-five degree angle. One of them sliced through his shoulder, and the reptile cursed and stumbled before she laughed teleported point-blank behind his back.

Zerrex sensed her, felt her dress whisp against him... and he performed a splits with a groan of pain, both feet going into the ground as two arrows shot through the air above him: one at head level, the other at chest level. The Princess cursed, but teleported away as Zerrex spun his legs out behind him, cursing under his breath as he missed her completely.

He hopped up to his feet... and the Princess reappered directly in front of him, her bow turning into a massive, double-ended glaive as she slashed viciously down at him, and Zerrex cursed and leapt high into the air, before wincing as the Princess appeared beside him, the glaive turning into a massive, two-handed bastard sword, and she slashed downwards with it... but Zerrex created a platform of energy and leapt higher, creating another platform beneath his feet and landing on it in a crouch before the Princess appeared in front of him again, her huge sword splitting into twin longswords that glowed purple with her psychic wrath, her eyes burning poisonous emerald as she danced forwards with vicious slashes that released thin blades of psychic force.

Blackheart glowed white as Zerrex stumbled backwards, concentrating hard as sweat rolled down his scales, his muscles bugling as he ran up sets of stairs made of energy to dodge some of her attacks and steadied himself as he slid down long ramps of energy at other times to try and escape her, but she teleported if he moved too quickly or too far, slashing in from the side as the two danced through midair. Blades of focused telekinetic force cut thin slashes through his body and were deflected off his sword as he slashed back into her attacks, parrying blows here and there from her long, fine silver swords before he tried to escape by leaping backwards... and she appeared upside down some fifteen feet away in midair as he flipped, her feet pressed against the ceiling as her longswords become enormous, jagged blades, slashing both of them outwards and releasing an X-shaped blast of pure psychic rage.

Zerrex winced and brought Blackheart up, one hand pressed against the other side of the flat, and the blade absorbed most of the impact as the reptile was sent flying backwards, vertigo tearing at his senses before he attempted to create a block of energy above him in a last ditch attempt to regain control as the Princess turned her swords back into a longbow, taking careful aim at him with a white arrow of energy. He halted suddenly, and then he blinked stupidly as he hung upside down before cursing as she shot at him, and he deflected the arrow with the flat of his sword again, the Princess snarling angrily.

The reptile's lower legs were glowing sapphire, his feet pressing against a thicker platform of energy than the others he'd created before he winced as the Princess teleported and reappeared behind him, still upside down as well, and she lashed viciously back and forth at him with the silver, undoubtedly-sharp bow, Zerrex staggering backwards as he deflected the attacks before watching as she nocked an arrow in mid swing, and when she rose it to shoot him, he swung hard down into the bow, and she shot it straight down into the floor far below, the self-appointed Queen of Hell cursing in fury before teleporting behind the Drakkaren, breaking her bow into two swords again... but even as they formed, the reptile spun around and caught her with a vicious rising â€" or in this case, dropping â€" slash across her chest that knocked her off the ceiling and sent her crashing into the floor below with a howl.

Zerrex kicked off the roof, twisting around in midair to land on his feet with a grunt of relief, the blood that had rushed to his head spreading back through his body as the Princess picked herself off the ground with a snarl, tossing her weapons aside as she faced the Drakkaren and screamed: "I am the Queen of Hell! I am the ruler of this plane... I am a Goddess! Don't you understand, this is my world, all mine, like it was promised! It... is... mine!"

The last word lengthened into a howl, the Princess's eyes glowing beryl and her arms spreading to the sides as a wave of insanely-powerful telekinetic force rumbled through the air, Zerrex slowly skidding backwards as he covered his face, his hair blowing back in the forceful wind as their eyes met... and he felt a lethal charge of psychic force shooting towards him before he glared back, his own eyes glowing bright green as he dug into himself for anything she had overlooked, any power he could use, his body feeling drained and tired...

And a moment later, something shot out of him, and she screamed and fought hard back against him, the battle turning into a tug-of-war between Drakkaren and Demon Queen... and Zerrex staggered forwards into the forceful wind... and a moment later, he glared into her eyes and shouted: "Then show me your true face, Princess!"

His Dominate ability tore out of him like a hammer and struck her, and she staggered backwards before slowly going limp... and the reptile stared as the psychic force died, the female's arms hanging and her muzzle falling open, a bit of drool dropping from her maw as the light faded from her eyes. Zerrex continued to stare, even as he felt his arm twitching and the metal pushing back out of the scales, his horns curling out of his skull... and the pain he felt at their regrowth, at the full return of his demonic abilities awakened him from his own stupor, sending him into a charge-

The Princess's dress bulged, then exploded, and something ripped out of her stomach with a roar, made of raw flesh and covered in terrible, bulging blue veins. Zerrex immediately leapt backwards and into a stagger before he fell heavily on his butt, staring as a monstrous Dragokkaren with two long, insect-like legs pushing out of its back in the place of wings tore its way through her stomach, the Princess's dress falling away as her arms bulged and her body lengthened, her breasts pushing and twisting forwards into the faces of screaming Drakakren as she moaned in agony, her back twisting and warping as a whole second body tore out of her.

Her legs kicked and bucked, her ass and lower back pushed outwards as another pair of legs spasmed free from her body, flesh and scale and blood raining down as her upper body screamed and twisted... and all around them, the room faded into darkness, the rug beneath their feet rotting and melting away as Zerrex looked back and forth in shock, terrible waves of energy that could only be described as ‘evil' ripping through the air as the skinned, upper-half of a thickly-muscled male Dragokkaren protruded from her skinned-stomach hung limp, its huge claws pressing against floor as her upper body hung forwards, the Princess panting hard. She had become some sort of freak centaur, with her lower body behind her thick, elongated and massive, her rearmost legs with twisted, reversed knees and ending in sharp, enormous hooves... and a middle pair of legs several feet between this and her front legs twisted and shaped almost like arms, except for the way they ended in massive, thick talons that pressed down into the ground. A double row of spikes lines her upper back, and arms and faces twisted out of the lower, centaur-like back... and her long tails were ivy-like, covered in thorns and twisting back and forth, all of them ending in the sacred black roses of Hez'Ranna.

The Drakkaren snarled as the air around them reverberated with the terrible groan of the Princess, and she leaned forwards as the faces on her chest twisted and whispered horrible things, both of them female but warped and ugly, filled with chattering teeth. Her green eyes burned with eerie light beneath her mask, and she stepped slowly forwards as she whispered: "Yes, I sense your fear, Lord Zerrex... and it feeds me and makes me ever stronger..."

She laughed, then dropped her head and went into a charge, the front Dragokkaren clawing at the ground as she loped along before it roared and swung outwards at Zerrex... and the reptile leapt backwards with a snarl before circling to the side, and she cantered, hissing down at him before her mouth fell open and several long, fleshy black tongues shot out of her maw, covered in thick warts. They snapped around the Drakkaren, and her voice whispered in her mind: Just give in... I have every ability you do... I am the Goddess of all Drakkai...

Zerrex snarled, flexing and pulling back against the tongues before the Dragokkaren hanging from her stomach opened his mouth and released a spray of acid, and Zerrex released a roar of agony and frustration as it splattered over him, eating into his scales before the Dragokkaren shot out a thicker, larger tongue that wrapped around his waist... and finally, the reptile snarled as he looked to his stony arm, and a blade shot out of it, ripping through the tongues before the Drakkaren spun around, hacking the others off his body and causing the Princess to withdraw with a scream of pain and anger.

The reptile leapt forwards, slashing Blackheart down into the head of the Dragokkaren, and it howled before striking him hard away with the back of its hand, sending Zerrex skidding over cold concrete before he rolled to his feet with a curse. He looked down at his sword, wondering how useful it would actually be against a demoness like the Princess... and then the creature charged, howling with rage as the Dragokkaren body arched its back and rose, spreading its arms wide.

Zerrex ran forwards as his other demonic characteristics began to surface, spines pushing out along his back and tail as spikes surfaced slowly on his limbs... and then he dropped in a slide, slashing Blackheart out at the same time and ripping through her stomach as she screamed in pain, before one of the arm-legs grabbed the Drakkaren and flung him out from beneath her, hurtling him across the room. Blackheart flew out of his hand, and Zerrex landed in a crouch before cursing as the sword vanished into the darkness, and his eyes flashed as he turned back towards the Princess, instead extending a long, sharp blade from his stony wrist as he ran towards her with a snarl.

The lizard slashed viciously downwards with it as she lunged towards him, the Dragokkaren in her stomach clawing savagely at him, but the reptile leapt upwards and kicked off its bloody skull, grabbing the Princess's shoulder and stabbing viciously down into the chest of her upper body again and again. She screamed in agony, then blasted him away with a power telekinetic shove... but Zerrex opened his angel wings in midair and shot up into the sky, even as the Princess shouted incantations and fired spears of ice and fireballs up through the air at him.

He twisted around through midair before his wings suddenly burst into black flame, and the Drakkaren cursed as he spun violently downwards, several binding runes forming in red over his wings before they shattered into pieces, and the reptile plummeted like a stone towards the ground before he crashed heavily, landing on all fours and shaking his head stupidly. A moment later the ground beneath him cracked apart, and the reptile barely evaded a pillar of magma that tore up from the earth as he started forwards, muttering the protective incatnations he knew as he withdrew the blade on his stony wrist to instead turn his corrupted fist into a large spiked ball.

The Princess shot a wave of fire at him as he approached, but the reptile simply barreled through it before shooting a tentacle at her, wrapping it tightly around her throat. She choked and clutched at it, and the Drakkaren leapt into the air and jerked himself forwards even as the Dragokkaren hanging out of her gut clawed through the fleshy tendril and ripped it apart. The reptile fell to the ground some ten feet away from her, but he covered that distance in a quick pounce, and he smashed the huge spiked ball on the end of his fist down into the skull of the Dragokkaren, crushing it and knocking most of his head off before extending a long blade from the center of the morning star at the end of his arm and stabbing it into the gut of the Princess, just above the hanging Dragokkaren.

Her body bucked and she screamed, even as the Dragokkaren moaned mournfully and slowly fell limp, beginning to rot away, and her hands glowed with dark energy as she slashed downwards at him... but Zerrex ducked and leapt forwards, the spiked ball turning into a vicious, hooked blade as he stabbed up into her lower body, and she screamed as Zerrex ran forwards between her lower legs, eviscerating her before ducking between the two rear right legs, slashing out one of her ankles as he passed.

She staggered, her tails snapping out towards Zerrex, but the Drakkaren dodged backwards as his stony blade turned back into a thick, corrupted claw, the demon snarling in fury before the Princess glared at him and sent him hurtling backwards, and a moment later she extended a hand, several baseball-bat-sized spikes of dark energy appearing out of nowhere and ripping through his body, leaving him hanging limply in midair for a moment before he fell. She grinned cruelly... then stared as Zerrex climbed to his feet, panting hard and brushing away the dark flames over his body before he created a sphere of energy in his normal hand, his eyes burning and a twisted grin spread over his features as it pulsed with a dark core, before he snapped it hard towards her with a grunt.

The Princess snarled and deflected it with a glance, and Zerrex charged forwards â€" not at her, but instead at his own sphere, leaping to intercept it and catching it in one hand before he spun and hurled it at her back, and she leapt forwards with a curse, at the same time creating a shield of solid, silvery metal around herself, and the sphere struck into this before exploding.

The blast shattered the back of the dome and knocked the Princess sprawling with a scream, lighting up the entire area with a massive explosion as Zerrex stumbled and covered his eyes with a wince, chunks of the silver dome flying in all directions... and his eyes widened as he stared at the light reflecting off Blackheart across the room. He ran towards it as the Princess tried to pick herself up, then he cursed and launched a tentacle at it instead, and it wrapped tight around the sword before jerking it over to him... and the reptile snagged the handle in midair as his tentacle withdrew into his forearm, reverse the sword and charging forwards as the Princess managed her feet before leaping over her centaur-like back and slamming the blade through her lower spine.

She screamed and staggered forwards as Zerrex landed on the collection of heads and limbs, and the reptile snarled and concentrated, pushing the sword forwards as the blade shone with white energy... and a moment later he was blown backwards as a psychic shockwave blasted off the Princess with enough force to send him more than forty feet away, landing hard enough to crack the concrete and shatter several of the spines along his back, one of his horns snapping off as he rolled backwards several times. Blackheart landed in the ground near his feet, and Zerrex cursed as he slowly stood up, withdrawing his demonic characteristics as the very air of the battleground changed... and he swayed slowly on his feet, breathing hard and staring as the darkness faded out, the room returning to normal and the Princess standing naked and broken, just a too-tall, too-thin Drakkaren demoness once more with her mask cracked and damaged... and finally, it shattered and fell apart in several pieces, revealing her face.

It was ugly and warped, covered mostly in burns and terrible, misshapen scars that twisted here and there through her features... and she reached up, touching the battleground of her features and snarling before she looked to Zerrex, staggering towards him and reaching out a hand as she rasped: "You... no one will usurp my power... I am a Goddess, I am stronger than God... I survived His attacks, I will survive you, you are my weapon..."

She staggered forwards, continuing to ramble as Zerrex forced himself to straighten, bleeding from the face, from his chest, his body damaged and smoldering... and he tore Blackheart out of the ground, the sword still glowing as he watched blood pour out of her stomach... and as she leaned over him, reaching down to grasp him, Zerrex shoved the sword up through her eviscerated gut and into her chest, the tip of the blade pushing out between shoulderblade and spine as she gargled and spasmed, grasping his shoulders as blood ran from her muzzle and out of her gutted stomach.

The reptile glared up at her defiantly as she looked back with fury and hate... and she tore herself backwards, staggering away with a broken laugh towards the center of the room before tripping on a crack in the floor and falling in a crumpled heap on her back... and her jaws stayed agape in that twisted smile even as her eyes glazed over and her scales flowed like liquid as she finally died. Zerrex panted hard, staring over her before snarling as a blue spirit slowly rose up from her body, and she spread her arms with a sigh, the mask back in place over her ethereal spirit as she floated above her body, looking disdainfully down at the Drakkaren. "Fool... I'm more than strong enough to return, and be assured, that one day I will... it's far too bad that you were too cowardly or too stupid to slay me with a binding ritual or a demonic weapon, but-"

"Now, now, Tir'Vanna, stop that." said a soft, charming voice, and the Princess looked to the side in shock as the fully-armored spirit of Az'Iriel floated out of the floor beside her and snagged one of her wrists... and before she could pull free or do anything else, another demon's spirit in battle armor and wearing a similar mask grabbed her other wrist, the two High Princes holding her tightly in place as Az'Iriel whispered: "Except you aren't lovely Tir'Vanna, are you? That makes sense... you're older, and stronger... but still a fool..."

"Release me!" The Princess struggled, snarling in fury, but Memon laughed coldly and Az'Iriel only shook his head slowly, looking disgusted... before all three spirits stared as a third creature rose up from the floor: a Drakkaren in a dark robe, her eyes turning from beryl to ruby as she looked slowly over the Princess. "You... that essence, but... you aren't... you..."

"It doesn't matter what I am, ancient Goddess... so this is where you went after God defeated you and the Drakkai escaped from your realm... funny we should meet like this... and poetic justice, too, I think..." Celestial whispered, and her voice had that same terrible tone, same structure as Narrius's as she gazed over the creature hungrily, her hands turning into white bone claws as she looked down at one... then suddenly leaned forwards and slashed viciously back and forth, ripping terrible wounds in the Goddess's spirit and causing her to scream in agony, bucking and twisting in the clutches of Az'Iriel and Memnon.

Again and again Celestial ripped through her body, shredding her spirit before grasping her shoulders, glaring into the eyes of the Goddess as steam rose up from the spirit's body, the other two leaning away before Celestial looked at Zerrex and barked: "Take her! Take her now, you can seize her spirit and destroy her!"

There was no disobeying the order or fury in Celestial's eyes... and Zerrex winced before dropping Blackheart and running forwards, his normal hand glowing blue as he leapt up and snagged the Goddess's spirit as Celestial drew away and the spirits of the High Princes vanished, and Zerrex yanked her down to the floor, blue lighting travelling over them both as the reptile spasmed and cursed, the Goddess grabbing at his arm as she screamed and kicked uselessly... and a moment later, before Zerrex realized what he was doing, he pulled instead of pushed, and her spirit exploded into a mist that encircled the Drakkaren's body as a terrible energy flowed into him.

He saw the Princess in his mind, screaming as she grabbed the bars of a cage before she dropped out of sight down some neverending elevator to darkness... and Zerrex fell to his knees, grabbing his stomach as blue lightning travelled over him and Celestial grinned down at him hungrily, her eyes burning as Zerrex twitched and arched his back with a roar of pain, his form twisting and bulging before he slammed both fists down into the ground... and a moment later, his eyes opened, the Drakkaren panting hard as a terrible power flowed through his body, and he sat back with a tremble, staring down at his hands and whispering: "I... I..."

"There's only one thing left to do..." Celestial whispered, as she landed and stepped forwards to gently grasp the side of her son's face, looking down at him lovingly as her eyes turned green... and she smiled softly, murmuring quietly: "You and her... terrible monstrosities in some ways, yes... but see, you have used your powers to overcome her... you can be anything... you can rule Hell in her stead..."

Celestial laughed, then faded out of existence and Zerrex looked up at her in shock... and the Drakkaren gazed down at the broken mask, before looking at the twisted, warped face of the dead Goddess... and he clenched his eyes as he felt a surge of not excitement, but terror through him. He couldn't be trusted with such a position... and as it was, he shouldn't bear the terrible powers that he did. He made a face... then reached down and picked up the broken front of her mask and walked slowly out towards the nearest gated door leading out onto the balcony, watching as it slowly rose for him and shivering a bit as he looked over his shoulder at the damage the battle had left behind to the once-beautiful room.

He turned back to the huge doors, and the Drakkaren pushed them open with a grunt, stepping out onto the Eastern Balcony and walking slowly past a pair of startled Amazons, who stared in horror at the reptile before running past him and into the throne room... and the reptile made his way to the edge of the balcony, wondering what he was supposed to do at first before an incantation made its way out of his mouth, and an enormous screen of energy appeared off the balcony and solidified, matching a smaller screen that came into existence floating in front of the Drakkaren. He looked into this, and his image was projected onto the theatre-sized screen in front of himself... and the reptile concentrated before sending the gargantuan screen down towards the ground at the bottom of the tower, trusting in his instincts.

The screen went down, down, and down, Zerrex clearly defined in blue on it... and the fighting slowed as it came lower and lower, soldiers staring and pointing it out, and others looking up in surprise. A wounded Selena blinked dumbly and frowned, and then it slowly circled around the tower... and soldiers dropped their weapons on either side, word passing rapidly through the rank as Zerrex looked quietly down at a broken facemask held tight in his hands... and a moment later, a cry went up of: "The Princess is dead! The Princess is dead! Lord Zerrex has slain the Princess!'

Selena closed her eyes and let out a sigh, relaxing and letting her body shrink down as Lily fell to her knees and hugged herself tightly with her arms and spider legs... and Vampire and Bondage cheered and roared, Ixin making a face and mumbling something about Zerrex being a showoff even as he smiled a bit to himself... and Sabnock relaxed her arrow as Sin wiped her eyes from where she was curled below, smiling sadly as she looked down at the ground. White holstered his revolver and breathed a sigh of relief as the angelic Naganatine beside him smiled a bit and flickered out of existence, and Alastor reversed his Smiting Rod and rested against it, looking quietly down at the dying body of his longtime companion Zulu and feeling both empty but glad, as Carmen walked over and patted him quietly on the shoulder, rubbing at her exposed ribs and broken armor.

Mahihko, on the other side of the fight, halted at Zerrex's name... and then he shrank down from his massive, terrible body to his little, girly wolf form, running forwards and shoving through the crowd of demons as he dropped the hammer he'd been bludgeoning people with to stand at the top of a solid snowdrift, staring at the spinning screen of energy and the solemn-faced Drakkaren on it before he yelled a victory cry, falling to his knees in the snow and beginning to cry... and one of the draconic demons in the Princess's armor knelt beside him and quietly hugged the wolf around the neck, the two sitting together as other soldiers threw down their weapons, many of them with relief.

Mist and Shine danced in a circle, holding hands with Rose, many of the Dius chattering and laughing to each other as Sunia looked down shamefully from where she stood a good distance away, rubbing at her head slowly and too embarrassed to step forwards... and far above, the Four Sisters of the Judgment Cross circled up and up the tower towards Zerrex, as even higher above Celestial floated near the ceiling of Hell, circling the tower and laughing... and throughout Hell, Zerrex's name was chanted.

The war was over: the surviving Scholars that had returned to the cavern that was the nerve center of Hell halted in their war charms and instead began to neaten the cavern and fix the damages to their vaunted Central Spire, and the Terrors that had broken loose with the deaths of the Scholars and Scribes were driven quickly back towards the Plains of Despair by force of number and the newfound frenzy of the soldiers as they were joined by old companions and told of the death of the Princess... and high above, so lonely and feel cold, Zerrex threw the broken piece of mask over the edge of the balcony and fell to his knees, gripping the banister and dropping his head against it as the quadruplet goddesses flew up and landed on the balcony, quietly pulling him to his feet as one of them whispered: "Close your eyes, Zerrex... your battle is over for now. Now let us do the rest..."

And Zerrex was all too glad to, as he relaxed and let out a quiet sigh of relief.