[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/kC4pqg0.png[/img][/center][color=2F4F4F]"Thank you,"[/color] the snake-looking girl said to Miyu, after taking a moment to recompose herself and try to find out what was happening here. It suddenly clicked in her mind when she heard the two of them talking about getting a house at the beach and finding jobs. Before she could say anything to them, one of those annoying cats approached the duo and asked a number of questions. The snake girl remained quiet, almost apprehensive, as she waited a chance to speak again. [color=2F4F4F]"I'm sorry, but you aren't from here, are you? You can't just... claim a thing that you want, even if it's bare land, you need to buy it,"[/color] she said right as the two of them were about to leave, fearing that she would have no other chance to do it if she let them go. [color=2F4F4F]"The cats are very mean if you don't follow their laws,"[/color] she added in a low voice. [color=2F4F4F]"I have to go now if you need something, I'll be here,"[/color] the girl said as she reached into her robe. A moment, later she offered a couple of 10% discount coupons to the duo of mecha pilots. The coupons, offering a discount on the purchase of a shortcake and tea combo, belonged to a sort of café, or a similar establishment, at the Downtown area. Unless any of the newcomers had anything else to ask her, the girl would leave shortly after that; she needed to deliver the ice cream to her friend before it melted, after all. Mysteriously, it didn't begin to do so already... [hr][center][h3][color=4682b4]Farris Aran[/color][/h3][/center][color=4682b4]"Very well then, let it be your way,"[/color] Farris said to no one in particular, after swathing Apia's hornets out of the air with a shield bash strong enough to cause a concussive blast of pressurized air around her. She observed Gelgath and Apia running away, around the same time as the catacombs too got covered in Victoire's Demon Roses. Or so they would, were not for the holy crystal barrier erected by Farris halting the advance of the deadly constructs. [color=4682b4]"We shall see how long you, wretched demons, will last before the might of the Divine Imperator."[/color] Farris then turned around to address Saef's concerns. [color=4682b4]"I understand your concerns. However, letting your fury speak louder than your reason is the shortest way to an unsavory demise,"[/color] she looked at the sky through her barrier before continuing, [color=4682b4]"That said, taking back this battlefield on our own will be a daunting task. The first objective we must concentrate our effort is on felling the duo that ran away from our previous skirmish. However..."[/color] Farris cast a gaze over the state of Saef's platoon then returning her inscrutable reddish irises to him. [color=4682b4]"We cannot concentrate on the battle if we have to exhaust our resources. Send your men back home and follow me, they have done well enough for today. I believe that they deserve to rest. Of course, if both you and they believe that my judgment is flawed, you are free to proceed as you wish."[/color] [color=4682b4]"Whatever your choice is, make it quick, we have no time to squander,"[/color] Farris said before she released the holy energy contained into her crystals, shattering them into a tiny million pieces. The resulting blast cleared this section of the corridor on both ways, leaving a route for Saef and his men to either escape from the battlefield or follow Farris toward the tunnel Gelgath and Apia used to escape. Regardless of their decision, Farris flew out of the catacombs, closing in on Gelgath and Apia. [color=4682b4]"Do not think even for a second that you will defile and abandon these hallowed grounds without knowing the fury of Celestia,"[/color] she said while hovering over the bloody mist. [color=4682b4]"In the name of the Devine Imperator, I condemn you: Fall back to the pity whence you came!"[/color] Without another word, Farris swept her sword in a wide arc, summoning a continuous storm of holy crystals to rain down on both Demons like hail cast by a vengeful god. [color=ed1c24]<>[/color] [hr][center][h3][color=ed1c24]Victoire Bordeaux[/color][/h3][/center]As soon as Victoire came back to consciousness, within the darkness of Hell, she realized what happened at her final moments in the Graveyard of the Lost. [color=ed1c24]"Tsc, I swear that I will make you pay for your choice, Avaritia,"[/color] she said to herself, after touching her lips. As expected, not even a single drop of blood was left on them. [color=ed1c24]"I expect that the other morons do not squander my work. T'would be a shame if Ruthria repeated itself, especially when I am certain that we outnumbered the enemy forces. Alas, t'is not in my power anymore. The first task I have now is sating my hunger, that battle drained me."[/color] Having decided on her next course of action, Victoire stepped into Pandemonium's brimstone hallways. She didn't have anything special to report to the Hellish Council that ruled over them now. At least she could spare the time to feed of one of the dungeon's prisoners before doing it. Thanks to a revolt happening for a cause that she couldn't even fathom, Victoire didn't even need to go all the way to the dungeon. A formerly captured human slave charged at her blindly, in an attempt to impale Victoire with an improvised spear. Victoire caught the weapon effortlessly, snapping it like a dry twig. The human, was a girl that was —no doubt— being held captive to serve as a future sex slave, lost her balance, falling right into Victoire's arms. [color=ed1c24]"You needn't be this hasty. I'll take my time with you, regardless of you wanting it or not,"[/color] she said to the hypnotized girl before driving her against a wall, fangs already brushing against the exposed paleness of the former inmate... [hr][center][h3][color=ec008c]High Queen Eos[/color][/h3][/center][color=ec008c]"I see."[/color] Those were the first words Eos said to Henry as soon as the Demon came to report the conditions of the battle. [color=ec008c]"Underestimating the abilities of our enemies just because our own have grown is still an issue that must be correct. This behavior has dragged the Machina to ruin many times,"[/color] she said, probably to herself. A moment later, Eos addressed Henry once again, [color=ec008c]"Is that all you wanted to say? If so, I thank you for your efforts."[/color] [hr][center][h3][color=ffd700]Diana[/color][/h3][/center]Back in Celestia, Diana had —after a few days— finally finished helping Suparna find a new home for herself. The dragon girl now walked around the quite empty corridors of the gold and marble citadel. Anyone who previously knew her would notice an immediate change in her typical appearance. Now Diana had not one but two swords, the second one was seemingly made of some form of dark metal; her armor was slightly heavier and had more decorations. The dragon girl looked far more like a full-fledged knight than her usual roguish self, now. [color=ffd700]"Well well, what do we have here?"[/color] Diana said to herself as she walked by the ornate entrance of Deva's throne room, right in time to overhear small commotion that was taking place inside. Once a rogue, always a rogue, though... naturally, Diana's curiosity came first and she found herself skulking past the doors and the Celestial Centurions that guarded it. Once she was inside, the dragon girl hid behind a pillar on the furthest place, several meters away from Deva's throne, listening intently to what was happening. Little did she know that none but Iona was coming in, to fulfill an unrelated business. [color=daa520]"Do you care to explain why you are spying at Deva, Diana?"[/color] Iona asked. The Dark Archangel had her arms crossed under her bust while staring at the dragon girl with a gaze like that of a stern older sibling. Diana nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden question. When she turned around and notice that it was Iona, of all people, who found her, Diana felt a drop of cold sweat run down her face. Her only temporary relief was that Iona turned her attention to the same event that attracted Diana in the first place. [color=daa520]"The two of you as well. What's the reason for this?"[/color] Iona asked Pink and Chen while making sure that Diana wasn't going to try to slip away before answering her question.