Shattered Planes Archives (Seasons 4 & 5)
Afterlife => {Destroyed} South => Mountains => Topic started by: Admiral Regis Hermitage on June 18, 2012, 10:18:11 PM
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"I wouldnt do that if I were you, Ms. Tyris!":" he ran after them as they approached the mountains. "You wont find what you need, or like what you find." he added. The 2 Hikaru's had been heading towards the forbidden mountains since their failure at the Hellgate. Antonio had called upon a larger number of demons than before to escort him.
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"Oh really?" The Ingrounded Hikaru continued to walk forward without letup, her tone one of mocking.
"Considering that you are the enemy. You would want us to give up. But, because you are the enemy, it would mean we would find what we are after." The Subgrounded Hikaru pondered aloud, "Because as the enemy you would just be trying to trick us. Therefore, mountains it is."
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"I dont see things as friends or enemies. We are merely two groups dedicated to obtaining different results. Wouldn't you agree?" he asked.
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The Subgrounded Hikaru rolled her eyes, "As long as you are in the way of me and the away out. No. Hell No."
The Ingrounded Hikaru said nothing as she led the way, but after a few seconds spoke up. "If that is the way you see it. How about a deal then?"
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"Im not sure you have anything to offer me." he stated as he and his escort kept close behind.
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"Well let us see..." The Ingrounded Hikaru stopped and thought for a moment, glanced to her counterpart the Subgrounded Hikaru, then to Antonio, and then back to the ground, "If you let us leave, we could... bring you back to life when the magic returns..."
The Subgrounded Hikaru crossed her arms and sighed, mumbling "I already tried that approach..." She glanced over to Antonio anyways, waiting for his answer.
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"She already tried that... Why would i want to go into the world of the living as a nobody, when i can remain here as the General of the Unholy army?" he replied.
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"Many reasons..." The Ingrounded Hikaru frowned, "But I figured as much. Which is why I have a better offer. You can have... ..me."
The Subgrounded Hikaru looked at her counterpart like she was crazy, "What?!!"
"As you know, I can simply leave at this moment. I am not bound here like my counterpart. But then you would do god only knows what to her. However..." She held up a hand to silence what the Subgrounded Hikaru was about to argue, "If you change the orb of my counterpart so she can leave, you can change mine so I am bound here. After all, I do believe Lucifer would want the higher prize."
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"Tempting... Very tempting. Why would you want to do that? Wouldnt that end up in the same situation, but with the other sticking around?"
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"Because I still have magic to kick dear Lucifer's ass when he returns and would not be completely defenseless against this place. Whereas I need my counterpart to deliver a message to the both of my brothers, K2323 and Kai."
The Subgrounded Hikaru just stared at her counterpart, still confused.
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"As i do remember, you were the intended target..." he pauses. "But. since you are in a much different state of existence, im not sure whether or not it would completely work on you."
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The Ingrounded Hikaru smirked, "It would work if I allow it to work. It did not work for Lucifer before because I was testing the Ingrounded state. However if I allow it to work, I will be bound here just as she is. And it us that are trusting you in this as you could just simply bind me here and not free my counterpart..."
"Hold on..." The Subgrounded Hikaru finally spoke up, "What the hell do you mean intended target?"
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"Dont you worry your pretty self about that." he told the SG Hikaru in a slightly condescending tone. "As for you..." he turned to the IG Hikaru.. "I'll take your deal... but should you pull anything, i will relay a message back to destroy her soul. Is that clear?"
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"Perfectly..." The Ingrounded Hikaru rolled her eyes, "However I need to give my counterpart the message to relay to my brothers in private. Do you happen to have a room we can go to do that without you? It is rather secret and not something I want all of Hell knowing."
The Subgrounded Hikaru glared back, but a bit fearful, "I DEMAND to know what you meant! You said before that you did not know what Lucifer's plans were. Now you say that? TELL US!"
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"You can Demand all you want, Hikaru." he snapped to her. "I dont think you need a room to relay a simple message to your brother."
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"It is of importance that Lucifer and thus you as well cannot know..." The Ingrounded Hikaru glared, "We are of the Sage Three after all. There are many things Lucifer would want to know that I do not feel comfortable speaking of unless in private."
The Subgrounded Hikaru glared as well, "Besides..." She growled. "Again it is us doing the trusting. You could trick us but we have no way of tricking you. Just let us have some damn privacy!"
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"Interesting," Radical noted, appearing behind the two Hikarus, "There are... two of you."
The mountain wind blew harshly upon the four, and he couldn't help but shiver, showing maybe just a little bit of his own vulnerability. He seemed weaker now, for some reason. Still, he stood tall none the less, one of his many green, slimy tails wrapping around his rotting, aged skin, grabbing Subgrounded!Hikaru and jerking her body around so she was facing him -- so he could feast his eyes upon her..
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"Yes..." The Subgrounded Hikaru gritted her teeth as she used the katana that she had been carrying the entire time in one hand to cut herself free. "And the both of us will be taking our leave.." She stood by her counterpart, rather closely.
"So if you could do us all a favor and change the orb. That would be great." the Ingrounded Hikaru threatened in a sarcastic manner.
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"Im not sure that can be arranged, Ms. Tyris." Antonio said as he materialized himself opposite of Lucifer. "You can try your way through the mountains, but it is futile."
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"I'll set you free," Radical replied, "In exchange, though... I want you to tell me how to become like you."
He was glancing right at Ingrounded!Hikaru.
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"Impossible! It is not something you can beco-"
"Simple," The Ingrounded Hikaru smirked as she cut her counterpart off in speaking. "You die.Permanently."
The Subgrounded Hikaru narrowed her eyes, "Now release us..."
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"My lord, you missed a hell of a time here. You never said there'd be twins though." Antonio joked. "But..." he turned to the IG Hikaru. "All joke aside, we would like more specifics."
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"There really are no other specifics I can give..." The Ingrounded Hikaru laughed. "You die permanently. If you are chosen you will reach a state of true power... with its limits. If you are not? Well, it is permanent death."
"But I am sure one such as yourself with great power already, is surely chosen..." The Subgrounded Hikaru had caught on to what her counterpart was doing, giving as little information as possible and completely leaving out the Subgrounded state that Asura had informed her on so long ago. "However, there. You have your information. It is not a lie. Now release us!"
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"You arent telling us everything... why would you after all? Im pretty sure the last thing you want to do is give the Devil that kind of power. Even if your counterpart's freedom is on the line, I know you." he narrowed his eyes. "You may not be lieing, ut you're also not telling us everything. There has to be more to it than just dying and getting chosen."
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"Well," he said, glancing at Subgrounded!Hikaru, "Let's test this theory, shall we?"
And with that, he held up his hand, and from it, a red pulse shot up into the sky before vanishing into the clouds. Magic? No. It was hell fire. A message. He was sending a message... Somewhere.
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Shadows collected nearby, pooling into a single mass of Darkness. This Darkness rose from the ground, forming into two black arms and a main body, with the arms shifting into sleeves from which two skeletal hands laid within. Also rising from the Darkness was a scythe, which was grasped by these hands. The 'head' of the black mass opened up, becoming a hood. Through this hood, all that could be seen were two orange lights in the shape of eyes. The form looked around at the place he was called to. "Ah, Lucifer. It is always a pleasure to be invited to your realm." It rasped, bowing in respect to the Lord of Hell. Its voice sounded as though there was no voicebox in the being, a hollow sound of wind moving through bone yet distinct enough to hear exactly what it said. "If I might ask of ye, who art your friends here? I do not seem to recall these two in any of our previous meetings."
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"Perhaps you have not met Antonio," Radical said, motioning towards his general, "Sakael's... replacement. And these two," he said, motioning towards the Hikarus, "Are mortal souls... Grand daughter of Anarchy. We have a bit of a... Problem, and we need your help."
He motioned towards Subgrounded!Hikaru. "This one is property of Hell, she is bound to it by death itself, and as such she is dead. However; as you can see, she still has her body... Furthermore, a small test needs to be ran on her spirit. If you would be so kind as to extract it for me... And then... Destroy it."
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"While I am able to extract her spirit from the mortal body it hides within...Are you certain the you wish it destroyed?" The Reaper asked uncertainly. Still, he did move towards her, and raise his scythe, along which darkness flowed to and then along the blade. He place the blade by SubGrounded!Hikaru's neck, so that the blade itself was at her spine(assuming of course that she didn't move away or anything). And then, he simply...Pulled. The blade would move effortlessly through her body but leave no wounds; instead, it would simply cut whatever tie her dead spirit ha fabricated to its body, causing the body to fall down lifeless while her spirit would remain standing where her body had been. "It has been long...So long since I have fought another ethereal being in order to destroy them...I have hoped I would not need to again." He said wearily. "I am sorry that I must end one so young. But if this is to be your fate, I shall carry this act out."
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"LUCIFER! That is not part of the deal!" Ingrounded!Hikaru shouted as Subgrounded!Hikaru moved out of the way at the last second and brought up the katana to block the scythe, blade hitting blade.
"We honestly have no more information than what we have told you..." Subgrounded!Hikaru growled, all of her strength put into holding the scythe back. "If you are chosen and by that we mean, Subgrounded, another such state, then you will live and become Ingrounded. What my counterpart is. If you are not, then you will just die. That is all Asura told us. Ask Time if you want more."
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Antonio drew his sword at the sight of hers. "Well, we need to test out this theory. You suggested it, and you never said we couldnt test it out." he pauses. "Oh, but you were probably hoping we would try it on ourselves. Silly woman." he walked to the Reaper using his sword as a cane.
"Reaper, try not to miss this time." he told him.
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The blade passed through the Reaper's scythe, just as it would have passed through her flesh if he had managed to succeed in his attempt. Even in this realm, the Reaper was not a physical thing, in fact only visible to the two Hikarus because his purpose in the realm pertained to them. He didn't even hold a combative stance, only holding his scythe with one skeletal hand until he was ready to strike.
"Successor to the general of Hell's armies, I regret to inform thou that mine aim is not what it once was." He said to Antonio, almost sarcastically, before turning towards the Subgrounded!Hikaru and saying,"I do apologize, however I am afraid that shall not work as long as ye cling to such a mortal form." His "eyes" seemed to fill with sadness as he faced the two, visibly apparent even though all that could be seen of them was the orange glow from beneath his cowl. "If thou art going to fight for thine right to continue to be...Then at least do me one favor. Do not lose."
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"Is that so...?" Subgrounded!Hikaru pulled the katana back and stepped away from the Reaper and Antonio. Giving it a quick flick, Subgrounded!Hikaru closed her eyes and focused on the katana as a brilliant blue-white flame flared into life, ablaze around the blade its self. Spirit Fire. She re-opened her eyes and glared at the Reaper, "Now it should... Go ahead, make your move..."
Ingrounded!Hikaru protested, "And what will testing it gain you? If we are chosen and you are not, then that will prove nothing. And if you are chosen and we are not, that as well will prove nothing. However you go about 'testing it,' as you so put it or whoever you test it on, the results will forever be different. Killing my counterpart gains you nothing!"
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"Flame born of Spirit...That is a rare gift indeed. A dangerous one also, to both foe and self. But...I should think you know this already. I do wonder, actually...Shall such work upon me?" The Reaper said, suddenly behind her, gazing at the flame. The blade of his scythe wound around her shoulder, and from this position he pulled it down through her body in order to sever her spirit from it.
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"That would not be wise Ms. Tyris... " Antonio call to SG Hikaru from Lucifer's side. "You're taking the term 'Having a death wish' to a whole new level."
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"You look worried," Radical said, glancing at Ingrounded!Hikaru, "If she is truly chosen, as you say, then you have nothing to worry about."
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"Probably" The voice of none other than the idiotic Templar hero known as Jay Stryder rung through as he appeared, the Hikaru being attacked by the Reaper now over his shoulder "I figure anythin' can be killed. Or at least have its ass handed to it." He was smirking, in his other hand he held a single book- reading it intently. He wasn't even looking up as he put Hikaru down on her feet "Told ya, protector."
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"And what do we have here? One of Time's lackies?" He laughed. "Templar, you have no business here in the land of the Dead unless you intend on staying." He narrowed his eyes.
"Agent of Time, go back to your own domain, and leave here at once." He ordered.
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Subgrounded!Hikaru growled, "If you are expecting me to thank you, it is not happening!" She gave the katana a flick, the Spirit Fire disappearing. "I had everything perfectly under control and could have protected myself!"
"Of course I am worried," Ingrounded!Hikaru stated back to Radical. "You are dabbling in things you do not understand! Things even I do not completely understand! This state you want so bad? It has its prices! I cannot battle, conquer or even do magic beyond limits at this time. Doing so would attract something more powerful than any of us here could handle. Existence itself!"
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"You can not fight others," Radical corrected her, "You can fight those who are in your form. Other... What is the word, exactly? And tell me, have you ever met any others who bear your form? Others who are like you?"
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"Fighting others of the same state would also bring the same effect." Ingrounded!Hikaru narrowed her eyes, "I owe you no further explanation."
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"Make me, loser" Jay's smirk remained true across his face, still not looking up from the book "The thanks are implied." He responded to Hikaru as his other hand came to his blade, still looking at the book "Though from what I was reading, you were about to have your spirit ripped out." He then sighed "Sorry for not comin' sooner though."
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Radical's eyes widened at this realization, as he dropped to his knees. The mountain wind began to grow colder as his eyes set on the ground, his mind seemingly entering some form of shock. As he entered this clouded mental state, black clouds began to rise overhead, and the wind grew harsher and harsher... Something bad was about to happen.
"You're lying," he whispered quietly, "You're... Lying.... YOU'RE LYING!"
And that's when the three-headed, giant dog appeared in the sky.
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"Do you honestly want me to? Death and Destruction are far far greater than time." His tone grew more serious. With one hand, he rose up a fist above his head as the deafening sound of Demons could be heard coming from behind Lucifer's creature.
"You are risking a war here, Templar."
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"Death and Destruction... Greater than time?" Jay gave an honest laugh "They're products of time." For a single moment, everything stopped- Aside from Jay and Antonio as the Templar stared deadpan into Antonio's eyes "You don't want to make an enemy of me, violin maker. I killed your predecessor- I'll do worse to you." Everything returned to progressing as Jays eyes quickly darted back to the book, he was reading intently "Or, you could let me take the pretty little girls out of Hell. No one needs to get hurt."
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Subgrounded!Hikaru said nothing and rejoined her counterpart Ingrounded!Hikaru in standing as far away from Radical, Antonio, and the Reaper as possible. "Now what is he planning?" Ingrounded!Hikaru muttered watching only Radical and ignoring both the appearance of the creature and demons.
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The Reaper himself was not actually affected by the man's time prowess, not even existing on the same plane as the mortal(and therefor adhering to a completely different flow of time than them, one not touchable by mortals). Still, however, the appearance of this person surprised him. Even if he couldn't see the Reaper or sense him(for the Reaper was not here for him, and would thus be nigh-undetectable by the Templar's senses), he still knew the Reaper was there.
And he was standing against the Reaper, not for his own gain, but for another. And then? Why, then he began showing up the general of Hell's legions, and the devil himself! Whoever this man was, he'd earned the respect of this escort of lost souls and spirits. And as the Reaper had learned in his long life...Respect was a valuable commodity indeed. He did not stand against the newly formed party, two twins of flame and a man of time, nor against the the two who commanded Hell itself. For now, he was unsure of what to do. For now...He would wait and see.
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Antonio points to SubGrounded!Hikaru. "That woman is property of South, and by association, Lucifer and myself. We do not go into the records of time and take your books, nor do we steal your people. You have no right to do so to us, Agent of time." he said as legions of his men landed. "You forget who the 2 main leaders of the embodiments are... Creation, and Destruction. Space and Time only piggy back onto them, sorry to be the crusher of your enormous ego." he says mockingly.
"So, leave. Otherwise, you may just have to pay your inevitable debt a little earlier than planned." he threatened.
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The book snapped shut in the Templars hand as he dropped it, it fading from existence. The only way he knew that the Reaper was even there was that he was reading the area's book- He knew all the goings on that had happened recently and, of course, that the Reaper had stood down.
"Listen up, I act sorta... Independently of how the Lady wants." Jay began to step forward, calmly "Infact, I expect soon enough i'll be fightin' Miss Tyris over here- Once I get her outta here that is."
He cracked his knuckles "I fight injustice. I remember a time, way back when, that the point a' Hell was to punish those who were dead for their misdeeds. Not pick on livin' folks in their moments of weakness." He took off his hat and it vanished in his hand "Last I checked, the alive ain't your domain to rape you sick fuck."
He drew his blade and pointed it directly at Antonio "This is yer last chance. I'll repeat it once more buddy, you do not wanna make an enemy outta me. You'll regret it."
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By now, Radical was screaming, pure agony in his voice, as if he were in some kind of bizarre pain, as if the mountains themselves were doing this to him. Cerebus, the three-headed dog in the sky, massive in size, gave a huge roar that would surely shake the mountain.
Antonio, the reaper, and perhaps Jay -- if he summoned Cerebus' book from the Records, would know this dog as the former guardian of the Hellgate... The Hellgate had once been nothing but a byproduct of Destruction, created by Koty himself and placed in Erebus after the Harbinger. It had been a way to travel from Erebus to the dimensional plane.
After Radical and his followers left Destruction to Erebus and settled Hell, they brought with them the Hellgate. But over time, it faded, the destruction weakened by Koty's seal. It became less secure, less reliable, and a suitable guard had been needed to prevent escapees... That defense system had been Cerebus.
Now, of course, the Hellgate wasn't Destruction -- a new one had been built centuries ago. Cerebus now was a sort of... Backup defense system. So, why was he here?
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(I think you mean Cerberus?)
With Radical and Antonio kept busy, Ingrounded!Hikaru motioned to Subgrounded!Hikaru and the two of them used the commotion of the dog and demons appearing to slip away, unnoticed.
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The moment the two Hikarus vanished, everything stopped. Radical, literally lying on the ground, was no longer moving. No longer speaking. No longer breathing... Radical... Was dead. The moment he dropped to the ground, dead, Cerberus began to howl... And all of South began to shake... To tremble.
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The Hikarus were noticed by Antonio. Being a great soldier, he possessed untold tactical awareness. "They've done something to your leader. After them." he commanded several of his best demons. "Reaper, go get me the Subgrounded one." he shouted to the Grim Reaper.
"As for you, little time boy. I will gladly kill billions of innocents just to prove that you cannot defend everyone. I may even just go and kill the children. Their blood is so ripe this time of the year." he told Jay.
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"Then you dont deserve to command Death, got it?" With a crackle of silver, Jay was gone- Suddenly behind Antonio with his blade supersped through time slashing to cleave the mans head clean off
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"Feebleminded peon, thou dare see thineself fit to command me? I shall allow thou a small amount of information, 'General'. I work in direct service to the Judges, the same people who decide if any souls end up here at all. I outrank thou, and ye should do well to remember that your powers cannot touch me. I came here as a favor to thine former Lord, who appears to be with us no longer. And as for thine threat, I feel it prudent to REMIND thou, 'general', that we are bound by the Ancient Laws not to disturb mortal affairs. Even if you were granted permission to disobey them...I'll not stand by to the genocide of any of our Lord's creatures. Not when the Ancient Laws no longer bind my hands." The Reaper said, suddenly towering over Antonio with his Scythe growing with him. At the end of his speech, the blade of his scythe curled around the back of Antonio's neck. As he was now fighting alongside Jay, the Templar would find himself able to see the wraith-like Reaper, whose orange eyes appeared to show the very fires of vengence and fury of a guardian behind their glow. "Noble Templar of the Goddess Time, I apologize for having stood allied with such a vile creature, however fleeting it was. I hope that thou might find forgiveness for this action as we stand together against him."
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Vines suddenly shot out of the ground, curling around Radical's body... Dragging him into the ground, his body literally passing through the harness of the rocky ground below him, disappearing into the abyss of Hell. The moment it was gone... The mudslides began. Rock, debris, mud, hurling down the mountains. Massive earthquakes. The mountains were literally collapsing.
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Melting into the ground and reforming near his demons, he avoided the Reaper and Jay. "Away with both of you... You may attempt to take the whores, but you will find it to be difficult. I've business to attend to, now that Lucifer is dead, so be gone Mortal." he said to Jay and walked away.
Elsewhere, the Demons standing near the Hikarus examined them before seeing their General fly off towards the palace. They nodded to eachother and flew off. The chaos was over for now.