The Inevitably Forbidden Game (Closed)

[Tenshi the Sunkern]

(OOC: Please note, this is only for me, KK, and Dan)

In a realm far away from the spying eyes of the UCA, far away from their influence... was the Dark Realm of Makai, the home realm of all demons created by the fallen Archangels. There were no hellfire pits, no torture chambers, no egotistical tyrants ruling... this was a higher class of living. While Hell was a pit where the damned lived, Makai was the uppercrust of demon life. Residing in its own square of the Underworld, it was a place of large floating islands, and a sea of glass between them. Massive airships flew around, carrying precious cargo and passengers to and fro...

And towering high above the grand demonic cities built in this realm...w as the crystalline fortress known as Pandemonium, the citadel of which the lords of this lands ruled as gods. Twisted gargoyle glared down at the masses below, and from their mouths dripped liquid gold into pools below them. It was a giant, sprawling fortress, far grander than any structure built by man, spiraling thousands of meters into the alien sky. Almost everything that was within it was made of glass and crystal. Statues adorned the main inner hallways, and several flights of stairs ascended up to the lofty heights, for those who lacked the ability to fly. It was a grand, expansive building, one built by the very maker of this realm. In the main courtyard of Pandemonium, several maid fairies were working on cleaning up the court grounds. They were not natives of this place, but hired servants paid to help clean up. And unlike their counterparts back home, these were not incompetent idiots. They had been trained to perform above and beyond the duty they were ordered to.

So when a gap opened up right there in the courtyard, they knew immediately what to do. Several of them flew off instantly, to inform the master of the arrival, while one stayed hidden in the shadows, a walkie talkie in hand as he spied on the widening gap... and the one chief person who was on the "Do not EVER let them in" list showing up, with an odd guest beside them...

"Might I be the first to welcome you to the realm of Makai, the pinnacle of demon society." Yukari said as she helped Selstar out of the gap. She looked around, until her eyes caught the spying fairy. She pretended to ignore it. Oh bother... it was going to have to go down like THIS... very well. She had hoped she could atleast catch the owner by surprise... but alas, it was like this just wasn't her day. "It is here we will find our mask fetcher... Stay by my side, no matter that."

[GI Jho]

On the horizon, seemingly far away form the group, a bright shining light could be seen appearing. With incredible speeds, a white shape shot forth from the burst of brilliant light, its massive wings spread wide, as it soared overhead, straight towards the castle. With shocking speed, the shape soon arrived upon the massive palace, before he slowed himself and landed hard onto the walls of the massive building. With a cry into the sky, the massive, avian being spoke, ignoring the presence of the fairies until they made themselves a direct threat.

"Stop! You fools!" Auroros cried as he looked down at them. "By going into that palace, you're dooming everything you know and love to an eternity of misery and death!"

[The Merry Lambfish]

Oh dammit. Not the bird again. The intrusive creature was hell-bent on getting in his way.

Selster swept around, cloak twirling around him. "You go on ahead, Yukari. I'll keep our feathered friend preoccupied." His eyes flashed brilliantly and his cloak spread out like wings. A burst of light radiated from Selstar's body, and when it dimmed a great avian-like creature stood in his place. He had six limbs: two claw tipped arms and legs and a huge pair of bladed wings. Atop his neck sat a fanged, wolfish head with sapphire-hued eyes, and the entire body was covered in crimson feathers.

"This doesn't concern you," he shouted telepathically to Auroros and Auroros alone; no one else could hear his words. "Your exaggerations have no weight. No evidence. The Three will be under my control. No one is 'doomed', you blind creature."

[Tenshi the Sunkern]

Yukari twisted around, her eyes widening at the sight of Aurorus. Damnit! How on earth had they been followed? This was NOT what she wanted... not in the least! "Get lost, bird. I have business here, and you aren't welcome at all." Yukari shouted up at him. But before she could move, the ground seemed to part. Spiraling chains rose up and constricted around her, catching the Reality Warper off guard. They pulled down, dragging her onto her knees. The very same chains lashed around Aurorus and Selstar, binding them onto the cold stone ground of the palace courtyard. Yukari gritted her teeth as she tried to pull on them. Damnit. These were Aether chains. The more one struggled, the more they tightened. Sheer brute strength wouldn't get them free!

And then, it came to her attention that they were not alone. The fairies were back, and this time, they were loaded. Each of them carried a trident, energy crackling at the ends toward the enslaved trio. Yukari knew that the fairies themselves were no problem... hell, she could probably kick them and they'd die... but the issue was that energy coming from the tridents... It was the same kind of energy as these chains... and she felt that if they fired, she wouldn't be liking the end result. She wanted to blame Aurorus for this, but... she knew this was her fault. It was HER presence that had set off these damn fairies...

"Well well, what do we have here?" A voice came from within the palace. It seemed to echo all around them as it emminated out, a bright light bursting out of the doors, a light so brilliant, it nearly blinded Yukari and Selstar, though Aurorus didn't seem so bothered by it. "It seems as though dogs of all kinds have gathered here... both those that served gods... and the less pleasant kind as well. Speak, what is it that brings you uninvited into my kingdom of Makai? And why, especially, are YOU here, Yukari Yakumo? To torment me further, turn my life into a further nightmare all because of some unsatisfied vengeance against my sister?"

[GI Jho]

Auroros kept calm within the chains. Aaaah, his element- Aether. It was refreshing to feel his home element against his feathery skin. But it did not change the fact that he needed to still convince the two before them that their actions were a fatal mistake.

"They have come to unleash The Three," Auroros replied into the minds of the fairies and the owner of the voice. "The fool before you, Selstar, thinks that unleashing them will save his cowardly hide from two beings he calls the "False Gods". I came to stop him from this most fatal of mistakes.... and Yukari came, in some attempt to rectify her past errors, and get back at some being... "Yuuka" I believe."

Auroros turned to Selstar, his eyes narrowing before his voice entered his mind. "I have seen the power of The Three first-hand.... you fail to comprehend what you're dealing with. I have seen gods fall before them, entire realms engulfed in their corruption. What do you possibly have that will make them follow you? What can they possibly gain from obeying your word? You are NOTHING to them."

[The Merry Lambfish]

Despite his calm demeanour, Selstar was doing well to hide his fury. Now look at what that damned bird had done! A brief thought entered his mind: perhaps Auroros was aligned with the Goddess of the Sky, Ziz? He had heard rumours of a group of flyers known as "The Flock". Yes... that explained it all. Auroros was in league with the False Gods! He wanted him dead too! This was quickly getting out of hand. If Selstar couldn't convince this woman, he'd be killed within days.

He turned to Auroros, baring his fangs as he telepathically spoke back. "For the last time, dimwitted bird, they are bound to their prison, forced to serve those who summon them. I had this completely under control until you interfered."

To Shinki, he attained a more pleasant tone. "The False Gods presence endangers the lives of all those at the UCA, your highness. They've integrated themselves into their ranks, earning their trust through battle and companionship. But it is not to last. Soon they will unleash their wrath upon the world, and unless we want massive casualties as like the Orsa crisis, only they can stop them."

[Tenshi the Sunkern]

"Is that why you have come... to free THEM?" The voice responded, before the doors finally burst forth. Now the light was so bright, Yukari couldn't look into it. All the fairies had pulled sunglasses from their pockets and placed them on as a tall figure walked out into the courtyard. Her hair was silver in color, and she wore red robe with white trimming. Her pale skin offset her crimson eyes, and she was... definitely tall, taller than Yukari, atleast by a good head. In her right hand, was a scepter, housing a dark orb at the end, the orb crackling and spiraling with demonic energy. But it was wings on her back that were giving off this ungodly glow, six large, feathery wings like those of an angel, white as snow, and each as long as she was tall. Though her face seemed childish, there was a certain glare, a harsh, cold glare in the eyes of the Archangel, especially as her gaze remained solely on the stuck Yukari. "What is Power, but that which is given to those destined to rule? Power is that to keep all variables under check, power is that to keep your subjects faithful and aligned toward you... And yet, you say you come here because you have need of the Three? The same three that have caused me and my kind so much pain and suffering?" Shinki, the Goddess of the Demonic Realm, chuckled, her voice oddly high pitched for someone of her frame. "You certainly amuse me, Ophorus. You and your kind really are something else. To think I would free them, just because the very False Gods you once worshiped are after your heads? They are no threat to Makai, so I want nothing of this... Begone, you two... The bird does speak wisdom, though." She held her hand out, and the binds that had Aurorus held were loosened, allowing him to go free. Here, she turned back to Yukari. "I never would have thought, though, that you would have the guts to just come right up to me castle, and ask me a favor, after all you have done to me... I could crush your head like a grape right here and now, Yakumo, for subjecting me to such harsh times, for twisting my daughter against me... but, I will give you and the Ophorus a last word..."

..." I am sorry."

"Excuse me?" Shinki's jaw dropped. She dug her pinkie into her eardrum, and flicked out a large wad of wax. "I don't believe I heard you corre-"

"I am sorry." Yukari repeated, her eyes locked right onto the Archangel's. "I am sorry for everything I have done for you, and for everything I have done to cause harm. I am sorry I turned your daughter into a monster, I am sorry I forced you to marry that Celestial king and give birth to her, and I am sorry I did all that as blinded revenge against what your sister Minerva did to me... I only wanted revenge, revenge for her shattering my dreams... and yet, I only ever caused more harm than good. I caused the Orsa incident... and that led me to see what I have done so wrong... I know what I have commited is not enough for a mere apology to cover-"

"You are right there." Shinki cut her off. "An apology does not cover it. Nor will this action help your case any. I have worked long and hard for tens of thousands of years to keep the monsters in check, to make sure their soul collecting was at a minimum, to ensure that I could keep them from gaining too much power... and you seek to undermine that, all because I sent Yuuka Kazami after you, to keep YOU away from my daughter. You forced my hand, Yakumo, and this is the punishment you shall deal with. It is on similar principals I allowed Leviathan into Old Hell... a pest that needed to be squashed for the best of reasons..."

[The Merry Lambfish]

"It was you. You pointed the Sea God towards Old Hell!" Selstar stared in shock at Shinki. For a moment he completely forgot about Auroros, about the Mask of Azorg-Thu, about the danger he was in. Suddenly he felt no more different than what Kadru had probably felt like when he had revealed his own betrayal. He felt a momentary pang of regret. Perhaps she was right after all in her refusal to trust demons. He had disowned the Ophorus, left them to die as he earned himself a position among the ranks of the underworld, but now it was evident that he was more alone and vulnerable than ever. Between Shinki, Auroros, and the False Gods, it was as if everyone wanted him dead.

But the reality of the situation prevented him from acting on his sudden rush of blinding hatred for the Goddess of the Underworld. He was still without firepower, and she could easily deliver him right into the False God's hands. He had to keep himself under control, but at this point Selstar didn't trust himself to speak any further.

[Tenshi the Sunkern]

"Indeed, it was me." Shinki said, her voice still childish, though now, her wings were beginning to shed. The feathers on them fell tot he ground revealing underneath leathery, bat-like skin with red runes crossing them. The wings spread out, scattering away the white feathers as the dark red blood dripped from them. "You seem quite surprised, Ophorus. It really is quite simple. You see, the Underworld was already in turmoil following the demise of my master, Lord Satan. The demons I created, and the ones from the Abyss were strugging for supremacy, and the arrival of you Ophorus only made things worse... I could handle two factions bickering and arguing, but three was too dangerous. The very political power of the Underworld could have been thrown out of order, and Makai could have been overrun, so I went with an easy fix. I merely pointed the finger down to Old Hell, and told Leviathan where your kind was, and he was all too happy to oblige. He scattered your people like sheep, cast them out and ravaged them, forcing your kind to flee. When he left, the former center of power in Hell was destroyed... but, I used it for my advantage. Your kind was to blame for drawing the beast there, so both Hellian demons and Abyssian demons united together under a common enemy, a threat they would never allow back... and at the same time, cemented me in power. Power knows few morals, Ophorus, and your kind has overstayed its welcome, tainting a pure stock with your alien blood. It was for my gain, and for the stability of the Underworld, that your kind had to leave. I actually feel tempted to let you take the Three... if only to watch them wipe out all traces of your kind, so ensure no survivors remained to tell the tale, yet, I know better than to allow such dangerous criminals to gain more power than they already have.."

Yukari was silent. What the hell had she just heard? Suddenly, she no longer felt like she was in the wrong. This bitch was crazy! Completely insane! She had a feeling the Archangel and her kin were odd... but this cemented it...

[GI Jho]

Even Auroros, who arrived in this situation only to prevent Selstar from threatening the UCA with his idiocy, was outraged by this. What kind of monster would do such thing? Doom an entire people to extinction for the sake of power? Disgusting! And to think, this wretch used the power of Aether- the element of justice!

"You filth!" Auroros roared, as his body became wreathed in strange, ethereal flames, his body illuminated by a light that rivaled that of the sun itself. "You are not worthy of the power the gods have given you!"

Suddenly, an intense blast of light washed over the area, vaporizing the fairies that surrounded them, before a powerful, superheated ray sliced out of Auroros' mouth towards Shinki....

[Tenshi the Sunkern]

Shinki was well prepared for such an attack. After all, she knew what she had said wasn't exactly going to be a popular notion, or one well-liked... As the ray barreled toward her, the six demonic wings from her wings glowed brightly, as each of them fired a beam of demonic energy right into Auroros's attack. They collided in mid-air, twisting and pushing against one another, trying to get the edge. But then, six was always better than one... The beams overpowered the bird, shoving his beam right back into him, consuming him in an explosion that, had they not been chained down, would have sent Selstar and Yukari flying. Auroros was floored where he was, pounded against the ground by the powerful beams. Once more, chains spiraled up and bound the bird where he was, and then, the beams stopped. He was a mess to look at, scarred and burnt, with parts of him vaporized outright. As her wings stopped glowing, Shinki's smile turned into a scowl. "You call me filth, when I have done all that I have to secure the peace and survivial of my kingdom, of my creations. Do not speak to me of the power of the gods, you blind parrot... I know better than all the damage the Three could do, of the power that I myself wield, of the grave responsibility and consequences that come with it.." As she spat out the venomous words, the right side of her face began to deteriorate. What was once perfect flesh, was now more like that of a zombie dripped in battery acid, the flesh black, scarred, and stripped of skin. Her hair on that side fell out, revealing deep gouges in the skull, and to Yukari's disgust, her right eye shriveled to the size and shape of a dried raisin, before dangling out of its socket by a sole thread. And yet, that eye was still looking right at her, dripping blood the entire time... it was an unsettling appearance, to say the least, and it made the Reality Warper want to barf. "I know what power brings... and the costs of it. Thousands of my people were wiped out by those monsters, slaughtered, tortured, and massacred. Ever since then... ever since the Rebellion, I made it my top priority to never again allow such a thing to happen, to be unable to stop the carnage as those I cared for were layed waste to... the Ophorus in Hell threatened to cause instability and collapse with their mere presence... It was a choice I knew would have grave consequences... but, like the scars I now bear, it is something I must live it, if not try to cover it up."

[The Merry Lambfish]

He couldn't believe what he was hearing Shinki say. But still, Selstar kept his burning hatred for the being before him under control. He certainly didn't want to end up like Auroros over there.

"Your daughter is still at the UCA," he attempted to reason through bared teeth. "Do you want her walking among the likes of the False Gods, or Yuuka, or Orsa, or Fear itself?"

[GI Jho]

Auroros, angered but broken, spoke directly into Shinki's mind. "Do not think yourself the only one to have seen their power first-hand. I, too, battled them on that fateful day to seal them within Azorg'thu. I saw your kin fall like flies before their might. I saw as my brothers, servants to Emmanuel, were slaughtered by The Three and their slaves. You are no better than the ones you hate, and I pity you for it. I see the strength in your intentions, but your fury has caused more damage than good."

With that, Auroros slumped down, exhausted and pained in the nether chains, his brow ridge contorted into a look of anger and defeat.

[Tenshi the Sunkern]

Shinki, her breaths ragged and tired, looked down at Auroros. Now that she thought of it... yes... his kind HAD been there... they HAD fought on her side... they HAD died like her folks did... Fellow comrades united against a common enemy. She collapsed onto her knees, the illusion so temporarily broken now reforming, bringing her face back to normal. "My fury... has been burning me from the inside out for many, many years. I too am disgusted by what I have done... but these actions are for the greater good. Please understand that. I ask not for your pity... but just so that you understand why I cannot allow these monsters to be freed..."

And here, she turned to Selstar. "My daughter is in safe hands at the UCA. Crigan, odd as it may seem, is still there to protect her. Same goes for the Yama, and the Ghosts... There is no need to release such monsters... besides, I have Yuuka Kazami on a leash... she would not dare harm he-"

At first, it was only a chuckle that cut off the Archangel. Then, snorts, until it devolved into pure laughter. All eyes, even the revived fairies, turned to face Yukari, who hadn't said a word since the apology. Only, it was quite clear this was no longer Yukari. Her head lifted up, showing large, pulsing vines rupturing from the corners of the eyes and on the neck, those very same eyes that now glowed a darker hue of red than Shinki's own. "Well, about that little statement, Shinki, I am afraid I must correct you on that. Before you ask, I was intending on hijacking her body with the Liverwort Flower from the start and taking it over to see you... but this works just fine..."

"Yuuka Kazami." Shinki ordered, slamming the end of her staff against the ground, sparks flying up and shaking the very ground. "Explain yourself. Why would you use a plant that only grows here to hijack her body? What purpose do you have in seeing me?" She demanded, eyes narrowing at the possessed figure before her.

"Well... Two halves of me are busy right now, so I could only afford this mind snatching seed to use Yukari as a temporary avatar." Yuuka chuckled. "But, I guess I can tell you that our deal is off. I have found a far better offer to take up, one that gives me more freedom. I know you must be dying to know who I have as my new client... well... I take you have heard the name Salavance the Golden before? He is quite the charming business partner indeed, unafraid of getting his hands dirty when it comes to work..."

[The Merry Lambfish]

Selstar couldn't help but let a small smile escape as he took in the scene before him. It seemed as though the bitch was finally getting what was coming to her. Remembering his priorities, he was quick to hide his brief moment of sadistic delight. With Yuuka gone rogue, perhaps this could be his chance?