Canyon City

Found in one of the more literal fractures of the Earth is the simple Canyon City, the people here are as tough as rocks, forging their town into the rocks surrounding them, The people (if recorded) would be known for being among the earliest to discover electricity with their skilful usage of copper and kinetic energy through their collective ability to control the ground, since older times the race has not advanced hugely preferring tradition over advancement.

These people are full of untapped potential, years of engineers and builders have produced a population of sharp minds and stone bodies.

## The Beginning of the Network

An explosion can be heard and seen throughout the city, big enough that it makes a two story house look small, with a red circular glow shining out of the explosion and piercing the sky leaving a mark within the air. A small crater has now been formed inside the smoke of the explosion and in the centre stands AkumaR, head down as if she had fallen asleep while standing up.

A red, small, gem falls from her to the centre of her feet, she mumbles to herself, 'Everything begins with one.' before she begins filling the crater in with her power and as soon as it is filled the smoke clears to reveal the angry population staring at their city's apparent destroyer. AkumaR just started to move toward another area of the city without caring for the mob surrounding her.

Remodi was in a shop, purchasing some ingredients for a magical antivirus. "Jesus...How do Fears even GET sick?..." She asks herself, rummaging through her bag to find some money. Just then, she heard a crash outside of the shop, as the ground began to shake."What?..." Suddenly, the lights hanging from the ceiling of the shop being to fall around her. Just before one of the lights come down on her, she is pushed out of the way by the shop keeper.

 "Are you okay Miss?"

"Yes, I'm fine..." Remodi says, quickly pulling out her knife. The man quickly backs up in fear of the knife. Remodi scoffs, and aims at the broken window, as she initiates her Bolt Dance, zipping right out of the shop in a flash of cyan light. She looks around, and notices a mob of people surrounding something...Or someone. She can hear screams, and panic. Worry begins to set in, as Remodi grips her knife, frozen by her own thoughts.

AkumaR is walking to her new destination when a member of the mob attacks with a shovel, and in a single moment he goes from a person that could fight a bear to swiss cheese with AkumaR not losing a single step in her stride or even flinching at what just occured. The only remains of a 'fight' that can be seen is iron spikes dissolving in mid-air that were pierced into the once human, now corpse.

Remodi witnesses this decimation, and her entire body tenses, and she can feel sweat break on her forehead. *Why...Can't I move?....* She asks herself, as screams around her keep abusing her heart.

Another civilian tries almost the same tactic, but this time with a rake, this slight change in strategy did not change his fate from his 'friend's' as he crumples to the floor with the ability to become a makeshift bowling ball. Another woman then began to run at AkumaR with her eyes closed and a knife in hand screaming, 'My so-' before being cut off by literally being cut in half, as AkumaR's arm returns to the position it was in before the woman attempted an attack the top half of the woman's severed body hits the road hard. This makes every member of the mob to begin screaming and panic.

People run past Remodi, screaming in horror. Blood spraying from the slaughtered woman poured out onto the road. Remodi's stomach turns, although no external change came upon her. Everything seemed to go darker, as Remodi focused more and more on the murderer. Everything was almost pitch black, until she saw a glow in the darkness. She and the person who had just brutally brought death upon three people, was now looking into her eyes.

Remodi, as a master samurai at the clashing of swords would now appear to see in slow motion as AkumaR's arm raises and a blade forms on the hand facing toward Remodi, even though AkumaR's eyes seem to not notice the target in front of her, she begins to bring her blade hand down at Remodi.

Remodi's eyes return to life, as she quickly twirls her knife in hand, catching the oncoming blade with it, blocking the attack. Remodi felt the burning of the souls around her, and was ready to make sure no more lives were stolen, even if she was submerged in icy, cold fear.

As if AkumaR knew this would happen once the blade was blocked Remodi is kicked in the back of her legs before the pressure on the hand blade is increased moving Remodi's blade closer and closer to her neck and AkumaR's eyes seem to have still not changed their focus, looking as if they were painted on rather than actually being eyes.

Remodi feels her own blade moving toward her neck, but she dodges down in time, and her blade becomes electrified. She aims with her blade under AkumaR's legs, and she herself becomes a bolt of lightning, as the bolt crackles underneath the woman. Remodi emerges on the other side of AkumaR, and rolls backwards, awaiting the next attack.

AkumaR returns to the original position she was in before attacking and then... begins walking again, with the same destination as originally planned in mind, completely forgetting about a would be attacker.

Remodi pauses in shock, and looks at the woman, walking away from her. As if nothing happened. Remodi musters up courage, and calls out."Hey!"

AkumaR doesn't seem to notice and instead cuts down another civilian in her way. Sending more blood, gore and giblets everywhere around her.

Remodi snaps."STOP!" She aims her knife, and Bolt Dances right through AkumaR's midsection, but instead of emerging on the other side, the spinning bolt of electricity keeps cutting and cutting through the woman, an echoing cry of anger reverberating around her. Remodi finally comes out the other side of her again, and all of the slashes become electrified.

AkumaR stops mid movement as if she were a robot malfunctioning, her eyes move looking around for an answer as to why she stopped moving, but when she sees the tattered state of her body she begins looking for the culprit until her eyes lock onto Remodi, 'Was this your doing?' AkumaR asks Remodi in a monotone, unamused voice.

Remodi blinks in shock, as she hears the voice."Y-Yes...Yes it was!" She says confidently."Who are you, and why are you killing these...These innocent people!" She stays on guard the entire time.

AkumaR's wounds then begin to heal with all the blood that left them slowly returning into the wounds. After the wounds had healed AkumaR opens and closes her fist and stretches other parts of her body until she is satisfied. She then appears in front of Remodi at a speed that cannot be tracked by the physical eye and punches her in the gut up to a platform that is above them. AkumaR then follows after her.

Remodi lands on the platform, some blood trickling from her mouth. She coughs up the rest of it, and wipes it away. She watches as AkumaR approaches."Answer....my QUESTION!" She yells, standing up, firing a couple of lightning bolts at her.

AkumaR uses her sash to block the lightning bolts during her ascent and then lands on the platform, looking down at the small girl in front of her landing position, 'You cannot ask me questions.' AkumaR says before her head becomes metallic and she attempts to headbutt Remodi.

Remodi quickly rolls backwards into a hand spring, as she watches AkumaR hit her head on the ground. Remodi quickly takes the opportunity, and sprints forward, bringing her knee directly up into AkumaR's head, sending her flying backwards off of the platform. Remodi stands on the platform, before almost falling out of pain. *Why...Why did I think it was a good idea to send my knee into something metallic?...*

AkumaR corrects herself in mid-air, changes her head back to normal and then sprouts dragon wings and uses them to fly towards the platform, though from the size of these wings the flapping can be easily heard.

Remodi falls backwards at AkumaR appears with dragon wings before her. *WHAT THE HECK?!* Remodi aims at AkumaR in the air, and begins rapid firing lightning bolts which crackle around her. *If the wings don't work, she can't fly!*

AkumaR's wings make a big flap before coating her until all the lightning bolts had hit, then as she began to fall then unfurled and stabilised her. When she appeared from out of her winged coat she was holding a steel javelin and was prepared to throw, she took quick aim and threw aiming for Remodi's knife.

The javelin hits Remodi's knife out of her hand, sending it flying. Remodi's eyes widen in panic, as she quickly looks at AkumaR. Remodi sucks in her breathe, and quickly runs down the platform, and dives off of it. She sees the knife and javelin falling to the ground. She focuses her weight, and speeds up in the air. Time seems to slow down, as she reaches out for the knife. She finally makes slight contact with the gem on the handle, and time returns back to normal in her eyes as she is immediately transformed into lightning. She crackles around the javelin, and spirals onto the ground, safely. She emerges from the bolt, and catches the javelin. She then becomes a lightning bolt again, as the javelin is also transformed. She surges towards AkumaR, and just as the bolt is about to make contact, Remodi emerges from the other side of her, but the javelin is left in AkumaR's chest. Remodi falls to the ground, panting.

AkumaR seems unfazed by the javelin and lands next to Remodi, the javelin dissolves and her wound heals, with all the blood being sucked into the wound as well, 'It would appear I have won.' AkumaR says walking over to Remodi... before suddenly stopping and coughing up a lot of blood. She mumbles, 'Not enough time yet? Fine.' AkumaR then turns and begins climbing to the highest platform, quickly.

Remodi turns around, confused. She is still huffing, and watches AkumaR quickly trying to escape. "I...Want you to..." Remodi lifts her knife once more. "ANSWER ME!" She fires a couple of lightning bolts at her back.

AkumaR avoids the bolts as she continues to climb the platforms, before reaching the top platform she stands for a second until a red glow emanates from under her feet.

Remodi feels a wind start up...A cold, unnatural wind. The screams have died, and grayness came upon the two girls. Remodi aims up at the platform, not at AkumaR. She becomes a gentle bolt of lightning, as she climbs to the top, behind the woman. Remodi silently watches, intrigued, cautious, and scared.

The same explosion as before erupts, leaving another crater, cloak of smoke and pillar of red where AkumaR was standing.

Remodi holds up her arms, and stands her ground, continuing to watch her new, mysterious adversary.

AkumaR drops a red gem of similar properties of the first gem she dropped and then begins to fill the crater in with her powers. covering the gem completely in rock. As soon as the crater is filled in AkumaR drops to her knees and her legs begin to dissolve in the same manner as her iron spikes earlier. Her breathing becomes rapid and blood pours out from her mouth.

Remodi's eyes widen in shock, as she watches. *Better not do anything...This looks...Important*. She thinks to herself.

AkumaR continues to dissolve and then the blood also begins dissolving, her body drops to the ground as her hands and arms also dissolve, she continues to pant and wheeze before her eyes gloss over and the body dies. Then a red symbol forms underneath the body and reaches into the sky, slowly becoming more and more opaque as a great wind is released pushing anything near it away.

Remodi is pushed backwards, and almost falls of off the platform. "What just happened...?" She says, as the wind continues.

The symbol and light disappears leaving nothing within the area it formed, not AkumaR's body or blood.

Remodi feels the ominous wind die down. She looks around, and nothing is left. "Who...Was she?..." Remodi suddenly notices an eerie feeling behind her, as if someone was there...Or as if someone had been watching her. She quickly turns around, and no one is there, but in the distance, on a building towards the other side of the city, she notices a dark figure. She blinks, and they vanish. She waits a couple of minutes before she finally moves. She pulls out her knife, and becomes a bolt of lightning again, crackling away without a trace, leaving the destroyed city, only left with the burnt remains of the forgotten.

## Meanwhile...

Eve was walking around another section of the city, apparently she was searching for something that would complete her battle code, although she hadn't found it yet. She heard an explosion but didn't exactly mind it.

This particular section of the city had a rather dense population, the streets relatively packed. The crowd was, however, parted by the distinct figure of Khamael moving towards Eve, uncaring of who got in his way - in fact, one might say he didn't even *notice* the people in his way.

Eve moved into an alleyway and analyzed the area, even without having to search for the code, exploring is always a good thing for her. There wasn't really anything important to her in that part of the city though.

Khamael reached her a few moments later, stepping into the alley. "Now, what brings you all the way from that wasteland? We're not exactly near Scandi." He spoke up.

Eve slowly turned around, and answered "Uh... Well, i am searching for the remaining fragments of my battle code." and even if she was a robot she had emotions, although she denied them, slightly and wasn't capable of some of them.

Khamael raised an eyebrow, "In the middle of a completely unrelated city?" He said, visibly amused. "I don't exactly see your tech in every street stall, now. Ever considered just writing some new code?"

"Upon the destruction of my kingdom, the sheer amount of power unleashed would have scattered my technology all over the place, although i'm not sure if they would properly blend in with fractures or not." Eve responded and continued "I cannot write the code myself as of yet as i do not posess the tools to do so."

"Really? If you're searching all these Fractures, then I'd stay away from Eden, at the very least..." Khamael said, almost to himself for a moment, "Regardless. Do you really think they didn't just end up in Null Space?"

"I am unaware of null space." Eve replied.

"Then how the bloody hell did you get here?" Khamael raised an eyebrow. "Must've been one helluva journey through the Fractures."

"That's called null space? I see." Eve responded, she appeared to be a bit confused, just because she wasn't getting fed information at first. "Well, i don't know what to do then, i'd have to somehow uncover the tools to make new code."

"What, don't have access to a computer?" Khamael asked, once more amused, idly leaning against a wall.

"My code isn't that simple." Eve responded.

"Looks pretty simple to me." Khamael replied without missing a beat.

"To a normal person it shouldn't be. It doesn't work like a normal computer as it involves a lot of magical things as well. Then there's the difference in technology and other things like that." Eve responded and proceeded to sigh.

"Do I look like a normal person to you?" Khamael's eyes visibly narrowed, "Just look at me. Of all the people in the entire bloody Fracture, who do you think knows the most about mechanospiritual technology?"

"You. Although my technology isn't spiritual, it runs on arcane energy and arcane magic." Eve responded.

"Bah, same thing if you squint." Khamael replied, "But I suppose even your kingdom never even touched the soul."

"Not truly at least." Eve responded, she was very soft spoken for the most part, also kind of silent most of the time.

"Hmph. Regardless, I found this. As part of our agreement, consider it yours." Khamael tossed an object towards Eve, for her to catch.

Eve catched the object and proceeded to inspect it, she replied with a soft "Thank you." but didn't do much else.

"I do hope you remember your end of our bargain." Khamael replied. "It wasn't easy to grab it. Bloody thing was in Null Space, after all."

Eve blinked before he was suddenly gone, although she didn't pay much attention and walked out of the alley.

Suddenly, a crackling, and sporadic lightning bolt whizzed past Eve, and into the dark, alley. From behind Eve, there was a bright flash of cyan light, followed by the panicked panting of someone.

Eve turned around again and looked at whoever stood there and replied. "Hello."

Remodi quickly turns around to the familiar voice, her eyes faintly glowing in the shadow."..Eve.." She says somewhat relieved, but still in panic, shock and awe from the previous encounter with AkumaR.

"What happened to you?" Eve asked, her voice was pretty soft.

Remodi calms down, and explains to Eve about the events prior to their 2nd encounter. Throughout telling her, Remodi began to feel panicked and shocked about what she had done. She had single handedly put up a fight against the woman who was clearly stronger than her, and lived to see at least someone familiar.

"I see. I'd suggest not putting yourself in immediate danger without alerting a friend next time though, survival is your main objective." Eve responded.

Remodi sighs."I didn't really have time to alert anyone...The explosion happened, I witnessed 3 people die, froze, and then she came for me."

"Don't split off from me next time, then. " Eve replied. She seemed to be a bit worried for Remodi.

Remodi nods."It was a dumb mistake, to go off alone. I'm sorry, Eve." Remodi sighs, and images of the blankness in AkumaR's eyes flood her mind. She then thinks about Khamael, and Toko. How strong both of them were compared to her, as well as Eve's initial presence chilling her to the bone. *I need to be able to protect the people I care about....* "I....Think I want to go after that woman, Eve." She recalls AkumaR dissolving into blood, then vanishing. To be honest, she wasn't even sure she was still alive."There's something about her presence that is...Magnetic."

"In order to preserve your being i'd advise we go together, although planning a retreat would be fine." Eve responded, even if she was an android, she had a small bit of liveliness in her voice, but it was more like she was denying herself it.

Remodi smiles, noticing the life in Eve's voice."Well then it's settled. Should we begin our search for this stranger? Or do you think we should wait, and prepare ourselves?" Remodi says, straightening her bag, placing the knife back inside.

"I don't have much ability to prepare myself, my body in its current state is at peak capacity." Eve replied, maybe the part about collecting code that she mentioned the first time they met had something to do with it.

Remodi thinks for a moment."Well, do you know where we could collect your missing code?" She also wonders how she could prepare herself for such an endeavor. AkumaR was very versatile, and hit hard. But every time AkumaR threw something at her, she had managed to barely slip by. Whether it be the sudden slash down, the javelin, or the wings, Remodi didn't lose hope, and didn't stop moving. She could use this "ability" of hers, to her advantage.

"Unless you had the ability of a seer, no, i cannot." Eve responded.

"Hm...I have a friend that might be able to help us....His name is Khmael." She says, still trying to think about how she could get stronger to prepare for the upcoming fights

"I've already met him." Eve responds. "May he be hiding his power from me?" She continued.

"No, I mean. HE might be able to find where your missing Code is." She replies.

"I went it through with him earlier, the code would be found in scrapped battle units all over the areas around the scorched wasteland, however: with the fractures this may not be the case, they may have been forced out of reality or fused with ones." Eve replied back.

"Hmm...Well, at least we know how to get you prepared for this...Me?...I'm not on terms with this woman in terms of strength, but I can sure keep up" She looks in her bag, and looks at the endless subspace that is it. She sees her knife, her books of spells, and a couple of photos of her friends from Arcus..Then, there's the necklace her cousin gave her. She sticks her nose up at the demonic, and glowing artifact, quickly closing the bag.

"I do not know how powerful she is, although this model should have standard nasod power output, i can probably hold my ground." Eve commented.

"Most likely." Remodi agreed.

"Although my power output isn't that much, my speed should be minimal to deal with this threat, at least." Eve finished with.

"Hm...So what do we do now? I mean, we have little to no leads...And um...Actually nevermind." Remodi hadn't told Eve about the person watching herself and AkumaR, and decided that it would be a bad decision to worry her even more.

"Is there any physical traces of her?" Eve asked.

"No...She just sort of..Dissolved into blood, and disappeared."

"Maybe i could analyze the area for anything unseen traces?" Eve asked.

Remodi nods."I wish I could help you with finding her, buuuuuut I'm not that special." She chuckles nervously, before stopping and looking away, a little disappointed. "Alright, let's go scan around." She says, after sighing.

"Let's go to the location then." Eve said and then moved to wherever Akuma had done her shtick, her ember eyes gleamed for a second before she put out her hand and opened up a holographic interface and started scanning the area for any magical traces.

Remodi watches Eve do her thing, and she frowns slightly. *I'm basically useless out of a fight....Wait...* Just then, she remembers the fight.*The fight!*  The scene of AkumaR healing after the initial onslaught from Remodi plays through her mind, and she remembers cloth being sliced off of her body."Eve, I think I know how we can get a DNA sample." She says, gaining confidence.

Eve eyed the results she was getting, she was able to identify and log the magic, but any trace beyond that area was impossible to find. "And that is?" Eve asked, turning her head to Remodi and angling it slightly to the side.

"Well, during the fight with that women, I got a couple of slices off of....Her...Clothes....You know, nevermind. They probably dissolved...Carry on i guess." Remodi answers, her confidence dropping again.

"I cannot seem to trace anything but i can identify the magic, chances are if we get near, i can know it's her. That should be good enough, yes?" Eve asked curiously.

Remodi nods. "Maybe....Do you think we should tell Khmael about what happened here?" She asks, haphazardly.

"Perhaps." Eve replies, she returned to her mostly monotone but cute voice.

"Well...If we're fighting someone as strong as this girl....We might need backup?...I mean, I'm sure your nasod abilities will come in handy, and maybe my blade could help, but....She seemed indestructible." A gentle wind falls upon the two, blowing a bit of the ash about. "Eve...You're one of my only friends lately...I don't want you to get hurt, you know?" She says, softly.

"You could ask Khamael." Eve suggested.

Remodi ponders Khamael for a moment."Well, he couldn't have gotten far if you just saw him, right?" She asks.

"I have no idea where he went." Eve responds and continues "He just disappeared."

"Alright well, you stay here and look around." She pulls out her knife, which immediately electrifies."I'll go find Khamael..." She remembers something."Wait, before I go, take this." Remodi pulls out 2 small dull Gemstones."These Gemstones work as communication devices. Just put this one in your ear, and we'll be able to communicate through telepathic means." She puts her in her ear, and it glows a bright rose pink.

Eve takes the other stone and puts it towards the cone shaped object covering her "ears", they open up, strangely, the inside was also a glowing blue, and puts it in and right after it would close. She attempts to communicate with Remodi by thinking "Hey, can you hear me?"

"Perfectly" Remodi thinks to herself, also giving a thumbs up.

"Ah, good." Eve replied, she didn't seem that different in her mind, although she had a little bit more emotion, perhaps she was repressing herself?

Remodi nods, and begins to shift into the all too familiar electricity, and she speeds away, leaving without a trace.

Eve looked around, and then proceeded to wander off out of the city, further analyzing the object in her hands.

## Need of Assistance

Remodi finally reaches the edge of the city, emerging from the crackling electricity that brought her there. Panting, she hunches over, clutching her knife."*Khamael couldn't have gotten far...*" She thinks to herself, knowingly sending a message to her friend Eve, who was communicating with her telepathically. She begins to walk through the city, a couple of yards away from reaching the exit.

Just as Remodi was about to leave, someone had appeared almost directly in front of her - a woman wearing a rather elaborate dress and top hat. Swiftly backpedaling to avoid a collision, she narrowed her eyes, examining Remodi. "The stranger appears to be searching for someone...perhaps Lilitu could be of assistance?"

Remodi hops backwards in shock, quickly pulling her knife out, prepared to any confrontation. She pants heavily, her eyes darting up and down the woman, studying her presence. She catches her breath, listening to her words. She lowers her knife."Y-Yes...I'm searching for a man that goes by Khamael..." She says, cautiously.

Lilitu's eyes widened in surprise, "Khamael? Lilitu knows that name. She knows it well...and she asks who the stranger's name is." She replied. "She suggests that the stranger calms down." One hand raised, glowing a faint blue, a calming aura enveloping Remodi.

Remodi could feel her heart calming, as a warmth enveloped her. Her breathing slows."My name, is Remodi." She says, putting her knife away. "You...Know Khamael?" She blinks, and frowns."That man seems to be making a name for himself." She says, with disappointed sigh. "What is your name?" She asks, curiously.

The girl tilted her head in amusement, "Lilitu, of course. She wonders if that was not obvious enough. As for Khamael, he is..." There was a pause, and she tilted her head, "...Approximately twenty meters behind Remodi."

Remodi quickly turns around, then looks back at Lilitu, conflicting. The woman that stood before her gave off a presence of protection, and friendliness. Remodi ponders for a second, then speaks."Lilitu..Maybe you could come with me to get Khamael?" She pulls out her knife, which became electrified."I don't have much time, so I need an answer alright?" She says, trying not to rush her acquaintance.

Lilitu remained amused, especially when Remodi drew her knife, "This should be entertaining, but Lilitu does not need to go anywhere." Indeed, Khamael was heading towards the pair right now, looking almost bored.

Remodi looks back, and watches as Khamael was approaching. Her blade returned to normal, as she focuses on the two people surrounding her. Her goal was to get them both on her side, to retrieve Eve's battle code and to hunt down AkumaR, if she was even alive. Thinking to herself, Remodi sends a message to Eve."I've located Khamael...As well as acquired a new friend I think."

"Remodi. It's been a while. How are you feeling? I mean, I did send you flying through that cliff. Twice." Khamael said as he drew near, pushing a few people out of the way. "And...oh. Shit. Lilitu. It *has* been a while, hasn't it?" Khamael almost seemed to backpedal for a moment.

"Nearly five years, by Lilitu's count." Lilitu replied, tilting her head as she examined Khamael. "Khamael has gained some power, she sees."

"I'm doing just fine Khamael." She says."And whatever history you two have, it's going to have to wait I'm afraid"

"Oh? What could possibly be important enough to justify interrupting two old friends?" Khamael said, a twinge of annoyance entering his voice. Lilitu frowned, glancing around the area - and Khamael did, a moment later, but both resumed focusing on Remodi.

Remodi gains her own annoyed tone, with a slight tone of anger added onto it."How about the destruction of a city accompanied by the injuries of countless people and 3 successful murders?!" The area around them was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop."And the murderer is still out there." After examining Remodi further, the two could clearly see bruises formed on her arms, a couple of scrapes on her face, and the tattered nature of her tights. "And she almost killed me too."

Khamael listened, visibly growing utterly *bored*as Remodi continued, Lilitu stepping up to heal Remodi with the light she wielded. At the end of Remodi's explanation, Khamael spoke - after *yawning.* "So?"

Remodi stepped out of the light, her eyes twitching from anger. She quickly draws her blade."She grew wings, made her face metal, turned her hands into blades, and even pulled a javelin from NOWHERE" Remodi tries to calm down but fails."She made me stop dead in my tracks, after blowing up buildings surrounding me!" At this point, she was looking right into his eyes, overcome by emotion."And the worst part is? She wasn't even trying to fight! I was just a roadblock in her way"

Khamael actually *scoffed* when Remodi drew her sword, suddenly darting forward with a punch...when he froze. Lilitu's head whipped around to the point Khamael was standing at, as *something* emerged from the shadows, a voice...speaking?. "Then perhaps you should have been crushed with all the rest."

Remodi looks toward where the voice came from, in shock.

Two things happened: First, Lilitu and Khamael stepped behind Remodi immediately. Second, a figure stepped out of the shadows - it resembled some form of bizarre skeleton, wearing a "suit" that looked closer to a suit-shaped event horizon. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"Malkuth." Khamael spoke, his tone low. "The *fuck* are you doing here?"

Remodi examines the figure, still in shock. Before sending a message to Eve."*Eve, someone else has arrived...And..I don't think they mean well.*" Remodi looks back at Khamael and Lilitu, then at the one known at Malkuth. She was confused as to why Khamael knew the person, but didn't question it fully. "Who.. and *what*, are you?" She asks, cautiously.

"Me? You know who I am..." It said, moving towards Remodi, leaving a strange...ripple in space as it moved, as it it were cutting through the world. "And as for *what..."*It smiled, chuckling lowly, towering well over a full meter taller than the girl, "...I would be so much more, if it weren't for *them.*" It spat out the last word, turning to face Khamael and Lilitu, the former smirking.

"Heh. A shame you didn't stay dead." Khamael replied immediately.

"Malkuth remembers the sanctions placed upon him." Lilitu replied, backing up somewhat.

"Ah, yes, your...sanctions." Malkuth replied, dismissively. "I rid myself of them long ago. Too much of a bother. I'd advise you stay well out of my way."

"*It appears they all have some sort of history together..."* Remodi thinks to herself, looking up at Malkuth, who was directly above her. "Sanctions?" She turns back at Khamael and Lilitu, curious. "*What* sanctions?" She turns to Malkuth again."What were you trying to do that could grant a sanction?" She knew that things could go wrong here, but she didn't care.

Eve had, unknownst to the others, come back from her very short search, she was standing maybe twenty meters behind Lilitu and Khamael, she was only eyeing the people in the area with confusion though.

"That is not important. Or perhaps it is?" Malkuth replied to Remodi, chuckling.

"Malkuth should leave." Lilitu spoke up. "Lilitu has already contacted Nazareth." She continued, Khamael glancing sharply towards her.

"You brought *them* into it? Really?" He said, "You know how long that'll take."

Eve thought 'At least Khamael's here. But who are the others, Remodi?' since her thoughts would be sent as messages to Remodi anyways.

Remodi thinks to herself."*Wait, here?*" Remodi doesn't take her eyes away from Malkuth, as to not draw attention to Eve who was nearby."*Never mind. The girl next to Khamael is Lilitu, and this...Thing, in front of me goes by Malkuth...*" Remodi speaks up, still not breaking contact."Lilitu, what is Nazareth?" She asks.

Lilitu replied immediately, "Lilitu's home. Khamael and Malkuth are from there."

"And don't think I'll ever go back to that shithole." Khamael glanced at Lilitu briefly, before resuming watching Malkuth.

"How unsurprising, considering that I killed you there." Malkuth spoke.

Eve started eyeing Malkuth, her souless eyes didn't give away anything, nor did her expression.

Remodi blinks, clearly confused."What do you mean you killed hi- ...." Remodi has an epiphany."Of course..." She remembers her fight with Khamael, and what she had told him about himself. "That's why you're..." She sends a message to Eve."*Eve, things might get dicey up here. Just stay back, unless I give a signal alright?*" She thinks, a bit of sweat breaking out on her forehead."Is that why the sanctions were placed on you, Malkuth? Because you killed someone?"

Malkuth openly laughed, a strange laugh with no echo. "Kill someone? Me?" He smiled. "Yes. And billions of others in the War in Heaven. Do you really think we care about your pitiful human lives?"

Eve responded to Remodi "Uh... Yes, i was going to assess his ability in any case." and continued watching on, she didn't give much of a change in expression still, just slightly less confused.

"Humans are stronger than you think, Malkuth." She says."Human lives are valid, and worth fighting to protect. That goes for any species, really. Including...Whatever you are." She says, frowning slightly.

"Really, now? Then show me this strength you speak of, for I have seen none of it." Malkuth coolly replied, Lilitu and Khamael stepping back again.

"Uh, Lilitu, who did Nazareth send?" Khamael said, glancing at her.

"Lilitu is not certain. One of the Elementals." She replied.

"I'm...Not going to fight you, Malkuth." She lowers her eyebrows, acknowledging the challenge. "*Eve, if he attacks me....You know what to do*." She thinks.

"An Elemental? *Fuck.* I'm out." Khamael replied, backing away from Malkuth, vaguely in Eve's direction.

"Really?" Malkuth spoke up, "How...disappointing. You do have power. I can sense it, and yet you do not wish to use it. Why bother with human lives when you have everything you need without them?"

A chill goes down Remodi's spine. She then breaks the thick silence with her words."You're wrong, Malkuth...Without them, without anyone in the universe...I would truly have *nothing*" Her demeanor had gone from cautious, and nervous, to serious and calm.

"Because that would be boring, wouldn't it?" Eve follows Remodi up, she was at a bit of a distance so she had to make herself louder, but her tone remained exactly the same, a calm and calculating, but cute and soft.

A small smirk appears on Remodi, hearing Eve's voice in the distance."Very."

"Nothing? *Nothing?!*" Malkuth's tone shifted, the first word with confusion, the second with rage, "After all that, you think you have *nothing* but those *miserable* creatures trying to play God?" The air around him seemed to shudder slightly, as if recoiling, before abruptly he snapped back into a calm demeanor. "Oh, well. Perhaps I could show you what you have truly lost." He smiled once more, extending a hand.

Eve didn't say a word, but she told Remodi through their telepathic connection 'I don't think it is wise to reach out to him' and continued staring at Malkuth, she started frowning a little bit.

Remodi squints."Hmm...Fine. If you're so certain I've lost something, that is."

The smile widened, before Malkuth placed his hand on Remodi's shoulder, the two of them...immediately dematerializing, vanishing into thin air. Lilitu sighed, "...Not good."

"Huh?!" Eve let out as Remodi just disappeared, she then tried to send a message to her. 'What happened?'

"Malkuth took her. Lilitu does not know where." Lilitu replied, frowning.

"U-huh... I'll await her return here." Eve replied.

"Lilitu will remain in the area until the elemental arrives." Lilitu replied.

Time passed...

## Remembering What Was Lost

To Remodi, everyone else seemed to fade, simply turning transparent before vanishing. The colors of the world seemed to dull, the sun remaining static in the sky. If she glanced at Khamael and Lilitu, she would see them stay for slightly longer - a white light shining from Lilitu, a red one from Khamael.

Remodi caught glimpse of the shining lights emitted from the duo, before they completely vanished. Eve had vanished before them."What...What did you do?" notices the world dull."What is this?..." She asks, curiously annoyed.

"This is Naraka. The world below." Malkuth replied, "It shall serve as a suitable training ground."

"What do you mean training ground? I thought I was remembering something" She inquires

"With us, memories are power. To understand, to *know*, you must be capable of drawing upon that which fuels us. And to do that...well." He chuckled, "That's why we're here."