Our brief journey to the impromptu hospital that the Satanihilus have established in Chastinal is remarkably easy.
Hell, it's only a few streets away from where we sat just a moment prior. From where we are, I can still see Alduin's heads as they bicker with the Doppelganger, his tails coiled around the legs of a shattered monument to Lucifer's glory.
...Hm. You know, the Doppelganger's sentience is growing rather concerning.
Not in the sense that I worry over its existence, a cognizant bodyguard is far more useful to me than a puppet upon mine own strings, but it almost seems to be growing in potency as the days pass. He was never close to this expressive before.
Hell, even during the fight with Mordred he went forward and attacked of his own volition, spurred on by his misplaced arrogance. I forgave it in the moment after my own... admittedly rather humiliating death at her hands, but if such a problem persists then I may have to discipline my own spectral, Mana-borne clone.
At the very least, he's proven himself to be far more useful than I could ever have imagined. All that time ago, when I first gained that Skill, I never imaged it would take me so far.
...I suppose what I'm trying to say, is thank you. Perhaps you'll never hear these words, or maybe you can hear every thought in my mind. All the same, I truly am grateful for everything you have done for me, my friend.
"Demi-fiend."
Diallos speaks out from my side, a construct over his head once more to stop the still pouring rain from coating his body as he catches my attention.
Given I've already long since been drenched by now, I saw no point in making a construct of my own, settling for casting a Prayer when we next find ourselves indoors and calling it a day instead.
"This is the place."
Blinking, I frown in confusion and stare up at the shattered building directly ahead of us, immediately taking notice of the downright dilapidated state it's in and the distinct lack of any indication that it's a hospital.
Broken windows, fragmented walls, and a front door barely held together with a few nails and a dream. At the very least, the roof is intact, so those within need not suffer the pouring rain.
"Is this the best offering the Satanihilus have for those in need? How the hell is anyone supposed to know this is a hospital?" I ask.
To his credit, Diallos grimaces, clearly just as displeased as I am.
"The nature of our advancements in this war make it so that establishing proper facilities is... rather difficult. Given we regularly jump from town to town on the long road to Lucifaad, taking up shelter in unoccupied buildings has become far easier for us."
He sighs, shoulders sagging as he lifts a hand and gestures to the shoddy building.
"As for the lack of any real indication... that is, unfortunately, entirely intentional. Loyalist forces have a documented history of targeting aid facilities wherever available. Indicating this building as a hospital would only put a bigger target upon the wounded."
...Ah, so it's war crimes. A shame they don't have such a concept in the Underworld.
Actually, now that he's mentioned the town-hppping, I've had a bit of a concern brew...
"Why are we still here?"
Diallos frowns in confusion, head tilting ever so slightly as he answers my question with one of his own.
"What?"
I groan at my seemingly growing inability to properly vocalise a fucking thought recently and gesture to the town around us as I speak again, properly this time.
"Why are we still in Chastinal? Wasn't the whole reason Diamor came here to stop us on our path to Cainhurst? Shouldn't we be going full speed ahead to the Castle now?"
Diallos... smirks?
"You're right in your assessment of Diamor's plan. For the last year now, he's been using hit and run tactics to whittle our numbers down with regular attacks, always just enough to leave us weaker than we need be to take back the walls of Castle Cainhurst."
Nodding along, and still confused, I follow up after him.
"Alright, so surely the correct course of action would now be to fucking book it to the Castle and take it for ourselves given the opportunity we've got, no?"
He cradles his chin with one hand.
"Your magic is powerful, Demi-fiend. Alarmingly so. But it isn't quite omnipotent. Some Loyalists were left unshackled by your... strange healing circle, and fled the scene immediately after the opportunity presented itself. Those who fled, well they've no doubt told any Devil alive that will listen to them about this battle."
Perhaps not intentional, I quickly notice the way Diallos' eyes seem to always glance at Alduin every few moments, his fingers tapping against whatever surface they find.
"What that means is that the Castle will be more defended now than it ever has been for the last decade. Daimadosu will no doubt panic upon hearing that the Demi-fiend, within a mere day of his arrival, has captured Diamor Belial and made headway towards Cainhurst. He'll send every spare man he has under his command to defend it."
The Devil shakes his head as he continues.
"Of course, such defenses will only serve to make our goals all the more difficult to attain. What's even worse though, is that Bidleid Beelzebub is all but guaranteed to appear now within the next few days time. He'll hear of your presence here, and the very moment he arrives, taking Cainhurst will become an impossibility to us."
...My blood begins to heat up at the thought, a smile forming on my lips. I feel the urge to summon Caduceus grow with each passing second as-
-a sword embedded in my chest a question made but no answer given red eyes cold red eyes Caduceus shattered at my feet as-
-pain lances through my eye, a grimace taking hold of me as I grunt through gritted teeth, hand raised to press down against it.
"Something the matter, Demi-fiend?"
"No." I spit out, "Mind your own business."
Diallos, thinking nothing much of it, shakes his head once more and waits for me to recover from the twitching pain of my Eye. I would thank him for it, but my thoughts are in a much different place.
...it was that same fucking vision again. Caduceus shattered, my heart pierced by the Rebellion's blade, and Bidleid's compound eyes staring down balefully at me as he digs the sword in ever deeper.
Is the Eye trying to tell me something? Isn't it supposed to show me favourable outcomes? How is that favourable? The Precursor's Eye can only show alternate realities, though, so surely it speaks to nothing of this current one.
Although, does that restriction even matter? What if I'm on a path destined for failure, doomed across every timeline I inhabit? Is that why the vision remains the same?
Is my journey a hopeless one?
...
No.
I refuse to stop now.
Fuck the vision.
Fuck fate, prophecy, and every other concept resembling it. I don't care what plans the Gods of this System may have, or what rolls of the dice I make. From the moment I woke up in this body, I took control of my own destiny. I alone make my fate.
I will not allow him to best me. Never again. I don't care what it takes, what pain I must endure; I will burn myself down to cinders if it means he burns alongside me, turn my body to kindling for the flame should I need to.
Every lash, every mark, every wound upon my body, and scar upon my mind. I will return it tenfold- no, as many times as it takes to kill him.
I will rend his body down to the Soul if I must.
For that, though... I need more power. I need to be better than I am now.
"Wha- Demi-fiend? Didn't you want to know of our plan moving forward?"
Diallos speaks out just as I move past him, clearly shocked at my proactiveness as I turn slightly and respond, wanting to be done here as quickly as possible.
"I can already guess what the idea is now, based on what you've said. It's clearly something you've already decided on before my arrival, given you've not spoken with Serafall since you got here, but already have this idea in mind. If I had to guess, it's the plan you've long since had should Diamor be captured during one of his assaults, which means it's reactive in some way."
Diallos remains silent as I list off what, at least I hope, is his scheme moving forward, my hand cradling my chin as I speak.
"You've recognised the impossibility of taking the Castle, so now you'll want to take as many of the smaller territories as you can with the Loyalist forces being redirected to Cainhurst and capitalise on the opportunity you've been given. Daimadosu, the skittish rat that he is, will either commit to Cainhurst and allow the lands of Gusion to fall under our hands, or spread his forces once more to address every problem in his panic and weaken the defences of the Castle enough that we can sufficiently siege it. That's why we've remained here. You're waiting for him to make his decision."
Diallos folds his arms. Beneath his signature look of disinterest, there's a hint of... what I almost think to be pride?
"If he commits to Cainhurst, then attacking it will be made progressively easier the longer he clings to it, as the more land you take back, the more freedom you'll have to bring in supplies and troops to properly support any future offensives. Without Loyalist forces staunchly occupying most of Guisero, movement of supplies will be a far safer endeavour."
I pause, only for a moment to take a breath.
"Alternatively, taking a weakened Cainhurst in the scenario where Daimadosu redistributes his forces grants you a massive advantage and a well fortified base of operations to work from going forward. Bidleid's presence, though a distinct issue, can be entirely circumvented by redirecting our own forces through the many towns and villages within Guisero, as he'll no doubt chase my scent like a bloodhound should I show myself."
Truth be told, my words aren't borne of some... deep analysis of Diallos and Serafall's personalities to understand their methodology, rather they're just the options I myself would consider if I had control over the Satanihilus at the moment. I suppose my knowledge of Bidleid's and Daimadosu's characters certainly helps.
"No matter what events unfold next though, Diamor's hubris has brought with it a crack in the walls of the Castle Cainhurst, a very easily exploitable one. Should all things go well in this endeavour, then the lands of House Gusion may just be within the Satanihilus' grasp by the month's end."
By the time I finish, somewhat stricken for breath, I find Diallos smiling. It is, frankly speaking, an inherently ugly thing. I see now why he spends so much time scowling.
"Lady Sitri was right. You learn quickly..."
He pauses; leaves his words hanging for a brief moment as he then smirks at me.
"You also have a habit of shifting around your speech patterns to try and sound fancy whenever you think you're being smart. I've not heard a single 'fuck' from your lips for the last few minutes. Must be a new record."
Waving off his words, and doing my best to ignore the truth behind them, I brush past his shoulder and move towards the door.
"I didn't ask for the psychoanalysis, jackass. Just shut up and let me do my work."
He stands aside, leaving me free to enter the building as he gestures to the entrance.
"By all means, go ahead. You won't be hearing any complaints from me."
With his approval given - not that I ever actually needed it - I place both hands atop the handles for the double-doors leading into the hollowed out building and push.
They slowly creak open, so stiff that I find myself actually putting in a small degree of effort, the hinges audibly straining as the first streaks of light emanating from within shine against-
Fucking hell!
Immediately, I pull back with all my might and slam the doors shut, leaving both the doors themselves and the building as a whole shaking in the wake of my panic.
Diallos, having intended to walk in beside me, quickly finds his entry blocked as I stand ramrod straight, still tightly clutching the door handles.
"What is it this time, Demi-fiend?" He asks, sighing, growing annoyed the longer I wait.
Confused, concerned, and incredibly uncomfortable, I turn to Diallos and respond to him through shaking breaths, voice tight.
"Why the fuck is everyone in there naked?!"
He blinks in confusion, a frown on his lips and one brow raised as he responds.
"...Why wouldn't they be?"
As if such a thing were possible, my eyes only widen even further.
"Why wouldn't they- it's a hospital, not a fucking whorehouse! They're all just... just snuggling up together in a big orgy pile!"
Again, he stares at me with all the respect that one would have for a park bench.
"...I fail to see the issue here. Have you never seen a naked body before, Demi-fiend?"
One of my hands shifts away from the door, massaging the bridge of my nose as I slam my head against it in exhaustion.
"Just answer the fucking question already. Why is the hospital nothing more than a room full of naked Devils?"
Diallos folds his arms, and finally, finally, I am given the answer to my question, his words slow and measured.
"It's the second best method of healing eachother that we have in the Underworld, and the most widespread. Outside of the Phenex Tears, this is the easiest way we have. Skin-to-skin contact. Using this method, a full room of soldiers can be brought back to proper health overnight."
He smirks at my moment of silence.
"Did you seriously not know that? Aren't you supposed to be the Demi-fiend, the greatest White Mage amongst the Supernatural?"
...Huh. Well then.
I always wondered just what it was that 'white magic' actually meant, given I'd never seen it with my own eyes until now. I can see why that hasn't been possible so far. Stripping naked and rubbing against one another isn't a very good battle tactic.
Fucking hell, it seems like even after so many lectures, so many words of advice, I've still been underestimating just how unique my powers are. No wonder every Ars Goetian and their butler has been interested in me, no wonder the Phenex are terrified I might run them out of business.
This is what they've been working with the whole time, this is my competition! 16 hours of mild foreplay, or even ten whole Phenex Tears, just to match what I can do over the span of 10 seconds!
...hold on, does this mean every patient at the Galedwin Memorial Hospital was entirely naked underneath their covers? Is every doctor in that hospital paid to just... rub up against their patients for hours at a time?
Fuck. I think I actually preferred it when I believed White Magic to be a segment of a Devil Magic. It turns out I might be the only Devil alive with access to Healing Magic.
That's not to say it isn't possible of course. Every Devil can still heal themselves without needing the bodily proximity, it's just very weak, pathetically slow, and incredibly taxing for the Mana.
...I need to be exploiting this more. I've been underestimating my importance far too long.
With my resolve strengthened once more, and the need to grow my Power still resting on the forefront of my mind, I give a brief response to Diallos' snide comments and lift my hands to the doors once more.
"For what it's worth, I didn't exactly ask for that title. And I'm not that strong. Not yet."
With my piece spoken, I grin and fling open the doors. The pungent stench of a room filled with naked, wounded, and half-entangled Devils immediately hits my nose like a punch to the face, an affront to everything I believe good medicine to be.
...yes, that whorehouse comparison is certainly quite an apt one, just the whores in this case are covered in burns and cuts.
Walking forward, I quickly find myself in the center of what is essentially a giant bedroom, cots laid on all sides against the walls and some bedspreads on the floor. Devils of all kind, men, women, probably one or two Ars Geotian's as well, line the room. Only some are awake, and they immediately recognise me.
Diallos falls in quickly at my side. I almost expect to see that signature disgust in his eyes, but he watches this room with something akin to indifference. It truly astonishes me just how normalised certain things within the Underworld are.
No matter. I've a job to do. Drawing Caduceus into hand, I hold the blade high and expand my Circle to cover this building in it's entirety as I stab it down into the floor. The dim light my Circle of Life brings with it is always a unique form of comfort to see.
Then, I lift the blade and slice it forward across Diallos' armpit, one of the few places not covered by his armour.
He cries out in pain, shocked at the sudden attack as he draws his own dagger, before his pain washes away into confusion as a green light engulfs the room and all wounds vanish in the blink of an eye.
"Put the knife away already. If I truly wanted to kill you, you'd be dead by now. I wouldn't have aimed for your armpit, that's for sure."
He gives no response. Instead, Diallos shifts his gaze wildly between each person in the room, glancing at their now rejuvenated bodies and the lack of blood on his own.
"Remarkable..." He mutters, astonished at the sight before his eyes.
I find myself growing smug at the sight.
"My Magic only grows stronger the more allies there are inhabiting the radius. You should see it at full power. An immortal legion, unbound by pain and injury, marching onwards eternally."
He looks to me, only for a moment, but yet again I find that begrudging respect in his eyes. Not wanting to spend the next twenty minutes stroking my own ego though, I begin moving from patient to patient.
The Circle is a phenomenal power, yes, but if any of these Devil's are suffering from an ailment, it can't exactly do much to cure it. Thankfully though, no Prayer is required here. Burned and blistered these Devils were, yes, but none of them were poisoned.
"The sheer amount of Sol your presence alone will save is astounding. I see now why the Phenex are considering lowering their prices. You put them to such shame, they must be terrified."
I laugh, only a brief chuckle that echoes in the near silence of the room.
"Yes, yes, I am in fact quite strong, and special, and certainly the Demi-fiend, yada yada... You can stop kissing my ass now. It actually makes me incredibly uncomfortable to hear that from you."
Before he can say anything in response, I decide that I've spent enough time idle. I turn around and place a hand to his shoulder, announcing my leave.
"You can thank me another day. If you need me, I'll be in the forests with Serafall."
He blinks, confused.
"What could you possibly want with her? Should I not be joining you?"
...given how protective Diallos seems to be of her, I think it's in everyone's best interests that he stay behind. He might not like watching her get hurt.
"I need to be stronger if I am to conquer the challenges ahead of me. Loathe as I am to admit... she's better than me. By a wide margin no less. It wouldn't be the first time we've trained together anyways. You'll only be deadweight to us."
To my surprise, Diallos accepts my response with little complaint. If he shows any vitriol at my insult, then I don't notice it.
"Just try to not to kill one another like you almost did before then. I've developed an interest in your future, Demi-fiend. I'd truly hate to see your power go to waste."
Oh, don't you worry Diallos. I have no intentions of dying any time soon.
------------------------------------
...I might just be dying soon.
One of the many downsides of knowing who Serafall is as a person is the fact that I have no choice but to acknowledge exactly what kind of deal with the devil I'm about to make. Her brand of training is more akin to violent bloodsport than any form of education.
Even now, from where I stand, waiting at the outskirts to the miles of forestry that rest on the edges of Chastinal, I can hear her. Every other second of silence is interrupted by hoarse grunts and the sound of ice shattering, her every strike matched in power only by her screams of exertion.
The air pulses with Mana. The ground trembles irregularly. I feel cold wind blowing.
Necessity, however, outweighs my own personal reservations. I can't afford to say no to her talent and experience for the sake of assuaging my own gripes with her. If she's made the offer to train with me once more, then I'd be an idiot to say no, especially given my current state.
As things stand, I am the quintessential jack of all trades, master of none. A wellspring of powers and abilities, but with unrefined talent and finesse. A single afternoon spent sparring with her may not do much to change that, but it'll be more than nothing.
Before I engage in such extracurricular activities though, I need to address the Systems many, many new alerts. I admit, I've not looked at my Alerts since before I even arrived at Chastinal.
How long ago was that? Barely a few hours ago, surely? There's no day and night cycle. I've been keeping track of the days based solely on when I sleep and wake, but... today's just been so long, I think it stopped being today anymore a while ago.
I'm getting side tracked. A bad habit I thought I'd long since broken.
At the very least, I've fought an entire battle since the last time I checked on my System, and had two whole Companion Quests activate, so I can only assume it'll be-
Alistair Mammon
Level: 247
Available Stat Points: 66
-goodness fucking gracious!
22 Levels. In just a few hours? Disgusting. Granted five of them were from the Quests, but that's still an insane amount given the battle for Chastinal only lasted ten minutes.
...We're in the money.
Time to get to work. Thankfully, there's no point in trying to hold back on the next boost I'll be making to my power, given that Serafall will no doubt feel the Mana fluctuations in the air once more.
Aside from Stat Points, I've got an EX Skill Selection to work with, 1 EX Token that I've fused and no Gacha to work with this time. I've always been a man of Skills over Gacha anyways.
On the subject of Skills...
Level 240 Intrinsic Skill Augment Unlocked!
Alms of Decay: Each attack made against Enemies while within a Circle of Life reduces the cooldown of the next Circle by 0.5 seconds. This effect applies exclusively to the User's attacks.
You know, all that time ago I never would have imagined I'd say this, but I really am so glad I got this character template. It has given me gifts beyond what I could have ever dreamed of back when I first laid eyes on these Skills.
Speaking of gifts, this Skill Augment, though it's not a solution, has helped massively with addressing my greatest weakness.
When the Circle is unavailable, and the Prayer is on cooldown, there's a 25 second period where I am entirely vulnerable. No tricks, no free saves, I am exposed. With this, those periods should be shortened so long as I don't throw away my Circle.
Now then, with that dealt with, it's time to distribute some Stats.
Alistair Mammon
Level: 247 (5/480)
HP: 18000
MP: 9322
STR: 130
AGI: 140
INT: 130
VIT: 145
LUK: 120
16 in VIT, 10 in AGI, STR and INT, and then 20 in LUK as a neat little bow on top. Gotta maximise those Stat Skills.
140 VIT Stat Skill Unlocked!
Moriens Contemno: While the User has Overhealth, gain 50% Damage Resistance.
Oh, I am most definitely going to take that, yes please, thank you very much. Damage Resistance is always welcome, especially for Overhealth. I should be downright face-tanking certain attacks with this active.
120 LUK Stat Skill Unlocked!
Bad Beat: Mistakes made by the User will occasionally correct themselves, and result in favourable outcomes for the User.
...have I been underestimating Luck this whole time?
I mean sure, it's a chance based activation, but I've already got a Skill that boosts all chance based System occurrences through Royal Flush. I think I'm actually going to be needing it now for these Skill Tokens.
1 of 3 EX Skill Selection Used!
Carpe Diem: User will gain double EXP for 24 hours on their Birthday.
No thanks. That's not to say it isn't useful, no I'm sure I could make it work, but only for one day a year? Really?
Besides, I don't even remember when my birthday is anymore. No, that is not an invitation for you to remind me, Anya. I just don't care.
[Big Shot]: User will gain a 20% increase to LUK while trying to sell something. Should the sale go through, User will gain 1.35x the goods offered to them.
Again, I can see the uses for this, but... what the fuck am I ever going to sell except my own self in battle? Anything else I'd sell would sooner be turned to CEL than Sol.
...Bloody hell, these words all sound the damn same.
Tunnel Vision: User can focus their attention on a specific Target while in combat. While under the effects of Tunnel Vision, attacks against the Target deal 10% more damage, but damage taken from those that aren't the Target also increases by 10%.
Ah, an actual fucking scam then. Lovely choices here today. If I'm in a one verses one situation, I already have Duelist's Trance to give me an advantage. I don't need this downright suicidal Skill. Bloody hell, how are any of these EX? I genuinely feel like I've been scammed.
Fuck it, I suppose I'll just take [Big Shot].
Now, for the hopefully far less disappointing EX Skill Tokens I have on hand. At the very least, if one of them sucks I can reroll it.
EX Skill Token Used!
Mirror Mirror: Temporarily Copy one of the Abilities of a single Target. This Skill lasts for 180 seconds, and costs 1500MP. The MP cost of using the Target's Ability will change depending on the power level of said Ability.
...well, I'm definitely not going to be rerolling that one. I genuinely can't even imagine all the possibilities it brings.
EX Skill Token Used!
Gaea Rage: Upon casting, an eruption of Mana will burst forth from the ground ahead of the User. Enemies caught in the blast will take increased Damage from all sources for 30 seconds. This Spell has a 1000MP Cost and a 45 second Cooldown.
Damn. I'm actually quite happy with both of these. I guess Royal Flush still did me a pretty good service with this set, since I won't need to be rerolling any of them.
I'm actually very interested in Gaea Rage. The fact that it has a cooldown, and applies a Debuff, has absolutely caught my eye.
If it works in tandem with Pestilent Propagation, then I can have both Blight and the Gaea Rage defense shred active at once, all across an entire army. They'd fall apart like wet paper in the blink of an eye.
I think that's everything. No more Stat Points, no Skills. I've got 7 standard Gacha and Skill Tokens in my inventory, but there's really just no point using those without fusing them into an EX first and foremost.
Right then. I've given myself enough of a power boost. It's time to face the music.
------------------------------------
Finding Serafall amidst the sea of greenery is about as easy as spotting a panda in a tiger enclosure. Every pulse of Mana in the air almost seems to be a miniature guide, leading me ever deeper towards her.
Past a certain point, the trees around me have long since been covered in sheets of ice, layers upon layers coating the once pristine woodland around me as flakes of rime float in the air. Each step I take brings with it the growing volume of Serafall's vicious swings, the devastating power in each strike making the forest shiver.
Any wildlife nearby has either fled as quickly as they can, or been left a frozen remnant. What's more interesting though, is the series of shattered Ice sculptures that lay dotted around the trees and grassland.
Constructs. Has she been making her own sparring partners?
My question is very quickly answered as, after what feels like years upon years of trudging through these woodlands, I finally lay eyes on her through a large clearing.
She's sweating from head to toe, her limbs coated in a thick layer of frost as she slams her hammer into another one of her hostile contructs, the visceral shattering of it's body flinging razor sharp shards in every direction, narrowly missing my cheek.
Another lunges at her from the treeline, a blade raised in it's hand as it seeks to stab her in the back. Without lifting a hand, she tilts her finger slightly, and a glacier the size of Alduin erupts from her Magic Circle.
The Construct is lost among a sea of rime.
Admittedly quite impressed at the display, I find myself smiling in muted anticipation as I walk through the clearing and clap softly at the jolly good show.
"That was certainly something special to watch. You put my own Magic to shame."
Serafall turns to me, a grin on her lips as she lifts her hammer to rest it across her back, having known I was coming the instant I reached the forest.
Her smile is nothing but teeth, a familiar visage. Old memories swarm my mind unbidden, and at the thought of them I am left with the distinct urge to summon Caduceus into my hand.
"Well, well, well! What brings you to my little home away from home, Ali?"
I find myself snorting. It wasn't even funny. I'm not entirely sure why I did.
"You should know by now what I want. I certainly didn't come here to talk about the weather. I'm here to accept your offer."
Her grin is once again that same predatory smile I've become so acquainted with.
"Oh really? And what makes you think I'll even bother helping you train?"
I find myself matching her smile. Beneath the skin, my blood begins to heat up rapidly as I draw Caduceus into my hand.
"Because you've wanted this just as much as I do. Deep down, you and I... we've waited a long time for this moment."
Her eyes shine. There's this glint in them, an anticipation built up over the last month as she throws her hammer aside and cracks her knuckles. When her weapon lands, the world shakes.
"You drive a hard bargain."
Wind begins to kick up around us, the cold chill in the air worsening by the moment as flakes of rime begin to form on my blade. Her hair, I've only now noticed, is turning white at the tips of her twintails.
"Should I take that as your acceptance?"
She laughs, throwing her cloak aside to rest next to her hammer.
"Stop trying to sound all dignified. You're taking the fun out of it. Right now, nothing else in the world matters but us."
A crack of her neck, and she's speaking out to me once again.
"You want to get stronger, and I want a challenge. Right now, I think you and I have just what the other needs, Ali. We'll go for as long as it takes, until one of us concedes."
If such a thing were possible, my smile widens as I respond to her.
"A woman after my own heart. You know exactly what to say."
Grinning, I toss aside Caduceus to sit along with her cloak. I've already got a sufficient level of Mastery over it. The point of this is to push the rest of my powers to the limit.
"Are there any other stakes to this duel?" I ask feeling a unique sense of nostalgia wash over me at the circumstances.
She blinks in surprise at my words, before her smile grows knowingly coy.
"If you think I'm gonna be making another bet to sleep with you, then you're gonna be disappointed."
I can't help but laugh.
"I suppose that was rather optimistic of me."
...Again, she smirks.
"You don't have to try and sound fancy for me. You can throw the mask away, Ali. I know you better than anyone else, after all. You aren't just a Demi-fiend to me."
I pause.
Countless thoughts run through my mind now. Countless things I told myself I'd say to her over the last month. All the plans, all the hate, all the regret. It all moulds together into a single spite-fuelled sentence.
"Then, if I may be blunt with my words... I am going to hurt you now, Serafall. Just as much as you have hurt me."
Her grin widens. I would call it disgusting were I not matching her expression.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
We look into one another's eyes. The same spark of hate I feel in my heart is matched in intensity by that of Serafall's own.
With our terms set, we then take several paces back, now stood on opposite sides of the clearing as the wind grows even stronger, the pouring rain having long since stopped.
Drawing a hand to my head, I barely even have to finish the motion before the Doppelganger is summoned to my side. He stares at Serafall with open vitriol through his Demonic visage, a spectral copy of the Rebellion raised to her immediately.
She lifts a brow at the sight.
"Well, at least one of you is honest about your feelings."
I grit my teeth in a hopeless bid to stop my own frustrations from spilling through upon hearing her words, recognising the attempt at goading me for exactly what it is.
"Oh, I've been an honest man alright. Just with a much better woman than you."
Her eye twitches. Her teeth grit. Once again, our expressions are matching, as she too recognises my attempts at pissing her off. This time, it seems I'm the victor.
"...When the wind stops, that's our mark. I don't care if you're ready or not. I'll be coming at you all the same."
Grinning, I lift my hands and summon the Rebellion, pointing it her way much the same as the Doppelganger had. In response, she holds out a hand behind her back, a trident forming in her grasp as I speak.
"By all means. Come at me. Try as hard as you can, use whatever tricks you may have, put every ounce of your power into it... you'll quickly find that you're no match for me. Not anymore, Serafall. And you never will be."
I would ask where this confidence of mine stems from, but I already know the answer: Hate. My thoughts, my actions, they are not those of rationale. They are those of fury.
"Don't you threaten me with a good time, Ali. If you're half as strong as you make yourself out to be, then this'll be the most fun I've had all year."
A moment of silence passes.
The wind continues to howl, a countdown to our conflict as leaves blow alongside it, the air chilled to freezing temperatures.
As the gusts die down ever so slowly, my knees tensed and braced for a Sonido, I find my eyes locking with Serafall's once more, and am left shocked at what I see.
She's smiling at me. Nothing more than a tiny crease of the lips as she watches my every move, something small and tender, but undeniably present.
Distantly, I hear her whisper something into the wind as the howling turns to empty silence, my eyes still locked onto her.
"Just like old times, huh?"
Any response I could have made is drowned out by the sound of our weapons clashing, as the Duel begins in earnest.