Chapter 37: KI: Precarious Partnership & Hampered Conspiracy

Hundreds of miles away from Laboratory #009, two figures stand atop a cliff staring into the distance. Thick pulsating power emanating from them, miasma oozing from a 'human' that wears an eerie grin and narrowed eyes, tainted holy energy sizzles out of him, but the vessel no longer holds any life and it's only used for the one inhabiting it as a way to manifest itself into another realm. Chunks of flesh burn away with intense blue flames, licking the air around him as he turns to the other standing impassively and appearing to be disturbed by the holy energy. Satan pays the fool no mind. 

He's a tall figure with an imposing presence and power as noted by the demonic energy radiating off of him even after reigning it in to keep this hidden alliance a secret from prying eyes. Though the other presence cannot be accurately described because he is not in his true form, the man with demonic energy is Rizevim Livan Lucifer, a member of the Old Satan Faction- ironic as it sounds to the one standing before him- who takes the appearance of a middle-aged man in his 40s with dark silver hair and hazel eyes. He also appears to be wearing the same attire as Sirzechs, although colored in silver.

Reality seemed to bend and crack, but they held off lest they leave traces of themselves behind, and it would do no good to crack the very ground they were standing upon. 

Not wanting to waste his time after fetching a powerful exorcist to possess, the demon within the human, Satan, turns to Rizeviem and with a haunting voice poses an inquiry. "What is it, spit it out, you so desperately called for me and now you wish to stand atop a cliff and encompass this area in your power?" Wheezing laughter followed as Rizeviem kept his brow from wrinkling in annoyance.

As he reigned in his volatile emotions that seemed to expand whenever he spoke to this being, he answered. "Cease your incessant laughter, you felt it too, did you not? Our laboratory faced total destruction, volatile energy still radiates from that area and it is hard to investigate because of the nosy subordinates of the Satans."

"Ah yes, the pups," His face twisted in a maniacal grin, and a bit of flesh from his cheek burned away, giving him a ghastlier look. "It is of no consequence, you have more of them, do you not?"

"We do, but we cannot afford to keep losing them. Unknown factions had already destroyed a few, but that was the one that held promise. The serum they created was nearly complete," His anger flared, but he sighed and continued. "Our plans were nearing the next step, but I suppose this could have its uses."

"I find it amusing you hold such high regard for your blood, but you taint it with lesser demons and ethereal creatures," He cackled. "What does it matter that they are reincarnating beings into devils," His face twisted into a deranged smile. "To me, you are all pathetic."

"But I will continue this alliance of sorts, I do wish you luck in this endeavor, but all I'm doing is turning a blind eye to using the middle demons and a few upper, I even turned a blind eye to the noble you used!" His demented demeanor disappeared, no longer smiling he continued in a whisper. "Do not foolishly think they are beneath YOU, however, every demon desires to manifest. They will strike, and should your weaknesses prove fatal, well, you have seen the consequences."

Rizeviem narrowed his eyes, scrunching up his brows in contemplation, a bit of fear peeking through but it was useless to reason with the demon before him so he simply looked away. They both knew this was merely a shallow alliance, they were using one another. Devils provided a spectacular way for demons to manifest temporarily and ambient 'demonic energy' to power their miasma, and devils on Rizeviem's side researched ways to increase their power and perhaps harness the abundance of demons and phantoms for a large gathering of forces. A verbal oath wrapped in layers of deceit and caution, waiting in ambush for the opportunity to strike and devour the adversary. 

"You have made it perfectly clear countless times, you need not remind me. But let's talk more about the problem at hand, I take it you weren't able to decipher the cause of the destruction? It could not have been him, we have our eyes on him and he was not there when it was destroyed," Rizeviem threw out the question to the possessed human who took it upon himself to take a seat on the ground where scorch marks were marking the surface.

"It eludes me. It is intriguing, perhaps a new champion has risen. What a delight that would be," he narrows his eyes and grits his teeth, narrowly breaking them. "But it is irritating all the same. Now I have another I must find. Those three have proven illusive already, but I digress, what do you propose?" 

"Our resources are stretched thin as it is. Finding this mystery assailant will prove fruitless if they even evade your senses. Regardless, the destruction of the laboratory was a minor setback, no matter how grand the results would've been, we did take a step closer. A shame Hades refuses to collaborate, it would've made things far easier," He replied with a grimace bordering on rage. 

"Hades... Hades... Ah, the brooding man who plucked the flower? I remember him, a powerful fellow indeed, nearly destroyed me, but I was in a mere mortal vessel," He said with a shake of his head and shrug of his shoulders as if the battle against a God were a mere inconvenience. 

"Yes yes, if he would have agreed then spawning devils would've been far easier. Except that flower you speak of swayed him from his destructive capabilities," Rizeviem placed a hand on his chin. "His daughter may prove easier to sway, but there are no absolutes, so there is no need to cause any more strife, just yet."

"I wonder how divine flesh would taste. Bah, but mere vessels cannot handle my own power, so the boost I would inevitably obtain would fail to reach me," He scratches his hair in frustration, setting it aflame. He then abruptly turns to the devil. "Tell me, whatever happened to your son and did you not comment about resurrecting countless evil dragons? So, show me that insanity, I see it you know, the maddened chaos within your eyes."

The eerie laughter of the deranged demon looking at him from up close, stunned him into silence, the flames of chaos licking his soul burned brighter until they erupted. His eyes took on a malicious gleam, but with practiced ease reigned in the desire to but an ember. "I have heard nothing from that useless being. His disappearance is of no consequence to me. And regardless of my desire to unleash chaos upon the realms, the fusion of phantom, devil, and demon sounds far more abhorrent does it not? Evil Dragons will arrive soon, do not worry."

The smile disappears replaced with a disappointed frown. "I see." Far more blue flames lick at the remaining flesh on the previous exorcist's body. Satan looks down, clicks his tongue in annoyance, and stares at Rizeviem from the corner of his eye. 

Rizeviem for his part dusts himself and regains the air of grace he had on himself, the continued goading of the demon was beginning to tear down his tolerance levels and sanity. He could not even joke in his presence lest he tear down decades of work colluding with the monster. But this is still far more easier than handling whatever politics the devil side of things had for him, he finally found a way to harness those whispers od destruction, they called to him and he would revele in the chaos that would ensue.

No other topic of choice comes to mind and they have said all that needed to be said, but before he could call out to his 'comrade,' the grating voice of the demon resounded in his ears, and then the foul stench of miasma consuming the mortal flesh hit his nose. He suppressed the gag as he formed a barrier with his demonic energy.

"I bid you farewell, Rizeviem, it was a rather pleasant talk. Tame your emotions around me or you will not like the outcome."

He barely suppressed anger that threatened to explode away the side of the mountain he resided on, he pointedly ignored the warning and swore in his heart to win the battle of wills. A fruitless endeavor, perhaps, but one cannot fault him for trying. 

A faint trickle of information, of a presence, seeped into his mind, with a grin his head swiveled in the direction of the destroyed mansion laboratory. 

'Now, this is a pleasant boon.'