Another Problem (1)

- Elijah and Lao -

(After Death called Satan)

Lao, Heinrich, Yvere, Sabu, and Elijah were heading towards Bolotano with everyone else.

"You don't have to fight," Lao said.

"Why are you telling me this?" Elijah sighed. "I know, but I have a feeling there won't be an actual choice."

"I wanted to thank you, for Sol," Lao looked at the ground. "And...say that I'm sorry for how I've come across."

"You're fine," Elijah shrugged. "I don't mean any offense by this; we're not friends. We've practically just met and you clearly have a lot to deal with on average."

"I...I, sorry." Lao stopped.

Elijah knew what Lao was trying to do. He hated the situation he was in, leading to him forgetting about the rest of the team's problems. He had the least to lose among all of them, and yet he was acting like he had it the worst.

"Come on," Elijah motioned. "I want to ask you about some things."

Elijah didn't want the trip to Bolotano to be filled with silence, or worse, despairing. He thought that he might be able to kill two birds with one stone.

"Can you explain your "contract" to me?" Elijah asked Lao as he approached.

"Why do you...never mind, sure," Lao said. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything, I guess." Elijah scratched his cheek. "Any basic explanations you can give will work."

Lao wasn't aware of what Elijah was doing. He thought this was simply curiosity, and nothing more, which caused him to hesitate a bit.

"Basic strength increase," Lao started. "That's if it's not fully activated. Sorry, but most hellspawn contracts are fairly similar, with the main differences usually being the cost."

"What's yours cost?" Elijah asked. "If you don't mind telling me, I know it's rude to ask."

"It's actually pretty funny," Lao said with a smile, surprising Elijah. "My contract makes me sterile."

Elijah thought it was strange that Lao had smiled about that until he realized why.

"So, is that it?" Elijah grinned. "In terms of benefits and costs?"

"Pretty much." Lao scratched the back of his head. "Sorry for not having something more interesting to explain. I can tell you about healing magic, or martial magic if you want to know more about those?"

Elijah agreed and the two discussed in greater detail about martial and healing magic. They didn't discuss for very long, since Lao and the other team members needed to start preparing for the potential battle, but the short time they did speak seemed to lift Lao's spirits.

- Peter and the team -

(A little while after Lucifer, Death, and Saint came back)

Peter had asked Lucifer what happened. He had a lot he wanted to say to Death, but Lucifer ordered him to never bring it up. He begrudgingly accepted and met up with the other team members.

Peter was standing with the other team members, his head in his hand. He felt like he had just lived one of the longest days of his life. He wasn't quick to speak, leading to Yvere starting the conversation.

"We're here now, so what's the plan?" Lao asked.

"Survive until the others handle this," Peter sighed. "Sorry...I just, I've had a long day."

For the first time during this mission, the other team members thought Peter seemed far older. He didn't appear frustrated or scared, just tired. They were all worried about him.

"Other than the obvious, what happened while we were gone?" Sabu asked.

"Lot," Peter said. "Fuckin' lots happened."

Peter told an abridged version of things, informing everyone of their new allies' magics and quickly brushing over his fight with Oliver. As much as he wanted to tell them about Death, he knew why Lucifer had forbade it.

'Fuck this mission,' He thought.

"Doesn't seem like we have much to work with on our side," Sabu said.

"I'm sure Lucifer and Death will handle most of this," Heinrich responded.

"Still, we need to be careful about our side," Lao added. "It wouldn't take much to overwhelm these soldiers." He looked around.

"Why did Satan do it?" Yvere accidentally said out loud, drawing the group's attention.

"Because he's a piece of shit," Peter said in a tired tone.

The team stared at Peter. They thought the answer was appropriate, but that Peter's tone didn't fit.

- Yamato, Yvere, Peter, Lao -

(Middle of the night before the battle starts)

Yamato had invited Yvere and Lao to discuss with him and the other healers what the plan was as they moved. Peter insisted on joining, curious as to what Yamato's actual goal was. The four were trekking through the thick mud of Bolotano as Yamato started to speak.

"The demon's betrayal aside, I think it's good that you're here," He said. "Healers, especially a vampiric one, can be invaluable on a battlefield."

"As I've explained-" Peter's tone showed clear anger. "-they're not steppin' foot on the battlefield. They'll stay with Saint until this is all over"

"I think you should let them speak for themselves," Yamato said.

Yamato didn't fully understand the investigation team's dynamic, so he didn't expect Lao to say what he did.

"We respect his decision, so be careful with your words."

Yamato didn't show the surprise he felt. He had heard multiple times from Kahvis about Lucifer's investigation team but hadn't fully believed the information he was given. He thought it was too strange that reborn would have such loyalty to Lucifer.

"Let me start over," Yamato said. "Kahvis and I would owe you two a great favor if you helped us."

"Look-" Peter put his hand on Yamato's shoulder. "-I respect the tenacity, but Luce already ordered no, and I support that order. So, let it go." His grip on the shoulder tightened.

"Fine," Yamato said, lifting Peter's hand off his shoulder. "Can't avoid fighting forever."

Peter put his hand up to Lao and Yvere. He didn't feel like having any more pointless arguments, and he didn't want his team to be dragged into them either. Maybe it was mental fatigue, maybe it was the physical toll of walking through mud, whatever the reason, Peter was feeling his age, more specifically, that he was too old for this.

- The Five and Saint -

(Present)

Saint, Sabu, Heinrich, Lao, Yvere, and Elijah had set up an area for the rescued victims of the Underground. It was a small patch of yellow grass surrounded by the dark mud of the swamps. Saint was checking on the rescued while the five watched.

"Again, thanks for the help," Saint said to the five.

"Hopefully we won't have to fight," Heinrich said. "Hate this place." He looked around at the mud.

"This is why you should do more mana training," Lao said. "You can't let a change in environment completely cripple your magic."

"Is this about interference?" Elijah asked.

"I guess that guide Lucifer made really does teach you new reborn quickly," Saint said.

"Interference" was a term that Lucifer hadn't personally explained much, because it mainly applies to earth and water affinities. Elijah understood why, but given his fascination with magic, he had thoroughly read about it anyways.

"Yes," Heinrich sighed. "I feel useless."

Heinrich realized that he might have inadvertently insulted Elijah and went to apologize. Elijah just put a hand up and said "Don't worry about it."

"Try not to lose a hand this time," Yvere joked to Elijah.

"Lose a hand?" Saint asked. "Lightning affinity?" She turned to Elijah.

"Yes, actually," Elijah said, surprised. "I didn't know how to control my magic's strength and destroyed my hand a few times."

"If you're still practicing magic after having that healed then you have a bright future ahead of you," Saint said.

- Yamato, Peter, Oliver, Rebecca, Julia, Ming, William, Hyou -

(After Death, Lucifer, and Kahvis's initial contact with the demon armies)

Team one, comprised of Yamato, Peter, Oliver, Rebecca, Julia, Ming, William, and Hyou were closer to the Bolotano border than the other reborn. Ivan was off with Team two, AKA the recovery team. The eight were backed up by a few hundred resistance soldiers but that was it. Their job was to greatly hamper any demons that might slip past Lucifer, Kahvis, and Death. No one on the team believed they wouldn't be fighting.

Ming fiddled with the whistle she had hung around her neck. Internally she was the most nervous of the team. She lacked peripheral vision and if she lost her whistle she would lose the ability to communicate. Her face would never betray her thoughts, she couldn't risk showing weakness, not after she had to fight with Yamato about being allowed on the main team.

Peter, Yamato, and Oliver were at the front, a few feet apart, weapons drawn. Peter his sword, Yamato one of his three katanas, and Oliver a black spear with a silver head. The calmness of the three inspired confidence in those behind them. Oliver had already pushed his worries out, Yamato's expression seemingly never changed, and Peter knew he had to act bigger than he was.

Rebecca and Julia were just behind Oliver. They would give each other brief glances of worry. They had lost friends recently, almost saw their captain die, and almost died themselves. As much as they both wanted to feign absolute confidence in their Grim abilities, they couldn't manage it.

William and Hyou were at the back of the team. They were healers who fully understood the importance of their roles. They both had frustrations with Peter over his refusal to allow Yvere and Lao to help, while not being aware of the full situation. They weren't the only healers but they were the most important. Both took a deep breath in through the mouth and exhaled through the nose.

The team saw the four-horned demons start to filter it from the right side, while the curled-horn came in from the left. Both approaching armies contained more than the team was expecting. At the front of the curled-horn army were Mileera and Urdras.

'Did they get past Death?' Peter wondered.

'Two commanders? What's happening on the Rider's side?' Yamato questioned.

'You'll pay for Alex and Jakob,' Oliver readied himself.

'All for the movement. All for what comes after.' Ming assured herself.

'Support Oliver, be careful.' Rebecca drew her curved swords.

'Provide support, survive.' Julia conjured two flames.

'It's starting.' Hyou and William both thought, taking one extra deep breath.