88 Not Today, Not Ever (3)

- The demons, the resistance -

The small force of demons Kut'thar was leading made quick work of Moloch's backline. Moloch was being faced towards his dying soldiers by Satan, unable to use his magic because of the pain of Satan's claw digging into his eye.

"Get used to this image," Satan said. "You'll probably see it again in the next cycle's Hell."

The resistance was pushing the demons back with ease. Kahvis and Yamato were going around informing his side not to attack any demons that are wearing wrappings over the eyes.

Death rode over to Lucifer to explain the situation.

"Don't write off the idea of killing him just yet," Lucifer suggested.

"I haven't, I promise," Death responded.

With Moloch's side effectively destroyed by Kut'thar's flank, and what was left of Baal's army being cleaned up, the remaining demons surrendered. They had no lords to fear, no commanders to fall back on, nothing. Their allegiances were done, and now they were just waiting to get the verdict on their lives.

There were resistance soldiers that wanted to just exterminate the surrendering demons. The fighting had been grueling, friends had been lost, so a simple "We surrender" wasn't enough for some.

Kahvis could tell that they were losing control of the situation. They ran to Saint.

"I need your help stopping my soldiers," Kahvis begged.

Saint couldn't believe what she was being asked. The surprise that Kahvis wasn't assisting their soldiers in the slaughter slowed her response.

"Fine," She agreed.

Saint went around convincing every soldier she could that the war was over and they needed to stop fighting.

Kahvis got Ming to build him a mud pillar that they could use as a platform. They stood over the battlefield and projected multiple copies of themselves.

"STOP FIGHTING!" The echoed shouting was loud enough to catch most's attention.

Satan looked over at Kahvis.

"So that's the...." Satan mumbled the last part too quietly to hear.

"THE WHAT?!" Moloch screamed as he continued his struggle.

"Don't interrupt," Satan dug his claw in a little deeper.

"ALL SURRENDERING DEMONS HEAD TOWARDS THE BORDER OF BOLOTANO!" Kahvis and their clones continued shouting.

"I guess that's one similarity between you and Death," Lucifer mumbled to himself.

The fighting ceased and both sides gathered to discuss what happens next. Satan, still holding Moloch, stood across from Death, Kahvis, Saint, and Lucifer. The surrendering demons were behind Satan while the resistance soldiers stayed behind the other four.

Death didn't leave his hunter form as he spoke.

"Explain yourself," Death ordered.

"One moment-" Satan turned to Kut'thar. "-cut this fool's hands off for me."

Kut'thar walked up and severed Moloch's hands. Satan dropped Moloch to the ground and pinned him with his foot.

"KUT'THAR YOU TR-"

Satan pushed Moloch's head into the ground with his foot.

"You'll get your turn, just stay quiet for now," Satan said. "Now then..."

(Past)

Satan and another demon were sitting at a table in Hell. Satan had the warden's contract out on the table. On top of the paper were projections of Moloch and Baal.

"Seems like they're actually leaving," Satan said.

"My Lord, forgive my rudeness, but why did you allow them to live?" The demon asked.

"I meant what I said," Satan smiled. "It's more fun this way. I'll keep an eye on them the same way I do with Az and Bel. So long as they don't do something truly foolish, we won't have any problems."

(Present)

"This one-" Satan pointed at Moloch as he pushed down on his foot. "is responsible for the loss of Viri and Qli, the two messengers you were having sent from Fenrir to the lycans."

Coming into this argument Death had fully expected a fight with Satan. He still wasn't convinced otherwise but the reveal of Moloch's murders made him at least wait to hear what Satan had to say.

"I TOLD Y-"

Satan stomped his foot on Moloch's back.

"I know what you told me," Satan grunted. "I'm telling you I know the truth. Speak up again before it's your turn and I'll make sure you never die."

The threat combined with Satan's tone was unsettling to everyone watching. Kahvis didn't let the comment stop them.

"Belphegor and Asmodeus didn't tell me anything about this," They assured Satan.

"I know "Unknown," you don't have to plead your case," Satan responded.

Satan lifted Moloch back out of the mud and held him by the back of the neck.

"Explain to them what you did," Satan ordered. "Every lie, every word that isn't you explaining, every second you hesitate, adds another hour to your miserable life."

Lucifer was maintaining a stern expression in front of everyone. He had seen this side of Satan only a handful of times in the past. Every time had always left an impression on him that he wanted to forget.

'Mad chimera...' Lucifer thought.

Moloch wanted to struggle with all his might. He wanted to believe that somehow he could regain control of the blood that had been splattered everywhere and turn his position around. His mind raced with possibilities until he heard Satan speak.

"One hour, two, three,"

"I'LL EXPLAIN, PLEASE!" Moloch pleaded.

"You're up to six hours, careful," Satan scowled.

"Your messengers always took a shortcut through our territory," Moloch began explaining. "They acted untouchable as they walked through my land, acting like they were better than me. I knew it would be foolish to kill them in my territory or Passage, so one day I followed them."

Moloch's words still had a tinge of confidence to them that Satan wouldn't allow.

"You sound almost happy?" Satan questioned. "Maybe you deserve a few extra months of life,"

At that comment, Moloch's tone shifted to be meek.

"I, I followed them and killed them," Moloch continued. "I was so tired of being treated like a lesser by this world because I wasn't you."

"Did lord Baal know about this?" One of the curled-horn demons asked.

"No, he didn't," Satan answered.

"Our Lord died for nothing..." Some of the curled-horn demons started to mumble.

"Make no mistake," Satan faced the mumbling demons. "Your lord had his end coming. The quality of a being is measured through their actions, not how they compare to the filth around them."

"There's the other face," Lucifer whispered to Saint.

"That explains one thing," Death stepped forward. "There's still a lot you have left to answer for."

"Shoot, friend," Satan smiled as he turned his head back to Death.

"You didn't explain to anyone that your betrayal was a ploy to get Moloch," Death started. "Do you have any idea how much damage you might have caused?"

"Damage?" Satan's inflection was playful. "What damage? This world barely moves. Besides, it would be too easy if you knew the whole time."

"Easy..." Death grumbled.

Satan dropped Moloch as Death blinked to him and grabbed his horns.

["Easy?!"] Death growled.

The Hellspawn demons behind Satan drew their weapons and pointed their magic at Death. Everyone on the resistance side except for Saint and Lucifer responded in kind. Death pulled Satan down further.

["Would me killing you be EASY?"]

"Go ahead," Satan smiled. "If you really think it's worth it, then by all means."

Death held Satan for a moment. He was seriously considering his options until finally, he reconciled that killing Satan would cause far more trouble than not. He released Satan's horns and walked back to the resistance's side. Their conversation wasn't finished, just on hold.

Satan picked Moloch back up.

"You can speak now," Satan said. "I'll do you the mercy of answering any questions you have."

"How did you figure out I killed them?" Moloch asked.

"I corroborated my own information with Kut'thar," Satan answered.

"How long has Kut'thar worked for you?" Moloch tried his best to glare at the smiling Kut'thar.

"A very, very long time," Satan smiled.

"Why would you pick HIM of all demons?" Moloch's voice got weaker.

"A runt with healing magic," Satan said. "He was a perfect choice. I told him to be as useful as possible so you wouldn't expect anything. It's a shame really, you might have done better in this battle if you actually listened to him once in a while."

With that reveal, Moloch's mind broke. His face was in agony from his gouged-out eye, his soldiers were defeated, and his strongest allies were dead. Everything he had was gone. He only managed to ask one last question.

"Why did you always refuse an alliance with us?"

"I want to make this clear to you and every group here that isn't my own," Satan looked around at the curled-horn and four-horned demons. "I care about MY kind, not yours," He turned to Lucifer. "Not yours," He turned to the resistance soldiers. "Or yours," and finally, Death and Saint. "Or yours." He turned back to Moloch. "Understand?"

Moloch didn't respond. He couldn't find the strength to speak. Satan tossed him to Kut'thar and gave him the order to tie him up for later.

Saint walked up to Satan.

"I guess you're not going back to the way you used to be?" She whispered to him.

"Not today, not ever," Satan responded.