No Rest
That was something María del Carmen knew all too well. Born into a small village in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, María grew up in a world torn apart by conflict and strife. Her family struggled to make ends meet, and the war only made things worse. Despite the hardships, María found solace in her secret passion: weapons. From the day she held her father's hunting rifle, she was fascinated by their mechanics and the power they wielded, a stark contrast to the delicate ballet her mother insisted she practice. 'It was a sign of a high-class lady' her Madre would often repeat. Maria did not care.
María's love for weapons was dangerous in a society that saw women as delicate and nurturing. Her mother pushed her into ballet, hoping it would be a path to a better life. María despised the art form, viewing it as a frivolous pursuit for the elite. She endured the classes, the blisters, and the rigid discipline, but her heart remained with the weapons she secretly studied.
Her secret life became even more perilous when she fell in love with a young blacksmith named Javier, who shared her passion. Together, they spent countless nights forging weapons and learning the intricacies of their design. It was a dangerous love, not just because of the war, but because their clandestine activities could lead to severe punishment. But for María, it was a risk worth taking.
Their love came to a tragic end when a raid by the Army on their village exposed their secret. 'Conspiring against the State' and 'Plotting Treason.' Javier was killed in the chaos, and María barely escaped with her life. Grief-stricken and consumed by rage, she vowed to continue their work, supplying weapons to those who fought against the oppression she blamed for Javier's death. Her actions during the war became increasingly ruthless, her heart hardened by loss and betrayal.
María's relentless pursuit of vengeance and her ruthless tactics in supplying weapons to the rebels made her a target. She was eventually captured and executed, deemed unworthy of Heaven for the lives her weapons had taken. Her soul was condemned to Hell, where she was transformed into a demoness. Her new form was a cruel irony: a ballerina with an hourglass figure and the grace she had once loathed, now combined with the power and strength she had always admired in weapons.
Reborn as Carmila Carmine, she quickly adapted to her new existence. Her knowledge of weapons and strategic mind made her a valuable asset in the infernal realms. She rose to power as Hell's top weapons dealer, her reputation for ruthlessness and efficiency growing with each deal. Despite the darkness of her new world, she found a new kind of love in her daughters, Clara and Odette, another ironic coincidence, a final nod to her mortal life.
In Hell, love was still dangerous. Carmila's fierce protectiveness over her daughters mirrored her past. During her business dealings, she discovered a lucrative opportunity: the Angelic Weapons left behind by Exorcists after the exterminations. These weapons, sought after by sinners and Hellborn alike, were the only things capable of permanently dispatching a denizen of Hell.
Realizing the value of these weapons, Carmila made it her annual duty to gather as many as possible, often risking her safety and reputation in the process. But it was worth it. The cache of Angelic Weapons became her greatest asset, elevating her status among the other Overlords and making her someone they didn't want to cross.
More than that, it reassured her that her daughters were always well-protected. In a realm as dangerous as Hell, having such powerful tools at her disposal meant she could ensure their safety, no matter the cost.
Then, one year later, Carmila and her daughters had gotten sloppy. Their focus on gathering Angelic Weapons had led them to neglect other aspects of their operations. It was a mistake that nearly cost them everything.
An Exorcist, more cunning than most, had been tracking their movements. She saw their vulnerability and seized the opportunity. In a daring raid, she ambushed Carmila and her daughters, cornering them.
The Exorcist movement was sluggish and cocky, not feeling a danger even against an Overlord. Why would she? Exorcists were unkillable. Until they weren't.
Carmila, knowing her daughters were in danger, distracted the Exorcists, allowing Clara and Odette to escape to safety. The angels, in their arrogance, all left but one, trusting her to be enough to kill Carmila.
Moments later, Carmila stood shocked over the decapitated body of the Exorcist, blood covering her shoes. Carmila knew she had made a grave mistake. The ability to slay angels made the Angelic weapons she and her daughters collected much more precious—and dangerous. If knowledge of their collection broke out, it would surely lead to war in Hell.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Carmila chose to stay quiet, hoping that their secret would remain hidden. However, she was all too aware that Hell was never that forgiving.
When Princess Morningstar and her friends approached her, Carmila saw an opportunity to ensure her daughter's safety. She threw her weight behind them, knowing that their alliance could handle the Exorcists and Heaven-born threats. Win or lose, she believed that aligning herself with the princess—and, by extension, the king—was her best shot at protecting her daughters.
However, as she looked at the broadcasting feed of the First Man's carnage through the Lust Ring, that hope was crushed. Carmila watched the broadcast, her eyes flickering between snippets of the ongoing fight. The sounds of battle and the cheers and curses of the onlookers in the Pride Ring filled the air, creating a chaotic backdrop to her thoughts.
Standing up from her desk, she walked over to the window, gazing out at Pentagram City spread out before her. The city was alive with activity, its inhabitants enthralled by the spectacle unfolding in the Lust Ring.
As she looked out, a sudden blinding light in the sky caught her attention. A gate unlike any she had ever seen before materialized in the heavens, its golden doors swinging open majestically.
From the gate emerged two angels. One of them she recognized immediately, even from this distance. It was Adam's lieutenant, the one Vaggie apparently had bested.
The other angel, however, was a sight to behold. Adorned in golden armor and with six wings that shimmered in the light, this angel was unlike any she had ever seen. Their presence commanded respect, and Carmila knew instinctively that they were a being of great power and authority.
She watched as the two angels conversed, their words unheard but their intent clear. Adam's lieutenant pointed in the direction of Cannibal Town. The Archangel nodded. The Exorcist raised her hand again and pointed towards Carmila's territory, and her heart skipped a beat. The Six-Winged angel unsheathed their sword, a gleaming blade that seemed to radiate with celestial light. Carmila knew that this was a sign of judgment, and she braced herself for what was to come. The blade glowed with power.
Such was life, it seemed. Full of unexpected twists and turns, where even the best-laid plans could lead to unforeseen consequences. Carmila's gaze shifted back to the city below, her heart heavy with regret. She watched as the people cheered and jeered, their emotions a tumultuous mix of excitement and fear. It was a stark reminder of the chaos that surrounded her, chaos which she had helped to create.
In the end, she was simply a businesswoman. She had made her choices, and taken her risks, and now she would have to face the consequences. She knew that sometimes in business, one made bad decisions. This was simply one of those times.
Yet, as the light seeped through her surroundings, casting a warm glow as it tore through everything it touched, Carmila dared to pray. It was a silent, desperate plea to a higher power, a plea for mercy and forgiveness. She knew that her fate was sealed, but perhaps, just perhaps, there was still hope for her daughters.
Hopefully, Zestial would take good care of them.
✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
As the Pride Ring lost two of its overlords, the upheaval went unnoticed by most. Those who did witness it either didn't care or were too absorbed in their own affairs to pay it much heed.For the real spectacle was unfolding elsewhere, in a clash of titans that shook the very foundations of Hell.
The dark night of the Lust Ring was illuminated by explosions and lightning bolts striking the sky. The camera focused on Adam fighting Four of the Rulers of Hell. Lucifer summoned several magical circles that unleashed red beams towards Adam, who was flying towards him. Adam opened his mouth, and a massive torrent of golden flames rushed toward the beams. The attacks collided, and Adam's flames blasted through the red beams. Lucifer teleported out of the way just in time.
Beelzebub appeared from a burst of light above Adam, her massive claws cocked back. She slammed them down, but Adam's forearm came up, blocking the attack. Even suspended in the air, he didn't budge. He pushed his arm up and grabbed Beelzebub's limb, twirling her massive form several times before hurling her to the ground.
In her descent, Beelzebub twisted and released a gray beam of light upwards. Adam's chest expanded, and he opened his mouth with a short roar. The shockwave drove Beelzebub's beam back toward her, forcing her to teleport away at the last second, her body turning into sparks.
Lucifer reappeared, casting a spell that summoned chains of light to bind Adam. But Adam broke free with sheer strength, charging at Lucifer with relentless speed. He tackled Lucifer mid-air, sending them both crashing into the ground below.
The two ancient beings dragged through the city floor as they crashed, Lucifer's limbs flailing as he tried to get the First Man off of him. A clawed hand dragging across Adam's face, trying to gouge his eyes, was quickly seized between Adam's teeth. With a growl, Adam bit down and pulled his head back, tearing Lucifer's fingers off.
A gurgled scream was released from the Fallen Angel's mouth, only to be silenced as Adam's palm smashed into his face, driving his head into the cracking ground. In a vice-like grip, his fingers drawing blood from Lucifer's temple, Adam raised Lucifer's body into the air. the denizens of hell saw the Head Exorcist's mouth move, yet the words he uttered were unheard as the camera's sound receptors glitched momentarily. A grey circle dozens of meters wide appeared on the ground. The trapped king's limbs began spazzing and twisting.
" "F̴͕̪͚̘̤̽̑̂ą̶̧̡͉̠̞̱͙͇͚̯͇̂l̶̡̢͕̹͉̬̼̜̰͔͐͐̊̒̄̿̏̕ͅl̷̛̮͇͕̣̇͒̎̓͌͐̾̃̋̓͘.!"
With a roar, Adam smashed his leg into the ground and brought his arm holding Lucifer down. The king's body slammed face-first into the floor with enough force to shake the entire Lust city. A shockwave traveled outwards, reducing the surrounding structures to dust.
Adam let go of Lucifer's head, and the latter attempted to stand, only for the gravity magic within Adam's territory to keep him planted on the ground. Adam's hand pummeled into the back of Lucifer's head as his knee pressed on his back while the other settled on his left thigh. Adam's fingers circled around the base of Lucifer's wing. "Are you keeping count, Lucifuck?" Lucifer struggled ferociously and violently beneath Adam's unyielding grip. His wings thrashed, and his claws scratched at the ground, desperately seeking any leverage. Adam let out a crude chuckle, his eyes gleaming with a predatory satisfaction. The First Man's grip tightened, drawing blood from Lucifer's temple as he pressed him further into the shattered ground.
"Get him off me!" Lucifer's hoarse voice erupted in a frantic yell, desperation coloring his usually commanding tone. The plea echoed through the chaos, reaching the ears of the other Sins.
In a flash, the three remaining Sins responded, their forms blurring as they rushed toward Adam. Beelzebub's massive wings beat the air, generating gusts that sent debris flying. Asmodeus's elegant form shimmered with dark energy, and Satan, in his formidable black dragon form, charged with a thunderous roar.
Yet, as soon as they stepped into the grey ring encircling Adam and Lucifer, an unseen force seized them. Beelzebub's body slammed into the ground with a bone-jarring thud, her momentum halted as if she'd hit an invisible wall. Her claws scrabbled against the surface, but the weight of the force pressing her down was too much to overcome.
Asmodeus caught mid-leap, crashed down beside her, his lithe form pinned by the same oppressive force. His eyes widened in shock and fury, dark tendrils of energy writhing around him as he struggled to break free. Each attempt was met with even greater pressure, forcing him deeper into the ground.
Satan, the most physically imposing of them all, was brought to his knees. His dragon form, usually a symbol of unmatched power, was now pushed onto all fours. His claws dug deep furrows into the earth as he fought against the crushing gravity. Lightning crackled around his jaws, but even his elemental fury seemed muted within the confines of Adam's territory.
"Pathetic," Adam growled, his voice resonating with an eerie calm amidst the chaos. He twisted Lucifer's wing, eliciting a howl of pain from the Fallen Angel. "Is this the best Hell has to offer?"
Lucifer's eyes blazed with a mix of rage and agony, his struggles growing weaker as Adam's grip remained unbreakable. The other Sins, trapped and powerless, could only watch in helpless fury as their king suffered.
Beelzebub let out a guttural snarl, her muscles straining as she tried to push herself up. The ground beneath her cracked, but the force held firm, refusing to yield. Asmodeus's eyes narrowed, focusing his energy into a single, concentrated burst. Shadows exploded around him, only to be swallowed by the oppressive grey ring, their power dissipating into nothingness.
Thumb
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Satan's roar of frustration echoed through the night. His tail lashed out, smashing into the ground in a futile attempt to break the enchantment. Sparks flew, but the grey ring absorbed the impact. His bones creaked in protest as his muscles tore and blood pooled, his black scales painted with a golden hue.
"Oh?" Adam let out a small, impressed laugh. "That's right. Try harder, you can do it."
Satan's eyes burned with fury, his massive form straining against the invisible weight. Every muscle trembled as he pushed against the force holding him down. Blood seeped from between his scales, dripping onto the cracked ground below. He let out another cry, more primal and desperate, his claws gouging deep into the earth step after agonizing step.
With each laborious movement, the ground beneath Satan cracked and splintered. His breath came in ragged gasps, yet he continued to push forward, driven by sheer determination and rage. Finally, he was within striking range. The Wrath of Hell raised his arm, muscles bulging as he brought it down with all his might, his rage and the Gravity enchantment fueling his strike. His claws, each the size of a grown man, lunged towards Adam.
For a split second, time seemed to freeze as the talons struck the First Man's frame.
And shattered.
The sound of breaking bones and snapping claws reverberated through the air. Satan's eyes widened in shock as he felt the force of the impact travels back through his arm, splintering his own bones. Pain radiated up his limb, and he let out a bellow of agony. His once mighty talons, now reduced to jagged stumps, dripped with his blood. Adam smiled.
With a final, savage twist, Adam ripped one of Lucifer's wings from its socket, the sound of tearing flesh and bone echoing like a death knell. Lucifer's scream was a mixture of agony and defiance, a primal sound that reverberated through the battlefield. Blood spurted from the wound, painting the ground beneath them a bright yellow. Two wings left.
Despite the searing pain, Lucifer refused to yield. With a desperate surge of energy, he lashed out at Adam, his remaining wings flaring with dark power. The air crackled with energy as he unleashed a torrent of dark flames, aiming to engulf his opponent in a blaze of destruction.
Adam, however, was prepared. With a swift motion, he summoned a barrier of golden light, shielding himself from the inferno. The flames licked at the edges of the barrier, but they could not penetrate its divine protection. "Repel!"
The grey circle ceased to exist, and the Four Sins were blasted in different directions away from Adam. The sudden disappearance of the grey circle caught the Sins off guard. Asmodeus, Beelzebub, and Satan were thrown backward by an unseen blas, their bodies tumbling through the air before crashing into the ground with bone-crunching impacts.
Lucifer, however, managed to steady himself mid-air, his remaining wings beating furiously to keep him aloft. Lucifer conjured up a pair of short blades wrapped in a crackling purple miasma. He lunged at Adam, aiming to strike, but each clash sent him staggering backward. With every clash, Adam's relentless assault drove Lucifer back, his blades unable to find a solid hit against the First Man's arms, barely scratching skin. Lucifer's frustration grew as he struggled to keep up with Adam's overwhelming strength and speed, his attacks becoming more desperate as he tried to find an opening.
Adam's fists clenched and his forearms were suddenly surrounded by golden chains as he smashed into the swords, breaking them to pieces. Lucifer barely had time to react before Adam's fist slammed into the side of his head, disorienting him. He tried to counter, but Adam's next words stopped him.
"Repel!"
Lucifer quickly brought his arms up in a crossguard, spreading his wings to brace against the expected blast. But to his surprise, no blast came. It was a feint.
Before Lucifer could recover, Adam's fist hammered into his stomach, forcing blood from his mouth. Adam's relentless assault continued, his fists and knees striking Lucifer's body with bone-crushing force. With a vicious grip, Adam grabbed Lucifer's head and smashed it into his own again and again, until the second horn broke.
Adam's knee slammed into Lucifer's abdomen with bone-crushing force, launching him into the air. But Adam was not finished. Before Lucifer could move away, Adam grabbed the Fallen's tail and began twirling the two of them with incredible speed. The air around them whirled and howled as their bodies became a blur, creating a tornado effect that ripped through the area.
With a final, powerful twist, Adam released Lucifer, sending him hurtling through the air. Lucifer's body sailed across the Lust Ring, crashing into buildings and leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. As he collided with the ground, a massive shockwave erupted, shaking the entire city and sending debris flying in all directions.
With a grin, Adam launched himself after Lucifer, the sound barrier shattering like glass as his form sailed across the Lust Ring's sky. But before he could even cross half the distance, his momentum vanished, and his body was forced to halt abruptly. Adam gritted his teeth as his muscles protested in ache at the sudden stop, the sheer force of his speed and power turning against him.
As he hovered suspended in the air, Adam spotted a pair of massive yellow eyes hovering in the air next to his body, rooting him in place. He followed the energy trail and found Asmodeus atop a distant building, his eyes glowing a similar color.
Before Adam could react, Beelzebub slammed into him, driving him down. Adam crashed through the mountainside, the earth and rocks exploding around him as he was driven deeper into the earth. Beelzebub's strength was formidable, and Adam struggled to break free from her grasp as the Yellow Eyes remained trailing him. With a roar, he unleashed a wave of golden energy, forcing Beelzebub back momentarily.
Using this brief respite, Adam pushed himself up, his muscles straining against the force pinning him down. He launched himself at Beelzebub, their bodies colliding with tremendous force. The impact created shockwaves that rippled through the surrounding landscape, shattering the ground beneath them.
As they grappled, Beelzebub's torso shifted into a honey each time he attempted to grab her, her body hardening again for mere moments a blur of motion as she unleashed a flurry of attacks. Adam countered each blow with precision, his movements fluid and calculated. Yet due to his speed and much smaller side, Beelzebub could not land a decisive blow against the First Man. Adam jumped slightly off the ground, baiting her into a hit which she took wholly.
Her form stabilized as she struck with claws joined aiming to pierce him. The claws grazed his body, and time slowed to halt for Queen Bee. As Beelzebub's claws grazed his body, drawing blood, time seemed to slow for Queen Bee. One moment, her attack was on target, the next, Adam was next to her face, his eyes glowing.
With a lightning-fast movement, Adam grabbed Beelzebub by the arm and swung her around with incredible force. She cried out in pain as he slammed her into the ground. In a swift and brutal motion, Adam thrust his hand forward, driving it through Beelzebub's massive eye. She let out a guttural scream of agony as Adam's hand pierced through the eye socket, his fingers gripping the bone inside.
With a savage twist, Adam yanked his arm back, pulling Beelzebub's head back with it, her body following the motion as he brought her down with bone-shattering force. Beelzebub lay sprawled on the ground, her body reverting to its normal form. She gasped, clutching her injured eye, pain etched on her face. Each breath was a struggle, her chest heaving as she fought to stay conscious. Meanwhile, Adam loomed over her, a menacing figure, his foot poised to strike. With a swift stomp, he crushed her chest, cracking her ribs.
Beelzebub let out a final, anguished cry before her body went limp, overwhelmed by pain and exhaustion. Adam watched her for a moment, a grim satisfaction flickering in his eyes.
The clearing fell silent, the only sound the ragged breathing of the fallen demon. Adam turned away, leaving Beelzebub behind. His gaze fixed on Satan in the distance, and with a pointed finger, he declared:
"You're next."