It was the shriek that gave away the next attack that Greene dodged, shifting to his right by lowering his upper body. He countered with a left hook, which he enhanced with his Life Essence, causing the Fiend to recoil with a hiss. To his left, he heard another shriek, sounding like a roar intermixed with a primal squeal. He risked a glance in its direction, seeing the Cybernetic woman engaged in her own fight. She was swiping with her arm blade, which her Fiend deflected with its claws, sparks erupting between them.

  I hope she understands the goal isn't to kill them, Greene thought, returning his focus to his Ethero Fiend while summoning more Life Essence to his hands, making them glow. The Fiend eyed him warily, more cautious than it had been before. That was a good sign. It obviously wasn't aware of the caveat that defined his race's power.

  Still, I need to be careful. I cannot keep expelling like this. I probably have 60% left.

  Greene charged forward then, trying to force the Fiend's hand rather than wait to see what it would do. However, as he moved, he noticed a disconcerting smile emerge on its face before its entire body faded. It shimmered into a ghostly black form that was almost spectral as it weaved around him, becoming shadow-like. It circled him, forcing Greene to hold up his glowing arms. He hoped the threat of an imminent counter would ward the Fiend away from a close-quarters attack. The only problem was that he was aware of his disadvantage over it as it regarded him. He was not of its place, and it was supposed to be a creature of myth, of legend.

  Yet here it is, standing among Cybernetics and other creatures that shouldn't exist. What else don't we know?

  He waited for the Fiend to show its hand, knowing that an attack was imminent. The shadow shifted behind him, causing Greene to duck down by instinct and shift to its right side. The move probably saved his life. As he looked above, he saw a silver claw emerge from the shadow, stabbing the air where he had stood just a second ago. Greene summoned the Life Essence in his right arm towards the left, amplifying its power and brightness as its light blue glow turned an almost perfect white. He had now recognised the weakness of the Fiend's shadow form, unleashing his own power in a beam of pure energy from the palm of his left hand. The beam vaporised the Fiend's arm on impact, causing it to revert to its physical form as it screeched in agony, stumbling back before dropping to one knee. Violet blood leaked from the stump, while the Fiend gasped for air, its body convulsing in shock.

  'You gave me no choice,' Greene said, rising to his feet while keeping his distance. The Fiend snapped its head up towards him and snarled in a way that made Greene shiver. Then, in a move that stunned Greene, its snarl turned into the widest grin he had ever seen, causing him to step back in fear.

  'Titanius,' the Fiend hissed, clutching its stump for an arm as it stumbled to its feet. 'Clearly, you have not dealt with my kind before.'

  Before Greene could ask what it meant, the creature stripped away its jacket and threw it onto the ground. Its body possessed hundreds of thick pulsing black veins that ran towards where the arm had once been. A shadow hand emerged from it then, shimmering like a black fire. Unable to hide his horror, Greene watched as the shadow arm formed into a physical one. The Fiend smiled, holding the freshly formed arm in the air.

  'How?' Greene asked, astounded.

  'You believe in one god. I believe in the other,' the Fiend replied. 'They have lied to you too, human slave.'

  'I'm realising that,' Greene said, raising his arms. 'That's why I wish to see Barbatos.'

  'He manipulates you, fool. You are not meant to be exposed to our goddess. You are meant to live in ignorance!'

  'Why? What is it you fear?' Greene asked.

  The Fiend appeared to have no interest in answering him, launching itself towards him with both claws extended in the air, swiping them down in a vicious downward slash. Greene stepped around the Fiend as it completed its attack, summoning Life Essence to both his hands once again. However, this time the Fiend predicted his intention, stabbing one of its hands out towards Greene's path. Had they been a step closer to each other, Greene knew it would've impaled him by its claw, instead of just catching his stomach as he grunted and stepped away. At once the Fiend seemed to sense opportunity, for it launched itself forwards, slashing its claws wildly and catching Greene's arms in the attack. A burning sensation rushed towards his arms, while Life Essence leaked from the wounds the Fiend had inflicted.

  I cannot take any more attacks. My Life Essence will drain even further…

  Yet, the Fiend seemed to eye him more curiously now, ceasing its attack as it allowed its arms to fall by its sides. Throughout its bare upper body, black veins pulsed as it tilted its head, turning its eyes an almost complete black before it smiled.

  'Ah, I see,' it said, relaxing as a thick light blue liquid seeped from Greene's arms. His Life Essence. 'Using your power drains you of your blood. Wounds accelerate this process. You weaken with each second that passes.'

  Greene said nothing, keeping his expression level as he focused on the Fiend. In a move that surprised him, it retracted its claws, allowing four black dragon-like wings to spring from its back. It then reached behind itself and drew out a glistening thin-bladed silver sword with a crimson handle, somehow summoning the sword from thin air.

  'Barbatos will be the death of you, Titanius,' the Fiend said, its expression darkening. 'Should you continue on this path, it will only lead to devastation. Your race is meant to be blind. The great machines cannot rise again.'

  'Great machines?' Greene asked, not understanding. 'What do you mean? What do you know about my race?'

  'The truth,' the Fiend said. 'And how it will ruin us all. Something is changing in Ethero. Her children threaten to rise again, demons long thought dead.'

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  'Demons? Where? What are you talking about?'

  'Your beloved Lieutenant,' the Fiend hissed, sending another shiver through Greene's body. 'One of her children lurks inside him. The one he seeks, he is possessed by one as well.'

  'You mean Lucifer?' Greene asked, his mind scrambling to find connections before settling on one. 'The Hateful?'

  Before the Fiend could answer, its ally landed on the floor alongside it, coughing as its clothes appeared torn. While its partner glanced towards it, its face turned into a sneer. Then Greene turned to see the Cybernetic woman stepping alongside him, breathing heavily and covered in violet blood.

  She glanced at Greene. 'Having fun?' she gasped, before shaking her head. 'That one's a bastard; nasty piece of work.'

  Greene nodded towards her, not sure what had taken place between them. He regarded the two Fiends as the one who faced him reached down to pick up its ally, helping it to its feet. It then returned its focus to Greene and the Cybernetic woman.

  'Leave him. We do not wish to incur the wrath of the Cybernetics. We have no quarrel with your kind.'

  'His kind ain't done anything wrong,' the Cybernetic woman said, holding out her arm blade.

  The Fiend's expression somehow darkened. 'He interferes in matters he should not.'

  'And so do you,' a familiar voice said, causing Greene to glance behind him. There Barbatos approached with a condescending smirk on his face, emerging between them while spinning his sceptre in his fingers. He only stopped once he was past them.

  'Times are changing, my beloved Fiends,' he said, his smirk remaining. 'You all know what must come.'

  'We will not allow it!' the Fiend hissed. 'The oath was sworn!'

  'You said it yourself,' Barbatos replied, turning his eyes towards the Fiend. 'Her children are stirring. It is a premonition.'

  'It cannot be allowed to take place. You of all should know that.'

  Barbatos shrugged, while Greene tried to follow what was being said. There was another conversation taking place here. He gritted his teeth, feeling like a human child being kept away from adult conversation, listening to code and nuance he could never understand in his current state. Still, it was obvious that his return had stirred something. There was a reason they hid themselves from the surface.

  Yet, this all feels like Barbatos planned it. He wanted this conflict. The Fiend was right; he manipulates…

  As though he had read his mind, Barbatos turned and grinned at him, spinning his sceptre once more, causing the emerald orb at its tip to glow.

  'Unfortunately, he is right, my dear Titanius,' he said. He stopped spinning his staff and then aimed it at Greene, who frowned in confusion. Barbatos's smile grew.

  'However, what they do not realise is that the events of today have been shaped by years of history. Everything has trickled and wound towards these moments, towards these seemingly insignificant circumstances, and yet it is all connected. This is the essence of chaos. It is not spontaneous or random. It is cause and effect. Chaos sees order and understands it for the delusion it really is, knowing that it can be broken, that it must be broken in order to facilitate change. This change is what we all fight against, believing that we control chaos's path. However, all we're doing is following along its desired machinations. We obey its laws. We cannot stop it as it herds us towards the inevitable.'

  He paused then, while Greene noticed the silence surrounding them. He glanced around, seeing countless beings of different races, many he had never seen before. Yet, he noticed one thing that united them all.

  The fear with which they regarded Barbatos.

  He then fixed his own gaze on Barbatos, steeling his resolve.

  'Why are you telling me this?' he asked.

  The question caused Barbatos to lower his staff, saying nothing as he regarded Greene with a knowing look before remnants of a smile emerged on his lips. 'Oh, I just like to ramble sometimes. It's good to share what resides in one's mind.'

  'Is that so?' Greene asked, keeping his expression level. 'Or is it a reminder of your power?'

  'If they needed such a reminder, which I doubt they do,' Barbatos began, pointing his staff to the glowing orb above them, 'they need only stare up towards the sun. It's a shame that those on the surface cannot see such a majestic sight. If only we could unveil years of forbidden history and shed magnificent light on the darkness that the Divinity created.'

  Greene said nothing, while Barbatos turned to regard the Fiends again.

  'Or…will the Eternal Mother unveil herself? Complete the painting that bleeds lies with every stroke, always remaining incomplete. It begs the question: Will her children complete the canvas?'

  'Not for as long as we breathe,' the shirtless Fiend snarled.

  Barbatos chuckled to himself, as though the Fiend's words had amused him. 'Oh, how I love those who believe they can alter her path,' he gasped, closing his eyes momentarily. 'If only they understood they are already too late…'

  He then raised his free hand towards the sky as he reopened his eyes, conjuring an orb of fire reminiscent of the great one sitting above them all. Its intense brightness blinded everyone around them, including Greene, causing many to cry out in pain. A thrum vibrated in the air, followed by the sound of burning. The blinding light intensified, leaving only one haunting sound, which Greene recognised.

  Barbatos laughing.

  The burning and the laughter faded away, as did the blinding light. Greene turned to where Barbatos stood, still seeing the blue-skinned sorcerer standing there, lowering his hand. The Fiends were no more.

  'Angels shall rise from the depths of his hatred, while her demons shall fall from the sky,' the sorcerer muttered, turning his attention to Greene and smiling. There was something about that smile that sickened Greene.

  'History shall be revealed, my dear Titanius, but only when events occur as they must. For too long, they have shielded your kind alongside humanity and the Hateful from the truth. Yet, strangely enough, the truth seems to come to you.'