Ardent had descended into chaos.
The bustling city could now only display a shadow of itself. Smoke rose from shattered buildings. Shattered remains of carts and stalls filled the streets, mixed amongst the rest of the rubble. Citizens fled in every direction, with the city guards attempting to guide them as they desperately searched for a safe haven from the sound of manic laughter and collapsing stone that echoed throughout the city.
At the centre of it all was a demon revelling in his first taste of freedom in years.
Atop a crumpled shop, Caelus stood, his damaged cloak fluttering in the wind, and examined the destruction sweeping over the city far from him.
He closed his eyes.
The world around him changed.
In the darkness, every trace of mana around him became a presence he could perceive and follow. The faint grey signatures of citizens and guards flickered throughout the city, while residual traces of magic hung around the destruction like smoke.
Then he 'saw' it.
A vast, turbulent mass of orange mana surged through the streets, moving with little regard for anything that stood in its path.
"Found you." Caelus muttered to himself
He focused further, searching the surrounding area for possible casualties.
Two familiar signatures appeared amidst the darkness: Mira and Elise.
From what he could tell, both ladies were moving away from the epicentre of the destruction, with more grey signatures surrounding them as they were helping civilians in the area.
Caelus let out a small sigh.
"At least they're both okay."
He could now dedicate all his focus on the demon. He couldn't help but note the pure bestial nature of Larfrei's immense mana. It spilled everywhere around the demon radiating something akin to an insatiable hunger that wished to consume everything it could.
Caelus opened his eyes.
"Let's get your attention, then."
He let his body relax for a few seconds.
The air around him trembled.
A wave of power surged forth from his body, spreading across the rooftops and rolling through the streets below. Dust lifted from the ground. Loose debris and stone fell. All who could sense mana, even those with a rudimentary sense for it, could feel the dense presence that suddenly filled a quadrant of the city.
Not only had he finally stopped concealing his mana, it was an announcement to all that recognised it: Star Child had truly returned.
On the other side of the city, the demon came to an abrupt stop.
The twisted blade in his hand lowered, as he turned to a province he already razed. Silence shortly fell over as his glowing orange eyes focused on the mass of mana in the distance.
Then his grin returned.
"Oh? Now that is interesting."
He slowly stepped in its direction, laughter creeping out.
"You've finally bared your fangs, have you now, Star Child!?"
Larfrei threw his arms apart. Objects from the surrounding streets vanished, drawn into his Vault before he set them behind him, emerging from the air like a collection of weapons awaiting their master's commands.
"I accept your challenge!"
Caelus raised his hand, using his fingers to pinpoint the demon's exact position.
The familiar sensation of mana flowed through his body.
He began to chant.
"O Heavens that guide all creation,
Lend me the wind's swiftness and, like birds and thieves, the freedom of the sky
I call upon the power of the divine messenger—
Mercurius!"
The air around him compressed.
For an instant, nothing happened.
Then Caelus disappeared.
The rooftop beneath him cracked from the force of his departure.
He crossed the distance between buildings in a blur, his cloak billowing behind him as the world rushed past. Stone walls, broken windows and deserted streets became no more than fleeting shapes in his peripheral vision.
Within moments, he had reached Larfrei.
The demon barely had time to look up.
Caelus appeared above him and swept his legs through the air, delivering a kick to his head to anchor himself before following up with a brutal kick to his ribs.
The impact launched Larfrei across the street, sending him crashing through the remains of a stone wall.
Dust erupted into the air.
Caelus landed lightly, his boots scraping against the stone path.
"That's some payback, at least." he exhaled
Larfrei emerged from the rubble, a hand pressed against his side.
For the first time since he took over Dante's body, his grin turned into caution.
"What the hell was that?!"
Caelus straightened his posture, dusting off his cloak at the shoulders.
"Mercurius."
"You know that's not what I'm asking, you bastard!"
Larfrei's orange eyes narrowed.
"We've battled before. I've seen you on multiple missions through the knight's eyes, tearing through enemies with that damned blade of yours, yet I never once saw you use that spell."
Caelus smirked.
"Guess I got some cards up my sleeve."
Larfrei's expression twisted.
"You think this is amusing?"
"Not really." Caelus slowly readied himself into a stance, "But I am enjoying the look on your face."
For a moment, neither moved.
Larfrei's laughter returned, this time quieter and piercing through the silence.
"Very well, Star Child. I will find out what else you've been hiding."
From the shelter of a nearby building, Elise cautiously peered around the corner, staring at the two figures.
Mira stood beside her, one hand pressed against her injured side. Caelus' healing magic had repaired her ribs and restored much of her strength, but helping the civilians to safety left some lingering exhaustion.
"That spell he just used..." Elise muttered
"Mercurius." Mira answered
"What kind of magic is that? I've never seen anyone move like that before."
Mira followed Caelus with her eyes as he and his foe circled each other in the street.
"That's because it's not ordinary magic."
Elise turned towards her.
"What do you mean?"
Mira collected her thoughts.
"Caelus called what he uses Star Magic. It's a form of Ethereal Magic. Those types of magic are typically rare and more like innate abilities. Pretty much, it's because he's Star Child."
"Star Child..." Elise repeated, "What does that title even mean?"
"Hell if I know," Mira sighed, "I don't think Caelus himself fully knows. If you want a clear answer, the closest thing I got is what the elder knights used to say. They told me that Star Magic lets him call on the gods. I don't fully get how it works myself, Caelus isn't deeply involved with any churches."
Elise looked back to the street.
"And why did Larfrei mention his sword?"
"For the longest time most of us thought that his blade, Stella, was what allowed him to use magic so masterfully. But if he doesn't need it, I'm sure we'll see what he can pull off now."
They shifted their focus back onto the ensuing battle.
Larfrei lunged.
His twisted blade swept towards Caelus' neck, but he leaned aside, allowing the blade to pass within inches of his face.
Caelus quickly countered with a strike to the demon's gut.
Larfrei staggered, only to retaliate with a brutal kick that Caelus caught on his forearm. The impact drove him some metres backwards.
"You're faster than before," Larfrei admitted, his voice filled with mockery, "But that speed won't be enough to save you."
"Don't get caught up on one change," Caelus raised his guard, "Try to keep up."
He clenched his fists in his stance. Mana began flowing to his hands, this time evoking a warm sensation. Heat was emanating from his fists as he charged up mana.
"What exactly are you doing?" Larfrei asked as his expression slowly unravelled.
He started another chant.
"O Heavens, illuminated by the eternal flame of the divine forge,
Let your sacred fire answer the will of your chosen hand,
Burn not the iron, but what I deem impure,
I call on the power of the divine smith—
Vulcan!"
From his fist, the flame surged.
The flame flowed over his knuckles, wrapping his fists, burning with an unusual brilliance, its glow like an orange flame with the metallic sheen of silver.
For a brief moment, the surrounding street was bathed in its radiance.
Caelus moved.
His first punch struck Larfrei across the jaw, sending the demon stumbling sideways. A second blow drove into his abdomen, followed by a third downward strike that forced him to brace himself.
Each impact kept intensifying the burning Larfrei felt. Each hit hurt more than the previous.
The demon retaliated with a sweeping leg, but Caelus simply leaped over it and sent a kick to his face, quickly shifting the flame from his fists to his leg.
Larfrei was hurled backwards.
He crashed into the remains of a building, stone crumbling around him as if it were his cushion.
Silence followed.
Caelus stood in the street, the flame moving back up to his hands.
Larfrei slowly stood back up and looked down at himself.
"This body..." The demon's expression darkened, "Aren't you worried about the knight? All your attacks are doing more damage."
Caelus raised his hands, flames dancing.
"This is a divine flame," Caelus replied, "perfect for a demon like you. Not only that but I can decide who it hurts."
He resumes his stance.
"Understand, I'd never want to seriously hurt Dante."
For a moment, Larfrei remained still.
Then his face contorted with rage.
"How dare you speak as if this body is yours to look over?"
Orange mana erupted from him.
Caelus watched calmly without flinching.
"The knight is my vessel! My possession! Don't you ever claim my possessions!!"
The demon charged forward.
His blade came down with a brutal swing, but Caelus met him head-on.
Fist and sword clashed again and again, sending shockwaves through the street.
Larfrei struck again.
Caelus countered.
Attacks continued coming, each one more ferocious than the last. But Caelus kept his composure. He ducked under a horizontal slash and followed up with a short punch to Larfrei's gut, divine flame searing on impact.
Larfrei recoiled, snarling.
"You bastard!"
"You're getting predictable." Caelus said monotonously
"Silence!!!"
The demon unleashed a wild flurry of attacks, each swing tearing through the air. Caelus weaved through each of them with measured steps, parrying what he couldn't dodge and taking advantage of any opening that showed itself.
The longer the exchange carried on, the more Larfrei's composure deteriorated—his attacks became heavier, faster and increasingly reckless.
Caelus noticed as he slipped past another swing and struck the demon's side.
Larfrei staggered away, his breathing ragged.
For a moment, he simply stared at Caelus. Then he began to laugh.
"You think you've won, have you?"
Mana surged from his body once more.
The surrounding debris trembled as he rose from the street, levitating from the ground.
"If you insist on playing the hero, allow me to show you what happens when you oppose a Demon Lord."
The air around him distorted.
Crates, weapons, ornaments, jewellery and countless other treasures emerged from thin air. Some glimmered with precious metals; others were old relics with unrecognisable origins. They gathered around him in an enormous, swirling mass.
Caelus watched the collection expand.
Larfrei spread his arms.
"Everything I claim becomes mine. Everything that is mine can become a weapon. This is what forms my Greed's Vault."
The objects began to spin faster.
"Now Star Child..."
His grin returned.
"Taste my Voracity!!"
The entire collection shot forward.
The street disappeared beneath a storm of treasures. Blades, statues, metal ornaments and chunks of stone tore through the air, converging on Caelus from every direction. He stood motionless for a fraction of a second, observing the trajectory of the incoming objects.
Then he smiled.
"Impressive."
The weapons of Voracity rushed down towards him.
Caelus looked up.
"Mercurius."
Mana surged through his body.
He moved.
The first object struck the ground where he had been standing, shattering the cobblestones.
Caelus was already above it.
His foot landed on the flat surface of a flying shield, and he pushed off, changing direction midair.
A sword passed beneath him. He stepped onto its broad side, used it as a foothold, then sprang toward a spinning metal ornament.
"What?!" Larfrei's eyes widened as he barely noticed the blur that was Caelus
He leapt again. Every object became a stepping stone, every trajectory a new opportunity. The demon's attack, designed to overwhelm his opponent through sheer numbers, had inadvertently filled the air with platforms for Caelus to accelerate.
"Dammit!"
Larfrei inclined the barrage as fast as he could. The objects shifted course, attempting to surround Star Child. But he was already moving beyond their reach.
He crossed the final stretch in a blur of pale light.
Larfrei barely managed to raise his arms.
Caelus appeared directly in front of him.
For a brief instant, their eyes met.
"I told you," Caelus said quietly, "try to keep up."
His fist drew back, the divine flame of Vulcan erupting into a greater blaze around his knuckles.
Then he struck.
The impact sent a brilliant flash across the ruined street.
Larfrei's body was driven downwards, eyes rolling back into his skull. The treasures suspended around him scattered instantly, their momentum carrying them through the city's destroyed rooftops before they vanished back into Greed's Vault.
The shock wave swept through the district.
Then, at last, the city fell quiet.
Caelus landed on the street, knees bent slightly to absorb the impact.
He waved off the flames from his hands.
"That should do it." he muttered, letting out a slow breath
As the dust cleared, Caelus looked toward where Larfrei had landed, fully expecting the demon to rise again. All he could see, was Dante's crumpled body, his black hair waving in the breeze.
The Demon Lord had gone back to his cage.