Icca materialized in the underworld with a huge, wicked smile across her face.
Her violet hair swayed as she practically skipped down the obsidian tunnel, humming happily. In her hand she clutched the newly filled vial—
half white, half glowing, swirling with stolen angelic essence.
Cyrus's essence.
The one she had scraped from his cheek and lips after hitting him.
She held the vial to her chest, grinning.
"Ohhhh it worked… it worked so beautifully…"
She looked around the tunnel, making sure no demon, imp, or guard saw her.
Then she ducked into the throne cavern.
Her father—
Satan himself—
sat upon a mountain of black stone and bone, flames curling behind him, horns lit with magma.
He raised a brow as his daughter approached, glowing with excitement.
"Icca," he rumbled.
"You look… pleased."
She giggled like a child.
"Daddy…" she purred, walking right up to him.
He leaned forward, sensing something strange.
"What have you done?"
Icca placed both hands on her stomach.
"Daddy… I have a surprise."
Her eyes sparkled.
"I'm going to make you a grandfather."
The cavern went silent.
Even the flames paused.
Satan rose slowly from the throne, towering over her like a mountain of fire and shadow. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he placed a massive, clawed hand gently over her stomach.
A pulse of immense power answered him.
Raw.
Unformed.
A spark of celestial and infernal potential.
Strong enough to rattle the cavern walls.
Satan inhaled sharply.
"…Impossible."
He lifted his hand, staring down at her.
But Icca giggled, twirling a strand of hair.
"Oh but it's TRUE.
I used your vial, Daddy.
The one you said was too dangerous.
Too powerful."
She ran a hand through her hair, eyes dreamy and wild.
"Mixed it with Cyrus… and now…"
She touched her stomach again.
"I'm carrying a child just as strong as him."
Satan's eyes glowed bright molten gold.
A slow, savage smile pulled across his face.
"My daughter…"
his voice rumbled with pride
"…you have done something remarkable."
Elated, Icca threw her arms around him.
"I know! Isn't it wonderful? He'll LOVE me now. He has to. We're tied forever!"
Satan laughed loudly—
a booming, hell-shaking laugh.
He cupped her face in both hands.
"This child…" he said, voice dripping with pride and hunger,
"…will rival the Celestial Werewolf.
Will rival Elyon's creations.
Will rival the Demonic Angel."
He leaned closer.
"This grandchild of mine… will be a weapon."
Icca just smiled.
"I'm going to tell Cyrus soon," she whispered.
She didn't see Satan's grin twist darker.
Not love.
Power.
Control.
Destruction.
And he wasn't done.
Cyrus stormed through the shelter, determined to find the woman who attacked him.
Except—
He suddenly froze in the hallway.
"…what… did she look like?"
He pressed a hand to his temple.
His memory… was gone. Fuzzy. A blur of color and heat.
Icca's spell.
He didn't know that—
He only knew panic rising in his chest.
He reached the front door—
and stopped.
A woman walked past him.
She wasn't familiar.
Her arms were HUGE, bulging with muscle.
Cyrus stared, blinking.
"…was she always… that shredded?"
The woman didn't even look at him as she passed.
Cyrus looked down at his own arms—strong, flexed.
He snorted.
"Nah. Mine are bigger."
He shook his head, laughing at himself.
Focus.
He walked off, checking the rooms again.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Benjamin stretched with a groan.
Keuirseu copied him, cracking his back loudly.
Matthew and Joseph stretched too—trying to copy whatever the angels did.
Kenna and Big Jim crawled out of the truck yawning.
Destiny, wings glowing gold, flew up toward the heavens to check for news.
But something felt…
wrong.
Benjamin noticed first.
"…Do you hear that?"
Cyrus paused.
"No. I don't hear—anything."
No kids laughing.
No humans cooking.
No whispers.
No crying babies.
Nothing.
Silence like a tomb.
Cyrus rushed to the nearest room—
and froze in the doorway.
His heart dropped.
Bodies.
Every single human lay dead.
Peaceful.
Still.
Eyes closed.
No wounds.
No struggle.
Just… gone.
Cyrus staggered back.
"What happened—?"
Benjamin went numb.
Keuirseu covered his mouth in horror.
Matthew and Joseph stood frozen, weapons limp in hand.
Kenna pushed past Big Jim—
The second she saw—
she screamed.
A raw, primal, heartbreaking scream.
"No… NO—NO—NO!!!"
Her knees hit the ground, sobbing over the nearest family.
Big Jim knelt beside her, face white with shock.
"This can't be real… this can't be real—"
Cyrus stepped outside, unable to breathe.
He felt someone behind him.
He turned—
The muscular woman from earlier stood there, staring blankly into space.
For a moment, their eyes met.
Then—
In one silent, horrifying motion—
she dragged a knife across her own throat.
Blood burst out.
Her body dropped.
Cyrus stumbled back, horrified.
"W–W–WHAT?!"
He knelt beside her, shaking.
"A human? A HUMAN killed them? A human… did this—?"
But no—
This wasn't a human mind at all.
This was Icca's puppet.
The woman's lifeless eyes stared at nothing.
Cyrus felt sick.
Blood Reaper wasn't here.
Destiny wasn't here.
No angels saw it coming.
Cyrus whispered in horror:
"…she used a human to do this…"
Benjamin appeared behind him, face pale.
"How many?"
Cyrus closed his eyes.
"…all of them."
Behind him—
Keuirseu fell to his knees.
Matthew whispered curses.
Joseph punched the wall until his knuckles bled.
Big Jim held Kenna as she shook violently.
The air filled with grief.
Cyrus whispered:
"We failed…"
Benjamin clenched his fists.
"No… someone made us fail."