My apologies for the delay, but I was working on a series of several chapters that is leading up to a another suprise climax. The next chapter will be posted shortly after I do a series of editing.

The group of Nephilim and Angels are caught by suprise as a force of Demons commence an attack in the early hours of the morning...but it is merely a distraction.

Chapter 20: The Incubi's Snare

It wasn't even morning, and yet the horses fidgeted, snorting and huffing while clopping their feet heavily into the ground beneath them. Both Conquest and Desolate meandered sporadically to the commotion nearby before a frantic War entered into the camp with sword in hand, but without his armor.

"TO ARMS!" he shouted, quickly assessing the situation as a sullied but composed Pandemonium released his flail to his side.

"Get up you lugs!" Pandemonium shouted. His booming voice reached the vicinity where some of Angels took up for the night, causing them to rise with their swords released from their sheaths.

The sudden outburst soon alerted the others nearby, despite not being entirely coherent.

"Bah, what's that boy doin' now," Ulthane began until a sudden familiar shriek pierced his ears, "…ack! Those confounded hellions!"

Quickly getting up before snatching his hammer, he yanked Strife to his feet,

"Get up boy…we're goin' ta be in a scuffle here, real quick," Ulthane shook him.

Strife's weary gaze peered through the faceplate, somewhat stumbling in place, and although the strength in his legs were fickle, he was still able to grip Mercy in hand with poise. Fury on the other hand, was more frantic.

"Get up, Angels…move quickly!" she persisted, suddenly reaching for her illuminating whip.

Haamiah was the first to acknowledge the alert, but as time was racing fast against them, so were the Succubi as they entered the scene, their voices screeching like banshees. The other Angels sprang to their feet, their wings still folded.

"Swords of Eden…commence attack!" Haamiah roared.

Although they lacked the protection of their armor, they were a bit more limber without it. Two immediately took flight to counter attack from the air, but they were soon noticed by the oncoming Succubi.

"Bring down those squawking cherubs," one of them spat. It wasn't long before a smaller, but more agile Succubus leapt to bring one of them down, grabbing him by his legs.

"Gah," the Angel shrieked, feeling her claws sink into his leg. The combination of his weight and hers soon yanked him back to the Earth.

The Succubus managed to hop back onto her legs before the Angel could, but as she proceeded to strike him, the Angel quickly speared her in the gut with his plasma sword. The crimson flow came rushing out, spilling onto the ground beneath them as the Succubus writhed and thrashed in agony until her blood emptied and her body went still. He pushed her off of his sword with his boot until she slumped backwards and onto her own pool of blood.

The victory over the smaller Succubus was soon short-lived as more Succubi entered the fray. They were the shield maidens of Hell, branding leather straps across their bosoms and chainmail draped over their hips. Their skin was thick but not entirely impenetrable, but the one thing they had that the Incubi lacked was the ability to slither into the tightest of situations due to their lithe frame. This gave them the advantage to mate in some of the most uncompromising arrangements, further expanding their ability to seduce and mate with whomever and wherever they came across, and then killed them shortly after they accomplished procreation. It was this same ability that made them incredibly problematic to combat within enclosed areas, such as the forest. Their ability to dash with ease between the trees made the situation grave.

Gnashing their rigid teeth behind satiated lips, the Succubi advanced without waiver. But before they could strike the nearest grounded Angel, Ulthane managed to drop his Hammer to the Earth, consequently rattling the ground beneath them. Although the grounded Angels had to brace themselves to combat the tremors, the Succubi stumbled over the quake.

"Aha! Take that you hellion wenches!" Ulthane jeered before lifting his Hammer to knock the nearest fallen Succubus to the side, sending her flying across the terrain before she impaled several trees in the process.

"Quick! Take them out before they revert back into formation," Haamiah bellowed over the fray. He knew that the Succubi were quick on their feet and would resume their battle arrangement.

Within moments, a lighter but faster Succubus managed to leap onto Haamiah's back, and began clawing at him.

"Ack," he shrilled, using his wings to shield his head and neck from her assault. Twisting and shaking, Haamiah slammed his backside to the nearest tree, ramming her hard into the callous bark in hopes to get her off, but she was resilient.

"Get…this damned, demon off of me," he shouted, flinching from the she-demon's thrashing. Within moments, something whizzed past Haamiah's head, followed by gurgling gasp and a blood splatter that drenched Haamiah's hair and wings.

The commanding Angel finally managed to push the Demon off of him, throwing her limp body to the wayside. Bringing himself back up, he soon noticed the smoking barrel of Strife's gun, Mercy, held firmly in in the Nephilim's hand, despite his drunken state, still pointing to the lifeless Succubus.

"Are you…amiable?" Strife managed to stagger as he approached the blood drenched Angel.

"For now, I can at least still wield a sword," Haamiah responded honestly. He did not rely on the condition of his frayed wings, but he still had enough vigor to summon his plasma shield and sword, "…these instruments are enough to rip these she-beasts into shreds without flight."

Within moments, the Angel and the Nephilim stood back to back the moment they heard the Succubi's war cry. More had just ventured into the arena.

"Damn…" Strife mumbled, feeling his head aching from the wine, but was still able to reload and brace his weapon without pause.

"Keep firing, Nephilim…and I'll cover you from this end," Haamiah suggested.

"Works for me," Strife had to agree.

More Succubi entered through the densely packed thicket and into the sparse wooded area where the Angels and Nephilim huddled, bracing themselves for the next assault. Entering from the other side, War managed to bludgeon through the foliage, using Chaoseater to break away the impeding vines and branches.

"Incoming," War bellowed, his voice heard throughout the forest, catching the immediate attention of the nearest three Succubi.

"It's that bastard Nephilim," one of them hissed.

With a quick twist in the wrist, War was able to move Chaoseater with fluidity as he had always moved, bringing his sword on top of some neophyte Succubi, littered in war paint that was charging towards him. Impaling the wretched creature, she gurgled on her own blood until her body went still, exhaling her last breath.

The other two riled in spite, charging in opposite directions to surround the battle-hardened Horseman.

"WAR…TO YOUR SIDE," Strife yelled over the snarling demons.

"That is exactly where I want them, brother," War mumbled to himself, his eyes still fixated on Strife and Haamiah's position.

"What is he doing?" Haamiah panicked, but Strife was poised, for he knew of his brother's ability in battle was superior to that of these fledgling, overcompensating She-Demons.

"Do not fret, Angel. He knows what is coming to him," Strife simply responded to ease Haamiah's awareness.

Standing erect with Chaoseater held firmly, yet effortlessly in hand, War was unflappable, not giving away anything to his enemy. The Succubi approached him quickly with care, knowing this Nephilim had struck down their veteran sister earlier in the week, which hit a malevolent cord in their spirit. They didn't dread him, but they didn't underestimate him either. He is War, and all of Hell had foreseen his reputation as a combatant most worthy of the highest of their competent slayers, and even they were no match to this Nephilim. But like most feral of animals, the younger Succubi were unrefined in their skill, relying on their speed and agile movements to overcompensate their miniscule understanding in battle tactics.

After his last encounter, War knew that the Succubi were superior in their stealth and speed, but he knew these neophyte demons had not quit harnessed the fullest potential in their cerebral abilities either. I can obstruct their telepathic suggestion, he was quick to analyze, unlike that of the previous Succubus he encountered before; which means the Dark Lord is breeding and amassing his army too quickly, and then sending them out with no tactical aptitude to harness their fullest capacity. This may be the ultimate weakness we can exploit to our advantage.

It wasn't long before both Succubi surfaced to finally strike the subtle Horseman. Believing they had the advantage, they grossly blundered the moment they darted on opposite sides toward the Horseman. Stepping back slightly, War swiveled his wrist to his right side as Chaoseater followed, impaling the Succubi to his right while elbowing the left Succubus with his Gauntlet arm. Though he was lacking most of his armor, he still had the Gauntlet attachment, which was constructed of the most sturdiest and resistant of all metal alloys, or at least enough to knock the oncoming Succubus to the ground, leaving her clutching a shattered horn on the right side of her head. Yanking Chaoseater back to his forefront, he swung the massive sword to the other side in a complete circle, finishing off the wailing Succubus, severing her head from the rest of her scaly body.

Bringing Chaoseater back to a ready position, the skirmish was already done. Both Succubi lay lifeless in their own pool of blood, their cadavers now broken and useless before the ever so resilient Horseman of the Apocalypse

Watching the fight unfold from the distance, the veteran Succubus hissed at the Horseman,

"Insolent Nephilim! Your seed will be eradicated, and the Nephilim will be nothing more than a muse for all to dwell in tales!"

She was larger and more sinister in presence than that of the others, which suggested she may have been the matriarch of the group; perhaps even being the matron of the female horde. Although her body was fully voluptuous in build, her solid legs supported the girth in her hips, suggesting that she was agile in moving her weight more proficiently. The horns that riddled her crown was wrapped by the pale strands of her main, braided with precision as shorter strands fell in front of her pointed ears. Her crimson skin was littered in black décor, elaborately winding along her limbs and body, which suggested her age and status. Apparently this Succubus was exceptionally experienced, and had the tactical insight to stir the band of Nephilim and Angels off their guard.

"My offspring…scatter," she signaled to what remained of her squadron. Within moments, her peons flanked from multiple directions. They consisted of other neophytes, aggressive and feral in mannerisms that were more primitive than that of the matron. But their armaments and movements were not the least to be underestimated.

"Take heed…those hags of Hell trespass," Pandemonium sneered, his crimson gaze focused on the encroaching Succubi entering their space.

"Do not let them get into your head," War made a point to warn the others.

"That won't be a problem," Fury initiated, moving into the fray with her plasma-wielding whip, wrapping it around the first Succubus to enter their domain and pull it off to the side. Struggling against the coils of the whip, the Succubus fidgeted, unable to wrap her intellect around the Nephilim's mind. Fury's skill with the whip was superior to that of the Succubus, but the she-demon's agile strength was a force to reckon with. Fury struggled with the demon's thrashing against the coils, so much that the Succubus tugged hard enough to pull Fury to the ground.

"Ugh…Demon whore!" she snarled, feeling the pain after hitting the ground on her side. Suddenly the Succubus released herself from the confines of the whip, yanking them off with her taloned hands. She bellowed with a high-pitch screech, shunning to all those in earshot.

"Shut up, demon hag!" Pandemonium growled, swinging Affliction towards the Succubi's direction. The She-Demon leapt before the flail smashed into the ground, causing debris to scatter aimlessly. Fury was able to move out of the Elemental's way, allowing him to take care of the Succubus while she fervently searched for Strife and War amongst the skirmish.

Although Pandemonium could move the flail rather fluently, the Succubi was faster on her feet than the Elemental was with moving his flail, and she rammed into him with her horned head, causing Pandemonium to stumble backwards.

"Ack," he spat out when he came tumbling to the ground. The she-beast managed to straddle him on his midsection before pressing her clawed hands against his breastplate.

The demon hissed with her forked tongue as it slithered between her jagged teeth, "Resistance is futile, Elemental!"

A dazed Pandemonium could sense her subliminal inclinations trying to provoke him to suggestion, but unbeknownst to the Succubi, this was a game this Elemental too could play, and play it well.

"I don't think so," he growled before he managed to push her off of him by thrusting his hip to one side, bucking her off of his mid-section. Grabbing his shotgun, Suffering, from his side arm, he sat up quickly before the She-Semon could regain her composure. Quickly, he raised the firearm towards the somewhat bewildered Demon and pulled the trigger.

The sudden pop coming from the shotgun startled Fury before another Succubus caught site of the distracted Nephilim. Fury whipped her head around, only to catch a glimpse of the oncoming Succubus, aiming to sweep her off of her feet, but the Nephilim managed to turn just enough to evade the Demon's clutches and thrash her face with her steel claws.

The Demon shrieked as she fell to the ground, clutching her bloody, tattered face in agony. It wasn't long that the Horsewoman's victory over the Succubus was short lived when she felt something yank her head by her burgundy locks of hair and was tossed into a shallow ravine nearby. Tumbling across the gravel and weeds, Fury plummeted to a halt. She attempted to get up, trying to fight the overbearing fatigue but something struck her on the side of her head, causing her sight to dim and her head spin.

A massive Incubus knelt over the fallen Horsewoman, folding her arms behind her back as he hummed a low, grinding moan. A shiver shot down her spine the moment the Demon's groaning could be heard, but she felt too woozy to do anything about it. The creature was twice her size, branding an armor made of iron while his bare, pale blue skin on his exposed arms was littered with scarification.

Feeling the Nephilim's body lax, the Incubus moaned,

"You smell ripe, Nephilim…" he coaxed while releasing his iron belt that sat snug around his hip. The other Nephilim and Angels were too distracted by the encroaching Succubi to notice the squadron of Incubi securing the ravine nearby.

Subtly, the male Demon was able to remove his battle skirt without interruption, releasing his instrument of conception.

"The Horsewoman will be my next whore," the Incubus moaned, licking his chops with his forked tongue before prostrating his body over the inebriated Horsewoman. As he straddled her legs with his own, Fury managed to wake up from his trance. She suddenly began to fidget under the Demon's tight bonds that were holding her wrists in place, trying to kick the Demon off of her, but he pinned her lower body with his own pelvis, thrusting himself between her weakened legs.

"Get off…of me…Demon scourge," Fury was able to muster, angrily fighting against the Incubus' tight bonds, but the Demon was more resilient to her thwarts. She could not buck him off, and the more she tried, the more fatigued she became. This only allowed the Demon to slither himself in place, preparing himself to quickly enter the reluctant Horsewoman.

"Relax rider of the Apocalypse…you might enjoy it," he cooed in between grunts, working to unhinge her chastity bonds as he forcibly held her down under his whim, until a sudden shriek severed his concentration.

"Get off of her, Demon spore," a hideous Plague screamed in a rasping high-pitch screech, ripping through the dense thicket as the branches cracked and crumbled under the Elemental's talons. Within moments, the Incubus wasted no time dismounting the weakened Horsewoman and rerouted his concentration to the oncoming, raging Elemental.

"You will not enter the Horsewoman," Plague snarled before it leapt towards the Incubus. The Demon managed to barely dodge the incoming Elemental, catching one of its claws in the process as it tore a shallow gash into his leg. He snarled in return, gnashing his rigid teeth at the Elemental.

"So you're the Elemental bitch that managed to escape our grasp," he sneered, staring down Plague with his menacing crimson eyes. He was slightly bigger than the previous Incubus that Plague had encountered before, and apparently was more practiced at chastening his victims. It shuddered Plague to think of how many Elemental females fell to this monster, whose sole ambition was to hunt and rape, fill their womb with his unholy seed so he can increase the Dark Lord's army.

"..and I will be your last! Your promenade in this world ends today!" Plague sneered, sparsing its spores past the crustacean barrier of its armor.

The Incubus let out a low chuckle, amused at the Elemental whose size was infinitesimal next to his massive body and brute strength. If there was anything the Incubus found with Plague that was of concern was the porous shell encasing the Elemental's body; a challenge to break open indeed, but it is certainly plausible.

Without delay, the Incubus rushed to his feet to change his strategy against the Elemental of the pestilence, knowing that the creature Plague could easily make his throat swell at a whim. Plague brushed the forest foliage aside with its taloned hands, calling the spores of the Earth to gather around the vicinity. The Incubus acted quickly, letting out a deafening shriek before Plague could fully summon the pathogens nearby, causing a rift between Plague's subliminal communications.

"Ugh…" Plague growled, clutching its head. Fury stirred slightly as the noise entered her ears, causing her to cringe at the earsplitting sound.

"Stop it…" she yelled, but her already weary voice was drowned out by the elongated shrill bellowing from deep within the Incubus' gut, holding it out for an extended amount of time to incapacitate his opponents.

"Enough," Plague shrilled in response, hopping back up and summoning enough vigor to at least swipe its talons at the Incubus, only this time Plague managed to cut into the male Demon's exposed genetalia.

Shortly after pushing the pillaging Elemental off of him, the Demon let out a painful howl before dropping to his knees to clutch his bleeding groin. Plague managed to roll back onto its stomach to prepare for a counter attack, but was pressed for time. Just as Plague managed to get back on all fours again, two more Incubi were already within parameter, crouched and ready to pounce; damnit, where did they come from?

Ignoring the groaning Incubi Plague managed to incapacitate, the others didn't wasted time to divert their attack on the Elemental. One at a time they took a shot at the somewhat dazed Elemental, exchanging blows as they took turns swiping at Plague's shoulders and legs, hoping to weaken the Elemental's limbs. Just as quickly, Plague was able to finally grab one of them by the head with its thorny toes and smack his face into a fallen log nearby. Holding the Incubus' head down with its foot, Plague was able redirect its assault to the other one, whom was already charging in. Stirring the spores that hovered around Plagues organic shell, they dispersed into a fine mist before the other Incubus leapt into it, causing him to cough and gag…but without warning, something suddenly wrapped around Plagues throat and began to tighten, pulling the unsuspecting Elemental to the ground onto its back. Plague struggled against the pressure being applied to the throat, struggling to breathe as the Elemental lost all concentration.

"So how does it feel, creature of the pestilence…" a sinister grinding voice could be heard from behind, "…to have the life choked from you?"

Clutching the coil that was wrapped tight around Plague's neck by trying to pull it off with its clawed digits, the larger Incubus walked up to the fidgeting Elemental. Struggling to fight off the Incubus' bony tail that encased Plague's throat, the mist of spores dissipated, and Plague's grip on the other Incubus' head loosened, allowing him to pull his head from the Elemental's clasp underneath its taloned foot.

Between the deafening shrill, the repeated blows to Plague's limbs and the tight clasp around its neck, Plague lost focus, losing contact with microbes around them. The other Incubus got back up on its feet while the other was still coughing and gagging, panting in between convulsions as it started to hack.

"Quick, remove the mask of Plague…" the larger Incubus ordered the other. With a swift sweep of Plague's legs, the peon Incubus brought the Elemental down and just as quickly, wrapped its arms underneath Plague's arms, keeping the dazed Elemental stationary while trying to remove the mask of Plague, an instrument of the Elemental's mysticism that was said to have a power that many would not have the means to tame.

Struggling against the Incubus' hold, Plague thrashed with its legs, foundering the demons' attempt to remove the "face of Plague." It wasn't long before Plague began to summon the spores once again, and the Incubi rushed to prevent the Elemental from filling their lungs with mucus.

Removing the mask that was clamped to Plague's head, the neophyte slammed it down to the ground so it could revert both its arms to hold the squirming, but weakening Elemental. Plague was no match against the Incubus' acute strength and stopped struggling in futility as the spores departed from Plague's control, releasing the once concealed façade and revealing that of the human once known as Janella. Her long locks of raven strands drooped down, mingling with the sweat that was accumulating on her bare face.

She was panting, cringing underneath the Incubus' grip before he ran his hand along the side of her face. His touch was callous and balmy, but it caused her to quiver, so much that her limbs went rigid. She knew what he wanted and for the first time, she had doubt she may not be able to stop it this time. I've spent too much energy protecting the Horsewoman…but her loyalty to the four was too great a risk, and so she swallowed hard, bracing herself of what was to come.

"Such a remarkable find, and so fierce…your womb will be worth more than tens of thousands of the Dark Lord's armies," the Demon cooed, but before he could advance further, the larger "alpha" of the group gripped the side of her neck, placing pressure against the artery, subsequently causing her to pass out.

"Release her," the large one growled.

"But she is ready to receive…"

Without hesitation, the alpha Incubus struck the neophyte to the side of his horned head, knocking him sideways to the ground.

"The Dark Lord has dominion over this one! She'll not be chastened by your feeble seed," the alpha Incubus sneered. The other Incubi stood their ground, allowing the larger Incubus to gather the comatose Elemental, lifting her flaccid body from the ground and into his fervent brace.

The alpha male began to exit the premises, leaving the infected Incubus behind, while the one bleeding from the groin staggered along, still groaning in pain.

"What of the Horsewoman?" one of other Incubi concurred.

"Leave her. We must get this Elemental to bowels of the Dark Lord. That is our priority."

"And what of the others?"

"Leave them to the Succubi."

"What shall we do with our comrade?" another spoke up in concern for the one lying on the ground coughing violently.

"Leave him…another failed specimen will be eradicated form the Dark Lord's army. Failure will not be tolerated."

…and the alpha quickly exited before the other Nephilim nearby take notice.

In the near distance, a Succubus managed to thwart one of the Angels to the ground, succumbed by the menacing she-Demon's musings.

"Get…this demon whore…off of me!" he hollered, shielding his face from the Succubus' clawed fists, glancing each blow with his gauntlets, but they were wearing down under the Sucubus' relentless thrashing.

She had already pierced his left wing with her tail, immobilizing him from the air while she continued to beat him down, snarling in between blows.

"Feathered, over-righteous bigot," she hissed, "…Heaven will fall into the Dark Lord's bosom!"

As she continued, a whistling bullet pierced the back of her shoulder and then exited through the front. The sudden contact made her falter as she ceased bludgeoning the Angel to clutch her bleeding shoulder, nursing it as best she could. This was the opening the Angel needed to get out from under her dominion as he kicked her leg out from under her.

Within moments, the Succubus was wedged between the lame but persistent Angel and the Horseman Strife, whom was quick to bludgeon the she-beast with a solid right hook to her exposed face. Each took turns to wear her down, keeping her succumbed between them as they dodged her tail and bony fists, but with each strike from the Angel's staff and Strife's assault, the Demon withered under the strain. She howled for help, but the others were indisposed, trying to round up the elusive bunch.

The matron stood from afar, watching her peons succumb to the valor of the Nephilim and Angels, while the Elemental and Old One was just as vigorous.

"Get back ya horned wenches," Ulthane could be heard in the fray, causing the ground to shake with each strike coming from his Black Hammer. Pandemonium was also thwarting the anxious Succubi with his flail.

"You want some more of this, sweetheart?" the Elemental mused, his crimson eyes burning with abhorrence. Between Pandemonium's psychosis hindering the Succubi's neurosis and the overwhelming force of the group, the neophytes were losing their ground. Already they had lost eight of their sisters, with another soon to follow as War managed to evade her snare and strike her down with Chaoseater. Pulling his sword back from the Demon's still body, War peered up to scan for the others.

Where is Fury…he pondered. As the Succubi's numbers dwindled down, the fray was coming to a close. War clutched his right arm, bleeding slightly from a shallow graze he encountered from one of the Succubi. He didn't have time to put on his armor before the assault began, so for the moment, he was somewhat vulnerable; not that it deterred War in any way. He was still as much of a proficient fighter as he ever was, with or without the Abysmal Armor.

The Angels however, looked a bit frayed, but they managed to survive for the most part, intact. They too didn't have the amenity of their armor, but their skill in battle oddly appeared to be more effectual than that of the Hellguard's. Azrael hand-picked his mercenaries well.

Staggering from a slight pull in his groin, Ulthane managed to join up with the others, along with Pandemonium, whom for the most part was rather ecstatic.

"Those bitches have been hunting us for weeks now," he growled, "…it was time they jumped out from the bushes to reveal themselves."

"I do not believe we've seen the last of them," said Strife.

"We haven't," Haamiah added within only moments as another war cry could be heard in the near distance.

"Ack, we've got problems now, boyos," Ulthane groaned as he shifted his weight to accommodate the pulled groin. Haamiah's damp hair was matted to the side of his head, feeling beads of sweat dribble down the back of his neck. His bare torso was without a scratch and his tucked-in wings were still intact, but a long, glanced lesion was exposed under the tear in his lower fatigues. It burned from the Succubus' sweat that entered it, which was acidic to the Angel's delicate epidermis. All in all, the group was in some form of pain.

Strife was the least worn amongst them, despite his drunken state, but even he was beginning to doubt if he would get out of this brouhaha unscathed, if at all. In the distance, they could see the matron Succubus, branding her staff as she lifted it up, howling abhorrently. It was this war cry the group loathed the most, knowing that this Succubus had another wave of Succubi at her whim, ready to embark.

"Looks like we're not quite finished yet," Ulthane was the last to groan, before the "matron" dropped her staff to commence attack.

War meandered through deep thicket that lead into the ravine where the Incubi had taken temporary refuge, only to find Fury gathering herself with only a lone Incubus nearby, lying dead after he finally choked on his own mucus.

"War…" she called out to him, the moment she saw him.

"Are you alright…what happened?" he pressed.

"I'm…fine. The Incubi…they took the Elemental…" she panted, leaning over to catch her breath, "…the Elemental saved me but was taken away. They were ordered to take Plague to the Dark Lord. I could not stop them."

War peered out from within the forest. War knew that the Incubi were quite a force to reckon with. Even he had a hard time with just one, much less several; nevertheless, War's valor knows no boundary. I must get Plague before the Dark Lord does.

"Go with the others. I'll go to find Plague," War ordered.

"But…" Fury began to protest until War intervened.

"Despite being annoyingly loyal, that Elemental has a unique devotion. I cannot, without conscience, allow such a devotion to be dishonored at the hands of those cretins," War explained fervently.

Although normally Fury would protest relentlessly, for once, she let it go and simply nodded in return without rebuke.

"They will need you now, sister," War quickly advised, just shortly before the war cry could be heard from the near distance. Fury whipped her head around to the shrilling noise, knowing that a second wave of Succubi may be in the wake.

"You are more equipped to handle those scaly nags anyway," War added.

"Indeed," Fury could only agree. With that said, the two went their opposite directions without hesitation, knowing that they both were capable of the tasks ahead of them.

War ventured out of the woods to follow the generous trail the Incubi left behind. Despite being without armor, War insistently pursued on without delay. Continuing on foot, War let out a whistle that shrilled out in the air. Suddenly, a massive pyre formed out in front of him as a black, fiery form ventured out of the flames.

As the flames dissipated, the blazing horse of War leapt out onto the surface of the Earth, neighing in its wake. Ruin was reunited with his rider once again, clopping towards a more prudently armored War as he shook his head to greet his rider.

"We must make haste. The Incubi have Plague," War said abruptly as he lifted himself up into the saddle. Ruin anxiously huffed in between snorts, realizing the situation was dire.

Without further delay, Ruin started to gallop, picking up speed with each stride as he follows the Incubi's trail, thinking all the while the terrible things he was going to do to them when he caught up with them…and catch up with them, I will.