The Fall of Elfen High (IC, Closed)

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Appropriate.

Ciel nodded. "Alright, that's what I wanted to hear." She told him, before turning to whoever else was inside the library at the time and shouting. "Alright, assholes, you heard the Devil! Let's get the fuck out of here already! Time to get moving, unless you people like your asses extra-crispy." She said, before turning to Daisuke. "You too, Dai. You might only be a robot and not the real thing, but I can still think of better uses for you than as firewood."

Afterwards, still carrying Grace and Lily, Ciel began making her way out of the library, whether the others followed or not.

The group began to leave their current standing place, the spaceship claiming to be the body of God. They went up stairs that Hope had provided as a last measure to help them leave. Doors began to open around the Library for them to exit through.

Crowley was knocked out of these newer memories as Hope's screaming grew out of control. "I can't let her burn." Crowley said, and it was unclear whether it was him or Lucifer speaking. "She may have given up, but I haven't. Start getting out." he ordered, looking at Daisuke and Ciel. "Get everyone the hell out of here now. I'll follow shortly. I can't let my niece die. I'll be out in a few minutes."

Lewis turned away from the seraph to make eye contact with Crowley.

"Oh no ye' don't!" he snapped, leaping into the air and dive-tackling the Devil, "Not your call, Eddie-boy."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Lewis," Megan said, plucking a burning copy of Deuteronomy from the library shelf. She ran it across another shelf, the books of which also ignited.

"Ye' know what it's like to live forever," Lewis growled, "or ye' did, my Crowley did. Ye' can't do that to someone else - no one deserves that."

Crowley turned his head slowly. "My niece is burning." he said simply. "She never got to experience life. She was more or less killed by my own son. I caused this to happen to her." He pushed Lewis off his body. "If your children were dying, burning, and it was because of your actions, what would you do?" he challenged.

He looked at Megan. "If this was Rosalind, burning right now, what would you do? Would you help her?"

Hope's screech was heard. But it wasn't in her heads now. Now a face of a young black girl appeared in the ceiling, the slowly crackling and snapping ceiling collapsing under the flames. "No, uncle! You need to leave! Let me burn here!"

Lucifer, or Crowley, stepped back in sudden shock. "No." he insisted. "You need to be saved. I caused this to happen, I need to right my wrongs-"

"Two wrongs don't make a right!" insisted Hope. "You need to let go, uncle. Father is coming now. He's sensed the fire. He's coming very soon, and you need to leave now-"

The image began to fizzle out. Whether this was because Hope was dead, or because she didn't have the energy to show the imagery anymore, that was unclear.

Just Lewis, Megan and Crowley were left upon the ship. And then it began to move. It started to move upwards, the stairways collapsing. Crowley's expression was dead silent, speaking volumes of loss and shock.

[Agritum]

Appropriate.

Ciel nodded. "Alright, that's what I wanted to hear." She told him, before turning to whoever else was inside the library at the time and shouting. "Alright, assholes, you heard the Devil! Let's get the fuck out of here already! Time to get moving, unless you people like your asses extra-crispy." She said, before turning to Daisuke. "You too, Dai. You might only be a robot and not the real thing, but I can still think of better uses for you than as firewood."

Afterwards, still carrying Grace and Lily, Ciel began making her way out of the library, whether the others followed or not.

The group began to leave their current standing place, the spaceship claiming to be the body of God. They went up stairs that Hope had provided as a last measure to help them leave. Doors began to open around the Library for them to exit through.

Lewis turned away from the seraph to make eye contact with Crowley.

"Oh no ye' don't!" he snapped, leaping into the air and dive-tackling the Devil, "Not your call, Eddie-boy."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Lewis," Megan said, plucking a burning copy of Deuteronomy from the library shelf. She ran it across another shelf, the books of which also ignited.

"Ye' know what it's like to live forever," Lewis growled, "or ye' did, my Crowley did. Ye' can't do that to someone else - no one deserves that."

Crowley turned his head slowly. "My niece is burning." he said simply. "She never got to experience life. She was more or less killed by my own son. I caused this to happen to her." He pushed Lewis off his body. "If your children were dying, burning, and it was because of your actions, what would you do?" he challenged.

He looked at Megan. "If this was Rosalind, burning right now, what would you do? Would you help her?"

Hope's screech was heard. But it wasn't in her heads now. Now a face of a young black girl appeared in the ceiling, the slowly crackling and snapping ceiling collapsing under the flames. "No, uncle! You need to leave! Let me burn here!"

Lucifer, or Crowley, stepped back in sudden shock. "No." he insisted. "You need to be saved. I caused this to happen, I need to right my wrongs-"

"Two wrongs don't make a right!" insisted Hope. "You need to let go, uncle. Father is coming now. He's sensed the fire. He's coming very soon, and you need to leave now-"

The image began to fizzle out. Whether this was because Hope was dead, or because she didn't have the energy to show the imagery anymore, that was unclear.

Just Lewis, Megan and Crowley were left upon the ship. And then it began to move. It started to move upwards, the stairways collapsing. Crowley's expression was dead silent, speaking volumes of loss and shock.

Hilde stared at the collapse of Crowley's niece-library, with a detached frown. She obviously cared more about all the books lost in the fall of the library, rather than Hope's demise. Afterall, she was a non-human, and her melanin levels were quite disturbing, to boot. Luckily, Crowley wasn't around to sense her reaction.

Meanwhile, Grace was now lying motionless in Ciel's grasp, looking at her and at the unconscious Lily with a confused, distressed look.

"...where are we now?" the Liverpudlian asked, with a weak voice.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Appropriate.

Ciel nodded. "Alright, that's what I wanted to hear." She told him, before turning to whoever else was inside the library at the time and shouting. "Alright, assholes, you heard the Devil! Let's get the fuck out of here already! Time to get moving, unless you people like your asses extra-crispy." She said, before turning to Daisuke. "You too, Dai. You might only be a robot and not the real thing, but I can still think of better uses for you than as firewood."

Afterwards, still carrying Grace and Lily, Ciel began making her way out of the library, whether the others followed or not.

The group began to leave their current standing place, the spaceship claiming to be the body of God. They went up stairs that Hope had provided as a last measure to help them leave. Doors began to open around the Library for them to exit through.

Lewis turned away from the seraph to make eye contact with Crowley.

"Oh no ye' don't!" he snapped, leaping into the air and dive-tackling the Devil, "Not your call, Eddie-boy."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Lewis," Megan said, plucking a burning copy of Deuteronomy from the library shelf. She ran it across another shelf, the books of which also ignited.

"Ye' know what it's like to live forever," Lewis growled, "or ye' did, my Crowley did. Ye' can't do that to someone else - no one deserves that."

Crowley turned his head slowly. "My niece is burning." he said simply. "She never got to experience life. She was more or less killed by my own son. I caused this to happen to her." He pushed Lewis off his body. "If your children were dying, burning, and it was because of your actions, what would you do?" he challenged.

He looked at Megan. "If this was Rosalind, burning right now, what would you do? Would you help her?"

Hope's screech was heard. But it wasn't in her heads now. Now a face of a young black girl appeared in the ceiling, the slowly crackling and snapping ceiling collapsing under the flames. "No, uncle! You need to leave! Let me burn here!"

Lucifer, or Crowley, stepped back in sudden shock. "No." he insisted. "You need to be saved. I caused this to happen, I need to right my wrongs-"

"Two wrongs don't make a right!" insisted Hope. "You need to let go, uncle. Father is coming now. He's sensed the fire. He's coming very soon, and you need to leave now-"

The image began to fizzle out. Whether this was because Hope was dead, or because she didn't have the energy to show the imagery anymore, that was unclear.

Just Lewis, Megan and Crowley were left upon the ship. And then it began to move. It started to move upwards, the stairways collapsing. Crowley's expression was dead silent, speaking volumes of loss and shock.

Megan frowned very deeply, "Listen, Al-"

"No," Lewis interrupted, "Don't listen. I'm tired of your self-indulgent bullshit, ye' whiny cunt. This is war; there's no time for grudges, failures, pity or hate. No time for rememberin'. Look, if ye' want to go cry over a dead little angel girl, ye' can do that when ye' don't have your school - and the universe - on the line. She's dead, Al. She's been dead for a very long time. Forget her.

Well, actually, I'm not takin' that risk."

Lewis punched Crowley's head into the metal breast of the ship, very, very hard. The bones in his hand audibly cracked.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Knowing that her place wasn't there above God's body, Ciel was already rushing through the stairs, still with two bodies in tow. It wasn't the most comfortable of ascencions, but she was thankful she could at least carry them without much trouble. She ran upstairs and then began rushing through the opening doors in order to get out of the library, which now burned with the fire of the Seraphim. The cries of pain from the angel girl that was trapped in here were not encouraging, but she ignored them as she ran. If anything, she was pretty sure that she didn't want to be screaming like that, so getting trapped in here wasn't a good idea.

As she ran, Ciel noticed that Grace seemed to be responsive once again, and was looking at her and Lily, asking where they were.

"We're in the library, genius." Was her only reply as she continued heading towards the library's exit. "Can you follow on foot now or do I have to keep carrying you? Because I don't fancy getting burned for having two girls weighing me down instead of one."

[Norvenia]

The bullets cut straight through the Leader, who cried out in pain and joy.

However, it's worth noting that they went through him - in other words, straight towards Calliel.

With a wail, the Leader vanished; that is to say, for a moment, before quickly reappearing behind Daniel. Bleeding profusely and panting heavily, the Leader smiled under his metal mask.

"I like you," he grunted, grabbing Daniel by the collar. He jerked the priest up violently and wrapped both his arms around him, pulling Daniel into a tight bear-hug.

A very tight one, actually; Daniel might find breathing difficult, as well as keeping his spine together.

One great advantage of hard-shell body armor is that it resists compression. A man's body is soft and squishy; his abdomen is given structure by his ribs and sternum, but those bones are at best a scaffolding, and they can easily be cracked. But when a man wears a set of hardshell body armor, all that changes. Instead, he acquires the functional equivalent of an insectile exoskeleton, a carapace resistant to puncture and crushing alike.

Daniel was wearing such armor. Over his dark blue cassock, the priest's torso, shoulders, thighs, and upper arms were sheathed in glinting plates of dark tungsten steel. This ancient-looking armor, emblazoned with a dull bronze chi-rho on the chest and on each shoulder, was lined on the inside with kevlar, with energy-absorbing insulation, and with ultrahard ceramic strike plates. And now, not for the first time, it saved Daniel's life.

The priest tried to turn around as the Android Leader suddenly appeared behind him, but even the Sabbatanos' speed of movement had its limits: before Daniel had completed more than a quarter of his turn, the Android Leader's metallic fingers closed around the priest's collar, and Daniel found himself jerked to his feet. The Sabbatanos' rifle fell from his hands onto the rocks behind which Daniel had been taking cover, and the priest heard the rasp of the Leader's voice in his ear: "I like you."

Then the Android Leader wrapped his arms around Daniel's torso and squeezed.

The priest felt the pressure right through his armor; the cuirass suddenly seemed much too tight, and Daniel could hear kevlar and steel and ceramic creaking and groaning as they struggled to withstand the Android Leader's crushing embrace. I don't have much time, Daniel realized. In another few seconds, those arms are going to crunch through my armor and crush me in half. The thought brought with it no fear, no panic; there wasn't time for any of that. I have to act.

Daniel dropped one hand to his belt. He had given his pistol to Private Wade, and his rifle lay on the ground out of reach; that left Daniel's blades, his sidesword and his dirk. The sword was too long for Daniel to use it with the Android Leader standing directly behind him. But the dirk? The dirk was perfect.

In one smooth motion Daniel drew the long knife - eighteen inches of double-edged tempered steel, sharpened to a razor edge and with a tip like an icicle - flipped it in his palm to take a reverse grip, and drove it backwards with both hands. The dirk's blade passed just under Daniel's armpit, and - unless the Android Leader released his grip or proved invulnerable to the blade - sank a foot deep into the Leader's torso, driving in from the underarm toward the sternum.

Leaving the dirk buried in the Android Leader's body, Daniel dropped his center of gravity, grabbed the Android Leader's left arm with both hands, shifted his footing to plant one boot behind the Android Leader's left ankle, and twisted at the back and hips. The Android Leader might be made of metal and have magic powers, but he was still humanoid: he balanced on two feet, and his center of gravity was in his torso. And that meant that Daniel's motion would have the same effect on the Android Leader as it would on any other humanoid: flipping him off his feet, over Daniel's shoulder, and down onto the pile of razor-sharp rocks behind which Daniel had previously taken cover.

Assuming that all of this went more or less to plan, Daniel took two steps back, and drew his sword - close to four feet of Spanish steel, its swept hilt an elegant swirl of steel bars, its blade three fingers wide at the base and sharp as a barber's razor. The priest swept the blade up in front of his face and then down, in a swift swordsman's salute. And then he stepped toward the Android Leader, and the sidesword turned to a silver blur in Daniel's fist as he launched a furious flurry of blows.

[Nude East Ireland]

Lyra smiled at Death, briefly taking a moment to appreciate how odd the situation was for her to be smiling at Death, before nodding. "Yes, of course, you can keep it, and choose whatever name you want for it. I never personally named it, but you can do with it as you please. It does not speak much, though. I hope you don't mind." She said, before turning to her creature. "Mr. Death is your new master now. Treat him well, alright?" She said to the being, who merely shrieked in response, before walking over to Death's side.

After that, Lyra stepped through the portal, followed by her small army of monsters, and looked around. There was a blonde, armored woman, a man with tinted glasses, and several other rather interesting figures, to say the least. She soon learned, thanks to the words of one of the men present, that she was currently somewhere in South Asia. She also learned that the man with the tinted glasses was called Lewis Jameson. It sounded familiar, but then, if anything, this was probably another instance of him anyway.

"Interesting group you have here." She said, glancing at Death and then at the others, entirely unaware of the irony that this sentence, spoken by the girl with the monster entourage, carried.

"I'm black now," Damien stated blankly. "I used to be a wealthy white British boy from the 2010s. I had sex and used drugs."

He walked over to Lyra. "Damien Seward, at your service. My specialties are anything in the Kama Sutra, as well as several I've come up with myself. I'm sure Death would gladly give us a bed or something. Though he is Death, so maybe a casket? Don't worry, casket sex isn't that bad."

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Appropriate.


The group began to leave their current standing place, the spaceship claiming to be the body of God. They went up stairs that Hope had provided as a last measure to help them leave. Doors began to open around the Library for them to exit through.


Crowley turned his head slowly. "My niece is burning." he said simply. "She never got to experience life. She was more or less killed by my own son. I caused this to happen to her." He pushed Lewis off his body. "If your children were dying, burning, and it was because of your actions, what would you do?" he challenged.

He looked at Megan. "If this was Rosalind, burning right now, what would you do? Would you help her?"

Hope's screech was heard. But it wasn't in her heads now. Now a face of a young black girl appeared in the ceiling, the slowly crackling and snapping ceiling collapsing under the flames. "No, uncle! You need to leave! Let me burn here!"

Lucifer, or Crowley, stepped back in sudden shock. "No." he insisted. "You need to be saved. I caused this to happen, I need to right my wrongs-"

"Two wrongs don't make a right!" insisted Hope. "You need to let go, uncle. Father is coming now. He's sensed the fire. He's coming very soon, and you need to leave now-"

The image began to fizzle out. Whether this was because Hope was dead, or because she didn't have the energy to show the imagery anymore, that was unclear.

Just Lewis, Megan and Crowley were left upon the ship. And then it began to move. It started to move upwards, the stairways collapsing. Crowley's expression was dead silent, speaking volumes of loss and shock.

Megan frowned very deeply, "Listen, Al-"

"No," Lewis interrupted, "Don't listen. I'm tired of your self-indulgent bullshit, ye' whiny cunt. This is war; there's no time for grudges, failures, pity or hate. No time for rememberin'. Look, if ye' want to go cry over a dead little angel girl, ye' can do that when ye' don't have your school - and the universe - on the line. She's dead, Al. She's been dead for a very long time. Forget her.

Well, actually, I'm not takin' that risk."

Lewis punched Crowley's head into the metal breast of the ship, very, very hard. The bones in his hand audibly cracked.

Some blood leaked out of Crowley's head, and he held his hand up to it in surprise. Then he paused. "You're right." he replied quietly. "I apologise. I should have thought of the long view."

He grabbed Lewis and Megan suddenly, and they teleported off the moving ship. They landed next to Daisuke and Ciel. "All of you, come closer." he ordered, as a flaming piece of the ceiling fell down just metres away from him. When the rest of them came closer, Crowley snapped his fingers.

They all suddenly teleported out of the area, finding themselves landing in the cafeteria of Elfen High, where this thing had begun. A portal remained opening, leading into the cave they had accessed the Library and the slave camps from.

Norack and the rest had finished their bizarre Pokemon/Yugioh fusion, and heard the thundercrack sound of Crowley teleporting with the rest of the Library group. Norack entered the school from the portal. "What happened?" he asked.

[Nationstatelandsville]

The bullets cut straight through the Leader, who cried out in pain and joy.

However, it's worth noting that they went through him - in other words, straight towards Calliel.

With a wail, the Leader vanished; that is to say, for a moment, before quickly reappearing behind Daniel. Bleeding profusely and panting heavily, the Leader smiled under his metal mask.

"I like you," he grunted, grabbing Daniel by the collar. He jerked the priest up violently and wrapped both his arms around him, pulling Daniel into a tight bear-hug.

A very tight one, actually; Daniel might find breathing difficult, as well as keeping his spine together.

One great advantage of hard-shell body armor is that it resists compression. A man's body is soft and squishy; his abdomen is given structure by his ribs and sternum, but those bones are at best a scaffolding, and they can easily be cracked. But when a man wears a set of hardshell body armor, all that changes. Instead, he acquires the functional equivalent of an insectile exoskeleton, a carapace resistant to puncture and crushing alike.

Daniel was wearing such armor. Over his dark blue cassock, the priest's torso, shoulders, thighs, and upper arms were sheathed in glinting plates of dark tungsten steel. This ancient-looking armor, emblazoned with a dull bronze chi-rho on the chest and on each shoulder, was lined on the inside with kevlar, with energy-absorbing insulation, and with ultrahard ceramic strike plates. And now, not for the first time, it saved Daniel's life.

The priest tried to turn around as the Android Leader suddenly appeared behind him, but even the Sabbatanos' speed of movement had its limits: before Daniel had completed more than a quarter of his turn, the Android Leader's metallic fingers closed around the priest's collar, and Daniel found himself jerked to his feet. The Sabbatanos' rifle fell from his hands onto the rocks behind which Daniel had been taking cover, and the priest heard the rasp of the Leader's voice in his ear: "I like you."

Then the Android Leader wrapped his arms around Daniel's torso and squeezed.

The priest felt the pressure right through his armor; the cuirass suddenly seemed much too tight, and Daniel could hear kevlar and steel and ceramic creaking and groaning as they struggled to withstand the Android Leader's crushing embrace. I don't have much time, Daniel realized. In another few seconds, those arms are going to crunch through my armor and crush me in half. The thought brought with it no fear, no panic; there wasn't time for any of that. I have to act.

Daniel dropped one hand to his belt. He had given his pistol to Private Wade, and his rifle lay on the ground out of reach; that left Daniel's blades, his sidesword and his dirk. The sword was too long for Daniel to use it with the Android Leader standing directly behind him. But the dirk? The dirk was perfect.

In one smooth motion Daniel drew the long knife - eighteen inches of double-edged tempered steel, sharpened to a razor edge and with a tip like an icicle - flipped it in his palm to take a reverse grip, and drove it backwards with both hands. The dirk's blade passed just under Daniel's armpit, and - unless the Android Leader released his grip or proved invulnerable to the blade - sank a foot deep into the Leader's torso, driving in from the underarm toward the sternum.

Leaving the dirk buried in the Android Leader's body, Daniel dropped his center of gravity, grabbed the Android Leader's left arm with both hands, shifted his footing to plant one boot behind the Android Leader's left ankle, and twisted at the back and hips. The Android Leader might be made of metal and have magic powers, but he was still humanoid: he balanced on two feet, and his center of gravity was in his torso. And that meant that Daniel's motion would have the same effect on the Android Leader as it would on any other humanoid: flipping him off his feet, over Daniel's shoulder, and down onto the pile of razor-sharp rocks behind which Daniel had previously taken cover.

Assuming that all of this went more or less to plan, Daniel took two steps back, and drew his sword - close to four feet of Spanish steel, its swept hilt an elegant swirl of steel bars, its blade three fingers wide at the base and sharp as a barber's razor. The priest swept the blade up in front of his face and then down, in a swift swordsman's salute. And then he stepped toward the Android Leader, and the sidesword turned to a silver blur in Daniel's fist as he launched a furious flurry of blows.

Crack! went the angel's spine against the stone.

"Knives are cheating!" the Android Leader complained, vomiting blood against his metal mask. He grabbed Daniel's oncoming sword with his hands, holding it barely at bay; his strength was sapped.

He found this very annoying.

There was a click! inside the Leader's mask, which only he could hear.

"Sir," a voice whispered in his ear, "The invaders have moved up the mountain. They near the fort."

Fuck.

"Well, that's the end of this," the Leader sighed. He teleported away from Daniel, reappearing a top the barracks. Aziraphale's eyes widened, and he too disappeared.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he boomed, "This was all very fun. But I'm afraid all good things must end."

He raised his hand, talons crackling with electricity.

Poof! Aziraphale appeared behind his future self and snickered.

"What's so funny?" the Leader demanded, turning around.

"That," Aziraphale said simply, pointing upwards.

It was at that moment that the stolen truck, from fifty feet above, crashed down on the Leader's head with a sickening crunch!

"Ow," he groaned, before vanishing from the camp altogether. Aziraphale rubbed his neck absentmindedly.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Lyra glanced at Damien, raising her eyebrows in amusement as he introduced himself and listed his talents, before shaking her head at him.

"Thanks for the offer, it's certainly tempting, but I'll have to decline. We should probably get whatever business I was brought here for over with before moving onto that." She said. Some of the monsters trailing behind her appeared to snicker, looking at Damien. The ones that had eyes, anyway.

"...Unless this is what Death brought me here for in the first place." Lyra continued. "But, I doubt that. Somewhere in South Asia hardly seems like an appropiate place for that."

---

Upon finding herself in the Elfen High cafeteria, Ciel promptly dropped Grace and Lily on a nearby table with little regard for them. It probably didn't help that she dropped the unconscious Lily on top of Grace instead of the other way around. Either way, after that was done, she sat down nearby and let out a sigh of relief, before munching on a cannoli.

At around that time, Norack appeared inside the school, asking what happened. Ciel shrugged. "Oh, you know, the usual. Arson, attempted murder, actual murder, big revelations, meeting up with God... Nothing out of the ordinary." She said.

Alastor, who had been busy arguing with a soldier about how Exodia riding Entei was the best thing since mangos, heard the thundercrash as well, and decided to follow Norack through the portal to acquaint himself with the events that transpired in the library. It wouldn't hurt to know a bit more about his enemies, would it? The time when he would have to lead his armies against the angels was nigh, after all. Thus, he followed the orc through and listened.

"Sounds quite normal." He admitted.

[Astrolinium]

Caspian glanced first at Damien and then at Lyra, and then blinked. He'd been around the block a few times from now, this didn't quite faze him, but, still, there was an awful lot happening all at once.

Wait, wait, Damien Seward? What? asked a small voice in the back of Caspian's head.

Caspian thought back, So?

This is a different man than the one I knew.

Yes, well, he's been reincarnated. Tends to happen.

Forcing himself to grin, Caspian extended his hand to Lyra and said, "I'm Caspian Lawrence, Time Traveler. I'm also more or less completely lost as to what's going on, but then, I'm feeling a bit rattled at the moment."

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Gabriel looked at Lewis. "You...yes, you are a bit lost. You're in South Asia. Elfen High is in Europe. So there is some distance to travel." he paused. "Well, if I recall correctly, at this time and place Elfen High is in Israel. I suppose that when you tried to teleport to it, you ended up teleporting when it moved position, causing everything to go southward." He sighed. "And you are?"

"Yes, well, I figured as much," replied the other man, adjusting his fedora, "Based on my calculations, I can assume quite safely that I entered Elfen High in the midst of transportation; the teleporter, programmed to drop me three feet from the main entrance, probably did not see fit to place me over the Mediterranean. There must be a slight difference in time between our worlds, as I logically should been dropped off to my normal dump zone, that being Amman, which currently resides in your Kabul's place on the Earth's rotation - but, ah! It matters not. You seem familiar with the school, and given its luck, are probably a staff member; as such, might I inquire as to its current location? Or, if you could supply, the current location of one Ciel Strider? She is enrolled in the school."

Gabriel shrugged. "I have no idea." he admitted. "She probably is though. The school's crazy."

[Nationstatelandsville]

"Yes, well, I figured as much," replied the other man, adjusting his fedora, "Based on my calculations, I can assume quite safely that I entered Elfen High in the midst of transportation; the teleporter, programmed to drop me three feet from the main entrance, probably did not see fit to place me over the Mediterranean. There must be a slight difference in time between our worlds, as I logically should been dropped off to my normal dump zone, that being Amman, which currently resides in your Kabul's place on the Earth's rotation - but, ah! It matters not. You seem familiar with the school, and given its luck, are probably a staff member; as such, might I inquire as to its current location? Or, if you could supply, the current location of one Ciel Strider? She is enrolled in the school."

Gabriel shrugged. "I have no idea." he admitted. "She probably is though. The school's crazy."

Lewis was unimpressed.

"Yes, well, thank you," he said, clearing his throat, "You see, I've been sent from my universe to find her; she is from the same, and we would quite like her back. I'm sure she's feeling quite lost by now, poor girl. Anyhow, what brings you to Kabul? Perhaps I could aide you, and in turn you could take me back to Elfen High with you?"

Many men have done great things. Some of these men are remembered; some of them are immortal. It's impossible to say which you'll be, or if you'll even be any of them, but one thing is certain - every men, deep down, lusts to be great, but few are.

And, if you are a truly great man, you do not greatness thrust upon you; no, you go after it with a club. Even if there is no greatness to be had.

Which is to say, a Spanish man fired a gun at a dumpster.

"Ha!" he laughed heartily, "I do quite enjoy these new weapons. I've bested you again, kraken!"

This man was a unique man; his skin was tan, a desert-dweller all his life. His beard was short and sharp, cut in the fashion of an era long gone by. His eyes were wide and brown, a-glow with the energy of the cosmos and the veal of life. He wore heavy mail upon his chest, a cap seen only on conquistadors of old fixed firmly on his head. He glanced around the street, smiling wide, a wild sort of energy pumping through his veins.

"Ah!" he chucked, "Gabriel! You've finally returned, after a long time's journeying! Tell me - did you ever find the witch's island? Oh, I am sure you have many tales to tell, my friend! Come, I shall take you to my home; no hero shall go without hospitality so long as Don Quixote de la Mancha walks this verdant land!"

[Nude East Ireland]

Lyra glanced at Damien, raising her eyebrows in amusement as he introduced himself and listed his talents, before shaking her head at him.

"Thanks for the offer, it's certainly tempting, but I'll have to decline. We should probably get whatever business I was brought here for over with before moving onto that." She said. Some of the monsters trailing behind her appeared to snicker, looking at Damien. The ones that had eyes, anyway.

"...Unless this is what Death brought me here for in the first place." Lyra continued. "But, I doubt that. Somewhere in South Asia hardly seems like an appropiate place for that."

Damien smiled and bowed his head. "Actually, milady, South Asia is the most appropriate place for such action. I speak from... much experience."

The Englishman turned to Caspian. "Caspian! Long time, no see. You should join Ms. Lyra and I later. Once this whole business is done with, of course."

---

Anton was in the cafeteria. "Holy shit," he said, interrupting what was going on. "Er, I'm sorry. But... I need to eat. I haven't eaten in a while. And... I need to shit. Does anybody remember where the bathroom is? I'm sorry, this never happens when I'm doing important things."

[Astrolinium]

The Englishman turned to Caspian. "Caspian! Long time, no see. You should join Ms. Lyra and I later. Once this whole business is done with, of course."

Caspian gestured flippantly with his hand in an attempt to brush off the invitation.

"Dinner first, I think. It's been especially long for me, seeing as this whole... business... is our first meeting, from my perspective. I do think I go on living for another few hundred years, though, if rumours are to be believed, so I'm sure we'll be be-going to have meeten for the first time again at some point in your relative past and some point in my relative future -- I trust you look fondly upon it judging by your ready invitation, and so I look forward to it."

He smiled at Lyra. "Time travel. Nasty business, for relationships at least as much as for grammar."

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Lyra looked at Caspian, who seemed slightly familiar, probably someone she'd seen around Elfen High before her self-imposed exile of sorts. Staying in and working from her room had fortunately managed to keep her out of the shitstorm that occasionally swept up a lot of other students, apparently. Or maybe the sheer ammount of creatures inside her room at all times somehow confused the school, because she could swear sometimes one or two monsters just up and vanished for some reason or other. But either way, he seemed familiar, and she figured she'd seen him around some time ago, so she smiled at him and shook his hand, nodding at him when he introduced himself and introducing herself as well.

Then, Don Quixote. Now, she wasn't surprised, weird shit happened all the time, but still, it was fucking Don Quixote. That was cool. So she had somehow ended up in South Asia with Death, some people from another universe, a blonde chick that looked manlier than the time traveler who was also there, and Don Quixote. That didn't sound so bad.

Then Damien addressed her again, to which Lyra simply shook her head. "Well, that sounds all quite interesting, but I maintain my doubts." She stated, before turning back to Caspian and nodding again. "I can imagine how messy it must be. Well, truth be told, I cannot, but I can give myself an idea, at least." She said.

"Now then, what are we doing?"

[Nationstatelandsville]

Lyra looked at Caspian, who seemed slightly familiar, probably someone she'd seen around Elfen High before her self-imposed exile of sorts. Staying in and working from her room had fortunately managed to keep her out of the shitstorm that occasionally swept up a lot of other students, apparently. Or maybe the sheer ammount of creatures inside her room at all times somehow confused the school, because she could swear sometimes one or two monsters just up and vanished for some reason or other. But either way, he seemed familiar, and she figured she'd seen him around some time ago, so she smiled at him and shook his hand, nodding at him when he introduced himself and introducing herself as well.

Then, Don Quixote. Now, she wasn't surprised, weird shit happened all the time, but still, it was fucking Don Quixote. That was cool. So she had somehow ended up in South Asia with Death, some people from another universe, a blonde chick that looked manlier than the time traveler who was also there, and Don Quixote. That didn't sound so bad.

Then Damien addressed her again, to which Lyra simply shook her head. "Well, that sounds all quite interesting, but I maintain my doubts." She stated, before turning back to Caspian and nodding again. "I can imagine how messy it must be. Well, truth be told, I cannot, but I can give myself an idea, at least." She said.

"Now then, what are we doing?"

"Why, isn't it obvious?" asked the hidalgo, "Some great beast - or, if not, invading army - has come to threaten the lands of God that the great saint Gabriel defends. He has gathered us here to aide him in vanquishing it."

"I'm not sure if I'm qualified for that," Lewis said nervously.

"Have you arms?"

"At the moment, yes."

"Then even a milksop such as you can wield a sword!"

Lewis blinked, "...'Milksop'?"

---

After some time, the panicked slaves had been calmed and the few remaining angels locked in the camp's guardtower; it was at this moment that, on the horizon, Yazuki and her fleet became visible. The slaves were greatly excited.

"Alright, alright, settle down!" Wade barked, Daniel's pistol at his side.

"Hmm," Aziraphale grumbled, stalking off.

"Alright, guys," Wade clapped, looking to the Elfen Highers, "what's the plan here?"

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Lyra glanced at Damien, raising her eyebrows in amusement as he introduced himself and listed his talents, before shaking her head at him.

"Thanks for the offer, it's certainly tempting, but I'll have to decline. We should probably get whatever business I was brought here for over with before moving onto that." She said. Some of the monsters trailing behind her appeared to snicker, looking at Damien. The ones that had eyes, anyway.

"...Unless this is what Death brought me here for in the first place." Lyra continued. "But, I doubt that. Somewhere in South Asia hardly seems like an appropiate place for that."

---

Upon finding herself in the Elfen High cafeteria, Ciel promptly dropped Grace and Lily on a nearby table with little regard for them. It probably didn't help that she dropped the unconscious Lily on top of Grace instead of the other way around. Either way, after that was done, she sat down nearby and let out a sigh of relief, before munching on a cannoli.

At around that time, Norack appeared inside the school, asking what happened. Ciel shrugged. "Oh, you know, the usual. Arson, attempted murder, actual murder, big revelations, meeting up with God... Nothing out of the ordinary." She said.

Alastor, who had been busy arguing with a soldier about how Exodia riding Entei was the best thing since mangos, heard the thundercrash as well, and decided to follow Norack through the portal to acquaint himself with the events that transpired in the library. It wouldn't hurt to know a bit more about his enemies, would it? The time when he would have to lead his armies against the angels was nigh, after all. Thus, he followed the orc through and listened.

"Sounds quite normal." He admitted.

"...God?" asked Mohammed, that Punjabi boy from before, who now was very confused.

Norack pointed at him. "Basically sums up my question as well."

Crowley had been staring off into space, lost in his own thoughts about something or another.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

"Oh, yeah, you guys don't know." Ciel realized. It was a bit odd to remember that the number of people who were aware that Richard was Yahweh was rather small, all things considered. She looked at Norack and the Punjab kid, before sighing and explaining what she meant. "Richard, who worked as a janitor here at Elfen High, is actually God. Yahweh, or however you want to call him." She said, before munching on her cannoli again. "He's also a spaceship."

[Nightkill the Emperor]

"Oh, yeah, you guys don't know." Ciel realized. It was a bit odd to remember that the number of people who were aware that Richard was Yahweh was rather small, all things considered. She looked at Norack and the Punjab kid, before sighing and explaining what she meant. "Richard, who worked as a janitor here at Elfen High, is actually God. Yahweh, or however you want to call him." She said, before munching on her cannoli again. "He's also a spaceship."

Norack seemed nearly comatose.

Mohammed approached his religious crisis in a different way from Grace. "Nope." He said. "Nope, fuck this. God is dead. I don't buy this anymore. I need booze. Does anyone have booze?"

Daisuke stayed quiet that he and D knew all along - then Crowley punched his robot body in the face. "When I go find your real one, worse will happen." He said darkly, stalking off to go find Daisuke's real body while the android was lying flat on the ground.

[Nationstatelandsville]

"Oh, yeah, you guys don't know." Ciel realized. It was a bit odd to remember that the number of people who were aware that Richard was Yahweh was rather small, all things considered. She looked at Norack and the Punjab kid, before sighing and explaining what she meant. "Richard, who worked as a janitor here at Elfen High, is actually God. Yahweh, or however you want to call him." She said, before munching on her cannoli again. "He's also a spaceship."

Norack seemed nearly comatose.

Mohammed approached his religious crisis in a different way from Grace. "Nope." He said. "Nope, fuck this. God is dead. I don't buy this anymore. I need booze. Does anyone have booze?"

Daisuke stayed quiet that he and D knew all along - then Crowley punched his robot body in the face. "When I go find your real one, worse will happen." He said darkly, stalking off to go find Daisuke's real body while the android was lying flat on the ground.

D raised his palm, a-blaze, and aimed it at the door. He was prepared to fight Crowley if he had to.

"Admittedly," he said, "we should probably run rather than fight, but... that seems pretty fucking unlikely, let's face it."

[Constaniana]

Lyra looked at Caspian, who seemed slightly familiar, probably someone she'd seen around Elfen High before her self-imposed exile of sorts. Staying in and working from her room had fortunately managed to keep her out of the shitstorm that occasionally swept up a lot of other students, apparently. Or maybe the sheer ammount of creatures inside her room at all times somehow confused the school, because she could swear sometimes one or two monsters just up and vanished for some reason or other. But either way, he seemed familiar, and she figured she'd seen him around some time ago, so she smiled at him and shook his hand, nodding at him when he introduced himself and introducing herself as well.

Then, Don Quixote. Now, she wasn't surprised, weird shit happened all the time, but still, it was fucking Don Quixote. That was cool. So she had somehow ended up in South Asia with Death, some people from another universe, a blonde chick that looked manlier than the time traveler who was also there, and Don Quixote. That didn't sound so bad.

Then Damien addressed her again, to which Lyra simply shook her head. "Well, that sounds all quite interesting, but I maintain my doubts." She stated, before turning back to Caspian and nodding again. "I can imagine how messy it must be. Well, truth be told, I cannot, but I can give myself an idea, at least." She said.

"Now then, what are we doing?"

"Why, isn't it obvious?" asked the hidalgo, "Some great beast - or, if not, invading army - has come to threaten the lands of God that the great saint Gabriel defends. He has gathered us here to aide him in vanquishing it."

"I'm not sure if I'm qualified for that," Lewis said nervously.

"Have you arms?"

"At the moment, yes."

"Then even a milksop such as you can wield a sword!"

Lewis blinked, "...'Milksop'?"

---

After some time, the panicked slaves had been calmed and the few remaining angels locked in the camp's guardtower; it was at this moment that, on the horizon, Yazuki and her fleet became visible. The slaves were greatly excited.

"Alright, alright, settle down!" Wade barked, Daniel's pistol at his side.

"Hmm," Aziraphale grumbled, stalking off.

"Alright, guys," Wade clapped, looking to the Elfen Highers, "what's the plan here?"

William wasn't sure about the chances the slaves would be willing to spread their revolt southward to distract Uriel's forces. It had been hard enough to motivate them to rebel when it was concerning their own freedom; a march of burning and vengeance would be much harder to sell to these people.

"Well, you might have already guessed by the walking warships, there's an invasion in the works. The rest of us finally caught onto the full scale of Uriel's evil, and we're going in to kick the git out. I'm not sure where you lot would go to leave this wasteland...though I'd wager there's portals to the south of this camp where there's more built-up settlements. Could be there's other slave camps we could liberate as well," Sir Nilark answered.

[Nationstatelandsville]

"Why, isn't it obvious?" asked the hidalgo, "Some great beast - or, if not, invading army - has come to threaten the lands of God that the great saint Gabriel defends. He has gathered us here to aide him in vanquishing it."

"I'm not sure if I'm qualified for that," Lewis said nervously.

"Have you arms?"

"At the moment, yes."

"Then even a milksop such as you can wield a sword!"

Lewis blinked, "...'Milksop'?"

---

After some time, the panicked slaves had been calmed and the few remaining angels locked in the camp's guardtower; it was at this moment that, on the horizon, Yazuki and her fleet became visible. The slaves were greatly excited.

"Alright, alright, settle down!" Wade barked, Daniel's pistol at his side.

"Hmm," Aziraphale grumbled, stalking off.

"Alright, guys," Wade clapped, looking to the Elfen Highers, "what's the plan here?"

William wasn't sure about the chances the slaves would be willing to spread their revolt southward to distract Uriel's forces. It had been hard enough to motivate them to rebel when it was concerning their own freedom; a march of burning and vengeance would be much harder to sell to these people.

"Well, you might have already guessed by the walking warships, there's an invasion in the works. The rest of us finally caught onto the full scale of Uriel's evil, and we're going in to kick the git out. I'm not sure where you lot would go to leave this wasteland...though I'd wager there's portals to the south of this camp where there's more built-up settlements. Could be there's other slave camps we could liberate as well," Sir Nilark answered.

"Not going to happen, I'm afraid," Sanchez spoke up, after spending the entire mission reading e-mails, "We need to get back to Elfen High as soon as possible - the war is just getting started, and there's no way in hell we can handle a third front."

"So, what, you're gonna' leave us to die?" Wade demanded.

"No," Sanchez said, "We've distracted the angelic armies well enough, I think, for you to move through the countryside without resistance, at least for a time. If the androids have fled here, then they'll have fled the other camps as well - it won't be too difficult, I imagine, to liberate the rest. Yuzuki will have brought you weapons."

"Hmm," Wade nodded, "It would be nice to have you, Father."

"Uh, no," Sanchez interjected, "We're going to need all the firepower we can get if we're going to take the Capital."

Wade laughed, "A few years ago, they took some of us up to make some renovations to the City Sector. We passed the Capital on the way - there's no way on God's green earth, or whatever this is, you're going to get to the city, much less into it. I hear they got some other guys to fix up the Capital's defenses; those guys didn't come back. Listen to me; Uriel's had thousands of years to prepare for this, and he has. He's got more magic in his left pinkie than the entire planet Earth - taking his city is fool's pursuit."

"You let me worry about that, Private," Sanchez said, "I've got it under control."

Sanchez was lying, and he was painfully aware of that fact.

"If you say so, Brigadier," Wade shrugged, giving a lazy salute.

A portal exploded open behind Sanchez; he nodded to the Elfen Highers.

"Let's get going," he said, stepping through the portal and into the cafeteria.

[Agritum]

"Oh, yeah, you guys don't know." Ciel realized. It was a bit odd to remember that the number of people who were aware that Richard was Yahweh was rather small, all things considered. She looked at Norack and the Punjab kid, before sighing and explaining what she meant. "Richard, who worked as a janitor here at Elfen High, is actually God. Yahweh, or however you want to call him." She said, before munching on her cannoli again. "He's also a spaceship."

Norack seemed nearly comatose.

Mohammed approached his religious crisis in a different way from Grace. "Nope." He said. "Nope, fuck this. God is dead. I don't buy this anymore. I need booze. Does anyone have booze?"

Daisuke stayed quiet that he and D knew all along - then Crowley punched his robot body in the face. "When I go find your real one, worse will happen." He said darkly, stalking off to go find Daisuke's real body while the android was lying flat on the ground.

Grace sat up on the cafeteria bench where she was, carefuly to slide away from Lily without hurting her. Mohammed's words had apparently piqued her interest, enough to awaken her from her apathetic state. She still looked quite miserable, even then.

"I don't think God is dead. Rather, the God in which I believed apparently...differs from what I believed in." she quipped, looking down at the ground, emitting a sigh. "How can I even worship something that, while good-natured, actually committed grave errors and sins? Or....how...how can I even judge his conduct? Am I placing myself on a moral pedestal higher than God's?" she murmured, by herself.

---

The moment Sanchez and his party entered, Hilde promptly rushed next to them and proceeded to dump all the stolen library books on William's lap. "Here, take them! I salvaged them from the destruction of the library. Oh, I can't wait to put them in my own library and flaunt them all over Europe!" the homuncula added enthusiastically.

"Anyways, are you fine? Did you have a nice trip? Did you get any angelic souvenirs, by chance?"

[Constaniana]

"Yes, whatever you say, fearless leader," Sir Nilark grumbled, rolling his eyes at Sanchez as he stepped into the portal. At the moment he was looking forward to simply sitting down, perhaps with a nice fry-up in front of him, without having to worry about someone trying to shoot or stab him, but as soon as the knight took a seat his girlfriend decided to throw the book at him. Several, to exact.

"Nice to see you to, dear. Yes, I'm fine. Hardly any of the prisoners were killed in the revolt, so I think it counts as a nice trip, considering how horribly it might have turned out," William had put his hands around the numerous tomes to keep them from sliding off onto the floor. "But no, I didn't buy any souvenirs for you. I'm afraid concentration camps have a sore lack of gift shops. And I thought you were just going into the library to get one book? How did you wind up with all these? How did the library get bloody destroyed? Did Crowley set it on fire when he found out he was Lucifer too?"

[Nightkill the Emperor]

"Yes, whatever you say, fearless leader," Sir Nilark grumbled, rolling his eyes at Sanchez as he stepped into the portal. At the moment he was looking forward to simply sitting down, perhaps with a nice fry-up in front of him, without having to worry about someone trying to shoot or stab him, but as soon as the knight took a seat his girlfriend decided to throw the book at him. Several, to exact.

"Nice to see you to, dear. Yes, I'm fine. Hardly any of the prisoners were killed in the revolt, so I think it counts as a nice trip, considering how horribly it might have turned out," William had put his hands around the numerous tomes to keep them from sliding off onto the floor. "But no, I didn't buy any souvenirs for you. I'm afraid concentration camps have a sore lack of gift shops. And I thought you were just going into the library to get one book? How did you wind up with all these? How did the library get bloody destroyed? Did Crowley set it on fire when he found out he was Lucifer too?"

"Crowley is Lucifer?" Norack said, in utter amazement.

He then fainted comically.