Before the final battle 

Taurus and Hatsu trotted into the meeting room where Azrail and Willow were sitting at a large oval-shaped table that was made out of a dark stone. Paintings of old myths from various cultures are framed on every wall of the room. A large chandelier made of bones and black metal with eerie violet flames burning on the candles at the end of the chandelier’s hands. Azrail sat at one of the ends of the table. Willow sat in a chair opposite of him. 

Azrail was explaining to Willow how Norah chose to side with Vita because of Willow’s death, how Norah had obtained her full power from Mirai, and how she is now being trained by Vita and Sean. 

Hatsu sat on the plush mat that was the color of Hatsu’s collar on the right side of the table in between Willow and Azrail, as Taurus sat on the chair on the left of Azrail. As Willow listened, her black wings drooped. 

“ And now we await them to come to kill me,” Azrail said, finishing up his explanation.  

“ I don’t understand why Taurus and Allen couldn’t convince her,” Willow looked at the hellhound.  

“ The reason is that his plan was terrible. Hiding in the shadows, only making whispers and waiting to talk to her alone. When he could’ve just kidnapped her and showed her the truth! Hmph, this would’ve been taken care of that way,” Hatsu snarled at Taurus. Taurus lowered his ears in response. 

“ Hatsu, enough. This was inevitable considering the...changes that have been made, and the ones we tried to make.” 

“ Azrail, what's your plan? Fight the angels here? We have the advantage and the numbers, I could break Norah’s neck in my jaws. Quick and painless,” Hatsu’s gruff voice had a hint of concern as he gazed at Azrail. 

“ You-you can’t kill her! She’s still my daughter!” Willow begged as her lip quivered. 

“ And why should we care about your feelings, Willow? You clearly don’t care about us and Vita’s defeat or anything considering all the shit you pulled,” The death god scowled. 

“ May I make a few suggestions?” Taurus said as his brown eye shifted into a cunning yellow eye while his tone became more sadistic. Azrail nodded in response. 

“ Before the fight, put some of your essence into your skulls along with as much power as possible. You’ll be almost defenseless and you'll lose the fight on purpose, do try yer best but not too hard. Then I can handle the rest and put my Insurance Plan into action,” Taurus continued. 

“ You want me to die?” 

“ Yes. You will go to Heaven when you die, sire, and Vita lives there. Because of the rules stated by you and Nameless. Meaning you will be in the heart of Vita’s operations which will allow us to destroy everything she’s built-in Heaven and then Heaven will be yours once again as well as Serenity. I can plant one of my Mares into ye so I can see what’s going on, convince angels to join us, torture Norah into turning sides, and torture Vita when the time is right. So she’ll be like cracked glass in the final battle.”  

“ You forget Allen, you can’t give nightmares to High gods. They’ve got that special seal thingie..plus we can’t have Azrail die. The demons, fallen angels, the deadly sins and…the thing will be left unchecked,” Hatsu shifted in discomfort on his mat. 

“ Ah but we’re all aware her mental state is slowly declining, meaning her barrier will be weak. As for our citizens, they can’t do much nor will they because if I die then no one can die. Allen, I approve of this plan. 

We’ll begin the plan once we have enough influence in Heaven and once Norah is ready to leave my sister’s side. On her terms. I only request you three help me make a portal to help the citizens of Tartarus to get out so there isn’t a massacre, and we will wait to strike until Vita is at her weakest. Once we strike, Allen and Taurus, I need you to focus on getting me and Heaven free. Hatsu you’re going to focus on forming a resistance gathering any gods, Deities, Spirits, mortals, beasts, and anyone else who will help us,” Azrail commanded in a thunderous tone. 

Taurus and Hatsu nodded then left Willow and Azrail alone. Willow looked at the death god smiling a little. Azrail only glanced at her out of the eye sockets of the dog skull he wore. Willow got out of her chair and went to Azrail’s side. Azrail glanced up at her. She lowered herself to kneel next to Azrail’s royal obsidian chair. 

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“ Azrail, please give me a chance to talk to my daughters. Maybe I can help them turn to your side…Let me fix what I broke.” 

“ I’ll give you one more chance, but if you fail. Vita will have you executed or worse. I will not help you wherever you may end up.” 

Willow gave him a nod in response. 

*************

13 years later 

The sun and the moon together shone down on the whimsical world below. Dolphins and whales flew through the clouds in the sky with the birds. A pale white owl griffin, a pitch-black dire wolf, a normal-sized ghostly crab, and a tall ghostly man that wore ancient Greek armor. All sat at a low round table that was full of sheets of paper, various colored dice, and small figures of different types of characters and monsters. In front of the owl griffin was a screen that was decorated with a red dragon. 

“ Now the mimic’s screams have awakened the goblin horde in the dungeon. What will each of you do?” Said the owl griffin with his empty round black eyes staring at them. The others at the table shuffled through the sheets of paper and various books. 

“ Oh classic Cancer, always checking out every nook and cranny of a dungeon..even though we’ve been down here for days,” The ghostly man grumbled. 

“ Orion I-It’s not my fault! The mimic screamed bloody murder! It was an accident!” The crab replied with a nervous tone. 

“ Hehehe perfect chance to try out a new move. Reamer, I choose to-” Allen cracked his knuckles, but was cut off by the thud of something hitting the ground nearby. An angel in golden armor with curly hair that matched her armor appeared close to the table with a dour expression on her face. 

Reamer sighed softly and he fanned his wings out in annoyance, the big round pure black eyes on his wings stared at the angel. The rest of the group groaned and whined as the angel came toward them. 

“ Come to speak to me, Gabriella? My answer remains the same...So can you like go? We’re in the middle of a campaign,” Reamer’s cat ears folded back.  

“ No. I’m here to fight him so that when I do defeat him. He will submit himself to the High goddess Vita. Even if you still refuse to hand him over and join us,” she unsheathed her dagger that had lightning engraved on it and aimed the dagger at the black wolf with four black tentacles that were constantly moving. Allen merely scoffed in annoyance. 

“ Listen, lass, this is the what tenth maybe twentieth time this week..or month..time is hard to tell in this realm..anyway you’re challenging me to a fight a lot. And I beat your feathered arse every time. Ye fight me so much it’s not even worth making bets over anymore. So just leave so you don’t humiliate yourself in front of constellations.” 

Gabriella gripped her dagger tightly as she scowled at Allen. 

“ I don’t care. Vita sent me to bring you in, and I’m here to do that. So take me seriously.” 

Allen sighed in disappointment as he glared at the archangel. Dark black spikes erupted from the whimsical flowy grass below their feet. The freezing spikes encased Gabriella in a small space then Allen stretched his four tentacles through the small gaps between the dark spikes. The tentacles constricted tightly around the archangel, suffocating her. She shrieked and wiggled trying to get free. She was only able to get free when Allen loosened his grip a little. She shouted claiming she would be back and disappeared. 

“ I think we’ll end the session here today guys,” said the owl griffin. Orion and Cancer nodded then as the two constellations walked away they disappeared into thin air.  

Reamer’s ear twitched hearing something approaching him from behind. He rotated his head to look behind him, seeing a floating manta ray stuffed animal with stitches and patches all over it. Reamer tilted his head cooing in curiosity. The stuffed manta ray cooed back and then began flying away. He rotated his head back to normal 

“ Allen, Dee has a message for us from the Silver City.” 

 “ What’s the message?” 

Dee pulled out a scroll from one of his loose stitches with his tail and unrolled the scroll to show the two. 

“ It’s a message from Azrail. He says that it’s time for the plan. What plan are you up to?” Reamer cooed. 

Allen grinned widely, his ears perked straight up. He chuckled in, what seemed like, relief. 

“ At last Norah is finally starting questioning everything, the plan we made can finally be put into action! gods and stars above, how long has it been?! Feels like an eternity!” 

“ Please tell me this plan doesn’t involve you leaving.” 

“ Of course it does. I know you’re overprotective of me, for constellations know why, but I’m under orders, and if I’m anything but a god of my word.” 

“ Good luck finding a Waker that wants to make a deal with you to get to your body.” 

“ We shall see Reamer! We shall see!” Allen shouted as he ran through the air. He sprinted over the whimsical meadows below and crossed over the decaying snow forest that led him to the large mountain. He landed on a cliff that had a large harp at the ready. He then began playing, seemingly, random notes with his harp having its eerie tune echo throughout his realm. 

“ Long live the King of Heaven and the first to die,” Allen said in a sing-song voice cackling with joy as his mares howled a chorus with him.