Chapter 31:

  A Deal with the Devil

  (Lucas's POV)

  The morning came and I awoke with a smile on my face. Elizabeth was pying with my hair, cradling me to her. She gave me a tender good morning kiss and greeted me with a firm embrace.

  "Did you sleep well, love?" she inquired and I nodded, snuggling against her.

  "How could I not?" I chuckled, looking around the room contently.

  It had been a couple days since our date together. We had fallen asleep on the couch and, sometime during the night, she woke up and carried me back to our room. I still remember groggily waking up and throwing my arms around her neck. I had been both embarrassed and happy about the situation. So, I said nothing and simply enjoyed it.

  Since then, our days were a little mundane, but nothing that didn't fill my heart with joy. We made breakfast in the morning with the help of Maya and the oversight of Azure. It was a complete mess. We tried making pancakes with fresh fruit and ended up practically destroying the kitchen.

  Flour was everywhere and the fruit...gods, the fruit. I think I could still taste the blueberries upon my tongue. I never thought that being kissed with fruit in someone else's mouth would be so...enticing. Elizabeth sure knew how to get me to blush, that was for sure.

  Maya tried to keep us on task, while Azure was just enjoying the chaos. After all, it meant free food for him. He flew around the kitchen, catching stray globs of fruit filled batter when a food fight started. It happened because I had accidentally lost control of the mixer and...well, I may have hit Maya in the face with some half-made batter.

  One thing led to another, and soon it was Maya vs Elizabeth, the ultimate showdown. Azure and I soon became bystanders in the middle of the no man's nd. Needless to say...there were no winners during the Battle of Pancakes. It took me showering at least three separate times to get all of the batter and fruit out of my hair. Maya and Elizabeth apologized for letting their competitive sides get the best of them, but honestly...I was overjoyed.

  To see Maya loosen up so much that she was ughing while throwing spoonfuls of batter at Elizabeth while ducking behind the kitchen isnd...priceless. Nothing could ever compare to that. Let alone Elizabeth bunkering behind a wall of stools that she had somehow make-shifted in the middle of it all. I think at one point, Maya somehow created a batter bomb. Don't know how that one worked...but it was effective.

  "You gotta teach me how you made that fruit gatling," I commented, causing Elizabeth to raise an eyebrow in amusement, "Hopefully my aim is better, though. Think I caught one to the face..."

  "I'm sorry, love," Elizabeth apologized as she held my head to her, though she was trying her best not to burst out ughing, "I didn't know you were going to peek over the counter at that moment."

  "Well, it was too quiet," I responded, pushing my head free from her embrace enough that I could get some air, "I thought it was over. Bodies everywhere. Poor pancakes...It was a massacre."

  "A true tragedy that will go down in history," she chuckled, reluctantly letting me go as I struggled to get up, "You agree though...it was fun?"

  Standing from the bed, I stretched my back, gncing at her with a wide grin.

  "Incredibly," I told her with a ugh, "Especially because I got to see Maya having fun. Besides video games, I've never seen her enjoy herself so much."

  "You're growing on her," Elizabeth mused as she stood and embraced me from behind, "I've never seen her have that much fun either. Thank you."

  "For what?" I asked as I put on my socks and pulled on some pants.

  This was a little tricky with Elizabeth hanging off of me, but I was getting used to it and was almost an expert by now.

  "For being her friend," she said simply, "Not only that, but caring about her. You know she was worried what you might think of her, right?"

  I paused for a moment, remembering the time she had saved me. She had looked absolutely terrifying, but...I had also never felt safer. Only Elizabeth had ever made me feel as safe. So, it wasn't like I was afraid or anything. If anything, I was...entranced.

  Perhaps I was just fanboying, since I had always been interested in Pyers and being a Pyer. Though, I had long since given that up and rethought it. Being a Pyer was dangerous work, but to see one in action...how could I not be awed by their abilities?

  "Yeah, I know, but..." I continued to put on my clothes and think about my life since Elizabeth came into it, "I think you both worry too much about that."

  Turning to face her, I threw her off bance a bit by knocking her knees into the bed. She fell onto it, propping herself up with her arms. She looked at me with doe-like eyes as I leaned over her. Taking in her face carefully, I smiled warmly and cupped her cheek.

  "It takes more than that to scare me," I said softly, looking upon her with tender love, "You've literally stabbed a man before me. Speaking of...I head the news. Bryan's dead."

  Elizabeth grew silent as she looked away with a knowing, sheepish expression. Narrowing my eyes at her, I leaned in closer till we were barely a breath apart.

  "Elizabeth..." I coaxed, her eyes furtively gncing at me, "Did you not tell me so I wouldn't worry?"

  "...No, I just didn't think it was relevant," she mumbled sulkily, "He was a bastard anyways..."

  Sighing, I withdrew and pced my hands on my hips as I shook my head at her. Not in disappointment, but more in exasperation. I knew better than to ask any more details, but it was hard to not know just what happened. After the attack on my life, I was sure Maya somehow told Elizabeth.

  "My point, Ellie, is that..." I sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to her, "Both of you mean well, and I know what I'm signing up for. He crossed a line."

  Resting my head against her shoulder, she looked at me in pleasant surprise. I could feel her rexing against me, pcing her head against mine affectionately.

  "I'll do anything to keep you safe, Lucas," she whispered, and I knew the truth in that statement, "I just...don't want to overwhelm you."

  "I know," I said with a chuckle, taking her hand in mine and pying with it, "But, it's okay if it's a little bit. I want to get to know you both as you are. The real you, you know?"

  Elizabeth suddenly grew silent, her hand squeezing mine. I could tell in her touch that there was some meaning behind her sudden somber shift.

  "You're too sweet, Lucas," she finally muttered, taking her hand from mine and pcing it to my chin.

  Turning my face to hers, our lips met in a euphorically sweet kiss. As our lips parted, our foreheads met. I held my eyes closed, enjoying this moment.

  "Oh, and don't tell Maya I told you," she said with a little coyness, "She'd be embarrassed if she knew I said anything. We both just worry about what you might think if you saw us for who we are."

  "Nonsense," I scoffed, finally opening my eyes to look into hers, "I've practically done so already. I'm going nowhere."

  "I wouldn't let you even if you tried," she ughed, sending a chill down my spine as her eyes took on an obsessive glint, "You've not even scratched the surface."

  "...Perfect," I shuddered, a little nervously excited, with a soft smile upon my lips.

  -----

  (Elizabeth's POV)

  There was a lot to do today, but she wasn't about to rush out of the door. She had spent too much time in the Wild Zone and not enough time with Lucas. It felt like only yesterday she was returning from work only to now have to do some more. Unfortunately, her work was never done.

  This was one of the most vexing things about her regressions. There was always so much work to do, but with Lucas in her mind, and knowing that she was doing all of this for him, she was more than willing. Of course, that didn't mean she was going to waste time. The more time she spent working, the less she had with him, after all.

  "Here's the dossier, Ma'am," the young man in the Aegis uniform said, handing over a tablet.

  His name was Taylor, a young B-Rank and current assistant to Elizabeth while Maya watched over Lucas. Taking the tablet from him, she gnced upon its contents. Several new dungeons were discovered and many guilds wanted to have access. However, as it was Aegis who found them, they currently owned them. Honestly, Elizebth didn't care about them. They were all useless to her personally.

  However, they weren't useless to her teammates or those of other guilds. Making them quite integral to her pns. In fact, she had specifically targeted these dungeons for just that reason. It just so happened that she had bought up several areas around where these dungeons would appear. So, naturally, her people were nearby when the dungeons revealed themselves.

  "Send Zero Squad to sectors four and five," Elizabeth made a few swipes on the tablet, tapping a couple times to input the data, "Inform Dmitriy of sector seven. We're willing to lease it under a thirty-seventy split. Their favor."

  The young man jotted down her orders without a single compint.

  "Ma'am, what about sectors nine and eleven?" he inquired, adjust the gsses upon his face, "Clouds has sent several...desperate requests for sector eleven."

  "Clouds, huh?" Elizabeth mumbled to herself, remembering Yuki Hanamura.

  Just the thought of the woman made Elizabeth's blood boil. She had interrupted her date with Lucas. An unforgiveable crime. Not to mention, touching Lucas without permission. However, her bloodlust was given pause as she remembered what Lucas told her shortly after the date.

  "I made a promise," he sighed, slightly exasperated, "As annoyed as I am, I like to keep my word, but it's your choice, Ellie. I only promised to ask you to consider it."

  She didn't want to make Lucas out to be a liar, but she also couldn't forgive their insolence.

  "She doesn't seem like a bad person," he had continued with his innocent logic, "Give them a chance? At least they tried."

  "Damn it..." Elizabeth took a deep breath, half-pouting as she rested her head against her hand, muttering to herself, "How can I say no to that face?"

  Making a few more swipes on the tablet, she finished her assessment of the dungeons and allocated who she wanted to take each of them. Clouds wouldn't get Sector Eleven, but there was something which would benefit them. If they wanted to be an ally to Aegis, and were truly regretful of their participation in that meeting, then they would earn it.

  "Deny Clouds request," she informed Taylor, "Sector Eleven will go to Haven. Inform Reina that we'll lease it for a twenty-eighty split. Their favor."

  "And Sector Nine?" Taylor inquired as he took the tablet and looked it over before exciming, "Ah! Lease for a thirty-seventy split to...the up-and-coming Devil's Den? Their favor."

  Devil's Den. Honestly, the name could use a little bit of work, but...they were effective. The guild was created by a man named Antoine Fairfax. His past was spotted with a criminal record, but not in a way one might expect. He brought order to his crime filled neighborhood after his mother, Ethel Fairfax, was killed by a junkie looking for a quick fix.

  He did this by fighting fire with fire. He was no stranger to crime, but he was tired of how unreguted and disorganized it had become. The police were useless, and the government was even worse in his eyes. Thus, he tracked the junkie down, but instead of killing them, he forgave them.

  In his own words, "It's what Ma would have wanted". However, this didn't stop him from taking retribution. Using aggressive methods, he forced the junkie to quit cold turkey and got the name of their dealer. With a few of his close friends, Antoine found the dealer and killed them using their own product. Cause of death: Overdose.

  A poetic type of justice. Since then, Antoine rose to be the head of the Fairfax Family. He dealt drugs, sex, and gambling. Of course, he did all this under strict regutions and a careful hand. He forced no one to work for him or take the drugs he sold, and in fact dealt swift retribution to any who would abuse his people.

  He hunted down every single criminal systematically who wouldn't fall in line. This earned him the ire of the criminal underworld, and some tried to put him in his pce. Kidnapping and drugging one of his lieutenants, they attempted to extort him. This meant war.

  They underestimated Antoine and those that followed him. They were all criminals, but they had standards. Those standards, however, were removed when people didn't py by the rules. Antoine made it very clear to them: "The Devil gets their due."

  It was the message he sent back along with the heads of those they sent to intimidate him. One by one, criminal dens went dark. Antoine saved his lieutenant, and the underworld was never the same. They learned one thing. Don't fuck with Antoine Fairfax.

  He went on to get permits and create a legitimate business. Opening up the "Devil Den" franchise. Gambling, sex, drugs. All of it could be found in these luxury clubs.

  Once the dungeons appeared, things changed for Antoine. He now had to compete with Pyer criminals. Those with powers beyond a typical human. Thankfully, he also awakened to such powers and began his bid for control once more. Thus, the Guild Devil's Den was born.

  Not only did the appearance of dungeons bring with it the Pyers, but also new drugs and other vices which needed to be controlled. Thus, Devil's Den became known as a Bounty Hunters haven. All of the Pyers in Antoine's guild took contracts to hunt down Pyers who broke the rules imposed by the Association, and Antoine's own rules for Pyers who took to criminal activities.

  This made things difficult for him, and only recently had he been able to get his house in order. Despite his criminal background, Elizabeth had no qualms with him. The reason was simple. Underneath this outward persona, Antoine was a family man who genuinely cared about the community.

  He had a wife and several children he loved dearly, and he did everything to protect them. In the past, Elizabeth had seen him, beaten and broken, fighting tirelessly against the onsught of monsters to come. His stalwart determination and devotion to protecting what he cares for made him a useful pawn in Elizabeth's fight for a better future with Lucas.

  "Yes, Devil's Den," Elizabeth confirmed, turning in the chair of her office to look out of the rge windows at the city outside, "Also, inform Clouds...I'd like a meeting."

  "Yes, Ma'am," Taylor stated and Elizabeth heard their footsteps echo from the room and the door close behind them.

  Letting out an exasperated sigh, Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder what Lucas was doing right now. She wished she was with him, but unfortunately...her work wasn't done. She hated being away from him, but to secure the future she wanted, she had to work diligently. She couldn't afford to make a mistake.

  Devil's Den would be integral to the safety of the city in the future, despite their current status. She would help to ensure that Antoine was able to keep up with his competitors. Sector Nine had materials Antoine would go on to use in creating a special elixir which would help boost Pyers to the next level. The Angel's Teardrops.

  For a brief time, when one drinks an Elixir of Angel's Teardrops, they gain insight into themselves and a boost in attributes. Their experience is increased exponentially, and in some cases, could help them reach a higher Pyer Rank. However, it came with a caveat.

  Angel's Teardrops were highly addictive if not handled properly. While Elizabeth could dedicate people to its distribution, she trusted Antoine with such a task. This was because he had his eyes on the underworld. Not that Elizabeth didn't, but his eyes were a little closer to the ground.

  Why waste your own resources when someone else already had an advantage? Use their resources instead, and that's exactly what Elizabeth would do. Under her guidance, Antoine would handle the acquisition, creation, and distribution of Angel's Teardrops. Aegis and Devil's Den would shake hands, and unlike a deal with Antoine, a deal with Elizabeth was truly a deal with the devil.

  Antoine would ensure the Angel's Teardrops weren't abused, monitoring the bck market for it. In the meantime, Elizabeth would wait for another dungeon which was yet to appear. The Sun's Pace.

  Inside was a rare material which could help counteract the addictive properties of the elixir while at the same time increasing its efficiency. Elizabeth only found this out after a couple hundred regressions. However, she was never able to get far enough for it to ever matter.

  "Lucas..." Elizabeth grew mencholic as she recounted his many deaths, "This time, for sure...I'll make it in time."

  It would appear in Antarctica and cause mass panic as the climate began to change because of it. Perhaps Clouds truly did have a use. She needed dedicated eyes on the area, and if they wanted to make it up to her...well, their mission was clear.

  With a sadistic smile upon her lips, Elizabeth wondered how Yuki enjoyed the cold.

  -----

  (Yuki's POV)

  Yuki shivered, bundled up as she was, the biting cold still ate at her. When she got the call from her grandfather, hearing that Hades was giving them a chance, she had been thrilled. She should have reserved judgement.

  "Damn them both..." she muttered, growling under her breath.

  It wasn't even her who chose to go to that stupid meeting. Her grandfather had sent her as the representative. Now, she was paying the consequences while he stayed all cozy back home. Looking back at the Clouds members with her, she at least took soce in the fact that she wasn't the only one suffering.

  "Ant-fucking-arctica..." Yuki sighed, taking in the frozen ndscape that the ship had dropped them off at.

  "Ma'am, according to the intel, there should be a base nearby," Michael said through the scarf bundled over his face, his voice as calm and measured as ever.

  Gncing at him, Yuki took a deep breath. He had been there at the meeting with her, so he was also being sent out here. Not only was he a part of Cloud's Shadow, but he had also volunteered to join her. Something she was grateful of. He was incredibly reliable.

  "Hopefully it's fucking warmer there," Yuki muttered, motioning for everyone to move.

  Trying not to waste too much energy, but also hoping to get inside and out of the biting cold, Yuki activated [Quick Step] and began making her way over the ice and snow. It didn't take long before she came to a stop, cursing the cold as moving quicker had only made it worse. Looking at the others, they were breathing heavily, shivering from the wind battering them.

  "Damn it..." she hated this, but she had no choice, "Let's walk from here. Anyone with internal abilities, try to warm yourself."

  Reaching a hand into her inventory, she pulled out a small stone which steamed upon hitting the cold air. She could feel its warmth from here and was grateful she had brought some. Several of the other members pulled simir looking rocks from their inventories and one by one, pced them within their clothes.

  They were [Ember Stones] imbued with warmth from the fires they had been created from. Often found in dungeons reted to va, they were incredibly useful in colder climates and dungeons. The moment she heard she was being sent to Antarctica, she had stocked up. Thankfully, they were retively common.

  "Come on, let's not waste any more time," Yuki told them and began marching towards the rendezvous, "At least we don't have to worry about Por Bears..."

  "No, but..." Michael's worlds trailed off as Yuki gred at him.

  "Don't you fucking dare jinx this," Yuki growled, "I heard about the Wild Zone here..."

  Yes, that was right. Antarctica was a Wild Zone, or rather...its interior was. It wasn't talked about much, or even maintained because not only did the ocean surrounding the continent act as a natural barrier, but so did the incredible cold. Thus, there wasn't much of a Pyer presence here.

  The only ones who seemed to have taken an interest in this pce was Aegis. Many thought them to be crazy, but Yuki knew better. Hades didn't do anything without a reason. Not only that, but everyone knew that Wild Zones held precious materials. Just, not many wanted to brave this damn cold.

  Since the appearance of that Wild Zone, the temperature here had decreased considerably. Thankfully, salvation was in sight. As Yuki crested a snowy hill, she saw it. The beautiful visage of a pristine facility, like an oasis in the ice.

  A collective cheer rose amongst the members of Clouds. There, right before them, was a ste gray building made in a brutalist style. Despite its stark appearance, it looked like heaven to them. It spanned a decent track of nd with several outbuildings and a few people walking patrols.

  "Yuki Hanamura, I presume?" a voice suddenly called from nearby.

  On reflex, Yuki and the rest of Clouds summoned their weapons and leapt into a defensive stance. There, standing where Yuki didn't notice them, was a person covered head to toe in white winter gear. Tilting their head, they almost seemed...amused.

  "Rex," they chuckled, reaching up to their facial coverings, "I'm here to greet you and get you settled in."

  Pulling back their scarf and face mask revealed a man in maybe his early thirties with ptinum blonde hair and violet-red eyes. His skin was slightly touched by the sun with a light tan. Honestly, Yuki thought he looked quite handsomely striking.

  "The name's Sis," the man reached a hand out to greet them, "Nice to meet you."

  Yuki and everyone else slowly put their weapons away as she hesitantly took his hand.

  "Yeah...same," she responded, feeling the firmness of his handshake.

  Not only did she not sense his presence, but his aura was completely different from anyone she's ever met. Save perhaps Elizabeth Falcrest herself and a few select others. There was a calm about him that made him appear disarming, but standing before him unsettled her. Like she was in the presence of a snake hiding its true nature.

  "Now, before we get you settled in..." he smiled kindly, yet a chill ran up Yuki's spine, "There's a few things we have to-"

  His words were cut off just as the ground began to rumble. In an instant, ice and snow exploded nearby to reveal an impossibly rge worm-like creature covered in frost. Its skin was a purplish-blue with a giant maw like that of an ant. Yuki and the other members of Clouds looked on in horror.

  It had to be at least a hundred feet tall...and that was just what was above the snow and ice it had burrowed out of. As Yuki and the others gaped at it, calcuting the risks of fighting it, Sis simply sighed as if it was simply an inconvenience.

  "Forgive me," he said with politeness, beginning to casually walk past them towards the creature, "I'll have to show you around after teaching someone manners. Excuse me for a moment."

  Yuki watched in horrified awe as Sis covered his face once more, looking completely unbothered as a give made of what looked like metallic ice appeared within his hand. Yuki recognized such a material. Cold Steel.

  Finally, her senses caught up to her and she noticed that no one at the facility was running to face this creature. In fact, everyone who had been out on patrol were retreating to the base. It was then that she made a realization.

  "W-Wait! Are you pnning on fighting that thing..." she began, only for Sis to disappear in a blink of an eye and a flurry of snow, "...by yourself..."

  There was the sound of cpping thunder as the worm charged what looked like lightning between its mandibles and shot it out towards a white dot in the air. Yuki realized that it was Sis. The incredible amount of energy aimed towards him, she knew, would kill her instantly if she took a direct hit. However, this did not happen to him.

  Capturing the lightning within his give, it spun around him like a storm and he was its center. Redirecting the attack back at the creature, Sis sent it reeling into the snow. The nd quaked under its weight as its full length was revealed, and it was just as massive as Yuki thought.

  Sis dove after the creature, the air around him shimmering, but just before he would nd a decisive strike, the creature dove into the ground and disappeared. Sis smmed into the ground, causing another tremor through the area as chunks of ice and snow went flying. All of this in just a few brief moments. If it had been Yuki and Clouds...how long would it have taken to even put a dent in that thing?

  "Heh..." Yuki couldn't help but chuckle in pure shock, "What kind of deal did we make?"

  Michael walked up next to her; his usually stoic face also locked into a state of disbelief.

  "I don't know, but Ma'am..." he said, his shoulders dropping, "It's been nice working with you."

  There was resigned defeat in his voice as they watched Sis walk back towards them as if he didn't just put a giant crater in the ground.

  "Ah, good," he returned his weapon to his inventory and removed his face coverings once more, giving them all a generous smile, "You're still here. Sorry about that. Jenna there gets a little antsy when new people arrive. Don't worry, she's harmless."

  That? Harmless? Yuki couldn't fathom how anything that rge with that much power could be "harmless", but more than that...

  "You...named that thing?" Yuki inquired in utter disbelief.

  "Of course," Sis said as if it was the most normal thing in existence, "It's not every day you find an Ice Worm willing to bond with a Pyer."

  "I'm fucking sorry, bonded?" Yuki didn't even try to hide her horrified bewilderment.

  "Mhm!" Sis looked to be incredibly proud, "Found her as an egg, I did! Raised her up myself. Ah, right, I didn't properly introduce myself."

  He suddenly stood straight before bowing towards them, one arm over his chest as if he was at some grand ball.

  "Sis Falcrest, at your service," he introduced himself once more, but properly this time, "My cousin says you’re here to relieve some of our members. I look forward to working with you."

  It all made sense now. He was a Falcrest. It took Michael supporting her for Yuki's legs to not give out. She was done for. She gave up. She would die here.

  And, if by some miracle she did survive...her life would never be the same. "Damn you, old man. What'd you get your granddaughter mixed up in?"

  -----

  Nikushimi