(Az. + As. Side)
After a breakfast of dry cereal and a bottle of YooHoo milk, Azrael addressed Asmodeus, who appeared lost in thought.
"Is there a reverse SOUL nearby?" he asked.
"Yes, there is," Asmodeus replied, "But I'm also sensing dark energy it's location, and, for some reason, it feels strangely addicting!"
"... Ok, well, let's go there now," Azrael said while standing up.
Asmodeus wrapped around Azrael but paused.
"Azrael, promise me something."
"Sure, what?"
Asmodeus took a raspy breath.
"If I lose control again, please use all your power to either restrain or, if need be, kill me," Asmodeus said somberly.
"Asmodeus..." Azrael faltered.
"Promise me!" Asmodeus shouted.
"Ok, I promise, but-"
He didn't get to finish because Asmodeus immediately teleported them to their destination. It was a stark contrast to their previous mission spot. No grass or flowers grew here, the trees appeared desiccated and bare, the sky was hidden by a dark, heavy fog, graves littered the ground, and dark spirits were flitting around here and there.
"Uh, Asmodeus, are you sure our next target is here?" asked Azrael.
Asmodeus didn't answer. He panted heavily, his body grew spikier, his shackles and chains practically gleamed, and his empty smile stretched across his face.
"Yes, I'm sure," he replied in a more growly tone than usual.
"Whoa, what happened to you?!" Azrael asked, concerned.
Asmodeus looked himself over.
"Pay it no mind. The darkness here seems to be affecting me physically, and it feels amazing, but luckily, I am very much in control right now."
He then transformed into a scythe again. This time, however, the blade had a more serrated edge.
"Are you sure you're good to go?" Azrael asked warily.
"Trust me, you wouldn't be able to wield if I wasn't," Scythe-Asmodeus replied.
MISSION START!
(Song: Hidden by Night from Shovel Knight: Spector of Torment)
Azrael quickly dashed through the rows of graves. After a bit, he encountered his first enemy. It was a puffy spirit w/ glowing, dark green eyes.
"Careful, Azrael. This enemy feels very different from the others," Scythe-Asmodeus warned.
Azrael attempted to dash into the enemy, but he ended up going right through it! Azrael immediately turned and saw the enemy readying something dark green. A big, dark green frying pan appeared in its hand, and it swung the thing hard at Azrael. Azrael deflected the strike w/ Asmodeus.
"Azrael, I'm going to try out my new SOUL power. Are you ready to try it?"
Azrael thought about it for a moment.
"Ok, go for it!" he replied.
(Press the right shoulder button or L to switch weapon type)
"FEAR!" Asmodeus shouted.
Asmodeus's form changed from that of a scythe to that of a dark orange bandana. The bandana wrapped itself around Azrael's head. Azrael jumped back as the enemy swung at him again.
"Um, what the hell is that supposed to do?" Azrael asked, slightly annoyed.
"My power will flow into your hands," Asmodeus explained, "Charge up the energy just as Gaeat had done yesterday and release it."
(Hold attack button for a bit and release)
Azrael charged up dark orange energy in hands for a bit. After a second, he released the power in his hands. The enemy disappeared once the blast finished. Azrael looked down at his hands in shock and smiled.
"I could get used to having power like this," he said in awe.
Asmodeus chuckled at that. Azrael then dashed forward. After a bit, they spotted a female-looking spirit walking toward them. She wore a waitress outfit, her head had a plume that looked like imitation hair, and she had yellow eyes that looked sad. When she spotted Azrael, she got a surprised look on her face.
"Oh, hello, I didn't realize someone was here other than the spirits," she said, "Are you here to mourn something too?"
"Azrael, don't trust her. She might be faking," Bandana-Asmodeus warned.
"Gotcha," Azrael replied.
"Uh, what-?"
"NO TRAIT!"
Asmodeus shifted back to scythe form. Azrael then rushed forward and slashed at the female. She hastily formed a staff out of darkness.
"Whoa, hey, calm down!" the spirit shouted, scared.
Azrael slashed again and reblocked. Asmodeus then reverted back to his regular form and went behind the spirit. He formed his arm into a blade and struck at her w/ it. She blocked the hit but failed to avoid Azrael's as it slashed her in the back.
"GAH!" the spirit cried out.
She dropped to one knee, and Asmodeus slashed at her front. At that, the spirit dropped down and rolled past Azrael. She then ran as fast as she could w/ two slashes on her torso.
"She got away," Azrael said.
"Let her go," Asmodeus told him, "It appears that she isn't much of a threat."
He then reformed into a scythe, Azrael grabbed him, and he dashed off. The spirit, watching after the duo until they were out of sight, pulled out her phone and dialed a number.







...




As Grey and Cedric were seated on their beds while reading books, they heard Ash shouting in the hall.
"We got a mission call!" he shouted, "Everybody out now!"
The pair put their books away (Grey was a little disappointed because he'd been reading The Titan's Curse, and he'd just gotten to the part where Percy joined up w/ the Hunters, Thalia, and Grover), and they went out into the living room. The other members came shortly after.
"What is it this time? Surely something wonderful!" Pete said (Grey mentally cringed).
"Hold on, let me answer the call," Ash said.
He pressed something on his rectangle.
"Oh, thank God, you answered!" a feminine voice said.
Wait, that voice sounds familiar, Grey thought.
His eyes grew wide, and he looked (w/ a blush) to Cedric, who face mirrored his own. It was from Ashley!
"What is your trouble?" Ash asked.
"Ok, I was out here in a graveyard, mourning. As I was leaving, I saw a boy w/ red eyes. When I tried to greet him, he and his secret partner attacked me, and I barely got away w/ my life!"
"Ok, where are you now? We'll send some people to your location to help," replied Ash.
"Jade Cemetery in Connecticut," Ashley replied.
Ash's face got a face that was a mix of shock, fear, and anger.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" he said, voice trembling a bit.
"Jade Cemetary. Please get here quickly!"
Ash pressed the rectangle, and he kept his back turned.
"I'll take another mission," Cedric said, "Grey, will you join me?"
As Grey nodded, Ash turned back to the group. His expression was angry and cold.
"Uh, puta, are you good?" Cherry asked.
"Yes," Ash replied.
"Are you sure?" Oliver asked.
Ash turned to Cedric.
"I'm going w/ you and Grey," Ash said seriously.
Cedric's eyes widened at that, and Grey got a confused look.
"You serious?" Cedric asked.
Ash simply nodded.
"Alright," Cedric said w/ both of his hands out.
The other members backed up. Ash grabbed Cedric's right hand, and Grey grabbed the left. Cedric's tail twitched, and all three went down a tight tunnel quickly. On the other side, they ended up somewhere dreary. No green could be seen anywhere, the trees looked bare and scary, there were big, blocky things stuck in the floor w/ text on them, and above was a giant, gray puffiness. Not too far from them, Ashley waved energetically at the trio at first, but she paused, and her eyes got wide. Grey looked at Ash and noticed that his expression was quite angry. As Grey and Cedric walked over to Ashley, they noticed that Ash hadn't moved from his spot. Ashley moved forward, pushed past Grey and Cedric, and went up to Ash. Grey and Cedric turned to see what was going to happen.
"It's really you," Ashley said, mystified.
Ash said nothing. Ashley then began to move towards Ash when he pushed her back.
"Don't you dare touch me," Ash growled.
Grey and Cedric immediately readied their weapons.
"You still don't forgive me, do you?" Ashley said sadly.
"What do you think, bitch?" Ash asked acidly.
He pushed past her and stormed away. Cedric put a hand on his shoulder.
"Bruh, what the hell? Your sister is a nice person!" he said.
"If you knew what she did, you would treat her coldly too," Ash replied angrily, "Now, let go of me."
Ash tore himself away from Cedric's grasp and walked off.
"I know you don't forgive me," Ashely called, "but let me just say this. I'M SORRY."
Ash paused for a bit, but he resumed his walk not too long after.
"Damn, what did you do to make him so pissed?" Cedric asked Ashley.
She sighed heavily.
"I'm the reason why the two of us are shadow creatures," Ashley finally said.
"Huh? What do you mean? I thought you two were born like that," Grey said, confused.
"No. Remember that purple amulet I gave you two to give to my brother?"
Grey and Cedric nodded.
"I bought that thing here for Ash as a birthday present," Ashley said, ashamed, "It's what turned us into shadow monsters..."
Silence.
"You might want to go now," she finally said.
"Huh?" Grey asked.
"Oh right, our mission," Cedric said, "Let's go, Grey."
The pair dashed off. Ashley stared after them, lost in sad thought.







...



(Az. + As. Side)
Azrael blitzed past the graveyard. At some points, there were large pits, and Azrael had to burst air dash over them. As for the rest of the terrain, it wasn't too bad to deal w/. There were mausoleums, big graves, and crypts that had to be jumped up as well as gone through, but those weren't too bad. As for the enemies, the smaller ones attack w/ frying pans. The larger variants, though, were strange. They twirled around w/ dark green aprons! They weren't that bad to deal w/, though, as the scythe and bandana decimated them quite nicely. At one point, Asmodeus stopped the two. He blasted through the ground in front of the duo. Azrael jumped down into it. The purple orb that had been down there flowed into him, and he sighed in relief. After that, the charge for the bandana's Hadouken became instantaneous, and Azrael's hover became slow as molasses. After a bit, Asmodeus stopped the duo again.
"Azrael, our target is close. There's something familiar about this enemy, though."
"How so?" Azrael asked.
"I don't know, I just do," Asmodeus replied.
He then covered Azrael and made them intangible. They then hid behind a dry tree.







...




(Grey Side)
(Song: The Price of Doing Business from Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment)
Grey and Cedric dashed forward and eventually ran into Ash.
"Took you long enough," he said.
"You know, you really should talk things out w/ your sister, you dick," Cedric said w/ a hint of acid.
Ash ignored this.
"I will go on ahead and provide cover," he said as he rushed off.
Cedric sighed heavily.
"Glad Cherry and I aren't like that," he said while dashing forward w/ Grey following suit.
When they ran into a frying spirit, Grey immediately slashed at it, and they pressed on.
"Oh, hey, wait," Cedric said, "Why don't you try out your orange fists?"
(Press right shoulder button or L to switch weapons)
Grey concentrated.
"BRAVERY!" he shouted involuntarily.
Grey's cleaver disappeared, and his fists glew orange.
(Tap attack button to do small Shoryukens. This will make Grey move faster quickly. Hold the button for a bit to do a grand Shoryuken)
Grey ran forward while punching up multiple times. He ended up moving forwards very quickly, and Cedric had to work to keep up. When the bigger enemies popped up, Grey charged up a punch. When he let go, he flew upwards, and the enemy was quickly dispatched. Ash followed them from the background, and he would take out any enemies that attempted to ambush the two. As for the different roadblocks, wall jumping made them a breeze to get by. When the pair came upon the first pit, Cedric stopped the two.
"Grey, get on my back," he said.
Grey blushed and obliged. Cedric heaved a bit as he stood up.
Fuck, I knew he would be heavy, but he's like a bag of bricks on my back! Cedric thought.
He dashed over the pit.
(Tap the jump button again to perform a double jump)
Before the pair could fall into the pit, Cedric jumped again in mid-air. After that harrowing experience, Grey and Cedric rushed through the rest of the stage. At one point, Cedric sensed something in a mausoleum. He strummed his guitar hard, and a hole appeared in the side. Cedric went and found another gray heart. As usual, it disappeared when Cedric touched it. After that, Cedric and Grey continued on w/ the stage, and, after a while, they heard a hoarse voice.
"My, what do we have here?"
A dark, spindly figure suddenly appeared. It had thin spikes for fingers, a large pack on its back, and stick-like limbs, a painfully thin torso, and a smoky head that had two glowing dark green lights for eyes.
"What have you come here to buy, fellas?" the nightmare creature said.
"Um, we're not here to get anything," Grey said nervously.
"Not here to buy?" the creature rasped.
It then proceeded to laugh wheezily.
"Of course you're here to buy something. If you don't buy anything, I might have to get, oh, I don't know, MURDERY."
Grey got his fists ready, and Cedric readied his guitar.
"Listen, you dick," Cedric said, "I don't care how good your wares are. We don't have to buy it."
"Well said," said a voice behind them.
Everyone looked, and there was Ash.
"Oh, look. A user of one of my ite-"
The nightmare didn't finish because a square appeared underneath him. He dodged just in time as a blast shot up.
"So be it. I might not be nearly as strong as my brother, but I can still eviscerate you no problem."
FIGHT START!
(Song: VS Dynamo from Shantae Half-Genie Hero)
The creature zipped all over the field. At different spots, he would shoot out large, dark green frying pans. Grey and Cedric had a bit of trouble avoiding these, and their health dropped to 90% (Grey) and 93% (Cedric). When the creature paused for a bit, Grey charged up a punch and knocked the thing into a tree. Its health went down to 88%. The nightmare then summoned a giant, dark green cloth. It began to go across the area w/ it, but the fabric never reached Grey and Cedric because a square appeared underneath the boss and erupted. This caused the creature to drop and the cloth to break apart. Cedric took the opportunity to strum his guitar hard. This damaged the boss quite a bit before he jumped back. Its health was down to 67%! It then zipped upward and shot out a volley of spikes. A couple grazed Grey and Cedric, and their health dropped to 86% (Grey) and 89% (Cedric). Grey charged up a punch and launched up towards the creature, which knocked it up, and it landed heavily on the ground. A square appeared underneath him and erupted while Cedric also strummed his guitar in tandem. The boss' health was down to 37%! The creature zipped over to the right and made a giant, dark green cloth appear. It then rushed around the field while whipping the fabric around. Grey and Cedric had a pretty hard time dodging this, and their health dropped to 80% (Grey) and 84% (Cedric). Two squares then appeared and blasted upward. The creature got caught in these and fell down again.
"NEUTRALITY!" Grey shouted.
His weapon switched back to a cleaver, and he and Cedric quickly dashed over to the boss. They immediately attack the stunned creature before it leaped back one final time. His health was down to 8%!
"Oh hell, you've nearly defeated me," the boss said.
It then darkly chuckled.
"Looks like I'll have to use my last resort."
He then screamed upward, burst open, and became a large, dark green light! His health dropped down to 1%! The nearly dead creature zipped around at almost invisible speeds and rained down frying pans alongside cloth. Grey and Cedric's health ended up steadily dropping until they had 67% (Grey) and 71% (Cedric). Eventually, Cedric held up his guitar and strummed it hard in desperation.
"AUGH!" The creature drily screamed.
VICTORY!
The boss dropped down. Two items flew out of him, a cracked, dark green SOUL and a green wisp.
"I got it!" shouted Ash.
He immediately rushed over to the SOUL w/ his arm outstretched.
"Oh no, you don't!"
Azrael quickly darted out from behind the tree and knocked Ash w/ his dark blades.
"Of all the-!" Cedric began.
"Asmodeus, now!" Azrael shouted.
Asmodeus rushed out from behind the tree and went to the body. He grabbed the SOUL, but before he drank it, he closely examined the body.
"I knew recognized your energy. You're one of the two beasts we sealed all those years ago," Asmodeus said.
Azrael gave Asmodeus a funny before he looked down.
"Oh my God, you're right!"
"Funny how I need your power now."
Asmodeus stabbed his ruined tongue through the SOUL and sucked the energy out. After the power was gone, he tossed the empty heart onto the floor, where it shattered. Grey then got up and tried to catch up to the duo, but Asmodeus immediately covered Azrael, and they disappeared.
"Oh, I've failed again," Grey said sadly.
"Hey, don't be sad over it," Cedric said while putting a hand on Grey's shoulder, "You tried your best."
Just then, the green wisp above the body phased into Grey, and everything went black.








...




Grey floated over the city. No, not floated, he flew. Grey looked to his right and noticed white things flapping in his face.
I wonder what my wings would look like w/o feathers, Grey thought absentmindedly.
He surveyed the city, looking for problems to solve. Like other angels, he'd been sent to Earth for the afternoon to help people. Earlier, he'd helped a girl who had been trapped behind a dumpster, and a guy was being robbed. Now, Grey couldn't find anything. He was about to go back to heaven because he couldn't find anything else, but he eventually spotted something. A woman in a black robe was struggling w/ a cart on the side of the road. Grey swooped down.
"Hello, do you require assistance?" he asked.
The woman saw Grey and smiled in relief.
"Oh, yes, please! My wheel broke earlier, and I've been struggling to get it moving. Can you please help me get it back to my house?" she asked politely.
"Certainly."
Grey touched the back of the cart and held out his hand.
"Tell me where you live, and I can instantly get us there."
The woman took his hand.
"I live on the outskirts of the city in that direction," she said while pointing forward.
Grey concentrated and pulled them through a tight tunnel at light speed. On the other side, they appeared in a dry field. There was a small, cozy-looking cottage in the distance. Grey brought the cart and the woman over to the house.
"Thank you so much for your help," the woman said w/ a curtsy.
"Don't mention it," Grey said modestly.
"Hold on, let me reward you for helping me," the woman said as she reached into her cart.
"Oh, no, I don't need a reward," Grey said politely.
"No, I insist," the woman said as she pulled a book from the cart.
She handed the book to Grey.
"What's this?" he asked.
"It's a spellbook," the woman explained, "You can use it to perform different feats of dark magic. The spells can be used to benefit people."
Grey looked at the book as if it was God's throne.
"But," the woman warned, "Do NOT use the spells too much."
"Why?" Grey asked.
"Dark magic corrupts the more you use it. Try only using it sparingly."
"Oh, is that all? Angels don't get corrupted that easily." Grey said cockily.
Aside from maybe the devil himself, but he was a "special" case, Grey thought.
"In any case, please use it sparingly."
"Alright," Grey said.
He then flew off, wanting to share his new gift w/-
"Grey!"
"Wake up, bitch!"
Grey shook his head, and he was back in the cemetery.
"Oh, thank God, you're back!" Cedric exclaimed, relieved.
"You never told me he conked out when he got a new weapon!" Ash said.
Grey then noticed his hand was clenched around something. He looked down. He was holding a green frying pan!
"What was the vision this time," Cedric asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," Grey said, "I helped out a woman, and she gave me a book."
"Hm," Cedric said while thinking.
"Well, either way, Grey, you got a fantastic trait this time!" Ash said excitedly.
"How so?" Grey asked.
"Oh, I can explain," Cedric said, "Green magic is Kindness, as you know. One of the properties of that trait allows you to heal others!"
"Heal?" Grey asked.
"Cover Cedric in green magic to see," Ash said while stepping back.
Grey went up to Cedric and destroyed the pan. He summoned green magic to his hands and (w/ a blush) put his hands on Cedric. Grey concentrated on pouring out his magic. Cedric became engulfed in green magic, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, damn, that felt nice!" Cedric said.
Cedric health went back up to full! Grey looked down at his stitched hands in wonder.
"Don't get any ideas," Ash said, "Kindness magic can only be used for minor healing. It won't work if the injuries are major."
"Huh," Grey said, "Well, we should go now. Ashley's waiting for us."
Cedric and Ash stared at him w/ wide eyes.
"What?" Grey asked.
"Normally, I'm the one who reminds to do something like," Cedric said, shocked.
"Is that a bad thing?" Grey asked.
"No, not at all!"
Cedric then held his hands out. Grey and Ash grabbed them, Cedric's tail twitched, and they were transported back to the start of the graveyard. Ashley was still there, and when Ash saw her, he turned. Ashley sighed.
"We got rid of the nightmare person who was here," Grey said to her.
"When did you get so outspoken?" Ashley asked, surprised.
"He's been changing these past few days," Cedric explained.
"Well, at any rate, here's your compensation."
Ashley then pulled out some green rectangles from her pocket.
"If you don't mind me asking, what are those?" Grey asked curiously.
"That's called money," Cedric explained.
Ashley handed the money to Cedric.
"$100," Cedric said after counting.
He split some of it up and went to hand it over to Ash. Ash sneered at the money.
"I don't want that filthy money," he said coldly.
Cedric then snapped at that.
"Oh my God, will you just fucking forgive your sister already, you stupid cock?!" Cedric shouted angrily.
Grey and Ashley backed up, scared at Cedric's attitude.
"What?" Ash asked angrily.
"You heard me! She said she was sorry, and she is a pleasant individual. Did she turn you into this? Yes, but she was turned into a shadow monster as well, and I'm pretty sure she had no idea that the thing she bought was cursed! I get that you don't like this, but that doesn't give you the right to treat her like a pariah, you fucking bigot!"
Cedric forcefully shoved Ash. Ashley gasped, and Grey put a hand over his mouth. Ash looked at Cedric angrily. Grey thought that fight would start between the two, but Ash, instead, took a deep breath. He walked past Grey over to Ashley.
"What?" she asked sadly.
"I... I'm sorry," Ash said, "I've been... incredibly unfair to you. I'm still angry that I'm not human anymore, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you. You probably didn't know what that amulet would do when you gave it to me."
Ash slowly opened his arms. Ashley, w/ tears in her eyes, jumped into his arms and hugged him. Grey smiled, and tears fell from his eyes.
Why am I crying? I'm not sad, Grey thought, confused.
Cedric walked up to him.
"You've got tears of joy?" he asked.
"Tears of joy?" Grey asked.
"Sometimes, people cry when they're overwhelmed by happiness," Cedric explained.
Ash broke the hug, and he walked back over to the pair.
"Are things alright between you two now?" Cedric asked.
"Just get us back home," Ash replied.
Cedric held out his hands again. Grey and Ash grabbed them, Cedric's tail twitched, and they disappeared.