The dust plume from the impact crater could be seen for miles as it rose into the sky. Amatricina had hurtled into the ground at several times the speed of sound. A battery of planetary defense cannons had been her target, the huge weapon installations firing volley after volley of debilitating plasma fire at her dropships. The demoness deigned to call in bombardment, much fun as it would be to watch the fleet's heavy guns make the cinders glow. The damage to surrounding infrastructure would be too severe, and she did not want Carambolis to get the impression she was little better than a brute slinging around heavy ordinance where a more delicate touch would do. And by delicate, she meant several megatons of force plowing through battleship grade plating. Like a meteor the demon propelled herself deep into the center of the first cannon.

Most of the weapon's crew died instantly from the blast as Amatricina's body met solid earth. The resulting crater was large enough the two neighboring cannons were ripped from their foundations, collapsing under their own weight as they began to sink into the pit. She looked up through the smoke and debris, smiling a wicked grin before her already fiery gaze began to glow bright red. Two twin lances of demonic ki fired forth, eye beams cutting through a collapsing cannon and the still erect one besides it like a hot knife through butter. Her blast met its mark as she cleaved through the rough center of the structure, hitting a reactor core or ammunition magazine causing a violent chain reaction. Soon enough all guns had fallen silent, and Amatricina looked up to the swarm of dropships descending towards the nearby cities and military installation. She reached into her deep valley of cleavage, retrieving the communication device the Emperor had given her before she left. A scouter they called it, a kind of curious mortal invention. They were rather convenient, acting as a recording device, ki scanner, and communications tool.

The demoness clipped the device to her ear, brushing aside long locks of her ruby mane. A button press later and the device hummed to life, lighting up in the Kabochan language she could not actually read. She fumbled for a bit before finding the communication channel, opening a line to assault command. "The defense batteries north of your drop site are down commander. I'm moving ahead to take out perimeter defenses around the capital city, and chum the waters to see if I can draw out any worthwhile prey." Amatricina smiled as she spoke, hovering back into the air and surveying the carnage around her. What few personnel survived attempted to flee on foot or by flying off. She sensed their ki, and finding no demonic energy decided to spar them. If she was going to kill every gnat on this world that raised a hand to her she'd be here for weeks. Besides, Cam had ordered minimal casualties.

There was a touch of static on her scouter, but soon the strike commander's voice came through. "Understood Ma'am, thanks for getting those guns off us. We're reading only 6.5% loses to flak batteries and anti-orbital fire. We'll be touching down planet side within the minute." The voice was that of an older Kabochan, likely the veteran of many a battle. He sounded uneasy speaking to the demon, though he was steeled for battle.

"Excellent commander. I entrust you and your men know what to do." Amatricina replied, taking off and flying towards her next key target.

"We won't let you down. For the Glory of the Confederacy!" The warrior shouted, she could hear his men hollering in the background as they psyched themselves up for combat.

Amatricina flicked off the scouter, she had no desire to listen to the mortals screaming in her ear. "For the glory of me..." She said to herself, smirking as she moved on. Ahead of her a number of figures rose into the air, flying under the power of their own ki. An entire battalion of soldiers, sent in vain to try and stop her. They raised their hands, summoning their ki and firing a barrage of energy blasts the demons way. She furrowed her brow, moving rapidly weaving between their volley causing most blasts to miss. Burning demonic energy rose like a lump in the fire demon's throat, and she opened her mouth wide before unleashing a thick beam of energy that swathed through the men. Some managed to get out of the way, others being obliterated on contact unable to escape. Other, yet more foolish soldiers tried to raise defensive barriers in time and succeeded only in delaying their deaths by mere moments. Those that survived had only moments to react before the demon was upon them.

The first soldier met the rush of her knee driving deep into his chest. He gasped in pain, the air knocked from his lungs as every rib shattered. Amatricina grinned, raising both arms over her head and slamming them down on the more fool from above. "Vermin..." She whispered, sending his broken body plummeting towards the ground. Another soldier tried to land a cheap shot on the side of her head, the demon's eyes looked left then her body flickered out of sight. The attack struck only air and she appeared behind the unwitting fool. "Too slow!" She yelled out in elation, delivering a savage kick to the soldier's side and practically breaking him in half. This was no fight, it was a slaughter, and she was enjoying every second of it. Two more warriors fell, both pieced through the chest by a quick eye laser blast. A third summoned his strength and blasted Amatricina point blast with a large green energy blast. She smiled and headbutted him as she stood unphased in his attack. The sound of her horns shattering his skull was only slightly less sickening than her following up by punching his comrade clean through the chest and then opening her fist to blast the soldiers behind him with a ruby flash of energy.

It took only seconds, but the hundred strong force was no more, slaughtered before the demon before she continued on her path. Meanwhile in low orbit the Crusher Corps fleet was slightly on edge. They'd detected an unknown vessel appear in system, large enough to be a modest warship. Initial thoughts were an Imperial reconnaissance ship, or pirates come to what they thought was a safe haven. "Sir, something just came up on scanners. It's moving fast towards the system." A petty officer said as he notified the interim captain of the battleship.

The helmsman rubbed at his white beard, pointing to the monitors. "Put it on screen." He commanded, and the display flickered to life showing the scan readings and bearings of the unknown vessel. "Hmm. I don't like this, communications patch me through to the demon. She will want to hear about this." He did like like saying those words, but he feared the fiery woman's wrath more if he didn't tell her than if he handled matters appropriately on his own accord.

"Wait, sir, we're receiving incoming transmissions from the unknown vessel." The communications officer noted with great excitement in her voice. "He claims to be Lieutenant Kamui Solaris, operating under Crusher Corps authority."

The helmsman seemed surprised, rubbing at the bridge of his nose and groaning under his breath. "Crusher Corps? I've never heard of a Kamui Solaris, run is information through the database."

There was a moment of pause as an ensign furiously typed away at his terminal. His face went flush and he sputtered out his words. "Our reports say Kamui is responsible for numerous raids on Kabochan military vessels, and is charged by the Confederacy of multiple accounts of destruction of military designation warships."

"What!?" The helmsman said, slamming his fist on his armrest. "Check his authentication codes, there's no way he's a legitimate Crusher Corps vessel, he's spoofing their transponder codes and taking us for fools!"

"All encryption codes and hailing frequencies are current sir." Communications added, looking puzzlingly at her screen. "He requests us to alert our ground forces. Should I notify Amatricina?"

The elder Kabochan sat in his command chair, brooding. He would not let three tours of duty and a shot at a rear admiral position fall apart because he let a wanted pirate slip past them. But at the same time, he feared the demoness' wrath more than he feared losing that high command pension. If she deemed it so she might simply kill him before they returned home. "Patch the message through, let the demon sort this mess out." He finally said, deciding to wash his hands of it. He was only following protocol to the best of his ability. Hopefully the admiralty would understand.

Amatricina was running her fist through a reactor core, super heating the machine and beginning a meltdown sequence when her scouter began to beep. "Impeccable timing.." She groaned, spreading her arms wide and sheathing herself in a barrier of crimson ki as the power planet went into meltdown, discharging a massive blast of heat and energy that was sure to wipe the entire installation of the face of the planet. When the dust settled there was only a molten hellscape of twisted debris and wreckage around her as the demon lowered her guard. She tapped the button on the side of her scouter, opening the communication frequency to her flagship. "Yes? What is it, you caught me in the middle of something." She had little time for military formalities. 

"Ma'am." The helmsman spoke as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Lieutenant Kamui Solaris of the Crusher Corps is on approach, how are we to respond?"

The demoness shook her head, puzzled over the name and organization she'd been given. Both meant nothing to her, they were as alien to her as the symbols flashing on the device's screen. "Crusher Corps? And who is this Kamui Solaris?" She said, her gaze turning back westward towards the capital. 

The helmsman was shocked, was the demon this ignorant? Where had the Emperor found her, and how and why had he recruited her to his cause. "Ma'am, Amatricina. You are part of the Crusher Corps. They are a military element within the Kabochan Confederacy."

Amatricina shrugged, though no one was around to see it besides herself. "I was unaware, my deal is with your Emperor. I'm not part of his little military divisions. Regardless, if this Lieutenant is supposed to be of my military force then so be it. Relay a message to him, he is under my direct command so long as he remains within this star system. Have his vessel join the picket line, adjacent the flagship in case it tries anything funny. Fire upon it immediately if it ignores my order. And do tell the man I am in the middle of an invasion, give him my personal communication channel and current heading. I will speak to him after I have pacified this city, Understood?" The demon spoke curtly, dashing into the air and flying towards the towering spires of Styx' capital city. It loomed in the distance, already the heavy ground battle could be seen as blaster fire and energy waves flew back and forth between the attacking forces. 

"Yes Ma'am, I will relay the message at once." The helmsman said, before she closed communications with him. He groaned aloud, slamming down his fist. "Damn demon thinks she owns the place. Fine. Patch her message through to the Crusher Corps ship, and bring this ship about..."

---

Word Count: 1,954
Total Word Count: 3,514
Doctor Kaijin Vex

The bridge crew of the flagship Relentless were stunned when the xeno woman came screaming over their comm lines. Not only was her attitude and obscenities an extreme breach of military protocol but she had to gall to dare and threaten ships of the Kabochan Confederacy? The helmsman would have opened fire on her... if he still had the authority to do so. Despite complaints from his communications officer he deemed they would both hold their fire, and fail to report this particular communication relay back to their demonic overseer. The elder Kabochan soldier was confident he would draw his last breath this day if he did so. However what he had already begun doing was writing a sternly written letter to the admiralty board about the unorthodox methodology employed on this particular mission. The man was already having an ensign type up his report as he dictated it to them, even as his vessel's broadside cannons came within their firing arc of the smaller Crusher Corps vessel.

Meanwhile on the ground Amatricina was spear heading the offensive against the capital city, unironically acting as a fire suppressant, moving from one front to another clearing out pockets of resistance that we slowing down her troops. The Confederacy's soldiers were well trained, she'd give them that much. But what they had in strict discipline they lacked in savage fury, save for some of the Saiyan auxiliary forces. Their inflexibility made them vulnerable to the sporadic and aggressive retaliation the loosely coordinated defenders could muster. It was a ceaseless task rescuing soldiers who's adherence to doctrine routinely got them into poor tactical situations. Were they her own soldiers, she'd have left their survival in the hands of their acting general. But since she was the highest ranking official and strongest warrior of their forces, the task fell sorely on her. Moreover, the demoness did not want these grunts crying to their master about how the mean fire demon had abandoned them on the battlefield to pursue her own motives.

It came as a surprise when her scouter beeped to alert her of an incoming communication. She was busy breaking the back of an enemy garrison, literally. The garrison commander was the only one among his men who even posed a challenge to the demon. After a brief clash among the city spires, Amatricina had hurled the warrior through a building and meteor smashed him through an armored bunker. She was busy smashing the combatant over her knee as the obnoxious device began to beep. Amatricina bought the garrison commander down hard, a sickening crunch as his armor shattered and his spine snapped in two. He was still wheezing his last desperate gasps of air as she cast him aside. The fire demon turned away, listening to the message as she raised her other hand and nonchalantly executed the dying warrior with a ruby ki blast. She scoffed at the words she was hearing, these mortals never seemed to have any respect.

Worse, the soldier closed communications before she could reply. Her scouter seemed unable to reconnect with him, she assumed he was blocking all incoming communications. "So be it.." She said flatly, turning to fly back towards the ranks of her advancing troops. The demoness took the foremost position, slashing aside a large energy blast headed for her like it was nothing. It careened into a building and detonated violently, and the demon responded by opening her mouth wide and sweeping a deadly mouth energy wave through the enemy forces. "Their morale is wavering..." She said mockingly to her men. "These dogs pale before my might." Amatricina fired another eye laser, cutting down more soldiers like wheat in a field. It felt good to stretch her legs again and sate her wanton thirst for violence. For too long the demo had been hiding in a mortal skin, pretending to be some weakling earthling vermin that couldn't so much as sense her own ki. It felt marvelous just to get out and feel the surge of her ki between her fingertips, her demonic energy coursing outwards unchecked and unbound. Let this world tremble, for their fate was sealed the moment her burning gaze was set upon it. Soon enough the defenders would lay down their arms or die to the last, and she would begin corralling her 'liberated' thralls back into her realm.

The demoness turned, sensing a power level stronger than any she'd yet felt on the planet. It was not demonic, nor Saiyan, nor Kabochan... nor even an Earthling. She did not know the energy of the being that was fast approaching from the distance, nor the weaker power level at its side. "Men, hold positions." She called out, turning and readying herself. Amatricina began focusing her ki, channeling it deep in her throat for an exceedingly powerful Chou Makousen if the warriors approaching dared challenge her to a fight. She took a defensive stance, and her men formed ranks with rifles drawn and ki blasts ready in hand. And here she'd been having so much fun, the last thing the demon wanted to do was actually exert herself with a real fight.

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Word Count: 872
Total Word Count: 4,385
Doctor Kaijin Vex

Fiery eyes looked the strange mechanical being up and down. Amatricina had met once such creature on earth before, he claimed to be an artificial biological creation born of the essence of multiple races spun into a kind of technological chimera. Was this being of the same origins she wondered. When the creature spoke she recognized its voice as that of the damned Lieutenant who had cut her off before she could reply. What had he addressed himself as again? Kamui, that was it. Amatricina swallowed the ki she'd gathered in her mouth and throat once she realized the men standing before her were those she was apparently allied with. She exhaled sharply, two black puffs of smoke jetting from her nostrils as the energy dissipated. The demoness spun around on her heels, rising slowly into the air and raising her fist as she addressed her men. "These two are Crusher Corp reinforcements... Go on without us men, make the final push on the capital city's last bastions. I will arrive to assist you shortly." There was a moment of hesitation from the ranks of the soldiers, before they reluctantly lowered their weapons and stowed their ki. "You all have your orders, now move out!" Amatricina commanded, pointing down the street towards the city's royal palace. Once home to the demon warlord that ruled this planet, it was not converted to a makeshift stronghold. Her men took to the skies and streets once more, flying off or sprinting on ahead.

The demoness landed again, slowly turned back to face her newfound guests. Cloak blowing in the wind and her long mane of ruby hair ruffling behind her as she stepped forward to greet them. She nonchalantly shrugged as she spoke, "I always try to enjoy myself. Life is about the simple pleasures after all. Like feeling the life slip from an opponent as they draw their last breath." The demon crossed her arms, folding them under her enormous bust as she eyed up her arrivals. The first looked vaguely similar to the footage Carambolis had shown her of the 'Emperor Polaris,' sharing his general profile and notably his tail. However his body was mechanical, seemingly a cruel amalgamation of circuitry and steel with precious little flesh. She could sense the darkness in this one's heart though, the cold emotions and the blackest sins within him. He was flesh and blood, somewhere in there. Her mind immediately filled with questions. She'd have to pick his brain later, after this diversion was finished. The other being she did not recognize, he looked vaguely similar to other xenos she had met amid the rank and file of the Kabochan Confederacy's military. But, his ki was mortal, not divine or demonic, and he had the weaker power level of the two strangers. So for now, he was unimportant, so long as he did nothing to compromise that believe.

"This is no invasion, Kamui Solaris, I presume." Amatricina said in her usual haughty tone. Her ruby gaze was fierce and fiery, and her very posture projected authority and strength. "This world is by rights, sworn to the Kabochan Confederacy, though without its ruler to keep it in line the locals populace has... forgotten their place." She gestured nonchalantly with a hand, as if this were an everyday occurrence. "I am merely performing much necessary administrative and law enforcement action, on behalf of our beloved Emperor himself..." Her tone quickly became more sarcastic. "This has nothing to do with the numerous demons hiding out on this backwater rock, who have no clan and thus, no loyalty. Who no one in my realm will miss once they are press ganged into my service and forced to toil at the hands of my clan." She flashed a smile, fanged canines gleaming as she reveled in her own wickness. "You know, it was quite rude to terminate communications before I even had a chance to reply. But, I'm not one for these Kabochans and their military bureaucracy, it is too stifling on the battlefield. What was it you requested? Fuel and supplies for your ship? So be it, you may have as much as you need. Hell, take captives as slaves if you like, I am so avaricious as to hoard all the spoils for myself. Though keep civilian casualties to a minimum, that was my one stipulation the Emperor has given me."

With that the demon turned and slowly began to walk away. Walk being the operative word, she could easily have flown if she truly wished to gain distance. "There is one small caveat though. You are under my command so long as this offensive is under way in the system. I am the ranking commander of this reoccupation, and you are a mere lieutenant. But... you said you have no intention of joining my war efforts. So be it, I consider myself a generous fire demon, the irony of that phrase is not lost on me. In that case you will at least accompany me and keep me entertained until this is over. Do I make myself clear?" Amatricina turned her head slightly, giving the cyborg a teasing wink before continuing to nonchalantly saunter away. Wide feminine hips sashaying gracefully with every step. The demon casually lifted a hand, firing a red blast of energy that arced across several city blocks before slamming into a defensive cannon that was raining mortar fire down on her ground forces.

---

Word Count: 921
Total Word Count: 5,306
Doctor Kaijin Vex

The Fire Demon smirked as the two strange aliens complied with her request. Kamui dispatching his subordinate soldier, Zephyrus had been his name, to join the ranks of her men as they battled their way through the capital. The soldier seemed somewhat reluctant to leave his superior behind, but it was not the position of a grunt to question his commanding officer. At least Kamui's man displayed strict adherence to the chain of command, that was one facet of the Kabochan military doctrine Amatricina greatly enjoyed. "I'm glad you feel that way, Lieutenant." The demoness said through her smile, always relishing the moment when another being submitted to her will. It was one aspect of ruling she'd simply never grow tired of. "And please Kamui, call me Amatricina, I care little for this Confederacy's ranks, or Crusher Corps. Whichever it is I am 'officially' apart of. It all matters little to me." She waved her hand through the air, wisps of fire wafting from golden talons as she illustrated her nonchalance at the titles and ranks.

Amatricina walked slowly towards the battle ahead, moving at a leisurely pace, listening keenly to the sound of the strange metallic being's inorganic body as it moved. Every footfall was like steel against cement, every breath of air came raspy and filtered as if through artificial lungs. It was a curious being of machinery and flesh. Truly she was curious, and the demon turned her head slightly to address the creature as she walked. "Tell me, Kamui. I am sure you are asked this often, but what exactly are you? You bare striking similarities to Emperor Polaris in your physiology, and I can only assume you are, or rather are mostly the same race as his kind. But your body appears predominantly inorganic." She paused slightly, thinking to the strange encounter back on earth with that insectoid being. "I met a creature once in my travels, similar to you in many ways. It claimed to be an amalgamation of many of the races of warriors in the galaxy, combined into one being that encompassed all their traits and strengths. It was young, and weak, and I slew it for its insolence in challenging a demon lord. But that is besides the point. That creature referred to itself as a Bio-Android, a term which I am not familiar with. Tell me Kamui, is that what you are? Some chimera of flesh and circuitry, an experiment by your icy race to artificially become stronger?"

The demon's curious was boundless, and her tone was blunt and to the point. She could riddle this Kamui with questions for hours if given the chance. It was certainly almost as interesting as this poor excuse for a battle. Amatricina came upon a wounded soldier laying face down in a pool of his own blood, his armor shattered and a deep wound on his chest. He clung to life, if only barely. She stopped, pausing for a moment to inspect his body. "Pathetic, they don't even die with dignity." She mused aloud, pressing her armored heel to the man's back. He cried out in pain, cursing aloud. "Go to hell you bitch!" The warrior yelled defiantly as she pressed down harder, the sound of ribs cracking as a wry smile crossed her plush lips. Then in an instant Amatricina gave the dying warrior a swift kick in the ribs, sending him skyward as she raised a hand, casually blasting him into ash with a demonic blast of ki. "Hmph. I thought this battle would be more of a challenge when I agreed to it. These enemy combatants, they are tenacious. I will give them that. But tenacity is no substitute for strength. They will die all the same." She turned her attention back to Kamui, continuing to speak as she walked.

"Not you though, right Kamui? Do not think I couldn't sense your power level when you approached. You far outclass anyone in my command, and these are supposedly among the finest trained soldiers in Emperor Carambolis' forces. Hmph. Now tell me, what brings a being such as yourself to this crimson rock of a world. Besides the need for fuel for your star ship. There are no shortage of other systems you could have stopped at. Why this one? Or are you just going to tell me fate and leave me with my theories?" A part of her mused that perhaps this Kamui planned to take this world of Styx as his own, and that was why Carambolis had offered it to her for her loyalty. Perhaps the good Emperor had thought her a mere weapon, to hurl at a problematic subordinate and remove him from the equation? Or had he thought her unable to complete the task given to her, and known or even sent this Kamui to assist her should she prove insufficient. It was all a bit too convenient for the demon's tastes, and she was always weary of ulterior motives. Demons operated under much secrecy and scheming, and she expected the more duplicitous mortals to do just the same. Whatever the reason, she did not matter much so long as things continued to proceed smoothly and she got her fresh crop of demonic slaves.

---

Word Count: 888
Total Word Count: 6,194
Doctor Kaijin Vex

Amatricina did so enjoy her leisurely stroll through the battle ravaged wreckage of the city. The burning bodies, the pools of blood and viscera, the dying cries of warriors who's life slipped away with each breath. It reminded her of home, the fire demon had not seen or fought in a proper battle since before she had last torn open a rift in dimensions, propelling herself into the mortal plane of existence. While the blood smelled different, and the fires did not rage as hotly, this would do. There was a notably spring in her step as she walked, reveling in the destruction before her. All around her she could sense the emotions of the frail mortal civilians. Hiding in their homes like the cowardly vermin they were, at least they avoided dying in combat this way. It fulfilled both her mission perimeters and allowed them to live to see the sun rise another day, an acceptable trade off if ever there was one.

When Kamui spoke his words in response, Amatricina's blood ran cold. She turned rather sharply on her heels to face the cyborg. "Frost Demon?" She replied bitterly, as if the words stung her throat. "Is that what these foolish mortals call your kind?" Rage began to boil inside the demon, and her aura crackled and flared around her as she spoke. "Have my kind truly fallen so far from the minds of the mortal races that this is what they think constitutes as a demon?" The woman spat, it sizzled the ground like lava burning a hole through inches of concrete street. She wanted to demonstrate the full power of a demon, to remind the mortals of at least this world what a proper demon truly looked like. She could tear this city asunder in minutes, lay waste to an entire continent in days, and in only a few weeks the entire planet could be nothing but a burning ruin. No even a mountain left standing. But she did not, she did no such thing in fact. Amatricina let her temper simmer, before dispelling the energy in a wave of intense heat that dissipated from her body. "I agree with you on the word Changeling..." She stated simply, her tone trying to hide her anger. "I find it a much better alternative to frost demon. I have seen actual frost demons... they are nothing like your kind." The demoness left the matter at that, turning and beginning to continue her walk.

"So your race can transform?" She said curiously, glancing aside to inspect the mechanical Changeling head to toe. She couldn't imagine how, perhaps his metal armature transformed with him? "Emperor Carambolis can transform as well, though it is not a natural phenomena of his race. Have you seen him in battle? It is quite the spectacle." She spoke that last sentence with bitter resentment, thinking back on her short spar with the Emperor. How he had attained his strange striped form, covering his skin in ancient markings both divine and demonic and channeling great psychic powers against her. How easily he had bested her, and how powerless she had been against his might. "He claims he acquired that power of his in the Other World. I trust your kind knows of that place? It is the world of the dead, the afterlife, where the souls good or bad are judged and then bottled away by the Kais like baubles in a collection for all eternity." The demoness spat again, clenching a fist in rage. "Carambolis claimed he journeyed there, but neglected to mention the means by which he did. He didn't die, because as I know it no power can revive the dead but the Dragonballs, and he does not yet possess the full set..." Amatricina thought briefly on her own small 'collection' of the gemstones. She had found the five star orb in her travels, and hidden it away where even the Emperor could not find it. At least, that was what she hoped. "Tell me Kamui, when your race transforms, is it akin to his strange power? And how do you do so with that mechanical... augmentation to your flesh?" She tried to be less than blunt, but there was no skirting around the subject of the changeling's mechanical appendages and voice modulated speech. He was eerie, like a creature that should have died but simply refused death.

Amatricina paused as Kamui dispatched some mortal hiding down an alleyway. "It is like the vermin to slink in the shadows rather than stand in the open." She said, shaking her head slowly before continuing forward undeterred. She thought briefly on her soldiers, surely they must have breached the main gates by now. Surely the battle between the last of the Styxian defenders and the Crusher Corps infantry was going to be a heated one. Part of her wished to see it first hand, so the demon picked up her pace slightly, hovering slightly off the ground rather than simply walking. "Hmm..." She said simply at Kamui's latest revelation. "So you're no artificial life form, and genetic chimera then. That is good I suppose, I find both detestable. The former lacks a soul to corrupt, the latter I thought revolting, like a perversion of the flesh. I happen to be a great admirer of beauty you know." Amatricina said, haughty and proud as she placed a hand to her chest. A wide grin flashed across her face before she spoke. "Especially my own." Kamui's revelation at even stronger beings lurking in the universe wiped the smile from the demon's face. Carambolis had mentioned there were perhaps a dozen beings in existence stronger than himself, and his power likely matched or maybe even exceeded that of the last Demon King... Dabura. It left a bitter taste in Amatricina's mouth at how many more beings than that short list could best her formidable strength.

"Interesting is not the word I would chose for describing facing a stronger being. Carambolis had me vomiting my own blood, with nearly every bone in my body broken. It is a beating a hope to repay him someday." Amatricina let out a huff, her mood momentarily fowled by yet another acknowledgement she was not as powerful a being as she had believed for centuries. Her near constant training in the mortal realm was beginning to change that though, and she had already mastered her techniques to what she believed was their fullest potential. "So you lost a battle, barely clinging to live and were saved by your servants and placed in this... mechanical approximation of your true form, Yes? There were healing devices on the Emperor's flagship, they used a serum derived from the sap of a so-called 'Tree of Might'. Have you heard of that before, I had not? Regardless, it worked phenomenally, repaired my broken horn in only an hour." Amatricina said as she lovingly ran a hand along the flawless bone and chitin of her large upper right horn, feeling its every flawless contour. "Could these devices restore your body? Or do I take it the damage is far too severe for that?"

The fire demon gave a devilish grin when Kamui asked questions of her in return. She was, if nothing else, a very proud being. She did so relish the chance to regale another with the histories of both herself, her clan, and her kind. It filled her with a deep sense of pride, stroking her very large ego. Amatricina's face practically lit up when the cyborg asked, and she nodded in agreement. "But of course, Kamui. It would be rude of me to ask so much of you and to not offer anything in return myself. Now, where do I begin..." The woman tapped a taloned finger playfully to her chin, as if she needed to think on where to start. It was all for show, her teasing smile betrayed her excitement. "As I said, I am indeed a Fire Demon. My race is near as old as the Demon Realm itself, spanning back in time just over seventy five million years give or take a few millennia. I am no mere Fire Demon though, I am a Demon Warlord, ruler of my late father's clan. We are the strongest clan on our home world of Monsigneus. It is a bit like this world, Styx. Though it is far larger, with much harsher gravity and constant volcanic activity. I do so miss it."

Amatricina was quite enjoying herself, slowing her pace slightly once more. Though she did wish to see the finale of the battle, telling her tale for more fun in the moment. "As to why I am here, that is a very long story. I will give you the condensed version, though you're welcome to the full version sometime. Ideally over a glass of wine and some well seasoned red meat." She was deathly serious despite her playful tone, and was more than willing to talk for ages over her origins and travels while enjoying some of the finer things in life. "I was inadvertently summoned to some misbegotten world months ago by a very foolish cult that worshiped shadows. I, along with another warrior they had coerced into their ritual, slew the cultists to the last. Not long after I made my way to earth, searching for the secrets of magic relics I had only recently come into the knowledge of. I found that knowledge with the arrival of the Kabochan Confederacy, our mutual benefactor, their good Emperor."

The demoness let out a haughty titter, and she shook her head slowly as she smiled. "Carambolis opened my eyes to a truth I had been blind to. My goals are not bound within your mortal realm. My eyes are cast to my own, and thus the two of us were able to strike a bargain. He was quite generous with his terms, offered me this whole world as payment for services in shackling the earth to his cause. But alas, I cannot rule a planet in two different dimensions, so I must decline. But this world does have one particular resource I'm after, though as you've seen they are not a willing bunch." Amatricina chuckled to herself, thinking on the millions of shackled demons soon to be forcibly carted back to her world. She would need an extraordinary portal to facilitate the transfer. One larger than any she had yet constructed. The demon hadn't put much thought into how she'd go about doing that, but ideas were beginning to form in her head. "Anyways, Carambolis is stronger than myself, so I was in no position to decline his requests. I, like you, are also a great seeker of knowledge. I have no doubt that is why you have followed me without the slightest complaint. I wish to learn more about the Emperor's strange power, and how to obtain it for my own." Amatricina did not speak of Emperor Carambolis' offer to help her gather the Dragonballs in exchange for the earth. She had no doubt he would attempt to betray her on that matter, but that was a problem for another day. In the meantime she was more than happy to have at least a few token allies in the mortal realm. Especially one with such incredible power and such a mighty war machine as the Omnipotence.

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The demon furrowed her brow as Kamui reminded her that powerful warriors far beyond her strength inhabited the mortal realm. It was a detestable fact, one she did not enjoy in the slightest. One she intended to rectify at her earliest convenience, the demon's training was rigorous as it was effective. Already she'd felt a marked improvement in her power level since her duel with Emperor Carambolis, though she knew she presently lacked the strength to face him on even footing. Or now. "I am aware of the incredibly strong beings that inhabit the mortal realm, much to my chagrin. Our mutual Emperor said there were perhaps a dozen that could best him, so I shudder to think how many exist in the bracket between himself and I." That was all she felt speaking on the matter, it was a continued so spot on her pride. A blemish that only training and perhaps the Dragonballs could remove.

Amatricina listened intently the changeling cyborg's words, it was by far the most interesting thing she had heard all day. Transformations were not knew to the fire demon, she had seen mortal races transform before. However, most did so to increase their power levels, not the reverse. So Kamui and Polaris' race used transformations to limit their power, like a natural stopgap on the limits of their power. It was curious, to say the least. She briefly wondered if her race could transform. Amatricina had never seen it, and their records did not contain information on fire demons specifically transforming, only how they could obtain great heights of power. She would need return to her home world Monsigneus soon, and consult with her archives more on the nature of transformation. The demoness had theories to test. Her mind snapped back to attention, and the demoness nodded along in agreement as the cyborg spoke. "Interesting, to say the least. I've never met a race that used their transformations to limit their strength, rather than augment it. Color me skeptical though if I don't believe some artificial limbs and mechanical augmentations can match the power of flesh and blood. I have not yet met a machine I could not rip apart with my bare hands."

Amatricina flashed her gilded talons as they glowed red with searing heat. She held out her hand to the side as she walked, slicing through the hull of a crashed star fighter burning in the streets as though it simply wasn't there. Her ruby eyes flashed and she turned her gaze back to her companion. "Regardless, if you claim your true strength rivals that of the Emperor, I would like to see it someday. I'd eagerly watch a battle that truly put Carmbolis on his toes, if only to vicariously watch him struggle." The demon looked up to the sky, waxing poetic about the day when her own strength would exceed the Kabochan's. "I will repay him for the indignity I suffered at his hands, someday. I have much to do in the meantime before I am ready to face him again." She turned back to Kamui, musing aloud to herself. "If you are such similar power as he is, I should like to spar with you at some point. But that can wait for another day, on another world. I hold no love of this planet, and this diversion is fleeting at best."

The cyborg's story of his own origin however, was less appealing. Amatricina held no love for pirates or mercenaries, they were little better than lawless dissidents serving no clan but the highest bidder. If captured by her Infernal Fleet, it was Amatricina's younger brother Sofrito's great pleasure to execute pirates himself. He tended to shove his hand through their hearts, incinerating them from the inside out. His elder sister's thoughts on the matter were similar. But here in the mortal realm, there were no demon clans, and she was forced to be much more... 'open' about her choice of allies. If Kamui was as strong as he claimed to be, and held his own chip on his shoulder for the Emperor's transgressions against him, he would prove a better ally than enemy. "It seems I am not the only one bound to Carambolis by mutual benefit then." She replied, ignoring the point about Kamui being a pirate. "Does the good Emperor only recruit allies by way of mutual benefit?" She chuckled, her question purely rhetorical. "And for the record, I care little for the fact you are studying me. I am a being worth study. So long as we are both sating our mutual curiosity, I see no issue. After all, thinking rational minds are what separates demon from beast, are they not... frost demon?" The demoness scoffed at her own remark, but the point was still relevant. It was only natural for intelligent races to study the world around them.

As the duo approached the capital building, Amatricina's attentions shifted away from idle chit chat. Her army had not yet routed the enemy, she found it irksome that even with as little faith as she placed on them they managed to fail her low expectations. She side eyed the cyborg as he spoke, seeing in him a way to kill two shinjin with one stone. Amatricina smiled, her words coaxing and charming rather than haughty and cold. "If that is how you feel, then perhaps you should act on that feeling Lieutenant. These men mean little to me beyond tools bestowed upon me by Carambolis. Go on changeling, cut these rebels down like a scythe through the tall grass. Show me the power that rivals the Kabochan's Emperor, spare my men from further causality and crush these vermin in one fell swoop." A wry smile formed across the demon's face as she goaded the changeling. She did wish to see him in action, and if he did nothing on the matter she would quell the violence herself... with maximum prejudice.

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Amatricina smirked as the changeling replied, watching as he vanished from sight. He was fast, impressively so, though Carambolis was still stronger. Though the Emperor's speed was something of a facsimile, as he claimed to more be able to read movements and see otherwise invisible forms of energy to give him acute foresight regarding his foe's attacks. Kamui however, appeared to indeed be the real deal when it came to agility. The fire demon actually had to focus, keeping track of his every movement with a keen sense of concentration. She walked slowly through the battlefield, deftly deflecting errant ki blasts back into the ranks of the enemy or harmlessly into the skies above. One soldier was bold enough to charge her, and she simply side stepped his assault, headbutting him hard enough to pile drive him into a crater on the ground. All the while her gaze was locked on the ever changing position of the cybernetic warrior, studying his technique and form as he weaved through the enemy ranks like a hot knife through flesh. If they did indeed spar she would need be on her toes, the changeling's ability to seemingly vanish and reappear instantly at will was as fascinating as it was concerning. She could see how he had become a respectable pirate, a technique of such speed would allow for flawless ambushes. Combined with the fact Carambolis had informed her the cyborg's race were among those that could withstand the crippling depths of space, she could plainly see how Kamui had been coaxed towards space piracy.

The demoness furrowed her brow, scowling when her Lieutenant's energy wave went bisecting through the buildings behind the battlefield. Collateral damage was one thing, but she deigned to have word reach the Emperor that her forces had caused significant enough damage to the capital to have repercussions come back to her. She would need intervene and quell this fighting immediately. As much fun as it was to watch mass destruction firsthand, staying in the Emperor's good graces was among her chief priorities. Amatricina appeared in front of Kamui as he shouted his defiant challenge to the rebellious soldiers. She placed her arm out in front of the Changeling's metallic chest, signalling him to stand down. "That will be enough Lieutenant Solaris." The demon said sternly, her gaze fixating on the remaining enemy. Amatricina hovered higher into the air, so the enemy could all plainly see her. "This battle is over." She commanded simply. "Lay down your arms and surrender, you will be granted amnesty and mercy. You have fought bravely this day, and will be rewarded for your valor with compassion on the battlefield." The demon's tone was stern, authoritative, and most importantly, a ruse. Her fiery gaze was locked on the rebels, as they formed tight defensive ranks, mulling about their options. Die before Kamui's wrath, face the Kabochan army and take as many down with them as they could, or accept the demon lord's offer and with it their only chance at survival.

A lone soldier threw down his rifle, taking off his scouter and looking up defiantly at the demon. Another followed in his footsteps, soon more and more were laying down their weapons, relaxing their stances, or letting their power flare back down to its normal levels. Amatricina smiled, watching the last act of submission from her foes. She could practically taste it, mixed in with all the fear and the rage within the men. The last waning glimmer of hope, the light at the end of their long dark tunnel, the only chance of their salvation. The demoness licked her plump lips, landing back on the ground softly. Heels clinking against the stone floor of the large plaza where the battle had raged as Amatricina slowly walked up to the rebellious army. She placed her hand tenderly on the shoulder of the first rebel to lay down his arms. A warm smile crossed the demon's face, and she spoke in a motherly tone. "You have made the right choice this day warrior. I hope your comrades remember your actions." Amatricina flexed her hand shut, snapping the man's shoulder blade like toothpick and sending him screaming in pain. This was the moment she relished most, the moment when the last of their hope would die. "Because it's the last thing you'll ever do!" Amatricina cackled with laughter as she flew back into the air, raising her hands above her head as black and violet colored lightning crackled from her finger tips.

The rebels were a mixture of frozen with fear, fleeing for their lives, and attacking back in desperately retaliation. Amatricina aimed a hand at them, and the army fell to its knees. Her gaze narrowed, a wide grin plastered on her face. Her Demonic Siphon, a ki stealing technique that drew the energy of lesser creatures and allowed her to absorb and convert it into pure demonic ki. A strong enough warrior could resist its effects with their aura, as she had no doubt the Changeling and his subordinate would, but for the rebels there would be no such luck. The rebels cried out in pain and agony, doubling over as they felt their energy being drained away against their will. Amatricina's own army was not exempt from her siphoning display, the weaker of her ranks falling to their knees or outright collapsing as she wantonly drew forth as much of their energy as she could. Amatricina's normally fiery gaze began to glow with a black flame, and her aura shifted from a burning ruby to a deep violet the color of Dark Energy. The power was intoxicating, she hadn't felt this much energy since she had last set foot on Tenebris, the Dark Energy infused moon that orbited her home world, one of her clan's greatest treasures.

Amatricina aimed her other hand at the center of the rebellious soldiers, channeling her ki into an inky black orb that seemed with chaotic power. It crackled with raw Dark Energy, a seething writhing mass of primordial power. The demon exhaled, her mind focusing as she drew forth the powerful magics she would need for this task. She had never attempted a portal this large. Even the smallest ones required her to hone Dark Energy into her claws and tear open a rending gash in the dimensional fabric of reality. This, this was no mere gash, this was to be an open gaping wound. One she would need every ounce of stolen power to maintain. Amatricina fired a black beam of energy from the orb in her hand. Violet tendrils of burning energy twisted around the central darkness in a sickly helix pattern. The rebels scattered, trying to avoid the blast. It impacted the center of the army, but alas, there was no explosion. No flash of light. No, what happened was much, much, worse. A dark circle appeared on the ground, flawless in its total absence of light. It began to grow, at first no bigger around than a manhole cover but swelling rapidly as it gorged itself on the Dark Energy Amatricina fed her creation with her sustained energy beam. It expanded outward, spreading like an inky sheen along the ground, matching the every imperfection and contour of the floor beneath it. As the darkness spread underneath the feet of the rebel soldiers, they sank through it as if they had stepped onto quicksand. Too weakened from being drained of their ki to flee, most could only feebly grasp at the air before the darkness had pulled them under.

The screams of the soldiers sliding into the inky liquid was deeply unsettling, the Kabochan army visibly upset by the display. Some men stepped back, giving themselves greater distance from their demonic commander. To Amatricina though, it was music to her ears. The last desperate cries of mortal vermin whose pathetic lives were coming to a horrid end. She cackled loudly as she fed her circle of darkness, a dimensional rift between the mortal and demon realms. A gateway between Monsigneus and Styx that would be the undoing of the demons of this world. Soon the portal grew to its full and terrible size, swelling to fill most of the plaza proper. Any organic life standing on it were pulled through to the other side, first traversing the nightmarish void in reality between the two realms. Deprived of light or sound or any stimulation, that miserable empty abyss that even Amatricina loathed to travel through. On the opposite end they would arrive, greeted by the burning volcanic hellscape of her home world. The gravity many times higher than most worlds, the frailest rebels would simply have their bodies crushed and their lungs collapsed. Those less fortunate would be choked to death by the noxious atmosphere of toxic gases given off by constant volcanic activity. And those few poor souls who did not perish in moments, who's bodies could withstand the rigors of her world, would perish before one of Amatricina's siblings. Her eldest brother Raigu felt the demonic power at work, and the distant but unmistakable ki of his sister as he sat upon her throne. He rose from his seat, a grim look on his face. Soon a full legion of her demons would take to the skies towards the portal that writhed just beyond the gates of their capital city. Soon, Amatricina would be reunited with her kin.

Back on the planet Styx, Amatricina ceased the energy beam that fed her mighty portal. It was large enough for her purposes, now she need focus on sustaining it. She lowered herself to the ground, too taxed to waste precious ki on fight. The demon looked back at her army, exhausted and beleaguered. Some had succumbed to their injuries in concert with her dark siphon, but the majority of her forces seemed alive, if only just. They would likely recover, given enough time and rest. "Behold!" Amatricina declared loudly to her soldiers. "The power of a Demon Lord! By my hand, the dark magic needed to tear a dimensional rift! Now, return to the fleet. Your task is done here." Amatricina's words were boisterous, dripping with pride like venom from her fangs. She relished flaunting her power in ways even she could not have imaged mere centuries ago. Truly, this was to be a black day for the planet Styx.

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The fire demon's boundless satisfaction was diminished slightly when the cyborg spoke up. His displeasure was obvious, and one could practically see the displeasure on his face... despite it being emotionless and mostly inorganic in composition. His heart flared with great wrath, to which Amatricina could only chuckle. Did this so called 'frost demon' truly have mercy for these men? Is that the kind of paltry creature the mortals confused for a proper demon? It was insulting as it was irritating. Amatricina stepped towards Kamui, standing feet away from him. "I am damned. Good of you to notice. My race lives in a dimension of darkness and chaos, we are damned by our ancient imprisonment at the hands of the Kais. One I have at least temporarily lifted. Very thoughtful of you to notice." She smiled, making light of the changeling's insult, she was in high spirits and held no desire to bicker with her newfound ally. "And your subordinate, Zephyrus was it, is quite wise. I can see why you keep him as a retainer."

Amatricina shrugged, before placed a hand at her hip as she struck a more relaxed stance. "Though I wouldn't have needed to try and absorb anything. I'd just slip through my portal and wait out your blast as I seal it shut. You would have obliterated most of this planet, all for naught. And I would simply recuperate in my realm and return to Carambolis later, when I had the strength to summon another portal. I'm sure he would have been thrilled to know of one of his esteemed colleagues jeopardizing another's mission and destroying a Confederacy world, wouldn't he?" The demon let her idle threat and scenarios hang in the air. If Kamui had been that rash, he was far stupider than he seemed. Amatricina had no intention of fighting him though, not currently at least. She had used an enormous amount of energy to open a portal of this magnitude. Even now her brow was furrowed in intense concentration as she focused her magics to maintain its stability. The demon's eyes glowed with malevolent light and the rubies that ornamented her armor shimmered with radiant energy.

"Weakness killed some of my troops, I only tested their strength. Those spared can reflect on their weakness and strive to improve, or be crushed by the next enemy they face who tests them beyond leeching a portion of their ki." She said that word as if it hadn't brought most of the soldiers to an inch from death. The energy needed to sustain large portals was monstrous in the mortal realm. Without ready access to Dark Energy to fuel her dimensional magics, Amatricina needed to extract a heavy toll to find the energy needed elsewhere. This had proven a test of the mortal's spirits, one that many had failed. Amatricina scoffed, both at her army's weakness and Kamui's distress at the situation. The demon scowled, her tone growing curt and harsh with her Lieutenant. "I don't expect them to return to the ships. I command it of them. What I expected was for soldiers of the Crusher Corps to offer a bit more... mettle than this." She gestured behind Kamui with a hand, motioning to the writhing masses of her army struggling to their feat.

Amatricina remembered her scouter, and reached her hand into the deep valley of her enormous cleavage to retrieve the small device. She tapped a button, extending the visor before affixing it to her ear. "This is Commander Amatricina, calling into all Crusher Corps ships on all channels. The day is ours, the enemy forces are broken to the last. Send all available dropships and medical personnel to my coordinates for full scale withdrawal of our forces. Maintain defensive perimeter in order in the meantime... and I authorize any transfer of fuel or supplies to the crew of The Dread Spectre upon their request." Amatricina grinned slightly, taking off the device and retracting the scouter's visor. She tucked the earpiece back into its hiding place within her bust and affixed her glare on the cyborg's unflinching gaze. "See Lieutenant? I am not without completely without compassion." Her words haughty and sarcastic, both knew well she only did so to both honor her agreement with Kamui and insure the survival of what remained of her modest forces.

The demon smiled, a sinister grin spreading across her face as she exhaled sharply. "For the record Kamui, I am no witch. That is a petty term for petty conjurers who invoke only cheap tricks with their trinkets and spells. No, I am something far grander, I am a sorceress!" The demon raised her hands, clenching them into fists as they crackled with ruinous energy. "And you ask an explanation of me? So be it, I will grant you it..." She turned and motioned to the portal, its surface writhing with malicious dark energy as it clung to the ground like a second skin. A puddle on reality, a kind of portal hole birthed into existence by black magic that defied normal comprehension of existence. "That, is the largest portal to the Demon Realm I have ever summoned. I am quite pride of it, my attempts to claw my way between realms up until now have been little more than brief gashes in the dimensional fabric of space. This... this however is a rancorous open wound. It is magnificent, is it not?" The demon's tone was proud beyond measure, her face beaming with pride at her achievement.

"The portal leads to my home planet, a fiery molten world known as Monsigneus. My beloved planet, where I rule my clan from the Obsidian Throne. The rebels have surely perished by now, between my Dark Siphon's effects and the harsh nature environment of my world. A great shame for no one but themselves." She shrugged nonchalantly, uncaring about damning the men to a quick death upon her world. The carrion feeders would gorge on their corpses if the sand sharks and rock worms did not get them first. "Now, continuing on. As we speak I have no doubt my beloved brother Raigu will have sensed my portal, it shouldn't be far from my capital if I performed my spell correctly. Our dear Carambolis promised me the demons inhabiting this world as spoils of war for delivering it back onto his control, and I intend to collect my payment." Amatricina's grin widened, fangs glistening through her smile. "But I cannot do it alone, a world is too much for one demon to scour herself. I would need and entire legion of demons to do it quickly, and I have far better ways to spend my time. Like seeing my beloved siblings again, all two hundred and thirty six of them. I suspect they will be arriving soon."

Amatricina could sense it through her portal, but did not know if the changeling or his officer could as well. She did not know if a being needed mastery of magic to sense ki through a rift in dimensions, or if the wormhole was a sufficient looking glass on its own. Regardless, as if on cue three demonic figures slowly began to emerge from the center of the black portal. The first, and the tallest, stood near as tall as the long dead Frieza Force ruler, King Cold. Clad in red and black armor, adorned with a motif of spikes and skulls and trimmed in gold as his eldest sister's was, stood the dread visage of Raigu. The eldest of Amatricina's siblings, and the most powerful save for her. His might was not far behind hers when she had left Monsigneus in his care, and though the gap had widened his was still easily the third strongest being on the planet at present. Arms crossed, a stern look on his face, the demon commander was flanked on either side by two of his other siblings.

At Raigu's right stood Sofrito, the second eldest son of the late Lord Tartaros, only a decade or so younger than Raigu. He stood over a foot shorter, still towering over the mortal soldiers in stature though. His armor was more bedecked in onyx jewels and rubies than skulls or spikes. His horns, much like his sister's, were covered in ornate bands of gold, rings and bells, all to announce his grandiose presence with every step. His form was less massive than his brother, raw muscle replaced with a toned physique built more so for speed and agility, not raw power and fortitude. Regardless, he was still an incredibly formidable warrior, having been Amatricina's most competitive rival in their youth. And finally, the third horseman of the Apocalypse, standing at Raigu's left was the beautiful Arissa. The second eldest daughter of Tartaros and Bonara, she stood just under six feet in height, a far cry from her towering brothers and still an inch or two shorter than Amatricina herself. A more formidable sorceress than her brothers, though a capable warrior none the less. Her figure was less buxom than her elder sister, her curves not quite as pronounced. A point of much sibling rivalry in their youth, she still flaunted them quite openly. Though Arissa wore gauntlets and armored boots as her sister, she would forgo a metal brassiere for a flowing black sorcerer's robe. It hugged her figure splendidly, giving her a much softer and less intimidating appearing than either of her elder brothers.

Behind the three eldest began to emerge more demons, glad in armor and mail, carrying rifles or weapons in hand. Hundreds as first, rising from the inky black mass and forming ranks behind their superiors. Hundreds soon grew to thousands, and thousands swelled to more and more. The demonic legion's ranks continued to swell as they filled the plaza proper, beginning to spill outwards into the surrounding streets. The demons of the legion were not entirely fire demons in nature. Though Amatricina's kind composed the vast bulk of the forces, auxiliary troops of lesser demonic races crawled forth under their fire demon officers. Weaker clans of lesser races, that had long ago lost a war with her kind of pledged their fealty in exchange for their continued survival. Even as Kamui and the Confederacy troops would watch more demons continued to stream through the portal, taking up every available foot of space as they jostled into reasonably orderly formations. Officers and commanders stood at attention at heads of their divisions, young siblings and half siblings of their Demon Lord, eager to impress their elder sisters and brothers and claim more standing within the clan's hierarchy.

"Behold." Amatricina said with tears welling in her eyes as she met her siblings gazes. "My beloved legion."

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Total Word Count: 12,662
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