Achieving Heaven Through Hell Part 3: Only the Results

Chapter 17: Homeostasis

Chapter 17: Homeostasis

The ruins of the estate smoldered. The grueling battle between the two aristocrats had lasted mere seconds, a long time given the speed at which the combatants could think and act. Their battle had almost leveled the south wing of the massive palace. Fires blazed among the rubble, patches of molten earth glowed with residual heat. Various imp servants milled about the wreckage in a daze, most were wounded, some were even missing limbs, but they paid it no mind, dutifully recovering whatever valuables remained intact and rescuing trapped servants in the rubble. A sonic boom tore through the air, causing them all to flinch and duck. A huge form streaked through the air, flying some distance before smashing into the gardens, gouging a trench some half a kilometer long in the exquisitely maintained grounds. Sallos skidded to a stop, wreathed in dirt, his bare head smashing the base of a huge gold statue of Stolas, standing triumphant over a slain hell-lion. The statue toppled over, the spear in its hand stabbing into the earth between Sallos' legs.

"Ugh..." Sallos groaned, stirring in the trench.

He sat up and looked down at his suit, ruffled by battle and stained with blood. His blood. It had been a long, long time since Sallos had bled. On some level, he relished the sensation, the reminder of his limits. On another level, he had a job to do and had recently come across one Hell of a speed bump. He reached up and felt the squashed ruin of his once proud aquiline nose. With a squeeze and a twist, he popped the bone shards back into place and they knit together with a crackling sound. He exhaled explosively through his newly realigned nostrils, clearing them.

He got to his feet, scowling ferociously. 'I wonder what Lucy would say if I told him 'hey Lucy! I'm just gonna go pay your daughter a visit. You know, catch up, have lunch, break her fucking spine over my knee!' He'd probably say–'

'If you think you're up to it, Sally, I say have at 'er!' Lucifer's high, lilting voice chirped in his head, cold hateful glee dripping from every syllable. 'Let me know how that pans out for you~'

Sallos sighed and shook his head and set off towards the estate. If he was going to siege the Heiress' estate, he'd need the proper paperwork filled out, regardless of Lucifer's orders. He walked by Stella's unconscious form as it lay amidst the rubble. He reached up and felt the already healing slashes across his eye, the ghost of a smile on his face; the eons had not softened her in the slightest.

"I'm sorry, Starlight," he said, quietly.

He pulled out his Hellphone and made off for the parking lot where his limo resided, calling his home office. "This is Sallos, have a team dispatched to the Stolas Estate, we are taking Princess Stella Goetia in custody until the Decree has been fulfilled. Also, requisition a R4-7 Royal Estate Access Form along with a Class-1 Punitive Measures permissions form from Luciferian Office. I'll be there in 5 minutes."

He hung up for the peon on the other side could respond, dialing a new number. "Captain Gallia."

"Your Ekshellenshy," came the response.

"I trust you've achieved your objective."

"Affirmative, Your Ekshellenshy," came her oddly slurred reply. "The impsh are in cushtody, awaiting interrogashun."

"Excellent," he said, pausing. "Are you alright? You sound strange."

"...I'm fine."

Sallos smirked at her terseness; the imps must have gotten a hit or two in, no doubt marring her pride more than anything. "Very well, good job, Gallia. I'll need you to limber up some, we'll be sieging the Princess's hotel this time tomorrow."