Death smiled, turning his focus from the sky to the girl standing next to him. "You are partly correct. I fight to maintain the order of the world. I, 'The Reaper' as you know me,<span style="font-style: italic">am</span>a harbinger of death; but I do not bring an end to any being out of malice, only to preserve balance. My abilities are far greater than anything you could possibly comprehend. I could bring an end to every creature on this planet with a flick of my wrist, if I so chose, but that would accomplish nothing.<br/>"Now is not the time for the end of man. The majority of demons refuse to follow this order, and humankind would die if it were not for my intervention. However, if not now, you will<span style="font-style: italic">still</span>die if you do not learn to fend for yourselves. I could easily end your threat, but it would accomplish nothing."<br/><br/>"Before you consider it as a possible alternative, do not think I will save you should the worst happen. If humankind fails to respond with enough skill, and does not overcome this menace through their own strength, I will watch you die, and I will think nothing more of it." Death waited a moment, letting those last words sink in. "Does that answer your concerns?" he asked rhetorically, turning his focus over to the entrance to the hideout. Those rookies should be here by now. Was his warning not dire enough? A few minutes later, the last of the Hunters finally showed up, each of them wearing a similarly terrified face and crowding around him in hopes of an answer.<br/>"You say you wish to know what force awaits you, rookies?" spoke Death as he looked upward, his gaze suddenly turning deadly serious. "Look up in the sky now, and see your opponent's true strength."<br/><br/>The sky was stained red; at least, what you could see of it. The clouds coating its endless expanse parted, revealing the object which caused so much concern. A flaming mass of earth, stunning in size even at this distance, was hurtling towards the ground at incredible speeds, leaving a bright red trail in its wake.<br/>"In mere minutes, that meteor will land, causing a kind of destruction that is unlikely to spare any living creature within the walls of this city. If we don't make our moves fast, every one of you will perish.. which means we don't have time for a Q&A. You will follow my orders, and you will do so without hesitation." Without leaving time for response, Death raised a hand, his palm open toward the sky. In that instant, the entire street was covered in a veil of shadow. All of those gathered were instantaneously shot through the shadows at unbelievable speeds, arriving at their intended destination within seconds.<br/><br/>They were no longer in the southern half of the city; instead, Death's abilities had moved them into the northeastern residential section. It was a street just like any other; buildings, sidewalks, alleyways. It was one of the latter which Death approached, setting his hand on a seemingly random wall. In an instant, the facade lifted, revealing a swirling combination of blacks, reds, and purples. "Adeline, channel as much air as you can through this portal until I return. The rest of you, stand back and let her work. Every one of your lives depends the next few minutes." With those words, Death walked through the wall, vanishing into it and leaving the confused Hunters behind.<br/><br/>---------------------------------------------<br/><br/>"Look at them squirm..<span style="font-style: italic">Pathetic vermin.</span>" The words that left the Reverend's mouth seethed with unfathomable hatred, further punctuated by a cruel snarl. "It would seem they have gained an unexpected ally.. Bah. No matter. My power is unmatched." A voice within his head laughed sardonically, its voice deep and booming. The absolute embodiment of strength and rage, enough to make any sane man cringe.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">'No being in existence exceeds the power of Lucifer.'</span></span><br/><br/>A wicked smile crossed the Reverend's lips as he looked over the ruin that used to be a city. "Soon.. Soon, it will be perfect. The blight of Humanity upon this beautiful world will be ended, leaving only us behind, in all of our perfection. The mere proposition is enthralling, is it not?" He spoke, of course, to the young boy who stood near him at almost all times of the day, following his every order at any given moment. By now, the meteor Lucifer had summoned was quickly approaching the earth. Now that it was nearer to its destination, its mass was horrifying. It was at least the size of a football field, perhaps bigger. Death's warning was, perhaps, an understatement.<br/><br/>"In the interest of our continued survival, I will use Lucifer's abilities to defend us upon impact. Kindly refill my glass, Owari - I will soon require refreshment."