The sun was barely over the horizon when Ynda walked out of the cabin the next morning. Everyone else was still inside, either getting dressed or eating a light breakfast. Toji, on the other hand, was still outside, leaning against the same tree, his hands in his pockets. Even from where she stood, she could see the sadness and longing etched in every line of his face, his posture slightly slumped, his eyes unfocused as they stared out into a world beyond this one. His jagged scars looked terrible, a memento from the worst day of his life that he refused to get rid of. She knew immediately he was focusing on Natsu, sending his waves, receiving whatever he could. He didn’t look anything like the Devil God she had seen the day before, the one who taunted and tortured Strannick for fun, who used his own cousin to do it.

Ynda didn’t hate Strannick, she hadn’t in a long time. Watching him, seeing the pain in his eyes as Noah struggled to get free from Toji’s grasp, the way he almost dislocated his shoulders just to get out of that black ice…her heart broke for him. Mei had said the same.

“He didn’t deserve that,” she said as they lay together in bed. “No matter what he’s done, what Toji did to them was wrong.”

Ynda couldn’t help but agree. “I understand why he did it, though. But if that had been us, if I had been the one on the floor, I would have reacted the very same way. Strannick and Noah are making a concerted effort to avoid Toji after all that and I can’t say I blame them.” She sighed, pushing her hair back, revealing her scarred right eye. “I want to hate him, Mei. I really do.”

“Which one?”

Ynda almost said “Strannick,” yet she couldn’t. Toji had changed, becoming someone she didn’t know, someone cruel and terrible, someone who terrified her to her very core. She wanted to believe her brother was still in there somewhere, but after what she had seen during the trip up here, she wasn’t so sure.

Now, as she watched him across the way, she was certain of it; Toji, her brother, was almost completely gone, lost to his grief over being separated from his soulmate. If they didn’t get through that barrier soon, he would disappear from them forever.

Taking a breath, she stepped off the porch, making her way over to him. He didn’t look her way as she approached. She stood by his side, folding her arms over her chest, looking out toward Gods Hall where everyone Toji despised was gathering. Their family would also be there and she could only imagine the internal conflict that was raging within his core. Did they fear him? Want anything to do with him after all he’d done to get here? Would they make him leave before he even stepped foot on the bridge? Or would they distance themselves, hide away until he left?

“What?” Toji asked, his deep voice low and raspy.

“Can’t I come and say hi?”

He shrugged but said nothing. 

She glanced up at him briefly before looking away again. “I lost my eye a few years ago,” she said. “During a raid in the Eighth Realm. I wasn’t originally supposed to be a part of it, but Havik insisted I join. It went well enough, we got the bastards and retrieved the weapons they’d stolen in order to resell them. We were loading up the last of them when we got ambushed. If not for Mei, I probably would have lost more than my eye.”

His eyes slid to her. She could have sworn she saw a flicker of something within them, a flash of regret that he hadn’t been there to keep his sister safe. He swallowed and looked away again.

“Sorry,” was all he said.

She shrugged. “Not your fault. Daddy was pretty upset about it, though, that’s for sure.”

“I bet. God forbid his little girl get a boo-boo.”

“He doesn’t like it when any of us get hurt, Toji, including you. He nearly broke because of what you’d done to yourself.”

Toji swallowed, turning his head away. “I told him to leave the scars. I needed to create an image and they helped with that.”

“Is that the only reason?”

He hesitated before he shook his head. “They’re a reminder of everything I lost that day. Natsu, my family…my best friend…” He gingerly touched his face, his hand trembling. “Natsu said they make me look like a badass.” His chin began to quiver and he gritted his teeth, fighting against his rising emotions. “I hate them, Yin. I hate the way they look, the way they feel, what I think when I see them. But I can’t get rid of them. I carry my pain on my face because I can’t let anyone know how badly damaged I am inside.” He clutched at his core. “The scars are even uglier in here.”

Ynda’s brow furrowed, her heart aching for her brother. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to hug him like she used to. She knew it wouldn’t help. She knew he’d just push her away. The only one he wanted holding him was Natsu. 

He inhaled sharply, lifting his head against the tree, fully composed. “Doesn’t matter,” he said, clearing his throat. “Did you know scars are a badge of honor in Hell? No matter which Realm you go to, the more scars you have, the more respect you receive. They tell others what you’ve been through, that not even the fiercest of enemies can bring you down and you’re not someone they should really challenge. A few tried with me and found out the hard way just how true that was.”

“Even though you did it to yourself?”

“They don’t know that.”

She nodded. “I have to wonder,” she said quietly, “what they’d say about Strannick’s scars.”

He looked at her, his shoulders tensing. “Why should that matter? He did it to himself…” He stopped, averting his gaze as he swallowed his own words. Ynda watched him, her own guilt surfacing from her actions the day before.

She sighed, looking away. “You accepted his apology.” It wasn’t a question.

“That doesn’t mean I forgive him, nor does it mean I still want him around when this is all over. I expect him and Noah to disappear, never to be seen again.” His fist clenched at his side, gently hitting against the tree. “I never want to see his face again,” he said firmly.

“I’m sure he feels the same way about you.”

Toji and Ynda turned to see Nox heading their way, something large slung over his shoulder. The siblings shared a glance before Toji pushed off the tree.

“Get any sleep?” Nox asked, already knowing the answer. It was verified through Toji’s blank stare. “Of course not, you never sleep.”

“Never?” Ynda said, surprised.

Toji shrugged. “Rarely,” he said. He nodded to the item wrapped in old and dingy fabric hanging against Nox’s back. “Looks heavy.”

“You have no idea,” Nox said. “Well, that’s not exactly true. You’re about to take on the weight of the entire universe, so it only makes sense you have a weapon to match.”

“I don’t use weapons, Nox. You know that.”

“This one you need, trust me. I’ve been looking everywhere for this bitch, too, so if you don’t take it, I’m going to be mighty offended.”

“No fucking pressure,” Toji muttered. 

Nox gave him a crooked grin, reminding the younger man very much of Hawk. Not a surprise since the two had been together for so long, it only made sense they’d share the same attributes. He swung the strap off his shoulder, the large weapon moving heavily in Toji’s direction. He caught it, surprised by the weight.

“Holy hell, it really is heavy.” He frowned. “But it’s weird…It’s not physically heavy, but…” he shook his head. “I can’t explain it.”

 “Unwrap it and I’ll tell you why.”

Toji did, carefully unwinding the cloth to reveal a thick black and red hilt with intricate designs burned throughout. “What the fuck…” He let the rest of the cloth fall free, his eyes wide. The black blade was absolutely buzzing with dark energy, some of which was swirling around in thin waves. The blade itself was wide and long, coming to a beveled tip, the edge glowing red. He didn’t need to touch it to know it was deadly sharp. The sword was massive, almost as large as Toji was tall.

“It looks like Guts’ sword,” Ynda breathed in admiration as her brother lifted it easily, turning it in his hand as he took in every rune and design forged into the blade.

Toji nodded slowly. “Almost,” he said. He turned his red and blue eyes on his uncle. “I’m ready for my lesson, teacher.”

“Fuck off with your sarcasm, you ass.”

Toji just grinned.

Nox rolled his eyes. “This is the Sword of Obliteration. The construction itself is light, easy to wield, and responds to every move and command you give it. The blade was forged in the volcanoes of the Seventh Realm, using several demons as the source of the original dark energy that was used and to strengthen the metal. What makes it heavy is the souls and added dark energy it carries.”

“Souls?” both of them said in unison, stunned.

“Yes, souls. When you obliterate a Divine, their soul, or what passes for it, is also obliterated. This sword captures it. It doesn’t take much, either, to kill someone with that thing, either. A good slash is enough to get ‘em gone. Basically, watch where you swing that thing. Last thing you want to do is take out someone you don’t mean to, like a friend or fellow traveler.” He gave Toji a pointed look. 

Toji lowered the sword, setting the tip of the blade against the ground. “Why was it made to begin with? This thing is powerful as hell. It would have to take something pretty awful for someone to decide it needed to be created.”

Nox chuckled. “That’s exactly why it was forged,” he said. “It was meant for me.”

The two stared at him, unblinking. They knew immediately Nox wasn’t referring to himself alone. He was referring to the creature Nox and Hawk were created to be; the Blood King.

“A few upper ranks and a couple Devil Kings decided it was best if I was taken out for good, so they got together and forged this pretty little thing. I was exiled before they could put it to work. It’s been used several times since then, in both Hell and Heaven. The thing you should know is, the bearer’s energy has always been drained into it, killing them in the end.”

Toji took a step back, holding it by his index finger. “And you’re giving it to me, why?”

“Seriously, are you trying to kill him?” Ynda exclaimed.

Nox smiled wide, his fangs glinting in the light of the rising sun. “Why do you think I spent so much time molding you into the perfect little Devil God you are today?”

Toji’s eyes darkened.

“You’re the most powerful among us, Toji,” Nox said, echoing Hero’s words from decades prior. “The only one that can wield this monster is you. It will draw only on the energy you give it, and recognizes you as its master. You would have dropped to the ground when you picked it up if it didn’t.”

“Now you tell me,” Toji rolled his eyes, glancing warily at the sword. “I still don’t understand. You’re telling me I went through literal Hell, became the worst creature of this age, accumulated and mastered even more dark energy as both myself and Toji-Cat, all so I could use this?”

“More or less.” If Toji didn’t know any better, he could swear there was a note of regret in his uncle’s tone.

Ynda glanced at her brother, his teeth gritted against the dawning realization of what he was truly meant to do.

“I’m supposed to obliterate the barrier with this.”

Nox nodded. “Even with your power alone, you can’t do it. It wouldn’t matter how much extra help you had from your friends and teammates. Without that, all you’ll do is make the crack wider. Sure you’ll get through, but, as you well know, that’s never been the end goal.”

Toji nodded. “Why don’t I just take this and destroy it now?”

“Because you still need their help.”

His mismatched eyes slid up to his uncle’s face, Nox’s amber eyes hard. 

“You’ll understand when you get there, kid. In the meantime, wrap it up and arm yourself. You’re going to need it starting today.” He turned to head back into the cabin.

“Why? Am I slicing and dicing through some Divine in order to give it a power boost?”

“No,” Nox replied, not turning back. “Just one.”

Toji stared at the Sword, at the only weapon in the universe feared by everyone and everything. He had spent fifty years losing his mind in order to wield this one damn sword, increasing his power and strength, because no one else in the entire cosmos could. He sighed and curled his fingers around the hilt

Toji…I need you…

Toji gasped, his body rocking back, his knees shaking from the intense rush of fear and desperation that came down the link. Natsu was in trouble.

No…Natsu! 

“Toji?” Ynda said, her voice heavy with worry. “What is it?”

Toji crouched down, grabbing the sword’s hilt with both hands, his forehead leaning against the blade as he tried to calm his racing heart. Just as Nox had said, the blade did not touch his energy, did not take from him in any way. It simply waited, humming softly with its own dark stash. 

“We need to get this over with fast,” he said, nearly breathless. “I need to get to Natsu…they’re fighting someone and he needs me.”

Ynda didn’t miss the anxiety in his voice, the need to run and be with the man he couldn’t currently protect.

“Who are they fighting?”

Toji’s answer staggered her, nearly making her fall to the ground. He stood, regaining his composure, taking deep breaths to stop the shaking in his hands. 

Time was running out. They needed to get this job done before something worse happened to Natsu. He lifted the sword, his eyes skimming the blade once again.

You’re taking me home.

As if it could read Toji’s thoughts, or perhaps feel the energy moving through Toji’s core, the blade pulsed, sending some of its energy into him. He grinned, enjoying the strange heat that rushed through his body. He had a feeling he and the Sword were going to get along just fine.

Toji didn’t even look at the old cloth binding as he grabbed the strap and slung it over his chest. It wrapped itself securely around the blade, the Sword resting comfortably against his back.

He glanced over to see the rest of the group emerging from the cabin, apparently waiting on him to make the first move. He slid his eyes over each one of them, lingering on Strannick who instinctively pulled Noah closer to him. Something in his chest tore and he turned away. 

“I hope you’re ready for this,” he said, his voice hard. 

“Let’s get this over with,” Strannick said,

Toji shifted quickly, leading the way around the edge of the cliff toward the woods that would take them to the Gods Bridge and the Hall beyond. He didn’t check to see if they were following him, and frankly he didn’t care. His only focus was on Natsu. No one else in the entire universe mattered. He’d prove that by obliterating that fucking barrier, and everything else those sons of bitches in the Hall created.

He’d smile while he did it, too. 

-*-