- Sweet Sacrifice [Originally: To The Underworld We Go] -

There was a loud crack, much like thunder, but there had been no lightning previous to it. Instead, the sky only seemed to grow dark. Darker and darker it got, during the middle of the day. The Americans looked to the sky, unsure what was going on. Nothing like this had ever happened before and it was making most of them nervous. What the fools did not seem to realize, was that the crack had not come from the sky. It had come from the ground. Somewhere in the United States of America, the ground began to split. A loud rumbling sounded from all over and the Earth seemed to shake in the surrounding area. Rays of light came forth from the ground as well as steam. Had this not been happening in the middle of nowhere, this might be quite frightening for Alfred F. Jones' followers. But that was just it...Alfred was unaware of what was happening. He, in fact, was nowhere to be found.

Lava was spitting from the rather large crack that had formed somewhere in the middle of Nevada. One could suppose it was coming from the core of the Earth, since the ground had split; however, it was not. The rumbling came to an abrupt stop and everything was silent. Everything was still. Until...

From out of the crack, a hand shot out and gripped the edge of the ground that had split. The arm almost appeared as if it belonged to a human, if not for the rather sharp, black nails that lined the fingertips. Slowly, the person...or thing that was climbing from the crack in the Earth, began to pull itself up. Another hand joined the first and the person emerged from the ground. They kept pulling and crawling...until they laid still on the warm Earth. This was Nevada, after all. The clouds seemed to clear once whatever it was, was out of the ground. The ground sealed itself, and everything went back to normal. No. Nothing would be normal after what had just occurred.

This...was no human. The creature remained still a moment longer, their stomach touching the Earth. A few seconds more before their eyes shot open, being an array of colors. Slowly, their head raised and they glanced around with their new set of eyes. Glasses were no longer necessary. To any educated person, they could recognize this person as Alfred F. Jones. Ah, this would explain his disappearance...however, he was no longer himself. In fact, his mind had nearly been erased, save for a few details. Those details were what separated his foes, from his friends. His mind was like that of a robot's. "Protect only four..." He would think as he got to his feet and stretched the rather large, black wings on his back. "Protect only four..." He took his first step in his new form and a maniacal smile spread across his lips. He already felt so much more powerful in this form, but of course, he didn't know he had possessed a human life previous to this one. He was thinking this was his first visit to Earth.

"Protect only four..." Only they were his allies. The rest were enemies to him. The rest, would suffer beneath his new power. With a confident stride, he began to walk across the desert floor. After a few more steps, he would stretch his wings once more and push off the ground. Soaring into the air at incredible speed, he almost resembled a Superhero...but Alfred would no longer be a Hero. He was a monster now and he had been programmed to destroy. Lifting into the air, he brought his hands a few inches apart and ball of fire began to form within the space. He began to laugh because of what he was going to do, the ball becoming larger and larger until he stopped in mid-air, hovering feet above the ground now. "Welcome to Hell," He purred just as he released the fireball to the Earth. When the ball hit the ground, the following events were much like that of when a comet struck something. The ground shook once more and everything in its path was destroyed.

Two more fireballs and he was finished with this area. His wings steered him towards the nearest city in Nevada and he smiled, revealing two pointed teeth, much like a vampire would possess. He knew everyone was already worried about what had happened upon his arrival. In fact, it was already being broad-casted across the world. He tilted his head at the sighting of a news van and a feeling of destruction blossomed within them. He needed to kill...he needed to feel powerful. Growling low within his throat, he flew straight into the air, made a loop in the air and then came straight for the van. The wind whistled past at him at the speed he was going, everything a blur around him save for the van.

His body crashed into it, causing the Americans within to scream. The driver slammed the breaks, causing the van to screech and begin to slow. The demon upon the van scooped his arm down and linked his nails into the metal roof causing the woman within to cry out. He then proceeded to rip the roof completely off the van. They cried out at the sight of him, but he could only smile. "Morning..." He greeted the woman staring directly into his eyes before he grabbed her around the waist. Into the air he took her, ignoring her screaming. She latched onto him for dear life, knowing it would be foolish to try and break free. She would just fall to her death...

But that's what Alfred had planned anyway.

✝ ✝ ✝

Four hours had passed. Four states had been attacked. Nevada, Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. The demon that had done the damage was perched on top of a building in Texas, feet dangling casually off the side. He acted as though this were normal...like this was meant to be, when truly, he was not in his right mind. The real Alfred F. Jones would have fallen to his knees by now...would have begged that his country stop being attacked, but this version of himself...had consumed the overly-confident Hero. Now, he was only an overly-confident Destroyer. He wanted to watch this place burn, and the world would follow.

First though, he needed to approach the rest of his allies, the only people he was programmed to remember as he was dragged into the Underworld. He chuckled, knowing his image would be all over the world now. People would recognize who he was - friends and foes would see what had become of him, but he didn't care. He wasn't someone that was born to remain in the shadows. He was born to be an icon - a symbol; however, his image's meaning had changed after the Underworld had gotten to him. Little did he know, that he had been tortured there before becoming who he was now. The human part of him was left behind, to fade away in Hell...

"Come to me," He sang to seemingly no one, but it literally had been a calling. He was wanting his allies to come for him. He imagined that they would be terrified with what he has done, but he would explain sooner or later. His need for destruction was inevitable, but what was left, could become their new world. They would rule...and they would destroy anything in their path. He dared the Germans to rise against him...dared the Japanese to send their bombers. He dared them.

Slipping off the building, he allowed himself to free fall before catching a current of wind and towards a place that was only left as an image in his mind. It was a meeting room, where he and his allies privately met.

Not long after his arrival, he walked the quiet halls and stopped when he saw a picture hanging on the all in the hallway. He narrowed his eyes, examining the people within it. There, the people he was assigned to protect stared back at him. A Brit, a Frenchman, a Chinese man, and a Russian. With sharpened nails, he drug them across the one man that stood in the middle. He drug them across his own image...not even realizing that he had crossed himself out of the picture. He only saw it as a nuisance blond, who deserved to die with the rest of the world. Well, most of the world.

He continued to observe the other images in this place. There was a much happier one of the same blond standing alone with the Brit. They seemed happy together...like they were important to one another, but the happiness did not stop the demon from punching his fist through the frame. The glass split and fell to tiny pieces, leaving a damaged picture behind. Once again, only one of the blonds remained destroyed. The demon proceeded to step towards the large table in the center of the room, taking a seat upon the table to await the arrival of his allies. Or anyone, for that matter. This was only one of the spots they met in, but enemies have come here before, so people knew of its existence.

He wondered who would be the first brave soul to approach him?

The demon turned his head upon hearing another approach. A single brow rose in confusion as to why this girl appeared, instead of another nation or ally. A sickening, maniacal smile spread across his lips as he thought about what fun he could have with her. He had already killed so many today, but one more wasn't going to hurt anything...

"Father, you say?" He asked, crossing one of his legs over the other and leaning back into the chair he rested in. His head was balanced in the palm of his hand as he leaned against it. "I don't recall ever possessing a child. You must have me mistaken for someone else," He purred. His eyes raked over her smaller form, noting that she wasn't very old. She was indeed young and that almost made him hesitant to approach her, but why would a demon care how old a human was? They were all the same. Weak and ready to be slaughtered.

Standing from his chair, he began to make a slow movement toward her, a dark look blossoming within his eyes. "Tell me, where are the other allies? Do they know of my existence yet?" He asked her, his tone serious and intimidating while he approached her in such a creepy way. Once close enough, and without warning, he shoved her to the wall. It only took one hand to do so and it was keeping her pinned there. "I suggest you answer with the truth."

Before the demon could respond to the Hawaiian, the Prussian had entered. Upon his entrance, the demon's head snapped toward his direction and the multi-colored eyes narrowed in suspicion. The real Alfred would have recognized this man in an instant, but this Alfred, could not. That's not to say he didn't find him interesting. His hair was colored silver and he possessed crimson eyes, a unique quality in someone who wasn't a monster. Smirking, the demon released his hold on the girl and he watched the Prussian enter the room further to take his seat. The order he was given made his eye twitch, for he did not take orders...but perhaps this man was right. Humans based their actions around cooperation, right? So, the demon supposed he would need to follow that. Stepping towards the table, he came towards the Prussian without any hesitation. With little space between them, the demon slammed his hand down to the table and leaned in slowly. His face got extremely close to the Prussian's and while they were this close, the multi-colored eyes searched the human's face for any signs that he may be hiding something. How could the demon be sure this was a human? The red eyes...they gave him too much suspicion.

The demon inhaled his scent, irritated that the human was standing in here. If this man was a demon, he wouldn't be able to smell it because of the girl's scent. But what the demon didn't realize, was that another human was in this building helping to mask the scent of this other monster. Growling low in his throat, he leaned away from the Prussian and glanced over his shoulder just as another female entered. Upon seeing her, the demon's expression faltered. His eyes widened just slightly, feeling an annoying urge to be near her. "Get out..." He almost immediately ordered, hating the way she made the atmosphere feel. He cared not that she was surprised to see this other man, or that she was terrified of him.

He. Wanted. Her. Out.

He turned back to the Prussian, giving him a serious look. "Get her out...and I mean it." He growled. He figured these humans would try to tell him that she meant no harm. That she would sit at the table and behave herself, but for some reason...he was feeling vulnerable in her presence, like he might do anything she ask of him.

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PS. All you guys have completed me. I adore all the posts that are coming in ;____; Thank you for being so amazing! <3

Alfred kept his eyes upon the Hungarian woman the entire time the Prussian attempted to get her out. He was glaring at her and remained highly agitated that she was in the same room as him. He wished he knew why he was reacting to her this way, but alas, he had not even one clue as to why that could be. But just as he thought both human girls were going to be removed from the building, he felt the same presence the other demon did. His body began to tremble in the same rage the Prussian was feeling as he realized an angel had entered this damned building. Her presence was unlike that of a demon's. The Prussian was able to mask his identity, but this angel could not. Her aura was far too great to be concealed by human qualities and as she approached, the demon's hand balled into a fist, his nails digging into his own flesh. He didn't want her here - he didn't want any of them here, save for the Prussian. So far, the Prussian was the only connection he had to the other allies.

When the angel stepped into the frame of the door, a low growl erupted from the demon's chest. His multi-colored eyes narrowed at her and he was being controlled by the same hatred the Prussian was feeling for her. She was nothing but a traitor. She would only stand in his way...and somehow, he just knew she had come in hopes of protecting the people who would be surrounded by him. HA! He nearly wanted to laugh out loud. She was a fool to think she could protect the people from him. He would bring her to her knees...he would rip those beautiful, pearl white wings from her body...and he would make her watch as he killed off the people she had been sent to protect. A sudden need to have those events unfold blossomed within his chest and his hand clenched tighter. He needed to resist his urges to kill.

The demon suddenly cast a suspicious look towards the Prussian again, realizing the way he was reacting was very much the same as he did. He had to be hiding something...something was masking his true identity, wasn't it? The angel seemed to know more than him about it, and that pissed him off. Eyes flickering back to the angel, the demon growled again as she began to speak. "I don't have time to waste on you!" He spat. There it was again...the need to kill. "Get out of my sight." He hissed.

The demon's eyes shifted from the Prussian, to the angel, and then back to the Prussian. He still appeared very upset and very uncomfortable with who had shown up, instead of any of his allies. His allies didn't realize how important they were for his mission. If any of them were to get hurt...or were to die, he would most likely be called back to the Underworld, and he simply could not afford that. Although, he was getting extremely pissed off that this angel was claiming she could handle him. "I wish she would try something..." He thought to himself, before turning his attention back to the Prussian. Again, knowing that it was best to play this the human way, he moved around the table and took his seat next to him. The demon had smirked at the "human's" words, trusting that he was telling the truth...even though there were so many facts already screaming that this guy was definitely not human.

While beside the Prussian, he suddenly grabbed the collar of his shirt and jerked him closer, the demon's lips dangerously close to his ear. "If I find out that you have been lying to me this entire time, I will have your heart. I know for a fact one of my allies would love to see it in a jar. So, are we clear?" He whispered. He then shoved him away and leaned back comfortably in his chair.

The demon's eyes flickered to the Hawaiian, seeing that she was healing the Hungarian. "You. Girl," He snapped. His eyes quickly flickered to the angel though, and he said, "If you want to keep them safe, then get them out of here. Make the Hawaiian find the other allies." He ordered, the look in his eyes daring her to argue.

The demon honestly couldn't believe this angel. Why did she insist on behaving like this? Did she have any idea what he was capable of? He cared not that she was a divine creature. He cared not that she was a woman. And he cared not that the Alfred previous to this new demon, would have never harmed her. As the dagger was directed at him, something snapped within him. He could no longer control himself. With a vicious snarl, he stood up, causing the chair he was sitting in to tip backwards. He smacked her hand away, causing the dagger to go flying from her hand before he grabbed her wrist tightly and twisted. He kept twisting too, enough for it to snap if he would go any further. He then jerked her closer to his form, hating the burning feeling that was engulfing him while touching and being so near to this divine creature. With them being just inches apart, he snarled in her face, flashing his demonic teeth at her. "I grow tired of your inability to cooperate with me. If you want to protect people, then go protect them. Do not stand in my way and in the way of what I was sent here to do!" He shouted in her face. He was breathing heavily, multi-colored eyes flashing with anger and hatred. This was so unlike the real Alfred, that it was frightening. Who knew Alfred could even be capable of doing this? Perhaps, it was withheld feelings the human Alfred refused to release, up until now. Whatever had made him so different, had done the job.

Without warning, he released her wrist and then grabbed her throat, black nails pinching her skin as he squeezed tightly. "Now I suggest you never point that fucking dagger at me again." He stated before shoving her away from him. It was enough force to throw her across the room. His body trembled with anger and he closed his eyes a moment, trying to calm himself. "Human..." He growled towards Prussia, placing his hand on he man's shoulder. He curled his fingers into the uniform he wore. "I need to kill..." He nearly whispered. He truly hated that he was being held back. The Prussian suggested that he remain calm and just wait for his allies, but how could he do that with these nuisance people showing up?

They say he came from Hell? No, dears, he was in Hell.

Slowly, he sat back down. He reopened his eyes and rested them upon the angel, who was recovering from his little outburst. He gave her a look of warning that the next time she yell at him, bark orders at him, or came near him...he was going to hurt her. At the same time, there was also a challenge in his eyes. As if he were also saying, "But later, when we're alone, come at me all you want. I'd like to get my hands on you."