"Of course..." Balphagor responded with a smile.

-About 50 minutes later-

Azazel had returned, and insisted Anya go and seek some help for her injuries. With her network, he knew she would be able to get help, and he was sitting in a chair in the bedroom, looking over Erica again.

However, in a burst of strong mana, he saw Balphagor and Lilith appear in the room as well, and he was immediately on edge.

Though, looking at Balphagor, he calmed down. A little.

"She is the last one." Balphagor said to Lilith.

Balphagor said nothing and made his way over towards Erica. He placed his hand on her arm, and there was pulse of mana... which Azazel could then sense Balphagor's influence leave Erica's body completely and utterly.

She was completely free of him.

Normally, Azazel was not one to show emotion in front of Lilith, as it was a sign of weakness to her, but he couldn't help heaving a sigh of relief.

Balphagor then made his way back to Lilith, and smiled.

"I have done as you asked, Madam Lilith." he told her.

"...." Azazel was silent, and winced subtly, almost scared of what Lilith would do NOW.

Balphagor's mouth opened in a scream... but nothing was heard. Deafening silence echoed around them as the horns were severed.

Azazel flinched when he saw this, and all semblance of Balphagor's personality... what little remained... drained from his eyes.

"...pet?" Azazel muttered.

"At this point, he's little more than a DOLL." he mumbled further, looking the other demon up and down.

"...couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." he then spat.

"Guess HE won't be bother anyone again for... well, probably all eternity." he commented further. "Depends on which daughter you give him to, and how charitable she feels at any given point."

Azazel caught the horn, grimacing a bit at it. He was essentially holding a severed limb, and that was... a bit on the nasty side.

"...right." he said.

"Don't see THAT happening." he muttered.

Balphagor then nodded at Lilith.

"...yes..." he said blankly.

Then, with almost no hesitation, he poured his own mana into his hands, and increased the pressure on his horn... soon crushing it and crumbling it to ashes and dust, the remnants disappearing forever.

"...and with that, he will never be himself again." Azazel commented quietly.

Azazel was silent and watched them as they go, before looking at Erica.

"...well, that's that, I suppose." he said.

"Erica, I... well..." he mumbled, before shaking his head.

"Here's hoping you wake up soon, feeling better." he commented.

He then looked at the horn in his hand, and stared at it.

"...hm." he muttered.

Azazel was at attention when he heard Erica call out.

He smiled a little, before clearing his throat.

"Den!" he called back.

She made her way into the room, and saw him sitting in one of the chairs, with a demon horn in his hand.

"...hey." he greeted her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like... overall, and any specifics you feel are worth noting."

Azazel just sighed heavily.

"Right." he said.

"Tell me, what's the last thing you remember?" he asked her.

Erica paused when she was asked that. The last thing she truly remembered was setting aside her payment for Balphagor... but that was not info she was willing to share. So she decided to lie.

"Getting together for our little 'date'." she fibbed.

"Ohhhh jeez." Azazel mumbled.

"Then you have a LOT to be caught up on." he told her.

"Want to get yourself a drink before drop a buttload of info on you?" he asked.

Azazel was silent, before taking a deep breath, exhaling, and looking at her.

"Let's start off... well, simple." he told his friend.

"Your markings were acting up, so we parted ways. I then did not see you or hear from you for about 3 days, so I went to check up on you, and return the container you gave me that had a bunch of brownies in it." he explained.

"I found you on your couch, apparently recovering from a massive spike in your markings' activity." he went on.

"I stayed with you for a while, and then left when you said you were all right." he continued.

"...then, shortly after that, you called me and the line went dead, so I rushed here and... well... found you being attacked by a demon by the name of Balphagor." he then revealed, figuring now was a decent time to stop, in case she had any questions.

Azazel nodded.

"Yeah, him." he said.

"Well... and... hm." he then mumbled.

"Right, I'm going to truncate this down a LOT." he told her.

"After what I interrupted, he left, and you were on a timer to be nothing more than a hollow shell of a puppet for him." he said. "Through the combined efforts of myself, Anya, and Lilim... Lilith decided to intervene." he continued.

"Mostly because Balphagor was now a thorn in her side that needed tending to, so she had him reverse all he'd done to people on the surface over the past 2 years, which included you." he went on.

"...and then she handed down the ultimate punishment..." he muttered, looking at the horn in his hand again.

Azazel sighed.

"He won't." he said.

"...I have one of his horns." he told her. "I watched her break both of his horns... before she gave one to me... and then ordered him to demolish his other horn with his own two hands." he went on.

"...and he did. I saw it." he continued.

"Lilith also warned me that if I gave him his other horn back, the consequences would be dire." he then added.

"So yeah. You're free of him. Completely and utterly." he told her.

"...though I get the distinct feeling you're hiding something from me, in terms of your business with Balphagor..." he then mumbled.