Before we get to the actual content, let’s say hello to a couple new demons that are gonna be pulling their weight a fair bit during the four DLC missions.
Fused from Chi You and Tezcatlipoca, the Demiurge is a magical combat powerhouse. He gains Chakra Walk at level 96, Null Mind at level 97, and Drain Light at level 98.
While the term ‘Demiurge’ was originally used by Plato to describe the perfect creator of an imperfect world, the later Gnostic theologians would repurpose the name for their vision of a creator of the material world that either unconsciously or willingly entraps us in a physical lie that must be breached to seek the spiritual oneness of the true Supreme Creator. Names for the Demiurge across various strains of Gnosticism include Nebro, Satan, Yaldabaoth, Samael, and even YHVH.
This Samael was my most convoluted fusion, having started out with me fusing Huang Di with Kingu to make Quetzalcoatl, then Quetzalcoatl with Tattooed Man which to make Tiamat, Tiamat and Zhu Tun She to create Flaemis, and finally that Flaemis with Botis to make a Samael with Repel Light rather than a Light weakness. Through leveling, Samael gains the skills Doping at level 91, Salvation at level 92, and Repel Dark at level 93. Always fun to have a Dark-focused demon that’s also decent at healing and buffing, breaking those trends.
Samael is a figure that appears in Jewish theological literature in several forms. He is the prosecutor of humanity, either equivalent to or synonymous with Satan depending on the particular source, and brings with him the venom that leads to mortality. He is also the serpent of Eden and mate of Lilith, with whom he spawned legions of demons, and will eventually be defeated and enslaved by Michael. Conversely, he could also be a guardian angel and the force that crashed the Red Sea down on the Egyptian armies during the Exodus. Yet again, it turns out that millennia of traditions can lead to a varying tapestry of beliefs. Outside of Judaism, he is a powerful demon in Christian demonology and one of the possible names of the Demiurge as noted above.
> One day, when Nanashi was on his own…
The DLC sidequests start like this, presumably because they all have narratives surrounding them that make it difficult to place in any specific part of the game..
> After accepting a quest, Nanashi equipped his gear and went to visit Asahi.
If she comes back, I’ll let her know you stopped by.
> It seems Asahi left a few days ago and hasn’t returned yet…
> You decide to handle this quest alone.
Not even gonna put up a token search for her? Okay, champ.
> There is a building shaped like an inverted pyramid. It is surrounded by roses.
This is, in fact, an actual building. It’s the conference tower of the Tokyo International Exhibition Center – more commonly referred to as the Tokyo Big Sight – a convention center on the shores of Tokyo Bay.
Look at the roses, kid. The roots. Hmph. Whoever runs this place has good taste.
> You look at the roots.
>You see hundreds of dried out bodies wrapped in bandages.
Apparently, new Dagda has the same personality as the old Dagda, because that’s some pretty grim imagery to joke about. Or this is before we killed old Dagda. Who knows? Time and space are meaningless in the DLC Zone.
…They’re mummies.
The roses all seem to be blooming from the bodies of the mummified corpses.
> You continue on past the rose garden and the mummy seedbeds.
> You can’t make out much detail, of course, since they’re bound in bandages.
You see it, too.
They’re all missing different body parts.
I wonder what’s going on here…
Sob Is someone there…?
> You hear a familiar voice.
If you’re there… Please answer… Please…I can’t move…
> You continue through the mummies, following the faint voice.
> Before long, you come across a close friend among the mummies.
I have no idea why they’re saying "the girl" here, as if we don’t know who Asahi is this far into the game.
Nanashi! Is it really you, Nanashi?
> You nod, watching as tears well up in Asahi’s eyes.
You came…Nanashi… Sob Thank you…
I was so scared… I thought I was done for… Sob
Can’t have you doing that…
I need that girl to return to this world, to make myself a new god – the true ruler…
She no longer belongs to you…
Hey! Only I get to decide that!
That’s right!
> The demon points at Asahi’s thigh.
> The numbers 1465 are carved into her skin.
Proof that you’re just a part. Specifically, which number part you are.
1465… Incidentally, the last one we need to revive Her Grace.
The number 1,465 is, according to the game itself, referencing 1,465 gods memorialized in stone at the temple of Aset/Isis in Philae.
What do you mean, "part"? What are you talking about?
Don’t worry yourself about such things. This is all to bring back our queen – our pharaoh!
Her Grace is finally regaining her original form after all this time…
Long has this been our desire – since before the angels or the demons appeared!
I will end any who get in our way.
The Egyptian horde, a prelude to the actual boss of this DLC, nullifies Electricity and Force, drains Gun and Dark, repels Light, and is weak to Ice. I’ve got Nanashi and Demiurge packing Ice Age and Shiva refused with Cold World for this reason.
The Egyptian Horde is capable of using Ancient Curse, Mudoon, and Judgment Light, as well as two unique skills called Grave Judgment and Royal Curse. Grave Judgment is merely a Megido that upgrades its damage by one stage per ailment the target is suffering. Royal Curse strikes two or three foes with heavy Almighty damage and inflicts Brand. What, you thought they’d leave that on just YHVH?
Still, the 24,000 HP Egyptian Horde falls fairly fast if you’ve got a maxed out party. Before they die, however, they let out the name of their master.
I’m sorry… Lady Cleopatra…
> You won, but you can’t lower your guard just yet…
> You can sense something fierce, something hostile, coming toward you.
I did not intend to return in an incomplete body, but I suppose I have no choice now…
> A smoke-like mass builds around the mummy farthest in.
Cleopatra Philopator is one of the most famous figures of Roman Egypt, and I’m not going to insult your intelligence by acting like she’s some obscure historical figure or anything. You probably know the basics: she was one of the last rulers of the Ptolemaic dynasty of pharaohs, had personal and political relationships with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, and both her rule and her life ended after a disastrous conflict with future Roman emperor Octavian. Modern culture mainly recognizes her for her sex appeal (which is pretty reductive, to say the least) and her apocryphal suicide by snake bite (which is probably not in fact how she died at all), both of which show up in her design from Masayuki Doi. And that sure is…uhh…yeah it’s a design alright. It’s also yet another case where one of Doi’s preliminary designs outshines the final product. Why is this such a running theme for so many of his designs in Apocalypse? I don’t know.
> Cleopatra’s oppressive aura makes the hair on your skin rise.
Apologies… I’m not quite used to this new body.
She’s beautiful… But…I can feel her evil. Nanashi, she’s…not normal.
> Cleopatra lets out a long, deep sigh.
I’ve been waiting for this moment a long, long time - ever since I lost my original body.
But now, these 1,465 souls shall transform me into a new god, allowing me to bring peace to this world.
With these souls, I shall lead the people.
The last thing I needed was that girl’s nose…
This nose obsession may seem weird, and that’s because it is weird. But it’s also a reference to Jansenist theologian Blaise Pascal, he of the eponymous wager, who in his work Pensées wrote “Cleopatra’s nose: had it been shorter, the whole aspect of the world would have been altered”.
It doesn’t matter what you think. The only thing that matters is whether a god inhabits it…
For ages, I have slowly gathered the pieces I needed for a new body – a body that can contain a god.
Gods are the essence of beauty…
> Cleopatra doesn’t seem to regard you very seriously.
But there’s still time… Give the child to me…
If you do, I shall let you live. I might even make you one of my priests, if you like.
> You push Asahi behind you, guarding her.
Nanashi… Thanks.
This place shall be my new holy land. As pharaoh, I shall secure new peace in this world.
If you oppose me, I will destroy you without hesitation or remorse.
No one shall stand in my way!
Boss Battle!: Cleopatra 
Most demons based on real people end up in either the Famed or Foul race, depending on their legacy, but Cleopatra here breaks the mold by being the most powerful demon of the Megami race in Apocalypse. She resists Fire, Ice, Force, and Electricity, drains Light, and is weak to Dark.
For existing skills, she is capable of pulling out Luster Candy, Will of Frost, and Will of Wind to help herself, Dekaja to clean off your buffs, and Megidolaon, Mabufudyne, Mazandyne, Deadly Wind, and Ice Age to deal damage.
One of her three unique skills is Dazzle Ray, which deals severe Light damage to one foe and is a guaranteed instakill on Smirk.
Adaptive Tactics is some Inanna-style weakness rewriting. After she’s cast it, hitting her current weakness will cause her to gain another weakness at random, even to her normally drained Light. Take note of the message given when you hit the current weakness, as it briefly lists what her weakness changes to.
Finally, there’s Alluring Banter. It’s essentially three Rakundas plus Charm, but is thankfully only single target.
31,500 or so HP is the chunk of health you need to rip through to defeat Cleopatra. Due to her rotating weakness, it’s pretty much impossible to recommend a particular damage type for your party; just pack the biggest guns you have in a variety of elements, as well as your standard healer and debuffer.
You weren’t saving people…
No one who chops people up for their parts could ever save anyone!
You know not of what you speak… I am pharaoh… Queen of Kings…
I would sooner die by my own hands…
Than lose to the likes of you two!
> Cleopatra takes her own life.
>Cleopatra’s remains crumble to dust.
Hmph. What a twisted woman.
Beauty can lead to excess. She lost sight of that.
Don’t lose sight of what you’re supposed to protect, kid. Well, I suppose that’s not something I need to worry about.
> Asahi hugs you from behind.
Thank you, Nanashi! Thank you for saving me…
Let’s go, kid. There’s nothing left for us here.
As there’s no post-sidequest thanks message from the Hunter’s Association for the DLC quests, we end off with the fusion of Cleopatra herself. She’s a three-way fusion of Phoenix, Sarasvati, and Sphinx; my Sphinx in particular was made from Heimdall combined with that Samael mentioned at the start of the post so that I could pass on Repel Dark. You can fuse a Cleopatra with Adaptive Tactics if you want, but I see no reason to.
With Cleopatra, you may have noticed we now have all Pierce passives except for Pierce Dark. And hm, look at that, one of the three remaining DLC missions is another big alignment boss…