Absolution: Chapter 8

Opening Shots

Kalawarna was not having a good day as she struggled to see through the smoky haze that descended upon their camp, plunging it to a darkness that not even her eyes could pierce through more than a few meters ahead. The only illumination she’d find was the soft glow of the burning camp around her as the flashes of light from the weapons the fallen wielded. With the blood pouring down an open wound above her left eye, it became increasingly hard to fend off the monsters attacking them.

She was by no means a slouch in terms of combat, being a field operative before she was effectively grounded, but she was finding it difficult to fight these demons in the dark. She struck them with her spear of light, aiming at the creature's crotch and bellies but they did not find purchase as they slid off their skin. The very same mist that blot out the light, serving as their armor. With such powerful protections surrounding them and the monster's own considerable physical capabilities, she was forced on the back foot.

Still, they were not fully invulnerable as her strike gouged through the misty armor revealing mortal flesh beneath. She stabbed through the kinks in their armor, driving them deep before pulling away and letting her spear detonate inside them. An expensive use of her own waning stamina but seeing just one of them getting ripped apart from the inside out made her spirit sour.

However, even as their bodies burnt and flaked from the damage they received, they did not slow down. They only seem to become even more frenzied, driven by some bestial instinct to fight to the very last breath. What’s worse was not that they came in droves but who accompanied them.

Former allies and friends, brothers and sisters who just earlier joked and made merry with them now turned against them. They, along with robed magicians, led the ceaseless horde as they flooded from beyond the mist.

She roared out as she  reformed her spear and plunged herself into the fray once more, covering her comrades, unable to strike the traitors hidden behind the wall of flesh they called their minions. Their grim and saddened gaze made her blood boil. It was as if they were the one betrayed and not those they were cutting down. As if to infuriate her even more, the one who led them was none other than Kokabiel himself.

“Capture as many as you can. Even if they betrayed the cause, they will still have use for us.” The thrice damned traitor commanded, sneering at them as he kicked the unconscious body of Sahariel aside who was dragged along roughly by these demonics beasts. As much as it pained her to hold herself back from rushing in to save the man as she still had others to save.

“Hold your ground! Don’t you dare turn your back or I’ll personally castrate you myself!” Kalawarna shouted, rallying those who managed to shake off the initial surprise and fight back. As much as they struggled to fend them off guard by the attack, she had to admit that they couldn't have picked a better time to strike.  With their leaders away and their camp in the middle of packing up, they could not muster an effective defense. Their enemies caught them with their pants down and they struck hard.

They flooded their camp, their forces seeking not their destruction but their capture as these creatures dragged those away who fell in battle. She, along with all those who could fight formed a tight perimeter as they were assaulted from all sides.

“There’s too many of them!” one of her brothers cried as he threw a spear at the creature’s leg, pinning them down, holding them down for just a second for her spear to jam right inside the roof of their mouth; their skin might be iron but their insides were all the same. The demon shuddered before it fell slack, its brain turned to ash as it fell forward.

“They have us surrounded! They’ll just cut us down if we flee now!” She shouted as she took another step back. Even if they wanted too, they couldn’t as any who flew too high would find themselves hitting a dark wall. “Just hold on! Mittelt’s going to come back with reinforcement any second now!”

“No! Get away! Help!” A voice cried out as one of the younger fallen was dragged from the circle into the haze, her cries piercing through the din.

“You bastards, I’m going to kill you!” She roared out, launching herself at the attacker, just hoping to save one but it would prove to be a costly mistake as she was forced to dodge several light spears thrown in her direction only for the massive fist of one of the demonic beasts to strike her.

Her vision swam as she was launched at some of the burning packing crater, kicking up a large plume of white powder which had her in a coughing fit.  “God damn it, I was looking forward to using some of these before we return to heaven…” she groaned but she did not have time to mourn as demonic beasts leapt at her.

Her world exploded into pain as the creature hammered its fist down her stomach before more attacked her, mobbing her and cutting her off from the rest. She held out her right arm only for the creature to bite down hard, breaking bones as they left her dominant arm a mangled mess. She was unable to fight back, forced to curl up and protect herself.

Eventually, they stopped as the fight left her and she was dragged away along with the rest. Even with her swollen eyes, she could still see her brothers and sisters fighting but it was a losing fight. As she passed by Kokabiel, all she could ever whisper now was a simple question, “Why?”

The man turned, hearing her question before gesturing to the beast to stop. They promptly dropped her by the traitor's feet, a broken and bloody mess. He knelt down, gazing upon her with pity in his eyes as he whispered back,  “It didn’t have to end like this Kalwarna, I really do.”

Disgust welled up in her guts as she was forced to listen to the man’s rambling, “All I wanted was for our peoples freedom yet our brothers were willing to throw it away all for a promise. Everything that we have achieved outside of heaven, everyone we lost, all down the drain. We were the master of our own fate yet the allure of returning to heaven, to be forgiven by a despicable man was too great for Azazel.”

She gazed away, refusing to acknowledge his point. Yes, they were effectively surrendering but they had their reason. They were a mere shadow of what they once were. This had him grinning as he pressed on, “He is a fool, blinded by the Tyrant’s words but I will not be swayed. I can see it in your eyes, the pain, the anguish, the false king up in his throne, he caused this.”

Reaching for her chin, he forced her gaze up to him, letting her see the bottle of phoenix tear in his hand. “Join me Kalwarna, stand by my side. Do not listen to his words. They will lead you astray, they will shackle you and bind you. Stand tall, refused to bow down,” He offered her, holding the bottle so tantalizingly close.

Hands shook as she gazed upon the vial longingly, the sharp pain in each and every breath she took reminding her of her mortality. She hated it, she hated being so weak. She could simply give up, give in yet…

“The only one who betrayed the cause was you!” With the last of strength, she formed a blade of light in her left hand and struck with all her might, aiming it at the man's temple. It was all for naught as the man easily caught her hand, the blade trembling in her hold as it hovered just inches away. The man's beautiful face twisted into a scowl as her left arm snapped under his grip. She laid there screaming as agony coursed through her veins, crippled and unable to fight any longer.

“You shouldn’t have bothered. You know how it was going to end anyways,” A hooded figure said as he stepped out from the shadows, the stinking scent of brimstone clinging to his form.

“True but I could have been always wrong,” The man casually replied as he reached down and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her up to the air. She kicked at the man’s chest but all it did was make her run out of breath faster as he tightened his grip.  “I tried my best to convince more of you to join my side but you’re far too blinded with Azazel’s guile to think. It was a shame really, you were one of my favorites.”

Kalwarna was many things. She was a slut, a corrupter of holy men, a sadistic bitch but she was not a backstabbing whore. If it means that she had to die by this monster's hand, so be it. She stared back defiantly, glaring at the man even as her vision faltered, the darkness creeping in as he slowly crushed her neck.

“Just make this quick, we have places to go. Also, as good as stray devils are, I doubt they can put a dent in the old man,” The man then said as he walked away, leaving her and Kokabiel alone.

She struggled as hard as she could, flailing her broken arms yet the man's grip was like iron, cold and unyielding. Panic overcame her sense as the reality of the situation started to sink in, fear gripping her chest as she could not get him to stop. As much as she wanted to pull away she was far too weakened and injured to do so. Eventually, even her limbs grew too heavy as they dangled beside her.

So this was the end? Was this how her tale was to end? To die like a dog in the hand of someone she once looked up to? Was all of her struggle worth it? As her limbs hang down to her side, her body got colder while her heart struggled to beat with no air to fuel her body, she realized she was going to die here. She could only bitterly smile as she gazed up at the heavens above. In the end, she didn’t amount to much but at least… She managed to buy her brothers and sister a few seconds.

As the darkness closed in, she saw a little twinkle of light up in the sky, cutting through the darkness as it shone down on her. Was this the light at the end of the tunnel that mortals speak off? She never knew it could be so pretty and so warm. She closed her eyes and she felt warmth wrapping around her body, surrounding her in its entirety before a loud roar filled her ears. She felt herself floating as a force slammed down upon from above yet all she felt was bliss as it washed over her. The pain melted away as the voice of her creator spoke to her once more.

“I AM HERE!”

-x-x-x-

Absolution gritted his teeth as he knelt down and picked up the broken form of the angel as she laid down on the ground while Kokabiel laid on a large crate at the end of a long furrow. The fallen groaned, his clothes singed from the blast yet he was still whole, protected by the shadow surrounding them now.

The battlefield still as he made himself known, his light shining brightly as it warded off the dark, pushing it back even as it tried to fight him off. His eyes narrowed as he felt a presence in the field, the scent of tobacco and blood clinging to the very air itself, trying to snuff out the very light itself but he pushed back. He flared his light, ignoring it for now as he focused on the women he held.

“It’s all right, you can rest now. Let me handle this,” he whispered as placed his hands upon the girl's forehead before pushing his light into her. The woman gasped as she was made whole once more, her wounds closing and her limbs healed. The darkness in her wings was pushed away as a pulse of light then radiated out of her. It washed over the field, making the demons rear back, the fallen who turned against them scream in pain, and those they hurt would find their strength returning.

He had just arrived at the nick of time as he blasted through the dome that surrounded the camp, opening a hole for him and his companions to slip through. This however would only be a temporary opening as the surprisingly resilient dome closed behind them, shutting out the light from hell's own skies once more, leaving him as the sole source of light strong enough to beat back the dark.

It was far too dark and so he started pulling off balls of light from his own aura and allowed them to float off, their soft light giving more illumination. He might need them so he kept making them, trying to drown out the darkness with his own light.

“Father, our forces are alerted, they are already on their way,” Uriel told him as they landed behind him along with Azazel and the others before she scowled, as she then added, “However, the devil who’s land the Fallen are technically squating on is causing quite the fuzz. We still have treaties to uphold and they have their rights. We have alerted the Satan’s of this incident however and they’re sorting things out.” It was unfortunate but it was their land. Even if he was there to save his children, his actions could still be viewed as that of a trespasser. He needed to open dialogue now.

“Good, make sure to emphasize why we’re here and why we need them through,” He replied as he glared at Kokabiel who groaned as he pulled himself off the crater. Unfortunate that he couldn’t hit him harder else he’d attract too much attention. With this unexpected incident, he was forced to make contact with Hell earlier than he expected but he needed them for this. His presence was just too much to ignore and best to tell them why he was here.

The fallen met his glare as his features twisted into a scowl. Pointing at him and practically foaming at the mouth, he screamed at him, “You! Why couldn’t you just have stayed dead! Why do you wish to torment me, why do you wish to take away those I cherish!”

He frowned, pausing from making his lantern, his grip on his weapon tightening but before he could answer, Azazel interjected as he stomped forward, “You fucking rat, you really done it this time!”

This only served to infuriate Kokabiel as he screamed back, “You’re the one I should call a rat! I can see how you’ve already abandoned our cause and sided with him!” The man raved, veins bulging at his temples as he lambasted them, “Why did you accept him! He was our tormentor! Our enemy but you forgave him!”

Spreading his arms around, he then shouted, “Did you forget everything we worked for! Everyone we loved! You’re going to throw it all away!”

All Absolution saw however was the dissolution he made. As he continued making his light, he started seeing more angels injured by Kokabiels madness. Their features harried and their bodies bleeding as they were surrounded by the baying of maddened beasts who were only held back by Absolution’s presence.

Kokabiel then flared his wings wide, their form as dark as the night as his shadow seemed to stretch behind him. An aura of smoke surrounded him, as he drew a sword from the very darkness itself. Gone was what little was left of anything holy in him as he fully embraced the night, rejecting Absolution with every cell in his being. There was no longer any connection between him and Kokabiel.

“I never forgot them Kokabiel, but I did not let my grief consume me unlike you,” Azazel hissed back as he drew his weapon, his blazing spear taking on a harsh white glow as his wings were spread wide. He let all see his snow white wings as it glowed against the darkness surrounding them, his armor once again whole as he stood there not as a Grigori but a Seraph renewed.

Pointing his weapon at Azazel who took a step back, he asked him, “If you believe the cause so much, then what the hell are you doing?! Look around you, look at all the destruction you’ve caused, all the blood you spilled when you betray us! And for what? To satisfy your vengeance? What is this Kokabiel? Tell me!”

The man snorted, dismissing them as he replied, “I’m doing my best to save them by taking them away. If they don’t listen, well, they’ll have their use once I hand them over to my partners.”

As he stared at Kokabiel, the more he realized that something was off. This was Kokabiel alright but there was more of him or rather, his presence did not feel right. Then it clicked as he stared at the shadow behind him. Even as his mote of light passed by them, they did not change. They remained static as it loomed over Kokabiel.

“Huh, so that’s what I’ve been smelling all this time. So who’s your new master~? Is he the guy behind you?” Absolution taunted as a smile stretched across his face. Someone was pulling Kokabiels strings and he was here.

Kokabiel bared his teeth, his knuckles turned white as he pointed his sword at him and barked out, “I have no master! I am my own-!” His word would be cut short as the scent of blood lingering in the filled became heavy, almost palpable to the point he could taste it. Then came the laughter, cruel and sadistic, promising nothing but pain and misery for all those before him.

The shadows shrunk, coalescing to a hunched form behind Kokabiel. Bony's emaciated hands, which held a bloody dagger, reached out for Kokabiel. The fallen choked on his own words while sweat dripped down his face as the jade colored skull mask peered from behind him. A man whose skin was covered in ash gently pushed the angel aside as he stood there, his blood red eyes glaring at Absolution.

The feathers of his mask gently bobbed against the unseen wind while the pelt covering his form wrapped around him, hiding the man’s deceptively thin form. A black shield with a mirror center was strapped to his arm, its smooth surface drinking the light as not a single ray of light bounced off its surface. His weapon of choice on the other hand, still slick with blood, was made of obsidian, a strange choice for a being who could use anything else.

The being’s gaze then turned to his other hand and there he held a heart, still beating, the bright light inside all angels still burning inside it. Holding the organ to his lips, he opened his sharp tooth maw before chomping down.

In another life, he would have been afraid but here and now, all he felt was revulsion and anger as he felt the light, a familiar light so close to him, get snuffed out by the being of darkness before him. Absolution's smile fell, to be replaced with a serene mask as he stared at the evil before him.

Uriel growled, about to leap at him for the transgression he just made. Absolution held out his hands, holding back his angel for he knew what stood before him was no mere monster, but a god.

“It seems that I’ve been found. You don’t have to worry about this any more Kokabiel, let me handle this,” The god chuckled darkly as blood dribbled down their chin. Pointy at Absoluton, he then commented, “For a god who danced with death, you are still quite sharp.”

Absolution tilted his head, refusing to let the man see anything from him as he replied, “All I took was a power nap and you guys thought I died. And they call me the melodramatic one.”

“I’ve got this under control! You can’t-!” Kokabiel tried to reply but a simple glare had him closing his mouth as the gods' malevolent stare bore down on the fallen.

“I can and I will be quiet,” The man ordered harshly before turning back, his severe features lightning as he apologized to them, “Forgive my junior partner here, he is still new to the job. Extermination can be quite lucrative, no? I’m glad a boy like him knows that it’s far more beneficial if he teams up with the big boys for jobs like this but he has to learn when to shut up.”

“A job huh? Who paid for it?” Azazel asked, his voice tense and his form guarded, ready to explode into action any moment.

“The master of these lands of course!” The man laughed, spreading his arms out wide.

Absolution’s eyes narrowed, knowing full well the man was lying yet there was doubt in his heart. The masters of this land could have allowed them in but he chose not to dwell on it any longer. Not when he didn’t know everything yet about the situation and not before this man was still left standing.

Slinging Samael over his shoulder, he then asked, “Before I beat the hell out of you for touching my kids, who do I have the pleasure of talking to here?”

“Just a god you failed to kill, Invader,” The being cryptically replied, his smile turning into a scowl as he crouched down low; His form reminding him of a jaguar about to leap and attack its prey. “You should have killed me when you had the chance. Now, I’m here to claim the pound of flesh owed.”

“... Do you know how little that narrows things down?” Absolution fired back.

The man’s hackles raised as he blustered, his teeth gritted as he shouted in disbelief and outrage, “You didn’t even remember me!? 1521 of your year, when your… you know what, nevermind. It’s not like it’ll matter once I drive this knife into your heart.”

Unfortunately for the man, he did not know him. His previous selves having died centuries before that date but from the obsidian knife he wielded, he had a pretty good guess. Still, even if he had grievances, he simply picked the wrong way to take his revenge.

”Oh, maybe you should have looked up when you made that threat my friend,” Absolution smirked as he pointed up at the sky only for the man to sneer. His expression quickly turned to one of panic as swords of light started raining down on them, the lanterns he had hanging from the sky morphing into weapons and forcing him to back down while those unlucky enough not to dodge died as weapons made by his hands struck them down.

Kokabiel roared back in challenge, parrying the blades aimed at him while the hooded figure behind them flicked away, teleporting just as a blade was about to strike him.

Raising his spear up high, he shouted, “My Angels! To arms!”

Grigori, no, his children all roared as one as they launched themselves at their enemies once more. The battle ignited once again as their form renewed and made whole once again. Turning to Uriel and Azazel, he then said, “I’ll deal with this clown, you four deal with Kokabiel and the Hooded Guy.”

“As much as I want to claim Kokabiel’s head, he is still yours to claim. Allow me to lead the host to battle,” Uriel said before she flew off, reaping through the hooded figure with her flaming sword.

“Don’t you dare die on me now,” Azazel whispered as he along with the rest of his brothers charged at Kokabiel, the four of them clashing. He was about to reply when his senses blared, screaming at him to dodge.

“Don’t get too distracted! This is the battlefield!” The god shouted as he launched himself with reckless abandon, striking at him with surprising speed.

Absolution’s body moved, long ingrained instincts and muscle memory kicking in as the fight began. He blocked the man’s blade, flakes of obsidian flaking off as it struck Samael. He fended him off, keeping distance and taking swipes at the man with his blade. The man proved to be far nimbler than he expected as he danced around the strikes, leaning and almost folding himself over as the blade aimed at his neck sailed past his head.

Absolution’s eyes narrowed as the man grinned at him before backflipping away. It was his mistake to give him distance however as it finally gave him much needed space to attack back.

He dashed forward, the ground beneath him as he leapt at the man with deadly intent, his spear aimed at the man's chest. The feathered god’s eyes widened as he raised his mirror shield, catching his blade just as it was about to plunge down at his heart.

An unstoppable force met an unyielding surface as Absolution bore down on him, his teeth barred as he wanted nothing more than to crush the man before him. The god roared back at him, the veins in his neck bulging as he resisted him yet he chose poorly. The man’s knee buckled as light coated his blade, the weight of a mountain now bearing down on him

He roared out, letting the light in his chest burn as he overpowered the god before him. The shield finally gave as it crashed against the man’s chest, pinning him down on the ground which cratered beneath them.

The man cried out in pain but Absolution was not satisfied yet. Raising his spear, the light around them was pulled away as Samael drank it all down, the blade shining brightly as it was driven down hard. The man kept his annoying shield between him but this time, Absolution had something for him.

As their weapons met once again, a dome of light exploded outwards, pushing back the darkness as wrapped around the shield. The ringing of bells filled the air as the man cried out louder, blood pouring out of his mouth. The crater got larger as the ground shook from the force. The very shadow themselves reared back, temporarily illuminating the battlefield and the dome above which drank at his light greedily before it returned.

Raising his spear once more, he was about to deliver the strike when man’s eyes focused once more. Absolution shouted as the man grabbed a fist full of his own shadow and threw it at his face. The shadow stretched into blades before it struck his eyes and clung to his face. He staggered back, trying to get the inky substance of his eyes.

As he felt the edge of a blade touch his neck, instinct took hold as he forced his light outwards and exploded around him. His vision cleared and he saw the man fly off, rolling across the ground before coming to a stop as the darkness came crawling back once again.

Glaring up at him, the injured god then melted into his shadow, sinking into it like a man taking a dip into water. Even with his light overwhelming all other light sources, there were still plenty of shadows around. As he climbed out of the crater, he gazed around, trying to feel him out.

“Reveal yourself!” He shouted in anger as his words washed over the battlefield yet his enemy stayed hidden.

“Your words mean nothing to me for I am your equal,” The man laughed out cruelly as blades suddenly extended from the shadows, their form solidifying into obsidian pillars

He lashed out with his spear, breaking the obsidian blade into shards as he was forced on the defensive. He allowed his body to move, letting Samael dance its deadly dirge as it sliced through the blades, turning them to ash. For as many he shattered however, more kept popping up. He gritted his teeth, he looked around, trying to find him but he was far too hidden. Each strike was getting harder, each movement heavier until his strike missed and a blade got through.

He winced as the razor sharp dagger nicked his cheeks, causing blood to drip down his face. “Hah, feeling a bit tired? Limbs getting heavy? Don’t worry, just let the smoke fill your lungs,” the man taunted from behind him, forcing him to turn around and catching a glimpse of the man only for him to see his grinning visage as more blades were thrown at his face, and more wounds appeared over his body.

He growled, getting tired of all this. The smoke was sapping at his strength while the dome was drinking his light. Each second he was distracted, the light retreated, eaten away by the black night. For anyone else, this might have looked hopeless but he was not everyone else, he was Absolution. If he couldn’t find him in the shadow and smoke, he just had to remove every last bit of it.

When the next wave of blades were sent at him, he slammed his spear down on the ground, letting his light outwards. As much as the dome drank at his light, he was endless. He simply pulled more from his core and let it out in earth shaking waves. As much as he wasted his light, there was a method to his anger.

As the blades shattered as it met the explosion, he watched the shadow; It did not retreat uniformly. There was a bump where the shadow was far more resistant to his light and he knew now where to strike. He slammed his spear again, pouring more of his power at it, enough that the barrier shook itself and when he saw the bump, he struck out with his spear.

The god pulled himself out of the shadow as Absolution stabbed the ground where he used to hide. The man’s surprised look was for all to see and Absolution knew he got him. He smirked as he raised his spear, before sending out a blast of light straight at the man. He was sent flying in the air once again before landing hard on the ground.

“Whew, wasn’t that quite the warm up!” Absolution taunted, letting the man catch his breath as he puked out blood. He could end him but he was not yet satisfied, he wanted him bleeding and broken before him like all the others. It was not enough for him to beat him, he needed to destroy every last bit of resistance in him. He was letting his anger overcome him but he allowed it for the man before him who did not deserve his mercy for what he just did.

As he marched forward, his arms spread out, he asked “Oh? Getting tired? Where’s the bravado you had! Don’t tell me you’re all bark and no bite? Fitting, given considering what I’m about to do,”

The man forced himself up to his feet, beating at his chest as a manic look overcame his eyes. “Don’t you dare underestimate me!” his enemy roared out, the shadow beneath roiled, exploding outward and eating the light that had washed the shadow around him. A shadow roiled in his chest, his form cracking but the man forced his breathing to be even and the cracks receded revealing his shadow wreathed form.

“Your mistake!” The man growled out as dropped the dagger he held and forced shadows to wrap around his arm, forming into the shape of a giant Jaguar’s claws.

For a second, they stared each other down, just waiting for the other to blink. The man’s bloodthirst was almost palpable, the smoke wafting him off making his form hazy and bigger yet Absolution stood his ground. He would not be phased, he would not be cowed for he was the light and he shall know no fear from the darkness before him.

The man roared as he launched himself at him, the very air itself screaming as he sailed through it with his claws aimed at his heart but Absolution did not move. Facing him head on, he simply raised his hands and commanded, “Cease!”

The god let out a maniacal laugh as the claws of his paws extended into wicked points, “Didn’t I tell you already! You’re command won’t work on me for I am a go-ahh!” his gloating was cut off as he crashed against the barrier he formed, breaking the man's nose with a loud crunch. He staggered back, holding on to his face, but Absolution would not let him rest as he raised his spear, gathering the light around its tip.

Light was a versatile power, able to shift to the user's will and he was its master. He only needs to will and it shall be done. If the god before him wanted to be treated as an equal, so be it. As the man recovered, Absolution closed his eyes as he dug deep into his memory. The light around him was pulled in once more around Samael, the light wrapping around its tip but instead of exploding, it spread out, forming a large and intricate circle above them all.

“The 8th Plagues: The Locusts who devours!”

Uncountable tiny motes of lights descend upon the battlefield. Their form feeble but they quickly gathered, whirling around into buzzing tendrils that drove himself into the ground his enemy.

The man looked around in alarm as the tendrils started to eat through the ground, devouring all those before them. In response, he threw his shadow around, trying to snuff out the light. His shadow cut through the horde but it quickly adapted as the very shadows themselves were devoured leaving nothing behind. They were his locust, they were his hunger and they sought a feast as they converged at the man before him.

Seeing his shadow consumed, fear now shone in the man's eyes. He blasted away, and the man fled. He turned tail and ran, yet his locusts were ceaseless and they struck, latching on to the man’s leg and dragging him as he fend them off. Cries of panic filled the air as his mirror started sucking in the light but more on came forth.

With the man pinned, he aimed his spear once again. With the light bathing the field, Samael had more to drink from. His blade glowing brighter, glowing harsher until it outshone everything. A deadly corona wafted off his weapon glowing harshly and burning all those who stood too close. Wind whipped around them, blowing away the smoke while its light drove away the darkness around them as the the power of the star was awakened in hell

Leveling his spear at the man, he aimed before pouring more power into it, his arms straining as he struggled to hold the spear that suddenly weighed like the sky yet he lifted it all the same. With the last of his strength, he roared out  “On the Fourth day, I made the Sun!”,

Muscles strained as he threw it with all his might, letting it fly true. Not even the man’s own shadow was left as it sailed at him, bearing down at him as a deadly nuclear comet. The man had barely enough time to raise his shield as their weapon met, clashing against each other. The might of the multitude bearing down coupons the tyrants shield.

The air cracked just before a resounding boom shook the very earth. The barrier buckled, its form visible for his eyes to see. It’s intricate working shifting, doing its best to hold his light back as it pushed against it, crushing a god against its unyielding surface but it was all too much. Cracks formed before the barrier was shattered, the form of his enemy sailing across the distance, exposing the battlefield for all to see.

Kokabiel cried out as a spear gutted him with the armor protecting him failing while the last of the creatures were defeated leaving only those who accompanied them to fight his host as they arrived. Legions of angels flew in formation while devils accompanied them. They were quite a sight, their forms contrasting each other and they had only one goal in mind!

“Attack!” Cried his angels as both hosts descended down on those before him.With no barrier to hold them back, they could now descend upon those who turned against him. They cried as one, lock stepped together as they worked together, angel and devil side by side and in unison. WIth their leaders scattered and the god accompanying them defeated, the traitors and their compatriots scattered, fleeing before the combined host of heaven and hell.

In the end, it took only a few minutes for the combined to wipe the battlefield. Many escaped but most were captured. As he gazed around, he raised his hands as recalled Samael to his hands. He frowned at the lack of blood coating its tip but the broken shard of the mirror stuck to it was a consolation prize.

His musing would come to a halt as crimson haired man landed behind him and called out, “I’ve never thought I'd see the day that Heaven and Hell worked together,”

Absolution smiled as he turned, facing the man who usurped the title of his misbegotten, accursed-! He quickly cut himself off, stopping himself from spiraling down to a hateful mess as the leader of hell stood before him. “I can say the same,” he replied, pausing as he gazed at the man, giving him a once over before adding, “Sirzech I assume? I’ve heard many things about you,”

“I hope they were kind words,” the man replied as he returned the smile.

Shrugging, he admitted “Mostly,” For the most part, most of what Michael and the rest of the seraph told him matched what was in what he read. Holding out his hands, he then introduced himself, “The names YHWH by the way but you can call me, Elohim, Adonia, or Absolution,”

The man blinked, frowning as if expecting something that never came before he let out a chuckle as he grabbed his hands and gave him a firm shake, “It’s my pleasure,”

Turning his attention to Kokabiel who was tied down and refused medical care while a large spear was stuck in his gut, he then said, “Before we get down to some pleasantries, how about I show you why I asked for your help.”

Walking up to the bloodied and beaten Kokabiel, he smirked, goading the man as he called out, “How’s the chains by the way Kokabiel? Is it a bit too tight?”

“F-Fuck you-! Gah!” The man shouted only to wince as the blade of the spear still buried inside him moved with his shout. If he were to speak, his injuries could get worse and not even the prodigal bodies of his angel could last for so long with such grievous wounds.

“Still a bit mouthy but we can fix that once I’m done with him,” Azazel replied as he cuffed the man’s head, causing him to bend over and groan in barely suppressed agony.

“I’m glad you're safe but where’s Uriel?” He then asked. He had yet to see the Seraph or even feel her for that matter. For a brief moment, panic took hold inside his heart as Azazel and the others gazed around, trying to find their sibling, only for a figure to call out to them.

“Right here,” the hooded man who had stood behind Kokabiel replied, as in his hands was a bloodied and beaten form of Uriel. Blood poured down from a gash in the seraph's forehead as blood red chains wrapped around their figure, their wings bound and their light dimmed to the point that he could barely feel them even with his connection.

Everyone tensed as the man held a blade, the same kind of blade that was used to try and kill him earlier, up against their neck. “While I hate to dampen the mood, I have some demands that I wish to be granted”

Kokabiel laughed, forcing himself to speak as he shouted, “Euclid! Help me off these chains!” Sirzech’s eyes widen while Azazel growled lowly at the mention of those words. He knew he should have known him but he had his limits and he couldn’t remember if the being, no, the devil before him, was important.

The devil laughed back, his voice rich and melodic. “Whoever said about freeing you? We got what we wanted so you're of no use anymore,” he asked, his amusement barely contained in his words.

“You traitor!” Kokabiel coughed out as blood dripped down his mouth.

Ignoring him, the hooded figure gazed at him before making his request, “All I ask is a simple boon oh mighty one. Let me and my partner who you had just beaten senseless go and I’ll make sure they don’t have a second hole to breathe through, sounds reasonable?”

Absolution’s fist clenched, light pooling into Samael as it screamed for blood but he faltered as the man pressed the blade up against Uriel’s throat. “Are you sure you want to test if you can heal them faster than the venom of the world tree serpent could poison them?” the man asked, his voice even as his hands were just a hair's breadth away from slicing them open.

“Don’t worry about me father! My life is not worth it!” Uriel shouted, struggling against their bonds. As much as he thinks himself as willing to make hard choices, it turns out in the end, he couldn't.

“... Stand down,” he ordered and the host of heaven took a step back, lowering their weapons. Sirzech frowned before calling off his own troops, giving the man what he wanted.

“Good, now catch!” The man then shouted as he tossed Uriel forward before leaping away.

Absolution moved, dashing forward to catch the injured angel before turning to the hooded devil but all he found was dust blowing in the wind. They, along with those not yet tied down with holy chains and the bodies of those who were with them disappeared. Not even his own senses could find them, they had truly escaped.

As healers rushed forward to treat him in Uriel, he stared off to the distance, feeling the faint trace of the one he fought lingering before fading away. It seems that he had vastly underestimated just how fast things could get now that he was in the field. For better or for worse, things were definitely going to heat up now that his enemy made themselves known and fired their opening shots.