Chapter 196: BLOOD AND METAL

The archangel casted more rays in hope to defeat him,

But his wish quickly went down the hill.

The arrows seemed to par the speed of light,

Not only absorbing the attack, but also aiming his eyes.

The form of Lluming was heavy to move,

Making him quite sloppy in dodging the arrows.

His barrier is also quickly absorbed,

Making him question his own power.

He felt saddened when he reverted back,

As his body could no longer endure his attacks.

His body ached in exhaustion,

As he looked at the demon,

Who smiles at him with malicious intention.

His left blue eye glowed red,

Reading the angel's past,

"So you've lost a friend?

That's kinda sad.

But you know what I lost?

My future-reading eyes.

And you know what's worse?

You, angels, tolerated that.

Those humans, your friend have died to protect,

Is the reason I've had this defect.

I don't care if it's a long time ago,

You tolerated those creatures, blamed it all on us,

And you expect me to let it all go?"

Barbatos shot more arrows,

And with his hatred doubled,

The arrows' speed caused more trouble,

Making it harder for Lluming to handle.

It was inevetable to dodge them,

As the number of arrows succeeded to overwhelm,

His attire was burnt, and his skin burned,

He falls to the ground, very hurt.

Lluming then prayed that he at least get more chance,

As he struggle to stand up, for more than once.

For a moment, he thought he have lost,

Until he was reminded of his cost.

He heard a voice call out,

Telling him not to mope around.

The skies turned grey and the thunder called,

Reminding the angel of what he was made of.

"What? Ya need your papa to always look for you?

Stand up, I'm just starting, you know?

It's such a shame that you were labelled an archangel,

And yet...you're not even half as strong as Michael.

Is it all a bait? Your title?

Is the heavens just mistaken?"

"Mistaken? Ha...ha...hah, no,

Everything happens for a reason..."

The skies turned black and a powerful clap of thunder sounded,

Lluming's tattered attire changed, as his arms were filled with markings.

"I'm the archangel of Chastity,

And this is only, the beginning."

"I don't care about your introduction little angel,

What? You just...recieved new markings and changed your attire color,

After that, I'd still pretty much make you cry,

Every buff you recieve is useless, so just die."

Lluming opened his wings,

Which were also filled with golden markings,

The markings then glowed as he rose his hand,

Making a barrier, thicker than before.

Barbatos was reminded of Uriel, the moment the chastity angel awaken,

He smiles as he feels thrilled of the sight,

Fighting someone challenging, had always brought him delight.

"Finally, in all those years...

I'll fight someone worth my time."

He was surprised however, at the speed the archangel gave,

He wasn't even able to pull an arrow,

When he was quickly blasted away.

The shock gave him more thrill,

Taking pleasure in the pain he's feeling,

He quickly flew above as he laughs,

"That's right! Give me more of that might!"

Barbatos pulls out eleven papers,

Which glowed purple and turned into sets of a thousand arrows,

"Since carrying them is quite a hassle and trouble-"

"I don't care either, are you really here to fight or to ramble?"

The duke felt insulted and annoyed,

"Don't you dare mock me,

For I'd be included if there were eight Lords,"

"I don't care about that either,

In my eyes, you're just a demon."

" 'Just a demon?' Hahaha,

You don't know what you're talking about."

Llumings barrier really proved to be strong,

As the arrows did not dare crack it's field,

However, the sheer number of arrows alone,

Had already blocked Lluming's vision.

While Lluming was distracted with the arrows,

Barbatos pulls another fifty pages and made it rain with them,

After making sure that the angel is truly troubled,

The demon pulled a fistful of his hair.

"Since the barrier is a closed space,

I doubt my fumes could escape."

His hair was dropped to the floor,

Seeping into the soil,

Turning into poison.

"Let's see how your mind works,

Let's see if you're really a powerful divine creation."

The toxic fumes were quickly noticed by Lluming,

But with the amounts of arrows shooting at him,

How can he dodge them without a thousand scraping him?

Had he underestimated the demon? How is he to win?

And with that, he no longer doubts why Barbatos was given the title as a Gate keeper,

After all, he truly holds monstrous power.

He then wonders how he'd defeat him in this battle.

When all he could think of,

Is a thousand ways he'd fail.

...

Aza apologizes for not helping Ken as soon,

Saying she shared some of her energy with the angels to aid him true,

Ken didn't turned to look at her but replied,

Saying how he's grateful, that she got his back.

Aza smiles and stands up,

Her speed unparalled by most,

The monsters quickly got thrown away,

The moment she used her barrier to deflect.

The scene made Ken feel amazed,

While the witch was even more enraged.

She sent more of her humanoid puppets instead,

But Aza took advantage of her experience.

"Perhaps you've forgotten that I used to watch the witches before,

I'm once your ally, remember?"

But because of Azazel's modification,

Nemue thought she was just imagining it,

"Just stop the useless blabber.

Or much better, just quit."

Aza did not like her use of words,

And the two most powerful woman stared at each other with no remorse,

As Ken helped Aza get close.

Nemue felt herself getting scared,

Every time their distance gets shortened,

No matter what puppet she threw against her,

Aza will just deflect it's attack, and if it's a human, sever it's strings.

The humans were slowing her down a little though,

As Humility and a few willing reapers scatter.

They keep the humans at the back safely,

Even with Humility's doubt it would be for long.

"Aza, hurry!" Humility says as he looks at the witch's growing anger,

"What do you think I'm doing, Rank 1?

I'm doing the best that I can!"

Nemue felt impatient when the former ally jumped above,

While Ken aimed to blast her front,

Nemue quickly used the humans,

Making their planned attack quite irrelevant.

"How many humans do you have? This is too much!"

Aza complained as she landed on Nemue's back.

"Get off me! Ugh!"

Nemue kicked Aza who then casted her barrier at once.

Nemue smiles as she snapped her fingers,

Knowing too well that attacking her barrier would cause to failure,

Aza wondered why she was smiling so slyly,

Until something grabbed her from below so suddenly.

"Oh, what was your name...uh, Aza, right?

It's such a shame you're not that bright,

Enjoy then, for the pit you've fallen to,

Is the den of my pets, so be a good girl and have yourself cooked."

Aza wakes up shortly and saw the den she's in,

It was hollow and dark, and many beasts rattle at their cage,

She saw how many rooms were still available for Nemue to use.

Whenever she snaps her finger, the cage opens, and well, she's screwed.

"We can fight all day and I doubt you can kill me,

I am no Demon Lord, but I surely am, the strongest woman in my family,

Just give up you little puppets, and I'll make use of your bodies,

I won't put them on display only, oh, I promise!"

Aza stands up and knew what has to be done,

She needs to fight these monsters,

Before she casts them all at once.

Suddenly, the torches near the cages lit up,

While all the cages opened, and the monsters roared and gnarled.

On the other side however, she heard cries.

And realized, there were humans on the other side.

"Great...now I have to kill those, and protect the other...

*sigh* Will this job ever be tougher?

I should be dead a long time ago,

And yet...here I am, taking a hit after another.

Oh, the things I do for love...

But that doesn't mean I'd give up."

...

Ken gets distracted by the shock of Aza falling from the roof,

He thought that Nemue's monsters were almost done but he was gravely wrong.

The den stretches far and long,

Making her puppets conveniently available, whenever she longs.

"A quick, or a painful death?

You choose little hero, or soon you'd regret,"

Ken wasn't even able to respond as he was busy dodging the monster charging at him,

But since his legs were already exhausted,

He accidentally absorbed it.

He hated this ability so much although it was useful,

It feels as if his skin was seeping something quite painful.

Like burning needles suddenly entered,

But for the sake of winning, he guessed he had to endure.

His body felt strained despite the amplification,

But seeing how many allies had been slain,

He forced his tears backed up, and swallowed the pain.

Nemue whispered to herself, that he must be insane.

"By gobbling my minions up, I saw your aura getting more black.

You're going to turn into a monster in no time.

Well, if you don't release that."

"You're just saying that because you're scared, aren't you?

Scared that this ability will finish you?

Well, I don't believe a word you say,

You're not going to win, no matter what game you'd make me play."

"How arrogant. But I'm not scared,

It's far from that.

In fact, you should worry more about yourself,

It seemed like absorption, isn't your fave,"

Ken quickly ran towards her,

But she had other cards to play.

She summoned a bigger monster, and smiles at him in a sickingly sweet way,

"I've been saving him for the most fun part,

As he tears flesh and bones the most entertaining way,

So please make this truly fascinating,

Don't put such summon to waste."

The monster ran towards him,

Its weight shaking the whole roof,

Ken felt shaken by the sight,

And could barely even move.

The monster had hands on its body,

Had mouths on it's belly,

And much worst is that its eyes were also scattered,

On its hole body, like a sick distorted portrait of some sort.

He blasted it after pulling himself together,

But it gave no effect as the monster seemed to push forward,

It roared, and despite its visible wounds,

Ran towards him, longing for food.

Raphael, despite being at his limit,

Formed a barrier, to save Ken from the hit.

The other angels helped, even with the pain it inflict,

And while the barrier combined is strong,

Raphael continued to bleed.

"I...can't...go on, Ken, get out,"

Raphael said, as his eyes watered,

Ken denied his offer,

Saying that he could handle this,

"You should rest with the others!"

When Humility and his reapers blasted the monster to a further distance,

Ken tried to run after it but lost his balance,

Raphael sighs, and tells him to forget it,

That he should just escape.

Nemue laughs, and taunted the seer to give up,

"It's useless to try, not even if it's your best,

Predicting my moves won't give you any benefit,

After all, even if you know what would happen,

How can you overpower me? When there's barely...nothing left."

"Shut up!"

"Tsk, you have such a hard head..

Fine, let's play some other game,

But it's kinda gory, and yet...

It's not like you can complain,"

She snapped her fingers and another gate opened,

Humans appeared, already begging.

"I can totally use them as a bait and whatever,

But since my pet here had took some hits and lost some limbs,

I think he should get some replenishment,

Don't you think?"

The witch gave out the humans to be eaten by it,

And try as may for the reapers to save them,

The monster was way too big.

Humility feared that he'll lose them if they get any closer,

So he uses his whip to drag his allies out to somewhere safer.

"Forget her, just grab the humans and go.

If you don't then all our efforts would have gone nowhere.

Now go!"

The reapers followed his orders,

Despite knowing that their leader had a higher chance of lost.

They urged the shocked and shaking humans to follow,

As the witch laughs, mocking that they were too cowardly,

Too flawed.

"Al-right! Let's do this! We'll play tag!

Whoever gets caught will never see the light!

Again! Hahahahahahah!

So you better...have strong legs."

...

Martha help kill the monsters that suddenly emerged from the rooms,

Seeing that they have more chances of winning outside, they moved.

And though some took injuries from their fall,

The angels made sure, no one is seriously injured.

The monsters followed soon enough,

Humanoid in stature, but only had mouths,

They growled and it reminded Martha of the zombies she've met then,

Wondering if their bites would turn her to one as well.

An angel seemed to have caught up her worry,

And assured her that they're not zombies.

"They have no souls, they're not from humans, but from hell,

Though I don't know, how they made them."

Martha holds her sword firmer,

And wondered if she could really get out alive.

But she then remembered,

The bright future, she so long to arrive.

She and the other humans given angelic capabilities,

Helped the angels slay the charging enemies.

They were suddenly shocked when an angel however,

Suddenly dissolved his arm into nothing but cinders.

Martha looked at the cause of the blood-curdling scream,

And was shocked when she saw a familiar person in Elenchos' skin.

Elenchos looked at her, sadness reflected in his eyes,

An apologetic look, he could barely disguise.

Martha knew he did not want what he was doing,

But he had no choice, but to follow his father's sins.

"Martha, why are you here, fighting?"

"I should be asking that also,

but here we are, meeting."

"I do not want to hurt a friend,"

"And yet you hurt your sisters and brothers instead."

A monster suddenly charged at Martha,

Which an angel killed for her, then urged her to not talk to the enemy while fighting,

Martha suddenly loses her composure,

As she yells at Elenchos,

To stop acting.

Elenchos tries to ignore her pleads,

As he injures more angels, and humans quite brutally.

Martha tries to convince him still,

As she herself, continued to kill.

She knew that his heart is still there,

And that the Elenchos she knew was still wanting to be saved.

"Elenchos! You are not a villain!"

"And yet the world already treat me as one.

What's the point of switching sides?

Once we die, we die!"

"Remember paradise!"

"That won't change the fact that I'm a demon in your eyes!"

"You're not a demon to me! Please reconsider!

The angels you're hurting, are also your brothers!"

Elenchos laughs, "But this is what I'm meant to do,

To be a villain, to get rid of the other side,

If not, then my father would no longer be proud of me,

Martha...there's no change, there's no hope for me."

"Is this what your heart desires?"

Martha asked as she dodge an attack,

Her sword slashed on a monster's neck and got stuck,

So she kicked the monster instead, as it's head snapped.

The question was repeated in Elenchos' mind,

As an angel tried to kill him, and he easily melted its attack,

"You're strong, but is hurting others all your worth?"

Martha asked again, as she walks forward, despite her allies' telling her don't.

An angel was about to attack Elenchos again,

When Martha stopped him from his attempt.

"Let me speak to him, he's my friend,"

"He's the Devil's son, he won't ever change."

Martha shook her head,

"It's because you won't give him a chance,

Your heart is also blinded by rage."

"Can you blame us, Martha?

When his father killed a lot of us all these years?"

"His father's sins has nothing to do with him,

It's easier to talk to a friend, than kill him as an enemy,

If you want to save your brothers, let me speak to him,

We're just wasting our resources for nothing."

"This is insolence! He won't listen!"

"This is happening! Because you won't listen!"

The angel's blue eyes widened in shock,

And for the first time, he considered to try and understand.

He draws his sword down, as Martha walks towards the demon.

While Elenchos shakes, telling her to back off.

"I will kill you, I'm not bluffing,"

"If you are, then, why are you shaking?"

Elenchos suddenly bursted into tears,

"How can you...still approach me?"

"You were stuck in a war you never wanted to be a part in,

I understand that feeling,

I understand your pain.

Please stop doing this,

Stop doing this for your father,

If he truly do love you,

He'd also change for the better."

"You don't know Lord Mammon,

His heart is harder than iron,

He will never change his decision,"

"Not if you convince him of your reasons.

We should try, you know?

Elenchos,

Do you really want to die doing what's wrong?"

Elenchos shakes his head,

And after being viewed as a friend than a threat,

He smiles as he kills all the monsters surrounding them,

"I'm powerful, but this isn't what I wanted.

I...was tasked to look for the seer but...knowing you care about him,

I couldn't bring myself to join my father, in aim to finish this,

I came here, hoping to halt the rescue,

And I...

I didn't expect to see you.

I'm sorry.

You're right.

I also...don't want to bloody my hands.

I just...

I'm sorry.

I don't...

I couldn't voice out what I want."

Martha smiles softly at him,

As the angels now fully understand.

Elenchos quickly knelt and apologized,

After turning some angels' arms to ash.

As much as it hurts to forgive him right away,

The angels had no time to hold their mission to contemplate.

They carried on, and despite what the angels thought of before,

Martha was right,

Elenchos was just misunderstood.

Although their trust and forgiveness, is still something, Elenchos must earn.

...

Abaddon was barely holding on as the bullets were too fast to avoid,

His body is also having trouble healing, as his energy reserve is much lower than before.

"You've lost a lot of blood, huh?

That's quite sad.

Soon, you won't recover from my bullets,

And you'll end up melting your insides."

Abaddon could barely open his eyes,

As he try to sense where the bullet would next fire.

It was harder to fight Mammon as he cannot afford to get too close,

Or else, he'd then turn to gold.

"Just give up now while you still can,"

He mocks as he shot him twice.

Despite not seeing his opponent, Mammon's senses were honed to know his location,

Feeling his movements through the ground,

Abaddon barely had an option.

When he lost too many blood, his body surrendered,

His eyes closed shut, as he doubt he'd be able to recover.

He drops to the ground, as his blood water the soil,

With his last few moments of conciousness,

He wonders if he would wake up still,

or if Death was just harder than the bullets, for him to avoid.

Mammon laughs as he opens his eyes to see,

He felt wonderful, seeing the angel lost completely.

He aimed to shoot him on the head,

But his focus shifted when he heard a familiar voice instead.

It was Elenchos, forcing himself to call out bravely,

Despite being afraid.