Chapter 200: CHILDREN

Gabriel quickly managed to slaughter the demons with ease,

Making Haborym winced at the alien brutality.

He really envisioned the youthful looking angel to be much 'cleaner' and merciful,

But looking at his work, he was far from it all.

The evident smile on his face also made it clear,

Gabriel had fun with all his kills.

It makes Haborym wonder though, as he doesn't always act like this.

Or was it because they're alone? And this is just the true nature of Gabriel.

"Alright, that fixes everything,"

Gabriel said, and after that began humming.

Even 155 shakes at the angel's reaction,

"And just as when I imagined angels to be gentler..."

Gabriel stopped, as he heard her whisper,

And turned his head on her, making her shiver.

"I'm just having fun, after all Sir Michael's not around,

I don't have to be too prim and proper,

As long as the job's taken well off and done."

The mother suddenly holds the archangel's arm,

"I can hear him, he is close, my little son,"

Gabriel then comforts the woman,

While assuring her with the words: "On it Madam,"

"I have a bad feeling about this,"

155 says as they entered a wider space,

More so when she saw a lock,

To be opened before they pass the other gate.

"Hmm...that's why I requested Raphael,

He's smart with this stuff, he knows about seals and spells."

"That's only because he's a well-known rival to Asmodeus,

And since Asmodeus uses such, Raphael was probably forced to learn them."

"So...should I just blast this? Don't you know how to crack the codes?"

"I'm not assigned in this place,

So...there's nothing I can do."

"That's just...great, now what?

I can't just leave it here and go back.

Pf, why does it have to be spells...

I hate it, I just wanted to rest as well."

Gabriel then holds the iron gate,

And was about to try and burn its chains,

When out of nowhere, he felt something strange,

He felt a sudden change, a warmer temp of air.

"Hm?"

.

.

.

Suddenly, butterflies appeared beside Gabriel,

Which quickly gave the maidens a surprise.

Their frantic expressions were not well-hidden,

Making the archangel softly laugh at the sight.

"Relax," he points at the forming figure of Humility,

"He's a friend, though he looks stoic and scary,"

"Do you really have to address me like that, sir Gabriel?"

The reaper asked, quite pissed, but he won't tell.

Haborym sighs yet felt thankful as well,

After all, they could certainly use his help.

"White-type reapers are quite rare,

And with your ability to turn to smaller butterflies,

You can go inside this gate."

Humility nods his head,

Since the spell prevents him from teleporting more direct.

He quickly turned himself to smaller butterflies,

Entering the small hole, and was surprised of what's inside.

He opened the gates as told,

But his gaze was low.

He felt too stunned to take a look again,

As he doesn't know how to react,

To the creatures inside the cells.

Some looks human, some do not,

But they all sound like children, which breaks his heart.

Even 155 seemed to be shocked,

Even though she had been in company with the devils, for a while lot.

The mother quickly looked for her son,

Calling him with tears, as she begs for the search to be done.

It took no long, when they saw her child,

Who doesn't even look like her mother,

there's not a single thing alike.

He had white hair, and lime green eyes,

But upon seeing her mother, could only cry.

He seemed to recognize her, even from afar,

And quickly shouts, as he desperately reaches to her hands.

The scene broke them all completely,

And seeing how much the child had been suffering,

Wasted no time, in burning the bars and reuniting the family.

Gabriel's nose was then greeted by a heavy scent,

And after a few realization, completely felt afraid.

The mother worriedly looked at the archangel's face,

Wondering why he seemed bothered, why he seemed to be staring at the gate.

Even Haborym's senses tells him that danger's near,

And yet after waiting, no one did came.

Gabriel tells the others that it may just be a mistake,

Perhaps they're just not used to everything going their way.

He continued melting the bars to free more children,

Until it was all down to one,

And he feels the unusual chill again.

The archangel calls to the little child,

Hiding in the corner, blended in the dark.

The child was only crying however, and denied speaking,

Which made their mission, increase its difficulty.

"Let's just leave that stubborn child,

I don't think he's coming,"

155 suggested,

But the mother kept pushing.

"That poor kid is still somebody's son,"

She told the others, as she encouraged them to try.

Haborym sighs and spoke to the kid in turn,

"Come closer now, we'll give you food and toys,"

But they felt quite surprised, when they noticed the children backing away,

As if not wanting to get close to its cage.

The mother, worried, talked to his son,

But he wouldn't look at her, nor respond.

The moment she looks back at the cage,

She was already on eye-level with his face.

The child has skin as black as coal,

And his eye in the center, as big as a ball.

The child rattled the cage violently,

Making childish noises and gibberish.

That was when Haborym and Gabriel looked at each other knowingly,

Someone strong, is guarding this territory.

The nightmarish child screamed at the group,

And the children only cried, wanting to go home.

The most quiet was the mother's child, only clinging to her side,

Not even wanting to scream,

His only objective, to hide.

"What is this?" 155 asked,

But before Haborym could respond,

A deep voice interrupted from behind.

"That? Well that's a very creative piece,

I extracted from your child,"

He pointed at the mother's son,

Still hiding, mumbling behind.

Their jaws drop upon seeing their enemy,

And felt quite a chill, when he walked forward, a bit teasingly.

Belphegor opens his eye and looks at the trembling children,

"Why are you like that? We're going to play a game,

There's even a price so you better move fast,

And the name of our game is...running for you life."

He quickly pulls a spear,

That was blocked by Gabriel,

And in an attempt to encourage himself,

Yells that he won't die in Belphegor's hands,

no matter the time and place.

"If you think I'd run, you're wrong! I won't die in your hands! Ever!"

"Really? Well then, why would I even bother?

This war will be long, so I need to reserve power,

And since I'm lazy anyways, you just...go fight my monsters,

It'd be better if you just give up, it will truly save me from trouble."

Belphegor then quickly snaps his fingers,

Revealing a huge amount of black colored monsters.

It was soon clear, that he was anticipating their presence,

"Good thing that my spies can blend in the dark as well...

Well then, now you surely won't deny running from these,

They're pretty hard to deal with.

I also suggest to highten your ears,

Since I'd be turning off the light switch."

"Wait...so, you knew all along?"

"Yes, but, honestly I'm sleepy," and he only yawned,

"I'm easy to talk to anyways,

So I'll provide you with your request.

You won't die in my hands, in this time and place,

But you'll be the plaything, of my wondrous pets.

Now, don't blame me, they're aren't my nightmares after all,

Blame it on the kids, for having such imagination,

I'll be sleeping next door, so don't scream as much,

Just accept your fate, because you'll die, regardless of your plans."

He then left the cell while rubbing his eye,

Not even half sorry, for what he's done.

Gabriel grits his teeth, as Humility sighs,

"This isn't the place, I would have imagined to die."

155 guards the children, and hushing their sobs,

As the mother apologizes, for involving them with such.

Gabriel only laughs, as he denies his fears and weaknesses,

However Haborym knows, that the archangel was worried as well.

"Belphegor is really tough, and so long as he have hosts, he'll never run out of spawns,"

"Then sir Gabriel, do we truly have a chance?"

Before he could respond, they were covered by the dark,

As Belphegor switches the light off,

and warned them harshly to only run.

The place was soon filled with screams and growls,

As 155 hoped, for the monsters to be blind.

It proved to be false however, as she heard a monster charge directly at her,

The attack only blocked, by Haborym's blow.

"Tsk, the monster's heavy as hell,"

Haborym could not help but comment.

And with the thirteen children already at their care,

He wonders, how this game could ever be fair.

This has truly...been a nightmare.