Chapter 87: Heavenly Paradise

Argath found himself inside what appeared to be an empty speakeasy, a relic of the Prohibition era. The air was thick with the scent of aged wood, mingled with hints of whiskey and cigar smoke. Dimly lit lamps cast soft, golden pools of light across the room.

The walls were adorned with vintage posters advertising jazz bands and forbidden spirits, their colors faded with time. Behind a polished wooden bar stood rows of gleaming bottles, their labels worn but still legible, promising a taste of forbidden pleasures.

The furnishings exuded an old-world esthetic, with plush leather armchairs arranged around small tables. Ornate mirrors lined the walls, reflecting the warm glow of the lamps and adding to the illusion of space in the cramped establishment.

Despite its earthly appearance, subtle angelic touches could be seen throughout the speakeasy. Above the bar, a stained glass window depicted a scene of divine beings, their wings outstretched in majestic arcs. Soft harp music filled the air, emanating from unseen speakers hidden among the rafters.

Argath looked around in confusion, his senses assaulted by the unexpected surroundings. "This is a Heavenly Paradise?" he questioned aloud, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Yeah, isn't it just great!" came the cheerful response from behind him. Swiftly turning around, Argath didn't have much time to process as the angel, retracting his wings, swung a bottle of vodka toward his head with surprising speed. *What's he doing?* Argath wondered, a flicker of confusion crossing his features as he aimed his right palm at the angel, preparing to launch a bone spike.

*A glass bottle won't do anything to a demon,* Argath thought, his logic kicking in. It made sense that normal weaponry wouldn't affect demons, so why would a bottle? But as Argath tried to channel his demonic energy, he felt an unusual sensation—a void where his power should have surged. *What? I can't feel my power!* he thought in disbelief as the angel struck him with the bottle of vodka. The impact sent a shock of pain through his skull, and the bottle shattered on impact, sending glass shards flying and dousing Argath in vodka as his head snapped to the side from the blow.

*It hurt?* he questioned inwardly, astonished by the sensation. Struggling to comprehend the unexpected pain, Argath found himself gasping for air as the angel delivered a wild kick to his stomach, knocking the breath out of him and sending him crashing onto a nearby leather armchair.

*I gasped? That doesn't make any sense! That's not how my body functions!* Argath thought in disbelief, his mind reeling from the unfamiliar experience. Argath looked up at the angel through a haze of pain. The angel wore a wide grin. His clothes were stained with his own blood, accentuated by the swirling, blood-red halo above his head. Coupled with the dim lighting of the speakeasy, the angel took on a demonic appearance that mirrored Argath's own.

"What? Your body not working like it used to." The angel taunted, his words laced with a snicker, before reaching into his rocker jacket and pulling out a lighter, igniting it with a flick. "What did you do to me?" Argath demanded angrily as he pushed himself off the leather chair, nearly stumbling to the floor in the process.

"It wasn't fun fighting you with all those boring rules, so I changed them, that's all," the angel replied nonchalantly. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed the lit lighter toward Argath. Instinctively, Argath tried to dodge, but his equilibrium had shattered when the bottle had shattered against his skull. *But I don't have a vestibular system, so why am I affected?* Argath questioned in frustration as he struggled to regain his balance.

Before he could process the strange sensation, the lighter struck him, igniting his vodka-doused body in blue flames. Argath let out a guttural scream of pain as he felt the searing heat engulf him, his demonic form writhing in agony as he felt the sensation of his skin melting away. *How am I affected by flame? I'm a demon! I don't have skin!* He raged inwardly, his mind consumed by the torment of the inferno.

Meanwhile, the angel casually grabbed an already lit cigarette from the ashtray on the bar counter, taking in a drag as he watched Argath burn. A chuckle escaped his lips as he savored the sight of his adversary's suffering, his amusement evident in the glint of his eyes.

A Heavenly Paradise, something an angel could manifest only by having a halo, was a form of divine magic that brought an angel's ideal paradise, their own little slice of Heaven, into reality. Once manifested, it was nearly impossible to escape unless the angels themselves allowed it. The only option for those trapped within was to survive until the angel's energy waned. However, escaping was no easy feat, as a Heavenly Paradise provided several benefits to the angel who manifested it. It boosted their healing factor, strengthened their wings, and, if they could tap into it, empowered their magic.

Yet, each Heavenly Paradise possessed another unique ability, varying from angel to angel. The angel's Heavenly Paradise, Rule Breaker, possessed a distinctive trait—it changed, rewrote, and broke the rules enforced by reality itself. This meant that even established laws, such as Argath's immunity to fire as a demon, were nullified within the angel's paradise, subjecting him to the searing agony of flames.

Moreover, Argath's unique biology, characteristic of his demon heritage, became irrelevant within the angel's Heavenly Paradise. The realm forced upon him sensations and bodily functions that contradicted his demonic nature, providing only the negatives and none of the positives.

Even Argath's inherent demonic abilities, such as his mastery over bone manipulation, were rendered useless within the angel's paradise. The Heavenly Paradise twisted all rules to purely benefit the angel who controlled it, ensuring that no one else could find solace within its confines.

Argath flailed around in excruciating pain, his movements erratic as he locked onto the angel and charged towards him with all the strength he could muster. *If I'm affected, then he should be too!* he concluded, driven by desperation as he reached out to grab the angel. But to his dismay, the angel merely smiled, a small exhale escaping his lips as he effortlessly seized Argath by the head with his left arm, his thumb cruelly plunging into Argath's empty eye socket.

*He grabbed my flaming body! He should be in pain!* Argath thought incredulously, but the angel's chuckle shattered his hopes. "Did you really think I would be affected by the effects of my own paradise?" The angel sneered, his amusement evident in his tone. With a swift motion, he lifted Argath into the air with one arm before mercilessly slamming him into the bar counter.

The impact shattered the wooden surface, sending splinters flying as Argath's vision dulled as he slowly felt his life start to extinguish while the fire burned ever so brightly.

"You know what they say, 'Rules for thee but not for me,'" the angel remarked coolly as he watched the last remnants of life within Argath burn away, leaving only a husk. The angel had won.