Deal

Asmo paced back and forth in the dimly lit corridor, his anxiety growing with each passing moment. "How much longer will they deliberate?" he muttered to himself.

Asmodeus suddenly noticed Maria coming towards him.Her graceful stride carried her across the room, her eyes locked onto Asmodeus with a gentle intensity.

The soft rustle of her footsteps on the polished floor served as a precursor to her arrival, and Asmodeus, sensing her presence, turned to face her.

"Maria," he said, his deep voice tinged with a hint of curiosity, "I didn't expect to see you here."

Maria's smile was warm and inviting, her lips curling upwards as she approached him. "I know it's been a while, Asmodeus," she said, her voice like music, "but I wanted to speak with you. It's important."

Asmodeus raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Very well, I'll indulge you," he said, his gaze never leaving hers. "But make it quick, the jury and Michael will return soon."

Maria's eyes sparkled with a sincerity that was hard to ignore. "Asmodeus,I gave you a chance to redeem yourself, to live a life far from your devilish brothers, but I heard you went back to them.Why....?"

Asmodeus cut her off with an unexpected question,"Maria sorry to cut you off, but I need to know."

He paused took a deep breath and continued. "How do you feel when you look at me?" he asked, her voice laced with a hint of vulnerability.

Asmodeus's gaze narrowed, his eyes searching hers. "At this point, I think you just played me to get to my brothers" he added, his tone laced with a hint of skepticism.

Maria's expression remained unwavering, her voice steady. "No, Asmodeus. I genuinely cared for you," she said, her words dripping with conviction. "You see, I'm the only Transcendant who agreed to have their memory wiped and be brought to Earth as a child.

The Archangels knew my pure nature would catch the attention of your brothers...and they sent me to convert you, despite the risk. I could have also fallen for your temptations."

Asmodeus's eyes widened, surprise etched on his face. "You mean, you were sent to save me?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

Maria nodded, her smile gentle. "Yes, Asmodeus. And it worked, didn't it? We're standing here today, together, because of that."

Asmodeus's gaze searched hers, seeking answers to unspoken questions. "But, Maria...did you never feel anything for me? Anything more?"

Maria's smile faltered for a moment before she called out a Transcendant from the crowd.

A tall, imposing figure emerged from the shadows, his eyes locked onto Asmodeus with a warm smile. "Asmodeus, it's an honor to finally meet you," he said, his voice deep and rich.

Asmodeus's confusion was easy to notice, his eyes darting between Maria and the Transcendant. "Who is this?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

Maria's voice was soft, her words barely above a whisper. "This is Joseph, my husband from my time on Earth."

Asmodeus's eyes widened, understanding dawning on him. "Don't tell me you still love him."

Maria's gaze was steady, her voice firm. "We are Transcendants now, Asmodeus.We are no longer bound to earthly desires. We don't feel love or attachment like humans do."

Asmodeus's face fell, a mix of emotions swirling within him. Maria's words brought closure, but also a tinge of sadness.

"I have to leave now, Asmodeus," Maria said, her voice gentle. "I just wanted to see you, to make sure you're okay."

Asmodeus nodded, his throat constricting. "Thank you, Maria. For everything."

They hugged each other, their embrace brief, but meaningful. As Maria turned to leave, Asmodeus called out, "Wait, Maria."

She turned back, a questioning look on her face.Asmodeus's smile was bittersweet. "Goodbye, Maria. Take care."

Maria's smile was warm, her eyes shining with a hint of tears. "Goodbye, Asmo."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Asmodeus to await the fate of his brothers, his heart heavy with a mix of emotions.

The soft rustle of her footsteps faded into the distance, leaving behind a silence that was both poignant and profound.

Finally, the doors to the courtroom creaked open, and Michael emerged, his expression solemn.He ordered the Transcendant guards,"Guards, tell  Asmo and  Lucifer to return to the courtroom."

Asmo's heart raced as they reentered the courtroom. Michael cleared his throat, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Lucifer and his brothers, you have been found guilty of unspeakable evil. Your punishment is to be dropped into the unforgiving bottomless pit... or..."

Lucifer didn't seem surprised by the verdict at all.He acted indifferent as usual but he couldn't stop himself from asking what was on everyone's mind.

Lucifer's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with intrigue as he asked,"Or what, Michael?"

Michael's gaze locked onto Lucifer's. "There is a way for all of you to avoid your damnation. Come with me."

Asmo's eyes widened as Michael led them out of the courtroom and into his chambers. The room was dimly lit, the air thick with tension.

Michael's eyes gleamed with urgency. "A force more powerful than you, Lucifer, threatens to destroy the cosmos.They call him Oblivion, Lord of Chaos and Destruction, one of God's Cosmic Stewards, seeks to annihilate all existence."

Lucifer's smile returned, his eyes glinting with interest. "And why should I care?"

Michael's expression turned solemn. "I don't need your help to fight Oblivion, Lucifer. I need you to fix your mistakes. Make the world a better place. Show me you have a plan to rule the Earth wisely."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed, his voice cold. "And if I fail or refuse?"

Michael's gaze was unyielding. "I will utterly destroy you and your brothers when I return from dealing with Oblivion."

Asmo watched in horror as Lucifer stretched out his hands, sealing the deal. "You'll give me a chance to rule the Earth, and there is no need for your threats.Trust me when I say, I'll prove myself."

Michael nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I'll give you that chance. But know this, Lucifer: if you fail, you will face a fate worse than the bottomless pit.And let me assure that I will show no mercy if you disappoint me again"

After that, Lucifer asked for Lutan's immediate release as the first condition for his unquestioned obedience.As they walked to Lutan's cell, Asmo's mind raced with questions.Michael's eyes locked onto Lucifer's, his voice firm. "I am planning to take Lutan into battle with me, but if he refuses to help me, well,he would be too dangerous for me to leave behind.I won't hesitate to shove him straight into the bottomless pit myself."

Michael then pointed at a lever beside Lutan's cell that would open the gates of the bottomless pit right beneath the call.Michael shifted their sights to the lever beside Lutan's cell, his finger extending to point at the ominous switch. "Behold, the gates of the Bottomless pit," he declared.

He continued,"Once pulled down,the lever will let Lutan down into the pit that holds terrors beyond comprehension.It will be damning him to an eternity of lonely confinement.He would continue to fall for all eternity as he stays trapped in the bottomless pit's cold and dark embrace."

Lucifer's gaze suddenly narrowed, as his eyes fixed on the lever beside Lutan's cell. With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged at the lever, his hand grasping for it like a striking snake.

Time seemed to slow as his fingers closed around the metal, his arm extending in a fluid motion. The lever creaked, its mechanism groaning as he  pulled it  downward, the sound echoing through the chamber like a death knell.

Lutan's unconscious form plummeted into the abyss below, his body falling like a stone, his screams echoing up from the depths of the pit. The sound sent shivers down Asmo's spine as he watched in horror.

Michael's face contorted in rage, his eyes blazing with fury. "Why did you do that, Lucifer?!" he screamed, his voice like thunder.

Lucifer's response was icy, his eyes glinting with defiance. "I won't let you send Lutan on your suicide mission!" he spat, his voice devoid of emotion.

Lucifer said it with such confidence like he knew how dangerous and powerful Oblivion really was.How strong could he possibly be that Lucifer believed that Heaven's mightiest Archangels wouldn't survive an all out battle with him.

Asmo's eyes widened in shock, his mind reeling as he watched the King of Hell and the General of the Archangels stand there and argue, their presence alone seemed to let out powerful auras crackling in the air like electricity. He felt like a pawn in a game of cosmic proportions, trapped in a web of intrigue and deception.

His thoughts raced back to the beginning, to the impossible feat that had set this chain of events in motion.What had brought them to this point? And then he remembered: Maria, the woman who had tempted the devil himself.

The chamber was dimly lit, the air thick with tension. Lutan's cell hung suspended above the bottomless pit, a constant reminder of the extent Lucifer was ready to go to protect his brother from being weaponized.In doing so, he had crossed Michael who looked ready to snap at anytime.

The lever, now pulled, seemed to mock them, its metallic click still echoing through the room. The silence was oppressive, heavy with the weight of their actions.

Asmo's eyes dared to look into the opened bottomless pit as his heart raced.He beheld the terror that lay beneath. The bottomless pit yawned open like a chasm of nothingness, its edges shrouded in an impenetrable veil of shadow.

The air around it seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, as if the very fabric of reality was warped and distorted by the pit's presence.

The darkness within was so profound that it seemed to have a life of its own, a sentient entity that pulsed with an evil power. It was as if the pit was a portal to a realm where light had never existed, a realm where hope was extinguished and only despair reigns supreme.

As Asmo gazed into the abyss, he felt his spirit tremble with fear. The pit seemed to be beckoning him, its silence screaming with an unspeakable horror that threatened to consume anyone and anything whole.

He couldn't help but wonder what terrors laid hidden in its depths, what unspeakable agonies awaited Lutan who was just dropped into it.