Chapter 195: LIGHT AND ARROWS

(Ken's POV)

Raphael held my arm tightly,

Regret in his face as he looks at my enemy.

"I shouldn't have used...that,

As it drained my reserve a lot...

And yet...I can't let you die,

Even at the expense of my life."

I shook my head as I moved forward,

Ignoring Sir Raphael's remarks.

He had tried several times to persuade me,

But even so, I've already made up my mind.

I cannot be someone that needs to be protected,

And I can't let any more life be forcefully taken.

This isn't how I wanted things to be,

This isn't what I wanted to see.

And so, despite the dangerous aura this witch is giving off,

I need to fight, head on.

But...she wasn't just a witch.

She seemed modified into something...more dangerous.

After all, her other allies have turned to dust and yet...

Her body completely healed, as if nothing happened.

Not even a trace of blood left.

She smiled michievously, as she stares at me,

Her eyes quite big, and menacing.

"I think you're too young to be here at all,

So I'll ask you one last time...

Are you ready to fall?"

I didn't give her the pleasure of being answered,

After all, I took her question as an insult.

She shouldn't dictate my fate at all,

I really, don't intend to fall.

"Hmmm, I think you're also strong,

I mean...your aura says it all.

You have this...weird...uh, weird halo around you,

And these...I think, I also smell something demonic too,"

She's really noisy, and yet really scary,

She seemed to be...belittling me.

I was so absorbed watching her,

That I didn't even noticed Sir Humility, approaching me.

"I'm not sure if I can be of good assistance,

But I'll help as much as I can.

My reapers, I'll let them rest for now,

If they continue on, they may disappear,

and die."

"And how about you, sir Humility?"

"Never mind me."

"But you also look a bit weakened,"

"I can't let you die,

I can't let that happen."

I sighed as the reaper beside me was too stubborn to back away,

And yet, Nemue didn't even seem to feel any threat.

"Huh? This is insulting, you know?

Just two of you? Ugh, what a waste of effort.

Fine, since you two are all about saving humans,

I'll just pull off more of your friends later,

After you finish my monsters in command."

I gritted my teeth,

Scared of what's next,

The monsters me and Humility are facing,

May not be as strong as the others we've once faced,

But I also do not anticipate,

That the next batch will be humans,

my very own race.

"What? Tired already?

Are you just buying time till I become bored and call it quits?

Come on, entertain me!

Entertain this world's future Queen!"

She said as she effortlessly controls her minions,

Which I dodge in a blur, although it took a lot of effort.

The speed my body is going on, makes me dizzy as ever,

And yet, I can't dare to stop this momentum.

I have to get near her.

"Oi, you're getting too near!

Take this!"

Nemue commented,

As she summoned a bigger beast.

I felt surprised,

Where is she pulling these??

They kept on appearing from that hole behind her,

How many are her ugly monsters?!

Gah!

I shouldn't be thinking of that!

I should be thinking of how I can efficiently attack.

"Distracted, aren't we?"

Nemue teased as the monster on my left, punched me.

I wasn't able to dodge, at all,

They were too many for my eyes to follow.

The angels on my side suddenly appeared,

Despite the fact that they're wounded, they insisted to help still.

"We'll protect your side, Ken,

Prioritize going near her,

and kill her then."

The angel on my right said as he jumped towards a monster,

I nodded and ran,

motivated to end things faster.

...

"Martha, listen to me," Lluming whispered cautiously,

"We're going to turn into butterflies,

to make the beaded girls know we've arrived.

After they're all ready, we'll have no other way out but to carry them out swiftly,

If ever things don't go as planned,

We'll fight them off,

And you carry these girls,

Leave us behind."

"Leave you behind?"

Martha couldn't believe her ears,

But Lluming again, made it clear.

"Our priority is to save humanity,

If we die, it's all part of our duty.

We need to stop them from blowing their horns,

If not, they'll call further more demons.

Martha...do you know why you're in my team?"

Mar shook her head silently.

"Ken trusts me, alright? Trusts me to bring you back safely,

And I can't lose that trust.

And besides, I've lived a thousand of years so far,

I'm satisfied.

However, I don't feel like you'd feel the same,

If ever...you die tonight.

Martha, lead the other humans safely,

You're strong, and I know you are capable of fighting.

For now, endure this war a little bit longer,

Trust in the promise, that you'd see this world in a different light, when it's all over."

Martha felt like the archangel was telling his farewell,

But that did not make her feel disheartened.

She felt motivated instead,

And if ever things went south,

She'll do as what's said.

She nodded and quietly stayed behind,

As the angels did what was ordered,

They turned to insects, and flew around,

Finding the maidens, wearing beads so proud.

The horns didn't detect a lot,

Since the movement was so small,

It passed as mimicking the wind coming from the window,

Making the angels, for the most part, succesful.

The angels then started to whisper,

A lullaby so soft and tender.

Those without the beads were affected,

Falling into a deep sleep,

As the other maidens felt distressed.

When they realized that the angels were no threat,

They sat up, but careful not to touch the ground.

The angels then quickly transforms,

As Lluming felt excited, as things were getting the way they were suppose.

An angel quickly went out of the window,

And flapped his wings, as to create an illusion.

It seemed as if the wind howled and howled,

As the others took the maidens out.

The horns did not even noticed the change,

And instead, the one nearest just closed the pane.

The angel outside, was overjoyed,

Until he was shot by a fast-moving arrow.

Lluming did not notice as they were too busy running away,

And when they managed to use an empty room to cross the other way,

He quickly felt shocked when he saw the bloodied feathers,

"Come out now, don't make me wait. Give me another."

The teasing voice was too much for Lluming,

This was it, this was what he feared.

He quickly looked at Martha, who was comforting a shaken maid,

Lluming felt guilty, he needed to protect them,

even with the cards he've been dealt.

"I assume you're just a bunch of cowards,

You can't even fight my horns head-on,

What kind of angels are you? Are you truly warriors?

And you dare mock us, when we use deception?"

The demon kept talking, on and on,

As Lluming urged the others to go on,

He told them to continue, and save more people,

To forget him, as they have more reasons.

Martha felt pained, as she carried the humans to safety,

Although they weren't that close, Lluming was kind to her, every time they meet.

He would praise her, every time she practice,

It was painful, to know this could be their last meeting.

Lluming had other plans,

He had no intention to die in such hands,

Even if he is younger, he is experienced in such wars,

Lluming convinced himself, that this was not yet the end of his duties,

That he'd come out alive.

"What? No one's really going to show up?

You want me to come up there, huh?

How troublesome,

You really are cowards,

Always hiding in the dark-"

"Shut up,"

A voice from behind called,

The duke was impressed,

"You're faster than most,"

"And you're really chatty for a duke,

I was so used to Haborym, it's unusual to hear you,"

"I'm the better duke,

After all, why would Sir Lucifer call for my assistance?

If I won't get the job done."

Lluming smirks, as he transforms into his sentient form,

Four wings erupted from his back,

As he grew more eyes,

And grew more mouths.

"Ew, and they call angels divine and perfect?

Your form just got me overwhelmed.

You look even uglier than those four,

You really look gross."

Lluming did not intend to listen more to his blabber,

And instead attacked him with his concentrated beams,

The duke sighed and took off his cover,

Revealing a confident smile,

And two blue eyes at work.

His other eye, which was at the center was white and blind,

Something that made him lost a bit of his pride.

It may be powerful, but it wasn't such a big deal when Lluming was all he's facing,

After all, he's much older, much experienced in fighting.

He swiftly pulled an arrow, with a white tip,

And as quickly as he shot it,

It absorbed the light in a whim.

"You really think those years in hell, I wasted in nothing?

Hah, nope. With Azazel's help, I've forged these fletchlings.

My sweet little things are ten times stronger than what I used before,

Good luck, trying to defeat someone,

As strong and powerful."

The tall demon quickly bowed down,

As four wings emerged from his own back,

His blond hair tripled in length,

As his curved brown horns, turned black.

"You, still confident you can defeat Barbatos?

If I were you, I would back off,"

"Well, your looks don't scare me at all,

You look more like a girl."

The comeback made the demon angry,

No one told him that, not a single enemy,

Till now, however, till he faced this little brat,

Oh, how dare he tell him such thing?

He'll surely get him for that.

"Fine, let's see how many arrows you can dodge."