I shook my head. “I doubt it.”
“Ah well. I hope you are wrong.”
“Me too.”
“What of Lucifer?” asked Haniel.
I shrugged. “It’s not his way to soil his hands unless he needs to. He has others to do it for him.”
“I suppose we should consider that a blessing.” Iobel folded his arms. “I don’t look forward to facing him.”
Nor did I. “But it’s what we must do, I can see no other recourse. We’ll have to draw him out and defeat him if we want any victory here. Cut off the head, the body dies. That is our only path.”
“Impossible,” snapped Iobel. “There is no victory down that path. Only suicide.”
“What else can we do?” I responded. “We are vastly outnumbered and pinned down. We cannot retreat. What other option is there?”
“How do you propose to draw him out?” asked Haniel.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Lucifer is cautious. Even during our parlay, he possessed another so he would not have to face me directly.”
“Can you sense him at all? Perhaps discern his position?” asked Shoel.
“No. He is beyond my reach.”
“What would make him reveal himself?” asked Haniel.
“I can think of only two things. The first is victory. When he has us on bended knee, he will come forward to strike the final blow. Of that I am certain.”
“I’m no strategist, but if we are on bended knee then I’m fairly certain our chances of beating him might be a tad difficult,” said Iobel dryly.
“And the other?” asked Haniel.
“He would reveal himself if he was to be made a fool of or humiliated. His pride would not handle it. He would demand personal retribution.”
“How does one make a fool of Lucifer?” asked Iobel.
“I don’t know,” I answered.
“But even if you were to draw him out, you haven’t the strength to fight him,” said Dirael. “Not in your weakened state.”
“What weakened state?” asked Iobel, alarmed. “I haven’t heard about this.”
“I overextended myself,” I said simply. “I’m no match for Lucifer, or any of my order, at the moment.
“But you are Archangel!” accused Iobel.
“Yes, but this body is mortal and I tax it severely. My strength wanes.”
“We’re doomed,” said Iobel glumly.
“Let’s not talk of doom just yet,” said Dirael. “Not while we can still fight.”
“I’ll give you my strength,” said Haniel. “My brothers will give theirs too. That will enhance your chances with Lucifer.”
I shook my head. “No, my friend. We will need you and your brothers at your best to survive the day.”
“What if we all joined you as we did when we pushed the fallen off of us?” asked Dirael. “Surely then you would have enough strength to fight Lucifer.”
“We were united in spirit and strength for the briefest moment to do one thing in unison and even that was a near impossible task. To fight Lucifer, we would have to be united for far longer and coordinate much more difficult actions than a simple push. It cannot be done.”
“Then how do we fight him?” asked Dirael.
“We don’t fight him, we can’t. He would win.” I exhaled slowly. “I must kill him without a fight.”
“Can such a thing be done?” asked Shoel.
“Perhaps. But it won’t be by humiliating him, I think.”
“That only leaves the bended knee option,” said Iobel with disdain. “How can we beat him if we’re already defeated?”
“We can’t. But it won’t be all of us who will be defeated. It will only be me. If he thinks I’m beaten, he’ll come forward to deliver the final blow. I’m certain of it. Before he does, I’ll strike first and hard.”
Silence fell. I didn’t have to use my intuition to sense their doubts.
“How do you trick him into thinking you’re defeated?” asked Haniel after a moment.
“There is only one way. It mustn’t be a trick. I have to be defeated, near unto death.”
“That is your plan?” Iobel scoffed. “Am I the only one who sees a glaring flaw?”
“Iobel is right,” said Shoel. “This plan is folly.”
“Lucifer cannot be fooled,” I said. “If I am not near death then he’ll not come forward.”
“But if you’re near death, how can you strike a killing blow against Lucifer?” asked Haniel.
“Because he won’t know about the gift of Avenel,” I replied.
Iobel’s eyes narrowed. “What about Avenel?”
“She provides me prana of her own free will. If not for her, I would not be standing here. When Lucifer comes before me, I’ll draw on enough prana to finish him.”
Haniel pursed his lips in thought. “Lucifer is still Archangel, fallen or no. Can she give you enough prana to fight him?”
“No, but I won’t need to fight him. I’ll only need enough for a single and precise killing blow.”
Silence fell. “All on a single throw of a dice then,” rumbled Iobel.
“I don’t like it,” said Shoel. “It’s fraught with risk.”
“I don’t like it either,” I said. “Tell me another way and I’ll gladly take it.”
“It seems the decision is yours and we are out of options. How can we help?” asked Haniel.
I was about to reply when a voice interrupted my thoughts.
Sariel? Come, dear brother. Come out and play. I have a surprise for you.
It was Beelzebub.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Beelzebub floated before me, an army of succubae at her back. They numbered in the thousands.
I hovered in the darkness, Haniel’s glowing orbs hovering high in the sky the only source of light. I floated alone a thousand feet outside of our dome formation. The plain below me was a broken and buckled mess. Slaughter, gore, and corpses littered the uneven ground. To my left, the mountain I had dropped on Mephistopheles still shook from aftershocks.
“Dear Sariel, you’ve come at last,” said Beelzebub. “I thought I would have to go in and fetch you.”
I was startled at how different she appeared. Hers had been the voice of reason and constraint in our family. At times she was vocal but not without logic or intuition infused into each sublime word. She gave counsel like few others and hundreds would gather to hear her dissertation on the smallest of observations, knowing that even in triviality, her wisdom poured through. Quick with a smile and a word of encouragement, her flock rivaled Gabriel’s at times. Cloaked in flowing robes, she was the epitome of poise and balance.
This fallen archangel before me resembled no one I remembered. Her hair whipped about her, her gossamer clothing did little to reveal her body underneath. She held a spear in her right hand. Her waist was wrapped loosely with a red sash, accentuating her figure. Her teeth were bared in vicious pleasure. Power radiated from her in waves.
“Hello Kakabel.” I refused to call her by any other name to her face. “I would say it is good to see you but that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Beelzebub laughed. “You surprised me, brother. I wagered that we would break you on the first wave. I didn’t think you had it in you to defy us for so long.”
“So happy to disappoint you.”
Her head cocked to one side. “It appears Asmodeus may have been right. He saw strength in you where I did not. He alone refused to wager on when you would break.”
I chuckled. “Your opinion means less than nothing.”
“Perhaps not. But that is not why I called you out here.”
“Then out with it.”
“This is why.” She hurled her spear.
The point took me in the chest and hammered me backwards. All air expelled from my lungs, my breastplate caved in but stopped the point from penetrating into my flesh. Lights flashed before my eyes.
I had expected her to attack and thought I was prepared to
receive it, but the force of the blow stunned me. Unlike myself, she had full strength. It was all I could do not to pass out. Spreading my wings, I regained my balance. Pain from my chest radiated in waves.
Beelzebub slammed into me from above. I sailed downwards, plummeting to the surface. I hit the ground hard on my back, Beelzebub on top. Powerful blows hammered into my face, again and again. She ripped off my helmet and flung it away. My neck felt as if would snap as each blow sent my skull deeper into the earth. Inwardly I pulled in prana, healing bones and tissue but not nearly as quickly as she rained down blows.
I let her exhaust herself on me. I let her believe she defeated me.
Perhaps she did. I stared upwards through swollen eyes. My tongue felt numb, several teeth were missing. I gagged on the blood pooling in my mouth.
When she stood, her face lit up in triumph. She hawked and spat on my chest. “Do you have a good view, brother? Look above you. Watch your armies crumble. What we threw against you was pittance until now.”
The succubae throng arrayed before the city floated like a hovering fog. All were clothed like Beelzebub, scantily dressed, shoeless, weaponless, hair and clothing fluttering. They appeared more like phantoms than fallen. I felt their energies gather into a rising swell. In a flash, it was unleashed.
Overwhelming emotions pulled at my mind as if I was caught in an undertow. Thoughts of lust filled me, both painful and arousing, along with a deep and terrible fear. The emotions raked my mind, making my reason reel and tumble as primal urges clawed and took hold.
These were not my feelings, but that didn’t matter. They were so strong, so firmly imprinted, that any semblance of self vaporized. I only wanted to please and to serve.
My lungs heaved, my body burned and ached to be near the succubae. I craved to do their bidding and maybe, just maybe, they would reward me with their attention, their notice of my unworthy self. Perhaps even a touch. I shivered at the thought. Consequently, if I didn’t do as they bade, their displeasure would undo me. Perhaps they would shun me and never notice me. The mere thought of displeasing them made me cower inside. It terrified me to the point of paralysis.
There was only one thing I could do, must do. Obey. Without question. The reward was pure ecstasy. Endless exhilaration. All that I craved.
Just submit… relent, the whispers said. Stop resisting, stop fighting…
A low growl escaped my throat as I shrugged off the emotional hood that had slipped over my head. Even so, the illusory feelings lingered. Such was the power of the succubae. I watched in horror as I saw what it did to our forces.
Our dome formation sheared away like giant icy slabs from a glacial mountain. Huge sections crumbled and split. A wail rose up from the angelic masses, low and piercing. Never had I heard such suffering.
I struggled to rise. A powerful kick to my chin sent me flat on my back, dazed. Beelzebub laughed. “How do you like my daughters, brother? Oh how your mighty army has fallen! Don’t worry, we won’t kill them all. My daughters will keep some as pets.”
Alarm seized me. “Stop this, Kakabel. Please …”
She placed her hands on her hips, amused. “Please? Are you begging, Sariel?”
I climbed to a sitting position. “If I must. Stop this. There’s been enough bloodshed. We can’t win here. I know this in my heart. I’ll surrender.”
She smiled. “Really? I’m waiting.”
“Not to you. To Lucifer.”
“No, to me!” she snarled. “I beat you! You will surrender to me.”
“Kill me then and be done with it,” I said, lying back down. “I’ll only submit to Lucifer.”
She cocked her head to one side and pursed her lips. “I must admit, taking you to Lucifer vanquished and submissive is a tempting thought. Even Mephistopheles can’t boast of such a thing.” She pulled free a dagger from her waist and grabbed my hair. “Up, brother.”
I climbed to my feet then rose in the air. It didn’t take much to assume the part of a defeated leader. My army was in tatters. Our defensive formation was broken. I had just endured the beating of my life. It didn’t take much at all. She took me high into the air.
That’s when I heard the song.
* * *
It was a song like no other. It did not belong in this place of misery and darkness. It moved me and filled me. It was a song of hope, of love.
“What is this?” hissed Beelzebub, turning towards the sound.
From the remnants of the dome formation above the city, a small group had gathered. Not many, but their voices were one. And it was strong. They were the Virtues and they glowed like lanterns from the sheer radiance of their souls. Angelic hymns issued from their lips. My heart soared.
One voice led them and it was unmistakable. It wove between the others, binding them, making them whole, making them one. It lent power and resonance but was sung with the deepest humility and sincerest love. It belonged to Avenel.
Warmth flooded me. My spirit lifted and energy coursed through me. My skin tingled and my breath was expelled by the innocence and purity of it. Such was the power of their song.
They sang of bliss, of harmony and happiness, then of a heaven lost. It evoked feelings of crushed dreams. Emptiness. Sorrow. Indescribable loss and suffering.
The melody changed to one of hope and courage. The emptiness can be filled again, the song promised. The pain can be eased. It’s never too late. Come back and remember who you once were. No one will judge you. No shame or misdeed need be remembered. All is forgiven. Come back and soar in the light again. Come home. Your heart will be filled with peace. You will know joy once again. You will know love. You will be whole. Forever more.
The succubae screamed. Any influence they had shattered like dropped glass.
Beelzebub wheeled on me. Her eyes smoldered and her lips peeled back in rage. “You did this!”
She pulled me in and drove her blade deep into my chest beneath my left shoulder. I grunted. A crushing blow from her left fist sent me spinning to the ground.
She let out a terrible and piercing cry. The sound of it screeched across the heavens. It was a sound like no other as if it belonged to some monolithic and ancient beast instead of my sister. It was meant to drown out the angelic chorus.
Those fallen that heard it shied away in terror.
Not so the angels. Their voices rose in defiance of it. The Virtues were joined by other angelic orders until the song swelled, immovable and defiant.
Furious, Beelzebub dashed towards Avenel. I coughed up blood and raced after.
Avenel! I pulsed weakly. Retreat, she’ll kill you!
She responded to my words by singing even louder. She refused to move, to give in to the evil descending on her. Her courage was inspiring. I increased my speed but knew I could not close the distance to Beelzebub quickly enough.
Beelzebub pulled up in front of her, her wings spread, her body radiating a red aura that matched her rage. “You dare defy me, witch!”
Avenel’s voice did not falter as she stared up at the fallen Archangel. Beelzebub plunged her claws into Avenel’s chest. The song faltered.
“No!” screamed Iobel, racing forward with his sword. She swatted him backward as if he was an insect. His neck snapped. He sailed through the air, his body vanishing as it perished. His empty armor, helmet, and sword continued its trajectory before clanging against a tower wall and dropping.
“Avenel!” I cried, racing forward.
A sudden rush of prana flooded me. Pain vanished. My battered face and deep wounds healed instantly. Missing teeth grew back. The energies coursed through me, raw, pure, and revitalizing. Just as quickly, the prana flow stopped.
My last gift to you, Sariel, said Avenel in my mind before she died.
Beelzebub tore into the Virtues next, her claws rending. Angels cried out and vanished as she slew them mercilessly. She swept through them, unstoppable. Their song faded and died.
“Beelzebub!” I cried out with all my rage. She
turned.
I slammed into her and wrapped my arms around her waist, my momentum driving us forward. We smashed through a tower before I took her high in the air. She broke free from my grip. Spinning, she elbowed me in the jaw. With a scream she lunged with her dagger. I caught her arm and snapped it at the elbow. She howled and kicked me away. I blocked her blow and regained my balance.
“You’ll pay for that!” she snarled and charged.
I swayed to the side and whipped my right leg around, kicking her as hard as I could across her stomach. The air whooshed from her lungs as her body folded around my leg. I grabbed her by her hair. She desperately lashed out with the dagger. I caught her arm again, twisted it around behind her, and drove the dagger deep into her back.
She jerked away with a mighty beat of her wings then swung to face me. Energies crackled around her. She raised her fists skyward. Clouds gathered. Lightning danced up and down her arms.
“Enough,” I growled. I dashed in and aimed a wild backhand to her head. She dodged my swing with ease, as I knew she would. But just as my blow moved past her jaw, I willed my flaming sword into my clenched fist. The blade materialized instantly and cut her throat open as it swept past.
A gurgle escaped her lips, her eyes wide. I spun and drove my sword to the hilt into her chest then ignited the blade with holy fire. Light poured from her mouth, her eyes, her ears and nose, and the opening in her throat. Her body spasmed and I wrenched it free. The light vanished. Her head lolled forward as if she stared at the smoking, gaping wound in her chest.
I grabbed her hair and pulled back harshly, exposing her opened throat. I raised my sword to finish the job. She deserved no less. “For Avenel, Iobel, and the others.”
My arm trembled as I held my blade up high. A moment passed. Then another. I did not strike. I could not. In that moment, I pitied her. For all her bluster, all her deception, and all her maniacal lust for power, she achieved nothing in the end. She was still Kakabel, still Archangel. I would not be the first to slay one of my family. If anyone deserved death, surely it was Lucifer.
I grabbed her by her arms and hurled her away as far as I could. She spun through the air until she could be seen no more.
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