The Guardian Temple

Table of Contents
Chapter 17 l Chapter 18 l Chapter 19 l Chapter 20 l Chapter 21 l Chapter 22 l Chapter 23
Chapter 24 l Chapter 25 l Chapter 26 l Chapter 27 l Chapter 28

Forcas

A phalanx stood firm and uniform before a horde of ravenous demonic entities.

Entities numbering by the legion and though the phalanx held, I knew the viciousness of these beasts.

I would be the foremost expert, having trained a good half of their commanding officers.

The waves of forces which beset the capital city at this time were of lesser potency than I had expected, considering all I had witnessed inside The Vatican. Though a smattering of the Fallen and Princes of Hell certainly marched through.

This was the first wave and it disheartened me to see the first forces of Heaven hardly repelling them.

“If this is their defense, when the greater demons begin to pour out, there is little hope,” I thought to myself.

I turned to see a few of the beasts had broken through the phalanx before me.

Pathetic demons, creatures who were once human, but either lacked the will to retain their mind and body or had merely lost it due to the time spent in the pit.

No more different than rabid dogs which would rip and claw until they tasted fresh flesh.

They charged me, a blitz of sorts, at least twenty of them.

“The insult…” I spat, snapping my fingers to pull a quill from my wings, producing a rapier, my weapon of choice.

I made several swift motions, my cuts slicing through their flesh before they even realized it. Hooves, paws, limbs and heads fell at my feet, carried only by the momentum they had prior to my precise cuts.

“Run back to your masters, tails betwixt your legs, the lot of you!” I called out.

To my surprise, they heeded my command. That alone was strange. I expected them to snarl, roar, or charge at me with renewed vigor.

A cursory glance to my side saw a glimmer of starlight on the ground, followed by the foul scent of musty papers and ozone.

I leapt to my right, away from the pale blue shimmer that had engulfed the ground as a blast of light, burned the ground that was once beneath me.

“I should have known you’d be on your guard, Forcas,” I heard a hiss and a bird-like chortle.

I turned to see the owl-like creature come into view, with a thin crown on his head. From his long and thin talon-like feet up to his bulky upper body, the pale gray and black visage of Stolas appeared before me.

“Are there no mice for you to pounce upon? Perhaps a hare?” I taunted, readying my rapier.

Stolas approached me, a hand to his chest in mock horror, “You wound me, Forcas!” he cried out facetiously. “As if I would devour anything less than the flesh of man.”

“Or children,” I said as I narrowed my eyes on him.

Stolas’s beak appeared to turn upwards into an unnatural grin on either side, “Oh, but do they make the most lovely of delicacies? Fresh from their mother’s arms,” Stolas chortled again, “Such deliciously soft and supple flesh.”

“So, I hope you’ve no shock to your constitution as to why I chose to gut you,” I snarled as I took a step towards him, advancing with a potent thrust.

Stolas’s riposte was better than I anticipated. A blade I had not seen and was apparently very silently drawn had parried my strike and nearly pierced my shoulder.

Stolas withdrew the blade, its edge making no sound in the wind as it did so, “How quite forward of you, Forcas. No written invitation to duel? My, my, my. How unbecoming of an Angel of your stature,” Stolas lifted the blade lengthwise, speaking with nothing but the broad edge between himself and I, “Let us officially begin your slaughter then, shall we?” He said as he turned the edge towards me, his free hand falling back as more sparkling starlight flickered around him, “Enguard!”

I could barely parry his first strike before a flash of light blinded me. I tried to hear his oncoming blade but it made no sound at all. My only saving grace was that the light had caused me to stagger back, as the strike had barely slipped under my armor.

My vision cleared or so I thought.

Standing before me were three images of Stolas, all of them at the ready and surrounded by shimmering points of light which flickered and danced around the visages.

“Illusions, Stolas? Truly you are nothing but an unskilled trickster,” I spat.

The three voices that spoke in unison sounded just like the real Stolas, “Ah, coming from a turn-coat, your words speak so much truth, Forcas. Do tell me, why even accept God’s forgiveness? He was the one who cast you from the heavens. How could you possibly forgive Him?”

“Because He is my father,” I hissed, steadying myself and readying my blade.

“That didn’t stop you from joining Brother Lucifer,” Stolas said with a wicked grin mimicked by all three of his visages. “But, so be it. You wouldn’t be the first hypocrite to fumble their way into His good graces!”

All three images of Stolas surrounded me, none making a sound.

They all advanced upon me and despite my best efforts, I was forced to dodge and parry these strikes, which placed me on firmly on the defensive.

To fight three of equal skill, without knowing which was the true opponent, was exceptionally difficult.

Normally, I would listen for footsteps or even the cut of a blade slipping through the air. I had honed my skills well enough to focus on such minute sounds.

Stolas, however, much like the owls he mimicked, was gifted in being able to slip through the air inaudibly.

Even Stolas’s blade swung through the air as if it were one with the air around it. Though its potency was not debatable. My armor already had a hole in it and if I was not more careful, so would I.

I slipped down to my knees and spun my foot around me, with a sweeping kick, hurling dust into the air as I did so.

The dust passed through one image and so I paid it no mind. My attention was now drawn to the other two silent attackers.

I reached out to catch the wrist of one image, while blocking the attack of the other, only to find my hand pass through the first attacker.

With the blade blocked, I now had the original in my sights, and as we clashed, Stolas’s and I’s swords were now locked together at the hilt.

We locked there a moment and I managed to slip my blade down to his shoulder before I withdrew it quickly, cutting him deeply.

Black blood sputtered from his shoulder for a moment, the spray filling the air with glittering flecks of demonic blood. The images appeared once more and Stolas’s expression grew wrathful.

“You pathetic old tosser!” Stolas hissed at me, the feathers on his neck and shoulders ruffling as his anger grew, “How dare you?! I am Prince Stolas of Ars Goetia! I will not have my blood spilt by some old and bearded fool!”

“Old fool?” I scoffed, my free hand smoothing my long beard, “The great Prince Stolas seems to have shed his blood to the blade of this "old fool!” I grinned, “Now what of it, your highness?” I teased, hoping to infuriate him more as I took a defensive stance with my blade held at the ready.

Stolas snapped his fingers, his feathers smoothing. As he did, the wound on his shoulder quickly healed. “I suppose I merely underestimated you, Forcas. Afterall, you were serving as Lord Asmodai’s right hand for quite some time. It’s clear you earned your title and rank. So, it seems I should cease with coddling you.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I announced, taking to the air and making two wide slices with my rapier. As I did so, I proceeded to hurl a series of shockwaves to the ground.

Stolas quickly dodged them. Once he did, I tucked my wings tight to my back, diving into the rising dust cloud.

I landed within the cloud of dust and was standing perfectly still as the din of the battle surrounded me from the outside.

Still I waited and my ears picked up the sound of dust particles being snapped and cracked in half.

I spun on my heel, blocking Stolas’s blade and pushing him back. However, as I attempted to push him back, I felt no body.

The blade itself recoiled, flying into the air.

So, now Stolas was shifting his tactics to test my own. I had to grin to myself, I hadn’t had a decent bout in ages.

An image of Stolas slipped behind me, though I heard no sounds of the dust being disturbed, not even by the blade it carried. I ignored it, walking through it and searching for the true Stolas.

The smatter of dust slipping against something moving towards me caught my attention.

Stolas stood before me with a potent thrust and though I went to parry at first, his blade struck nothing!

My right ear caught the sound of dust and grit being slashed and I quickly ducked down. Stolas’s blade whipped by my head and taking a few errant hairs with it.

From my crouched position, I lunged upwards and backwards with my rapier pointed square at Stolas’s throat.

The owl-demon fell upwards backwards and then upwards into the air, vanishing into my dust cloud.

My eyes scanned the dust around me as shadows danced behind the dust clouds. From above, I could see the pattern Stolas’s wings had left trailing upwards.

Though as they faded, I knew he’d be further and further from their trail.

My eyes continued scanning, listening for the slightest of sounds.

Something whipped towards me and I spun on my heel and sliced the offensive object in half.

It wasn’t Stolas, but rather a small stone which now landed on either side of me.

My eyes went wide as I felt the blade slip from behind me into my back and out below my ribs.

I coughed and then held my breath. I used my free hand to cover my mouth.

“Clever, but not clever enough, Old Fool,” Stolas hissed in my ear.

My free hand gripped the tip of Stolas’s sword and turned it with all my might.

After doing such, Stolas's sword had a slight bend in it. Noticing that bend, I spread my wings and knelt downward.

Stolas was pulled down with me, falling over my back. As he did, I crossed my blade and thrust it behind me. I had struck something, and with this blow, I withdrew and stabbed again.

Stolas tried to pull back, his hand still holding tightly to his blade that was stuck in me.

I managed three more piercing strikes before Stolas released his blade and staggered back.

He stumbled, blackened blood dripping from his abdomen, chest and thigh.

It seemed I had been rather sloppy with my blind reverse thrusting.

Even so, I noticed that I had made some progress, as Stolas gasped and spattered, blood spewing from his beak and nostrils. He fell forward while holding a hand pressed against one of his wounds and was gasping for air.

While Stolas’s strike had pierced my body cavity, it seemed I had managed to strike a lung.

As was intended.

“Out of breath already, Prince?” I asked, while bending the blade of Stolas’s sword back its previous position and wincing as I pulled the sword from my midsection.

I focused on my breathing, calming myself as I felt the blood seep from my wound.

I’d need medical care, but that could wait until after I separated Stolas’s head from his shoulders.

“You… Vile… Traitor…” Stolas gasped as he coughed up inky blood, “I will not… be felled… by the likes of you.”

“And yet, here you wait,” I said as I lifted up my sword, “About to lose your head and be sent back to the wretched pit Our Father sent you to.”

Stolas glared at me, his eyes glowing red as his blood began to sizzle and spark, “He is NOT my Father!”

I had to take a step back as brilliant white flames with a blackened aura surrounded the blood Stolas had been coughing up on the ground. The flames singed his feathers as he was engulfed completely. The feathers burning produced a terrible stench. The heat of the fire forced me to take a step back.

“I am a Demon Prince of Ars Goetia! A Prince of Hellfire!” Stolas screeched, “If I’m to die, then I shall take legions of you with me!”

The muscles in my stomach clenched as I took a deep breath while reaching out with my hands to the dust around me, “Come now spirits and listen to my heed closely. Snuff out this unholy flame with the mighty strength of your earth, feed it no blessed air of the sky and let no flame be tainted by his unholy will!”

The dust cloud was empowered by the earthen spirits I had called upon. Air, Earth and even some of the flames whipped around me in a frenzy.

Stolas’s flames flickered, but then he let out an unholy screech, stunning many of the spirits all around me and pushing the clouds away.

I held my rapier out at Stolas, “Strike him down, great spirits of the planes, strike him down in the name of Our Father!”

The dust formed into sword-like spikes and sped towards Stolas.

Stolas swept his arms before me, the burning stellar flames ripping the dust-like swords apart and thrusting a blanketing wave of unholy flame towards me.

My eyes widened as the flames approached me and I closed my eyes for what I thought was the last time. “Father… I have done all I could. I await Your embrace.”

Within an instant, the heat was gone and I had been blinded by a bright white light again.

…

Timothy

I could hear Sync in my mind as she scanned Sofia… or Vael, as it were, “I cannot get a solid read on them. It’s like their physical form is shifting in and out of existence every few seconds! Incredible. Is this some kind of quantum construct?! Timothy, I’m going to keep trying to get a read on Vael. They’re fascinating!”

I frowned, trying to rationalize it.

Was Sofia in there, somewhere, or was she really gone? Should I just accept that Vael, however small a piece of Sofia that remained, was a parting gift, of sorts?

I watched as the eye-like jewel’s pupils, which decorated the rotating halos, shifted towards me, “Your thoughts are clouding your resolve. Save them for later.”

I smiled weakly, “R-right. Sorry.”

“Apologies are far from needed,” Vael stated as I spotted the irises shift upwards, “This bodes poorly.”

I turned to where Vael was looking and my eyes widened as I spotted a surge of demons spewing forth from somewhere, “Reinforcements?! From where?!” I shouted.

Geoffrey’s voice caught my attention, “Without a doubt, they’re coming from my brother,” he growled as he looked at the latest onslaught clouding the sky, “Always another vile plot being unveiled at the worst possible moment.”

I leapt into the air to get a better view, and Geoffrey was right, of course my father was behind this.

Xyphiel was unleashing more demons through his Scribe Lord seal. They were the demons that he had trapped in his seal when he defeated Lucifer.

That’s when I spotted a truly horrendous creature.

Massive bat-like wings stretched wide, its face that of a horse-like beast with massive predatory teeth.

Its lower body was horse-like as well, with huge hooves and powerful legs. A large tail, which appeared to resemble a snake’s tail, whipped behind it as it flew into the air.

That’s when it’s eyes locked on me.

“The Metatron!” The massive creature roared, turning in the air towards me, “Spawn of Enoch! How I have longed to destroy you and tear the voice box out of my Father’s throat!”

“Shit,” I winced, letting my wings go limp, allowing me to fall to the ground quickly.

I landed on my draconic feet with ease, despite the speed I was falling. I looked up to see the massive demon advancing towards me still.

I spread my claws and bared my teeth, ready to battle.

Just as the massive creature’s hoof was about to slam into the ground, Vael appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, blocking the foot in the air with one spike-like arm.

Vael’s expression remained as blank and featureless as always. The irises within the jewels focused on me for a moment. Vael then said to me, “Your desire for battle is admirable, Metatron, but we would prefer you take a more administrative role in the coming battle. Allow us to deal with Abaddon.”

I gave Vael a nod and then proceeded to ask, “So, quick question: Are you referring to yourself as ‘We’ because you’re two entities or is that more a ‘Royal’ we? Just so I know how to address… you.”

Vael’s free arm stabbed into the soft portion of the demon’s heel, causing the massive horse-like demon to reel back in pain for a moment, landing on the ground before us.

“We are still undecided on this,” Vael informed me, “Apologies. Existence in this… form is fresh,” Vael’s many irises focused on Abaddon, “We have much to experience.”

I nodded, swallowing hard as I watched Vael seemingly dematerialize and then appear again closer to Abaddon's face.

There, Vael made several quick motions, causing gashes to appear on Abaddon's face as he roared in pain. Abaddon swiped at Vael’s form with monstrous claws before Vael dematerialized once more and reappeared high above Abaddon's head.

Abaddon, roaring in rage, took to the air and pursued Vael, either unaware or uncaring about being drawn away from me. It seemed he took Vael’s bait rather easily.

However, Vael did have a point.

I took to the air, flying over a number of disorganized and pinned down Penthesilean soldiers.

A slew of hulking Golems, constructed of burning pitch and stone, were hurling chunks of their fiery flesh at the soldiers. The soldiers had taken cover from the charred boulders hurtling through the air behind various ruined buildings and crumbling concrete.

I pointed to one group and motioned for them to join me alongside another six or seven soldiers.

I took quick stock of the battalion that had joined us and counted about a dozen or so soldiers in total. “Report,” I ordered, wondering if any would question my authority.

In short order, the highest rank among them turned to me, “Sir, we keep getting pushed back. These waves of demons seem endless. Once we put one down, another takes its place.”

Another soldier shouted, out of turn, but with vital information, “It seems half of them are getting back up.”

I nodded, “Decapitation or piercing the heart is the best way to kill them, but even then it might not work. Have your weapons been blessed?” I asked.

The soldiers all nodded before another spoke up.

“The swords are blessed, Sir, but I’m not sure about long range ammunition,” She informed me.

I glanced back at the demons attacking, as they closed in, “Long range weapons need to be used to stun them, then confirm your kills with the blessed blades you have,” I readied myself, “I need some suppressing fire.”

A rather large woman grinned, brandishing a hip-mounted mini-gun, “I can suppress!”

I looked the oversized weapon over, “You have enough ammunition for more than one volley?”

Her face fell, “Well…”

I looked her over and asked, “How much do you have?”

The commanding officer grabbed my attention again and said, “We’ve got six-thousand rounds for that thing in our battalion, which is good for about four minutes of fire.”

I nodded.

“Artemis's Bow! It fires that fast?!” Another soldier asked, clearly shocked.

“Let’s not blow our entire load in one shot,” I stated, “We’ve got to consider the long haul. Focus on conserving what ammo we have,” I turned to the mini-gun brandishing soldier and said, “but let’s not ignore the tools we do have. Hammer them with that for a few seconds and we’ll advance once you have created us a window,” I ordered.

With a cocky grin, the soldier clicked the mini-gun’s safety off and moved out from behind our cover, opening fire, “Come and get some pinches monstros! Hijos de puta!” She shouted.

After a short burst of about ten or fifteen seconds of firing, she pulled the mini-gun back and with a quick motion of her head indicated that she had cleared the way.

“Advance!” I shouted, rushing from behind our cover with the other soldiers.

They charged alongside and ahead of me, each following orders to shoot down any demons we saw, followed up with a confirmation of their kill with their blessed bladed weapons.

I remained within the ranks, ensuring the soldiers kept formation and calling our mini-gun wielding soldier up further as we regained ground.

This went well until I heard the soldier behind us warn, “Flank!”

I turned to see a large snake-like creature whip its tail at the mini-gun wielding soldier. The soldier was sent flying high into the air.

I jumped up, wings beating hard as I grabbed her from the air, trying my best to cushion her fall.

I landed hard, but managed to do-so without injuring myself too badly. At worst, I'd end up with a sprain in my shoulder that I'd feel later. “You alright, soldier?” I asked, unsure of her name or rank.

She grunted, her arm clearly broken where the snake-demon had struck her. She gave me a thumbs up with her free hand, her gun having been lost somewhere in the chaos, “Yessir, all good. Just lost an arm. But, I've got two of them to use.”

I frowned, looking around as one of the soldiers rushed towards us with a med-kit, “I think her arm is broken. See if you can set it and splint it for now.”

The medic gave me a nod and started to tend to her as the remaining units took cover.

I looked at the lead officer once more and asked, “What’s our ammo and weapons look like right now?”

She started a quick count as, overhead, I heard the roars of the massive demon which Vael had been fighting.

Abaddon's huge hoof crashed down before us, causing a blast of debris to fly everywhere.

I dove out of the way with the other soldiers as a cloud of dust rolled over us.

I got to my feet, pulling another soldier to hers as I tried to get my bearings.

Abaddon was wielding a gigantic cleaver of sorts, which was being held back, barely, by Vael’s crossed arms, each of which resembled a spiked blade.

“I have longed to dismantle one of Father’s ancient creations! Yet you are a new tiny little speck! Nothing like your predecessors!” Abaddon laughed.

The jewels across Vael’s crowns glowed for a moment as I watched the irises within narrow in what appeared to be anger, the jewels almost shifting as if they had brows to furrow, “My predecessors were larger in scale to deal with the threat presented. That being said: I am more than capable of taking care of you.”

Out of seemingly nowhere, a massive blue scaled dragon slammed into Abaddon, knocking him back from Vael. Abaddon's crashed to the ground, causing the earth to quake and kicking a plume of debris and dust towards us.

“Retreat!” I shouted to the soldiers around me.

Quickly everyone got to their feet, including the injured soldier from before.

Abaddon slowly rose up from the debris and clashed with the blue dragon, whose tail whipped over our heads as it clashed with him.

A soft, almost gentle voice entered my mind, which I assumed was the dragon's, “Worry not, little ones. This isn’t the first mindless beast I’ve had to fend off!” I hoped that she spoke to the other soldiers as well and not just to my mind.

Vael turned to the dragon, “Your assistance is appreciated, but not needed, Guardian Terrasuki.” They turned to me and the soldiers, “I would suggest a retreat…” Vael trailed off as their jewels flashed green, then red, a fury overtaking them.

A familiar fury, the anger I would see in Sofia when I was somehow dragging my feet or getting down on myself.

Within an instant, Vael was once more, human sized, “I am sorry. It would seem that I need to go ensure the Guardian Temple is not caused any more destruction.”

“What?!” I shouted, shocked as Vael said this.

“I lack time to explain,” Vael said as an amalgamation of multiple doorways opened behind them, “Just know this: You need only not die for the next thirty seconds, and for this, you have your Mother to blame.”

With that, Vael vanished into the portal.

I looked around in confusion as the lead officer approached me.

“What was that angel thing talking about?! What’s the Guardian Temple?!” She asked.

“I’m not entirely sure. The Guardian Temple is a safe haven and staging area for Guardian Angels,” I explained before I heard Sync ring in my mind.

“You’re not going to be very happy, Timothy,” Sync informed.

“What’s going on?!” I demanded.

Sync’s tone was dire, “Rage has initiated something called: Protocol Exodus,”

…

Xyphiel

I lauded over Michael and readied myself to take his head as I watched the hope leave his eyes. My final words created a greater wound on his heart than the Puriel Blade.

I had spent thousands of years planning for this day, this moment of victory over God and His angels.

Soon enough, I would have it. Even slaying St. Michael was a single step towards the greater goal.

My mind reeled for a moment as I remembered my first memory of St. Michael, coming to me with this accursed seal. Granting it to me, labeling me the Scribe Lord upon the completion of becoming a Scribe on Nite.

How the world changed from then on, for me. But not how I thought.

I recalled the last time Saint Michael’s eyes burned into mine.

A grand day, the day I had finally chosen someone to wed. The beautiful Dei Angel, Teryn.

I recall her long red hair and burning emerald eyes even now when I closed my own.

Red Waves.

Emerald Fire.

Hair so much like Rachel’s, it’s what drew me to her. That fiery hair, the spirit of her.

Robbed from me.

Ash in my hands, her body cold and limp.

The first of my many losses and yet the Guardians would have expected me to make good upon their requests?!

The fool I was… I recall that I did all they asked.

I used the seal.

My sister and I banished Lucifer to the Hellfire that the Guardians had made for him.

And my reward for my valiant efforts?

Unending, eternal suffering.

To give me love, my wife. My daughters.

To corrupt them, taint them with the world.

To curse them with horrific ailments of which there was no cure!

And despite it all, despite every sacrifice and tribulation, I was unworthy?!

Me! The Scribe Lord responsible for sending their wayward son down to the prison they made?!

What did the Guardians ever have to sacrifice?! Do they even know the meaning of the word?!

No.

I’ll show them true loss.

I would take it all from them.

I will destroy all the creation that they had made and rip it to ethereal shreds before their throne.

Then what will they think of their servant?!

To The Guardians, to God Almighty, I was to be a tool to wield about, nothing more than an epoxy to be applied to the ills of the world that He failed to address in His design.

To Lucifer I was a puppet, merely something for him to corrupt and toy with as if breaking or corrupting me were another insult to God.

I will no longer be a tool used by Heaven nor Hell!

Even now, housed within the very seal that St. Michael had given me, on God’s command, I held Lucifer, my former puppet-master, prisoner.

With his power, I would take the Throne of Heaven and shatter it to pieces.

All these thoughts and more soared through my mind the instant I ran Saint Michael through with the Puriel Blade.

I felt satisfaction, my moment of victory finally at hand. But still my anger rose as I glared down at St. Michael.

Sealing St. Michael away would be amusing, yes. But deep down, I feared his constant voice might awaken long since silenced feelings in my heart.

It had taken much to set me on this path, diverting now would end everything I had worked so diligently to achieve. And for what? All the death and sacrifices I have made would be for naught.

My commitment couldn’t be questioned, not anymore. The time for that has long since passed.

St. Michael’s nagging voice could place hesitation in my mind. Hesitation I couldn’t afford, even for a moment.

No. Sending St. Michael back to Heaven, demoralized, was the only way to push him from my path.

That was assuming that his spirit even survived the impalement of the Puriel Blade.

By the time I see him again, he will be even more powerless to stop me, if he still existed.

I swung at St. Michael’s neck.

My swing missed.

How did it miss?

St. Michael was no longer there.

Did the Puriel Blade already unmake him?!

I looked around in a panic.

Throughout the battlefield, God’s forces vanished, but not by divine intervention.

That had been spent, the Gates of Heaven closed.

I looked through the city as Soldiers, Saints, Angels and even the odd renegade demon or priest were snatched out of reality by a silvery light.

I gripped the Puriel blade tightly and let loose a scream of rage that sent a shockwave over the battlefield.

Victory, snatched from me at the last second!

How?!

I glared out into the distance, hatred pulsing through my veins as I heard Lucifer’s laughter in my ears.

“Burn it all!” I ordered, “Burn this world to cinders and show them the price of a coward’s victory!” I roared.

Waves of the demons I had unleashed happily moved outwards, to the next city and countries beyond.

Bella approached me from behind, shifting to her more demure human form, “Lord Xyphiel…? What happened? That was not holy magic. This place is far too corrupted for such a spell.”

“Whatever it was, we will find out and then destroy whoever is responsible,” I growled low, turning to Bella, “Bring me La Cruz, Belphegor and Zelletia.”

“My Lord,” Bella said, offering me a small sapphire gem. It was the pulsing blue core of Envy, “I am afraid that Zelletia was felled by Ragna and La Cruz was almost entirely destroyed by Zepherina.”

“Where is his core?” I asked, taking the blue gem of Envy.

“I know not,” Bella said, “But, I believe that Zepherina has crushed it.”

“A Sin cannot be destroyed so easily…” I said as I held my hand out below me, the seal upon it glowing red hot.

Under me the dust began to glow red, pulsing and floating above the ground before it rushed to my hand and coalesced.

I gripped it tightly, red light shimmering from between my gauntlet’s fingers.

When I opened my fist, there was a glowing red diamond resting in the palm of my hand.

Bella lifted an eyebrow, “Shall we choose others? I am certain there are plenty who would happily replace them.”

I placed the second gem in my palm and closed my hand, swallowing them quickly into my seal, feeling the power surge through me.

While I had held Mammon’s power oh so briefly within me, I had merely contained it before.

But now I could feel the combined power of Greed fusing with Envy within me.

“No.” I hissed, my voice carrying far and wide across the wasteland of the abandoned battlefield.

Bella took a few steps back from me, her burning green eyes wide in shock.

“For now, I shall be consolidating our powers,” I commanded as I turned to her, seeing Khairunnisa landing next to her, “to ensure such a defeat never occurs again.”

“But we won, did we not? We forced a retreat and Michael’s wound was fatal,” Khairunnisa smiled, “So many Saints fell. I made such short work of so many little saints and lesser angels! I slaughtered Saint Samson and Saint Jean d’Arc,” Khairunnisa boasted, “Nothing they can do will save them from your power, My Lord.”

I could hear Bella curse something under her breath, “Something to say, Bella?” I roared.

“Nothing to slight you, My Lord,” Bella said as she bowed low, “I just feel that there’s no need to simper, as others do.”

Khairunnisa chortled, “Simper!? I merely am paying respect to our Lord and Master! Whom, need I remind you, is responsible for both of our ascensions, Lord DelAvanna.”

“Enough!” I barked, turning to Khairunnisa who already had a knee bent, her head looking away, “My dear, Khairunnisa, never underestimate the potential of those whose backs are against the wall,” I looked over Bella and Khairunnisa, realizing that of the Seven Avatars of Sin, I had only but five in the field now, “The righteous have nasty habits of doing the unthinkable. Bella, Khairunnisa, bring me Belphegor. He has failed me.”

Bella and Khairunnisa both nodded.

“Why both of us, my Lord?” Bella questioned.

“Because it may take the two of you to get him motivated,” I commanded, “Now go. And where the Hell is Astaroth?!” I called out before something caught my attention.

My eyes jolted to a glinting light and I moved my blade to deflect it quickly.

It was an empty glass bottle. Nothing more, a worn and burned label on its side.

“What…?” I looked from where the bottle had been thrown.

My eyes landed on a sight that I should not have seen.

There, standing in glinting silver armor, was my sister.

Ragna.

Belphegor, you failure.

“Hey Xyphiel,” Ragna shouted, a smug grin on her face as my armies swarmed under her, those with wings making their way towards her position high atop the remains of her smoldering capitol building.

I gritted my teeth, and as my wrath boiled over, I could feel the heat from my eyes nearly scalding my own skin and flesh.

“The next time I see you, it’s going to be on my terms,” Ragna cracked her neck, her smile fading, “And I won’t be late.”

With that she lifted a middle finger to me and vanished in a flash of white.