"Gabriel. What brings you-"
"Silence. You imbecile." Gabriel's animosity was clear for all to see. Especially aimed at Lucifers dumb smile. To many he was a mockery of a Reaper and a certain failure to Gabriel.
An eminent sweep to all present. A derided gaze upon the humans, inferior to them in all ways, presence, and ability. A mockery to what all Reapers were.
Eren, worst of all. Given the divine power of a God killing weapon yet wasting its potential with feelings of pity and mercy for the lesser. An abomination to the title of Reaper.
Isamu, a man whom was once a Reaper, but now grovelled before Gabriel and company as nothing more than an insect.
"Next time we meet, I said. 'You will have a soul for me.' And yet here I stand, with an empty hand."
"Here take your soul." Lucifer tossed the bottled-up essence to the red reaper. "You can take your pretty little self-back to death-."
*Smash*
The bottle that housed the Reaper soul of Thanatos, shattered into a thousand pieces on the floor. The black ooze of the soul splashing onto the concrete. Writhing on the ground, reaching out for salvation that would never come.
"I still see the Reaper kneeling before me." Eyeing down the once Reaper.
"You asked for the soul of Thanatos; it was in that bottle." Eren strode up to the red suited reaper, the two of them now face to face, the latter staring into the azure eyes of the skull.
"I asked you to execute him... As to not set a precedent for the other Reapers." His voice as cold as the grave.
"If other Reapers decide to abandon their duties and seek freedom. They will know mercy will await them if they surrender their souls." Gabriel continued.
"Excuse me gentlemen." Captain Shimada interrupted the two Reapers. "You are currently interfering with an ongoing investigation; I'll ask that you all stand down and please surrender yourselves for questioning."
*Slash*
A blade flew through the air. It had pierced the captain in the stomach. Sending him hurtling back to his squad.
"C-Captain!" Detective Aki shouted, kneeling to the wounded man.
"This does not concern you, humans. Leave." Gabriel ordered.
"YOU!"
*Bang*
*Bang*
"Bullets are useless against reapers." The black armoured Reapers stepped forward, readying their large spear like weapons to execute these humans how dared dirty their attire.
*Fwoosh*
Three shadow brutes emerged between the detectives and the reapers. Hammers at the ready, blocking any further attack from the reapers or police.
"Stop!" The Reaper ordered.
Gabriel was unfazed by the appearance of the shadows. His gaze was still locked on the reaper's eyes.
"They would be wise to not interfere in the matters of death." Gabriel stated. Looking down on the bleeding captain and the officers who tried to stem the wound.
The Reaper too looked. He didn't feel much for them; they were a pain in the side. Threatening those they believed were associated with Eren and the Reaper. However, he couldn't let Gabriel hurt them, now that... Would set a bad precedence, indeed.
"One more chance. Execute Thanatos." He orderd the Reaper.
Another precedent that wouldn't want to be set, having Gabriel think he can make demands and orders of the Reaper. Not after everything that's been done. The Reaper gave Lucifer a slight nod.
"You will do as I say-"
*Thump*
A sucker punch; a right hook to the cheek of Gabriel, sent the reaper flying across the room. Hitting the wall with a thud.
Normally, one shouldn't strike without warning, but that is only reserved for man or monsters with honour and good intentions.
'That felt good...' Eren unfurled his whip, striking at the two armoured Reapers, slicing at their necks. Crumbling to the ground in a pile of metal with swift strikes.
"I recommend you move your captain out of here." The Reaper said. Tugging at the whip, pulling the blade back to himself.
The cops did so, carefully moving the captain down to the lobby of the building.
"You... You dare!" Gabriel pulled themselves from the wall, blood trickling from the corner of their mouth.
"Oh my. It's been so long since I've seen someone challenge this red fool." Lucifer said, stepping back to stand behind the Reaper.
---
*Slash* *Clang*
Having been knocked out of the building the fight moved to the snow-covered gardens that surrounded the isolated building.
The Reaper deflected a flurry of attacks from Gabriel. Their weapons clashing and sending sparks into the air. The red reaper was relentless, but it was predictable.
*Slash* *Slash*
Each swing of twin daggers was although precise and calculated; formed a pattern of strikes that were easily read. Left, right, upper right, upper left, left again.
The rhythm of a Reapers attack, Gabriel had spent too long without a real adversary. Too long at the front of the Reaper bureaucrat army, leading and giving commands to his lesser. He was no longer as skilled or lethal as Eren had once known.
*Crack*
"You're getting slow." Eren taunted. A parried punch directly to Gabriel's nose sent the red reaper back, stumbling in the snow.
"You... You insolent child." Gabriel replied, their hand holding the battered nose.
*Clang* *Clang*
As Eren dashed forward, more armoured reapers began to flood out of the building. Protecting their leader from further attack. One of their blades blocked Eren's whip; sending the bone blade crashing into the snow.
"My, my Gabriel. You are most certainly out of practice. Needing your little helpers to fight your battles." Taunted lucifer, sitting and playing with the snow.
"You! I order you to assist-"
*Thonk*
A snowball hit the side of the red reaper. Lucifer sticking out his tongue in a taunt.
"Whereas you need little helpers; to fight for you. My little dove; has little helpers that fight with him."
'Shadows reach.'
From behind the Reaper emerged shadows that seem to come from nowhere. A power of Saku to create shadows from thinly present shadows that would otherwise be impossible to summon from.
Ready for battle, the Reaper's eyes glowed bright. Snow began to fall from the grey skies.
*Clang* *Clang* *Clang* *Clang* *Clang*
Shadowed steel against reaper metal. The dance of death. Armoured Reapers fought the smaller shadowed ones. Each of their blows sending vibrations into the ground and the air. Spinning, slashing, dashing, and dodging. The snow underfoot was thrown into the air, creating a mist of cold and ice.
However, like Gabriel. The Reapers were out of practice. It was the lack of a real foe, the lack of combat. Their skills were diminished. The weight of numbers too was also in the favour of the Reaper.
Three on one. Archers' swordsmen and brutes would all gang up on one. If they were lucky; a swift stab to the neck. Unlucky, a hammer strike that would crush the metal armour, folded metal that bleed out from the inside.
Gabriel watched on. His red eyes in a rage, how could this have come about? Was it the God eaters doing?
*Fwishhh* *Fwishh* *Fwish*
Blades of blood rained down. Guren used blood arrows to pin several reapers to the ground; leaving them as open targets for the other Shadows to deal with.
"More! Bring everything you have!" Gabriel ordered. From the building dozens more came from the black portal. Some carrying bigger and longer weapons.
In kind more shadows were called forth, bum rushing at the enemy; once more the increased numbers overwhelmed the armoured reapers.
---
Surveying the battlefield.
A blind man could see it was a losing affair.
However, something long dormant emerged from deep within Gabriel.
Although he would never dare admit it; Gabriel was a human once, just like any other. And just like other humans; they all have a deep primal desire to win. Was it pride or a fear of failure?
Either way. He couldn't fail Death or himself. On the outskirts of the battlefield were two factions. The police, tending to their wounded captain. Akemi the wife of the now former Reaper and her kids.
"Attack the humans on the outskirts! Kill them all." If he wasn't going to win in a head-to-head war then he needed to stretch the Reapers forces.
A dozen reapers turned their gaze to the groups, rushing them with blades raised high.
"Get behind me!" Aki rose to her feet, summoning a light-based two-handed sword. Readying herself to protect the injured and defenceless. A power that she herself hadn't used in years.
*Clash*
Shadows rushed in, parrying the weapons away from the detective.
Although her spirit was willing, she would have quickly fallen if not for the intervention. Vice, the dark crow. Stood to intercept their attack. Twin daggers quickly swiped in diagonal form to quickly dispatch his foes.
Elsewhere, another contingent rushed Akemi. A thrown spear aimed directly at her. It was intercepted, Isamu, the once reaper. Took the blade of the weapon into the gut.
"AHHH..." He collapsed onto the ground, bleeding from the wound.
"Papa!" The little girl screamed in fear, seeing her father fall to the snow-covered ground.
"You'll pay for that ya bastard!" Akemi yelled, standing up. Ready to let her fists speak. However, her hot-headed moment was interrupted by a hail of light arrows. Virtue, the light crow. Stood guard over her, firing off dozens of bolts, pinning several reapers to the ground and walls.
The Reaper watched on from the battlefield. Seeing that neither group were being overwhelmed; they turned their attention to Gabriel.
"Even now... You are still just like the humans you so dearly hate. A hypocrite." He said, approaching the red reaper.
"You only needed to follow your orders." Gabriel replied. Stance ready and eyes focused.
"Why did you have to help the human? You would earn nothing?"
'I don't know...' This entire time, he asked himself over and over. Why?
Was it pity? Was it mercy? Was it like looking into a mirror?
Or something more, maybe he too wanted to be human again, but something deep inside prevented such a thing from happening. But seeing another's plight similar to his own…
"Because I chose to. Something that you have forgotten." Eren answered, tendrils beginning to absorb the fallen Reaper bodies.
"You dare defile the bodies of our kin!" Gabriel's voice raised. His eyes began to change, a red flame burned behind the whites, the irises turning black. A power that had never been seen by the Reaper before.
"They are mine now. A reapers soul, for a Reaper's army."
"You should have stayed in your realm." With his new strength, the Reaper's shadows grew. Out came four pairs of the new mages.
*Bang* *Bzzt* *Fwish* *Crack*
Plumes of fire, lightning, ice, and earth magic; rushed at the oncoming armoured reapers. Ice penetrated armour, lightning sent volts through the conductive metal, earth crushed them into the ground. Whilst the fire, aimed at the source of the oncoming forces.
*Whoosh* *BANG*
The building collapsed, sending a massive plume of dust and rubble into the air.
Yet the portal still floated. Like he pissed off an ant colony. Reapers began to rush out from the opening, the numbers overwhelming even the Reaper's army. Magic growing in intensity as the numbers grew.
"You're only prolonging the inevitable!" Gabriel charged at the Reaper; twin daggers ready to plunge into the Reaper.
The Reaper too prepared, calling upon his soulless steel to summon a greatsword, meeting the charge halfway.
*Clang* *Crash*
Blades meeting, a shock wave sent snow and debris in all directions. Despite its size the greatsword provided no disadvantaged to the Reaper. The balance was just right; as though it was created perfectly for the user.
Faster and faster each of their blows came; Eren matched the red reaper strike for strike. Daggers against a large blade, a dance between life and death.
To Gabriel's credit, each swing became more and more unpredictable, as he fought, he began to remember how to properly fight, not just a mindless slashing and hacking, but an art that had been long since forgotten.
*Slice*
Blood sprayed onto the snow, a cut to the arm of the Reaper. The first successful blow that had been dealt by the red reaper. A slight smirk appeared on Gabriel's face.
Blood in the water; that would begin his frenzy.
'This needs to end before someone actually gets hurt.' His eyes glanced at the others; the situation was dire; the cops and Akemi were slowly being overrun. Even with the crows and shadows fighting their hardest. It was only a matter of time before the Reapers overwhelmed their position.
They too began to fed of their bosses growing confidence in the fight.
*STOP*
The world froze with an ethereal echo. The reapers and the shadowed beings all stopped in motion, time had come to a standstill. By a hand of Death, the end of the conflict. Everyone was now standing still as stone.
"Lord Azazel." Death's avatar had emerged from the gate.
"Enough. This conflict is over." He spoke, voice calm and monotoned.