The tiny demon, seeing Michael pausing, takes the chance to scamper off. Michael pays it no mind and turns to the source of the voice. He frowns at what he sees.
"Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find decent staff down here?" said the one who stood before Michael.
The figure has waist-length silver hair streaked with black, molten yellow eyes with slitted pupils, and two ram-like horns curling from his forehead. His nails are clawed, his teeth razor-sharp, yet somehow, he manages to look sinfully handsome.
It is none other than Asmodeus.
"Politeness and decency are for decent people—not for vermin like you and your kind," Michael replied, his tone colder than a winter storm.
Asmodeus smirkes.
"You wound me, Michael. Is that any way to talk to an old friend?"
"You lost the privilege of calling me 'friend' eons ago. Now enough with the chatter!"
Michael points his blade at Asmodeus.
"Where is he?!" he growled.
"Oh? So you aren't here to visit me?" Asmodeus said in a relaxed manner.
Michael's frown deepens. The sword he has pointed at Asmodeus erupts into golden flames.
"Where is he?" he asks again, this time with a far more threatening tone.
Asmodeus rolls his eyes.
"Fine. If you insist on being a rude guest, then I'll simply be an awful host," he said as he clenched his fists and set them ablaze with pinkish-blue flames.
Michael narrows his eyes—and charges.
+ + +
Back in the dungeon, Gabriel paces his cell.
He has sensed the heavy angelic aura the moment it appeared. Relief washes over him. Heaven has sent someone to rescue him! Judging from the aura's potency, it is someone powerful.
Though all the demonic energy in the environment makes it hard to determine who it is.
He waits quietly as the aura approaches… but then frowns. It clashes with another aura—this one darker, sinister, and undoubtedly demonic. But to Gabriel's relief, the darker aura is weaker. It retreats—but curiously, it moves toward the dungeon.
Gabriel's heart skips. It is getting closer, and closer, until—
*BANG!*
Something breaks through a dungeon wall.
"Gabriel! There you are!"
The dust settles, revealing the unmistakable form of Michael.
"I'm sorry I didn't make it to you earlier. All the demonic energy in the atmosphere dampened your aura," Michael said, then paused. He looks around for a moment and shakes his head. Asmodeus is nowhere to be found.
Gabriel smiled.
"There's no need for apologies. I'm just glad you're here. I knew Heaven would send someone powerful—but I wasn't expecting it to be you."
"Well, who else would it be?" Michael said as he sheathed his blade. "I ran into that traitor on my way here. Lumiel, I mean. He was foolish to challenge me—but thank Jehovah he did, because he inadvertently led me to you while trying to escape."
Michael approaches the cell.
'Was it really unintentional?' Gabriel thinks to himself.
Michael stretches out his hands to grab the bars.
"No, wai—" Gabriel tries to say, but Michael has already ripped them from the wall.
"You were saying something?" Michael asked, tossing the bars aside.
"Never mind," Gabriel muttered.
"Well, it's time to get out of this Godforsaken realm. A celebration in Heaven awaits your return, Gabriel. Best not to keep them waiting. Come, let's go."
Michael takes off, Gabriel flying right behind him. The demons—paralyzed with fear from Michael's divine presence—don't dare stop them. It doesn't take long to fly out of the castle.
Michael's power protects Gabriel from the castle's flight-restricting spells. Within seconds, the two angels are millions of miles away.
As they near the golden portal that has brought Michael here, Gabriel begins to think.
Michael has said Asmodeus led him to the dungeon.
Was it really unintentional?
X X X
"I know it doesn't count as an apology, but I hope it can serve as a start."
X X X
Asmodeus has said that with such a warm expression.
Maybe he's not completely far gone. Maybe there's a little bit of Lumiel in there after all—
Gabriel doesn't get to finish the thought before an intense pain shoots through his back.
It is overwhelming. Mind-numbing.
He looks behind him—and sees an arrow lodged between his wings.
"Gabriel!" Michael yelled, catching him as he fell.
The sudden movement causes the flower on Gabriel's chest to fall—into Hell's unforgiving embrace.
As Michael carries him through the portal, Gabriel looks back.
He sees Asmodeus.
The demon holds a bow. He waves—and smiles.
A cruel smirk on his face.
Light from the portal floods Gabriel's eyes.
Then darkness wraps around him.
And he loses consciousness.
+ + +
Arcadia, the once-mighty kingdom, is no more.
The king and his people didn't change.
So, as promised, the Almighty's judgment came.
Every single man, woman, child, and animal in the kingdom—dead.
For the worst sinners, their deaths were especially brutal.
What caused it?
Some say a plague.
Some say the Angel of Death came.
But regardless, one truth emerges:
Arcadia is lost.
Nearby kingdoms take its riches and land. Its glory—buried in the sands of time.
- - -
Back in Hell, Castle MorningStar stands proud as ever.
In her throne room sits Lilith.
She still wears the same bathrobe from earlier. Her ankle-length white hair and crystal horns gleam under the room's lights. She lounges on a couch, attended by an incubus who massages her feet, and a succubus who feeds her grapes.
There is a knock on the door.
"Enter," Lilith said.
The door swings open.
A hulking demon enters—bull's head, leathery bat wings, and a scorpion tail. In his arms, he holds a certain tiny demon.
The guard drops the little creature onto the floor, bows, and takes his leave.
"M-M-Mistress Lilith! I beg of you! Mercy! Have mercy on me!" the tiny demon pleaded.
He has been caught trying to flee the castle—and dragged back.
Lilith has many rules for her subjects.
Chief among them: never abandon Castle MorningStar while it's under siege. Loyalty is paramount. The other is unflinching obedience.
"There, there, little one. I understand. You were afraid, weren't you?" Lilith said kindly.
She picks him up, places him on her lap, and embraces him.
"Y-Yes, I was, Mistress. Please! Spare me!" the demon sobbed, melting into her embrace.
"Don't fret, I understand," she said gently, leaning in close.
Then, in a whisper:
"Unfortunately… I despise those who abandon me the most."
The demon doesn't even get to scream before he crumbles into dust in her arms.
Lilith sighs and reclines on the couch. The succubus wipes the dust from her robe.
"My Queen, pardon my boldness," the succubus said. "But may I know why you helped that human kingdom rise to power? And why you captured the Messenger, only to make no effort to keep him?"
Lilith smirks.
She opens her palm.
A glowing white feather floats above it.
"Patience, my child. All will be revealed in good time…"