Star: He stepped forward and held his hand out toward the arena. "We have decided who our next champion will be. Archangel Uriel will fight for us."
Announcer: He glanced toward Noctum and saw him nod. "It has been decided! Archangel Uriel will fight for the side of light!"
Sophi: She whimpered softly and wrapped her arms around herself, holding tight as if to keep herself together. Her fingers trembled against her sleeves. She hoped with her entire heart that Uriel would be okay. She was not sure she could handle losing anyone else.
Announcer: "And fighting for our King Noctuminus! The Judge, The Jury, and The Executioner! Our very own Corvex Gear Being! The Golden Court!!!" The crowd erupted into thunderous noise, though parts of it sounded uneasy.
Uriel: He appeared in a burst of radiant light on their side, wings spreading wide as he gripped his blade. He lowered to one knee and pressed the flat of it to his forehead. "Brother Michael...bestow thy strength upon my spirit, that I may fight for our glory."
Multhi: He crashed through a poorly formed ice rift and stumbled forward. "Yes! Finally!"
Star: He spun around, eyes widening. "Multhi, you cannot be here!"
Multhi: He jumped to his feet and slammed his staff against the ground. "This entire thing started with me! I have the right to be here just as much as the rest of you!"
Radna: He placed a hand on Star's shoulder. "Let him stay. It is fine."
Star: He hesitated, then nodded and turned back toward the arena. His brow lifted slightly as he noticed a frail, wobbling old man appear on the opposing side. "Uh...is that who Uriel is fighting?"
Radna: "We are just recruiting anybody now, are we?" He laughed a little bit at the sight of a mortal man.
Sophi: "G-Golden Court..?" She murmured to herself, watching the old man appear in the arena. She flinched when Multhi crashed in and slammed his staff, her body already too tense to handle any more noise. "Mmh...f-fuck..." she whimpered under her breath. She was not sure she could handle another fight in this condition. She kept her eyes locked on the so-called Golden Court, uneasy. Something about him felt wrong. Frail, yes...but not harmless.
Golden Court: The old man suddenly cried out in agony, screaming as the back of his shirt tore open. Golden celestial hands forced their way out from his spine, ripping through flesh and cloth alike. A being of pure gold and white light emerged from within him, lifting free as his body collapsed.
Its feet were pointed, shaped only for hovering above the ground. It resembled a divine machine forged from starlight and sacred metal. Its head was a floating four-sided diamond, each face bearing a marble mask. Happy. Sad. Surprised. Angry. The expressions rotated slowly as its four arms turned in measured, mechanical precision. It faced Uriel. "Judgment day." It spread its arms wide.
Sophi: She grit her teeth as she watched the thing emerge, the sight alone looking unbearably painful. She did not know if the old man had any control over it, but she felt bad for him anyway. "Mmh...please be safe, Uriel..." she whispered under her breath, her watery eyes fixed on the arena.
Uriel: He extended his sword toward the golden figure. "Prepare thyself for combat. No judgment shall pass upon this day!"
Golden Court: Its golden armor gleamed with unseen light, and through the gaps its white marble body could be seen. White cloth flowed around it as it hovered. Upon its chest rested a scale of judgment, perfectly balanced for now. "Judgment is designed for all. Even for thee, one who calls thyself a god."
Uriel: His body went still. Then his hands began to tremble. "Thou... thou darest offend me?! To claim that I call myself a god?!" His wings flared outward. "I am a warrior of the Heavens, forged in the image of God's glory! To call myself such would shatter all that I believe!" He spun his blade, stance firm. "'Matthew 7:1. Judge not, that ye be not judged!' It is thou who shall face true judgment!"
Sophi: She watched Uriel begin to shake, fear tightening in her chest as she wondered if he would be able to stay composed. "P-Please, Uriel..." she whimpered, wiping at her eyes without looking away from the arena. She slowly curled back into herself, hugging her knees as her body trembled, muscles aching from how tense she had been.
Radna: He scooped Sophi up and set her on his shoulders. "There you go. Comfortable seat, yeah?"
Alex: He gripped the armrests tightly, staring ahead in silence. "Hmm..."
Golden Court: Its hands ignited with radiant light. Its arms rotated rapidly, launching a barrage of glowing energy disks toward Uriel.
Uriel: "Shield of Michael!" A holy barrier formed before him, blocking the incoming disks, though the force drove him backward toward the pit behind him.
Sophi: She yelped softly when Radna lifted her, then relaxed slightly at not being alone. She gently rubbed the top of his head and the base of his horns before resting her arms across his head and lowering her chin onto them. "Mmm...t-thank you so much..." She wiped her eyes and tried to steady her breathing as she stared at the arena. "F-Fuck, I hope Uriel notices he is getting pushed back..." she whimpered, holding her breath.
Uriel: He flapped his wings, launching himself forward toward Golden Court, attempting to slash the being's chest. As he got close, a golden chain suddenly latched onto his body and violently threw him back across the arena floor. "What is this?!"
Golden Court: Its head rotated to the happiness expression. "Huhuhuh~, One who feels guilt cannot strike me down. What is your reason for such guilt, Angel?" The scale on its chest tilted slightly more toward the guilty side, and Uriel's body felt heavier, his wings straining as weakness crept into his limbs.
Sophi: She watched the two closely, tilting her head slightly as Golden Court spoke of Uriel's guilt. "R-Radna, do you know what that guy is talking about???" she asked softly, rubbing one of his horns again in an attempt to calm herself.
Radna: "Uriel blames himself for not being strong enough to defend his siblings when Lucium charged through the gates of Heaven. It does not help that he uses their powers. He feels their pain every time..." He kept his eyes on the arena as he spoke, voice low. He shook his head. "From the looks of this fight, if you do not overcome your guilt, then you lose…"
Sophi: "Mmh....." she whimpered, hoping for Uriel's strength and safety. "T-That's an insanely hard thing to overcome, but I believe in him..."
Uriel: He stood up slowly, his legs shaking, yet he forced himself through the weight of his guilt. "You will not... break my spirit."
Golden Court: It clapped its four hands together and began laughing. "The Jury sees your spirit as weak. It is your own guilt breaking you, not us." Its hands glowed bright gold, each one shifting into a blade. It appeared in front of Uriel and slashed across his chest.
Uriel: He panted heavily, the arena sapping at his strength and making every movement a struggle. His wings drooped slightly as he gritted his teeth. "I can't...hurt him...why do I feel so...tired..."
Golden Court: "Guilt is one of the strongest forces in the universe. By logic, the ability to grip someone's heart and eat them alive slowly. That is my scale ability; the more guilt exists, the further the jury reaches a verdict. Judgment shall pass." Its four hands glowed a blinding gold as it laughed, each movement radiating power and menace.
Sophi: She whimpered and held onto Radna tightly, afraid to keep watching yet unable to take her eyes away. "Mmh, I-I hate this whole no healing thing..."
Radna: "Unfortunately, we have to abide by their rules; we can't fight against their rules." Smoke puffed from his mouth as his stress grew. "This guy's ability is a direct counter to a lot of our consciousness...if Uriel doesn't find a way to best it, then he will lose."
Sophi: "Mmmhn..." she whined, rubbing Radna's head and trying to keep herself steady. "I-i believe in him, but he has to do the same for himself too..." She watched the two intently.
Uriel: He stood up tall once more, using his wings to hold himself steady. "1 John...1:9, If we confess our sins..." He slowly pushed forward, dragging his blade against the ground. "He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!" Sparks flew as he slashed one of the Golden Court's arms off, causing it to jump back.
Golden Court: It leapt back, its face shifting to a shocked expression. "This...this is not possible! You feel guilty!" It looked down at the scale, which tilted back toward the innocent side. "Impossible!"
Uriel: "Our Lord hath forgiven me, even as mine fallen brethren and sisters have bestowed strength upon me. To cling evermore to guilt is naught but folly!" He stood up straight, still moving sluggishly but with renewed determination.
Sophi: She perked up a tiny bit, her eyes widening as she stared at Uriel. "P-please, yes, you've got this..!" she whined, watching him draw his sword and approach the Golden Court. She leaned in close to Radna, comforted by his presence, at least more at ease than she would've been alone.
Golden Court: It launched itself back toward Uriel, sending a barrage of punches into his body as its face rotated to anger. "You do not get to decide your judgment!!!" Each strike created shockwaves that shook the arena, slowly forcing Uriel toward the pit behind him.
Uriel: He blocked the blows with his wings, gradually pushing back despite the force. His strength grew mysteriously. "I am not deciding my judgment." He cut off the rest of the being's arms swiftly, forcing it to its knees and making it look down at its scale. "Forgiveness cleanses sin; I am of innocence."
Golden Court: It stared at the scale, its face shifting to happiness, tinged with sadness. "Heheh...It would seem so, the Jury has voted. You are innocent. Our session was quite short." Its body began to crack.
Uriel: "I pray that one day, you recognize that you do not have to be a slave of the enemy." He placed his sword on the ground, knelt, and prayed over his enemy.
Golden Court: Its face smiled more. "You truly are...an angel." It crumbled into dust, leaving a small golden ring.
Uriel: He picked up the ring, rising slowly and holding it high. "Glory to God." He raised his sword alongside it.
Announcer: "Astonishing! Uriel has overcome his guilt with words, winning the fight against the Golden Court through logic rather than brute force! Incredible! The second round winner is Archangel Uriel!" The crowd, even though they stood with Noctum, applauded.
Noctum: He rested his head on his hand, showing a faint trace of interest in the angelic figure. "An interesting mindset..."
Sophi: She let out the breath she had been holding, a deep, relieved, and proud sigh escaping her. A wide smile spread across her face as she cheered along with the crowd, clapping her hands before raising them into the air. "YES!!! Yes!!! Radna, he did it!!!!!!" She swayed him gently back and forth, praying she wouldn't tip them over by accident. Her gaze flicked over to her friends, taking in their reactions, before shifting to the opposite side of the arena, curious to see how the dark, intimidating figures were responding.
Radna: He didn't move, but his smile widened at her excitement. "I knew he would overcome something like that. He is truly the greatest angel."
Noctum: He raised his hand, and the arena fell silent. "I have decided who shall fight next."
Star: "How can he already have an entire fight in mind…" He began to sweat, anxiety tightening his chest.
Noctum: "Sophi, goddess of love, will fight next." He pointed directly at her across the arena.
Alex: "What?!" He leapt from his seat, eyes wide. "She isn't a warrior?!"
Sophi: She froze mid-cheer, her face draining of color. "W-what…?" She stared at Noctum, struggling to keep calm while panic bubbled inside. "Fuck…w-who am I gunna…mmm…"
Noctum: He slammed his hand down onto the throne's armrest. "You will fight Lucifer. Round Three has been decided!" He sank back, eyes scanning the group coldly.
Radna: He scooped Sophi up, setting her down quickly. "Lucifer?!" His eyes narrowed. "We have to get her outta here, she can't fight him!"
Alex: He raised a hand, stepping forward, calm and steady. "She will be okay." His gaze never left Sophi.
Star: He ran a hand through his hair, pacing slightly. "How are you so calm about this, Alex? I have fought him firsthand; he is no simple threat."
Alex: He crossed his arms, standing protectively in front of Sophi. "When I declared my love to Sophi, I embedded my code inside her being. I can activate my protocols inside her spirit."
Sophi: She took a shaky step back, eyes wide, whispering while glancing at the arena. "W-Wuh…??? I-I didn't even know that…" Her hands trembled. "D-Do we still get time in between to prepare…?"
Noctum: He waved his hand lazily, a swirl of dark energy spinning around him. "You may prepare and discuss amongst yourselves. You will need it. I expect to see you in 15 minutes..."