Chapter 7

  After Gabriel’s incredible counter, Camiel’s irritation boiled over. “Why don’t you just die, you piece of shit!” he snarled.

  Gabriel remained unfazed. “Getting frustrated, are we? Angels never give up. I guess you forgot that when you devolved into ‘that’.” His calm demeanour only fuelled Camiel’s fury, and they resumed exchanging ferocious blows, with Gabriel starting to gain a slight upper hand.

  Camiel conjured a sword and lunged at Gabriel. Gabriel countered with a light sword forged using [Genesis], the two locking into an intense duel. The clash of their blades sent sparks flying, neither gaining the upper hand until Camiel swung with such force that both their swords shattered.

  Not missing a beat, Camiel launched the shards of his broken weapon at Gabriel. Gabriel backflipped to evade and responded by creating a bow using [Genesis]. From it, he fired [Exodus 6th Commandment: Lance of Heaven]. The speed of the lance left Camiel no chance to dodge; it pierced his heart and detonated in a dazzling explosion.

  “Adding [Romans: Almighty Bomb] paid off,” Gabriel muttered, allowing himself a small grin.

  “Hmm, this battle has been decided,” Uriel said, watching intently.

  Uriel’s eyes widened. “But that means—”

  “This fight isn’t over,” Samael finished his thought.

  Camiel’s eyes snapped open, and he staggered to his feet. “Wait!” His shout froze Gabriel in his tracks.

  “You’re still alive? Stay down, or this time you will die,” Gabriel warned, his tone cold.

  “Don’t get cocky. That last attack caught me off guard. I’m done holding back,” Camiel growled, tearing off his shirt. His aura darkened, his irises turned black, and his power surged exponentially. “For going all-out, I’ll do you the courtesy of doing the same,” Gabriel said as golden lightning crackled around his soul, his mana surging.

  Camiel allowed himself a sinister smile. “It has been a while since I’ve gone all out. Raphael fell easily when we last fought.”

  Gabriel returned the smile. “How devious. You can smile while releasing that much bloodlust? I get it now, compared to you, Babaquijal is a disappointment.”

  Camiel hurled steel pillars at Gabriel, but the angel smashed through them as he lunged forward. Realising he was being led into a trap, Gabriel leapt back just in time to dodge Camiel’s dark drill attack.

  He dodged? Camiel’s eyes widened.

  “The same move won’t work on me,” Gabriel said, his confidence evident.

  Camiel remained silent; his focus deadly. He raised his hand, summoning a ridiculous number of cannons that filled the sky. Gabriel’s eyes widened briefly before he forced a grin. “Oh wow…that many attacks?”

  The cannons unleashed a barrage of concentrated magic. Gabriel countered with a combination of [Genesis, Numbers, Acts, Isaiah] and his grace, each attack neutralising the onslaught. But Camiel seized the moment, lunging forward again. Their fists and weapons clashed, the battlefield shaking under their relentless assault.

  Camiel transformed his fist into a dark drill and aimed directly at Gabriel. Despite Gabriel’s shield, strengthened by his grace, it shattered under the brutal force. A devastating blow to Gabriel’s chest sent him flying, his chest torn open. Gabriel retaliated with [Psalm: God’s Vengeance], aiming to inflict the same injuries on Camiel. But the chapter was reflected back at him, worsening his condition.

  Camiel continues landing blows on Gabriel, but is sent back by a huge explosion that sends him sprawling. “To think he would use [Divine Ender] on himself…what willpower,” Camiel coughed, blood spilling from his lips.

  Gabriel smirked. “I’m just getting started. Let’s dance.”

  “Don’t be so cocky. That attack hurt you, too. Detonating your magic circuits with chapters is reckless,” Camiel countered, standing tall.

  “Not if I combine healing with it,” Gabriel replied, his wounds visibly mending.

  Camiel snorted. “You’re insane.” He conjured countless pillars to rain down on Gabriel. Gabriel quickly forged an anti-metal barrier using [Genesis and Deuteronomy].

  “Ingenious…I see why Samael picked you.” He said condensing the pillars into a sword.

  “Ingenious. I see why Samael chose you,” Camiel admitted, condensing the pillars into a single, formidable sword.

  Gabriel called Rhongomyniad, his lance, into his hand, and their battle resumed with even greater intensity.

  Meanwhile, Raphael faced Babaquijal on a separate battlefield. Babaquijal’s star particles detonated with fiery brilliance, but Raphael’s icy eagles countered them with chilling precision. Frustrated, Babaquijal launched a solar flare. Raphael deflected it with a water cannon that ripped through Babaquijal’s defences, leaving a gaping hole in his stomach.

  “You weakling, how dare you gloat?” Raphael said, glaring at him coldly as he punched another hole in his gut.

  “How, my soul was still ablaze.” He said with a shocked expression.

  “You call that a sun? It doesn’t even qualify as fire, you are a mockery to sun users.”

  “Damn you!!” Babaquijal’s soul is fueled with energy, and he brings out his wings.

  “Are you sure you were an angel? I’m pretty sure Uriel would beat you,” Raphael taunted. Enraged, Babaquijal summoned his wings, vowing to destroy Raphael, who only smirked in response.

  Elsewhere, Azrael approached the temple where his brother resided. Before he could enter, a beam of light shattered the door, narrowly missing him.

  “You can’t be my brother if that attack was so weak,” Azrael remarked.

  “Oh well, I hoped to finish this quickly.” A white-haired figure with stubble stepped forward.

  “Vepar, how are you?” Azrael greeted him warmly.

  “Don’t be happy to see me. I’m here to kill you,” Vepar replied, raising his blade.

  Azrael’s eyes softened. “I know. I’m happy I got to see you one last time, my friend.” A tear slid down his cheek.

  Every hair on Vepar rose, and every essence in his soul told him to run. He was frozen in fear because the bloodlust that came from Azazel surpassed that of Samael. Vepar brought out his wings and lunged at him, sending telepathic blasts.

  “Because you were my friend, I’ll end this quickly.”

  What just happened? Why is everything dark? Vepar thought to himself as he died.

  “Master, what just happened…? I barely saw a thing.” Uriel said, his face shocked.

  “From what I saw, Azrael lunged at him and ripped his head off…brutal,” Samael lets out a grin.

  “That had to be painful…weren’t they friends?” Metatron remarked.

  “Don’t worry, that was so fast he would die before he felt anything…that was a painless death, honestly, I’m disappointed he didn’t make him suffer a little,” Samael replied.

  Master is scary when it comes to fallen angels. I’m glad I’m not one of them. Uriel thought.

  Azrael wept as he incinerated Vepar’s head. “Goodbye, my friend.”

  Inside the temple, Azrael confronted Azazel, who was tethered to a machine feeding him mana.

  "I see you killed Vepar. Why would you show your face after slaying one of my own?" Azazel’s eyes burned with lethal intent; the air was thick with his fury.

  Azrael stood firm, his gaze steady. “Come now, brother. How many of my kin have fallen by your hand?”

  Azazel dismissed the question with a sneer. “Why are you here?”

  “To save you, brother.”

  Azazel threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing hollowly. “Save me? From what, Samael? Spare me your delusions.”

  “From the annihilation of the fallen,” Azrael said, his tone calm but firm.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Azazel’s smirk twisted into a scowl. “Is that all you came to say? If so, you’ve wasted both our time.”

  “I’m not here for idle talk.” Azrael stepped closer, extending a hand. “Samael has promised that if you return, all your sins will be forgiven. The lives of the archangels and generals you’ve taken—forgotten. All you need to do is come back.”

  Azazel scoffed, crossing his arms. “Forgiven? By him? That sanctimonious fool must be weaker than I thought if he’s offering me a clean slate.”

  “No.” Azrael’s voice hardened. “I convinced him. You’re worth saving. You’re my brother.”

  Azazel’s laughter returned, cold and mocking. “You? Convince Samael? Don’t make me laugh. No one moves him but ‘Him.’ The one I used to call Father.”

  “I did this because I still believe in you.” Azrael’s voice softened. “You can stop this, Azazel. Spare yourself the slaughter. The fallen are dwindling. Vepar’s death leaves only six of you.”

  “And who will do the killing?” Azazel sneered. “You?”

  “If it comes to that,” Azrael said, his expression unyielding. “But I don’t want it to. You’re blind to your pride, Azazel. You always have been.”

  Azazel’s eyes flared with fury. “And you’re blind to your arrogance. Is this how you ‘convince’ me? Insults and condescension? Spare me your hypocrisy.”

  “So that’s it?” Azrael snapped, his patience thinning. “You’d choose death over redemption?”

  Azazel’s anger cooled into defiance. “Who says I’m going to die?”

  “You can’t be that blind,” Azrael retorted. “Samael held back before. He won’t again.”

  “Impossible!” Azazel roared, but then his voice quieted. “Even so, I would gladly die with my brethren.”

  “Pathetic!” Azrael spat, his composure slipping. “You’d throw your life away for pride?”

  “It’s not pride—it’s duty. A true leader doesn’t abandon his people. To betray their trust would be a fate worse than death.”

  “Duty?” Azrael’s voice dripped with disdain. “They’re not worth it. They’re a scourge to be wiped out.”

  Azazel’s eyes narrowed. “And there it is. The self-righteousness of the angels. You believe I’m worth saving because we share blood. If I weren’t your brother, would you even care?”

  Azrael hesitated, the truth choking his words.

  “You can’t even say it,” Azazel sneered. “You killed Vepar without hesitation, yet offer me redemption. He regretted joining us and wanted to return to your fold. And yet you cut him down while trying to ‘save’ me? Hypocrisy. I don’t want your pity, I want freedom for my kind.”

  “Freedom,” Azrael scoffed. “Is that how you justify your actions? If freedom were all you wanted, you’d have stayed in your realm. But no, you attacked us. You don’t want freedom—you want vindication. You want us to admit we were wrong to follow Him.”

  “We were once His people!” Azazel’s voice broke with anguish. “And yet, He condones Samael’s slaughter. How is that justice?”

  “You made your choice,” Azrael countered. “You started this war. Now you baulk because you’re losing? You don’t get to play the victim.”

  “This isn’t war—it’s a massacre! And don’t pretend you haven’t seen it. My forces wouldn’t exist if no one believed in our cause.”

  Azrael hesitated, guilt flickering in his eyes. “You’re not wrong. But the solution is simple: surrender. If you return, your followers will follow. End this bloodshed.”

  Azazel’s face hardened. “I cannot. I will not. I’d rather die with them than betray their trust.”

  Azrael sighed, his frustration boiling over. “So be it. But this ends here. A wager, then.”

  Azazel raised an eyebrow. “A wager?”

  “This war ends one of two ways: your death or your surrender. Let’s settle it with a battle.”

  “And the stakes?”

  “If I win, you surrender and join Heaven,” Azrael declared.

  “And if I win?” Azazel’s voice turned cold.

  “Then I’ll join the fallen—or die trying.”

  Azazel’s lips curled into a grin. “Very well, brother. Let’s see who’s truly worthy.”

  Azrael raised his weapon. “Prepare yourself.”

  Azazel unleashed a surge of power, his defiance blazing. “This will be fun.”

  As the brothers prepared to clash, the war continued to rage on. Michael’s duel with Dagon reached its peak. The two clashed relentlessly, with Dagon gaining a slight upper hand, forcing Michael to retreat under the onslaught. Dagon condensed ice onto his hand and hurled it at Michael. Michael barely dodged the icy projectile, but as it exploded, a massive ice spike erupted from the ground, impaling him. Dagon unleashed a barrage of these attacks, freezing Michael in layers of ice. But before the frost could claim his life, Michael transformed into his angelic form, shattering the ice in a burst of radiant power.

  “At last, we’re moving to the next level,” Dagon said with a twisted grin, unfurling his wings as his mana surged. His power increased exponentially, and the battlefield trembled under his might. Michael charged at him, but before he could strike, Dagon conjured a towering water tornado that blocked his path. Michael veered off, only to find himself encircled by six more tornadoes, forming a hexagonal seal around him.

  “Now die in despair! [Ice Coffin],” Dagon declared, his voice laced with malice. The seal froze everything within its boundaries in an instant. But Michael summoned Caliburn, his holy sword, and channelled the golden flames of [Revelations: Divine Ender] into it. With a mighty slash, he unleashed a devastating wave of energy that obliterated the seal and nearly bisected Dagon, who barely dodged in time. However, Michael’s left hand was caught in the frost and shattered, falling to the ground as he grimaced in pain.

  “An impressive attack—it almost killed me. But now you’re down to one hand. This fight is over,” Dagon said with a smirk, his confidence palpable.

  “I don’t need two hands to defeat you,” Michael retorted, his eyes blazing with determination.

  Prideful to the bitter end. I can respect that. However, this is where you die,” Dagon sneered as he summoned his staff, its icy aura radiating death.

  I can’t let that staff touch me—it’ll freeze me completely, Michael thought, shifting into a defensive stance.

  Dagon lunged, swinging the staff towards Michael’s head. Michael narrowly dodged, his reflexes pushed to the limit. Seizing the opportunity, he kicked the staff, sending Dagon skidding backwards and creating space between them. Without hesitation, Michael slashed a fiery wave toward Dagon, who blocked the attack. But Michael pressed on, unleashing a relentless flurry of strikes. Dagon countered with equal ferocity, and in a fleeting moment, his staff grazed Michael’s face, leaving a trail of frost in its wake.

  Dagon lunged for Michael’s left side, exploiting the absence of his hand to land a flurry of punishing blows. Michael endured the assault, waiting for the perfect moment. “[Revelation: Divine Ender Caliburn],” he intoned, summoning his most powerful sword attack. The blade’s energy shattered all of Dagon’s shields, leaving a deep, searing gash across his chest.

  Dagon fell to his knees, coughing blood. “Impressive attack... I felt that,” he admitted, his voice rasping. Then, to Michael’s dismay, he rose to his feet. The wound on his chest began to close. “…But it will take more than that to defeat me.”

  Michael smirked. “I just needed time,” he said as his left hand began regenerating.

  Dagon’s eyes narrowed. I have to kill him now. He lunged at Michael, aiming to end the fight quickly.

  “Too late,” Michael said, deflecting the attack with ease. With a fluid motion, he shoved Dagon back and followed up with a brutal kick to his jaw.

  “Damn you... You’re dead!” Dagon snarled, unleashing a barrage of water and ice projectiles. Michael countered with [Genesis: Creation], summoning fiery lances to intercept the assault.

  The air was a storm of fire and ice as their attacks collided. Michael pressed forward, swinging his sword toward Dagon’s neck. Dagon barely managed to dodge in time, but Michael seized the opening, delivering a series of crushing kicks. Frustrated, Dagon lashed out wildly with his staff, but Michael dodged each swing effortlessly. Seizing the opportunity, Michael launched a concentrated fire blast that sent Dagon flying.

  Michael’s satisfaction was short-lived—Dagon emerged unscathed.

  A shield. He must’ve used a shield, Michael deduced. No matter. This will finish him.

  Michael spread his wings, scattering feathers that spiralled toward Dagon. While Dagon skillfully blocked and dodged the assault, he failed to notice the angelic seal forming beneath his feet. Realising too late, he began crafting a counter-seal, but the trap was already sprung.

  The seal was enchanted with [Exodus 3rd commandment: Light of chaos], which blows people’s heads, [Exodus 7th commandment: the punishment of adultery], which destroys the target's lower half, and [Exodus 8th commandment: Punishment of theft], which destroys the arms of the target.

  To amplify the seal’s destructive force, Michael incorporated a broken seal, pouring immense mana into its core. When the seal activated, Dagon’s head, limbs, and lower half were obliterated, leaving his torso riddled with holes from Michael’s feathers.

  Michael flapped his wings again, enhancing his sword with divine energy. “[Revelation: Divine Ender Caliburn],” he roared, unleashing a concentrated fire strike that exploded on impact.

  Panting, Michael let out a sigh of relief. “Finally… It’s over.” He turned to walk away.

  A voice called out behind him. “Did you think I was dead?”

  Michael froze, his eyes widening. “How…? I killed you.”

  Dagon stood there, smirking. “Did you know? I suppose it looked that way. My water prism—my ultimate defence magic—redirected your attack.”

  “That doesn’t explain how you healed. My attacks were enhanced with [Deuteronomy: Punishment of Sin]. They should be unhealable.”

  “Ah, is that what you were told?” Dagon chuckled. “Allow me to enlighten you before you die. There are two ways to counter that chapter: divine counter/ nullification or overwhelming will to force your spirit to regenerate, it does take a lot of mana, but thanks to you, I had plenty of mana to spare.”

  “Damn you!” Michael growled, his wings flaring as he prepared another attack. “[Revelation plus Numbers: Almighty Divine Ender Caliburn]!” This time, his sword’s power dwarfed the previous strike.

  “Is this your best? Allow me to show you mine,” Dagon replied, raising his staff. A colossal water tornado formed above Michael, spiralling with destructive force.

  “What the—?” Michael’s words were cut short as additional tornadoes erupted around him.

  Desperately, Michael unleashed his amplified attack. The blade’s divine slash cleaved through the storms, obliterating them.

  “Not fast enough,” Dagon said, lowering his hand. His staff plummeted like a meteor, crashing into Michael with overwhelming force. Michael managed to block with his sword, but the sheer power drove him to the ground, blood spurting from his mouth.

  “Master, this is bad,” Uriel muttered. “If this keeps up, Michael will—”

  “Don’t you dare say it!” Samael snapped.

  Summoning the strength of [Judges: Strength of God], Michael shoved the staff aside and stood. “Hah… Is that all you’ve got?” he taunted, grinning through the pain.

  Dagon sneered. “Celebrating already? How foolish.” The staff glowed ominously before detonating. Though Michael raised a shield, the explosion froze half his soul, riddled the other half with water bullets, and left his spirit in tatters.

  Dagon approached him. “Impressive. No one’s survived that attack before. You’d make an excellent fallen angel. Fight by my side, and we’ll battle for eternity.”

  Michael, struggling to stand, spat out blood. “I’d rather die.”

  After being offered the chance to become a fallen angel, Michael rejects the offer swiftly. “I’d rather die,” Michael says, standing up and getting ready to continue attacking.

  Dagon’s smile vanished. “How prideful. Very well, I’ll crush you with brute force.”

  Raising his arms, Dagon froze the environment, encasing them in an [Ultimate Domain].

  Michael’s flames faltered. This isn’t even a Divine Territory, yet my flames won’t ignite. This is bad.

  He attempted to retreat, only to be blocked by an ice wall.

  “Running away? Coward,” Dagon mocked. “[Dark Snow].” A concentrated snowball formed, detonating upon impact and freezing Michael in place.

  “The next attack will kill you. Become a fallen angel, or perish.”

  Michael’s voice, weak but defiant, broke through the ice. “Like… I… said… I’ll… rather… die.”

  “So be it.”

  Snowballs appeared above Michael, ready to detonate—but before they could, an arrow pierced Dagon’s head, sending him flying. On impact, his soul and spirit imploded.

  “Michael, are you okay?” Raphael appeared, absorbing the ice encasing Michael with [Chronicles: Divine Absorption]. Before he could begin healing him, a familiar voice echoed in the air.

  “Did you think I was dead?”