Chapter Title/Song: Black Sky - WAR*HALL
A/N: Welcome back! I can only recommend having a listen to the song, because it fits one hundred percent to the theme, the feeling and pace of the chapter. Are you ready? Yes? Fight! - Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 26
Black Sky
Lucifer's body was completely on edge and burning from the inside. The world around him faded as his body and mind focused on Gadreel storming towards him. With his opponent having a heavenly weapon at hand, Lucifer needed to make sure to evade the gruesome mace as best as possible, as he must not have his bones smashed or worse. He let the other angel approach and when Gadreel was only one big step away, Lucifer quickly made a dodge to the side.
Gadreel's strike ended in the air with a hissing shout. He bared his teeth and struck out sideways again and again. The powerful strikes with his mace were leaving behind small tingles of electricity in the air that shimmered for a brief moment before disappearing again.
With a thrust of his right wing, Lucifer cut forward at Gadreel's legs, but his brother managed to jump out of his reach just in time. The ground continued to tremble as the breach in the middle of the room cracked open wider and wider, making the battle ground they were on less stable with every minute passing by. Gadreel's attacks were strong and precise and Lucifer had to focus on the right moments to lash out to manage a hit, while trying to evade counterblows at the same time. Within minutes several of the shelves were bent under the impact of celestial bodies, and crates and pottery got smashed to pieces.
Panting, Gadreel rose up once more, throwing aside a piece of cracked wood. "I've had enough!" he grunted, tightening his hold on his mace; sparks of blue-white lightning began to shimmer inside its tip. "I'm going to extinguish you from this realm, snake!" He hurtled at Lucifer with a heavy push of his wings and slashed down at the Devil.
Too fast and too strong for Lucifer to dodge the attack in time, he leaned back and instinctively raised his wings to shield himself from the blow. The sharp edges of the mace struck the span of his left wing, making him cry out in a sudden, mind-blowing scream. Feathers tore and broke, and the metal sliced a good ten-inch-cut through his membrane. Baring his teeth Lucifer panted frantically like a rabid animal, growling and snarling, pushing away the pain with his willpower, while a load of adrenaline flooded his body. Roaring he spread his wings with a jerk and charged at Gadreel, who was taken off guard by the sudden counterattack. He took a hold onto his brother's armor-collar, pushing him forcefully backwards and in a blind fury, he tackled him into the opposite wall, making the concrete crack by the powerful impact. Then he struck his forehead against Gadreel's, being satisfied to hear a cracking sound of the other's nose, and swiftly used the moment of daze to grab Gadreel's wrist that held onto the mace. Over and over again the Devil viciously smashed his opponent's hand back at the wall in attempts to loosen its hold on the celestial weapon.
Reacting to being pinned against the wall, Gadreel curled in his wings and used their top spikes like claws to attack, lunging them at Lucifer's arms. Lucifer hissed and groaned out, using his own wings to fight back, but every now and then the sharp spikes managed to land a hit and sliced his flesh. A sudden punch to his chest from Gadreel's free arm, made him stumble back a few feet, thus, making him unprepared for Gadreel's counterstrike.
In a big swinging move Gadreel sent his mace flying. The weapon swirled like a throwing axe and its spiked head hit straight into Lucifer's chest, sending him to the ground with a thud. He groaned and his vision began to blur when the blueish lightning intensified in the mace's head. Like a massive electrical surge it sent a disruptive blast into his body. It felt like a million needles were piercing into him. B-b-bl-lood-d-dy f-f-f-fuck-k-k! He couldn't afford to let the pain influence him so much, he knew he had to push it aside, even though his body was crying out to his senses that this was just too much to bear, especially with the torture wounds not having fully healed yet.
Clenching his teeth, he panted out in grunts and slowly raised a trembling hand, managing to get a hold on the weapon as it continued to charge its heavenly voltage into him. He could see burns and blisters starting to show on his hand and he was sure they also had appeared on the rest of his body beneath his clothing. With another forceful groan he pulled the spikes out of his chest, immediately feeling a relief as the pressure and voltage injection subsided.
A massive tremble shook through the spacious hall and the crackling sound of the spreading rupture in the ground was a reminder to Lucifer of what was at stake. The Styx was about to take over and manifest itself. The crack was not just a semi-invisible portal any longer, but had turned into a direct passage and with that, hell could literally flood the earth, drowning LA in a matter of minutes with the rest of the world following straight after. Nobody would survive this in the long run.
The green blazing eyes of Gadreel narrowed dangerously when Lucifer held onto the mace, and he started another charge at him. "That's MINE!" he snarled furiously through bared teeth. He jumped over the big crack with a swing of his wings, the haunted screams and harrowing growls from hell becoming louder as the monsters of the underworld worked their way towards earth's surface. Slicing down with his wings, Gadreel aimed at Lucifer's arm once again, but the Devil quickly used his laying position to roll over the ground, wrapping his own set of wings around himself like a protective cocoon.
Gadreel's wings cut into the ground, but the fallen angel quickly followed Lucifer's move with further attacks at him. Lucifer tried to evade as best as possible but he quickly realized he needed space to move again as Gadreel forced him closer towards the nearest wall. In a blur, he managed to catch Gadreel off guard with an upwards kick, thrusting his brother backwards and thereby giving himself room to stand and shortly catch his breath.
Wild humming and chattering pulled both angel's attention towards the crack behind them. With a blast of dust, a group of little impish, green creatures suddenly shot out from the passage of hell, flooding into the room like a swarm of bats. Only that these were bigger than a sea eagle, covered in scales, and were whipping their sharp tail as they gathered and circled at the ceiling like a hurricane would begin to form a swirl before touching the ground.
They're coming… Fuck! He knew that the news of a clear passage from hell to earth would spread like wildfire amongst hell's creatures. He had to do something! Fight them, force them back or simply… hold them at bay, he realized. With Gadreel still momentarily distracted with watching the impish creatures circle above them, Lucifer took a deep breath and focussed on his powers he had harbored in hell. He mentally reached out to the connection that spread from the breach. And then he felt it. The tingling inside his veins, telling him, that his divinity and hell's domain were both active and their powers interlinked, allowing him to have the flames of hell at his disposal, just like he had felt earlier at the other breach.
Panting heavily from his body's physical exhaustion, Lucifer focused his powers on the room they stood in. The energy collected in his left palm and in a smooth move, he knelt down on the ground, placing his hand on it. "Yo-ragh!"
A blazing flash surged through the hall and within a second the room was fully enclosed by hellflames. Not only the walls were burning, but also the ceiling was covered in the deadly element. Only the ground stayed cracked and absent of flames, giving them a fixed space to move on.
Gadreel's eyes widened in shock. He stared at Lucifer, not able to conceal his surprise at the unexpected display of his brother's power. "NO!" he barked at him angrily. "This won't stop them! Your pathetic flames won't stop hell from taking over, Samael!"
The green flying creatures were moving more erratic and confused at the sudden flamed dome they were in. They were obviously disturbed and started to try and break through the barrier of merciless reds and oranges, dashing into it in frantic attempts to get through. But each creature that touched the flames shrieked out in pain and wild panic as hellfire latched onto their bodies and burned them to ashes.
Pushing down the rising worry of the inevitability of hell's creatures coming closer, Lucifer started a new wave of attacks against Gadreel, changing between slicing his wings down at him and trying to land hits with the mace. His brother evaded his attacks far too easy for his liking and it was becoming harder and harder to keep up his strength and speed when attacking, as well as maintaining his agility whilst ensuring his own safety. The wound on his chest from the mace's spikes was bleeding mercilessly, and, since it was caused from a heavenly weapon, it didn't heal within seconds, but needed considerable amounts of time to regenerate to the point of not bleeding anymore.
Panting and rasping for air with all of his muscles feeling on fire, he knew he would soon lose his upper hand in the fight, because his stamina was receding rather quickly. He had just one last ace up his sleeve and he knew that he had to use it now. He had to try and surprise Gadreel, to overwhelm and stop him.
With his eyes fixated on Gadreel, Lucifer forced his mind to focus on someone who wasn't present in the room. Zuriel! I need you now, brother! Please don't take as long as Amenadiel needs all the bloody time… Hurry! He blinked and was back in the presence and just in time to dodge a punch from Gadreel, but too slow to evade the following series of cuts from his sharp wings. Crying out in pain when the wings sliced into his arms and chest, he stumbled backwards.
Immediately Gadreel took the opportunity and tackled the Devil, thrusting him into the wall behind and therefore into the hell flames of his own making. The flames were wild, but didn't latch onto Lucifer's body. With a firm grip, Gadreel pinned his right arm to its place and used his other to smash his fist into Lucifer's face until it was covered in blood.
The flames licked over his clothes and skin, but didn't attack him as Gadreel pressed against him. He was their maker and lord, he controlled them, not the other way around. Groaning and coughing from the blood filling his mouth, Lucifer felt his fingers involuntarily relaxing. A weak moment that Gadreel noticed with a victorious and beastly grin and easily snatched the weapon out of his hand.
A soft rustle behind them got downed within the sounds of absolute havoc spreading around them, and a blink of an eye later, something silvery shimmering wrapped around Gadreel's throat, tightening.
"Arrgh!" Instinctively his free hand reached up to his throat, trying to get the blasted thing off, that was starting to mercilessly crunch into his flesh.
Staring over Gadreel's shoulder, Lucifer noticed the broad frame of Zuriel. The angel in his black plate armor, which now was covered in cuts and gore, wheezing and rasping heavily. He was obviously quite exhausted from his own fights he had with hell's creatures across the city. Yess…. YESS! He got the celestial chains from hell.. Let's see how Gadreel chokes on them! This was the moment they needed, to overwhelm him, to get the upper hand. It seemed unbelievably ironic and cruel, but it appeared to work. A long time ago Gadreel had been hooked up in these chains, just like Lucifer himself had suffered in them, and now it was time to use them once again on the person they had been made for.
Grunting through clenched teeth, Zuriel held onto the long and heavy celestial chain, pulling with it at Gadreel's throat. "Look what I've found lying around in hell's throne room. How do you like being reunited with your personal chains, brother?!" Zuriel hissed and pulled sharply on the chain, forcing Gadreel to back off from Lucifer.
As he finally got enough space again, Lucifer stepped out of the flames, catching his breath, and spitting out the blood that had pooled in his mouth from the punches he had taken. Chilling shrieks tore his attention towards the ceiling that was still engulfed in hellfire, were he saw the flying creatures, now decimated down to three, gritting their teeth and spiraling down for an attack on him. The little demons charged at his wings, biting and gripping onto his feathers, and slicing into the membranes with their small sharp claws. Although Lucifer desperately tried to have his focus on Gadreel, the constant attacks on his wings were drawing him away from his brothers and keeping him engaged otherwise. He had no possibility to help out Zuriel. Fuck! He knew this had been his only moment to surprise Gadreel and now he couldn't use it, and Zuriel was left alone to face him.
The chain sizzled into Gadreel's flesh, making him groan in anger and pain. "Z-Z-Zur-riel!" he spat wrathfully through his bared sharp teeth, his eyes sparkling in his delirium of hate. A sinister grin slipped up his lips as he felt Zuriel continuing to pull him towards himself. "I figured that another brother must have helped that treacherous snake to get out of hell again… You're too late as well though, Zuriel. Hell has arrived on earth, but you… you won't even get to be in it… I'll smite you out of this universe… both of you!" Zuriel did not expect Gadreel's move, nor had he been able to see his weapon, as he whirled around and with a harsh flap of his bat-like wings, threw himself at Zuriel, his mace flailing down.
Surprised Zuriel felt the tension on the chain giving in all of a sudden and had Gadreel towering over him. Withdrawing backwards he let go of the chain and drew out his sword just in time to be able to parry the forceful blow from Gadreel's mace. But the impact was too strong and Zuriel's grip on his sword not tight enough. With a metallic clank the mace smashed away the heavenly sword, sending it flying aside and out of reach. "Lucifer!" he desperately called out, as he was pushed further backwards. "I could use your help!" He glanced towards the Devil but his situation looked just as bad.
Lucifer's wings got cut on several places and he was bleeding from over a dozen wounds on his chest, arms and legs. He heard Zuriel's call for help, but he neither had the time nor the oxygen in his lungs to be able to respond. The damn flying imps were fast and persistent and wore out the Devil's physical energy rapidly. With heavy breaths he tried to focus his mind on the connection to hell's power and sent out five rapid blasts of fireballs at the little creatures. With horrified shrieks two of them took a hit and smashed on the ground, their bodies getting consumed from the hellfire. The last remaining demon had successfully evaded the fireballs and made yet another attack, aiming at Lucifer's wings. Mustering energy from his limbs, he temporized, and as the creature was close enough, he turned around, and snatched it's leg out of the air, pulling it down and whirling it against the nearest hellfire wall. At last, they were all burnt to cinder, but at great cost of his energy. How many more waves of monsters could he hold back? What was the goal here? He figured that he just couldn't hold back hell's monsters forever. And he certainly didn't want to have Gadreel relish in a world flooded by hell. As his eyes wavered, he spotted Zuriel's sword a few meters away from him while his loyal general faced Gadreel moving in on him with no weapon at hand to defend himself.
A maniacal grin spread on Gadreel's lips as he was relishing in Lucifer's and Zuriel's disastrous failing attempts to stop him. With a roar he launched once more at Zuriel, smashing his mace from side to side. The heavy armored angel grunted, only able to jump out of reach as best as he could and use his wings to parry or try a counter attack, but his strength subsided and eventually Gadreel landed a thundering hit against Zuriel's chest.
Crying out, Zuriel sank to the ground, reaching to the hole that had now been sliced into the chestpiece of his armor. Hot blood rushed out from a deep ugly looking wound. Panting, the last bits of strength leaving him, he looked up at Gadreel, raising his arms to shield himself. "This won't bring you peace... nor justice, brother."
"I'll see about that..." Gadreel's eyes sparkled triumphantly, his voice rumbling lowly. "But even if it doesn't... it will definitely feel satisfying."
No. No this couldn't be it. He couldn't lose yet another person he cared about. He couldn't lose Zuriel as well after having lost Chloe just minutes before already. With the hatred Gadreel harbored and nourished, Lucifer knew, that he wouldn't stop after having killed Zuriel and him. He would go after Amenadiel, Maze, Haaiah and all the others that were trying to stop this apocalypse. He thought back to the nightmare he had about his visit at Gadreel's tomb in hell. Thousands of years ago, Lucifer had been cowardly turning away from him, not able to deal with the consequences of his own doings. Albeit Gadreel had done his own misdeeds, Lucifer too, had been part of Gadreel's downfall and it was an immense burden on his soul and conscience. But this, this slaughter, it was wrong. It just wasn't going to give any of them salvation to their tormented hearts on what happened to them.
Scraping together the last bits of physical energy he could find, he stumbled over, taking a hold on Zuriel's sword and with a burst from his wings, pushed himself inbetween Gadreel and Zuriel. The metal clanked as he blocked the impending mace, and with a heavy push, sent Gadreel a few steps backwards. "Stop it Gadreel! I can't let you do this… I can't…" Lucifer shouted with a trembling voice, his whole body tense and on the edge of exhaustion, merely held upright from his willpower to not give up, even if doom was now obviously unstoppable. Hell was taking over and he couldn't do anything about it. The only thing he was left able to do was to stop his brother from causing more personal damage. He knew he could stop him. As there was always one way - Ending his existence through a heavenly weapon. Of course he didn't want to do it, but he realized, he was in the same situation as he had been when he had confronted Uriel. The moment where every other possibility was washed away and there was no other thing left to do than the unspeakable. Killing Gadreel. Killing yet another brother.
The devastation and anger rose inside him and he used it as a source of power, his eyes changing into smouldering embers. He let it all sink in. All the pent up emotions. The anger, the sheer endless amounts of pain, physical and emotional wise, the despair, the grief, everything. It felt just like when he had ignited the flaming sword, emptying himself, shredding his protective shells and stripping himself emotionally bare. It was whenever he felt he had lost everything, that the true Wrath of God was being unleashed into the world and woe betide anyone who decided to stand against him. The emotional whirlwind inside him was starting to ignite him with energy. It was massive and yet, he knew it would be gone just as fast as it came. He had to use it immediately, unleash it against Gadreel and kill him, before his strength would completely burn out.
With his wings outstretched, Lucifer straightened himself, taking a firm stance. His breathing slowed and relaxed as he focused, everything else around him becoming a dark blurr, except for whom his wrath was directed at. He saw the slight shift in Gadreel's eyes and knew it was irritation about his sudden change in posture and aura. Taking a deep breath, Lucifer's appearance changed into his Devil form. And then he began charging at Gadreel in a hailstorm of destructive, brutal attacks with both his wings as well as the sword.
Gadreel hadn't expected the Devil to muster the energy for such a vigorous and wild onslaught and within moments had to take several blows, cuts and gashes on his wings and arms. Although he was able to avoid a severe hit so far, the seemingly unending waves of attacks, were wearing him out.
The former Guardian of Eden's gates had always been a strong fighter, Lucifer remembered clearly. But his stamina didn't come anywhere near to Lucifer's. He struck at Gadreel in a frenzy, having him tired out within minutes. He also wasn't just fighting with his wings and sword anymore, but used everything at hand, which included, the silver chains, his hellfire abilities and he even made use of his surrounding by bursting a sack of sand and earth against him in attempts to have an advantage and force Gadreel to his knees. And at last, covered in sweat from exhaustion and blood, from the cuts he had suffered as well as remains from the monsters he had killed before, the Devil stood menacingly over Gadreel, who tried to shield himself with his mace from Lucifer's blows. With a hiss Lucifer reached out and took a hold of the metallic shaft of the weapon while slamming his other hand holding the sword against Gadreel's wrist, breaking the mace free from its hold.
Grunting and spitting blood, Gadreel crawled backwards until he felt his back pressed against a shelf. "You still lost everything, brother." he commented derisively. "It doesn't matter to get rid of me now. I won. Besides…" His eyes shimmered as he started to grin. "I always knew that there was this monster slumbering inside you right below the surface of your arrogance. Just prove it to me and yourself and finish it. I know how badly you wish to see me leave this existence! No heaven. No hell. Just… sending me into a never ending black void." His voice had turned lower, his teeth bared as he stared directly back at Lucifer. "I can sense it. I can feel it radiating off of you. That rage… that anger… that insatiable hatred… oh I know it, brother." he breathed with a daring smile. "It's going to be a pleasure watching you fall into the abyss and have it being the last thing for me to remember. Come on, Samael… let it all out. Kill me!"
His brother was right. Lucifer could feel it himself: The wrath, the hatred, the dark energy coursing through his veins, infecting his mind with a numbing black fog of destruction. Everything that he felt, the pain, the anger, the sorrow, the exhaustion, it all became one dark mess and was channeled into one simple thought. Murder. Gadreel had been right. He lost everything. He lost Chloe. She had been his everything, and even if by some miracle she would still be alive, the world they lived in was still doomed, and humanity would suffer and die, and so, ultimately, would Chloe. He knew he would break apart, the second Gadreel would be dead, because he had nothing left that could hold him together anymore. His anchor was gone. He felt his shape transforming back to his human looks, and with a murderous glance in his eyes, Lucifer took a last big swing a Gadreel.
Lots of action, lots of emotions! Oh and I know... no Chloe in this chapter, but the next one will give you closure on where she is and what's truly happening to her.
So what do you think on this Chapter? What's going to happen? Happy to hear your feedback, ideas and critique :D Or just how much you hate waiting for the next chapter ;)
I'm currently writing on the last chapter (perhaps there will be added an epilogue as well, sooo... maybe two chapters to write). My goodness, I cannot believe how much I wrote and that so many people are enjoy this. You cannot imagine how happy it makes me :) You, my dear readers, still have some chapters to devour in the future. No worries. And I will post them all before season 4 starts :D Promise. Remember to give the story a follow, because I will start posting twice a week again as soon as I have finished writing, and so you won't miss out on a chapter release. Until then: See you next Tuesday!