"A good intention with a bad approach leads to poor results." - Thomas Alva Edison


"To begin the trial, I hereby call Sir Pentious and Commander Lute to the stand," Michael said, "Pentious. Lute. Come forth!"

From his announcement, the two angels walked to the stand. While Lute is calm and collected, Pentious is a bit nervous. After all, this is the Archangel of Justice they're talking to and the snake hoped that he won't incur his wrath soon.

"So Sir Pentious, do you wish to be called by that name?" Michael said, pointing towards the snake, "Or do you prefer your original name?"

Sir Pentiious nervously stuttered to the archangel, "Uh….. I-If I may! I'd prefer it if you called me by my new name! Sir Pentious is fine, your Grace!"

Gabriel silently giggled at the snake's response to his brother, "You don't have to worry Sir Pentious. We are just here to ask which name you're comfortable with when we talk with you. By all means, you may now start your testimony regarding last week's Extermination."

"R-Right!" Sir Pentious nervously said as he immediately cleared his throat.

"It all started when Extermination Day arrived!" Sir Pentious said, describing the Extermination from his point of view, revealing to the angels what has transpired, "We were armed to the teeth with weaponry to deal with the Exorcists. Even though they're not there yet, I was so nervous that I might not survive it!"

The orb revealed the hotel's defenders, preparing for the onslaught Adam and the Exorcists would bring unto them. The angels in the courtroom saw the numerous sinners wielding their respective weapons ranging from the common knife to Angel Dust's guns and Cherri Bomb's explosives.

Then, the orb changed to the beginning of the battle as a sinner in red clothes created a powerful force field that stopped some Exorcists from entering the hotel. Although the angels were unable to see the struggle within the shield, they were instead shown the deaths of the Exorcists who were killed by their weapons.

Most of the angels tried to avert their eyes from the carnage yet only a few could not stand to look away. For Emily, she wanted to look away and yet she can't help but pity all the Exorcists that died. For Lute, it would be a bitter memory that her sisters died at their weapons. As for Sera, she hoped that this wouldn't happen again.

The only difference is that while every angel in the present is horrified, the archangels remain stoic with the carnage. Raphael was relaxed in his seat, Gabriel with his arms crossed, and Michael had clasped his hands on the desk.

"It was only when Alastor activated his shield that we were able to pick our targets and whittle Adam's army to size," Sir Pentious replied, until the orb showed Adam shattering Alastor's shield, "Unfortunately, Adam was able to destroy the force field and incapacitate Sir Alastor. With him down, I have no choice but to sacrifice my life to buy my friends some time."

The orb then revealed Pentious' final moments including his act of bravery that would cost him his life.

"The last thing I remembered was Adam firing his beam at my airship. Then, I suddenly appeared to Lady Sera and Miss Emily," Pentious replied, showing the moment when he appeared in Sera and Emily's chambers.

Soon, the courtroom was filled with the murmurs of the angels, asking themselves how Sir Pentious was able to bypass the Golden Gates. Usually, a pure soul would appear at Heaven's gates where Saint Peter would guide them to their new home. For a Sinner to appear to the Seraphim is unheard of.

Michael immediately casually banged his gavel, "Order! Order in the court."

"Thank you for your testimony, Sir Pentious," Michael said to the snake, "Commander Lute, I expect that you do the same. By all means, recount the day of the Extermination to us."

"As you wish, Lord Michael," Lute said as she walked to the orb and began her testimony.

"On the day of the Extermination, Adam and I were leading our Exorcists to destroy the Princess' hotel when a black dome stopped us from entering it," Lute said, showing her point of view of the Extermination, "We were surprised that the Sinners were able to kill some of the Exorcists until Adam decided to end it as soon as possible. He was able to destroy the dome and it allowed me and the rest of the Exorcists to attack the hotel."

The orb then revealed Adam shattering the sphere, allowing the other Exorcists to attack the cannibals. It even showed the angels present the carnage the Exorcists were doing; killing every sinner in sight.

Most of the audience grimaced at the fact that Heaven's angels were massacring sinners, especially Emily, who immediately averted her eyes with her wings.

"To think that I have to see my fellow Sinners die," Sir Pentious thought, hoping that his sacrifice was not in vain, "I hope my friends are alright!"

"Adam fought the sinner known as Alastor and was triumphant against him. Afterward, he disintegrated Sir Pentious' war machine once he saw it was about to fire at him," Lute said, showing Sir Pentious' sacrifice. Except it was from Lute's point of view, showing the first man firing his holy light to destroy it.

"Then, I saw the Princess of Hell transform into her demonic form and attack Adam alongside the traitor," Lute replied, showing Charlie and Vaggie riding with Razzle and Dazzle.

"While the princess battled Adam, I immediately attacked Vaggie, killing the dragon, and proceeded to fight her," Lute said as the orb changed to Lute killing Dazzle and sending both of them within the confines of the hotel.

The orb then showed Lute fighting the former Exorcist inside the hotel. At first, she was able to gain the upper hand. But as the fight progressed, Vaggie was able to hold her ground and managed to pin Lute with the falling rubble.

"Unfortunately, Vaggie defeated me and showed me mercy," Lute said with anger, "Because of her 'mercy', I was disgusted that a traitor like her decided that I should live. And when she flies to save her Princess from Adam, I sacrifice my arm and show that coward that we're not finished just yet."

The audience was then shown Lute tearing her arm from the rubble as its angelic blood spewed from the stump, leaving the angels (excluding the Archangels and Sera) in the present horrified. They knew that Exorcists were one of Heaven's greatest warriors, but to see its second-in-command tear her arm just to beat Vaggie left them speechless.

"The last thing I recall was fighting Vaggie again until….." Lute said as the orb showed Adam's death by a small sinner stabbing him repeatedly, "A sinner managed to kill Adam."

Through Lute's eyes, the angels saw a small cyclops stabbing the First Man again and again until Lute swatted her away. The last thing the audience sees is a solemn smile; from Adam himself.

Through Adam's final moments, many angels recalled the day of Adam's funeral. While he lived his life as a loud-mouthed, prideful, Angel, they can't deny that he was the First Man, the one who kickstarted humanity's growth. Emily herself payed respect to him due to the fact that he did care for his Exorcists. Albeit in a weird and vulgar way.

"After his death, Lucifer forced us to retreat, leaving us no other choice but to return to Heaven," Lute replied.

Upon the end of Lute's testimony, Michael stood up and said, "Thank you for your testimony, Commander. Now then, let us begin the review of what has happened during Extermination Day."

Michael raised his hand and slowly moved it to the left. While his hand is moving, so too does the orb. Like a tape rewinding its film, the orb moved in reverse, until it stopped to show Alastor's dome attacking the Exorcists with their weapons.

"Sir Pentious, I would like for you to explain how Sinners were able to figure out an Exorcist's weakness," Michael said with his arms crossed, "It made me wonder. Has a Sinner infiltrated Heaven?"

From Michael's response, every angel in the gallery was in disbelief, that Michael would ask Sir Pentious such an outlandish question. Even the snake was sweating bullets after he was asked in such a way.

"Uh… I…. I believe I have your answer, Lord Michael," Sir Pentious said whilst adjusting his collar.

"Well…. Go on then," Michael replied.

"The reason why we were able to figure out their weakness is because of Miss Vaggie," Pentious replied, "She paid a visit to Miss Carmilla who was Hell's premier weapons dealer."

"And from her meeting, she was able to learn our weakness. To the same steel that we produce. Is that correct?" Michael replied, prompting Sir Pentious to nod quickly.

"Good. Now, here's my next question," Michael said while moving his hand to the left, reversing the sequence of events until it showed the eve of the Extermination, "How is Hell able to create Angelic Weapons?"

Once the audience had a good look, it shocked them that all of the Sinners present at the Hotel's defense were wielding Angelic weaponry. Even Sera was surprised that Sinners were able to figure out how to defend themselves with their steel.

"Would you like to answer that as well, Sir Pentious?" Michael replied with a chilling smile.

"If….. If I say it…. Are you going to punish me?" Pentious nervously said as Michael chuckled at the snake.

"Oh, heavens no!" Michael said, "I won't punish you. I will punish the fool who either leaked the formula for Angelic Steel or supplied Hell with it. So I ask you again, Pentious. How is Hell able to create Angelic Weapons?"

Upon Michael's final question, Sir Pentious is once again very nervous. If he were to tell the truth, the Exorcists might go after his head. And if he lied, it would be the Archangels who would force the truth out of him. He would not want to know if the Archangels would protect him if he said his secret.

"The truth is…." Sir Pentious said with quivering lips, "IT WAS THE EXORCISTS!"

The courtroom was filled with gasps that made Michael raise his eyes with surprise. Even Emily and Sera were shocked at Pentious' declaration. But for Lute, she tightened her fist that the snake had figured out their secret. If it weren't for her self-restraint, she would've throttled him to the ground.

"The Exorcists?" Michael said in disbelief, "What made you declare that Heaven's loyal soldiers were supplying Sinners with my steel? Do you know why?"

"No! Not directly, Lord Michael! They supplied Hell with Angelic Steel because of their weapons!" Sir Pentious said with pleading eyes, "Whenever an Extermination ends, some Exorcists would leave their weapons on the Sinners that they killed. We don't know why but once the dust settles, demons and Sinners under Ms. Carmine would collect those weapons and bring them to her compound. It was there that they would craft their Angelic weaponry, from the steel that they collected after the Extermination."

Once Pentious explained everything, the entire gallery was in a state of disbelief. Exorcists were leaving their weapons after an Extermination? How long were they doing this practice? Decades? Millennia? Centuries?

"Adam, you fool!? What have you done!?" Sera angrily thought, berating herself that Adam had let his soldiers leave their weapons behind in Hell.

"So you're telling me, that your Exorcists have left their weapons within Hell?" Michael said in a slow tone, as he turned to Lute, "Is that true, Commander?"

Lute tried to avert her eyes from Michael's gaze but even though she didn't look at him, she could feel his wrathful aura.

"Yes," Lute quietly said, "What Sir Pentious said was true."

Soon enough, the court erupted into panic that the Exorcists' carelessness had allowed Hell to gain their supply of Angelic steel!

"Order! Order in the court!" Michael said, banging his gavel until the court went silent.

"Commander Lute, if what you're saying is true, how come I was not notified by it after every Extermination?" Michael calmly said, his golden eyes gleaming with silent fury.

"The reason why we never told you is because of Adam," Lute said with her head down, "Adam told us never to worry about losing our weapons. He said that he'll talk to you to replace them and have new weapons as soon as possible. He even said that Hell can't fight us out of fear, even when they wield our weapons."

Michael scoffed at Lute's reasons that he slumped back into his seat with annoyance, "Adam, huh? I see now. So you're implying that it's his fault that I didn't know about this."

"What did you say!?" Lute said in shock of Miichael's blunt answer.

"Is it?" Michael replied to Lute's response, "Do you know that at the end of each Extermination, Adam would come into our domain and put a request to make new weapons."

"At first, it was annoying. But every few years, he'd ask me to make new spears for his Exorcists," Michael said with annoyance, "And now, I found out that the reason why Adam is pestering me with his requests is that he was too lazy to reprimand his Exorcists!"

Lute hung her head in shame as she tried to not lose her composure. Never in her life had Archangel Michael berated her for her carelessness. She thought that leaving their weapons was not a mistake. But for Michael to scream at Adam's incompetence? It's ludicrous!

"Calm yourself, brother," Raphael said to Michael, easing him to his seat, "We don't want your blood pressure to spike now, do we?"

Michael sighs at his younger brother's remark that he settled into his seat, rubbing his temples.

"You're right. You're right," Michael said, trying his best to calm down, "I don't want to lose my temper because of this… setback."

The archangel took his time to calm down until he

"In any case, there's another issue that should also be looked at," Michael replied as he turned towards Gabriel, "Brother Gabriel."

Gabriel nodded as he took control of the orb and slowly moved to the right until it stopped at Vaggie raising her spear to rally her comrades.

"I'd like to know, Commander," Gabriel said to Lute, "Why is she in Hell?"