"...Is this the afterlife? Or, since my Lord is also here and considering that you're quite the criminal, is this the underworld where the sinners are punished for eternity?!"
Mikhail couldn't fathom whether he should lay his annoyance on his subordinate's wild suppositions or the point that he was labelled as an evildoer. He resisted his detestable urge to slam Sarakiel's face into the ground purely to bring back his sanity.
"Sarakiel, it's over. You're very much alive. Now seat somewhere and keep your mouth shut." Mikhail said, replicating the tone of an owner ordering its pet to stay motionless.
Duke Helian took no offence from that as he simply followed his master's directive, almost.
"Oh, good heavens. I'm thankful. If we're together in hell, then I would've suffered double the amount of pain." Sarakiel's voice was full of cheer when he stated his poor excuse of a gratitude.
Sarakiel went on to pick up his coat that he used as a blanket and slipped it back on, completing his casual uniform. He later sat at an arm's stretch away from his commander, clueless of the fact that he amplified Mikhail's irritation.
Perhaps, it was because he's conscious of the tension in his body dissipating. Wherefore, the instant he loosened up, Duke Helian's eyes slowly grew bloodshot. He hugged his knees and buried his face on top of them to cover his melancholy.
"Why do I feel so guilty of being alive? Rather, my remorse is multiplied by four." His muffled voice undeniably sounded dreary, enough for Mikhail to forgive his earlier insolence.
In spite of the innumerous adversaries that he's been obligated to endure, Sarakiel always handled his hardships with the composure befitting of a beau ideal knight. Nevertheless, the Duke was only a young man who had attachment issues, feeding him with the tendency to succumb to his mourning whenever he loses a person he's fond of.
"Honestly speaking, it would've been tenfold for me. I've done nothing but standby idly, considering that I'm the commander." Mikhail shared his sentiments, more of a way to comfort himself instead of his subordinate.
"Why is it would have been? Did you ascertain that you aren't at fault at all, My Lord?" Sarakiel asked with his head still lowered.
"In lieu of the shame, I reckoned that it is better to be grateful of the valiant sacrifice and the enlightenment that our three fallen comrades have bestowed to us. "
Sarakiel jerked his head to the side to engage his companion in a staredown, confusion evident on his face.
"Three? It's four. Have you forgotten about Lord Khamael? How cruel can you be?"
Slighting over the denouncing statement, it took Mikhail a couple of seconds to realize that the Duke had yet to notice the animated body of Khamael. All of a sudden, the older Percival brandished an innocent smile that could easily deceive anyone into believing that he wasn't an aloof person.
"Well, forgetting my brother's death will never be one of my intentions. However, for now, I want to savour the actuality that I won't be making that slip-up any time soon."
"What are you-"
"Look." Mikhail then pointed his finger towards the location in front of them, deeper in the woods, a few metres away.
Sarakiel tracked that direction with his vision. Sighting the target, his eyes widened once he saw the figure of Khamael, who was breathing steadily in his slumber.
"Mael... How did this- Is he really alive?" He uttered breathlessly, stuck in the process of accepting the hard truth.
"Yes. Amazing, isn't it?"
Duke Helian reinstated the gaze he had on his commander, who spotted his desire to receive an extensive explanation as reflected on the lad's refreshing yellow orbs.
"I'll do it once we're back in Sera-" Mikhail cut his sentence short upon hearing his brother groan.
Khamael was stirring in his sleep, a sign that he's about to wake up. As anticipated, not longer than a minute has passed before his eyelids fluttered open. He first took in his surroundings, assessing if there was any danger solely with the ambience. He consecutively attempted to speak, yet was incapable 'cause of his overly dry throat. While he's busy ascertaining his situation, without being warned, the shadow of two people hovered him.
"Lord Khamael is awake."
"Fix his uniform and give him water. I'll go ahead and link the gate."
"Roger that, My Lord."
Sarakiel nighed the still lethargic Khamael and sat on the grass to meet his friend's inquisitive gape.
"Ivanov, let's go home."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Iophiel, open the gate."
"Certainly, Your Majesty."
Those were the only words that were exchanged within the group, later a window of silence that functioned as their source of torment.
Duke Cynan just promptly made his way to the centre of the audience room where he was going to conjure the gate.
"Patefio Ostium"
Mana seeped out of his fingertips and formed a black void that had the length and width that doubled his height. Its colour changed into grey momentarily, meaning that a connection with another gate had been established.
'They will be arriving soon.' Iophiel noted as he relocated himself to the side. He did not want to block the passage of his fellow knights.
Seconds into waiting, he observed that there was a shift on the surface of the gate, and there emerged the survivors Mikhail, Khamael, and Sarakiel.
"I address the Knight Commander, Lord Percival. I commend your victory in this subjugation."
Although Mikhail was of a higher rank than him, Iophiel did not bow his head along with the greeting. In the presence of the Emperor, the Knights of the Round Table should not lower their heads to anyone besides their monarch.
Meanwhile, Haniel, Israfel, and Jibrail defied their hunger to approach their comrades. They had a myriad of questions needing urgent answers. After all, they did not witness the events ensuing Sarakiel's fainting. That's why it was surreal for them to see Sarakiel, who was possessed by an Angel, and Khamael, whose dead body was already engraved in their minds, to be alive and kicking. The knights opted to examine them from afar until their meeting was adjourned.
"There's nothing worth commending in my actions, Iophiel, not even in the Emperor's dubious schemes." Thereafter saying his judgment, Mikhail instantly escaped the watch of his colleagues and reappeared right in front of the Emperor.