- Lucifer, Cytus, and Azriel -
The blue flames around Lucifer's arms were burning his skin. Cytus was in front of him, and Azriel behind. He pointed his palms at Cytus and fired the flames from his arms in a concentrated blast.
Cytus thought the attack was suspiciously slow. He easily dodged out of the way, readying himself to push forward. Before he decided to step in, a thought came to mind.
'Any part of me he touches with those blue flames will turn to ash.' The thought stopped him from moving.
Lucifer glanced at his singed arms. He hoped his plan has worked.
'He should be less likely to attack if he thinks I can keep summoning those blue flames. Either he leaves his boosted form, or he just sits there and burns mana.'
Lucifer welcomed the momentary reprieve. He still had to worry about Azriel's twister ripping him apart, but for now, he at least had some time to think.
Azriel was now sustaining his attack's size. He believed it was more than large enough to deal with Lucifer.
'It would be perfect if I could kill you and the parasite at the same time.'
Azriel's attack closed in on the two who had been eyeing each other, waiting for one to move. Cytus looked up, doubtful that Azriel had any plans to avoid friendly fire.
'If that's how you want to fight, so be it.'
He ran away from Lucifer, making sure to get enough distance before canceling his spell. He needed long-range for now. Lucifer's blue fire was an un-welcomed surprise that threw his original plan out the window.
Lucifer let Cytus go. He didn't have time to try and hit something that was moving so quickly.
'I need three, maybe four minutes. No sense in thinking about it.'
Lucifer started to create small orbs all around his arms. One-by-one his arm slowly started to look like it was covered in orange glowing beads. He started running while channeling the spell. He couldn't risk being hit by an attack now, or else his spell would blow off his arms.
Cytus and Lucifer spotted each other at the same time. Before either could react a large chunk of a building slammed in-between them.
Pieces of buildings, corpses, and stalls, were being whipped around by Azriel's twister. The attack was as strong as it is slow. Lucifer used that fact to his advantage.
'You always were strength over function. Going too far too often.'
The orbs had completely enveloped Lucifer's arms up to his elbows. His attack was halfway to being ready. As he kept running, he heard the sound of electricity coming from his left. He hit the roofless floor of the store he was running through, making sure to keep his arms from touching the ground.
Cytus, unhampered by a need to be careful, decided to start firing as many powerful bolts as he could.
'Either I hit you or slow you down enough for the wind to get you.'
Lucifer couldn't stand up. Cytus's attacks were erratic, and getting hit was not an option. Azriel's twister would be on him any moment now.
'I can only hope this is powerful enough.'
Lucifer gathered the orbs around his arm and floated them in front of him, making multiple circles. Every orb caught fire. He shot the attack towards Azriel.
Azriel could see from above that Cytus was suppressing Lucifer. He saw Lucifer aiming his hands towards him and laughed.
'It's nice to see you desperate for a change. Go on then, fire your last spell.'
Azriel had expected the attack to explode the moment it connected with his twister. Instead, the twister seemed to absorb the orbs.
Lucifer met eyes with Azriel.
"You ever see fireworks brother!" Lucifer shouted.
Azriel was furious that Lucifer would dare call him brother.
'I guess hopelessness has made you delirious.'
Lucifer's hand pointed towards the twister, and then clenched, making a fist.
From the inside of the twister, multiple large explosions went off. The force of the blast made Azriel lose concentration long enough to release the spell. Unfortunately for Azriel, Lucifer's spell wasn't done.
The explosions continued ripping across the air. Each one was seemingly more powerful than the last. Azriel flew to the ground, trying to get away from what seemed like an endless barrage.
Lucifer charged towards Azriel as soon as he saw him head to the ground. He placed his palm against Azriel's face and shot a powerful blast of flame.
Azriel narrowly avoided the full brunt of Lucifer's attack, the left side of his face receiving a nasty burn. He went to cast another wind blade, but Lucifer dodged to the right and grabbed both his hands, forcing them to the side.
"Planning on headb-"
Lucifer had planned on breathing fire. He was cut short by a powerful bolt of lightning ripping through his shoulder blade. The attack went straight through, hitting Azriel in the chest.
Lucifer let Azriel go. The two had both taken a significant hit. Cytus was behind them, smiling. He had just hit the best shot he could hope for.
Azriel glared at him, almost forgetting who his original target was. Whether Cytus was aware of it or not, he had just saved Azriel's life.
Lucifer was in awful shape. His arms were burnt, his chest had a large cauterized slash across it, and now he had a burning hole in his back. He had to choose a target right now, with no time to think. Azriel or Cytus?
Lucifer chose Azriel. He dashed using his flames and grabbed Azriel's arm. He was now holding Azriel as a body shield. He fully expected Cytus to just shoot through him. He would simply endure the attack and hope he had enough strength left to finish the fight.
Azriel was mortified that he let Lucifer grab him. His reaction time was dulled due to the searing pain in his chest. He knew Cytus wouldn't hesitate to shoot through him, and simply hoped, if by accident somehow, that Lucifer would take a fatal blow first.
Cytus couldn't contain the joy on his face. His smile was so wide it seemed painful. He had pictured so many different ways of killing Azriel and Lucifer.
Lucifer whispered to Azriel as quickly as he could.
"You deserve to die this way."
"We'll both be dead soon," Azriel replied.
"I wonder about that, brother," Lucifer said.
Cytus's bolts ripped through Azriel's body, and then Lucifer's. The onslaught of bolts perforated Azriel. The attacks were weaker as they hit Lucifer, but still strong enough to inflict serious damage.
Lucifer moved Azriel forward, as he attempted to close the gap. In his final moments, Azriel turned to Lucifer, bolts still ripping through him, and attempted to slash him with one final attack.
Lucifer took the attack, now having an "x" shape on his torso, and leaned in.
"Pathetic," Lucifer said, proceeding to torch Azriel's face with his flame breath.
Lucifer was just holding up Azriel's limp corpse to block the lightning now. His body was giving out. The dozens of bolts left his chest more burnt than his arms.
All the while, Cytus was laughing maniacally. He was overwhelmed with cruel joy. He almost didn't hear Death behind him. He turned around, and before he could shoot, his hand was severed and his face slashed.
Lucifer dropped Azriel's body.
"Wait!" Lucifer yelled, stopping Death from finishing Cytus.
Death was surprised. He looked at the grisly state Lucifer was in, unsure of how he was still standing.
"Cut off the other hand and go help the group."
Death did as Lucifer asked. He cut off Cytus's other hand and started running towards the direction of the large ice wall.
Lucifer hobbled over to the dismembered Cytus.
"Why did Azriel want revenge? I was hopefully going to ask him, but you made that impossible."
"How should I know?" Cytus spat. "You angels have a history of violence and never letting things go. I'm just surprised Michael wasn't here."
Lucifer stomped Cytus's leg, snapping the bone and causing Cytus to groan in pain.
"You are a pale imitation of Uriel. Can't use surge with other magic. Can't fly and use magic. You were lucky that Azriel was stupid enough to save you."
The word "lucky" made Cytus angry.
"Lucky? Lucky?!" He screamed, followed by a manic laugh.
"Oh, I'm quite fucking lucky. Being born as an existence that was cursed to be hated. Yes! Very lucky." The blood started to streak down his face, covering the black lines that ran below his eyes.
Lucifer could barely stand. He was clearly shaking from the burden of his damage. Even though he wanted so badly to just lie down, he remained standing.
"Luck is a transient thing." Lucifer's voice was starting to lose strength. "You can be born with it in great quantity, and then die because you didn't have it when you needed it."
Lucifer wasn't trying to give some philosophy to Cytus out of kindness. He felt like if he didn't keep talking he might pass out.
"Tell me then Devil, fallen prince, why was I born?" Cytus asked, still laughing afterward.
"No reason...Congratulations...on being smart enough to ask."
"If we aren't born for a reason, then why does dying matter?" Cytus's laughter stopped. "Why did your kind slaughter mine for one angel life?" He wouldn't show it, but he was genuinely curious.
"I hold...my beliefs...My kind holds another. They love exacting revenge, as you can see." He barely motioned his hand towards the destruction around them. "Even if "revenge" is a questionable word for it."
Lucifer placed his foot on Cytus's throat.
"I'll give you the honor...of last words since you killed Azriel."
"I hope I meet him in the next cycle. I would love to kill him again." Cytus smiled.
Lucifer sneered as he snapped Cytus's neck.
'If there's any mercy in this universe, there won't be a "next cycle." '
He placed his hand over Cytus and shot flames until the entire body was blackened. He stumbled over to a pile of rubble and crawled underneath. He didn't make it this far just to potentially die to some random lycan or yokai.
- The group -
Peter was a whirlwind of steel. He was cutting down so many enemies that his sword had become completely covered in various colors of blood. Some enemies started to retreat at the sight of his slaughter.
Lao's timer was up. He was conscious but unable to move. He was in-between Yvere, Sabu, Heinrich, and Elijah who were doing their best to protect him.
Amahar and Yukina were now both focusing on Peter. Yukina was getting in close with her sword while Amahar tried trapping Peter's legs. Neither was having an easy time keeping him still.
One swing from Peter's sword sent Yukina flying backward.
'What kind of contract did he take?' Amahar wondered.
Peter was smiling and being overly flashy, all for a purpose. His master once told him "If you lack the ability to defeat an army, you make up for it by terrifying the army."
Peter was desperate to get as many enemies as possible to retreat. He had three minutes left, and there were still far too many enemies for the group to deal with.
He was doing a good job hiding his growing exhaustion. He had practiced with Lucifer on how to hold a strong expression through pain and fatigue. It sounded pointless when Lucifer initially suggested it, but he was grateful for it now.
Amahar put up a wall separating Peter from the group. Yukina rushed over to the four that were guarding Lao.
Peter turned his eyes to Amahar. His look now a fierce glare.
"Ya are a disgrace to your ancestor's name." He mocked
"What would you know about my ancestors? Do you even know your own, meat?" Amahar responded.
"Vázo was a great wolf. Shame about his offspring." Peter said.
Peter was a blur as he rushed towards Amahar, cutting down every wall and spike the lycan tried to put between them. As he got close Amahar transformed into a gigantic black wolf that was bigger than the surrounding buildings. A large black paw swiped at Peter.
Peter stood still and stopped his attack with the side of his blade. He grabbed the fur on the arm and pulled Amahar to him.
Amahar opened his mouth and went to clamp down on Peter. He was confident that Peter's sword wouldn't be enough to seriously wound him.
Peter jumped up and landed on Amahar's muzzle. He swiped his sword across the wolf's eyes, causing him to violently shake his head. He jumped off and ran under Amahar. He jammed his sword into the top of Amahar's chest and pulled it as he continued to run.
Amahar fell to the side, now eviscerated. Peter, one minute left on his timer, decided to make one last show.
"IS THIS YOUR LEADER? I HOPE THERE'S SOMEONE WORTH MY TIME AMONG YA!" He roared. He gave everything he could to sound as threatening as possible.
It worked on some, but not enough. Peter looked around at the remaining enemies who were cautiously approaching him.
'Fifty-two.' He was now counting the seconds he had left to take as many down with him as he could.