Despite Zeharah's efforts to convince him however,
Joseph was still quite skeptical.
He had lived too many wars to predict what may happen,
And heavily doubts this would have a happy ending.
After all, Belphegor was already weak by the time he arrived,
His ferocity lacking and his blue eye tired.
He knew by then that his time may be short,
That only a prayer would be their reserve.
"But things very much change,"
Joseph reasoned as Zeharah sighed,
This isn't the brother she was used to be beside.
He has lost his shining smile,
And hope-filled eyes.
His softness and innocence,
That she so dear loved.
She felt her lips bend downwards.
And her eyes slant.
And with her expression, suddenly sighed.
Joseph wondered if she was mad.
"You used to be the optimist, how strange.
Can't you at least have a bit of faith?"
"Being realistic and ready of what may come,
Are you telling me that it is wrong?"
Joseph soon started to feel emotional,
And now Zeharah knew it was all a cover-up.
"You just..can't keep hoping when this is where you're at.
I lost too many comrades in too many wars.
I knew doom when I sense one.
And that feeling knowing something bad may happen,
I feel it now, and it's only worsening.
I'm sorry, I can't keep blindly hoping."
His tears run down, still frustrated that he lost his arms.
He wanted so bad to hug his sister for support,
But perhaps it's for the best,
Maybe it was to make him strong.
"Oh Joseph, no blame is to point.
But you need to be honest about how you feel.
Hidden emotions could lead to many things.
No matter what age you're at,
You need to be honest on yourself and others,
So you can heal."
Joseph nods his head and wipes his tears,
Quite happy that he had his sister near.
Before he could feel absolute comfort however,
He suddenly felt the feeling something may go wrong.
In a matter of seconds, he heard the barrier crack in pressure,
As the wall, only start to get tighter.
The creatures Belphegor summoned were also crushed,
And they could only lament at the sight.
Zeharah tried to renew the barrier,
But it keeps getting destroyed no matter.
Tears suddenly formed in their eyes,
As they now knew they could die.
She tried consoling her brother despite it,
Telling him to keep praying.
But the sounds of fail was all he could hear,
As the barrier breaks, time and time again.
Joseph then gulped and yelled,
"It's alright sister! I'm prepared!"
He fought the urge to close his eyes,
And tried to brave their impending demise.
"I'm so sorry I've been a burden to you, sis!
But I won't leave you now, I'll stay still."
He rose his arm upwards and formed a barrier as well,
Despite knowing that it would also fail.
"It's been an honour fighting alongside my sister!
Whom I look above the most!
You are surely my greatest pride from God!
I love you, with all I have!"
Zeharah's tears flow even quickly,
And her chest tightened more than the room they were in.
She wanted to hug him so much,
But she needed her arms to remain up.
"I love you too."
Was all she can replied.
When both of their barriers gave up,
Joseph only puts his head on his sister's back.
There, Zeharah could feel his tears continue flowing,
As he utters words she'd have no way of understanding.
Joseph continued to pray, and pray, and pray.
As he kept his eyes closed, hoping his fear would go away.
He tried to hard to face death as a knight,
But felt so scared of leaving his life.
He found a slight comfort of putting his head on her back,
Something he used to do as a child.
He could her very well, his sister's cries,
Too bad, he is powerless to make their problem stop.
He heard her barrier crack once more,
And she could only yell in frustration.
He felt his heart sink as he realized her hope was still alive,
Acting upon her wish to survive.
When she yelled again and the walls continued to near,
Joseph had finally faced his fear.
He looked at the floor and stared ahead,
Hoping that they would have a quick...painless death.
He closed his eyes then,
Waiting for what would happen.
But rather than what he expected,
He wasn't offered the deep sleep he thought fate wanted.
He opened his eyes to the sight of his sister using her barrier,
That had a slight tinge of salmon in color.
Orbs of pink started to dance in the air,
As the tight room, was put back into place.
Joseph's mouth was wide-opened,
Not sure of how to react in any way.
By the time his shock diminished,
He turned to his sister's front and asked,
"How?"
And that was when her expression turned even more sad.
"Sir Selaphiel had officially died."
"What?!"
He took a moment to process what he had heard,
And for his sister, it must be even worse.
He knew how much she look up to him,
Since a young angel, she had always dreamed.
Dreamed to be close to their senior and work together in battle,
Dreamed of someday, being proudly acknowledged.
But this isn't the acknowledgement she had dreamed for so long,
Despite being chosen, her hero was no more.
Tears flowed from her eyes as she continued to cry,
"Joseph, you know? Maybe you're right.
This world...is so cruel, I don't know if I should be happy.
We were saved because of God's grace, and Selaphiel's appointment,
But others...our other brothers...could be dead as well."
The room suddenly glowed in green light once again,
As like before, the walls tightened.
"We need to get out of here, regardless.
Or we'll be trapped once again."
After hearing her brother, she rose from her feet,
Finally coming back to her senses.
"You're right... This isn't the time to grieve,
And there's no way to break this spell."
"Why? What was it?"
Curiousity was suddenly written all over his face.
"Azazel commanded witches to use their curses,
That is what Selaphiel's orbs said.
And no matter how, the curse cannot be lifted,
As this place is filled with too much dark energy to be cleansed."
"But how about Belphegor?"
"The door that houses Belphegor,
Had...been fixed when I put the walls back in order.
And even now, he won't open.
And I don't hear any noise as well."
"Should we check him first before escaping?"
Her heart tightened at the sentence.
She touched the handle once again,
But the moment her fingers touched the knob,
The whole door glowed red.
She pulled back as quickly as she had touched it,
Regret painted all over her face.
Her expression then showed horror, then pain.
Until she finally turned to him.
Her face now cold, and pale.
"I...I don't want to see a dead friend."
Joseph felt guilty hearing his sister's statement.
The hope he thought won't fade had left.
Zeharah's eyes were filled with too much sadness,
As she now knew of Belphegor's death.
"Selaphiel's orbs had told me of it as well.
I don't want to see him up-close.
It would only...
it would only make it hurt."
Suddenly, a raven perched on her shoulder,
And on it's beak, was the earring she had lost.
She felt herself shattering the moment she recalled,
Belphegor had promised her object be returned.
She kissed the bird in thanks and realized,
That the scene she saw by the orbs may not be what it was.
Perhaps despite being beaten to the state of being motionless,
Belphegor is still alive!
She knew his summons would die if he goes,
So for her, there might still be hope!
She quickly destroys the door with the archangel's light,
And saw Belphegor, laying on his own blood.
...
Belphegor managed to kill the bug with all he has,
But the monster still glazed his body with the proof it relentlessly attacked.
He never thought he'd die the opposite he was born,
With no soul on the room but his own.
He felt confused when he had his hearing back,
Was it a curse, or a blessing from Above?
After all, all he heard is a reminder that he is alone.
No one to see him on his last moments,
No one to mourn.
He heard loud thuds and immediately thought it was a storm,
Ah...his death was nowhere near calm.
Who knew that the angel born above,
Would die in a noisy place, where all there is, is dark?
Perhaps he deserves it however,
After all, he was once a selfish monster.
Despite it, he had at least hoped,
Someone would come to see him
take his last breath.
But perhaps it was hopeless.
So he closes his eye and thought to rest.
.
.
.
He thought he heard a voice however,
And that was when he opened his eye.
He felt them water the moment he saw-
Luna's face, as bright as the skies.
He quickly muttered "I love you,"
And contentment was what he felt.
His chest roared in excitement,
Hoping to reunite with her in death.
He even felt lighter, as if he had finally had what he wanted.
After all, the last words he heard,
Was his own name.
.
.
.
Then he finally took his last breath.
"Belphegor."
"Belphegor."
"BELPHEGOR!"
Zeharah called out but he wasn't responding.
"Did he just said I love you?" Joseph asked, overwhelmed.
"Does it matter?! The man is dying!"
But the moment the raven fade away,
She felt regretful of even trying.
"I hope his soul finds peace,"
Joseph says.
But Zeharah's face was different,
Too different than what he expect.
"This guy!"
He doesn't know if Zeharah was mad, sad, or flustered.
Perhaps all?
"You bastard! I told my brother you won't die!
And you died just like that!
You can't even wait a little longer for me to carry you to Raphael!
Argh! Patience must be your virtue as well-"
"Sis! Stop harrassing the dead!
And at least he passed away happy,
look! It's printed on his face!
He looks satisfied enough when he saw you,
So you shouldn't yell at him,
He won't even hear you."
"Still! Argh! He should have let me help him!
Guys are so frustrating!"
Despite her angry tone however,
Joseph knew his sister was still crying.
"Don't worry, you'll be confessed by a guy that's not close to death next time,"
"No! I wasn't thinking about that!"
Zeharah punched her brother's shoulder,
But both were suddenly distracted by Belphegor's glowing corpse.
Zeharah quickly opened her barrier as bats left his body.
Before she could even investigate what it was,
they all left in a hurry.
They managed to pass through the wall,
And who knew what their purpose was at all?
...
The bats now free from Belphegor's body,
Suddenly disintegrated, and was released.
They were carried by the strong wind however,
That takes them to the battlefield of the angels and demons.
Suddenly the archangels and Satan were only met with awe,
Seeing how the demon knights and angels,
suddenly fall.
Haborym, who was close with an angel that point,
Had realized that they had fallen asleep.
He then suddenly remembered Belphegor's words,
That back then, he thought was a joke.
It was so long when it was mentioned,
He doubts even Belphegor remembers.
After all, he never speaks of it again,
Or perhaps considers it the same.
He was drunk when he made the deal with the witch.
That once he dies, he puts all those influenced to sleep.
But right now, Haborym was still in disbelief,
That their once drunk conversation,
could actually be real.
"Belphegor...he really did...this?
He really made that trade with a witch?
He's...he's really powerful,
To put his brothers and even reapers to sleep."
Though Haborym silently wishes,
That he put his curse on Satan alone.
After all, what use was it to have both allies gone,
When the master himself, still stands.
"If only Belphegor's death could curse and influence archangels and demon lords,
Perhaps this fight would have been over.
Tsk.
Now I don't really know,
If this is an disadvantage,
or an advantage of our own."
He couldn't think much however,
As he was quickly attacked by a serpent that escaped Asmo's hold.
...
Satan, though confused of what occured,
Did not worried too much.
"Okay, so my demons were put to sleep,
And so what?
Your angels are also snoring the night away,
And if you're getting jealous,
I'll help you do the same."