Lightning blitzed Hell like the Rapture's second coming. Two warriors fought side by side, unstoppable with the power they slung. Demons would remember this assault on their domain for an eternity to come as Encounter Zero, the first of a series of events that soon brought about the end of the structures known as Heaven and Hell.
It barely took Leo a few minutes to pick up the power he wielded. Once the first blow was dealt to the demon Faletzzar, he didn't stop moving. He broke through demon after demon as if they were nothing more than piñatas. It was so easy, every move felt like the power guided his hands. Had he somehow cheated, gaining so much power in such a small amount of time? Would the other archangels become angry with Raphael for granting this to a human? With little time to worry about future matters, consequences were going to have to wait their turn.
'Survive,' he thought. 'Survive and escape. Then worry about the next step.'
'Suffer!' Screeched a demon with five arms that rotated like a wheel. It's eyes burned with real flame, and tongue looked to be dripping with disease and poisons. It was too busy spouting nonsense and bile to realise Leo was already airborne, electric bident leaving his grip and cutting the air. It plunged into the demon, sparking with a shock of electricity that burned its body away.
Leo recollected his weapon and swung to the next creature. He decided to try something new. Gripping the weapon in both hands, he released lightning that generated from him into the bident, then focused on channelling it between the two prongs. A brilliant blue orb of electricity formed that bound itself to the weapon with strings of light.
'Here–' Leo was planning to make a smart remark about food or something like that, but instead had to clench his teeth from the impact. The new attack rendered the demon victim nothing but a wisp of smoke after its power engulfed it, and Leo quite liked the new trademark attack. So far, it was the first creative move he came up with. Should it have a name? He bound more lightning between the prongs of the polearm then shouted, 'Covenant Blast!' His attack vaporised another two demons at once. 'No, no.' He tapped his forehead, trying to come up with something better.
'What are you doing?!' Raphael shouted. His wings cleaved a small group of demons in two before he dashed to Leo's side. 'What's the matter?'
Leo gave a solemn hum, then shrugged. 'I can't come up with a good name for this attack.' He clicked his fingers. 'Actually, watch and tell me what comes to mind!' He charged another blast and aimed for another hulking demon stomping his way.
'What!?' Raphael gestured around them. 'We're in a very bad situation! You just saw your worst nightmare! How can you be so calm!?' Until this point, this was the most stressed Raphael had ever looked.
Leo ignored the cries of the archangel for a moment, then carved up that large demon, burning its hide with strikes of lightning. 'I'm keeping my mind off things, Raphael.' Leo let a small burning glare free for Raphael to see. Hopefully that would help drive the point home.
Raphael was silent, aside from the strikes from his wings that burned some demons and shattered others. Then he smiled. 'How about Covenant Revolt?'
Leo's chest warmed and he filled his lungs with horrid and yet refreshing Hell air. 'Yeah, you get it.' Once again, he prepared the attack. This time, a small swarm of demons came for him at once. He responded by jumping, lightning burning at his feet that lifted him higher. He took a second, deeper breath.
'Covenant Revolt!'
He threw the spear into their midst, and the demons didn't have a chance to escape. The light burst outwards and consumed them all, leaving not even a claw behind. Leo felt extremely satisfied with that hit, and the remaining demons were struggling to regroup.
The way back to the gates was clear, so Leo clutched Raphael's hand and they flew for their one and only escape. Was there really a point to all of this? Did they just make things worse for the sole purpose of letting Leo see Hazel? No, likely Raphael had some bigger plan in mind. There was just no way he would cause all of this trouble and endanger the entire system of the afterlife for one human's desires.
Finally, the massive black stone wall appeared, and its gateway lay shut for now. The six headed demon guardian Ozis awaited them by the gate, but every one of its faces looked afraid. Was it scared of the two lightning wielders coming for it, or something else?
'Please open the gates.' With a few powerful flaps of his wings, Raphael slowed his flight and let Leo down. 'The reception here has been quite terrible, not that I'd expect anything else.' Distant howls and snarls backed up his claims as swarms of demons crawled into view.
'I don't think I can let you go, just yet.' Ozis shook all six of its heads. Strangely, there was almost no malicious or snarky intent in its tone. It sounded submissive.
'Demon.' Raphael pointed a hand, and one of his wings stretched out to press at the monster's sternum. Lightning sparked in a violent display of brilliant blue. 'You will let us out immediately. If you don't, we'll have no choice but to call a legion of angels to break through these gates and slay every demon in sight. God will not restrain his might for one of his children.'
Leo tried to keep his thoughts from showing on his face, but he didn't like that an archangel was forced to make empty threats. God would never back them up after the acts of rebellion they committed. Did Raphael even command any angels now?
'Do not blame Ozis for his obedience.' A sultry voice echoed from somewhere above. Ozis cowered back to the bars of the gate in response and demons cackled, heckling the human and angel as fools.
'I see what's happening.' Raphael pulled Leo close, giving him a deadly serious look from the corner of his eye. This situation just became very dire. Before the beast had even shown itself, Raphael said, 'archdemon Astaroth, you're making a terrible mistake.'