The slayers picked themselves off the ground with their weapons at the ready.
"Your comrade?" Iris asked.
The archangel looked at her but said no response. An awkward silence set in as no one made a move.
"Was it something I said?.." Iris said confused. "Huh?" Iris felt something drip off her face as she moved her hand up to the source. She felt against her face and felt a small cut on her cheek. The cut quickly spread from her cheek to down across her neck. "That's weird, how-"
They all were alarmed as blood suddenly gushed out of the open cut.
"Whoa, what the hell?!" Jayden said in distress as he rushed to her aid. Jun was quick to follow.
"Quick Jayden, put pressure on it while I try to heal it shut with my Art!" Jun demanded.
While a slayer mainly utilizes their unholy energy through their physical weapon, it's also possible to directly channel the energy from their rigged connection to the One Core, via the God Core System, into an actual manifestation. These are known as Arts. Angels, demons, and slayers alike can use them as long as they are astute enough to do so.
Jayden quickly moved his hand so that Jun could place his over the cut.
"Unholy Art: Simple Heal!" He began using his energy to super kick start the healing process of Iris's body. Their bodies could regenerate faster than a normal humans, but even that had its limits.
Damn it, thought Jun. Somehow she cut an artery.I'm not as good as Iris is at this! It's taking too long! We can't expect him to just-
Jun looked over at the archangel who actually was still standing in the same exact spot.
"Oh." Jun said plainly.
"My comrade. He was like a brother to me that I looked up to," it began going on, "sure, he was annoying and conceded. And arrogant. Despite that though...he was a proud angel who greatly respected his station." The archangel held up a small dagger. The blade was about the length of the average adult's hand. "But he was also a fool."
The sound of what could be described as a blade cutting through the air could be heard by Jun and Jayden, but they could still clearly see the archangel still in the same position.
A gash suddenly opened up on Jayden's left arm.
"Shit!" Jayden yelled out as he released his grip on Iris to tend to his own wound. Jun's eyes quickly shot to Jayden's injury and back to Iris's that he was still trying to heal before she bled out.
I don't understand how this is happening! Jun thought in desperation. The archangel didn't even budge, but yet somehow these two were both cut in vital areas. This doesn't make any sense!
Jun continued to try to heal the still bleeding cheek wound. "And why...isn't this working?!"
"I know your weapons. My family have long been great scholars and students of war. We know of almost every cursed or holy weapon out there, even if we've yet to lay eyes on it. And I know..." He pointed his dagger at the fading Iris - more specifically at the ring on her finger. "That you possess something quite extraordinary. My assumption is that you were the one who did Malakah in with your ill-gotten power."
Jun looked at the archangel with a furrowed brow, "What did you do to her?"
"You're asking the wrong questions, spawn of misdeed. The better question is, can you stop it?"
"Guh!" Jayden gasped as blood spit out from several cuts on his body.
"Jayden!" Jun yelled. Jayden toppled over and fell to one knee.
"This dagger is dripping with holy energy. Do you really think your mediocre Art can cleanse the wound and seal it back up? Not likely." The archangel taunted.
Jun could feel himself spiraling, from what his eyes could see the archangel hadn't moved an inch from his position and yet his comrade's injuries and the angel's dagger tell a different story.
He looked closer at Iris's wound and could see that he finally managed to at least stop the bleeding, even if the holy energy was still infecting the wound.
"Jayden, are you okay?" Jun asked.
Blood oozed from the open cuts as Jayden propped himself up on his bow and forced himself back to his feet. "Y-yeah, somehow. Don't worry I still got your back against this bastard."
"Think Jun. Think!" He spoke quietly to himself. "How is he doing this? Everything in this universe has to follow some kind of logic...even the divine. This has to make sense on some level."
Jun pieced the clues together: Archangel appeared. Iris was wounded. Archangel revealed a dagger. Jayden was wounded. But the archangel hasn't moved a step.
....From what his eye could tell that is.
The archangel looked upon the slayers, "Look how quickly you fall apart. You scamper and huddle together like the vermin you truly are. Now, be at peace finally while you sit in awe of true divinity."
Jun quickly released Iris and gripped the handle of his sword.
"Hm?" The archangel suddenly stood over Jun with his dagger aimed at his throat. However, Jun's sword stood between them, having blocked the initial quick blow. He held the sheathe in his left hand.
"I see. True divinity? You're just freakishly fast, right? " Jun asked, agitated.
He swung his blade and deflected the dagger back, causing the archangel to stumble back a few steps.
"You actually saw me? Color me impressed."
"I'm impressed that an archangel would behave in such a sneaky fashion." Jun said as he peeked out the corner of his eye at his teammates. Jayden had taken over holding Iris as he seemed equally surprised that Jun had blocked the blinding attack.
What now? Jun thought. Iris is down for now and Jayden isn't too much better off. If we tried to fight together right now, they would just get- no! I can't think like that! We're a team for a reason, don't let Axel get in your head, Jun! However...now is not a time for me to stubbornly stick to my guns.
"Jayden." Jun said.
"Ok, let's do this." Jayden spoke with clear pain in his voice.
"I need you to get Iris back to base. Then I need you to go check on the other breaches."
"Wait, no way. You can't take an archangel by yourself!" Jayden protested.
"He's right you know." The archangel said. "Not with your secret weapon covered barely holding on to her life. We know of your slayer customs and I know that your type don't consume cores. You're out of your league here, slayer."
Jun ignored the archangel. "I closed the wound but the holy energy is still coursing inside her. If you don't get her back to base where they have the tools to help, she'll die right here. Is that what you want?!"
"..." Jayden looked down to Iris who had lost a lot of color. He could feel her body trembling in his arms. "Ok. But, I promise I'll be back!" Jayden made his way over to Iris when a loud clash of metal sounded off near his ear.
He quickly turned to the sound from beside him and saw Jun once again blocking the archangel's dagger as it was aimed at Jayden.
"Go, Jayden!" Jun ordered.
I don't know how long my luck with last, thought Jun. I'm just barely catching a glimpse of his initial movement and timing up my move based on that. If he changes speeds though...
"You've got good eyes. Even for a no good rotten spawn of devil shit." The archangel said.
"Okay, a bit unnecessary but I'll take the compliment." He slashed his sword and deflected the dagger back. "Even before I became a slayer, I honed my eyes and my body for fast paced combat."
The archangel looked over his body. "Hmm. A master swordsman I take it. But in this age of technology for your kind it seems a bit...dated." The archangel looked into Jun's eyes and saw a glow reflected back. "But I'll admit I'm a sucker for a good blade fight."
"I didn't know vengeance was part of the angel code." Jun replied as he tried to buy time for Jayden to scoop up Iris and get away.
"Vengeance? Oh no. I hated Malakah. "
Jun raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what? Then what is the point of all this?"
"You mean beyond your species needing to be wiped out regardless? Well, one thing we angels hold dear above all else, is our honor. Our station. And having one who held the same position as myself and served the same God killed by one of you, gives my father a bad name."
"Your father?"
"Yes." The archangel pulled a second dagger from his waist with his free hand that was identical to the first one. "I am Athos, son of the God of Conquest. I've brought the might of my father's army upon your home to finally put the human problem to rest. Do you truly think you can stop me AND the several breaches I opened around the city?" The blades of the daggers began to emit a soft white glow.
Jun slid his sword back into it's sheathe and placed it by his side, his grip tight around it.
"I am Satori Jun. You hurt the only family I have left, so let's just say I'm not too concerned with the odds right now."