The angel's sword fell between us, and its shimmering light seemed to divide more than just the ground of Hell — it divided ideologies, worlds, and any trace of neutrality. It was as if the air around us was being sucked away, leaving an overwhelming void that preceded the storm.
— You do not belong in this place. — The angel's voice was firm, relentless, almost as if it came from the very heart of divine scriptures. — Neither to Earth, nor to Heaven. Your choices, or the lack of them, are a threat to the balance.
Lucifer, still recovering from the last clash, laughed, a hoarse, broken sound. — Balance... always that useless word. Can't you see? It threatens nothing. It is the very threat. A flaw, a cosmic error that should not exist.
I stood still, in the center of their gazes. A mortal facing two absolute forces. But there was no fear in me, nor pride. Just a deep exhaustion.
— You speak of balance, of purpose, of threat... But what if none of that matters? — I asked, my voice cutting through the silence like a blade.
The angel raised his sword, pointing it directly at me. Its light was so intense it burned the flesh beneath our feet, but his eyes were calm, almost compassionate. — That is what a sinner would say. Someone so lost that they can't see the way back.
Lucifer stepped forward, his black silhouette flickering. — Sinner? No. He is not even worthy of that. A sinner at least chooses. This human... he is empty.
— I am empty? — I interrupted, taking a step forward. — Or am I the only one who sees the truth? You two are just pieces of a game you didn't create. God and the Devil. Light and Darkness. You think you are opposites, but you are the same. Slaves to a greater narrative that you can't even comprehend.
The angel's face hardened. — You are blind, human. Without God, there is no purpose. Without purpose, there is chaos.
— And without chaos, there is no freedom, isn't it? — I finished, looking at Lucifer.
He smiled, a cold and cutting smile. — And why wouldn't it be? I am the freedom you fear. The choice to disobey.
— No — I retorted, turning to him. — You are not freedom. You are just another form of control. A king on a throne made of lies. You don't want freedom. You want to replace God.
Lucifer's smile disappeared, replaced by latent fury. The angel, by my side, seemed confused for a moment, as if he hadn't expected me to attack both with the same intensity.
— So what do you want, human? — The angel asked, his voice now laden with frustration. — If you reject Heaven, Hell, light and darkness, what is left for you?
I laughed, a dry sound that reverberated through the hall. — Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And that's exactly what you fear. Not sin, not virtue, but the void. You fear what you can't control.
The angel hesitated for a moment, but then his sword gleamed even brighter. — You are too dangerous to continue.
Lucifer growled, his form oscillating between humanoid and monstrous. — For the first time, I agree with him.
The two advanced at the same time, light and darkness converging in a storm that threatened to consume me.
The fight was not fair. It was not a battle between equals, but between absolute forces and a mere human. Each strike from the angel was like a divine sentence, his sword cutting the air with deadly precision. Lucifer, on the other hand, attacked like an uncontrollable beast, his claws tearing the ground and creating cracks that vomited fire and smoke.
I dodged, more by instinct than by skill. It wasn't strength or speed that kept me alive, but pure obstinacy.
— You are just a mortal! — The angel shouted, his voice echoing like thunder. — A speck of dust trying to defy the cosmos!
— I am more than that — I replied, grabbing a chunk of debris that had been thrown by Lucifer. — Because, unlike you, I don't need meaning.
I threw the debris at the angel. He cut it with ease, but the distraction gave me time to dodge another attack from Lucifer, which nearly hit me.
The ground beneath our feet began to crumble, pieces of Hell collapsing as if they couldn't withstand the intensity of the conflict. But I didn't stop. Every movement, every dodge, was an act of pure rebellion.
Lucifer roared, his black wings spreading as he attacked me again. I dodged, but this time not just to escape. I used his strength against him, spinning my body and throwing him into the angel.
The two collided, light and darkness exploding in all directions. The impact was so powerful that they both fell, gasping and wounded, but still determined.
I stood, watching them. My breath was heavy, and my body ached in every fiber, but my voice came out firm:
— You are slaves to a system that will never free you. Heaven is blind obedience. Hell is rebellion without purpose. And I? I am the mistake. What should not exist. And that is exactly what makes me free.
They stood up, their eyes full of hatred and determination. The angel raised his sword again, and Lucifer prepared his claws, but I didn't move.
— You can kill me — I continued. — But you cannot erase what I am. The void is eternal, and you will always fear what you cannot control.
They advanced together, and I prepared myself, not because I believed I would win, but because I knew I would never surrender.