Kapitel 21: Unresolved Issue - Part 3
"Stay close, Gabriel," Raphael commands as he sticks his broad back against Gabriel's back to announce his presence and simultaneously act as protection. "Don't hesitate to try and cut any unanimous movement that is standing out from the two of us."
"Alright," Gabriel agrees while they slowly tiptoe, circling themselves to detect any presence or steps that are produced by their enemy.
In the devouring darkness, Gabriel keeps his rapier close to his body. He wants to be able to shield his body from any lunges, so keeping it as near to himself as he can helps him parry such malicious intent.
Differently, Raphael has his glaive's pointy sharp end directed outward. Due to the weapon being created with a long handle, it would be a hindrance to himself and Gabriel if he tries to mimic his stance. After all, if the killer went for him, he would just split him up before he could come close.
It would be pointless to say that fear is trying to consume their minds because their hearts are already growing. The poison taints their holy blood with each beat, rupturing each vessel as they pass. Soon, they will be nothing more than standing dummies, waiting for someone to test their might.
"Will he escape if we let him be like this?" Gabriel whispers, hopefully suppressing their position from being revealed.
"Well, the moment we see a light, that will be where we strike," Raphael replies to the theory of his strategy.
While the door opens on its own when a user is nearby, the oncoming beam can help them identify the placement of their target. Launching or lobbing their weapons is on the list of the available action courses.
Ultimately, the very thing they all need in common is 'light'. One that can shine in this cursed room and disclose every secret and solution to the problem. And also one that can strengthen their resolve, to uphold the right and remove the wrong.
[Flint!]
To their surprise, a spark suddenly forms in the pitch-black room which catches both of their attention. It is not the gleam that snatches their focus but the sound that it made. A screeching voice that can only be matched when a metallic object hits any rough surface.
[Clint! x2]
As the sound continues to reverberate, a tiny glow follows. Starting as small as the size of a bead, the light grows into a trail that with the smallest amount, radiates its surroundings, revealing a horrifying face coming after them. Zadkiel's sadistic face.
Pressured to keep on their toes, they switch their stance from back-to-back to side-to-side, following every single detail of the trail as it swivels sometimes out of its quickest route towards them. Perhaps the amount of light produced is not strong enough to give away their current spot yet.
Still, when the line abruptly goes on the right path, they know for sure that Zadkiel has finally managed to sniff their scent. He even changes the size of the spark to confuse them, and they can now see nothing other than the glint.
Raphael quickly lifts his glaive to intercept Zadkiel's attack, but his action is impractical as the opponent suddenly stops creating any more flare and puts them back in the dark. Because Zadkiel identifies the distance and space left between them, he can use the darkness to his advantage like a charm.
[Twing!]
Zadkiel goes for the ambush with the trident attempting to tear Raphael apart. Luckily, Gabriel is on the top of his game today, and he can divert the charge with his rapier. Since it is murky in the room, no one realizes how close the trident has been, even when Gabriel manages to ward it off.
Using the momentum he gathers when sliding on the gaff's rail, he goes for the counterattack, but only the gloomy air greets him in return. The big chunk of meat supporting the trident seems to have disappeared or anticipated the sneak and evaded it.
Tch! This is bad. Gabriel begins to realize that the longer they play here, the higher the chance for both of them to die. Even though the size of a team still matters the most, they are weaker compared to a single attacker. The confined room with no light to spare is like a trap set for them.
While Zadkiel has no problem with slaughtering them, Gabriel or Raphael has to be wary of their partner. Anyone or anything that Zadkiel encounters in this room can be slashed down, yet the very same thing does not apply to them when the thing they find moving the most is their friend.
"Raphael, how about this?" Gabriel calls out when he ceases that the line is clear. By that one attack, both sides completely lose track of one another when they get sent back to the dark.
"What is it?" Raphael, who is still sticking up close to Gabriel, answers with a normal tone, which is contrary to Gabriel's whisper just now.
"I want you to trust me on this," Gabriel says, realizing that his shortcoming strikes again, and he needs to stop asking people to believe in him because they always will. "I bet you still remember where the main door is placed, right?"
"In a sense, yes."
"Then I suggest we make a run for it," Gabriel proposes, eagerly waiting for a reply other than the silence he is experiencing, "You're not going to ask why?"
"Why would I? There isn't a single time where your decision failed any of us, Gabriel," comes the reply.
"T-Thank you, I guess?" The appreciation catches Gabriel off guard.
"Even if there are any answers I deemed for, I like to see the result and validate it from there," Raphael adds. "So, on whose count?"
"We're going now."
"Okay."
The moment Raphael replies, they both are on their feet sprinting to the gate. You might ask why they don't just fly. Think about whether all animals gifted with a pair of wings fly at night time. Most of them would rather stay put on the ground, and only a few with the ability to perceive light in the dark will choose to fly on special occasions.
The chattering sounds of their footsteps liven up the room, and honestly, they feel quite scared to run freely not knowing where the enemy lurks or the thought of not making it to the door. Let's say Zadkiel thought about throwing his trident at them when the door opened since he can see and all, they would rather not imagine the outcome.
However, the moment of despair and worry is cut short, and Gabriel thinks that he should never even have to think about it. Heaven's guiding light is finally capable of breaking through the last piece of metal frame and shining the way out when the door majestically unbars itself upon their escape.
After getting out, Gabriel tilts his head around to search for Raphael, but he is nowhere to be seen. If he is not behind him, then he must have gotten out beforehand, so Gabriel looks in front and still cannot find him.
Did he come out first? Crap! Is he still in there?
To calm Gabriel down, Raphael instantly makes his appearance, as if there is someone there to show him his cue. Nonetheless, Gabriel's moment of calmness turns downhill in a brief second when Zadkiel leaps onto unwary Raphael, tossing both of them forward to the platform.
They roll a couple of times and come to a halt right at the edge of the dais. The view of Heaven's Garden from up here on the Parthenon is beautiful, except having a killer on top of your body, one might want to think twice about which direction to focus on.
"Wahahahaha! Now, die!" Zadkiel swiftly summons his trident and holds it with both hands to stab Raphael.
[Shick!]
The sound of flesh being pierced through can be heard as Gabriel plucks Zadkiel's forearm and the fingers drop the weapon when the nerves are out of order. Seeing a miracle happening in front of him, Raphael takes the chance to throw Zadkiel off him.
"Ready to talk now?" When Zadkiel has difficulty sitting with only his legs, he is welcome with a rapier on his throat.
"I don't think that he is gonna spill anything though," Raphael retorts.
"But he did scream just now," It sounds like a joke, but Gabriel is being serious.
"Who cares," Raphael says and uncannily snatches Gabriel's blade and impales Zadkiel. "I want to see him die."
[Tusk!]
"Raphael, what are you..." As cliché as it can be, a familiar ring of light instantaneously appears and Zadkiel is begone. Leaving Zadkiel's body to materialize as his finisher, Raphael. A dying Raphael equipped with broken hands and a sword on his heart mumbles without sound.
"I trusted you."
[Thump!]
Gabriel drops to his knees, clutching his head in fear. The very words he does not want to hear. The very thing he does not want to fail at. He has to swallow it all.
"Who are you!?" Gabriel traumatically screams at the living Raphael. "Who even am I?"
"Sorry to let you down," a new mysterious voice comes out of Raphael's mouth. "I can't be letting the secret out this quick, can I?"
And with that said, he cuts off Gabriel's head with a glaive and ends the detective's case.
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
Aki_Kure
Aki_Kure Hey, another week another set of 5 chapters coming in. Rather than talking much, I hope you all have a good week and happy reading.
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