Capítulo 34: Debate - Part 1
Even with the deafening sound of steel clashing against steel and wails of agony filled with pain, none of it seems to bother Michael. Drifting in his twisted thoughts, the dramatic scenery playing in front of him fails to drag him to his senses.
He had seen it himself on that day. How many of their comrades' lives fell under this cursed soul? Hadraniel's words hit deep inside Michael's consciousness. When they first met, he gave the benefit of the doubt to Lucifer and was proven wrong.
Yet, Michael remembers every single detail addressing the Great War. From the easiest to notice to the hardest to keep track of. The number of casualties and the wounded, plus the names of the Angels who gave their lives on the line for that moment, as if it were written on the back of his palm for him to always view the history.
The same thing applies to Lucifer's story. While he did not directly spar with Lucifer on that unfortunate day, he, alongside the other five Archangels, witnessed the slaughter from afar. It happened so fast that Lucifer had enough time to realize they were coming for him, so he fled.
Though they searched far and wide for him, they were left clueless about where he ran and hid. The next thing they realized was Gabriel approaching them with blood and a battle scar, claiming to have ended Lucifer's wrath.
Of course, they all believed him. Angels cannot lie. It is a trait gifted by God Himself when He created them. From the gist of it, that collection of events became his custom until the day he met Lucifer again. Alive and well.
To be fair, a thought about Gabriel's statement back then visited his mind, but the situation subsided. When the problem in his mind disappears, Michael does not realize that it is gone. Therefore, he lives the tale and accepts that there is something wrong occurring in the afterworld, thanks to the Demons' escape backing up the possibility.
Through the short time they spent together, a bond of trust was formed after seeing the sincerity Lucifer displayed. Now forced into a dilemma, Michael's wit has lost its ability to work. Nailed to the ground, his mental breakdown is getting the better of him.
"How long are you going to sulk like that?" a soothing voice interrupts his thoughts, the only person who can bring back Michael's spirit.
"Malique?"
"Yow," Malique greets Michael as soon as his head pops up to check whether the Angel standing ahead of him is truly Malique or not. "I can finally come out since it's safe now."
"Oh, Malique!" Michael suddenly launches at Malique and hugs him by the knee since he did not properly get up. "Thank goodness nothing bad happened to you."
"Well, slipping away is kind of my speciality now," Malique jokes while helping Michael stand. Locking his sight on Michael, he notices the change in expression that Michael tries to hide from him. "You think that Lucifer manipulated us?"
"There's no way Lucifer would do that!" Michael sternly confronts Malique's words.
"Then what are you worrying about?" Malique's rhetorical question turns into the solution. "Isn't believing in yourself enough?"
"Thanks, Malique."
"Let's be quick before Lucifer turns into someone beyond saving," Malique suggests, and Michael abruptly agrees with him as he follows him back into searching for the lone Demon.
Though they do not have to trouble themselves looking around headlessly since the sound made from Lucifer's aggressive manoeuvres is doing everything except hiding his current whereabouts. The same noise ceases to exist for Michael when he was still in shock.
Beyond the trees that were hiding their view lie three unconscious bodies, witnessing the artist who sculpts the art. The man looks at his hand, not sure whether he is feeling satisfied with his piece of work or disgusted that he has to resort to such violence.
But he does not stop there. He begins to approach another helpless Angel who thought that he and his small set of army could defeat this monster. Therefore, Malique and Michael must act quickly.
Slowly, Malique creeps closer to Lucifer, trying his best to conceal his presence. While it seems to be working, Malique would not say that whatever he is doing is perfect. Rather, he believes that Lucifer is so focused on something else that he ignores his existence as an anomaly.
"Michael, that's your cue!"
[Grapple!]
Just like that, Malique latches himself, locking the limbs from moving. Not the best move or plan, but if it works, no one can say otherwise. After all, not even a second has passed, and he can already feel his hand slipping from a proper grip.
"I know that this isn't the real you, Lucifer," Michael says, thankfully finding the aid he needed and quickly toppling the mask off. "Come back to your senses."
As their plan heeds success, Malique softens his hold and releases it completely in the end. Gradually, he moves to stand next to Michael and sees for himself the result of their action.
"My apologies... for failing to control my emotions," Lucifer sincerely asks for forgiveness. For real, he needs to check his common sense before wanting to apologize because he is imploring a person who was not affected by his result.
"Forget about it, Lucifer," Michael reassures him. "I have already doubted you twice. It was a shameless thing for me to do. After all, nothing worse happened, right?"
"Nothing worse!..."
[Block!]
Suddenly, a sneak attack is launched at Lucifer, and the tip of the sharp blade is only an inch away from his chin. With Malique and Michael's quick reaction, they manage to block the spear using four hands and ultimately disarm Hadraniel afterwards.
"What do you guys mean nothing worse that hasn't happened!?" Hadraniel scolds them, and his hostilities plummet along with his last energy used to finally let him stand. "Look around you. Look at how many of us he has killed."
"They're still alive, though," Lucifer answers for himself while keeping his gaze locked with Hadraniel. "When you come to someone trying to take his life, you should expect the same treatment. I showed them enough mercy."
"There, there. You two, stop," Michael changes from holding onto Hadraniel to restricting Lucifer from provoking him. "We both made mistakes, and there is no right or wrong in this situation."
Frustrated, Hadraniel has to comply in the end. He has lost everything from his possession, and not a single thing can be bargained anymore. Plus, he does not know when the Demon army will arrive, and with this many personnel down in a single blow, he needs some extra time to reprepare.
Weirdly enough, while the cleanup crew does their best to retrieve and collect the wounded, our trio is locked inside a room with Hadraniel and his two trusted aids. While it is not as bad as described because Michael wants to trade information with Hadraniel.
So he tells them the entire event happening with Malique starting first to tell them his story that occurred in the depths of Hell. Michael joins in once the story reaches the point of their brawl when Lucifer was in a trance. While Lucifer keeps quiet, Michael and Malique try their hardest to cover for him.
They also explain how Lucifer warded off the entire army of Demons, saving their lives. Reluctantly, Hadraniel still has to believe it. Right now, at best, we can say that they are on agreeable terms.
"That took a whole lot of time than I anticipated," Michael hesitantly gets off his chair, and Malique mimics his action. "We're going to the Parthenon and meeting with God."
"Are we letting them go, Captain?" one of the aids asks, queer since he is stationed by the room rail.
"Let them be," Hadraniel replies. "They're free to go."
"An advice, if you don't mind hearing it," Lucifer mutters straight after leaving the cell. "The tactic you guys used needs to be changed."
"Heh, said the guy who was playing against us in easy mode," Hadraniel sneers back.
"It's inefficient. That's all," Lucifer says, beginning to wander off from there.
"What do you mean by that?" Hadraniel asks, being genuine.
"While the ambush you've set is undoubtedly successful, once you initiate it, you trap your personnel inside the enemy's line," Lucifer explains. "In the end, you won't gain a number advantage or any other additional buff."
"So, you have a better plan in mind?" Hadraniel challenges.
"Instead of putting living beings inside the trap, why not weapons instead?" Lucifer suggests a splendid idea.
"So, most of us have to fight barehanded, then?" Hadraniel sarcastically jokes.
"Don't be an idiot, Hadraniel. You know that you can summon your weapon back, right?" Lucifer gives one final piece of advice, and seeing that stunning face, he leaves.
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Aki_Kure
Aki_Kure Fact no. 19: Koalas have unique fingerprints, just like humans.
Actually, unique fingerprint are present to animal that are clingers.
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