บท 626: Seraphina - Invitation

"Sister," A young angel that carried the name Dina shouted, drawing my attention away from Engel, within the Halls of Attontment. "There has been news, Sister! The Devils... The Devils are on the move."

My heart had seized at her words for fear of the worse. Two Archangels had perished already. To lose another brother would be horrid beyond measure.

Placing his arms over my shoulders, Engel patted me softly, soothing my heart, if only for a bit. "Calm yourself, little sister. We can see the fear nearly oozing from your demeanor. Do not let fear cloud your mind like so."

"What is it?" I said, hoping for the best. Hoping no more of my brethren had fallen.

"Three Gates of Apocalypse have been carried throughout the Bed of Chaos by three separate Kings of Hell, with a single prince and a duke." Dina cried, touched with fear. "All four superclusters of the known Bed of Chaos have been chosen. And--"

"Prepare the army!" I howled, swarming the Halls of Attontment with such power, the tiles beneath my feet shattered, and the winds became like deadly knives piercing in every direction. "The Devils will not win! Not this time! Ready my Armor!"

"Aggrieved your anger, Sister!" Engel selflessly cried, covering both himself and Dina with angelic essence to protect the flesh. "Let her finish! The battle has yet to start! Hear the news before the blood of both Devil and Angels fall!"

Grinding my teeth till I tasted copper pouring out from my gums, I could only grimly nod. I drew in a deep sharp breath, but even so, my chest was hammering back and forth with a heart filled with war.

Asmodeus won last time, but not this time. The arsenal of the Heavens has been unlocked. Artifacts sealed by our kind since the age of Iluthtath are now under our grasp. Weapons that are said to harm the most powerful type of lord.

"Speak," I coldly demanded.

"A-A-Asmodeus and Aldrich have called a truce." Said Dina dreadfully, "They are currently both on Alos, in front of the Pale Gate. They wish to speak with the Heavenly Father."

"I beg your pardon!" I mocked, unable to believe my ears. "A bloody truce? Two of my brothers are dead, yet a truce?" Unable to help myself. Hollow laughter of anguish left both my heart and mouth. "Surely, they are jesting with us. All devils lie."

"But they never fully lie." Engel calmly corrected his tone flat without feeling. He shook his head and patted my shoulder, "We are all grieving, but if the one carrying that deplorable name, Lilith, Daughter of the Abyss, is involved, then we need to see what is going on. The Four Gates of Apocalypse has always been a mystery. You and I both know the dangers of the Abyss. We cannot allow these Four Gates to remain in the Devil's hands."

Clitting my tongue forcefully, I wished nothing more than to refute my Elder Brother to dismiss his worries, but there was nothing that strikes more fear in our kind than the Abyss. We had lost so many brothers and sisters to its mystery: even the New Heavenly Father, the Angel of Mysteries, and Keeper of Heaven's Secrets fear its depts.

"Seraphina, Vengeful Angel of Wrath" A powerful voice that shook every fiber of my flesh and soul resounded. Immediately falling to my knees, I, alongside my brethren, awaited the order of the New Father. "You shall head with me to Alos. We shall see what the Old Madman Aldrich and the Slave wishes with us." He said so calmly and without worry dismissing any fear I held.

A little flushed to hear my elder brother... I mean the Father's voice once more. I smiled on one knee. None of us knew how his legacy came into creation or why. But none of us dared to question the Higher Heavens. At least not till the Father revealed his will to us. The Will of Raziel is now our future.

"My Lord," Said Engel gravely, " She is not--"

"It shall be fine," Said The Father smoothly, "One needs a little faith."

Whisking me away in a flash of divine light carrying the greatest of purity I had ever sensed, I dared not resist. Not that I wanted to. Raziel's light was, without a doubt, had stepped past any pinnacle I had ever seen in our kind. He was sure to have already begun to mend the Laws of Concordance. It will not be long before we, his children, shall recreate this broken Chaos these animals live in.

Materializing in this damnable plane that had taken one of my brothers, the grand power of Elysium surged without end, blinding me from his majesty's Divine Light. My heart shook as I gazed upon the silver-eyed man. Wrapped in robes that fitted perfectly around his thin body, I could not help but marvel at Aldrich's beauty. How long has it been since I gazed upon such a handsome man, so perfect it felt like a sin to gaze at him. Pictures I had seen, but staring at him in person, I felt inferior.

To his side, I saw the cynical smile of the Devil. Draped in robes seared by hells, embers hung over Asmodeus's black robes that seemed to enchant his scarlet skin. The moment he laid his eyes upon me, he chuckled but said nothing, at least not to me. Resting his eyes upon my lord, who not even I dared to do, I glared coldly at this Devil whose death was too good of a punishment.

"It has been a while, Aldrich. You seem different." Raziel recalled, his tone a bit paused with familiarity.

"Is that a good thing?" Said Aldrich placing his hands behind his back; my heart trembled as I felt this almost innate sensation wishing me to fall to my knees. There was no smile on his face, no anger, no fear. But his eyes carried such a Sovereign force, shaking my soul, I dared not continue to stare. Who the hell was this man?

"Seems I was wrong. There it is. That arrogance, not even the greatest of devils, can lower." Master shook his head and chuckled. "The most elusive of Lords. Whose mysteries rivals the secrets of the Arbiters of Fate. It makes me wonder what could lead you to call a meeting with me alongside this thing?" He said, shooting Asmodeus a heavy stare cold to the bone.

"Already shit-talking? It seems even with all that power running through your veins. You cannot even muster some semblance of dignity when talking to another living being. The ever so hypocritical angels will forever remain the same."

"What is it you want, Asmodeus, " Said Raziel gravely, his tone brushed with a hint of anger.

"We have been invited." The Devil intriguingly said, "My daughter, the Great Daughter of the Abyss, Lilith Snow, has invited those of the Twelve Planes to her domain. She has asked that I spread the Four Gates of Apocalypse within the Bed of Chaos and throughout the Twelve Planes. An Abyssal festival is about to commence, and we are to join."