Apparent - Part 2

'AAAAAHHHHHH!' Lucifer screams in pain as the nails from all five fingers of his left hand are extracted.

Blood seeps from the exposed skin, forming a pool of crimson beneath the twitching hand desperately trying to escape the torture. Despite the slippery hold caused by the blood, Gabriel applies more pressure, crushing the bones in Lucifer's palm.

The torment intensifies as Gabriel, unable to rely solely on the nails, snaps Lucifer's phalanges as well. The state of Lucifer's left hand surpasses the condition of both his legs combined.

"Stop it!" Michael shouts at Gabriel, but his pleas go ignored. Determined to free himself, Michael places both hands on the six-edged extended harpoon impaling him. He attempts to break it or find any means to release himself from its grip. "Ack!"

In an attempt to gain a firm grip on the blade, Michael pays a heavy price as his thumb and middle finger from separate hands are amputated in an instant. The mistake, borne out of agitation and distress at witnessing his friend's suffering, now hinders his efforts.

Although his grip weakens as his blood lubricates the blade, Michael's determination to free himself remains unwavering. Taking a deep breath, he tightly holds the blade and shakes it, hoping to loosen its hold. "Grrrhhhh!"

As Michael grunts through the pain of losing a few more fingers, his weakened grip allows blood to further slicken the blade. Nevertheless, he persists, as he would rather die trying than watch someone else perish. "Come on!"

Meanwhile, Gabriel relishes the time he has to break Lucifer's fingers, no longer concerned about whether Lucifer feels the pain or not. With one hand already suffering a broken elbow, Gabriel has rendered Lucifer powerless as long as he remains unable to reach any sharp objects.

Witnessing Lucifer in such a pathetic state, Gabriel cannot help but feel a surge of power and arrogance. He harbours no envy or desire for revenge against Lucifer, so why does he find pleasure in this cruelty? Perhaps it is his resentment towards God and his desire to prove that his own beliefs are justified.

"The most perfect creature ever created by God is a Human? Bullshit. I've already killed the Head of All Existence. Wait a minute... Wouldn't that make me the new replacement? Hahaha, what a joke."

"You're not winning, Gabriel," Lucifer dares to provoke Gabriel with his words, the only weapon he has left.

"Not winning? Hahahahahahaha! Against whom? A foolish Demon created by the obnoxious God, too single-minded to accept his demise?" Gabriel scoffs, slowly squatting down in front of Lucifer's face. Aggressively, he grabs Lucifer's jaw and brings him closer to his menacing visage. "Have you gone blind already? What a waste."

[Spit!]

Lucifer spits a mixture of saliva and other substances onto Gabriel's cheek, mocking him with the most derisive smile he can muster. Naturally, Gabriel cannot let such disrespect go unpunished.

[Bam!]

Gabriel slams Lucifer's head onto the ground with all his might. His face contorted with utmost wrath and indignation, he readies his other hand, formed into a hammer, prepared to obliterate Lucifer's skull into a thousand pieces.

"Gabriel! Stop!" Malique's command rings out, and Gabriel halts his actions. The voice carries no hidden power, so why does Gabriel choose to listen? Another devious idea has taken hold of his mind.

"You better watch closely, Lucifer," Gabriel whispers a warning to Lucifer, whose eyes remain locked in a deep glare with Gabriel, even after enduring the most brutal head slam of his life.

"Gabriel... You are a coward," Lucifer's voice barely audible, his energy fully depleted or Gabriel already on his way to Malique, increasing the distance for his reply to be heard.

"Malique, I almost forgot you were still with us," Gabriel feigns ignorance, or perhaps he genuinely forgot about Malique completely. "Still unbroken, huh?"

"Enough, Gabriel. This isn't like you," Malique pleads, still kneeling.

"How many times do I have to tell you that this is the real me?" Gabriel is genuinely annoyed by this futile resistance. "Why can't you understand?"

"The Gabriel I knew wouldn't do all of this without reason..."

"Well, you know what? Fine, I'll tell you everything you need to know." Gabriel interrupts Malique, no longer interested in playing along and eager to complete his intentions. "Tell me, Malique. When God created us, Angels in particular, what did he say?"

"You mean?" Malique asks, genuinely curious.

"Pure spirits, minds completely focused, unaffected by the material world. Possessing both sublime knowledge and great power. The highest creation," Gabriel recollects God's exact words describing 'them.' "In other words, perfect."

Just as God created the afterworld, beyond the reach of the senses, angels were created by God for specific purposes. Typically spiritual beings without form or body, angels are messengers, servants, warriors, and worshipers of God.

"Yet, He dared to create what we now know as Humans." Gabriel continues his rant. "Now the question arises: Do you know what a Human is, Malique?"

"N-No."

"The same goes for all of us, including me," Gabriel reveals the truth. "So, I approached God with these exact questions, and guess what He told me? Humans are the 'Crown Jewel' of all creation. He gave them autonomy. How absurd is that?"

"So what? Did you become jealous?" Michael chimes in, earning a deadly glare from Gabriel.

"Shut up. Just stay there obediently like a puppy," Gabriel dismisses Michael's remark, leaving him unable to respond and forcing him to swallow the insult. "With autonomy, Humans can choose whether or not to obey Him. A God creates a creature that can willingly disobey Him and claims it is the closest to perfection. And here we are, obediently following Him, nothing more than second-rate."

Gabriel's frustration becomes evident through his gestures and body language. He bites his lip, taps his finger rapidly on his thigh, and rolls his eyes, veins protruding from his skin as if they are about to burst.

"God is omnipotent, God is omniscient. Yet, He died in the end." The word 'death' always sparks anger in those who hear it, and unsurprisingly, it stirs up anger in Gabriel. "The 'Holy Lance.' He created it Himself, saying that maybe one day He would use it on Himself. How can He be our God?"

"Lies!" Malique feels an urge to scold Gabriel as the blasphemy against God continues to spew from his foul mouth.

"What lies? This is the truth. What is happening now is reality." Unfazed by Malique's loud outburst, Gabriel delivers his judgment. "From the Demons escaping Hell to the dead who cannot be brought back to life, all of this shows that His power is gone. Just like Him."

"Impossible." Malique's gaze falls to the ground as tears of utter defeat stream down his face—an act that should not be possible, defying God's will.

"Sad, isn't it?" Gabriel attempts to elicit pity. "A God unable to help His followers in need. You know what? Since I'm in charge now... I'll show you what it means to be God. Hahaha!" Drawing a new sword from its hilt with his right hand, Gabriel raises it high, preparing to end the life before him. "If you somehow meet that pitiful creator, send him my regards."

[Schlucck!]

As blood splatters onto Malique's face, reality once again jolts him. The sight of the severed body lying in front of him fills him with sheer horror. The distant scream of the demon's name is barely audible, and Malique realizes he has been spared by this protective soul.

"Lucifer?"