Awaken - Part 4

[Thrust!]

Malique suddenly stabs Gabriel in the chest and swings him over to the throne. The force of the swing makes Gabriel hit his head on the backrest of the throne, knocking him unconscious. Malique then kicks the hilt of his katana, causing it to stick to the throne and preventing Gabriel from escaping.

"Malique, stop!" Michael tries to warn him but he fails.

The unconscious Angel once again got decapitated by Malique's rageful act. Before Gabriel's head could stumble away, Malique snatches it and stare it deep into their closed eyes. It did not take long for the eyes to awaken again with a new healthy body attached to the supposedly severed neck.

Malique stands over Gabriel's unconscious body, breathing heavily. He reaches down and grabs Gabriel's arm, pulling him up to a standing position. Gabriel's head lolls to one side, his body completely limp.

Malique quickly punishes Gabriel's stomach, causing him to double over in pain. He then grabs Gabriel by the hair and slams his head against the stone floor. Gabriel groans in pain, blood dripping from his forehead.

With a cold look in his eyes, Malique snaps both limbs on Gabriel's hand and secures it behind his back. He then drags Gabriel by the hair across the floor, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

As Malique drags Gabriel across the floor, he begins to kick him repeatedly in the ribs and stomach. Gabriel's body convulses with each blow, but he remains unconscious. Malique stops in front of a large stone pillar and hoists Gabriel's body up, propping him against the pillar.

Malique begins to pace back and forth, muttering to himself. He picks up a nearby iron rod and begins to strike Gabriel's body with it, starting with his legs. Gabriel's unconscious body convulses in pain, but he does not wake up. Malique then moves up to Gabriel's chest and arms, striking him with increasing force.

After what seems like an eternity, Gabriel begins to stir. His eyes flutter open, and he lets out a groan of pain. Malique stops his assault and walks over to him, sneering.

"You're a tough one, Gabriel. But it's not enough to stop me," he says, before delivering a sharp punch to Gabriel's jaw, knocking him out once again.

Malique rips out Gabriel's cloth and begins to lash his unconscious body with it. He repeatedly strikes him, leaving deep welts and cuts across his back and legs. Gabriel's body writhes in pain, but he does not wake up. Malique steps back, panting heavily. He looks down at Gabriel's broken and battered body, satisfied.

"You may come back to life, Gabriel, but the pain I inflict on you will stay with you forever," he says, before turning and walking away, leaving Gabriel's body slumped against the pillar.

Gabriel's body was a bloody mess, with bruises and cuts covering his skin. Not long, the helpless soul flies out of the battered body to save itself. Malique seemed to relish in the pain he was inflicting, enjoying the power he had over his helpless victim.

Michael could feel tears stinging his eyes as he watched Gabriel suffer. He wanted to turn away, to run, to do anything to escape the horror that was unfolding before him. But he could not. He was trapped, held in place by his fear and inability to act.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Malique stopped his torture. Gabriel's limp body lay on the ground, barely breathing. Malique turned to Michael, a twisted grin on his face.

"See what I can do, Michael? See how powerful I am? This is what it meant to right the wrong."

Michael could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. He wanted to scream at Malique, to tell him how wrong he was. But he couldn't. The fear was still there, holding him in place, silencing his voice.

As Malique raises his hand to strike Gabriel once more, a booming voice suddenly interrupts him. It is God. He commands Malique to stand down and demands that he salute Him for his work. Malique is stunned, but he obediently raises his hand to salute God, who returns the gesture by taking a physical form so that His creation can admire Him with awe.

He concentrates all of the energy and begins to form the limbs and structure that mimic what most of His creation looks like. A pair of hands and legs, with a head on top, He turns Himself into them. Like a white entity, God's skin is pure and see-through. He does not need to decorate Himself with luxuries as the form he made for Himself is a luxury on its own.

Michael watches in shock as God appears before them. His presence fills the room with a blinding light and powerful energy that Michael can feel in his bones. God's voice booms throughout the throne room as He speaks to Malique.

"Well done, Malique. Your work is pleasing to me. You have shown great devotion and loyalty in carrying out my plan."

Malique's heart swells with pride and relief. He has always believed that God is the mastermind behind all the massacres he has carried out, and now God's words confirm it.

Michael feels sick to his stomach as he watches God praise Malique for his violent actions. He cannot believe that the same God who created the universe and all its beauty could be so cruel and twisted. Michael begins to question everything he has ever known about God and wonders if there is any hope for redemption.

"Michael, you have witnessed the power of my will. Do not question it, for I am all-knowing and all-powerful. You are but a mere servant and it is not your place to question my actions," God turns to Michael, His eyes filled with a mix of disappointment and anger.

Michael feels a wave of shame wash over him as he realizes his mistake. He bows his head in deference to God and swears to never question His will again.

"As for you," God turns His head and looks at Gabriel, who is afraid. "Do you think that you can kill a God? How unforgiving!"

"Im-Impossible, I-I killed You! I stab you with..."

[Snap and Splat!]

With a snap of His finger, God demolishes Gabriel's body in an instant by the shockwave of the snap. But before long, Gabriel resurrects again and lay his whole body down in terror.

"Ah, the gift of immortality. The gift I promised to all afterworld dwellers," God mutters.

As Malique stands before God, he cannot help but feel a sense of gratitude. He owes everything he has accomplished to the guidance of Lucifer, who had once been an ally of God before he fell from grace. Without Lucifer's help, Malique could not have gotten this far. With a deep sense of reverence, Malique drops to his knees and bows his head in submission.

"Thank you, God. I am but your humble servant," Malique says, his voice filled with reverence. "If I may ask for a request my Lord, will you resurrect Lucifer so that I can show him my gratitude for helping me?"

"Ask and you shall receive,"

[Snap!]

The dismembered body of Lucifer that lays on the ground suddenly floats into the air as if an invisible force is making a trick. After the body is put together again, Lucifer starts to wake up from a slumber only he knows about.

"Wait, what happens?" Lucifer inquire.

[Snap!]

Again, God snaps His finger and relives all of Lucifer's memories of him getting backstabbed by Gabriel and the event that happen after his death.

"My Lord," Lucifer immediately get down to his knees to greet the all-mighty Creator.

"Spare the pleasantries, Lucifer. After all, with I'm here, everything should be back in order," God reassures.

"The war outside?"

"I will deal with them right now," God replies and begin his way towards the doors.

As Malique basks in the glory of God's praise, Lucifer steps forward, breaking the tense silence that had settled in the throne room. "Forgive me, Lord, but may I ask a question?" he says, his voice calm but firm.

God turns to face him, His expression is unreadable. Instead of answering, God puts up a sly smile that leaves Lucifer perplexed.

"Lord, did you hear my question?" Lucifer clears his throat and asks. Malique looks on with confusion while Michael shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"Of course, my son. But some answers are best left unanswered. Letting my creation figure things out on their own is part of the plan," God chuckles lightly,

Lucifer nods slowly, not entirely satisfied but understanding God's point. Malique looks on with newfound admiration for God's mysterious nature. Or rather, they are creeped out by the evil smile emanating from God.

"Why did you disappear all this time?" Lucifer asks, his eyes fixed on God's. "How can a God let His creation kill one another to the brink of extinction? How is He fair if He let one kind suffer from blatant lies?"

The questions asked stun not just Michael and Malique, but also God Himself. It is as if His biggest secret is suddenly revealed by Lucifer.