Dissension - Part 2

"Lucifer?" Malique exclaims, feeling disappointed that he put his trust in someone who turns out to be a liar. He realizes that this ally could have been crucial and tide-changing for him and the entire Angels. "How could you?"

"I should have given you the benefit of the doubt," Michael mutters to himself, feeling down about the situation.

"Everything up till now has been a lie? Not a single truth inside it? How could you do that to us? Don't Demons have any feelings? Remorseful or even sympathy?" Malique tries to look at Lucifer directly in his eyes, but Lucifer diverts his gaze and looks at the other Demons of Sins. It's an act of guilt that proves him to be a direct villain.

Because of this, Malique's shoulders drop in a breakdown. "Enough chit-chat," Sathanas says as she forms her killing mace. She brings it upwards and lets it rest on her shoulder while bringing her other hand and using her thumb to signal to Abaddon. "Abaddon, with me."

"Eh!? But Abaddon wants to work with General Lucifer," Abaddon argues, but he still follows right behind Sathanas as she charges the attack on the isolated two Angels.

"Malique, watch out!" Michael manifests his spear just in time to block the pummeling mace that Sathanas uses in her smash attack. "Get back to your senses!"

Malique is fazed by the scene and contemplates the nature of trust. The right, the wrong, everything sorts itself as a puzzle that does not have an ending piece. He is not aware that his life right now is in danger until his consciousness is pushed inside him by Michael.

"Go!" Michael tosses Malique out of harm's way, and by the time he realizes it, he is already fleeing on two feet. "Save yourself!"

"You're not getting away!" Sathanas hurls the mace as hard as she could and shoves Michael out of her way alongside her weapon. But that does not slow her down as she throws her club away and pursues Malique.

"Not on my watch... Huh?" Before Michael can stop Sathanas from chasing Malique, an arrow flies past him, almost scratching his cheeks.

[Fwoosh!]

"I can't believe I missed the second time," Mammon complains as he closes in on Michael.

There's a thud, and Michael quickly takes note of his surroundings. Belphegor has cut off his movements by leaping in front of his track.

"Well, how long has it been since you last practised your shooting?" Belphegor answers, while Michael eyes both of them left and right. His spear travels around his body as he spins it, preparing for either of their attacks.

"I believe that your appeal has to be declined," Belphegor says, putting a stance that displays both of his hands ahead of him, probably attempting to snatch Michael and bear hug him. "Ain't that right, Mammon?"

While Mammon hasn't given any answer, his action does. Getting his second shot ready, he pulls the string as far back as it could, so the utmost power can be generated. Seeing this, Michael can't help but smile pathetically. He might be able to handle them, but what about Malique?

"Stop running, you little rat!" Sathanas shouts while inching closer and closer to Malique. Thanks to her wings, she can close the distance at such speed. "I got you now... Ah!"

Before Sathanas could latch onto her prey, Malique opens his wing and dashes skywards, forcing her to stumble to the ground, head first. Of course, like how a normal person would react, she punches the sand with anger.

"Abaddon! Don't you dare let him escape! I want to tear his brain out thinking that he outsmarted me."

As if on command, a bladed chain strikes Malique on his right leg, clamping and sticking onto the flesh and cutting it. On top of that, Abaddon even tugs on the other end, towing Malique down and writhing in pain.

"Aaaahhh!" Instead of floundering to the desert, Malique manages to stabilize himself and land properly. Though his right foot is still usable, the aches resolving from the wound after he gruntingly untangles the chain force him to think otherwise.

"No one has been able to flee from Abaddon, you know," Abaddon remarks as he settles within Malique's sight, a fact that Malique has given zero interest in knowing.

"Nice job, Abaddon," Sathanas praises Abaddon's achievement as she alights next to him.

"Hey, Sathanas. Will General Lucifer also praise me?" Abaddon questions, his eyes glittering with hope. "Like how you just did?"

"Well yes, of course," Sathanas indulges Abaddon to get him on his best side so they can become an unmatched duo like Mammon and Belphegor.

Great, die-hard fanatics of Lucifer plus a killing-obsessed madwoman are after his life. With his leg emanating a taste of Hell if that is how it feels like, Malique relaxes himself.

"We can do this. Keep calm and think. What's the best way over this? How would Michael overcome this situation?"

[Twing!]

"Oi! That could have hit me!" Belphegor lets out his rage after Mammon chooses to let his arrow fly targeting Michael, an enemy that he must defeat.

"Tch! It's not going to hit you," Mammon clicks his tongue, frustrated that he has failed to hit his mark again. "You got that thing, don't you? Why don't you just use it? At least now, I can shoot without any consideration for you."

Following his order, Mammon takes yet another aim. This time, three arrows are fixed in between four of his fingers, aligning themselves on the sturdy bowstring. Without a single warning, he lets them progress at a speed comparable to sound.

[Fling!]

Crap!

Michael is just able to parry the shaft that is coming straight for his skull. While the other two flew past him, there is a bigger guy behind him that is a much easier and slower target for him to bag. This guy's crazy! His friend is about to die because of him.

[Thuck! x2]

"You bastard!" Belphegor screams with two shields formed on each of his forearms with fletching poking out. "Even so, tell me when you're trying to fire."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm firing again."

[Fling and thick!]

A sudden arrow catches Michael off guard, landing on his left shoulder. Even though he wears armour, the point pierces through and hits his bone. Like Malique, they both suffer injuries that are not fatal but still painful.

"Tsk!" Michael quickly pulls out the arrow and disregards the extra pain. He needs to get to Malique as soon as possible. He unravels his charm like usual.

"Oho, tough guy huh?" Mammon taunts while preparing for another shot and snipes it after he deems it ready.

[Thuck!]

Unfortunately, he hits Belphegor's shield, making him pose with a crossed face as Mammon didn't warn him about his shot. Michael takes this chance to slip away, sliding under Belphegor through the middle of his spread.

When Michael jumps out to lift off, he does a front flip, avoiding an oncoming arrow that skips to nowhere. After a while, he figures out what Mammon is capable of doing so he arranges a breakout manoeuvre.

'Fuck! How could you let him escape!?' Mammon yells at Belphegor.

"Blame it on your aim, idiot!" Belphegor puts away his shield and takes off running after Michael. "What are you waiting for? We're after him."

"Stop ordering me, I know," Following Belphegor, they both soar through the orange sky and sand trying to catch their prey.

"They should be done before Asmodeus could finish rerouting the parade here," Beelzebub kneels and makes his observation. "Even if they are somehow unable to complete their tasks, our numbers will undoubtedly turn off the chances."

"Forget about rerouting the others here," commands Lucifer, causing Beelzebub to become bewildered and Asmodeus to abruptly cancel her transportation spell.

"What do you mean?" Beelzebub humbly asks for the reasoning behind Lucifer's directive.

"Don't waste your energy, Asmodeus," Lucifer calmly explains. "Bringing the whole existence here just to solve a small matter is unthinkable."

"You mean?" Asks Beelzebub.

"Yes, we're joining them," Lucifer sternly appeals to his suggestion. "I want us to make this quick. We have ambitions to fulfil in the end."

"Brilliant, General," congratulates Beelzebub while standing, and Asmodeus also comes close to them.

"I'll lead the way," proposes Asmodeus while hovering ahead of them and searching for their vitality. "Any preference?"

"Whoever is closest," responds Lucifer.

"That would be Malique," Asmodeus responds.

"Malique it is."

Together, all of them settle on throwing each of their own hands into this mess. Will Malique preserve himself until the end? Will Michael come to his aid before the three respective leaders arrive?