Chapter six

Mammon turned to his brother with a twinkle of mischief shiny in his twin red eyes, a mocking grin gracing his pale lips, "care to change the wager brother?" he asked looking into Belphegor eyes, "because I think that this angel lacks the good sense the Creator has bestowed on them," he said mocking the choice of humans the browned eyed angel had just picked, while his brothers laughed.

"So what is the wager right now?" Belphegor replied with the same mocking mischief, gleaming from his red eyes.

"I say this human will succumb within the second week," he said, casting mocking looks in the angels' direction, especially the green-eyed one, who he can see is beginning to lose his cool. Oh my God, these righteous pricks are easy to mess with, he thought smiling widely at the angel glowering at him.

"Nah, brother, that is stretching it too far," Belphegor added in a mocking tone, "I give them one week," he said in a comic tone causing the others to laugh including Asmodeus who hasn't always thought him to be funny.

"Silence! , " Lucifer bellowed turning his fiery glowing red eyes on his demons, who were causing a rucuks. He is all for making fun of the righteous anytime but right now is not the time as they need to conclude this shit so he can go back to what is good at doing best, and that is tempting the righteous to fall he thought with an evil internal smirk.

He looked at the son of the Creator who throughout the proceeding had remained quiet. He tried figuring out his thoughts on the selection his angel just made, but his expression remained serene not giving out anything, but the same cannot be said for the angels who are spotting varying expressions on their faces.

Gabriel had a skeptical look, Raphael had a murderous look, no surprise there, the angel has always been a Mr goody two shoes, he probably has judged those humans to be unfit for the test, and Lucifer will agree with him there, a shudder of disgust went through him on having to agree on something with an angel. Thank the Creator that they can't read my mind. Micheal as always had an aloof expression like all this is a waste of his precious time, he will get along well with the fourth prince, Lucifer thought and the image of those two getting along, caused a light chuckle inside. The twin angels also have a can they pull it off expression as they both watched the bowl still showing the images. The only angel with what remotely looked like an I believe in them expression was the angel Phanuel, even the angel that picked the humans has a doubtful look on his face.

Lucifer's eyes went back to the son waiting on him to say something so they can disperse.

Like his father, the Son has not lost faith in the humans, he sees them as creatures that can pull of surprises when you least expect it, and also he had seen most of them persevere in the face of challenges, and despite what some of the angels and demons might think of them they are not a weak race. He took one more glance at the five chosen individuals, outwardly they might look like the wrong choice seeing that each one of them have the worse addictions that are so hard to break, but he had also seen in their eyes the determination to change and he believes that they are going to prove everyone wrong.

He turned to look at the faces of everyone as they all waited for the stroke of midnight to mark the beginning of the Yuletide bet. He looked at his angels and saw some of them with the impatient look, inching to get out of here, in the case of Gabriel wanting to go back to what he loves best, fighting demons.

They all stared at the human clocks displayed all over the world as the hands of the clock inched like a snail, towards the midnight hour, it was just a few seconds to the top of the hour, and they can see the humans watching the clock as they counted down to the dawn of the new year, and then the long hand hit twelve number sign and then moved passed it a little with the humans letting out screams of the happy new year, cheering each other up and lighting some of those beautiful lights in the sky. "And this marks the beginning of the yuletide bet, may the best side win, "he said to everyone present, as the angel's wings started erupting out in their preparation to leave. He was the only one without a wing as he wasn't an angel, but he doesn't need one to move around.

"Oh we are going to win," Asmodeus muttered arrogantly, throwing a cocky smirk in the direction of the brown-eyed angel, but the eyes that met his was that of the sea green-eyed angel as he glowered in his direction, a scowl on his face. His smirk grew wider as he taunted the angel with his smug smile, knowing how pissed off it makes the angel. Unlike Jegudiel who is always hard to get a rise from, it is so easy with this particular angel, and which Asmodeus takes advantage of at any giving opportunity in retaliation of the angel denying him the possession of the only human he ever evoked in him a lust that he has never felt before, and had yet to feel with any other being, giving her to that weak human.

Remembering the incident changed his mood to that of anger as he lost his smile, still pissed off at the loss. He looked away from the angel to follow his brothers who have started working away from the heart of the land which is where they always meet for the bet, heading in the direction of home.

Raphael wanted to wipe off that smug grin in the arrogant demons faces, and it angers him that he can't do anything while the demon prances about thinking he is something when he is not, and the thought of the imminent failure that his side is going to face yet again, with the choice of individuals his brother picked was not doing anything to improve his mood, rather it was making it worse as the angel felt his eyes glowing brighter and his fist clenched at his side. He needed to get out of here before he does something that will make the Creator punish him. So he released his golden massive wings and took to the sky not waiting for his brothers.

His departure caused the others to follow suit.

Jegudiel had felt the emotions pouring off his older brother before he soared into the sky. He didn't need a soothsayer to tell him that the angel was not pleased, cause he had felt the rise of his power when Asmodeus had arrogantly commented on their next victory and if there was not a ban, the angel would have ceased to exist long ago seeing how much he enjoys reeling my brother up. As for me, his words have never been able to get any rise from me, while giving him more victory with my emotions.

Jegudiel took the sky along with the others, the Son levitating alongside him. As they soared through the sky his mind was filled with the humans he had chosen, he didn't know why he had picked any of them except that he had seen something in their eyes, a will to change, and Jegudiel seriously hopes that it will be able to sustain them till the end because he didn't any more failures.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he wasn't aware when they reached the heavenly gate, spotting the distant sight of the gate he recollected his thoughts, there was nothing he can do now, it is in the hands of the humans like it has always been, but this time Jegudiel wishes they make different choices this time good ones.

Landing softly on the soft foamy floor of their kingdom, Jegudiel allowed his silver wings to fall back into place behind his back. He had the intention of going straight to his quarters because he needed rest before he is sent out again on an assignment, but his intention was foiled or rather delayed by the arrival of two of his brothers as they flanked him on two sides walking with him towards his mansion. Jegudiel groaned internally at the unwanted company but all the same hid his emotions from them.

"Brother, are you sure of the humans you picked?" Barachiel voiced out his doubts walking on jegudiel right. He had been surprised at his older brother picks, just like most of them were but he had held himself back from voicing his concern seeing that they still had there fallen brothers present and he didn't want to give them the impression that they didn't believe in his brother, but he couldn't help it now, because he along with other angels are tired of losing to the other side but unlike some of them, he didn't blame the angel walking with them.

Jegudiel sighed inside, without pausing in his steps muttered in a resigned tone, "I am not sure of them myself, after all, they are humans liable to change at any given time, but I do wish those five comes out victorious."

"They will, " Phanuel who was walking on the left added with a conviction that drew the eyes of the other two angels as they regarded him with questions in their eyes wondering how he could be so sure.

Phanuel smiled at the questioning expression on his brothers face, like the Creator, Phanuel has not lost his faith in the human race and something is telling him that this year despite all the difficulties of the last year, and the coming challenges of this new year that those humans are going to be able to weather it all without derailing from their vows, though is not going to be easy.

"I just believe," was the reply he had for them.

These three had just reached the mansion housing the lower three archangels, and Phanuel was about to bid them goodbye to head to his which he shares with Micheal, Raphael, and Gabriel when a strong wind blew past them, and the next thing they are watching Jegudiel being flung to the wall with a pissed off Raphael holding him hostage against it as he moved in a blur. Phanuel swallowed the hot exclamation reaching his mouth, before moving at a speed of light to pull off the raging angel.

"What are you doing?" he asked the angel who was glaring in his younger brother's direction, who was trying to get in the air into his lungs.

"I have had it with him, look at all the losses he had caused for us with all the individuals he has been picking, and this year he decided to pick from the worse basket, who are not even believers, to begin with, handing victory to the other side before the bet began," Raphael raged still glowering at his brother.

Before either of them could say anything in response, Raphael was summoned by the Creator. Giving one more bad look in Jegudiel's direction, the angel stumped off.

"Are you alright?" Phanuel asked kindly to the other angel who was spotting a bewildered look on his face as if he couldn't believe what just happened. The same for Phanuel, he knew his older brother was not happy about the bet losses but he didn't think it had reached the extent of him laying hand on his fellow brother. Phanuel shook his head at this, it is now in the hand of the Creator to handle this.

Jegudiel was still in disbelief at what just happened but all wanted at this moment was to be in his quarters where he could be alone with his thoughts or better still go down to the human world, which seems to be a safe place for him right now, as his kingdom is now proving hot for him. Without any words, to the two angels with him, he dashed away.

The rest of the demons have just made it to the underworld and were dispersing in a different direction, when. Asmodeus waylaid Belphegor, pushing him to one of the walls, and holding him tightly to his neck, as he glared at him in rage. He had not forgotten what the bastard had done to him. The others ignored them and continued their way, already accustomed to the two fightings each other.

"I warn you to not poke your nose into my business again, " he threatened him in a low tone bringing his face very close to that of his brother to show him how serious he was being.

"Or you will do what?" Belphegor asked his brother with a mocking smile, not remotely fazed by the anger pouring off him, or the threat behind his words.

"I will kill you," Asmodeus spoke with a promise tightening his hold on his brother's neck cutting off his air, but quite unfortunate that demons can last longer without air compared to the humans.

"Oh brother, you forget you can't kill me," Belphegor replied with a cheeky smile.

"Try it again and you will find out, "Asmodeus muttered releasing his hold on his neck and walking off.