Kokabiel POV
I closed my eyes. The weight of what I was about to do pressed down on me like the entire cosmos.
When I opened them again, I saw faces I recognized. Fallen Angels I'd trained with. Laughed with. Talked to about stupid things during guard duty.
They were going to die here. All of them.
Unless....
"Before we begin," I said. My voice carried across the battlefield. "I'll offer you one last chance."
The Fallen Angels stirred. Uncertain.
"Break off your alliance with Lucifer. Surrender peacefully and atone for your crimes."
Silence. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
"I know many of you don't want to perish here." I looked at them. Saw the fear in their eyes. The exhaustion. The doubt.
"But there aren't many choices left after what you did. You either surrender and atone for your crimes, or you die."
Simple. Clean. Brutally honest.
Azazel, Baraqiel and Shemhazai looked at each other. A wordless conversation passing between them. Years of fighting together. Leading together.
They were considering it. I could see the calculations. The weighing of odds.
They weren't at their peak strength yet. Azazel was still ten-winged. He'd grow stronger after this war—assuming he survived. Baraqiel and Shemhazai were powerful but not invincible.
Against me? They had no chance. They knew it. I knew it. Everyone knew it.
But then one of the radicals, a six-winged angel I didn't recognize shouted.
"Don't look down on us!"
Others joined in.
"We escaped God's control and now you want us to crawl back?!"
"We live freely, and we'll die freely!"
"Freedom or death!"
The chant spread. Dozens. Hundreds. Working themselves into a frenzy.
I shook my head. The sheer stupidity of it.
Freedom. They thought this was freedom. Dying for Lucifer's ego while he sat safe in Hell, using them as pawns.
Azazel raised his hand. The shouting stopped.
He looked at me. Smiled wryly. That same smile he'd worn when we used to discuss human mating habits. More like he tried convince me ass was better than boobs.
When everything was simpler.
"Dying free is better than living in chains, Kokabiel." He raised his spear—a beautiful weapon crackling with holy light.
"I appreciate the kindness. Really. But we fight. I can't abandon those who followed me here."
Shemhazai stepped forward. His staff glowing. "We left Heaven because we were seen as abominations. For following our desires. For wanting to feel.
Humans commit worse sins every day, yet His mercy is always available for them. But not for us! Never for us!"
For once, I didn't refute it. It was true.
His voice cracked. Raw emotion bleeding through.
"We were cast out for wanting to love. For wanting to choose. And now you ask us to go back? To submit again? No. Never."
Baraqiel summoned lightning that danced around his fists. Thunder rumbled overhead.
"We appreciate your kindness, Brother. Truly. But we have responsibilities. These angels followed us. Trusted us. We won't betray that trust by surrendering them to judgment."
The Fallen army behind them erupted. Cheering. Shouting support. Raising weapons.
They'd rather die than bend the knee.
Idiots.
Brave idiots. But idiots nonetheless.
I sighed. The last bit of warmth drained from my eyes. Felt that familiar coldness settling in before I was about to pass judgment. The detachment that made killing easier.
"It seems there's no other choice." My sword materialized in my hand. Bluish-black blade with a silver edge. Stars swirling within. "May you rest in peace."
I paused.
"For what it's worth, I truly wish it didn't have to come to this. I'm sorry, brothers."
Azazel's smile turned sad. "We know, Kokabiel. We know."
The battle began .
Azazel led the charge. Spear raised high. Behind him, Baraqiel and Shemhazai. Behind them, thousands of Fallen Angels.
They moved in perfect formation. Azazel had trained them well. No mindless rush. Coordinated. Professional.
The sky filled with light spears. Hundreds. Thousands. A beautiful, deadly rain of divine weapons.
Some cast debuff magic. I felt the attempts to paralyze, to sleep, to poison. Waves of hostile magic washing over me.
Others used elemental attacks. Fire came from the left. Ice from the right. Wind tried to push me off balance. Earth rose up to trap my feet.
It was actually impressive. Against a normal angel, even a strong one, this would have worked.
But I wasn't normal.
I watched the attacks coming. The light spears getting closer. Could see the hope in their eyes. The desperate belief that maybe, just maybe, they'd win.
They wouldn't.
I whispered one word.
"Fall."
Reality rippled. The air shimmered. The ground cracked.
Above the battlefield, a star appeared.
Not a metaphor. Not a symbol. An actual star.
I'd reached up through space and time and grabbed one. Pulled it from its place in the cosmos. Compressed it. Shaped it. Aimed it.
It was nearly the size of a small house.
Burning white with distorting flames. The heat alone made the air shimmer and warp.
The Fallen Angels looked up.
Their attacks faltered. The spears fell harmlessly. The magic dissipated.
They just stared.
Some screamed. Started to run.
Most froze. Unable to process what they were seeing.
The star fell upon them like Divine Judgement.
Time seemed to slow. I saw every detail. Every face.
A young angel—couldn't be more than a hundred years old—reaching for his friend.
Two angels holding hands as they looked up.
An older one closing his eyes. Accepting it.
Azazel grabbing Baraqiel and Shemhazai. Trying to pull them back. Too slow. Too late.
Boom!
The impact was like a nuke going off.
The sound was beyond description. Like reality itself was screaming.
The shockwave hit first. A physical wall of force that destroyed everything in its path.
The light spears disintegrated mid-air. The magic circles shattered. The angels at the front vanished. Just gone. Atomized.
Then came the heat.
Burning. All-consuming.
It burned away everything. Flesh. Bone. Stone. Ground. Air itself .
The three leaders at the front were thrown back. Sent flying like leaves in a hurricane. Crashed through rocks.
When the light finally faded, the battlefield was visible once again. But it was a scene from nightmare.
The center of the battlefield was just... gone. A crater the size of a small town. Glass at the bottom where sand had melted. Still glowing red.
Around the edges remained rest of the army.
The lucky ones had been vaporized instantly. Didn't feel anything. Just there one moment, gone the next.
The unlucky ones survived.
Bodies burnt beyond recognition. Limbs missing. Wings charred to stumps. Faces melted. Screaming. Begging. Praying.
One was trying to crawl with arms that ended at the elbow. Didn't seem to realize his legs were gone.
Another was just... crying. Sitting there. Staring at where his hands used to be.
A third was calling for his brother. Over and over. His brother was lying twenty feet away. In pieces.
I felt bile rise in my throat. Swallowed it down.
This was war. This was what I did. This was necessary.
I kept telling myself that.
Didn't make it true.
I closed my eyes. Summoned countless light spears around me. Each one humming with condensed holy power.
"Let me put you out of your misery," I said quietly. "For old times' sake."
One last mercy. The only kind I could offer now.
I waved my hand.
The spears found their targets.
It was swift and painless as I could make it.
The screaming stopped.
Silence fell over the battlefield. Just the crackle of flames. The groan of settling earth.
And my own breathing.
I didn't enjoy this. Didn't want this.
But they killed thousands of angels. Made their choice. Accepted the consequences.
This was war. And war was just organized murder with flags and speeches.
****
I sensed movement to my left.
Three figures pulling themselves from rubble.
Azazel stood first. Slowly. Painfully.
He had twelve wings now.
When did that happen? During the impact? The desperation to protect his people pushed him past his limits?
Ironic. He became stronger just in time to die.
Baraqiel was next. Shaking. His left arm hung at a wrong angle. Broken. Compound fracture from the look of it. Bone visible through skin.
Shemhazai had several wings burnt. Bleeding. They'd grow back. Eventually.
Oh wait. I'm about to kill them.
Dark humor. My coping mechanism. Didn't make me feel better.
They looked at me. Their eyes said everything.
Anger at me for doing this. At themselves for failing.
Sadness for their dead soldiers. For what they'd lost.
Resignation, knowing this was the end.
Azazel laughed through the Pain.
"Thousands of us. And you didn't even break a sweat."
"I told you to surrender."
"Would've been boring."
Typical Azazel. Joking even now.
"This is better?" I qeked without any emotion.
He looked at the crater. At the bodies. At what remained of his army.
"No. But at least we chose it."
I couldn't argue with that logic.
Baraqiel spat blood. "How long have you been this strong?"
"Does it matter?"
"Curiosity. Indulge a dying man."
"Since the beginning. I just never used it."
"Why not?"
"Because I didn't want to."
Shemhazai managed a smile. "Must be nice. Having that choice."
"It really isn't."
They looked at each other. Another wordless conversation. Then nodded.
"One last time?" Azazel asked them.
"One last time," they agreed.
They began gathering their remaining power. What little they had left. Channeling it. Concentrating it into One final attack. Going out with dignity.
I could respect that.
They charged with desperate roars.
Azazel struck from the front. Spear aimed at my heart. His Light burning fiercely. Everything he had.
Baraqiel from the left. His good arm glowing. Lightning concentrated into a single devastating point.
Shemhazai from the right. Staff blazing. Magic circles overlapping. A spell that should've taken hours condensed into seconds.
They Coordinated well. Beautiful in its desperation.
I raised my sword. Waited until they were close enough to see my eyes.
I raised my sword. Swung it in a wide arc.
One swift motion. Clean. Efficient.
The blade cut through their attacks like they weren't there. Through their defenses. Through them.
All three of them fell at once.
Matching wounds across their chests. Deep. Diagonal. Bleeding heavily.
But not immediately fatal.
I'd held back. Angled the cut to miss major organs. They'd bleed out slowly but had time.
Why? I didn't know.
Maybe some part of me still hoped they'd survive. Be captured. Be imprisoned but alive.
Stupid hope.
Azazel coughed. Blood bubbled on his lips. He managed a chuckle. "You... held back... Again."
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"I Don't know. Maybe I still hoped you would surrender."
Baraqiel laughed Painfully. "As expected... of the Twin Swords of Heaven. Can't even... kill us properly... without mercy."
"Shut up and die quickly."
"Can't I do both?"
"Baraqiel."
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
He smiled. Closed his eyes. "Sure, Brother."
Shemhazai had already passed out. The pain too much. Probably for the best.
I crouched beside them. The battlefield was destroyed completely. Scorched earth. Ash. Death everywhere.
But not a speck of dirt or blood touched me. The starlight kept everything away. A barrier I couldn't dismiss even if I wanted to.
"You guys did well," I said quietly.
Baraqiel opened one eye. "Liar."
"You lasted longer than most would."
"We barely lasted thirty seconds."
"Against me? That's impressive."
"That's depressing beyond imagination."
Fair point.
Azazel was staring at the sky. At the stars beginning to appear as day turned to dusk.
"The stars are Beautiful tonight," he murmured.
"Yeah."
"Was it worth it?" he asked. Not looking at me. "All of this. The war. The death. Was any of it worth it?"
I didn't answer immediately. Didn't have an answer.
"You tell me," I finally said. "You're the one who chose this. You joined the war knowing everything."
"I chose freedom."
"You chose self destruction."
"Same thing sometimes."
"That's a shit philosophy, Azazel."
"It's the only one I have left." He coughed. More blood flowing.
"Doesn't matter now anyway. We lost. Losers don't get a say in how history remembers them."
"History remembers everyone wrong anyway." I watched the stars above.
"Comforting."
"Wasn't trying to be."
We sat in silence. Just the sound of their labored breathing. The crackle of distant flames.
I stood up. Raised my sword. "I hope the rest of your faction learns from this. Stops fighting. Yahweh would still spare them. If they surrender. If they stop killing."
My blade began to glow. Ready to end it.
"Will you remember us?" Azazel asked suddenly.
I paused. "What?"
"When we're gone. When all of this is over. Will you remember? Not the war. Not this." He gestured weakly at the battlefield. "Before. When we were brothers."
I thought about it. About nights on Heaven's walls. Talking about nothing. Laughing at stupid jokes.
"Yeah," I said quietly. "I'll remember."
"Good. That's... that's good."
I raised my sword higher. "Goodbye, brothers."
"See you in the next life, Kokabiel."
"There isn't one for you."
"Then make one up. I won't know the difference."
Despite everything, I smiled. "Deal."
Suddenly there was a message in my head. The mental communication hit me like a physical blow. Emergency channel. Reserved for dire situations.
It was Aniel.
My hand stopped.
"Hello Sister Aniel," I said tiredly. "What is it? In the middle of killing my family."
But I didn't hear her usual cheerful voice. That bright, happy tone that could make anyone smile.
I heard screaming.
Pain. Terror. Desperation.
My blood turned cold.
"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" I shouted. "ANIEL! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
Before I left for this mission, Aniel had come to see me. Excited. Bouncing on her feet.
"I'm going to kick Beelzebub's ass, Brother! Watch me!"
"Don't get cocky."
"I won't! I'll be super duper careful!"
She'd hugged me. I'd patted her head.
Standard goodbye.
What went wrong?
She shouldn't be in danger. She was with five other Archangels. Six of Heaven's strongest. Fighting the three Satans while Michael dealt with Lucifer.
They should've been fine. They should've been winning.
What happened?
Her voice came through. Broken. Crying. Each word clearly causing pain.
"Brother... help us... please..."
"I'm coming. Where are you?"
"It's... the two Dragon Emperors... Ddraig and Albion... they were fighting... they didn't care... they didn't even see us..."
Against Ddraig and Albion. The two Dragon Emperors. The strongest dragons in existence.
Of course they couldn't win. Dragons that powerful—collateral damage from their fight alone could level countries.
"They barged in while we were fighting the Satans... the Devils took advantage... Brother, they killed Kabiel and Raziel..." Aniel sobbed.
My vision blurred. Kabiel. The one who always talked about justice. About right and wrong. Who believed so strongly in what we stood for.
Raziel. The awkward one who studied mysteries. Who'd spend hours explaining theories about the universe. Who got excited about puzzles.
Now they are Dead.
"Uriel... Uriel died saving me... he pushed me out of the way... I saw... I saw him get erased..."
She broke down. Sobbing.
Uriel. The wise one. The guardian of the miracle system. Who'd helped me prank some humans by granting absurd miracles. Who'd made terrible puns and laughed at his own jokes.
Now he won't laugh again.
"Kamael and Tsadkiel are barely holding on... buying everyone time to retreat... but we won't make it... Brother, we won't make it..."
Kamael. The muscle head who dragged me to train. "Just one more set, Brother! You can do it!" I'd sometimes throw a dumbbell at him.
Tsadkiel. The organized one. Who knew everything about Heaven's systems. Who'd sit with me on the highest peaks and talk.
My sword fell from my hand. Clattered on the scorched ground.
Three Archangels dead. Three more dying. Because of two damn lizards having a pissing contest.
"Hang on," I said. My voice was shaking. When did it start shaking? "Hang on, Aniel. I'm coming. I'm coming right now. Tell Kamael and Tsadkiel not to do anything stupid. Tell them to run. Tell them to survive. That's an order!"
"Brother... I'm scared..."
"I know. I'm coming. Just hold on."
I activated my omniscience. Found her location. Saw the battlefield.
It was horrifying.
I cut the connection. Looked down at Azazel.
He was staring at me. Had heard everything through our connection.
I hesitated. A moment. Just a moment.
Then made my choice.
"Fate has given you another chance," I said. "Don't waste it."
I spread my wings and flew.
Space warped around me. I teleported to the boundary between realms.
The massive barrier that separated the Underworld from the neutral zones.Powerful magic. Meant to keep armies out. Forged by Satan-class beings.
I looked at it.
Raised my sword.
Swung once.
The barrier shattered like glass.
The guards on the other side—dozens of mid or high level devils—died before they could scream. The shockwave turned them to red mist.
I didn't slow down.
Flew faster than I'd ever flown. Broke the sound barrier. Didn't care about the damage I was causing.
The Underworld blurred around me. Red skies. Black mountains. Rivers of souls. Screaming.
I ignored it all.
I could see the battlefield ahead. Sense it. The massive powers clashing. Dragon auras like suns.
Then I reached it.
The battlefield was worse than I imagined.
Thousands of dead angels. Scattered like broken toys. Some with wings torn off. Some crushed. Some burnt.
The ones still alive were worse. Crawling. Reaching toward the sky. Begging. Praying.
To Yahweh. To anyone who would listen.
"Please..."
"Help us..."
"It hurts..."
"I want to go home..."
I saw a small figure in the distance. Battered. Carrying someone.
Aniel was carrying Kama. Or what remained of Kamael. Barely recognizable. More red than white.
Then a red tail—massive, scaled, casual—swung through the air above them.
Like swatting a fly.
They went flying. Hundreds of feet. Crashed through rocks.
I Tried to catch them, but I was too slow.
They hit the ground. The impact crater was ten feet deep.
I rushed to them. Dug through rubble with my bare hands.
Kamael was lying there. His chest caved in. Ribs visible. Piercing through skin. His eyes open. Staring at nothing.
"No no no no..."
I grabbed him. Shook him. "Kamael! Kamael, wake up! That's an order! Wake up!"
Nothing.
"Come on! You don't get to die! You still owe me a rematch! We had plans! We were going to—"
Nothing.
He was gone.
Beside him was Aniel. Still breathing barely.
I immediately channeled my essence into her. Trying to resuscitate. Heal. Something. Anything.
Her trembling hand grabbed mine.
"Brother..." Her voice was so small. Like a child's. "Is that... you?"
"Yeah. Yeah, it's me. Don't talk. Save your energy. Raphael is coming. She'll fix you. She can fix anything. Just hold on."
She smiled. That same smile she always had. Even now.
"You're... a terrible liar... Brother."
"I'm not lying."
"Your hands... are shaking."
They were. When did that start?
"Save your energy, Aniel. I'll get you out of here. We'll go back to Heaven. You can rest. Get better. Everything will be fine."
"Stop... lying..."
She looked past me. Up at the sky. At the two massive shapes still fighting.
Ddraig and Albion. Dragons the size of mountains. Scales gleaming. Power radiating.
They were still fighting. Probably didn't even notice the angels. We were nothing to them. Insects. Background noise.
They'd killed thousands without even trying. Without even caring.
"Those dragons..." Aniel whispered. "They killed everyone... I tried... I tried to save them... but I couldn't... I couldn't save anyone..."
"It's not your fault."
"Kabiel... she died protecting me... Raziel too... Uriel pushed me out of the way and... and..."
Tears ran down her cheeks. Mixing with blood.
"I couldn't save anyone... I'm useless... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
"Stop it. You did everything you could."
"It wasn't enough..."
"It never is."
She grabbed my face with both hands. Weak. Trembling. Pulled me down.
Before I could react, her lips touched mine.
Soft. Warm. Gentle.
I froze. Completely stupefied.
She pulled back. Smiled at my expression. Actually smiled.
"I... have always loved you... Brother. More than... a sister should... I know it's wrong... but I couldn't... couldn't help it..."
"Aniel—"
"I'm sorry... for never telling you... for being a coward... I just wanted... wanted you to know... before..."
Her hands were falling. Losing strength.
"Before I..."
Her eyes. Those bright, happy eyes that had greeted me every morning. That had looked at me with such joy.
They dimmed, The light going out.
Like stars dying.
"Don't forget us..." Her voice was barely a whisper. Wind carrying it away. "Avenge us... Kokabiel..."
I felt her body go slack. The warmth leaving. Life fading.
"Aniel?"
She didn't answer.
She never would again.
I just... sat there. Holding her. Staring at her peaceful face.
She looked like she was sleeping. Just sleeping. I could wait for her to wake up. Any moment now.
A boulder crashed nearby. Thrown casually by a dragon's tail during their fight. Big enough to crush buildings.
It was coming toward us.
I didn't move.
Just spread my wings. Covered Aniel and Kamael. Protected their bodies.
The boulder Shattered against my wings.
I didn't feel it.
Didn't feel anything.
Just... emptiness.
Three thousand years.
I'd lived over three thousand years in this world.
Always watching. Always distant. Never getting too close.
Because getting close meant it hurt when you lost them.
But somehow, they'd gotten close anyway.
Aniel's playful ambush hugs. Jumping out from corners. "Surprise, Brother!" Always laughing.
Kamael's persistent nagging. "Come on! Just one more set! You're getting soft!" Never giving up.
Kabiel's passionate speeches about justice. About right and wrong. So sincere. So believing.
Raziel's awkward conversations about mysteries. Getting excited about stars. About the unknown.
Uriel's terrible puns. Making everyone groan. But laughing anyway.
Tsadkiel on the mountain peaks. Quiet talks. Comfortable silence.
They'd grown on me.
And now they were gone.
All of them.
A meaningless death.
Caught between two fucking lizards having a pissing contest.
To them, angels, devils, humans were just ants. Collateral damage. Not worth acknowledging.
I stood up slowly. Weird, I feel something wet on my face. Must be raining.
I gently Wrapped Aniel and Kamael's bodies in holy power. Sealed them. Stored them in my personal dimension along with the others.
Six bodies now. Six siblings. Six people I'd failed.
Then I looked up At the two dragons still fighting.
I didn't know at that moment, My violet eyes were changing. The light within them fading. Replaced by pure white. No pupils. No irises.
Empty, Like burned-out suns.
Above, the two Dragon Emperors paused.
Ddraig pulled back mid-strike. His massive red head turning. Eyes narrowing.
"Do you sense that, Albion?"
Albion nodded. White scales gleaming. "Yes, Ddraig. I sense... danger."
"What is that thing? That's not an angel or devil. They are too weak."
"I don't know. But it's... Something that shouldn't exist."
For the first time in their eternal rivalry, they stopped fighting. Looked down.
Something was coming toward them.Too fast.
Another angel. But different.
It had no face. No features. Just a black silhouette illuminated by countless flickering stars. Like someone had cut out a piece of the night sky and shaped it into a being.
Twelve black wings spread behind it. Each feather a contained star.
Each flap caused natural disasters. Winds strong enough to create hurricanes. Pressure that cracked the ground below.
The power radiating from it grew stronger with each passing second. Exponentially. Infinitely.
Ddraig tried to measure it. His senses trying to read it.
"This creature..." Ddraig's voice actually shook. "It's growing stronger, fast. What is it?"
Albion tried to use his ability. Divine Dividing. His ultimate power.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Nothing.
"I can't divide its power!" Albion's shock was clear. "It's like trying to divide an infinite ocean! What IS that thing?!"
The figure stopped. Hanging in the air. Level with them.
Then it spoke in a strange language that hurt their ears just from listening.
The voice Reverberated through reality itself.
"I'm your death."
And it sent something through both dragons that they hadn't felt in their long lives.
Fear.
The figure's hand pointed towards them.
Reality began to bend.
Stars, actual stars from across the cosmos began appearing around the figure.
Hundreds. Thousands. Millions.
Each one burning furiously, ready to fall.
All aimed at them.
Ddraig and Albion looked at each other.
For the first time in their eternal rivalry, they had the same thought.
I don't stand a chance alone.
But it was too late.
The stars began to fall. And there was no stopping them.
****
Mentally exhausted. Writing emotional stuff takes a lot out. Last one for the week.
I saw some mixed reactions and wanted to check in . Do you love it so far?
Is there any major mistakes or issues to address?
Are you suffering, like I am ? 💀
Lemme know.