CASTIEL'S REQUIEM

Chapter 55: Ashes of the Dead

An unsettling silence fell over the battlefield, as if the very air was thick with anticipation. The angels and demons alike held their collective breath, sensing the gravity of the moment. The outcome of this duel would determine the course of eternity.

The ground seemed to tremble beneath their feet, as if the earth itself was alive and waiting. The sky grew darker, as if the heavens were closing in to witness the battle. A faint hum, like the quiet buzzing of a thousand wings, filled the air, building in intensity until it became almost deafening.

And then, Lucifer spoke, his voice like a crack of thunder on a summer's day. "And who's next to die for your useless God?"

The other angels, hearing this, recoiled in fear, believing that no one could stand a chance against Lucifer, who had effortlessly destroyed Castiel despite El's aid.

Mikhael, seeing that none of her kin had volunteered, stepped forward, a sword in her hand and a fierce determination in her eyes. "I, Mikhael, the Angel of War, challenge you, 'Darkness, Samael, or Lucifer,' to a duel, according to the celestial rules of eternity, as agreed upon eons ago. Let us fight to the death!"

With this bold declaration, Mikhael steeled herself for the battle ahead, her heart pounding with anticipation. The other angels watched in awe, knowing that Mikhael was about to face the ultimate test of courage and strength.

Lucifer, intrigued by Mikhael's bravery, smiled wickedly. "Ah, the Angel of War. How quaint. How... amusing. Very well, Mikhael. Let us dance, you and I. Let us see who shall reign supreme."

—_—

Castiel stood resolute, her determination fueled by the memories of her fallen kin. As the angel who had faced Lucifer's wrath, she knew she had no choice but to finish the battle that Death had begun. Before her, Immanuel's voice boomed like thunder.

"We have given you enough time in the past, and you have failed us... Are you willing to let go of everything, including vengeance, for this?"

Castiel's resolve wavered, her mind flooded with the faces of her fallen siblings: Bastiel, Jaquiel, Emily, Musqium, Ishael, Cariel, and the others. She still yearned for vengeance, for justice to be served.

"Maybe this is a bad idea, El," Abrael, an Asian elder angel with a striking resemblance to a K-pop idol, intervened. "She isn't ready; she'll fail."

Castiel's grip on her sword tightened. "No, I am ready. I can handle it."

Immanuel's piercing gaze searched her soul before nodding his head full of long white locks. "Good, daughter. You may go."

With those words, Castiel steeled herself for the ultimate confrontation, her heart burning with a fierce determination to save Earth and bring back peace.

—_—

Mikhael charged at Lucifer with her sword raised, but he met her halfway, catching her blade with his palm and shattering it into pieces that pierced her skin like shrapnel. Mikhael was left disarmed and vulnerable, her hands trembling as she tried to pull out the razor-sharp fragments.

Lucifer seized the opportunity, slamming Mikhael into a car with a deafening crash, the metal crumpling like paper. He pummeled her with his fists, each blow cracking her ribs and splintering her bones. Her screams were drowned out by the sound of shattering glass and crushing metal.

Once she was battered and bloody, Lucifer raised his sword, aiming for her heart, just as he had with Castiel. Mikhael's eyes widened in terror as she realized she was about to meet the same fate.

But just as Lucifer's sword was about to strike, Castiel burst onto the scene like a whirlwind, her sword flashing in the dim light. She sliced through Lucifer's minions like a hot knife through butter, her blade leaving a trail of bloody bodies in its wake.