Nezzar

Part Two: A Twisted Mercy

"Just like old times," Ziba said with a contented sigh. In her blue form, she stood next to Abaddon with dark blue threads branching from her arms and fingers into the dense battling population below.

The war was moving in the tide of Babylon. And it was no work, really. If Ziba and Abaddon were not present, Nebuchadnezzar's forces would have won all the same. Speaking of which. Ziba turned. South from the clash point was a rising cloud of dust. Nebuchadnezzar and his extra men were on their way, and the Egyptian forces would soon come to this realisation. Trapped on both sides, escape would be impossible.

"When you were away, I received an instruction concerning our assignment."

"Huh?" Ziba lifted an eyebrow at Abaddon's unexpected words. His eyes were completely black, his focus on the battle below. Not even an ant could move without his notice. Though it was clear who would win, Abaddon was still thorough with his task.

Abaddon motioned with his hand, and a small scroll materialised in Ziba's palm.

Instead of reading the content of the scroll, Ziba stared at the silver band around Abaddon's wrist. It had caught her attention before, and now she couldn't remain silent. "I didn't know you liked jewellery." There was an oddness about this particular jewellery; it threw off a suppressive energy Ziba did not like.

Abaddon glanced at the band before refocusing on his task. "The band was placed on me. It limits my abilities."

"It what?" Ziba's threads fizzled away. "How? Why? Who did this?"

"Algodon."

Ziba frowned, her confusion deepening. The angel of light was the one who helped her out on two occasions. She couldn't come up with a reason why he would do this to Abaddon. But it shouldn't be strange as well. Though his persona had a sunny at ease air, she was no stranger to how cataclysmic angels of light got whenever they unleashed their power. Seeing Abaddon's dark personality, maybe he pushed the angel to act.

"Did you fight?"

"No."

"Then why—"

"Read the scroll, Ziba."

It ended there. Nothing would get Abaddon to answer her at this point.

Ziba's gaze lingered on the band. She was beyond concerned. Just how much of Abaddon's power was suppressed? Why was it suppressed in the first place?

Huffing in annoyance, Ziba opened the tiny scroll and read its content. "This..." She scowled and reread the lines once more just to be sure. "Why?"

Abaddon shrugged. "I suppose the heavens wish to teach the mortal king a lesson."

"But allowing insanity." It took little to imagine the havoc Insanity would unleash. Ziba almost pitied Nebuchadnezzar.

"Insanity will go overboard," Abaddon said, echoing her thought. "Judging from his penchant, he would do everything including attempting to kill the king."

As if Abaddon's words summoned the demon, there was a shift in the atmosphere. Ziba zoomed her attention to the spot ahead. On the horizon, something flashed into appearance. Then he blazed in their direction with a trail of light.

"How eager," Abaddon mumbled.

"He was the one I sensed in Egypt." Ziba's ease switched to lethal alertness. Insanity hadn't even reached their location, and the air was already charged with his wrongness. Gritting her teeth, she summoned a sword—no, a spear was better. Maybe an axe.

"Do not be anxious," Abaddon said with casual indifference, focus still on the clashing soldiers below. "Insanity isn't our focus. And it isn't time for him to go crazy yet."