Seraph Of Death

Chapter 13: A demon's defeat

††

Azron's pov:

Grief washed over me like a tidal wave.

"No..no no no no. Zek please.... don't go. Stay. Stay,please. Don't just leave me by myself I'm begging you. I can't go on without you."

I cradled his head against my chest, rocking back and forth on my knees.i watched in anguish as his body slowly faded away, taken by the wind.

My mind raced with a million memories, a million thoughts, a million questions. My heart wept.

I was alone

After Ariel's exit, father stormed back into Hell in a fit of rage taking the rest of the demons with him. I was left to witness Zek's final moment.

Losing the one person that has truly cared for me is a pain like no other. Every heartbeat felt like a dagger, every breath like a battle. I had failed. I couldn't help his suffering; all I could do was watch as he slipped away from my fingers like sand.

Time seemed too slow as I felt a tear roll down my cheek. "Goodbye, Zek."

As his ashes flew away it felt like a part of me was scattering with them, leaving only emptiness in its wake. A thousand memories lost into the world as if they never existed. He was gone, and so were the only moments of true happiness that I had ever known.

There would be no ceremony to honour his life or the others. To my father and the others, his death is his punishment for losing to a fallen angel, the ultimate disgrace.

But I knew better. Ariel had been too powerful, too cunning to be defeated that easily.

A demon overly outranks a fallen angel but Ariel has proven strong enough to kill a hundred demons in one fight.

Ariel wanted to come here and if my father wasn't so ego-blind he would have been more defensive.

I lay Zekai's head to rest as his shoulders faded tk ashes. Demons do not form mutual attachments but Zek and I did. We found a family in each other, a family we never had.

After my father brutally murdered my mother, I was raised to understand that if i ever wanted my father's approval I had to reach the levels of my brothers in the upper rank. I've always longed for my father's love and his attention but he only ever was a constant down-dragger.

His insults, scolds and comparison of me to my brothers and to Ariel never made me feel better about myself. Out of everyone I envied Ariel the most. For even my father to notice him it meant he was hell of a strong Archangel and he is my age mate so father felt like if Ariel could accomplish this much in his life then why couldn't I.

Zekai's story is just as tragic. He worked with his family in Heaven as a royal servant but after his parents were relieved of their existence he met a cruel fate with a world that did not welcome impure bloods. At that time my father was planning a coup so out of desperation Zek joined the resistance- giving his soul to the devil.

The battle lasted for years but at the end Heaven's army won and captured all of father's followers. God stripped every last one of them of their titles and identity and kicked them out of heaven and after much contemplation Michael kicked my father out too instead of killing him to let him suffer from the shame of his defeat.

Now the only person that cared about me and understood me is gone, leaving a large void in my heart.

I will not spare Ariel.

Zekai's eyeballs fade with the rest of the ashes surrounding the yard and everywhere returns to the way it was.

I mourned for the loss of my friend unaware of Pion's approach.

"Sobbing will not bring him back Azron." He whispers.

"What do you want?"

"My Lord has ordered you make an appearance in court right now."

I wipe my tears. Sobbing is not a demon's thing but for Zek I will cry.

Zekai has met his fate and now it's time to meet mine. I almost forgot how incompetent I was in killing Ariel. He basically let me off the hook because he couldn't be bothered.

Now I understand how my father felt with his twin, to be so weak that your existence does not prove a threat.

I staggered on my strained limbs to face Pion's sober self. My father has transferred his aggression on the poor demon as usual.

We remained in silence as we toke a special elevator down. Tension thickened in the air and my every step felt heavy, laden with dread. I knew what awaited me beyond the large, foreboding door: Hell's Court. The only room in the entire building that lay in the depths of Hell.

As the heavy doors opened, the stifling heat and stench of sulfur assaulted my senses. The aura in the room was one of fear. It permeated the air, palpable to anyone.

Eygn, Drago, Mammon and Luzart stood in front of my father facing the left side of the court with their heads bowed to the ground. I clench both fists by my sides tightly as I walk towards father's throne.

My devil of a father sat on his large throne upright with legs crossed. He didn't look like someone that just lost up to a hundred soldiers; he looked like someone that saw the last person they ever wished to see.

"Father," I greet with a head bow,"you called me."

"Step forward," he orders.

I move closer.

"Closer," he urges.

The thunderous slap slamming my face in is probably the only time he has ever touched me.

I'm glad.

"You damn git. Ever since your birth you have always been a liability, were you born just to torture me?,"he growls," If a so-called leader like you is so worthless then i shouldn't waste your breath on your colleagues. You are all a bunch of fools."

"Father...I... it's not my fault he got away."

Before I can regret my statement I was gifted another smack but it didn't end there. He kept hitting me till I stumbled backwards and fell.
The slaps were so loud it made even a timid demon like Pion to interfer.

"My Lord please show him mercy. He..he is ya son." Pion begs.

"Then he should act like one! There are no excuses for him. He could barely make it to the middle rank while his mate was the supreme commander of an entire army of guardians. After all the effort to bring Ariel down here, this useless son could not be of use to his father in battle, neither could his team. I don't know the purpose of the lower rank anymore."

That's true, no demon from the middle or the high rank are present in Hell which left us, the lower rank, the ones to fight. Big mistake.

Out of 12 lower demons left, Ariel and co managed to kill 7. Zek, Medusa, Thanos, Lilith, Astaroth, Mary and Tarius including a few over 100 demons lurking in Hell.

Truth be told, my father is the real fool. He is so blinded by pride that he would not admit his youngest brother as surpassed him in power and in this case Ariel's power as nothing to do with any form of authority.

I laughed.

The fallen angel, Ariel Morningstar, has a penchant for shattering boundaries and norms. His power even rivaling the Devil himself. It's an anomaly that stirs a sense of disbelief in those who witness his strength, almost mocking the established hierarchy of the underworld.

"Get lost!"

I remain silent.

"Get out of my sight, my court, my kingdom...Get out of Hell."

"Father...are you asking me to leave."

"Are you deaf? Leave! If you ever show your stupid face here again be sure to bring me Ariel's head, or I will end your life."

"Father please. I apologize for being such a a failure but I don't think I deserve such cold punishment. I just want to make you proud father like my brothers." I cried.

He grabs my neck and crooks his head, deadpanned.

"Then bring me Ariel's head."