Alluring Secret : Black Vow

Chapter 4 : Part 1 : The Laws Of Heaven

Chapter 4, Part 1 – The Laws of Heaven

All around the pillars of flames that reached the heavens were a myriad of feathers that danced in the wind. Black and white, the bright red flames scorched and consumed that monochrome world. The holy land was completely burned to blackened ashes by "hellfire", raising columns of smoke. Breaking through the gates, and without even glancing at the Celeste Garden, the demon troops headed straight for that place. Yes, the country that lay before my eyes presently, Alphine, and their destination that lay beyond it, the "Tree of Life."

God cannot directly exercise His great powers. All must be carried out through the actions of another. The Tree of Life which exists in that land, also known as God's Room of Creation; it encompasses all life, including ours. That was why the demons that were flooding in at that moment could not be removed with His power. We were the only ones who could overturn these overwhelming unfavorable tides of battle.

Willing strength into my trembling wings, I flew to where my brethren were fighting in the burning flames. The hellfire made by the demons was filled with heinous dark energy, and even though Heaven was filled with holy energy, their power showed no sign of weakening.

"Ahhhh!"

A bullet flew by me and grazed my left wing. It hurt terribly, bringing tears to my eyes. At this rate, I, along with everyone else, would be finished. It's scary, I want to run, I don't want to be here!

While I'd been unaware, fire was closing in on me from the front. I held my breath in fear. I was done for......!

I closed my eyes tight, bracing myself against the pain that was sure to come, but no matter how much time passed, I felt nothing. Very slowly, I opened my eyes.

"Are you alright, Kaito!?"

Giant, white wings covered me completely. And the moment that the huge, white axe was swung, as if drawing a circle in the air, the surrounding flames and demons were instantly purified.

"Caption Leon.... I-I'm....."

"Get it together. It's all over the moment you let your guard down."

"But..... I can't....."

It was my first encounter with demons as an angel trainee. In comparison, my captain had accumulated much more experience than I, and was the leader of the Seventh Demon Subjugation Unit—which was said to the strongest unit. We differed greatly. In the first place, my personality wasn't suited for fighting; I wasn't strong. During training, I was always losing to my colleagues.

"Don't back down!"

"But—!"

"Even if you flee now, we have no place to return to. If we are unable to defend this place, both angels and humans alike—all of us will perish."

"...... But... I'm so weak.... I wouldn't even still be here if you hadn't saved me just now.... I'm just so weak, subpar; I can't do anything!"

Wham—

My left check was struck, hard, causing me to stagger. I tasted the blood in my mouth. The tears that had had been building up out of fear immediately streamed down my left cheek from the shock of the blow.

"Try saying that again. Who's a weakling that can't do anything? And you still call yourself my disciple!"

"But it's true.....! I'm always losing to the others... Even now, I'm scared and my wings can't stop shaking..... I'll never be able to fight!"

"You fool! Don't just decide that on your own!"

"Nn.....!!"

"It's true that you're a weakling, a crybaby, and an idiot of a disciple..... However,"