Falling Leaves 15 ??

  Demons of all shapes and sizes charge at Danya and Tenko. Tenko releases Danya's hand as he fires a blast of white flames at the horde. The demons begin to scream, though some continue charging toward the pair.

  Danya blocks attacks with her scythe, struggling to keep up. Her eyes flicker as she's overwhelmed by the assault.

  Tenko ignites the blade of her scythe, sending a projectile of flame to surround Danya. The demons shriek in agony as some are cut in half while others writhe on the ground, burning.

  "Danya!" He calls out, rushing toward her.

  Danya stops him with an outstretched arm, blood dripping from her face. "I'm fine, worry about the horde of demons—-"

  The demons continue rushing in waves as Danya charges toward the hoard.

  "What are you doing?! Why are you running towards them!" Tenko demands, preparing to fire another blast.

  A black ghoul stands before Danya, its large body draped in a cloak covering its entire form. Only its teeth are visible as it reveals its claws, hurling them at Danya.

  Beside her, a man with a twisted face and four arms approaches, his eyes crossed as drool spills from his mouth.

  "PRETTY, PRETTY LADY!" he bellows, charging forward to grab her.

  In that moment, Danya seizes the twisted face of the demon, quickly using it as a shield against the ghoul's claws.

  "GWAHHH!" the demonic man cries out.

  "Impulso do Molte!" Danya declares as red light appears in her palm. She fires a blast through the hand gripping the man's face.

  Green orbs seep from him, landing on Danya's skin.

  "Well, that should be a good amount of energy—- but I need more to handle this much," she thinks, quickly releasing the man and leaping over him. Landing behind the ghoul, she hears it growl "GWRH?"

  She extends her palm as Tenko's flames pass by, causing an explosion behind the creature. Demon bodies fly in front of her and the ghoul as ear-piercing screams fill the air.

  She gathers energy for another Impulso Di Molte, firing it at the ghoul's back. The blast pierces through, decapitating the demonic man's head. Both bodies begin to wither as green orbs lash onto her skin, seeping into her pores.

  "More—-" she whispers as her hair and eyes begin flickering with crimson light.

  She fires another blast at more demons, causing an explosion and drawing more green orbs into her skin.

  "MORE!" she screams, continuing to fire Impulsos as a grin revealing fangs spreads across her face.

  Her eyes and hair glow crimson as she continues firing beams, draining the life energy from demons around her.

  Tenko watches as he slashes through demons, cutting them in half.

  "Damn it! She's going into her Sanguine mode again! I can't handle that again!" he grimaces, "She'll become one of them if this continues for too long! No, even worse—- Shit.."

  Nari continues his assault through the horde with barrages of lightning-infused attacks, punching heads clean off, creating holes in chests, breaking necks.

  A demonic beast charges forward—the head of a goat atop the body of a giant horse, its fur pure black with massive wings and a grotesque smile.

  "BWAHHHH!" it roars, its voice distorted and deepened, mixed with a baby sheep's bleat.

  "MOVE, FOUL CREATURE!" Nari roars, forming fists as orbs of lightning surround them. He flashes toward the beast, his punch piercing straight through as lightning disperses throughout its entire body.

  The creature bursts apart with a final "GURAG!" as it dies. Pieces of its body fall to the ground as blood rains on other demons.

  Nari continues blitzing through other demons without letting up his assault.

  Kiyoko continues running with Akuji's body as two demonic beasts chase her.

  She yelps, "AHHHHG! HELP ME, SOMEONE HELP ME! OH MY STARS PLEASE!"

  The giant demonic viper opens its mouth, revealing sharp fangs and a purple interior. Its shadow covers Kiyoko as she closes her eyes as she thinks, "I'M DONE FOR! I'M DEMON FOOD!"

  In that moment, blue flames strike the viper. It hisses as it falls to the ground, burning.

  Kiyoko looks toward the source of the flames, seeing Aoi breathing heavily while carrying Sachi over her shoulder.

  To her surprise, she exclaims, "ARCHANGEL AOI?! T-THANK YOU!"

  Aoi responds, "THIS IS NO TIME FOR THAT, KEEP MOVING!"

  The demonic hound accompanying the snake pounces toward Kiyoko.

  Aoi fires another blast of blue flames, making contact with the hound.

  Kiyoko shields herself from the particles and heat of the fire.

  "I SAID RUN!" Aoi commands once more.

  The flames begin forming streaks as they surround the hound. It howls as the flames seep into its body.

  Aoi's eyes widen. "What?!"

  Kiyoko starts flying away. "YOU CAN HANDLE THAT!"

  The hound turns toward Aoi as demons below spot her in the air.

  "HEY LOOK, IT'S AN ANGEL! A BEAUTIFUL ONE AT THAT!" one demon exclaims, "AND LOOK WHAT SHE'S HOLDING—ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL LADY! OH MAN, WHAT WERE WE MISSING IN HEAVEN?"

  "They look like a good meal for my pet hound," another demon adds.

  Aoi grits her teeth as the hound stares her down, sweat mixing with blood as it races down her face. The hound gathers flames in its mouth and fires a beam of red fire toward Aoi.

  Aoi beats her wings hard, using her own blue flames to accelerate herself. She barely dodges the blast, the heat singeing her feathers.

  The demons on the ground begin pursuing her as she attempts to flee through the air.

  The hound howls and turns toward Kiyoko's direction, giving chase to the fleeing angel.

  Back at Tenko's position, he continues slashing and blasting through the horde. His eyes fall on Ariel's motionless body nearby.

  "Brave angel, I'm sorry your life was cut so short. Once this is over, I'll give you a proper send-off."

  He quickly grabs her corpse by her robe's cloth and lifts her up. Creating a ball of white flames, he tosses her body into the air and hurls the fireball beneath it.

  The explosion sends her body flying across the arena, away from the swarming demons.

  Clyde's body continues screeching on the ground, summoning more black orbs as demons trample over him.

  Ariel's body crashes into the stands, her head hanging limp.

  In another distant area of Heaven, away from the battle, Haniel sits on a recovery bed looking out a window. Golden Sakura trees shed their leaves, their bark leaking water into ponds.

  White butterflies float around as golden koi fish leap from the pond. Haniel wears a hospital gown, the stub where her arm was severed wrapped in bandages.

  "Ariel—-" she whispers, watching the pond.

  Memories of their last conversation play in her head.

  "Ariel—- please be careful. If anything goes wrong over there, promise you'll make it out alive."

  Ariel's voice echoes louder: "I promise! I won't die, I'll come see you when everything is over."

  She continues gazing at the pond as a shadow covers her face. Looking up, she sees a dove flying toward the sky.

  "Please be okay," she whispers.

  Back at the Colosseum, Ariel lies in the stands, her body bruised and burned, her eyes closed as tears of blood seep through. Her face becomes covered by the shadow of a flying beast charging down to attack.

  Horns begin blowing in the sky as Tenko looks up. "What—what's going on!" A demon attempts to jump at him as he slashes it. Its head falls off as its body crumples to the ground. The horns continue blowing louder as screaming can be heard from above.

  Nari and Danya remain too focused on killing demons to pay attention.

  Aoi and Kiyoko also look to the sky upon hearing the horns.

  "About time!" Aoi declares, summoning a blue flame in her palm.

  "BLUE FLARE!" she commands, swiping her wrist as a wave of blue flames blasts down at the pursuing demons.

  "AUGHHH!" the demons scream in agony as they burn.

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  The horns grow louder as multiple orbs of golden light appear beneath the violet skies, raining down as angelic warriors arrive on the battlefield with weapons of different kinds: swords, bow and arrows, maces, brass knuckles, and katanas.

  One particular blue orb remains in the sky before crashing into the hound chasing Kiyoko. The hound falls to the ground as saliva and blood pour from its mouth, sliding toward Kiyoko as she continues running.

  "AHHHHHG!" she screams.

  The blue light dissipates, revealing a woman identical to Sachi but with long flowing silver hair. She wears a grey dress adorned with blue gems and flower petal designs, along with a necklace and headband of blue gems, her eyes an icy blue.

  Aoi stares down at her with a slack jaw, "M-mistress Ikigai."

  Ikigai turns to Aoi upon seeing her holding Sachi's body. "Archangel! Tell me what happened to my sister!"

  Aoi trembles slightly. "She—she was attacked by these demons!" she lies through her teeth, knowing Nari was the one who beat her down.

  Ikigai scoffs. "So these demons are that powerful?"

  She floats higher into the air as the angels battle the demons. As her eyes begin gleaming icy blue, She commands, "EVERY ANGEL HERE TODAY! DON'T LEAVE A SINGLE DEMON ALIVE! KILL, TORTURE, WHATEVER IS NECESSARY—DON'T SHOW ANY MERCY!"

  The beast that flew over Ariel charges at Ikigai, roaring as it opens its giant black beak, its feathers beginning to radiate sparkles.

  Ikigai casually aims her hand toward the beast while still looking down at the battle.

  "Kill everything! And I mean everything!” she cries

  As the beast approaches, it's instantly surrounded by ice, frozen alive. Ikigai then swipes her arm, using wind to cut it into pieces.

  Danya looks up at Ikigai and grits her teeth, "Oh great! Now her sister shows up! Two lunatics?!" she giggles to herself, "Oh whatever! More heads for me when this is over!" as she continues firing Impulsos at the demons.

  “Bang!” she says as she fires one at a horde.

  “Bang!” as she fires another.

  “BANG!” as she fires one more powerful blast.

  The demons screech and wither, their bodies flying through the air from explosions.

  One lands near her feet, still alive as it looks up at Danya. Terror fills its face as it trembles, looking into Danya's crimson eyes and seeing her sadistic grin.

  "P-PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS! I WAS FORCED HERE AGAINST MY WILL!" the demon pleads.

  Danya kneels down, facing it. "Really? How cruel—- being forced to fight."

  The demon nods as tears leak from its eyes. "Y-yes! It is! So please spare me! I just want to return home!"

  Danya chuckles. "Aw, you poor thing—- but—" she extends her palm toward its face, "War is war, no mercy for the enemy, as I always say."

  "WAIT, NO!" the demon cries as Danya grabs its face and absorbs its life energy, withering its body to nothing but bones.

  Green orbs seep into Danya's skin once more as her eyes and hair glow brighter crimson. She turns to the next wave of demons, summoning her scythe.

  "Murder, slaughter, killing—whatever the word, IT'S SO FUN~!" She rushes at the demons, materializing her scythe, ready to slash them apart. Nari continues relentlessly killing demons when he looks up and spots Ikigai. For a split second, he sees Sachi instead.

  "M-mistress," he mumbles, "H-ow? How are you still standing?!" he demands.

  Instantly, Amon appears behind him. "Brother, you should know better than to let your guard down like this!"

  Amon lands a kick loaded with energy to Nari's kidney, sending him crashing to the ground.

  "Sorry to interrupt your little berserker mode, but you were getting a bit irritating," he points to the crack on his face, "See what you did to this vessel? Who knows how long before my new one is ready."

  He looks at Clyde getting trampled. "And by the looks of it, it seems like it'll take a while for that."

  Nari lifts his head as demons begin to swarm.

  Amon swipes his arm, dark energy surrounding Nari and expanding, killing the demons.

  They all scream, "MASTER AMON, WHY?!"

  Amon laughs. "This is a battle between me and my brother. Anyone who interrupts will face death." He turns to the other hordes of demons. "DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND ME?!"

  The demons surviving Amon's blast flee as he lands in front of Nari.

  Nari lifts his head, struggling to move his body—he's reached his limit. Blood leaks from his mouth and eyes as he gasps for air.

  Amon approaches and looks down at him. "Well, seems like you've hit your limit, brother,” he chuckles, folding his hands behind his back, "You sure caused quite a number of casualties. Just look at your fists covered with blood."

  "Stop calling me brother! I don't know you! I'll never share blood with a demon!" Nari protests.

  "A demon? Yes, that's what I am now—not by choice, but by punishment. But I assure you, we are still blood. I am still the same Nazshi you knew, just a bit—- adapted to hell."

  "Even if you were Nazshi! What do you want? What's all this for?!" Nari demands.

  “I told you—it's for the injustice this system breeds, the fact that wicked souls are welcomed in heaven with open arms while pure souls are forever damned.”

  “All because of some whim of the Reapers. You've seen it yourself, brother. Not even just with the souls. Look at who you serve. Sachi was a tyrant in disguise. Her sister Ikigai up there—I believe she's the same as well."

  Amon points up to where Ikigai and Sachi are, "Two daughters of one of the Stars, yet the Star has done nothing to stop them?"

  Nari grits his teeth. "So your answer is unleashing hell in heaven? What do you hope to gain doing this?!"

  Amon walks closer to Nari. "Gain? What I hope to gain is to see those damn Stars once more. The death of Hosei—yes, that's what I want."

  Nari furrows his eyebrows. "The death of Hosei? You're just asking to die! Nazshi—- do you remember how effortlessly he smote you last time? You were never that strong—you weren't even stronger than me! I could barely handle Sachi, and she's just a Spirit of Life. You believe you can handle a God of the highest order?"

  Amon smirks, snapping his fingers as a black vortex opens in front of him.

  Clyde appears from the vortex, dropped to the ground while still screeching.

  "You see this boy? He's my ticket."

  Nari lifts his head to look at Clyde. "Who even is that? I kept seeing him around—how is some low-ranking angel your ticket?"

  "Low-ranking angel? Wow, no one must have told you what this boy is. He's a mortal, not an angel, not a demon. Just a plain mortal from the mortal realm."

  "Impossible! How would a mortal be here in Heaven if he's not dead?!" Nari exclaims.

  Amon shrugs. "Well, I don't exactly know the full story, but the reaper this entire fiasco started around—you know Akuji?—made the mistake of sending him to the Spirit World. I'm guessing your beloved Sachi brought him back to life after their encounter in the Spirit World."

  Nari grunts. "Even so, how can someone so useless be essential to your plans?"

  Amon smiles. "Easy!"

  He places his hand inside the hole in Clyde's chest as dark energy begins stitching itself around the hole, filling it.

  Black marks cover Clyde's entire body except his head. His screeching stops. Clyde's pupils return, glowing red as streaks of energy radiate from him.

  His hair is no longer locs but complete black smoke. He stands up wordlessly, looking at his palm while shaking.

  "Clyde, my boy! How was your rest? I sure hope you enjoyed your nap because now we have work to do."

  Clyde looks at Amon. "You! What happened to me?! I just remember blacking out—my memory is hazy," he grabs his head. "I don't remem—"

  Suddenly, flashbacks of him and Ariel hit him—when they were planning to escape the Colosseum, running from lightning strikes during Nari and Sachi's fight. He remembers the moment Ariel was struck by a stray lightning strike. His pupils dilate as he grips his head and screams.

  "ARIEL! WHERE'S ARIEL?!" he demands.

  "Who knows? Oh, you mean that girl who was lying there when I arrived,"

  Amon responds, "I'm pretty sure she was killed by a lightning strike, judging by her injuries. And who else here controls lightning other than—-" He points at Nari. "This guy."

  Clyde stares down at Nari, beginning to shake once more as the screams and roars of angels fighting demons echo in the background.

  Nari grits his teeth, trying to stand. "Damn! I can't get up! I used too much energy—-"

  Clyde screams "AHHRGH!" as he charges at Nari.

  Nari closes his eyes, preparing for the attack.

  Clyde leaps onto Nari, sitting on his chest as he begins punching rapidly.

  "YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER!" He continues punching as blood flies from his fist, "I LOVED HER! AND YOU KILLED HER!" he cries, continuing to strike.

  Amon watches with a smile, then turns back to Ikigai slashing demons with a sword made of multiple ice layers, "That's a problem we have to deal with."

  He turns to Danya decapitating demon heads with her scythe, "Another threat—she's more of a wildcard."

  Finally, he turns to Tenko, who's in a strange stance. Amon tilts his head. "Now what's this clone doing?"

  Tenko crouches, holding his scythe above him slightly tilted. "I have to end this! I have to give it my all!"

  His scythe lights up in white flames as he begins twirling with it, creating winds that power up the flames. As the flames grow stronger, he spins faster and faster.

  Eventually, he creates a cyclone of white flames moving across the arena, catching demons and even angels in it.

  Ikigai looks down at the cyclone, "Who is that? Does he understand he's taking down our forces as well?!"

  Danya stops slashing, turning to the cyclone as well.

  She grins. "Well, that's unique. I've never seen Akuji do this before. He's really becoming his own person."

  She turns back to demons still alive, crawling away from her. This time she extends her finger, pointing at them as an orb of shadow magic condenses from the tip. The demon she aims at continues crawling.

  They scream, "I have to run! She's a monster! A MONSTER!"

  Suddenly, a hole appears in its forehead as the beam pierces through.

  "I'm a monster?" Danya whispers as smoke rises from her fingertip, "No shame in tha—"

  Suddenly her head begins throbbing. She drops to her knees as her glowing hair and eyes flicker on and off. She coughs blood as her body begins to strain.

  "No, not now! Please not now! I just need to push a little more—-" She drops to the ground, her scythe and wings turning into red mist.

  Her mental state now ruined as a burning sensation lingers in her head. She can't even think clearly or feel anything. She lies on the bloodied ground, her cloak tattered, skin from her arms and legs exposed as blood clings to her. A tear drops from one eye.

  The cyclone continues its destruction as Ikigai turns to Aoi holding Sachi.

  "ARCHANGEL, GIVE ME HER! WE NEED HER BACK IN THE FIELD!"

  Amon hears her command. "Oh no, we can't have two Spirits of Life here at the same time." He transports next to Clyde instantly as Clyde continues wailing on Nari, grabbing his arm before the next blow.

  "LET GO OF ME!" Clyde demands as Nari is left bloodied but still conscious.

  "We have a bigger threat to worry about. I'm going to link our powers for a moment, so you will have the power to fight her, but just for a moment."

  Clyde pauses, turning his head to Amon. "WHO COULD BE WORSE THAN THE ONE WHO KILLED ARIEL!"

  Amon scoffs. "The sister of the tyrant who was going to kill you both anyway." He points to Ikigai grabbing Sachi's body from Aoi.

  Nari lifts his head once more. "Mortal—- do you think just because you have some demonic powers now you're—-special? You're a stain—- something that isn't supposed to exist—- go on, fight for your Ariel—-"

  Clyde turns his head back to Nari, growling.

  Nari continues, "I promise you, even if you escape, I'll hunt you down. I'll kill you. YOU HAVE MY WORD! EVEN IF YOU COME BACK, I'LL KILL YOU OVER AND OVER!"

  Clyde roars "GWARRRAH" as his fist glows with a faint red aura.

  He breaks out of Amon's grasp, slamming it down toward Nari's face.

  Before it hits, Nari delivers one more insult: "DEMONIC SCUM!"

  Clyde's fist lands straight on Nari's face. The sound of bones cracking fills the air as Nari's skull breaks from the impact. He lies there unconscious, his pupils gone.

  Amon instantly places his hand on Clyde's back as a cold sensation hits him. Amon's body begins crumbling into pieces, his skin breaking like clay. Black energy pours out, seeping into Clyde.

  Clyde stands off Nari, his pupils shaking as black energy radiates from him. In his head, Amon's voice commands: "GO! HURRY AND ATTACK IKIGAI NOW!"

  Clyde instantly pounces upward toward her.

  In the air, Ikigai holds Sachi as the moon tattoo on her left hand begins glowing. "Sister, wake up—we need you right now." Her palm glows with soft silver light.

  Before she can touch Sachi, Clyde appears behind her. Aoi's eyes widen. "MISTRESS, LOOK OUT!"

  Ikigai quickly turns back as Clyde lands a clean kick to her gut, his foot leaving a print on her dress and skin. Blood erupts from her mouth as she's sent crashing to the ground like a meteor.

  Kiyoko, taking a break from running and catching her breath, watches as Ikigai heads toward the ground.

  "WAIT, WHAT!" she screams as Ikigai crashes in front of her.

  In the air, Aoi summons a blast of blue flames, sending them toward Clyde.

  "DIRTY CRETIN!" she declares.

  Clyde disappears with intense speed, dodging and leaving only an afterimage. He appears in front of Aoi, landing his fist in her face. He grabs her arms and throws her into the stands.

  Ikigai lies on the ground, holding her gut as she coughs blood. Kiyoko runs to her while still carrying Akuji's body.

  "MISTRESS, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" she cries.

  Ikigai looks over at Kiyoko. "Yes—- I'm okay—- This is just—" before she can finish, she coughs blood once more.

  Clyde's sudden attack has ruptured something in her stomach—she didn't have a second to defend herself.

  Kiyoko holds onto Ikigai. "Come on, I'll take you to safety!"

  "No—- I need to stay—- until the demons are vanquished—-" Ikigai whispers.

  She notices Akuji on Kiyoko's shoulder. The Reaper? He's been here? He might be the—-

  "Girl, hand me him at once!" Ikigai commands.

  Kiyoko stiffens, reluctantly placing Akuji down in front of her. "What are you doing with him? Please don't take him away from me!"

  Ikigai's moon tattoo glows as she grits her teeth, "Take him away from you?! This isn't the time for foolishness! Just stay out of the way!"

  Kiyoko steps back as silver energy begins radiating from Ikigai.

  Ikigai places her palm on Akuji as his wounds begin healing, his body shining silver, his braids becoming undone to reveal curly hair.

  The battle around Heaven continues Ikigais last ditch effort could be a fatal mistake or a winning moment.

  END