Chapter 208: BARELY THERE

Asmodeus finally killed the serpent,

It took a while, since they're always moving,

But thanks to his wings, falling wasn't his problem,

And ultimately, the snake's fall, caused it to weaken.

Its vision started to dull,

And its dodging skills weren't as good.

The snake's sense of smell also didn't do favors,

As it collapsed right after, Asmodeus wrapped him with chains all over.

Asmodeus sighed as he looks above,

And though flying up is an easy task,

He felt a bit of sadness as he looks around.

It still felt surreal of who he is now.

He pursed his lips and opened his wings,

Ready to leave the place just until-

He heard small creatures move behind him,

He quickly turned, and was surprised to find out what's happening.

Hellhound puppies were eating the snake,

All coming from a hole somewhere the cave.

Asmodeus quickly summoned his binding chains,

Providing him luminance, to study the place.

His jaw dropped of how many they were,

"So this is why Lucifer, seemed to never run out of them,"

Some hounds even eat the other, so the strong could be the only one to climb up,

Asmodeus pitied the creatures, as he wonders if he'll free them or not.

He knew they were just at the wrong hands,

But still felt fear, of taking command.

He studied the creatures, and one looked at him,

Sniffing the air, as it does the same.

The hound studied him just as he studied it,

And after sensing he meant no harm,

Walk towards him.

Asmodeus felt alien to the feeling of being approached,

So he quickly stepped back, when the dog got too close.

Asmodeus smiles when the dog's tail wiggled,

And looked above, wondering if he could let him meet her.

Wait...

"Sellena?!"

Asmodeus punched himself for not realizing earlier.

"How was she?? Is she alive or eaten up by some monster?"

He panicked and quickly flew above,

As the dog barked at him, making him stop.

Asmodeus was greeted by more barks,

As the dog's other siblings continued to snack,

The former lord of hell agreed to take him somehow,

And with great care, carried the dog above.

"I'm not sure if Sellena like dogs,

Or if she like cats and all.

I mean...she looks like she hates a lot,

And yet...she was still...gentle and stuff.

Uh. Anyways, she'll be a good mom.

I mean, well, I don't know if she cooks somehow.

Wait...am I, talking too much?"

The dog yet again, responded with a bark.

Asmodeus smiles as he continues to fly,

Hoping and praying, she's still alive.

His plan was crushed however,

When he saw that the exit was getting covered.

The fight happening between angels and demons had the interior part of the castle breaking,

Making Asmodeus and the hounds, trapped and suffocating.

Asmodeus went back to the deep abyss,

As he searches for the right exit.

Not all hounds though, were very cooperative,

Making him have no choice, but kill some who denied their service.

He hated the scent of blood in his hands,

But the longer they stay, the dusty the place.

He coughs as he loses his breath,

And runs to the third hole, he saw on the cave.

He had a feeling it must be the right one,

As it was where he sees most light.

He should hurry though, as he couldn't hold much longer,

He's losing strength, and he can't afford to be slower.

.

.

.

Zeharah continued to struggle as Samael had just destroyed her sword.

"Is that all you got? Like I said before, you're such a bore."

Zeharah did not like the insult, but chose to ignore,

And with her remaining energy, created some more.

Sellena on the other hand, felt some sort of familiarity,

As she recalls the bones she walked on,

the light, and bridge, on her dreams.

She also remembered clearly the pain on her eyes,

And decided to wrap her eyes with cloth, so to not follow the same demise.

She now realized why the place had ropes,

Because the angels cannot fly here, with the wind blowing north.

Azazel's protection, was most concentrated there,

Making it harder for Zeharah, and the others, to call for help.

The baby cried feeling the discomfort,

As Sellena sung him a lullaby, despite the wild wind blowing on.

Sellena kept her grip tight, as she shut her eyes the same,

Despite the cover however, she could still feel the light illuminates by the place.

The angels and devils on the other side were fighting,

And thus it reflected their light that could definitely be blinding.

Sellena tried to activate her barrier despite her strength fading,

And soon, the baby stopped crying.

She continued to cross, with her feet carefully feeling the golden rope,

It was thick enough, so it's easier, she supposed.

What's not easy however, was opening her barrier on command,

It felt very taxing, it made her body sickly warm.

Blood oozed from Sellena's nose,

As she lost more concentration.

Her grip was losing its tightness,

Due to her own fatigue and exhaustion.

She reminded herself however,

That someone out there must have had it worse,

So she shut her mouth and walked on,

Even though she's in the brink of collapsion.

The barrier blinked with her breathing,

As she prayed faintly for God to help her crossing.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as her sense of reality was distorted,

Wondering to herself, if it was all just a dream.

Her fingers were bleeding,

As the walk to the other side is not as easy.

And just as when she is about to lose conciousness,

Jacq, from the other side, noticed her presence.

"The-the girl! Right there!" He exclaimed,

But the angels were too busy, fighting off devils.

The reaper wasted no time to cross the golden bridge,

Despite his own fears, and lack of defense from the angry wind.

Sellena finally hears a voice,

As he tells her to stay strong.

The motivation made her open her eyes,

Despite not seeing anything, but a pure, white light.

Jacqueline tried to hold her, but the barrier was on,

So he only spoke louder, to get her attention.

Sellena listened, and opened a hole,

Big enough for Jacq to enter his arm for support.

They made it on the other side,

But they weren't, as she expected, prioritized.

The angels were busy protecting other children and victims,

From dark creatures, Sellena had already seen.

The woman made the reaper hold the child,

Telling him to take him far away from the fight.

Jacq quickly nods his head as he teleports away,

While Sellena watches the other reapers do the same.

She could barely hold her weight,

As she tried her best to stay awake.

When she fell asleep however,

She was greeted by something she didn't want to see.

She saw herself walking on a bloodied place,

The road was smooth, but the place still stinks.

As she walks further, she saw a huge stone standing tall,

And on them, were written names of those who would fall.

Sellena, seeing the nightmare, and her brothers' names, quickly woke up,

As she noticed that her hair had turned red-washed.

She quickly suspected that it was from blood,

But as she smells it, no, it was not.

She couldn't understand. Her hair before, was indeed a bit reddish, but leaning more to brown.

This however, wasn't looking natural,

It certainly and literally, looked like blood.

She stood up, staggering and looking around,

And saw that nothing had changed at all.

The devils and angels were still fighting nonstop,

And she wondered, just when they'd reach the top.

Out of frustration, she knelts to the ground,

Not even caring, if she makes a sound.

The act she did however, caught a devil's attention,

But after seeing a familiar aura,

Backed off in hesitation.

They saw a tall man with long red hair,

Staring at them, with intent to kill.

Sellena at first, was unaware of the presense she gives,

But after a while, saw their actions that resulted from fear.

They froze, observing the strange man on her back.

As the reapers who had just returned, saw very well who he is.

That was when they were aware the woman was Sellena,

"The other half needed, to build the tower of Luna."

Sellena, who had felt more confident,

Stood up, despite the aching pain in her back and chest.

She then wiped the blood on her face,

As she moved forward, scaring the demons away.

White marks appeared on her arms,

As Sellena felt even more warm.

She ignored the inconvenience, and moved till she's sure,

That the demons would stop the fight and resume.

After the devils were drove off,

Scared by the unusual aura they saw,

Sellena quickly falls to her knees,

As she finally lost, her boost of adrenaline.

The angels quickly aided her and told her to sleep,

But Sellena, after remembering the twin angels, tried to speak.

"Save them...the angels back there,"

But before she could clarify, she lost conciousness, and was no longer aware.

Jacq heard her clearly though,

And after some thinking, decided to go.