Chapter 248: A HARD PICK

Joseph almost lost his breath by the time he arrived,

Catching up her current location, already felt like a fight.

His blue eyes frantically looked for her, but the room was quiet,

So he ran and ran, searching the hallways.

That was when the walls suddenly tightened,

And the bulbs above him, exploded without warning.

He opened his wings to threaten anyone coming,

But even so, the walls continued to surround him.

The walls then began to chant,

Making it obvious that they were alive.

Soon, the walls themselves had eyes,

And then, appeared mouths, and limbs,

causing him a fright.

He blasted the walls,

Which exploded into chunks.

He was then confident he could beat them,

Until he heard his own sister, beg him.

He saw her face trying to get out of the fleshy wall,

Clawing her way out, but doing her no favors.

He frantically tried to cut that part of the wall,

But before he could get close,

was snatched by a limb.

"Only one of you, lives."

The wall then laughed at the male angel's misery,

Looking at the monster, who kept toying with him.

"Azazel...how can he be capable of doing this??

To his brothers and sisters, who once cherished him dear."

He tried to slash the wall with his arms turned sword,

After freeing himself from its tight hold.

But before his blade could touch it again,

Zeharah screamed, and cried, and beg.

"You can save your sister, if you give up yourself."

The monster taunted, but to him, it made no sense.

Why is the monster, only picking one of them?

It might be a dirty trick, a road with both dead-ends.

"You wanted us both, don't you not?"

Joseph asked in a suspicious tone,

which the monster denied.

"I'm just being generous, understanding, and kind.

If you love your sister more than she loves you, might as well, give up your life."

"Don't do it! Joseph don't!"

She yelled to him, making him soft.

Between him and her, she was always stronger,

So it doesn't make sense, why isn't he the one captured?

He do not want to believe the demon's words,

But the longer he stays, the louder her screams.

Who knows how longer still she could hold?

It may be too late, when his decision unfolds.

Many thoughts entered his mind,

Not really sure if the demon would lie.

For some reason however, he couldn't dare imagine leaving her behind,

For in all of her power, she had saved him a thousand times.

He wondered if it was his fate to die.

"Just hold my hand, any of them. And we will make our deal."

"Still, why just pick one of us? When you can have both for your meal?"

"Your sister is harder to digest. She's fighting, you see?

But if we have someone like you,

perhaps our stomach won't rip."

Joseph nodded his head,

And despite his qualms decided to go ahead.

If the demon was lying so he could be eaten,

He thought it would be better,

Than leave his sister dying.

Before he could take the monster's hand however,

A familiar blast, hit the limb.

The real Zeharah came in, fuming,

Angered that her dear brother was close to being tricked.

"You lousy monster! You hate pain so much you're willing to play dirty!

Leave my brother out of this!"

She quickly slashed the demon's eyes with her sword,

Truly furious of almost losing her brother.

Joseph was about to rejoice,

But it was undeniable that the walls were beginning to tighten.

"Joseph! Look for this bastard's heart!

I'll distract the head!"

Joseph agreed and quickly looked,

Dogding the monster's limbs that dare attack.

Amidst the long hallway, he saw no difference,

Until he realized, the heart may be switching places.

He then looked at her sister and smiled to himself,

Before charging into the monster's flesh.

The monster consumed him, thinking he've won,

But Joseph planned to die, yet at least save his sister.

He quickly looked for the heart,

Using his hands to scatter its insides.

And because the sword was attached to his own limbs,

It couldn't be taken away from him.

Soon, the monster's belly became emptier,

And he soon heard its heart, pounding in tremble.

He ran towards it, until he was showered with the monster's acid,

That even his barrier, couldn't resist.

And if he wanted to reach the heart,

He needed to run, thrice as fast.

...

Zeharah's feud with the demon was then halted,

After the demon ended up dead.

But she felt scared when she saw no trace of her own brother,

Making her extremely worried, while also furious.

In anger and protest, she began blasting the demon's body,

While crying in regret,

for sending her brother away so calmly.

Her hands soon stopped,

When she heard a voice call out.

And when she confirmed it was her brother,

Her heart pounded loud.

She ran towards him to give him a tight embrace,

And kissed his cheeks, like she did on their young days.

Her cries had never brought joy to Joseph's ears,

So he cursed himself,

for not being able to wipe her tears.

"Don't scare me again like that.

You know if you're gone, I'd end up mad.

If the task is impossible, just tell me so.

I won't get angry, or furious.

And I..

I won't...I won't yell at you anymore,

I won't discipline you in front of others.

Joseph, you're...you're a great soldier!

And you may oftentimes feel weak,

but you get things done! And-"

"Sister. I'm not dead as you can see.

So calm yourself down. I'm not going anywhere.

More importantly, what happened?

Why did the monster use you? And how did it do?"

Zeharah calmed herself down after hearing his reassurance,

And after being asked, took time to recall the events.

"I was able to battle the monsters in the hallways,

With strategy, and of course, Belphegor's help.

But one monster managed to escape from me.

And merged with the walls.

I didn't notice it by then,

As my focus was to save the trapped maids.

The time I realized that the wall was alive,

One of my fingers was already sliced.

I had no time to look back,

As I could hear the maids forward.

And so, Belphegor's summon was the one who protected me from behind,

But by the time I reached the maids,

my protection was gone.

I went back because I felt you were here.

And I wasn't wrong about it."

"So, it used your DNA to mimic your voice and persona to lure me in?

And also, there weren't any monsters on the floor when I came in."

"Well, who knows? It may have eaten it's dead allies.

After all, I didn't expect the monster to be this thick by the time I arrive."

"Oh! And where are the survivors?"

"I managed to sneak them out of the tower."

"That's a relief then. Well, seeing that we're both alive,

We should head back and help them out."

But before they could take another step,

The whole floor collapsed.

...

Belphegor could hear nothing as he lay on the ground,

He opened his tired eye, that quickly wandered around.

He coughed blood, hinting how much he had abused himself,

Which sadly even resulted,

to him not feeling his legs.

A monster's teeth was still stuck on his limb,

As he carefully try, to take it out from his flesh and skin.

He whimpered in pain, and called out for his friend,

But no understandable response, was given at all.

All he could make out of, was a heavy, beastly breathing.

And realizing that his fear had came true,

Couldn't help but have his whole body shaking.

He tried to call out to Beelzebub, to try and wake him up,

But gluttony had already won over, and his soul was deeply trapped.

"Beelzebub!!! Come on, not now! Don't give up!"

But there was no hint of reaction reflected on the demon's eyes.

It growled, unbothered, as it chow on a dead monster on the ground,

Not listening to anything, Belphegor tried to speak aloud.

Belphegor could only crumple his fingers,

Trying to think of what he should do.

But grief had taken over his thoughts,

And no solution came to mind.

Beelzebub was always...always predicted to lose his senses,

Even Lucifer knew of it.

And yet, even if he knew it was to happen,

He still would have wished...

it was just a nightmare.

"Beelzebub, please...wake up and let's leave this place,"

But the demon did not replied,

and only shifted his hungry eyes on him.

His fingers continued to shake,

As he realized what was about to take place.

He shut his eye as he extracted nightmares from his head,

Apologetic and in sorrow, that he must fight his friend.

No nightmare came out however,

As his fingers continued to shake and he, lose focus.

He cried, and begged Beelzebub to come back,

Even though he do not respond,

even though he knew it won't matter anymore.

"I...promised to bring you back, didn't I?

So please...let me do my part.

I need you, alive, Beelzebub.

So can't you just come back?"