Chapter 12: Azrael, The Angel Of Death

Celestial City, evacuation building~

Kotori's POV:

"Nnnn... My head."

I opened my eyes and saw nothing but a cloudy view. That's when it hits me...

"Ah!" I put a hand on my temples while gritting my teeth.

My mind recollects all the things that have happened earlier after the ambush. Earlier, I saw the angel seized Riku and pointed the sharp end of his scythe on his forehead, after that, I blacked out and don't have any memories of what happened next.

"Nnngghhhh!"

I mustered all of my strength to get up, but it feels like gravity doesn't want me to. When my vision cleared up, I saw multiples black bars of steel all around me.

"Wh-Where am I?"

I groaned as I turn my head to the left, there I saw Kurumi lying unconscious, scratches on her face are showing up and parts of her astral dress is torn up. Outside of the cage, I saw Miku, Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Tohka trapped inside a different cell, also lying unconscious on the cold hard steel.

"H-Hey, Kurumi, wake up! ... Guys, wake up!" I called out to them with a raspy voice, but all of them are really out cold.

"Damn it!" cursing under my breath.

I turn my head to the right, and there I saw Riku lying flat on his back while outside is the cell of where Shido, Yoshino, Origami, and Natsumi were. I drag my wounded body towards him, and when I got close, my shaking hand hold his tightly.

"I'm... I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess." I said with a shaky voice. I close my eyes as tears starts falling down my messy face.

Again, I force myself to get up, but my strength only gave me the chance to sat up. I carefully laid Riku's head on my lap and massage it softly, his soft hair gracefully sways against my hand.

I gasped loudly when suddenly...

*Cough! Cough! Wheezing! *

He suddenly sat up, breathing and gasping heavily like he's been choked or something.

"Huh? Kotori? ... Where am I?"

"The angel imprisoned all of us." I said, scooching over to him.

When he finally caught his breath, his eyes wandered around. He gasped when he saw the others.

"H-How long was I out?" He asked, looking back to me.

"About 1 hour... You've been talking in your sleep."

"O-Oh really???" He said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, but what got me curious is when you said a familiar name... Rinne."

He suddenly put his hands on both side of his head, groaning loudly.

"H-Hold still!" I worried.

I hold his head with my right hand, summoning a soothing flame. Hopefully, this flame will mend him.

"R-Rinne..." He groaned.

"How did he... know her? No, it must be a different person." I asked myself.

With the healing flame is done with its job, he finally calmed down. He slowly glances at me. I can see some sorrow in his eye.

"What's wrong?" I bring my hand to his face.

He brings his hand to mine that's touching his face and he close his eyes.

"Riku? Are you okay?"

"Kotori, can I ask you something" He looks at me again, but times with seriousness in his eyes which got me all shaken up.

"Wh-What is it?"

"Are you familiar with the name, Rinne Sonogami?"

My eyes widened while my pupils shrunk.

"I knew it!"

"H-How did you?!" I look at him with a questioning look.

He immediately looks away from me.

"Riku, how did you meet her? ... Did she do something to you?" I asked sternly.

I heard him sigh before speaking... "I... I met her inside Azrael's mind."

"Azrael? Who's that?"

"The angel... Rinne told me his name is Azrael, she also told me something about me being the one..."

I've never thought Ruler would communicate with a human being from a different dimension.

And he continues... "I don't know what she means by that, but I'm guessing I'm the angel's new host. But if that is true... there will be sacrifices needs to be made."

He looks at me with those sorrowful eyes again. A look that I know all too well.

"Whatever she told you, don't listen to her!" I demanded.

"But she told me the only way to stop him is to become his host. I'm sorry Kotori, but I have to believe her, even if that means... breaking our promises."

"W-Wait?! What do you mean by that?!"

He stands up and turn his back away from me.

"Riku, talk to me!"

He walks towards the cage door, pressing his right hand on the bar with an open palm, and without warning...

*BOOM!!!*

I put my arms around my face, covering it from the dust and debris that are flying from the wrecked cage.

"Wh-What the? A spirit powers? ... Rinne, what the hell did you do to him?" Muttering under my breath.

From the dust, I saw the figure of the angel or Azrael sprung up in front of Riku.

"Watch out!" I cried out.

I saw Azrael grab Riku by the neck before throwing him to the ground. I didn't see where he crashed into, but I heard him cried out of agony from the strong impact when his body touch the ground.

Suddenly, I felt something inside me growing and growing. I felt a sudden urge of wanting to destroy and kill something. My body combust into flames as my attire transformed into a white majestic kimono dress with two horns sticking out of the black ribbons on my head.

My wounds all over my body and face got covered with purple flames. A few seconds later, my skin is all wound free. The last time I've felt this emotion is when Riku and me got attacked by three guys when we are on our way home during our first date.

"Haha... HAHAHAHA!!!" I laughed like a psychopath, something inside my mind snapped.

When Azrael is about to get close to Riku, his attention suddenly turns towards me.

"Ifrit..." He growled., flying up towards the cage that I'm in with a strong flap of his mighty black wings.

While flying, he leaves a trail of dark purple energy behind him. He revealed himself in front of me outside the cage, and without warning, he came steaming towards me without thinking.

*BOOM!!!*

*CRASH!!!*

He went flying across the room to the wall with a gigantic fireball hugging him, leaving a giant flaming hole on the solid cement, causing the afternoon sun to shine through it.

I'm standing at the end of the wrecked cage door with my right arm straight out whilst wielding my angel Camael in its cannon form.

"Megiddo!" I smiled sadistically. "Come on Azrael, let's kill some more! HAHAHAHA!!!"

Suddenly, my whole body got pulled out forcefully by an unseen force, and Azrael came bursting out of the hole with his scythe ready to swing.

"As you wish!" He said before roaring out.

But before he can slice me up, he suddenly froze in mid-air and his levitating grip loosen, dropping me down to the floor. I look up and saw Kurumi standing at the end of the cage wielding her flintlock with a smug smile on her face.

"You owe me one, Kotori-san."

"Took you long enough!" I slowly stand up, purple flames healing some of the scratch in my arms and legs.

"Kihihi~! ... A lady needs her beauty sleep you know?" Kurumi jested, a giant clock appears behind her, she pointed her flintlock on the first number before pointing it to her head.

"Aleph!"

She suddenly disappeared, teleporting in front of the frozen angel... No, not teleport... Accelerated is the right word. Her first bullet gave her some mobility that when she moves, you will miss it when you blink your eyes, thus making her look like that she teleported.

She pointed her gun on the angel's head before saying...

"Too bad your time will be over... Bonne nuit~."

*BANG!!!*

One bullet shot through Azrael's skull, making him fall backwards to the ground. Also, breaking the effect of Kurumi's seventh bullet.

"Kihihi~! All the way through the noggin!" She slowly lowers herself to the ground beside me.

"Isn't that familiar, Kotori-san?" She smiled smugly.

I only look at her unamused before completely ignoring her. Suddenly, I heard rocks rolling down to the floor. I glance at my right side and saw Riku getting out of the rubble barely unscathed.

"Augh! ... My everything hurts!"

He slowly walks towards me with a heavy footstep. While he walks, there's something glowing behind him that caught my eyes.

"Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"What is that?" I pointed at the floor from where he crashed.

"H-Huh?!" He follows where my finger is pointing.

He quickly went over there and pick up of what looks like a branch, but I can tell it was a sword because of the guard in the middle. It was really long, almost 37 inches or 6 feet long. Heck, it's even taller than Riku though.

"Is this what Rinne gave me?"

I heard him mumbled.

"So, she sealed her powers inside him."

Realizing what she did, I hold myself from questioning him. I think she has some good reason kissing Riku without my permission though. Also, there's no other way to seal a spirit instead of kissing them, or maybe that's the only way for Riku to wake up from his dream or whatever happened while his out cold.

It's very understandable, I mean they didn't take it too far, right?

I'm not jealous (well, maybe a little), sad, nor angry that he kissed another woman. Actually, I'm very happy because he gained some capabilities to protect himself from threats like this angel, Azrael.

"You should cherish it. It'll be useful in the future." I said to him, receiving a surprising but apologetic glance from him which I reply with a loving smile, signaling him I still trust him and he did nothing wrong.

I guess he's already aware that I've finally solve the puzzle.

The surprising moment ended when all of us heard multiple growling noises filled the room, the three of us glance our head back and forth at the two entrances of the cafeteria. We saw the ghouls stomping slowly inside the room.

With that, the three of us are trapped like rats.

For Azrael though, he's still not conscious yet, the bigger ones of the ghouls are surrounding him to protect him from us. But what caught my eyes are the bullet hole on his head slowly closing. His regenerative ability is impressive but it is not as strong as mine.

The creatures took a step forwards to us, and the three of us slowly back off until our backs are barely touching each other.

"Ara~! The fun never ends, huh?" Kurumi commented, summoning her musket in her right hand, dual wielding a flintlock and a musket.

"It's about time they joined in." I smirked, holding my halberd both with my hands.

"What about the others?" Riku suddenly spoke up, unsheathing his nodachi sword from the enchanted wooden sheath.

"Worry about them later... We need to take care of this guys' first." I replied.

*ROARING!!!*

"Here they come, hold fast!" I yelled out.

The ghouls charged towards us, and we all charged back with a war cry... Kurumi's blasting holes through the creatures' head with an outstanding precision. While me and Riku are slicing and shredding their flesh with our melee weapons.

Seconds just passed; the army of ghouls are rapidly decreasing.

With the creatures at bay, I look up at the two cages of where the others are trapped. I saw all of them are starting to regain consciousness.

"Riku, Kurumi?"

Grabbing both of their attention.

"I'll hold off the creatures while both of you free the others."

"Just all by yourself?!" Riku exclaimed while removing his sword from the creature's chest.

"I'll be fine... Just go!" I demanded.

Both of them fly off to the two cages. While me, I'm just cleaving these puny creatures with ease like some training dummies. Every time I cleave them their blood evaporates before it touches the ground because of the tremendous heat of my aura.

"Ah!"

My eyes widened when one ghoul who's losing its lower torso grabbed my foot. With nothing to lose, all of them swarmed around me. They jump on me, trying to pin me to the ground using the weight of their body.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!!!" I roared as tornado made of flame surrounded my whole body, burning all the creatures into ashes.

After the fire died down, I scan the area to around making sure all of them have been neutralize.

"Ashes to ashes, hmph!" I smiled smugly.

But my celebration is cut short when I'm starting to feel an all too familiar power rising again. I look at the direction of where its coming from, and saw Azrael all healed up again.

"Damn it! ... You're one tough nut to crack!" I exclaimed, glaring at him as beads of sweat start to roll down my face.

This time though, he is emitting more dark energy than before. The building around us is shaking madly, slowly crumbling down as debris coming from the ceiling is crashing to the ground.

"Sorry we're late little sis!"

Shido landed beside me, and the others do the same.

"Looks like this guy will never give up so easily." Tohka remarked.

"You can say that again." I replied, feeling frustrated.

Unexpectedly, Riku walk in front of us.

"I'll be the one who will take the lead this time."

"Are you nuts?!" I exclaimed.

"I know a way to stop him; I just need all your help."

I glance at the others, all of them wore a worried face.

"Do you guys trust me? ... Kotori?"

My mouth is about to open to call him an idiot but I close it again. There's no use in arguing so I just sighed and nodded. With that, he gave me a quick smile before facing what's in front of us.

"Should we attack now?" Tohka asked.

"Not yet, it's too dangerous attacking him while he's storing some dark energy." Shido replied.

A few minutes later, the building stop shaking when Azrael finished charging up his dark energy. Dark purple auras spinning around him, getting drunk with dark powers. He's different now than the last time we fought him because now, he turned into a mindless beast.