Chapter 6: Blades of Betrayal

Each accusation cuts more deep

Than any blade through flesh could pierce.

Some wounds the heart will always keep,

Some truths are bitter, cold, and fierce.

***

The celestial light faded as Krad materialized in a narrow corridor of Heaven's lower tier. His wings flexed instinctively, adjusting to their newfound freedom after being bound by the silver chains. The familiar weight of his twin blades at his hips gave him comfort as he moved silently through the shadows, his senses alert for any sign of pursuit.

I need to reach the mortal realm quickly, he thought, mapping the fastest route in his mind. Before they realize I've escaped.

He rounded a corner and froze. Standing at the end of the hallway, silver aura blazing like cold fire, was Zero. The Power Angel's four wings were fully extended, filling the corridor from wall to wall. His face was a mask of righteous fury.

"I knew she would try something foolish," Zero said, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "I just didn't think she would succeed."

Krad's hands moved to the hilts of his blades. "Step aside, Zero. This doesn't concern you."

"Doesn't concern me?" Zero's laugh was harsh and bitter. "You've broken Heaven's laws, endangered a mortal girl, and corrupted Celeste. Everything you touch turns to chaos, Akira."

"The girl is dying because of me," Krad replied, his grip tightening on his weapons. "I won't let her face the Immortals alone."

"Noble sentiments," Zero sneered. "But they don't change the fact that you're a traitor to Heaven." His own hand moved to the hilt of his broadsword, the weapon glowing with celestial energy. "I cannot let you pass."

For a heartbeat, they stood frozen—two angels poised on the edge of combat, their auras crackling with tension. Then, with a burst of speed that defied mortal comprehension, they launched at each other.

Krad drew his twin blades in a single fluid motion, the celestial metal singing as it cut through the air. Zero's broadsword came down in a powerful overhead strike that would have cleaved a lesser being in two.

Krad crossed his blades above his head, catching the blow with a resounding clash that sent sparks of divine energy cascading around them.

The force of the impact drove Krad to one knee, the stone floor cracking beneath him. Zero pressed his advantage, bearing down with all his strength.

"You were always weak," Zero hissed, his face inches from Krad's. "A Guardian Angel playing at being a hero."

With a growl of effort, Krad pushed upward, his wings beating once to add momentum as he shoved Zero back. "And you were always a self-righteous prick."

They circled each other, weapons at the ready. The narrow corridor limited their movements, preventing them from using the full span of their wings. This gave Krad a slight advantage—his smaller stature and dual weapons were better suited to close quarters than Zero's imposing height and broadsword.

Zero lunged forward, his blade a silver blur as he attacked with precise, economical movements. Krad parried each strike, his twin blades moving in perfect harmony, but he found himself giving ground with each exchange. Zero's superior strength was undeniable, each blow reverberating through Krad's arms like thunder.

"You cannot win this fight," Zero said, pressing his attack. "Surrender now, and perhaps the council will show mercy."

"To me?" Krad deflected another powerful strike, the impact numbing his hands. "Or to Celeste?"

The mention of her name caused a flicker of emotion to cross Zero's face—something almost like pain. In that moment of distraction, Krad saw his opening. He feinted with his left blade, drawing Zero's parry, then spun inside the Power Angel's guard. His right blade slashed across

Zero's side, drawing a line of golden ichor.

Zero grunted in pain but recovered quickly, bringing his elbow down hard on Krad's shoulder. The blow sent Krad staggering, and Zero followed with a kick that connected solidly with his chest, sending him crashing into the wall.

"You think I don't care about her?" Zero demanded, advancing with his broadsword raised. "Everything I do is to protect Heaven—and everyone in it. Including Celeste."

Krad pushed himself away from the wall, wiping a trickle of golden ichor from his lip. "You have a strange way of showing it."

"And you have a strange definition of love," Zero countered. "Dragging her into your rebellion, making her commit treason—is that how you protect someone you claim to care for?"

The accusation struck deeper than any blade. Krad's wings drooped slightly, doubt clouding his resolve for a crucial moment. Zero seized the opportunity, launching a flurry of attacks that drove Krad back down the corridor.

The clash of celestial weapons echoed through the halls, their auras flaring with each impact—silver against blue, order against compassion, duty against love. Krad fought defensively, conserving his strength, looking for another opening. But Zero was cautious now, his technique flawless, giving nothing away.

With a sudden change in tactics, Zero feinted high, then dropped to sweep Krad's legs from under him. Krad jumped to avoid the sweep, but Zero had anticipated this. His wing struck out like a whip, catching Krad in mid-air and sending him spinning into the opposite wall.

Before Krad could recover, Zero was upon him, the tip of his broadsword pressed against Krad's throat. With his other hand, he pinned Krad's wrist to the wall, preventing him from using his blade.

"It's over," Zero said, his breathing only slightly labored despite the intensity of their combat. "Drop your weapons."

Krad's free hand still gripped his second blade, but he couldn't maneuver it into position without Zero noticing. He was effectively pinned, the cold bite of celestial metal against his throat a reminder of how close he was to failure.

"The girl will die," Krad said, his voice strained but defiant. "Is that what you want? Another innocent sacrifice on the altar of Heaven's rigid laws?"

"Don't put this on me," Zero growled, pressing the blade harder against Krad's throat. A thin line of golden ichor appeared where the edge bit into celestial flesh. "You caused this. All of it."

"And I'm trying to fix it," Krad replied. "Let me save her, Zero. Then I'll return to face whatever punishment awaits me."

Zero's golden eyes narrowed, searching Krad's face for deception. "You expect me to believe that? After you've already escaped once?"

"I give you my word."

"The word of a traitor means nothing."

Their standoff continued, seconds stretching into eternity as Zero considered his options. The pressure of the broadsword against Krad's throat neither increased nor decreased—a perfect balance of threat and restraint.

"Zero!"

The voice echoed down the corridor, causing both angels to freeze. Celeste stood at the far end, her golden aura illuminating the stone walls. Her face was a mask of determination, her hands clenched at her sides.

Zero's head turned slightly at the sound of her voice, his concentration broken for just an instant. It was all Krad needed.

With a burst of strength, he twisted his pinned wrist and brought his knee up sharply into Zero's midsection. The Power Angel grunted in surprise, his grip loosening just enough for Krad to slip free. The broadsword scraped along the wall as Krad ducked under Zero's arm, putting distance between them.

"Celeste, stay back!" Krad called, raising his blades defensively as Zero recovered and turned to face him again.

Zero's expression darkened with fury. "This changes nothing. You've only delayed the inevitable."

He advanced again, his broadsword moving in wide, powerful arcs that forced Krad to give ground. Each clash of their weapons sent shockwaves through the corridor, the stone walls cracking under the pressure of their celestial power.

Krad fought with renewed determination, the knowledge that Celeste was watching driving him to match Zero's strength with speed and precision. His twin blades became a blur of motion, parrying, countering, seeking any weakness in Zero's defense.

But the Power Angel's skill was unmatched. With a series of lightning-fast strikes, he drove Krad back step by step, until Krad's shoulders pressed against the cold stone wall once more. Zero's broadsword came down in a devastating overhead strike that Krad barely managed to block, the impact driving him to his knees.

Zero pressed his advantage, bearing down with all his strength. Krad's arms trembled with the effort of holding back the massive blade, his wings splayed against the floor for support. Inch by inch, the edge of

Zero's broadsword descended toward Krad's face.

"Yield," Zero commanded, his voice hard as steel.

Krad's arms burned with exertion, his strength failing against Zero's superior power. He glanced past his opponent to where Celeste stood watching, her face a mask of anguish. In that moment, he made his decision.

"Never," he growled, and with a desperate surge of strength, he pushed upward, creating just enough space to roll sideways.

Zero's broadsword struck the stone floor where Krad had been kneeling, the impact sending cracks spider-webbing across the surface. Before he could recover, Krad was on his feet, blades at the ready.

But Zero was too fast. As Krad lunged, the Power Angel spun, his wing catching Krad across the chest with enough force to send him flying backward. Krad crashed into the wall, his breath leaving his lungs in a painful rush. Before he could regain his footing, Zero was upon him, one hand closing around Krad's throat, lifting him off the ground.

"Enough games," Zero snarled, his broadsword raised for a final strike.

"This ends now."

Krad struggled against the iron grip, his feet dangling uselessly above the floor. His twin blades had fallen from his hands when Zero grabbed him, clattering to the stone beyond his reach. Darkness began to creep into the edges of his vision as Zero's fingers tightened, cutting off his celestial breath.

"Zero, stop!" Celeste's voice rang out, closer now. She had moved down the corridor, her golden aura blazing with urgency. "Please!"

Zero hesitated, his broadsword still raised, his grip on Krad's throat unwavering. "Stay out of this, Celeste. He has to answer for what he's done."

"Not like this," she pleaded, taking another step forward. "This isn't justice—it's vengeance."

"He corrupted you," Zero said, his voice tight with emotion. "Made you betray everything you stand for."

"No," Celeste replied softly. "He showed me what I truly stand for. What we all should stand for—compassion over blind obedience."

Zero's grip loosened slightly, allowing Krad to draw a ragged breath. The Power Angel's face was a battlefield of conflicting emotions—duty warring with doubt, righteousness with mercy.

"The laws exist for a reason," Zero insisted, but there was less conviction in his voice now.

"Laws should serve justice, not replace it," Celeste countered, moving closer still. "What justice is there in condemning an innocent girl to death? In punishing Krad for trying to save her?"

Zero's golden eyes flickered between Celeste and Krad, the internal struggle visible in every line of his face. "If I let him go, I become complicit in his treason."

"Then be complicit," Celeste said simply. "Choose compassion over duty, just this once."

For a long moment, the corridor was silent except for Krad's labored breathing. Then, with a sound of frustration that was almost a growl, Zero released his grip. Krad fell to his knees, gasping for breath, golden ichor trickling from the marks on his throat.

"Go," Zero said, his voice cold with resignation. "Before I change my mind."

Krad looked up in disbelief. "What?"

"You heard me." Zero stepped back, sheathing his broadsword with a sharp movement. "Save the girl if you can. But know this—if you don't return as promised, I will hunt you across every realm until the end of time."

Krad rose unsteadily to his feet, retrieving his fallen blades. "Thank you," he said, his voice rough from Zero's grip.

Zero turned away, his wings folding tight against his back. "Don't thank me. Just go."

Celeste moved to Krad's side, her hand gently touching the marks on his throat. "You need to hurry," she whispered. "The Dominions will have felt our combat. They'll send others."

Krad nodded, sheathing his blades. "Come with me," he urged, taking her hands in his.

She shook her head, a sad smile touching her lips. "I can't. Someone needs to stay and explain what happened—buy you time."

"Celeste—"

"Go," she insisted, pushing him gently away. "Save the girl. Then come back to me."

With a final, lingering look at the angel who had sacrificed everything for him, Krad gathered his power. Blue light enveloped him, growing brighter until it was almost blinding. Then, in a flash that momentarily illuminated the entire corridor, he vanished—bound for the mortal realm and the dying girl who needed him.

Zero and Celeste stood in silence, neither looking at the other. Finally,

Zero spoke, his voice barely audible.

"Was it worth it?"

Celeste's golden eyes met his, unflinching. "Ask me when he returns."

"And if he doesn't?"

A smile touched her lips, sad but determined. "He will. He promised."

Zero said nothing more, his silver aura dimming as he turned and walked away, leaving Celeste alone in the corridor. She looked at the spot where Krad had vanished, her hand pressed to her heart.

***

What price does heaven place on souls?

What cost for breaking sacred chains?

As through the mortal darkness rolls

One angel bearing all the pains.