When the light reached the golden palace, what greeted him was his most precious artifact destroyed. He struggled to create that artifact for a long time, but now it was destroyed in Athos's hands.
Even though he was angry at Athos, he didn't let his anger cloud his judgment, but his sword still remained in his hands if needed.
"Lapidot, are you mad? What are you saying?" Athos asked with a complicated expression. holding the damaged spear in his hands with his scythe in the other.
He saw that a new angel he didn't recognize had pulled out his weapon against him. But he wasn't the second most powerful angel for nothing.
"Don't act like you didn't do it, Athos; the spear is clearly in your hands." Lapidot pointed to the white spear.
"You—you gave me the damn spear in the garden. " Athos shouted in self-defense.
"Ha! Are you really serious? How could I possibly give you the spear when I wasn't even with you?" Lapidot crossed his arms, denying any form of allegations from Athos.
"You..." Athos wanted to react but was held back by Zena.
"Lapidot, why are you doing this? We know you were with Athos in the garden." Lorena frowned.
"I can see you have some traitors as well."
"Don't you ever call my sister a traitor," Liona intervened. "If they say they saw you, then it may be true unless you have a witness in your defense."
"Well, luckily for me, I do have an Alby." Lapidot smiled as an angel walked out from the crowd and stood beside Lapidot.
"M-Michael?" Everyone was shocked. when the archangel walked out with boldness and stood beside Lapidot with a smile on his face.
"Michael, what are you doing…" Athos asked with anger written all over his face.
The situation was taking a different turn as the knight stood there with the sword in his hands, observing the situation.
"What do you think, Athos? I am his witness. Come on, don't try to hide it." Michael spoke with confidence, with no trace of any lie written on his face.
"Y-you weren't even in the garden," Zena yelled.
"Oh! But I was… While you three were in the garden, I also was there picking up some divine fruits when I saw Athos fly away with something in his hands."
"B-but we were with him the whole time," Liona said with disbelief in her eyes.
"Oh! But are you sure he didn't leave for a split second?" Michael chuckled.
"Michael, I don't know what you're planning, but I won't let you put the blame on me." Athos furrowed his brows as he turned to Lapidot. He saw a bit of fear in his eyes, and he also noticed his hands would slightly shake once in a while.
"Put the blame on you… now what would I gain from that?" He smiled mischievously.
"Look, the evidence is clearly in your hands, which means you broke the spear, so you have to be punished according to the law… or isn't that so, Lorena?"
"I am afraid it is." Lorena answered defeated; there was nothing she could do. She wanted to not believe what Michael said, but he was her superior, and she was loyal to him and the light.
Other than that, the one holding the spear was Athos. So he had to be responsible for it.
"N-no, how could you possibly say that, sis?" Liona held her shoulders as a tear slipped down her cheeks.
"You can't possibly do that," Zena added.
"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do; if the light doesn't interfere, then it means he'll be punished according to the law."
"Hmm... something's not right here," the light said. As he looked at Lapidot's aura, he could sense it was fluttering a bit. like when an angel was lying, and he could feel it.
"You, Lapidot, how did you know Athos broke the spear?" Amos walked out to Lapidot, inspecting the spear in Athos's hands.
"And who are you?" Lapidot asked, confused. He thought it was just a mere angel who dared to interfere in the higher-level business.
But when Michael saw Amos, he quickly recognized the light. as it was only he who had seen him in this form.
"You didn't answer my question," Amos spoke calmly.
"I don't have to answer you, and since you decided to be a hero, I have to teach you a lesson," Lapidot said as the bow appeared in his hands. He fiercely pulled the string as the golden arrow aura shot out really fast.
"Ha," Lorena exclaimed. She didn't believe Lapis would be this aggressive to attack an angel lower than him.
She wanted to move, but she didn't have to because Amos was nowhere to be found.
"Where did he go?" Lapidot said with wide eyes, but he didn't have to think long. because Amos appeared right at his back and used his sword to slash at him using 10% of his strength.
"Argh." Lapidot was flung out like an arrow into the crowd. hitting some angels who weren't quick enough to dodge as he hit a pillar, cracking it.
"Wow, isn't that the new angel?"
"Yeah, Amos..."
"But how is he that strong to do that to Lapidot?"
"He must have been here before. …"
"This is unbelievable," Lorena said with wide eyes.
The thing Amos just performed right now wasn't something a new angel could achieve like that. and she knew he didn't use a quarter of his strength.
Everyone looked at Amos with wide eyes as he calmly put his sword back into its sheath and stared at Michael with a frown.
"M-my lord." Michael bowed. As everyone saw Michael bow down, they were confused at first.
"Oh, it seems they still don't recognize me." The light chuckled as he released his full energy. flinging some weak angel outside as the pressure was just too much. Lorena and the rest struggled to stand as their legs dug into the ground to stay.
"That should be enough," the light said, reducing the pressure enough for them to stand.
"N-no wonder… y-you were the light all along..." Lorena said, amazed at how she didn't suspect a thing from him. The way he talked and his behavior would make no one suspect a thing from him at all.
The light just smiled as he stretched his hands, with Lapidot being pulled by a strong force into the light's hand.
"Now tell us the truth and don't lie, or else I'll do some bad things to you," the light said, furious at his angel for lying about Athos.
"I—I am sor-ry, my lord… it wasn't my idea..." Lapidot stuttered under the grip of the light.
"Then whose is it?" the light said. and Michael's face turned bad immediately when he heard that.
"He's lying, my lord; it was his idea all along. He was the one who accused Athos," Michael spoke up.
"But I thought you were there?" the light questioned Michael.
"O-of course, but I didn't see the whole thing. I only saw when Athos brought out the broken spear and showed it to Lapidot, so I deemed it that he broke the spear and tried to hide it."
"Hmm... you shouldn't conclude on something you're not sure of, Michael."
"I'll let all this drama slide this time," the light said, but he still wasn't done.
"And as for you, Lapidot, your punishment is your divine energy will be reduced so you'll fall back a few ranks," the light stated.
"N-no, you can't do that," Lapidot cried, tears streaming down his eyes. He had worked so hard to rise in the ranks, and now all his efforts would be washed down the drain. because of the archangel who lied to him.
"You're lucky I didn't banish you." The light let go of Lapidot as he fell to the ground.
"I've been deceived by everyone…" "N-no, I won't be this miserable!" Lapidot shouted as he charged forward at the light. charging a large amount of divine energy into his bow and shooting it at the light.
But as it got close, it was dispelled by a crimson sword that brimmed brightly.
"H-how dare you." Michael said, and in the next instant, blood spilled out of Lapidot's mouth as the crimson sword pierced his heart.
"Phough! Y-ou..." Lapidot barely spoke as life seeped out of him quickly.
"Michael, why did you do that…" The light frowned as he saw the energy fading from Lapis returning back to him.
"He—he tried to kill you…" Michael said as he pulled the sword out of Lapidot's chest.
"No!!!" Liona shouted as she crouched down and held Lapidot dearly; tears streamed down her cheeks.
"D-don't leave me..." she spoke softly. But Lapidot couldn't talk as he slowly caressed her hair. Until life went out of him completely, his body dispersed into bright white light, entering the light.
"You bastard," Liona shouted.
"You should watch your mouth," Michael roared. "I can't believe you two were together as an angel. You know the law and consequences."
"You wouldn't know what it feels like because you'll never be with Zena," she shouted.
"Liona, stop it…" Lorena tried to calm her little sister down as she could sense something bad wanted to happen.
"W-what did you say?" Michael's eyes twitched. The next moment he was in front of Liona, his crimson sword almost at her throat.
"NO!" Lorena yelled as she saw her little sister about to be murdered by Michael.
But a scythe suddenly blocked the attack as a small shock wave formed, pushing Liona away to Lorena's side.
"That's enough!" Athos said as he held his pure white scythe in his hands.
"How dare you interfere..." Michael angrily said.
"You've just killed Lapidot, and you want to take Liona's life too?" Athos poured out his anger.
"I am just doing my job." Michael smiled.
"Then I'll do mine too." A bright light burst out from Athos's scythe as it pushed Michael back a bit.
"I see you've gotten stronger, but you're still no match for me." He swung his crimson sword three times, releasing three huge flames.
"You idiot, there are angels here." Athos said as he countered his attack by using his huge scythe to slash at his flames, destroying them.
"Impressive, but how about you do this endlessly?" Michael's hand moved like a blur as he swung his sword endlessly, releasing multiple flame auras.
"animal." Athos's hand worked nonstop, dispersing the flame auras. as he used his wings for support, going to take the fight to Michael.
"Why won't you stop them?" Zena asked with tears in her eyes, looking at the light for help. but the light didn't answer and instead continued staring at the battle in front.
Athos firmly swung his scythe with strength as a long, huge white aura shot out. destroying the auras from Michael and continued going front.
"No!" Michael gulped as the energy around him burst out. He gripped his sword firmly with both his hands and swung vertically at Athos's aura.
When the two auras collided, both disappeared with a loud boom sound, sending a high amount of pressure.
"I've had enough of you." Michael said as he flew fast at Athos in the air, ready for a confrontation.
"Clang! Bam. " Athos swung his scythe at Michael's head, but the latter dodged. and stabbed his sword forward at Athos's throat, but Athos caught it with his hands.
"Wrong mistake." The energy in Michael got hotter as the sword glowed more of a dark red. Then a huge explosion occurred.
Boom!!!
"Argh." Athos was sent downwards with a bang, crashing down into the golden floor and forming a huge crater.
Blood trickled down Athos's mouth as he got up; he swung his scythe continuously in a clockwise motion. Huge air pressure headed for Michael.
His eyes widened as he saw the attacks. He blurted out continuously while slashing his sword a couple of times. But Athos, still swinging his scythe, stomped his foot and shot out real fast to Michael.
"Bam." Athos slashed at Michael's chest with his powerful scythe and didn't stop there. but continued hitting Michael all over, putting divine energy into his attacks.
boom boom boom...
Boom sounds resounded as Michael and Athos battled. High auras were fired at each other, and the golden palace would shake. any time a deadly hit would occur between the two titans.
"I—I can't let his attacks get to them." Athos thrust his scythe at Michael, who blocked with his crimson sword. They were both injured by one another, but they continued fighting.
"I see what you're doing." Michael smiled. He opened his palm as a ball of red energy surged round it; the next sec he fired it downwards.
"You..." Athos extended every bit of his agility as he blurred down. and gripped his scythe like his life depended on it.
"She'll die if it hits her." The attack was intentionally directed at Zena. But Michael made it look like a mistake. So Athos decided to use his body as a shield and take the attack.
"Arrggh..." he roared, using every bit of his strength and divine energy to slash at Michael's attack. as he managed to weaken it, but it still hit him.
"Bam!" His burnt body crashed downwards barely alive, but Michael wasn't done. He threw his crimson sword, which was enveloped with flames, with all his might.
"No!" Zena knew Athos wouldn't survive if that attack touched him. So she disappeared from her spot and held her two daggers in her hands. using up all of her divine energy to attack Michael's attack.
"N-no..." Athos could barely speak.
"Boom!" A huge explosion occurred with a big ball of light forming, blinding everyone, and then another explosion occurred.
"Boom..." Huge waves of energy were released, and as the light cleared, there were no signs of Zena or Michael's sword.
"Zena!!" Liona yelled as strength went away from her. First she had lost her love, then her best friend. It was just too much for her to handle as she passed out.
"Nooo..." Athos yelled with the remaining strength he had and threw his scythe at Michael. It went faster than the speed of light as it was enveloped with white light.
"Boom..." It pierced through Michael's armor and his right chest. pinning him up the pillar firmly.
"Phough! Ar-ghh..." He coughed up huge amounts of blood as he hung up there.
"N-no, Zena..." Athos carefully crawled to where Zena went to take the attack. as there were no signs of her whatsoever; not even her ash was left.
"Bring her back." Athos yelled at the light. But the latter just shook his head; the expression on his face was grim.
"Y-you know I can't bring her back."
"Why! Why did you create us if you can't even bring us back...?" Athos yelled, getting up; parts of his armor and flesh were charred. His once beautiful white wings were now burnt, and the white feathers peeled.
He looked hideous right now, as his face was unrecognizable, like that of a monster with bat-like wings and claws.
"Y-you're the cause of all this; if you hadn't put in that law, none of this would've happened. " Athos shouted.