Paradise Lost (JSAB)

HONE YOUR EDGE

Woo I finished this early because I want to get onto the finale of this arc really really quickly so-

2025 hours, Industry

Barracuda could not believe what she was seeing.

S.D could not believe what she was seeing.

Fresh could not believe what he was seeing.

"I know right!?" Lycan laughed as he pointed at the flailing, shrieking angel. He had a pair of sword sheaths in his arms, carrying them around and showing them off 'I couldn't believe it either! It's so crazy, though, like- who knew that angels actually existed! And check it out, this one's got swords and a freaking metal wing, it's awesome! Damn lady was screaming the entire way back, though, drove me nuts! It felt like I was trying to keep an entire goddamn Helicopter in a cage. Couldn't blame her. Seriously though, LOOK AT THESE SWORDS!"

Barracuda, curious, stepped forward in an entranced daze as her gaze was fixated on the caged bird and her long, mismatched wings- one made out of flesh and bone, the other scrap metal, nuts and bolts. By now, the angel was now much more subdued, having tired herself out, instead just sitting on the floor panting heavily, adhesive sweat plastering her hair to her pale face. Her posture gave everyone else around her a glimpse at her legs, which resembled long thin cones replacing her feet, making it impossible for her to walk or even let alone stand. Deranged, lapis lazuli eyes glared at all the corrupted around her, dilated pupils hopping from face to face. Though when Barracuda approached her, the angel's intense glare was fixated not at the approaching human woman, but over her shoulder, but the look in her eyes wasn't of anger anymore.

S.D just looked shocked, speechless beyond words as she and the angel made eye contact, staring right into each other's souls. No way this is happening. S.D then sheepishly avoided her gaze, seeing how intensely the angel was staring at her and the other bosses. But eventually, the angel's gaze moved, and instead focused on someone else...

Staring right at the horned, crowned demon king standing in front of her. It seemed to take her a few moments to fully take in his appearance, but the moment she realised what she was looking at, her face dropped, going from a violent hostility to a wide-eyed, gaping-mouthed despair.

"Telling from your face, you know who I am?" Fresh smile was grim and dark. The angel gulped, face becoming whiter and whiter by the second. He approached the cage, and on his way he ruffled Lycan's hair affectionately. "Well done, Lycanthropy. You've done well. I've just needed this, you've put me in a good mood now."

Lycan's face brightened up like the midday sun, looking at Barracuda and S.D with a wide smile plastered across three quarters of his face. Barracuda looked at him weirdly while S.D just stared at the angel with an unreadable emotion.

"Listen. I'm looking for somebody." Fresh began, squatting down so he wasn't talking down at the angel. "Somebody who I haven't seen in years. I have a hunch that your people, living high up in the clouds, are hiding him. The reason you're here right now is because I want you to take me to him. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

The angel's eyes widened further.

"I'll take that as a yes. Well! In that case, you're coming with me!"

The moment he said those words, Fresh simply tapped his cane on the ground twice, and on his cue long blossoms of pink energy blossomed from the ground, lifting the corrupted structure up. The cage rocked back and forth as the angel started to grow more and more frightened, staring around at the faces of the other corrupted, wordlessly begging for a way out. But there was no response from them.