The Last Stand

“There you go,” Munkar said, fixed on Cassiel, “look what dear sister did to you in the end. Dispense with them, and we'll get you put back together again.”

To Eita's eyes, Cassiel looked like a deer in the headlights. She was frozen, wide-eyed, and glanced between Sammy laying on the stage and Munkar keeping a cautious distance up the center aisle.

Carefully, Cassiel picked up her sword.

“Good, good,” Munkar said, “Strike them down, the fallen traitor and her helpless accomplice.”

Eita reached for his weapon. There were still some dregs of that fire inside of him, that he hadn't been able to put into his own defense. He took deep breaths, feeling the sting whether of bruise or broken ribs, but tried to make ready to do whatever he needed to do.

“Boy,” Cassiel said. Her voice wavered as her hand shook faintly, “I want you to tell me something.”

Eita waited.

“Interrogating the dead is senseless,” Munkar crooned, “just do the deed. Injuries may not be sins, but doubt is.”

“Has she been happy?” Cassiel whispered.

Eita thought, but the answer came easily. He remembered her pure joy at the family restaurant, the simple smiles when they just talked as friends at school. He knew that Sammy had doubted herself, had feared, had been hurt... but the only time Eita had ever believed that she was truly unhappy was at the beginning, when she'd been alone.

“She has,” Eita replied.

Cassiel stood up tall. The tremor of doubt left her, and she faced Munkar directly.

“Has being robbed of your light also robbed you of your wits?” Munkar asked.

“I don't know,” Cassiel replied.

“Listen to yourself!” Munkar hissed, “Speaking garbage. You will do your duty as an Angel.”

“And what is that?” Cassiel demanded.

“To kill-”

“To embody virtues,” Cassiel said, “that was what Haniel taught. Not only justice nor diligence, but patience, temperance, and kindness.”

“So you say you'll show mercy to that... that filthy thing? The corrupted dreg of a former angel? You should have been there when we brought down the others. It was over too quick with Jeqon, but Shamsiel squealed like a pig. A lesser being, fit only to be hunted down and destroyed.”

“My cocoon-sister-”

“Is the worst of the lot,” Munkar said, “so do not squander your last chance. You can still be saved.”

“If it's at the cost of someone dear, what's the point?” Cassiel demanded.

Munkar was creeping closer, and Eita could see that he clearly didn't want to fight Cassiel on even terms if he could avoid it. Perhaps Sammy and Eita were wild cards in his mind – it seemed likely that he didn't know how Eita had been saved any more than Eita himself understood that Sammy must have broken through somehow.

“The point?” Munkar asked, “Isn't it what you've always desired?”

“I-”

“To stand above the Seraph you were born in the shadow of,” Munkar said, “To be acknowledged for those virtues of yours. Look behind you, the answer is there. You hold the means in your hand. One cut, and you'll be free. That pathetic dreg will never cast her shadow over you again, and you shall be known forever as her better and bathe in the glory of the Lord that had been denied you.”

“You're wrong!” Cassiel cried.

“Am I?” Muinkar asked, “Or do you just not know yourself? Why did you come to Earth if not to hunt your white whale? That thing cannot be saved.”

“You're wrong... she isn't... my sister isn't some thing casting a shadow over my life. She's always been the light showing me the way. So if you say she can't be saved, then I'll put my faith in her instead of salvation.”

“Heretic,” Munkar spat, “I'll enjoy carving your flesh from your bones!”

Cassiel shot Eita a glance that seemed to ask if he could still fight. In reply, he set Sammy down as gently as he could and grasped his sword. Whatever dregs were left in Eita would have to do.

Munkar took to the air and wheeled around the theater, up near the ceiling.

“If you want me,” Cassiel said, “come and get me!”

Munkar hissed, and Cassiel took a stance over Sammy's prone form. Eita moved to support her, standing back to back with the angel who had nearly killed him a moment ago in tacit trust.

Munkar dove, a blade in each arm, but as he screamed down from the ceiling with an inarticulate battle cry, an arrow struck him in the arm, and a lightning-like flash of power shot through him. He wheeled, crashing against the stage, and dropped one of his two blades.

In the door frame, Yua stood tall, bow in hand. Gadot forced past her, and charged into the fray.

Munkar recovered quickly, but his left arm still hung limp. He vaulted onto the stage and dashed towards Eita, who raised a blade to defend himself. He managed one parry, but he was weaker now than he had thought, and would likely have toppled over if not for Cassiel behind him. Cassiel herself whirled around, and moved to press Munkar from his weak side, drawing the Angel's attention so as to not offer his foe such a position.

Munkar lashed out as Cassiel, shrieking invective and demanding her damnation. He was fast, but Cassiel held with stern determination while Eita took up harassing Munkar's flank, trying to drive him away from Sammy and the crucified Sara.

That was when Gadot arrived. The three surrounded Munkar entirely, and though he fought with the insane ferocity of any cornered creature, forcing any one of the trio back at a time, even Munkar couldn't keep up so badly outnumbered and out-positioned.

“I will not be denied!” Munkar shouted.

Finally, Munkar faced Gadot with his right side, taking something not unlike a fencing stance, driving at him heedless of Eita's position at his left.

This was no competition with rules of fair play. Eita put his all in stabbing through Munkar's trailing knee. As he stumbled, Cassiel didn't hesitate. There was a crack of thunder, and she drove her sword through Munkar's chest.

Munkar gurgled. Golden blood poured from his mouth with a sickly cough, and he teetered unsteadily. Before he could fall, or realize his folly and vanish. Cassiel pulled her sword free and struck Munkar's head from his shoulders.

Eita forced himself to watch as Munkar's death throes began, his body blackening and his halo running wild, turning away only a moment before the pillar of light burst from him into the unseen sky above the darkened ceiling.

In the doorway, he saw that Yua had stepped to the side. Azalea was there now, and with her the delinquent Eita thought was called Chazz.

It wasn't everyone, and Eita worried about that much, but for now it was clear that the nightmare was over.