Burning in Heaven

Chapter 17

Asmodeus's PoV

I watch as Asura walks up with Satan at the outside of the Core. He has a cut mark on his cheek and one on his bicep that's shallower.

"What animal attacked you?" I ask him, raising my eyebrow.

His eyes glance to me, no feelings behind them. Not in his normal cold death way, but in a different way. I take a deep breath of the air and smell no emotions coiling off of him.

"I cut him," Asura shrugs, "We were sparring."

"You?" I raise my eyebrows in shock.

"Yes, her," Satan's voice sounds protective, but still more numb than normal.

"Are you fucking high right now?" I ask, anger sweeping through me. Of course he'd go get high before I have an actual task for him.

"Yes, I'm high," He glances at me, "You're asking me to do something I do not want to do. That you knew would hurt me and I drowned out my feelings so I could do it for you. I did it to be able to sacrifice myself again, knowing more now than ever that my breaking falls on too many people to be able to do it anymore."

I flinch at his words. The cool dullness that they come out with hurts more than the accusation that the words hold. I just open the door and walk through greeting Mammon. He leads us through the door. I'm washed with the very same feeling that floored Lucifer. The screams echo through me and I see Satan flinch back. Asura whispers, "Satan?"

He mutters, glancing at me, "You can hear them too can't you?"

I nod and he whispers, "It's them."

The pain in his voice cuts through whatever drug he took. Mammon says, "Satan, you're gonna have to touch the orb and speak to them. Command them as you would have."

He nods and Mammon says, "Asura, you're gonna be his grounder. If you feel Satan's soul slip you need to pull him back."

They glance at each other and I can taste the love connecting them. Mammon continues, "Asmodeus and I are going to fuel Satan. He's gonna be pushed to the brink with power. Satan, if you don't push our power into this orb we could drain you."

He nods and whispers, "I already know how to channel power."

Mammon tilts his head and says, "Asura, if our power becomes too much you need to channel it yourself."

Satan whips his red eyes to Mammon, anger sparking slightly. Mammon just meets red with gold and whispers, "Asura can take it. She can hold powers in large portions; it's her power."

"It is?" I ask. Mammon nods and says, "She was training with me during the year we were gone. It's why she was able to channel Satan's power to hold you off in the Ring so easily even when his is Chaos."

"Chaos?" I ask and Asura tilts her head.

"Y'all need to start sharing your shit," Mammon laughs, "Chaos, the shadow thing he can do that ability is called Chaos. He got it during the Hundred-years, from the monster who was a creature of Chaos. There are lower demons who can manipulate it as well, just not as strong as he can. He is a devil and so the Chaos is stronger in him and he wields it well for having no one to train him."

"Thanks," Satan says, his voice rough as he hits his pen.

"Asura, as a Wielder and a devil, can hold power in storage or wield it herself. Holding Satan's is something we've seen her capable of. She has also held yours and mine meaning this should not affect her. Asmodeus has a slight Wielder side, because of being connected to everything in Hell now so he can channel into anything within or from his realm."