Cross and Angel had quickly retreated back to the hallway were, with careful instructions from Cherri, were able to avoid her well placed traps, which were mostly bombs with tripwire attached to the clips. Once on the other side, they waited for the enemies as Angel had the chance to reload and Cross the time to heal some of the wounds he received.
"You held them at the lobby for a good while! How many do you think you killed?" Cherri's question made Angel snicker as he posed with his guns.
"At least fifty! They got so pissed they started not even coming inside the hotel and just start unloading their guns from outside! Husky's magic kept us alive throughout that entire situation but even with the magic, me and Cross still got hit!" Angel described the situation as Cross grunted and started focusing his power into his holster.
"I didn't think Raphael would send the entirety of his squads to the hotel. That's great news for Pride, and bad news for us. If they keep pushing against us like this then our chances for survival are slim."
"What do you mean our chances are just now slim? They've been slim for quite some fucking time now! It literally takes one good shot from those guys to fucking end us!" Angel said.
"Let's just hope they aren't smart enough to blow up the hotel from the outside..." Cherri mentioned as all three at the same time knocked on the wooden doorway of a vacant room.
"Here's hoping..." Cross muttered as he went to grab his pistol but the pain in his shoulder caused him to hiss and gingerly pull his pistol back I out to use.
"Cross! Cross you there!?" Suddenly, Chorus voice shouted inside Cross's mask as he quickly tapped the side of it.
"Chorus!? You're here? On Pride!? What about Gluttony?" Cross attitude change prompted Angel and Cherri to turn their attention to him.
"Gluttony has been secured! Beel is leading a revolt against the soldiers right now! I'm in this radio studio here in the hotel!"
"No kidding!? Well, happy to have you join the fun! What about Greed or Lust? Any information?"
"Hello? Cross? Chorus? Can either of you hear me?" Suddenly, Stone's voice came through as well, earning a gasp from Chorus.
"Sweetheart!? Is that you!?"
"Yeah, it's me. I'm happy to hear your voice darling."
"Stone! Welcome to Pride! What's the situation on Greed and Lust? Any info on Graves?" Cross asked as Cherri motioned to the end of the hall. Cross peeked down the hall as he noticed Raphael's soldiers carefully making their way closer and closer to the start of the long hallway.
"Mammon is free and so is Asmodeus. Graves didn't make it. I called for Heaven to send their exterminators to Lust, Greed, and Gluttony. My position is currently on the train, trying to get it to the train station and then I'll be on my way to you two. Stone out." Stone's information on Graves made Chorus and Cross upset that their friend had truly passed but steeled themselves, for the war was not over.
"Chorus, listen. If Husk is with you, he's a black and white cat demon, remind him to refresh his spell! I also need you to sing a song. Not just any song. A song that will not only immobilize the enemies but enchant our demonic friends. You know any good ones?" Cross asked as he peeked down the hall again and noticed the enemies getting closer to the first trip wire.
"Cross, please, you only had to ask!" Chorus hummed. Chorus heard an explosion on Cross's side as he yelled, "Hit em' hard!" Before his voice disconnected from Chorus's mask.
"So, what did he say?" Husk asked as Chorus looked to him.
"You need to keep refreshing that shield and luck spell you're giving them. In the mean time, excuse me~!" Chorus chimed to both Husk and Alastor as she tapped the radio demon on the shoulder.
"Yes?" He said with a smile.
"You wouldn't happen to know how to play piano would you? I need some accompaniment for this piece," Chorus summoned a sheet of paper as the soft material fluttered down to Alastor and he grabbed it, eyeing it with intrigue.
"Hmm! Upbeat! Show tune vibes! Darling, I believe I will be able to help you out wonderfully!" Alastor said and with a snap of his fingers, a beautiful piano appeared in the large studio. His cane transformed into a platform for Chorus music as he sat down on a red cushioned chair and played a few notes on his piano. Chorus summoned her microphone as it floated in front of her and she cleared her throat, humming a few notes. Husk quickly went about reshuffling his cards as both Cross, Angel, and Cherri found their luck and aim to have gotten significantly better.
"One, two, three, four!" Chorus counted while smacking her thigh. Alastor began quickly running his fingers over the keys as the music surrounded himself and Chorus, who immediately burst out in a wondrous, high pitched song. Alastor's ears perked up at her singing as he looked to her with excitement in his eyes. In just a few mere moments of the song starting, Alastor felt all of Hell needed to hear this. Using his magic to connect to Vox who was still under his control under V Tower, Alastor used him to connect to the studio and broadcast this music over all of Hell. Soon, Chorus's beautiful voice and Alastor's piano playing was heard by everyone.
Down in Lust, the exterminators and Adam heard the music as they watched the enemy soldiers freeze, their eyes becoming glazed over with golden smoke.
"FUCK YEAH! I RECOGNIZE THAT VOICE! KEEP THAT SHIT UP CHORUS!" Adam yelled as he summoned his guitar and began playing along with the song, this causing an even heavier effect on Raphael's soldiers causing them to dance and even cheer. This gave the exterminators plenty of time and chance to kill the soldiers as very soon, Lust would soon be back under Hell's control, and not Raphael's.
On Greed and Gluttony, the music played over every speaker, television, and phone as every soldier dropped their guns and couldn't help but be mesmerized by the voice. However, it was this distraction that led to the soldiers dying at the hands of the exterminators. On Pride, Cross, Angel, and Cherri saw the soldiers stop advancing as their eyes became clouded with gold smoke. Cross felt energy pump through his body as he saw Angel and Cherri's weapon glow with angelic light, signifying that they had been blessed with angelic power. They opened fire and attacked the defenseless soldiers as the group charged, taking control of the hallway and moving to the lobby.
To make things even better, Vaggie, Charlie, and Niffty returned with Carmilla, her daughters, and Zestial, the groups landing on the roof as they heard Chorus singing loud and proud.
"What a beautiful voice!" Zestial complimented as Carmilla could feel her stress and despair drifting away from her body. Charlie and Vaggie couldn't help but agree and were eager to see who was singing this wondrous tune. They quickly went down the stairs from the roof to find Husk, Alastor, and Chorus in the studio.
"Welcome back!" Husk called as both Vaggie and Charlie could see the difference in his attitude. He was chipper and his magic swirled with Alastor's and Chorus's, creating a beautiful light show.
"Good to be back!" Charlie said, happy to see things lean in their favor.
Act Two
It's important to note that Alastor's studio has a lot of windows that overlook the area around the hotel. What it cannot see, was Lucifer's manor and the situation that it was currently in. Raphael had gone on a small rampage inside the manor upon seeing the state of his army on every Hell ring. Curtains were torn, windows shattered, there were holes in walls and whole rooms were destroyed. But now he could hear that dreadful music Chorus was singing. Raphael could see the destruction this was causing to his plans and army as the exterminators had completely taken back Lust and Gluttony. Raphael didn't even know the states of Treachery, Fraud, and Violence since he had lost communication with them after Chorus had started singing. Whoever was moving up from the lower floors was decimating his army, and he knew it would only be a matter of time before they would reach Pride.
"Just one thing after another with Heaven. For a group of egotistical 'sinless' cunts, they sure do know how to murder well." Raphael spoke in a sarcastic tone as he ran a hand through his hair, trying to regain his composure.
"This is the best fucking joke ever!" Lucifer laughed his ass off as Raphael looked at him.
"Wanna say that again?"
"Look! Look at the fucking cameras! You had, what, over 300 squads worth of soldiers? Now how many do you have left!? It took four of Heaven's best to break up all that you have and guess what? The Sins are free, my daughter is safe, and you know what else? Your ascension is ruined!" Lucifer laughed again, even with how painful the hooks dug into his skin. Raphael felt his blood boil, and now it wasn't just Chorus's singing that was in his ears, but Lucifer's laughter as well.
"Hehe...your right, it is pretty ridiculous I was beat this quickly," As his anger grew, a red fire started in his palm as he closed his hand into a fist. The fire began to mold and shape itself into a couple red and black bullets as he raised his hand up in front of himself to observe them.
"But, what's that term people used to say? 'It's not over till the fat lady sings'?" He turned and approached one of his personal guards as he grabbed the rifle from their hands and observed it. The soldier said nothing as Raphael removed the mag and removed a bullet, inserting one of his specialty bullets before reinserting the mag. He chambered the round and with Lucifer still laughing, he walked outside and flew up into the sky.
"Well, there is someone singing...but this ain't over!" His wings shot him up higher and higher into the air as he hovered in the sky. He brought the rifle scope up to his eye as far away, he could see the hotel and Alastor's radio room. His red flame engulfed the scope as it caused it to change and morph into a scope that allowed Raphael to zoom in more. He got a good look at the situation, with Charlie's group that included Zestial and Carmilla, to Husk's group that had Chorus and Alastor. He moved his scope down to the entrance of the hotel as he saw Cross, Angel, and Cherri having ran through all of his squads and gotten outside. He observed Cross, seeing his old teacher covered in blood made Raphael reminiscence of the same day Cross had found him after his battle. Wings torn off, bloody and thirsty for more, like a wild animal needing to be put down.
"But you didn't put me down, you weren't merciful. Little Raphael, weak and sure to die, in fact doesn't die but returns with a plan. A plan to decimate Hell and return home, where I would get my revenge on the person I trusted the most," Raphael words were to himself as he brought the crosshair of the scope onto Cross's head. One shot is all it would take for Raphael to pay Cross back for all those years being left to suffer down here. But as he was about to pull the trigger, he stopped. He realized if he wanted to make Cross suffer like he did, he would have to tear everything away from him just like Cross had done to him many years ago. Break him down piece by piece until the only thing that remained, was a pitiful, sad old man. He turned his rifle back to the studio and observed the many targets he was offered.
"Let's see...eeny...meeny...miny...moe," With a pull of the trigger, the gun sounded out a mighty blast as Raphael's bullet shot through the air, letting out a faint whistle. Cross, exhausted and drenched in blood, saw Angel and Cherri in pretty much the same state. Inside the hotel from where they had pushed from was dead bodies as far as the eye could see-
Suddenly, Alastor's studio windows all shattered at once as Cross, Angel, and Cherri covered their bodies from the falling glass. A scream and the feeling of a heavy pulse in Cross's heart made him not even realize that the singing had stopped. His wings shot out behind him as his heart ached and relayed information to his brain that the worst had happened.
"Cross!" Angel and Cherri called out as the angel ignored them and shot up to the studio at near blinding speeds as he hovered outside the broken windows to look inside. He quickly took out his hilt as he sliced a large opening in the studio and flew in. When his feet touched the ground, he walked past the shocked group of demons. Charlie held a hand over her mouth as Husk stared with stunned, wide eyes. Gold blood coated the ground as Cross knelt down and stared at the dead body of Chorus in front of himself. He extinguished his hilt and pocketed it as Chorus's mask was no longer glowing, which prompted Cross to grip it and pull it off. The mask clattered behind him as the cold dead eyes of Chorus stared up at his, her smooth white face and long golden hair strung out behind her on the ground. Her head was sunk inward on the left and blown out on the right side as gold blood coated her face and lips. Cross felt sadness engulf and grip his heart as he carefully moved her eyelids down and moved some hair out of her face.
"Cross? Come in! Cross! Chorus! Anyone there!?" Stone's voice came through Cross's mask as reality set into Cross of what was going to be said next. He tapped the side of his mask as he could hardly find the words for what he was about to say.
"Stone...this is Cross..."
"Cross? What's going on? Where's Chorus!?" Cross bit his tongue till it bled as he set Chorus back down on the ground.
"She's...Stone..."
"Cross," Stone's voice became sharp as Cross flinched slightly.
"Where is my wife?"
"...She's gone..." Silence filled the area around Cross as he felt his heartstrings pull and tear one another up.
"You weren't protecting her?" Stone's voice came back as Cross stood up.
"I was clearing the hotel out-"
"YOU WERE-" Stone sighed as Cross could hear a soft whimpering.
"You weren't protecting her?"
"She was singing and her barrier should've been up, Stone, I don't..."
"No...no you...you can't just..." Cross could hear it perfectly now, the sound of Stone's sobbing. Yelling, pained screams, and the sound of destruction sounded out from Stone's side as Cross felt his eyes grow heavy and hot. It was only when the sounds stopped did Cross try to find the strength to speak again.
"Stone-"
"Answer one thing for me...do you have eyes on the killer?" Cross looked up as he saw something out on the horizon. His visor zoomed in as he steadily could make out the individual who was hovered in the air. The hot feeling in his eyes left as he realized who he was staring out. There, for his eyes to see, Cross saw Raphael holding the rifle and taking aim yet again. Cross felt his heart beat picking up, pumping adrenaline through his veins seemingly replacing the blood. Raphael's rifle sparked and Cross could hear the whistle from the bullet, so faint across the sky as Cross pulled his hilt out and ignited the blade yet again. He didn't even feel the hot tears running down his face as he brought his hilt up above his head and swung it down onto the incoming bullet. His blade sliced through the bullet as the heat coming off it was near ten times as worse as the ones Carmilla had. Charlie could see the shine of Cross's tears on his neck as the two halves of the bullet sunk into the walls of Alastor's studio.
"Cross..." She whispered softly.
"Yeah, I see him, Stone. It's Raphael." Cross responded to Stone as he stared at Raphael who held a smug smile on his face. In one final act of disrespect, he threw up his middle finger and stuck out his tongue at Cross, knowing his old teacher could see him.
"...I'm gonna tear his wings off," Was all Stone said before Cross's eyes glowed a fiery gold. The moment Raphael blinked, Alastor's studio gained a new hole in it as Cross shot forward at Raphael at blinding speeds. Raphael was caught off guard by the suddenness of Cross appearing before him, sword raised and ready to slice him. Raphael quickly raised the rifle to block the sword strike but Cross sliced through the rifle and across Raphael's chest, giving him a deep gash. Raphael's eyes widened as he backed off a bit and Cross stared at him, his sword dripping gold blood as Raphael chuckled.
"Good to see you too, Teacher." Before Cross's eyes, Raphael's wound miraculously mended itself. Raphael took note of his two destroyed pieces of the rifle as he threw them to the side and reached into his robe's pockets. A hilt, similar to Cross's, was clutched tightly in his hands as the hilt ignited the weapon. A sword with rigged sides appeared as the black glass emanated a black smoke as Raphael showed it off.
"Pretty cool right? I had it fashioned a couple days after you left me on Hell," Cross was silent as Raphael waited for him to answer.
"Gone silent now? Well, how about you answer a question from me then?" Raphael asked as Cross's grip tightened on his hilt.
"Do you feel regret for leaving me here? Sadness? Anything?"
"I feel only one thing. Regret...that I didn't remove your cowardice head from its useless body when I had the chance." Raphael raised an eyebrow at Cross.
"Cowardice-?" Cross shot forward at Raphael as the two clashed swords, with Cross pushing his former student back through the air.
"But now, I will right my wrong, AND WIPE YOU FROM EXISTENCE!"
Act Three
Down at Lucifer's mansion, with the grounds being patrolled by Raphael's soldiers, they observed the ongoing fight between Raphael and Cross above the mansion. But before they had a chance to decide amongst themselves whether or not they should join the fight. They didn't have much time however, as the gate of the manor flew off it's hinges and shot forward, breaking one of the two outside stone fountains and colliding with one of Raphael's guard. They shot back into the outside steps of the mansion, gold blood exploding outward from the body as it was crushed by the heavy metal gate. The many heads turned to see Stone standing tall with his sword in his hands as he brought it behind him and swung it forward. The blade suddenly released a blinding white slash that soared through the air and cleaved three guards in half and sliced a portion of Lucifer's roof off. The other guards began opening fire at Stone as the Hellfire bullets sang through the air and collided with Stone's armor, puncturing it. But Stone wasn't amused as he charged them and sliced any that got close enough to his sword and strikes.
"BRING THEM ALL! I'LL CUT YOU ALL DOWN!" Stone yelled with so much fury that it caused the guard's very bodies to start shaking violently from fear. Guard after guard, Stone cut through them as he steadily made his way to the main house where Lucifer resided. He pressed the advance against all odds, slicing and punching through guard after guard. To hinder him, the guards swung their hooks and threw them at him, sinking the hooks into his armor. The hooks dug in as more guards followed suit in throwing and hooking their chains into Stone as he got halfway to reaching the mansion. He couldn't move his body so well as the guards used all their strength to slow the massive, angry angel down but it ended up being all for naught.
"IF YOU HEAR ME, HIGH ONE, GRANT ME, YOUR LOYAL SERVANT, THE STRENGTH TO SEND THESE USURPERS TO THE DARKEST PITS OF HELL FOREVERMORE!" Stone screamed to the sky, his mask cracking as the stress in his face was causing the mask to break. His body and muscles grew as the guards stared in horror at the angel. Stone gripped the chains that the hooks were attached to as he began wildly swinging the guards around so quickly that the guards hidden features were revealed. Stone witnessed the stitched, dead mouths of fallen angels as their eyes held no eyelids, keeping the guards in a forever wide eye state. Stone's strength broke the chains as he sent the guards flying everywhere, and any that collided with the mansion caused the guards to die on impact. The sight in front of the several remaining squads of Raphael's guards were of Stone standing in front of the mansion, his gold blood dripping down his body and the chains as they dangled from his body, creating a haunting tune each time the metal of his armor collided with the chains. He reached up and gripped his mask as he pulled it off, revealing his face as he threw the mask to the side. His skin was as dark as Sera's, his eyes were a pale blue, his hair was curly, long, and black, similar to his teacher, Samson. He glared at the guards, his gaze piercing theirs as they shakily lowered their guns and took a step back.
"There is no escape," Stone let out a roar as he charged the mansion. One by one, he killed the guards with no mercy, gold blood covering his body as Lucifer bore witness to it all. His eyes were wide in disbelief as he watched Stone go on his spree with no remorse to his once allied associates. When the last guard had been stomped, slammed, sliced, crushed, and choked by Stone, his attention turned to the roof and then to Lucifer.
"I'll be back," Stone placed his sword on his back as he turned to leave Lucifer.
"No! Wait! Raphael said if anyone destroys the platform it'll explode! You need his sword to disable it!" Lucifer informed as Stone shook his head.
"I think its a lie. I destroyed the platform on Greed, and it didn't explode."
"No! Listen! The platform he activated for me has a failsafe in it that if it is destroyed by a weapon that isn't coated in his Hellfire then the platform will create a chain explosion and blow this mansion, and me, into dust!" Stone had no reason to believe Lucifer, but the look he had on his face was genuine. Also, why would he deny freedom if it meant protecting his daughter and Hell?
"Fine, stay put," Stone walked back outside as he looked up to the sky to see Cross and Raphael's duel. He grunted as he grabbed a spare hook and chain from a dead guard and spun it around. He flew up into the sky before sending the hook shooting up at Raphael. Raphael was caught off guard by the hook as it latched onto his wing and pulled him down to Stone.
"Stone!" Cross exclaimed, shocked to see his friend in the state he was in.
"Let's take this down to the ground!" Stone yelled as he flew back to the ground with Raphael in tow, yelling and attempting to get the hook out of his wing. Stone slammed into the ground and brought Raphael shooting down in front of him, making him collide with the ground, sending debris everywhere. Cross quickly flew down to Stone as he landed next to his large associate.
"Stone, I'm-"
"Save it for when we get home. For now," Stone and Cross watched Raphael climb out of the crater, gold blood falling down his head and wing but his wound quickly healed as he pulled the hook out of his wing and threw it to the ground.
"We've gotta kill this prick."
"Stone! So good to see you again! Tell me, how's your wife!?" Raphael laughed at his cruel joke as he opened his free hand and into it appeared a pump shotgun that was also giving off a black smoke. Stone growled as Cross pulled out his pistol and readied himself with his sword.
"Well boys!? This is it! Let's make this fight a good one! Agreed!?" Raphael yelled as Stone grabbed his sword off his back and also readied himself.
"You talk too much."
(Hello everyone! So for the next few chapters I won't be writing this in acts as the story will focus on this battle! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!)