As quick as he could, Raphael summoned four more spears above his head as he shot them at Cross, backing away to the door. Cross blitzed him while maneuvering around the incoming spears, even grabbing one out of the air and throwing it back at Raphael. Raphael narrowly dodged the spear as it flew over his shoulder before he turned back to Cross who was inches from his face now. Raphael threw his metal fist at Cross's face to blow his head off but Cross grabbed the fist and turned, throwing Raphael over his shoulder and onto the ground. Cross still had his arm in an iron grip as he brought his foot up and slammed it into Raphael's elbow, snapping the bone out of the skin and breaking it.
"FUUUCK! MY ARM!" Raphael screamed but it was cut short by Cross grabbing his neck. It was Raphael's turn to grip his arm as Cross's strength was near double than what it was before. Cross brought Raphael up to his face as he stared him down, his red eye illuminating his face.
"Oh, did that hurt? Good," Cross growled as he brought his arm back and threw Raphael at the wall in front of him. Raphael hit the wall, making an indent as he coughed and flinched. His metal coated arm attempted to heal itself but Raphael was caught off guard by Cross dashing at him and sending his foot into his chest, kicking him through the wall and outside. Raphael yelled and grunted in pain as he tried to sit up from the rubble behind him. His eyes flashed before he disappeared and reappeared behind Cross, ready to strike. But this time, Cross disappeared and reappeared above Raphael's head, with his hands on his head.
"FU-!" With a quick twist of his hands, Raphael's head ended up looking directly behind him, with Cross having snapped his neck. Raphael's eyes became dull as blood dribbled from his nose and he fell to his knees. Cross landed on his feet as he watched his former apprentice hit the floor, his body making no attempt to move. Cross glared at the sight before walking past him and outside. It was outside he would retrieve his pistol and hilt wherein he holstered his pistol and ignited his sword. He brought the blade up to his face as he saw his reflection in it, with his red eye boring into the glass-like blade. So much hatred rested in that stare he gave himself, so many lies being whispered in his ear from both Heaven and Hell.
"Your memories will slow you down..." Michael's words danced in Cross's mind as he turned back to Lucifer's manor.
"How are you an angel...?" Next came Alastor's as he began walking slowly back to the manor.
"You deserve to be in Heaven..." Michael had said.
"You gave your wife up for your religion...!" Lucifer's words had made Cross stop at the hotel, and even now, he stood still in the doorway.
"Or maybe it's the fact Heaven has given up on you...!?" Raphael's words rang in his mind like a loud bell as he approached his former apprentice while he began to regenerate.
"Never forget Cross, you're a good person..." Emily's words sang next as Cross gripped his hilt, the pure glass blade steadily gaining a tint of red to it.
"Captain Peter! It's your wife...we're sorry..." A voice Cross didn't recognize danced in his brain for just a moment before disappearing. It was that voice that resulted in Cross becoming so incredibly angry that the second Raphael's head twisted itself back into the correct position, Cross brought his foot back and kicked him in the face with the tip of his shoe. The blow blew Raphael onto his back as he grunted and groaned, holding his bleeding head from where Cross had kicked.
"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and good will shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness. Do you know who wrote that, Raphael?" Cross muttered as his holster lit up with a golden light.
"Some fuckwad that couldn't write in simple English!?" Raphael yelled as he opened his palm and summoned another spear composed of his putrid Hellfire and lunged at Cross. Cross was unfazed and, with his free hand, gripped the spear and sliced it in half, catching Raphael off-guard. Cross's hand wasn't bleeding from the barbs as he flipped the spear head to point it at Raphael.
"It came from the Bible, specifically, the passage of Ezekiel. Do you know why this quote is important?" Cross asked as he quickly brought the spear head and his sword back before ramming them through Raphael. Raphael choked on his words as his gold blood flowed down both weapons, his worried eyes staring at Cross's face. He grabbed his former teachers shoulder as he began visibly shaking before Cross shoved the weapons deeper into his body, causing him to yelp and whimper.
"It means, in order to protect the innocent, trusting, and precious people in my life, I need to cut out the poison that threatens to remove it. You, my former student, are not just any poison. You are a plague, an usurper, someone who pulls people into tyranny with your sick, noxious words. All the demons you have slaughtered, Hellborn and sinners alike, were not your responsibility, but Heaven's. Though I may never return to Heaven the same angel I was yesterday, I will return to Heaven, and you? You will never see that light again." With that, Cross released the weapons, leaving them inside of Raphael. He smacked his hand off his shoulder and sent a rising uppercut to his chin, using his power to send Raphael upward and through the roof. Even though Cross was missing a wing, his red eye flashed before he disappeared and reappeared behind Raphael in the air. His hands gripped the wings on his back as Raphael turned to look at him with a terrified gaze.
"How did you-!? AAAAAH!" Raphael's screams filled the air as he felt something popping and tearing in his back. Cross placed his foot on his back as the two began to fall back down to the manor.
"This is for Stone," Was all Cross said before the two fell back inside the manor, sending dust and rubble everywhere. The light being cast from Heaven shone down from the hole Cross created in the roof, cutting through the dust for Lucifer and Stone to see clearly. In Cross's hands were Raphael's wings, torn from his back and dripping gold blood. Stone couldn't help but feel satisfied at the sight as Cross threw away both wings and flipped Raphael over, showing his tear stained and bloody face. This didn't stop Cross from kneeling down and brutally beating Raphael's face, each punch sounding out throughout the manor. All Stone and Lucifer did was watch, feeling nothing for Raphael as he whimpered and quietly begged for death every time Cross punched him. Because Raphael was regenerating at a pace that allowed Cross to brutally beat him to near death multiple times, Cross's arms were coated in blood. This lasted for a while, and when Cross was done, he stood up over Raphael's body and pulled out his pistol.
"This is for Graves," Cross said as he shot Raphael in the stomach, causing a huge chunk of Raphael's core to be blown off. Raphael cried out and shockingly, his body didn't heal from the attack. Cross eyed his arms as he quickly fired two more rounds, blowing his arms off as he screamed in delirious pain. To silence him, Cross placed his foot on his throat and pressed down causing Raphael to choke on his screams.
"That was for the people of Hell you unrighteously murdered," Cross said as he pointed his gun at Raphael's head.
"And this, is for Chorus."
"W-Wait! If you kill me, you'll never figure out who the traitor is!" Raphael pleaded as Cross raised his visible eyebrow.
"You don't want to be left in the dark do you!?"
"Cross," Lucifer's voice caught Cross's attention as he looked up at him.
"End the fucker." Cross stared at him for a moment before looking back down at Raphael. For a moment, Cross could see Raphael when he had first met him, the excitement and eagerness to learn that once filled his eyes, now the only thing in his eyes that Cross could see was fear and lies.
"Cross...teach..." Cross pulled the trigger as Raphael's head blew open, sending brain matter and pieces of his skull everywhere.
"Alright-" Lucifer was cut off by Cross blowing multiple holes in Raphael's body as he didn't stop even after the pistol clicked. Raphael had a hole where his heart was as Lucifer couldn't help but watch Cross, his face solemn and uncaring.
"Cross, I think you got him." Stone muttered as Cross sighed, placing the pistol back in his holster as he went to help his friend. He couldn't stand the sight of how Stone looked as he removed the spears from his hand and leg, which made Stone grunt and hiss in pain.
"Go help Lucifer. I'll wait for you," Stone muttered as he rolled onto his back and gasped in pain. Cross didn't say a word as he grabbed his sword from Raphael's corpse and pulled it out. He grabbed the other half of his mask as he ripped it off his face and let it hit the ground. Cross still had his white and gold eye that was on the same side as his wing but also a red eye where he no longer had a wing.
"You're gonna help me, right?" Lucifer asked as Cross stared at him. He brought the sword's point up to his throat as he glared at Lucifer who had a concerned look on his face.
"Who is the traitor?"
"Seriously? You want me to answer that while I'm like this!?" Lucifer yelled as Cross brought the blade closer to his throat, making him shut up.
"Give. Me. A. Fucking. Name." Cross demanded as Lucifer swallowed, feeling the heat of the blade on his throat.
"Alright! Alright!" Cross slowly lowered the blade as Lucifer sighed.
"Lilith. That's who helped him."
"Bullshit," Cross said as Lucifer looked at him in surprise.
"Lilith isn't in Heaven. She's the Queen of Hell isn't she?"
"You think I'm lying!? How else could Raphael plan such a near fool-proof scheme!? He obviously wasn't a good strategist, a good fighter sure, but not good enough to plan all this out!" Lucifer argued.
"So...quick question...if you're telling the truth, why and how is Lilith up in Heaven?" Stone asked, now laying his back against a pile of rubble. Lucifer looked between the two agents as he couldn't help but feel nostalgic. He too had many questions that couldn't be answered, but now, he had his chance to make his voice known.
"Alright, alright. Years ago, when Charlie was just a teen, Hell became so overly populated due to the High One's flood that Heaven feared it's strength and capability. It was poor timing as well on my part because I had just created the Seven Sins. Heaven saw this as an act of war, like I said, the timing couldn't have been worse on my part. But to face us, they sent my brother, Michael, to handle it. The Right Hand of God is not a title given to just anyone, and it was proved that day when Hell's population was halved in a single day...or maybe it was multiple I can't remember it too well. Bottom line is, me and Lilith didn't want it to happen again, and we held a meeting with Heaven's top wigs. At the time, the court consisted of Michael, Gabriel, and the High One,"
"Wait, I thought you were cast out of Heaven by multiple Seraphim and the High One? Why were there only three at the meeting?" Cross interrupted.
"Because it was Lillith's request. Gabriel being the High One's messenger, Michael being His soldier, and the all-powerful Himself. It was the day of the meeting when we met in the sky, in the middle ground between Heaven and Hell. I begged the High One to no longer have Michael cull because of how much my people were suffering and angry. He told me that that was the point of Hell, it would hold all the sinners and the suffering that Heaven would never have. But then my wife...she had an idea,"
"Extermination Day," Stone said as Lucifer nodded.
"Instead of Michael ruthlessly killing anyone he found, there would be a group of angels responsible for doing the job. Though Michael was against it, the High One and Gabriel were all for it, because even if the people in Hell deserve to suffer, the High One still loves them and if they have to die, then it will be quick and thorough. But, Gabriel wasn't satisfied with just that. He requested that we give up something to allow the angel's to freely fly down to Hell, have a connection to Hell on Heaven. Lilith asked if it could be alive and Gabriel said it would have to be in order to maintain the connection."
"Why can't the High One just open portals for the angel's? Or Michael or Gabriel for that matter?" Cross asked.
"The High One, Gabriel, and Michael are preparing for an event on Earth and the only reason my brother was allowed to come down and visit was because the High One probably received a message from Sera, the head Seraphim. Desperate times call for desperate measures I guess. Anyway, Lilith volunteered herself, and the look on her face...that fucking smile...she wanted this. She didn't care about Charlie, me, or Hell! The first chance she got to go relax in Heaven she took it and left me to take care of Charlie and all of Hell."
"So while the angel's kill and demons hide, Lilith sips on martini's?" Lucifer nodded at Cross's words as Cross then looked between him and Stone.
"So, one question then, why supply Raphael with the means to topple Hell and kill your daughter? What is the goal?" Cross questioned, which earned a sigh from Lucifer.
"Time, if I had to guess. Charlie told me about Pentious, and by the way, the vow of silence was a nice touch because now Vaggie and Charlie don't remember being told about Pentious." Lucifer narrowed his eyes at Cross but the angel just shrugged.
"I warned her, she didn't listen. So what about time?" Cross said plainly, his nonchalant attitude surprising Lucifer.
"Everyone in Heaven has a file on them. With Pentious now redeemed, he has that title on his file but the fact remains that he was a sinner so he still has a small connection to Hell. It's because of this connection that Lilith probably worries her spot in Heaven will no longer be necessary for Extermination Day. So, using Raphael's anger against Hell and you, she went about supplying him with the means to cut down potential candidates for Charlie's hotel, and hopefully to stop her altogether."
"By killing her?" Stone inquired, which made Lucifer go silent in response.
"Raphael told you all this? Or you figured it all out yourself?" Cross questioned as he looked back to Raphael's corpse.
"He kinda went off on a tangent after he told me my wife was the traitor. So...you gonna let me out now?" Lucifer asked as he motioned with his head to the spears in his hands.
"Two more questions," Cross informed.
"Oh fuck off, what!?" Lucifer yelled and immediately regretting it as the barbs on the spears reminded him to not move.
"Why are you acting like you don't care? Your daughter has been targeted by your wife and you aren't upset by it?"
"Of course I am! But are you going to tell me that you're gonna do something about it? Wake up to reality, Cross! Heaven won't let you! They won't listen to anything or anyone that doesn't follow or adhere to the status quo! You tell them my wife is in Heaven and not only will the court not listen, but I bet my brother will even go so far to cast you out of Heaven to keep that secret!"
"Saint Michael wouldn't-!"
"Oh yes he would, Stone!" Lucifer cut off Stone quickly before looking back to Cross. "I know my brother, and when I tell you he won't hesitate to do whatever it takes to keep Heaven safe, he will. I have a feeling you already know what I'm talking about though, huh?" Cross flinched at Lucifer's words as he couldn't deny them, especially after what Raphael had said.
"Last question, did I have a wife when I was alive?" Cross asked, earning a surprised glance from Stone behind his back. Lucifer was silent for a moment, and Cross could see confliction mixed with hurt in his yellow eyes. He frowned and sighed before he nodded.
"Yes, you did. But that's all I will say. You want answers? Have Emily or Sera help you. Now fucking help me. I want to go make sure my daughter is safe." Lucifer said. Cross heard his answer as the guilt that weighed on his heart was now nearly tripled. But Lucifer had said the truth, he needed to get the answers himself now. Setting Lucifer free and using half of Raphael's destroyed blade, the platform shut down, meaning that Cross had succeeded in giving Lucifer his power back. All the wounds he had received were now gone, with a wave of his hand, his manor began to rebuild itself. Cross retrieved his wing from the wall as Raphael's spears disappeared with the help of Lucifer's magic. Holding onto his wing and helping Stone stand up, Cross acted as his crutch as the two slowly walked to the doorway. Cross gave one last look at Raphael's body before it too disappeared into thin air, a clean, unbroken ground reappearing where it had been originally.
"I'll help see you both out at the hotel. Come on," Lucifer offered the two as he extended his hand to the doorway. A portal appeared as the three stepped through and reappeared at the front door of the hotel. Charlie and the group ran to the three as Charlie and Lucifer shared a tight, happy hug. Charlie then turned to Cross and Stone as she hugged the two tightly. The two looked at one another in silent surprise as Charlie eventually pulled away, tears streaming down her face. Vaggie approached from behind as Lucifer went off to explain to Husk and the others the situation that unfolded at the manor.
"Thank you for keeping my dad safe...but Cross, your wing..." Charlie whispered as Cross glanced down at his torn, beautiful wing.
"Nothing could be done, princess. It was necessary for victory. Vaggie, I need you to do me a favor," Cross helped set Stone down as both girl's were shocked at Stone's height and build, but more importantly the damage he had sustained.
"What's up?" She asked.
"The angel's body that is in Alastor's studio, could you bring her to Stone, please?" Cross asked as Stone's eyes grew dark. Vaggie saw this and nodded as she flew up to the studio and carried the body of Chorus gently in her arms. She flew back down to the two remaining agents of E.V.E as she set Chorus in front of Stone.
"Thank you, Vaggie. Though you are fallen, you still haven't lost your hospitality." Stone said with a bow of his head.
"I-It's an honor to meet you sir. May I ask, who is the angel? She looks like an Exterminator..."
"She's my wife..." Stone whispered. Both Charlie and Vaggie were at a loss of words as he gently picked Chorus up with one hand, placing her in his lap. Tears ran down his face as he silently cried with Cross placing his hand on his shoulder for support.
"What's happened here today will not go unanswered. Me and Stone will return to Heaven and convince the court and my teacher-"
"Convince me of what?" Cross went silent as Charlie's, Vaggie's, and his eyes went wide. He turned quickly as there was Michael, flying down from the sky, his zweihänder coated in red and golden blood. He landed on the ground behind Cross as Husk, Angel, Niffty, Zestial, Carmilla, and her daughters all found they couldn't move. Even Alastor reacted as his shadow disappeared completely, not wanting to exist in the same presence as Michael. Lucifer slowly turned to Michael as the two gave one another a quiet look.
"Michael," Lucifer acknowledged with a nod.
"Hello, Lucifer. Keeping busy, yes? I see my student and Stone have succeeded in keeping you alive. What of Raphael?" Michael asked, staring down at his younger brother.
"Dead, by your students hand." Lucifer answered. Michael glanced down at Cross's blood stained and torn aquamarine coat, and then to the wing he held in his hand. He clicked his tongue as he looked to Stone who was still weeping over Chorus's body. He frowned as he walked slowly to Stone's side. He looked at Charlie as his eyes scanned his niece up and down, a look of curiosity and superiority in his eyes. Charlie couldn't look him in the eyes, or even in his direction as the air he gave off made her terrified, but she wasn't the only one, as she could feel Vaggie shaking against her.
"Stone has lost his wings?" Michael asked Cross as he looked up at him and nodded.
"Yes, teacher. He bravely fought Raphael and helped me in taking him down," Cross informed as Michael stared at Stone. A bad feeling erupted in Cross's gut as his teacher nodded and placed a hand on Stone's shoulder.
"Good, then you will die knowing you served Heaven well," Michael brought his zweihänder up and before Cross could blink, his sword pierced the side of Stone's throat, running him through.
"NO!" Cross watched Michael pull his weapon out of his throat as he walked past him, heading to Lucifer. Cross pressed his hand to Stone's wound as he crouched in front of him, desperately looking about his body as if trying to find a way to save his friend.
"Stone! Focus your power to your wound! Stone, you need to heal yourself!" Cross ordered as Stone couldn't cry correctly due to him starting to choke on his own blood. Michael looked at Lucifer who held a grim look, his eyes dark as he stared up at him.
"Clean up the mess that my angel's left for you. Afterwards, I expect precautions to be put in place to make sure something like this never happens again." He said as Lucifer could hear Cross's words start choking up behind Michael.
"STONE! Damn it! Listen to me!" Cross cried but was stopped as Stone placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Take...take Chorus home..." He choked out.
"Not without you! She needs you with her!"
"She's strong...she'll be fine..." Stone whispered as Cross felt tears brim at his eyes.
"I won't leave you here!" Cross said through grit teeth. Lucifer looked at the two behind Michael as he sighed.
"There just wasn't enough blood shed, huh? Not enough tears? I guess you haven't changed."
"It's not about change, it's knowing how to exercise authority and do what needs to be done. You questioned authority and now look at you, down in the dirt mingling with the worms." Michael countered, but Lucifer wasn't fazed, instead, he clicked his tongue.
"I don't know, I think I find the worms to be better company." Michael's eyes tightened along with the grip on his sword.
"STONE!" Cross yelled but was softly hushed by Stone placing his forehead on Cross's. He smiled at him and even chuckled weakly as Cross's tears threatened to fall past his eyelids.
"I'm proud of you..." Stone whispered as his eyes went blank and his head slid off Cross's. Cross stared at Stone as blood dripped off his lips and hit Chorus's mask, one even sliding down the side, replicating a tear being shed. Cross couldn't speak, he couldn't even breathe. He heard a smack as he turned to see Lucifer on the ground, coughing as his hat rolled away from him. Michael's hand was up in the air, having made the motion of a backhand as Charlie ran to her father, crouching down to him. He had blood running down the side of his mouth as her demon form emerged upon seeing it.
"You're a bastard!" She yelled to Michael. The Archangel looked to her in silent fury as he raised his sword, ready to strike.
"ENOUGH!" Both Lucifer and Cross yelled. Lucifer was up on his feet near instantly, his arm in front of Charlie as he was in his true demonic form. Cross had reached into his coat to pull out his hilt but had stopped upon seeing Lucifer's reaction.
"YOU EVEN TOUCH A SINGLE STRAND OF HER HAIR AND I'LL-"
"And you'll, what? Hurt me? Disarm me? Tear my wings off? Please, you couldn't even lay a scratch on me when you were still in Heaven. But please, continue, make it entertaining at least." Michael threatened.
"You even bring that blade close to my throat and you'll piss off the one guy you never, EVER, want to piss off. So please, after you." Lucifer returned. The two brothers were silent, staring one another down before Michael grunted and turned away. He summoned a golden portal behind Cross as he walked past him.
"Bring Chorus, we're leaving." Michael said. Cross watched him stand in front of the portal, seemingly waiting for Cross. The angel bent down and picked Chorus up into his arms, finding it wrong to have pulled her from Stone's lap. Holding his wing and Chorus in his arms, he gave a final look to the group, almost as if silently apologizing before he turned and walked up to Michael.
"You ever try to reach for your weapon to use on me again, and I will tear your remaining wing off myself." Michael threatened Cross as he silently nodded. The two stepped into the portal as they were enveloped in the warm, bright light.
"Hand Chorus off to the Exterminators and then go to the infirmary. I expect you in top shape again before your next redeployment." Michael ordered.
"Yes, sir...what will you do?" Cross muttered, his grip on Chorus tight.
"I have a trial to attend. We found the traitor or rather, traitors." Cross lifted his head in surprise as he looked to Michael.
"Who?" He asked.
"Seraphim Emily and the redeemed Sir Pentious."