The 9th

Unbearable Sacrafices

*If you have any complaints about plot holes, wait until the end of the book, where a surprise will be waiting!

Barbur set a wet cloth on Egyn's head. "He'll be fine, poor dear."

Egyn struggled against the arm lock Azazel had him in. "I'm fine! Quit playing around and let me go already!"

"Don't worry, dear brother," Azazel cooed, "Barbar will fix you soon! We can't have Father smelling how pure you are."

Rin looked at Barbur with an apologetic smile. "Thank you for taking your time to leave the satori realm and help our brother, he is feeling much better thanks to you."

Barbur packed up his satchel and bowed. "It was no problem, Your Highness."

"Of course it was no problem!" Egyn hissed. "I was fine as soon as we got out of the car!"

Beelzebub patted Egyn's head. "Since he's feeling fine, let's get somewhere safer."

Azazel dropped Egyn and snapped his fingers. "Yes, let's."

With a flash of white Azazel pulled them all away from the house and into a tree-filled room.

"Um, Your Highness...." Barbar whispered, "Forgive me for speaking out, but this isn't the satori realm..."

Astaroth licked his lips nervously. "I think she's right, big bro."

"Pst," Amaimon pointed toward a glowing light.

Rin sniffed the air. "It smells like...."

"Priests!" Iblis barked as he ducked down. 

A white arrow was embedded in the tree behind him.

A man with purple hair stood in front of them all.

"Lucy!" Beelzebub shouted. "Where are you?"

"Silence!" The false Lucifer answered. "I am Benjamin, the angel that will vanquish the plagues of hell! I have taken this body and christened it anew. At least, it will be you once the second plague falls into despair and disappears."

"What did you do with Lucifer?" Beelzebub growled.

"Such a demon in unfitting for a holy name!" Benjamin shouted back. "I have imprisoned him deep within this vessel and shall purify him once my work is done! And then!" He pointed his sword at Azazel. "I shall take what I was promised!"

Egyn and Iblis stepped in front of Azazel. "What do you mean by that?"

Benjamin smiled. "The Lord has seen my love for all of his creations and has gifted one to me. Azazel, I shall take you as my own and restore you to heaven. That Satan bastard ripped you away from me when you fell, so I shall once again embrace you in my arms."

Azazel spat on the ground. "Cut the bullshit!"

Benjamin raised his hand. "Look, if you do not believe me."

Azazel hesitantly glanced at his hand before covering his head. "Shut up!"

"Priests!" Benjamin ordered. "Attack!"

"Sir?"

Azazel looked at the satori sitting next to him. 

"What do you want us to do?"

A hundred more were behind that one.

Azazel shook his head and raised his hands. "You will do nothing, leave these pests to your kings."

A dome of tainted white surrounded the battlefield, leaving the satoris and any other creatures locked outside.

"Beelzebub!" Barbur pounded on the wall. "Let us in!"

"Open up right now!" Barbar shrieked.

"Ignore them," Azazel commanded as he placed his hands on the wall. "Focus on attacking."

Rin's tail fluttered near the ground, his scars burning blue. "Right." The shadows of the trees surrounding them rose from the ground and lunged at the priests in the back. "Then allow me the first move."

Amaimon pounded his fists on the ground. Waves of earth flooded the ground each time his fist landed. "I'm elder than you, I'll go first."

"Pft," Astaroth laughed as he charged forward. "I should be the one saying that."

"Are you perhaps-"

"Forgetting about us?"

Iblis and Egyn wrapped their tails together and followed Astaroth straight into the middle of the holy forces.

"Idiots," Beelzebub murmured. He calmly walked around and patted the priests on their shoulders while their backs were turned. His boots became covered with mush. "Always doing things the hard way."

He joked, but even he couldn't deny the sweat piling on his back. There were too many exorcists for them all to handle and they hadn't even reached the big six in the back.

"Ack!" Astaroth shouted as a sword slit his leg. 

Amaimon swung his fist toward the attacking priests. "Be careful!"

"I'm trying!" Astaroth replied, dodging more swords. His protective cover was breaking.

Rin reached his arms into the air to create a wall in front of Azazel just before a hoard of arrows shot toward him. An arrow shot through his side. 

"Fuck it," Beelzebub scowled. Bringing forth his crown, he bit his tongue. "Full Coverage!"

Insects crawled out from the ground and began to attack the priests in hundreds upon thousands. The tiny creatures ate away at the holy men, both those who were dead and those who were alive.

"Beelzebub!" Barbur howled. "You promised you wouldn't!"

Beelzebub smiled as the black blood poured from his lips. It wouldn't stop until the attack was complete. "Hehe...sorry?"

Benjamin sneered from his spot in the major six. "First two, attack to weaken. Second three, attack to kill.

"Right." Was the unanimous reply.

Egyn and Iblis felt their spines grow cold. "Guys-"

"We should-"

"Probably-"

"Take cover-"

Right below Rin's shield, a white ball formed. 

"Hide!" Azazel screamed after realizing what it was. "Quickly!"

The brothers abandoned their battles to run toward Amaimon, the only one capable of creating a shield Rin could enhance. 

"Futile," Benjamin laughed. 

Holy light descended upon them, burning their flesh into the clothes. 

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Amaimon cried. 

"GET IT-"
"OFF-"

"Arrows men, prepare your bows," Benjamin lifted his sword. "Spells, be prepared to back them up."

"Yes, sir."

A massive circle appeared at the center of the dome, right above the kings.

"Aim....and.....fire!"

"Bugbug!"

Beelzebub forced his eyes open. The light was gone, but.......

"Barbur!" Beelzebub pushed through the pain toward his friend.

Barbur laid next to his sister, clothed in broken arrows, and next to her was another satori, and another.

"Why?" Beelzebub asked, his voice breaking.

"Stupid question, Bubug," Barbur laughed. "I want you to live."

"We would've survived!" Beelzebub lied. "You didn't have to die! None of you did!"

Barbur smiled, it was his last action he performed before his eyes dulled into nothing.

"BARBUR!" Beelzebub screamed. The corpses of the priests surrounding them swelled and burst. 

"Leave him," Azazel hushed, panting from the force it took to drive the priests out of the realm. "There is nothing we can do.....our teachers are dead."