Saer lunged forward at half-speed, and Kalia shrieked, ducking and rolling with little grace.He pivoted in an attempt to snare her leg, and she kicked out and away.Sloth herself evaded more than fought, but put Saer through his paces, showing him the advantage of her diminutive—in comparison to his—size.The First’s experiences with violence had been brief and deplorable, and he didn’twantto harm her.Kalia held no concept of tactics, nor etiquette.
The opening moments of their clash proved staggered, hesitant, and graceless.
“Stop.”
The First and the Seventh ceased immediately, and raised their gazes to Lucifer’s glowering.The lines in their maker’s face etched deep, Its eyes bled to the black of midnight, and a shiver coursed up Saer’s back.
“You will fight one another in truth, or you will be unmade.”The hiss in Lucifer’s voice crawled under his skin.“Say you understand.”
“I understand, Master,” Saer said.
“Both of you.”
Kalia twitched and whimpered.“I understand, Master.”
The fallen angel made a sharp, dismissive gesture.“Begin.”
This time, neither held back.
Saer dealt a blow before long, catching Sloth with a closed fist to her throat.She gagged and tumbled back, stumbling to the opposite end of the arena.The littlest sister stared at her oldest brother in horrified disbelief.
It was the first time aDaemoenicstruck another, and the echo of the blow reverberated in Saer’s stomach.
Saer and Kalia, together, discovered how to use their fists and the blunt pressure of their hooves to smash against flesh and bone.The arena echoed with their grunts, roars, and snarls.Blood spilled from her mouth where she’d bitten her own lips and tongue.She managed to clip Saer’s temple with a hoof’s edge.Crimson fluid flowed off the side of his face.
Saer ended the skirmish when he thrust Kalia onto her back, crushing her sternum with one knee.He forced all his weight and strength against her ribcage until she gasped under him.“Enough, I yield, please!”
The First glanced at the fallen angel for affirmation.After a pregnant pause, Lucifer nodded, and Saer stood.
“To me, Kaliaspher,” Lucifer called.
The Seventh staggered out of the arena and slogged up the dais steps, curled over her ribs.Before she’d made it to Lucifer, It summoned another opponent, allowing no time for Saer to rest.“Errsheken, enter the ring.”
“Begin,” Lucifer repeated.
Saer found the olive-eyed Errshek an even simpler adversary than his younger sister—perhaps due to Envy’s obvious insecurities.The Sixth second-guessed every move he made in comparison to Saer’s innate confidence.
After learning of the others’ dismissal of him—aside from Neyu—Envy’s demeanor made even more sense.
With Errshek, Saer discovered the penetrating powers of his claws, talons, and teeth.He left his little brother bloodied within minutes.
Envy managed a lucky blow when he flailed about, jabbing the sharpest end of a wing talon into the First’s eye, spurring a bloodthirsty roar.Saer lunged and pierced into the end of Envy’s stabbing wing with his claws, grasped, then snapped the delicate appendage like a twig.The resulting scream sickened him, despite their brief, if tumultuous bond.
He ignored the surge of bile in his throat.
Through his trial with Errshek, Saer learned the importance and intricacies of defense, though it cost him his eye for the rest of his matches.He received further bites and clawing scratches before recognizing Envy’s technique enough to dodge and deflect.By the time he pinned his youngest brother in much the same way he’d done Kalia, the First’s chest heaved.
He gained no pleasure from it, much as the Sixth irritated him on his best day.
The scene played out just as before.Saer forced Errshek’s verbal admission of defeat, then looked to the fallen angel for permission to relent.
Atop the dais, Lucifer bent over Kalia, sweeping Its fingers over her face and collecting her blood to consume and regain strength.
To mold their second forms,Saer realized.
After an indulgent swallow and licking of Its lips, their maker beckoned to the bloodied Sixth.“To me, Errsheken.Runeakael, enter the ring.”
Their maker went in ascending order, which meant Neyu would be the last called against him.Perhaps if he could prove his fighting prowess before then…
