Thirty years later...

Karamatsu unsheathed his sword, flapping his mighty, pure white angel wings, high in the Eternal Kingdom's skies.

With Choromatsu to his right, and Gabriel and Michael (two of his fellow angel friends) to his left, Karamatsu glared boldly at the approaching army of demons. He kept his hand rested on his sword, prepared to fight till his death at any given moment.

At last, the long awaited battle had finally arrived. For thousands of years, Choromatsu, and his arch nemesis, "Satan" had been fighting silent battles against one another. But this time around, angels and demons were involved. Blood was going to be shed- and Karamatsu had a feeling things wouldn't end in any sort of positive manner.

"Death is upon us..." Karamatsu thought, casting a glance over at Choromatsu, praying He knew what was going on. "I'll do all I can to protect my family here...and I have great confidence that they will do the same for me."

Within a matter of seconds, and without any warning, angels began to drop from the sky, blood painting the sidewalks below. The demons were already attacking.

Karamatsu grimaced as he swung his sword about, a feeling of guilt twisting in his gut each and every time he murdered a demon.

"This isn't right..." Karamatsu thought to himself, kicking a demon in the head, then proceeding to obliterate its body. "These creatures are just like us...only fallen...Surely they had no will to die? When demons are killed, or- 'cast away', I should say, do they just cease to exist...?"

"YOU'RE ALL FOOLS!" a deafening voice spat, proceeding to laugh evilly. "NO ONE CAN DEFEAT THE RULER OF HELL."

"TRY ME," Choromatsu spat back, pointing his golden scepter at the great enemy before him.

Karamatsu jerked his head around for a split second, only to find his beloved foster mother, Haniel, struggling with demons.

With her left arm dangling by her side, the angel struggled to keep back the demons, which were crawling all over her, ripping her flesh off.

"HELP ME!" Haniel cried out in anguish as a demon ripped off one of her wings, sending her crashing to the ground below.

Putting his sword back, Karamatsu flew down to the ground faster than a rocket, abandoning the battle. Haniel was important to him. Far more important.

"K-Karamatsu..." Haniel gasped, choking up blood as she struggled to lean against one of the buildings in the street. "I-I'm fine. You should be fighting! Choromatsu needs you! You're one of Heaven's most valuable angels..."

Karamatsu grabbed Haniel, resting her head comfortably on his lap. Gently, he ran his fingers through her hair, tears running down his cheeks.

"Why are you crying, my child?" Haniel smiled weakly. "There are to be no tears in Heaven. All is perfect here...all is safe...Nothing will ever hurt us...So go, go fight for our Lord. Be the strong man I raised you to be!"

"Haniel..." Karamatsu muttered, as his beloved mother reached her hand up weakly, rubbing the young man's cheek.

"I'm glad to have met you, Karamatsu," Haniel laughed, then proceeded to choke up more blood. "You're the child I always wanted to raise. Thank you for letting me be a real mother for so many years. Thank you for giving me company. I love you so very much..."

Karamatsu squeezed Haniel's hand, his tears raining down onto her.

"Now, now..." Haniel tried to comfort the man, but it was no use.

Without warning, a demon swooped down with a machete, ripping her stomach open, putting Haniel out of her pain. Her guts spilled everywhere as blood flowed out of the corners of her mouth.

Karamatsu let out a cry of distress, unsheathing his sword in agony, preparing to fight whoever this wicked being was.

But to his surprise, as he glared into the eyes of the demon, he found that these eyes were much like his own.

Still holding out his sword, Karamatsu looked down at Haniel, then back at the demon.

"Osomatsu..." Karamatsu's hands were trembling. His heart was filled with mixed emotions, unsure of how to even respond. His own brother had just murdered the one who kept them safe as children.

Osomatsu's hands were trembling so much that he dropped his machete.

"Karamatsu...." the demon's voice cracked with emotion. "You're..."

Karamatsu pulled up the sleeve to his armor, revealing a light blue ribbon tied around his wrist. The ribbon was tight against his skin, yet it had never come undone since the day his brother tied it.

Osomatsu proceeded to pull up his own armor, showing the exact same thing.

"I can't fight you..." Karamatsu sighed, "But you're going to hurt my people...I don't want to see my people die anymore..."

"Then why can't we just commit a double suicide?" Osomatsu smirked, bending down to pick up his machete. "Then we'll never have to suffer in these lives again."

"Suicide isn't the answer to anything!" Karamatsu spat back, hardening his heart. "Only the wicked believe such lies!"

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" Osomatsu's boss scolded him. "KILL HIM. VICTORY IS OURS."

Karamatsu looked up at Satan, then back at Osomatsu.

"You promised me when we were only children..." Karamatsu's voice trembled. "That you would always love me. The ribbons were reminders that we are never all alone, no matter where we are. No matter what world we are in. We're still loved."

Osomatsu bit his lip until it began to bleed, fighting back tears.

"Forgive me," Osomatsu pulled Karamatsu into a tight hug. "Remember me in the next life, alright?"

And with those final words, Osomatsu stabbed the only person who ever truly loved him, killing him instantly.

~ End of Part One ~