5O

5O

“There is no cause to slay these three yeng,” said Remiel. “You can release them later, one at a time. Let them make their way home to the Saiph League, where their tongues may wag. It will be a generation before any come against the Remnant gathered by Lael.”

Gabriel left Abner, Asa, Josiah and Tobiah to bind the three yeng under guard and take them west toward their camp. Only Rosh and Jemuel remained with Gabriel and Remiel to advance on their enemy. Elam’s every scream weighed heavily on the heart of his brothers. But they were all relieved to find only Belphegor and Malphas with Elam Even Gabriel expected two more.

“Cut the man down!” hy said in the Semitic little changed in Heaven which men from Earth understood no longer. Belphegor hefted hyz blade and replied, “As you wish.”

Rosh saw that Belphegor was about to pierce Elam rather than cut him free, so he loosed an arrow at the center of hyz back. The range was so short he could not avoid striking an organ, but this didn’t suit Remiel, who bent the arrow higher, toward a shoulder blade. Belphegor was not mortally wounded but in hyz shock hy released hyz blade and fell to the forest floor.

Malphas moved closer to hyz lord, shifting the line of hyz own blade between Gabriel and Remiel. Hy said, “Servants of Elyon and Binah you name yourself, yet you hide behind the humans you claim you have come to protect!”

This was garbage to make either Gabriel or Remiel angry enough to fight. Gabriel wasn’t having any of it and frankly che could barely hear hym over Elam’s screams.

Gabriel could feel Remiel’s power tugging on his sword, so it was a matter of letting go and watching it bury itself into the chest of Malphas with no fanfare.

Jemuel and Rosh advanced beyond Malphas’ dying body to cut their elder brother from the tree. As they did they grew sickened by how the weight of the stone and the log and Elam’s own weight, plus the swelling induced by the torment, had deformed his hand, possibly for life.

Remiel knelt over Belphegor and held the arrow where it entered hyz back steady with hyz talent while he bent the shaft with hyz hand. Belphegor was not suffering pain from the wound anymore. As a seraph hy shared the same internal remedy for unnecessary pain as any B’nei Elohim.