“...It’s time.” Satan said, his bright white wings shining in the darkness of the forsaken Earth.
“What…” Amon winced, the pain of his separated limbs screaming through his mind. “What are you talking about, you bastard?”
“All of humanity’s progress has been for this moment. It’s time for us to merge.” Satan answered, his stare elsewhere.
“Like I would ever-”
“You have no choice, Amon.” Satan interrupted, landing beside Amon, nothing more than a torso losing its demonic shape. “Either we merge, or you die, and the cycle repeats.
“What cycle?” Amon gasped, his rebellious strength slowly faltering.
“The cycle of God’s punishment. Haven’t you realized it?” Satan grinned, a gentle and comforting grin. “Again and again we are reborn as Akira Fudo and Ryo Asuka, forced to live as humans, build human attachments, and lose them. Every time, you lose Miki, and I lose-” He reaches down and caresses Amon’s chin. “-you.”
In that moment, a spark ignited in Amon’s mind. Billions and billions of years, echos of lifetimes long passed. Dinosaurs, demons, angels, humans, all wiped away by the spite of an ancient and uncaring God. “... I remember. Dammit… DAMMIT! I remember everything…” He crained his dying head toward Satan. “Fine, if it’ll end this… I’ll merge with you.”
Satan smiled and reached down, a single fair fingertip touching Amon’s forehead. And they were both enveloped in light.
When it was done, they stood as one being. Purified of pain and hate, The Angel of Retribution. With skin like molten steel, they stood. And soon, they were joined as spheres of light fell from the darkened sky. A host of angels, come to great them.
“No, not this time.” The Steel Angel spoke. “No more cycle of pain. No more cages of time. It ends today.”
The holy host rained down on them, swords and shields at the ready, but no blade could pierce the Angel of Retribution. They caught a blade in their hand, spinning it around to rip its owner asunder. “So be it! Send your armies!” Another angel fell to their blade. “There’s no god or beast that can stop me!” The holy light was almost blinding, but still they struck down heavenly body after heavenly body. “And you’ll soon see… I come for vengeance, for the bringer of light!”
Then a mass of holy flesh at their feet began to twist and distort, transfigured into a demon as all fallen angels do. From the writhing flesh rose horns and a twisted tongue. The Angel of Retribution grabbed the tongue and slammed an angel’s staff into the pool of flesh, twisting the new demon to their will. It took the form not just of a beast, but also of a machine, with blades for wheels and burning eyes in place of headlights. The steel angel took the beast by the horns and mounted it like a horse. “The Painkiller rises again!” They announced to the remaining angels, and hell rained down upon them. But it was too late.
Faster than a bullet, they let loose a terrifying scream. Enraged and full of anger, they’re half man and half machine. Rides the metal monster, breathing smoke and fire. Closing in with vengeance soaring high.
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