Bafflent.
That was the one word that ca to Abaddon’s mind as his vision was suddenly filled with scenes of his family rushing in to fight against an insurmountable enemy.
From the eldest grandmothers, who practically never left the house, to his forr mortal enemy, Shin.
As a father, son, husband, and brother, he was astonished.
But he was also horrified.
He grabbed Sif firmly by the shoulders.
"You have to get..." He began in a hoarse voice.
"Don’t start! You wouldn’t be convincing even if you didn’t look beaten to hell!"
Abaddon pursed his lips. "Don’t look... that bad..."
At that mont, a shadowy carriage pulled up beside Abaddon, and Nyx stuck her head outside the window.
"Christ, dragon-boy... You look like shit on a stick."
Abaddon thought that maybe it would be okay if Nyx were to die in this upcoming confrontation.
"Get him inside, he needs to sit down!" Sif demanded.
Nyx started to help her friend get into the carriage, but Abaddon was obstinate.
"You must be joking...I’m not sitting and hiding behind all of you..! You need all the help you can get."
Explosions went off over Abaddon’s head as if to prove his point. The Ophanim were being hit with everything the Tathats had to give, but it was far from being enough.
They weren’t really damaging them, just occupying their attention.
The wives were leading the bulk of the charge against the constructs, but they weren’t faring much better than anyone else.
Abaddon ignored his wife’s request not to speak as he rubbed his throat. "You all need help... We can’t just-"
"Oh, right, and you’re gonna help us how exactly!? By blowing up one of your bodies again?? What were you even thinking?? You don’t have power to spare right now!" Sif cried angry tears.
She was both mad at her husband and mad at how powerless she felt. Creating one hell of a nasty combination.
He hadn’t the slightest doubt that if he didn’t look like he was near death, Sif would have punched him.
"Get him in the carriage, now!" Sif repeated.
Nyx quietly opened the door, while the ice giant started pushing her husband.
"..." Abaddon wouldn’t budge.
His stubbornness only upset her more.
Her fists bounced off his chest like angry teors.
She encased him in a block of ice so cold it wouldn’t thaw for eons.
And yet, Abaddon didn’t even blink. He just kept making eye contact with his wife as she wept.
"Sif."
"Don’t ’Sif’ ! You are going in that carriage if I have to break both of your legs and stuff you in!"
Abaddon showed her a small, helpless smile. She didn’t like that.
"This isn’t the ti for smiling, Abaddon! Now get inside this damned carriage or so help god I will-"
"Please... let go. The only way we’re going to get everyone out of this is if we’re all working together. You know that."
Sif bit her lip hard enough to break skin.
Her body trembled violently as she wrestled with all of the possible decisions lying before her.
But when an explosion rang closer to her head, she realized that she didn’t have much ti to sit around questioning herself.
"...I hate you."
The ice covering Abaddon’s body slowly started to lt.
"I don’t believe that-"
Sif covered his mouth again. "Try not to talk.... Try not to die on either. Until I kill you later that is."
With his hands free, Abaddon tapped his chest.
Sif didn’t look convinced.
"You never gave yourself a phoenix heart in this life. Who knows if you’ll co back to life if sothing happens to you?"
Abaddon’s eyes said, ’You have no faith.’
"Don’t push your luck."
Abaddon wrapped his arms around Sif and held her in a brief embrace.
It only made Sif cry harder. Though she resolved herself not to make a single sound.
"Alright, lovebirds, no tears here!" Nyx pulled apart the husband and wife. "If we’re going to do this, we need ideas!"
’Hit real hard, make fall down?’ Abaddon thought.
"Avernus."
’Don’t use my damn middle na like you’re my mother.’
""ABADDON!""
’Right, right. I have a plan, but I’m not sure if it’s going to work.’ He admitted.
Nyx and Sif leaned in with clear intrigue. Abaddon sent his thoughts out to every one of his family mbers.
’Listen closely, everyone. I need you to help hold onto the Ophanim’s attention long enough to shove them inside of Oblivion.’
He was t with a flurry of responses ranging from dubious disbelief to comnts on his haggard appearance.
’Pay attention, family. We’re only going to get one chance at this and all we have is a three-second window...’
-
"You bore , toys!! Where is your fight, where is your grit?! I want to see so determination, damn it!!" Satan roared.
The king of wrath threw himself at the one-handed Ophanim like a wild beast.
He bashed his fists into the construct’s stone body with imasurable hatred contained in every strike.
And yet, the Ophanim looked completely unfazed.
This only seed to upset him more and more.
The angels were barely paying him any mind at all. So when he heard Abaddon’s plan, it was he first ti he was glad he’d get to end a battle early.
"Leave it up to God to create sothing this fucking annoying!"
Satan created two large hands made entirely of aura and grabbed his enemy firmly by the shoulders.
Even with all of his strength, he had difficulty moving the statue. It had even managed to push him back quite a bit.
"Brother!"
Two more pairs of ethereal hands were placed on the body of the one-ard Ophanim.
Satan looked over his shoulder and found his brothers coming to his aid.
His concentration almost snapped.
"F-Fuck off, cream puffs! I don’t need your help!"
Belphegor rolled his eyes. Sweat dripped down his brow as he struggled even with the assistance of both his brothers.
"What a funny way to say ’thanks for not letting embarrass myself’."
"I said I don’t need your help, string bean! Yours either, pretty boy!"
Asmodeus didn’t bother responding to any of his brother’s insults. His sole focus was on assisting his son and nothing else.
But even with all of them working together, they were still struggling.
Ophanim were not just any re adversaries.
They were God’s greatest defense. Designed to be stronger than anything the multiverse could possibly spit out.
Asmodeus could see why their father had fallen to them so quickly.
He could only imagine how horrible the situation would be if the Ophanim were actively trying to kill them instead of Abaddon.
The fact that they saw the rest of the family as insignificant was the only thing giving them a chance to see tomorrow.
"You look like you need a hand there, boys."
Karliah’s gruff voice was the absolute last thing Satan wanted to hear in that mont. He started to refuse her instantly.
"We don’t need a god damn thing from you-"
""Stop staring and help us!!""
"You weak pieces of shit why do I even share DNA with you?!?"
With the addition of Karliah, the group had a much easier ti herding the Ophanim into position.
Their efforts were being matched by different family mbers all over.
Gradually, they were corralling the Ophanim into position. Almost every single person who lived under the Tathat roof was giving 150% to ensure that Abaddon’s vision ca to fruition.
Restraints were wrapped around the Ophanim’s bodies from head to toe. Though they were easily broken, and they had to be constantly replaced.
Even with all of the family’s power, there was a very real tir for just how long they would be able to hold the line.
And they were currently racing towards that limit.
"Are they in position?!" Apophis yelled.
All at once, everyone looked down.
With so effort on her part, Sif had made herself as big as the largest Ophanim. Her expression was brimming with determination.
The power coming off of her was enough to make weaker mbers of the family choke.
"Anyone have eyes on dad?!" Mira yelled.
Straining, Thea looked up to see if her father was in position.
The good news was, he was there.
The bad news was, for the first ti in her entire life- Thea was scared of her father.
He had beco just as large as Sif, but infinitely more terrifying.
Aubrey noticed the look of fear in her wife’s eyes and followed her gaze up.
In less than a mont, she fainted. Aisha had to catch her before she fell through limbo.
She started to look up too, but Camazotz draped his wing over her face before she could make that mistake.
Even through his thick fur, she could feel the bat god trembling.
"For your sake, little miss, I cannot recomnd you look upon the master right now... You are far too young to behold such horror."
Apophis covered Courtney’s eyes so that she wouldn’t look ether. They couldn’t afford for anyone else to lose focus in this critical mont.
’Now, get back!’
Abaddon’s voice snapped everyone out of their thoughts. With the signal given, everyone fled as quickly as possible.
Once freed, the Ophanim reacted negatively to Abaddon.
They flew towards him with their weapons already drawn and their size rising to match his own.
Roaring from underneath, Sif gave all four of the Ophanim one large push. Their balance was thrown off while their montum carried them towards Abaddon.
Now, everything rested on his shoulders. He was so acutely aware of the jeopardy in front of him that he was unaware of his change in appearance.
Abaddon opened all of his mouths and the space in front of him distorted.
An enormous gate appeared between him and the Ophanim, and the doors swung open...
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