"Ugh…"
Charles winced as he glanced at the fist of the Dark Angel who struck him. Her wrist was already swelling red. These girls' fists, after all, weren't magical weapons—so no matter how strong they were, "Supernatural Gift" blocked every attack and the force rebounded naturally, hurting their own hands.
Thank goodness the "Armor of Agathys" spell had already been shattered by Sulpharlo earlier—otherwise, the blast of chilling magic would've nearly frozen her on the spot.
Still, even though they couldn't deal him any real damage, and despite the confusion and fear on their faces, Sulpharlo kept whipping them forward, driving these girls to launch attack after clumsy attack!
But each of them wore Malena's face. Not a one held a weapon; they looked lost, like children being used by Sulpharlo.
He simply couldn't bring himself to strike back!
Grinding his teeth, Charles glared at Sulpharlo in the distance. With these girls blocking his way, catching her was nothing but a pipe dream now!
Taking a deep breath, he decided to put everything on the table, one final gambit: "Agatha, Xanathar—if we're gonna win or lose, it'll be because of you two!"
The mini-beholder on his shoulder let out a warble—thankfully, it'd only fired one Eye Ray so far and still had plenty of juice; the ring with Agatha inside shimmered, promising her aid.
His resolve hardened, Charles stopped dodging. Right at that moment, Haste ended again and a wave of crushing fatigue rooted him to the spot—he couldn't move at all!
All around, the Dark Angels—finding their blows useless—changed tactics, throwing themselves at him. Two clung to his arms, two to his legs, another hugged him from behind—they locked him up in seconds!
"Ugh—!"
His arms and legs sank deep into the pillowy softness of their chests; his lower back pressed into even more lush, supple warmth. The sensation was exquisite—but at this moment, desire was the furthest thing from his mind. Fury burned in his eyes as he glared at Sulpharlo.
"This is monstrous! May you rot for eternity!"
Sulpharlo burst out laughing. "Fuming helplessly suits you, boy!"
She raised her hand. In a blaze of black and red fire, her greatsword appeared again. "Too bad for you—your time's up!"
She unfurled her wings, charging straight for him—
Closer, closer. With her speed, only a few more heartbeats until—
Charles's thoughts raced. He calculated distance and time—knowing this was his one shot; his mind sharpened to a razor edge!
Even with his body pinned, his mouth was free—he could still cast a spell. He murmured, "T-w!"
Metamagic—Quickened Spell—Thunderwave!
The spell's shockwave exploded outward, blasting away anything around him while dealing damage. There were plenty of ways out of a grapple; this was one of the most direct!
BOOM!
A deafening wave erupted at his core. The Dark Angels shrieked in pain and were hurled away, freeing him instantly. Charles reached for his Storm Warhammer, planning to lock down Sulpharlo and launch a finishing blow.
But then—the impossible happened.
A keen dagger burst through Sulpharlo's back, the blade punching through her heart!
"What—?!"
Sulpharlo froze mid-flight, eyes wide with disbelief. Gold-tinted blood welled from the sword that pierced her chest.
Behind her stood another "Malena"—this version topless beneath a lacy black bra. Dropping the dagger in horror, she stumbled backward, clutching her mouth. "I… I hate you!"
With a wailing sob, she turned and fled into the distance. Charles followed her line of flight—and there he saw it: another Malena, heavily pregnant, on the ground but not flying, not even opening her wings. Face gleaming with delight, she raised a fist in celebration—"Nice work!"
She met Charles's gaze for only a moment—but it was long enough. Her eyes brimmed over with tears, streaming down her cheeks. She was so choked up she couldn't speak, yet that alone was all Charles needed.
She was the real Malena.
And her pregnant belly…
That familiar, blood-deep resonance thrummed through his chest, more powerful than ever—its source, now close at hand!
That's my child—in Malena's womb!
I… I'm going to be a father!
His hands began to tremble uncontrollably at the thought.
While he reeled, Sulpharlo hovered motionless, mind gone blank as agony lanced from her pierced heart. Rage boiled up as she turned and shrieked, "You—you betrayed me!"
Her whole body trembled, teeth gritted, but the Purple Worm venom—material plane's deadliest toxin—had already struck and was rushing through her heart, poisoning her entire body.
An angel might be powerful, but even they aren't immune to poison!
In this critical instant, the venom was brutally, even lethally, effective on Sulpharlo.
Though momentarily stunned by the infighting, Charles quickly recovered. He drew his Storm Warhammer, bellowed, "Xanathar! Agatha! Now!"
He channeled five spell slots into the Storm Warhammer, then hurled it at Sulpharlo with all his might—
BOOM!
The impact blasted into her forehead, numbing her mind. Xanathar, supercharged with another two spell slots, shook on his perch, then fired a grey ray right into her brow!
On Charles's left hand, the pale pink light of Agatha's soul flared—her banshee form launched into Sulpharlo's face, shrieking, "Aaaaaah—!"
The mind-wrenching wail poured into the fallen angel's psyche, the final straw that broke her resistance. She lost the will to resist the poison, lost all strength—her limp body floated groundward.
And at that moment, every Dark Angel in the room clutched their chest, wings fluttering spastically as they crashed to the floor, faces twisted in agony, voices thick with despair:
"Ahhh—"
"It hurts—!"
"I don't want to die—!"
Their cries blended together, creating a wave of suffering that made even Charles's heart ache. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus—he landed, stabbing his twin-bladed polearm into Sulpharlo's abdomen—
Shlick!
The blade plunged through her, but this time he didn't chant Banishing Smite. Instead, he whispered two Chinese words: "Purified—!"
Buzz—!
Milky light burst forth, enveloping Sulpharlo's body. Charles could barely hide his joy—he hadn't expected that a fallen angel could still be purified, gifting him with new power!
After all this suffering, it had paid off!
Yet suddenly, the other Dark Angels all rolled on the ground in agony, writhing as though being tortured beyond words.
"Ahhh—!"
"No—!"
"What's happening to me, ahh—!"
Their screams became a single, unbroken moan. Even Malena, in the distance, clutched her chest and crumpled to the floor, cold sweat beading on her brow, as though Sulpharlo's pain was echoing in her own body!
Charles's eyes widened, a chill gripping his heart. He glared at the fallen Sulpharlo, "What have you done to them?!"
Sulpharlo, barely conscious but aware of her power slipping away, trembled with fear.
She realized Charles truly did have the power to erase both her soul and her strength.
As she felt the white light gnawing at her, as she glimpsed the affection Charles had for the Dark Angels, Sulpharlo bit down and bared her last threat:
"If I die, then every one of them will die too!"
"And that includes the daughter in her belly—your unborn child will die as well!"
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