Ch 15: Rhast Leche Botis, the Sadistic Angel

The Hand of Fate's sudden attack results in a showdown between the bulk of Angelorum Lux and a group of their agents. One in particular seems nearly unstoppable, as well as unspeakably cruel.

            The whole group having been caught off guard and sent flying by the explosions caused by the chemicals Rhast had flung at them, everyone struggled to pick themselves up, Saria crawling over to where Scott had rolled across the floor to. Rising to her feet and glaring up at Rhast, Mythra gathered her Elementum Orbis and started firing up at him, only to miss time and time again as Rhast bobbed and weaved out of her fire. Then as some of the enemy agents rushed at her with their black daggers, Mythra dodged a slash and kicked the first attacker aside before forming her arcane spellblade and blocking the second. Clashing with some assailants of his own, Alexander met one attacker’s strike with a darkness enhanced parry that sent him reeling, quickly kicking him away and blocking as another struck at him, holding him off for a moment before chanting, “Septimo Spiritus Terra!” The sonic shockwave that erupted from his Lunar Defender form Defensor Clementia sent the second attacker flying as well, but even more of the enemy’s forces came charging at him from the front. Alexander raised his sword to swing as he started to chant, “Falcatae…” Suddenly Rhast’s whip wrapped around Alexander’s weapon, stopping his attack, and Alexander could barely block and dodge as the agents reached him. Finally managing to get his weapon free by summoning it from his right hand to his left with the Nameless One’s power, he spun with his blade in a spinning attack to drive them all back, and then he raised Defensor Clementia up as he chanted, “Grandine!” Wisps of ice came forth from all the glowing blue runes on his blade, quickly raining down beams of ice upon the enemies surrounding him. Fighting against their own opponents as they stood back to back, Patch covered the injured Giselle as best she could, Giselle not planning on showing the slightest bit of gratitude. Watching his forces being fended off without much trouble, Rhast readied his whip and shouted, “You worthlessss bunch! I’ll jusssst handle thissss mysssself!” Swinging his whip wildly, Rhast rained explosive chemicals down on friend and foe, everyone trying to find cover as the landing bay was filled with explosions.

            Ceasing to spray out explosive chemicals, Rhast watched the aftermath clear only to see he had destroyed the entirety of his own forces without harming Alexander or the others. Having cast the defensive Stellis spell upon everyone in the nick of time, Alexander had effortlessly shielded his allies from Rhast’s explosions. Frowning down on them all, Rhast merely clicked his forked tongue in annoyance and muttered, “Well now…” Raising his sword at Rhast now that he was the only enemy remaining, Alexander called up to him, “Looks like that didn’t work out very well for you at all. I don’t really know who you are or what’s going on, but I’d advise you to surrender.” Snorting as he tried to suppress a laugh, Rhast spread his single wing wide and replied, “Oh, think you’re hot sssstuff huh? You’ve got ssssome good lookssss there big daddy, but that just makessss me wanna break you even more!” Unable to find words to retort, Alexander nervously thought, “Big daddy…? I have great misgivings about the fact that he’s eager to break me, but I’m even more worried by the way he announced it…” Looking a bit dumbstruck as well, Mythra thought to herself, “I'm not really biased against that sort of thing, but I'm getting some sadistic vibes from this guy...”

            They both had little time to be distracted though, and pulled themselves together as Rhast held his hand out and said, “Wing of Kushiel…” Rhast flapped his wing once to scatter dark feathers throughout the area, hundreds of them spreading out across the landing bay and falling like snow. Looking around at the feathers drifting down at them nervously, Alexander started to mutter to himself, “What form of ability…” Suddenly one of the feathers settled on his hand, and immediately he felt pain surge from where it touched him, consuming his entire arm in no time. Dropping his blade as he clutched his arm in agony, Alexander tried to warn the others as he cried out, “Don’t let them touch you!” Yet it was too late, everyone afflicted with unbearable pain as the feathers fell upon them. Laughing sadistically as he watched them all falling over themselves in torment, Rhast exclaimed, “Yessss, ssssuffer! Ssssuffer more for me!”

            Entering the landing bay just in time to find everyone writhing on the ground, Bella turned her attention to Rhast as he touched down on the floor. Readying her golden bone scythe, Bella wondered who he was, Mai voicing her thoughts as she demanded, “Who the hell are you supposed to be?!” Glancing over at Bella now that he was alerted of her arrival, Rhast raised his right hand to clean out his ear with his pinkie finger as he calmly said, “What, another woman? You wanna piece of me too?” Certain he could only be an enemy, Bella performed a hand sign and balls of golden foxfire lit themselves in the air around her as she said, “Moeru Seishin Kasou!” Opening his mouth as the foxfire tore through the air at him, Rhast spewed out some form of gas into the path of the attack and jumped back, and as soon as the foxfire came in contact with it, the gas caught fire and exploded. Holding her scythe up in defense as the heat and smoke from the blast washed over her, just as Bella activated her Ghostly Eye to try and find him through the aftermath, Rhast’s whip shot through it and wrapped around her arm. Pulling her through the smoke and fumes, Rhast jumped up and struck her with an upwards jump kick that sent her crashing into the ceiling, and dropping her scythe she fell back to the floor with a thud. As he hoisted her up with the whip to look at her, Bella’s arm ached with pain, the whip’s chemicals burning through her clothes and skin like acid. Grinning wickedly, Rhast said to her, “Hurtssss huh? The chemical venom of Osssscula Viperae changessss depending on how I piece the ethereal compoundssss together with my EDE. In acid form, it’ll sssstrip your flessssh in no time…”

            Turning his attention away from Bella as the whine of the repulsion engines finally reached his ears, Rhast saw the Audentia drawing close to the breached landing bay, and he muttered to himself, “What now?” Then a crystal bullet shot across the distance and grazed his hand, causing him to release his hold on his whip. Swerving to the side and positioning its open door directly next to the breached landing bay doors, as the Audentia pulled up, Fox and Serius leaped out and into the landing bay, Richter sliding down the side of the airship from up on the deck and leaping off to join them. Grinning smugly, Fox called out, “Look out pal, cuz we’re here to save the day!” Looking around at everyone still crippled by Rhast’s black feathers, Richter thought to himself, “I only hope we’re not too late…” His whip transforming into a ethereal snake and slithering back to his hand, as it became a whip once more, Rhast took hold of it and said, “Now that stingssss… I think I’ll jusssst kill you guyssss! Only need sssso many hostagessss anywayssss…” Holding one of the gauntlets of his Excan Gloriae before him and gesturing for Rhast to come at him, Fox replied, “Bring it on!” Stepping forward suddenly, Serius said, “What are you doing here? Are you in league with Alastor as well? Answer me, Rhast Leche Botis!”

            Recognizing Serius in his armored Vox Ensis now, Rhast scowled as he said, “Seriussss Decussss Matuia…” Confused for a moment as to how they could be acquainted, as he noticed Rhast’s eyes and tattoos, Richter said, “A mautauian? Do you know him Serius?” Nodding less than enthusiastically, Serius replied, “He’s a member of a formerly noble household that was stripped of its rank. He now serves as a bodyguard for the House of White, specifically the daughter of the Lillith household. And he was the one who…” Serius trailed off as though he could not say any more, and a smug grin spreading across his face, Rhast said, “Sssspeaking of rankssss, how’ssss it feel Seriussss? How’ssss it feel to be one of the trassssh finally?” Unconcerned with rank or status, Serius had something much more important to him in mind as he replied, “I’ve never felt better. You’re the only trash here Rhast, scum who kills in cold blood. The House of White may have protected you, but now that you’ve shown yourself here…” His smug grin widening, Rhast said, “Sssstill ssssore huh? Get over it already. A man of your sssstatus could’ve jusssst found himsssself another woman. Now that you’re trassssh, you don’t even have to worry about politicssss anymore, y’know?”

            His eyes going wide as he was consumed by fury, Serius flew at Rhast and swung one of his arm blades to cut him down. Holding his whip taunt before him to block, Rhast stared back into Serius’ face for a moment with a twisted smile, and then he spat chemicals from his mouth straight into Serius’ eyes. Staggering away, clutching his face as his eyes burned, Serius stumbled and fell back onto his behind. Richter and Fox quickly moved to aid him as he struggled to wipe the chemicals from his face, and laughing at Serius, Rhast said, “Even if you get it out, you’ll be blind for around half a day. Guessss you sssshouldn’t have gotten sssso worked up there, huh big man?” Still clutching his face, Serius let out a curse under his breath. Placing an armored hand on his friend’s shoulder as he crouched down beside him, Fox turned to glare at Rhast as he said, “Don’t worry partner, I’ll get your revenge for you!” Drawing out his twin barreled pistols from where he’d holstered them inside his trenchcoat, Richter said, “I guess I can let you show off a bit if that’s what’s going on here, but don’t think you’re leaving me out!” Getting to his feet once more, Fox grinned as he and Richter prepared to face Rhast, saying, “Wouldn’t dream of it bud! Now, let’s do this!”

            Rising up into the air, Rhast readied his whip as he said, “Alright then, come at me boyssss!” Taking aim with his Dextra Legis pistols, Richter opened fire with regular crystal bullets as Fox briefly gathered EDE. Swinging his whip about with suddenly enhanced speed and reflexes though, Rhast easily deflected Richter’s fire, his ever moving whip becoming blurred around him making it look like he had some form of barrier. Done gathering EDE, Fox channeled it all into his gauntlets as he dashed forward and leaped up at Rhast, flames swirling around his burning fists. He swung a fist in a powerful punch as he reached his opponent, but Rhast simply dodged, drifting to the side and swiveling in the air to counterattack with his whip. Yet this was all according to plan, Fox touching down on one of Richter’s crystal walls that had been camouflaged behind Rhast and quickly turning around to grab hold of the whip with his hand. Pulling the surprised Rhast straight to him, as he poured EDE into his other flaming gauntlet, Fox’s arm became covered in layers of glowing, seething red hot energy to the point where it looked like a giant arm made of solid fire, and he quickly slugged the villain with his flaming fist. Rhast lost hold of his whip as he went tumbling through the air from the explosion that resulted as the fiery energy of the arm exploded, and tossing it aside Fox channeled more EDE and summoned fiery energy from the cracks along one of his gauntlets, forming chains of flame attached to his gauntlet that he took hold of and flung at Rhast. Moving like they were made of living flame, the chains extended in length and slithered through the air, wrapping around Rhast’s arm. Fox pulled him right back to himself with them as he readied his fists and shouted, “Fireflash Combo!” Unleashing a bombardment of crushing explosive punches from his gauntlets all in less than a second, Fox blew Rhast across the landing bay to crash hard into the far wall. Landing back on the ground as Richter hurried to his side, Fox watched as Rhast fell out of the impression he’d made in the wall, collapsing on the floor with a groan.

            Watching the battle from the open door of the Audentia, as Fenrip saw Rhast fall, he leaped out into the landing bay and hurried over to Fox and Richter. Calling out to them as he approached, Fenrip said, “Nice job! How are the others?” Briefly looking around at everyone to see that Alexander and the others afflicted by the black feathers seemed to be recovering slightly, Fox didn’t take his eyes off of Rhast for long as he replied, “Looks like he’s not gonna keep channeling that ability now that he’s taken a big hit. If you wanna help, hurry and get the others outta here, ASAP! This ain’t over…” Nodding in acknowledgement, Fenrip turned his attention to the injured, helping Alexander to his feet first as he said, “Hang in there old friend!” Disoriented and still aching all over, Alexander managed to say, “You’re a sight for sore eyes Fenrip…” Meanwhile, Fox and Richter approached Rhast cautiously, coming to a halt as he suddenly started to pick himself up. Laughing a bit, as Rhast struggled to his feet and wiped the blood from his lip, he grinned at them both and said, “That wassss quite the punch…” Aiming a pistol at him, Richter said, “Give it up Rhast, you won’t beat us with those injuries!”

            Looking himself over a moment as though he were confused, Rhast replied, “Injuriessss? Don’t lump me in with you ssssugar, a few burnssss and broken ribssss issss nothing! Can’t even feel it with all the ethereal biochemicalssss I’m ussssing to enhance my physsssical sssstate!” Cracking his knuckles smugly and charging forth once more, Fox said, “Guess I’ll break a few more then!” Leaning to the side and using his own arm to deflect Fox’s punch aside and change the directory of his strike, as Fox punched a huge dent into the metal wall behind him instead, Rhast threw his body forward and rammed him with his shoulder, laying Fox out on the ground. Then leaping away as Richter opened fire with several shots of one of his new special bullets, Rhast took to the air as glowing purple Arcane Revolver rounds chased after him like homing missiles. He called his whip back to him as an ethereal snake again and turned to face them as he flew, evading the homing bullets and flinging explosive chemicals at them to blow them out of the sky, quickly turning his chemicals on Richter next. Yet turning a dial on his pistols to change the type of shot, Richter called a crystal wall before him and fired a Crystal Magnum round at it, and as the bullet struck the crystalline material expanded itself into a great crystal bulwark formed of thick crystal formations, blocking the explosions from the chemicals as they rained against it.

            Leaping back to his feet, Fox raised both hands before him, generating flames from the cracks in his gauntlets that he quickly fired at Rhast as streams of flaming energy. Weaving through his barrage of fire, Rhast flew at Fox and lashed out with his whip, and Fox quickly formed layers of fiery material upon both arms, raising his new enormous flame arms up to serve as a shield. He blocked strike after strike, and finally Rhast let up and evaded as Richter rode in on a crystal wall and let loose his Radiating Shot, spraying multicolored bullets after him. Forming the flaming skateboard that had been one of the powers of his Arma Fusile, Fox hopped on and flew through the air on it after Rhast, closing in and unleashing a flurry of airborne punches, and Rhast struggled to dodge until he finally opened his mouth and spewed chemical gas at him. Barely raising both arms as a shield again, it hardly helped as Fox’s various flames quickly ignited the gas. Fox disappeared in a giant blast of flames, but Rhast’s triumphant grin only lasted briefly as all the fire suddenly seemed to get sucked up into a vacuum, Fox quickly absorbing it all into his gauntlets and flying back into the fray.

            Scowling as he closed in, Rhast proceeded to fend him off, lashing at him with his whip furiously. Struggling to slip through his strikes, Fox lunged through with a flaming punch at the first opening, but Rhast veered aside and quickly flung his whip around one of Fox’s ankles, pulling him from his flameboard and flinging him away. Loading the special bullets he’d used back on the Tentrion, called Fragmenting Shells, as he saw Fox had already gotten clear the hard way, Richter took aim and opened fire. Whirling his whip around like before, Rhast tried to deflect the bullets, but as they impacted his whip the bullets burst into crystal shrapnel that flew in all directions, some stabbing into his arms, torso, and legs. Hardly feeling the pain thanks to the chemical adrenaline he was pumping through his body, Rhast continued to shatter the bullets with his whip, stopping only once Richter was out of ammo. Yet less than pleased with the result, Rhast began pulling pieces of crystal shrapnel from his bleeding wounds as he muttered to himself, “Guessss I might wanna end it quick…”

Author's Note

Rhast's last name, Botis, is a reference to the same named demon, as are many last names of the Mautauians in the series excluding Serius and Barinus. In demonology, Botis is a Great President and Earl of Hell, commanding sixty legions of demons. He tells of all things past and future, and reconciles friends and foes.

He is depicted as an ugly viper, but when he changes shape, he puts himself in human shape, with big teeth and two horns. When in human shape he carries a sharp and bright sword in his hand.

Rhast's angel wing ability, as with the other angel wing abilities in the series, is named after the angel Kushiel, who is one of seven angels of punishment. As a "presiding angel of Hell," he is said to punish nations with a whip made of fire.