Bartleby struggled to free himself from the ropes , but she flicked her wrist and sent a pulse of Hellfire into his hands. Another rope shot out, tying his wings together, sending shards of pain through them.
Sahara turned back to Loki. He lay before her, pinned like a butterfly in a collection. Her eyes blazed angrily as she drew her sword, which burned brighter and hotter than before.
"You angels have caused me enough trouble already. Time to end this." Sahara hissed.
She plunged the sword into Loki's wings, over and over, destroying the feathers, shattering the bones. The searing, cutting stabs of Hellfire that spread into his body tore into him. Loki screamed in agony as his wings were destroyed, piece by piece.
"Loki!" Bartleby shouted.
Loki glanced up through pain-misted eyes and saw Bartleby, holding his sword. Sahara saw as well. She jerked the rope at Bartleby's wrists, passing Hellfire into the wings. The smell of burning feathers rose in the air. Bartleby faltered, but threw the sword. Loki sprang from the ground in an instant, ripping his damaged wings and caught the sword, only to be pulled back by Sahara, who stood behind him, sword pointed outward at her side. She pulled Loki against her chest.
"I'll see you in Hell, Loki." she said. Her sword, held at her side, had run the angel through the stomach, the supernatural weapon slicing easily through the armor. Loki plunged his own sword back, driving the Heaven-sent weapon through the demon's chest. She screamed and fell back, but not before passing a massive burst of Hellfire through the ropes leading to Bartleby's wrists and wings, Loki's neck and her sword, sending Hellfire into Loki's body. Both angels dropped to the ground as the wave of Hellfire hit them. But the danger had passed.
Sahara lay on the ground, too weak to summon more firepower. Loki pulled her sword from his stomach and went to her side.
Sahara looked up and saw the angel above her. Despite his grievous wounds, he glared down at her with the righteous anger of the Angel of Death.
Sahara shuddered once, then it was over. She died, passing back into Hell. The ropes, her sword and the daggers shimmered and disappeared with her passing.
Bartleby reached Loki just as his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed, crumpling beside Sahara's still form. Bartleby ran to his friend's side and lifted his head.
"Loki."
The angel's eyes fluttered open. "Am I human, Bartleby?"
"I don't know. Wouldn't you be dead by know if you were human?" Bartleby replied.
Loki grimaced, coughing up blood. He licked his lips, tasting the blood that bubbled from his mouth. "I think I'm dying."
"But, your wings…"
"They've been destroyed enough, I suppose. Please, don't leave me alone, Bartleby." Loki pleaded.
"Don't worry, I won't."
"I don't want to die alone. I just want to fly again. I just want to soar like I used to. To be able to be free in the sky, to ride the thermals into the heavens. That's all I want."
"You'll be able to soar again soon."
"Yeah. When I'm dead. You can't fool me, Bartleby. You know I'll die."
A spasm shook Loki's body and Bartleby steadied him. He bent over his friend. "I won't lie to you, Loki. You could die. You most likely will die. But you have a chance. You always have a chance."
A sudden blaze of fire startled them. Fog rolled out of the flames and they knew it was God, not another demon.
God was a woman, slightly quirky on some occasions. Today, She wore all white. Not a bright, falsely-happy white, but a warm, almost cream-colored white. A wreath of flowers crowned Her brown-haired head. At Her side was Metatron.