Chapter 4 – Confronting the council

Richard emerged into a rocky cavern that had flame licking up the sides of the walls and odd bursts echoed from the floor. The fire dissipated and Richard was stood in the cavern, it was only then that he noticed he was surrounded by black-cloaked figures, Richard was in hell. 'The council' Richard though uneasily, he had been one of these members and knew their job well they existed for the sole purpose of trying those who had been disobedient and broken some rules, but he had never tried anyone with the full council present so whatever he was here for, it wasn't good.

"Councillor Richard you know why you are here?" one of the cloaked figures asked in a cold harsh voice, Richard stared around him his black pits scanning the area, his white hair standing out vividly in the underground lair of hell. "No I don't actually" Richard narrowed his eyes and said sceptically. It suddenly hit him….the blast of heavenly light, the warmth on the face of the woman he had begun to Love. Richard didn't understand it then, or who she was but he knew then that Corrine was not who she seemed to be. "Richard don't be a fool and deny it!" another councillor spoke pulling his hood down. His eyes were filled with fire, his hair the colour of smoke and his skin, darker than a burnt corpse. "I cannot be a fool when I know nothing of my crime!" Richard shouted back. One of the councillors stepped forward "AHA! So you do admit that you committed a crime!" he yelled back, his voice was also husky and full of evil and hate that was directly aimed at Richard. "Councillor Richard you were sent to the surface for one single purpose" another councillor said, stopping Richard answering. Richards face was contorted into an angry scene that twisted and turned before it settled and turned towards the new speaker. "I know that" he snarled his emotions working around each other trying to keep himself calm. "You agree that you were sent up to the surface try and find where our enemy were hiding and what information they had, correct?" he asked calmly his head twitched slightly. Richard fell silent it was the words of truth the man spoke, those were his orders but he had been so wrapped up in his mortal life that he hadn't even tried to gather information for months. "That is correct yes, but"

"and isn't it correct that you have not sent a report for over six months?"

"Yes, but"

"And isn't it correct you have been on the surface now for over two years?" he asked again he was pressing Richard so hard he thought he was going to burst at the seams "Yes, but"

"And councillor Richard isn't it correct that during that time you have had no intimacy with anyone during this time" he pressed

"YES, BUT!" Richard shouted he was beginning to get annoyed. The councillor took a step out of the circle his fire eyes burning bright from under the hood that clad his face in darkness erasing his features "AND!" his voice rose "Councillor Richard isn't it also correct that you have been close to a female and a female heaven angel at that!" Richard stopped his brain was tossing and turning frantically trying to make out the words the councillors had spoke. "A heavens angel?" Richard replied weakly he took a step back a look of pure horror on his face "Your lying" Richard said with confidence he didn't feel. If Corrine was an angel it would explain a lot of things, the fact that she had healed him when he had been shot, the warmth he seemed to feel whenever he was near her. The heavenly light that surrounded her, and drew her away more peacefully than the fire Richard was consumed by. The councillor laughed a cruel laugh that echoed menacingly around the cavern. "I do not lie why would I do that" he snarled. Richard also shook his head if the councillor was telling the truth he Richard had broken every rule in the book. The heavens angels were enemies of the hells angels. They had been at war for centuries each winning and each loosing, Richard had begun his hell life as a soldier and he hated every moment and slowly rose in the ranks to councillor and then to agent, what he was now. No one could remember why they were fighting or who started the war all they knew that they must eliminate the other existence the other race of supernatural beings that took every chance to eliminate them. Richard sighed and closed his eyes "It just can't be true" he whispered pathetically. One by one the councillors laughed until Richards ears were ringing with it. "Fool!" the cried over and over again and then another councillor stepped forward and said in a mocking voice "Awwww did poor councillor Richard fall in love wiv da angel?" Richard felt his anger rise, the monster he had tried to contain was pulling successfully on the chain that anchored it deep inside his body and soil, it was about to be let loose and reek havoc on those around him. Richard gritted his teeth and his fingers curled in to form shaking fists that were ready to fly. Richard was shaking all over and he couldn't do anything to stop it. The council members saw Richard and the red auroras that were slowly seeping out of him. They stopped laughing and turned their full attention to Richard "Don't" one hissed knowing his intentions. Richards's eyes were suddenly sparked with angry fire. The main councillor simply clicked his fingers and Richard bent over double suddenly screaming in pain he was in pure agony he was blinded by it and he was drowning in it. The pain stopped as soon as it started and Richard straightened up he span around. "Give them back" he snarled sounding more like a wild dog. The councillor smiled he was now holding what looked like a black orb except it wasn't, it seemed to be made entirely out of liquid that changed every second from what pattern to another. Richard suddenly felt empty and desolate the destructive powers that he had been ready to unleashed were harshly ripped from him, Richard laughed he could still feel the monster brewing and about to escape. Richard span around again and charged towards the councillor not knowing what he was doing, he wasn't thinking straight and he was blinded by fury. Richard began to hit every part of the councillor he could find, using his fists, feet and teeth to hurt him as much as possible. There was so much hate built up inside of him that he didn't know of and at the moment he realized just how much he hated his life, and how much he hated himself. Richard could feel hands clasping round him there skin burning into his, their eyes scorching the back of his head. Richard continued to hit the man in front of him, who was now backed up in the cavern wall Richard stepped up next to him "Yes I did and I still do, you have a problem with that?" he snarled but before the shaking councillors couldn't even give a murmur of a reply Richard heard a loud bang, he saw the councillors scatter behind him out of the corner of his eyes. Richard regretfully span round letting the iron grip loose, on the victim before him. Richard just had time to see a screaming, raging ball of fire zooming towards him with destructive force. Richard was thrown backwards he felt his back crunch painfully against the cavern wall. Richard had been blown half way up the wall, his feet not even near touching the floor. Richard grimaced painfully and let out a snarl of pain that echoed strangely throughout the cavern, he fell to the floor along with some rocky debris that had been dislodged by the force of Richard's body smashing into the wall.