Heavenly Hellions, Hellish Angels, Human Bodies
Story By: Maeleana
Disclaimer: If you've read this far into the story you know who owns the characters within.
Chapter 9: CWII: The Second Celestial War
Heero looked out over what would become a battlefield, it was like looking at an old fantasy photo. The area had every type of terrain imaginable, there was a forest next to a swamp, a desert bordering a barren mountain range, a region of plains seemed to be in the center, almost making a path from Heaven to Hell, and between the forest and swamp stretched an expanse of water that appeared endless. ...And yet none of these areas had any color to them. Everything that was natural to these regions was in black and white.
This was Purgatory. It was beautiful, in a frightening way.
Heero was with the group of Angels that would move the injured to a safer location once they were brought off the battlefield. He had the feeling that he would be easily distracted by the initial battle. It would be unlike anything he had every seen.
"Anxious?" Came Raphael's voice from beside him.
Heero nodded, still looking over Purgatory, "Yes...that is I mean..." He trailed off knowing that it sounded like he was looking forward to bloodshed.
Raphael looked down at him, a faint hint of a smile on his face, "I understand. Purgatory is uniquely captivating, and this will be the first time you've seen a Celestial Battle. Just remember, we are here to heal the injured, and we can't afford to become too distracted. Though there are enough of us present that we can spare a moment or two to gawk."
If Raphael hadn't sounded so serious Heero would have sworn the Archangel was teasing him.
WuFei was morbidly curious as to exactly what kind of wounds needed a numbing solution that made a cut heal in five seconds, and what would happen if such a wound wasn't treated immediately. He took a quick stock of the situation: he was with other Fallen angels and some demons; preparing for a war which, if Lucifer was correct, would make mortal battles seem like 'a small verbal disagreement'; Heero was on the opposing side; and to make matters worse neither side, Heaven nor Hell, knew where Quatre was.
He looked toward Duo and Trowa, Duo was trying to remain calm for Trowa's sake and Trowa himself was putting on a brave front for Duo. Some scantily clad 'women', who were obviously trying to do a comedic act, were entertaining the two of them but it was coming across as being closer to pornography.
"Succubae."
WuFei tore his gaze from the 'women' to look at Lucifer, "I'm sorry?"
Lucifer nodded toward Duo and Trowa's entertainers, "Those are succubae, female demons who thrive on sex. Their male counterparts are incubi. I figured considering Duo and Trowa's preference they would be safer with succubae rather than incubi."
After thinking about it for a second WuFei nodded in agreement. Duo, at least, had a very active libido.
"Meph is in charge of the succubae for this battle... WuFei I hope you don't take this the wrong way but I gave Meph special orders that if he has to sacrifice you and Trowa then he should."
WuFei looked at Lucifer questioningly. But the Leader of the Fallen was not looking at him. He followed Lucifer's gaze and saw Duo laugh, "Is he truly that important to you?"
Lucifer sighed, "He is so much like his mother...and I would do everything within my power to see her happy. The funny thing is I didn't know that Lailah was the mortal woman I was with until she told me back at the house."
"You didn't know that Lailah was Jolie?" WuFei was forming a new respect for the being that was considered the most devious and hated being ever.
Lucifer shook his head, "And I'll tell you something no one else knows. I was prepared to remain with that mortal woman until she died."
"Why didn't you?" Lucifer seemed almost...human...
Lucifer gave a wry smile, "Ironically it was an act of evil that separated us. Shortly after we started our relationship my current mortal form was mugged and killed."
"...I too lost a loved one to violence." And suddenly WuFei came to the realization that he and Lucifer had more in common than anyone could have guessed.
Duo shifted uneasily, absolute silence had overtaken both sides of Purgatory as the appointed time for the battle drew near. Everyone, Angel and Demon, had congregated closer to the center of the plains area. Metatron, who would be among the non-combatants on Heaven's side, reminded everyone of the unspoken rules.
Apparently Heaven's healers would tend anyone injured that was brought to them, but it was understood that no one attacked a healer, no matter whose side they were on. The only exception would be if a healer became a combatant.
Also no one would attack either Michael or Lucifer, for they would be battling each other. Never mind the fact that they were the eldest of all and no one else would stand a chance against them anyway.
Non-combatants were to remain so or risk being destroyed.
Mysty, one of the succubae, had told Duo and Trowa that was the biggest danger in a Celestial battle. Beings weren't killed they were destroyed. Mere death, she said, meant they could return to their side and would therefore be pointless. So anyone who was 'killed' in battle was destroyed and became nothing more than a mere memory.
Now Duo's biggest worry was that Heero would try to defend the healers and get himself destroyed. Trowa was trying to reassure him, but Duo could tell that he was just as concerned.
The silence that had overtaken Purgatory was becoming oppressive. The two sides had taken their places, some would compare it to two teams meeting at the line of scrimmage, but this would be no game.
Heaven's armies were prepared to defend what they knew was right. And Hell's legions stood ready to defend their right to exist.
Most of the angels saw this as a chance to payback Lucifer and his followers for their disrespect of the Lord. But all of them were there because the Lord had so decreed it.
As for the Demons and Fallen, they would just as soon not be there at all. None of them wanted to fight the Angels, they just wanted to continue in their attempts to corrupt mortal humans.
As if triggered by some hidden signal the front lines surged forward to engage in the start of the battle.
Quickly the healers on both sides became too engaged in their duties to pay mind to anything else.
Teleportation spells were being cast left and right by healers removing the injured from the field. Occasionally one of the healers would linger on the field a moment too long and catch a blade across an appendage, but for the most part those were accidental injuries so neither side was faulted.
Though they had been through many battles and seen all sorts of injuries in their time; WuFei, Trowa, Heero and Duo were entranced by the injuries they now saw, and the healing involved. Apparently the warriors on both sides fought in the understanding that you took on only one opponent at a time, especially if you were using powers rather than a physical weapon.
The fighting continued, for how long no one could tell, but suddenly everyone froze as an explosion rented through those at the center of the field.
Michael and Lucifer, who had been engaged in a mid-air sword fight, were suddenly hurled to the ground by a force that could not be identified. Before anyone could react both leaders were struck by another unseen force.
WuFei heard Duo's breath catch and out of the corner of his eye saw Trowa tense, he barely caught Trowa whisper a name that WuFei would never have associated with such violence.
Even from across a battlefield Heero could see WuFei, Trowa and Duo, so he wasn't too surprised when a new Angel appeared over Lucifer and Michael.
"Hypocrites. All of you. None of you operates under reason anymore, all you know is hate and Chaos... And since that is your way that is how you shall go."
Author's Note: Yes, I'm ending the chapter there. Yes, I know I suck and that half of you want me to be tortured as I torture you, but guess what it's late and I have to get up at the butt crack of dawn so I'm ending it here. :P
