CHAPTER 11 - Loyalty
Angel's scrutinizing glare hurt. It hurt worse than being tied up and dragged around. It hurt like knives.
"This is a test my queen, nothing more. Not that you need to be tested, we just want the lowers to be sure of your allegiance. They dislike our haste in crowning you, and have agreed a public execution would show your loyalty in a sufficient manner," Aphire says with a bow.
"This archangel bitch," I think, "First she tricks Angel into being brainwashed, and then manipulates her to gain power. This conniving she-devil!"
"Of course, although I see no reason we should leave it alive regardless of whether my loyalty is questioned," Angel says.
That hurt even worse. But this isn't her. This isn't Angel, it's Sare.
"With me, demon," the archangel demands, pulling on the bindings wrapped around my neck, forcing me into a walking position.
I see Sera walk away, most likely in preparation for my public execution.
"What am I going to do?" I wonder, while coming up with a possibly successful plan to escape.
"Ahk!" I say as I am shoved forward.
"Hurry up, demon. Your cell is waiting for you," Aphire says with a maniacal laugh and grin. This is going to be bad… very bad.
Aphire shoves me foward again, and I pick up the pace. We end up going straight out of the Angel Mother's hallway, and down the central staircase. After walking down two levels, we arrive at the bottom floor where the lesser angels stay and work.
Aphire takes me down a long, extravagant hallway similar to the Angel Mother's.
"I'm glad you've decided to stop talking. I was afraid I would've had to cut out your tongue to silence you," Aphire says with a satisfied grin.
I only huff in response. All I need to do is get close to Angel again, and I won't have to hear from this thing again.
We end up going to the end of the football sized hallway, getting many disgusted and abhorrent glares as we walk. All at me. The denon.
At the end of the hallway we reach a corridor leading into a much smaller staircase. The staircase is dim, and dank, only lit by a few lights embedded in the ceiling. This gives off a foreboding aura.
When we reach the bottom of the dark, cramped staircase, we enter an even eerie hallway. It is lined with wooden doors, and the walls are made of stone. I never once, in my life, thought that angels would have a prison. Even the atmosphere of this place is just… melancholy. It's too quite.
Yet here I am, leashed like a dog at the mercy of its owner. What an interesting turn of events.
When I start to slow down, Sphire tugs my rope, almost tossing me over. I speed up and scowl at her; earning me yet another distasteful look.
We a short distance before Aphire stops and looks at me. She then pulls out a key, and turns to the door on her left.
"Enjoy you last moment alive, wretch," Apire seethes; obliviously taking advantage of the fact no one else is around.
"You won't admit it, but your just as corrupt as a demon," I spit back.
Aphire looks at me; practically shooting daggers from her eyes.
"Get in there rat," she says in spite, forcing me into the cell and slamming the door.
I hear the tap of her shoes against the tone floor as she walks off. I get up, and sort myself out, taking a seat in the far corner. I chuckle at the ease in which I was able to anger her. It was easy, almost too easy.
I look around, observe my surroundings, and find the rooms are no different than the hall. It's walls and floor are stone, the the door I was shoved through is the only way in or out. No windows, not even a place to sit or anything. Just an empty room with a door.
I sit there and think about my situation, considering there is nothing else to do.
I have no weapons, as I was disarmed by the angels before being brought to heaven. I have few injuries, most of then caused my initial resistance, but the other caused by the archangel's abuse. The ropes they tied me up in are weak, and require little to break out of.
Think of that, I am truly astonished by how little angels think of demons. To the point they think some rope around the hands is going to immobilize a demon. Have they really belittled us to such a point?
At last we have some respect for are bird brained counterparts. Well a minuscule amount, but it's enough to know that you need more than rope to subdue them.
I take in a deep breath, and sigh. Although I feel a numb pain, I feel rather relaxed. So much so, that I close my eyes.
I feel the urge to sleep, even in the harrowing situation I find myself in. It's been days, 5 to be precise. I've been so caught up in the situation I haven't got a wink of sleep.
But I can't rest, not now. So instead I simply lay there with my eyes closed. I think about how I ended up here.
After realizing Angel was more than likely going to die, I decided I had to return her to the angels.
The task proved difficult, but I still did it. For Angel. I found an angel in Purgatory, and told it I had kidnapped Angel. That I had held her hostage and planned on killer her, but needed them to witness it.
Even now I find myself fighting to get her back, even for a reason I am oblivious to.
But I had to do it. When Angel feel from Heaven, it was because she was banished. Not because she was sinful or denied the will of God. No, it was her own leader's lust for power.
When it happened, news spread like wildfire. It even made it into purgatory, and then to Hell.
She was the "Traitor Queen," as they called her. The queen of Heaven had supposedly become corrupted by her power. She refused to leave her throne, and as soon as she heard news of a marked one… She knew she had to eliminate them.
The Traitor Queen devised a plan to murder the child through any means necessary. She would go into the room where the child was being kept, making sure to go in while the caregiver was out of the room. Then, she would banish the child from Heaven, and hire a demon to kill it once it had fallen to Earth.
But she wasn't quick enough. The caregiver, the one now known as Aphire, saw it happen. She was unable to stop the banishment however, as it was already completed by the time she got to the Traitor Queen.
The Traitor Queen was then banished from the Angel society, along with her supporters, and locked into the deepest dungeon of Heaven. A place where the light doesn't reach.
They say she still is there to this day, rotting away in her cell, waiting for the day the child returns to Heaven so she can finally finish the job. Fortunately, it is only a myth. If it wasn't, Angel would already be dead.
A distant noise takes me out of my trance. A sort of tapping noise. Like footsteps…
Isn't it a bit soon? They must have been prepared.
"Here," I hear through the door. It sounds like Aphire, but there were two pairs of footsteps.
The I hear a voice I haven't heard yet say "I will get the demon ready, go summon the Queen."
I here someone walk away, and I assume it's Aphire. The sound of her feet tapping on the stone floor still fresh in my mine.
Then the door opens, and I am greeted with another archangel also bearing two sets of wings, but an oddly familiar face. It resembles someone, but I can't quite place who. Like when you see someone on a walk, but don't quite catch all their features.
"So… you are the one who kidnapped my daughter?" They ask me, confusing me greatly. The 'parent' of Angel is the Angel Mother, not another angel. She wasn't born, but created.
Unless…
"Are you Angel's mother?" I ask.
"So you did kidnap her…" the angel says, looking to the ground. I instantly freeze up. I can't get in a fight right now… I'll have to tell her the truth. Let's just pray she believes me.
She looks at me, as if waiting for a response. Like she knew I would say something to retaliate.
"I was lying. Angel was dying, and I had no other way to get her to Heaven. I'm sorry it turned out this way, but I care about your daughter. Especially after I saw what her father did to her. I-" I stop. I said too much, way too much.
"You what? Killed him? I already know. And then you proceeded to capture and humiliate her. Beating his till she's almost dead, and then… you made a grave mistake. You came to an angle to flaunt your victory. Now, it will cost you your life," the archangel says walking over to me.
"I just wish it was me who had to honor of taking it," she says, bending over and grabbing the end of the rope tied around my wrists.
She then yanks me up, causing me to stumble.
"Move, now," she says, and I comply.
She then tugs me out of the room, down the hallway, and back up the dimly lit stairs.
She then brings me back to the central staircase where a crowd of angels of all kinds have gathered around a pedestal with Angel standing on it. When I arrive, they make a path. They are sure to sneer and shout insults at me as I walk to the pedestal in the center of the crowd.
As I walk, Angel turns to me, her majestic wings spread out fully behind her. She is holding presumably metal polearm with gilded designs on it, most likely what I am to be executed with.
The walk is long. A constant sense of dread looming over me as I move. This could be the end.
I reach the middle, and am pushed into a kneeling position by Angel's mother.
Angel's mother then stands back a bit. Aphire is also standing tall on the far side of the pedestal, adjacent to Angel's mother. She is staring at me, still shooting daggers with her eyes.
The entire crowd is watching me. Hundreds of eyes staring into my soul, judging me. And of course, the worst of them being Angel. Her gaze burns a hole in my back.
I look down at the grey tiles of the floor. I can feel it seeping into my head. A deathly numbness as if my mind was preparing itself for death. But I knew it's not death I would be experiencing.
I prepare myself mentally for what's about to happen. The mass panic as wings emerge from my back. The pain Angel will inflict when I grab her. And the assault of the guard as I fly away with their queen.
"This demon had kidnapped our queen, and beaten her nearly to death. She is only alive now because of the demons incompetence, and decision to taint us with are very queen. Now, the rat will pay," Aphire announces to the crowd, causing a massive wave of yelling from the crowd. They either support their queen, or insult me. An expected response from angels.
"Now Sare, prove your loyalty. Slay the demon!" Aphire announces, one again receiving a cheer from the audience.
I hear movement behind me and decide to strike. I slide around and grow my wings, causing the queen to stumble back. But before anyone can react, something smashes through the left wall of the grand hallway, ricocheting pieces of concrete through the crowd around the podium.
I turn to face it, while both Angel's mother and Aphire rush in front of their queen, ready to defend her. By now all of the audience are running and screaming away, and a team of other archangels have arrived at the scene.
The thing, now obviously an angel stands up, spreading it's wings. Then I notice something, or has three pairs of wings, meaning it's a queen or king. Another thing is, it's wings are black and tattered.
It laughs, a loud, belittling, manic laugh. It then faces me, or rather, Angel.
"You thought you could hide from me?!" It asks, causing Angel and her guards to back away a few steps.
"Never! I am the queen! I can do anything! Your mark means nothing to me, girl! I will rule forever!" It announces.
Then it clicks, it's the Traitor Queen! But… I thought she was dead. I guess I was wrong.
"It's the Traitor Queen! But how did she escape?" Aphire says, looking to her fellow archangels. She must have read my mind.
"Die fools!" The Traitor Queen screeches, bulletins towards Angel.
Instinct kicks in and I go into my shadow form, still keeping my wings. I snap the rope bindings with ease, and turn to the archangels.
They raise there weapons at me, but the all begin to flee. I turn to the side and see the Traitor Queen fly past my face, and straight into Angel.
When the Traitor Queen makes impact with Angel, Angel is sent flying into the wall. The Traitor Queen then turns to face the archangels.
"You buffoons! You will regret the day you dared to turn against me!" She seethes.
While the guard and Traitor Queen are distracted, I rush over to Angel. This is my chance, I need to get Angel and get out of here.
"Stay back demon!" Angel hisses at me when I approach her. I can tell she is at least a little injured, as she limps as she moves back from me.
"Angel! It's me! We need to get out of here!" I tell her, but regret it when she charges at me.
She launches herself at me, still slicing into my side despite me trying to dodge it.
"Ah!" I exclaim in pain, and grab my side. Blood starts to flow through my fingers.
I look up at Angel, and see her getting ready to charge again, but she stops. She looks up, and I can see fear glaze her face, but only for a second. Angel quickly ducks down and runs forward, leading me to see what she is charging at. It's the Traitor Queen, and she's covered in more blood than a butcher's axe.
I quickly force myself to stand up, but pain. Quickly pulls me over again.
When I look up, I see Angel and the Traitor queen clash. Angel lands a solid hit in the Traitor Queen's chest, but the Traitor Queen also lands a hit. Even as she's being stabbed, the Traitor Queen continues to fly forward, with her hand wrapped around Angel's neck, most likes to break it with an impact with a wall or with her bare hands.
But I won't let that happen, I can't. I take in a sharp breath and launch myself at the Traitor Queen with my wings. I slam into her, causing her to release Angel.
When we hit the floor I land onto of her, effectively pinning her. I then realize I have no weapons, and begin thrashing at the Traitor queen with my claw-like nails.
She quickly retaliates, kicking me off of her and to the ground. I expect her to lash out at me, but she instead takes off again at Angel. As soon as she does so, I fly to the corpses of the archangels.
The Traitor queen sneers and starts screaming, "Stop resisting and give yourself up already!"
I look over to see Angel… unconscious. When the Traitor Queen assaulted her earlier, it must have knocked her out. Shit.
I begin flying as fast as my wings can carry me to Angel, brushing only harder as I see the Traitor Queen pick up Angel's polearm.
"No! Stop!" I wail, earning me a glance from the Traitor Queen, but no more. She raises the spear and-
Crack!
I stab through her back.
Thump.
She slices across my chest.
.
.
.
.
.
Silence. The world fades to black.