Forgot the Disclaimer...
Disclaimer - I do not own anything in this Fan Fiction. If I did I wouldn't be here.
The Gate of Heaven
Ein stole a glance around the room before looking out his window. The sun was only just starting to come over the horizon. Ein shrugged the nightmare aside, thinking he was just on edge because they were leaving today. He rose from the bed and opened his closet, grabbing his Grim Angel attire out. However, he dropped the black shirt in favour of a white vest. He reached under his pillow and pulled out two items. The first was his Diviner, Einherjar, of which he hid in his cloak. The second was a medallion showing a small silver cross backed by the Lorelai and the Einherjar, which were crossed behind it. Ein looked at the medallion before slipping it on a gold chain and latching it behind his neck. He went to his rather small kitchen to prepare what was possibly the last meal he'd ever eat at his home. After he finished cooking he checked on Rose, who was still sleeping. Ein sighed.
'No point in waiting, if I know Ledah he was up hours ago.' He thought as he reached down and picked Rose up, cradling the familiar in his arms. He deposited her on his bed and then set about finding any and all the food he could find and packing it with the few possessions he was taking with him. When he was satisfied he slung his pack over his shoulders, picked up Rose, and walked out the door.
Ein was right; when he finally arrived at Ledah's house he found the older Grim Angel training in his living room. Ledah's house was similar to Ein's in the way that both only had the essentials that they needed to live. In fact, Ein hadn't ever been truly comfortable since he became a Grim Angel when he was sixteen, which was the same time he moved out of the lodge that his family owned. But, being a Grim Angel, he couldn't acknowledge in public that they were his family, as he was supposed to be 'Free of meaningless concepts such as family'. However, he did visit them from time to time, having said his final farewell to them several days ago.
Ein watched as Ledah finished training with his Executioner skill, the Lost Seraph. He watched in awe as Ledah delivered seven 'would be' killer blows and finished up with a flame tornado.
"Sweet move." The younger Grim Angel remarked. "Wish I could do an Executioner."
Ledah grunted, grabbing a towel and wiping away the sweat that had formed on his face.
"Everyone can do an Executioner, under the right circumstances. Only a select few, however, can do it at will." He said cryptically. Executioner was slang for the incredibly powerful techniques that many affiliated with the Grim Angels, believing they were the only ones who could do it. Amazingly, even among the Grim Angels there weren't many who could do it. The few who could were given a profound amount of respect. Ledah somehow hid Lorelai in his cloak and grabbed his pack.
"Ready to go?" He asked one last time.
"As ready as we will ever be." Ein answered. Ledah nodded and led the way out of the house and through the city, towards the massive gateway known as Heaven's Gate. The pair walked past a group of warriors who guarded the gate and entered the gate itself, coming to a halt in a hallway lined with statues. On the left side there was no wall, allowing a view of the sky. Ein hesitated. Ledah caught on and stopped while Ein kneeled in front of the statue of a goddess and prayed. Ledah waited for Ein to finish before speaking.
"I didn't know you worshipped Sievra." He noted. Ein blushed slightly and the group moved on.
A little ways down the hall was the group's first encounter with demons. As Ein was walking along he realized that they were being watched and stopped. Ledah apparently had the same feeling because he reached into his coat and withdrew the Lorelai. Ein also drew the Einherjar as Rose curled herself around his neck. A large, blood red wolf appeared in front of the pair, its eyes glowed like dark rubies. Ledah didn't seem to be worried with the demons presence.
"Remember, in and out. It's faster then you are." Ledah warned, taking a step back and jumping into the air. Ein didn't pause to watch his friend take flight and ran at the demon, bringing his Diviner up high and bringing it down in a diagonal cut. Einherjar sliced deep into the creatures flesh, causing it to yelp and jump away from Ein before attempting to bite him. Ein rolled away from the beast just as Ledah dived, skewering it's head on the Lorelai. He placed a foot against the demons skull and wrenched the Lorelai out.
"Not bad. Don't raise your weapon so early, though. You gave him considerable warning as to what you intended to do." Ledah criticized. Ein nodded.
"I'm lucky to have you around." He said. Both Ledah and Rose laughed at that.
"Nah, you could have done it alone. You just need to brush up your skills." Ledah chuckled.
"If anything, Ledah's lucky to have you around." Rose noted.
The group continued down the hall, talking merrily and joking with each over.
About twenty minutes later the group came across a second group of demons. This group was made up of another blood red wolf, a midget elf with a sword and shield and what appeared to be a giant purple hound. Ledah groaned.
"So… That other one was just a scout. Damn. Ein, stand back!" Ledah cursed before taking a rather strange stance, holding Lorelai across his chest. The demons all made a sound that sounded all too much like laughter.
"Ledah, are you sure?" Ein asked his friend.
"Positive. Trust me, okay." Ledah's face changed from emotionless to dead serious.
"Thy sins shall be purged… Lost Seraph." Ledah moved with almost impossible speed, slashing an X into the face of the wolf, impaling the midget elf, and dealing three heavy slices to the hound. Finally, he leapt into the air, spinning the Lorelai in a circle before slamming it into the ground. The demons were consumed in a whirlwind of flame.
"Let death be punishment for thy sins." Ledah muttered as he stood up and hid the Lorelai once more. He turned to look at Ein, who was grinning.
"Man, why would you need me if you can do that?" He asked.
"Because, if that doesn't kill them then there is hell to pay." He motioned towards the hall, which continued on even further.
"Let's go." Rose said.
The three travellers continued for another ten minutes before running into a dead end. Ein sighed.
"A dead end… Now what?" He asked Ledah. Rose laughed.
"We jump down there." Ledah pointed at a spot in between the statues. Ein nodded.
"Let's go." Ein said as he jumped over the edge, landing on a cliff. Ledah followed, gliding down to where Ein was standing.
"How much further?" Ein asked. Ledah looked at him a moment.
"You tired?"
"No." Ein looked up towards the sky.
"Then why did you ask?" Ledah asked.
"Because this is taking way to long." Ein answered irritably.
Ledah paused and considered his options. He knew of a quicker way, but Ein didn't have his wings. He removed his pack and set it aside.
"Put your pack down." Ledah told Ein, who obeyed at once. Ledah wrapped his arms around Ein and took flight, depositing him on a ledge a good five hundred feet above. Ein blushed.
"That's one way to do it." He muttered. Ledah flew down and reappeared a moment later with their packs. He handed Ein's pack to him.
"You're the one who wanted to hurry up." Rose laughed at Ein's red face.
"A warning would have been nice." Ein murmured, embarrassed. Ledah led the way forward.
About twenty minutes later they found themselves in a cavern leading upwards towards the sky. Ledah held up a hand, signalling the group to a halt. A moment later, one of the Seven Magi appeared in front of the group.
"Grim Angels, report." The Magi called. Ledah nodded.
"We are currently in the Cavern of Judgement. I estimate that we will be at the gate by midday." Ledah answered. The Magi nodded.
"Time is running out. Hurry up!" It said before vanishing. Ledah looked at his companion.
"Time to move it." He said. Ein nodded and they took off at a run.
Five minutes of hard running later, the pair arrived at a staircase that led down, and then arced back up. Ledah signalled a halt, pulling out some food.
"Eat some lunch, and then we go to Riviera." He said to his companions. Ein pulled out a sandwich he had prepared earlier and ripped a piece off, giving it to Rose. They ate in silence before proceeding past the staircase. The trio entered a room that seemed to resemble a bridge, albeit a bridge with a circle bearing strange designs in the centre. Ledah led the way across the bridge, stopping when another Magi appeared in front of them.
"Grim Angels, report." The Magi ordered. Ein cursed under his breath.
"We are about to pass into Riviera." Ledah answered, taking note of Ein's dislike for the Magi.
"Understood. Ursula will likely intervene. Speaking of which..." The Magi trailed off as a woman with light blue hair appeared in the middle of the circle, her body wrapped in strips of cloth.
"This is Ursula. She is your enemy. Slay her in the name of the Gods!" The Magi yelled before vanishing.
"Blasted Magi, never around when theirs a fight to be had." Ledah muttered. Both Grim Angels raised their Diviners, ready for battle. Ursula looked at them in despair.
"Why must Riviera suffer? I will not allow it!" Ursula yelled, motioning with her hands and speaking another language. The circle glowed red before bursting into flames, a large bird of fire bursting forth. Ledah's eyes widened at the sight.
"Ein, be careful. That's Aghart, the holy beast." Ledah warned.
"Look's like a phoenix." Ein noted.
"It works on the same principle." Rose told Ein.
Aghart roared before taking to the skies, beyond Ein's reach. Ledah took to the sky after it, while Ein turned his attention to Ursula.
"So you're Ursula. No offence, but I was expecting something a little less... Human." Ein remarked.
"Right now, I am the least of your problems, Angel." Ursula replied. Ein looked up to see Ledah throw the Lorelai at Aghart, imbedding it in its skull.
"Nah, Ledah's got that covered." Ein replied, looking at Ursula once more. Ursula shrugged.
"Your choice, Angel." She said, seemingly lost in thought. Ein turned his attention back to the fight, just in time to see Ledah's Executioner skill.
"Thy sins shall be purged! Lost Seraph!" Ledah dived at Aghart, slicing an X in its face before slicing an image of the cross. He slammed the butt of Lorelai into its beak and stabbing it in the eye. He retreated a few metres, spinning Lorelai in a circle before slashing the air. Aghart was scorched by a whirlwind of flame, forcing it to land. Ein looked at the beast before charging at it, slicing the Einherjar into its left wing. Ledah dived once more, shearing off Aghart's right wing with Lorelai. Ein rolled to the side as Aghart tried to crush him with its talon, slicing a toe off with his Diviner. Ledah landed, stabbing Lorelai into the beast's breast. Aghart screeched with the amount of pain it was feeling, flames spurting out of its mouth. It lowered its head and head butted Ein, sending him across the bridge and dangling of the side. Ein grabbed the edge and held on for his life, incapable of doing anything but watch as the Einherjar fell of the bridge and into the blackness below him. Ursula walked over to where the Grim Angel held on to the bridge.
"I must protect Riviera." She muttered. The pair heard a roar, and Ursula realised that Aghart was dead.
"Goodbye." Ursula muttered, grabbing Ein's wrist and throwing him from the bridge. A moment later the Lorelai was speared through her chest.
"Where's Ein?" Ledah muttered. Ursula smiled.
"Where he can make his own choice." She answered, disappearing from view.