Natsu felt a chill run down his spine. The main street of the celestial city was completely deserted. All the doors and windows were closed. The only sound he could hear was the sound of the wind whistling, a harbinger of the storm that was brewing.

At least he wouldn't have to deal with the looks of fear and disgust from the other angels when they saw the black blood that covered his armor. A bolt of lightning connected heaven and earth, and for a few seconds Natsu was blind. The brightness had caught him off guard. The light was followed by a loud bang that made the ground beneath his feet shake.

'I better hurry.' Natsu spread his wings and prepared to take off when the first drop of rain hit him, followed by a torrent of water that soaked him from head to toe. 'At least it will clean the blood off the armor.' He closed his wings and automatically felt his back dry against the heat of the incandescent feathers.

Resigned, he continued walking down the deserted street, regretting, for the first time in his long life, his decision to live far from the city. He had always preferred the peace of the countryside, the distance from other angels. He had never liked the turmoil of the city, the narrow streets that made him bump into others, the frightened looks every time his wings burned anyone who dared to touch them, even by accident.

Natsu suddenly turned around, flames appeared on his fists, spreading to his shoulders. The heat evaporated all the water that covered him, as well as the ground beneath his feet, and the closest walls. His instincts were on high alert. Few people in the world, be they angels, demons, or even Gods, were able to approach his back without being noticed, and anyone who managed to do so was a considerable threat.

A clearly angelic silhouette stood out against the curtain of water that fell over the world. Upon realizing who it was, Natsu let the flames go out.

Standing a few meters away, as soaked as he was, was Archangel Michael. His long golden hair was stuck to his neck, his golden wings were drooping, the tips of his primary feathers touching the ground. Michael was staring at him, but his green eyes were unfocused, as if he were lost in thought.

Natsu approached slowly, trying his best not to make any sudden movements, despite his kind face that didn't seem capable of hurting a fly. Michael was a warrior by nature. He had survived Eons of war alongside his creator, killed so many 'Enemies' that he could lift a mountain the same size as Mount Olympus with their bodys.

"Michael, are you okay?" Natsu asked in the most soothing tone he could muster.

Slowly the Archangel's green eyes regained focus, but they were soon filled with tears that ran down his face, mixing with the rainwater. The Archangel turned around, and without saying a single word, began walking towards the city's south gate.

Not knowing what to do, Natsu followed him. During all the years he had known the prince regent, he had never seen him like that. Michael had always been open with his warmest emotions, he always had a smile on his face, but perhaps because of the responsibility he carried, he never let his sadness or indecision show. Natsu followed him for hours, until they were a few kilometers from the front line. The ground had lost any trace of life, becoming dry and brittle. The Archangel stopped next to an immense cherry tree, completely twisted by the miasma emanating from the battlefield. Its dry and bare branches had lost their brown color and turned gray. Michael leaned against the trunk of the tree. His feathers recovered some of their original shine. The cherry tree burst into life. Flowers that shone with all the colors of the rainbow were born on its branches, and were carried by the wind. Wherever they fell, life returned. "The remaining Archangels have decided your punishment, להבה הרסנית שמורידה את המציאות לאפר." Michael turned to face him, his face serious, his eyes, although swollen from crying, were dry.

"I understand." Natsu prepared himself for what was to come, since the day he committed his crime, he knew he was living on borrowed time. "I'm ready."

"WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?" The Archangel exploded, tears falling again. "WHY DON'T YOU BEG FOR FORGIVENESS? WHY DO YOU SIMPLY ACCEPT YOUR FATE, NO MATTER HOW UNFAIR IT IS?" The Archangel sobbed with so much his entire body was shaking. "Michael, I do not regret my crime. If I were in that situation, I would not change a thing." Natsu smiled, which only made the archangel's crying intensify. "And why would I beg for my life, when I know that it would only bring you even more pain?"

"Goodbye, Old Friend." Michael wiped his face, his wings opened, shining like the first rays of sunrise. "I ask the creator that we may meet again, in the next life."

The golden glow intensified until Natsu could no longer look at him. The cherry tree succumbed to the Archangel's power, disintegrating without a trace. Natsu felt Michael's light touch his skin, and he was grateful that his death had come so gently. There was no pain or suffering. His body was simply disappearing little by little. "..." A booming voice overrode the sound of the rain, and the water evaporated from his body. The clouds parted to reveal a sky full of stars. "..." The voice said something else, in a language so ancient that Natsu did not recognize it. Michael looked up at the starry sky, then at Natsu, and smiled. The light from his wings intensified. Natsu didn't know why he was alive, Michael's light must have turned his body to dust, he slowly opened his eyes, finding himself facing a completely black sky, icy water lashed his body, drenching him from head to toe, lightning crossed the clouds, lighting them from within, with each second the sky grew more distant, the wind whistling in his ears as he fell.

Natsu realized that his punishment had been changed, instead of a quick and merciful death, he had been condemned to eternal suffering in the underworld.

His wings were curled around him, feather by feather they lost their reddish color, becoming black as night, even who he was, was being taken.

Natsu closed his eyes, for the first time in millennia, he made a request to his creator, he wished with all his strength that the impact with the underworld would end his life, but he knew it was a useless request, never in all the millennia he spent fighting in his name, protecting his creation, did the creator deign to respond, and yet he continued praying, even when his body turned to flames, and hit the ground.