Chapter Text
This place is killing me. Ha! I'm so funny. Well,it sure killed this man here.I bend down.Well technically, I killed him but it was his fault in a way.Maggots had already begun squirming in the dead man's vitreous humor.They writhed in glee as I watched the corpse.The corpse looked lovely on the crimson earth floor of the cave.The man's eyes had been jewel bright and filled with bravery when he first came here.Now they were filled with......well maggots.But in the end he had died like a flee bitten mutt,keening and wailing as I ripped his still beating heart out.It may be a cruel fate but he deserved every ounce of suffering.Only Kshayakrith's whores could survive in the Deadlands without instantly disintegrating.I cup the deadman's rotting skull in my own rotted fingers.
"Omnia putrescit,abstulit tandem,"I murmur.I felt a smidgen of camaraderie with the corpse.I too new what it felt like to rot away.But since he was working for Kshayakrith.....I clench my fist and the skull bursts in my hand,pulpy brain covering my fingers.Shit!when am I going to learn not to do that?
A screeching wind blows through the red plane towards my cave.I press my decaying lips together.Something's coming.No rest for wicked angels.I turn to pick up my...borrowed sword.
"Raguel,"I hear a voice say behind me.If I still breathed my breath would have caught in my throat.I haven't heard that voice in a long long time.I turn around with my most hideous smile on my lips.
"Heil! Michaelis Archangeli,"I croon.I bow mockingly,making sure that he gets a good glimpse of the stumps on my back.Michael sneers in distaste.It's a good look on him.He flutters towards me,flapping his white and gold wings,making sure that his sandal clad feet do not graze the red earth.
"Is wittle Michael afraid to step foot on the Deadlands?" I say mockingly.Low blow yes,but the Deadlands have diminished my capacity for snarky jibes.But it's enough.He doesn't reply but he retracts his wings and steps on to the floor.Michael was always easy to manipulate.He's watching me with his cold golden eyes.Michael's eyes are rarely warm.Especially not towards me.
He casts his eyes towards the corpse as the dry wind rustles through his golden brown curls.
"Who's he?"he asks.
"No one you should be worried about,"I murmur,"what do you want?"
"He's a human."
"Kyashakrith's human,"I correct,"You haven't answered my question yet." He looks at me.
"You look like terrible," he says.The fuck's with him? beating around the bush.I twist a lock of black hair around my finger and tug.It comes loose with part of my scalp.
"Oh no Michael,I'm just peachy," I say sarcastically.He glowers.Michael is much too uptight."If you don't have anything to say bugger off before I decide that I want to go out with a bang and attack you," now that's an idea.I have no chance in beating Michael in my present condition but dying by his hand .....well it's not the hardest thing in the world to do.
Suddenly,he's on top of me,armor plated knees digging into my weak chest.Oh I just cracked my ribs.
"I don't think euthanasia or sibling incest is legal anywhere yet,"I choke out,"I'm not sure that I'd be okay with the latter even if it was so-"
"You,"He breathes gold curls flopping forward as he hauls me up by my shoulders,"were once the highest of the Archangels! how can you have fallen so low....Brother?"
I laugh gruelingly and spit out blood,"Why don't you ask dear old Dad eh? take notes little brother,"I say smiling through a mouthful of blood and broken teeth,"This is what happens when an angel is abandoned to the chaos."
Michael lets me go with a noise of disgust," You need to come back," he says presently after a pause.
"Yes,"I admit,"I need to get out of this place if I want to exist any longer but,whether I want it is a entirely different matter."
Michael glares "There are things more important than your wants Raguel," he says.I reach out and clasp his shoulder geric silver shoulder guard.To his credit he doesn't flinch.
"You're offering to rescue me from this death sentence then," I say cocking my head to one side.Michael nods pursing his lips.I let go, "Beneficium accipere libertatem est vendere," I pronounce stretching my arms.I wish Michael would get his arse off of me.
"No one is doing you a favor Raguel," Michael snaps, "Freeing you is a necessary evil-"
I burst out laughing.Fuck that hurts,"And here I was thinking that you were doing this because you loved me,"I say chuckling.I turn my head to once and pick at the remains of the grimy leather vest I wore.
"Laugh all you want Raguel but war with Fractorius is imminent."
I still. Fractorius......I was created to oppose him.I was made to be his sworn enemy.But since I haven't been exactly consistent in completing the tasks I was made for......
"One weakened fallen archangel will not make a difference against any of the Vetera,"I say looking up at Michael.
"You can rally the other fallen..........and Lucifer," Michael says quietly.
"I haven't had contact with them in over 20 years Michael,"I say sighing,"Whatever influence-"
"20 years isn't enough to erase over 6000 years of your deeds,they still respect you, but,"he gets up and I get up with him,"they all feel betrayed because of what they think you did,"He says as I lock eyes with him.I press my lips together.What they think I did.Hot boiling rage courses through my veins........being rightfully accused and punished is one thing but what happened to me.....
"What does He say?" I ask quietly.Michael frowns.
"He's gone,"Michael says running a light brown hand through his hair.My jaw would have dropped to the floor if I wasn't more refined.
"Wh-!? how?" I ask.Michael shakes his head.
"That's not important right now,are you coming?" he asks turning towards the entrance of the cave as he wipes his hands on his black pants.
If I was a prouder person I would have probably refused but........pride goes before fall and it's been a long time since I've fallen.I extend my hand towards him as he
turns.
"En iaida esiascahe," I say mockingly,"help me to help you."And we're gone.