Authors: Darcy Town
“And my brother couldn’t even make an appearance?”
“Gabriel refuses to acknowledge you.”
Barachiel spotted Furcas.
“He is still alive?
Michael thought he was dead.”
Paimon put himself between Furcas and Barachiel.
He shook his shoulders out.
“So.”
Barachiel touched down on the concrete.
“Yes,
so
.”
Furcas wheeled himself to Paimon’s side.
“Two against one.”
Paimon kicked Furcas’ chair so that it rolled backwards.
He kept his eyes on Barachiel.
“I see you have a pendant.”
“Yes.”
Barachiel looked around nervously.
“Where are the others?”
“Just me.”
Furcas tried to wheel himself back.
“And
me
.”
“Stay
out
of this, Furcas!”
Paimon grabbed a car and pulled it in-between himself and Furcas.
He looked at the Archangel.
“So do we fight or do you stand around looking nervous?”
Barachiel’s face was grim.
He raised his mace.
“I still know how to fight you, Paimon.”
Paimon grinned.
“Let’s see.”
He held his fists up.
“Can you box?”
Barachiel took a step forward.
“What is box?”
Paimon smiled.
He flicked his fingers.
A vine erupted out of the ground, wrapped around Barachiel, and threw him towards Paimon.
Paimon hit him with a right hook, then a jab with his left.
“Boxing, dickface!”
Barachiel snarled.
He pumped his wings and flew out of the embrace of the vine.
He whirled around and dove at Paimon.
Paimon expected an attack and dodged, but Barachiel soared over his head and went for Furcas.
“No!”
Paimon dashed after the angel.
He caught Barachiel’s foot with a branch and brought him to the concrete.
He kicked the angel away from Furcas.
Furcas’ body erupted in light.
He clutched at his throat.
“Dahlia!”
Barachiel shook himself off and stared at Furcas, his eyes greedy.
“He knows where she is?”
Paimon tackled the Archangel.
“Leave him out of this!”
Barachiel threw Paimon off.
He made contact with his mace, hitting Paimon square in the chest.
The blow sent Paimon tumbling away down the street.
Barachiel leapt at Furcas.
“Tell me where she is!”
Paimon got to his feet in time to see Barachiel grab hold of Furcas by his shoulders.
He charged.
“
Get away from him
!”
Barachiel lifted Furcas out of his chair.
Furcas screamed in pain.
The Chulyin landed on Barachiel’s back, sending both to the ground.
Barachiel tossed the Lilliam away and crawled for Furcas.
“Tell me where she is
now
!”
Paimon reached Furcas first.
He kicked Barachiel in the face.
Barachiel bounced down the street.
Furcas coughed.
“I felt that, that is a good sign right?”
Paimon put Furcas back in his chair and spared him a glance.
His sutures had ripped open along his chest.
Paimon flinched.
“Try and hold yourself together, please.”
Furcas smiled.
“All right.”
Paimon ran after the dazed Archangel.
Vines swept alongside him, the two reaching Barachiel at the same time.
Barachiel swung the mace, sending light out from him.
The light threw Paimon down the street.
Paimon rolled to his feet as Barachiel hit him with a second wave, sending him down another block.
The light scored Paimon’s flesh to the bone, burning as it cut.
He went unconscious in the air and landed on his neck, snapping his spine.
The Chulyin landed in front of Paimon with blades drawn.
Barachiel walked towards them slowly.
He smiled at his mace.
“Oh, Paimon…”
Furcas rolled his chair, putting himself between Barachiel and Paimon.
“Don’t touch him again!”
Barachiel shook his head as he neared Furcas.
“Are you
his
guardian angel too?”
“I—” Furcas doubled over and coughed up blood.
Barachiel frowned and lowered his mace.
“Please get out of the way, Furcas.
I do not want or need to hurt you.”
Furcas wiped his lips.
“Fuck you.”
Barachiel sighed.
“Why an angel ever got messed up in the business of Archangels has always confused me.
You and Helion were two of my best.”
Furcas glared at him defiantly.
“I received
two
sets of wings.
I was as Archangel as them.”
Barachiel smiled sadly.
“And you have none now.
Was it worth it?”
He stepped closer.
“Yes.”
Furcas wheeled himself backwards in jerks.
“But you have
nothing
now.
You had a purpose in Heaven.”
“I have everything I want here.”
“No, you do not and you never will.”
Barachiel held out his hand to Furcas.
“You will not know true contentment unless you come back with me.”
“I’m Fallen!”
“But you do not have to be.”
Barachiel smiled kindly.
“You were misled and I will forgive you.
You will be content with me, Furcas.
You will lose your foolish desires.”
“Bullshit.”
Furcas lit up.
He gnashed his teeth and kept his eye on Barachiel.
“How do you know what I want?”
“You are still one of
my
guardian angels.
I know your desires now just as I always did.
I can restore you your wings
if
you come back with us and help us.
I know he…” he looked at Paimon’s body with disgust.
“Was the one that corrupted you.
He brought you to
this
with his lies.
It was not your fault.
Not really, you were misled by greater angels.
Because of him you have suffered, became less pure.
Come back to me.”
Furcas stuck his chin out.
“He did nothing like that.”
Barachiel sighed.
“You are so confused, Furcas.
I
can
help you.”
Paimon limped up behind Furcas, his neck bruised.
“We gave him his wings,
not
you, Barachiel.
We
made him Archangel.
He is one of
us
, not one of your pawns.”
Barachiel pointed his mace at Paimon.
“And he lost them
for you
.
He lost
everything
he had for you!
He was
happy
in his simple existence.
He feels only pain, loss, and regret since he has been with
you
.
You did this!”
Paimon snorted.
“
Right
.
Like I ever—”
“I
know
what you did to him, Paimon.”
Barachiel trembled with anger.
“I
know
and your sin will
never
be forgiven.”
Paimon went pale.
Furcas scratched at his scalp.
“Get the fuck out of my head!”
Barachiel lost his kind visage.
“Archangel
Furcas
.”
He laughed.
“What were you ever the Archangel of besides lost causes?
Just like everything you have ever wanted or fought for, a lost cause.”
Furcas sniffled quietly.
“Nothing is a lost cause.”
Paimon got in front of Furcas.
“You want to know what he really was, Barachiel?
He was
your
replacement
!”
Barachiel balked.
“What?”
Paimon slammed into Barachiel.
They plowed through a storefront, breaking through glass and concrete.
Paimon tore out of the debris.
He landed in front of Furcas and addressed him, “You are not the Archangel of Lost Causes.”
He put his hands on either side of Furcas’ face and wiped away his tears with his thumbs.
“You are Hope incarnate, start acting like it!”
Furcas looked at his ruined arm.
“So you keep telling me…”
“Sometimes!”
Paimon shook the wheelchair by its handles.
“You aggravate the fuck out of me!”
Barachiel leapt out of the storefront and hit the pavement, sending out cracks.
“
Hope
?”
He laughed and sneered at Paimon.
“Do you want to know what he wants, what he
hopes
for in vain?
It is so sad!
The two of you are so pathetic.”
Paimon straightened and turned to face Barachiel.
“Fuck you too.”
“You were always a poor excuse for an Archangel, Paimon, flawed from the start.
First to abuse, first to torture, first to inflict your misery on others.
You were all of Lucifer’s faults made flesh.”
Paimon grimaced, but said nothing.
Tree roots broke through the ground at Barachiel’s feet and stabbed at his wings.
Barachiel flew higher and smiled.
“Furcas, I can tell you what Paimon’s heart truly desires.
It is not you, you know.
You were always just a means to an end.
He and Lucifer are very similar in that fashion, cold and uncaring, taking what they wish.
Remember how you were treated?
Do you not remember what he was?
He never really changed, not deep down and you know it.”
Barachiel raised his mace.
“Furcas, are you really willing to die for someone that does not love you?”
“
Liar
!”
Lightning blasted into Barachiel, smashing him to the ground.
Furcas glowed blue and white as electricity rippled across his body.
“Everything you have ever said is a lie!
You don’t care about your angels!
You used us in your ever so important tasks!
You let them die in the war so that you could avoid fighting!
You are jealous that I escaped, that I found something to live for!
Helion found something as well!
You are an empty!”
Lightning strike.
“Abusive!”
Strike.
“Lackey!”
Furcas collapsed in his chair.
Electricity snapped around him and went out.
Barachiel laughed.
“And you are still a fool.
You have a lot of passion, Furcas, I will give you that, but you are so easily misdirected.
It is not a surprise that Paimon was able to get control over you.”
“He doesn’t control me!”
Furcas snarled.
“Hey.”
Paimon put his hand on Furcas’ shoulder.
“Calm down and stop listening to him.
It’s just words.”
“Just words.”
Barachiel nodded.
“Words cause doubt, hatred, wars, and death.
Words are important, Paimon.”
He looked at Furcas and smirked.
“I am giving you one more chance to come back to me.
Forget these stupid dreams.
You
know
Paimon cannot give you what you want.”