Work Text:
Prologue in Heaven
The elevator jerked on the way up. It stopped again and again. Dagon sighed tensely. That silly old thing.
As if it would hurt Heaven to work a miracle here and there. Usually, by Satan, they weren’t this stingy. She wondered if angels thought the same the other way around, although she doubted it.
Going down was always far too easy.
The elevator door opened with the sound of some angelic harmonies. Disgusting.
The demoness bared her teeth. She did it almost out of reflex, as if she were allergic to anything holy. It was a habit that had somehow stuck with her over the past millennia and had become her trademark.
Dagon, Master of Torment and Grand Duke of Hell, was here for one reason and one reason only, a professional one, by the way. The Dark Council had decided to agree to the sanctions proposed by Heaven for the traitors.
In secret, Dagon had to admit that she didn’t give a shit about the drama surrounding Crowley.
Really, she couldn’t care less who that fool was banging. If only he weren’t so stupid. Dagon rolled her eyes in annoyance.
It would have saved her a lot of paperwork.
Wiping out a Duke of Hell, and one who was sleeping with another duke at that, for Satan’s sake. Crowley really couldn’t have thought of an easier way to make the Dark Council feel threatened by him.
And here she was now, carrying out extreme sanctions. All because a few mediocre demons saw their power threatened.
Oh, how she would love to get her hands on Crowley.
Stupidity had to be punished. She knew a few methods of torture….
Dagon bared her pointed teeth. Either way, in a few hours neither Crowley nor Aziraphale would know who she was. Having all memories of your entire existence erased. What a devilish punishment. Dagon grinned gleefully to herself.
Two angels were already waiting for her arrival. With stony faces, they stood to the left and right of the door, like they always did.
“Oh guys, how nice of you to pick me up. You really didn’t have to.” Dagon pulled her face into a grimace. Sarcasm dripped from every word.
Not that the angels were any better. There was a gleam of unabashed disgust in their eyes. This was not a friendly gesture of courtesy, and both parties knew it. So there wasn’t the slightest reason to pretend. It would only be an insult to their intelligence.
The angel on the right rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t do that much talking if I were you, scum.”
The angel on the left moved a bit closer, far too close for Dagon’s comfort.
Not that she was afraid.
After all, she was a Duke of Hell, the future Grand Duke, probably even a Prince of Hell. But on the other hand, she was in Heaven. She couldn’t just attack an angelic being without consequences. This was enemy territory.
Now they were so close that Dagon could theoretically hear them breathe, at least if they were breathing. Which they weren’t, but still, it was kind of unpleasant. The whole situation seemed to be escalating slowly but surely. The stupid thing was that Dagon had no idea why.
Heaven and Hell were at peace. There was a truce, at least for the time being.
“There’s no need for such behaviour!”
“Archangel Michael.” Both bowed their heads respectfully and curtsied slightly.
A devilish smile stole onto Dagon’s lips. Never in her entire existence had she seen two angels snap around as fast as they did right now.
“We just…,” one of them started.
“I know.” Michael’s face was hard, her sky-blue eyes implacable. She was the duty officer, God’s judge, the supreme commander of the Heavenly Host, the greatest warrior far and wide, the one who defeated Satan himself. It was impossible to escape her wrath. Anyone who fell out of favour with Michael no longer had much to hope for.
Dagon knew that better than anyone else.
“Well, well, my dear Micha.” Dagon smiled, exposing her sharp teeth, a dangerous shimmer sparkling within her eyes,”Didn’t know you were such a Prince Charming Always there to rescues me, when needed.”
“Excuse me?” Michael snorted in disgust. “There is one, and only one, reason why I did what I did. Hierarchies and authorities must be respected. Structures and rules must be adhered to. For Heaven’s sake.
And right now, that means not provoking a war with Hell until a new plan is in place. And killing the future Prince of Hell seems to me one of the best ways to jeopardize that.”
It was clear that she meant every one of those words. Michael was an angel through and through.
“Of course. Always so serious. Always on duty,” the demoness replied lazily.
Dagon’s eyes danced over Michael’s figure as they walked down the hallway to the angel’s office.
Angels were unnerving. Always. There were no exceptions, and yet…
Michael of all people, Archangel Michael, made her feel different.
The perfectly fitted suit accentuated every one of her delicate features. Her warrior’s expression was just as determined as it had been 6000 years ago. Her eyes had lost some of their sparkle. But her presence, that golden light that dwelled within her, had not changed.
And Dagon?
Well, Dagon would lie if she said that she didn’t have a soft spot for Gods mighty warrior.
The light attracted her. It lured her, called her, and enticed her to come closer and closer.
She could feel the little tingling in her stomach. She had this undeniable desire to put her hand on the angel’s cheek.
But while Dagon certainly liked to take a risk. She didn’t have a dead wish.
She had no idea why Michael beside her felt so right, so familiar.
And that was the moment she made up her mind.
Provoking was after all part of her business.
Carefully, barely noticeably, she touched Michael’s finger.
Suddenly, Dagon was jolted.
With two swift movements, Michael had overpowered her. She had grabbed her wrists. Her fingernails dug firmly into Dagon’s hands. The cold glass wall of Michael’s office pressed against Dagon’s cheek as the archangel pinned her against it with all her strength.
“Don’t you dare,” Michael hissed under her breath.
“Shall we bet?”, Dagon winked at Micheal and made one thing very clear.
She really liked taking a risk.