Chapter Text
Lute
Ever heard the phrase, “time stopped”? I never thought I’d use such a phrase until now. All I could see was him, lying there with golden blood pooling underneath him. I forgot my rage, my strangling hold on Vaggie, and I couldn’t speak.
I needed to move!
I forced myself out of my shock and pushed the traitorous bitch away from me. My thoughts were on him. My mind was scrambling and racing. This couldn’t be happening! It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be possible! Haha! Ya, no! There was no fucking way this was real.
“ADAM!” I screamed once I reached him. He didn’t respond. I flipped him over and his eyes opened. I gripped his arm so tight as I stared into his weary gaze. No speech, no sound.
Only a smile. The first warm smile I’ve seen in a long time.
He closed his eyes and his breathing stopped. No. No no no NO NO NO! I shook him relentlessly. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. We were going to squash this hotel and laugh about it later. Then I would tell him what I’d been feeling along. I was finally going to confess!
AND NOW THESE PIECES OF SHIT TOOK THAT AWAY FROM ME
I felt the tears streak my cheeks. They stung the cuts as they fell onto Adam’s face. His dead, fucking face.
“I think you’ve overstayed your welcome,” a certain ‘king’ spoke up. He came closer and leaned down, until we were face to face. His eyes changed to a deep, glowing red and his mouth curled into a snarl. “Get the fuck out.”
I looked back at Adam. Damn it. With one arm there was no way I could carry him. I didn’t want to leave his body here, but what choice did I have? I couldn’t risk any more of my soldiers getting killed. I grabbed Adam’s halo and guitar and stood up.
“All Exorcists fall back,” I commanded, voice stable once again. The Exorcists grabbed their weapons and raced back to the portal. I was close behind them.
Adam’s halo felt cold. Another reminder of the fact he was dead. I beat my wings harder. Just before I went through the portal, I took one last look. The hotel was in shambles. Bodies, both sinner and Exorcist, littered the ground. Sinners were tearing at my soldiers’ corpses, gobbling them up like pigs. I wanted to go down there and stab their hearts out.
My eyes flicked back to the hotel rooftop. Vaggie was staggering, losing her balance with each step. Charlie rushed to help her. Holding her, hugging her—! God! I couldn’t watch that heinous display!
Even more, even more…
Why does she get a happy ending? She did everything wrong. She fell, and yet she gets to be ok. What kind of unfair world have I been thrown into?
FUCKING BITCH. I’LL DESTROY YOU WHEN I GET THE CHANCE!
I shook my head and charged through the portal. I ended up in the fields where my army was waiting. Their heads hung low. Helmets were clasped in their arms. Some were crying. I had no words of comfort for them. My body was stirring with so many emotions I couldn’t begin to think of anything encouraging.
I threw down his guitar; that got their attention.
“We are a disgrace to Heaven for this tragedy. Our sisters, dead, Adam dead. What kind of army are we?!” I screamed at them. They shifted their feet and stared at the ground. I continued, “We can’t let this be the end. Next year will be absolute carnage.” I snatched Adam’s guitar from the ground and pushed my way through the crowd. I had another person to give a piece of my mind.
…
“Lilith!” I called, stomping through the sand. It wasn’t hard to find her. She was laying back in a reclining chair. I approached and threw Adam’s halo down in front of her. She didn’t even flinch.
“Your deal is done. Adam is dead.” I paused. Sadness was welling up in my throat again. The tears were going to start. I couldn’t break down in front of this woman. It would ruin what intimidating power I had.
She made no movement or sound. Hm. Ok then, be stubborn. I squared my shoulders and lowered myself so we were eye to eye.
“I’m in charge now. So if you wanna stay here, you’re going to go down there and do something about your demon bitch daughter,” I sneered, jabbing my finger into her neck. Her frown let me know I got to her, but just to be sure…
I grabbed the sunglasses from her face and threw them into the water.
“Do you understand, Lilith?”
“Yes,” she bit back. She got up and walked into the forest behind us. Quick to disappear, I couldn’t see her purple dress or figure.
I sunk into the sand and put my fingers through Adam’s halo. Why did the day have to go like this? Why? Why…?
My body shook as I silently cried.
Adam, I was going to tell you. I wasn’t going to care what your response was. But after today, all I want to know is what you would have said.
Adam…
A
D
A
M…
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MC
“What are we going to do?”
“You don't think she blames us, do you?”
“I hope not. If anything, it's her fault! She was right there.”
“Don't say that…”
“You're right, that wasn't—ya.”
I rolled my helmet around in my hands. We were all waiting outside a room. Exorcists were getting patched up. Most of everyone sustained cuts and gashes. Lute's was the worst. She lost a limb!
“Soldier? What do you think about all this?” An Exorcist, Peachy, asked. She sat down beside me and pulled off her helmet. It had a crack in the visor.
“Everything's gone to shit. What do we do without Adam? What do we do now that the sinners can kill us?” I questioned, squeezing my helmet by the horns. Peachy shrugged her shoulders and leaned back. Staring at the engraved ceiling above us.
“Guess we'll have to see what happens.”
There was the sound of doors opening and we turned our heads to look behind us. Lute was walking alongside Sera. The tall seraph took a good look at all of us. She grimaced at the injuries and bowed her head.
“I heard my greatest fear came true today,” she said, eyeing us all. “Adam…fought bravely.”
It was our turn to bow our heads. Sera cleared her throat and stood tall. Hands clasped in front of her and wearing a face that showed nothing.
“I'm not sure where to go from here. For now, you will continue as you always have. In your barracks and away from the angels and winners.”
Great, another year of hiding. We all got up from our positions and into the portal Sera had summoned.
We lived in a large embassy-like building. It was located in a cloud field, far away from society. For added protection, it was shielded from view by a magic spell.
Hardly anyone knew who the Exorcists were. Only high ranking angels like Sera knew of our existence.
It sucked sometimes. We couldn't go into the main city whenever we wanted. There were set days and a cap on how many could go. This was to ensure people and angels didn't grow suspicious of a group of individuals with the same halos and wing markings.
We also couldn’t reveal what we did, where we lived, or have visitors. Life as an Exorcist was difficult. But hey, it was for the cause and glory of heaven, right?
I couldn't help but feel prideful. It had its cons, but being a soldier of Heaven was badass.
Someone knocked into me and I almost lost my balance. I flapped my wings quickly to rise back into the air. The angel was Brick. A rather sturdy angel, it made sense how she moved me so easily.
“Sorry, not sorry. You were going too slow,” she stated. She saluted me and took off, zooming past the other angels and through the next pair of golden gates that were coming into view.
I flew in next, landing at the marble steps that led to another pair of large, golden doors. Exorcists were going inside.
Upon entering, the first thing you saw was a large portrait of Adam doing the rock sign, the sharp teeth of his mask glinting. Above it were some magic words floating in the air. They said:
WELCOME BACK BITCHES!
I remember when Adam first had it installed. He spent a whole week talking about it. He asked each and everyone of us if we saw it. Of course we did! It was right in front of the fucking steps.
I took them two at a time and headed toward my room. Every Exorcist had their own room. Mine was nothing special. I hardly decorated it.
I opened the door and shook off my boots and gloves. I’d throw it in the community pile of bloodstained clothes later. Right now all I wanted to do was lay down. It’s been a hard day.
A really hard day.
The sinners rebelling. Adam dying. What were we going to do???