harmonic.generator (dexteria) wrote in emptyminds, @ 2010-09-20 03:34:00 |
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Entry tags: | chara: michael, chara: remiel, rating: r, rp: forgotten_gods |
[MICHAEL][REMIEL] HOW IT ENDS
Title: How it Ends
Author: dexteria
Rating: PG-13
Series/Fandom: Forgotten Gods
Characters/Pairings: Michael, Remiel
Warnings: --
Summary: Two angels before the War of Heaven, and after.
I can't sleep now, no, not like I used to
I can't breathe in and out like I need to
It's breaking ice.. now, to make any movement
What's your vice? you know that mine's the illusion
The smell of death still hung heavily in the air of Heaven.
Stains of blood from both bodies of the damned and the blessed paved the road to Perdition and the pathway to Light.
The stench of Hell and the heavy air of smoke still lingered about his skin as the taste of ash and bittersweet truth still stuck to the roof of his mouth.
No more were there the sounds of battle, of themselves ripping what were once brothers, friends, family apart. The sound of clanging metal and shrieks still sounded fresh in his mind, but now only vacant for the even more unsettling sound of silence.
Silence of the dead.
Regret.
Sadness.
Pain.
Goodbye, Apathy.
Even tired, even when heavy with the burden of the oncoming tasks already weighing on his shoulders, Michael held tight to his sword. His fingers had not stopped trembling since he had grasped it with His Orders fresh in his mind, blood pumping hard and strong throughout his body as he roared out the battle cry for Heaven’s armies to follow him.
Encased in a sheet of blood, grim and ash, his sword seemed as battle worn as its wielder, but still straight and true, just as it had been when Michael had sunk it in rotting black flesh many a times. And when he had dragged Lucifer down to the Pit—
Lucifer.
Lucifer.
The disbelief that the Archangel had felt when he had first heard the news slowly started to fill his stomach again; the odd and uncomfortable twist inside when something you know is impossible becomes possible only because you saw it with your own eyes and your hands still shake because of what you’ve done to achieve it.
Because now God’s most cherished Angel was now in Hell.
What that meant for the rest of them was an unsteady balance that needed to be reconstructed. The heavy weight of duty and work ahead once more pressed hard against Michael’s shoulders, causing the even the most steadfast of the Angels to sway slightly on his feet, mind heavy with exhaustion and a million other things that would take time to fade away.
And then a million others that would be there for forever.
Just like the bruises still branded, fresh on his arm from where Lucifer had gripped him during the hurtle towards the dark Pit of Darkness.
“Michael?”
A younger set of eyes looked over at the archangel with concern, starkly different compared to Michael’s stone-set expression. But the Angel was familiarly covered with the stains of battle, smelling like death and life at the same time. The sword that was in his hand was tossed aside a long time ago and in place of it was the wetness of blood from dragging bodies, separating those to be remembered and those to be burned.
“Hey, Michael…?”
For a moment, the other’s concentration on the desecration of white before him broke with the realization that someone was calling his name.
Michael blinked once before turning around to face the voice, not being able to recognize it in the first place. Not when many of those that he thought he had remembered and those that he knew had all gone down into a dark abyss.
You want it to be blessed. And in your heart, you know it to be true.
You know what you gotta do.
They all depend on you.
And you already know.
Yeah, you already know how this will end.
“..are you well? Did you need anything? You don’t—“
’Look too good’? It’s kinda obvious, isn’t it?
The Angel bit down on his tongue when his brother’s ever-constant voice of reason whispered through his mind. But it didn’t stop him from looking to help Heaven’s newly christened Dragon Slayer.
It seemed as if both sides were watching the climactic moment in silence, when both Lucifer and Michael had tangled with each other, broken away, then sped towards each other, sparks, blood, blurs—too fast for him to make any sense of it, to see which one was winning, who had the upper hand or who was going to fall.
But while everyone had held their breaths, he couldn’t help but think of what would happen if neither would win. If they both would fight until exhaustion claimed them or both would come to reconciliation and maybe, just maybe, there would be some way to stop the blood, the killings, the—
Then the sword in his hand jolted with life when the loud roar of “Michael!” ripped through the Heavens as the ultimate conclusion made itself clear.
For the briefest of moment, Remiel had felt sadness when all others felt the renewed strength to push through the darkness. And it was seconds later when he saw Raum raise his sword again that he was driven to do the same.
“I’m fine.”
Michael’s eyes refocused on the other angel’s stance, briefly doing a once-over to make sure that Remiel himself was well. As much as the other angel was high-spirited, Michael knew from history and experience that he wasn’t exactly the most self-conscious.
Almost like himself.
“Are you sure? Your arm doesn’t look too good, it looks like it has some bruises or--”
“I’m fine, Remiel. Return to your work, I’m sure your brother is waiting for you.”
At the mention of his brother, Remiel suddenly looked more worried than concerned, turning his head around half way to glance behind him. But even so, he still stayed where he was, blue eyes turning back to linger on Michael’s arm, not being able to let go of the situation if he could help out in any way. Still very much like the young angel that had “borrowed” the Dragon Slayer’s sword with his brother and had been scolded for it.
But compared to today, those times were indeed so long ago. The young angel now stood in front of Michael equally covered with grime, blood, and ash – christened to be His warrior as they all were to be. Especially now, such a duty was greatly needed, but Michael couldn’t help but pity the innocence lost.
The Archangel nodded, using his free hand to wipe away the grime that he could now feel on his face.
“You are free to go.”
Remiel looked up from the arm and gave Michael a smile. He dipped his head quickly in a half-bow before taking off from the direction he came from. But he wasn’t gone entirely before he turned around and gave Michael a little wave.
“Take care of yourself!”
Michael lifted two bloody fingers in a similar salute before watching Remiel disappear completely.
“Michael. Congratulations on the victory.”
This time the Archangel didn’t have to turn around to recognize who it was behind him.
“None needed,” he sighed. “How many have we lost?”
“Lucifer and those that have Fallen with him are a third. Casualties on our side amount to close to a third as well.”
There was no response to the statistics. Michael’s face was still kept blank as usual, but even this news was enough to make him look down.
“We still have a lot of work to do.”
Didn’t they always?
“Such as deciding who will be filling the seventh seat. Now with Lucifer gone…”
Both Archangels shared a look that was filled with more than words could say.
Needless to say, an empty seventh seat was surreal even to the two that had just gone through this War in Heaven.
“....Remiel.”
“Who?”
“Remiel. One of the two brothers that had caused that commotion about my sword some time ago. The ones that Raguel constantly watches over.”
“Right. I remember. What about him?”
Michael sighed, as he shouldered his sword, already walking towards the edge of the path that led upwards.
“Seventh seat.”
“Why him, Michael?” he called out. “Why not his brother?”
“Remiel, Gabriel.”
The other Archangel shook his head, wondering if the battle had not shaken something within the Dragon Slayer’s mind, maybe he would reconsider.
But it wasn’t the battle and the Archangel wasn’t delirious.
The air still smelled like death. The blackened trail of ash and blood still strewn about Heaven’s floor – nothing could take away what happened today. Everything was still the way it was moments ago.
With one exception.
Something that made the load upon the Archangel’s lessen, even for those brief moments in the company of blue eyes and the never-wavering smile.
Hope.
It was what they needed. What they all needed to move on, to heal their wounds and their hearts.
To remember what Heaven was like before the War.
To make it a better one after it.
No longer shall you need.
You always wanted to believe,
Just ask and you'll receive,
Beyond your wildest dreams.
And You Already know.
Yeah, you already know
How this will end.
You already know (You already know)
You already know (you already know)
You already know-this will end.
Song Lyrics: Goodbye, Apathy - One Republic & How It Ends - DeVotchKa