December 11, 2007

  • Beginnings 13

    I had a lot of fun with this chapter. X3 I won't lie. I love writing plot and bastards, and this chapter has both!


    Beginnings Chapter Thirteen: Crystal's (my) Chapter

    "You know," Vlad said, standing in the middle of a rather crowded city filled with masks, beads, and all sorts of debauchery. "These humans know how to have a party. No wonder Lucifer is interesting in them, look at all this!"

    "I don't think this is where I wanted to go," Azazel muttered, looking at the mortals around them, some with fake wings, others with so much jewelry and make up on that he couldn't tell if they were mortal or demon. "I wanted someplace quiet, peaceful, not all this racket..."

    Vlad smirked, taking Azazel by the arm and led them both through the streets, looking for a quiet place that Azazel seemed to want. "The barriers must have messed with the location a bit," he said, dodging in and out of the swaying, mostly drunk crowd. "I'm sure once we get out of this city, we'll be able to find the quiet you want. I'm not sure if we can teleport or move through the shadows with all these people around though. Even with a majority of them intoxicated like this."

    Azazel nodded, although Vlad wasn't looking at him but rather trying to lead them both out of the city. It took awhile, even the suburbs in this celebration and usually quiet homes were decorated and loud music poured into the streets. Azazel shifted his wings uneasily as they went through, not liking how the masks that he passed kept seeming to get odder and odder. The music on the streets, along with the crowd, was deafening after spending day after day in a mostly quiet and secluded cell.  Then there were the random beads and doubloons flying through the air, threatening to hit him on the head. He was happy when they finally made it out of the city, then he could fly and get out of the chaos.

    The woods were much darker than the city, the moon casting a feeble glow to the land around them. Both he and Vlad were sitting on a freshly fallen tree, the distant lights twinkling in the distance and the faint murmur of the crowd and music drifting through the still and muggy night air. Even though it was winter, it was still warm and humid, Azazel thinking that they were at least near one large body of water, not knowing where he landed them not helping the situation. He really hated those barriers at the moment, a lot.

    "It's much nicer out here," Vlad said, trying to strike up some conversation between them. "Not as much noise." He had no idea where he was, not being up here in a rather long time. He knew that the mortal realm changed at an alarming rate now, remembering the days where advancing was extremely slow and everything went by at a much slower time frame. However, things changed, as much as he hated to admit it. Sometimes, though, stealing a glance at Azazel, things changed for the better.

    "Very much so," Azazel replied. "Although I must apologize for not knowing where we are. I guess those barriers were a bit better at messing up my final destination than I thought they did."

    "At least you got us out of there," Vlad said dryly, standing on the tree, looking up at the midnight blue sky. "It's been so long since I seen the moon, or even the sky this bright of a blue. The stars, I've missed them for so very long, and the nice cool breeze, I haven't been up here in ages. Not since the Millennium Wars."

    "You were around even back then," Azazel said in awe, watching the silver light of the moon take the black feathers, giving them a milky white sheen. It was rumored that a Fallen's true wing color could be seen in the light of the moon, and he was looks at Vlad's. Milky white with undertones of a deep navy blue, he had to admit, they were rather pretty to look at, however, he liked the black on crimson a bit better. It suited his job, his nature, all the things that he been through. Purity really was something the other left behind for corruption and it seemed that even now, he didn't regret it. "That was near the beginning of the creation of Hell..."

    "I was a general," Vlad replied, continuing to look up at the sky. "But that's all past now, and I'm glad I can see the mortal realm again. Maybe we should find some mountains. We can hide out in them while we wait for the search to die down."

    "Search," Azazel asked, snapping out of his staring, blushing and looking at the moss covered ground. "You mean they already started?"

    "Most likely," Vlad grumbled. "I saw Yasuo as we were getting out of there. It won't be very long until they organize and send up parties and such. I suggest we get going if we're going to escape, and get going now."

    Azazel stood up on the log next to Vlad, coming at least a head shorter than the other Fallen, spreading his white wings. In truth, he just wanted to gawk at him a little more, which made him want to ruffle his wings uneasily, but avoiding the action. It would give away his intentions and he couldn't have that. They barely had this relationship started, he didn't want to be caught staring at the other, didn't want to blush and be told how cute he was at any given moment, have his breath taken away by a sweet kiss. He still had his cautionary guards up. He was scared of any more intimacy than what they had, some touches here, a kiss there, maybe some holding, anything more would remind him of Michael. Or at least, that was his fears kept saying. He didn't want to think about Vlad that way, as an abusive rapist, of anything like that. 

    "Lead the way," Azazel smiled. "You know where they'll look first."

    Smiling, kissing Azazel lightly on the head, he acceded into the air, Azazel right behind him, not wanting to be caught and be forced back into Hell.

    breaking up the scene/

    Michael was boredly sipping his tea, watching the mortal realm for anything suspicious that Heaven should be concerned with. The Fallen had been rather quiet lately, which made him sigh once again. If they at least started some sort of trouble, he'd be able to lead an attack and kill a good portion of them off. Yawning, he wished that he hadn't passed Azazel's judgment so quickly. He missed his little toy, and knowing that he couldn't get him back really got on his nerves. Why had he listened to Heather again, even though he already knew how guilty she was of the whole situation.

    Swirling his finger in the pool that shown the mortal realm, something of interest caught his eye. Yes, that was Azazel with a Fallen with him, flying side by side, looking as cheerful as ever, a little too cheerful for his tastes. Azazel looked a lot more beautiful in pain, being tortured by him for his own sick and twisted pleasure. Maybe he could still play with his toy, and with the Fallen that was with him as well. He recognized the other, but couldn't put a name to the face. He was sure he tried to kill the other at one point or another, not too worried about meeting the other prior to this. After all, the prospect of playing with his toy fall out ranked any other obstacle in his way.

    "What do you find so amusing," Heather asked, sauntering her way into the room, looking at the image Michael was staring at so intently. "I don't understand your infatuation with him. He's a worthless cause that deserves to burn rather than one perfect such as I."

    "He made a very good toy," Michael replied, gazing upon the pair, but focusing on the blond haired Fallen that shouldn't have Fell at all. "Besides, look how happy he looks, so carefree flying with the other Fallen. It seems that my old wounds have begun to heal. Now, don't you think that I should reopen them? It won't only hurt your dear brother, but the other Fallen as well. Happiness has no place with them."

    "Very true," Heather sighed wistfully. "So, how do you plan we take care of this little happiness problem? Surely you have a plan in mind, Michael. Sometimes, I think you should have been the one to inherit Hell than Lucifer. You'd make a much more fitting king."

    Michael just laughed at her comment, making Heather glare at him. She did not like being laughed at and the fact that it was Michael made it even worse. Turning in a huff, she left the room to go make her own plans for her little brother. It seemed that a family reunion was in order, and she was going to make sure it was a blast.

    Michael watched Azazel play in the air with the other Fallen, both laughing and enjoying the night air under the moon. Humming happily, making his plans for what he'd do to his old toy when he caught up to him, Michael always liked the thrill of a hunt. He had a feeling, however, that he would have to hurry before Hell found them, since it seemed that they weren't supposed to be there. Fallen didn't come to the mortal realm to play around, they came for strict business and strict business only. That meant his game would be that much more fun.

    breaking up the lines/

    It was hours until Vlad allowed them to land on the heavily forested mountains and rest a little. The air was dryer, and much cooler he noticed as he shivered, wrapping his wings around himself. Azazel did the same, although coming closer to Vlad in hopes of sharing at least a little bit of body heat. There was also a sinking feeling that he was being watched, but just passed it off as his paranoia about having the other Fallen find them before they had a chance to hide or anything like that. He didn't want to go back to Hell, not yet. Besides, this fresh air was making Vlad relax, and he found that he was liking that very much.

    "Where to now," Azazel asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the silence that had settled over them and the forest.

    "There's a cave around here," Vlad replied, walking forward, wrapping an arm around Azazel and leading him away. "We should be safe there for a few days, but then we'll have to move again. But at least it's better than being locked in those stuff cells. And if you get mad at me, you can leave whenever you choose. You're not exactly obligated to stay with me."

    Azazel looked at Vlad as the other led him through the forest, wondering exactly what the other meant by that. Sure, he knew that they'd eventually get into a scuffle, but everything seemed to be going well so far, each careful in their words, their actions towards one another. He couldn't fathom leaving him alone like this, both of them being chased around. At least this way they would be able to work together if they came up against a search party, and this would give them some valuable time to really get to know each other, depending on each other out here in the wilderness.

    He stayed quiet the whole way to the cave Vlad was talking about, surprised that it was still here among the trees that obviously changed over the years. Maybe he had scouts out here to tell him where the caves were, or he made this one back in the war? Azazel had heard of that, Fallen, Angels, and the Dragons of Heaven and Hell all made magical caves to scout in, most of them destroyed by a few remaining in tact. It had seemed that Vlad had his own, which Azazel was thankful for at the moment.

    "We're here," Vlad sighed in relief, stepping into the dark cavern, Azazel right behind, making a small ball of fire in his hands to light it up. "It's not much, but it'll do for now until we can get a proper hide out. I know a little valley where we can go, but it'll best to go out in the daylight. That way, we won't cause too much attention to ourselves tonight."

    "Where are we going to be sleeping," Azazel asked, not seeing a bed but a small pillows and blankets. "There's nowhere near enough bedding for the two of us..."

    "I'm sorry Azazel," Vlad said, hiding a joyous smile. "But we'll have to share a blanket for right now too. Although I should most likely just give it to you and use my wings. You are, after all, the more delicate of the two of us."

    Sighing at the offhand comment, Azazel decided that sharing a blanket wouldn't be so bad since it'll be for only a night or two. However, he promised himself that if Vlad tried anything funny, the Fallen of Shadow was going to end up in a pillar of flames and be warm enough to never need a blanket again. Although, he highly doubted that it would really come down to that.  "I guess we can share," he finally said, laying down and getting himself comfortable. "However, try anything funny, Vlad, and you'll end up warmer than you'd ever want to be."

    Shaking his head, laying down next to Azazel, putting his back up against his and pulling the blanket up over them, he grinned to the wall. "I won't try anything, Azazel. I told you before, when we agreed to share the cell, that I wouldn't do anything that made you uncomfortable besides a comment here or there because I don't know how to keep my mouth shut. I fully intend to keep my word."

    "Mm hm," Azazel replied, drifting off to sleep, happy to be in the fresh cool air.

    The next morning, Azazel slowly woke up in the rather warm and comfortable embrace of another body, humming happily as he felt his wings meshed with another's, nuzzling into the warmth. The other body  shifted closer, the soft snoring never stopping, which Azazel had to snicker at. Opening a silver eye, he found himself snuggled in an embrace with Vlad, blushing at how close they were, and how much he liked being near the other. Taking in a deep breath, trying to steady his thoughts, he froze when he heard a familiar voice slice through the silence and serene morning. One he never wanted to hear again, nor wanted to be around. He clung to Vlad tighter, closing his eyes again, burying his head into the dark robes, but nothing could allow him to escape that grating voice.

    "We meet again, Azazel," Michael purred, leaning in the cave entrance, smirk on his face as he watched Azazel try to escape him by clinging to the other Fallen. "It's been such a long time since we've seen each other. Miss me? Because I sure missed you."

    Azazel didn't even notice he was trembling or crying, until he felt the robes underneath him become soaked in his tears.