Downtown Hell

Chapter Fourteen

"Are you gonna stay up there all day, angel?"

I shot to my feet, slipped on the treebark and almost fell from the branch.

"What is it with you and falling over when I wake you up?" Pride crossed his arms.

"What is it with you and waking me up? And what the hell are you wearing??"
In fact, he only wore a pair of loose-fitting pants made of blue cloth and two silver chains crossed in front of his chest.

"You like it?"

"Hm. Maybe." I hovered down to him. "Again, why are you always waking me up? Just let me sleep already, I just finished a flying lesson with Beyrevra."

Pride laughed. "Yeah, he can be very... strict."

"He taught you too? But... you can't fly. I thought he was a teacher for flying."

"He also teaches combat. And... nevermind. I saw your firework earlier, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I'm just... worried about my brother. And angry that I can't rescue him yet and I'm always thinking of what's happening to him right now. What if they torture him? What if they kill him, what if..."

Pride took my shoulders. "Don't slip into these thoughts. Trust me, it won't do you any good and right now, you can't change anything about the situation. Be patient, until you can rescue him."

"Patient? Is that your advice? He's my brother, what would you know about that..."

He let go of my shoulders as if he had burned himself. "I too have siblings. You've met them before and I have walked through the fire for each and every one of them."

I lowered my head, embarassed I had snapped at him. "I'm sorry. I have to go," I mumbled and took off to no particular destination.

~~~

He didn't know where he was.
He didn't know how he got there.
He didn't know who they were and what they wanted from him.

All he knew was that the tall woman in purple armour had tied him to this table and left. Hours passed, maybe days, he didn't know.

His question where he was and why was answered when the tiny door to his room opened with a creaking noise and a man in leather clothing entered. He had heard the noise of the man retracting his wings and the rattling of knives on his belt.

The mans left hand traced over his leg, his torso and finally his neck, fixating his chin to face him.

"I was told you're my brothers new favourite toy. Is that true?"

He kept his lips pressed together.

"From what I've been told, he granted you immortality."

The hand rested on his chest now.

"You know what's funny about that? Immortality doesn't mean you're invulnerable. The only difference is that you heal a lot faster. Let's see..."

He couldn't help but whimper when the man applied more pressure on his ribs.

"What do you think, how many of these can I break before you heal again?"

Crack.

He screamed, cried out for help that wouldn't come. No one could hear him in there, he was alone with his pain and the mercy of this angel.

~~~

"Is this really necessary? Nobody can fight in this." I turned in front of the mirror in my apartment, examining my armour and the ridiculous amount of ornaments and decorations on it.
"I mean, not that I don't like it, but this is barely... functional."