Justice For The Fallen ✓

2. Melkyal

A/N

Trigger warning: violence, bloodshed, murder scene description, crude language

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I lowered my flight when I got closer to the city. It was a massive conglomerate of miniature buildings, snaking narrow roads, and too many people crowding the place like ants. I beat my wings faster and turned towards the eastern part where the slums district took one-third of the city. The stench of rot, failing sewage system, and unwashed bodies were so pungent my insides twisted and turned with disgust. One more smell was also clearly standing out from the multitude of repulsive fetors.

Freshly spilt blood.

As an Archangel of Justice for this region, I was not often called down to the city under my jurisdiction. Keeping order there was primarily up to Angels of Courage─they made sure people behaved, and those who didn't were jailed and punished accordingly. I was only summoned to deal with far more complicated troubles. 

The cases involved demons.

After the last devastating war between Heaven and Hell, both sides signed a treaty to keep the fragile balance. We could still intervene in the Human Realm, but within certain limits. Angels could send their representatives to spread the words of the Mighty One and give aid to people in need or help fight crime. But we were not allowed to stop people if they were willing to choose a destructive path of turning towards the dark arts of the Fallen God. We could only assist in apprehending them once they spiralled out of control and harmed others.

Demons, or the Fallen as we often called them, also sent their agents. Unfortunately, they were chaotic and dangerous creatures. They were also forced to abide by the treaty, but it had only one simple rule: not kill or harm any human directly. They were free to do whatever they wanted to lure poor fools into signing their souls away for the Fallen God.

The demons often went on a rampage, ignoring the treaty entirely. In those instances, the Fallen God conveniently renounced any claim to them as His servants and gave the Mighty One free hand to dispose of them in any way He saw fit.

That was my main task. I was trained to track down those renegades, capture them, and bring them to justice. Of course, it was not always that easy, as those who succumbed to their chaotic nature were often completely mad.

And so, I had liberty to kill them if I saw no other way.

It was never something I did lightly, but it had to be done to keep the balance intact. As a sworn servant of the Mighty One, I had to obey His will. His words were clear─build a safe and peaceful world for everyone. We had to eliminate the rot that the Fallen spread.

I located a small alleyway where two Angels of Courage waited for me. I dived down and landed carefully on the filthy cobblestones.

"Archangel Melkyal, sir." The female angel saluted, and her companion followed suit.

"At ease," I said and recalled her name. "What do you have for me, Amitiel?"

"We've finally captured the perpetrator behind the recent vicious murder streak. It's a demon, sir! We caught her red-handed!" She sidestepped, pressing her blue-feathered wings close to her to make more space in a small alleyway.

I moved forward, but the other angel put a hand on my arm. "Be careful, sir! She's dangerous."

I let my gaze linger on the bloody claw marks marring his face. He looked familiar, but I didn't remember his name. He must have been one of the newest recruits. "It's all right. Dealing with the Fallen is my job."