I'm on a Mission

An Unexpected Find

The air grew thicker, and my clothes stuck sweatily to my body. I felt feverish, however, regardless of how bad I felt, I tried to remain optimistic. Sophia was somewhere down here, I knew it. I just had to look harder.

"Any luck in sensing her?" I asked as I cast my gaze up to Raphael, who, stood only a few feet taller than myself.

Raphael shook his head solemnly, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "No, nothing."

I sighed. We had been wandering around for hours, or at least, I believed it had been a few hours. You see, there is no time in Hell. Hell is an infinite void of space. You could spend months in Hell without even knowing it, years, maybe decades. I've once even heard of an angel visiting Hell for only a day, and returning 20 years later from when they entered. Hell is a place where you don't ever want to visit. It is is a home for the tortured souls and demons, where they will rot away, forgotten by all.

Just a few hours ago, (or maybe just a few seconds ago, I can't tell,) I was burning hot. Now, I felt chilled to the bone. It felt as if ice was gnawing at my very skin. The weather in Hell varied from scorching hot, to Antarctica cold.

My teeth chattered as I kept close to Raphael, "Where are the demons? Why haven't we seen them by now."

"Demons, are all around us, we just can't see them. Some, could be taking the shape of the air. Others, could be the ground we walk on." Raphael explained as he buried one hand in his back pocket, the other hand kept out to allow a light source.

"What...? Are you serious? If they're here, then why aren't they attacking us?"

"Not all demons are out for blood. Like angels, demons have classes. The demons that are all around us, are most likely in the lower-class. If we keep to our own business, they'll keep to theirs.

I frowned at the thought. I didn't exactly like the idea of the ground being infested by devilish demons. What if they grabbed me? What if they threw me off of some cliff that I couldn't see?

"If you show fear, it'll excite them. You must try to remain at ease. Clear your mind of any doubts and worries." Raphael spoke calmly as he tilted his head back to look at me. "Lower-class demons have nothing on you, Gabriel. You show signs of becoming a proper angel in no time. You hold potential, maybe even more than your brother."

"Now you're just trying to flatter me," I said with a small forced smile.

I was glad Raphael was with me. If I was alone, I would probably go crazy down here. Silence is not something I'm good with, and Hell, was all about the silence. The only thing that I could hear, was our footsteps, which was made obnoxiously loud considering how quite everything else was, and, our talking.

"How do you think Kaileb is doing?" I asked as I stepped in a pile of water. Or at least, I hoped it was water. Water isn't supposed to be sticky, right?

"He's probably cursing up a storm, but he's fine," Raphael said with a quite laugh. "You worry too much about others. It's a good quality, but it can also be the worst."

I frowned, "You totally just contradicted yourself. What do you mean by, it's my best and worst quality?"

"You don't worry about yourself. You are walking in Hell, the deadliest place around. One wrong move, and you'll be cast out of existence, but, here you are, worrying about Kaileb. A demon, you worst enemy."

"Well, when you put it that way--"

"Quite," Raphael interrupted as he slapped a hand over my mouth. The light he was casting from his hand dimmed off. It would have been pitch black, if it wasn't for a strange white silhouette coming are way.

"Is it just me...? Or do you see that?" I muffled through Raphael's hand.

"Hush," Raphael demanded before pushing me into a crouched position. "Prepare you sword."

"Whoa? Wait! You want me to attack?"

Raphael nodded. "You attack, and if it comes down to it, I'll use my powers."

I nodded as I stayed silent, tapping my fingers anxiously on my lap to a rhythmic pattern. The light in the distance, came closer, and closer... Until I could faintly make out a face, and that, was when I attacked.

"Whoa, hold on there," called out a familiar voice before my sword was knocked out of my grasp. "Playing with swords is dangerous."

I blinked in confusion, "Brother...?"

Grinning down at me, was my, brother?

"You seem shocked," laughed my brother as he pat my head. "Just a few hours ago I learned that I was to be stationed out here. It really is a pain." He said as he swiped a strand of his blonde hair out of his face. Me and my brother looked fairly similar. We had the same pale skin, and our hair was both blonde, though his was slightly longer with brown highlights. Our eye color was also different. I took after our mother with blue eyes, and Ezekiel took after our father, with golden brown eyes. "Gabe, as happy as I am to see you, why exactly are you out here?"

"He is with me." Raphael spoke up with a small smile. "Long time no see, Ezekiel."

"Raphael?" Ezekiel questioned before grinning, "Long time no see indeed."

"You really are Mr. Popular," I grumbled under my breath to Raphael.

"I did tell you that I met your brother before, right?" Raphael asked with a slight chuckle.

"If you don't mind me asking, what business do you have down here? This isn't exactly the place to bring a kid," my brother spoke as he motioned a hand in my direction.

"I'm no longer a kid," I corrected with a frown. He was still treating me like a child... Just great.

"Training. You do remember the training I had with you?" Raphael answered quickly.

"How could I forget?" Laughed Zeke as he placed a hand on my head. "So, my little brother is being trained by the Great Raphael, huh? You really have come this far."

"Of course I have. I'll even become stronger than you." I teased.

Ezekiel, however didn't seem to take the joke so lightly. "You're far from me, little brother." He said quietly into my ear before standing upright, a tight smile on his lips, "I have to get going. Duty calls. Stay out of trouble, Gabriel. Don't go digging in places where you aren't supposed to dig."

I frowned. "Yeah, I know," I said as I watched my brother run off.

Just a few years gone from home, and he already got this cocky? Dang.

"It was a surprise to find your brother here, wasn't it?" Raphael said once Zeke had left, his gaze staring off into the distance.

"I'd say. Of all the places for him to show up, he shows up down here. Ironic, huh?" I said before bending down to pick up the sword that was knocked out of my hand.

"Yes, very," Raphael said with a nod, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration..

"Is something wrong?"

"Well... I think I found Sophia's presence."