Angelic Omen

Deal?

I was in a room, one of the castle rooms by the looks of it. It was in a tall tower, overlooking the city, burning to the ground as it always seems to be in my dreams nowadays.

And there he was. The angel that's been taunting my mind the past week. He wasn't injured as he is usually, for the stab wound in his chest was gone, as was the scar over his eye. I could now more clearly see the cross, ebony black like his other pupil in his previously lacerated gaze. His crown was whole instead of cracked,  floating above his head.

Behind him was another angel, pale jade with emerald eyes. His feathers were a pearly white, but greyed and darkened with black ash.

Their mouths moved, but I couldn't hear them. Like someone had muted the conversation. The green one seemed angry, while the other seemed much calmer.

The first one suddenly strikes, raking his almost abnormally sharp claws across the green angel's chest. He tried to fight back, but was soon pinned to the wall by the angel I knew.

Through the muted conversation, I could now hear a few words.

Weak.

Lies.

Sxorces.

I assumed Sxorces was the angel I knew, seeing that it looked like the green one spoke it. The other sayings were from Sxorces himself, presumably about the angel he had pinned to the wall.

Sxorces let off of the green angel, who slumped weakly to the floor. He turned and walked back to the balcony, leaving the green angel's spear on the ground not too far away.

The green angel, seeming to have a final boost of strength, slowly reached for his spear. He dragged himself to his feet and ran with determination towards Sxorces.

As Sxorces turned, the green angel raked his claws over Sxorce's eye.

Huh. That explains his scar.

Sxorces screeched in agony, and before he could strike back, the green angel drove his spear through Sxorce's chest. The bloodied, crimson point stuck out from the angel's back.

Sxorces sputtered, blood dribbling from his mouth as he fell to his knees. The green angel pulled the spear from Sxorce's chest as he fell.

Sxorces said something, muted to my ears, before slumping to the ground, his life leaving with his final dying breath.

And mere seconds later, so did the green angel. Blood was still pouring from the deep, jagged claw mark across his chest.

What is this? I thought.

"It is what they have hidden from the present."

I jumped, turning around to see none other than Sxorces standing behind him. His enduring scowl almost seemed to be directed at the dead angel that had apparently killed him.

"Is this... what happened to you?" I asked him, glancing back at the corpses behind me.

"Indeed," Sxorces nodded.

I looked back at the burning city outside. "And you were trying to destroy Norxentor?"

"Correct again," Sxorces replied. "Xana was the army general at the time. This was the first time he had questioned my leadership to my face."

He scoffed. "He thought his concerns were hidden from me. He underestimated my power."

So he was the king.

"This is why you need me, Omen," Sxorces continued, "I know how to deal with these angels. I can help you destroy them."

I exhaled deeply. "I know from experience that help comes with a price. Especially from people like you, who randomly show interest when something that may help you is started. What do you want?"

"Clever one, you are," Sxorces observed with a sly smile. "But I only ask one thing in return. Simply shake my hand, and the deal is made."

"You still haven't answered me. What do you want in return?"

"For you to shake my hand."

"That's not a reward."

"I never said it was. But it's what I want."

I shook my head firmly. "Fine. I'll think about your offer. How do I reach out to you once I've made my decision?"

Sxorces grinned. "That's the least I ask of you. And no need to 'reach out.' I'll know when you're ready."

His devious laughter echoed around me as this twisted reality faded to black.

———

704 words